Accidentally Married the Princess [Time Travel] - Chapter 30.1

January quietly passed under the spring rain’s nourishment. The spring breeze carried a slight chill, and Gong Yu, having just recovered from a serious illness, did not go anywhere other than attending the morning court sessions.

Originally, morning court was where the princes learned about state affairs, but Gong Yu had been ill several times, with more absences than attendances. Strangely, however, officials had recently been frequently inquiring about Gong Yu’s health.

Gong Yu mostly responded politely, though feeling somewhat baffled.

After all, every official in the court was shrewd, well-versed in the rise and fall of factions. The more Gong Yu observed, the less inclined they were to engage with such matters.

Yet, being part of the court, Gong Yu could not avoid it, and they began to understand what Dai Ru Yan had once said: enjoying the privileges of being a prince meant one could not escape the harsh realities of royalty.

It was indeed true. If one side secretly formed alliances, the other, whether to retaliate or to protect themselves, would inevitably be dragged into factional struggles, even if unwilling.

Thinking back to how the Third Prince had shone so brightly after the First Prince’s downfall, it had only been half a month, and these shrewd officials were already quietly seeking new suitable candidates.

Gong Yu descended the stone steps, eager to escape the foul stench of court politics.

Today, however, was the Empress’s birthday, and a banquet was held in the palace. Gong Yu had someone prepare a jade ruyi scepter as a gift before attending.

The banquet was filled with the gentle strains of a zither. Gong Yu’s eyes immediately fell upon Dai Ru Yan, who was playing the instrument. The hall was surrounded by windows, all open, making it exceptionally bright.

Dai Ru Yan wore a light blue gown with flowing sleeves, her expression focused on the ancient zither. Gong Yu, in turn, was captivated by her.

“Little Ninth, you’re here!” the Fifth Prince called out, raising his wine cup.

Gong Yu snapped back to reality, chiding themselves for being so entranced in a hall filled with other princes, palace maids, and even the Empress.

“Congratulations to Her Majesty the Empress,” Gong Yu said, bowing with a smile.

“The Ninth Prince is most thoughtful,” the Empress replied, her makeup flawless and her smile radiant. Such a person hardly seemed like a murderer.

Gong Yu took their seat, though unfortunately, it was still quite far from Dai Ru Yan.

Dai Ru Yan’s zither music was enchanting, and the entire hall fell into a hushed silence. It was unclear whether everyone was captivated by the beautiful melody or by Dai Ru Yan’s striking appearance.

When Dai Ru Yan finished playing, the lingering notes of the zither slowly echoed through the hall, leaving Gong Yu in awe.

Noticing the variety of pastries on the table, Gong Yu couldn’t resist sampling a few of each, thinking that if they were delicious, they might try making them themselves later.

For a moment, Gong Yu paid no attention to the conversations of the other princes nearby. Unexpectedly, the Fifth Prince turned the topic to Gong Yu, laughing, “Little Ninth, you’re still as much of a glutton as a child!”

Instantly, all eyes in the hall turned to Gong Yu, who blushed and replied, “Her Majesty’s pastries are so varied and enticing.”

The Empress, holding the little Princess Zhuer in her arms, chuckled and said, “The Ninth Prince is just like Zhuer—once they spot pastries, nothing else matters.”

Everyone laughed. Gong Yu, face flushed, finished the half-eaten pastry in their hand, too embarrassed to glance in Dai Ru Yan’s direction.

The faint sunlight filtered through the dense foliage outside, casting dappled shadows in the hall. Gong Yu touched the lacquered wooden table where the pastries were placed, feeling its warmth from the sun’s rays.

The hall was filled with an air of harmony, as if there were no schemes or struggles between them, and no need to vie for supremacy.

Of course, this was merely an illusion.

Gong Yu sipped her tea quietly, inwardly sighing at how inadequate her acting skills still were.

A palace maid nearby placed fragrant herbs into a small incense burner. Gong Yu caught a whiff and noticed that the scent of the incense in the Empress’s palace seemed slightly different from the one Dai Ru Yan usually used.

“What herbs are used to grind this incense?”

“This humble servant does not know. Most of these incense blends are personally prepared by Her Majesty the Empress.” The young maid, clearly still a novice, grew visibly nervous at Gong Yu’s sudden question.

“Does Her Majesty use any other herbs or incense in her daily life?”

The maid thought for a moment and shook her head. “Ever since this servant entered the palace, Her Majesty has always used this particular blend.”

Gong Yu eased the tension with a gentle smile and said, “I see.”

The Fifth Prince suddenly leaned closer and whispered, “Little Ninth, though this maid is quite pretty, she is, after all, the Empress’s attendant. It’s best not to meddle.”

Uh…

Brother, are you overthinking things?

But Gong Yu offered no explanation, wary of arousing suspicion, especially since the Third Prince had already been laid to rest.

When the banquet concluded, Gong Yu stood and straightened her robes, stealing a glance at Dai Ru Yan, who remained seated beside the Empress.

She thought to herself that since the Empress was so close to Dai Ru Yan, perhaps she occasionally used Dai Ru Yan’s herbs as well.

Yet Gong Yu felt as though she were deceiving herself. The Empress’s daily necessities were all strictly regulated. If she truly favored the herbs Dai Ru Yan prepared, why would she only use them in sachets while employing a different blend in the hall?

Perhaps that sachet did not belong to the Empress at all, meaning the herbs inside were not the ones Her Majesty commonly used.

Gong Yu wandered alone through the garden of the Empress’s palace, feeling as though the answer was on the tip of her tongue, yet she forcibly dismissed it.

No, it couldn’t be. Ayan wouldn’t be that kind of person. She had no reason to do such a thing.

Just then, she spotted the little princess, Zhuer, in the pavilion. Gong Yu snapped out of her thoughts and approached.

Several palace maids stood nearby, while the little princess was intently weaving a flower crown, her expression serious and focused.

“Zhuer.” Gong Yu smiled and sat down beside her.

The little princess turned her head, smiled back at Gong Yu, and mumbled with still-unclear pronunciation, “Ninth Brother, greetings.”

“This flower crown is truly beautiful.”

“Zhuer… for Mother Empress.”

Rumors often circulated in the palace that the Empress was kind-hearted and treated the little princess Zhuer exceptionally well. Gong Yu observed the rosy, adorable glow on Zhuer’s face and concluded that she must be living quite comfortably.

The little princess continued weaving another flower crown, seemingly intent on making more.

The pavilion was bathed in warm sunlight—a rare, beautiful day. Gong Yu picked up another flower and handed it to the little princess, asking, “Zhuer, are all these flower crowns for Her Majesty the Empress?”

“Mm.” Zhuer took the flower from Gong Yu, her eyes flickering with guilt as she said, “Mother’s hand… bled a lot.”

“Injured?” Gong Yu asked, puzzled. “How did she get hurt?”

Zhuer bit her lip tightly and replied, “Making new clothes for Zhuer… her hand bled.”

“Don’t cry, Zhuer.” Gong Yu quickly comforted the teary-eyed child, speaking softly. “When Her Majesty sees the flower crown you made for her, her injury won’t hurt anymore.”

“Really?” Zhuer gazed at Gong Yu with hopeful, innocent eyes.

Gong Yu smiled and nodded, “It’s true, and the flower crown Zhuer made is the most beautiful one Ninth Brother has ever seen.”

The little princess immediately beamed again, focusing intently on weaving the flower crown, the dampness at the corners of her eyes still not dry.

One couldn’t help but sigh at how easily children are comforted. A few kind words and they forget everything.

Gong Yu walked away alone, scanning the Empress’s palace. In the garden, tender flower buds were eagerly waiting to bloom, as if impatient to unfold.

Suddenly, the cause of the Third Prince’s death flashed through her mind—the murder weapon was a shard from a shattered teacup. It was so abrupt that perhaps the Empress really was the culprit.

If it was just sewing clothes and getting pricked by a needle, why was there so much blood?

Moreover, judging by Zhuer’s expression earlier, the injury was indeed severe. Unless the Empress was treating her wound when Zhuer saw it, forcing her to use sewing as an excuse.

Gong Yu hurried through the garden, swiftly running along the corridor as the entire sequence of events unfolded in her mind.

The pain of losing her son had filled the Empress with resentment toward the Third Prince and the Dai family, so she wanted to eliminate the Third Prince. But how would she destroy the Dai family?

The deeply rooted Dai family held power among the court nobility. The Empress needed a scheme, or perhaps a frame-up.

Dai Ru Yan, the current heir of the Dai family, was the people’s undisputed choice for future Empress. Ruining her would at least humiliate the Dai family, even if it didn’t cripple them.

That sachet contained herbs personally blended by Dai Ru Yan—no one else in the entire kingdom could have made it.

The Empress’s target was Dai Ru Yan.

Gong Yu rushed into the hall, only to find the Empress and Dai Ru Yan calmly drinking tea together.

Her face drenched in sweat from running, Gong Yu leaned against a pillar, catching her breath. Dai Ru Yan stood up and approached with concern.

“What happened?” Dai Ru Yan asked softly, using her handkerchief to wipe the sweat from Gong Yu’s face.

Gong Yu stared intently at Dai Ru Yan, trying to steady her emotions and expression as she replied, “It’s nothing. I just ran too fast.”

Dai Ru Yan breathed a sigh of relief and said sternly, “You’re not a child anymore, still running around playing.”

“I won’t do it again,” Gong Yu smiled and followed Dai Ru Yan into the hall.

The Empress kept her hands tucked in her sleeves, making it impossible to see where she was injured.

“The Ninth Princess and Ayan are indeed as close as the rumors say,” the Empress remarked with a smile.

“Your Majesty flatters me,” Gong Yu responded as she took a seat.

Dai Ru Yan sipped her tea without speaking. The three of them sat in silence—or rather, an awkward quietness seemed to settle because of Gong Yu’s arrival.

Fortunately, the little princess Zhuer came in from outside, holding a flower crown and calling out with childish innocence, “Mother.”

“What is it, Zhuer?”

“Zhuer made a pretty flower crown for Mother,” the little princess said earnestly, standing before the Empress.

The Empress smiled, “Wonderful. Will Zhuer put it on Mother?”

“Mm,” the little princess grinned, her eyes crinkling, as she stood on tiptoe to carefully place the crown on the Empress’s head.

After adjusting the crown, the little princess snuggled into the Empress’s embrace, and the Empress naturally reached out to hold her gently.

The bandaged wound on her right hand nearly became visible. Gong Yu watched intently, her heart almost stopping.

Meanwhile, Dai Ru Yan simply handed a porcelain plate of pastries to Gong Yu and said, “Try this snowflake cake.”

Gong Yu’s thoughts were interrupted. Obediently reaching for a pastry to eat, she remarked with some surprise, “Why does this pastry taste so cool?”

The Empress, holding the little princess, explained, “This snowflake pastry is Zhuer’s favorite in the summer.”

“Does Ninth Brother… like it too?” the little princess asked with a smile.

Gong Yu played along and nodded, “Yes, Ninth Brother loves pastries the most.”

Dai Ru Yan chuckled silently and said, “You just ate so many pastries earlier—how can you still have room for more?”

Uh…

Didn’t you push the plate in front of me and tell me to eat it?

Gong Yu looked at Dai Ru Yan with a pitiful expression, but Dai Ru Yan merely sipped her tea without glancing at Gong Yu, clearly doing it on purpose.

Ah, but what could Gong Yu do? She could only let Dai Ru Yan tease her.

By the time they left the Empress’s palace, Gong Yu was truly stuffed with pastries.

Dai Ru Yan walked silently beside her. Noticing they were already quite far from the Empress’s palace, Gong Yu gently tugged on Dai Ru Yan’s sleeve.

Dai Ru Yan tilted her head slightly, a smile playing on her lips as she remarked, “I never told Little Jiu to finish the entire plate of pastries. You were just too greedy.”

Gong Yu slid her fingers along the sleeve and lightly grasped Dai Ru Yan’s cool fingertips. Her palm was smooth and delicate, without a single scar.

“The pastries really were delicious. It’s a shame you don’t like sweets, Ayan.”

“How do you know I don’t like sweets?”

“I guessed. Every time something sweet is served, you eat very little. You never even taste the pastries placed in front of you, preferring to drink that bitter tea that’s even more bitter than medicine.” Gong Yu leaned closer as she spoke.

Dai Ru Yan gently held Gong Yu’s hand and said softly, “Bitterness keeps one alert, while sweetness makes one indulge.”

“But people can’t always be alert—like when they’re sleeping, for example.”

“You’re being unreasonable. The two can’t be compared.”

“Fine.” Gong Yu gazed at the long palace corridor, wishing they could walk even slower so she could hold Dai Ru Yan’s hand a little longer.

But Dai Ru Yan suddenly asked, “Why did you rush over here so urgently earlier, Little Jiu?”

Gong Yu stopped walking and hesitated before asking, “Then can you tell me, Ayan, was that sachet really yours, or did it belong to the Empress?”

“What difference would it make if you knew, Little Jiu?”

“I’m guessing the Empress gave that sachet to you, right?”

After all, if something the Empress personally embroidered went missing, it would surely cause some commotion.

Dai Ru Yan sighed and said, “Indeed, my aunt gave me a sachet, and I filled it with fragrant herbs.”

“So, when you saw that sachet, you already knew about the Empress’s plan?”

“Yes.”

Gong Yu held Dai Ru Yan’s hand and sighed with relief. “I thought you didn’t know, and I was so scared I rushed straight to the palace. My legs are still weak from the fright.”

Dai Ru Yan chuckled and lightly pinched Gong Yu’s fingers. “This is the palace. Did you really think my aunt would harm us here?”

“Logically, that’s true, but I was still terribly worried.”

“Such a scaredy-cat.”

Gong Yu let Dai Ru Yan lead her forward. The weight in her heart had lifted, and she felt much more at ease.

“Why aren’t you angry, Ayan?”

“Why should I be angry?”

Dai Ru Yan turned her head to look at Gong Yu and said softly, “This was my aunt’s choice. From the moment she stole the sachet, it meant she knew exactly what she wanted to do.”

“Whatever a person chooses to do is their freedom, but of course, they must also bear the consequences themselves.”

Gong Yu was somewhat taken aback by Dai Ru Yan’s calm response and didn’t quite understand it. Gripping Dai Ru Yan’s hand tightly, she replied:

“But the Empress is trying to frame you, to pin the crime of murder on you.”

“Xiao Jiu…”

“What is it?” Gong Yu turned her head to look at Dai Ru Yan and responded.

“Is my Xiao Jiu angry?” Dai Ru Yan chuckled lightly.

“Yes, I am angry.” Gong Yu didn’t shy away from Dai Ru Yan’s scrutinizing gaze, pursed her lips, and replied, “I’m angry at myself. If I were strong enough, I wouldn’t let you be plotted against, and I would never allow anyone to harm you.”

Dai Ru Yan suddenly stopped. Though her expression remained as calm as usual, the grip on Gong Yu’s hand tightened considerably.

Gong Yu asked, confused, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Dai Ru Yan tightened her hold on Gong Yu’s hand, smiling warmly as if bathed in a spring breeze. “Xiao Jiu, don’t worry. No one can harm me.”

As the wind gently lifted her hair, Dai Ru Yan tucked it behind her ear. Gong Yu stared blankly, feeling her heart beat wildly.

It was as if she had just heard Dai Ru Yan call her “my Xiao Jiu.” Yes, Dai Ru Yan had indeed called her that.

“Alright, you can’t hold my hand anymore.”

Dai Ru Yan released Gong Yu’s hand and instead straightened Gong Yu’s robe, saying seriously, “Let’s consider this matter over. Don’t worry needlessly.”

Gong Yu, feeling rather useless, stared at Dai Ru Yan’s profile so close to her, swallowed, and asked, “How do you plan to resolve this, Ayan?”

“I can’t resolve it.” Dai Ru Yan lightly tapped Gong Yu’s nose with her fingertip and said, “The Empress is my aunt, so naturally, Grandmother will handle it.”

“You’re not going to kill the Empress, are you?”

“Solving a problem doesn’t always require killing. Why is Xiao Jiu’s thinking always so simple?”

Was this an indirect way of calling her stupid?

No matter what, Gong Yu felt that the general truth about the Third Prince’s case was likely as she had surmised. As long as it had nothing to do with Dai Ru Yan, then everything was fine.

Though Gong Yu didn’t understand why the Empress had to personally kill the Third Prince—she could have ordered her personal maid or accompanying guards to do it—she was at least certain that the person who injured the Third Prince must have been wounded themselves.

By mid-February in spring, the accumulated snow had mostly melted, and the snowwater dripped incessantly from the eaves.

The imperial examinations were about to enter their third round. At this moment, Gong Yu was wandering around the inn where the candidates were staying.

After a while, Gong Yu sat down to drink tea and asked, “Sir, why did you choose to have tea at this inn?”

“Your Highness, haven’t you heard the rumors spreading like wildfire in the capital about the leaked exam questions?”

“I’ve heard something, but that’s just the drunken ramblings of disgruntled candidates.”

“Yet last night, that drunken, rambling candidate drowned after falling into the water.”

Qin Hua said gravely.

Peeling peanuts, Gong Yu looked at Qin Hua with some surprise. Although Qin Hua was usually serious and unsmiling, he was mostly a gentle and refined scholar. Today’s sudden agitation truly caught Gong Yu off guard.

“Although it seems overly coincidental, I heard that the scholar who fell into the water was already heavily drunk when he left the tavern. Moreover, an elderly man witnessed him plunging headfirst into the water, and there was no one nearby.”

Qin Hua frowned, as if pondering, and said, “That’s precisely the point I can’t figure out.”

Noticing Qin Hua’s unusual expression, Gong Yu asked, “Since there’s nothing suspicious at the moment, why are you so certain that this scholar’s drowning is problematic?”

“The scholar’s name is Jin Zhaowen, a childhood friend of mine. Though I had lost faith in the imperial examinations, my family was poor, so I took the provincial exam and earned the title of xiucai. However, I failed to rank in the metropolitan exam. After that, I gave up on the exams, worked as an accountant for a while, and later became a retainer.”

Qin Hua spoke slowly, as if reminiscing, “Jin Zhaowen came from a decent family. Although he had a drinking problem, he took the provincial exam six times before becoming a xiucai. Before this metropolitan exam, he confidently assured me that he would secure the top rank, and for that, he even quit drinking, a habit he’d had for years.”

“How could he have gotten so drunk just two days before the exam?”

After listening, Gong Yu hesitantly asked, “Sir, do you know if Jin Zhaowen was aware of any leaked exam answers?”

Qin Hua shook his head. “I never heard him mention it, not even his wife and children.”

Without any clues, the incident could be dismissed as a simple case of drunken drowning, or it could be considered murder.

Moreover, if it involved the leak of answers for the triennial imperial examinations of the Gong Kingdom, it would be a matter of life and death.

Without evidence, Gong Yu couldn’t make baseless claims. Besides, Qin Hua was emotionally unstable at the moment, and Gong Yu didn’t want to agitate him further.

By sunset, Qin Hua had left, and Gong Yu took a sedan chair back to his residence. As they passed by a tavern, a sudden commotion erupted outside, and the sedan chair came to a halt.

Just as Gong Yu lifted the curtain to ask what was happening, countless sheets of paper drifted down from one of the tall buildings. He reached out and caught one.

To his astonishment, the paper contained the essay answers for the third session of the next day’s metropolitan exam.

Whoever did this was audaciously insane. How could anyone so casually discard the answers to such an important exam?

Yet Gong Yu saw countless commoners scrambling to pick up the papers, some even fighting over them.

Madness, absolute madness. It was clearly a fraud.

The next morning, as expected, the emperor was furious. What Gong Yu hadn’t anticipated was that the answers on the papers were genuine.

“Regarding the leak of the metropolitan exam answers, I command a thorough investigation to identify whoever dares to defy the laws of the Gong Kingdom!”

Originally, the Grand Tutor was fully responsible for managing the imperial examinations. However, due to his advanced age, he had entrusted the third session’s exam papers to Zhou Wencai, a fourth-rank official.

As a result, the scandal of the leaked answers implicated the Sixth Prince, who had close ties to Zhou Wencai.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Justice had suddenly fallen ill, so the case was transferred to Chen Ming, the Chief Minister of the Dali Temple, for investigation.

After the morning court session, Gong Yu noticed, for the first time, many officials looking grim, as if the leaked exam answers had become the most troubling issue in the court.

The Sixth Prince appeared pale, and both he and Zhou Wencai walked separately, their expressions hurried and anxious.

At some point, the Fourth Prince approached and sneered, “These old fellows are finally starting to panic.”

“What are you referring to, Fourth Imperial Brother?” Gong Yu tilted her head and asked.

“Nothing.”

The Fourth Prince suppressed his smile and said, “It’s just amusing how swiftly court affairs change—decrees issued at dawn may be overturned by dusk. It’s still uncertain who will have the last laugh.”