The Traitor Crown Princess (Transmigration) - Chapter 13

“Many thanks to His Highness the Crown Prince and Master Su for your all-out assistance. If it weren’t for both of you risking your lives to save us, we would have starved to death long ago.”

“Indeed, we will never forget your great kindness! We are truly grateful.”

After speaking, they bowed down.

Shen Yi hurriedly stepped forward to help the elderly man in the lead, feeling very embarrassed. “Please, hurry and rise. We cannot accept such a grand gesture.”

“Benefactors, please let us kneel. We have nothing to our names, no treasures to offer you; this is the only way we can express our gratitude!” The old man grasped Shen Yi’s hand, his smile radiant.

Shen Yi was moved. He looked back at Chu Yun and saw him surrounded by many children. Though the children were thin, their spirit was far better than it had been when they first arrived for disaster relief.

“Big Brother, this is for you.” A small child presented a bunch of white daisies to him. “The color of this flower is just as beautiful as your hair.”

Chu Yun: “My white hair is a symbol of bad luck.”

The little boy wiped his nose and said indignantly, “How could that be? That is just what those bad people are spreading. Big Brother, don’t pay any attention to them; your hair is truly super beautiful!”

The frost in Chu Yun’s eyes melted, and the bright sunlight finally shone into the depths of his heart. He took the white daisies and patted the child’s head. “Very well, I will not dwell on such thoughts. Thank you for the flowers; I like them very much.”

The child was finally happy, bouncing around to express his joy. “Big Brother looks so beautiful when he smiles~”

Several other children laughed along with them.

After bidding farewell to the villagers, Shen Yi and Chu Yun rode their horses at full speed to return to the capital. Early the next morning, Shen Yi reported to Chu Chen and told him the beginning and end of the matter, though he did not disclose the plot to rebel.

Shen Yi knew that if he presented this matter, given Chu Chen’s capricious personality, he would rather kill a thousand wrongly than let a single one go, and the innocent blacksmiths would undoubtedly be unable to escape that fate.

Because this matter involved too many people, it was better to avoid unnecessary complications—at the very least, until Mo Li and Hao Tian had left the Chu Kingdom.

Shen Yi lowered his eyes, raised the ceremonial tablet (hu) in his hand, and announced loudly: “Your Highness the Crown Prince and I have handled the flood disaster. We have not only ensured the disaster victims’ basic needs—food, clothing, shelter, and transportation—but also had the sluice gates repaired and dispatched a large number of imperial physicians to Jiangnan, effectively preventing an epidemic.”

Chu Chen praised: “Hmm, this was done well. I will reward you and the Crown Prince handsomely later.”

Shen Yi: “This subject thanks His Majesty.”

Chu Chen waved his hand: “I hereby confer upon you the title of Fifth-Rank Hanlin Academy Editor, and as for the Crown Prince, allow him to attend the sacrificial ceremony.”

“Your Majesty, that must not be!” Feng Ju walked to Shen Yi’s side and knelt. “The Crown Prince is a ‘star-crossed loner.’ If he attends the sacrificial ceremony, it will bring only harm and no benefit! Moreover, I have heard that the inner palace has recently been in turmoil; palace maids have often seen the ghost of the late Consort Mei in Yuhua Palace. In my humble opinion, the Crown Prince’s position should be abolished, and Consort Mei’s spirit tablet should be removed from the temple. Only then can our Chu Kingdom’s state be protected.”

Chu Chen feigned a difficult situation: “But Chu Yun is, after all, my eldest son. To do this would be too cruel to him.”

“These words are not false.” Shen Yi seized the opportunity to interject. “Moreover, Chancellor Feng is a mere layman; how could he understand the affairs of the inner palace?”

As soon as these words were spoken, the faces of Chu Chen and Feng Ju became quite ugly. Shen Yi provided a graceful exit for Chu Chen and the others: “I believe that His Highness the Crown Prince has just performed a meritorious service, and now to abolish his position would indeed cause civil unrest. As for the affairs of the inner palace, let alone whether they are true or false, they require time before further decisions can be made.”

Chu Chen’s expression improved significantly, although there was still coldness in his eyes. Chancellor Feng was relentless: “Your Majesty! The Crown Prince’s silver hair and lineage are, by nature, symbols of ill omen. You must not listen to the one-sided words of Su Qing! Your old subject implores Your Majesty, for the sake of the Chu Kingdom’s state, to abolish the Crown Prince’s position!”

Having said this, he knelt directly, and a large number of civil and military officials behind him knelt as well. Shen Yi looked back with a darkened face, cursing internally. Soon, he saw several figures who remained standing.

It was Zhou Ruxue and the civil officials beside him.

Zhou Ruxue nodded slightly at Shen Yi, and Shen Yi nodded in response. Their actions were all seen by Chu Chen. At this moment, he could not easily slight his meritorious officials, so he could only handle it casually: “This matter shall be discussed again. Do the ministers have anything else to report?”

Chancellor Feng and the group of officials remained silent. Chu Chen slapped the armrest of the dragon throne and roared: “Did you not hear what I said?! Chancellor Feng!”

Chancellor Feng scrambled up from the ground and knelt again, his voice trembling: “This subject has no objections.”

“Then court is dismissed!” Chu Chen stood up from the dragon throne and left with a flick of his sleeves.

After he left, the ministers rose. Feng Ju glared angrily at Shen Yi: “Master Shen truly has great ability. You won’t be so lucky next time.”

Shen Yi played dumb: “What does the Chancellor mean? I share the burden for His Majesty alongside you; there is no such thing as enmity between us.”

Feng Ju snorted coldly and turned to leave.

The people in the hall avoided Shen Yi like a plague god, fearing that they might be implicated. Shen Yi was used to being alone, so he didn’t take it to heart. As he walked out of the palace hall alone, a voice came from behind him: “Master Su.”

Shen Yi turned around and saw Zhou Ruxue walking toward him.

He raised his hands in a formal bow: “Minister of Rites Zhou Ruxue pays his respects to Master Su.”

Shen Yi bowed back: “Master Zhou is too kind; I am merely a small censor.”

Zhou Ruxue flattered him: “Ah, though Master Su’s rank is small, your courage to speak out is commendable. This official admires you. I wonder if you have time to come to my home for tea?”

Shen Yi politely declined: “I have affairs to attend to later; perhaps I can have tea at Master Zhou’s home another time.”

“That is fine.” Zhou Ruxue nodded and waved goodbye. “Then this official will depart first; until we meet again, Master Shen.”

“Until we meet again.” Shen Yi waved goodbye. He walked to the end of the line, and when there was no one around, he slipped into the side door. After confirming that no one was watching, he used his lightness skills to leap onto the wall, reaching the remote palace in the middle of the lake.

Qiushui and Hanxiang were embroidering pouches. Seeing Shen Yi enter, they both stood up from their stools in alarm, alert: “Who are you, and how did you get in?”

Shen Yi removed the mask from his face: “It’s me.”

Qiushui and Hanxiang cried tears of joy: “Young Master, you finally returned! We were afraid you had met with an accident.”

Shen Yi opened the wardrobe to take out a skirt, saying: “What kind of accident could happen? Don’t overthink it. During the days I was away, did anything happen in the palace?”

Qiushui hesitated, but Hanxiang dared to speak: “My Lady, there has been nothing in the palace recently, except that the secondary consort, Feng Yueshu, is entering the palace.”

“Understood.” Shen Yi went behind the screen to change clothes.

Soon, he emerged in a green palace dress and sat at the vanity, letting the two help him apply makeup.

Shen Yi asked: “Recently in the palace, has there been talk of Consort Mei’s ghost?”

Qiushui replied: “Yes, My Lady, the rumors in the palace are very fierce. Even we, living in such a remote place, know about it, not to mention everyone inside and outside the palace.”

Shen Yi applied lip tint and, after confirming his appearance was flawless, rose to sun himself in the courtyard. “Forget it, we can only act according to the situation.”

A small boat moved slowly toward them from the distant shore. Soon, the boat docked, and Head Eunuch Dequan stepped off with an obsequious look, followed by two young eunuchs.

He walked up to Shen Yi, bowed, and saluted: “Wishing the Crown Princess all health and peace.”

Shen Yi: “Does the Eunuch have any business?”

Li Dequan: “Naturally. This afternoon, the secondary consort Feng Yueshu enters the palace, and she wishes to invite you back to preside over the wedding ceremony.”

Shen Yi smiled without speaking. It appeared to be a gesture of respect for his position as the primary consort, but in reality, it was just a method devised because they couldn’t find Chu Yun.

Since his own affairs were completed, it was time to leave this small island.

“Then I shall trouble Eunuch Li.”

Li Dequan: “Yes.”

The Eastern Palace was in a festive mood; red and orange silks were hung on the walls, and even the maids and servants wore red ribbons around their waists. The servants received rewards, and the grandeur was on par with the ceremony when he was first named the primary consort.

However, Shen Yi had no time to dwell on such things; he was single-mindedly thinking about how to solve the mystery.

There was a burst of firecrackers at the entrance, and Feng Yueshu, dressed in red and orange wedding attire, was supported by a maid as she walked in.

After entering, she looked at the master’s chair in front, but did not see Chu Yun. She felt it was a pity, but quickly regained her spirits, knelt on the prayer mat, and saluted Shen Yi: “I pay my respects to the Crown Princess.”

A maid entered the main hall with a red tray and knelt beside Feng Yueshu.

Yueshu reluctantly picked up the teacup and handed it to Shen Yi: “…Sister, please have tea.”

Shen Yi reached out to take it. Just as he was about to grasp it, Feng Yueshu’s hand suddenly trembled, and the teacup fell.

Time seemed to stand still, but fortunately, Shen Yi caught the teacup safely.

Feng Yueshu’s expression turned from triumph to disappointment. Shen Yi sipped the tea and placed it back on the maid’s tray.

“I have no intention of competing for favor with you, and I disdain using the methods of the inner palace to play games with you. From now on, I will treat you like family; as long as you follow the rules, I will not make things difficult for you. Do you understand?”

Feng Yueshu’s heart was pounding.

She was serving the same husband with her, and yet she wasn’t angry? This would never happen at her father’s estate; those concubines would only fight to the death…

Unable to fathom Shen Yi’s thoughts, she said softly: “Yes…”

She was then supported by a maid to her own courtyard.

Shen Yi tilted his head, and Qiushui, seeing this, stepped forward and whispered in his ear: “My Lady, I have just been to see Leng Feng. He said the Crown Prince didn’t come because he thought she looked ugly.”

Shen Yi’s mouth twitched: “Then forget it.”

After the wedding, Shen Yi originally intended to prepare for a ghost-hunting operation. He had just arranged for Qiushui to find a few strong guards when, unexpectedly, Li Dequan visited again and directly produced the Empress’s edict.

“My Lady, recently there have been frequent reports of ghosts in the palace, and the Empress would like you to return to the Lakeside Pavilion to hide for a few days.”

On the surface, it looked bright and beautiful, but in reality, wasn’t it just fearing that he would ruin Feng Yueshu’s good fortune?

Shen Yi rose: “Understood. Please relay a message from me to the Empress: the truth will soon come to light, so please ask her not to worry.”

The smile on Li Dequan’s face remained unchanged: “Understood, My Lady.”

After sending Li Dequan away, Hanxiang brought in a young palace maid who was seventy percent similar to Shen Yi in appearance, with a very similar build.

After Qiushui dressed her in the Crown Princess’s robes, he left the Eastern Palace, while Shen Yi changed into the attire of a guard and hid in the location where the ghost sightings were most frequent, waiting quietly.

Midnight, the middle of the night.

Shen Yi was drowsy in the courtyard when, suddenly, he heard the sound of tiles colliding in his ears, which startled him so much he stood straight up.