Early the next morning, Jiang Ruan received an invitation from Princess He Yi, asking her to come sit at Mufeng Pavilion. When Bai Zhi came to deliver the invitation, she seemed somewhat uncertain and alarmed. Not knowing about what Jiang Ruan had Tianzhu do, she only thought Princess He Yi was planning some mischief and couldn’t help but remind her: “Miss, Princess He Yi seeking you out at this time surely has ulterior motives. Miss must not fall into her trap.”
Lian Qiao also nodded in agreement: “With so many eyes in the palace watching Miss closely now, we absolutely cannot have any incidents at this critical moment. Why don’t I go decline this invitation and say Miss is indisposed?”
“No need,” Jiang Ruan smiled slightly. “Just go help me prepare my clothes.”
Lian Qiao and Bai Zhi exchanged glances. Seeing that Jiang Ruan seemed to have a plan, they could only comply. Lu Zhu came over and said: “Miss, Princess He Yi isn’t already… could it be she actually wasn’t harmed?”
Dead people couldn’t possibly still send invitations. There were no ghosts or spirits in this world either. Unless Princess He Yi was still alive, how could this invitation appear out of nowhere?
“Impossible,” Jiang Ruan said. Yesterday Tianzhu had also inquired—Princess He Yi had returned to her chambers last evening and hadn’t even gone to Shufang Palace. Though Princess He Yi had done such a significant thing yesterday, she mentioned nothing of it. According to palace maids, Princess He Yi’s behavior yesterday was also somewhat strange, as if she didn’t want to talk much.
This way, it was very likely that the “Princess He Yi” who entered the chambers wasn’t the real Princess He Yi. This invitation was certainly sent by that “Princess He Yi”—though naturally, the person who truly wanted to invite her wasn’t that fake “Princess He Yi,” but whoever was behind this.
Since the invitation had been delivered to the Princess Palace, how could she not keep the appointment? It actually saved her much trouble. She raised her eyebrows and pulled a letter from her sleeve, handing it to Tianzhu: “It’s inconvenient for you to show yourself. Find an opportunity to deliver this letter to National Teacher Hui Jue.”
Tianzhu nodded. Jiang Ruan changed her clothes and had Bai Zhi and Lu Zhu accompany her to Mufeng Pavilion.
Though Mufeng Pavilion had excellent scenery, it was extremely close to the Cold Palace. Palace concubines usually avoided coming here, fearing they’d be tainted by misfortune. The eunuchs and palace maids had numerous daily duties and no leisure to appreciate beautiful scenery. Since the masters weren’t here, they naturally wouldn’t come either. Only Princess He Yi had always been quite fond of this place.
When Jiang Ruan reached the corridor of Mufeng Pavilion, she spotted a figure slumped over a table from afar. Judging by the clothing, it should indeed be Princess He Yi, with two maids beside her who were Princess He Yi’s personal attendants. Seeing this scene, Lu Zhu frowned, thinking Princess He Yi actually hadn’t died? Could Bai Zhi have guessed correctly—was she planning some wicked scheme to harm Jiang Ruan?
Bai Zhi was more observant than Lu Zhu. Her sharp eyes noticed something strange about Princess He Yi’s slumped posture, though she couldn’t pinpoint exactly what was odd. It was like a stuffed cotton doll—stiff in posture, even the lines of her shoulders moving very unnaturally. Bai Zhi stayed alert, somehow feeling inexplicably uneasy. She couldn’t help wanting to warn Jiang Ruan again, but saw Jiang Ruan walking toward Princess He Yi without blinking an eye.
She walked unhurriedly, seeming completely unaware this was something worth being cautious about, as if she were truly keeping an ordinary afternoon appointment with a friend.
Upon approaching, the two palace maids beside Princess He Yi both lowered their heads and called: “Princess Hong’an, long life.”
Jiang Ruan glanced indifferently at Princess He Yi. Only now that she was close could she see clearly—at the stone table, Princess He Yi had her face buried on the table as if asleep, her face invisible. The closer she got, the stronger the thick fragrance emanating from Princess He Yi became.
While palace noblewomen commonly used rouge, powder, and fragrant balm, the more precious the balm, the more emphasis was placed on subtlety. The fainter the scent, the more elegant it seemed. Princess He Yi’s fragrance being this strong was more like those of courtesans and entertainers.
Lu Zhu first looked at Princess He Yi with some confusion, then widened her eyes as if realizing something. Fearing the two palace maids would notice, she quickly lowered her head, her heart filled with overwhelming shock. Why would Princess He Yi use such strong fragrance? On an ordinary day, she certainly wouldn’t understand, but after hearing Jiang Ruan’s words yesterday, it now seemed like a breakthrough for her doubts. This fragrance was too strong, seeming less like adornment and more like concealing something.
Concealing what? It must be concealing the smell of blood and decay!
Lu Zhu’s heart jumped. A dead Princess He Yi sitting in this place, with someone using her name to send Jiang Ruan an invitation—what other purpose could there be? This was clearly a trap set for Jiang Ruan!
“Miss,” Lu Zhu called out urgently.
Jiang Ruan turned to look at her. The understanding and calmness in that gaze made Lu Zhu pause slightly. Somehow, that single look from Jiang Ruan swept away all her earlier anxiety, gradually calming her down. She thought her miss always had everything planned out—today’s events were probably already anticipated. Better to observe quietly and see how things developed.
Though Bai Zhi also didn’t understand what was happening, her instincts told her today’s invitation from Princess He Yi was inexplicably strange. But her nature was always more steady, so she simply watched Jiang Ruan closely without other wild speculations.
The two palace maids stood silently in place. Jiang Ruan raised her eyebrows and smiled slightly: “Has Princess He Yi fallen asleep?”
One of Princess He Yi’s personal attendants nodded: “Indeed. We servants dare not disturb the princess at will.”
“Then shall I wake her?” Jiang Ruan asked with an ambiguous smile. This somewhat inscrutable tone immediately made the two palace maids freeze, not expecting Jiang Ruan to agree so readily—it actually saved them trouble. But upon hearing Jiang Ruan’s tone, they somehow felt uneasy, as if being watched by someone. The two exchanged glances and both lowered their heads.
Jiang Ruan slowly extended her hand, placing it on Princess He Yi’s shoulder. At her touch, it was indeed completely stiff. A smile appeared at the corner of her lips as she suddenly pulled Princess He Yi backward.
With a “bang,” Princess He Yi tumbled from the stone stool, rolled on the ground, and lay face-up. Now it was clear—a delicate dagger was embedded in Princess He Yi’s abdomen, its blood fresh and bright, concealing the original traces. Princess He Yi’s eyes were wide open, her lips pale, clearly having been dead for some time.
Lu Zhu, having been mentally prepared, was only briefly startled, but Bai Zhi screamed in fright. Princess He Yi’s eyes happened to be facing Jiang Ruan, as if she had endured great pain and disbelief before death. Her eyes revealed venomous hatred and fear, looking like a vengeful ghost seeking lives.
“Princess!” the two palace maids cried out together, their expressions immediately changing. One pointed at Jiang Ruan and said: “You actually killed the princess!”
Jiang Ruan showed neither pleasure nor anger, saying calmly: “Oh, how do you figure that?”
From earlier until now, even when suddenly seeing Princess He Yi’s corpse, she hadn’t shown the slightest change in expression. Either she was extremely scheming or had already anticipated what would happen. Either way was quite frightening, yet Jiang Ruan’s nonchalant attitude made it even harder to fathom her depths. Though startled, the two palace maids could only continue their scripted performance with gritted teeth. One angrily said: “Princess Hong’an, how vicious your heart is! We two personally witnessed Princess Hong’an quarrel with Princess He Yi, and Princess Hong’an struck with deadly force. Even before His Majesty, Princess Hong’an is the murderer!”
“Personally witnessed?” Jiang Ruan chuckled softly. “You have two people, but I also have two people here. You personally witnessed me killing He Yi, but my two maids probably saw something quite different.”
After her initial fear, Bai Zhi had also recognized the situation. Hearing the palace maid blatantly lie to frame Jiang Ruan filled her with indignation. Hearing Jiang Ruan’s words, she immediately responded: “Exactly! How strange your words are, sisters. When our miss arrived, the princess was already dead.”
“Indeed so,” Lu Zhu said. “Both sisters have functioning mouths, and we have three pairs of functioning eyes here too.”
The palace maids hadn’t expected Jiang Ruan to remain so composed even now, even having the mood to engage in verbal sparring with them. For a moment they didn’t know what to say. Just then, a voice came from behind: “The princess truly has extraordinary courage, remaining calm and even jovial in the face of great danger. This prince also admires that.”
Jiang Ruan turned around to see someone approaching gracefully from the corridor, dressed as usual in simple brown clothes—none other than Fourth Prince Xuan Lang.
Though she hadn’t caught the person behind this, at least this trip wasn’t entirely fruitless. Jiang Ruan smiled slightly: “Fourth Prince.”
“Princess, now it’s not just two people anymore,” Xuan Lang smiled very warmly and kindly, with several degrees of genuine pleasure from his heart. “This prince also personally witnessed the princess’s act of violence. Even if the two palace maids’ words don’t carry enough weight, I wonder if this prince’s testimony counts?”
Lu Zhu and Bai Zhi both glared hatefully at Xuan Lang. Even the most unfavored prince in the palace had status and position. If Xuan Lang truly came forward to testify, Jiang Ruan would be completely at a disadvantage. Especially now when Jiang Xinzhi’s whereabouts were unknown, many in court were watching Jiang Ruan’s every move, eager for her to make mistakes. If she were truly branded with this crime, everyone would step on her, making it very difficult for Jiang Ruan to stand up again.
“Fourth Prince might as well speak plainly,” Jiang Ruan sighed. “Going around in circles like this is truly exhausting.”
Xuan Lang nodded: “This prince thinks the same way. This prince believes the princess acted only on momentary impulse, not intentionally. In fact, Eighth Brother has long admired the princess. Since the princess is Eighth Brother’s beloved, this prince won’t make things too difficult for the princess.”
Jiang Ruan said nothing, only quietly watching Xuan Lang with a smile. Since she didn’t respond to his words, Xuan Lang appeared somewhat awkward, though he wasn’t truly as fragile as his surface reputation suggested. In certain matters, Xuan Lang was more persistent than Jiang Dan and much more shameless. Even after receiving Jiang Ruan’s cold treatment, he continued regardless: “Though this matter has developed to this point, it’s not entirely hopeless. If we speak of who in this palace could protect the princess, it would only be Eighth Brother. If the princess could gain Eighth Brother’s protection, resolving this matter perfectly wouldn’t be difficult.”
“How would it be resolved?” Jiang Ruan looked at her fingertips, her expression unchanged. Seeing this, Xuan Lang’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.
After a pause, he said: “At least Eighth Brother could find a way to cover this matter up, ensuring the princess suffers no grievance.”
Jiang Ruan seemed finally somewhat impatient, asking: “Eighth Prince and I have only a passing acquaintance. How could I gain his protection?”
“Princess mustn’t say such things,” Xuan Lang’s face brightened as he immediately began speaking eloquently. “The princess is Eighth Brother’s beloved. It’s just that with Deputy General Jiang’s whereabouts unknown at the border, the princess’s days in the palace are somewhat precarious. One careless mistake and countless eyes are watching. To truly gain Eighth Brother’s protection, only by entering Eighth Brother’s residence would it be a lasting solution.”
Having said all this, Xuan Lang couldn’t help but clench his fist, feeling somewhat nervous.
Xuan Lang’s suggestion to Xuan Li was quite clever. He knew Xuan Li had developed feelings for Jiang Ruan, yet somehow Jiang Ruan treated Xuan Li like a venomous snake. The recent matter of Xiao Shao requesting the emperor’s marriage decree was like a thorn piercing Xuan Li’s heart. Having followed Xuan Li for so long, Xuan Lang understood some of Xuan Li’s thoughts clearly.
For instance, now—if they could use this matter to control Jiang Ruan and make her marry Xuan Li, it would absolutely please Xuan Li more than finding a scapegoat to give Princess He Yi’s death another explanation. If this succeeded, Xuan Li would surely credit him with merit, and when great things were accomplished in the future, he would have more leverage.
But while Xuan Lang could predict other things, he repeatedly couldn’t gauge Jiang Ruan’s attitude accurately. Using ordinary methods would certainly not work—only threatening with Princess He Yi’s life and Jiang Xinzhi’s safety would suffice. In Xuan Lang’s view, Jiang Ruan’s refusal to choose Xuan Li was because she had a better choice in Xiao Shao. But when it threatened her own interests, she had no other options. Women were all the same—no matter how capable a woman was, at certain times she could only show weakness and beg for mercy, just like Princess He Yi had done.
Jiang Ruan asked indifferently: “Eighth Prince arranged such an elaborate performance just to force a marriage? He truly thinks too highly of me.”
Bai Zhi and Lu Zhu were already indignant in their hearts, not expecting Xuan Li to do such despicable things for his selfish desires, actually splashing such dirty water on Jiang Ruan. But a princess’s death was no small matter in any case.
“Princess must not belittle herself,” Xuan Lang smiled. “In Eighth Brother’s heart, no one is more precious than the princess.”
Jiang Ruan paused slightly. Xuan Li had often said these words in her previous life. At that time, living in the deep palace where she couldn’t see daylight, sometimes facing Xuan Li’s considerate attention, she would feel inferior. Xuan Li often said: “You need not look down on yourself like this. In my heart, no one is more precious than you.”
Now hearing these words from Xuan Lang’s mouth, Jiang Ruan only felt irony. In this life, Jiang Ruan hadn’t looked down on herself, but Xuan Li had overestimated his own position in her heart. In her heart, Xuan Li was a stinking bug and maggot—disgusting no matter how she looked at him.
“Fourth Prince is skilled at sweet talk,” Jiang Ruan smiled slightly, “but I wonder if being someone else’s dog for so long, he’s only learned to say pleasant things.”
“You—” Xuan Lang’s expression changed, truly not understanding why Jiang Ruan, who had been fine just moments ago, suddenly turned hostile. These words were too harsh, striking directly at Xuan Lang’s soft spots. If not for Jiang Ruan’s status, Xuan Lang would have almost been unable to restrain himself from violence. Perhaps because Xuan Lang felt his prospects following Xuan Li were bright, he had become somewhat arrogant. Otherwise, in the past, hearing Jiang Ruan say such things would have been met with only a weak smile to brush it off. Now it was different—though perhaps it was also because he had already killed Princess He Yi. Once the dark side of human nature was unleashed, trying to rein it back in was extremely difficult.
Xuan Lang’s face was iron-blue as he said to Jiang Ruan: “This prince offered kindness, yet the princess responds with harsh words. It’s truly regrettable.”
“You need not feel regret,” Jiang Ruan glanced carelessly at the corpse on the ground. “Even if you want to say I killed this person, it doesn’t matter. However, I will not marry Xuan Li.”
“What did you say?” Xuan Lang looked at her incredulously. “Do you know what your words represent?”
“I’m all ears,” Jiang Ruan assumed a posture of respectful listening, though her smile looked entirely mocking to Xuan Lang.
“Today, before everyone’s eyes, you killed Princess He Yi—that’s a grave crime. Princess He Yi was Father Emperor’s most beloved daughter, while you’re merely a princess belatedly enfeoffed from the Minister’s residence. How could Father Emperor favor you? Even Imperial Grandmother cannot protect you this time. With Deputy General Jiang having troubles at the border, and you killing Princess He Yi at this time, do you know what the court will say?” Xuan Lang’s voice carried several degrees of intimidation: “They’ll say you and Jiang Xinzhi long harbored rebellious hearts, coordinating from within and without, wanting to trample on imperial dignity and sell Great Jin’s territory! You might enter the great prison alive, but you won’t come out alive!”
These words turned both Lu Zhu’s and Bai Zhi’s faces pale. Though they secretly hated Xuan Lang’s shamelessness, they had to admit everything Xuan Lang said was correct. Once Jiang Ruan was branded with the crime of murdering Princess He Yi, escaping this matter unscathed would be very difficult.
“Thank you for Fourth Prince’s guidance,” Jiang Ruan seemed completely oblivious to Xuan Lang’s words, only nodding lightly. “It truly opened my eyes.”
“Having reached this point, you still won’t change your mind?” Xuan Lang had shifted from disbelief to mockery, thinking Jiang Ruan was insane. In his view, choosing the other path meant choosing the road to hell. For Jiang Ruan to prefer death over marrying Xuan Li, her brain must be damaged.
“Fourth Prince, do whatever you wish—send me to prison or file an imperial complaint. In any case, I cannot possibly marry Xuan Li.” She said: “I already told you before—what makes you think I would change my mind?”
Xuan Lang looked at Jiang Ruan for a long moment before finally saying: “Can you tell me one thing—why are you unwilling to marry Eighth Brother? Do you two have some grudge?”
“Perhaps it’s enmity from a previous life,” Jiang Ruan said indifferently. “What’s important is that it’s too disgusting.”
“Disgusting?” Xuan Lang was stunned.
“Yes. Disgusting.”