Outside, the maidservants were bickering incessantly, revealing each other’s secrets until none had the face to stay any longer. With indignation, they dispersed in different directions, and the two onlookers had seen enough of the drama, each retreating to their respective chambers.
As Huaiyu stepped over the threshold into the main hall, a low, hoarse voice sounded by the door, “Where have you been?”
Startled, she turned her head, clutching her chest, and said, “Just at the entrance of the mansion. Where else could I be? How did you come over? You didn’t even light a lamp.”
Jiang Xuanjin scrutinized her, ensuring she was unharmed, before relaxing his demeanor. “I just finished reviewing the official documents and decided to drop by.”
It was already this late. Just finished? Huaiyu frowned, reaching out to pinch the sleeve of his robe.
A chill permeated through his clothes, evidently from spending a long time outside. “You…” Huaiyu sighed in exasperation, “Couldn’t you have changed into warmer attire if you were going to lie?”
Jiang Xuanjin blinked, looking down at himself, seemingly unaware of his clothing predicament. Just as he was about to inspect, his fingers were grasped by the person in front of him.
Warmth emanated from her palm, surprising him. Jiang Xuanjin then realized he was chilled to the bone and instinctively withdrew his hand, stepping back.
Seeming impervious to the cold, she closed the gap as she reached for the ties of his outer robe, undoing them and opening his garment, then pulling him into an embrace.
“Cold,” Jiang Xuanjin protested weakly.
Huaiyu held onto him firmly, smiling mischievously. “I know you’re cold, that’s why I’m warming you up.”
“I’m worried you might be cold.”
“I’m not cold at all. There’s a fire in the room, and I can keep my hands in my pockets when I go out, shielding them from the wind. But you…” Huaiyu looked up at him, her eyes faintly gleaming in the dimly lit room. “What were you doing outside in the cold for so long?”
Supporting her waist, Jiang Xuanjin didn’t answer immediately, lost in thought for a moment before he lowered his head. “Would you accompany me to the border town of Ziyang?”
“Hmm?” Huaiyu was puzzled. “Why suddenly go there for no reason?”
“It’s close to the frontline city. And it’s lively,” he replied calmly, “Besides, there’s not much to do here now. Let’s just consider it a little outing.”
Huaiyu hesitated. “Is it okay to leave like this? Won’t the imperial envoy arrive sooner or later?”
“It doesn’t matter,” he said, “When he’s about to arrive, we can deal with it then.”
Listening to his casual tone, Huaiyu also felt that it wasn’t such a big deal. After some thought, she nodded. “Alright. They’ve suffered enough in the frontline city. It’s time to let them relax.”
“Then it’s settled,” Jiang Xuanjin said. “We’ll have everything prepared tomorrow.”
“Okay.” Huaiyu nodded obediently, sitting down by the bed, and sensing his intention to leave, she grabbed onto him unwilling to let go.
Jiang Xuanjin looked at her in puzzlement. Moonlight streamed through the ornate window, illuminating her eyes, which sparkled.
“Sleep with me,” she half-pouted, half-pleaded.
His body stiffened slightly, and Jiang Xuanjin shook his head. “Your stomach…”
With such a big belly, if he were to share the bed with her, what if he accidentally pressed on her?
“It’s because of this belly that I can’t sleep well,” Huaiyu pouted, “With you by my side, maybe I’ll feel better.”
Jiang Xuanjin pursed his lips, gazing at her belly. “Why can’t you sleep well?”
“It’s uncomfortable.” She pointed to her round belly. “With a pillow, it’s too high, without it, it feels empty and insecure.”
Hanging his outer robe on the nearby screen, he motioned for her to get into bed, then lay down beside her.
Huaiyu smiled happily, hugging his arm. “Lord Ziyang is easygoing now.”
He turned a cold gaze toward her. “Was I not easygoing before?”
Huaiyu widened her eyes. “You were not only not easygoing but practically forbade anyone from speaking to you! Remember when the Lord of the Hundred Flowers visited Northern Wei in the fifth year of Daxing? When discussions were being held in the court on how to greet him, as soon as I opened my mouth, you shut me down.”
Recalling the incident, Jiang Xuanjin remarked, “You said at the time that we should greet him with the utmost respect.”
“Yes!” The Eldest Princess, who had once sat high beside the emperor in her splendid palace attire, chuckled. “The Lord of Hundred Flowers in Eastern Jin holds a prominent position. As such, Northern Wei should display grandeur befitting a great nation, with ten chariots and a hundred horses, welcoming him openly, only then can we…”
“Your Highness,” Lord Ziyang, seated below her with a stern expression, interrupted her, “The Lord of Hundred Flowers, despite his high status, is merely a feudal lord, not the sovereign of Eastern Jin. If we were to greet him with such grandeur, how should we greet the sovereign of Eastern Jin when he comes in the future?”
Huaiyu vividly remembered Jiang Xuanjin’s tone at the time, so cold and ruthless, not giving her any face at all.
Recalling that scene, Jiang Xuanjin chuckled softly. “I didn’t know at the time.”
“What didn’t you know?” Huaiyu pinched his arm in mock anger, holding a grudge.
Turning his head, he naturally rested his hand beneath her belly, his lips parting slightly. “I didn’t know that the future lady would be seated above, it was disrespectful.”
Boom! A firework exploded in her heart, lighting up the sky with dazzling brilliance. Staring at him dumbfounded, Huaiyu gradually broke into a smile, her mouth stretching from ear to ear.
The dignified Lord Ziyang… saying sweet words to her? Was there anything to record at this moment? She wanted to broadcast it to the world!
“Say it again,” she said, her eyes shining brightly.
Jiang Xuanjin seemed to realize what he had done, pursing his lips. “It’s late, go to sleep.”
“I’ll sleep if you say it again!” she protested playfully.
Annoyed, he covered her eyes with his hand. “If you keep messing around, I’ll return to my room.”
Pouting, Huaiyu couldn’t help but laugh, her eyes blinking rapidly. Her eyelashes tickled the palm of his hand. Initially intending to tease him, she found herself getting tired after a while, letting out a long yawn.
Perhaps it was because Jiang Xuanjin was beside her, but she felt more comfortable sleeping on her side today. Her belly didn’t feel empty, and the scent of sandalwood filled the air, soothing her.
Soon, Huaiyu drifted off to a peaceful sleep.
He dared not move his hand resting beneath her belly. Jiang Xuanjin breathed lightly, turning his head to gaze at her face.
She had been well lately, with fewer worries, and her face had finally regained some plumpness. Qi Jin had said that if she continued to nourish herself like this until the birth, her body would recover a bit, reducing the risks.
If that was the case, Jiang Xuanjin thought, then let her nourish herself well. Anything that could disturb her pregnancy would be kept away from her sight.
In the past, not knowing she was his wife, he had offended her many times. Now, he had plenty of opportunities to make it up to her.
Huaiyu slept soundly, and when she woke up, Jiang Xuanjin was nowhere to be seen. Qing Si stood respectfully by her bed, saying, “My lady, everyone has started packing.”
“Hmm? Everyone knows we’re going to the border town of Ziyang?” Huaiyu asked, yawning.
Qing Si nodded. “His Highness informed the household early this morning. Qing Xian and Bai Ai will leave later, while the rest will depart afternoon.”
In such a hurry? Huaiyu nodded without further inquiry, then got up to freshen up and decide what to take along.
The atmosphere in the princess’s mansion was peaceful, but the frontline city was in a state of anxiety.
A large number of soldiers poured into the city, escorting the elderly, women, and children to the border town of Ziyang. Some able-bodied men volunteered, donning armor and joining the military, while those unwilling followed behind the women and children to evacuate. Everyone knew that with the imperial troops advancing to the frontline city if they didn’t leave now, they would inevitably suffer the consequences.
Jiang Xuanjin had sent letters to Pingling, Changlin, Nanping, Gongyi, and other places, warning them of the emperor’s intention to forcibly seize land. Tensions rose everywhere as they watched the situation here closely.
After the battle at the gorge, Jiu Wu had begun leading his troops back. Now, they encountered the rear guard of Jia Liang’s group, forming a pincer attack with the defenders of the frontline city.
Jia Liang was in a panic! With the decree from the emperor, he hadn’t even entered the gates of the frontline city yet they were already to engage in battle. But Lord Ziyang’s intent to kill was already glaringly obvious. Negotiation was futile. If they couldn’t break into the frontline city, they would be trapped outside the gates.
After much deliberation, Jia Liang ordered his troops to enter the city. At the very least, they had to break this deadlock and preserve their lives.
“Attack!” The roar outside the city gates shook the heavens. Jiang Xuanjin stood atop the city tower, calmly asking the person beside him, “Have you seen clearly?”
The scout, sweating profusely, bowed repeatedly. “I will immediately report to His Highnesses.”
With the court making the first move, the reality was right in front of them! With the lips gone, the teeth would be cold. If even Lord Ziyang and the Eldest Princess couldn’t hold onto the frontline city, how could the various feudal lords protect their territories?
The people of the frontline city fled, scattering to the surrounding areas. Thus, news of the imperial troops attacking the frontline city quickly spread throughout half of Northern Wei.
However, Jia Liang knew nothing about this. He only felt that taking the city had been too easy, and there seemed to be very few people inside. Puzzled, he began searching for Lord Ziyang’s whereabouts, only to find that he was not in the city, and the princess’s mansion was empty as well.
“This feels rather odd,” he muttered to himself. “Wasn’t it said earlier that there were numerous defenders in the city?”
“It must be because our people are too mighty, scaring them off!” someone beside him flattered.
“No,” Jia Liang shook his head, “If it were others, it would be understandable, but Lord Ziyang has no reason to fear us.”
Even if they entered the city, they wouldn’t dare to harm Jiang Xuanjin. He had already prepared to apologize early on. But now, an empty city awaited them, with Lord Ziyang nowhere to be found.
Jia Liang felt uneasy, but his subordinates were overjoyed as they entered the city. Taking advantage of the lack of supervision, they began looting and pillaging the homes, seizing valuables.
“This is going too far!” Lord Changlin exclaimed angrily upon hearing the news. “The frontline city is isolated. If not for the Eldest Princess and Lord Ziyang, everyone there would have perished. Now, when there’s finally a glimmer of hope, the court’s plan is clear: it’s outright plundering!”
“Indeed. His Majesty promised to reduce taxes, but all he did was reduce the salt tax while adding elsewhere. In the end, nothing changed, yet he treats it as a great favor,” an aide sighed. “Forgive my bluntness, but our emperor is truly greedy.”
“What about Pingling?”
“Lord Pingling has grievances he can’t voice. The emperor sent troops from his territory to deal with Lord Ziyang. He’s one hundred percent against it and is thinking of ways to resist,” the aide pondered before continuing, “In my humble opinion, His Highness can use this opportunity to do Lord Ziyang a favor.”
“Oh?” Lord Changlin inquired. “What’s the plan?”
“Lord Ziyang currently commands the most powerful forces. It’s not that he can’t fight, but he dares not openly contend for the frontline city with the court, fearing it might provide grounds for rebellion,” the advisor explained. “His Highness could cooperate with Lord Nanping to make a move on behalf of Lord Ziyang. Suppressing the forces of Lord Pingling, would both provide an excuse for Lord Pingling to back down and assist Lord Ziyang. With Lord Ziyang’s gratitude, Lord Changlin could also benefit.”
That makes sense! Lord Changlin stroked his beard, carefully considering for a while before nodding. “It’s worth a try.”
It just so happened that Lord Nanping also wanted to assist the Eldest Princess. He could show his face behind Lord Nanping. With favors gained, nothing would fall on him.
Decision made, Lord Changlin sent a letter to Lord Nanping and mobilized more than three thousand men. After joining forces with Lord Nanping’s army, they headed straight for the frontline city.
This decision was not without risks. Jiang Xuanjin had indeed prepared a generous reward for Lord Changlin. But as soon as these two lords’ forces reached the frontline city, they were seen as legitimate “allies of Lord Ziyang” in the eyes of the emperor.
Li Huailin, thousands of miles away, wouldn’t know whether they came to negotiate or for some other purpose. All he knew was that these lords not only jointly petitioned for tax reduction but also protected Lord Ziyang at every turn, completely disregarding his authority as emperor.
The courtiers were nervous. Everyone understood what it meant if the feudal lords rebelled. If it were just one lord causing trouble, there might be room for reconciliation. But with so many lords joining forces, it might mean toppling the Northern Wei regime.
Li Huailin felt a bit panicked. He just wanted to bring his elder sister back, but now Lord Ziyang and so many others were involved.
Retreating would be a loss of face for the court. If not, he could only resort to both soft and hard tactics, to show these people some consequences.
Li Huailin also wanted to use the people of Pingling, but Lord Pingling played dead directly, refusing to obey his orders anymore. If it were someone else, it might be fine, but even Lord Pingling was helping Jiang Xuanjin. That made Li Huailin angry.
“Spread my decree! Lord Pingling has disobeyed orders and violated the law of the country. Immediately arrest and bring him to the capital for punishment!”
Since he dared not target Jiang Xuanjin directly, he could only use Li Fangwu to scare the others. It was simple in Li Huailin’s mind. After all, they were brothers; he couldn’t punish Li Fangwu. He just wanted to bring him back and ask what he meant by this.
However, what he didn’t know was that a letter from Jiang Xuanjin had reached Pingling before his decree, warning Lord Pingling to be cautious, as accompanying the emperor was like accompanying a tiger.
Li Fangwu was still hesitating whether to follow Lord Changlin’s example and make peace with Lord Ziyang when he heard the decree of punishment. He immediately sealed off Pingling’s border town and contacted Lord Changlin.
“What are you laughing at?” Huaiyu stood in the courtyard, glanced at Jiang Xuanjin beside her, and shivered. “Why are you suddenly smiling so oddly?”
Jiang Xuanjin curled his lips, reached out to straighten her cloak, and replied, “Just felt the weather was nice today.”