Accidentally Married the Princess [Time Travel] - Chapter 29.2

Outside the pavilion, the sound of rain grew louder. Dai Ru Yan, dressed in a light cyan gown, sat with her back straight, her expression serious as she gazed at Gong Yu.

After speaking, Gong Yu grew somewhat worried about Dai Ru Yan and quickly added, “But letting him stay the night was indeed a lapse in my judgment. Don’t be angry, Ayan. I won’t do it again.”

Yet Dai Ru Yan merely looked at Gong Yu without saying a word. Gong Yu’s heart grew even more unsettled, and she hesitantly asked, “Ayan, why aren’t you saying anything?”

“Did I say something wrong? Are you upset with me?”

“No.” Dai Ru Yan shook her head and replied, “Xiao Jiu’s considerations were quite thorough.”

“I was just a little surprised, that’s all.”

Surprised?

Because she had been lying down earlier, Gong Yu’s robe was slightly disheveled. She busied herself adjusting the thin sash and asked, “What’s so surprising about it?”

“This sash needs to be looped around to be tied properly.” Dai Ru Yan reached out, gently took Gong Yu’s wrist, and pulled her closer.

Kneeling on the low couch, Gong Yu felt her cheeks grow warm as she looked at Dai Ru Yan before her.

Dai Ru Yan smoothed Gong Yu’s collar with her hand, her fingers deftly threading the sash through the loops of the outer robe and tying it neatly.

Gong Yu stared blankly, scratching her head as she said, “This outfit is a bit complicated. I’ve only just started wearing it, so there are some parts I’m still not used to.”

Dai Ru Yan gently straightened the wrinkles on Gong Yu’s robe and said softly, “You’ve grown up now, so your attire naturally needs to change. Are you used to wearing this headpiece yet?”

“Not at all.”

Gong Yu said with frustration, “It feels like carrying a rock on my head. It may look nice, but it’s just too heavy.”

“You’ll have to get used to these things eventually.” Dai Ru Yan smiled faintly as she spoke, then released her hands and sat upright beside her.

“Do you also think I’m not doing well enough, Ayan?”

“No, you’re doing very well.” Dai Ru Yan looked at Gong Yu and said, “It’s just that the court is often chaotic and complicated. Xiao Jiu, there’s no need for you to get involved.”

“And I don’t want you to be dragged into it.”

Gong Yu sat cross-legged beside her, pouring a cup of tea and handing it to Dai Ru Yan before pouring one for herself.

Outside, the rain pattered steadily. Gong Yu took a sip of tea and said, “But the death of the Third Prince is just too strange. If it really was murder, the killer was bold enough to assassinate a prince. Who knows what else might happen?”

“None of that concerns you.”

Dai Ru Yan gazed at Gong Yu, as if steadying her breath, and said, “Xiao Jiu, let this matter go.”

“Even His Majesty hasn’t shown any intention to investigate, which means the Third Prince’s death was a suicide. Besides, it was wrong of you to send people to investigate the Dali Temple privately. If someone with ulterior motives exploits this and exaggerates it, it could become a weakness for others to use against you.”

Gong Yu fell silent, lowering her head as she replied, “Mm, I understand.”

Dai Ru Yan gently took her hand, which was hidden in the wide sleeve, and wrapped her arm around Gong Yu’s bowed head, drawing her close to her chest. Softly, she comforted her, “Be good, Xiao Jiu. I know you want to uncover the truth, but sometimes, once the truth is laid bare, you can’t just cover it up again and pretend everything is fine.”

“Ayan, do you know who the killer is?” Gong Yu asked quietly, listening to the steady rhythm of Dai Ru Yan’s heartbeat.

It seemed as though the increasingly heavy rain outside was muffled by the calm, steady beat of Dai Ru Yan’s heart.

Dai Ru Yan gently stroked the back of Gong Yu’s neck, her eyes flickering slightly as she replied, “I don’t know, but I can probably guess.”

Yet this response only left Gong Yu even more confused. Did Dai Ru Yan know or not?

The more ambiguous it was, the more Gong Yu fixated on it. It wasn’t until Gong Yu flipped through books on the regulations for royal and noble attire and discovered that the thread used in the sachet was the exclusive golden thread reserved for the imperial family and the Dai clan—who had intermarried with the royal family for generations—that Gong Yu understood why Chen Ming had hidden the sachet in a secret compartment.

Whether it was the imperial family or the Dai clan, Chen Ming had chosen to protect someone by concealing the sachet.

Gong Yu felt as though they were one step closer to the truth, but then the hall where the Third Prince’s body was laid out suddenly caught fire, and the blaze destroyed all evidence.

It was early spring, a season of heavy rainfall, not a time of dry weather. The timing of the fire was far too convenient.

Clearly, someone was destroying evidence—perhaps even aware that Gong Yu was investigating the case.

No matter what, Gong Yu truly had no way of uncovering the true cause of the Third Prince’s death.

It was like painstakingly unraveling a cocoon layer by layer, only for the cocoon to vanish right before their eyes.

After the morning court session ended, Gong Yu, feeling somewhat dejected, held an umbrella and walked slowly along the palace path. Passing by the imperial garden, they happened to run into the little princess.

“What beautiful flowers, Your Highness,” a palace maid praised.

“Will Mother Empress like them?” the little girl asked, blinking her large, watery eyes.

“Of course, Her Majesty the Empress will surely love them.”

The little princess was originally born to a noble consort, but the consort had been too weak after childbirth and passed away not long after. The Empress had since taken the child under her care.

Gong Yu watched as the little girl was carried away by the palace maid, but in a fleeting moment, they caught sight of the sachet on the child’s attire, embroidered with a majestic eagle.

“Wait.” Gong Yu stepped forward to stop the maid carrying the little princess, their gaze fixed on the sachet as if their breath had been stolen.

The little girl smiled and greeted, “Ninth Brother, hello.”

Gong Yu snapped back to reality, fingers tracing the embroidery on the sachet as they asked, “Why is there an eagle embroidered on this sachet?”

The little girl seemed a bit puzzled and simply replied, “Mother Empress gave this to Zhuer.”

The palace maid beside her explained, “Your Highness, Her Majesty the Empress has never been fond of floral patterns. She prefers eagles, so she personally embroidered this.”

“I see,” Gong Yu responded slowly, watching as the maid carried the little princess away.

The rain grew heavier, and Gong Yu suddenly felt an intense chill, a cold that seeped from their bones and spread throughout their entire body.

The Empress was both a member of the imperial family and of the Dai clan, so she had access to the golden thread. Moreover, the embroidery technique was so unique that Gong Yu had searched all the embroiderers in the capital without finding anyone who could replicate it.

Especially since the Empress was Dai Ru Yan’s aunt—how could Dai Ru Yan not know what the eagle symbolized? The only explanation was that Dai Ru Yan had deliberately misled Gong Yu’s judgment. She was protecting her aunt.

So, Chen Ming was also shielding the Empress. No wonder the murderer had been able to move in and out of the Dali Temple freely. Chen Ming had even opened the Third Prince’s cell door himself.

Gong Yu stumbled forward a few steps, bracing a hand against the palace wall to steady themselves, while the umbrella fell to the side.

As the words Dai Ru Yan had whispered in their ear that day echoed in their mind, Gong Yu suddenly felt uncertain about what was true and what was false.

“Your Highness, why are you standing here in the rain?”

Gong Yu turned around and saw the Empress standing nearby, with palace maids following behind her.

“Your clothes are completely soaked. The spring rain is most likely to harm your health,” the Empress said with deep concern, handing over an umbrella. “I’ve heard that the Ninth Prince’s constitution has always been weak. If Ayan finds out, she will surely worry.”

Startled, Gong Yu took a step back and replied, “Xiao Jiu… thank you for your concern, Your Majesty.”

The Empress smiled, completely unbothered by Gong Yu’s retreat. She simply instructed a palace maid to hold the umbrella for Gong Yu before taking her leave.

Drenched by the rain, Gong Yu felt her mind in complete disarray. In a daze, she took the sedan chair back to her residence.

As expected, she developed a fever. Gong Yu frowned tightly, unable to comprehend why the Empress would want to kill the Third Prince.

The cause of the Third Prince’s death was a slit throat, not a fatal stab. If a living person’s throat is slit, blood would gush out and even splatter onto the walls, yet the person wouldn’t die immediately—only suffer in despair as their lifeblood drained away.

The fever persisted, and the sound of rain outside echoed in her ears. Gong Yu slept for a long time, only waking when her throat was parched with thirst.

Outside, the sky was bright and sunny, almost glaringly so, yet Gong Yu felt pain throughout her entire body.

“Awake?” Dai Ru Yan’s crisp voice sounded beside her ear.

Gong Yu blinked, staring blankly at the Dai Ru Yan before her. The windows in the room were open, allowing the warm sunlight to fall perfectly on Dai Ru Yan’s dark blue attire.

It was rare to see Dai Ru Yan wearing such a dark-colored dress. Her already fair skin appeared even paler, almost unreal.

Dai Ru Yan had applied heavy makeup, which was unusual for her, and she wore peach-blossom-shaped earrings. Gong Yu, her voice slightly nasal, said, “Ayan… you look beautiful like this too.”

“Do you like it?” Dai Ru Yan smiled, gently supporting Gong Yu’s head to help her sit up halfway.

Weakly, Gong Yu tilted her head, resting her forehead against Dai Ru Yan’s cool cheek, and whispered, “I know who killed the Third Imperial Brother.”

Dai Ru Yan’s hand, holding the bowl of medicine, paused slightly. Then, she brought a spoonful of the decoction to Gong Yu’s lips and said softly, “The medicine is a bit bitter. I asked the maid to prepare some preserved fruit.”

“Would Xiao Jiu like to have one first?”

“I… I’m thirsty,” Gong Yu replied, her voice hoarse and dry.

“Alright, I’ll pour some water right away.”

The water soothed the dryness in Gong Yu’s throat. Dai Ru Yan held the cup, gently stroking Gong Yu’s back with her palm, and asked, “Would you like some more?”

“No, this is enough.”

Dai Ru Yan took a handkerchief and wiped the cold sweat from Gong Yu’s face. Her cool hand brushed against Gong Yu’s still feverish forehead as she said with deep concern, “Let’s take the medicine first.”

The medicine was bitter, so much so that Gong Yu felt like vomiting. After taking most of it, Dai Ru Yan seemed to notice her discomfort and stopped, placing a piece of preserved fruit into Gong Yu’s mouth.

“Keep it in your mouth, and you won’t feel like throwing up.”

In truth, Gong Yu could still feel unwell. Her head felt heavy, and her breathing was somewhat labored.

But Dai Ru Yan was so gentle that Gong Yu didn’t say anything, allowing herself to be held.

Outside the window, the light was bright. Squinting slightly, Gong Yu turned her head and inhaled the faint fragrance from Dai Ru Yan. “Did Ayan already know that the Empress is the murderer?”

The fingers gently massaging the acupoints beside Gong Yu’s temple paused slightly. Dai Ru Yan whispered softly, “I merely guessed when I saw Xiao Jiu holding that sachet.”

“I don’t quite understand.”

Gong Yu reached out and clasped Dai Ru Yan’s cool fingertips, bringing them before her as she asked, “Why did the Empress want to kill Third Imperial Brother?”

Dai Ru Yan’s nails were beautifully colored. Gong Yu, like a child, kissed her fingertips.

“Because the Third Prince was the one who poisoned the unborn child in my aunt’s womb,” Dai Ru Yan replied, looking down at Gong Yu curled up in her embrace. Her fingertips lightly brushed Gong Yu’s dry, peeling lips, chapped from fever and dehydration.

“But didn’t Ayan say before that it was the Dai family who caused the death of the Empress’s child?”

Dai Ru Yan withdrew her fingers from Gong Yu’s lips and instead gently caressed her feverish cheek. “Because the Third Prince administered the poison himself.”

“The Dai family merely acted as the unseen hand, guiding the outcome they desired. The Dai family rarely stains their own hands with blood.”

Gong Yu tightly gripped the sleeve of Dai Ru Yan’s robe, pressing her cheek against Dai Ru Yan’s palm. “Why did you lie to me, Ayan?”

Dai Ru Yan wrapped her arms tightly around Gong Yu from behind, holding her close. She leaned in, her lips near Gong Yu’s ear, and whispered softly, “I was worried about you.”

“My aunt and the Dai family are already at odds, like fire and water. If you were to recklessly step forward, you would be placing yourself under immense pressure. It’s too dangerous.”

“Isn’t the imperial power the highest authority in the Gong Kingdom?”

“Xiao Jiu, you are still too naive,” Dai Ru Yan murmured, her cheek pressed against Gong Yu’s, her nose nuzzling Gong Yu’s face affectionately. “Do you think the Dai family can continue intermarrying with the royal family indefinitely?”

“Is it merely because of beauty? Or exceptional intelligence?”

“The Dai family is both a heavy shackle and a sharp sword to the royal family. Even the Emperor of the Gong Kingdom must rely on the Dai family’s influence to control the court.”

Only now did Gong Yu realize that when Chen Ming took away the sachet the Empress had dropped, it might not have been solely to protect the Empress.

He was protecting the royal family. If the Emperor were to learn that a prince had died at the hands of the Empress from the Dai family, it would undoubtedly ignite the flames of war.

And this was precisely the outcome the Empress desired. She wanted to set the Gong Kingdom’s power struggles ablaze.

Dai Ru Yan stretched her arms to embrace Gong Yu and said softly, “Don’t think about it anymore. It’s all in the past.”

“What about Chen Ming?”

“At this hour, Minister Chen of the Dali Temple is likely attending the morning court session.”

Gong Yu nestled closely in Dai Ru Yan’s embrace, feeling relieved that Chen Ming was still alive.

“Be good, Xiao Jiu. Don’t overthink it. Rest a while longer, and perhaps your illness will improve.”

Dai Ru Yan whispered gently, “When you’re feeling better and the weather warms up…”

“Come, it’s just the right time for a spring outing. I’ll bring Xiao Jiu along then, alright?”

“Alright.” Nestled in Dai Ru Yan’s embrace, Gong Yu truly felt a bit weary.

Closing her eyes, Gong Yu couldn’t help but recall the scene of the Third Prince’s death—blood splattered high on the dark walls, staining even the killer’s clothes.

The faint fragrance wafting into her nostrils was soothing and familiar. Gong Yu turned her head closer to Dai Ru Yan’s chest and whispered, “Did Third Imperial Brother bleed a lot when he died?”

“Perhaps.”

“Ayan…”

“What is it?”

Gong Yu touched Dai Ru Yan’s sleeve and asked, “Why did you change into dark-colored clothes today?”

“I just felt like changing the color. Does it not look good?”

“It looks lovely. Ayan is the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen.”

“Flatterer.” Dai Ru Yan chuckled.

Gong Yu closed her eyes again, inhaling the fragrance deeply, and said, “The scent on Ayan is so pleasant.”

Dai Ru Yan smiled softly and replied, “If Xiao Jiu likes it, I can prepare some scented herbs for you too.”

“Alright.”

“Now, sleep.”

“Mmm.”

This scent of herbs is quite similar to the one in the sachet I got from Chen Ming.