Chapter 40

Chapter 40

◎Combined Double Chapters◎

Huiyin's first Plum Blossom Snow Banquet was about to begin, and the entire Huaiyin Mansion was adorned with a plum blossom theme. The first guest to arrive was Mrs. Lu, the young wife of the Lu family from Wuxing. Though young, she was held in high esteem among middle-ranking official wives. Yet, at an event in a mansion like this, someone of her status needed to arrive early to pay her respects.

People often show one face to their superiors and another to their inferiors. Isn’t that just the way things are?

She entered through the west corner gate, where a warm sedan chair awaited her. As Mrs. Lu was about to board, she noticed the curtains were adorned with a deep red background and crisscrossing ice patterns, featuring the design of "happiness on the plum blossom," exuding an elegant and noble air.

Once inside the sedan chair, a subtle fragrance surrounded her. Plum blossoms have a very subtle scent that can easily go unnoticed unless you pay close attention. But inside the enclosed space of the chair, the fragrance seemed to gather, creating a mysterious and elusive aroma.

After disembarking from the chair, a group of servant women greeted her. Though they didn’t wear any plum blossom insignia, their earrings featured various plum blossom designs.

For instance, Lady Liu, who came to receive her, was in her thirties. Though a servant, she wore unique wax plum and green branch earrings, which gave Mrs. Lu the impression that this was indeed the distinguished Huaiyin Mansion.

Even the spacious corridor where she usually paid her respects had been transformed. In winter, with cold winds on all sides, screens had been used as barriers. These screens were adorned with plum blossom designs, elegant yet not overly intricate.

As she entered the Cloud Pavilion to admire the plum blossoms, she saw golden silk curtains with a misty haze over the snow. Amid this, sat a person dressed in light green silk double-nest cloud goose palace attire, wearing a gold-threaded silver diadem. She sat gracefully amidst the opulence, looking ethereal.

Huiyin, seeing that the first guest was Mrs. Lu, nodded inwardly. In the past, she always hoped to convince everyone in her interactions. If even one person remained unconvinced, she would feel she hadn’t done enough. But now, her approach had changed. She needed to select two people who were more supportive of her, both of whom should have considerable prestige and could help her gather a group of supporters. When their husbands and sons encountered difficulties in their official careers, she could ask Li Cheng to help, thereby securing their loyalty. These merits would ultimately reflect on her.

Mrs. Lu was an ideal candidate for this. But first, she needed to get close to her. Huiyin had noticed during a previous event that Mrs. Lu had been watching her the entire time.

"This humble one, Lu Hongshi, pays my respects to the young princess," Mrs. Lu knelt and bowed.

After she stood up, Huiyin pretended to be puzzled and said, "Have we met before? I wonder where you are from?"

Mrs. Lu, who had been nervous because these high-ranking figures could be difficult to serve, felt a surge of joy at Huiyin's seemingly confused expression. However, she replied respectfully, "This humble one grew up in Jianye and has not traveled far."

"Oh, then I must have been mistaken. Please, sit and let's talk," Huiyin said lightly.

Mrs. Lu saw this as an opportunity to ingratiate herself. She felt that although the young princess was high above her in status, they shared a lot of common topics. Even after other guests arrived, she believed the young princess would still pay attention to her, which filled Mrs. Lu with a sense of honor.

More guests arrived, including Lady Gao, who brought three young ladies, and Lady Huo, who came with her daughter-in-law and two daughters.

Lady Huo smiled and observed, "This place is well-chosen. From here, you can see a view of red plum blossoms. Young princess, your attire today also complements the scene—red plum blossoms and green clothes."

"Madam flatters me. Ladies, please try this tea. It’s brewed with melted snow from the plum blossoms," Huiyin said with a smile.

Everyone began to drink the tea. Some were true connoisseurs, while others were less discerning. But those who knew about the elaborate preparation process of the tea would undoubtedly consider it excellent, even if they didn’t fully understand its quality.

Mrs. Lu felt that the young princess regarded her highly, which warmed her heart. Naturally, she praised Huiyin both privately and publicly, saying, "Young princess, you have arranged this place so beautifully. Look, there are wind lanterns hanging on the plum blossoms over there. It feels like a secluded path that suddenly opens up, allowing us to admire the resilience of the plum blossoms blooming in the cold."

Just as she was speaking, Princess Wei and others arrived. Huiyin stood up to welcome them. Both Yin the secondary consort and Xu the secondary consort had brought gifts. Upon their arrival, Huiyin ordered the banquet to begin.

The sounds of zithers, flutes, and ancient harps drifted over, not too loud but sufficient to enjoy the music.

The guests marveled at the chairs and tables, crafted from luxurious golden nanmu wood, which left them all amazed. Yin Liyi quietly said to her sister, "The Huaiyin Mansion is truly rich and luxurious, much better than your usual expenses, sister."

Yin Lifang shushed her and looked at her sister with affection, "You, silly girl, you have children of your own now and still speak so freely."

"I only tell you, sister. I wouldn’t say this to others. Look, there are so many dishes prepared." Yin Liyi was once again drawn to the food. The first cold dishes served included jade goose threads, crystal brawn, and jade dew fragrant diagram—all reportedly delicacies passed down from the palace.

Yin Lifang, on the other hand, sipped her wine and observed Princess Zheng, who sat below Princess Wei. She was surrounded by attendants and looked completely at ease, as if born to such wealth and elegance. Such a life was truly enviable. Her status allowed her to display her wealth with ease, but she also managed the household admirably.

She didn't want to cause any disruption at someone else's residence because of her.

Huiyin was smiling as she toasted Princess Wei. Princess Wei drank a cup of wine and praised Huiyin for doing a great job.

After the banquet, people were either enjoying the plum blossoms, playing arrow toss, or engaging in board games, drinking tea, and eating snacks. Everyone was content and at ease.

Huiyin had several boxes of palace-made flowers brought in. Originally, she hadn’t planned a poetry gathering, but seeing that many young ladies had come, she had a desk prepared and asked Princess Wei, "Among these ladies, do you know who is the most skilled in calligraphy and painting?"

Princess Wei mentioned a few names, and Huiyin gladly accepted, saying to them, "This is a plum blossom banquet, and there will be a prize for the best poem."

"There's no need for you to provide a prize. I have one here," Princess Wei said, taking out a white jade plum blossom hairpin.

Huiyin clapped her hands and laughed. "With such generosity from Aunt Princess, that's even better."

Everyone laughed again. As the hostess, Huiyin proposed a topic and set a rhyme scheme. Eventually, the third young lady from the Huo family was chosen as the top poet, making the banquet a complete success.

After this plum blossom banquet, Huiyin received many invitations to other banquets. She wanted to write to the Little Prince to ask for advice, because if she asked others, they might not tell the truth. Like Princess Wei, her words sounded grand but were not trustworthy. Li Cheng, however, was a man who took things seriously. Sometimes, even though he was high-ranking, his words were quite reasonable.

The main issue was that there were many factions here, and offending any of them would be bad. This place was not like Xuzhou, which was Li Cheng's territory.

The letter she sent reached the Little Prince after three days. He was handling official business and, upon seeing Huiyin's letter, opened it first. Fearing she might be in a hurry, he immediately replied.

After replying, he re-read Huiyin's letter. She mentioned that her family had sent festival gifts and that she wanted to return home to visit her family. Li Cheng found this somewhat troublesome, as they were supposed to go to Jizhou, and the timing wasn't good. Moreover, his identity was quite sensitive. Prince Wei intended to take Qingzhou, and Li Cheng was the first choice for the task. With his capabilities, both Qing and Xu states would be under his control.

Staying in Jianye would become unsafe. In the past, he had been loyal to Prince Wei, but now, as he grew older, new thoughts began to emerge.

He wanted to carve out his own path, something he had never even dared to imagine before. Lü Wei, He Jin, and Wei Duo were all of his grandfather's generation. He had only sought a place to settle, but now he felt he might be able to trust himself. Additionally, Jing'er was in good health, and who knows, maybe he could fight like him and inherit a kingdom. Perhaps his son could even unify the world.

Shaking his head, he reminded himself that he was a pragmatic person and shouldn't think too much.

At noon, he ate the baked buns Huiyin had sent over. The lamb inside was fragrant. Li Cheng wiped his face, thinking, "I can't be so weak as to miss my wife like this."

Upon receiving the Little Prince's reply, Huiyin looked at the several pages and couldn't help but laugh, "This is too detailed."

Fugui chimed in, "That's because the Little Prince values you highly and replied quickly upon seeing your letter."

"I just wish time would pass quickly so he could return," Huiyin said, reopening his letter, extracting key figures, comparing it with the invitations, and selecting a few families to maintain good relations with.

Nanny Nan brought a cup of hot tea and placed it in front of Huiyin. "Young Princess, please have some tea."

"Thank you," Huiyin said, noticing Nanny Nan's hesitation and smiling, "If you have something to say, just say it."

Nanny Nan shook her head. "I always feel that our Little Prince is too loyal to Prince Wei. I see that Prince Wei is an ambitious person. Governor Xie's initial failure means he will likely have to rely on our Little Prince in the future. I'm just afraid that the Little Prince will go to war."

Huiyin was somewhat worried but smiled and said, "As a soldier, this is how it is. If you don't fight others, they will fight you. Look at my father; every time he goes out, my mother is worried to death. It's a life-and-death situation."

People often downplay the dangers others face, offering comfort easily, but when it comes to their own loved ones, they feel the weight much more deeply.

It was also mentioned that while attending these banquets, Huiyin had her subordinates open noodle shops in places like Wuzhong and Kuaiji near Jianye. These shops were nestled in the bustling market, their facades neither too old nor too new, and their prices kept low to attract customers.

This year, since she was spending the New Year in Jianye, she sent a New Year gift to the newlywed bride, Hu Yan Yan. Her gift was a timely relief, almost saving Hu Yan Yan.

As she attended more banquets, Huiyin began to realize that this place wasn’t always so obedient to Prince Wei. Although Prince Wei appeared magnanimous, he was actually more intelligent and cunning. He first won over those who surrendered to him and then had them fight among themselves. Eventually, they all surrendered to him.

He was indeed cunning and capable. Compared to him, Li Cheng seemed more naive and compassionate, a man who was cold on the outside but warm inside. Perhaps it was due to their different upbringings. The Prince of Wu and his wife had only one child, Li Cheng, whom they doted on, raising him to be confident, generous, and responsible. Prince Wei, though young, had experienced much under various powers, making him quite deep.

"Young Princess, both Lady Lu and Lady Gao are coming together," someone reported.

Huiyin smiled and said, "Please invite them in."

These two were the representatives she chose. As soon as Lady Lu entered, she smiled and said, "Just now as I came in, I saw the yellow oriole under the corridor of the young princess's residence chirping joyfully. We have a piece of good news to tell you today."

Huiyin had tea prepared for them and asked, "I wonder what this good news is?"

Lady Gao said, "Last time you mentioned that the local tea here is excellent. Coincidentally, a tea merchant is looking to sell, so we came to inform you. When he heard that you are the buyer, he said he would just give it to you."

"That won't do. I'll send someone to ask if he's genuinely looking to sell. If he is, we'll pay the proper amount of silver for it." Huiyin had witnessed too many instances of coercion and bullying by those in power, and she refused to engage in such practices.

At times, she felt a strange kinship with Li Cheng—both knowing the truth but lacking the heart to act on it.

After buying the tea plantation, she would still need help to manage it, but that would be a matter for next year. When she visited the Wei Mansion, she heard Princess Wei teasing her, "I heard you've started a business recently?"

Huiyin smiled and said, "I mentioned that I found the tea here good, and someone happened to say a tea plantation was for sale. I went to take a look, and it was indeed well-maintained, so I bought it. I hope you won't mock me, Aunt."

Princess Wei said, "Which of us women doesn't have some private savings? When I got married, it was the same. But since you married far away, you probably hadn't had the chance to set anything up. This is indeed good."

Huiyin nodded and said, "You are right, Aunt."

She had come to deliver seasonal gifts. Li Cheng had originally planned to return, but he sent a letter saying he couldn't make it. Huiyin felt a sense of emptiness, but keeping herself busy helped.

At this time, she heard that Yin Liyi was pregnant. Although she wasn't particularly close to Yin Liyi, Li Cheng had a good relationship with Xie Jiuyi, so she had visited once.

During this visit, she met Lady Xie. Lady Xie was very kind and treated Yin Liyi like her own daughter. Huiyin thought that it would be wonderful if Lu Xiao could marry into such a family. She hadn't understood why Yin Liyi had married into the Xie family, given the difference in status, but now she knew that the marriage had been arranged by Prince Wei. Consort Yin had asked Princess Wei to help, and Xie Jiuyi genuinely liked Yin Liyi, so they were happily married.

Consort Yin prevented her father from receiving an official post but arranged for her sister to marry the prefect of Bohai, a position of real power. This was indeed clever, though Huiyin suspected it was more about good fortune, which could be the best part of life.

Zheng Deyin lamented her own lack of luck and fortune. The Crown Prince often visited her, but she hadn't conceived.

Unexpectedly, Lianzhi rushed in, panic-stricken, and said, "Consort Liangdi, something terrible has happened. Dong Yuniang has been killed... killed by Prime Minister Lü Wei."

Zheng Deyin fell to the ground, shocked.

In the main hall of the Eastern Palace, Crown Prince Li Heng was pleading, "Prime Minister, Dong Yuniang's brother absolutely did not mean to offend."

Seeing Li Heng begging desperately, Lü Wei smiled and said, "Crown Prince, firstly, the Dong family disrespected the Crown Princess. The Crown Princess has no child, yet a child from a concubine was born first. Secondly, the brother attempted to assassinate me. Do you have anything to say in defense?"

Li Heng had never been so humiliated, but he had no choice but to plead. At least for now, he could still go out to fight battles, but in the future, he might not even be allowed to leave and could be imprisoned.

Dong Yuniang had thought that becoming pregnant would elevate her status, but now her life was gone. She begged Li Heng, "Your Highness, you told me that if I had your child, I should serve the Crown Princess more. I carry your flesh and blood."

Li Heng looked at her, feeling some pity, but still said, "I can barely protect myself."

Dong Yuniang, whose hopes had soared so high, now closed her eyes and wept uncontrollably as Lü Wei ordered her to be taken away. This was the first time Zheng Deyin had seen someone so lively and even defiant in front of her become bloodied. She fell ill from the shock.

Elder Madame Xu and Madame Ji went to the palace to visit her. Elder Madame Xu had heard the rumors, but the Zheng family was not like the Dong family, which had no foundation or power. Still, she feared that Lü Wei might act recklessly.

"Grandmother, it was so terrifying... really terrifying..." Before, when she was in the Huaiyin Mansion, even though she had been sent to Jianye to be with Grand Dowager Wu, Lady Xun, and others, and lacked her husband's affection, at least there was no threat to her life. Even if Li Cheng died, someone would still take care of her.

She had once thought marrying Li Cheng was like living in hell, but now, under Li Heng, she faced true turmoil. If only Father could have eliminated Lü Wei.

"Grandmother, ask Father to kill Lü—"

Before she could finish, Madame Ji slapped her. "Consort Liangdi, there are many ears here. Prime Minister Lü is a benefactor to our Zheng family. Why say such things?"

Elder Madame Xu looked at her, troubled. "You are a Liangdi now. The Crown Princess of the Eastern Palace can't even go home, much less you. There are many troubles in the palace now, but you'll be fine. I've asked your father to guarantee it."

"But I’m really scared..." She was truly scared.

She even wondered if the rumors from her previous life, claiming that Dong Yuniang was killed by Huiyin, might also have been orchestrated by Lü Wei. No, that couldn’t be, because if Zheng Huiyin could persuade her father to kill Lü Wei, why couldn’t she do the same? After all, she was also her father’s daughter.

Elder Madame Xu glanced at Madame Ji, who lowered her head. She couldn’t possibly take her in. If she were truly pregnant, Zheng Fang might still have a chance to help her. But now, she had nothing, so how could anyone assist her? Besides, Zheng Deyin was not her own daughter, so why should she say more, as long as it didn’t involve her own family?

...

After the New Year, spring arrived quickly. The ice on the lake broke, and boats could sail again.

Jing'er would be turning one in two or three months. He was different from other children. He was very strong and had already started eating solid food—rice porridge, fish paste, meat paste, and even fruit puree, which he enjoyed immensely.

"Your father probably won’t be able to lift you." Huiyin said with a smile.

She had received a letter from Li Cheng two days ago, saying he was very tired from non-stop training.

Why was he training so intensively day and night? The court had just taken Qingzhou and was in a period of rest and recovery. It was unlikely that war would break out so soon. Why was he working so hard?

However, Consort Xu knew first. As the confidante of the Prince of Wei, she often received firsthand information. Even Princess Wei didn’t dare to overly suppress her. For instance, the last incident involving the investigation into Li Jing being thrown into a well eventually fizzled out without any conclusion.

"I didn’t expect this Little Prince Jing'er to be such a sentimental person." She said with a smile.

Her trusted aide said, "Didn’t you previously mention that he had connections with Consort Yin, and that you were worried he might support Consort Yin’s son as the heir? Why are you now saying he’s sentimental towards the young princess?"

Consort Xu smiled. "One thing at a time. Although there seem to be many capable people around the prince, the one he appreciates the most is this nephew of his. Unless absolutely necessary, the prince won’t break with him. But the future is hard to say."

The aide was confused. "What do you mean?"

"Don’t you know the saying: 'When the hares are dead, the hunting dogs are cooked; when the birds are gone, the bows are put away; when the enemy is defeated, the strategists are discarded'?" Consort Xu said coldly.

The aide shuddered upon hearing this.

As for Huiyin, she had been playing with Jing'er all morning. The child was so energetic that she couldn’t handle it anymore and needed a nap. However, she woke up suddenly, feeling as if someone was kissing her. Startled, she realized it was Li Cheng.

"Hey, when did you get back? You didn’t say anything." Huiyin said, noticing his dusty and smelly appearance.

Li Cheng smiled. "Didn’t you say you wanted to return home to visit your family? So, I’ve been training the troops day and night, preparing defenses, and then volunteered to go to the capital to celebrate the emperor’s birthday. That way, I can take you with me, right?"

Touched that he had taken her words to heart, Huiyin sat up and reached for his hand. "Really?"

"When have I ever said something fake? Even Uncle Wei agreed!" Li Cheng said with a smile.

Huiyin knew that Li Cheng didn’t really like her father. As his daughter, she understood Zheng Fang’s character better—someone who betrayed his lord to rise to power and rebelled multiple times. Li Cheng, being upright, definitely disapproved of him. Now, for her sake, he was putting himself in danger. If something happened to him in the capital, how could she face him?

"You fool, forget it. I only mentioned it in passing. I don’t really want to go back. As long as we’re together, that’s all that matters." Huiyin said.

Li Cheng quickly added, "It’s not just for you. I also want to go to the capital to see how things are changing. If I don’t even have the courage for this, how can I lead troops into battle in the future?"

Seeing that Huiyin was still unhappy, he continued, "I actually didn’t want to go back either. It’s not a wise move right now. But I just thought that if we went back together, you’d be happy."

"With such a tender heart, how will you ever become a ruler?" Huiyin said with a tearful smile. In this aspect, he was much better than Li Heng, who was ruthless.

Li Cheng deliberately put on a serious face. "Enough talk. We have limited time. Let’s pack quickly."

Huiyin gently said, "Yes."