Chapter 57

Chapter 57

In the following days, Jiang Mo didn't give Xiang Tong a chance to be alone with her.

Jiang Mo made it clear: she didn't know her, didn't trust her, and wouldn't let her serve up close.

Moreover, with Lanqiu and Wangxia keeping an eye on her, Xiang Tong had no chance to send word to the Duke of Qingguo's residence.

The others in the Zhaomu Courtyard also deliberately kept their distance from her. Although she had no work to do, she was treated like she was invisible.

She and Hui Qing both came from the Duke's residence, but in the eyes of the people in Zhaomu Courtyard, they were different. Hui Qing had entered the residence with the Princess and was considered the head maid of Zhaomu Courtyard. Xiang Tong's arrival was poorly timed; the head maid role was already filled by Xingchun, and the Princess had no intention of replacing her. What's more, the Princess also didn't allow her to serve up close. The four maids from Kunning Palace kept their distance from her as well. In the entire Zhaomu Courtyard, who would dare to get close to her?

These few days were Xiang Tong's most idle days since becoming a maid—she had practically no work at all. Yet she felt no ease in Prince Yu's residence; a heavy weight pressed on her heart constantly. She couldn't eat or sleep well, and each day felt like an eternity.

In the blink of an eye, it was the second day of the second lunar month, the Dragon Head Festival. Lin Mei and Su Jiying invited Jiang Mo to pray at the Dragon God Temple, but Jiang Mo declined, claiming she was on her period (which she wasn't).

It wasn't that she didn't want to go; she was deliberately avoiding them.

That night, she slept poorly and only dozed off in the early hours.

When it was fully daylight, she slowly woke up, stretched, thought about who had been on duty the night before, and called out, "Randong, prepare water for washing and dressing."

The bed curtains were quickly pulled back, and the glaring sunlight made Jiang Mo close her eyes again.

She had been in Prince Yu's residence for over two months, and the servants had gotten used to her habits. When she woke late, they would first draw back half the curtains, let her rinse her mouth, then draw back the other half.

Randong had never made that mistake before. What was wrong with her today?

Was something wrong with the young maid? Jiang Mo worried, squinting as she adjusted to the light. Just as she was about to ask, she saw a figure standing by the bed in the light—it was Prince Yu.

Chen Yingchou wore a dark cloud-patterned robe, with a matching silk blindfold over his eyes. He held back the curtains, and in one hand, he held an oil-paper packet.

His expression was cheerful, and his tone was joyful as he spoke to Jiang Mo. "Awake?"

Randong quickly drew up the curtains fully. Chen Yingchou smoothed his sleeves, sat on the edge of the bed, and held the oil-paper packet up for her to see. "You said you liked the preserved fruit from this shop. I bought some more after the morning court."

Jiang Mo took the packet, opened it, ate one piece, and fed one to Chen Yingchou.

"Is the matter of the Rong Kingdom's visit settled, Your Highness?"

Chen Yingchou chewed the preserved fruit. He supported Jiang Mo's arm and slowly moved his hand from her shoulder up to gently stroke her face. "It's mostly done. Some minor details are left for the Court of State Ceremonial to decide."

He paused, then said, "There's something else I think you should know. Your father returned from Lianghuai. He arrived in the capital yesterday and lodged an impeachment against his former subordinate Zhou Jieping at the morning court today."

It was just as she had guessed. Whether or not Zhou Jieping had truly betrayed the Duke of Qingguo, once the seed of suspicion was planted, all that remained was to confirm it. As long as a clue was found, he would be convicted.

"Will Princess Rong arrive on the fifth of the second month?" She wondered if An Zeyou had heard about the Duke's return and whether he had mentioned it to the Emperor.

Chen Yingchou was a bit puzzled. Wei Yalan wasn't concerned about her own father but instead asked about Princess Rong.

"Barring any unforeseen events, it should be the fifth of the second month." Chen Yingchou had received a message from Xu Ping by carrier pigeon that morning. Xu Ping and his senior brother would also arrive on the fifth.

"After the fifth, I might be busy again."

Jiang Mo hugged Chen Yingchou's waist. "Will Your Highness be responsible for the treaty between the two countries?"

"Father hasn't issued the decree yet."

Jiang Mo had a little plan in mind. "I don't want Your Highness to handle the treaty. Your battle with the Rong Kingdom at Zhuoyang was so brutal. The Rong envoys, seeing Your Highness is blind, might say harsh things and even insult you. How about..."

She looked up, observing Chen Yingchou's reaction. Seeing his calm expression, she continued, "How about letting my father handle the treaty."

Rather than relying on An Zeyou, it was better to rely on herself.

Chen Yingchou was even more puzzled. Negotiating a treaty was thankless work. The officials of the Court of State Ceremonial were desperate to have someone else take over. Why would anyone want to volunteer?

Could it be that during his absence from the residence these past days, Jiang Mo had learned that he had been investigating the Duke of Qingguo, and was now trying to let the Duke redeem himself by taking on this task?

"Why?"

"Because my father is the best candidate. The treaty the Rong Kingdom is here to sign is about trade. Not only does my father have an excellent business mind, but there is also something Your Highness might not know: my great-grandfather once went to the Rong Kingdom as an envoy and died there. My grandfather and father both hate the Rong Kingdom. This time, my father will surely secure the greatest benefits for our dynasty."

Chen Yingchou was very surprised. He hadn't realized that Wei Yalan could be so thoughtful about the bigger picture. Whether or not it was to let the Duke redeem himself, hearing her say this, the Duke of Qingguo indeed seemed the best choice.

Seeing Chen Yingchou nod slightly, Jiang Mo decided to add more fuel. "Besides, my father is now a relative of the imperial family, so his status is appropriate when dealing with Princess Rong."

After listening, Chen Yingchou praised her sincerely. "I never expected my Lan'er to have such foresight. Truly, your ancestors were worthy advisors to the founding emperor."

Jiang Mo felt a pang of guilt. She didn't deserve the praise; the real brains behind this belonged to someone else.

"Alright, after lunch, I'll go to the palace and recommend your father to His Majesty."

He had been worrying about whom to entrust the treaty to, so now he could finally relax.

The timing of the Rong Kingdom's visit overlapped with when Xu Ping's senior brother was to treat his eyes, but even without the visit, the treatment couldn't be delayed. To prevent anyone from sabotaging it, as soon as he received Xu Ping's message, he had Qiao Yun find a secluded courtyard for the secret treatment.

The treatment couldn't be postponed, and the treaty was a matter of diplomacy. Just as he was troubled about who to choose, he never expected Wei Yalan to solve his urgent problem.

What surprised him even more was that An Zeyou had already recommended the Duke of Qingguo to His Majesty, and the reasons were exactly the same as Wei Yalan's.

The Emperor, after hearing An Zeyou's recommendation, saw Chen Yingchou standing at the entrance of the imperial study and asked, "Old Nine, you heard all that. What do you think?"

Chen Yingchou said, "Master An's words are reasonable. I agree."

The Emperor seemed in a very good mood. "Good. I will entrust the treaty negotiations to Wei Chun. Is there anything else, Nephew?"

"Nothing else, Your Majesty."

"You may take your leave."

"Yes."

An Zeyou left, and the Emperor descended from his throne and approached Chen Yingchou. "Did you agree with An Zeyou's proposal to let Wei Chun redeem himself?"

Chen Yingchou said, "Wei Chun is a clever man. During the homecoming visit on the second day of the New Year, I made my stance clear. His immediate departure for Lianghuai and his willingness to sacrifice his trusted subordinate Zhou Jieping show his remorse."

Although Chen Yingchou still had doubts about Wei Chun and believed the man needed further scrutiny, since he was Wei Yalan's father, he was willing to give him more chances and be patient.

"You just don't want to hurt Lady Wei. I've been through it myself, so I understand what you're thinking. If Wei Chun truly reforms and successfully negotiates the treaty, I will forgive him."

Chen Yingchou began to kneel to thank the Emperor, but before he could fully kneel or speak, the Emperor stopped him. "Old Nine, when will the divine healer you mentioned arrive in the capital?"

"On the fifth of this month, the same day as Princess Rong arrives."

The Emperor heaved a deep sigh. "Now that you have the third Rejuvenation Pill, go ahead and have your eyes treated with peace of mind."

The day before yesterday, the men he sent to the Wu Clan fulfilled their mission and found the holy elixir Huitian Dan, which could only extend the Emperor's life until around June this year.

“I am an unfilial son, unable to find the method of longevity.”

The Emperor patted Chen Yingchou on the shoulder. “I have lived enough and have long ceased to fear walking the road to the underworld. As a son, you have done more than enough.”

Chen Yingchou stepped back and bowed with his hands clasped. “Your Majesty, I still have something to say.”

“Granted.”

“Your Majesty also knows that I have killed many Rong Kingdom generals. Now that I am blind, they are pleased and surely do not want me to regain my sight. This treatment for the eye ailment is uncertain in duration and outcome—life or death. To prevent any malicious acts by the Rong Kingdom, I will place Imperial Physician Xu's senior apprentice in a secluded place for discreet treatment. Afterwards, I will send someone daily to report the situation to you.”

In fact, Chen Yingchou was not only guarding against the people of the Rong Kingdom, but also against Prince Rui's faction.

He knelt and said, “If I unfortunately meets with an accident, I beg you, Father, to issue an edict permitting Wei Yalan to remarry, granting the people of Prince Yu's residence their freedom. When Second Brother ascends the throne, he will surely disband the Flying Cavalry Camp. Please, Father, disperse them and incorporate them into the various prefectural garrison forces, so that the soldiers of the Flying Cavalry Camp can continue to serve our dynasty.”

The Emperor helped Chen Yingchou up and sighed, “Old Nine, your thoughts are thorough. I grant your request.” He looked at the silk bandage over Chen Yingchou's eyes. “Your eyes are very much like your mother's. If Heaven is merciful and lets me see these eyes once more before I depart, I will be content. I understand your intentions. Go.”

Although Chen Yingchou could not see, he could hear the sorrow and desolation in his father's voice. “I take my leave, Father.”

The Emperor watched Chen Yingchou's departing figure, hoping that this would not be the last time he saw Old Nine's silhouette, and that in the near future, he would see Old Nine standing before him again, looking at him with those radiant eyes.

In the evening, Chen Yingchou returned from the palace and told Jiang Mo that His Majesty had permitted Wei Chun to be in charge of the alliance treaty between the two countries.

Jiang Mo hadn't expected things to go so smoothly either.

“Lan'er, this matter is now in your father's hands, so I no longer need to manage it. But I've been busy at the Court of State Ceremonies handling the Rong Kingdom visit, and I've fallen behind on military matters. I'm afraid I'll be busy for a while. For a while after that, I will stay in the camp and won't be able to return to the residence often to accompany you.”

Before Xu Ping's senior apprentice could treat him, everything was uncertain. He had to prepare for the worst and come up with an excuse first.

“But before returning to the camp, I want to rest at the residence for a day.” Chen Yingchou reached for Jiang Mo's hand, and Jiang Mo naturally placed her hand in his palm.

“Lan'er, do you still remember the first time we returned to your family after we got married? We went to East Street, and when we ate, you said the jasmine flower cakes there weren't as tasty as yours. Can you make some for me tomorrow?”

Jiang Mo had long forgotten, but making pastries wasn't difficult. “Alright, I'll make them for you tomorrow, Prince.”

Chen Yingchou added, “The preserved fruits from that vendor you like—he is a peddler who carries his wares on a pole and roams the streets, with no fixed location. I had Qiao Yun hire him to work in the kitchen to make all kinds of preserved fruits specially for you.”

Jiang Mo felt flattered. “Prince, that really isn't necessary.”

Chen Yingchou misunderstood Jiang Mo's meaning and explained, “I didn't force that peddler at all. He was very willing.”

“Also, those lanterns I made before—they must have been very ugly. I'm not good at making lanterns, but I'm very good at wood carving. Even though I can't see, I can carve something out by feel.”

He took out a wooden hairpin from his bosom. “You like eating jasmine flower cakes and the fragrance of jasmine, so you must like jasmine flowers very much. I didn't carve this hairpin very well. If you don't like it, just throw it away or do whatever you want with it.”

Jiang Mo stared at the wooden hairpin carved with a jasmine flower, stunned.

Randong had given her a handkerchief embroidered with orchids, and Lin Mei and Su Jiying wanted to brew 'Youlan Zui' (Drunken Orchid) for her.

Jiang Mo understood their intentions, but she always felt that those were for Wei Yalan, not for her.

Only Prince Yu, casting aside her false name, had seen her true self.