When a nation has warfare, it affects many aspects. Previously, no matter what famines occurred elsewhere, the people of the capital remained quite leisurely. They would rise in the morning to drink bean juice and eat fried dough rings, then stroll along the moat carrying bird cages. Meeting acquaintances, they’d greet with “Have you eaten yet?” The morning sunlight on their shoulders filled their entire being with comfort.
Now this was no longer possible. Feeling the heavy pressure, fewer people wandered the streets selling goods or idling about. Everyone’s face was tinged with tension. “Do you know? The southern barbarian king is attacking! The Guizhou army is fed on beef and mutton—they’re as strong as small mountains. Once they pass De’an Prefecture, they’ll really be coming to the capital. The barbarian king wants to be emperor and make our Taoist Master give up his seat!”—In common people’s mouths, the Emperor was a Taoist Master, and he appeared the same way to the Guizhou army. However, this Taoist Master still had a strong sense of crisis. He suggested that Wanwan should move into the palace, as with the chaos of war outside, if anything happened to Grand Princess’s residence, it would be terrible.
This time Wanwan didn’t listen to him. Actually, he feared that Nanyuan would take advantage of the chaos to bring her back, and even more feared that Liang Shi would join forces with Wang Ding to rebel against him. She found his thoughts baffling—the heir was already gone, yet he still used her to threaten Liang Shi? Even if Liang Shi harbored treasonous thoughts, what could he do to her? Kill her as a sacrificial offering?
Eating too many immortality pills had truly made him stupid.
She would still enter the palace to see Jinshu. The Princess was fair and clean, a very beautiful little baby. She held her in her arms and gently rocked her. The child blew bubbles and smiled at her—the baby’s eyes were pure as a pool of clear water, without any impurities. Meeting her gaze could wash away the dust in one’s heart.
She lowered her head to kiss her—a milk baby, slightly fishy-smelling, but this didn’t diminish her cuteness. Unfortunately, the Empress didn’t like her. Which womb she emerged from wasn’t something she could choose, but aside from this slight deficiency in maternal love, her nobility was still innate.
The Empress was also very concerned about the war, as it was closely related to her own situation. She frequently summoned Pingchuan from the Emperor’s side to ask questions—where Wang Ding’s army had reached—and could get first-hand information.
“The Emperor is obsessed with alchemy while everything outside is in chaos… I heard Prince Chu has also submitted to Prince Zhen’an. He’s a prince of the first rank! Though he bears the Murong surname, he wants to rebel against the Murong clan—what a despicable scoundrel that even dogs wouldn’t eat!”
Prince Chu was Emperor Xiaozong’s own brother, Wanwan’s uncle. Originally, he had gathered the disaster refugees from Huaining and driven them into Nanyuan’s territory. His actions had long shown her his lack of responsibility. When circumstances changed, he went with the wind—there was nothing incomprehensible about it.
She held the child in her arms while her heart was full of concern for Liang Shi’s safety. Prince Chu was so close and harbored deep prejudices against him—she wondered if he would encourage Wang Ding to attack Nanyuan. At that time, she had always feared his hoarding of troops would breed other ambitions. Now she only regretted he didn’t have enough men. If he had sufficient forces to protect himself, she wouldn’t worry so much.
The Empress saw her absent-minded and had the wet nurse take the child away, pulling her to sit on the southern heated platform.
“Does Your Highness miss Prince Nanyuan?”
Wanwan nodded. “In the current situation, he’s at the eye of the storm. How can I not worry?”
The Empress had some words she wanted to say, but after weighing them repeatedly, she swallowed them back.
She had once been Yin Luo’s maid, following her to Jiangnan and experiencing life-and-death trials together. Prince Nanyuan appeared gentle and refined, but his core was not simple—he could even be called unscrupulous in achieving his goals. He wanted to seize the realm—besides Xiao Duo and Yin Luo, she and Cao Chun’ang also knew this. Now the two most crucial people were gone. Cao Chun’ang had died outside the palace the day after being promoted to Chief Secretary. Only she remained who knew the inside story. Though she had become Empress, she dared not act rashly—firstly, Cao Chun’ang was a warning, and secondly, her son’s whereabouts remained unknown. If she was careless anywhere, she feared irreparable regret.
This secret might have to be buried in her heart forever. This time it was Prince Zhen’an rebelling—naturally there was nothing to say. Even if it were Prince Nanyuan, she would still have to keep silent. What crime was knowing but not reporting? Enough for the Emperor to depose her and establish Yin Ge as Empress.
She patted Grand Princess’s hand. “When I was in Nanjing, I also met Prince Nanyuan. He’s a clever man and naturally has his means of self-preservation. You’re far away in the capital and can’t help anyway. Why worry needlessly and make yourself ill…”
Before she finished speaking, the sound of bamboo clappers came from the palace gate. Looking outside, the Emperor was hurrying along the central path. People in the hall rushed out to receive him. The Empress and Wanwan curtsied, but the Emperor snorted heavily—directed at Wanwan.
Wanwan’s heart jumped. Slightly stunned, she turned and followed him inside, pursuing to ask the Emperor: “Brother, why are you angry with me? What did I do wrong? Please enlighten me, brother.”
The Emperor turned around, glaring at her furiously. “Ask your good husband! He actually colluded with Wang Ding, plotting against my empire! I originally thought he wouldn’t do such a thing, but didn’t expect he truly turned traitor. Now it seems I’m too much of a failure—my own uncle and brother-in-law both help outsiders scheme against me. This shows that the most untrustworthy people in the world are one’s own family!”
These words were like a basin of cold water poured over her head, chilling her to the bone. Liang Shi had submitted to Wang Ding—such a proud man had finally been forced to compromise? But strangely, she didn’t resent him at all. She knew he was coerced, and after that series of blows, having lost heart in the court, he had nowhere else to turn. If they hadn’t pressed him so hard from the beginning, why would he have come to this? When the Emperor encountered trouble, he only blamed heaven and others, never looking for reasons within himself.
He was furious beyond measure, venting all his anger on her. “You wholeheartedly think of him—now do you see clearly? He truly has the heart of a wolf, plotting for Daye’s realm. What more do you have to say?”
Wanwan’s heart was in turmoil, all sorts of feelings mixing together. “If Your Majesty blames me, whom shall I blame? I haven’t seen him for two years. His thoughts and intentions are completely unknown to me.”
The Emperor was momentarily speechless, realizing he indeed had no reason to blame her. If she had known about her husband’s rebellion, that would be one thing, but the fact was she had been forcibly kept in the capital, long since cut off from contact with him. Anyone in the world could blame her, except himself.
The Emperor rubbed his burning forehead and let out a deep sigh. “I panicked and became so confused as to vent my anger on you. Don’t take it to heart. I’m just sad—why am I so unpopular that even my own family wants to rebel against me…”
He was the typical “I may wrong the world, but the world may not wrong me.” Whatever he did didn’t matter, but others should be naturally loyal to him. Even if tortured to death by him, they shouldn’t harbor other thoughts.
Wanwan said with lowered hands, “Brother, think of countermeasures. The Guizhou army has two hundred thousand men—in terms of military strength, they’re no match for the court. The only fear is our main forces lacking sufficient supplies. After this matter is settled, please Your Majesty govern well and prepare military provisions.”
The Emperor held his forehead and sighed. “Two hundred thousand men—indeed not a large number. This small force could probably be suppressed with a little effort.” Then he looked up at her. “But once Yuwen Liang Shi is defeated, I won’t remember old affections. You should prepare yourself—I might become the first emperor in Daye to execute a prince consort.”
Wanwan stood there, her heart empty, her mind blank. How should she respond? On one side was her brother, on the other her husband. She didn’t want the Murong empire destroyed, nor did she want Liang Shi to fall to such a tragic fate.
She left the palace in a daze. Returning to Grand Princess’s residence, she found many more Brocade Guards, almost surrounding the mansion like an iron barrel.
She asked Jin Shi, “Have you called all your subordinates here?”
Jin Shi said yes. “His Majesty’s orders—this subject dares not disobey.”
She smiled mockingly. “If Prince Nanyuan has truly made up his mind, it means he’s already let go of marital affection. Watching me is useless—he may no longer have me in his heart.”
After speaking, she slowly entered Yin’an Hall. The August sun blazed, osmanthus flowers bloomed throughout the garden. Grand Princess’s residence was peaceful and tranquil, completely unrelated to the chaos of war outside.
Though she said this, Wanwan was actually very sad. Not knowing tomorrow’s affairs today, having no contact with him for too long—even if there were letters, they would certainly be intercepted by the Emperor. She didn’t know his intentions, and he didn’t know what she was thinking. When spouses lose communication, hearts can change. Coming to this point, it couldn’t be said to be his fault… How sad—she found she couldn’t even find a direction for resentment.
She played chess with Yu Qixia. The two were evenly matched, fighting until heaven and earth darkened. But with slight carelessness, she was surrounded by him. She sat trapped in a besieged city, much like the current situation. Holding a chess piece in her hand, she suddenly blurted out, “Why not escape!”
Yu Qixia didn’t even lift his eyes. “Where would Your Highness go?”
Indeed, there was nowhere to go. The home in Nanyuan might no longer have a place for her to stand. Many princesses of Daye had unsatisfactory marriages—apparently she too couldn’t escape this fate.
News from the front kept coming—today reaching Runing Prefecture, tomorrow reaching Kaifeng. Various rumors flew about, making the city full of wailing refugees. Would they attack the capital? Would dynasties change? Common people were easily swayed. Someone spread rumors everywhere, blaming Prince Nanyuan’s rebellion on her. Grand Princess’s residence became a battlefield for Beijing’s citizens. Over a thousand people blocked her residence gates, cursing her for betraying ancestral heritage, cursing her as a sinner of Daye. Wanwan could no longer leave her residence. Hearing the endless curses across the wall, she sat dumbly like a wooden post.
There had to be someone within reach to bear the curses and pain—she served this role. But what wrong had she done? From marriage until now, she had always lived under others’ control. Why did no one come to thank her when the nation was peaceful, yet once trouble occurred, she became a sinner for all ages?
She sat in the courtyard, wronged to the extreme, unable to shed tears. Pointed at by thousands of fingers—this was transferred to her by her brother and husband. She couldn’t even cry out her grievances.
“Grand Princess Hede incited her man to rebel—tired of being a princess, she wants to be an empress!”
“Hiding in her turtle shell while making our sons go out and fight desperately…”
“Shameless—on bed with men, off bed with shoes. Even the prostitutes in the Eight Great Hutongs are better than her!”
Wanwan clutched Liang Shi’s handkerchief in her hand. With a shudder, it fell to the ground. Her whole body trembled—she couldn’t even pick it up.
Tonghuan urged her to go inside. “Why listen to those confused insects’ nonsense? They only pick on soft persimmons. If they have the ability, let them go to Xihaizi to find His Majesty. What prestige are they showing at our residence gates! Don’t worry—the Captain has already sent people to notify the Eastern Depot. Once they arrive, each of those people will lose a layer of skin.”
Wanwan covered her face with both hands. “If I had known this, I might as well have died—it would be cleaner.”
Tonghuan wouldn’t let her say such things. She and Xiao You forcibly dragged her back into the house. With the door closed, the outside clamor sounded muffled. By evening, everyone was gone—reportedly scattered by the guards.
Her current situation was unprecedentedly awkward. Actually, not only common people but cabinet members also viewed her this way. Her confrontation with Xie Daozhi and Yang Yun had become a joke, and even her subsequent miscarriage was deserved—karmic retribution for her lack of virtue.
Such days were truly unbearable—like being roasted over fire daily. She told Xiao You it felt like an oil lamp running dry. Xiao You only scolded her: “How old are you to speak of being dried up? We all know your difficulties. You live not for others but for yourself.”
She endured in such torment for two months when suddenly one day Yu Qixia brought back good news. Wang Ding and his generals had all been executed, the Guizhou army was entirely taken over by Prince Nanyuan, now stationed at Andong Guard. Prince Nanyuan personally escorted Prince Chu and Prince Changsha to the capital and would arrive soon.
The cup in her hands crashed to the ground, shattering into pieces.
“So… he didn’t rebel?” She stood up, grasping Yu Qixia’s wrist. “I knew it… he wouldn’t do such a thing…”
Yu Qixia nodded repeatedly. “His Lordship only pretended to surrender. In the battle at Jiujiang, he turned his guns around and joined forces with the Guanning Iron Cavalry to capture Wang Ding and others in one net. His Lordship is a great hero in suppressing the rebellion. Now His Majesty should finally feel at ease about His Lordship. Your Highness’s bitter days are about to end.”
Things suddenly took a turn. Like glimpsing a ray of light through dense clouds, such dramatic ups and downs made her weep with extreme joy. She hadn’t been this happy in a very long time. Spinning in circles in the room, she hastily instructed Yu Qixia, “Send someone to wait outside the city and see when His Lordship arrives in the capital.”
Yu Qixia took the order and left. She ran to the dressing table to look in the mirror and was startled by her own appearance.
“How did I become like this?” She touched her face. The person in the mirror was pale, and due to thinness, her eyes appeared even larger. She slowly smiled. “Like a big-eyed thief (owl).”
Previously, she had a round face like a bright moon. No matter how slender her body, her cheeks were always full. She loved beauty and often felt troubled by this child-like face. Then she had small tempers but was simple and happy. Now she had grown up, experienced much suffering others couldn’t imagine. The bright moon was gone forever, replaced by constant worry clouds.
Tonghuan said it didn’t matter. “With powder and rouge, Your Highness is a hundred times more beautiful than beauties in paintings.”
So she began careful grooming, selecting beautiful clothes, pinning up all her hair. Guards returned to report that Prince Nanyuan’s party had reached Tongzhou. She was so nervous her calves trembled. Near-hometown timidity—this was the feeling. When he was thousands of miles away, she thought of him daily. But as he drew nearer, she became increasingly nervous.
She paced in the room. “Why am I afraid to see him… Tonghuan, I fear he’s changed heart and won’t treat me like before.”
Tonghuan said, “How can Your Highness think such wild thoughts? What deep feelings His Lordship and you have—would he forget after not seeing you for over two years? To bring you back, he expended such great effort. Is this all fake? If not for you, why would he kill Wang Ding? With Wang Ding’s military strength and Nanyuan’s wealth, fighting for three to five years, His Majesty might not outlast them.”
She still hesitated. “Then I’ll wait for him at the residence. If he wants to see me, he’ll naturally come.”
Tonghuan was helpless. “He’s escorting Prince Chu to the capital—this time there’s official business. He must first enter court to pay respects to His Majesty, then come to the residence. Calculate how much time this delay costs!”
Wanwan said she was right. “His Majesty holds court at the gate. I’ll wait for him at Guiji Gate… even just seeing him from afar would be good.”
When someone humbles themselves for love, lowering their posture a bit is not shameful.