Watching Tang Xiu head toward the city gates carrying Pang Xiao’s sword tassel, both Ji Yun and Bingtang on the carriage couldn’t help but hold their breath.
Ji Yun whispered: “Princess Consort, will Commander Gong make an exception and open the city gates?”
“Hard to say.” Qin Yining smiled: “It’s not absolutely necessary to enter the city immediately, but since we’ve arrived at this time, we might as well try.”
Bingtang said: “If that person remembers some old feelings with His Highness, he’ll definitely open the gates.”
“Not necessarily.” Qin Yining replied: “It depends on whether that person has an upright and inflexible character or a smooth and tactful one. I had Xiao Tang take that sword tassel not to use His Highness’s token to move anyone, but because I heard Commander Gong once served under His Highness, so it would help him recognize us easily. Otherwise, there are other ways to prove our identity. Regardless of whether he remembers old feelings, as long as he’s tactful enough, he’ll let us in. After all, who would want to offend His Highness? It’s just a matter of turning around and reporting upward.”
“So the Princess Consort is certain that even if he’s willing to open the gates, he’ll immediately report it?”
“Exactly. We’re returning openly and honestly—we’re not here to commit crimes. We’re just late returning and happened to arrive at this hour, asking them to accommodate us. Speaking of curfews, what kind of people do they really restrict? There are so many pleasure quarters and entertainment houses in the capital—if the curfew truly prohibited everything, wouldn’t all those flower districts have to close down?”
Bingtang and Ji Yun exchanged glances, having to admit that everything Qin Yining said was true. Whether in the Great Yan Dynasty or the Great Zhou Dynasty, certain laws and regulations only constrained ordinary common people without special privileges.
Princes and princess consorts like theirs who rarely used their status to pressure others were in the minority.
As they were talking, sounds came from the direction of the city gates. Before long, Tang Xiu returned with a tall, robust middle-aged man.
“This humble officer Gong Wen pays respects to the Princess Consort.”
Qin Yining lifted the carriage curtain and smiled: “Commander Gong, please dispense with the formalities. Our group originally planned to return before curfew, but the roads were blocked with ice and snow, making travel truly difficult. Despite hurrying, we were still late. We had no choice but to trouble Commander Gong, hoping to ask if you could accommodate us and allow our group to enter the city and return to our residence? Otherwise, in this bitter cold, it would be truly hard to endure.”
Commander Gong smiled: “If it were anyone else, it certainly wouldn’t be allowed, but the Princess Consort is an exception. His Highness serves the country loyally, and the Princess Consort follows her husband’s lead—you are both pillars of the Great Zhou. Opening the city gates is just a small matter. Princess Consort, please follow this humble officer.”
“I don’t deserve such words—we’re truly troubling the commander.”
“Not at all, not at all.”
As they spoke, the carriage and convoy slowly moved forward.
Commander Gong walked beside the carriage, exchanging a few casual words with Qin Yining, then asked: “Why didn’t His Highness return together with the Princess Consort?”
Qin Yining feigned surprise: “Hasn’t His Highness returned to the capital yet?”
Commander Gong was startled, then smiled: “Not yet.”
Qin Yining nodded: “I received His Highness’s letter saying His Majesty commanded us to return to the capital, so I hurriedly set out with my people. If His Highness hasn’t arrived yet, he should arrive in the coming days.”
“I see—His Highness and the Princess Consort traveled separately.”
“Yes.” Qin Yining sighed, her face showing worry, but ultimately said no more.
By this time, the group had reached the city gates. At Commander Gong’s command, someone opened half of the heavy gates.
Qin Yining’s carriage and convoy smoothly passed through the city gates.
Qin Yining got out of the carriage and repeatedly thanked Commander Gong. He waved his hands continuously, smiling: “Princess Consort, please don’t be so formal. Since there’s a curfew in the city now, you should quickly return to the prince’s residence and settle in.”
“Thank you, Commander.”
The group then left the city gates and headed into the city.
Commander Gong watched Qin Yining’s convoy depart into the distance, then turned to report to his superiors.
Prince Zhongshun’s consort had returned to the capital, and His Highness would arrive shortly. Though he had acted conveniently and opened the gates, he still needed to report to his superiors.
The capital’s streets in the night were exceptionally quiet. The sounds of wheels and hoofbeats seemed particularly crisp in such a quiet environment.
Qin Yining temporarily closed her eyes to rest. When they returned to the prince’s residence, they would definitely need to tidy up a bit before they could rest. Who knew what state the residence was in after being unattended for so long.
Seeing Qin Yining close her eyes to rest, both Bingtang and Ji Yun remained silent, tucking the azure cloak tighter around her before also dozing off.
From the city gates to the imperially granted prince’s residence was still some distance. Qin Yining had been riding in the carriage for so long that she was already weary. Perhaps being able to enter the city smoothly put her at ease—without realizing it, she became drowsy, her head resting against the carriage wall as she dozed. The silver butterfly earrings at her ears swayed with the carriage’s movement, repeatedly touching against her fair, jade-like neck.
Just then, the originally quiet street suddenly erupted in commotion.
Several young masters in fine brocade robes walked arm-in-arm down the quiet street. Despite the bitter cold, their faces were all flushed red, hot air rising from their bodies. When they spoke, their tongues were thick and their words slurred.
Clearly, these gentlemen were all somewhat intoxicated.
“The new top courtesan at Yuhua House—now she’s a lovely beauty. Hiccup If any of you don’t believe me, you’ll know when we get there.”
The leading youth, wearing a black sable-collared cloud brocade cloak, pointed toward Yuhua House with bleary, drunken eyes: “Let me tell you, when that little lady smiles, she can make your bones go soft on one side.”
“Haha, Ninth Young Master is just bragging.”
“Hey, don’t you dare not believe me! Hiccup…” The youth called Ninth Young Master let out a long alcoholic burp, pointing toward the corner: “You, you go with this young master and you’ll know. If your bones don’t go soft, I’ll have someone help beat them soft for you!”
“Hahaha!” The group of young masters laughed unscrupulously.
On the quiet street, their laughter was particularly unbridled.
These few had just turned the corner when they suddenly saw a carriage slowly approaching, with a dozen or twenty men following alongside. The carriage bore no markings, and from its frame, it appeared to be just an ordinary covered carriage. A flickering wind-proof lantern hung on the carriage, its light wavering—the entire convoy clearly looked to be of common origin.
Ninth Young Master squinted his eyes and pointed at Qin Yining’s carriage, laughing loudly: “Ha! At this hour, there’s still a carriage that dares to travel the streets?”
Taking two floating steps, Ninth Young Master nearly tripped himself by stepping on his right foot with his left. He paid no attention to this, swaying with each step as he headed toward the carriage.
The coachman and Tiger Guards had long since noticed these approaching drunken dandies. Seeing that the well-dressed youth actually dared to crash toward the front of the carriage and would be trampled under the wheels if they weren’t careful, the coachman quickly pulled the reins to stop the carriage.
The carriage shook slightly, and Qin Yining drowsily opened her eyes, momentarily unable to gather her wits.
“What’s wrong?” She curiously lifted the curtain to look outside.
Ninth Young Master’s group had by now gathered around the carriage. Seeing the carriage stop, the thick azure warm curtain was suddenly lifted, and by the light of the wind-proof lantern hanging on the carriage, they saw a delicate face as if carved from jade.
“Oh my, this, this is truly…!” The dandies behind Ninth Young Master were all stunned.
Ninth Young Master’s eyes lit up even more, and he came forward with rapid breathing.
By this time, the cool wind had somewhat sobered Qin Yining. Seeing the situation outside clearly, she lowered the curtain and quietly asked Mu Jinghu outside the window: “What’s happening?”
Mu Jinghu replied: “Nothing serious—we’ve encountered a group of drunkards.”
“Little lady!” Ninth Young Master tried to approach the carriage door.
But the Tiger Guards immediately surrounded the carriage, their tall, sturdy bodies forming a wall that separated the dandies from the carriage.
Ninth Young Master became angry: “What? Won’t this little lady even let people look at her? How can you do business without trying to attract regular customers?”
Qin Yining frowned, unwilling to pay attention to this person’s foul language.
In the capital’s important territory, without Qin Yining’s orders, the Tiger Guards dared not act rashly. But faced with such insolence from the dandies, they were already filled with anger, each standing straight as iron, using their iron-like bodies to protect the carriage.
Ninth Young Master kicked the shin of the Tiger Guard in front of him. The man didn’t budge an inch, while he himself nearly fell over.
“You little lady, which family are you from? Daring to travel the streets in the middle of the night, thinking you’re so great with all these people escorting you? In the flesh trade, you should understand business rules! Are you never going to do business with this young master? You don’t even give a greeting—you have no sense of propriety!”
Hearing the drunkard actually say such things, Qin Yining couldn’t help but laugh coldly with anger.
Outside the carriage, Mu Jinghu could no longer contain himself and scolded: “Stop your nonsense!”
“Nonsense? Being brought out of a brothel at this hour—are you going to claim you’re a chaste and virtuous woman?”
Seeing Ninth Young Master shouting like this, the other dandies, though their minds were numbed by too much alcohol, still retained some sense. Someone tugged at Ninth Young Master: “You should stop this. What if she’s the family member of some court official?”
“Impossible!” Ninth Young Master said drunkenly: “Do you think such beauties are so easy to encounter? I’ve seen plenty of girls from the capital’s pleasure quarters, but I’ve never seen one so lovely. They used to say Prince Zhongshun’s consort was a beauty, but didn’t that woman go seek out Prince Zhongshun? Could this one being escorted around in the middle of the night possibly be a princess consort? Don’t make me laugh my teeth out!”
Hearing his words become increasingly offensive, Qin Yining told Mu Jinghu outside the window: “Young Master Mu, find out his identity.”
Mu Jinghu then asked: “Who are you! How dare you be so shameless and insolent!”
“Who am I? Ha! There are still people who don’t recognize me?” Ninth Young Master laughed heartily, as if encountering the most amusing thing in the world.
There was never a shortage of people around Ninth Young Master to flatter him. Someone immediately stepped forward: “You have eyes but fail to recognize Mount Tai—this is the Ninth Young Master of Duke Changguo’s residence!”
Hearing this clearly from inside the carriage, Qin Yining’s eyes lit up at the words “Duke Changguo.”
“How perfectly effortless.” Qin Yining smiled coldly and told Mu Jinghu outside: “Young Master Mu, capture this Ninth Young Master!”