“After arguing at the inn’s entrance, they returned to the palace. I didn’t manage to find out anything more.”
Wang Qi reported everything he had seen and heard while following the small sedan chair in meticulous detail, leaving nothing out, fearing he might miss something.
Jiang Xingyan, however, understood Xiao Mingxu’s intention in taking Li Yishu out of the general’s residence. It was nothing more than a last-ditch effort to forcibly secure a marriage alliance with the Huo family. Unfortunately, it was ruined by Li Yishu’s own presumptuous cleverness. Who knows what awaits her now.
Suddenly, Jiang Xingyan remembered the time before she married Huo Ci, when she and Li Yishu were still the closest of friends. Pitying Li Yishu’s unfortunate circumstances and distressed by her having a gambling-addicted father, Jiang Xingyan feared she might be wronged or mistreated after marriage. She once took Li Yishu’s hand and solemnly promised:
“Xiao Shu, when you get married someday, I will definitely prepare a dowry carried by eight bearers and a procession stretching for miles to see you off!”
Li Yishu was completely stunned at the time. With a trace of bewildered incomprehension, she blurted out, “Why?”
Jiang Xingyan naturally linked arms with her. “Because we are the very best of friends! I don’t want you to be bullied by your in-laws. With such a generous dowry, you won’t need to rely on anyone; you can live well on your own. Just like how my grandfather is preparing shops for me.”
Li Yishu stared fixedly at her, forcing out a meaningful smile.
“Is that so? Then you are truly good to me.”
The young Jiang Xingyan didn’t understand then that the malice in human nature lies in resenting those who have and mocking those who lack. She wanted to pull Li Yishu up from hell, to live a normal life. But Li Yishu only wanted to drag her down into the endless abyss, climbing up by stepping on her.
“General, we have arrived at the Gate of Supreme Harmony.”
Jiang Xingyan snapped back to reality. A piece of candy suddenly appeared before her eyes. A purple sugar pearl rested in the pale palm of Yun Chunfeng.
Jiang Xingyan was speechless. No matter the color, why did everything in Yun Ge’er’s hands spark such imaginative thoughts?
She held out her own palm, gesturing for him to drop it into her hand. Except in special circumstances, she had no desire for Huo Ci’s body to have any physical contact with Yun Ge’er. Just the thought gave her the creeps.
The sweetness masked the bitterness brought by the memories, restoring Jiang Xingyan’s good mood.
Liu Suwu walked behind Jiang Xingyan and Yun Chunfeng, watching their retreating figures and falling into deep thought. Huo Ci’s reputation for flawless strategy wasn’t built in a day. Previously in court, apart from his interest in matters concerning the Huo army and Beiluo, he remained indifferent to other affairs. He even maintained a proper distance from every colleague. Why had he suddenly become so boundary-less? Could it be related to the State Preceptor?
Since serving in the court, this was the first time Liu Suwu felt what it meant to have the enemy in the shadows while he was in the light.
“…Minister Liu, if an envoy from Daxia violates the laws of Western Zhou, what should be done?”
Suddenly called upon, Liu Suwu knelt in alarm. He had been so lost in thought that he didn’t even realize the court session had begun long ago, relying solely on years of muscle memory to get by.
“Replying to Your Majesty, regardless of who it is, anyone setting foot on the soil of Western Zhou must strictly abide by its laws. How can we bend the law due to someone’s status? Presumably, the ruler of Daxia would also not tolerate such criminals holding office in his court!”
—Judgment can be passed, but if their ruler is unreasonable, that’s not my problem.
Jiang Xingyan sighed inwardly: Minister Liu’s skill at political evasion was truly masterful.
Xiao Ao was both angry and amused. The entire court, civil and military officials alike, feared Beiluo in the north and Daxia in the east. Was Huo Ci the only backbone of his Western Zhou?!
“In that case, when the Daxia envoys arrive in the capital tomorrow, Minister of Justice Liu Suwu, Minister of Revenue Shen Hua, and Minister of Rites Feng Yi shall jointly receive them.”
“As Your Majesty commands!”
Liu Suwu gritted his teeth. When luck runs out, even cold water gets stuck in your teeth!
——-
Jiang Xingyan sat in the carriage, rubbing her chin thoughtfully.
“Why have the Daxia envoys arrived so quickly? Even if they set out at full speed the day they sought aid from Beiluo, it should take about ten days, right?”
Yun Chunfeng nodded. “Indeed, it is strange. Yun Ge’er will perform a divination right now.”
Jiang Xingyan hurriedly stopped him. “Don’t! We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. Why trouble your cultivation?”
She wasn’t a fool; revealing heavenly secrets would surely come at a cost. Whether for her sake or for the people of Western Zhou, Yun Ge’er had already done enough. He really shouldn’t exert more effort.
Yun Chunfeng smiled gently. Divination was effortless for him, but he loved seeing the young lady worry about him. It allowed him to confirm, over and over, his place in her heart.
“It seems the Embroidered Uniform Camp needs to be replenished quickly. We need intelligence not only on Beiluo but also on Daxia simultaneously. We mustn’t be caught off guard later.”
Yun Chunfeng looked at Jiang Xingyan with compassion. She should have been a carefree young lady, but because of being swapped into Huo Ci’s body, she was forced to shoulder the responsibilities on his shoulders. She was even handling them more thoroughly and better than he had. It was truly too hard on her.
He was just about to speak, to ask Jiang Xingyan not to be so tense, when a shout suddenly came from outside the carriage:
“I’ve been working for His Highness the Eldest Prince for so many years, and no one has ever dared to stop me or demand I lower my head and apologize! If you don’t step aside now, don’t expect me to go easy on you just because you’re a woman. I’ll whip you all the same!”
A clear, unwavering female voice rang out defiantly: “The state has its laws, the family its rules. I refuse to believe the laws of Western Zhou would tolerate a vicious servant like you committing violence in the bustling streets!”
Hearing it was someone from Xiao Mingxu’s faction, Jiang Xingyan became interested. She lifted the carriage curtain to look and was stunned on the spot.
The woman blocking Zhang Yuan’s carriage bore a five or six out of ten resemblance to her!