Hearing her say “farewell,” Su Jin was startled. Just as she was about to ask the reason, a thought suddenly arose in her mind, and she instantly understood.
Back then, when Zhu Nanxian, mindful that Qiling had shown him kindness, enfeoffed her as a princess, he had promised that when she married, he would adopt her as his sworn sister and formally enfeoff her as a princess, allowing her to marry in glory.
Now Zhu Yushen had recovered Annan, and the court needed to send a princess for a marriage alliance. Although Qiling was a daughter born of a concubine from the Qi residence, Consort Dowager Qi was her aunt, and the current Emperor was her cousin. Moreover, with the late Emperor’s promise beforehand, being enfeoffed as a princess was not excessive.
Furthermore, Annan had already submitted to Great Sui. Hu Yuanjie was an old prince descendant of the Hu dynasty, and his status was ultimately a cut below the imperial Zhu family. If they sent an orthodox princess for the marriage alliance, it would instead elevate their status. Sending a clan young lady born of imperial relatives would not only be appropriate in status, but Qiling was intelligent and perceptive. Since Zhu Yushen wanted peace in the south, placing such a woman in Annan could be called an excellent spy. It truly killed three birds with one stone.
For a moment, Su Jin didn’t know what to say, only asking: “When do you depart?”
Qiling said: “After the End of Heat festival, the envoy from Jiaozhi will come to welcome the bride.” She smiled again, “But I won’t leave immediately. After all, there are still a few days of farewell ceremonies. Setting out in autumn, by the time I’m halfway there, winter will have arrived. I’ve heard that royal descendants traveling far distances never choose year’s end, fearing they’ll encounter heavy snow and be blocked midway. But I’ve also heard that the further south one goes, the warmer the weather becomes. In Annan, even winter is like spring. I wonder if this is true.”
Su Jin nodded slightly: “It’s true. Years ago when this official was sent as an envoy to Annan, I lived there for over a year. Although it’s not like the Qinhuai River region of Jiangnan with its four distinct seasons, winter lacks severe cold and summer isn’t very hot. It can be called a pleasant place to live.”
As for Qiling’s future husband Hu Yuanjie, Su Jin also knew him. Back when investigating the Annan merchant case, he had provided considerable assistance.
Hu Yuanjie was tall and handsome, intelligent and resourceful. On the surface, he could be called a good match.
But Su Jin didn’t mention him to Qiling. Some people, even after decades of acquaintance, may not reveal their true face, let alone Hu Yuanjie who was born into a clan and raised in prosperity.
He was originally from a collateral branch of the Hu family, with no possibility of ascending the throne in his lifetime. But after the upheaval in Annan, he led Zhu Yushen to send troops to quell the chaos. Now, although Annan had submitted to Great Sui, the Hu imperial descendants were scattered, and a group of old prince descendants instead looked to Hu Yuanjie as their leader. Even Great Sui’s incomparably noble marriage alliance princess would become his wife. Who could say this wasn’t another form of “ascending to the great throne”?
The twists and turns within—who could explain them clearly?
Those entangled in imperial power were never simple. Even Zhu Nanxian, who from childhood was upright and frank and detested power struggles, after undergoing bone-refining trials, had also become one who understood people but didn’t speak, whose thoughts and methods were inscrutable. Perhaps the offspring of the imperial family were just like this—if too pure and simple, they would instead become repulsive.
The fine rain fell, staining Qiling’s Xiang consort-colored dress.
She was twenty-three years old. Although many women by this age had already become mothers, in Su Jin’s eyes, her solitary figure standing in the rain was still delicate and beautiful.
What a pity her future path was uncertain.
For an external official to speak with a princess was ultimately improper, and their private friendship could not be considered deep. Once their words were finished, Su Jin again made way, allowing Qiling to pass first.
Qiling still didn’t move.
She stood somewhat desolately in the rain. After a while, she finally couldn’t help but ask: “Is he… well?”
Su Jin’s heart sank.
Without even thinking, she knew who the “he” in Qiling’s mouth was.
But the fact that Zhu Nanxian was still alive was an extremely private secret. The more people who knew, the more disadvantageous it was for him.
Su Jin’s expression at first glance showed no change, but between her brows there faintly gathered a distant misty rain, her eyes veiled in clouds and fog, hiding something unknown.
“Lord Su, please don’t misunderstand.” Qiling lowered her eyes and said, “When His Majesty Jin’an ‘ascended to heaven,’ Ruyu was heartbroken and nearly… sought to follow the late Emperor in death. My aunt couldn’t bear to watch, so she told Ruyu that His Majesty Jin’an was still alive.”
Qiling’s aunt, Consort Dowager Qi, was Zhu Yushen’s birth mother.
“My aunt said that before the great fire at Minghua Palace, His Majesty had already given instructions to secretly ensure His Majesty Jin’an’s safety. When the fire started, fortunately Lord Liu arrived in time and rescued His Majesty Jin’an.”
Hearing these words, Su Jin couldn’t help but be startled.
She had always thought that Liu Yun rescuing Zhu Nanxian was done on his own initiative, but listening to Qiling’s words, it seemed as if it was on Zhu Yushen’s orders, with other hidden circumstances involved.
“Did Her Ladyship the Consort Dowager tell Your Highness the Princess why His Majesty gave instructions to ensure His Majesty Jin’an’s safety?”
Qiling shook her head slightly: “Ruyu asked, but my aunt refused to elaborate, only saying that His Majesty was bound by a promise.”
Bound by a promise?
For Zhu Yushen, if Zhu Nanxian lived, it would be tantamount to an enormous threat. What kind of promise would make him preserve this Thirteenth Brother’s life, and besides Liu Yun, what other person could make Zhu Yushen keep a promise as precious as gold?
In Su Jin’s mind, a conjecture faintly emerged, but it was vague, indescribable. For the moment, she couldn’t distinguish it clearly, so she could only carefully file it away without showing any emotion.
Qiling sighed with a slight smile, saying softly: “Ruyu knows that His Majesty Jin’an has deep feelings for Lord Su, engraved in bone and heart. I imagine that if he’s still alive, no matter where in the world, he will definitely go to find you.”
Speaking to this point, she felt her lips were dry, lightly moistened them, then continued: “Although Ruyu knows His Majesty is still alive, after all it’s hearsay. Without seeing him alive, my heart always hangs suspended, unable to settle. Now I’m about to marry, and I fear this life will never see His Majesty again. I only wish that you could truthfully tell Ruyu whether His Majesty is well or not. Thus, even though Ruyu will be far away at the edge of the world, the latter half of my life can be at peace.”
The autumn rain continued ceaselessly, dampening Qiling’s lashes, crystalline like tears.
Su Jin looked at her, somehow also feeling melancholy. Perhaps it was the sorrow of seeing her own kind—she unexpectedly developed the tender feelings of thinking of her beloved whether walking or sitting.
“He is very well,” Su Jin said softly. “You can be at peace.”
Hearing these words, Qiling’s lashes trembled slightly, and the rain resting on them fell.
So she truly knew his whereabouts.
So after his narrow escape from death, he really had gone to seek her.
So back then when he alone ignited the fierce fire, burning up the palace and his life, it truly was for her.
Qiling thought, actually, several years ago, when Zhu Nanxian vowed never to establish an empress and enfeoffed her as a princess, her heart had already grown cold and discouraged.
But not until today, hearing Su Jin’s words “he is very well,” did she completely and thoroughly give up hope.
For an instant, she had a feeling of all thoughts turning to ash, as if heaven, earth, and all things were collapsing.
However, in the next instant, in her heart that had collapsed and was full of dust, a tiny bit of relief surged up.
It was this tiny bit of relief that salvaged her clarity, telling her that toward this woman before her eyes called Su Shiyu, she had been jealous, felt admiration, felt envy, shared sorrow, but all of this was in the past.
And from now on, it would truly be from this point forward.
Thinking this way, it actually seemed quite good.
Qiling looked back. The maid standing at the entrance of the corridor came up from afar and together with her bowed to Su Jin: “Thank you, Lord Su. I hope everything goes smoothly for you in the future.”
Su Jin returned the courtesy: “I also wish Your Highness the Princess peace and fulfillment in the future.” Then she stood with her hands behind her back, watching her leave.
Today the Grand Secretariat had an audience with the Emperor, to discuss in Jinshen Hall the matter of dispatching Imperial Guards to investigate the garrison field cases.
Su Jin had originally intended to arrive early, but encountered Qiling on the road and spoke with her for some time. By the time she reached Jinshen Hall, she was instead somewhat late. Fortunately, Yan Xiu and Zhai Di were extremely capable. Before the meeting began, they had already given the various ministers a general outline of the Imperial Censorate’s decisions and the number of Imperial Guards they wished to dispatch.
Investigating the garrison field cases was mainly the important business of the Imperial Censorate, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Grand Secretariat. At most, it would also involve the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Justice. When the assembled officials saw that the proposal came from Su Jin and the two Lords Shen and Liu, and even His Majesty didn’t say a single “no,” they all agreed one after another.
The meeting proceeded extremely smoothly. At the end, Zhu Yushen said to the Ministry of War: “Chen Jinsheng, go inform Qi Wujiu and have him designate someone to lead the Imperial Censorate to the Northern Great Camp to select people from the twelve Imperial Guard units.”
Chen Jinsheng acknowledged and, together with the group of Grand Secretariat officials, performed their respects to Zhu Yushen and withdrew from Jinshen Hall.
Su Jin followed everyone for a few steps, then remembered what Qiling had said earlier—that the reason Zhu Yushen had given instructions to preserve Zhu Nanxian was that he was bound by a promise.
For a moment, that confused and unclear thought floated up from her heart again.
It concerned Zhu Nanxian’s safety. She couldn’t let it go.
It wasn’t that she had to clarify and understand everything before she could be satisfied.
She raised her eyes to look at the figures walking ahead, and without caring that they were still walking on the terrace with palace attendants still leading the way, she called out: “Liu Yun, Qingyue, wait.”
However, when this call came out, all the assembled officials around them halted their steps.
The three Lords Shen, Liu, and Su controlled over half the great power in the court and were all top figures in the palace. It was strange—ordinarily people had seen Lords Shen and Su speaking privately, had seen Lords Shen and Liu discussing matters privately, and had seen Lords Liu and Su discoursing privately, but for these three to openly gather together was somewhat novel.
Perhaps the minds of these three lords were too keenly perceptive and transparent. When two met it was still manageable, but when three stood together, it was as if all the world’s hidden things should reveal their true forms, and all things in heaven and earth would have nowhere to hide.
Everyone had a curious heart, but they dared not linger too long. After a slight pause and bowing, they withdrew far away.
“There are some matters from the past I wish to inquire about,” Su Jin finally said.