Chapter 49: Apricot and Peach

Chapter 49: Apricot and Peach

When Rong Bi woke up, she found herself in a massive tent, with the smell of savory meat and fresh grass tickling her nose.

She sat up and realized she was in a small tent, lying on a simple bed. She got up to tidy her hair and clothes. After checking her robe, she found a notebook hidden inside. She opened it and confirmed that the princess and the prince had indeed set out together for battle. They had been traveling with the army for several days. Given the princess's pregnancy and her delicate health, she suddenly felt a surge of energy—her big brother!

Clutching the notebook tightly, her eyes welled up with tears. She wished she could immediately find her brother, but the note mentioned that the crown prince had grown suspicious of Rong Yi due to the princess's situation. Although he had repeatedly advised against it, the prince couldn't change Rong Yi's mind. He had initially asked Rong Yi to stay in Guangping City to oversee the medicine shop and the escort agency, but Rong Yi refused, insisting on joining the princess's guard for the campaign. The crown prince felt guilty and apologized indirectly.

Regretful, Rong Bi realized she shouldn't have sent word home so easily, knowing her current circumstances. Now, she had implicated her brother... She hurriedly got up and walked out, only to see endless grasslands dotted with tents. A fire was burning nearby, with a pot simmering above it. Yu Twelve and Tang Youyu, along with a few other guards, were tending to the fire. Seeing her, they called out, "Fourth Master, come take a look! It's rare horsemeat, said to be the best loin and rib cuts. We've made a bone broth, but should we grill the ribs? The princess finds the smell nauseating, so she wants us to eat them."

Preoccupied with her brother, Rong Bi cautiously asked, "Where's my brother?"

Tang Youyu replied, "Brother Rong went to fetch water."

Rong Bi felt a slight relief. Approaching the pot, she observed the murky liquid and frowned. "This won't do. The meat will taste too gamey, even with pepper to season it. Where did you get the horsemeat?" Horses were crucial, and the government strictly prohibited their slaughter and sale.

Tang Youyu explained, "It's from the battlefield, of course. Ai, Bei Xi is fierce. In battle, one aims first at the horse. After each fight, injured or recently deceased horses are collected by support troops for the soldiers. Fortunately, the horses here are quite robust, though their flesh is thick and pungent. Not easy to prepare, but in the middle of a march, having any meat is a blessing. We just won a victory!"

Tang Youyu's eyes sparkled with anticipation.

Yu Twelve expressed his concern, "Princess has been vomiting everything she eats these days. With the rough journey and constant movement, how can she continue like this?"

Tang Youyu whispered softly, "Lower your voice, don't let anyone from Prince's camp overhear us. The Princess has strictly ordered us not to speak of it."

Rong Bi was planning to find an opportunity to meet the Princess and inform her of the events in the capital. Thus, she asked, "Is there any fresh horse meat available?"

Yu Twelve brought a basket over, and Rong Bi indeed found that it had only been simply salted. She called Bai Ying over, who, as expected, along with Hong Ying, had thoughtfully packed a large bundle of common seasonings. Rong Bi instructed the cook to boil water, selected the tenderest piece, sliced it thinly, and after the water boiled, blanched the slices until they turned dark red before removing them. She then prepared a sauce with shredded ginger, minced garlic, diced scallions, crushed perilla leaves, and a mix of soy sauce and vinegar.

A few guards gathered around as she personally prepared the deep red slices arranged on the white porcelain plate. They couldn't help but comment, "It looks so beautiful, like a flower. It's translucent and radiant."

Noticing some fresh wild vegetables, presumably gathered by the guards along the way, Rong Bi briefly blanched them and mixed them with sauce, vinegar, mashed garlic, century eggs, and finished the dish by sprinkling sesame seeds on top. He also added a serving of well-prepared silver ear fungus soup. Instructing Bai Ying to carry the dishes to the princess, he then straightened his sleeves and adjusted his robe. As he lifted his head, his gaze met a tall, burly man standing amidst the other guards, holding a massive water sack in his hands. The man's eyes were fixed on her with intensity. Tang Youyu boisterously laughed, "Elder Brother Rong is back? Why haven't you put down that water sack yet? Isn't it heavy to carry?"

Rong Yi had been standing there for a quarter of an hour when he noticed Rong Bi's clear eyes fixed on him. Beneath the sleeves of her blue cotton robe, her fair wrists were revealed, still holding a pair of chopsticks. This was vastly different from her cold and distant demeanor when she dressed in men's attire, instead exuding a touch of tenderness and familiarity. He felt both an endearing closeness and a pang of compassion, causing him to smile bashfully. "Everyone says that little sister's culinary skills are excellent, but this is my first time actually seeing you cook."

Rong Bi was taken aback for a moment before realizing who it was - her elder brother! Gazing at Rong Yi, her eyes slightly misted over, but she knew that with the prince's aloof nature, he would not have shown much affection to her brother in the past. Therefore, she refrained from being overly enthusiastic. Suppressing the lump in her throat, she croaked, "If you like them, I'll grill some horse rib for you later."

A surprised smile instantly lit up Rong Yi's face as he waved his hand, saying, "No need. I can see that the princess can't be without you for a moment. You go ahead and tend to your duties. I'm used to simple fare; I'll just join them for some meat soup." Usually, Rong Bi entered and exited with an entourage, standing tall and composed with few words, mostly giving orders that inspired awe and kept people at a distance. Now, she was unexpectedly offering to grill meat for him! He was utterly taken aback by this gesture and hastily waved her off.

Rong Bi couldn't help but smile, suppressing the excitement in her heart. She still had business to attend to, so she led Hong Ying and Bai Ying to present the plate of horse meat and cucumber salad to the princess.

Upon first sight of Princess Yi Yang, Rong Bi was startled. The princess appeared haggard, her once radiant and vivacious face now gaunt, her eyes sunken. Smiling as Rong Bi entered, she said, "On a military journey, there's no need to be too formal. You don't have to trouble yourself to prepare anything for me; I've grown tired of the scent, and I can't even stomach any more bread. My heartburn is unbearable." Despite her diminished vitality, her intuition remained sharp, and she immediately sensed the change in Rong Bi. Impressed, Rong Bi bowed respectfully, but the princess waved her off, saying, "Sit, no need for such formalities. My body feels heavy, and I'm burning with heat. I'm too lethargic to talk much. Just put the things down..."

She glanced at the white jade plate, where thin slices of meat were curled up like flowers, drizzled with sauce that carried a subtle hint of pomelo sourness. The dish looked light and refreshing. Suddenly, she stopped in the middle of her sentence and smiled. "You always have a way. What kind of meat is this? It has actually sparked my appetite. Previously, they prepared braised horse meat with a multitude of spices to mask the flavor, but it ended up overly greasy."

Rong Bi said, "Fortunately, Bai Ying and the others brought along the sauces and seasonings I made. This is yuzu vinegar, an appetizer. Please do try it."

Princess Yi Yang picked up a chopstick and tasted a slice herself. Indeed, it lacked the rich, heavy flavor of the braised horse meat that had been served before. Instead, it had a light sourness with a hint of ginger spiciness. The meat slices were too thin, so she swallowed them quickly after just savoring the taste. Before she knew it, she had finished the entire plate of horse meat. She then picked a few stalks of wild vegetables and glanced at the silver ear soup. Frowning, she waved her hand dismissively. "I won't have this overly sweet soup. Take it away for your own use. All of you, leave me and Ah Rong alone to chat."

Rong Bi waited until Bai Ying and Hong Ying had withdrawn before she asked with a smile, "I'm genuinely curious, Princess. How did you recognize me the moment we met?"

Yi Yang, who had initially appeared listless, now felt invigorated after satiating his hunger; the burning sensation in his heart was somewhat soothed by the refreshing dishes. His spirits lifted, he leaned comfortably against the soft couch, turning slightly to one side with Rong Bi's assistance. A pillow was placed to support him, and he said leisurely, "What's so difficult about that? When you entered, you instinctively lowered your lashes, not daring to meet my gaze directly—it's a habit ingrained by palace protocol, unalterable. Heng Zhi, on the other hand, looked at me straightaway with clear, concerned eyes upon entering. His education as the crown prince, being second only to the Emperor and above tens of thousands, means he needn't bow to anyone but the Emperor. Coupled with an innate streak of solitude and stubbornness in his bones, he is utterly different from you."

Rong Bi finally understood. "So that's how it is." She pondered silently whether, from now on, not avoiding eye contact would make her portrayal of the crown prince more convincing. Fortunately, they were all confined within the palace walls, and the notion of soul swapping was an unheard-of, astonishing phenomenon – thus, no one had suspected a thing.

Yi Yang smiled and said, "There's no need for you to change. It's the Crown Prince who should. Otherwise, a woman with such sharp edges would be more susceptible to being broken..." She coughed softly and continued, "How did you manage to come here? Are there any news about the impending war from the capital?"

Rong Bi recounted every detail of the conversation she had with Prince Yuan Ya, as well as the reason she had escorted him to meet Zheng Tanhua.

Yi Yang's expression was grave as he listened, then he pondered for a moment before saying, "Third Brother is young and impetuous. You did well to advise him to seek out Zheng Tanhua. Zheng Tanhua possesses exceptional talent, insight, and strategy. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been so determined to recruit him back then. It's just a shame that he's too clever, unwilling to take risks. However, with his ability to read the situation, he can certainly guide Third Brother onto a clearer path."

With her eyes closed, she pondered for a moment more. "First, we arrange for Second Son to marry the princess of Bei Xi, then we have Duke Song accompany Third Son on his journey..."

She seemed to be on the verge of saying something but held back, fatigue showing on her face. It was apparent that her pregnancy had taken a great toll on her. Gently caressing her belly, she whispered, "My father is determined to see me dead."

Rong Bi watched her, not understanding her meaning, but didn't press for more. Yi Yang, however, avoided the topic and asked, "Did anything unusual occur during this switch? Did you meet your brother? This time, we've implicated him. If we had known, we shouldn't have allowed you to send that letter."

Rong Bi shook her head. "I had no particular purpose there, but I was worried about the situation here, so I sought out Eunuch Tang Xi, hoping to find another way out. I never expected him to respond, though I can't tell if it's genuine or not." She recounted the events of the day she made the pearl buns. Yi Yang raised an eyebrow slightly and considered, "The Precious Case Palace is indeed remote, and I've never been there before. However, the palace has many hidden conduits. Rainwater flows through these channels and exits the palace walls. That's how the story of the palace maid Hong Ye's poem flowing outside the palace walls came about. Judging by the direction, the lake at the Precious Case Palace should lead to the Jingming Lake outside the palace. If we could truly find a passage out, it would be a valuable trump card. In case of an emergency, it might serve as an escape route."

After a moment of deep thought, she said, "Tang Xi was skilled in reading people's intentions in the past. Mother Empress enjoyed his cooking, but he was also clever, never overly eager to advance. After Mother Empress passed away, he virtually vanished. I even assumed that Empress Luo had already dealt with him."

"At this point... But if he were truly malicious, he would have made his move long ago. There's no need for him to take such risks now. However, it's hard to discern his true intentions, and you've indeed taken a risky gamble."

Rong Bi explained, "When I was in the Imperial Kitchen, Eunuch Tang showed me much favor. I believe that although he might not be willing to risk much, he also wouldn't easily harm others or betray Prince Yi. That's why I took the chance."

Princess Yi Yang nodded thoughtfully, "Fortunately, Hengzhi is there too. He should be able to handle the situation."

Rong Bi gave a soft cough, "Perhaps... I might have been ill when I came here. I felt feverish and disoriented, and then I woke up in this place. It seems I caught a cold."

Princess Yi Yang was startled, her mind pondering, "Ill? Last time it was due to overthinking, and this time it's because of an illness and physical suffering. Could these be the reasons for the instability of our spirits, leading to this body swap?"

Rong Bi remained silent, and Princess Yi Yang pondered for a moment before saying, "You've done well. Go back and meet your brother first. For now, there's no need to worry here."

Feeling relieved, Rong Bi was about to rise when she noticed the curtains part, revealing Prince Jingbei, who had yet to remove his armor. A faint smell of blood and the unique blend of leather and metal from prolonged horseback riding clung to him. Upon his entrance, Princess Yi Yang couldn't help but frown, quickly popping a piece of ginger into her mouth to suppress the discomfort.

Guo Shuji glanced at her with a cold expression. In his hand, he carried a leather pouch, which he placed on the table casually. He said indifferently, "I heard that the princess hasn't had an appetite lately, only managing to eat some vegetables and fruits. Unfortunately, it's not easy to supply these on our march. Today, by coincidence, I obtained some fresh apricots and honey peaches. Please enjoy them, Your Highness, so as not to say that I have treated the princess poorly."

Princess Yi Yang looked at the pouch but didn't open it. "Thank you, Your Highness. However, I have an important matter to report to you."

Guo Shuji raised an eyebrow slightly. "Is it due to inadequate supplies in the army?"

Princess Yi Yang shook her head. "Your Highness, do you know that the court has sent Duke Song and the Third Prince to oversee the military operations in Jingbei? Bei Xi has dispatched an envoy to the capital to sue for peace, offering a princess as a bride. Father has bestowed her upon the Second Prince as his wife."

Guo Shuji was taken aback. He looked at Princess Yi Yang. "Despite accompanying the troops every day, you still manage to keep informed of external affairs?"

Princess Yi Yang, aware that her attendants were under strict surveillance, felt a touch of helplessness. "Your Highness, this matter is critical, involving matters of life and death."

Guo Shuji sneered and pulled out a letter from his bosom, throwing it in front of Princess Yi Yang. "The dashing and talented Zheng Tanhua, known for his wit and charm, sent a merchant manager to contact me. Apart from donating ten carts of military provisions to the Jingbei army, there was also a cart of apricots and honey peaches, clearly intended for the princess. Moreover, he didn't hesitate to send a letter to me, asking me to pass it on to Her Highness, the princess."

"What a considerate and charming man this Third Rank Scholar is! It's intriguing how the princess can be so knowledgeable about the major events in the distant capital."

Princess Yi Yang reached for the letter, her eyes lingering on its wax seal as she smiled enchantingly. "Rong Bi, come and read this letter aloud to Prince."

Guo Shuji's dark brows arched, and Princess Yi Yang met his gaze unwaveringly, her expression open:

"The Third Scholar acts with transparency, not avoiding Prince. Prince conducts himself honorably, never having opened the letter. I have no guilt in my heart, thus I fear nothing in reading it aloud."