While Dou Meishuang was still slightly surprised, Leng Changxi had walked out of the door sideways and closed it in time. Dou’s eyes would never be sharp enough to see what happened inside the closed door.
“I wonder if you would accept this little request of mine, Your Grace.” Leng Changxi was full of grace, showing his perfectly contoured chin even when his face was covered in the silver mask. He held his hand behind, and a regal air emanated from every pore of his body. Dou Meishuang looked at Leng Changxi’s eyes and seemed to be puzzled for a while. Then she suddenly smiled, “His Majesty had only invited Elder Princess into the palace.”
“Elder Princess was in bad health. She needs to be taken care of.”
Dou Meishuang observed Leng Changxi’s cold and dark eyes through the holes of his silver mask. Almost for a moment, she found herself drowning in those eyes.
“But His Majesty was…”
“Even the Imperial Concubine of West Xia couldn’t take two more people into the palace. I know that West Xia belonged to Jing Yuanchu. But now I don’t have even one soldier around me, not to mention the most capable army, my shadow guards. What do you mean now, Your Grace? Are you keeping me under watch even now?” Leng Changxi provoked.
Dou Meishuang said thoughtfully, “Fine. I’ll take you inside. However, we all agree that we don’t take the responsibility if anything happen,” She could take these two people into the palace, but she didn’t know Jing Yuanchu’s idea. He would send someone to kill them on their way if he didn’t agree. Dou Meishuang looked at the calm and elegant Leng Changxi, and her heart jumped. She couldn’t figure out which side she would stand on.
“You go to West Xia to help the thirteenth prince achieve his great cause. Nothing else is important.” Sima Ray told her by her ears when Dou Meishuang left Qi. She had always followed those words in her own behavior and work. She had been relying on Sima Ray and Jing Yuanchu to maintain her current status. But now she began to doubt her own rules of doing things, and all this was only because of Leng Changxi.
Officer Du was the busiest when Elder Princess moved out of the post house. When he saluted to Dou Meishuang, Officer Dufelt delighted in his heart. Finally, he had sent this troublesome living goddess away, whom he could never rush or blame.
Jing Donghua had prepared the quietest and most elegant Nuanxiang Pavilion for Elder Princess. Her clothes and food were similar to those of Imperial Concubine Lian and were only secondary to the queen.
Elder Princess’s welcoming team alone was made up of more than one hundred people. A soft sedan chair carried by twenty-eight men stopped at the gate of the palace, waiting for Dou Meishuang’s carriage to enter. Besides a few old courtiers who came to greet the princess, Jing Yuanchu was also there. He stood upright at the gate of the palace, but when he saw Leng Changxi and Qin Yunuan by Elder Princess’s carriage, his brows twisted unconsciously. He asked Dou Meishuang with his eyes but was ignored. Dou Meishuang lowered her head and skipped the question.
“And you are?” The minister greeted at the forefront looked at Leng Changxi, trying to confirm his identity.
“I’m Elder Princess’s adopted son, and this is my wife.” Leng Changxi cupped his hands before his chest and answered. “We have escorted Elder Princess back to West Liang. As for that, Your Royal Highness knows the most about us.” Leng Changxi looked to Jing Yuanchu who stood aside, “Am I right, Your Royal Highness?”
It was uneasy for Jing Yuanchu to maintain his temper at this time. He just nodded in silence and smiled awkwardly. “Yes,” he said, “The two people had contributed greatly to Elder Princess’s safe return to the palace. Somehow, he panicked for a moment. His arrangement was perfect. Although he failed to take Elder Princess’s life, she was now a living dead that couldn’t talk or move. The substitute he took pains training had also won the emperor’s trust. As long as he could take Elder Princess into the palace safely and then send people to destroy the post house with fire, these two people with inside information who got into his way would be burnt dead. He could take secrets as truths, and the play could continue.
As Elder Princess moved into Nuanxiang Pavilion, naturally many people would like to visit her. However, Jing Donghua had considered for her earlier and had issued a death order. If there was no order from him, no man could enter or leave the Pavilion. Nuanxiang Pavilion looked a little deserted under the rule.
Although it seemed abandoned, the furnishings and goods were available in all varieties. A red sandalwood screening with exquisite engravings was placed at the main hall entrance. At the center, there was a square wooden couch, covered with the softest and warmest goose bedding and a cushion sewn with the tenderest and softest wool underneath it. It was to ensure that Elder Princess would not feel cold or uncomfortable when lying on the couch. There was also a soothing fragrance lit beside her bed.
Apart from the mahogany furnishings, Jing Donghua also assigned sixteen second-class maids, four close-knit maids, and two grand maids to Elder Princess. One of them was good at massage and could prevent the sleeping Elder Princess from muscle atrophy. There was another maid who had some knowledge of medicine. The maid in charge of all the maids had the surname Yu. She was experienced palace maid in her thirties and seemed to be very capable. Though she didn’t disclose her expertise, the twenty-two maids obeyed her submissively. It seemed that this Nanny Yu had prestige and status in the palace.
Other people were cleaning maids and guarding eunuchs. There was nothing much to mention about them.
Jing Donghua restricted the visit number, but in a few days, someone came on his imperial orders. She was Bai Shishi, the Crown Princess who had a long story with Qin Yunuan.
Bai was a noble name in West Xia. The Crown Princess was a highbred lady and a firstborn. Her marriage with the Crown Prince was one between families of comparable social rank. The engagement was settled when she was only eleven years old. She got married at fourteen and had now spent three years of harmonious marriage with the Crown Prince. The whole East Palace knew that they had profound feelings.
It was a day with perfect sunshine. Leng Changxi had prepared a rocking chair for Elder Princess especially and carried her out to bathe in the sun. The winter sun was warm but not irritating, casting a mild glow. Even Qin Yunuan, who was wiping Elder Princess’s fingers on the side, felt very comfortable.
They have stayed in Nuanxiang Pavilion for three days. Jing Donghua and his so-called son of Elder Princess had never appeared. Sometimes Qin Yunuan wondered whether she was in the Royal Palace of West Xia or the courtyard of ordinary people.
It was until that day when the eunuch announced and broke the silence of the Pavilion.
“The Crown Princess had come.”
As soon as the words fell, a figure wearing a fuchsia jacket and a red skirt appeared at the door. Bai Shishi’s peaceful smile and the half-blossomed white plums in the courtyard complemented each other. It was a fantastic scene.
“Your Grace.” There were only Qin Yunuan and a few maids in the courtyard. They were all women.
Bai Shishi greeted her with a smile. Holding Qin Yunuan’s cold hands, she said, “I wanted to come a long time ago, but there was too much work in the palace, and it was really hard to enter Nuanxiang Pavilion. I had to ask the Crown Prince to ask for His Majesty’s approval the other day. Only after his words do I dare to come. “Bai Shishi’s words sounded natural and friendly. She treated Qin Yunuan like an old friend whom she hadn’t seen for many years, and she was not like a princess with a higher social rank. After Bai Shishi finished speaking, she gave an eye on the palace maids around, and they immediately left wittily.
Bai Shishi said as she looked at Elder Princess, who lay on the rocking chair with her eyes closed, “Is she better now?”
Qin Yunuan shook her head, “Still the same.” After that, she was about to kneel in front of Bai Shishi, “I haven’t thanked you for saving her life, Your Grace.”
“Don’t. Please don’t.” Bai Shishi helped her up hurriedly, “As I have said before, you deserve my help.”
That was right. Bai Shishi, who seemed to have nothing to do with Qin Yunuan, had actually helped them a lot in secret.
The first time she helped was after entering West Liang. Leng Changxi had asked Mu Qingyu to send the princess into the palace. In fact, the process was not as easy as they thought. Leng Changxi later learned that as he and Elder Princess were preparing to leave, they have encountered the assassins sent by Jing Yuanchu. It was Imperial Concubine Lian, whom they unexpectedly met, relieved the siege. Imperial Concubine Lian was led by Bai Shishi.
And the second time she helped was when the wounded Jing Yuanchu moved into Xihe Palace. Bai Shishi had become aware of the abnormal behavior of the little maid. However, she didn’t dare to act rashly. She only asked her close maid to inform Qin Yunuan and Leng Changxi, so that they appeared in the hall for no reason.
Qin Yunuan had doubted Bai Shishi at first. It was until she became clear of Bai Shishi’s conduct that she was convinced of this woman. She had the whole world in her heart.
Facing the doubts of Leng Changxi and Qin Yunuan, Bai Shishi gave them the truth that night.
“Everyone sees the ambition of Jing Yuanchu. His Majesty only takes him as a good assistant from the political perspective. He has bought most of the courtiers. Yuanxiao is too kind. He would rather believe that his brother is paving the road for him than to be aware of his hunger for the throne. Jing Yuanchu wants to replace him, and I couldn’t let the future of West Xia fall into his hands. You might have known that Jing Yuanchu has been in collaboration of treason with Wanyan Su of North Di and Sima Ray of your country, Qi. Taking the whole country into consideration, I have to defend my country even though I’m a woman. From a personal perspective, I’m the Crown Princess. The Crown Prince is my husband. I have to secure his throne.”
Bai Shishi’s deeds proved her words later. There were not many people that Qin Yunuan would give recognition and praise to. Bai Shishi was one of them.
“I came to tell you the news. Be prepared.” Bai Shishi looked at Qin Yunuan. She was trying to speak softly and euphemistically.
“Yes.”
“Do you know why His Majesty and his love child didn’t come to Nuanxiang Pavilion?”
“I wonder.” Qin Yunuan sensed dark foreboding.
“Oh,” Bai Shishi shook his head, “His Majesty is preparing to pay his visit to the army recently. It seems that he is going to take his love child with him this time.”
