The Eldest Princess and Her Consort - Chapter 1

In the twenty-seventh year of Yuanhui, Emperor Taizong passed away. The new emperor ascended the throne, but his stubbornness and haste to seize absolute power destabilized the court’s very foundations. Seizing this opportunity, the Dongling Kingdom launched an invasion from the north. In just three days, three cities fell.

 

The imperial court descended into chaos as the peace faction and war faction clashed in endless debate.

 

The Son of Heaven, lacking direct military authority, turned his gaze toward the Eldest Princess, Xiao Weilan. He had two reasons for this. First, the late empress’s family had controlled the military, and Xiao Weilan was her only child. Though the late emperor had disliked her, he had always feared the military power she represented—even attempting to have her assassinated in secret. However, Xiao Weilan’s vigilance had thwarted every plot.

 

Second, if she died on the battlefield, it would eliminate a potential threat to his rule. Even if she were defeated, he could shift the blame entirely onto her.

 

He had been uncertain whether she would accept this perilous mission. To his surprise, Xiao Weilan agreed without hesitation.

 

She raised her army and marched out that very night.

 

It was May, the time when pomegranate blossoms first bloom, blanketing the land in red. It should have been a perfect season for spring outings, but the war had plunged the people into panic and despair.

 

The young woman gazed up at the tree of brilliant red blossoms, a pang of melancholy washing over her. The wind caught her veiled hat, lifting it to reveal a delicate, slightly youthful face.

 

The pomegranate blossoms burned like fire, their fragrance filling the air.

 

A young maid came running up behind her, gasping for breath with her hands on her hips. Seeing the young woman’s face, she hurried forward and carefully pulled the veil back down to conceal it. “My little ancestor! Do you have any idea what would happen if someone saw you like this?”

 

They had sneaked out of the manor. The Young Master’s true identity was a closely guarded secret outside its walls. This time, the Young Master had been truly daring, even dressing in women’s clothes to slip away. If the Old Madam found out, she would surely break her legs.

 

“It’s fine,” Yuwen Qing said dismissively. “I’m always confined to the manor. Hardly anyone knows me.”

 

“That’s not the point, Young Mas” The maid quickly corrected herself. “Young Lady, you must be more careful.”

 

Yuwen Qing said nothing, continuing to admire the tree in full bloom. Such beauty, yet no one to appreciate it. What a waste.

 

Luo’an Prefecture, where they lived, was near the border. With the outbreak of war, everyone lived in fear. Who had the heart for such romantic trifles? Some had even fled to other regions to escape the conflict.

 

The Yuwen family had been generals for generations, their ancestors having helped Emperor Taizu conquer the realm. They were one of the four great families of Baisheng. It was only after all the Yuwen men had perished on the battlefield that the clan began its gradual decline. Now, only Yuwen Qing’s line remained. To preserve the family’s honor, Yuwen Qing had been raised as a boy in the manor since childhood. Using her frail health as an excuse, she abandoned martial arts for scholarly pursuits, studying the classics of the sages day after day. Only the Old Madam’s head maid and the servants who attended to Yuwen Qing knew her true identity.

 

Having sneaked out this time, she figured that even if an acquaintance saw her, they would never guess she was the sickly young master of Yuwen Manor. After all, who could possibly associate a man with a woman?

 

Her young maid, however, was far from composed. She muttered anxiously for a long time before noticing Yuwen Qing gazing at the pomegranate blossoms. “If you like them, Young Lady, we could plant one in the courtyard,” the maid suggested. “Pomegranates are good omens—they symbolize many children and great blessings.”

 

*Many children and great blessings?*

 

Yuwen Qing shook her head. In her position, even marrying was difficult. How could she ever have many children? Her grandmother would likely have to adopt a child from a collateral branch to carry on the Yuwen family line. After all, the Yuwen family had once been a great and glorious clan; it could not be allowed to fade into oblivion.

 

Suddenly, she lost all interest in the matter and glanced up at the sky.

 

“Let’s go see the teahouses.” While at the manor, she had heard that the teahouses in town were the liveliest places, and naturally, she wanted to see them for herself.

 

The little maid’s composure began to crumble. “Young Lady, if we don’t go back now and Old Madam finds out, I’m afraid my life will be forfeit. Please, have pity on your servant.”

 

Yuwen Qing gave her a faint glance, then turned and walked forward, her pale yellow skirts fluttering freely in the wind.

 

The little maid followed behind with a miserable expression, jogging to keep up.

 

The teahouse was remarkably quiet. On the first floor, only a dozen or so patrons were scattered across the tables—a stark contrast to the usual crowds. Behind a desk in the storytelling area sat a middle-aged man in a gray scholar’s robe, holding a folding fan and speaking incessantly.

 

Yuwen Qing paused for a moment before ascending to the second floor. She chose a table with a good view and had just sat down when the waiter arrived with tea. She also ordered a plate of melon seeds.

 

“Eh? Isn’t that Young Master Xu?” the maid exclaimed.

 

Yuwen Qing followed her gaze to a table not far away, where a luxuriously dressed young man sat with a page boy standing beside him.

 

She asked in surprise, “Who is Young Master Xu?”

 

The maid stared at her, stunned. Her young master was truly a man of noble forgetfulness—to think he had actually forgotten Young Master Xu.

 

The Xu family and the Yuwen family had long been on good terms. But when Young Master Xu had come to play at the manor as a child, he had accidentally touched a bird the young master cherished. From then on, every time the young master saw him, he beat him. This continued until Young Master Xu never dared set foot in the Yuwen Manor again.

 

How could her young master have forgotten such a major incident?

 

Seeing the little maid staring at her without a word, Yuwen Qing didn’t bother to ask further. He wasn’t anyone important, after all. She turned her attention back to the storytelling stage on the first floor.

 

The middle-aged man was recounting the very same defensive battle.

 

“The Dongling Kingdom’s chief general was none other than that God of Slaughter, Chu Fei…” The storyteller’s performance was so captivating that the audience was completely enthralled. Though the teahouse wasn’t crowded, it was eerily silent.

 

Suddenly, the storyteller’s tone shifted. “Who could have known that the Lieutenant General would abruptly betray them, fleeing to the enemy camp overnight with the army’s defense maps, throwing the entire military into chaos!” With that, he snapped his folding fan shut—*thwack!*—and slapped it onto the table. “To find out how the Eldest Princess countered the enemy, tune in for the next installment!”

 

“Why stop now?”

 

“What happened next?”

 

The audience erupted in protest, shouting for more.

 

Yuwen Qing’s heart tightened, her brow furrowing beneath the veil of her hat. The name Chu Fei was all too familiar to her—her parents had fallen into his trap years ago, dying from the arrows he’d loosed.

 

Her fingers tightened slowly around the teacup, a flicker of hatred flashing in her eyes.

 

The storyteller, unable to answer the crowd’s demands, sighed. “The rest is unknown to me. You all should make your own preparations.” Luo’an Prefecture bordered the Dongling Kingdom, and news naturally traveled faster here.

 

At his words, the crowd erupted into chaos. The storyteller packed his things and turned to leave the teahouse.

 

The listeners began to disperse.

 

The little maid glanced cautiously at Yuwen Qing. “Young Lady, shall we go back too?”

 

Yuwen Qing’s frown deepened. Her grandmother forbade her from learning martial arts, let alone seeking revenge, but she couldn’t stomach this injustice.

 

“You go back first,” Yuwen Qing said, standing up.

 

Though her grandmother had forbidden it, she had secretly mastered the Yuwen family’s spear technique over the years, honing her skills to a formidable level. Combined with her lifelong study of military strategy, she had sworn never to seek revenge—but if her enemy brought war to her own doorstep, she would not stand idly by.

 

“As a child, how can one stand between heaven and earth if they do not avenge their parents?”

 

The little maidservant froze, then asked in astonishment, “Young Lady, aren’t you coming back with me?”

 

Yuwen Qing shook her head. “I will, but not right now.”

 

“No, Young Lady, please don’t scare me! Come back with me now!” The little maidservant was on the verge of tears, though no tears would fall. *I should have never listened to the Young Lady and sneaked out,* she thought. *If I lose Young Master Xu, my life is truly forfeit.*

 

Yuwen Qing gave her no chance to argue. “I have some business to attend to. Go back first and help Xiao Anzi cover for me. I’ll return as soon as I’m done—three days at most.”

 

Xiao Anzi and Xiao Xizi were Yuwen Qing’s personal maids and among the few who knew her secret. They had been with her since childhood, and their eunuch-like names were a gift from their mistress.

 

*Three days?*

 

Xiao Xizi felt completely numb. *Not even one hour, let alone three days!* Her mistress was trying to get her killed.

 

She tried to plead again, but Yuwen Qing had already turned away. Her pale-yellow figure moved with agile grace, slipping out of the teahouse before the maid could even follow. By the time the little maidservant chased after her, Yuwen Qing was nowhere to be seen.

 

Having left the teahouse, Yuwen Qing grabbed the horse tied at the entrance, leaped into the saddle, and galloped toward the city gates.

 

The Baisheng army was stationed about twenty kilometers outside the city. By the time Yuwen Qing arrived, dusk had already fallen. Two armored soldiers guarded the camp entrance.

 

Yuwen Qing approached them and said, “I have urgent business with your Commander. Please, let him know I’m here.”

 

“You think you can just see the Commander whenever you want? Get moving!” the soldier snapped, his tone impatient.

 

Yuwen Qing sighed and tried to reason with them, pulling a silver ingot from her robes and thrusting it toward him. “Please, just this once. I truly have urgent business with the Commander.”

 

The soldier weighed the silver ingot in his hand, his gaze sweeping over her. The other soldier grabbed his arm, turned his back, and whispered something.

 

Yuwen Qing couldn’t hear their conversation, and her anxiety grew.

 

After a moment, the two soldiers turned back and tossed the silver ingot back to her.

 

The gesture made it clear they wouldn’t help. But Yuwen Qing couldn’t afford to miss this chance for revenge. She stepped forward to plead again, but the soldiers crossed their spears in front of her and roared, “Get out of here, or we’ll throw you in a cell!”

 

Yuwen Qing stared at them and took a step back. Just then, a squad of soldiers charged out of the camp and surrounded her.

 

At the head of the group was a burly man with a voice like thunder. “What’s the trouble?”

 

The two sentries immediately reported to him.

 

Judging by the soldier’s attire, he must be a Centurion. Yuwen Qing raised her hand and cupped her fist. “Officer, I have an urgent matter to discuss with your Commander. Please let me through.”

 

The man glared at her. “Little girl, I advise you to leave. This is no place for you.”

 

Yuwen Qing replied, “I truly have an urgent matter to discuss with the Commander.”

 

“What matter?” the man demanded.

 

Yuwen Qing pondered for a moment before saying, “I can defeat the enemy.”

 

“Hahaha…” The crowd erupted in laughter.

 

The man’s eyes swept over Yuwen Qing from head to toe, his facial muscles twitching with a mocking grin. His tone was dripping with disdain. “You want to defeat the enemy? Have you even been weaned yet?”

 

Another wave of laughter rippled through the crowd.

 

Yuwen Qing’s expression darkened. She raised her foot and kicked him with all her might. Caught completely off guard, the man was sent sprawling to the ground, rolling twice.

 

The others froze for a moment. When they finally snapped out of it, they raised their weapons and charged at Yuwen Qing. She dodged them with agile movements. She had no intention of causing trouble; she had only kicked him because he deserved it.

 

Now, with no other choice, she could only retreat and fight them off.

 

Inside the main tent of the military camp, a woman sat in the seat of honor. Her expression was solemn, and even without speaking, she exerted an inexplicable pressure that made it impossible to meet her gaze. On both sides of the hall, generals in full armor sat in chairs arranged by rank, all remaining silent.

 

Xiao Weilan’s gaze swept across the room like a torch.

 

Just then, a commotion erupted outside the tent. Xiao Weilan’s face darkened, and the generals all broke into a cold sweat.

 

“Go see what happened,” Xiao Weilan said coldly.

 

Two women stood behind her. One of them stepped forward and left the tent.

 

Seeing the Eldest Princess’s personal maid emerge, the soldiers warily eyed the young woman who had trespassed into the camp and slowly backed away.

 

One soldier said, “Miss Luoxia, this woman broke into the camp. We’re worried she was sent by Dongling.”

 

The woman named Luoxia nodded and fixed her gaze on the young woman surrounded by the soldiers. “Who are you?” she demanded.

 

Seeing how the soldiers deferred to this woman, Yuwen Qing shouted, “I want to see your Commander!”

 

Luoxia stepped closer to inspect her. The young woman wore a pale yellow dress, was tall and slender, and wore a veiled hat that obscured her face. *Hiding her face like this, she must be up to no good,* Luoxia thought. *And yet she demands to see the Princess.*

 

Luoxia kept her expression neutral and asked calmly, “Who are you? State your name and your business with the Commander.”

 

Yuwen Qing glanced at Luoxia. *A woman who can speak with authority in a military camp…* She immediately connected her to the Eldest Princess’s entourage and quickly replied, “My name is Mu Qing, from Luo’an Prefecture. I can defeat the enemy.”

 

*What sheer audacity!* Not a single one of the hundred generals in the army would dare make such a bold claim. Yet, Yuwen Qing’s small face, hidden beneath her veiled hat, was brimming with confidence.

 

She had every reason to be confident in her martial arts.

 

Luoxia frowned. “Such a young girl with such a big mouth. Do you have any idea how dangerous this is?”

 

Judging by her voice and stature, the girl in front of her was at most seventeen—a mere slip of a girl. Yuwen Qing knew exactly what Luoxia was thinking and raised her voice. “How can age be used to judge a person’s ability? When Emperor Taizu conquered the realm, he was barely eighteen.”

 

Luoxia was momentarily speechless. “How dare you! How can you possibly compare yourself to Emperor Taizu?”

 

When the previous dynasty’s emperor had become corrupt and tyrannical, Emperor Taizu, at the age of eighteen, had raised an army of two thousand men in Linchuan Prefecture to rebel against the court. He had fought his way through passes and defeated generals, growing his forces until he finally established the Baisheng Dynasty.

 

Yuwen Qing smiled. “I cannot compare myself to Emperor Taizu, of course, but he…” She raised her hand and pointed to the centurion she had just kicked over. “Can’t he prove his own worth?”

 

The burly man, overcome with shame, turned his head away. Luoxia glanced at the man clutching his stomach with one hand, then asked, “You did this?”

 

Yuwen Qing admitted it calmly.

 

Luoxia was secretly astonished. For a young girl to knock down such a burly man was no small feat. She didn’t dare treat her lightly. “Follow me,” she said, glancing at the girl before turning and walking toward the main tent.

 

Yuwen Qing immediately followed. As she passed the burly man, her footsteps paused for a moment. Then she stepped into the main tent. Instantly, all eyes inside turned to her. She didn’t flinch, her gaze fixed on Xiao Weilan, who sat on the main seat. The Princess Royal was stunningly beautiful, dressed in a long black gown embroidered with gold, a colorful phoenix-and-dragon belt cinched at her waist, and boots of gold and silver thread. She looked incomparably noble.

 

Her gaze was sharp, as if everything in the world could be seen through her eyes.

 

Yuwen Qing took a deep breath, straightened her robes, and stepped forward to bow. “This commoner greets Her Royal Highness, the Princess Royal.”

 

Luoxia walked to Xiao Weilan’s side, leaned in to whisper a few words in her ear, and then returned to stand behind her mistress.

 

“Take off your veiled hat,” Xiao Weilan said to Yuwen Qing in a deep voice.