Chapter 46

Chapter 46

◎Combined Two Chapters◎

"Really?" Elder Madame Xu had no idea there was this aspect to the situation.

She believed Li Heng was deeply in love with her and had married into the family to follow in her younger sister's footsteps from her past life. She was afraid her sister might steal the marriage proposal, but she hadn't expected the Crown Prince to...

Huiyin didn’t want to speak ill of Li Heng in the Eastern Palace, but Li Heng kept using Elder Madame Xu to stir up trouble, which was annoying. Frankly, men’s affairs should be handled by the men themselves. Li Heng should show his sincerity on his own.

Therefore, what Huiyin needed to do was make Elder Madame Xu say that the He family wasn’t helping, causing the relationship between Li Heng and the He family to fall apart. As the saying goes, when the world is in chaos, the situation is ripe.

"Why would I lie to you, sister? I’m leaving for Jianye soon, and we might never see each other again. I hope you, elder sister, will rise to great heights, and I, your younger sister, can bask in your glory. But think about it—if Father fights with the Crown Prince and Lü Wei, and both sides suffer, who would the He family ultimately benefit by marrying into our family?" Huiyin found that using broad examples didn’t work with Elder Madame Xu, so she used simpler terms.

Sure enough, Elder Madame Xu’s expression turned sharp. "But the He family has no daughters?"

Huiyin smiled. "The He family can have a pregnant maid, not to mention they have nieces, as long as they carry the He surname. What can you do about it in the future, elder sister?"

Elder Madame Xu shuddered.

Although she didn’t want to admit it, it was indeed true. The Crown Prince always wanted the Zheng family, and even had Li Cheng cooperate, to deal with Lü Wei. But was Lü Wei so easy to handle? If her father and brother were to perish, wouldn’t the He family ultimately benefit?

Seeing the change in Elder Madame Xu’s expression, Huiyin continued, "Elder sister, if Father can preserve his strength, your position will always be secure. Why can’t we be the ones watching from the sidelines? If the Lü and He families suffer mutual losses, elder sister, you will stand out."

Elder Madame Xu thought it was a good idea. She privately admitted that Huiyin, who had thrived in both lives, indeed had some talent. But she didn’t want Huiyin to feel too smug, so she said, "Younger sister, be careful with your words. These are not things that we women should discuss. I see that the banquet is almost over; let me send you off."

"Alright, I will take my leave now." Huiyin didn’t linger.

The Eastern Palace wasn’t far from Lijing Hall, which is why Huiyin had agreed to come. Even though it was a celebration, no one dared to make loud noises. She stood at the palace entrance for a moment, then quietly went inside.

The imperial palace was like a fragile bubble of beauty tonight, but once it popped, the harsh reality of starving people and bandits became all too visible. Some of the women looked to be of marriageable age, some were just little girls, and some were even young women like her. Even with blackened faces, it was useless. Huiyin thought that if she didn’t have status and was beautiful, it would be hard to survive.

"Why didn’t your grandmother return with us?" Li Cheng asked as he entered the carriage.

Huiyin smiled. "She probably has a lot to talk about with my elder sister. She has always treated my elder sister like her own daughter."

Indeed, Elder Madame Xu was talking about Huiyin with De Yin in the Eastern Palace. "It’s truly petty behavior. I wanted to see her son, but instead, I was lectured and had to put on a show of authority. I don’t know how she enchanted the Prince of Huaiyin, who speaks well of her at every opportunity."

De Yin cast her eyes downward. "I heard from the Crown Prince that the Prince of Huaiyin accompanied her back to visit her family and treated her very well. Your Highness, I don’t know where I fall short compared to her, to have ended up in this situation. Please rest assured, I am much better now."

Perhaps because Huiyin had come over, De Yin no longer indulged in self-pity and instead felt a renewed sense of determination, her previous fears alleviated.

Elder Madame Xu sighed. "It’s also because I am incompetent and unable to persuade your father."

"Grandmother, I think Lü Wei holds significant power, and my father has always had a good relationship with Prime Minister Lü. On the contrary, it is He Guoguo who is competing for power with Prime Minister Lü. Let them fight it out; I don’t need to involve myself. Anyway, I haven’t been able to conceive these past few years, so why worry unnecessarily?" De Yin had fully listened to Huiyin’s words.

Elder Madame Xu didn’t know that Huiyin had come by the previous day and thought that De Yin had figured things out. She found her reasoning sound. "Liangdi, you understand things well despite being in the deep palace."

"Grandmother, in the future, please worry less about me and take care of your health." When the situation changed, she would ensure that her grandmother and mother enjoyed their lives.

Elder Madame Xu felt even more content.

However, the Crown Prince noticed that De Yin wasn’t enthusiastic about what he had said that day and didn’t try to win over the Prince of Huaiyin and his wife, so he subtly probed.

But hearing this, De Yin interpreted it differently. In her previous life, the Crown Prince and Huiyin were deeply in love, even more so than with her. What if Huiyin returned, and their old feelings reignited?

Therefore, to verify the truth of Huiyin’s words, De Yin said, "Yesterday, I invited my younger sister, and she asked me to thank you, Your Highness, for saving her."

Li Heng was certainly aware of this matter. At that time, Zheng Fang was under the command of Lü Wei and had even eliminated Empress He's forces. Naturally, Empress He was unhappy with the Zheng family girls and had intended to make things difficult for them. It so happened that I was able to rescue the two Zheng family girls, which earned the favor of the Zheng family towards me. As it turned out, it was a successful move.

But he glanced at De Yin and said with a smile, "You mentioning this almost made me forget. I happened to be passing by and rescued her."

If Huiyin were here, she probably wouldn't believe him, but De Yin trusted him completely. She even speculated that it was because Huiyin was her sister that the Crown Prince rescued her, which also served to illustrate the Crown Prince's inherently kind nature.

"So it was like that. Sigh, it's not that I don't want to keep my sister here, but they are in a hurry to return. They said they would head back after attending my brother's wedding." De Yin said with a smile as she came up with a reason.

Li Heng closed his folding fan and said, "Since that's the case, why don't we also return to your parents' home and attend your brother's wedding together? The last time we visited, we had to ask for something, which made your father look down on us. This time, we should return in triumph."

De Yin felt something was off. She wasn't sure if Li Heng's intention was to win over Li Cheng, or Huiyin, or if he genuinely wanted to accompany her back.

However, she couldn't question the Crown Prince, so she agreed.

When Huiyin returned home, it coincided with the Cui family sending over the dowry. Cui Yuehuan, being from the prestigious Cui family of Qinghe, had an exceptionally rich dowry. The steward and servants of the Cui family had come a day earlier to prepare the bridal bed, and at that moment, they were reporting back to Madame Ji.

"This is the list of dowry items prepared by our master and mistress for your perusal, Lady Hou." Although the Cui family was no longer as formidable as when Cui Xun held the position of senior general, their status as a noble family still overshadowed Jizhou. The dowry reflected the depth of the Cui family's heritage.

Madame Ji flipped through the dowry list, noting items such as the grape-embedded gem-studded mirror of Princess Shouchang, Gu Kaizhi's bird-and-flower painting, and Lady Wei's calligraphy. Each item has a prestigious history, showcasing the Cui family's deep roots, unlike those of newly wealthy families. She nodded slightly and instructed the servants to continue with their tasks.

After they left, Huiyin emerged from behind the screen.

Madame Ji smiled and said, "You are a princess. Why are you hiding behind the screen as if you're avoiding them?"

"Mother, I'm just trying to avoid the hassle. With my status, even offering greetings would take a long time. I'd rather avoid it." Huiyin waved her hand.

The mother and daughter shared a smile. Madame Ji was busy with her son's wedding but couldn't help feeling concerned about her daughter's impending departure. "Are you leaving so soon?"

If they weren't married, staying at home would naturally be the most comfortable. However, Li Cheng had responsibilities on his shoulders. It was already wonderful that he could accompany her back this time. Staying longer in the capital wasn't necessarily a good thing, especially with the looming threat against Lü Wei.

In these uncertain times, it was best to keep their power close.

"It's time to go. I'll miss my parents, but being able to see you all is more important than anything." Huiyin held Madame Ji's hand, feeling a deep sense of regret.

Although she was attached to her family, she knew how to prioritize matters. It was better for everyone to be well than to be together all the time.

The next day, Zheng Wuheng had already changed his wedding clothes twice. When Huiyin entered and saw his silly appearance, she laughed and said, "What are you so happy about?"

"Sister, I'm not happy. Having a tigress of a wife to manage me isn't a good thing. It's just that before I was married, everyone treated me like a child." Zheng Wuheng was a bit frustrated.

Huiyin said, "Your brother-in-law had taken over Xuzhou even before he was married..."

"Now you're comparing me to your husband, and he's older and slightly more capable than me." Zheng Wuheng still felt a bit resentful.

Huiyin relented, "It's my fault. You're still young and haven't been to the battlefield yet. In the future, you need to do well. I don't expect you to have overwhelming power, just to be safe."

Recalling her previous life when her younger brother had taken the poisoned arrow meant for Li Heng, Huiyin's eyes turned red. No matter who I married, my younger brother always treated my husband like a true brother-in-law. As she was lost in thought, Li Cheng entered and misinterpreted her feelings. He thought it was because they had to return to Xuzhou after Zheng Wuheng's wedding the next day, and he sighed inwardly.

When Li Cheng's parents were alive, he was doted on. But after their passing, he had to rely on himself. It had been a long time since he had experienced such familial warmth. In his in-laws' home, they treated him like their own child, showing him immense care. When they went out together, his father-in-law even gave him a saddle, worried that he might not eat well. His two brothers-in-law did their best to entertain him, feeling it was still not enough.

They treated him like family, readily agreeing to his plans.

The next morning, Zheng Wuheng dressed in new attire, bid farewell to his parents, sister, and brother-in-law, and set off with his guards to fetch the bride from the Cui family.

Huiyin offered to help, but Madame Ji insisted otherwise. "You are our honored guest. Please rest at home."

"Alright, I won't be busy then." As a princess, if she helped with chores during her visit, it would be seen as losing decorum.

After the long journey and disrupted routine, her menstrual cycle became irregular. It had started five or six days ago, paused for two days, and then resumed with light bleeding.

"I’m not feeling well, and my mood is understandably low. When I returned to my room, I happened to find Li Cheng there. He specifically asked, 'Is your period over?'

'Is it happening again?'

'This won't do. We'll need to find a doctor to take a look in the future,' Li Cheng is very worried.

Princess Huizhen smiled and said, 'It's nothing. I used to always feel pain when my period came before I got married, but it's much better now than before.' After saying that, she continued, 'I'm currently having things packed and loaded. We'll leave after we meet the bride tomorrow.'

Li Cheng was helpless. It’s not that he doesn’t care for his wife, but he’s also preoccupied with matters in Xuzhou. As a general, if he's not there, he's afraid the people under him might have other intentions.

Princess Huizhen changed her menstrual pad and went out with Li Cheng. They happened to run into Rong Mama, who was a dowry steward from the Cui family. She hurriedly came forward to greet Li Cheng when she saw him. Li Cheng seemed to recognize her and said, 'Why did you come along?'

Rong Mama smiled and said, 'I've long heard about your return to your natal home. Now, I finally get to greet the young master and mistress.'

Li Cheng introduced Rong Mama to Princess Huizhen and said, 'She was my mother's personal maid. Before my mother got married, she stayed at the Cui family. I met her once when I was little.'

'Now that everyone is together, it’s truly fate,' Princess Huizhen smiled.

Rong Mama nodded repeatedly, her gaze filled with affection for Li Cheng.

Li Cheng was about to say something more when he heard that the Crown Prince and De Yin had returned. Zheng Fang asked everyone to go and receive them, so they had to go. Strangely, it was not previously heard that they would attend the wedding. Now, the Crown Prince has brought her back. It’s unclear what it’s about.

The Zheng family knelt on the ground. Elder Madame Xu knelt willingly, looking at the noble Crown Prince and her delicate granddaughter. Elder Madame Xu glanced at Li Cheng and Princess Huizhen, thinking that even if they were to act defiant, they still had to bow before the Crown Prince.

After the Crown Prince entered, Zheng Fang and Li Cheng, among others, attended to him. As for De Yin, Elder Madame Xu and Madame Ji invited her to the upper seat. Princess Huizhen sat below her. Although the position of princess is no less than that of Liangdi, the status of the Crown Prince is higher than that of a prince. Fortunately, De Yin wanted to visit Madame Xu, so Princess Huizhen didn’t have to stay and entertain.

De Yin definitely wanted to see Madame Xu. It’s easy for her to meet Elder Madame Xu since the Crown Prince and Empress He were eager for her to influence her natal family. Elder Madame Xu submitted her request, and it was promptly approved. However, Madame Xu was in a nunnery, and she couldn’t meet her. Today, with so many people and the presence of her sister, the Princess of Huaiyin, everyone's attention wasn’t on her. So, she wanted to see her mother.

As for Princess Huizhen, she simply went to take a look at Zheng Wuheng's new room. Unexpectedly, Rong Mama was there. When she saw Princess Huizhen enter, she hurried over.

'Please continue with what you're doing. I just came here to take a look,' she said, looking at her younger brother's new room, feeling a little dazed that her brother was also getting married and starting a family.

Rong Mama was very interested in Li Cheng and specifically came over to ask, 'Greetings to Princess. I'm truly happy to see how well the prince has turned out.'

'Yes. The prince is both wise and brave, and he's a valiant warrior. He handles both big and small matters to the satisfaction of everyone around him,' Princess Huizhen praised Li Cheng with ease.

Rong Mama kept saying, 'That's good, that's good.'

For some reason, Princess Huizhen recalled how the late Princess of Huaiyin had appointed Yin Lifang as princess. She had also heard that the Yin sisters had entered the prince’s mansion as companions when they were young, which struck her as unusual. However, not many people in Huaiyin Mansion knew about this, and even Granny Chao, whom she had placed people to ask, seemed unaware.

Just then, Princess Huizhen looked at her and said, 'Mama, I actually have something I want to ask you.'

'Princess, please go ahead. I'll tell you everything I know,' Rong Mama said seriously.

Princess Huizhen smiled slightly and said, 'Don't be nervous. I'm asking about some small matters.'

'Do you know if the Yin family and the Cui family are related by marriage?'

Rong Mama immediately shook her head and said, 'Our family doesn't know anyone with the surname Yin.'

'Oh, then maybe I was mistaken,' Princess Huizhen said.

Rong Mama looked completely puzzled.

The new bride, Cui Yuehuan, had completed the wedding ceremony earlier that evening and now entered the bridal chamber. As the senior housekeeper from the Cui family, Rong Mama had already found out everything here. After the groom lifted the veil, Rong Mama explained everything to her.

'We live in the east courtyard of the mansion. The side rooms are on both sides, and the back rooms are at the rear. The family matriarch lives in seclusion and mostly stays home to practice Buddhism. Lady Hou, Madame Ji, has a straightforward and easygoing personality.'

Cui Yuehuan smiled and said, 'During the wedding ceremony earlier, we had the honor of meeting the Crown Prince, Liangdi, and the Prince and Princess of Huaiyin. Liangdi kept smiling and seemed very approachable, while the Princess of Huaiyin exuded confidence and sharpness in her gaze.'"

Rong Mama said, "Things cannot be judged by their surface. Consort Zheng is highly favored, which is naturally related to her temperament. However, the Princess of Huaiyin is also not to be underestimated, as she managed to have the Prince of Huaiyin accompany her on a long journey back to her family for a visit."

"Mama, my aunt wrote back saying that my cousin would marry a woman from the Yin family, but why did he end up marrying someone from the Zheng family?" Cui Yuehuan, still young, had many doubts.

Li Cheng, her first cousin, was a young and handsome prince who protected his wife. Even she felt a twinge of envy at their love. Especially since she was about to get married herself, she felt a great deal of fear. Her mother had used the example of the Prince and Princess of Huaiyin, saying that there were also couples in the world who were very much in love.

Upon hearing this, Rong Mama's expression changed slightly. "Please don't mention this again. If someone overhears, it could cause trouble."

Cui Yuehuan, of course, understood the gravity of the situation. "I understand. By the way, Mama, when my elder sister was escorted to her marriage today, she acted as if my mother had mistreated her. She behaved in a very petty manner."

Cui Yuehuan thought that it was common for noble families to take concubines before marrying a woman of equal status. Her elder sister's mother had refused to accept her fate and had wanted to compete with the first wife, which led to her current situation.

……

As the night grew darker and the dew heavier, Huiyin yawned and asked Li Cheng, "What was the Crown Prince doing here today?"

Li Cheng smiled slightly. "The Crown Prince was trying to get something for free."

"Oh, and what are you going to do about it?" Huiyin looked at him.

Li Cheng yawned. "I've discussed it with your father, but we still need to report it to the Prince of Wei, so tomorrow we'll have to travel day and night to get back. I’ll entrust Jing'er to you."

Huiyin smiled. "Of course. By the way, do you want to guess what my brother and his new wife are doing right now?"

She was thinking about whether they were having dinner or drinking a celebratory cup of wine, but Li Cheng replied with a hint of mischief, "They're doing what couples do. Unfortunately, because of your current condition, I'll have to wait."

Huiyin blushed. "You..."

Bringing up the topic of marriage, she looked at Li Cheng and said, "Let me ask you, why did you and your mother both favor Yin Lifang back then? Your mother's brother waited until he was over thirty to marry a woman of appropriate status because he valued propriety so much. You also place great importance on propriety, so I really don't understand."

Even now, she felt that Li Cheng's decisive rescue to cut ties with Yin Lifang had been a huge sacrifice. While there was a part of him that was resolute, she still wanted to know the underlying reasons.

If Li Cheng didn't tell her the truth, she would never be able to fully open her heart to him, even though she already liked him very much. There were still some reservations.

If Li Cheng had truly loved Yin Lifang before, she was confident that she could make him fall in love with her. Now that Li Cheng already liked her a lot, it was still important for him to clarify other matters.

Li Cheng hadn't expected that Huiyin was still troubled by this matter. He had thought that she had believed him the last time.

"I'll tell you on the way tomorrow," Li Cheng said, patting her shoulder. It wasn't the right time to talk about it now.

Huiyin could only nod.

The next day, the newlywed couple came to greet them. Huiyin saw that Zheng Wuheng was tall and heroic, while Cui Yuehuan was charming and lovely. They were a very matching pair, and it was likely that they had been very harmonious last night.

"I wish you a long and happy marriage, and may you have children soon," Huiyin said with a smile.

Upon hearing the words "may you have children soon," Cui Yuehuan blushed slightly. She had been a young lady and already felt uncomfortable, but hearing these words made her feel like she had become an adult.

Though she was shy, Zheng Wuheng was not. He smiled and said, "Thank you for your kind words, sister. Your words are sure to come true."

Everyone smiled knowingly.

Seeing how well the couple got along, Huiyin felt relieved and prepared to return home. Madame Ji had wanted to send them off with Pei Shuo and had even prepared a farewell feast, but Huiyin declined.

"My sister-in-law has just entered the family, and the household is busy. Don't worry about us. We're also in a hurry to return." Huiyin didn't want to disturb the family any longer, especially since she was eager to know what Li Cheng had mentioned the day before.

With her heart set on returning, Huiyin boarded the carriage. Li Cheng rode ahead on his horse, and at the first rest stop, Huiyin looked at him and, without even saying a word of concern, simply said, "Tell me."

"I've never met a woman as stubborn as you. If I don't tell you, it'll always be a thorn in your side, so I might as well tell you now." Li Cheng thought that since they're already this far, it would be fine to speak.

Huiyin prepared tea and snacks, propping her chin on her hand as she looked at him. "Spill it," she said.

Li Cheng didn't plan on revealing this secret. After all, it wasn't right to talk badly about someone important. But now he realized that if he didn't tell her, she'd probably always keep him at arm's length.

Author's note:

I'll try to post a huge update tomorrow.