Taking the Princess as My Wife - Chapter 2

“What I want is not your loyalty, but you.”

A circle of people stood inside the main hall.

After those guards appeared, they claimed that the Left Minister had been poisoned and that everyone present who had consumed the vegetarian meal might be at risk. Upon meeting Princess Huaqing, the leading guard first offered an apology, then produced the Emperor’s command token. Using a mix of persuasion and force, he brought everyone to the main hall.

The hall was divided into two sections, separating the men and women.

Perhaps because most of those who came to Sanbao Temple to pray and offer incense were nobles and high-ranking officials, the guards only performed a simple inspection of the items they carried. Standing in a corner, Liu Ruheng had a feeling that something bad was about to happen. Her intuition had always been accurate; she used to have a similar feeling before a teacher would unexpectedly call on her, but it had never been as intense as this.

After waiting for a while longer, a sudden clamor erupted outside the hall. Liu Ruheng watched as the physician who had just inspected their belongings approached her, accompanied by a lavishly dressed young man with a slightly arrogant expression.

“Your Highness, it is him. The sachet on his person contains the same toxin found on the Left Minister.”

Liu Ruheng instinctively glanced at the sachet on her waist, her expression changing slightly. She did not usually have the habit of wearing sachets, but today, the Left Minister, whom she had long admired, had gifted it to her. Having no other place to put it, she had simply hung it from her belt.

Seeing Liu Ruheng dressed as a scholar, the young man put on a show of grief and indignation: “As a man of learning, how could you do such a thing? You truly have no integrity.”

Without waiting for her to defend herself, the youth commanded the guards behind him, “Seize him and take him to the Court of State Ceremonies (Dali Si).”

Naturally, Liu Ruheng would not simply allow herself to be captured. She took a few steps back and explained, “Your Highness, my name is Liu Ruheng, the newly appointed Tanhua (third-place imperial graduate). While offering prayers today, I happened to encounter the Left Minister. Out of care for a junior, his Excellency gifted this sachet to me. There were three others present at the time who can serve as witnesses.”

This youth was dressed in opulence, and those around him addressed him as “Your Highness,” so he was likely one of the Emperor’s several princes. However, only the Fifth Prince, who possessed noble status but was young and headstrong, would dare to search these nobles with such fanfare.

The youth raised his hand to signal, and the predatory guards halted their movements.

“So, you are my Imperial Sister’s future husband?” The youth’s half-smile closely resembled the Princess’s, but Liu Ruheng sensed a clear malice in his tone.

He looked Liu Ruheng up and down, sighed lightly, and smiled. “Although you are the Imperial Sister’s future consort, even the Son of Heaven is subject to the same laws as commoners. Take him away.”

Liu Ruheng stood her ground, her gaze cold.

The Fifth Prince and Princess Huaqing were both born to the Empress, but the Fifth Prince’s mother was the successor Empress. There had long been rumors of discord between them. Since she held the title of Princess Huaqing’s future consort, the Fifth Prince would certainly not let her off easily.

At this thought, Liu Ruheng suddenly remembered the maidservant in the wing room. That woman was likely not simple either; she was very possibly a spy planted by the Empress at Princess Huaqing’s side. Liu Ruheng lowered her eyes slightly; Princess Huaqing might not be exactly as the rumors described.

Seeing the stalemate, the guards were momentarily caught in a dilemma. Princess Huaqing was notoriously willful and pampered. They were merely small fry under the Fifth Prince’s command; the Prince certainly wouldn’t protect them if they offended the Princess.

Seeing the Fifth Prince’s gaze grow increasingly frigid, a guard shuddered. He stepped forward two paces and whispered, “Young Master Liu, please make this easy for us. Let’s go.”

Having understood the crux of the situation, Liu Ruheng did not struggle. Since she had to go through this regardless, it was better to choose the path of least resistance.

Due to her status, the guards merely flanked her, one in front and one behind, leading her to a carriage that looked much like the one she had arrived in.

Meanwhile, the atmosphere in the main hall was tense. After the Fifth Prince had “captured the culprit,” the other nobles were politely asked to leave. Now, only the factions of Princess Huaqing and the Fifth Prince remained.

“Does my Imperial Brother mean to say that my consort is the murderer of the Left Minister?”

Princess Huaqing’s tone was flat, as if the person arrested was not her future husband but some irrelevant stranger.

Seeing her indifference, the Fifth Prince became increasingly dissatisfied. Unable to restrain himself, he snapped, “Imperial Sister is truly cold-blooded. In my view, you don’t possess even half the benevolence of our Second Sister or Second Brother.”

“Your consort was caught red-handed with the evidence. I’m afraid Imperial Sister will have to find a new one. In my opinion, when the barbarians come to seek a marriage alliance after the New Year, you should just marry over there. It would save—”

Slap. A resounding slap landed on the Fifth Prince’s face. The force was so great that clear finger marks appeared on his cheek. The air in the hall seemed to freeze for a moment.

“Jiang Shaojia! How dare you hit me?”

The Fifth Prince clutched his face, looking at Jiang Shaojia in disbelief. He hadn’t had much contact with her before and had only heard rumors of her being willful, spoiled, and ill-tempered.

In front of everyone, how did she dare!

Jiang Shaojia rubbed her wrist. She arched an eyebrow, her eyes like cold pools narrowing slightly with a hint of playfulness. She sneered, “Do I need a reason to hit you? It is the natural order of things for an elder sister to discipline a disobedient younger brother.”

The Fifth Prince clutched his face, his previous arrogance largely deflated. After a long silence, he managed to choke out: “You are simply unreasonable!”

Jiang Shaojia ignored him and turned to leave. Without looking back, she said, “Even if my consort is at fault, it is not your place to interfere.”

Inside the Cell of the Court of State Ceremonies

Because of Princess Huaqing, Liu Ruheng’s treatment was not too bad. She had a private cell and was not subjected to torture.

Liu Ruheng let out a long sigh and lay down on the straw-covered bed. She finally understood; she was merely a small pawn in the power struggles of the nobility. Whether she became a piece to be used or an abandoned one depended entirely on Princess Huaqing’s whim.

From the moment the Emperor bestowed the marriage, she had been branded with Princess Huaqing’s mark.

On the way there, because of her cooperative attitude, Liu Ruheng had managed to coax a lot of information out of the two guards.

The guards mentioned that envoys from the barbarian lands were coming to pay tribute at the end of the year. To show harmony between the two nations, the envoys intended to enter into a marriage alliance. Before this, in previous dynasties, it was always a princess who was sent for such alliances.

Furthermore, Liu Ruheng had previously only focused on political matters related to the imperial examinations and policy. She knew nothing of other royal secrets or the grudges arising from them.

In the end, she was just a scholar with no family background or influence—easy to manipulate. In the eyes of those in power, everything she could do was as futile as an ant trying to shake a giant tree.

Sighing again, Liu Ruheng decided to sleep first to gather her strength.

“Your spirits seem quite good, being able to sleep in a place like this.”

The sudden voice was light and clear, the end of the sentence curving upward cheerfully. It didn’t sound like someone in a prison; it sounded like someone on a picnic.

Liu Ruheng snapped her eyes open. Through the iron bars, Princess Huaqing stood before her. Liu Ruheng scrambled up to salute the Princess, a flash of joy in her eyes.

“Princess, you—”

Princess Huaqing pressed a slender finger against her vivid red lips. Her fox-like eyes curved slightly. Only when Liu Ruheng fell silent did she show a look of satisfaction.

“No one knows I am here.”

Liu Ruheng was stunned for a moment but immediately understood the Princess’s meaning. Her eyes grew bright and clear as she knelt on one knee before the Princess, looking up at her.

“I have no possessions, only my loyalty. If your Highness is willing, Liu Ruheng’s loyalty belongs to you.”

Princess Huaqing did not speak. Liu Ruheng raised her gaze, looking directly into the Princess’s deep, cold pool-like eyes, and said firmly, “My father and younger sister passed away early; I have only my mother left. I have studied hard for over a decade, and all I seek is the well-being of my family. I beg the Princess to show me a path.”

Princess Huaqing gave a light laugh. She used a bit of strength to help Liu Ruheng up. Her cool fingertips touched Liu Ruheng’s wrist, causing the latter to tremble. Her gaze did not waver, staring fixedly into Liu Ruheng’s eyes as she said word for word:

“What I want is not just your loyalty, but you.”

Liu Ruheng was stunned. Her long eyelashes lowered slightly. A moment later, she gave her answer: “Liu Ruheng swears by her life to be unswerving toward your Highness and will never betray your trust.”

Liu Ruheng lay back on the same straw, but her mood was unexpectedly relaxed. The straw even felt strangely comfortable.

Earlier, the Princess had asked about the details regarding the Left Minister, and Liu Ruheng had answered truthfully. Before the Princess left, Liu Ruheng had boldly asked her to send someone to her home to report her safety, and the Princess had agreed.

A night of dreamless sleep followed.

The investigation of the case proceeded smoothly. Of the three witnesses Liu Ruheng had mentioned to the Princess, only two appeared. One of the Left Minister’s attendants had committed suicide out of guilt. To Liu Ruheng’s surprise, the thin monk who had interpreted her fortune was actually the famous Grandmaster Hentong of the capital. With such a renowned master witnessing the events, Liu Ruheng’s suspicion was quickly cleared.

When she returned home, Liu Ruheng finally relaxed completely. She didn’t know what the Princess had told her mother, but her mother had prepared a brazier and willow branches at the door, saying it was to ward off bad luck.

When she intended to rest after bathing, Liu Ruheng found she couldn’t sleep. She felt an unsettling sense of unreality.

Everything had changed.

Liu Ruheng sighed softly. She opened the family ledgers and examined them carefully. During her years of study, she and her mother had relied on the foundation her father left behind in their hometown, running a small business to make ends meet. Although they hadn’t saved much because of the costs of schooling and traveling for exams, they had rented out their shop and land before leaving, which provided some surplus.

Although there was income, the expenses were equally high. Given her current situation, renting a house and purchasing capable servants would be the largest expenditures.

Closing the ledger, Liu Ruheng calculated her future plans. New imperial graduates were given a leave to visit their families, the length of which was determined by distance. Her home wasn’t far, so she only had seven days. One day had already passed; the remaining time would be enough to settle the family’s affairs.

The next morning, Liu Ruheng took some money and went to the human market (Yahong). As soon as the broker saw Liu Ruheng, she stepped forward warmly with a smile.

Liu Ruheng walked around the market, listening to the broker’s introductions while considering what kind of people she needed. Not those who were too dull, and certainly not those who were dishonest.

After careful selection, Liu Ruheng chose a family standing shivering in a corner. “I’ll take them.”

The broker hesitated for a moment, deciding to explain the drawbacks: “Young Master, this family is not to be sold separately. You should think it over.”

Liu Ruheng nodded slightly and pulled out her purse. She said, “This family is just right.”

The family knelt in unison. The elder woman pressed her child’s head down to kowtow in thanks to Liu Ruheng. After they had changed into clean clothes, Liu Ruheng led them home.

“What are your names?” Liu Ruheng asked.

The one who answered was still the elder woman. Although she was a bit timid, she spoke clearly: “This servant is called Li Chunhua. My husband is Li Dahai. The little one hasn’t been named yet; we just call him Goudan.”

After settling them in at home, Liu Ruheng went out again.

Inside a private room at a restaurant, Jiang Shaojia was already sitting there drinking tea. When she saw Liu Ruheng push open the door, her eyes crinkled into a smile, greeting her like a simple and pretty girl next door.

Liu Ruheng took the tea cup, her mind still lingering on the events of two days ago. That night in the cell, the Princess had only said to meet her at this tea house at the first quarter of the hour of the Monkey (3:15 PM) on the day after the case was cleared.

The lively sounds of the street continued outside. Jiang Shaojia didn’t address the previous conversation. She propped her head up and looked at Liu Ruheng with a beaming smile through the window frame. “The day you paraded through the streets after the exams, I was watching you from right here.”

Liu Ruheng’s gaze froze. Although the Princess had a notorious reputation, when she looked at her with such a bright smile, Liu Ruheng still felt a sense of panic. She took a sip of water to suppress the flutter in her heart. “Thank you for your favor, your Highness. It’s a pity that on that day…”

Liu Ruheng suddenly lost her voice. She had seen the Princess that day; just like now, she had been looking down at her from above. At the moment their gazes met, the Princess’s slight smile had felt like a gentle breeze.

Liu Ruheng’s heart skipped a beat. She feigned composure and gulped down more tea, but she could not hide the slight reddening of her earlobes.

Jiang Shaojia smiled subtly and slowly refilled Liu Ruheng’s tea. “Do you know how Imperial Father handled the matter of the Left Minister?”

Liu Ruheng looked at Jiang Shaojia, her expression becoming serious. She watched as Jiang Shaojia dipped her finger in the tea and wrote four words on the table: “Secretly withheld the mourning.”

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