LF Chapter 72
by VolareAs the sky in the east began to lighten with the first hint of dawn, the snow that had fallen all night covered the age-old yellow sands. A group of people, weary from their journey, descended from the snowy mountains.
Facing the faint light of dawn, they found that familiar figure. The border troops, who had been on alert all night, finally felt relieved. The garrison commander had been frantic yesterday. It wasn’t a matter of whether or not to send troops, but that if Jiang Yinghua didn’t return, he would surely meet an early demise.
Fortunately, all was well, and the abbot’s all-night chanting and prayers had not been in vain.
Jiang Yinghua couldn’t be bothered with all of this. As soon as she returned, she took the abbot away with her, ordered her men to tie Yan Wanzhi up securely, threw her onto a carriage, and headed straight for the Yan’an Temple.
Having been lost and then found, after much hardship, Jiang Yinghua guarded her with her eyes never leaving her side. Even when dozing, she had to hold the end of the rope in her hand to feel at ease, as if the guards outside were mere decorations.
The carriage traveled day and night. When Yan Wanzhi woke up again, they had already traveled three hundred *li*, and her Western Liang was nowhere to be seen.
The after-effects of the sleeping drug were quite strong. Yan Wanzhi shook her heavy head and saw Jiang Yinghua, arms crossed and smiling, beside her. For a moment, she thought she was in a dream, full of illusions.
Until—the bumpy carriage caused her to hit the back of her head. She belatedly came to her senses, realizing she was in pain. Jiang Yinghua, that little devil, had schemed against her, plain and simple.
Yan Wanzhi couldn’t quite describe her emotions. She was ashamed and angry, somewhat relieved and somewhat disappointed. A mixture of feelings welled up inside her, leaving her unable to laugh or cry. She looked at Jiang Yinghua expectantly and said dejectedly, “Could you untie me, please?”
“Dream on. You’re as cunning as a fox. If you run back, all my efforts will have been in vain.” Jiang Yinghua scoffed arrogantly, tilting her head and looking at her.
“I’ve lost my trail. All my years of forbearance and planning have been ruined. Hua’er, how could you act so impulsively?” Yan Wanzhi asked, puzzled, her face full of worry. “Besides, given my current identity, how can I find a place in Da Chu? How could Your Majesty forgive me?”
Hearing this, Jiang Yinghua sighed with some melancholy and said softly, “Wanzhi, Her Majesty is seriously ill. She once saved your life and gave you the opportunity to meet. You should put aside your resentment and see her. She has tacitly approved of our affairs. You don’t need to be afraid. Returning to Chu is returning home. I will protect you and never let you leave me for even a moment.”
“What about Western Liang, what about Prince Jialing? I’ve been meticulously planning for a long time. Hua’er, how could you so forcefully bring me back? Do you know how treacherous Prince Jialing is? And the Empress Dowager isn’t easy to deal with either.” Yan Wanzhi’s eyes were full of bitterness, still clinging to the hope of persuading Jiang Yinghua to let her go.
“I have my own arrangements. There’s no use in you saying anything. If you fight those two old foxes alone, you’ll be dead without a burial. Your killing Prince Yong was a headstrong act. Today, I’m forcibly bringing you back, which is learning from your behavior. If you struggle again, I’ll give you some more sleeping drugs. Rest well. The road is long, and the real battle will just begin when we return to the capital. My future Imperial Scribe can’t be muddle-headed.”
Jiang Yinghua lowered her eyes and straightened her clothes, not looking at Yan Wanzhi’s reaction.
Yan Wanzhi was silent. After a pause, Jiang Yinghua added, “I know you’re blaming me, after all, you still have family grudges. Investigating the case isn’t just your path. I’ll keep this in mind for you. If Prince Jialing rebels and the country faces disaster, with everything in chaos, only you and I working together can expose these deceptions. You should understand this.”
“Perhaps we’ll reach the same goal by different routes. I don’t blame you, but things happened so suddenly that I can’t adapt for the moment.” Yan Wanzhi’s voice was very soft. Jiang Yinghua sensed something was wrong and turned back to look, only to see two more lines of tears on her cheeks.
Jiang Yinghua smiled bitterly helplessly, reached out and put her arms around her, letting her lean on her shoulder, and joked, “What’s wrong? After five years, you’ve become a little crybaby? Is my sister aging backward, becoming more and more delicate?”
Yan Wanzhi brazenly wiped her tears on Jiang Yinghua’s fine silk robe, murmuring, “I’m old, not like you, heartless.”
Jiang Yinghua was very distressed about her new clothes. Hearing her say this, she became angry, grabbed her ear, pulled her away a little, and scolded, “It seems you’ve forgotten what this feels like after not experiencing it for so long?”
Yan Wanzhi had no hands to cover her ears, and bit her lip in pain, desperately rolling her eyes, complaining, “You’re still so vicious. I’ve missed you for nothing all these years. Let go, I’m going to die.”
Jiang Yinghua chuckled, “Then tell me, who’s heartless?”
“Me, me, me, alright?” Yan Wanzhi grimaced in pain. Jiang Yinghua knew she was just saying it to appease her, but couldn’t bear to tease her anymore, released her hand, and pressed her head back onto her shoulder. “Sleep, when you’re asleep, you won’t have so many worries.”
Yan Wanzhi suddenly thought of something and rubbed her head against Jiang Yinghua’s lapel, asking, “What about Uncle Mo and the others? They must be going crazy not seeing me.”
“Your people are all with you, not a hair missing.” Jiang Yinghua patted her back and said softly.
Hearing this promise, Yan Wanzhi finally laid down peacefully. After a while, she muttered softly, “When will you untie me? This is too embarrassing. I’m losing face.”
“Don’t be slippery, sleep honestly. With me protecting you, no one dares to say a word against you.” Jiang Yinghua lowered her eyes and looked at her profile. For a moment, she felt that the time was so beautiful that it was almost unreal.
The group hurried back to Yan’an Temple, which was already three days and three nights later. Yan Wanzhi’s days in Western Liang must not have been easy. Although she said she was unhappy about returning, she slept particularly sweetly in Jiang Yinghua’s arms. The feeling of being lost and found was overwhelming. Jiang Yinghua, on the other hand, was so excited that she couldn’t sleep, watching the person in her arms without wanting to even blink.
On the day they returned to Yan’an Temple, Jiang Yinghua had to show her face to everyone. She looked at Yan Wanzhi in the carriage with a headache, rubbed her head and pondered for a long time, before ordering someone to bring a set of maid’s palace clothes, smiling and looking at Yan Wanzhi, untying her bonds, and saying softly:
“I’m sorry to ask this of you, but be my docile and obedient personal maid for a day.”
Yan Wanzhi glared at Jiang Yinghua with some dissatisfaction, but ultimately, she was afraid of her ear-pinching skill, and could only honestly change her clothes in the carriage.
After she was dressed, Jiang Yinghua looked around and laughed very happily, joking, “Why don’t you dress like this every day from now on? I think it’s quite cute.” As she spoke, she reached out and poked the two little horn-like buns on her head.
Yan Wanzhi shook her head in disgust, avoiding her touch, “This outfit is for palace maids in their teens. You’re simply making fun of me.”
“It doesn’t matter, you look young, it suits you very well.” Jiang Yinghua’s tone was very playful, she forcibly pulled her out of the carriage, and whispered in her ear: “Personal maid, never leave my side, you can’t walk slowly.”
Despite a thousand unwillingnesses, Yan Wanzhi had to pretend to follow Jiang Yinghua step by step, keeping her head very low to avoid being seen.
Seeing the little maid who had appeared in the carriage, even the abbot, this eminent monk, had a slight smile on his face. A group of people escorted Jiang Yinghua into the Buddhist temple. Ying Feng had been waiting for a long time, with a chubby little baby next to him.
Jiang Yinghua looked closely. This baby was not bad-looking, fed plump by a little girl, with seven-tenths of her eyebrows and eyes resembling her second brother, and three-tenths resembling her mother. Seeing Jiang Yinghua in her brocade clothes, looking at herself with a smile, the child raised her little face, and a soft, childish voice came out, asking Ying Feng: “Uncle, is this my little aunt?”
Calling her aunt was correct, but the word “uncle” was very jarring. Jiang Yinghua couldn’t help but frown, smiled apologetically at Ying Feng, and raised her foot to leave. She liked children, but this atmosphere was too strange, and Yan Wanzhi was still behind her.
Hearing the child call him uncle, Yan Wanzhi was surprised and curious, and secretly raised her eyes to look at this East Sea Prince she had never met before. Coincidentally, she met Ying Feng’s gaze. Yan Wanzhi looked away with some lack of confidence. Ying Feng looked at her unfamiliar face, but didn’t take it to heart.
As Jiang Yinghua left, Yan Wanzhi whispered, “The Princess is a little too indifferent to her niece.”
“I think you’re just jealous, aren’t you?” Jiang Yinghua responded through gritted teeth. And to be honest, she had guessed correctly. Yan Wanzhi only glanced at Ying Feng’s appearance and bearing, and Yan Wanzhi asked herself, it seemed she was not as good. No wonder she felt so sour!
She sullenly didn’t answer back, but Jiang Yinghua turned her head and quietly told her: “She, like you, is a woman. And she is Her Majesty’s person, you should stay away from her in the future, I can’t afford to offend her.”
Yan Wanzhi was confused, what was all this? Cross-dressing for marriage was already absurd, how could she also be involved with Her Majesty? What ability did this person have, to win the pity of Her Majesty’s heart of stone? In just a moment, Yan Wanzhi was a little jealous of Ying Feng, who had initially been allowed by Her Majesty to marry Jiang Yinghua, and now was able to win Her Majesty’s heart, even Jiang Yinghua had to avoid her, truly a lucky person.
She suddenly felt that five years was too long, and there must have been great changes in the forbidden palace. She had better obediently follow behind Jiang Yinghua.
No one outside knew that Jiang Yinghua had gone to the Northwest, only that she and Prince An had been fasting here for more than half a month. Her appearance was to prepare to set off back to the capital, so she didn’t delay too much.
A group of carriages and ceremonial guards were prepared properly, and she and Ying Feng came out side by side. In order to conceal Jiang Yinghua’s whereabouts, only one large carriage was prepared when they came. Now the two of them had to ride in the same carriage under the eyes of the public, but Jiang Yinghua stubbornly brought the maid next to her inside.
For a moment, the atmosphere in the carriage was very strange. Jiang Yinghua sat upright in the main seat, pulled Yan Wanzhi to sit beside her, and left Ying Feng aside. Ying Feng didn’t care about this treatment, but was curious about the maid next to Jiang Yinghua, and ran her eyes over Yan Wanzhi, examining her for a long time.
Jiang Yinghua cleared her throat and said, “Bear with it, later when we get further away, how about Prince An going down to ride a horse? It’s not that I’m bullying you, I have to watch this guy, otherwise she’ll run.” As she spoke, she pulled on Yan Wanzhi’s lapel and scolded, “No manners, greet your cousin.”
Yan Wanzhi was a hundred times unhappy in her heart, her face flushed red, and she lowered her eyes and cupped her hands towards Ying Feng, helplessly saying, “Wanzhi greets Prince An.”
A flash of slyness flashed in Ying Feng’s eyes, with an I-see-now look on her face, she raised the corners of her mouth and chuckled, teasing: “So this is Prince Zhao’s, the one she’s in love with. I’ve heard of you for a long time, your name is like thunder, nice to meet you.”
Hearing this, Yan Wanzhi was shocked, wondering what Jiang Yinghua had done to make Ying Feng tease her so much; Jiang Yinghua rolled her eyes angrily, but because of Ying Feng’s backing, she didn’t dare to say much, just covered her face with her sleeves in embarrassment and coughed lightly, secretly cursing Ying Feng for being petty and embarrassing her.
Thus, until they returned to the capital and entered the forbidden court, Ying Feng and the little baby huddled in a carriage, giving the large sedan to Jiang Yinghua and her beloved.
Seeing the carriage going straight into the forbidden palace, Yan Wanzhi was so frightened that she was distraught. The three months of imprisonment in the past made her uneasy. Now seeing the magnificent palace, she even felt a chill down her spine.
Jiang Yinghua saw her embarrassment and spoke to relieve her: “As the saying goes, even an ugly daughter-in-law has to meet her in-laws. Besides, you will stand proudly in the hall with me in the future, how can you be like this? Today is different from the past, in this palace, my words are also useful, relax, okay?”
Yan Wanzhi was skeptical, could this person really be so tough? But since she had come, she had nowhere to escape, so she had to bite the bullet and follow her forward.