Chapter 1: Wedding Wine of Poison

February was precisely the season of alternating warmth and cold. The previous two days had been sunny with gentle breezes, but on this day, snow fell in flurries, and the weather suddenly turned cold.

This snowfall caught the citizens of Yu Capital completely off guard, and there was one matter that, like this sudden snow, was equally unexpected.

That was the current Left Prime Minister Ji Fengli’s marriage to the daughter of Marquis Pingxi Hua Mu.

From the perspective of family status, this marriage was well-matched, and being an imperial decree of marriage, it should have been a celebrated affair in the imperial capital. However, in the eyes of Yu Capital’s citizens, the man and woman involved seemed too disparate.

Left Prime Minister Ji Fengli—when his name was mentioned, almost no one in the Southern Dynasty was unaware of him. He was practically a legendary existence.

At fifteen, he achieved first place in the imperial examinations, entering the court at a young age. In the following four years, he maneuvered through the court, establishing achievements and cultivating virtue. With his shocking talent, he finally became a first-rank prime minister at nineteen, becoming the youngest imperial minister in Southern Dynasty history.

He possessed not only extraordinary talent but also unparalleled beauty, known in the imperial capital as the foremost young gentleman. Most remarkably, though his power dominated the court, he was very close to the people. In his three years in office, he had accomplished many beneficial deeds for the populace, earning deep affection from the citizens. Moreover, he was said to be handsome, gentle, elegant, and devoted—the ideal lover for unmarried women throughout Yu Capital and the entire Southern Dynasty.

Now this ideal lover was about to become someone’s exclusive beloved, breaking countless feminine hearts. Though everyone knew they were unworthy of Prime Minister Ji, if he had married a suitable woman, their hearts might have felt better, generating feelings of graceful acceptance. However, he was marrying the daughter of Marquis Pingxi Hua Mu.

In Yu Capital, any young lady of noble family with some talent and beauty had a certain reputation. For example, the most renowned was Physician Wen’s daughter Wen Wan. She was called the capital’s finest woman, not only devastatingly beautiful but also exceptional in poetry and painting. Third Princess Huangfu Yan in the deep palace loved playing the qin and possessed superior qin skills. There was also the daughter of the Personnel Vice Minister, An’Rong, whose appearance couldn’t match Wen Wan’s, but who had skillful hands—her embroidery was famous throughout the capital.

There were many notable talented ladies from noble families in the capital—common people could name ten in one breath. However, regarding General Hua Mu’s daughter Miss Hua, people couldn’t even say her given name, let alone rank her.

Such a woman, lacking talent, beauty, or virtue—utterly mediocre—was ill-matched with the Left Prime Minister whose talent and appearance were unparalleled under heaven. Even heaven seemed to feel this was unfair, timely sending this snow.

However, no amount of snow could prevent this joyous occasion from proceeding. On the first day of the second month, Miss Hua was carried in an eight-bearer sedan chair to the Ji residence.

Night fell, and large snowflakes began drifting again.

Hua Zhuyu sat upright on newly laid bright red brocade bedding. She raised her newly painted henna-tinted fingers and lifted the red wedding veil embroidered with mandarin ducks playing in water that hung before her eyes. Before her were red bed curtains, red happiness characters, and bright red dragon-phoenix wedding candles—everything proclaimed that she had become a new bride.

In the end, she still couldn’t escape!

She had thought she’d avoided it, yet still encountered another arranged marriage. However, she held some anticipation for this husband she had never met.

The distant sound of footsteps came from outside the door. Her dowry maid Taose anxiously gestured for Hua Zhuyu to replace the red wedding veil. Seeing Taose’s nervous appearance, a light smile bloomed at Hua Zhuyu’s lips. She had just placed her finger to lower the red veil when the brocade curtain at the room’s entrance was lifted, and a blast of bitter cold air rushed in.

“Everyone withdraw!” An elegant voice spoke, its tone as light as warm wind, conveying the speaker’s composed grace. Taose had already lowered her head, softly calling “Your Excellency, good fortune,” then withdrew along with several maidservants who had just entered.

Through the bright red veil, Hua Zhuyu didn’t know what Ji Fengli was doing. For a long time, he never came to lift her veil.

The prolonged silence left Hua Zhuyu very puzzled.

After a long while, there was finally a sound in the room—the clear sound of mellow wine being poured from a pot into a cup.

A slender hand holding a wine cup was extended before Hua Zhuyu.

The cup was made of crystal glass, flawlessly transparent. The wine was deep red, like rouge on a beauty’s cheek, very vivid. She didn’t know what kind of wine it was—Hua Zhuyu had never drunk it before. However, the wedding wine prepared by the Left Prime Minister’s residence would certainly not be inferior wine, as evidenced by the intoxicating wine fragrance.

Hua Zhuyu took the wine cup. The two crossed wrists and drank it all in one gulp.

The fine wine initially tasted bland upon entering her mouth, then revealed a hint of crisp sweetness with light mellow fragrance—indeed it was good wine. She was about to hand the wine cup to Ji Fengli when it slipped from her hand, crashing onto the white jade floor and shattering into pieces of various sizes, each fragment gleaming with cold light.

Hua Zhuyu frowned and lowered her eyelashes, looking at her suddenly powerless hand. The fingernails painted with henna gleamed with cold beauty under the candlelight, seeming to mock this hand that couldn’t even hold a small wine cup.

Was it a drug? Or poison?

Just moments ago, she had been praising in her heart how sweet and crisp this wedding wine was—much more fragrant and mellow than the burning liquor she’d drunk before. This was the fine wine that boudoir ladies should drink. She never expected it to be a cup of poisoned wine.

She had only returned to the capital a few days ago and had only enjoyed peaceful days briefly—had her vigilance deteriorated to such an extent? However, what new bride would think there was poison in the wedding wine on her wedding night?

The red wedding veil embroidered with mandarin ducks playing in water still covered her head. She wanted to see if Ji Fengli had also been poisoned, but raising her eyes, she could only see the beaded golden thread tassels hanging from the mandarin duck veil trembling slightly—she could see nothing else. At this moment, she couldn’t even lift this thin red wedding veil.

All her strength was suddenly drained away. Unable to stand, she slowly collapsed along the edge of the bed onto the floor.

In the past, no matter how potent the poison in a cup of poisoned wine, she wouldn’t have been brought down so easily. However, her current self had no internal energy and was no different from an ordinary person.

Since returning to the capital, Father had sealed her internal energy to prevent her from causing trouble in the capital. Actually, she knew in her heart that Father feared she would be unwilling to marry Ji Fengli and would defy the imperial decree by escaping.

Father didn’t know that in her heart, she held some admiration for this young Left Prime Minister. Because Ji Fengli was different from the noble sons in the capital who relied on their families’ protection to hold office at court. He was a scholar from a humble family, relying only on himself.

“Someone come!” Ji Fengli’s voice sounded overhead, still that same tone light as warm wind, but this time Hua Zhuyu heard the sharp edge rippling within it.

Clearly, Ji Fengli had not been poisoned!

Hua Zhuyu smiled, the smile slowly blooming at the corners of her lips, cold and secluded like a crystalline ice flower.

She should have thought of it earlier. Who was Ji Fengli? The power-holding prime minister of the Celestial Dynasty, second only to the emperor. Where in this world was there someone who could poison under his very nose—except for Ji Fengli himself.

A maidservant carefully entered and swept away the scattered crystal cup fragments on the floor. One shard had pierced her knee, which the maidservant didn’t notice.

That sharp pain spread through her knee, the stabbing sensation reminding her that none of this was a dream.

“Why?” Hua Zhuyu asked coldly.

Why was he treating her this way? Even if he regretted the marriage, it wouldn’t be necessary to poison her, would it?

She couldn’t understand!

Was this the ideal lover in the hearts of Yu Capital’s women? She didn’t hear his answer, only felt two burning gazes falling upon her, sharp and profound.

A heart-stirring feeling surged in Hua Zhuyu’s heart. A person with such sharp eyes—his existence was impossible to ignore.

The man’s slender hand slowly reached over, his fingertips grasping a corner of the bright red wedding veil, seeming to want to lift the veil. A trace of light fragrance followed the wind stirred by his sleeves, faint and elusive. However, his fingers paused while holding the veil, then suddenly withdrew.

He didn’t lift her veil—perhaps he simply didn’t want to see her!

“Why ask? A crystal cup wouldn’t ask why you dropped it!” The voice, calm as water, was like a cold wind in spring, scattering fallen petals across the ground.

Naturally, a crystal cup wouldn’t ask, because it was an object.

Could it be that in his eyes, she was the same as a crystal cup—even if shattered to pieces, there was no need to ask why? Or perhaps in his eyes, she wasn’t even worth as much as that crystal cup?

Hua Zhuyu’s eyelashes trembled slightly as a cold smile formed at her lips. No one spoke again. In the rare silence, careful footsteps came from outside.

“Your Excellency, Eunuch Chang from the palace has come to announce an imperial decree,” a maidservant reported softly outside the door.

“Set up the incense table—receive the decree here!” Ji Fengli said lightly.

The maidservants hurriedly set up an incense table in the bridal chamber.

Soon, the brocade curtain was lifted. Amid complex footsteps, an elderly eunuch’s sharp voice rang out: “Hua Zhuyu, receive the imperial decree!”

Two maidservants supported Hua Zhuyu as she knelt before the incense table. Eunuch Chang began reading the imperial decree.

Hua Zhuyu never imagined that this imperial decree was actually for her. No wonder Ji Fengli had the incense table set up here. After the wedding ceremony during the day, he had hurriedly left, reportedly going to the palace. He should have known this decree was for her—perhaps he had even requested it.

The meaning of the imperial decree was simple: it conferred upon her, Hua Zhuyu, the title of Princess Muyun and commanded her to marry far away to the Northern Dynasty for a political alliance.

A political marriage? If she remembered correctly, the one supposed to go to the Northern Dynasty for political marriage was Physician Wen’s daughter, Wen Wan.

Since the Southern Dynasty’s victory over Western Liang, the Southern Dynasty’s power had grown increasingly strong among the nations. Both Eastern Yan and the Northern Dynasty had sent envoys to establish friendly relations.

A few days ago, the Northern Dynasty’s Prince Xian had come to seek a bride for their crown prince—whoever married would become the crown princess. However, no one was willing to go for the political marriage.

The reason was simple: the Northern Dynasty, located in the northern lands, had an extremely harsh climate unsuitable for Southern Dynasty women. In the previous dynasty, there had been a princess who went to the Northern Dynasty for political marriage. Unable to adapt to the cold climate there, she fell ill within a few years and died young. Therefore, the emperor couldn’t bear to have his only daughter, Princess Huangfu Yan, marry into the frontier to suffer, so he agreed to select one from among the officials’ daughters.

The Northern Dynasty’s envoys had portraits painted of the most renowned young ladies in the imperial capital and sent them by fast horse to the Northern Dynasty. Finally, the Northern Dynasty’s crown prince chose Physician Wen’s daughter, Wen Wan.

Though Wen Wan was unwilling, imperial commands could not be disobeyed. It was said that the Ministry of Rites had already dispatched two hundred elite soldiers who would depart tomorrow morning with the Northern Dynasty envoys to escort Wen Wan to the Northern Dynasty. Yet now, the emperor had suddenly issued a decree ordering her to go to the Northern Dynasty for political marriage.

This old emperor seemed to have forgotten that she had just married according to his decree, yet his imperial decree made no mention of this, only addressing her as Miss Hua.

Miss Hua?!

Turning his hand to make clouds, overturning it to make rain—covering the sky with one hand, doing whatever he pleased.

This was the emperor!

When the imperial decree finished being read, Eunuch Chang held the decree and said arrogantly: “Please, Miss Hua, receive the decree!”

Hua Zhuyu knelt without moving and said nothing!

Deathly silence filled the room.

“Please, Miss Hua, receive the decree!” Eunuch Chang raised his voice and called again.

If possible, Hua Zhuyu still wouldn’t move. However, the two maidservants supporting her forcibly lifted her up and grabbed her hands to receive the bright yellow imperial decree.

For the first time in her life, she felt the powerlessness of being “meat on the chopping block.” For the first time in her life, she felt the humiliation of being manipulated by others.

“Wait!” she said leisurely. Her voice wasn’t loud and her tone was light, yet everyone could hear the trace of icy killing intent hidden in that calm voice.

The two maidservants supporting Hua Zhuyu couldn’t help but tremble, feeling that the person before them inexplicably inspired fear.

“What else does Miss Hua have to say? Do you intend to defy the imperial decree?” Eunuch Chang asked with displeasure.

If she could, she truly wanted to defy the decree. But Hua Zhuyu knew she absolutely couldn’t do so. Her father, Marquis Pingxi Hua Mu, was utterly loyal to the court. If she defied and disobeyed the decree, the first person to execute her wouldn’t be someone else—it would be her father. Perhaps it was because of this foolish loyalty that Emperor Yan treated their Hua family this way. Despite Hua Mu’s countless military achievements on the frontier, Emperor Yan still used frontier instability as an excuse to prevent him from returning to the capital for ten years. This time, he had decisively defeated Western Liang, forcing Western Liang to surrender five excellent cities for peace. There were so many memorials requesting merit and rewards for their Hua family that Emperor Yan had no choice but to allow Father to return to the capital for recognition. He conferred upon Father the title of Marquis Pingxi and arranged an enviable marriage for her, his nameless, talentless, and virtue-less daughter.

But now Emperor Yan was ordering her to go for political marriage—there must be complications involved, though she had no way of knowing them. However, sooner or later, she would investigate clearly. For the present matter, she still needed to see Father before making decisions. However, for her to receive this decree wasn’t going to be so easy.

Hua Zhuyu steadied her mind and said lightly: “Eunuch Chang, this subject’s daughter is no longer Miss Hua but Madam Ji. I truly don’t know whether to receive this decree or not. This subject’s daughter’s marriage to Prime Minister Ji was also His Majesty’s decree. If I receive this decree, wouldn’t I be defying His Majesty’s previous decree? This subject’s daughter truly doesn’t know what to do.”

Eunuch Chang, who was announcing the decree, was stumped by her words. He hadn’t expected Hua Zhuyu to say this. The arranged marriage was indeed the emperor’s decree, and now he was issuing another decree for political marriage. The emperor should have first issued a decree nullifying the arranged marriage, but the emperor seemed to have overlooked this as well.

Eunuch Chang was somewhat troubled, hesitating whether he needed to return to the palace to request another decree, but that would certainly make the emperor blame him for incompetence. This palace schemer immediately turned his gaze to Ji Fengli, his eyes and brows full of ingratiating smiles as he carefully asked: “Your Excellency, what do you think…”

“Bring this minister’s writing materials,” Ji Fengli’s voice drifted over lightly.

A maidservant quickly went out and soon returned carrying writing materials. She cleared a table that had been filled with pastries, spread out paper, and handed the brush to Ji Fengli.

Ji Fengli took the brush, dipped it in ink, and wrote with flowing strokes across the paper. Soon, the paper was filled with ink characters.

The maidservant took the paper with ink still wet, gently blew on it, and handed it to Hua Zhuyu.

Snow-white paper, ink-black characters. The calligraphy was bold and flowing, free and elegant—Hua Zhuyu greatly appreciated it. It was just unfortunate that this was a divorce document.

Hua Zhuyu looked at the large characters “Divorce Document” before her eyes. A cold smile rippled from the corners of her lips as a trace of desolation flashed through her proud eyes. Life was truly unpredictable—she never thought that one day she, Hua Zhuyu, would receive a divorce document.

This Ji Fengli was truly worthy of being the prime minister who had deeply won the emperor’s heart.

By writing this divorce document, this matter became Ji Fengli first divorcing her, then the emperor issuing a decree for her political marriage. The emperor didn’t need to nullify his previous decree, and no one could say the emperor was fickle.

“Worthy of being Prime Minister Ji—this calligraphy is truly beautiful. Hua Zhuyu is honored to receive Prime Minister Ji’s masterpiece and will definitely treasure and preserve it,” she said lazily, her tone full of admiration without a trace of artifice, as if she truly loved Ji Fengli’s calligraphy.

Everyone in the room was astonished. By rights, tonight’s events, placed upon any woman, would result in either tearful weeping or furious hysteria. Yet Hua Zhuyu neither cried nor raged, nor even showed a trace of resentment.

Was this woman addled? How could she be so composed?

“Please trouble these two sisters to help Hua Zhuyu receive the imperial decree. Hua Zhuyu thanks you first,” Hua Zhuyu smiled at the maidservants beside her.

The maidservants took the imperial decree from Eunuch Chang’s hands and pressed it into Hua Zhuyu’s embrace.

“Tonight, please have Princess Muyun temporarily reside in the palace. Tomorrow morning, the Northern Dynasty’s envoys will come to the palace to receive the princess,” Eunuch Chang announced loudly. He changed his form of address quite quickly, now calling Hua Zhuyu Princess Muyun.

Hua Zhuyu, carrying the divorce document and the political marriage decree, was supported by several palace maids as she left the room. She still wore the wedding veil on her head—she couldn’t move herself, and no one lifted her veil for her. Even if she could move, she wouldn’t lift it. She didn’t want to see a single person in this room.

Outside, snowflakes continued falling. The red wedding veil was occasionally blown by the wind, allowing Hua Zhuyu to glimpse the bright red lanterns in the courtyard, the bright red happiness characters, and the trees draped in red decorations. However, she could no longer feel any trace of joy—instead, that red color seemed as jarring as blood.

Hua Zhuyu took a deep breath. The sharp air rushed into her lungs, so cold it chilled her heart.

This was her wedding night—a night she would remember for life!

Sitting in the sedan chair, she felt the stabbing pain in her knee gradually fade as the drug’s effects became more domineering, and she drowsily sank into darkness.

When Hua Zhuyu awoke, she found herself in a luxurious and magnificent sleeping chamber, knowing she was now in the palace. She hoped that everything from last night had been an absurd dream, but it had actually been real.

She tried to sit up, but her entire body still couldn’t summon any strength. Apart from weakness, she detected no other painful symptoms. It seemed Ji Fengli had given her something like muscle-relaxing powder, probably to prevent her from making a scene about being unwilling to go for political marriage. Speaking of it, Ji Fengli was truly a person of thorough consideration.

“Miss, you’ve finally awakened—you slept through the entire night,” Taose leaned over and grasped Hua Zhuyu’s hand. She had obviously been crying, her eyes so red and swollen it was heartbreaking.

“Why cry? I’m fine—I just slept for a while,” Hua Zhuyu smiled comfortingly.

“What exactly is going on? Miss, why does His Majesty want you to go for political marriage again? Isn’t Wen Wan the one going for political marriage?” Taose asked chokingly.

“Political marriage isn’t as terrible as you imagine. Perhaps it’s better than being some prime minister’s first-rank wife. Stop crying—this is the palace, not a place for sadness! Help me up,” Hua Zhuyu said softly.

“Miss, are you really all right?” Taose wiped her tears and carefully helped Hua Zhuyu sit up.

“Taose, have you heard any news about the Marquis?” Hua Zhuyu asked quietly.

Taose shook her head. “Information is very restricted in this palace—this slave couldn’t find out anything.”

Hua Zhuyu lowered her head in thought. What she was concerned about now was her father and grandmother—she wondered how they would react upon hearing the news of her political marriage.

A little palace maid outside announced: “Reporting to Princess Muyun, Aunt Qingluo requests an audience.”

Hua Zhuyu didn’t know who Qingluo was, but she didn’t want to reveal her appearance right now. She quietly instructed Taose to paint a large patch of dark blue on her left cheek that looked like a birthmark. Taose’s disguise skills were quite good.

“Please let her in!” Hua Zhuyu leaned against the brocade quilt and said. This title of Princess Muyun really sounded awkward. She wondered what imperial decree this Aunt Qingluo was carrying.

Light footsteps approached, and a woman came around from behind the screen.

She wore plain palace robes and wasn’t very old—about thirty-something. Her features were proper, but her expression was somewhat cold, giving people a feeling of distance.

“This slave pays respects to Princess Muyun.” Qingluo glanced at Hua Zhuyu and then knelt down.

“Aunt need not be overly polite. Please speak if you have business!” Hua Zhuyu said lightly.

“This slave was ordered to dress the princess. Prince Xian of the Northern Dynasty has already come to receive the princess. His Majesty has ordered that after the princess is dressed, she should depart immediately,” Qingluo glanced at Hua Zhuyu’s face and said indifferently.

“The makeup on my face is also a new bride’s makeup. There’s no need to redo it—this is quite good,” Hua Zhuyu smiled lightly, the black birthmark becoming even more hideous in her smile.

Yesterday, Grandmother had asked the residence’s most skilled makeup artist, Qiuniang, to do her makeup, dressing her like a fairy until even she almost didn’t recognize herself. But what use was dressing beautifully when no one cared to look? And now, that carefully adorned face had been completely ruined by that patch of dark blue.

“If that’s the case, then please have Princess Muyun board the sedan chair,” Qingluo said with little concern. Worthy of being a palace person, she seemed accustomed to seeing all manner of things. Seeing the hideous “birthmark” on Hua Zhuyu’s face, she merely raised her eyebrows slightly.

Several palace maids came forward and helped Hua Zhuyu onto a sedan chair that had been waiting outside, carrying her all the way to the entrance of Qianqing Hall.

The emperor, empress, and civil and military officials were all there. Hua Zhuyu got down from the sedan chair and bid farewell to the emperor and empress.

Perhaps the imperial couple had received some message—they didn’t have Hua Zhuyu lift her veil and even told the Northern Dynasty’s envoy Prince Xian that according to their Southern Dynasty customs, when a woman married, before entering the bridal chamber and meeting her husband, this veil absolutely could not be removed, or it would be inauspicious and the marriage would encounter troubles.

Prince Xian of the Northern Dynasty was the crown prince’s uncle, already over fifty, and had always been a peace advocate. This was a political marriage between two countries—he naturally didn’t dare act rashly and repeatedly agreed.

Unable to get news of Father, Hua Zhuyu didn’t dare act rashly either. Therefore, this wedding send-off proceeded without incident.

Supported by Taose, she slowly walked forward along the gorgeous, continuous Persian red carpet. On both sides of the red carpet stood crowds of people seeing off the bride. Being watched made Hua Zhuyu extremely uncomfortable. Among these people should be Ji Fengli as well—after all, he was the current Left Prime Minister, and he couldn’t possibly not attend this political marriage send-off.

Indeed, Hua Zhuyu saw a pair of blue soft boots embroidered with golden cloud patterns. The court robes were deep red, with cranes embroidered on the lapels—this was a first-rank civil official’s court dress.

Taose whispered to Hua Zhuyu: “Miss, Prime Minister Ji.”

Hua Zhuyu smiled. She and he now had no relationship whatsoever. Her steps didn’t pause in the slightest before him as she slowly walked past step by step. She walked through the Meridian Gate and boarded the Northern Dynasty’s wedding carriage.

The Ministry of Rites dispatched a five-hundred-person escort for the wedding, a grand procession. Yu Capital’s citizens also crowded the streets to observe the ceremony. With horns, gongs, drums, and celebratory music filling the sky, it was extremely lively, yet to Hua Zhuyu’s ears, it sounded extremely ironic.

The procession headed west continuously, traveling for a day to reach Cloud City, the closest to Yu Capital. That night, the group lodged at Cloud City’s largest inn, the Yuejun Inn.

After the evening meal, Hua Zhuyu leaned against the bed, her whole body still powerless. She finally realized this wedding poison wine had another benefit—preventing her escape. She didn’t know exactly what drug Ji Fengli had given her. Apart from total weakness, there were no other problems. She just wondered if it would harm her body.

As Hua Zhuyu lay in bed about to sleep, there were slight sounds at the window lattice, and someone climbed in through the window. Upon seeing the newcomer, Taose was like seeing a savior, rushing over to grab the person’s hand and asking excitedly: “Finally someone comes! Sister Jinse, how is the Marquis?”

The newcomer shook off Taose’s hand and quickly walked to Hua Zhuyu, slowly kneeling down. “Miss, this slave has harmed you!” she said with her head lowered, choking back tears.

“Jinse, what’s wrong with you? What does this matter have to do with you? Get up quickly,” Hua Zhuyu frowned and gestured for Taose to help her up.

“Miss, if not for Jinse, how would you have been despised by Prime Minister Ji, and how would you have been forced to go for political marriage?” Jinse said with her head down and red-rimmed eyes.

Jinse was also a maid in the Hua residence, but unlike Taose, who was the child of a household servant of the Hua family, Jinse had been bought by Hua Zhuyu from the street when she was small.

At that time, Hua Zhuyu was only seven years old and was on the street with Grandmother when she saw several ruffians whipping a little girl. That little girl was only six or seven years old, dressed in rags with disheveled hair, hugging her head and trembling. Her small face bore fingernail scratches, her back clothing was torn from beatings revealing wounds, and her round eyes looked at her with panic and despair.

Hua Zhuyu begged Grandmother to buy her from the ruffians and brought her back to the Hua residence. Since she wouldn’t speak her name or family, Grandmother named her Jinse and made her Hua Zhuyu’s personal maid. The two grew up together with deep affection. A few years ago, when Hua Zhuyu left the Hua residence, Jinse went to serve Old Madam Hua.

During these years when Hua Zhuyu wasn’t in the residence, Old Madam Hua had Jinse pretend to be Hua Zhuyu. When there were banquets that Miss Hua couldn’t avoid attending, Jinse would go in her place. Knowing she was pretending, Jinse kept a low profile, but unexpectedly earned Hua Zhuyu a reputation for being nameless, talentless, and virtue-less. Jinse felt guilty about this matter, but how could this incident be blamed on Jinse? It had absolutely no connection.

“Jinse, this matter has nothing to do with you at all. Don’t be sad. How are the Old Madam and the Marquis now?” Hua Zhuyu asked with furrowed brows.

“Yesterday, after the Marquis saw off Miss, he received a secret imperial decree and went to the western frontier. So the Marquis probably doesn’t know about Miss’s political marriage yet. When the Old Madam heard about Miss’s political marriage, she cried all night. She was worried about Miss, so she had this slave follow along to take care of Miss along the way,” Jinse secretly wiped away tears and said seriously.

Hua Zhuyu had never imagined that just after she married away, Father would be transferred from the capital. Western Liang had been decisively defeated and had just sued for peace—the western frontier was currently stable. What urgent military affairs could there be? Probably just to ensure her smooth political marriage! She felt somewhat chilled. They said accompanying the emperor was like accompanying a tiger—their Hua family had served the emperor loyally for many years, yet they never knew when they might be sold out by the emperor. This political marriage was probably not as simple as imagined.

“Jinse, since you’ve come, why don’t you stay and let Taose return? The northern wilderness is a harsh place—better to have one fewer person go suffer!”

Jinse was different from Taose. She had endured hardship since childhood and had learned martial arts with Hua Zhuyu when young. These years in the residence, she often practiced martial arts with the guards. Though not highly skilled, she was still stronger than Taose, who knew no martial arts at all. If possible, she hoped both of them would return, but she was currently powerless all over and really couldn’t do without care.

Taose refused to return no matter what. Hua Zhuyu had no choice but to have Jinse tie her up, report to Prince Xian of the Northern Dynasty, and have the accompanying Ministry of Rites soldiers escort her back.