Three months later, in the capital.
As the people exchanged winter coats for spring attire, willow trees along the Xian River began to bud, heralding another spring. The Spring Street in front of the Ping Duke’s manor was congested with carriages from various households, as the Duchess and her daughter-in-law were hosting this year’s Spring Banquet.
Bai Minmin, now the daughter-in-law of the Ping Duke’s family, was responsible for managing household affairs. While she enjoyed attending banquets, organizing them didn’t excite her much.
Fortunately, her sister-in-law, Zhang Hanmiao, was enthusiastic about such events. Due to previous incidents at banquets organized by Hanmiao, the Duchess had long withheld permission for her to arrange such affairs. However, considering Hanmiao had reached the age for matchmaking, the Duchess now allowed her to organize events as practice, turning a blind eye to potential issues.
“So it was Hanmiao’s effort. I wondered when you became so thoughtful and meticulous,” Zhou Jingwan remarked softly, inhaling the aroma of the specially prepared bamboo green tea.
“Though Hanmiao did the work, I arranged this bamboo green tea for you!” Bai Minmin insisted on claiming credit. “Remember when we watched the opera? You mentioned feeling bloated and uneasy. I kept that in mind. And Atan’s cup is brewed with fresh snow atop winter plums—her favorite!”
Hearing this, Mingtan lifted her cup, sniffed lightly, took a sip, and commented, “You’ve become quite attentive since getting married. I don’t recall you being so considerate before.”
Bai Minmin wanted to refute but, noticing Mingtan’s thin face and pale lips, swallowed her words and instead called, “Bring a hand warmer for the princess.”
As the maid curtsied in acknowledgment, Mingtan stopped her: “No need. It’s spring already. What use is a hand warmer?”
“Though it’s spring, the weather is still changeable. Your injury hasn’t fully healed, and you’re weak. You mustn’t catch a chill,” Bai Minmin said in a lowered voice.
Outsiders were unaware of Mingtan’s injury. Her months of absence were explained away as a prolonged cold. After all, given the recent events in the Jingan Marquis’s household, though ultimately cleared, it was understandable that she might avoid public appearances. Shortly after, the Marquis had retired citing persistent illness.
The matter of the Jingan Marquis returning his military authority was quite delicate. If one said the Emperor was magnanimous, he had indeed reclaimed the military power. If one said the Emperor couldn’t tolerate the Marquis, the grave accusation of treason had been cleared.
When the Marquis requested to resign, the Emperor put on a show of asking him to stay three times before reluctantly accepting the return of military authority. However, he refused to let the Marquis resign from his position as Deputy Commander of the Privy Council. Later, the Emperor personally visited with imperial physicians and exceptionally promoted the Marquis’s heir, Ming Heng, to Prefect of Quan Prefecture and Superintendent of Maritime Trade at Tonggang Port, indicating continued imperial favor.
“By the way, I heard from my father-in-law that Uncle got into an argument with Censor Liu at court yesterday?” Bai Minmin probed. “It seems to be about Prince Beiding executing a general in the Northwest. Censor Liu even brought up the old issue of the Prince’s five-day delay in joining the main army.”
Mingtan appeared not to hear the latter part, responding nonchalantly, “My father and Censor Liu have argued before. They may quarrel heatedly at court, but they still drink together privately. Their relationship isn’t bad.”
She ate a small piece of candied pear and continued, “Actually, since Father returned his military authority, he’s been much more relaxed. He’ll have more time to spend with the child when Mother gives birth. It’s a good thing.”
Bai Minmin and Zhou Jingwan exchanged glances.
On the day Prince Beiding left the city, Mingtan had insisted on following him. She had hastily arranged a spacious carriage and invited Imperial Physician Feng to accompany them, fearing her wound might reopen.
Fortunately, due to the persistent night rain, the troops had camped just outside the city, and she caught up with them at dawn.
Everyone thought her actions indicated forgiveness, but upon returning to the manor, she never mentioned Prince Beiding again.
Over these three months, news of the Northwestern campaign frequently reached the capital. She never actively sought information, and when told of victories or defeats, she remained indifferent. She didn’t even read the letters sent home, let alone reply.
Bai Minmin, being bolder, took advantage of the crowded manor to carefully ask, “Atan, I don’t understand. On the day Prince Beiding left the city, you chased after him to tell him not to die. Why have you been so… indifferent to news about the Prince these past few months?”
Mingtan glanced at her coldly, her voice detached: “I told him not to die for the greater good. If his life or death had no bearing on Daxian’s territory or soldiers, I wouldn’t care who looked after him.”
“Well, aren’t you the patriot, enduring hardship for the country and people…”
Accustomed to bantering with Zhang Huaiyu, Bai Minmin responded without thinking.
“…?”
“Is the Ping Duke’s manor trying to drive guests away now?”
“Minmin doesn’t know how to speak properly. Don’t mind her,” Zhou Jingwan pushed the candied pear towards Mingtan and gave Bai Minmin a look. “Go to the front and greet guests. Stop bothering Atan here.”
Bai Minmin looked bewildered and innocent, stammering “I” several times without forming a complete sentence before being shooed away by Zhou Jingwan to attend to guests at the front.
However, Bai Minmin wasn’t the only one who struggled with words. As Mingtan had been absent for so long, many noble ladies approached her to chat when she suddenly appeared.
Someone playfully remarked, “Today’s Spring Banquet reminds me of a poem: ‘At the spring banquet, with a cup of green wine and a song, I make three wishes: First, may my lord live a thousand years; Second, may I always be in good health; Third, may we be like swallows on the beam, seeing each other year after year.’ I heard that Prince Beiding recently led his troops to capture Luoxian in Rongzhou. The battle for Luoxian was particularly fierce. I’m sure the Princess must have been praying daily at home for her lord’s longevity.”
Mingtan smiled faintly without speaking.
Zhou Jingwan smoothly changed the subject: “We don’t know if her lord will live a thousand years, but good health for oneself is indeed not easy. Atan’s recent cold has lasted so long; we haven’t seen her in quite a while.”
“Yes, are you feeling better now? You look much thinner.”
“In this spring chill, you must keep warm. It wouldn’t do to catch cold and fall ill again.”
…
After a few exchanges, the group chatted as they watched two acts at the theater and then observed a polo match. As Mingtan had just recovered from her injury, she couldn’t overexert herself and decided to return home.
As they said their goodbyes outside the manor, Mingtan was about to board her carriage when a guard from the capital’s military camp rushed over, saying he had urgent news for Zhang Huaiyu.
Bai Minmin recognized him and was about to let him in without much thought, but as he bowed, he couldn’t help glancing at Mingtan a couple of times. Bai Minmin sensed something was amiss and suddenly asked, “What news do you have for the Young Master? Is it about the Northwestern campaign?”
“This…” the guard hesitated. “Yes, I have news about the Northwestern campaign. The Beiding army was ambushed while crossing the river and has retreated to Luoxian. Prince Beiding… Prince Beiding…”
“What happened to Prince Beiding? Speak quickly!” Bai Minmin urged.
“Prince Beiding has been gravely wounded and is unconscious!” The guard blurted out rapidly, then bowed his head low.
Mingtan seemed to sway slightly, her lips suddenly turning pale.
Bai Minmin and Zhou Jingwan instinctively moved to support her.
“Atan, are you alright?” Bai Minmin asked worriedly, also feeling regretful. The guard’s expression hadn’t been joyful; she wished she hadn’t asked!
Zhou Jingwan also comforted her: “Prince Beiding is blessed by heaven. He will surely wake up. Military news is often delayed. By the time we hear it, His Highness might have already regained consciousness.”
“Whether he wakes or not is none of my concern,” Mingtan quickly composed herself, standing steadily. She turned back, expressionless, and said, “I’m returning to the manor.”
Bai Minmin and Zhou Jingwan watched her board the carriage, their eyes filled with deep, unconcealed worry.
As the Prince of Beiding’s carriage drove out of Spring Street, Mingtan sat upright inside. Suddenly, she lifted the curtain and instructed, “Go to Lingmiao Temple.”
–
Siege warfare had always been grueling. From the depths of winter to the warmth of spring, the Northwestern borderlands were strewn with corpses. The battlefield was filled with smoke and fire, the stench of fresh blood mingled with uncleared decomposing bodies, tainting the entire sky with a grayish hue.
While the war in the Northwest had started due to Behe’s designs on Yangxi Road, the main combatants were now Daxian and Qiangyu.
Caught off guard by Daxian’s attack, Behe had retreated steadily, no longer daring to covet Yangxi Road. They had withdrawn a hundred miles northward, abandoning even their ally Qiangyu.
One shouldn’t pursue a desperate enemy, and Daxian’s intention was never focused on Behe. With insufficient troops in the Northwest to fight on two fronts, Jiang Xu used Qiangyu and Behe’s alliance to take Yangxi Road as a pretext to advance on Rongzhou, which Qiangyu occupied, launching a campaign to reclaim it.
If Rongzhou were easy to recapture, it wouldn’t have been the last of the thirteen lost provinces of Daxian. Qiangyu’s army was strong and held the advantage of terrain. Even with Jiang Xu and his top generals leading the troops, progress was extremely difficult. Often, they would advance three inches only to be forced back two.
No one knew how long this situation would persist. Now that Prince Beiding was injured, even the soldiers began to wonder if they would ever reunite with their families.
…
“The Prince is awake! The Prince is awake!” A soldier guarding the command tent suddenly ran out to joyfully spread the news.
Soon, the military doctor and trusted generals rushed to the tent.
After checking his pulse, the doctor sighed in relief: “The Prince is out of danger. With a few more days of good rest, he’ll be able to leave his bed.”
Jiang Xu had indeed been unconscious for several days after the ambush, but his condition wasn’t as severe as the reported “gravely wounded and unconscious.” His coma was likely due to exhaustion from continuous exertion without proper rest.
However, news sent out tended to be exaggerated, otherwise how could the enemy be lulled into a false sense of security?
The doctor said he needed a few more days of rest, but for an army on the march, each day of delay burned through military funds and provisions, not to mention risking lives. How could they afford the luxury of proper rest?
After waking, Jiang Xu listened to his generals’ reports for an hour. Subordinates brought up a thick stack of confidential letters and documents. He sat under the oil lamp, having the most urgent matters presented first.
After reading and responding to each one, an aide reminded him, “Your Highness, there’s also a letter of condolence from His Majesty, and letters from the Ping Duke’s manor, the Chang Duke’s manor, the Jingan Marquis’s manor, the Left Prime Minister’s manor, and the Yi family.”
“Still nothing from the Prince’s manor?”
“No…”
Jiang Xu paused. “Bring me the one from the Jingan Marquis’s manor.”
The aide quickly presented it.
He unfolded the letter and scanned it.
It was from his father-in-law, writing about his argument with Censor Liu at court over whether Jiang Xu should be reprimanded for executing a cowardly general without first seeking imperial approval. The letter rambled on for over a hundred characters without mentioning a certain person.
He quickly read through the remaining letters, all expressing concern for his injury. He read swiftly, his expression unchanging.
Just then, Shen Yu, having heard of his recovery, came to see him along with another general.
Jiang Xu glanced up, noticing Shen Yu’s beaming face, and asked coldly, “Has Rongzhou been captured? What are you so happy about?”
The other general teased, “Young General Shen Shust received a fresh letter from Nanlü. Of course he’s happy.”
Shen Yu scratched the back of his head embarrassedly, coughed twice, and awkwardly inquired, “Your Highness, you’re awake. Are you feeling better?”
Jiang Xu lowered his gaze to study the map of Rongzhou, his voice chilly: “I’m fine. I’d be even better if you weren’t in my sight.”