Taking the Princess as My Wife - Chapter 14

Inside the study, Liu Ruheng held her brush, hesitating for a long while, ultimately unable to set it to paper. It wasn’t until a drop of ink fell onto the Xuan paper that she realized, with a start, and set the brush down.

Liu Ruheng did not understand what she was hesitating for. Ever since the day of the assassination attempt, she had not met with Jiang Shaojia again. While it was common for them to go long periods without seeing each other, why did she feel this sense of a “guilty conscience” now of all times?

That day, after Jiang Shaojia arranged for an imperial physician to examine Liu Ruheng, she had people clean the alleyway and had not spoken a single word to her since.

Could it be that the Princess has grown weary of her because of this?

Shaking off the tangled thoughts in her mind, Liu Ruheng changed to a fresh sheet of paper and wrote: “There are important matters to discuss.”

She released the messenger pigeon and watched it fly into the distance, her eyes betraying an anticipation she hadn’t even noticed herself.

The second day, the pigeon did not return.

The third day, the pigeon did not return.

On the fourth day, an envoy from the palace arrived with an imperial decree. Liu Ruheng was promoted from a Registrar of the Court of Judicial Review to a Assistant Minister (Sizhi) of the Court of Judicial Review. At the same time, another piece of news was delivered.

The Princess had fallen suddenly ill; the wedding date was postponed.

After seeing the envoy off, Liu Ruheng’s forced smile vanished. She returned to her study, feeling lost, her gaze fixed on the empty cage where the messenger pigeon had been kept.

The Evening Meal

The Liu household did not follow the many rigid rules of wealthy families. Perhaps to celebrate Liu Ruheng’s promotion, Auntie Li had prepared a large table of food tonight.

During the meal, Mother Liu said with some concern, “I wonder if the Princess’s condition is serious.”

Hearing this, Liu Ruheng suddenly gripped her chopsticks tightly but remained silent. On the side, Auntie Li offered comfort: “The Princess is blessed by heaven; surely this is just a minor illness and nothing serious. I only hope Her Highness recovers quickly.”

Mother Liu sighed softly and used her serving chopsticks to place some food in Liu Ruheng’s bowl. “Eat more. Look at you, you’ve grown thin.”

Liu Ruheng responded with a “Yes,” then added, “I think Mother is just worried over nothing. Am I not perfectly fine? Where have I thinned?”

The group chatted for a bit longer.

Auntie Li suddenly brought up Pang Jitong. She smiled and said, “That corrupt official Pang Jitong had his home searched and his property seized today. It truly gladdens the heart.”

Liu Ruheng had not heard of this and asked in confusion, “What happened?”

Auntie Li thought for a moment and explained, “It seems to be related to the Court of Judicial Review. Yes, that corrupt official hanged himself right at the gates of the Court. It’s been the talk of the town lately. They say he embezzled disaster relief funds and military pay meant for the common people.”

She spat in disgust and continued, “When they searched his house today, they found a mountain of gold and silver treasures. They even say there was a dragon robe. If you ask me, these corrupt officials deserve to have their homes seized.”

Years ago, Auntie Li had fled to the capital as a refugee. Her family had been so poor they couldn’t even afford food and were forced to sell themselves into servitude; thus, her whole family loathed corrupt officials.

Liu Ruheng, however, fell into deep thought.

Pang Jitong’s suicide at the gates of the Court of Judicial Review had not been hidden, so the news spreading wasn’t strange. However, the speed of the house seizure—and the discovery of a dragon robe—seemed somewhat calculated. Even if it was to take the fall for the Crown Prince, a dragon robe was an extreme piece of evidence. How could the Emperor tolerate such a thing?

The New Student

After finishing dinner, Liu Ruheng returned to her study. Although her left hand was still somewhat inconvenient, she could write without much trouble. She wrote a letter of inquiry to Cheng Xuehai, mentioning this matter at the end.

Once finished, she handed it to Li Anyu, instructing her to deliver it to Cheng Xuehai’s residence early tomorrow morning.

Seeing Li Anyu staring longingly at the characters on the letter, yet not daring to touch it, Liu Ruheng was suddenly reminded of her younger self.

Her heart softened.

“Do you want to learn to read?” Liu Ruheng asked in a gentle voice.

Li Anyu’s eyes brightened instantly, but then dimmed just as quickly. She tugged at the corner of her clothes nervously. “Master… learning to read and write is very expensive. I… I’m afraid of wasting money.”

Liu Ruheng laughed softly; this child was too sensible for her own good.

“Why don’t you go ask your mother? I will teach you to read myself. It doesn’t cost much for a beginner.”

Liu Ruheng was telling the truth. When she was young, she had begun her studies alongside her older brother. Once she had learned the basics, she no longer had the opportunity to go to school.

Back then, as a young child with only a few copper coins from her mother for snacks, she would find a flat stone slab and use water as ink and the stone as paper. For a beginner, that was enough.

A short while later, Li Anyu returned to the study with Auntie Li. Upon seeing Liu Ruheng, Auntie Li immediately knelt with Li Anyu. “Thank you for your great kindness, Master! But will teaching this child be too much of a burden for you?”

Liu Ruheng shook her head and helped them up. She said, “The master leads the way, but the practice depends on the individual. On my days off, I can spare an hour each day to teach her. The rest will be up to her.”

Liu Ruheng also had her own selfish motives. Although Li Anyu was young, she was clever and quick-witted. If trained properly, she would be a great help; she could go to places that were inconvenient for Liu Ruheng to visit.

Furthermore, Auntie Li’s family had only this one daughter, whom they cherished like the pupil of their eye. They were honest, reliable, and their backgrounds were well-known. Liu Ruheng’s current rank was low and she was already caught in the middle of factional struggles; if her own household was as porous as a sieve, she might one day not even know how she died.

After confirming she would teach Li Anyu, Liu Ruheng found a writing brush she had used in her early years, which happened to fit a child’s hand. After setting a time for tomorrow, she sent them back.

The Visit to the Prime Minister’s Estate

A few more days passed. Liu Ruheng found that Li Anyu was indeed a diligent and studious child. She completed her daily assignments and could even apply what she learned to new contexts, truly giving Liu Ruheng a sense of being a teacher.

Moreover, the wound on her hand had mostly healed over these few days. The medicine provided by the imperial physician was exceptionally effective; the only discomfort was the periodic itching as the wound scabbed over. Having finished Li Anyu’s lesson, Liu Ruheng felt a restless urge. Lately, she had been asking Auntie Li about the Left Prime Minister, but the rumors among the common people were all positive, with reports saying the Left Prime Minister had already retired to his hometown.

Feeling that her hand was no longer an issue, she gave a few final instructions after today’s lesson, then returned to her room. She chose a set of clothes she had worn before coming to the capital and disguised herself.

Looking at the pale, sickly, and nondescript figure in the mirror, Liu Ruheng was very satisfied. To avoid detection, one must not stand out. Dressed like this, she looked like a poor scholar who couldn’t afford medicine; it wouldn’t be out of place for such a person to seek help at the Left Prime Minister’s estate.

To ensure total secrecy, Liu Ruheng slipped out through the back door. It took about the time it takes to burn a stick of incense to walk from there to the Left Prime Minister’s estate. She arrived right at noon.

The lintel of the Prime Minister’s estate was the same as before, but it now possessed an indefinable sense of desolation. Liu Ruheng held her breath and squinted her eyes, making herself look even more half-dead. She stepped forward and knocked on the door.

After a long wait, just as Liu Ruheng was about to knock again, a white-haired elder opened the door. Perhaps the elder’s eyesight was failing, as he peered at her for a long time before asking, “Young Master, what business brings you to our door at this hour?”

Looking at the elderly man, Liu Ruheng felt a bit guilty about the deception. She bowed and said, keeping her head low in a self-deluding manner, “This humble student has come to thank the Prime Minister for his previous assistance and wishes to see his Lordship.”

The elder stepped back, avoiding Liu Ruheng’s bow. He hesitated for a long time before saying, “The Master has gone on a long journey. Please do not wait, Young Master, and head back home.”

Hearing this, Liu Ruheng coughed a few times, looking as though she might faint from illness at the gates of the estate. She sighed softly, her voice faltering: “I had hoped to settle this regret before my end, but I never imagined…” she coughed again, then continued, “It seems I can only leave this world with a lifelong regret. This student shall take his leave.”

As she spoke, Liu Ruheng performed a deep bow toward the estate. When rising, she moved slowly, waiting for the elder’s voice.

Sure enough, as she struggled to stand, the elder sighed softly, a glint of tears in his eyes. He stepped forward to support Liu Ruheng and said with emotion, “Has the Young Master had his midday meal? If you do not mind, please join us. If the Master were here, he would surely extend his hospitality and invite you to dine.”

Liu Ruheng felt a wave of guilt. Among their fellow provincials, the Left Prime Minister’s reputation and prestige had always been excellent. During his life, if someone came to the capital for the imperial examinations and had no place to stay, he would gladly welcome them into his home.

Secretly apologizing in her heart, Liu Ruheng followed the elder into the estate.

The estate was not large but was very tidy. Cultivated bamboo grew in the courtyard, a stretch of emerald green leaning against the corner of the wall. The elder brewed a cup of tea for Liu Ruheng and said with sentiment, “If the Master knew someone had come, he would certainly have told me to take good care of them.”

Liu Ruheng had no intention of dwelling on the old man’s grief. She thanked him for the tea, took a small sip, and changed the subject: “Thank you for the tea, Elder. I see the bamboo in the courtyard is growing beautifully. May I ask how you care for it?”

The elder chuckled lightly. “No need for thanks. Bamboo likes the shade; place it under the eaves, loosen the soil occasionally, and water it more in the summer, and it will survive.”

Liu Ruheng chatted further with the elder and learned that he had once been the Left Prime Minister’s page and had served as the housekeeper for several decades. Now, while rumors circulated in the capital that the Prime Minister had retired, even the servants in the estate were left in the dark. They only felt gratitude toward the Young Mistress’s kindness; she had taken it upon herself to release the contracts of most of the servants. Those remaining in the estate were almost all the elderly, the weak, or those who refused to leave out of gratitude for the Prime Minister’s great kindness.

Seeing this situation, Liu Ruheng became even more determined to find the true culprit.

Since the estate was filled with the elderly and the weak, once her hand was fully healed, she could enter the estate at night to investigate the truth of what Lady Mi Jing had said.

Before long, a cook called the elder and Liu Ruheng to eat. The elder explained, “Including the Young Mistress, there are only five people left in the estate. The Mistress allows us to dine together.”

When they arrived, Liu Ruheng bowed to the daughter of the house and said, “I am grateful for the Prime Minister’s kindness and have come to pay my respects. I ask the Young Mistress to forgive my sudden intrusion.”

Following the Young Mistress’s signal, the elder quickly moved to help Liu Ruheng up.

The Young Mistress was not seeing a visitor for the first time. With a smile on her lips, she rose and returned Liu Ruheng’s bow. “There is no need for such formality. If my grandfather knew someone had come to visit, he would be very happy. Please, Young Master, take a seat.”

Support Taking the Princess as My Wife