LF Chapter 14
by VolareA wisp of remaining sunset ultimately yielded to the deep, quiet moonlight, concealing its scarlet veil. Jiang Yinghua’s hazy gaze flickered with ripples as she raised her head to observe the sparse stars twinkling on the dark blue night sky.
“Heh heh heh, delaying… after repeated urging, my people were practically living at your manor. I thought Scholar Yan had made up his mind not to come,” Jiang Yinghua said, tilting her head back to take another swig of wine, walking forward as she pleased.
Seeing this, Yan Wanzhi hastened forward, walking to the stone table. She picked up the wine jug from the side and poured three cups for herself, looking at Jiang Yinghua and saying, “Your Highness, I have kept you waiting. I will punish myself with three cups, and beg Your Highness for forgiveness.” With that, she raised her cup and drained it, quite decisively.
“Heh heh, Scholar Yan’s drinking manners are not bad, I like it. Yan Wanzhi, I’m in a bad mood. You came, come sit down, drink with me,” Jiang Yinghua’s body was swaying and unsteady, and she raised the wine jug in her hand at her.
“Your Highness, drinking too much can harm your health, please drink less,” Yan Wanzhi said, not daring to actually sit down and drink with her, and hurriedly tried to persuade her.
“Hm? My alcohol tolerance is very good, I can drink a thousand cups without getting drunk. Today, if I don’t get you drunk, don’t even think about going back,” Jiang Yinghua pulled a stool and sat down, looking up at Yan Wanzhi, “What, you don’t want to sit down, don’t want to drink?”
Yan Wanzhi helplessly bowed deeply, lifting her long robe and taking a seat.
Jiang Yinghua didn’t say much. Seeing that the person had obediently sat down, she clapped her hands to start the music and relentlessly poured half a jug of wine into Yan Wanzhi.
Until Yan Wanzhi couldn’t hold on any longer and begged for mercy, “Your Highness, I can’t handle alcohol well, if I drink any more, I’ll be under the table.”
Jiang Yinghua chuckled twice when she heard this, and lay down on the table, pointing to a pile of wooden blocks next to her, “Do you see those? Those are the bodyguards my older sister gave me. You and they are very similar, all like blocks of wood, so boring.”
Yan Wanzhi glanced at the dozen or so burly guards, and remained silent.
Jiang Yinghua turned her head, her hazy eyes fixed on her, and murmured, “Yan Wanzhi, you saved me, I will repay this kindness. But, you, you have to keep it a secret, you can’t tell anyone. If others find out that you carried me and took me to your house, I, I will have my older sister kill you.”
Upon hearing this, Yan Wanzhi’s eyes dimmed, but she quickly recovered and said with a forced smile, “Your Highness, that day when I carried you, I’m afraid everyone in the entire restaurant saw it.”
“Hm?” Jiang Yinghua propped up her head, her gaze revealing danger.
Yan Wanzhi swallowed, anxiously trying to make up for it, “Your Highness, Your Highness, rest assured, they don’t recognize Your Highness’s appearance, I won’t tell anyone.”
Jiang Yinghua lay down again, “That’s good, don’t have any crooked thoughts, I, I won’t marry a bookworm like you, like a block of wood, it can suffocate people to death.”
Yan Wanzhi was stunned for a moment, lowered her head and did not respond, secretly muttering: If you really wanted to marry me, Your Majesty would have me cut into a thousand pieces.
Jiang Yinghua lowered her eyes, and didn’t speak for a long time. Yan Wanzhi thought she had fallen asleep and got up to leave.
“Stop, I didn’t tell you to leave yet, haven’t drunk… haven’t drunk enough yet,” Jiang Yinghua raised her hand on the table and stopped her.
Yan Wanzhi helplessly sat back down.
“I heard that the Star Plucking Tower caught fire that night, and everyone died? You, how much do you know?” Jiang Yinghua murmured.
Upon hearing this, Yan Wanzhi’s eyes shifted, and she replied softly, “The Star Plucking Tower is Your Majesty’s place, Your Highness doesn’t need to think too much.”
Jiang Yinghua hid her eyes in her arm, half squinting, thinking for a moment that was almost imperceptible, and thought to herself: Rather kill by mistake than let go, this is really my older sister’s method.
She stammered without revealing anything on her face, “Well, it’s good that they died.”
“Yan Wanzhi, have you rested well? Come, drink again.” She suddenly raised her head, touched Yan Wanzhi’s cup with her own wine cup, and looked forward to it eagerly.
Yan Wanzhi smiled awkwardly, picked up her wine cup, and poured herself another cup.
Jiang Yinghua smiled, stood up, and beckoned to the musicians, “Girls, come here, all of you.”
The musicians hurried forward at the sound and gathered into a group.
“Yan Wanzhi, I heard that my older sister Give gave you a new house. You saved my life, I have to reward you with something. I really can’t stand your broken house, and also, your study is so messy. Since the house has been changed, I’ll send you a few maids, let them relieve your boredom and take care of your inner residence. Girls, haven’t you greeted Scholar Yan yet?”
Jiang Yinghua staggered to the crowd, laughing loudly and joining in the fun.
Yan Wanzhi frowned upon hearing this and quickly declined, “I only did what I should have done, I can’t bear Your Highness’s generous reward. Moreover, I rarely stay at home, and I don’t understand these elegant interests, so I would be neglecting the girls for nothing, and that would be failing Your Highness’s good intentions. Please leave these people here to serve you.”
Hearing these words, Jiang Yinghua swept over these beautiful and graceful musicians who had been raised in the palace since childhood with a dim gaze, poured the nectar in the wine jug in one hand, and paced slowly. Suddenly, without paying attention, she drew the long knife from the guard, and the cold light was very dazzling against the moonlight.
She raised the knife drunkenly, wandering among the girls, scaring the girls to tremble and shiver.
Jiang Yinghua wiped their chins with the tip of the knife, carefully examining their faces. Because of the unsteady strength due to drunkenness, a blood mark would be left if she wasn’t careful. She said foolishly, “Girls, it seems that I have been too indulgent to you, and none of you can catch Scholar Yan’s eye. Then tell me, what use is it for me to keep you?”
The musicians turned pale upon hearing this and knelt down together, bowing to Yan Wanzhi and saying, “Young Master Yan, please save us, please accept us, Young Master Yan, spare our lives.”
When Yan Wanzhi saw this scene, she didn’t dare to step forward to stop her, and was left with no choice but to agree, “Your Highness, please spare their lives. I will accept the kindness, and I have no choice but to let these girls return to the Yan residence with me.”
The smile on Jiang Yinghua’s face was somewhat enchanting, “Girls, do you think you are being wronged?”
“We’re not wronged. We’re not wronged. It’s our honor to serve Young Master Yan.” The maids’ bodies were shaking like sieves.
“Then I will trouble Scholar Yan to take them back. Don’t worry, this is just a small token of my appreciation. I remember Scholar Yan’s kindness.” Jiang Yinghua finished speaking and poked her heart.
Yan Wanzhi couldn’t deal with Jiang Yinghua, who was crazy today, so she had to clasp her hands and say, “I thank Your Highness for your consideration.”
“Mm, you’re welcome. It’s still early, Wanzhi, I’m very happy to have you accompany me today, go back.” Jiang Yinghua staggered to her, dropped the long knife, put one hand on her shoulder, and left a faint smile.
“Yes, I will take my leave.” Yan Wanzhi was suddenly touched by her, her face suddenly turned red, and she hurriedly backed away.
After she walked away, Jiang Yinghua sneered, restored her usual expression, waved her hand and summoned the attendants, and faintly ordered, “Dismiss them.”
A group of attendants stepped forward and quickly removed all the wine seats. The guards next to them dared to bend down to pick up their long knives.
Jiang Yinghua leaned back on the rocking chair in the garden, sometimes looking up at the sky, watching the meteor streaking across the Milky Way, bright and extinguished in an instant; sometimes closing her eyes and thinking deeply, flashing back to the threads of the Star Plucking Tower, her brows deeply locked.
In the long night when no one was around, Jiang Yinghua’s faint voice was like a wandering soul: “Yan Wanzhi, Inner Counselor, secret agent, it’s getting more and more interesting…”
The sky is about to change…
——
Suddenly the yin and yang changed, two days later, inside the Prince Zhao Manor.
Hua Yan trotted all the way to the study, “Your Highness, there’s news, there’s news!”
Jiang Yinghua’s eyes lingered on the brush and ink paintings, appreciating the newly acquired works of famous artists, “Speak.”
Hua Yan gasped for breath, but couldn’t hide the satisfied look on her face, “The Prince of Yun’an, died suddenly within the territory of Dianxi.”
The corners of Jiang Yinghua’s mouth curled up slightly, “Sudden death? How did he die suddenly?”
“I heard that he went to such places for pleasure on the way back, and died in the arms of a girl,” Hua Yan responded with some disdain.
Jiang Yinghua sneered, “Go down.”
After the person walked away, Jiang Yinghua punched the desk with her fist, and a cold light rose in her eyes: “It’s too good for him.”
——
That day, at night, inside the Empress Dowager’s bedroom.
The Empress Dowager took out a piece of silk that had been Framed from the desk and handed it to Jiang Jingche with a solemn expression, “Che’er, the burden on your shoulders is even heavier, it’s been hard on you.”
Jiang Jingche carefully took it with both hands, looked up at the Empress Dowager, her tone was very gentle, “Mother, don’t worry, I can handle it, my little sister’s revenge must be avenged.”
The Empress Dowager flicked her sleeves and sighed, “You are too indulgent to her. If you can’t be ruthless, bring her to me, and if I take care of her for three to five months, I will definitely let her change her whole being.”
“Hua’er is still young after all, if she doesn’t want to, let’s slow down, too much pressure is counterproductive. I can handle the current situation in the court.”
Jiang Jingche went behind the Empress Dowager and gently massaged her back. Seeing the dense silver threads on her mother’s head, a flash of bitterness flashed in her eyes.
The next morning, Jiang Yinghua was still hiding lazily in bed, Hua Yan was as anxious as a spinning top, turning around in the hall.
When the sun was high in the sky, Jiang Yinghua vaguely opened her sleepy eyes and murmured, “Someone, change my clothes.”
Hua Yan heard the news and ran in hastily, helped her up, and couldn’t help but open her mouth directly, “Your Highness, the imperial decree was issued this morning. The Empress Dowager announced to the world that she would abdicate the throne of the Yue Kingdom to Your Majesty. Now the Chu and Yue are Co-lord, the situation has changed drastically.”
After hearing these words, Jiang Yinghua’s swaying body jumped up like a carp: “Really?!”
“How dare I arrange the imperial edict.” Hua Yan stamped her feet in anger.
Jiang Yinghua seemed to be infected by Hua Yan just now, and kept going back and forth in the hall, tossing around in a circle. The eyebrows on her face gathered and dispersed, dispersed and gathered again, and finally slowly spit out a few words: “Do you know, has Yan Wanzhi been to court recently, or has he been on duty in front of Your Majesty?”
Hua Yan shook her head blankly.
“I knew I couldn’t count on you.” Jiang Yinghua glanced at her helplessly and shook her head, “Go and let the steward find out, and also the recent major trends in the court, be quick.”
Hua Yan aggrievedly accepted the order and retreated.
Seeing the person walking away, Jiang Yinghua locked the hall door with her backhand, and slumped in front of the window alone, burying her head in her wide sleeves.