Chapter 90

Chapter 90

Although the Crown Prince's headache had been cured, Emperor Xingwu's anger towards his eldest daughter had not yet subsided. He had instructed the imperial guards at all palace gates that any request from Princess Yong Kang to enter the palace must not be forwarded.

Since the guards did not relay the message, Qin Hong and Lv Wenrong naturally had no idea that their older sister had been barred at the palace gate. They assumed she was simply reflecting on her missteps at home and was too embarrassed to enter the palace for the time being. Unknown to them, Yong Kang was deeply worried about her younger brother's health and urgently wanted to see him in person to confirm his condition. In her eagerness to see him quickly, Yong Kang went to the Third Prince's residence and asked Qin Ren to make a trip to Jiuhua Palace, requesting her younger sister to plead with their father on her behalf.

If Yong Kang had spent little time playing with her younger sister, she had even fewer interactions with her third brother. While she would scold Qin Bing when he was mischievous and got himself hurt, Qin Ren—a half-brother who was neither naughty nor ambitious—was barely noticeable to Yong Kang, almost never having a private conversation with him.

The more unfamiliar they were, the more polite they became when they met. Qin Ren was soft-hearted. Seeing his older sister's eyes redden as she mentioned their elder brother's illness and her only wish to visit him in the palace, Qin Ren agreed to help.

After Yong Kang left, Fu An worriedly said, "Your Highness agreed too readily. What if His Majesty is still angry? If the Princess goes to plead and His Majesty scolds her, what then?"

He had repeatedly signaled his master during the Grand Princess's visit but failed to stop him.

Qin Ren replied, "I know. I won’t let my sister go. I’ll go to Father and plead on behalf of our older sister."

It was just a request. As long as his father didn’t get so angry as to whip him, he wasn’t afraid of a few scoldings.

On March 28th, Qin Ren slept until daybreak. After breakfast, he leisurely made his way to the imperial palace.

Emperor Xingwu raised an eyebrow in surprise upon hearing that the third prince wished to see him. He had assumed Yong Kang went to Qin Ren hoping he would ask his younger sister to intercede.

"Granted."

The palace attendant hurried to the gate to relay the message. It took over fifteen minutes before Qin Ren entered.

"Father, older sister is just overly concerned about elder brother. Could you allow her to see him once?" Qin Ren spoke empathetically, thinking that if his younger sister were ill, he would be just as anxious as his older sister.

Emperor Xingwu asked, "Do you know why your elder brother fell ill?"

Qin Ren naturally knew.

Emperor Xingwu continued, "Have you considered that your elder brother might not want to see your older sister? What if he falls ill again because of her? Will you take responsibility?"

Qin Ren went quiet.

Emperor Xingwu said, "Go back and tell your older sister to reflect on her mistakes behind closed doors. When the time is right, I will naturally allow her to enter the palace."

Scolded, Qin Ren left the palace gloomily and went to deliver the news to his older sister with mixed feelings.

Mindful of his older sister’s dignity and feelings, Qin Ren dared not repeat their father’s exact words. He only said that their father was still angry and, upon learning they had come to plead for mercy, had dismissed them without letting them finish.

Yong Kang had no idea that her seemingly honest and simple third brother would lie. Though frustrated, she had no choice but to accept it.

On March 29th, another morning court was held.

After the court adjourned, Princess Qingyang first accompanied her father for breakfast. Once they had finished, she asked, "Father, you haven’t forgotten my coming-of-age ceremony, have you?"

Emperor Xingwu laughed, "How could I forget such an important day for my Liner? Just yesterday, I summoned your mother and the others to ask about the preparations."

Princess Qingyang sighed, "Time flies. I’ve grown up so quickly. I still remember elder brother and second brother’s coming-of-age ceremonies. It’s a pity I was only one year old when older sister had her coming-of-age ceremony, so I remember nothing."

Emperor Xingwu fell silent.

Princess Qingyang walked over and rubbed his shoulders. "I don’t believe Father would be so heartless as to forbid older sister from attending my ceremony. I’m just afraid that since Father hasn’t argued with anyone in a while and older sister isn’t good with words, I’ll have to step in to help you both."

Emperor Xingwu felt pleased inwardly but said, "I can be a kind father or a strict father, depending on how you behave. Those who dare anger me shouldn’t expect kindness from me."

The little princess, who had always received her father’s kindness, didn't know how to respond. Praising her father’s fairness would imply that her older sister and often-scolded brothers had brought it upon themselves.

Emperor Xingwu looked up at his daughter. "Liner, you care about your older sister, but I worry she still resents me for favoring you. She might even resent you when she sees you looking so impressive."

Although Yong Kang had her own moment of glory during her coming-of-age ceremony fourteen years ago, her memory seemed particularly short.

Princess Qingyang smiled. "If she resents me, so be it. My conscience is clear."

She had never taken anything from her older sister. What she had gained, she had earned with equivalent time and effort. Just like during the request for an official position in the Tai Chi Hall—if she hadn’t been able to argue successfully against Nie Ao and Yan Xizheng, her father would never have stepped in to support her. After all, if she couldn’t overcome that hurdle on her own, even with her father’s help, she wouldn’t survive the greater challenges of officialdom.

She had a wise father. Precisely because he was wise, he wouldn’t waste effort supporting a daughter who couldn’t stand on her own.

.

In the afternoon at the end of the month, the Noble Consort summoned Yong Kang to the palace. She didn’t mention the previous argument between father and daughter or the Crown Prince’s illness. Instead, she smilingly reminded Yong Kang not to forget to attend her younger sister’s coming-of-age ceremony on the second day of the following month.

The little princess’s coming-of-age ceremony had been scheduled back in March, with invitations sent to all titled women in the capital to attend.

Due to her request for an official position and her brother’s illness, Yong Kang had indeed forgotten. But it wasn’t too late to remember now. The gift had been prepared long ago, and she only needed to change into formal attire and enter the palace the day after tomorrow.

After dealing with the Noble Consort, Yong Kang followed her suggestion and went to Qianyuan Palace to pay respects to her father. Her father refused to see her, so Yong Kang went to Chongyuan Palace instead.

Qin Hong had been doing well lately. His father spoke to him gently, and there were no particularly difficult tasks in the Secretariat. Returning home to a gentle and beautiful wife and a well-behaved son, Qin Hong had almost forgotten about that day’s headache—until he saw his older sister again.

Yong Kang could sense the tension and caution in her brother’s eyes, which saddened her. Was she really so terrible as to continue pressuring him to plead for her official position knowing how difficult it was for him?

Yong Kang didn’t mention the request for an official position again. She only urged her brother to take care of his health and not overwork himself. After playing with Zheng Geer for a while, she left the palace.

After seeing his sister off, Qin Hong and Lv Wenrong both breathed a sigh of relief.

The next day was the little princess’s coming-of-age ceremony.

Princess Qingyang had long since been briefed on the entire ceremony by her mother and the Noble Consort. She only needed to follow the instructions of the ceremonial official, requiring little effort on her part. In contrast, Emperor Xingwu and the two imperial consorts, seated at the front watching the ceremony, watched as the palace attendants combed the little princess’s hair, styled it, and inserted hairpins. Seeing the little princess, who had always wore her hair loose, now fully reveal her slender neck and entire face, the three elders smiled with both pride and a touch of nostalgia and reluctance.

On either side below the Emperor and Consorts sat Prince Yong and his wife, Yong Kang and her husband, Qin Hong and his wife, Qin Bing and his wife, and the not yet married Qin Ren.

Prince Yong felt both joy and sorrow. Why did such a fine niece insist on becoming an official?

Yong Kang’s expression was complex, but when she thought about how she could also become an official—and a higher-ranking one than her sister—once her brother became emperor, she could smile again. No matter how glorious her sister was now, it would last at most another ten years. Yong Kang, however, could look forward to her entire life after her brother’s enthronement.

Qin Hong and Qin Bing were both smiling. Only Qin Ren, after smiling for a while, suddenly turned away and wiped his eyes.

Princess Qingyang noticed her third brother’s little action and smiled.

After the ceremony concluded and the banquet ended, Princess Qingyang brought her third brother back to her Jiuhua Palace. Without bothering to look at the gifts sent by the various titled women, she changed into everyday clothes and directly addressed Fu An, who was standing beside her third brother.

Fu An smiled and took out a small brocade box from his sleeve, handing it to the little princess with both hands.

Princess Qingyang opened the box and was astonished to find a beautifully carved peacock perched on a tree inside.

Qin Ren then took out the letter Zhang Su had sent earlier in the year. In it, Zhang Su wrote that he had seen several magnificently feathered peacocks at a market in Yunzhou and guessed the Princess would like them. Unfortunately, he couldn’t bring a live peacock for the Princess to see, so he carved one to celebrate her coming-of-age.

Noticing his sister’s disappointment at not receiving a little wooden statue, Qin Ren leaned over and pointed to the finely detailed feathers and eye-shaped patterns on the peacock’s trailing tail. "Look how meticulously Zhang Su carved this. He must have thought you were tired of receiving little wooden statues and wanted to try something new to make you happy."

Princess Qingyang wasn’t as innocent as her brother, and Zhang Su wasn’t that straightforward either.

Had he truly forgotten what she looked like, or did he not dare admit that he still remembered so clearly?

Though disappointed, Princess Qingyang wasn’t angry. Zhang Su had gained recognition in the Biao State, and his safe return was what mattered. Once he returned to the capital, she could ask him the reason for sending the peacock.

After putting away the gift and seeing her third brother off, Princess Qingyang changed into another outfit and headed to Qianyuan Palace.

"Your Majesty, Princess Qingyang requests an audience."

In the imperial study, Emperor Xingwu, who had been delayed half the morning due to his daughter's coming-of-age ceremony, was reviewing the day's memorials when he was suddenly startled by He Yuanjing's announcement. Emperor Xingwu paused for a moment, then looked up at He Yuanjing.

He Yuanjing smiled and explained, "Her Highness insisted that I announce her arrival."

Emperor Xingwu guessed that his daughter had some new idea and signaled He Yuanjing to bring her in.

After adding one more notation on a memorial, Emperor Xingwu heard footsteps and looked up again. He saw a young princess approaching, dressed in a purple round-collared brocade robe with a jade belt—a newly come-of-age princess whose *feixianji* hairstyle he was still getting used to.

"Your daughter pays respects to Imperial Father."

Standing before the imperial desk, the young princess bowed respectfully.

Emperor Xingwu smiled, stood up, and walked around the desk. He circled his daughter, his gaze lingering on the four-clawed python dragon embroidered on her official robe. Then he told her to rise and praised, "What an impressive and majestic zhuangyuan princess! Are you ready to start your duties?"

Princess Qingyang: "Yes, Imperial Father. Do you think this attire suits me?"

She wore an official robe because she was about to enter the court, and she kept her feminine hairstyle because she was, after all, a princess—there was no need to imitate her imperial brothers by tying up her hair and wearing a cap.

Emperor Xingwu nodded repeatedly: "Excellent, wear it just like this. I like it!"

.

When the young princess officially began her duties at the Ministry of Personnel, Deng Chong and Zhang Su, far away in Yunzhou, along with the eight hundred cavalry they had brought from the capital, were just preparing to depart.

Though severely weakened, Deng Chong could still ride a horse, but that would have been pushing himself. The four-thousand-li journey did not allow him to gamble with his life recklessly. Moreover, Emperor Xingwu's decree had repeatedly instructed him to travel back to the capital by carriage or boat, emphasizing that he must take care of his health.

Alternating between land and water routes, the group finally reached the capital just before the Dragon Boat Festival. They stayed at a post station nearest to the capital, where Deng Chong sent someone to the palace to report their arrival to the Emperor.

As the sun set, Deng Chong called Zhang Su over and glared at him, saying, "Don’t you dare tell anyone about me urinating outside the camp."

Some people contracted miasma illness from inhaling foul air, others from mosquito bites, and some simply had no idea how they fell ill.

That time when Deng Chong urinated, he had indeed swatted a mosquito—it might have been that mosquito that brought the illness, or it might not have been.

But Deng Chong was convinced he had been infected by some other cause. His lifelong reputation must not be ruined by a single instance of relieving himself!

Zhang Su looked at his haggard face and graying hair and said, "Do not worry, Duke. I will not speak of it."

Deng Chong had always disliked the scholarly demeanor of the Zhang family's young men, but now he was grateful that Zhang Su was a gentleman. If it had been his own sons, they would surely have spread the story everywhere for amusement.

He waved his hand, coughing, and dismissed Zhang Su.

Zhang Su returned to his own courtyard just as a post station servant brought hot water for bathing.

Zhang Su stopped him and asked if anything significant had happened in the capital over the past six months. Before departing for the campaign last year, he had written to the Third Prince, saying that since he would return to the capital right after the battle, there was no need to reply—any letter might miss him on the road.

The servant thought for a moment and recounted a few events he remembered, including Princess Qingyang placing first in the palace examinations and entering court service.

The young princess had not actually achieved the top rank—that honor still belonged to Wei Bin—but the story had been altered as it spread among the people.

Zhang Su remained calm throughout. After the servant finished, he rewarded him with a piece of broken silver, then closed the door to bathe.

The next day was the fourth day of the fifth month, a holiday for officials and scholars alike. Yet, when Zhang Su rode on horseback alongside Deng Chong’s carriage and arrived at the capital’s gates, he saw a vast crowd of civil and military officials gathered before the city gate. At their head stood Emperor Xingwu, dressed in dragon robes.

His gaze briefly swept over the figure behind the Emperor—someone wearing a blue mandarin robe with python design but with a woman’s hairstyle—before Zhang Su quickly lowered his eyes. When they were close enough, he dismounted and knelt on one knee in salute: "Your subject Zhang Su pays respects to the Emperor!"

Emperor Xingwu admired the young man’s impressive demeanor and told Zhang Su to rise. Just as his eyes shifted to the carriage beside them, a familiar voice came from inside: "Your Majesty, your subject has not fully recovered yet, so I will not step down. I hope you will not take offense!"

Emperor Xingwu laughed heartily: "You have achieved great merit in the campaign against the Biao and are the foremost hero of this war. There is no need for you to step down—I will come aboard to see you!"

With that, Emperor Xingwu strode briskly to the carriage and stepped aboard before his guards could even place a footstool.

He was still smiling as he pushed open the carriage door, but when he saw the emaciated figure inside lying on the couch, revealing only a head full of white hair, the fifty-year-old Emperor suddenly had tears streaming down his face.