LF Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Tavern Rendezvous

During the evening palace banquet, the Princess Consort and the Prince of Yun’an made small talk about trivial matters, still keeping their true purpose hidden in their hearts.

From the moment the morning court session ended, Jiang Yinghua had ordered her subordinates to investigate the movements of the Prince of Yun’an and whether there were any irregularities on the border between the two countries.

Having no ulterior motives was definitely not this family’s style. If they had a grand scheme, it could only be to covet her mother’s imperial throne.

Jiang Yinghua’s brow furrowed at this thought, and she curled her lips in disdain. The Prince of Yun’an was merely a son born of a concubine, yet his appetite was not small. If he dared to make any unusual moves, she imagined her eldest sister would slaughter his entire family cleanly, leaving no one alive, without her mother even needing to lift a finger.

Inside the Tai Zhang Palace at night, Your Majesty sat face to face with the Empress Dowager.

“Mother, are you satisfied with how your little sister performed today?” Jiang Jingche rarely shed her solemn and dignified demeanor, walking to the dressing table to gently comb her mother’s hair.

“Hua’er’s temperament is still a bit too soft, she needs more training,” the Empress Dowager said, closing her eyes to rest, her breath as fragrant as lotus flowers.

“She’s still young, after all; she’ll improve with time. The fact that she thought to investigate the border troops today suggests that the lessons from before weren’t taught in vain,” Jiang Jingche said, looking at her mother in the mirror with a gentle gaze.

“Hmph, don’t spoil her. I’m not so old and muddled that I can’t keep track of the Prince of Yun’an’s movements. All she has are petty tricks,” the Empress Dowager said slowly, opening her eyes.

“If they truly came here for a marriage alliance, I wonder what expression Hua’er would make upon hearing that,” Jiang Jingche said, selecting a long hairpin and personally arranging her mother’s black hair high on her head.

“The Prince of Yun’an’s talent is a bit lacking, otherwise it wouldn’t be impossible. Che’er, the throne of Yue Kingdom will naturally be yours in the future. For now, the mundane affairs are trivial; you don’t need to trouble yourself over them,” the Empress Dowager said, scrutinizing her eldest daughter in a dark dress reflected in the mirror, speaking slowly and deliberately.

Jiang Jingche tilted her head slightly, looking around at the hair arrangement on her head, and said, “If Hua’er could share my burdens, I would be more than happy. Mother might as well wait until she’s a bit older before making a decision.”

The Empress Dowager lowered her gaze, then closed her eyes again, saying softly, “It’s getting late; you should go back and rest early.”

About three days passed, and the Princess Consort and the Prince of Yun’an lived leisurely, showing no intention of leaving.

The accompanying envoys stared at each other, at a loss for what to discuss. After all, although the Empress Dowager was in Chu Kingdom, she had never loosened her grip on the political power of Yue Kingdom, nor had it fallen into the hands of outsiders. The Prince of Yun’an was said to be acting as regent, but in reality, he was just a puppet being supported by the Empress Dowager with money.

Jiang Yinghua was utterly annoyed by this shameless mother and son. She was listlessly relaxing in her bedroom, teasing and joking with the inner attendants, when the Prince Zhao Manor’s steward rushed over from afar.

“Speak,” Jiang Yinghua said lazily, spitting out a single word upon seeing the approaching figure.

“Your Highness, the Prince of Yun’an is seeking an audience outside,” the steward replied, bowing.

“Invite him in,” Jiang Yinghua said, perking up at the news. Finally, someone couldn’t hold back any longer and came knocking on her door. She straightened up and said to those around her:

“Bring out the best tea in the manor; we must entertain the Prince of Yun’an well later.”

Before long, the steward led the person into the main hall, where Jiang Yinghua was already sitting on the main seat, waiting. Upon seeing the visitor, she smiled and said:

“I thought my dear cousin didn’t care about our childhood affection and wouldn’t condescend to come here.”

“This subject greets Prince Zhao. This subject heard that Your Highness has been busy with official duties lately and didn’t dare to disturb you,” the Prince of Yun’an replied.

The visitor was tall and upright, his eyes were not large but bright and spirited, and he was graceful and handsome. From afar, he looked like a proper gentleman.

“Spare me these formalities, dear cousin; please take a seat. I’ve ordered people to prepare the finest Maojian tea; have a taste,” Jiang Yinghua said, still smiling, her voice soft and melodious.

Seeing him take a sip of the tea after sitting down, Jiang Yinghua raised her eyebrows slightly and asked with a smile, “How is it? Are you accustomed to it?”

“Cousin’s tea is excellent,” the Prince of Yun’an replied, looking back at her, the corners of his lips already turning upward unconsciously.

“It’s good that it suits you. Dear cousin came here, presumably with important matters to discuss with me; you may speak plainly,” Jiang Yinghua said, getting straight to the point without beating around the bush.

“Haha, cousin is still as straightforward as she was in childhood. In that case, I’ll be blunt: the purpose of my mother and I coming here is something your esteemed mother and sister have probably guessed. My mother couldn’t bring herself to say it, so she ordered me to discuss it with you in detail,” the Prince of Yun’an said, putting down the teacup and replying with a serious expression.

“Oh? Tell me about it,” Jiang Yinghua said, her face expressionless, urging him to continue.

The Princess Consort’s hesitations these past few days had led Jiang Yinghua to vaguely suspect that she might intend to send this foolish son to Your Majesty as a live-in son-in-law. After all, her eldest sister was over thirty and didn’t even have a close companion. It was not unexpected for the Princess Consort to have this idea.

“According to my father’s wishes, he hopes that our visit will lead to a marriage alliance between our two countries, strengthening our bond. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?” the Prince of Yun’an said, opening his mouth with some embarrassment.

Jiang Yinghua smiled inwardly, thinking, “As expected.” But you all are overestimating yourselves.

“A marriage alliance? With whom? All of my sisters, except for Your Majesty, are married. You’re not thinking of my eldest sister, are you? Dear cousin, your courage is truly eye-opening. If that’s really the case, I wouldn’t dare to make such a decision; cousin should go to the palace and speak with Your Majesty directly,” Jiang Yinghua said, toying with the teacup in her hand, teasing him.

“Cousin is mistaken; this marriage alliance isn’t with anyone else; it’s with me, me and you, cousin,” the Prince of Yun’an said, his face showing even more embarrassment.

Hearing this, Jiang Yinghua “puff” spat out half a mouthful of tea, and coughed in a fluster. “Cousin, could you not joke around? Not to mention that you’re seven years older than me, you should also know that the throne of your country in the future has nothing to do with you or me. There’s nothing to gain from a marriage alliance between you and me; on the contrary, it would invite jealousy. It’s simply not worth it.”

The Prince of Yun’an stood up in a flurry, wanting to hand her a handkerchief, but was preempted by a palace attendant.

The Prince of Yun’an stood awkwardly in front of the hall and said, “Cousin misunderstands. I truly admire Hua’er; it’s been that way since childhood. I don’t mind becoming a live-in son-in-law. Aunt’s lineage has deep roots, and my father is born of a concubine. I would never dare to covet the throne; please consider it. I’ve booked the entire top floor of the Star Plucking Tower. If cousin doesn’t mind, I humbly request your presence for a meeting tomorrow evening. I won’t disturb you any longer today.” After saying this, he left the invitation on the table and fled as if escaping.

After he left, Jiang Yinghua stood silently by the window, pondering for a long time, feeling a splitting headache.

Hua Yan tentatively opened her mouth, “Why should Your Highness trouble yourself? You are of noble birth, how could they possibly covet you? Your Majesty probably wouldn’t agree to the Prince of Yun’an’s request.”

Hearing this, Jiang Yinghua’s phoenix eyes frosted over, and she turned to look at her, saying, “You’re getting bolder and bolder. Get out.”

After dismissing Hua Yan, Jiang Yinghua thought to herself, “This might not be a bad idea.”

Since her marriage was going to be used as a transaction by her eldest sister anyway, she might as well choose someone easy to control.

She was currently trapped in the capital with nowhere to escape, but if she could marry far away to South Yue, she would have a legitimate reason to leave the capital and wouldn’t have to enter the court to wield power. Whether her mother or eldest sister sat firmly on the throne in the future, she could enjoy a lifetime of glory and wealth; it didn’t seem so bad.

Moreover, even if her cousin had no ulterior motives, his father was never one to be content. Coming up with this idea and being willing to keep his son hostage in Chu Kingdom must be to lull people into a false sense of security and secretly plot something. If she were stationed in South Yue, he wouldn’t dare to act rashly.

With a plan in mind, Jiang Yinghua decided to meet with the Prince of Yun’an to discuss the terms of the marriage alliance and negotiate a proper agreement so that she could persuade her eldest sister to agree to it in one fell swoop. This was a god-sent opportunity to escape her eldest sister’s control.

The next evening, Jiang Yinghua secretly went to the Star Plucking Tower with only one trusted personal guard to meet with the Prince of Yun’an.

Upon entering the elegant room, various fruits were already prepared on the table. The Prince of Yun’an stood by the window, lightly waving a feather fan. Not far away on the tea table, incense had been lit early, the fragrance was light and would not feel abrupt.

Seeing Jiang Yinghua arrive as scheduled, the Prince of Yun’an enthusiastically stepped forward to arrange the tableware, pull out a chair, pour wine, and add dishes.

“Dear cousin, please sit down; there’s no need to be like this; it’s making Hua’er uneasy,” Jiang Yinghua said, feeling a bit of revulsion at the obsequious appearance of the person before her, but unable to see anything wrong with it, she could only refuse.

“Haha, okay. I don’t know what cousin likes now, so I ordered a few dishes based on my childhood memories. The rest are the restaurant’s specialties; try them and see if they suit your taste,” the Prince of Yun’an said, somewhat restrained, playing the host.

“Thank you, dear cousin. I came here to discuss matters; how about…” Jiang Yinghua had no intention of staying long; she never easily touched food from outside.

“Cousin, it’s been many years since we last met; it’s a rare reunion, so let’s not talk about serious matters first. Come, I’ll toast you a cup,” the Prince of Yun’an said, interrupting Jiang Yinghua’s words on his own initiative, raising his wine glass and drinking it all in one gulp.

If she didn’t accept this cup of wine, it would appear that Jiang Yinghua was lacking in etiquette.

Thinking that her guard was just outside the room and that she also had martial arts skills, Jiang Yinghua also raised her glass and accompanied him in a drink.

After three rounds of this, Jiang Yinghua brought up the matter of marrying into South Yue, and the Prince of Yun’an agreed wholeheartedly. Jiang Yinghua’s various requests were readily accepted by the Prince of Yun’an without a second thought. Jiang Yinghua felt that this person was too easy to talk to.

Just as she was thinking this, a feeling of dizziness flashed through her mind. Jiang Yinghua was puzzled; this wine was nothing special; why was she getting drunk so quickly today?

Subconsciously, she didn’t dare to delay any longer. Controlling the hazy feeling, she smiled and said, “Dear cousin, since the serious matters have been discussed, I should go back now. Thank you for today’s hospitality.” After saying this, she stood up to leave.

Just as Jiang Yinghua stood up, the Prince of Yun’an hurriedly stood up and put his hand on her shoulder. Jiang Yinghua flinched away as if electrocuted, instinctively scolding, “Impudent!”

The Prince of Yun’an was stunned at the words and apologized in a fluster, “Cousin, please forgive me. There are still many dishes that haven’t been served yet. This is, after all, my good intention. How about you stay for a little longer?”

Seeing Jiang Yinghua frown and say nothing, he added, “Look, you haven’t eaten a bite. It’s been many years since you and I last met. Are we already so estranged? The sky is clear right now; even if we stay for another moment, it won’t matter. Even if Aunt knows that we cousins have met, there’s nothing inappropriate.”

Listening to his words, Jiang Yinghua looked coldly at the person before her, only feeling a heavy head and a strangely hot body. The person before her seemed to float back and forth like a ghost, with several overlapping images that wouldn’t go away.

Jiang Yinghua realized that something had been done to this room or the wine. Stubbornly supporting herself, she tried to walk toward the door, but was once again grabbed by the wrist by the Prince of Yun’an.

“Let go, I have to go back,” Jiang Yinghua said, trying to break free from his restraint, but feeling very weak. An inexplicable fear surged into her heart. She called for the guards outside the door, but no one responded at all.

The Prince of Yun’an’s face lacked the hospitality from before, replaced by a smug, wicked smile, saying, “Does cousin feel weak, hot, and dizzy all over?”

Jiang Yinghua asked angrily, “You, what did you do?”

“Nothing much; I was just afraid that your sister wouldn’t agree, so I had to resort to this. Hua’er, I’ve admired you for a long time. I know you’re probably having a hard time enduring it now, and so am I. Why don’t we…” The Prince of Yun’an’s hand climbed onto Jiang Yinghua’s slender waist, caressing it wantonly.

Before he could finish speaking, Jiang Yinghua drew a very soft short sword from her sleeve and stabbed it into his restless hand with all her strength, cursing angrily, “Shameless!”

The Prince of Yun’an cried out in pain and withdrew his hand. Jiang Yinghua took the opportunity to stumble out, sweeping her sleeves to knock down many plates and cups, creating a clattering sound.

“You can’t run away. It must be done today,” the Prince of Yun’an roared like a madman, pouncing on Jiang Yinghua from behind. At the door, he tackled her to the ground, desperately grabbing her hem and refusing to let go.

Jiang Yinghua’s consciousness was hazy, her face flushed with a rich crimson. Using her last bit of reason, she clenched the sleeve sword tightly, no longer caring about appearances, and desperately crawled towards the door, thinking that as long as she got out of the room, there would be many people in this large tavern, and she would be saved.

The two of them fought on the ground like centipedes. If things continued like this, the woman’s strength would inevitably be exhausted first. Jiang Yinghua hardened her heart and cut a gash on her arm. The sudden pain cleared her mind a bit. She mustered all her strength, turned around, stabbed the Prince of Yun’an with the sword, cut off the hem of her skirt, and fled.

Stumbling into the corridor, two people walked towards her from the opposite room. Instinct told Jiang Yinghua that these people were probably in the Prince of Yun’an’s group. Without time to think, she rolled over and jumped off the railing of the corridor, falling from the third floor to the corridor next to the second-floor lobby.

Ignoring the pain in her body, she tried to cry for help. Just now, a red figure fell from above, drawing the attention of many people in the lobby.

Jiang Yinghua had no time to listen to these people’s discussions. Half-opening her eyes, she looked at the diners around her until a familiar figure appeared before her. She was completely relieved and reached out her hand, murmuring, “Yan… Yan… Save me.”

Yan Wanzhi was enjoying wine with several colleagues in a private room on the second floor. Hearing the commotion in the lobby, she turned around and went out to join the fun. When she saw the woman who had fallen down, her heart skipped a beat, and she was stunned on the spot.

It wasn’t until she met Jiang Yinghua’s vacant eyes that Yan Wanzhi reacted, rushing towards her at lightning speed.

As perceptive as she was, she also noticed that several people lurking above were paying attention to the movements here.

Yan Wanzhi’s eyes flashed. Remembering that there was a Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice in the private room, she immediately drew her waist badge and shouted, “The Ministry of Justice is handling a case! All idlers quickly return to your seats! Where’s the manager? Close the doors immediately and notify the Jingzhao Prefect and the Patrol Camp.”

Hearing her shout, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice came out with a helpless expression to take charge of the situation. Yan Wanzhi reached out to help Jiang Yinghua, who had fallen to the ground, and asked, “Your Highness, Your Highness, can you still move?”

After a long time, Jiang Yinghua barely lifted her heavy eyelids and, with some heavy panting, said, “Not dead… Kill… Kill him.”

Yan Wanzhi asked in surprise, “Who? Your Highness, don’t sleep, who?”

“Prince… Son, kill… him,” Jiang Yinghua said with difficulty, squeezing out a few words, raising her hand and pointing to the private room just now. The heat in her body was becoming unbearable, and the pain of the fall made her groan unconsciously, her eyebrows knotted in a ball, her face full of bitterness.

Yan Wanzhi didn’t care about much. Her small body suddenly gained strength, and she lifted the person horizontally and put her in her carriage, which was parked in the backyard of the tavern, panting.