There's Something Wrong With My Little White Flower - Chapter 34

Chapter 34: Princess of a Weak Nation in a Peace Marriage X Barbarian General

The twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month was the date agreed upon for the peace negotiations between Great Jing and the Golden Di.

Early in the morning, the city guards were already awake. The young soldiers rubbed their hands, gathered in one place, waiting for the order to open the gates.

“The Golden Di are outside the city. Won’t opening the gates cause trouble?” A soldier with limited information cocked his ear to ask.

A passing officer scoffed: “Fool, today is the day for peace talks. Even if the Golden Di are savages, they won’t attack the city now. At 10:00 AM, the carriage of the Princess is going out of the city to negotiate peace with them.”

“The Princess?” The young soldier clicked his tongue, shrinking his neck curiously. “Does Great Jing have no one left? To actually send a Princess to confront the large Golden Di army?”

“Telling you you’re a fool is correct.” The officer really did not want to waste any more breath on the foolish soldier. “What’s wrong with having someone block the way for you? Do you insist on going to the battlefield, risking your own little life?”

He shouted loudly: “Pay attention! When the main officer orders the city gates open, all your movements must be swift!”

The young soldier tightly gripped the hemp rope in his hand, still spacing out: “But letting a woman go to the front is what should be called foolish, isn’t it?”

He muttered softly, but couldn’t come up with more negative words, so he could only hide this strange dissatisfaction in his heart, silently waiting for the order to open the city gates.

The concerns of the city guard could not reach Ruan Jiyun’s ears.

At this moment, she sat upright in the carriage, wearing a heavy golden Princess crown. Her ceremonial dress was embroidered with soaring golden phoenixes and peonies, accentuating the noble aura of the originally delicate little white flower. The carriage rumbled along. She heard the sound of the wheels crushing the stone road, long and clear.

The last time, she had also sat in a carriage, formally dressed, waiting for fate to carry her to an unknown destination. What was she thinking then? Ruan Jiyun could no longer quite recall, but she knew this time was different.

She was no longer alone, nor was she fearful. She had her duty to fulfill, and she knew there was someone by her side, guarding her, no matter what lay ahead.

She sat quietly. The long street was silent in the early morning. Suddenly, a faint “thud” was heard, as if something had landed on the carriage shaft.

Following that, “thud,” “thud” sounds rang out one after another, accompanied by a clear female voice.

“Your Highness! You can do it!”

It was a young girl’s voice. The girl stood in front of a small sedan chair, holding a basket of flowers. It was her action of throwing the flowers onto the carriage that made the sound. The girl’s face was flushed, but she still bravely shouted loudly toward the direction the carriage was heading.

“Your Highness! You can do it!”

On the tavern on the other side, a few figures appeared as well.

“Your Highness! You can do it!”

The scattered voices gradually became louder and more concentrated. More and more people appeared on the long street at some point. They stood neatly on the roadside, watching the carriage pass, spontaneously calling out to Ruan Jiyun.

Finally, the envoy delegation’s carriage team had to briefly stop to allow the enthusiastic people to send flowers over the layers of surrounding guards to the carriage. Since the Golden Di army approached the city, this was the first time the people of Huajing had spoken out with such enthusiasm and hope, raising their insignificant voices.

The young soldier guarding the city gate stood at the very end of the crowd. The heavy hemp rope in his hand was hot from his grip. He followed the team, slowly pulling the city gate open little by little. The magnificent carriage team passed slowly beside him. A flower branch fell, landing right at his feet.

He secretly picked up the flower. It was a well-bloomed Green Calyx Plum, its delicate petals shaking off a dignified strength in the ice and snow, slowly exhaling a fresh fragrance.

The voice of his superior came to his ears again: “Pay attention, everyone! Close the city gates quickly after the carriage team leaves! Be careful not to let the Golden Di slip in unawares!”

His palm instantly felt hot, as if scalded by the flower branch.

Outside Huajing City – Golden Di Central Military Tent

The envoy delegation’s carriages passed through the city gate and traveled to the Golden Di army’s encampment outside the city walls. Consecutive tents covered with black animal hides looked like a crouching pack of beasts from a distance.

The carriage stopped at the main military gate. Ruan Jiyun’s eyes suddenly lit up as the carriage curtain was lifted from the outside.

The person who came was Jiang Peifeng. She was still wearing her military uniform, standing tall and graceful below the carriage shaft.

“I will go in with you,” she smiled at Ruan Jiyun.

The Golden Di soldiers around were tall and stout, their armor gleaming with a cold light, but Jiang Peifeng seemed to disregard them completely, only smiling as she extended her hand to Ruan Jiyun: “Your Highness, watch your step.”

Her demeanor was natural, and her expression was gentle, as if she were going to a normal banquet. Ruan Jiyun returned her smile, placing her hand in Jiang Peifeng’s palm.

She held her head high, walking lightly past the ranks of Golden Di soldiers, leading the envoy officials into the central military tent.

The large tent was filled with the smell of grease and wine. The Golden Di generals wore heavy animal skin cloaks, and the guards standing beside them held bright, sharp knives and axes. Although silent, there was a faint bloody aura lingering in the air, sending chills through the visitors.

The envoy officials’ hearts pounded like drums. Although they all maintained a solemn, standing posture, one official from the Court of Diplomatic Reception began to tremble violently, looking ready to collapse at any moment.

Seeing his miserable state, a general whose helmet was carved with a wolf’s head grinned at him, the bright red mark of fresh blood still visible between his teeth. This brutal expression made the official’s body go limp, almost causing him to faint on the spot.

Ruan Jiyun was also somewhat nervous. She stood quietly at the forefront of the group, striving to steady her breathing. The wolf-headed general was surprised that she was not intimidated and raised his eyebrows.

“Does the Jing Dynasty have no men left? Sending such a delicate Princess to negotiate peace. Aren’t you afraid you won’t return?” He deliberately licked his lips and asked in a coarse voice.

As soon as he finished speaking, the Golden Di soldiers beside him burst into laughter.

Ruan Jiyun ignored his provocation. She calmed herself and asked: “You proposed peace talks with Great Jing. Now that I have come, you complain that the person who came is a woman? Where is your Prince? May I ask if this General represents his opinion?”

Her words were neither servile nor overbearing. She looked around without fear in her eyes. Seeing that this delicate Princess was not scared off, the wolf-headed general felt his self-esteem quite bruised: “You Jing people are only good at wordplay, but you lack the skill to fight with real swords and spears. The Princess’s courage is commendable, but I wonder if you fear the saber in my hand?”

With that, he drew his saber and stood up with a cold snort, abruptly bringing the long saber slicing forward! The blade was wide and heavy, kicking up a gust of fierce wind that went directly toward the spot where Ruan Jiyun was standing.

Only a crisp “clang” was heard. The wolf-headed general staggered back half a step, his brows knitted together. He looked up, an expression of disbelief in his eyes.

A magnificent golden scabbard blocked in front of Ruan Jiyun, pushing away the wolf-headed general’s saber blade. Jiang Peifeng did not even lift her eyes. The corners of her mouth slightly curved. She chuckled: “I wonder if you fear the saber in my hand?”

With that, she lightly raised her arm, and the saber changed its posture, falling like a streak of rainbow light. It seemed to require little effort to strike the General’s shoulder.

The wolf-headed general, with that seemingly effortless strike, was directly knocked to the ground. He struggled laboriously for a few moments before barely managing to regain his balance.

Silence immediately descended upon the military tent. The wolf-headed general stood up, shaking his numb wrist. Still unable to believe he had been knocked down so easily, he bared his teeth and was about to charge forward again when he was interrupted by another voice.

“A’muda, step down.” The speaker was dressed in fine silks, his long hair adorned with jewels. He looked only seventeen or eighteen years old, but since he entered the tent, all the Golden Di stood up respectfully. A’muda covered his arm and reluctantly retreated to the back.

The person walked to the main seat and sat down: “The Royal Daughter of Xiji is not someone you can defeat easily. Don’t you agree, Your Highness Peifeng?”

Jiang Peifeng did not pay him much mind. She reattached the saber to her waist and stood firmly beside Ruan Jiyun.

The man’s eyes flashed with a more noticeable light of surprise.

“Your Highness, since you have arrived, may we begin the talks?” Ruan Jiyun had perfect chemistry with her. After Jiang Peifeng returned to her side, she asked the newcomer politely.

The Golden Di Prince looked at her with interest: “Princess, talks must certainly proceed. Since you brought such a formidable helper, if I were to make things difficult for you again, I fear that the next target of the Embroidered Golden Rainbow might be me.”

He poured himself a glass of wine with an unhurried manner: “Now, let us discuss the terms.”

“The Golden Di demand five hundred thousand taels of silver, one hundred thousand dan of grain, forty thousand cattle and sheep, and one hundred thousand jin of cotton…” The official from the Court of Diplomatic Reception unrolled the proclamation and read aloud in the deep palace chamber. “In addition, they also demand this amount be paid annually as… as tribute for the next five years.”

Empress Dowager Chu frowned, listening to his report. She did not speak for a long time. Just as the Minister of the Court of Diplomatic Reception felt cold sweat forming, he heard the Empress Dowager’s voice slowly ring out: “Nothing else was demanded?”

The Minister was utterly confused by this question: “No… Nothing else.” This amount alone would place a heavy burden on Great Jing. Why did the Empress Dowager sound somewhat disappointed?

He stood there bewildered, then heard Empress Dowager Chu say: “Five years of tribute is truly too heavy a burden for our dynasty. If we could foster a closer relationship with the Golden Di, perhaps the peace terms could be eased somewhat?”

“This… Princess Jiyun and the delegation have already tried their best to mediate…” The Minister frowned, instinctively speaking up for the delegation. “Initially, the Golden Di Prince quoted much harsher terms. It was entirely due to the Princess’s unyielding efforts that this much was reduced…”

“I do not mean to blame you for incompetence,” Empress Dowager Chu interrupted him. “I mean that the Golden Di is a nation of barbarians. The words of barbarians must be interpreted in two ways. If we could strengthen our relationship with them through marriage, we would be better prepared for future changes…”

The Minister was utterly bewildered by this ambiguous statement. After a moment, he said: “Your Ladyship… Your meaning is… that our connection with the Golden Di needs to be closer still? Are you suggesting a peace marriage with their Prince?”

He was even more confused. Among the unmarried princesses in the court, only Princess Zhaoming, the Empress Dowager’s own daughter, remained. Could the Empress Dowager be so noble-minded as to send her daughter for a peace marriage?

Empress Dowager Chu sighed lightly: “A peace marriage, esteemed Minister, that is truly an excellent suggestion. If we can form a marriage alliance with the Golden Di, the two nations will be allies in the future, and our Great Jing can rest easy!”

“Then this humble subject will immediately propose that Eldest Princess Zhaoming be sent for a peace marriage for the country!” Although the Minister did not understand the sudden change in the Empress Dowager’s attitude, a peace marriage was ultimately a good thing. With the two nations allied, what reason would they have to fear a lack of peaceful days in the future?

But his words were slowly interrupted again by Empress Dowager Chu.

“Zhaoming?” The woman on the back seat smiled at him mysteriously: “Who told you that my Zhaoming is going to the Golden Di for a peace marriage?”

Support There’s Something Wrong With My Little White Flower