Chapter 47

Chapter 47

◎Two and a Half Chapters◎

"My uncle is from the eldest branch of the Cui family of Qinghe. After my parents passed away, their branch of the family declined, so from a young age, my uncle had the ambition to carry on the family legacy. After finishing his studies, he became an advisor to the former Grand Marshal, Heng Shuo. At that time, my mother was too young to be by his side, so he took in a concubine surnamed Du to help manage the household. This woman practically raised my mother, and my uncle also favored her quite a lot." Li Cheng paused here.

Huiyin waited for him to continue, but instead, he took a sip of tea, prompting her to urge, "You’ve barely started talking, and you’re already drinking tea. I have a stuffy nose and sore throat, and I’m not constantly drinking tea."

Li Cheng rubbed his thumb across his hand, "For ten years, she bore a son and a daughter. During that time, my uncle didn’t marry, not because he couldn’t find a wife, but marrying a daughter from a top-tier aristocratic family was very difficult. Just as another son was born to Du, my mother was very happy for her, regardless of whether someone else would enter the household later. With this child, she had some security. By then, my mother was already betrothed and about to marry, but my uncle told her that he intended to marry a daughter from the Li family of Longxi, so that a well-born daughter-in-law could see her off to her marriage."

"But what about that Du woman?" Huiyin wondered. If she were in Du’s position, her situation would have been very difficult. Du had both sons and daughters but was only a concubine. If the new wife came from a virtuous family that didn’t mind or was of lower status than the Cui family, it would be fine. But the wife was from the prestigious Li family of Longxi.

Li Cheng took a deep breath, "The condition for the Li family to marry their daughter was that my uncle had to settle all pre-marital matters. Otherwise, their daughter had other better options. I even heard that a man from the Yang family of Hongnong also went to propose. Fearing that his past would be uncovered, my uncle sent pregnant Du and her children to a country estate."

"But at that time, conditions at the estate were poor. It was the middle of winter, and Du’s children, who were used to being pampered, couldn’t adapt to life at the estate. However, the main wife of the Cui family was about to enter, and who would care about Du’s desire to return? My uncle even tightened security on Du to prevent her past from being revealed. Unfortunately, Du’s children developed high fevers, and they wanted to invite a doctor for treatment. The estate manager suspected Du was trying to cause trouble and only agreed to call a doctor. But as you know, it’s hard to find a good doctor in the countryside. Both my cousin and sister died of illness." Li Cheng felt the impermanence of life.

Huiyin opened her eyes wide, "They died?"

Li Cheng looked gently at Jing'er, "We always bring several doctors with us, carrying various precious and rare medical supplies. Even if our son has a slight headache, we feel heartache. But at the estate, conditions were crude, and the doctor they called was a rural physician. A rural physician can harm people. My uncle didn’t care, leading to the tragedy."

At the end, Li Cheng sat down, "At that time, my mother received a letter from Du. In the letter, she said my uncle intended to put her to death, and her child was about to be born. She begged my mother to send a midwife. This was probably the most difficult situation for my mother. How could an unmarried princess send a midwife when the palace even sent a steward? Unfortunately, Du didn’t see anyone sent by my mother and had to manage on her own."

"Later, my current aunt from the Li family of Longxi entered the household and became pregnant within three months. The managers, seeing that the situation was irreversible, became less strict with Du. Du then met the Yin family, who were of humble origins and lived a simple life. Du gave Yin’s wife a fur coat, and their relationship grew closer. Du, fearing that her child would become a thorn in the eye, swapped her child with Yin’s since both were due at the same time." Li Cheng sighed in relief after finishing.

Huiyin understood the rest without him needing to say more, "So, Madam Zhang is actually the original Yin Lifang, and she is Yin Liyi’s older sister? No wonder I felt a sense of déjà vu when I saw her."

"Yes, Du was brought back to the Cui family with her daughter when the daughter was eight years old. Du never thought she would return to the Cui family, and Aunt Li was not the type to be intolerant. Instead, she treated Du and her daughter generously. However, while Yin’s daughter became the eldest daughter of a high-ranking general, Du’s daughter remained the daughter of a low-ranking official. Du felt overwhelming guilt. But if this matter were revealed, my uncle would surely be furious, and as you know, such scandals in large families often invite criticism. Since Aunt Li had already borne two sons and a daughter, and my uncle cherished them dearly, he had no feelings left for Du. Du could only write to my mother, asking her to look after the Yin family." Li Cheng laid out all the facts.

Huiyin didn’t expect the truth to be so complicated, "So, Yin Cifei is actually your cousin?"

"Yes, my mother was raised by Du, who had both nurturing and lifesaving merits towards my mother. That’s why my mother recommended Yin’s elder brother to the Wu Prince’s mansion as a companion. Later, to continue having companions, she invited the Yin sisters to join. My mother always felt guilty towards Yin Cifei, so she wanted Yin Lifang to marry me, creating many opportunities for us. But out of respect for the King, she never said anything until the King passed away. Then, she told me the truth, that Yin Lifang was actually my cousin. Du had begged her for help many times, and she couldn’t lend a hand, feeling deep guilt. Before she died, she asked me to marry Yin Lifang."

This was the full story. Du had both nurturing and lifesaving merits towards the Princess of Wu, but her biological daughter’s identity could never be acknowledged. The Princess of Wu could only repay her in her son’s marriage.

Thus, Li Cheng fought desperately to save Yin Lifang’s son, as another form of repayment.

Huiyin no longer dwelled on whether he had feelings for her, given how shocking the truth was.

"Why did your uncle insist on marrying a daughter from a high-ranking aristocratic family? Or he could have chosen not to take concubines..." Huiyin felt that the entire situation was caused by her uncle from the Cui family.

Li Cheng said, "That’s why I said these are matters of the elders. From Du’s perspective, it was a human tragedy, but from my uncle’s perspective, his alliance with the Li family of Longxi brought honor to the family. It was also because of my uncle’s official position that my mother was able to marry my father and even raise me by her side without fear of her mother-in-law."

This was also why Li Cheng found it difficult to judge.

But Huiyin looked at Li Cheng and said, "If we are to blame anyone, it should be your uncle, not you. I think you don’t need to take responsibility for this. As for Du, while she was a victim, she was also a perpetrator. She swapped someone else’s child, thinking it was for her daughter’s good, not considering the other child’s feelings. Little did anyone know that the other child would grow up to become the eldest daughter of the prestigious Cui family of Qinghe and marry into the Zhang family of Qinghe, a family of equal standing. Life is unpredictable, and we can only look forward."

Even Huiyin herself could only look forward. Then she realized, "You deliberately waited so long to tell me because you were afraid I’d be upset and break up your cousin’s marriage, right?"

Li Cheng just chuckled twice.

After learning this secret, Huiyin felt a weight lift from her heart.

However, with relief came a new challenge. As she relaxed, she caught a cold and had to drink bitter medicinal herbs every day, which made her face turn yellow. Fortunately, Jing'er was already one year old during the return journey, and his health was stronger than Huiyin's.

"I will still accompany you to Jianye. You and our son should rest well. I will head to Xuzhou for training as soon as possible," Li Cheng said.

Huiyin nodded, "Alright, I understand. By the way, last time my sister invited me to the Eastern Palace. I guess the Crown Prince intends to recruit you, but I must warn you. The Crown Prince is skilled at gaining advantages without offering anything in return. You shouldn’t trust him easily, and don’t think you’ll gain much by cooperating with him."

Li Cheng was puzzled, "Why didn’t you mention this to me sooner?"

Huiyin smiled awkwardly; she wouldn’t be so foolish as to reveal everything unless she was certain her husband truly cared for her.

Li Cheng gently pinched her cheek, "Oh, so you've been keeping things from me?"

Huiyin wrinkled her nose and made a playful face, which made Li Cheng chuckle.

When the couple returned, they could openly announce their arrival. After a long and dusty journey, they finally arrived in Jianye. Huiyin and Jing'er headed back to the Huaiyin Mansion, while Li Cheng went to report to the Prince of Wei.

They had been away for months, leaving in spring and returning in autumn. Huiyin first had Jing'er’s room moved from the left side chamber to the right wing. She herself was extremely tired but had to hold on.

Nanny Nan was elderly, so Huiyin allowed her to retire for the day. As for Fugui and the others, they were bustling about like busy bees. Fugui saw Sister Wang come to pay her respects and invited her in.

No one entered the secondary room; Fugui only heard Sister Wang speaking with the Princess for a long time inside. She shrank back, realizing that the Princess’s vigilance was indeed strong. Even though most of the people in the mansion were hers to use, she still didn’t fully trust them and had to summon her informants for questioning.

On the other side, the Prince of Wei was similarly cautious. Although he allowed Li Cheng to go to the capital, he was still worried that Li Cheng’s loyalties might change.

"Please rise. You've been away for a long time; Xuzhou needs you," the Prince of Wei said with a smile.

Li Cheng clasped his fists, "Your praise is undeserved, nephew has limited abilities. I do not dare to make decisions on major court affairs. This is a letter He Guoguo asked me to deliver to you. The Eastern Palace wishes for me to persuade my father-in-law to execute Lü Wei, but my father-in-law cannot do business without profit. Therefore, he asked the Crown Prince for Qingzhou."

The Prince of Wei frowned. "Why would the Eastern Palace send you to persuade him?"

State and military matters were serious business. Even though Li Cheng was his son-in-law, he was still considered an outsider. Why would the Eastern Palace approach him? Li Cheng smiled, "My father-in-law dotes on his youngest daughter, my Princess, very much. He is old, and his son is still very young, so he relies quite a bit on his nephew."

Li Cheng wasn’t exaggerating, but he wasn’t about to work for someone else’s benefit. After all the hard work of persuading his father-in-law to kill Lü Wei, if the Crown Prince didn’t acknowledge it later and the Prince of Wei blamed him for giving up Qingzhou, he would be stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Seeing Li Cheng’s response, the Prince of Wei furrowed his brow. "Oh, and how do you intend to handle this?"

"Nephew does not dare to make decisions; I will follow your instructions, Uncle," Li Cheng said, not revealing his own intentions.

The Prince of Wei wouldn’t decide immediately either. He still needed to discuss it with his advisors. Li Cheng also delivered the Emperor’s rewards, and the two shared a drink and some conversation before Li Cheng left the Prince of Wei’s presence.

Walking down the corridor of the Prince of Wei’s Mansion, a gust of autumn wind sobered Li Cheng up considerably. Today, the Prince of Wei seemed to trust him a lot, which was one of the reasons he decided to align himself with the Prince of Wei. The Prince had both strategy and the grace to accommodate others, but in the future, things might not be the same.

If he had the authority to decide, he could come up with a solid plan without putting himself at a disadvantage.

But he couldn’t make the call…

Lost in thought, he was jolted by a collision. He looked closely and realized it was Li Jing, the eldest son of the Prince of Wei.

"Young Master Jing, what are you doing here? It's getting late; you should head back," Li Cheng said, puzzled.

Li Jing was slightly plump and preferred reading over martial arts. However, whether he was good at studies or not, the Prince of Wei didn’t care much. He favored the son of Second Consort Xu, Li Zhi, more. Li Cheng was well aware of this. But since Li Jing was the eldest son, standing out too much wasn’t good, and not standing out was also problematic. In the end, nothing seemed to satisfy the Prince of Wei.

But that wasn’t Li Cheng’s concern anymore. In the past, he would have been concerned since the identity of the next heir affected them as subordinates. But now that he had decided to stand on his own and had his own son, he didn’t need to meddle in other people’s affairs.

Seeing Li Jing hesitating, Li Cheng simply said, "Go back quickly. I have things to attend to as well."

With that, Li Cheng left. The servants accompanying Li Jing quickly took him back. By then, Yin Lifang had already sent people to look for her son. Ever since Li Jing fell into the well, Second Consort Yin had been very strict with her son. Seeing him return, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Come here quickly. Today, I had the kitchen prepare your favorite mushroom meatballs and fried chicken."

Li Jing sat down, still a child who couldn’t express his emotions well. He said glumly, "Mother, I wanted Father to see the characters I wrote, but he hasn’t come out."

Second Consort Yin could only comfort her son, "Your father is very busy; how could he have time for these things? But don’t worry, when there’s an opportunity, I’ll show your writing to your father. Wasn’t the inkstone you used last time bestowed by your father?"

Now that she was out of favor, her son also lost favor.

Second Consort Xu couldn’t compare to her; even though she had been previously married, she knew how to win the Prince of Wei’s heart.

A child might have believed it in the past, but now...

Li Jing shook his head. "But even though my second brother doesn't do as well in his studies, Father still praises him for being gifted. Even the tutor speaks more highly of him."

Yin Cifei thought that she didn't dare to speak ill of Prince Wei. If her son felt any resentment toward his father, he wouldn't be able to hide it, and the conflict would only grow deeper. So, she rubbed her son's head. "I've told you, just do your own things well, and in the future, your father will see your worth."

Just like whenever she was with her younger sister, people would initially get along better with Yin Liyi because she was so sincere that she made others lower their guard. But over time, people would realize her true nature. Just like how the Princess of Wu seemed to treat Yin Liyi well, she never expected to end up marrying Li Cheng.

He was the heir of the Prince of Wu. In reality, becoming a secondary consort was nearly impossible given her status. Not to mention, she wasn't particularly beautiful, yet the Prince of Huaiyin fell deeply in love with her.

Even now, she found it hard to believe.

No, she couldn't show her feelings now; otherwise, it would harm both herself and her son. At the right moment, she must ensure that they would support her son as the heir.

Night fell at Huaiyin Mansion.

The meatballs, fish balls, vermicelli, and egg dumplings in the pot were boiling away. Huiyin and Li Cheng sat opposite each other, eating. She knew it would be hard to lose weight since she always indulged in food.

"I'll be heading to Xuzhou tomorrow, so you and Jing'er take care in Jianye." Li Cheng was reluctant to leave his wife, but there was no choice; this wasn't something to be sentimental about.

Huiyin picked up a fish ball. "Sigh, we've been together day and night for several months, and now we're suddenly going to be apart. I'll really miss you."

Li Cheng seemed uncomfortable with such emotional farewells. He placed a large piece of smoked chicken on Huiyin's plate. "We have to part; I need to get to Xuzhou quickly."

Seeing how serious he was, it was clear he was anxious. Huiyin lost the mood to tease him and said, "I'll pack your things later."

"Good. I'm starting to feel sleepy as I eat." Li Cheng could get tired too. After days of travel, Huiyin could rest in the carriage with their son, but he had to ensure their safety without blinking.

Huiyin felt deeply for him. "Don't sleep just yet; there's ginseng soup to drink."

Noticing that Li Cheng was too tired to lift his hand, Huiyin fed him the soup herself. Perhaps because he was extremely tired, he fell asleep as soon as he finished drinking.

Huiyin didn't mind that he hadn't had a chance to bathe yet. She instructed the servants to leave and prepare hot water. "Once the Little Prince wakes up tomorrow and bathes, you can all get some rest. I'll be heading to bed too."

That night, they both slept deeply, and the next morning, Huiyin realized that Li Cheng had already left.

"Has he already gone?" Huiyin pressed her temples.

Nanny Nan smiled. "When we came over this morning, the young prince specifically told us not to wake you. How are you feeling? I see you still have dark circles under your eyes."

Huiyin yawned. "After all that travel, even though it's good to be home, it's really exhausting. I'm starting to understand how difficult life must be for the young prince and his soldiers. Some journeys are hard to truly appreciate unless you experience them yourself."

But she couldn't rest either. She first sent many local products from Jizhou and the capital to the Prince of Wei's mansion and personally went to pay her respects.

She thought it would be a simple visit, but to her surprise, the Princess of Wei looked much older after just a few months. Huiyin was puzzled. "Aunt, have you encountered something? Please, if you have, you must tell me."

The Princess of Wei held her forehead, unsure where to begin.

It was the steward by the princess's side who spoke. "Young Princess, our prince wants to marry Princess Jianjia to the second son of Wei Duo."

You mean Wei Xiao, Wei Duo's second son?

Huiyin said, "I've heard that Wei Xiao is highly talented and is a renowned scholar. It wouldn't be a disgrace."

She only knew that Wei Duo had a penchant for other men's wives, but among his sons, there were those with scholarly reputations, and Wei Xiao actually sounded quite good.

As daughters of regional lords, most women of her status were often married off for political alliances. Just like Huiyin, even though she knew Li Cheng would pass away, she had no choice but to marry him in this life. Because the next political marriage might involve a man who already has a large household and worse conditions.

The Princess of Wei said, "Wei Xiao already had a primary wife, and she was divorced because of the marriage to Princess Jianjia. A man who casually divorces his wife like that—who's to say he won't divorce Princess Jianjia in the future?"

As a mother, she always worries more. Jianjia is still quite young, but the Prince of Wei is only concerned about maintaining a good relationship with Wei Duo, even willing to arrange a marriage. This shows the heartlessness of men.

Huiyin could only analyze it from a better angle: "Aunt, since the marriage has already been announced to the world, can we still change it? If not, we have to buck up."

If you can resist, that's good. Otherwise, focus on making your life better. Constant complaining won't help, and in the end, it will only make things harder for you.

When Huiyin said this, the Princess of Wei suddenly grabbed her as if she had found a glimmer of hope. "Actually, there might still be a way to change it. Our Prince has always listened to your Prince. If he helps, then we might..."

After all this talk, it turned out they wanted Li Cheng to step in. Huiyin didn’t refuse directly but just smiled. "That’s quite a coincidence. He’s already gone to Xuzhou; he left yesterday. Why didn’t you mention it when he was here yesterday?"

The Princess of Wei said, "What we say, he might not listen to."

This wasn’t the Princess of Wei being modest. It was because Li Cheng had previously managed some affairs at the Prince of Wei's mansion for a period. He was notoriously difficult to work with, but he got along well with Princess Zheng.

"Then I can't help. I’ve never been involved in arranging marriages." Huiyin wasn’t foolish enough to step forward on behalf of others.

She avoided it, but Yin Liyi immediately agreed.

Yin Cifei scolded, "Is this something the Prince of Wei decided? How can we change it? Why didn’t you use your brain and just promise the Princess on your own?"

"Hehe, sister, I've already agreed. I do feel sorry for Jianjia. I've watched her grow up, and now she's marrying a man ten years older than her, which is unbearable to think about. If others want to stay out of it, that's their business. I, on the other hand, will definitely get involved. If I can persuade the Prince of Wei, that would be the best." Yin Liyi said with a smile.

Yin Lifang saw her sister like this and couldn’t do anything. "Then you figure out a way yourself. I'm out of ideas."

Yin Liyi stood up. "Don't worry, I'll find a way." She had just given birth to a son and was in a period of overflowing maternal love, so she couldn’t bear to see such things happen.

But Yin Lifang knew very well that her sister often acted without thinking things through. If you really asked her, "What's your plan?" she would have no idea. She tended to act on impulse, and Yin Lifang had long grown used to it.

So she simply remained silent and waited to see what Yin Liyi would do. If her actions were all talk and no substance, then so be it.

After visiting the Princess of Wei, the next day, Lady Gao and Lady Gao of the Lu family came to visit. Huiyin said to them, "I had planned to send the things I brought back from the capital to you, but since you're here, it saves me the trouble of sending them over."

Jianye is just as prosperous as the capital. Though they had seen fine things before, these gifts from the Princess held special meaning.

After some pleasantries, Lady Gao of the Lu family said, "Now that you're back, I'll hand over the account books to you. The tea estate's business may not be booming, but the profits are quite substantial."

Huiyin said, "Thank you for your hard work in managing the tea estate and finding the tea plantations for me."

"You're too kind. It's our honor to work for you," Lady Gao of the Lu family wasn't being fake. Climbing the ladder to the Princess of Huaiyin had made her gatherings more high-end.

Lady Gao quickly added, "Yes, it wasn't much effort."

Huiyin was satisfied with their responses and then asked about what had happened in Jianye. Lady Gao smiled. "Recently, the hottest news is that Lady Xie finally gave birth to a child. The Xie family's old lady was very happy and invited the whole city to the third-day celebration banquet."

"That's wonderful news," Huiyin deeply understood the pressure of bearing children as the wife of an only son.

Lady Gao of the Lu family interjected, "It seems that at the banquet, Lady Xie said something about you, but since you weren't back, we didn't say much."

As people who had already sided with Huiyin, they gathered any information that might be unfavorable to her.

Huiyin frowned. "What did she say about me? I don't remember having much interaction with her."

Lady Gao said, "I remember it was during the Huo family's flower banquet. Lady Xie was still pregnant at the time and was invited. Someone mentioned you, saying that the Prince had changed and was now treating you so well, that you were as beautiful as a fairy, and so on. But Lady Xie said that after you entered the household, you took charge and dismissed many old servants, and that the Grand Dowager Wu was now forced to live in seclusion..."

"And then?" Huiyin couldn’t understand why Yin Liyi would say so much.

Lady Gao of the Lu family continued, "She said that when she wanted to bring Lord Xie back, you obstructed her. Thankfully, heaven blessed us, and both the Prince of Wei and the Prince of Huaiyin agreed."

She didn’t expect Yin Liyi to spread this story everywhere, while Huiyin, even if she had occasional dissatisfaction with Yin Liyi, had never spoken about it outside.

After Lu and Gao left, Nanny Nan and Fugui were indignant. "I really didn’t expect Madam Xie to spread such gossip about you. If you don’t put a stop to it, people might start to look down on you."

People in this world admire the strong. Even if you are a villain, as long as you have skills, there will be those willing to follow you loyally. But if you lack abilities, even if you hold a high position, some will still look down on you.

For now, Huiyin glanced at Nanny Nan. "First of all, it remains to be verified whether Yin Liyi really spoke ill of me behind my back. Secondly, she doesn’t need me to suppress her; she’ll get into trouble sooner or later."

Yin Liyi is a brainless woman, always talking about relying on herself, full of passion, but in the end, she ends up seeking help from one person or another. She’s just been lucky so far.

Take now, for instance. She insists on meddling in the affairs of Princess Wei. If Princess Wei really cared so much about her daughter, wouldn’t she have taken action herself instead of letting others step forward? If she were truly desperate, the Prince of Wei might not have agreed.

You can’t always count on luck. Sooner or later, something will go wrong.

Huiyin knows how to bide her time. Since she didn’t hear it herself, she can’t fully trust what Gao and Lu said. What if someone was deliberately trying to stir up trouble, and she fell for it, only to worsen the relationship between the two families?

Huiyin has no tolerance for the Yin sisters. What the Uncle of the Cui family does has nothing to do with her. Li Cheng may feel guilty because he’s a beneficiary, but she doesn’t have to. If Yin Liyi really does talk about me behind my back, I won’t let her off so easily.

Just like when Yin Liyi’s son had his full moon celebration, Huiyin went and greeted Madam Xie and Yin Liyi with a smile.

"Congratulations on your new addition to the family. We were on the road when the child was born, and today I’ve brought the gifts to make up for it. I hope you won’t mind," Huiyin said with a smile.

Madam Xie said, "Your presence here is already an honor for our Xie family."

Yin Liyi knows that Huiyin is not someone who meddles in other people’s affairs, nor does she have the spirit of standing up for justice. Telling Huiyin about Jianjia was just asking for humiliation.

In the past, she was a little afraid of Huiyin, always feeling that Huiyin carried a natural dignity and was sharp, not easy to deal with. But gradually, she felt that Huiyin’s presence had eroded their childhood friendship.

Even...

She heard Xie Jiuyi mention that Xuzhou had become as tight as a drum, with the soldiers only listening to the Prince of Huaiyin and not the Prince of Wei, which wasn’t the case before. If the Prince of Huaiyin hadn’t defected to the Prince of Wei back then, how could he have achieved what he has today? And now he wants to betray the Prince of Wei? That won’t do.

People shouldn’t forget their roots.

Xie Jiuyi suspected that Princess Zheng might have played a role in this. He feared that if Li Cheng couldn’t break free from the Prince of Wei, his intentions might be discovered, which would spell his doom.

Yin Liyi didn’t want to see Li Cheng die. We grew up together and should all live well.

So, she felt she could no longer back down and let Princess Zheng harm Li Cheng.

"Young Princess, how is the young prince doing?" Yin Liyi asked.

Huiyin smiled. "He’s doing very well."

"That’s wonderful. The young prince was only at your parents' home for a few months, and the journey was exhausting for all of us adults. I didn’t expect that he didn’t get sick at all. It’s truly divine protection," Yin Liyi said, clasping her hands together and murmuring a prayer.

Her words were actually an implicit criticism of Huiyin for being selfish, traveling with a young child just to return to her parents' home. Who in their right mind would subject a child to such a long journey? It’s exhausting for both the child and the adults.

Huiyin raised an eyebrow, not expecting her to find fault here, and replied with a smile. "I also said we didn’t have to leave, but the young prince took my homesickness into account and arranged everything. I couldn’t not go. However, it wasn’t divine protection that kept us safe throughout the journey; it was due to the meticulous care of us as a couple. I believe the true deities have better things to do than handle such trivial family matters. I’ll leave the wishing to those who truly need it."

Even though Yin Liyi isn’t known for her tact, she realized Huiyin was criticizing her for meddling. She immediately said, "Young Princess, please don’t be angry. I have a straightforward personality and always speak my mind. It’s out of concern for you."

Huiyin couldn’t help but find this somewhat sarcastic. She smiled and said, "You seem to have forgotten that when your daughter was sick, you violated a military order by going to the camp to fetch someone even though women weren’t allowed. I advised you, but you didn’t listen. It seems that people generally don’t listen unless it’s their own concern."

Yin Liyi looked up sharply, her expression serious. "I had the Prince of Wei’s approval."

"I thought, as the Prince of Wei’s sister-in-law, you’d adhere more strictly to the Prince of Wei’s military orders. Instead, you’ve managed to get an exception. Your usual 'I’m just being honest' routine has backfired. She stammered, not knowing what to say.

Author’s note:

Today, 8k words, still 2k short. Let’s see if I can reach 10k tomorrow.