Chapter 6 Meeting Her, it’s her!

Chapter 6: Seeing Her, It’s Her!

"Did he not choose any of them?"

In the Jiuhua Palace, the usually graceful and dignified Noble Consort Zhao lost her composure for the first time, knocking over the lacquered cosmetic box on her dressing table.

She whirled around, her beautiful eyes glaring angrily at the messenger, and spat out a few words through clenched teeth, "Say it again."

The maid didn’t dare argue, kneeling on the ground with her hands and forehead pressed to the floor, carefully repeating what she had just said, "The Prince of Mobei said, 'These two women are not the suitable wives I seek. I’ve heard of the Fifth Princess, why haven’t I seen her?'"

Noble Consort Zhao could no longer control her emotions. With a sweep of her arm, she knocked all the hairpins, mirrors, and other items off the dressing table. Her beautiful profile, illuminated by the candlelight, took on a fierce edge.

"That man is truly this arrogant!"

She had thought the marriage alliance would be a done deal, but not only did he not choose those two girls, he even turned his attention to her own daughter.

What if he actually took a liking to her...

Noble Consort Zhao closed her eyes. She would never allow it! She had to find a way, find a way!

She didn’t know Tuo Baxiao asked about the Fifth Princess precisely because she had avoided him. Combined with the mention of "sister" that day, he speculated that the person he was looking for might be the Fifth Princess, so he wanted to see her in person.

——

The marriage candidate remained undecided, so Tuo Baxiao stayed in the capital recently. He grew restless cooped up inside, and the Emperor of Liang, not trusting him to roam freely, arranged for Zhu Cheng, the Assistant Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial, to guide him around, effectively to monitor him.

Zhu Cheng, weak and smooth-talking, had been assigned this task and was miserable inside. In practice, he had to serve the Prince of Mobei well, so he had to rack his brains to think of the best food and entertainment in the capital.

On a drizzly day, he led Tuo Baxiao to the most famous tavern in the Golden Market.

Tuo Baxiao went up to the second floor and lounged just as he had in the Taiji Hall, his legs stretched out. Zhu Cheng pretended not to notice. The incident in the Taiji Hall had spread throughout the court, and he wasn’t eager to lose his head.

The servants brought up the wine, and General Modolou eagerly broke the seal, not even needing a cup, lifting the jar and drinking in large gulps.

"These Liang people may not be great fighters, but the wine they brew is truly excellent. If only we had someone so skilled at brewing on the grasslands." Or perhaps just take Chang’an outright.

He thought this to himself, but glancing at the Liang officials nearby, he restrained himself a bit.

Tuo Baxiao casually tasted a few sips but showed little interest.

His gaze lingered on the porcelain bottle in his hand, a token from that Han woman. His subordinates had used up the medicinal powder, and its effect was remarkable, but he had kept the bottle.

The white porcelain bottle, no larger than his palm, had smooth curves and a pure, delicate white, resembling jade or snow. It required exceptional craftsmanship to produce such a fine piece.

Her appearance must resemble this white porcelain bottle.

That was the closest she’d come to him, just an arm’s length away.

He should’ve just lifted that pesky white veil back then!

She’d have surely shut her eyes in fright! Ha! Or maybe she’d have stared at him, wide-eyed like a deer! Or maybe she’d have looked displeased, thinking him rude.

Either way, he found it all quite amusing.

His fingers tightened as Tuo Baxiao rubbed the smooth belly of the bottle with his thumb.

He glanced out the window, his movements abruptly halting. His hawk-like eyes narrowed sharply, glinting with a piercing intensity.

He thought he saw her!

Across the distant, multi-layered streets, he spotted a woman with an umbrella on the bridge.

The misty rain blurred his vision, and even with Tuo Baxiao's sharp eyes, he couldn't make out the details from such a distance. All he could make out was a slender, pale blue figure under the paper umbrella. Yet, he had an intuition—it was her!

His gaze fixed on her like a hawk, but after a few moments, the woman with the umbrella disappeared at the end of the arched bridge.

Tuo Baxiao shot to his feet, his knees knocking over the table. He didn’t seem to notice, not saying a word, and strode downstairs with large steps. He snatched the reins from a servant, mounted his horse, and galloped away.

Before anyone could react, they rushed after him.

Tuo Baxiao rode to the stone bridge, searching every nook and cranny, but the lady never reappeared.

With so many buildings and a thick crowd around, it was truly difficult to trace her whereabouts.

Zhu Cheng and General Modolou galloped up, finding Tuo Baxiao standing on the bridge.

"My lord, what’s wrong?"

Tuo Baxiao didn't answer. Instead, he raised his head and surveyed the city of Chang'an before him.

In the thick drizzle, Tuo Baxiao gripped the white porcelain bottle in his palm, his hawk-like eyes blazing with intensity: "As long as you’re in Chang'an, I’ll find you, no matter where you hide!"

——

Jiang Congyan had gone out today to discuss a 'partnership.' She had already chosen her candidate: Huan Qilang, also known as Huan Jun.

Huan Jun, courtesy name Hengzhi, was from Hedong. His grandfather was Huan Yu, the Minister of the Imperial Household. At twenty years old, he was still unmarried.

The Minister of the Imperial Household managed the royal workshops and the emperor’s assets, making him a trusted confidant of the emperor. Moreover, no one in the Huan family served in the military. If she married him, the Emperor of Liang would likely not raise any suspicions.

Of course, this wasn't the main reason. Jiang Congyan chose him because Huan Jun had a beloved woman, and the two couldn't be together.

Huan Jun had been engaged in his youth to the third daughter of the Lu family. They were supposed to marry when they grew up, but four years ago, the Lu family was punished because Lu Qun had failed to quell a rebellion. Lu Qun died in battle, and the Emperor of Liang, considering the circumstances, only demoted Lu Qun's branch to commoner status, exiling the male members, and sent the women to serve as maids in the imperial workshops.

The gap between the aristocracy and commoners was insurmountable, and marriage between them was impossible, let alone with a woman who had fallen into the imperial workshops.

The Huan family forbade Huan Jun from fulfilling the marriage and planned to arrange a better match for him. However, Huan Jun was deeply in love with the third daughter of the Lu family and refused to marry anyone else. He secretly had her removed from the registry of low-status individuals and brought her out, settling her in a small courtyard where he often visited. Unfortunately, though they loved each other, they could not be together. The third daughter of the Lu family repeatedly urged him to stay away from her, but he refused.

As Huan Jun grew older, his family increasingly pressured him to marry, intending to force an engagement on him. Eventually, Huan Jun was forced to marry a daughter of the Cheng family. He tried to divorce her, but both families refused. Helpless, he neglected his wife, and Lady Cheng eventually died of depression. Three years later, Tuo Baxiao suddenly fell, and the nomadic tribes frequently invaded from the north. The Liang State's military was weak, and within two years, Chang'an was breached. Huan Jun and the third daughter of the Lu family were separated in the chaos of the times.

After that, Huan Jun never remarried. In the chaos, he rose to power, becoming the head of the Huan family. After the court retreated to Huainan, he climbed from the position of Palace Attendant to Minister of Finance, overseeing the nation's finances, military expenditures, land taxes, and household levies, becoming one of the most powerful officials in the late Southern Liang period.

He supported the young emperor, reformed the land system to resettle refugees, stabilized internal governance, and actively prepared provisions to resist the nomadic tribes. Unfortunately, the Liang State was already in terminal decline. The aristocratic clans indulged in luxury, and the land reforms encroached on their interests, ultimately failing. Huan Jun could only leave a tragic yet remarkable mark in the annals of history.

In the future, he would grow into a renowned statesman, but now he was merely a lowly Palace Attendant, with his greatest challenge being how to stop his family from forcing him into marriage.

"Your Highness is suggesting that we enter into a sham marriage?" In an elegantly arranged tea room, Huan Jun looked at the serene and beautiful lady before him, genuinely surprised.

Between them sat a low table, and they faced each other. The steam from the tea rose in delicate curls, filling the dimly lit room with a dreamy haze.

His reluctance to marry due to his love for the third daughter of the Lu family was no secret within his family, and a few close friends knew as well. But he hadn't expected that Princess Shun'an, who had returned to the capital less than two years ago, would also know.

That day, an inconspicuous man in green robes waited on his way home and suddenly handed him a letter through the carriage window. The letter proposed a meeting, claiming it could solve his current predicament. To his surprise, the sender turned out to be the daughter of the King of Chu.

Princess Shun'an had been away from Chang'an for many years, and most people had forgotten about her until she returned to the capital two years ago. As soon as she appeared, her stunning beauty, rivaling that of the goddess Luo Shen, quickly spread throughout Chang'an. Young men from prominent families in the region flocked to catch a glimpse of her. Last year, when it was rumored that she was considering marriage, many young men were deeply disappointed. However, before any engagement could be finalized, she was called back by the elderly lady of Liangzhou.

As discussions arose, people suddenly remembered her identity: she was a descendant of the Founding Emperor and the granddaughter of the late Crown Prince Zhaowen.

Even as a woman, her status inevitably ties her to political complications. Thinking back to last year's failed marriage proposal and Liangzhou's stance... As the tea smoke cleared, Huan Jun's mind became sharp, and he seemed to guess why she had sought him out.

Jiang Congyan saw the shift in Huan Jun's expression and knew he’d grasped the situation.

After all, he was the future minister who would shoulder half of Southern Liang’s responsibilities. Though young and untested, his clear thinking and sharp vision already hinted at his potential.

"Are you willing? I won’t meddle in your other matters," Jiang Congyan said, gazing at him with her clear, glass-like eyes. Her demeanor was straightforward, exuding an aura of conviction.

Huan Jun was intrigued.

If it was as Princess Shun'an said—a marriage of convenience, each getting what they needed, and then parting ways after a few years—it would benefit them both. Right now, he couldn’t defy his family. Soon, they’d pressure him into marriage. If that’s how it was—

"Then let it be as you wish!"

---

Ever since learning Tuo Baxiao wanted to meet her, the Fifth Princess had been trembling in fear, crying nonstop. Her once-arrogant demeanor had crumbled into helplessness, leaving her looking pitiful.

"Why does that brute insist on meeting me? Has he heard something?"

In Jiuhua Palace, Noble Consort Zhao was furious, making the servants tremble, afraid to even breathe too loudly as they attended to her with extreme caution.

Hearing of her distress over the marriage alliance, the Princess of Chu came to visit.

When the female attendant led her into Jiuhua Palace, Noble Consort Zhao had just shattered a set of porcelain, and the servants were on their knees, quietly cleaning up the mess.

Seeing the Princess of Chu, Noble Consort Zhao waved her hand impatiently, "Out!"

The servants bowed and retreated. The Princess of Chu glanced at the broken porcelain, stepped forward, and said, "Sister, is the Prince of Mobei causing you trouble?"

Noble Consort Zhao sat on the couch, propping her head with one hand, and shot her a cold glance. She had always looked down on this cousin.

The Princess of Chu ignored her coldness and leaned in, "I’m here today to ease your worries."

"Hmm?" Noble Consort Zhao raised an eyebrow, glancing sideways, curious about what solution she could offer.

The Princess of Chu revealed a mysterious smile, a hint of calculation in her narrow eyes. "Sister, you’re overthinking this. Does it have to be a princess? Besides the Fifth Princess, there are many other women in the Jiang royal family, especially my stepdaughter, who is the granddaughter of Crown Prince Zhaowen and the direct descendant of the Founding Emperor! Isn't her identity worthy of being the Peacemaking Princess?"

Noble Consort Zhao's fingers paused on her temple, her charming eyes narrowing, a glint of cunning flashing through.

The Princess of Chu continued, "Moreover, her face is extraordinarily beautiful. How many young men in Chang'an loiter outside the palace gates just to see her? The Prince of Mobei is just a man. How could he not be moved by such beauty?"

Noble Consort Zhao slowly opened her eyes, looking seriously at the Princess of Chu. After a long while, she spoke slowly, "What you say makes sense."

The Princess of Chu smiled with satisfaction.

Next, the two began to carefully plan how to make the Prince of Mobei fall for Jiang Congyan at first sight.

At the entrance to Jiuhua Palace, a graceful figure stood for a long time. Only when the conversation inside ended did she quickly turn and flee.