The Flirtatious Beauty Decides to Steal the Princess - Chapter 28

Fu Qingyin remained standing there, her gaze tender and unwavering as she looked at Wen Ying. She was in no hurry, standing aloof as if everything around her was irrelevant except for the person she was so gently watching.

“Little Wen Ying, your mother loved you. Often, I would read our letters in my chambers.” The Queen composed her thoughts but stopped abruptly, realizing she had said too much.

She lifted her head to look at Wen Ying, her expression composed as if she had never shed a tear unless one noticed the redness around her eyes.

A spring breeze drifted through the pavilion, which stood at a windy spot. Instinctively, Wen Ying moved to remove her outer robe to drape over the Queen, but the latter shook her head and instead grasped Wen Ying’s hand.

“As long as little Wen Ying doesn’t catch a chill, that’s enough.” The tenderness in her voice left Wen Ying stunned. Such warmth was something she had rarely experienced.

Even Yun Chu, who always referred to herself as a servant, had never made Wen Ying feel this way.

Long ago, Wen Ying had come to regard this woman, the very model of maternal grace, as a second mother. And now, she clung to that affection.

It wasn’t until Yun Chu, having heard the news, rushed into the imperial garden that Wen Ying finally stepped down from the pavilion. Before she could even speak to Fu Qingyin, she saw Yun Chu’s tear-streaked face.

“Ah, Sister Yun Chu, why are you crying?” Wen Ying had expected Yun Chu to be overjoyed for her, but instead, she had arrived in tears.

Yun Chu clutched Wen Ying’s sleeve, struggling to compose herself before suddenly dropping to her knees with a thud. Fortunately, the vastness of the imperial garden meant no one noticed the commotion, but Wen Ying was thoroughly startled.

Every time Yun Chu knelt like this, it meant something grave was about to happen or that Wen Ying had committed some terrible mistake Yun Chu couldn’t bring herself to scold her for.

The last time Yun Chu had knelt so abruptly was when Wen Ying had insisted on burning paper offerings for her mother.

Back then, Yun Chu had said, “Your Highness, your servant and Her Majesty risked our lives to protect you. If you were to be caught in such an act and give others leverage, your servant wouldn’t be able to live with herself either.”

Those words had terrified young Wen Ying. From then on, she obeyed Yun Chu without question, knowing that her own survival had not come easily.

Now, recalling the Queen’s words, “Your mother loved you” Wen Ying had no reason to doubt them. But seeing Yun Chu kneel again filled her with dread. She hurried to help her up, only for Yun Chu to interrupt.

“Your servant heard, what happened in the grand hall today.” Yun Chu’s voice trembled. Wen Ying felt as though she had seen too many tears today.

Taking the handkerchief Fu Qingyin handed her, Yun Chu wiped her eyes before speaking again. “Your Highness, after speaking with Miss Fu the other day, I realized I shouldn’t have kept you confined. With someone like her by your side, I knew you would soon escape this suffering.”

“And indeed, today, I witnessed our Princess Wen Ying finally granted her own residence, free from this palace at last.” Her voice grew hoarse with emotion. As she finished, she looked at Wen Ying with the pride of a mother watching her child come of age as if she were ready to report the news to her departed mistress in the afterlife.

Wen Ying quickly opened the door, wiping the two trails of tears from Yun Chu’s face, attributing all the day’s success to Fu Qingyin.

At that moment, Fu Qingyin seemed to snap back to reality, letting out a soft “Ah” as she suddenly remembered her earlier encouragement. She then raised her hand affectionately and ruffled Wen Ying’s hair. “It was Wen Ying who was brave.”

No matter who deserved the credit, Yun Chu was overjoyed now. A thousand words swirled in her mind, yet they all stuck in her throat, leaving her unsure of what to say. After hesitating for a long while, she finally spoke, “Princess, Yun Chu won’t be leaving the palace with you. Someone else will accompany you.”

“Ah?” Wen Ying was genuinely stunned this time. She had assumed Yun Chu would definitely follow her out, with Fu Qingyin seizing the chance to slip away as well.

But why was Yun Chu unwilling to leave now? The excitement in Wen Ying’s heart instantly dimmed. The pavilion wasn’t the best place for such a conversation, so Fu Qingyin pulled both of them to a secluded corner of the imperial garden.

This spot was rarely visited there were no flowers or plants here, making it unappealing to the noble ladies of the court, who never came this way.

Fu Qingyin stood there like a sturdy pine tree, her slender frame somehow managing to shield them from prying eyes.

“The princess cannot take two personal maids when leaving the palace this time. Even attendants will have to be selected after leaving. I think someone else needs this opportunity more than I do.” Yun Chu’s gaze unconsciously drifted toward Fu Qingyin, who was still keeping watch.

Wen Ying was utterly confused, feeling as though everyone around her was speaking in riddles behind her back.

The Empress was like this. Fu Qingyin was like this. And now, even Yun Chu had secrets.

But Wen Ying didn’t press for answers, though her eyes dimmed slightly. Of course, she wanted Fu Qingyin to accompany her out of the palace, but she also wished Yun Chu could leave with her and enjoy a life of ease.

Over the years, Yun Chu had done her utmost to care for Wen Ying, and Wen Ying had seen every bit of it.

That was why Wen Ying truly, deeply wanted to take Yun Chu with her.

Fu Qingyin heard this but remained silent. Yun Chu was right she desperately needed this chance to leave the palace, primarily to establish connections with other nations.

But if Wen Ying chose to take Yun Chu instead, Fu Qingyin had no right or reason to blame her. She would simply have to quietly postpone her plans.

Yet at this moment, Fu Qingyin said nothing. She didn’t want to voluntarily step aside, but neither did she want to force Wen Ying into making a choice.

Time ticked by, and Wen Ying still hadn’t made a decision or perhaps she had one in mind but chose to stay silent.

“I’m just not going now,” Yun Chu suddenly spoke up, her voice firmer as she clasped Wen Ying’s hand. “Once the princess has settled everything outside the palace, I’ll come join you to help manage the household. How does that sound?”

Yun Chu had no intention of growing old and dying within the palace walls. But from the moment she first met Fu Qingyin, she knew this was someone capable of great things.

That dog of an emperor, Wen Di, Yun Chu wished he would never live a peaceful, untroubled life. Her hatred for him gnawed at her bones. She longed for the country to be overthrown the very next second, how could she bear to delay Fu Qingyin’s plans?

Fu Qingyin was equally surprised. She had never shared her thoughts or schemes with anyone, yet Yun Chu seemed to know her intentions without being told. Not only did she not expose them, but she even quietly helped.

It was as if everyone had silently conspired to hasten the country’s demise. Fu Qingyin found such a notion both terrifying and exhilarating.

Though her own rebellious thoughts had been discovered, the fact that the other person had harbored similar intentions all along was deeply intriguing.

Wen Ying had no idea why Yun Chu was so certain she would be able to leave soon, but she could only nod in agreement.

“Sister Yun Chu, don’t worry. Wen Ying will definitely save you.” The determined look in Wen Ying’s eyes melted Fu Qingyin’s heart, how could she let such an innocent and kind-hearted little one wait too long?

With their plans settled, the three of them lost all interest in strolling through the imperial gardens. Wen Ying immediately followed Yun Chu back to pack her belongings.

Fu Qingyin, however, went the opposite way. It seemed she wanted to witness Noble Consort Xin’s fate firsthand and strode alone toward the Office of Punishments.

“The princess doesn’t have many belongings, but these calligraphy sheets and practice books must be taken along.” By the evening of the next day, as the attendees of the Spring Banquet began to depart one after another, Wen Ying had just finished seeing off Jiang Zhiyi when she heard Yun Chu meticulously listing out all the storybooks she had dug up.

In this dynasty, women were permitted to marry, so many of those tales indeed featured romances between two women.

Wen Ying

The porcelain inside was all newly offered this year, yet on the queen’s dressing table, there was this small cabinet somewhat old but free of dust. Wen Ying approached and found nothing inside.

Suddenly, Wen Ying recalled the queen’s hesitation that day. Could it be related to this?

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