Li Bingsheng’s decision to offer Cheng Huaili a graceful way down came because of Song Juqing in Yunzhou.

Song Juqing’s forces were too strong, and he would be returning to the capital before long. If her own people truly couldn’t stop him, the situation in Shangjing would become very difficult to manage.

Sitting down to negotiate now was an opportunity for both her and Cheng Huaili.

Li Bingsheng had been somewhat worried at first that Chen Baoxiang’s enmity ran too deep and she might refuse to cooperate.

But after hearing back from Hua Lingyin, Li Bingsheng’s brow smoothed.

Chen Baoxiang was someone who had only recently come into her orbit. The two of them had spent little time together, and the trust between them was nowhere near as deep as the bond she had with her older ministers. She had occasionally harbored wariness toward her.

But she was truly dependable — capable of handling any task she was given, impervious to the new Emperor’s attempts to win her over, willing to suppress even a blood-soaked vendetta and accompany her to this banquet, and she hadn’t come to demand a single explanation.

What a fine young person.

·

The original plan for the reconciliation banquet had Li Bingsheng presiding in the seat of honor, with Chen Baoxiang and Cheng Huaili on either side.

But when the banquet began and Chen Baoxiang stepped into Qingyun Pavilion, she found the long table divided into two sides, with Li Bingsheng already seated comfortably on one side, beckoning to her: “Come, sit here.”

Chen Baoxiang dutifully sat down beside her.

Cheng Huaili had already taken his seat on the other side. When he saw her arrive, he shed his earlier hostility completely and actually smiled at her of his own accord: “Last time I didn’t get a proper look at you. You’ve grown this big already?”

“Last time I didn’t get a proper look at you either, General.” Chen Baoxiang smiled mildly. “You’re already down a leg?”

“……” The smile on Cheng Huaili’s face cracked open.

“Baoxiang, this child — she just has a way with words.” The Princess Imperial stepped in to smooth things over. “Her heart is good though.”

Chen Baoxiang cooperated by producing a kind and virtuous expression.

Looking at the two of them, Cheng Huaili obviously didn’t believe a word of it — but the fact that he was sitting here today clearly meant he wanted something, and so no matter how irritated he was, he had to maintain appearances. He even went so far as to say: “There has been some misunderstanding between Commandant Chen and me.”

Li Bingsheng nodded with satisfaction and began chatting with him about recent court affairs, then moved on to the drought problems near Yunzhou.

Chen Baoxiang was well aware that she was merely the pretext for this gathering — so she simply played mute and listened to the two of them talk.

The two of them pushed and parried, all circling and maneuvering, and after a long while there was still no result.

A whole table of fine dishes and delicacies, and neither of them was willing to lift their chopsticks.

She quietly pinched a piece of duck and began to eat.

She was just happily eating when Cheng Huaili suddenly said: “When it comes down to it, we are all family. As her father, how could I actually mean her any harm?”

Chen Baoxiang stopped chewing.

Li Bingsheng stopped fanning herself.

Both of them looked across the table at once. Cheng Huaili met Chen Baoxiang’s gaze steadily: “How much longer do you intend to hide this from Her Highness?”

“Pardon?”

“I could see at a glance that you are the child of Chen Yuan’er and me. Weren’t you looking for me precisely because of her?” Cheng Huaili shook his head with a wistful expression.

“……”

A wave of nausea rose unstoppably in her throat.

How did he have the face to say something like this.

“What General Cheng means to say,” Chen Baoxiang said with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes, “is that you had already taken this woman called Chen Yuan’er as a wife before you wed the Princess Shouang? That would be deceiving the Emperor, would it not?”

“There were no three letters and no six rites — no formal marriage was ever conducted — so naturally it does not count as a wife, and certainly not as deceiving the Emperor.” He looked at her and smiled slightly. “For someone of my standing, it is entirely natural that women would be drawn to attach themselves to me.”

“……” The hand hidden inside her sleeve clenched tighter.

“Oh?” Li Bingsheng, having collected herself, intoned: “And how did this come about — are the two of you father and daughter?”

“Yes.”

“No.”

Both answered at once, to entirely opposite effect.

Chen Baoxiang slapped the table and rose to her feet: “I had thought General Cheng was at least a man of some standing. I never imagined that with Her Highness showing such goodwill in mediating, you would stoop to such underhanded tactics to drive a wedge between us. If I were truly your daughter, why did you try to kill me before the Emperor?”

Cheng Huaili had his answer ready: “At the time I was having an episode of illness, and mistook you for a would-be assassin who had come for me before.”

“Then might I ask, General — where on my body is the birthmark?”

“……” He averted his eyes. “I never laid eyes on you from the moment you were born, so naturally I would have no knowledge of any birthmark.”

“Now that is quite amusing.” Chen Baoxiang let out a short, cold laugh. “Never saw me, never raised me, never registered my name in a household contract — and now with just two lips flapping together you expect to call yourself my father?”

Li Bingsheng also found it absurd: “For something this significant, there ought to be at least a witness. Is the midwife from that time still around, or something of that nature?”

Cheng Huaili shook his head: “All dead. Every one of them.”

“Well, then it’s not for me to say otherwise.” Li Bingsheng kept shaking her head. “When Li Shu wrongly claimed a father, at least he got an imperial throne out of the deal. General, you are rushing to make yourself Commandant Chen’s father — what benefit does she get out of that?”

These words were all but pointing at the new Emperor’s nose and cursing him outright. Cheng Huaili was beginning to feel he could no longer remain seated.

He turned his wheelchair and fixed Chen Baoxiang with a long, penetrating look: “The grievances between you and me need not involve Her Highness any further. There was no need for this reconciliation wine in the first place.”

“Your Highness — that matter you raised just now, I will shortly have someone deliver my answer.”

With that, he led his people and left.

A cold draft swept through Qingyun Pavilion. Chen Baoxiang watched his retreating figure, trembling with fury: “That despicable wretch — sticking a chicken feather in the ground and trying to be my father out of thin air.”

Li Bingsheng had been lost in thought, and nearly choked when she heard that.

“Your Highness, you don’t actually believe what he said, do you?” She turned to face her with complete earnestness. “My father died long ago.”

“I know.” Li Bingsheng sighed. “But that move of his is quite vicious all the same. Anyone who heard it would have to go verify it.”

If Chen Baoxiang had no connection to Cheng Huaili, that was naturally the best outcome — but if they truly were father and daughter, then things would become enormously complicated. Li Bingsheng would have to reconsider this young person she so admired, and examine exactly what had brought her into her own circle.

She couldn’t be blamed for her heavy suspicion — after all, the poison that had been fed to her all those years ago had been poured by the handmaid she had trusted most.

Chen Baoxiang let her head droop.

She looked up with grievance reddening her eyes: “If, after the investigation, it turns out I was wrongly suspected — Your Highness will continue to hold me in regard?”

“Of course.”

“Then let Your Highness investigate.” She sniffled. “I have nothing to fear from an investigation.”

Li Bingsheng found herself softening a little at the sight of her: “Don’t worry — investigating is someone else’s job. You may continue as Patrol Commandant.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Chen Baoxiang bowed with proper decorum, then retreated with all the dejected air of someone gravely wronged.

The moment she stepped out of Leyou Plain, her eyes returned to their usual cold calm.

“Senior Sister Huaizhu.”

“Hm?”

“Have Fenghua and Wang Wu gather the others at the drill ground.” Chen Baoxiang said. “We’re going to have a hard fight on our hands very soon.”