The Flirtatious Beauty Decides to Steal the Princess - Chapter 27

Had Wen Ying finally escaped the sea of suffering?

Fu Qingyin couldn’t help but feel happy for her, and at the same time, she knew her own opportunity had arrived. Under Emperor Wen’s watchful eyes, there was naturally no way to act now, but…

If she could just follow Wen Ying out once, she could alleviate the pressing crisis. She could negotiate with other nations, if they helped her overthrow Emperor Wen, she could cede some cities to them and even sign non-aggression treaties.

Of course, Fu Qingyin knew those rulers had ulterior motives, but she had her own countermeasures.

Emperor Wen, emboldened by wine, readily agreed to Wen Ying’s request to leave the palace. The noble ladies of the great families also breathed a sigh of relief.

In previous years, the princesses sent out of the palace had been the most domineering, spending vast sums to build lavish estates and insisting on attending every major banquet, flaunting their royal status with no one daring to say a word.

But this time, it was Wen Ying who was leaving. Seeing her battered and bruised state, no one believed she would throw her weight around. Instead, most were simply celebrating her escape.

In truth, there wasn’t as much inexplicable scheming as one might think. Most people could recognize kindness when they saw it like Wen Ying. Though she had never spoken to them, the wounds on her arms and body made it clear she was no tyrant.

If Wen Ying could fake such suffering, then they had nothing left to say.

At that moment, Wen Ying stood before Emperor Wen, completely unaware of what those around her were thinking. She was simply relieved she had mustered the courage to speak to him.

All those years of suffering hadn’t been in vain. Wen Ying offered a warm smile, the dimples at the corners of her lips appearing, a sight so lovely it was almost dazzling.

For a moment, Emperor Wen seemed to see another figure superimposed over Wen Ying someone who had stood by his side in the early years of his reign.

That person had also had faint dimples like these, and the thought left Emperor Wen with an inexplicable sense of loss.

Wen Ying, still smiling, ran toward a quiet corner of the hall. The banquet resumed as usual, the music and dancing continuing, but in that moment, it all felt strangely desolate.

Emperor Wen sat silently back on his throne, watching the noble ladies and young lords below mingling, and suddenly recalled the days when he had first met Wen Ying’s mother.

“Beautiful sister!” Wen Ying was overjoyed. She spread her arms and ran toward Fu Qingyin. Though her body was covered in wounds and even running hurt, she felt that only this speed would do.

Fu Qingyin rose slowly from her seat, walking toward Wen Ying with a smile. “Little Wen Ying, congratulations.”

Her voice wasn’t loud, but Wen Ying had already reached her, close enough to hear those cool, clear words of congratulations.

“Thank you, Fu Qingyin.” Wen Ying threw herself into Fu Qingyin’s embrace, nuzzling against her neck like an affectionate kitten seeking its owner.

Fu Qingyin laughed softly, wrapping an arm around Wen Ying’s slender waist. “Why aren’t you calling me ‘sister’ anymore?”

W

If it weren’t for meeting Fu Qingyin, where would she have found the means to outmaneuver Consort Xin? Who would have been there to save her at that critical moment?

“I’m starting to think more and more that climbing over that wall that day was the right choice!” Wen Ying’s words struck Fu Qingyin like a bolt, leaving her frozen in place.

“You don’t regret it?” Fu Qingyin’s phoenix eyes, usually devoid of emotion, now shimmered with unshed tears. Her voice trembled as she asked, “I thought you might consider knowing me to be, an unfortunate thing.”

Perhaps it was precisely because of their acquaintance that Wen Ying had suffered through all this. If things had gone as Yun Chu had said, she wouldn’t be covered in wounds now.

Fu Qingyin had wallowed in self-blame and insecurity for so long. But hearing Wen Ying declare with a bright smile that it had been the right choice, she couldn’t hold back any longer.

Her usually cold emotions, like the strings of a finely tuned zither plucked by a master’s hand, were now in disarray.

Wen Ying nodded, noticing Fu Qingyin’s unusual reaction and fearing she had said something wrong. She reached out, patting Fu Qingyin’s back gently. “Sister, what’s wrong? Did I say something to upset you?”

“No!” Fu Qingyin jerked her head up, terrified that Wen Ying might misunderstand and never say such words again.

She took a step forward, carefully pulling Wen Ying into her arms, her tear-filled eyes still radiant. “I just hope Wen Ying will always think this way.”

Best of all, if she still thinks this way when I drive my blade into her father’s heart.

She could only hope that, in time, Wen Ying wouldn’t look at her as if she were an enemy.

A father-killing enemy? Fu Qingyin tightened her embrace, a self-mocking smile twisting her lips where Wen Ying couldn’t see.

Even if Wen Ying came to hate her, after hearing those words just now, Fu Qingyin had already decided she would keep her by her side forever.

I hope Emperor Wen struggles a little. Don’t let me succeed too easily.

Otherwise, Fu Qingyin truly would keep Wen Ying with her for the rest of her life.

The love and madness in Fu Qingyin’s eyes grew wilder by the second. At this moment, she finally understood the nameless emotions she had harbored for Wen Ying.

It was love possessive love, love that demanded eternal guardianship, love that constantly made her feel unworthy, love intertwined with heartache.

Fu Qingyin held her tighter and tighter until Wen Ying couldn’t bear it any longer, letting out a pained whimper that snapped Fu Qingyin back to reality.

“Sorry.” Fu Qingyin quickly loosened her grip, her hands hovering midair as if unsure whether to check Wen Ying’s injuries.

Wen Ying didn’t blame her. It was clear Fu Qingyin had been in an odd state since earlier, so how could she possibly hold it against her? Instead, she rose onto her tiptoes, ruffling Fu Qingyin’s hair before guiding her to sit down.

“Are you troubled by something? It’s alright, I’m here with you.” Wen Ying hadn’t yet told her the news about taking her out of the palace. Fu Qingyin surely wanted to leave, but for some reason, Wen Ying couldn’t shake the feeling that she wouldn’t stay by her side for much longer.

The banquet was lively, especially now that Consort Xin had been dealt with. This year, the princess leaving the palace seemed kind-hearted at first glance.

Whether they had marriage prospects or not, all the noble ladies at the feast were genuinely happy today.

Once the meal concluded, the empress led everyone to the imperial gardens to admire the flowers.

This was a staple of the Spring Banquet. The gardens were arranged with games like arrow-throwing and chessboards, while beneath the pavilions, paper and brushes were prepared for poetry and painting.

At this time, the young nobles were playing polo or practicing archery in the imperial racecourse within the palace grounds.

The crowd had split into smaller groups, making the gathering seem less overwhelming.

Only legitimate sons and daughters from influential aristocratic families in the capital were invited to the Spring Banquet.

Wen Ying trailed behind the group, catching faint whiffs of floral and herbal scents from the imperial gardens each carefully selected and cultivated by the palace gardeners.

Naturally, these were the finest blooms in the entire capital. Wen Ying, following along with the others, feasted her eyes on the picturesque scenery, regretting that she had been too timid to venture out before and had missed such breathtaking beauty.

Fu Qingyin walked behind Wen Ying, draping a cloak over her shoulders. The spring breeze was still quite strong, and since Wen Ying had just recovered from an injury, she shouldn’t be exposed to the wind.

“Beautiful sister! Look, look, it’s Her Majesty the Empress!” This was the closest Wen Ying had ever been to the empress. Seeing her felt like seeing her own mother perhaps because the current empress had no children of her own, or perhaps because, as the mother of the nation, she was the maternal figure to all the imperial princes and princesses. Wen Ying could openly call her “Mother Empress,” filling the void of the maternal love she had lost.

“Mother Empress,” Wen Ying quietly approached the empress, but the crowd around her was thick. Noticing Wen Ying, the empress gently beckoned her forward with a tender gaze, and the attendants parted to make way.

After arriving in the imperial gardens, the noble ladies had dispersed to enjoy the scenery, so once the path was cleared, only Wen Ying remained by the empress’s side.

“Wen Ying.” The empress called her name without hesitation, looking at her with the familiarity of an old friend.

“Mother Empress knows A-Ying?” Wen Ying was momentarily thrilled, then remembered her earlier confrontation with Emperor Wen in the grand hall. Surely, such a commotion wouldn’t have escaped the empress’s notice.

“I’ve always known you.” As if reading Wen Ying’s thoughts, the empress smiled reassuringly.

True enough, Wen Ying felt much happier upon hearing this. Her initial nervousness faded when the empress didn’t refer to herself formally and even offered an explanation.

Wen Ying fetched a small stool and sat beside the empress, while Fu Qingyin stood quietly outside the pavilion, not bothering with the flowers but keeping a watchful eye on Wen Ying.

Under such gentle attention, Wen Ying found the courage to speak. She poured out her years of admiration for the empress and her longing for her own mother.

As she spoke, the empress’s eyes welled with tears. She dismissed her attendants and carefully untied a jade pendant from her waist, one that seemed oddly humble for her imperial status. With great reverence, she wiped it clean.

“Wen Ying, this was given to me by your mother. Before she passed, she entrusted me to protect you. I’m sorry you’ve suffered all these years. But if I had openly shielded you, it would have only brought you greater danger.”

Tears of regret rolled down the empress’s cheeks Wen Ying had never seen her dignified figure weep before.

Drawing a handkerchief from her sleeve, Wen Ying gently dabbed the empress’s tears and whispered, “It’s alright, A-Ying is fine. Soon, I’ll be leaving the palace.”

“Yes, A-Ying will soon be free. I’m truly happy for you.” The empress took the handkerchief to dry her own tears before carefully handing the jade pendant to Wen Ying.

“You’ll be leaving the palace soon. Take this jade pendant, it’s the only thing your mother left you.” The empress looked at Wen Ying, hesitating as if there was more to say, but in the end, she held back the most important matter and fell silent.

Wen Ying could sense something was amiss, but she didn’t press further.

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