There's Something Wrong With My Little White Flower - Chapter 33

Chapter 33: Princess of a Weak Nation in a Peace Marriage X Barbarian General

Ruan Jiyun’s Imperial Concubine Mother, Consort He, had never been favored by Emperor Zhaozong. Consequently, the Yihe Palace where she resided was located in a remote area. In the days following Zhaozong’s death and the siege by the Golden Di army, the entire Imperial Palace was filled with anxiety.

Ji Xiang, leading the way, apologized softly: “A few days ago, the late Emperor left the palace late at night, and unfortunately, chaos broke out. Many palace staff died then, so the personnel for the various Consorts have not been fully replenished. The Ministry of Internal Affairs is rushing to resolve it…”

Before he finished speaking, he saw lights flickering ahead, and Imperial Guards shouting loudly. There seemed to be someone crying out, the clamor breaking the silence and echoing clearly in the late night.

Ji Xiang looked at Ruan Jiyun’s expression, raised his lantern, and asked: “Who is making a commotion in the inner palace? Be careful not to startle the Princess’s carriage.”

The few people gathered ahead briefly paused their noise when they heard the word “Princess.” A moment later, a man who looked like the leader of the Imperial Guards stepped out from the crowd and briefly bowed from a distance toward them.

“This subordinate is the Captain of the Imperial Guard Patrol. During my rounds, I found this little eunuch acting suspiciously, and suspected he harbored ill intentions, so I apprehended him…” His voice carried a trace of arrogance. “I didn’t expect to disturb Your Highness.”

To prove his point, the Imperial Guard ordered his subordinates to bring the person forward.

In the light of the lantern, the captured little eunuch looked about twelve or thirteen years old, wearing a wrinkled inner attendant’s uniform. He was likely terrified, his body trembling, unable to speak a word, only bowing his head repeatedly.

Ruan Jiyun was surprised that it was such a young child. She asked with astonishment: “Whose palace are you from? Where is the Chief Eunuch who manages you?”

Her voice was gentle. The little eunuch glanced at her timidly, then said vaguely: “Milady, I… I was originally serving in the temporary palace stables. I entered the palace with the Chief Eunuch a few days ago, but the Chief Eunuch hasn’t returned for days. I don’t know anyone here, and I was truly starving, so I secretly came out late at night to try and find some food. I didn’t expect…”

He started crying as he spoke, pulling out a few cold steamed buns hidden in his clothes, looking at everyone pleadingly: “I truly only took a few steamed buns these past few days…”

Ruan Jiyun saw the little eunuch’s dusty face and slightly dull eyes, and believed him somewhat. Having grown up in the palace, she knew that these Imperial Guards were mostly from aristocratic families and acted very arrogantly. A small eunuch without a background, falling into their hands, would likely be convicted with just a few words.

Since she had encountered the situation, she would try to intervene. Thinking this, she instructed Ji Xiang: “This child appears to be very young. Go and inquire about him. If the interrogation confirms he is not suspicious, have the people from the temporary palace pick him up.”

Having said this, she turned back to the Imperial Guard Captain: “With the passing of my Imperial Father, the protection of the palace is in the capable hands of you soldiers.”

The Imperial Guard, seeing her amicable attitude and beautiful, pleasing appearance, felt a sense of vanity and subconsciously replied: “Since Your Highness is pleading for him, we will extend the questioning.”

Ruan Jiyun nodded. Seeing that the matter was resolved, she turned and continued toward Yihe Palace.

The little eunuch stared blankly as the group departed. Ji Xiang spoke a few words to the Imperial Guard, then walked over to him and said: “Consider yourself lucky, kid, to have encountered this one, or you might be begging Buddha in the prison cell right now. Hurry and get up, quickly explain your origins, and leave early.”

The little eunuch, having narrowly escaped death, frantically kowtowed to Ji Xiang: “Chief Eunuch, who was that Highness just now?”

“Heh, it seems you truly aren’t from this palace. Our Jing Dynasty only has three Imperial Daughters in total. Besides Eldest Princess Zhaoming and the young Princess Xinwu, this is Princess Jiyun.”

Ji Xiang urged the little eunuch to follow as he spoke. The little eunuch repeated the name a few times in a daze, wiped his tears, and quickly trotted along behind them.

Due to the prolonged deployment of the Golden Di army, immediately upon Ruan Jiyun’s return, Empress Dowager Chu promptly convened officials from all sides to jointly discuss the peace negotiations.

“Now that the Princess has returned, the peace talks should be held sooner rather than later,” Emperor Jiazong was sheltering in the temporary palace, so Empress Dowager Chu naturally exercised power on behalf of her son. She looked at Ruan Jiyun: “What does Jiyun think?”

Ruan Jiyun had returned precisely for this matter and had no strong objections: “I defer to the decision of the Empress Dowager and the Lords. Everything is for the sake of ending the war quickly and sparing the common people the suffering of conflict. I am naturally duty-bound.”

“The Court of Diplomatic Reception has already sent the peace negotiation documents to the Golden Di camp,” an official responsible for reporting hesitantly said. “But they firmly refuse to let their Prince enter the city and demand that our negotiating envoy go to them.”

Hearing this, the officials immediately began discussing loudly. The younger officials led by Cheng Zhibi were the first to voice their opposition: “Sending the envoy outside the city? Wouldn’t that be telling the world that Great Jing is actively begging for peace?”

An old official with a white beard clearly disdained his words: “If you have a better suggestion, why don’t you personally volunteer to defeat the Golden Di, so they come to us begging for peace?”

“Propriety must not be abandoned! Our Great Jing is a superior nation, yet we must risk the noble person of a Princess. Do none of you feel ashamed?”

Empress Dowager Chu leaned on her hand, calmly watching the continuously noisy officials. She seemed to have anticipated this scene. Once the noise subsided slightly, she finally said: “I summoned you Lords today primarily to discuss how to quickly finalize the peace talks. With the army surrounding the city, His Majesty cannot hold the mourning rites. Whenever I think of this, I feel heartbroken…”

Her beautiful appearance and mournful voice when speaking of the late Emperor instantly made the officials present uncomfortable continuing their arguments. Cheng Zhibi and the few officials advocating for further discussion on the negotiation location exchanged glances and had to temporarily stand down.

A moment later, the Marquis of Chengen was the first to speak: “Her Ladyship is absolutely right. The priority now is to quickly negotiate peace. Whether we go outside the city or they enter the palace makes no fundamental difference. Let us not dwell on this issue for now.”

Empress Dowager Chu wiped the tears from her eyes: “Lords, the decision to negotiate peace has been made. Which one of you Lords is willing to serve as the Deputy Envoy to accompany the Princess to the Golden Di camp?”

This question was clearly the crux of the officials’ disagreement. The Marquis of Chengen said: “The Court of Diplomatic Reception should naturally accompany her first.”

The Minister of the Court of Diplomatic Reception frowned: “Our department is historically responsible for foreign liaison. For these peace talks, shouldn’t a military general take the lead? The Princess’s noble person needs proper protection from more military generals.”

“Peace negotiation is not warfare. Why send military generals?”

Seeing the noise that had just been suppressed rise again, Empress Dowager Chu frowned once more. Her gaze shifted to Ruan Jiyun, who remained quietly standing aside. She couldn’t help but feel a touch of surprise.

The daughter of a concubine, who normally couldn’t even handle a harsh word, seems much more composed after a time in Xiji? Her silence somehow makes Empress Dowager Chu feel faintly uneasy.

…Xiji. Recalling the words her daughter had said to her last night, she gently touched the sparkling crystal beads in her hair. The throne now belongs to her son. What storm could a mere little Princess possibly stir up?

The court session continued for a long time. The officials finally settled on a result: the Court of Diplomatic Reception and the Bureau of Military Affairs would each send an official to jointly accompany the Princess to the peace talks. Seeing that the matter was settled, Empress Dowager Chu offered a few symbolic words of encouragement and announced the adjournment.

She then kept Ruan Jiyun back, saying: “You arrived late last night. Thinking you needed to reunite with your mother, I didn’t insist on keeping you. You must come and dine with me today.”

Ruan Jiyun absolutely did not want to spend more time with her, but Empress Dowager Chu’s attitude was very firm. Ruan Jiyun had no choice but to say: “Then I will trouble Your Ladyship, but my Imperial Concubine Mother had a slight cough again last night, and I wish to return to see her soon.”

“I know you are a filial child,” Empress Dowager Chu chuckled and signaled for her carriage to be prepared to return to the palace, saying along the way, “That Royal Daughter of Xiji is also in your palace, correct? I will send someone to invite her over as well.”

The fact that she was interested in Jiang Peifeng made Ruan Jiyun look up in confusion. In her memory, Empress Dowager Chu had always been an arrogant person, quite dismissive of these surrounding nations. Her proactive invitation to Jiang Peifeng must be part of some scheme.

Although full of doubts, she could only suppress these questions for now, letting Empress Dowager Chu hold her hand as they boarded the phoenix carriage, moving slowly toward Cining Palace.

On the other side, Jiang Peifeng also received the palace attendant from Cining Palace. She had no favorable feelings towards this Empress Dowager of Great Jing, but at the moment, she needed to accompany the little white flower in her endeavors and could not afford to offend the mistress of the inner palace too much. After informing Consort He, she followed the attendant.

The palace grounds were labyrinthine. The attendant walked very slowly. After turning several corners, Jiang Peifeng could not help but ask: “Aren’t we going to Cining Palace? Why are you taking a detour this way?”

The attendant was startled, not expecting this foreign Princess, a newcomer, to remember the route. He stammered in reply: “This servant was worried that the snow ahead had not been completely cleared, so I thought to take the shortcut near the Imperial Kitchen. There are people coming and going here, so there should be less snow.”

Jiang Peifeng slightly raised an eyebrow, saying nothing more.

They walked a bit further, seeing another group of people approaching from a distance. The leader was a woman wearing a white fox fur cloak—none other than Princess Zhaoming.

Jiang Peifeng noticed that the attendant leading her seemed to let out a sigh of relief, while the person opposite had already called out loudly: “Royal Daughter Peifeng, what a coincidence.”

Princess Zhaoming was clearly meticulously dressed today. A certain light shone in her eyes on a face that somewhat resembled Empress Dowager Chu’s: “Since we are both going the same way, why don’t we go together?”

As she spoke, she walked towards Jiang Peifeng. A waft of fragrant perfume assailed her. Jiang Peifeng subtly moved back.

“Does the Princess know where I am going?” she asked.

Princess Zhaoming froze for a moment, realizing she had been too excited and accidentally revealed the route. She had to forcefully swallow the words she was about to say: “Where is the Royal Daughter going?”

Jiang Peifeng gave her an enigmatic smile: “I am going to the Imperial Garden.”

Princess Zhaoming: “…” You are clearly invited by my Imperial Mother to Cining Palace. But at this point, she couldn’t contradict herself again, so she changed her strategy: “What a coincidence! I was also planning to go to the Imperial Garden.”

Seeing her eager face, Jiang Peifeng sighed inwardly: “Oh? Since the Princess is going to the Imperial Garden, I won’t disturb your pleasure. I’ll take my leave first.”

“You…” Princess Zhaoming had never encountered anyone who so repeatedly avoided her. She was furious: “Didn’t you just say you were going to the Imperial Garden?”

Jiang Peifeng calmly told her: “I was planning to, but seeing the Princess suddenly reminded me that the Empress Dowager invited me to dine earlier. I should go pay my respects to the Empress Dowager first.”

After saying this, she urged the attendant beside her: “Hurry up, don’t keep Her Ladyship waiting.”

After her figure disappeared into the distance, Princess Zhaoming crumpled the handkerchief in her hand in anger. The maidservant beside her cautiously asked: “Your Highness, are we still going to the Imperial Garden?”

Princess Zhaoming grew even angrier: “When did I say I was going to the Imperial Garden? How dare you! My Imperial Mother invited me to dine, and you dare to be negligent! Go kneel and take your punishment over there!”

After venting her anger, she turned and left furiously, leaving the poor maidservant kneeling in the snow, enduring the bone-chilling cold, her eyes red.

“Stop looking at the commotion, hurry up and go.” Ji Xiang, accompanied by the little eunuch, happened to pass by. He had witnessed the entire process of Princess Zhaoming’s tantrum and could only shake his head and sigh. “It’s a good thing you were lucky, and didn’t encounter this Princess yesterday.”

The little eunuch glanced secretly at the trembling maidservant, seemingly deep in thought. After a long while, he said: “Yes, I was very lucky to have met the kind Princess.”

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