Before the Ninth Princess, Song Chuyi had only been this annoyed by Song Chuning—both of these people were dedicated to making trouble for her. Despite being so young and having no past grievances, whenever they made a move it was merciless, with killing blows intended to destroy someone completely.
The Ninth Princess’s illness came at such a convenient time. Having Master Yuanhui read fortunes—everything was designed to push the marriage alliance onto the Ninth Princess, or even onto imperial clan daughters or daughters of noble and distinguished families. In previous dynasties when a princess was unwilling to enter a political marriage, there had been precedents of selecting imperial clan daughters or daughters of noble families to be granted princess titles for the marriage. Noble Consort Xian’s planning for her daughter was truly thorough to the extreme. Moreover, even in such circumstances, she absolutely wouldn’t easily let the Song family go. She was determined to cast a wide net—if she could drag one Song family girl into this, she’d drag in one; if she could drag in two, she’d drag in two.
Old Madam Song understood this layer of meaning as well. Her rejection and disgust toward the Noble Consort mother-daughter pair rose another level. After thinking, she nodded to Zhuying: “I understand everything you’ve said. I’ll discuss this further with the Consort’s grandfather here, and tomorrow we’ll have someone bring word into the palace. When you return to the palace, also tell the Consort to keep her composure in all matters. As for help that can be provided from outside the palace, there’s no reason not to extend a hand.”
Zhuying let out a soft breath of relief. Compared to the Elder Madam, she increasingly preferred speaking directly with Old Madam Song and Song Chuyi. Speaking with perceptive people never required extra words. She had only spoken the first half of her sentence, and Old Madam Song and Song Chuyi already knew her second half.
After seeing Zhuying off, Old Madam Song furrowed her brows and had someone fetch the First Master and First Young Master. She then asked Song Chuyi: “She saw that you were declared by Master Yuanhui to have the fate of a solitary star of calamity, so she deliberately claims she’s unsuitable for distant marriage. She’s probably planning to have Master Yuanhui spout some nonsense about how you two can use poison to fight poison, complement and support each other, or some such thing. That would be terrible. Although she also doesn’t want the marriage alliance, if matters can’t be resolved, given this mother-daughter pair’s temperament, they’ll definitely drag a few people down with them… These conscienceless people who can’t stand to see others do well are capable of anything. You shouldn’t enter the palace.”
They were clearly deliberately setting a trap to deal with her. Even if she didn’t enter the palace, they would think of other methods. When dealing with such people, the real solution was to crush their delusions in one stroke. Someone like the Ninth Princess could probably only settle down after going to Eastern Sea.
Song Chuyi rested her head on Old Madam Song’s shoulder. After a long while, she lifted her head and shook it: “Never mind, Grandmother. You know Noble Consort Xian and the Ninth Princess’s temperaments—we can’t avoid them by hiding. Better to meet the difficulty head-on. Moreover, I can’t let the Eleventh Princess truly fall into their schemes. Let’s wait until this matter is settled before going to Jinzhong.”
Old Madam Song also knew this matter couldn’t be avoided by hiding. After a long silence, she finally nodded.
Once outside, Xiang Mingzi couldn’t help feeling somewhat panicked. She grasped Song Chuyi’s hand and asked: “Xiaoyi, Master Yuanhui is an enlightened high monk. What he says has always been taken seriously. Have you forgotten how last time at the hunting grounds, even the Empress personally inquired about this matter? If he truly says you have the fate to become the Princess Consort of Eastern Sea and can neutralize the solitary star fate…”
Xiang Mingzi was genuinely thinking of her wellbeing. She had no sisters, and the first Song family member she had met was Song Chuyi. Without realizing it, she had long since treated her as a younger sister. Song Chuyi patted her hand comfortingly, smiling somewhat meaningfully: “Last time I allowed him to speak that way because I needed to draw Chen Xiang out. But this time I won’t let him speak that way. If he dares speak that way again, he’ll be seeking his own death. There’s more than one enlightened high monk in this world. Moreover, compared to Buddhism and Taoism, His Majesty has always been more devoted to the Three Pure Ones…”
In the spacious and magnificent hall, lights blazed brightly. Before the hall, a row of ornate and splendid palace lanterns seemed as if they would never extinguish. In such a silent deep night, they quietly converged into a long river of scattered stars, illuminating the pillars carved with intricate patterns until they were even more vividly red as blood.
Palace maids held their breath and filed in silently, delivering exquisite delicacies into the hall, then withdrew in perfect order moments later.
Inside the hall, apart from Noble Consort Xian’s occasional low coaxing and the Ninth Princess’s sobbing, there was not another sound. Wind blew in through the windows, causing the flames of the delicate and fashionable beauty gauze lanterns to flicker.
The Ninth Princess stood barefoot on the carpet. After venting enough, she slid down onto the long-pile rug. After crying hysterically all day, she could no longer produce shrill sounds. Only her tears hadn’t stopped. Looking at Noble Consort Xian, she asked again and again: “Why me?! Why me?! Why did those damned envoys choose me of all people?!”
Why was it that the coffin she had once prepared for someone else was the one she herself would have to lie in?!
The hatred on Noble Consort Xian’s face immediately intensified. She reached out to embrace her, caressing her with infinite tenderness, whispering in her ear over and over with promises: “It won’t be you. In the end, it absolutely won’t be you. Mother Consort has already negotiated with the Shen family of Shangqiu. You will definitely establish a princess manor in the capital and live a loving lifetime with your prince consort… Mother Consort will never let you go to such a wretched place!”
A trace of an extremely cold smile hung at the corner of her mouth. Holding the Ninth Princess’s head and sensing her daughter’s body gradually softening in her embrace, she lowered her voice even more: “Don’t be afraid. With Mother Consort here, you needn’t fear anything. In a few days when they enter the palace, we’ll pick one from among them to replace you. You are a favored daughter of heaven, of imperial blood and noble jade. Even your father emperor won’t have the heart to marry you to Eastern Sea…”
The Ninth Princess had cried until she had no strength left. Clutching Noble Consort Xian’s lapels, she sobbed for a while, then suddenly struggled to lift her head, her eyes blazing with light: “I want Song Chuyi to go! I want Song Chuyi to go! Whether Eleven goes or not doesn’t matter anymore—I just want Song Chuyi to go to Eastern Sea!”
This person who had made her lose all face, who had been the beginning of all her nightmares—she wanted her to suffer a fate worse than death for a lifetime, never able to set foot in the Central Plains again. Otherwise it wouldn’t be enough to quell the fury and towering resentment in her heart.
“Fine, we’ll have her go.” The smile at the corner of Noble Consort Xian’s mouth became even more gentle, patting her daughter’s back stroke by stroke: “Whoever A’Jiu wants to go, Mother Consort will make them go.”
The Ninth Princess fell asleep in her embrace. She indicated for the steward and palace maids to escort the Ninth Princess to the sleeping chamber. Stretching her arms, she slowly stood up, letting out a long breath, and instructed the supervising eunuch beside her: “Tomorrow you make another trip outside the palace and convey my meaning to Master Yuanhui. When the time comes, he’ll know what to do.”
She only had one son left, and he was thousands of miles away. Now they even wanted to take her daughter away—absolutely unforgivable!