Although there were various objections and many people opposed it, facts proved that Li Shimin’s suggestion was not wrong. Under such circumstances, the rebel army’s morale was quickly disintegrated, and more and more rebels defected to Li Yuan, totaling tens of thousands before and after. Although Chai Baochang exhausted all means, he could not change this situation. This rebellion was successfully quelled, and after this campaign, Li Yuan’s secret army had reached ten thousand in number. His power was quietly expanding.
When this news reached Luoyang, it naturally delighted Yang Guang, who greatly praised Li Yuan and urged him to continue his efforts to quickly pacify the remaining rebellions in Hedong, Shanxi, and other places.
Since entering February, the entire Imperial Palace Administration had been spinning in circles with busyness, because February 26th was the day when Princess Jinyang would marry Zheng Yang, son of the Xingyang noble family. His Majesty had decreed that all ceremonial protocols should follow those of a Princess Imperial.
Preparing for a princess’s wedding was already an extremely complicated matter, not to mention following the protocols of a Princess Imperial. The Imperial Palace Administration not only had to prepare the gorgeous clothes and jewelry for the princess’s wedding attire, but also had to prepare the dowry: five golden phoenixes, four pairs of golden bracelets, one pair of golden lotus and crab hairpins, one pair of golden chain flower pot landscape hairpins, ten boxes of ivory wooden combs, one hundred bolts of silk, two hundred bolts of palace gauze, thirty bolts of brocade, and so on. A rough count showed nearly a thousand bolts of various silks and satins alone. In addition to this, there were a thousand qing of fertile land, nearly a hundred estates, as well as additional dowries given by the various imperial consorts in the palace. When Princess Nanyang married Yuwen Shiji in the past, Yang Guang was not yet a princess, so in comparison, her wedding as a Princess Imperial was far less grand than Yunyi’s. Those other princesses were both jealous and envious of her, only regretting why they were not born to Xiao Shi, otherwise this glorious occasion would have been theirs.
During these past six months, Du Ruhui would often enter the palace to accompany Yunyi in playing chess and conversation. After resolving their initial misunderstanding, the two were like friends of many years, getting along quite comfortably and naturally.
In February weather, it could not yet be considered warm. When the wind blew on one’s body, one still felt waves of cold. In the Glazed Pavilion, Yunyi set down a chess piece and took the handkerchief Ruyi handed her to wipe the sweat from her palms, saying: “You’re bound to lose this time, aren’t you?”
Du Ruhui looked at the chess board for a long time, unable to find a suitable place to place his piece. He set down the chess piece in his hand and shook his head: “Indeed I’ve lost. It seems the princess has improved greatly in chess recently.”
“Playing against you often, it would be difficult not to improve.” Saying this, Yunyi rose and walked to the railing made of white jade, where Jixiang was feeding the fish. As soon as the fish food was scattered, many golden fish surrounded it to compete for it. Several extremely large fish grabbed most of the food each time, while the smaller fish could only open their mouths hungrily on the side.
Yunyi took the fish food Jixiang handed her and scattered it toward the smaller fish, letting them also fill their bellies. However, after just a few times, those large fish swam over again, pushing the small fish away to elsewhere, and so it continued in cycles.
Du Ruhui walked over and saw Yunyi’s actions, saying: “The strong prey on the weak – it’s always like this.”
Yunyi threw down more fish food: “Perhaps so, but I always hope more fish can eat their fill. People are the same way.”
Du Ruhui was silent for a moment, then said: “In another half month, it will be the wedding date. Has the princess truly thought it through?”
After scattering the last bit of fish food into the pond, Yunyi clapped her hands: “There’s nothing to think through or not think through. The imperial edict has already been issued – can it still be changed? Besides…” She turned her head with a smile: “Didn’t you say that Zheng Yang is a very good person?”
“Brother Zheng is indeed a good person. As long as the princess is willing to open her heart, she will surely be happy and content.” During these past six months, he had often gathered with Zheng Yang and Cui Ji, and their relationship had grown closer. He knew both of them thoroughly.
“Then that’s settled.” She said with a laugh: “By the way, has Fourth Sister still been pestering you?”
Du Ruhui smiled bitterly: “Occasionally, but I often make excuses to decline. When I really can’t avoid it, I bring Brother Cui or Brother Zheng along. With them there, everything is manageable.”
Jixiang chuckled lightly on the side: “It seems Princess Xin’an is quite fond of you, Young Master Du. Otherwise, how could she still be pestering you after half a year?”
Du Ruhui was made to laugh and cry by her words, sighing: “I only hope Princess Xin’an will give up this notion soon.”
Yunyi laughed: “I understand this sister of mine. Once she sets her sights on something, she won’t easily let go. If it weren’t for Mother Empress keeping her in check, the situation might be even worse. However, if you were to marry, she might restrain herself.”
“Marry…” Du Ruhui murmured these two words, shaking his head: “In another year or two perhaps.”
Yunyi understood he still couldn’t let go of Meixue. In truth, wasn’t she the same? If Xiao Shi hadn’t pressured her with the Li Shimin matter, she would never have agreed to marry Zheng Yang.
The brocade carp gathered at the shore, seeing that no new food was being fed, all swayed their tails and left. Watching the schools of fish disperse, Yunyi sighed: “Sometimes I truly envy these fish – carefree and without worries, only needing to think about how to fill their bellies each day.”
Du Ruhui glanced at the fish gradually swimming into the depths and said: “The princess is not a fish, so how can she know what the fish think? Perhaps they are not as carefree as we imagine.”
Yunyi smiled and strolled with Du Ruhui by the pond. Before long, a palace servant hurried over to Ruyi’s side and whispered something in her ear. Ruyi’s face changed dramatically as she stared at the palace servant: “Truly?”
The palace servant caught her breath and nodded: “It is indeed so!”
Yunyi heard their conversation and stopped, turning back: “What’s wrong?”
Ruyi looked at her but remained silent for a long time. Her appearance made Yunyi feel increasingly uneasy, and she pressed: “Has something happened?”
Ruyi nodded with difficulty: “Reporting to the princess, news has come from outside the palace, saying… saying…”
Yunyi waited for a long while without seeing her continue, urging: “What exactly happened? Speak quickly!”
Ruyi bit her teeth and lowered her head: “News has come from outside the palace, saying that Young Master Zheng Yang did not return home the night before last. The Zheng family has been searching everywhere for Young Master Zheng’s whereabouts these past two days, and the result… they found Young Master Zheng’s…” She struggled to utter two words: “corpse in the Jinshui River!”
Yunyi never expected such news. In another half month, she and Zheng Yang were to be married, yet now she suddenly heard of his death. Even though she had no feelings for Zheng Yang, it was still difficult to accept.
Du Ruhui was even more shocked than Yunyi, unable to believe that Zheng Yang, who had just drunk wine with him a few days ago, was now a cold corpse. Barely steadying himself, he asked: “How could this happen?”
“This servant also doesn’t know clearly. I only know it was discovered by a fisherman. The body has now been sent to the Zheng residence. The Zheng family will surely request a coroner to examine it to determine the cause of Young Master Zheng’s death. Initially, it appears to be death by drowning.” As soon as Ruyi finished speaking, Du Ruhui said: “Impossible. Brother Zheng once said he was skilled in water – he couldn’t possibly have drowned.”