A Stolen Romance - Chapter 41

Chapter 41: Quietly Currying Favor

Inside the Emperor’s bedchamber, the atmosphere was heavy. Xiao Lijun held a bowl of medicine, trying once again to feed a spoonful to Emperor Hongjing. The thick medicine dribbled from the corner of his mouth, all of it spilling out. Xiao Lijun’s hand trembled, and her heart sank. Yesterday, she could still get some of it down him, but today, not a drop.

Eunuch Lin silently wiped away tears on the side. He had been with the Emperor since he was a child, and their bond was deep. Although he had known this day would come, now that it was here, his heart felt like it was being twisted, a pain so sharp it was hard to breathe. Xiao Lijun simply held the bowl, staring at the Emperor with unconcealed sorrow in her eyes.

A person from outside asked for permission to enter—a palace maid who had been sent to report on the Empress Dowager’s condition. Xiao Lijun allowed her in. After respectfully greeting the Princess, the maid quickly gave a concise daily report. “Today, Her Majesty the Empress Dowager is much better. Her fever has subsided, and the imperial physician says she should be able to get out of bed in a few days. The Empress Dowager said she would come to see His Majesty herself in a few days.”

“Understood,” Xiao Lijun said, waving the maid away. She turned to the Emperor lying in the sickbed. “You heard that, Mother is fine. You must get better quickly and not make her worry.”

Xiao Lijun tried to feed him another spoonful, but it still wouldn’t go in. Eunuch Lin turned his head away, his eyes red. He thought for a moment and said, “Princess, perhaps you should talk about things His Majesty enjoys hearing.”

Xiao Lijun nodded and called for the subordinates who were already waiting outside to report. The person who came in was someone Xiao Lijun had stationed in the Shi family home. After reporting multiple times, she already knew what the nobles liked to hear. After a greeting, she began to report with great enthusiasm.

“In the past few days, Miss Zhaoran has been helping Madame Shi sort out the ledgers for the Shi estate. She discovered several instances of servants embezzling funds and deceiving their superiors. Madame Shi has dealt with all of them. After recovering the stolen money, Madame Shi was very happy and showed a rare look of approval for Miss Zhaoran.”

“It just so happened that the Shi family was making new season’s clothes, which Madame Shi always found a headache. Miss Zhaoran took the initiative to handle it. She is very knowledgeable about the popular styles and the prices of materials in the capital. After helping Madame Shi solve this problem, Madame Shi praised Miss Zhaoran.”

The subordinate recounted every detail of how Xie Zhaoran was winning over Madame Shi, and Xiao Lijun couldn’t help but let her guard down and smile. When she heard that Xie Zhaoran’s hand injury had healed and she was now studying the dietary preferences of the Shi family to win them over through their stomachs, Xiao Lijun couldn’t hold back a laugh.

Eunuch Lin also had a faint smile on his face. He had been watching the Emperor and noticed that he seemed to be smiling as he listened. He quickly took the medicine bowl from Xiao Lijun’s hand. While recounting the subordinate’s interesting stories, he fed the medicine to the Emperor, and some of it actually went down. Eunuch Lin’s eyes welled up with tears.

Seeing this, Xiao Lijun’s heart ached. “Look at him, still like a child. It was the same when I was at the border. He would send me seven or eight letters a day just to gossip. I don’t know who he gets this from.”

Eunuch Lin smiled and nodded. “His Majesty’s health has been poor, and he was confined to the Eastern Palace every day, so these were his only joys. Besides, you and Miss Zhaoran were the only ones close to His Majesty, so it is natural for him to care more about the two of you.”

Xiao Lijun nodded. She knew her brother was just trying to find joy in his suffering. After the subordinate finished reporting, she said to Emperor Hongjing as if just making conversation, “Zhaoran has been at the Shi family’s for half a month now and still hasn’t won over Madame Shi. Don’t you think she’s useless?”

…

Meanwhile, in the Shi family’s back courtyard, Tu Chunhua was also secretly scolding Xie Zhaoran for being so scheming. “Her intentions are so obvious! She’s making these snacks from Jiangnan, clearly trying to win us over!”

Shi MinDa took a large bite of a vegetarian rice cake. He said, with his mouth full, “Then why are you eating it?”

Tu Chunhua glared at him. She put down the empty bowl of sweet black sesame paste and licked her lips. “It would be a waste not to eat what’s been made! We’ve only been living a good life for a few days, and you’re already getting cocky, thinking about wasting food!”

Shi MinDa knew she was just lashing out at him and fell silent, continuing to eat the hometown snacks he hadn’t had in a long time. When he felt full, Shi MinDa burped, rubbed his swollen belly, and asked Tu Chunhua, “Wife, if you don’t like Xie Zhaoran, why did you agree to let her stay?”

Tu Chunhua looked at him as if he were an idiot. “What do you mean I don’t like her? Xie Zhaoran is such an outstanding girl; you can’t find many like her in the entire capital. How could I not like her?”

This confused Shi MinDa. “Then if you like her, why don’t you agree to her and Ningning’s relationship?”

Tu Chunhua frowned. “You agreed?”

Shi MinDa quickly shook his head. “No, no, I didn’t.”

A flash of a murderous look passed through Tu Chunhua’s eyes. “Then why don’t you agree?”

Shi MinDa stiffened, unable to understand his wife’s thoughts. He honestly shared his feelings. “Xie Zhaoran is too clever. I’m worried Ningning will be deceived.”

Although Ningning had already explained to them that the marriage with the Crown Prince was a fake and was for some grander scheme, a person who would use her marriage for a scheme was not simple-minded. Their daughter, on the other hand, was as simple as a blank sheet of paper, with her feelings completely transparent on her face. He was worried she was being fooled.

Tu Chunhua nodded, her expression meaningful and a little nostalgic. “My father didn’t agree to our marriage at first either. His reason was the same. He said that you, a scholar, were too clever and he was afraid I would be deceived.”

Before Tu Chunhua could finish, Shi MinDa quickly interrupted. “Nonsense! I’m not clever! My love for you is genuine.”

Tu Chunhua smiled like a blooming flower, a hint of shyness on her face. “Why say that now? In the end, didn’t my father agree?”

Shi MinDa wanted to say that it was because she had insisted, but he fell silent. Tu Chunhua was also a little choked up, unable to speak. Their current worries were just like her parents’ worries for her back then. In the end, her parents agreed to let her marry Shi MinDa, who had nothing, only after testing him and knowing he was reliable. In the past few days, they could also see that Xie Zhaoran was sincere about their daughter. Since they were talking about it today, Tu Chunhua asked Shi MinDa directly what he was thinking.

Shi MinDa sighed. “Actually, that day, when I was climbing down the Qingsui Cliff, I swore to the Bodhisattva in my heart that as long as Ningning came back alive and healthy, I would agree to whatever she wanted from then on.” He was worried that Tu Chunhua wouldn’t understand his feelings at the time, so he described how high the Qingsui Cliff was, how bottomless it seemed when he looked down, and how scared he was. That was why when Ningning suddenly told him she wanted to be with Xie Zhaoran, Shi MinDa was shocked but didn’t refuse.

Tu Chunhua hadn’t seen the cliff herself, but she could imagine how dangerous it was. Just looking at Xie Zhaoran’s state was enough to know the peril. Her nose felt stuffy, and her eyes turned red. She asked Shi MinDa, “What if Ningning wanted to wander the martial world again? Would you agree to that too?”

Hearing this, a hint of pride appeared on Shi MinDa’s face. His eyes shone as he looked at Tu Chunhua. “She already did. Our daughter is very outstanding.” Not only had she protected herself, but she had also saved her beloved.

Tu Chunhua understood what Shi MinDa meant. Yes, their daughter had grown up. This time, she had left them and ventured out, returned completely safe, and even brought back a beloved. “Alright, then.”

“What?” Shi MinDa was shocked. “You agree?”

Tu Chunhua thought for a moment. “We’ll keep her hanging for another month. She needs to know that our approval isn’t easy to get. This will make her cherish this hard-won relationship even more. For this month, you have to hold back and not give her a single smile.”

Shi MinDa immediately promised to listen to his wife. “I won’t even give her half a smile.”

At the same time, Shi Yuning and Xie Zhaoran were eating breakfast, unaware that her parents would not be smiling at her for the next month. Shi Yuning looked at the table full of snacks and frowned. “Your leg hasn’t fully healed yet. Don’t work so hard.” She knew Xie Zhaoran was trying to impress Tu Chunhua and win their approval, but her heart ached for her.

Xie Zhaoran smoothed out her frown, smiling. “Making these doesn’t hurt my leg.”

Shi Yuning shook her head. “It’s still hard work. Besides, it’s no use. My mom isn’t a glutton.”

Xie Zhaoran smiled and didn’t deny it. “Sincerity moves mountains.”

Shi Yuning knew she couldn’t convince her. She had been going to Tu Chunhua every day, trying to gain sympathy, but she didn’t know what was wrong with her mother, who was being so hard-hearted this time. Her father was also avoiding her.

Shi Yuning leaned over and kissed Xie Zhaoran. “You’ve worked so hard.”

Xie Zhaoran’s heart was blooming with joy. She didn’t feel it was hard at all; she had already entered the family. She filled a bowl of corn soup for Shi Yuning. “Have some more.”

As the two were eating breakfast, a person from the palace suddenly arrived, ordering them to secretly enter the palace. Once there, Shi Yuning learned that the Emperor was not doing well. Xie Zhaoran was mentally prepared, but seeing the dying Emperor, who could no longer speak, she still felt deeply saddened. Shi Yuning held Xie Zhaoran’s hand tightly beside her.

After letting them see Emperor Hongjing for the last time, Xiao Lijun led them out, instructing them to stay at home and not go anywhere, as the capital might become chaotic.

Xie Zhaoran agreed. “You be careful.”

Xiao Lijun hesitated before asking her seriously again. “Do you really not want the identity of the Duke of Xie’s daughter anymore?”

Xie Zhaoran smiled bitterly. “Did the Xie family look for me?”

Xiao Lijun sighed deeply.

Xie Zhaoran closed her eyes, hiding a flash of sorrow, and said calmly, “If something were to happen to the Emperor, even if the Xie family knew I was alive, they would wish that I had followed His Majesty to the grave.”

Xiao Lijun’s eyes dimmed. That was indeed a possibility.

Shi Yuning’s heart felt a dull, intermittent pain. She held Xie Zhaoran’s hand even tighter. The Xie family didn’t want Xie Zhaoran, but she, Shi Yuning, did. The Shi family did.

Looking at their clasped hands, Xiao Lijun felt a sense of comfort. “Alright, I’ll make the arrangements.”

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