Hearing this, the Empress shook her head helplessly. Did she not know her own capabilities?
“In any case, today’s matter is thanks to you. Rest assured, I will plan this matter well before explaining it to His Majesty, and won’t let His Majesty develop misunderstandings about the prince.”
“Thank you for Your Majesty’s consideration.” Qin Yining smiled and curtsied.
The Empress smiled and shook her head. Thinking of the Grand Empress Dowager’s behavior today, she couldn’t help but shed tears again.
Seeing the Empress like this, Qin Yining felt both pity and helplessness. It seemed that for the Empress to sit firmly in the first position in the inner palace would not be easy.
From today’s observation, the Empress was fundamentally someone who didn’t compete with the world. She wasn’t good at scheming and was lazy about contending with others. Who would have thought that even after Li Qitian had been on the throne for over six years, the Empress still hadn’t adapted to life in the inner palace.
Qin Yining accompanied the Empress for a little while longer in Kunning Palace before taking her leave to return to the mansion.
Her daily life was now very fixed—regularly coming to the palace to learn etiquette, then returning home in time to have dinner with her family, handling matters at hand, then going to the palace again the next day.
Shopkeeper Zhong had also returned to the capital some days ago and was busy handling business matters. When they encountered difficult issues, the two often couldn’t meet to discuss them and mostly had to send letters or have messages relayed.
In such busy and repetitive life, in the blink of an eye, the Tatar Princess Tana’s ceremonial procession for entering the capital had arrived outside the city.
Qin Yining finally breathed a sigh of relief—her days of learning etiquette in the palace were finally over.
The Court of State Ceremonial had long since established protocols for the Tatar princess entering the capital. This affair was handled grandly, not to show welcome to Princess Tana, but to display Great Zhou’s ceremonial propriety and bearing before the Tatars. Therefore, all ceremonies followed ancient rites, precisely to show Great Zhou’s profound cultural foundation. In Qin Yining’s understanding, including herself as the marriage envoy, everything was meant to shame the Tatars.
The victor becomes king, the defeated become bandits. The Tatars had raided the borders for years but ultimately lost to Ji Zeyu. When Great Zhou had such an opportunity to hold their heads high, how could they not make full use of it?
Qin Yining had no objection to this behavior, after all, her impression of the Tatars had never been good.
But Qin Huaiyuan thought more deeply than she did.
“Yining, tomorrow is the formal day. You must be extremely cautious in your actions—you cannot let His Majesty find fault, but you also cannot go too far. Khan A’na Ri’s death is all blamed on you by the Tatars. This Princess Tana was sent for the marriage alliance while bearing national and family hatred. Be careful she doesn’t speak ill of you before His Majesty.”
Qin Yining nodded slowly. Thinking of Li Qitian’s usual behavior, she said: “I understand. Father, rest assured, I will maintain proper measure.”
Who knew what Princess Tana looked like? Once favored, a few pillow words before Li Qitian would be enough to make things difficult for those below. If Li Qitian himself was already dissatisfied with her, wouldn’t that provide many more opportunities to target her?
Qin Yining had always been cautious, because targeting her meant targeting Pang Xiao, and Pang Xiao’s current situation couldn’t tolerate any more complications.
“Does Father have any news from the old capital? When I correspond with the prince, he always reports good news but not bad. My people haven’t sent back news yet.” Qin Yining was somewhat frustrated.
Qin Huaiyuan smiled understandingly. “Zhixi is afraid you’ll worry. I do indeed have new information from the old capital.”
Qin Yining’s face heated at Qin Huaiyuan’s gentle teasing. She coughed and nodded: “Father, please speak.”
Qin Huaiyuan said: “Actually, these matters are all His Majesty’s arrangements and were predictable long ago. Ever since Yuchi Xuijie was enfeoffed as a prince, he has harbored resentment toward Great Zhou for breaking their promise, so naturally he won’t be friendly toward Zhixi.”
Qin Yining nodded, frowning with worry: “I guessed this much too.”
“Mm. From what I know, Yuchi Xuijie and Yuchi Yan are now very close.”
“They plan to join forces?”
“Yes. Moreover, rumors have already spread in the old capital. Many people are proclaiming how good Southern Yan is, how prosperous the people’s lives are, how harsh Great Zhou is, how difficult the people’s lives are, and how corrupt the government is. All such things.”
Qin Yining narrowed her eyes in thought, then shook her head: “It’s no wonder the Southern Yan people would retaliate. If I were played like that, fed such a carelessly drawn pie in the sky, I would be angry too.”
“Indeed. It’s just that these people’s rumors and slander have made the situation in the old capital unstable again. The new governor is a miserly iron rooster who won’t part with a penny. Though Zhixi controls the Pingnan Army, the problem of military pay still can’t rely on government self-financing—he can only find his own solutions. If pay isn’t distributed for a long time, I’m afraid this Pingnan Army won’t remain under firm control either.”
Qin Yining sighed softly and quietly told Qin Huaiyuan about what she had seen and heard in Jianchuan City, also informing him about the relationship between hidden and prominent families.
“…The Qiu family has experienced upheaval and will definitely choose another person to assist. Qiu Yuanqing won’t choose Zhixi, so he can only choose others. Who else in the world can compare with Zhixi and resist Emperor Zhou? So I suspect they might choose between Ji Lan and Yuchi Yan.”
Qin Huaiyuan relaxed against his chair back, his expression very calm, as if what Qin Yining had told him wasn’t surprising.
His index finger lightly tapped the table edge beside him. After thinking, he said: “I think this Qiu Yuanqing might choose Prince Zhennan.”
Qin Yining also had her suspicions, but having her thoughts align with Qin Huaiyuan’s still made her smile: “Why does Father think it’s him? After all, Ji Lan is much more outstanding and stronger, with brilliant military achievements and remarkable abilities that inspire admiration.”
Qin Huaiyuan smiled: “Haven’t you already thought it through in your heart? Ji Lan’s advantages are actually also his disadvantages. He’s too strong and too powerful. For someone with narrow vision and limited ability, choosing either Ji Lan or Zhixi could likely result in being bitten back. Prince Zhennan is much easier to control.
“Prince Zhennan is soft-hearted and not someone good at scheming. He has no talent for court affairs either. The only useful person around him is Gu Shixiong, but Gu Shixiong is old—how many more years can he help Prince Zhennan? So in my view, the Qiu family should choose the more controllable Prince Zhennan.”
Qin Yining asked with a smile: “How does Father know Qiu Yuanqing is someone with narrow vision and limited ability?”
“Need you ask? Someone who could murder his own father for power, then be discovered, causing such a great family to split, having half his own power reduced, and handing the banner of righteousness to Qiu Feishan—regardless of character, just looking at his actions, isn’t this narrow vision and limited ability?”
Qin Yining was amused and laughed out loud.
“Father is so clever and sees problems so clearly.”
“You already knew this and still asked me.” Qin Huaiyuan smiled.
“Your daughter just wanted to see if we father and daughter were thinking the same thing.”
Qin Huaiyuan couldn’t help but smile even more cheerfully: “You’re my daughter—naturally our thoughts are the same.”
At this point, Qin Huaiyuan became serious: “Speaking earnestly, tomorrow for the marriage reception, you should just follow the Court of State Ceremonial Minister’s plans. Don’t take the lead—just act conservatively. After all, you’re just a weak woman. As long as there are no major faults, no one can criticize you harshly.”
“Yes, your daughter understands.” Qin Yining rose and solemnly bowed in acknowledgment.
The next day at the hour of chen, the Tatar marriage procession that had camped outside the city for the night finally entered the capital under the grand reception of the Court of State Ceremonial.
Qin Yining was dressed in full formal attire according to her rank, her beauty dazzling and compelling. Wearing phoenix crown and ceremonial robes, she stood at the head of the reception procession. On both sides of the yellow earth-paved street, behind human walls formed by the Capital Guards, common people stretched their necks excitedly to look, while Qin Yining acted as if nothing was happening, maintaining a calm expression as she waited patiently.
Before long, palace attendants responsible for coordinating with Qin Yining’s reception came running back from the distance, whispering beside her: “The procession is almost here.”
Qin Yining nodded and gently raised her hand toward those behind her.
Instantly, ceremonial music began playing. Qin Yining and the Court of State Ceremonial Minister walked forward, one left and one right, one in front and one behind. In the cold wind, Qin Yining’s brocade cloak behind her spread into a fan shape, while the colorful flags along the roadside fluttered loudly in the contrary wind.
Soon, Qin Yining saw a procession of carriages and horses, led by palace attendants and eunuchs, surrounded by watching commoners along the road, approaching grandly. At the head was a carriage with doors wide open on all sides. Tatar Princess Tana wore a bright red narrow-sleeved robe, a golden belt at her waist, and a hat with colorful feathers whose tassels hung down to her forehead. Two black, glossy braids made her appear especially healthy.
As Qin Yining approached, she could see Princess Tana clearly.
This was a tall, full-figured beauty with some foreign blood, high nose, gray eyes, and deep features.
Such women were not common in Great Zhou. Qin Yining began speculating about Li Qitian’s attitude toward this type of woman.
Though Qin Yining thought much in her heart, her face revealed nothing. She stepped forward according to protocol, paid respects alongside the Court of State Ceremonial Minister one left and one right, then according to ancient rites, read aloud the marriage reception document.
This document was drafted by the Hanlin Academy, expressing welcome while proclaiming Great Zhou’s hopes for peace, and simultaneously—without using crude language—condemned the Tatars’ barbaric border raids over the years. Every word pierced Tatar hearts while leaving no fault to be found.
Listening to this, even Qin Yining felt somewhat embarrassed for the Tatars.
Unfortunately, the victor becomes king and the defeated become bandits. Since the Tatars had been defeated, they could only bear the consequences.
By the time all ceremonies were completed, Princess Tana’s beautiful face with its exotic features already showed anger, her cheeks as red as the bright red robe she wore.
Qin Yining smiled: “Please follow me into the palace, Princess Tana.”
Standing there, being stabbed in the heart by Court of State Ceremonial people under the gaze of common folk, Princess Tana both wanted to flee quickly from shame and had to maintain her princess dignity—it was truly difficult.
Hearing Qin Yining speak thus, she felt slightly relieved.
Looking at Qin Yining’s bearing like rosy clouds reflecting the moon, she felt some inexplicable sense of crisis.
Speaking in less-than-standard Great Zhou dialect, she asked: “You are the Emperor’s concubine?”