A few days ago, several people in the empress's palace were punished, given a beating, and expelled from the palace. This was not the end of it. The aunt who was previously highly favored by the princess was taken to the Ministry of the Interior overnight. At this moment, everyone in the palace was on edge, fearing that they would also suffer the same fate.
If some were experiencing bad luck, then naturally others were enjoying good fortune.
At this moment, the guard Zheng was in the limelight. He was the only son of the Zheng family, whose background in the imperial capital was only ordinary. Finally, he had managed to secure a position as a guard in the imperial city. Now, he had parents, a wife, and children, and his whole family's hopes rested on him.
"Princess, Guard Zheng is here." Zui'er said with her head bowed.
It was a clear morning in the summer, a gentle breeze in the imperial garden, and refreshing scenery all around.
Yan Ruoxu was sitting in the corridor watching the lotus flowers. She was holding a bowl of fish food and looking at the carp swimming in the clear water below. Upon hearing Zui'er's report, she put down the bowl and turned her head.
Guard Zheng stood not far away, bowing and saluting with his head lowered. His gaze was fixed firmly on the ground below, his expression serious yet not servile, as if he was a person of good character.
The reward he received last night far exceeded the usual grace. Unless Zheng Hao pretended to be ignorant, he should understand the princess's intention.
"Being greatly rewarded by the princess, I am ashamed in my heart. I can only repay the princess's kindness by wholeheartedly serving her and sharing her worries." With these words, Yan Ruoxu was very satisfied. "Guard Zheng, you have overpraised. As long as you continue to perform your duties well in the future, those material rewards will be insignificant. This princess is not stingy."
Guard Zheng responded in a deep voice, thanked her once again, and then bowed and withdrew.
June was the best season for the scenery in the imperial garden. Various colored flowers competed for attention, and colorful butterflies danced around. Yan Ruoxu strolled amidst the cobblestone-paved paths, her mood lifted by the beautiful scenery, freeing her from the oppressive emotions of the past few days.
To return from the garden to the princess's sleeping palace, one had to pass through a wall of flowers. It was not an actual wall but a bamboo trellis, where a flourishing growth of morning glories covered it densely, making it impossible to see through.
As Yan Ruoxu walked under that wall of flowers, she heard whispers from behind it.
"Humph, it's fortunate that she is a member of the royal family and has to consider the face of the entire royal family. If it was an ordinary family, a girl with an unclear relationship with a man before marriage would be thrown into a pig's cage!"
"Princess, you shouldn't say such things so casually. Be careful not to let others hear it."
"What are you afraid of? I didn't say anything wrong. Now she is involved with the one from the Lu family, and she isn't even a bit embarrassed. What am I afraid of by speaking the truth?"
Zui'er's face turned pale upon hearing this, and she clenched her fists tightly, ready to go out and reprimand these gossipers.
Yan Ruoxu reached out and stopped Zui'er. She took a deep breath, straightened her back, and walked around the flower wall.
Just one glance was enough for her to spot Yan Yusuan's figure among the group. Seeing the arrival of Yan Ruoxu, everyone was shocked, their faces turning exceptionally ugly. Most of them were also female members of the royal family; they had entered the palace today to pay their respects to the empress. After leaving Rui Kang Palace, Yan Yusuan had said she wanted to visit the imperial garden, and they had accompanied her along the way. They didn't expect her to say such absurd things later.
Now, most of them regretted it deeply. If they had known that the princess and the Crown Princess had fallen out long ago, they would not have believed it. Now that the truth was right in front of their eyes, they only hoped that the Crown Princess would not vent her anger on them.
Yan Yusuan was originally in high spirits as she spoke. It took her quite a while to realize what had just happened, and she suddenly turned around to look back.
She was very attractive, with a sharp chin and a pair of watery big eyes. It was very easy to arouse a protective instinct in others. Yan Yusuan knew this and made good use of it.
"Sister, Yusuan pays her respects to sister. It's been many days since we last met. I hope sister is well?" Yan Yusuan's first reaction was to pay her respects, and she reflexively revealed a pitiable posture.
Before, Yan Ruoxu was only in pain, regretting that she had been blind in her previous life and had raised a white-eyed wolf by her side. Now, she felt an additional layer of disgust for Yan Yusuan. The way Yan Yusuan appeared made her sick.
"I am naturally well. It's just that there are people hoping that I am not well, and they wish for me to go to hell. Yan Yusuan, do you think what I said is correct?"
Yan Ruoxu stared at the attractive face, and every word spoken was poised and smooth.
"Sister, you're joking. Who wouldn't want the best for you?" Yan Yueshuan covered her mouth with her sleeve and casually said, detecting that Yan Ruoxu didn't fall for the old tricks and therefore wasn't keen on putting on an act either; she revealed a touch of eccentricity in her demeanor.
At that moment, Yan Ruoxu suddenly felt a pang of desolation, her throat slightly tight, but this feeling quickly passed.
Even if she had been as cold as ice for many years, it should have thawed by now. She had always treated her with kindness, never mistreated her. Why would she hate her so much?
Yan Ruoxu chuckled, looking down at Yan Yueshuan, not wanting to confront her over her previous words, which would only fuel the rumors. Yan Yueshuan had taken a bold step, hoping that Yan Ruoxu would start a fight over those few words, but in the end, the one who would be hurt would be Yan Ruoxu herself.
In the previous life, based on Yan Ruoxu's straightforward and hot-tempered nature, she might have already resorted to violence.
"Is that so? That's good then." Yan Ruoxu didn't explode, but instead smiled indifferently, looking at the group of court ladies around who were quiet, afraid of provoking the princess and bringing trouble upon themselves. "What were you all talking about just now? It was so lively. Can I listen in?"
No one spoke. The atmosphere was eerily quiet. Everyone was afraid of the princess suddenly erupting and implicating themselves. After a long silence, someone finally mustered the courage to say, "It was the County Princess who was speaking just now. Your Highness, why not ask the County Princess?"
Yan Yueshuan glared at the person, almost feeling internally injured. When she spoke, everyone was eager to listen, but now that she was questioned, they all pushed her out alone, showing no conscience!
"Oh? It was the County Princess speaking just now. In the palace, loud noise is not allowed. The County Princess should be aware of this rule, right?" Yan Ruoxu spoke, but it was irrelevant.
Yan Yueshuan was stunned and replied inexplicably, "Of course."
Yan Ruoxu looked at her, her expression becoming colder, her tone no longer as gentle as before. "Since you are aware, why were you making a commotion just now? You don't understand any rules at all. You have to kneel here for three hours and reflect on your mistake."
"Where did I make a loud noise?" Yan Yueshuan was bewildered, but then she realized that Yan Ruoxu had deliberately targeted her. This was not her usual style, and her change was really strange.
Yan Ruoxu smirked, then turned to the others and said softly, "The County Princess made a commotion just now. Did you all hear it?"
The people present showed colorful expressions on their faces. It didn't take long for them to all say in unison, "We heard it."
"Nonsense!"
Yan Yueshuan shouted, pointing at Yan Ruoxu with a look of hatred, "You're distorting right and wrong!"
"And what can you do about it?" Yan Ruoxu whispered angrily in Yan Yueshuan's ear.
The summer sun was scorching. Kneeling for three hours in the imperial garden in this heat would be enough to teach Yan Yueshuan a lesson.
Zhuier followed behind Yan Ruoxu, watching her back and whispering, "The princess is different from before."
Zhuier knew the princess's temperament best. She wouldn't have taken such an indirect approach before. Facing today's situation, if she confronted Yan Yueshuan head-on, she might end up getting the short end of the stick. Now, by silently punishing the County Princess, she kills two birds with one stone.
"I think the princess is more restrained than before," Zhuier said with a light smile, taking two steps faster and following behind Yan Ruoxu. "Only by being restrained can the princess avoid loss."
"Yes, being restrained allows one to have the last laugh." Yan Ruoxu nodded. Venting out the resentment had made her much more comfortable.
She had thought that Yan Yueshuan would take care of herself, but she didn't expect her to be so stubborn. Perhaps she would find opportunities to trip her up in the future, but so what? When the enemy comes, the defense will be established.
After returning to her palace, Yan Ruoxu suddenly remembered that she hadn't replied to Yan Zhe. After writing a few sentences, she suddenly remembered what Lu Yanzhe said about Xiao Yanchen's actions in the border city. Yan Zhe was now working under Xiao Yanchen, and they would have regular contact. She asked Yan Zhe to pay attention to the general's movements, as the information would be useful. She also emphasized the need to keep this matter confidential, warning that she would ignore him if the information was leaked.
The seventh of July was coming soon, and both Yan Ruoxu and Lu Yanzhe were worried about it.
Lu Yanzhe had returned to the capital on leave from his mission in the Yaji Mountains. His leave was limited, and his father had already urged him to return home earlier. However, he was causing too much trouble in the capital; everyone wanted him to leave sooner, except for Shen Ran.
Shen Ran didn't like being an official and didn't enjoy feasting and enjoyment. He probably feared poverty from his childhood; he only liked making money.
At the beginning of the year, when he went to the Yaji Mountains with Lu Yanzhe, he found that the place was desolate. The residents lived in poverty, especially in their shortage of goods like medicine, silk, and porcelain from the central areas. He started doing business there.
This time back in the capital, Shen Ran had been busy stocking up on goods. There was still a batch of goods to be collected, and he needed a few more days before setting off for his residence.
When he heard Lu Yanzhe and Lu Ruqing quarreling in the study, Shen Ran's heart was hanging in suspense. He was afraid that the two would have a fierce quarrel, and Lu Yanzhe would be beaten. He was more worried that Lu Yanzhe would concede and return to his residence right away. He had already paid the deposit, but the goods had not been transported back yet.
"Qingge!"
Lu Yanzhe came out of his father's study, looking very displeased, and wore a face that seemed to say the whole world owed him 800 taels. Ignoring him as he walked past, Shen Ran hastened to question, "When will you return to the Yaji Mountains? Did you two fight?"
It's said that businessmen prioritized profits over emotions, and it seemed to be true. Lu Yanzhe turned a deaf ear and walked past Shen Ran, heading toward the front yard.
Shen Ran followed behind him and called out, "Qingge, give me a clear answer... Qingge."
Author's Thoughts:
Our classmate Shen Ran is here!