The Emperor nodded, and everyone burst into laughter. The singing and dancing continued, and so did the banquet. Jiang Taohua quietly sighed in relief, grabbing Shen Zaiye’s hand and squeezing it.
“What is it?” Shen Zaiye looked down at her.
“Couldn’t you go easy on him, considering he’s not very bright?” Taohua frowned. “Why not just treat him like an ordinary envoy?”
“What are you talking about?” Shen Zaiye smiled. “How have I not gone easy on him?”
Taohua gritted her teeth, glancing at Li Jin’s unsettled demeanor, then at Emperor Mingde’s deep gaze on the main throne. She asked in a low voice, “My lord, can you guarantee that you and His Majesty haven’t set your sights on Zhao?”
“How could that be?” Shen Zaiye picked up his chopsticks to serve her food. “You just focus on eating well.”
He usually avoided looking into her eyes when he was lying. Taohua’s heart sank heavily, but she could do nothing except watch helplessly as Li Jin drank and chatted freely with Chief Censor Nian Liguo beside him.
“Our Emperor has been in poor health recently and has entrusted major affairs to the Crown Princess,” he said. “Daughters in this world are not necessarily inferior to sons. Our Crown Princess is quite remarkable, a true example of female excellence.”
Nian Liguo, a man in his fifties with particularly shrewd eyes, smiled at him and said, “Indeed. For a mere woman to support an entire country is truly impressive.”
Yang Wanqing frowned, instinctively tugging at Li Jin’s clothes, feeling he was saying too much. However, Li Jin, intoxicated and grateful for Emperor Mingde’s generosity in lending grain, was speaking candidly to the ministers of Great Wei. Although he didn’t reveal any important secrets, he essentially laid bare the basic national conditions for them.
Jiang Taohua couldn’t bear to watch anymore. She stood up and said to Shen Zaiye, “May I go rest for a bit?”
Shen Zaiye nodded, excusing her to the Emperor. The Emperor agreed, smiling, “The banquet is half over. Jiang shi can rest in Lan Guifei’s side palace, then accompany the envoys to tour the Imperial Garden this afternoon.”
“Yes,” Taohua responded, respectfully withdrawing.
Seeing this, Li Jin immediately tried to stand, but Yang Wanqing pressed him back down.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen the princess, and we’re both women. We should have some private conversation,” she stood up and said. “I’ll take my leave as well.”
“Very well,” Emperor Mingde nodded. “Minister Li can stay here to keep me company.”
Li Jin had no choice but to sit back down and continue talking, though his eyes kept drifting towards the door. His behavior made even Shen Zaiye curious.
Judging by his reaction, it seemed he hadn’t completely abandoned Jiang Taohua, but rather still cared for her deeply. If so, why had he made such choices back then?
After leaving the main hall, Taohua leaned against the palace wall, taking several deep breaths, her expression extremely serious. Yang Wanqing caught up and called out, “Second Princess.”
Turning back, Taohua frowned and said, “I only came out to tell you that the Emperor and Prime Minister of Great Wei are not to be trifled with. Keep Li Jin in check and don’t let him jump into every trap he sees. It will drag down all of Zhao!”
Yang Wanqing was taken aback and approached her, saying, “Although what the Prime Minister said was inappropriate, surely it’s not that serious?”
How could it not be? Taohua shook her head. “You don’t understand. Give Shen Zaiye a single thread, and he can follow it to find the spider that spun it. Li Jin is clearly confused and easily fooled!”
Yang Wanqing fell silent, thinking carefully. She beckoned her confidant over, whispered a few words, and sent him to relay a message.
“I thought once the princess married into Great Wei, she wouldn’t think about Zhao anymore,” she looked up, remarking emotionally. “I didn’t expect you to still have the heart to protect your country.”
Rolling her eyes in annoyance, Jiang Taohua said, “That’s where I grew up. It’s my motherland. Even if it’s in someone else’s grasp, I still want to protect it. Minister Yang, your words are too distant. Besides, isn’t my life still in your hands?”
Yang Wanqing laughed humorlessly, her handsome face showing complex emotions. She pulled out a small jade bottle, “This is the antidote.”
Taohua reached out to take it, but Yang Wanqing dodged, looking at her seriously, “I can give you the antidote, but Second Princess, you must always remember that you are from Zhao. When it’s crucial, you still need to act for Zhao’s benefit.”
With a scornful look in her eyes, Taohua glanced at her and said, “Minister Yang, you’re not an unreasonable person. Let me ask you this: Given Zhao’s current state, how long do you think it can last?”
“…” Yang Wanqing fell silent, lowering her eyes.
She knew all too well that the Crown Princess and Minister Li were not adept at governing. The new Empress meddled too much in politics, causing dissatisfaction among court officials and alienating the people. Zhao was already in decline. The hundred-year foundation built by their ancestors would probably only last another two or three years.
“If you truly care for Zhao, why not support the Third Prince?” Taohua said softly. “You know better than anyone that Chang Jie is brave and resourceful. He can lead troops in battle and also ascend to the throne…”
“Second Princess,” Yang Wanqing pressed her lips together, interrupting her words. “We are in different camps. There are some things I cannot help with.”
Her eyes dimmed slightly. Taohua leaned against the palace wall, sighing as she looked at the somewhat yellowing sky. She said flatly, “Different camps lead to loyal ministers being executed and小人 being trusted. In the end, when the country collapses, isn’t it the common people who suffer?”
But how could those in power consider the people? They think more about their interests and positions. Even if the country is on the brink of collapse, they want to live in luxury for the rest of their lives. As for how the people might suffer afterward, it’s completely irrelevant to them.
Yang Wanqing handed her the antidote, saying softly, “There are many things we cannot decide. It’s better to let fate take its course.”
“Let fate take its course?” Taohua raised an eyebrow. “That doesn’t sound like Minister Yang’s style. I remember you advising the Emperor multiple times, always with good intentions different from other court officials.”
“That was only in the past,” Yang Wanqing smiled bitterly. “Didn’t you just say, Second Princess, that tastes change? It’s not just tastes – people change too. No matter how passionate one is, after being left out in the cold wind for too long, even that passion will cool. Now, I only wish to live this life in peace, with no more ambition to serve the country.”
How sad must a country be to drive a loyal minister to lose all will to serve?
Taohua shook her head, reaching out to accept the antidote. Calculating that the time was about right, she took two pills first. After eating them, she counted the remaining pills in the bottle – exactly ten, no more, no less.
“The Empress’s wariness of me is truly great.”
Glancing at her, Yang Wanqing said, “That’s because you’re capable. Even when pushed into the mud, you have the strength to stand up again. She fears you, which is why she guards against you so heavily.”
“What’s there to fear about me now?” Taohua looked down at herself. “Far from home, poisoned, with my life in her hands. For the mighty Empress to lack such confidence…”
With meaningful eyes, Yang Wanqing said, “You still have Li Jin.”
Huh? Shocked, Taohua moved three big steps to the side, frowning, “Can we not mention this person? We were having a good conversation.”
“There are some things I’ve wanted to tell you for a long time, but he wouldn’t let me,” Yang Wanqing smiled. “But seeing you now as a married woman, living somewhat happily, I feel it’s a bit unfair to him. So I might as well just say it.”
“Wait,” Taohua narrowed her eyes, looking at her seriously for a while before saying, “Li Jin and I have no more connection. So many years have passed. You’re not going to tell me now that his treatment of me back then was actually for my good, are you?”
“No,” Yang Wanqing shook her head. “At first, he truly deserved blame. He didn’t want to be dragged down by you, so he chose to stand with the Crown Princess.”
“Oh,” Taohua sighed in relief, patting her chest. “Then what else is there to say?”
The Yang and Li families were long-time friends, and Yang Wanqing had watched Li Jin grow up. Although she wasn’t much older than him, she inevitably took on a sisterly role. Seeing today’s scene, she felt some sympathy for him. Seeing Taohua’s attitude, she immediately said with displeasure:
“Although he was wrong at first, he soon regretted it and often helped you and Chang Jie in secret. When he learned you were afflicted by the new Empress’s enchantment, he tried every means to find a way to break the spell for you. He even helped with your plan to marry far away to Great Wei. Even if you’re not grateful to him, at least you shouldn’t harbor such resentment.”
Is that so? Taohua laughed, glancing sideways at Yang Wanqing, “According to what you’re saying, if I killed someone at first, but regretted it afterward and even helped bury the body, the person who was killed shouldn’t resent me, but instead be grateful to me?”
Yang Wanqing paused, “That’s not quite the same…”
“You know, people have their perspectives of closeness and distance,” Taohua smiled lightly. “You’re criticizing me now simply because you’re standing from Li Jin’s perspective. You feel sorry for him, so you think I should forgive him. No one wants to hear such words. Your heart is biased from the start, so what right do you have to judge who’s right or wrong between us?”
“You’ve seen Li Jin’s difficulties, but have you thought about me? I was the one betrayed at first. I was the one almost left for dead by those closest to me. In the end, he regretted and made some amends, and I’m supposed to be overwhelmingly grateful and forgive all his actions. The grievance was given by him without asking my opinion, the favor was given by him without asking my opinion, so now, where do you get the standing to correct my thoughts on his behalf?”
This long speech left Yang Wanqing speechless. After staring at Taohua in shock for a while, she sighed and said, “You truly live up to being Qian Bai Mei’s disciple. You’re as impossible to deal with as he was.”
“You flatter me,” Taohua shrugged, smiling brightly. “If my master could see Li Jin now, he would surely cripple him. As his disciple, I’m being soft-hearted.”
“Second Princess,” Yang Wanqing felt uncomfortable. “Isn’t hating Li Jin so much also difficult for you?”
“Swallowing so much of the past to forgive him would be truly difficult for me,” Taohua said seriously. “I don’t think about him usually, so it’s fine. It’s just these few days that are a bit uncomfortable. You don’t need to say more. After all, this is a matter between him and me.”
Unable to argue further, Yang Wanqing chose to give up. Looking down at the medicine in her hand, she said, “Please take care of yourself.”
Taohua nodded, adding one more piece of advice: “In matters of state, you should still let Li Jin put in more effort. Although the sun is setting, leaving a bit more twilight is still good.”
“I understand,” Yang Wanqing cupped her hands in respect and returned to the main hall.
Jiang Taohua let out a long sigh, crouching by the flower bed to think carefully. When she left, Zhao’s military strength was already nearly depleted, though they hadn’t dared to announce it publicly, only putting up a strong defense at the borders. But how long could this trick fool Emperor Mingde?
Great Wei’s internal turmoil seemed to have been settled. Although the position of Crown Prince was vacant, there was no one else but the Prince Nan who could fill it. The court officials were gradually aligning themselves, and there was excess energy to expand territory.
Putting herself in Emperor Mingde’s shoes, what would she do to Zhao?
The answer was obvious: probe their strengths and weaknesses, then attack when the time was right. Some hints of this could be seen in Emperor Mingde’s behavior today. Zhao was likely in danger.
As the lunch banquet ended, Li Jin was drunk and arranged to rest in the palace. Shen Zaiye came out and saw her, frowning slightly, “Have you been crouching out here all this time?”
“I was waiting for you, my lord,” Taohua smiled, approaching him with an upturned face, seeking praise. “Didn’t I perform well today?”
“Barely passable,” Shen Zaiye led her out, saying flatly, “From your Zhao’s Prime Minister, I can also see why Zhao has become what it is today.”
Feeling somewhat displeased, Taohua pressed her lips together and said, “No matter what, Zhao is still my motherland.”
“I know,” Shen Zaiye glanced at her, smiling slightly. “You’re truly perceptive.”
Everyone else present hadn’t noticed anything, yet she had sensed the Emperor’s intentions. It was quite impressive.
“What does my lord plan to do?” Taohua forced a smile and asked.
Shen Zaiye looked up at the path ahead, saying flatly, “This matter is for the Emperor to decide, not me.”
“But you can influence the Emperor’s view, can’t you?” Taohua held onto his arm and said, “Currently, the world is in a state of tripartite balance, keeping each other in check, which is why there hasn’t been a war for many years. If Great Wei were to attack Zhao now, wouldn’t it risk Wu taking advantage of the situation? Has the Emperor not considered this?”
“Wu is also amid internal strife,” Shen Zaiye said. “They likely don’t have the energy to wage war.”
“That’s not certain,” Taohua said. “I’ve heard that Wu’s Crown Prince is also ambitious. When the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman profits – that wouldn’t be advantageous.”
Shen Zaiye suddenly stopped and turned to look at her, “How do you know about Wu’s Crown Prince?”
“I’ve heard about it,” Taohua pouted. “Don’t the royal families of these three countries know about each other? Although I don’t know the details, I can still hear such news, can’t I?”
Narrowing his eyes slightly, Shen Zaiye stared at a spot on the ground, thinking for a moment. Suddenly, he looked at her and said, “Jiang Taohua, do you have any ulterior motives for coming to Great Wei?”
What? Startled, Taohua stepped back repeatedly, waving her hands, “My lord, don’t overthink it. I just came here to seek a livelihood.”
“Seeking a simple livelihood involves sending so much silver to your brother to maintain an army?” Shen Zaiye chuckled lightly, shaking his head. “What’s the point of deceiving me? Why not just be clear about it?”
(End of Chapter)