Chapter 3: The Benevolent Duke of State

Chapter 3: The Benevolent Duke of State

Consort Qin, the mother of Prince Chang Nian, had originally been a mere concubine. After giving birth to an "imperial son," she was elevated in status and granted the title of Concubine Qin. Perhaps due to constant anxiety and fear, she did not live long.

On her deathbed, Concubine Qin held Chang Nian's hand and spoke one last piece of advice:

"Never strive for prominence in your life. Live peacefully and contentedly."

Prince Chang Nian adhered to this legacy for nineteen years. He thought his life would continue in this unassuming manner, but an unexpected turn of events changed everything.

If the Fourth Prince's gift of a phoenix-shaped red coral was a slap to the face of the Crown Prince, who had presented ordinary coral, then Chang Nian's eighteen hundred-year-old pearl beads were equivalent to ruthlessly whipping the Crown Prince's face with a whip, sixteen times in a row, each strike drawing blood.

The problem was, this whip was not hers, nor should it have been.

After some skilful diplomacy by the ladies-in-waiting, all the princes were seated for the banquet. It took Prince Chang Nian a while to regain his composure, and he was almost physically dragged to the main hall by the palace attendants.

The banquet in the main hall had already begun, with tables filled with fine wine and delicious dishes. However, he had lost his appetite; instead, he trembled as he pondered where could be a place more remote than the territory granted to his fourth elder brother? Should he start packing his bags in advance?

"Your Highness."

A voice was calling her, one that sounded rather pleasant to the ear. In her daze, Chang Nian thought to herself that the owner of this voice must be quite attractive.

"Your Highness."

A figure dressed in an imperial robe drifted before her. Chang Nian looked up, startled, and found that the person was indeed good-looking. He had sharp, defined brows and bright, clear eyes, with a faint mole beneath the corner of his right eye. When he smiled, it was like a cunning, yet charming, gray wolf.

But why did this handsome gray wolf resemble Duke Guo so much?

"Is there something on my face?" Ye Jiangbai asked, lowering his gaze at her.

Startled, Zhao Chang Nian finally snapped back to reality.

"Duke... Duke Guo!"

Observing her disoriented state, Ye Jiangbai knitted his brows. "Your Highness, please take your seat."

"No, no, no!" She reached out and grabbed his sleeve, speaking anxiously. "I have something to say about the prison historian's matter!"

Ye Jiangbai glanced at the lively banquet behind them, showing no interest. "We can discuss this three days from now."

"Three days from now, I might not even have the chance to argue my case," Zhao Chang Nian thought despairingly, recalling the prince's piercing gaze. "While I can still speak, let's clear things up."

Perhaps her tone was too pitiful, for Ye Jiangbai fell silent for a moment before unexpectedly complying. He instructed a nearby courtier and led her towards the rear garden.

The moment they were away from the crowd, Chang Nian couldn't help but start explaining herself, pouring out a long string of words to clarify that she had merely gone to relieve herself and was not the murderer.

"I'm so small and weak, how could I possibly kill a towering prison warden? It defies logic!"

Ye Jiangbai listened quietly, scanning her body with his eyes before nodding.

This reasoning was quite convincing. Among the seven princes, six were extraordinary and valiant, leaving only one who was as scrawny as a monkey on Mount Emei, so thin that a strong wind could blow him away.

"So, did you see the killer's face, Your Highness?"

Chang Nian's face fell. "I only saw a shadow."

"In that case, you must have seen something," Ye Jiangbai mused. "In that case, your testimony will be needed."

By saying this, he seemed to believe that she hadn't committed murder. Chang Nian exhaled in relief, then continued with her head drooping. "If I'm still in the capital when the trial begins, I don't mind giving testimony."

"Hmm?" Ye Jiangbai lowered his gaze and inquired, "What's happened?"

"My congratulatory gift has been switched by someone. It's now replaced with eighteen hundred-year-old pearl beads," Chang Nian mentioned, her legs trembling at the thought. "Even the Crown Prince only sent one, yet my gift consists of eighteen."

No wonder she'd be cast out to the ends of the earth.

"It's not uncommon for gifts to clash," Ye Jiangbai remarked calmly, his eyes shimmering slightly as he whispered, "If Your Highness believes you've been wrongly accused, perhaps it would be best to explain yourself to the Crown Prince."

Explain herself to the Crown Prince? Chang Nian shook her head repeatedly. "He wouldn't bother with me."

A prince like her, powerless and uninvolved in the struggles for power, could perhaps receive a polite greeting from him when they met. But usually, if she attempted to visit his palace, the Crown Prince would refuse to see her.

Looking at the shivering little monkey in the cold, Ye Jiangbai kindly offered, "Shall I pave the way and introduce you to His Highness?"

Upon hearing this, Chang Nian lifted her head to look at him, feeling as if he was radiating the compassionate light of Buddha!

"Then, many thanks to Duke!" She bowed repeatedly, delighted. "With Duke's introduction, the Crown Prince will surely listen to what I have to say!"

"Not a problem," Ye Jiangbai said, rolling up his sleeves. "Please prepare yourself, Seventh Princess, for tomorrow at noon."

Saying this, he bowed to her and returned to the banquet.

Chang Nian watched his departing figure with tears welling up in her eyes. She thought to herself that Duke Guo was actually a kind and decent person. Why would people say he was cunning and perilous? Clearly, he was a living savior!

With Ye Jiangbai's high status in the court, even the Crown Prince had to give him some leeway. With his assistance, Chang Nian happily swallowed her anxiety and began to consider that if she could stay in the capital, she would take out her little savings and present Duke Guo with a grand gift as a token of gratitude.

As the birthday celebration began, Ye Jiangbai returned to his seat.

"You were gone for a while," Feng Tingyun, the Vice Minister of Revenue, whispered with a wine cup covering his mouth. "Where did you go?"

Ye Jiangbai smiled warmly. "The banquet was dull, so I went for a quick hunt."

A quick hunt? Feng Tingyun looked around but saw nobody. He could only purse his lips.

Ye Jiangbai was a man who devoured others without mercy. Whoever had caught his eye as prey must be an unfortunate soul.

Unaware of her fate, Unlucky Zhao assumed everything would be sorted out. She happily attended the banquet to grab some food and then returned to the palace for a comfortable nap, awaiting news from Ye Jiangbai.

She expected Ye Jiangbai to send someone to inform her, but to her surprise, he personally came at noon the next day.

"Your Highness seems to be in a good mood?" Ye Jiangbai echoed the smile on his face, his tone gentle and amiable.

If Chang Nian were not still dressed as a man, she might have been drooling over him. This person had an impeccable aura and an excellent appearance; even without his exceptional talents, he would certainly hold a high position in the court.

"I can't help but feel joy when I think that Duke would actually lend me a hand," Chang Nian skipped along, pulling him out of the palace. "In all these years, no court official has ever visited my humble abode."

Following behind her, Ye Jiangbai couldn't help but think that the rumors about the Seventh Prince's foolishness weren't entirely unfounded. If he were to visit any other prince, he would surely be offered a seat, served fruit and snacks, and lavished with flattery. Yet, this one simply dragged him out without even offering a chair.

Moreover, her hands were incredibly small, soft and delicate, with a touch of femininity.