Chapter 27

Chapter 27

◎Combined Chapter◎

After occupying Qingzhou, the imperial court decided to send the Crown Prince to lead a personal expedition. Xie Jiuyi was in an urgent meeting with Li Cheng, while Yin Liyi sat talking with Huiyin. Huiyin's pregnancy was seven to eight months along, and she waddled when she walked. As she sipped a cup of milk, she couldn't help but express her envy upon seeing Yin Liyi's slender waist.

"I really wish the baby in my womb would come out soon, so I wouldn't have to suffer like this."

Yin Liyi smiled and replied, "Just endure it for another two or three months. Unlike me, even with a child, I can't be with her. It's hard being separated from my daughter."

Huiyin had heard that Yin Liyi had given birth to a daughter after marriage and that the couple was always together, deeply in love. Huiyin rubbed her belly and said, "In the future, I don't want to be separated from my child either. I always feel that no one can take care of them as well as I can."

Huiyin then probed, "When Lord Xie was away, were you always by his side?"

Yin Liyi shook her head. "No, I wasn't."

This time, she had insisted on coming to Xuzhou because she knew Li Cheng was not easy to deal with, so she deliberately accompanied her husband. However, saying these things might cause misunderstandings.

Huiyin, being very intelligent, could already guess from Yin Liyi's expression that something was off. But she didn't point it out and instead said, "I don't know much about the outside matters. I only heard that the Eastern Palace is about to lead a personal expedition, and there might be a fierce battle soon. It would be safer for Lady Xie to stay in Xuzhou."

"Ah, my husband also advised me to stay. I'll keep the young princess company then," Yin Liyi said with a smile.

In the territory of Xuzhou, one couldn't let a powerful outsider suppress the local forces. It was important to maintain good relations with the Prince of Huaiyin. Originally, the territory of the Prince of Wu was also here, which was why Li Cheng could operate so smoothly in Xuzhou.

Huiyin said happily, "That's wonderful. I married into this place from Jizhou, and to be honest, I'm completely in the dark here. Since we are of similar age and temperament, we will definitely get along well."

In reality, Yin Liyi found Huiyin to be someone who was warm on the outside but cold on the inside. She seemed chatty and thoughtful, but she wasn't someone easy to get close to and actually gave off a sense of detachment.

Therefore, the two of them didn't speak from the heart and just exchanged pleasantries.

Huiyin had no intention of becoming close friends with her. Although she didn't understand the political situation, she could make comparisons. It was clear that the person who should have been married to Li Cheng was from Jizhou, and it should have been Li Cheng who attacked Qingzhou. But the Prince of Wei sent Xie Jiuyi to capture Qingzhou, creating a situation where Xie's and Li Cheng's territories interlocked, using Xie to keep Li Cheng in check.

Perhaps for now, everyone was working for the Prince of Wei, and there was no distinction between them, but often in the end, those who are overly loyal often end up losing everything.

After Xie Jiuyi finished discussing matters, Yin Liyi took her leave, but on her way out, she saw Yun Hui, who looked very happy. Yun Hui also smiled and approached. "Good to see you, Lady Yin."

Yin Liyi quickly helped her up. "Dear sister, why are you greeting me like this? Back when I was studying at the Prince of Wu's Mansion, we used to eat and sleep together."

Yun Hui also remembered the old days. At that time, the Prince and Princess of Wu were still alive. Yin Liyi's uncle was a companion lecturer at the Prince of Wu's Mansion and was appreciated by the Prince of Wu for his good looks and knowledge. The Princess of Wu liked children, but unfortunately, she only had one son, Li Cheng. So during festivals, they would bring the children to the mansion.

At that time, Yin Liyi's mother was an eloquent woman, and Yin Liyi and her sisters were lovely and cherished. The Princess of Wu had them study together.

Yin Liyi was too young at the time, so she was assigned a maid to look after her, and the two developed a close bond.

Later, Yin Liyi's father was introduced by the Prince of Wu to become a recorder at the Prince of Wei's Mansion, and they parted ways.

Recalling those times, Yun Hui said with a smile, "I'm happy to see that you've married well."

"Sister Yun Hui, how have you been faring?" Yin Liyi looked up at Yun Hui, noticing that her attire was a bit too plain.

Yun Hui said, "Oh, just the usual."

Seeing Yun Hui's unhappiness, Yin Liyi said anxiously, "Sister, you and I have a deep relationship. There's no need to hide anything from me. If things aren't going well, I'll talk to Cheng Brother myself."

Yun Hui might not open up to others, and there were even things she couldn't confide in Granny Chao. But she had no conflicts of interest with Yin Liyi, and she knew Yin Liyi's character well—warm, straightforward, and simple, not someone with ulterior motives.

They agreed to meet again in two days. As soon as they sat down, Yun Hui smiled and said, "I managed to slip out. Normally, the young princess requires a pass for anyone to leave."

"It’s just like a prince’s mansion—so strictly regulated. Come, Sister Yun Hui, have some braised fish with lamb, which this tavern makes the most authentic way." Yun Hui was very enthusiastic and caring towards Yin Liyi.

They were originally from Wu Zhong, and *stuffed fish* is quite common there. In Xuzhou, it's rare to find a place that makes it authentically.

Yun Hui was somewhat moved: "Actually, I didn’t take care of you much before, yet you treat me so well."

After a couple of drinks, though they weren’t yet fully drunk, they had opened up. Yun Hui said, "Ever since Princess Zheng came into the household, there’s been a major overhaul in the mansion. Half of the old servants were driven out. Some were dismissed due to embezzlement, which is fair enough, but others were let go simply because they weren’t her people. She assigned all the lucrative positions to her own people. With the Prince of Huaiyin not at home, even my own mother has become idle. Compared to others, I’m still in a better position, still holding the title of head housekeeper and enjoying some leisure."

But leisure isn’t always a blessing. Now that Yin Liyi was the lady of a household, the more useful a person was, the busier they would be, unable to spare any time.

But she couldn’t interfere in someone else’s family matters, so she said, "Sister Yun Hui, ever since new people replace the old, she would naturally use those who are handy for her. You’ve always been diligent in your work; they could never find fault in you."

Yun Hui took a sip of wine, tasting the bittersweet flavors within: "Yes, that’s what I thought too. But things don’t always go as planned. In the past, it was fine, but now that the Little Princess is about to give birth, she has demands, and the Prince of Huaiyin grants her every wish. I heard someone reported me to her, saying that I was once placed by the Prince of Wu to watch over the Prince of Huaiyin. I don’t know how many more days I can stay in the mansion."

Yin Liyi frowned: "Sister, you’re a long-serving servant there; she wouldn’t just drive you out for no reason."

"I don’t have much to hope for; just seeing you makes me happy." Yun Hui didn’t expect Princess Zheng to be so ruthless, first clearing out the old servants of the Prince of Wu’s household, and now even Manager Zhong had been asked to leave.

Manager Zhong had left on his own accord, but it was said that there was an extra bag of silver in his belongings, all bestowed by Princess Zheng, intending for him to leave. Thinking of this, the innkeeper brought over another dish of dried squid. Yin Liyi personally poured her wine. Yun Hui thought that among everyone, only Yin Liangniang had no pretensions about family status.

Yin Liyi sympathized with her: "By excluding those who differ from her, won’t the entire mansion fall into chaos? That doesn’t seem right." She didn’t want to meddle in other people’s family affairs, but merely commented on the situation. New people replacing the old wasn’t unacceptable, but replacing many long-serving servants might cause trouble in the mansion later on.

Yun Hui tore a piece of squid: "We were the ones who followed the Prince of Huaiyin to join the Prince of Wei, fully committed. Never did we expect such an outcome. But well, one dynasty follows another, and with every new ruler, there are new favorites!"

"This is a bit too much." Yin Liyi had a habit she couldn’t shake. Her mood had been peaceful, but the more she listened, the angrier she became.

Yun Hui, on the other hand, consoled her: "This is an internal matter of the mansion, so it’s best not to get involved. If you say something, how will the Prince of Huaiyin see you in the future?"

Yin Liyi sighed softly.

When she returned home, she saw Xie Jiuyi packing his belongings and couldn’t help but ask, "Are you leaving for Qingzhou so soon?"

"Yes, speed is crucial in warfare. The person who laid the foundation for Qingzhou can’t be absent. But it’s alright; the Prince of Huaiyin in Xuzhou will provide support." After taking Qingzhou, fully controlling it wouldn’t be easy.

Seeing her husband’s stubble grow, Yin Liyi remembered how he used to be meticulous about cleanliness, and smiled: "You look travel-worn; take care of your health."

Xie Jiuyi nodded. He remembered that the Prince of Wei had always acted under the pretense of governing the people for the emperor, gathering various individuals in the Jiangnan region. This time, the court had deliberately sent the emperor’s son to lead a campaign, which, in a way, undermined the legitimacy of the Prince of Wei.

Directly opposing the court might lead to the Prince of Wei being attacked by all sides.

Xie Jiuyi was somewhat troubled, fearing that this move might be a misstep, leading to the downfall of the Prince of Wei’s faction. But when he discussed it with Li Cheng, Li Cheng said that they should have asked the Prince of Wei to request an official be stationed in Qingzhou, preserving the court’s face while allowing the Prince of Wei to continue biding his time.

But the court wouldn’t allow the Prince of Wei’s people to occupy Qingzhou, especially the He family. Now, with the emperor’s son leading the campaign, it was even more unlikely.

But he wouldn’t tell his wife all of this; he simply said, "After I leave, you stay in Xuzhou. If anything happens, just go to Yunzhi."

Yin Liyi nodded inwardly, patting her chest, assuring him that everything would be fine.

Meanwhile, Huiyin was sitting on the bed, with Li Cheng’s hand on her belly. Feeling a movement, he exclaimed excitedly, "Truly amazing! Though small, the five internal organs are all there. It must be his little foot kicking me. This kid has a lot of strength."

"My prince, what if it’s a daughter? You shouldn’t say that; we wouldn’t want our child to hear." Huiyin smiled.

Ever since Li Cheng had returned, he was only home at night, spending his days either discussing matters in the study or inspecting the city’s defenses. But the couple consulted each other, which was a good thing. For instance, regarding the ‘mice’ in the mansion, Huiyin would first gather evidence without removing anyone, discussing it with Li Cheng first to see what he thought. If he was willing to give the person a chance to reform, she would keep them, observing closely. But if Li Cheng couldn’t stand it, she would have him tell Manager Qiao to transfer or dismiss the person.

For those who were sensible, they knew that not being held accountable for embezzlement was already a great fortune. If they caused more trouble, they would be handed over to the authorities for punishment.

Li Cheng was swift and decisive. When he wasn’t at the mansion, embezzlement ran rampant, with the ‘mice’ crying poverty. He wouldn’t tolerate it.

Seeing Huiyin’s charming smile and her sharp methods, always leaving room for things and parting on good terms, he couldn’t help but hold her hand: "Whether it’s a boy or a girl, I’ll be happy either way. If she looks like you, it’ll be even better."

"But I’ve heard that daughters resemble their fathers, and sons resemble their mothers." Huiyin looked at Li Cheng’s appearance, eagerly awaiting the birth of their child.

Li Cheng smiled faintly.

Huiyin picked up the book beside her again. Previously, Li Cheng used to think how lonely it would be to have no friends, but seeing Huiyin like this, he found it quite nice as well. Every morning, she would rise early to manage the household chores, and after lunch, she would read books and do needlework. She was skilled in many refined arts, such as poetry, calligraphy, and music.

For example, she would write poems on large banana leaves, use the leaves to serve dishes, or when she saw fallen flowers, she would pick them up and string them together with a needle to hang by the bedside. She was full of poetic charm.

At times like this, when she sat there reading, the wind outside the window would blow in, making her clothes flutter, as if she were an immortal.

Whenever Li Cheng was by her side, he would feel the peace of time. His mood would calm down significantly.

"Huiyin, talk to me," Li Cheng sought a bit of her attention.

Huiyin folded the corner of the book before closing it and looked at him. "What is it? Do you want to say something? Are you bored? Let's go for a walk."

"Alright." Li Cheng stood up and helped Huiyin up to go out together.

Just as they were about to leave, Yun Hui returned. Being pregnant, she was sensitive to smells. As Yun Hui approached to greet them, Huiyin covered her nose. "I smell alcohol."

Li Cheng frowned. "In the future, after drinking, don't come to serve me."

Yun Hui didn't expect Li Cheng to show no regard for their past relationship and speak so bluntly in front of Princess Zheng. She endured the discomfort and left.

"Are you okay?" Li Cheng asked Huiyin, knowing she couldn't stand the smell of alcohol. Even after drinking, he would rinse his mouth and bathe before entering the room; otherwise, his wife would feel uncomfortable.

Huiyin shook her head. "It's fine because I covered my nose immediately."

Li Cheng found her manner of speaking incredibly endearing. He took her hand and led her to the garden. It was April, and the garden was filled with peach blossoms, cherry blossoms, orchids, peonies, lilies, azaleas, magnolias, pansies, begonias, and narcissus. The sight of the fresh flowers always lifted his spirits.

"Hey, how about we have a poetry recitation competition with the flowers in the garden?" Huiyin said with a little smugness, lifting her chin.

Li Cheng pointed to the peonies and recited Xu Ning's "Peonies": "Who doesn't love peonies, occupying the best of the city's splendor. They seem to be the work of the goddess of the Luo River, with a thousand graceful forms breaking the dawn."

Huiyin pointed to the peach blossoms with her hand behind her back and slowly said, "Layers of peach and plum blossoms cover the mountains, while smoke rising from the clouds suggests human dwellings."

This was Liu Yuxi's poem. Although she liked flowers, she preferred the earthly charm rather than vague praise.

Unexpectedly, Li Cheng said, "This poem is good, but it barely counts as a poem about peach blossoms."

Huiyin just wanted to find something to do together, but Li Cheng cared about winning or losing and insisted on relevance. However, she didn't see anything wrong with it. Sometimes, she benefited from his strong execution. This was his character.

But instead of correcting him with discipline or lectures, she pointed to a begonia. "Since you're taller, could you pick one for me to wear in my hair?"

Li Cheng was happy to do such intimate things. The last time they were intimate, she would always pull away whenever he got too emotional, worried they might lose control.

"Which one?"

"There, the one at the top, not 'one,' but a whole flower," Huiyin said with a laugh.

Li Cheng effortlessly plucked the flower and studied Huiyin for a while before putting it in her hair. As he got close to her, they both shivered when he brushed against her chest.

Huiyin stepped to the side, her face slightly red, and Li Cheng silently followed her. He swore it wasn't intentional; it was an accident. Their bodies were just too compatible, desiring each other immensely, wanting to hug and even do more intimate things upon seeing each other.

Turning to look at Li Cheng, seeing him with his head down as if he had done something wrong, Huiyin smiled and reached out. Li Cheng hesitated for a moment before coming over to hold her hand.

As they walked, Huiyin said, "I heard that Lord Xie is about to lead a campaign, and the Crown Prince is also preparing to lead one himself. You know, my sister is a Lady-in-Waiting in the Eastern Palace. I don't know if my father will send troops. You might think I'm being selfish, but if you were the one going to war, I'd definitely write to my father and brothers for help. Especially since my brothers are from the same mother, I could still convince them. But since it's not you going this time, I haven't paid attention."

Li Cheng certainly hoped for the best for Prince of Wei and was very loyal. Even in Xuzhou, he never made connections in his own name. But hearing Huiyin mention this, he looked at his wife. "Why are you always so good to me?"

"Because you're not just my husband, but someone who's always so kind to me." Regardless, Li Cheng had no other women during her pregnancy, which put him far above other men. Not to mention, he also spent time joking with her.

Li Cheng was actually a bit nervous when she mentioned the latter sentence, but he smiled with relief after hearing her out.

He both hoped and feared what she might say. Huiyin also felt that everything was happening too quickly, and though she couldn’t say it outright, she needed to express her stance. She had to position herself as acting for Li Cheng’s good; otherwise, if her father didn’t listen to her and decided to help the Crown Prince, she would be all alone in the Prince of Wei’s territory, becoming a target for everyone.

So, this was why she spoke this way now. It wasn’t that she was scheming, but one must look out for themselves, or heaven will punish them.

The current happiness they shared might become illusory in the future. Until she was certain that Li Cheng was fully devoted to her, she didn’t want to put herself at risk.

Li Cheng couldn’t foresee all this; he simply thought his wife was indeed a good wife. Even without a life-and-death promise between them, she treated him very well.

He echoed, “You’re not just my wife, but also someone who treats me very well.”

Huiyin and he exchanged a glance and both laughed.

After Zheng Deyin and Crown Prince Li Heng consulted, they decided to prepare for her return to Jizhou. Li Heng requested Empress He, and the two went to Jizhou under the pretext of visiting family. Nominally, it was said that the Crown Prince was visiting his father-in-law before going into battle.

There were only three daughters in the Eastern Palace now: Crown Princess Lu Xiao, Zheng Liangdi, and a lower-ranking imperial consort, Dong Yuniang. When Crown Princess Lu Xiao heard that the Crown Prince had specially accompanied Zheng Liangdi back home to visit her family, she felt somewhat disheartened for reasons she couldn’t quite understand.

Her servant, Grape, carried a bowl of lamb noodle soup over and said with a smile, “Crown Princess, usually when the Crown Prince is in the palace, he dislikes the smell of lamb, so the kitchen never prepares it. Now that the Crown Prince is gone, you can finally have lamb noodle soup.”

Lu Xiao, who had been feeling down, broke into a sweat after eating the bowl of lamb noodle soup, feeling an indescribable comfort.

Grape was also delighted to see the Crown Princess finish eating, “I haven’t seen you smile for days, but now you’re smiling after eating this.”

“I was just thinking about why I don’t seem like a proper Crown Princess? No wonder the Crown Prince is partial to others,” Lu Xiao shook her head and didn’t say much more.

But Grape added, “In my humble opinion, Zheng Liangdi has overstepped her bounds. She manages the Eastern Palace in your place and even comes here pretending to be your good sister. It’s only because you’re kind and don’t say much. Didn’t you see how a few days ago, Empress Dowager scolded her for being too self-willed? That was venting for you!”

Lu Xiao looked at the pastries on the table, which were sent by Zheng Deyin. She said, “Grape, please don’t say things like that anymore.”

Grape muttered, “It’s just that you’re too soft-hearted. How much affection has she stolen from you over time?”

When Zheng Fang saw the Crown Prince and his daughter coming together, he hurriedly led everyone to kneel and pay respects. Madame Ji knelt behind elder Madame Xu, fully aware of why Zheng Deyin had come, though she disdained it internally.

Li Heng personally helped Zheng Fang up, saying, “We’re all family; there’s no need for such grand formalities.”

This made him appear affable and respectful of his subordinates. However, Zheng Deyin felt that the Crown Prince was being kind to her father because of her. She first arranged for rewards to be prepared for Madame Ji and others, and then said to Zheng Fang, “The Crown Prince will be going into battle soon, so he’s accompanying me home to visit family and enjoy familial love. Let’s all be at ease.”

Zheng Fang repeatedly agreed and invited Li Heng to be seated. Li Heng appeared gentle and refined, observing proper decorum.

Zheng Deyin then took the opportunity to ask Zheng Fang to go inside for a private father-daughter conversation.

“Father, this time the Crown Prince is going into battle in Qingzhou, and I’m afraid he might meet with danger, so I want to ask you to send troops to help. Rest assured, if the Crown Prince wins, I’ll gain favor in the Eastern Palace, which will be a great benefit to our family. I know you’re not in good health, but if my elder brother and younger brother accompany the Crown Prince into battle and succeed, they’ll be promoted. Even you, Father, will be able to suppress Lü Wei,” Zheng Deyin explained.

She thought this was very persuasive—promotions and increased rank were the best incentives.

Zheng Fang was somewhat tempted but waved his hand, “Will Qingzhou be given to us?”

Nothing mattered more than territory.

Zheng Deyin gave an awkward laugh, “Father, this is a matter of the court; it’s hard to grant it to you.”

Zheng Fang said, “We already have plenty of gold and silver treasures at home. We’re doing well in Jizhou now. If we help the Crown Prince, daughter, don’t blame me for saying this, but if the Prince of Wei attacks us in the future, what will we do? Besides, isn’t it because of your face that I’ve allowed the He family’s army to pass through our territory?”

He still trusted his younger daughter’s words. Now that Lü Wei hadn’t made a move, if he helped the court retake Qingzhou, and the land was taken by the He family, he would suffer losses without gaining anything.

Moreover, his daughter had been in the Eastern Palace for over a year without bearing any children. With no heirs in the entire Eastern Palace, the Crown Prince’s position seemed increasingly unstable. Furthermore, asking him to help without even mentioning who would supply the provisions—wasn’t that letting the He family get something for nothing?

In short, he disagreed.

Unexpectedly, with a thud, Zheng Deyin knelt down, startling Zheng Fang.

“If Father doesn’t agree, I won’t get up,” Zheng Deyin said firmly. Shen Baoxu once wept outside the Qin court, and wasn’t it through such persistence that he succeeded? She could do the same.

Zheng Fang felt even more that his eldest daughter was siding with outsiders and wasn’t as considerate of the family as his second daughter. He became even more resolute in refusing, knowing that helping them would only strengthen others at his own expense.