Chapter 197 : Filing a Pet.i.tion
Jiang Ruan was left feeling both surprised and amused at the same time. “You’re speaking nonsense,” she scolded Xuan Pei, tapping his forehead. She did, however, consider his words seriously in her heart. Naturally, Xiao Shao had no idea that she had lived two lives and when her past and present lives were added together, she was a lot older than him. Furthermore, she herself felt it was unreasonable that she was so much older than her man. Even though it didn’t show in her outward appearance, this matter still unnerved her.
Seeing Jiang Ruan seriously pondering over this, Xuan Pei’s eyes flashed with dissatisfaction. “I didn’t know about his relationship with you before,” he said, taking Jiang Ruan’s hand in his. “When Jinying w.a.n.g unexpectedly proposed, I thought it was a bad idea for Mother Consort to marry him. But later, I realized that he was the only one in this world who could stand up to Xuan Li. As a consequence, it is more preferable to marry into the Jinying w.a.n.gfu than to become involved with Xuan Li – even though Jinying w.a.n.g has gained something priceless without too much effort.” Xuan Pei coldly snorted, clearly upset. Before he got reacquainted with her in this life, Jiang Ruan had already married Xiao Shao. Still, he believed that Xiao Shao’s position would be secure, regardless of how the dynasty changed in the future because the Jinying w.a.n.gfu had extensive influence. However, if he had known earlier that Jiang Ruan had also been reborn in this world, he would not have allowed Xiao Shao to marry her so easily.
Jiang Ruan laughed and patted his head. “Don’t pretend to be so mature at such a young age.” However, she had forgotten that when she was reborn, she was no different from Xuan Pei.
“Anyway, Mother Consort, it’s very fortunate that we can still meet again,” Xuan Pei said, holding her hand. “I sense that something is amiss in the palace these days. Besides Xuan Li’s lack of action, there is also the matter of poisoning. Someone is secretly observing you. Mother Consort, please be careful.”
“Don’t worry about me.” Jiang Ruan shook her head. “I’m not usually in the palace, and the Jinying w.a.n.gfu is heavily guarded, making it difficult for someone to achieve their objectives smoothly. As for you, the deep palace is rife with danger. We are both aware of the perils that lie within. Besides, you are now favoured by the Emperor. I don’t know how many people are secretly watching you, waiting to catch even the slightest mistake that can be used against you. Pei’er, you must not confront them head-on, instead if any situation should arise, send someone immediately to the Jinying w.a.n.gfu. After I go back, I will ask Xiao Shao to find a few people to protect you.”
He finally felt his mother’s long-lost care again. Xuan Pei had witnessed the palace’s indifference and experienced poignant desolation in this life. He never trusted anyone and refused to accept kindness from others. Jiang Ruan was the only one who could penetrate the most vulnerable part of his heart. Thus Xuan Pei was touched by her gentle and caring words, and he almost cried.
However, he was no longer the child who would cry and laugh freely like he did in his past life. He blinked, fighting back the tears. “Mother Consort, don’t worry too much,” he rea.s.sured her with a smile. “The people around me are not to be trifled with. Xiao Shao’s men are too noticeable. Placing them by my side will quickly raise people’s suspicions. Although many people in this palace want to deal with me, let them come if they have the ability, and we’ll see who ends up being unlucky. Besides, Imperial Father has a lot of trust in me now and should anyone even think of causing me harm, he will not stand by and take things lying down.”
Jiang Ruan couldn’t detect any unusual emotions in his tone when he mentioned the Emperor. For a moment, she couldn’t tell what Xuan Pei was thinking, so she looked at him and reminded, “Pei’er, now that His Majesty trusts you, in the eyes of others it could be misconstrued as having ulterior motives. Furthermore, you are aware that this is not unfounded. What do you think? I’d like to hear your thoughts.” She asked hesitantly. Every prince’s ultimate ambition was to sit on the throne, nonetheless, she didn’t want Xuan Pei to compete for the position and deny himself the happiness he deserved. However, if the reborn Xuan Pei had this ambition, she would gladly support him without any hesitation. There was no need to say anything between mother and son, regardless of what Xuan Pei decided to do, she was always on his side.
“Mother Consort worries too much.” Xuan Pei smiled and shook his head.”Winning the favour and trust of Imperial Father is purely for protecting myself. With Imperial Father’s favoured treatment, no one dares to act rashly against me. That said, I have no intentions of making baseless a.s.sumptions about his thoughts. I can’t predict how they will evolve in the future. The first thing I must do now is to exact vengeance for Mother Consort and myself. In addition, even though the entire country belongs to the line of Xuan, that doesn’t mean that whatever he (Xuan Li) wants is for the taking.”
His words contained a hint of hostility and at first Jiang Ruan wanted to console him. Yet, when she reflected on her life, weren’t they exactly the same. They had both returned full of hostility and deep seated hatred with the sole purpose of exacting revenge. The grievances from their previous life were too violent and brutal that in this life she would not dare to forget or be derelict. And so, she said with a smile, “I will always protect you.”
The two of them talked for a while longer but Jiang Ruan couldn’t stay in Nan Hua Yuan at length, however, before she left she cautioned Xuan Pei once more.
Ming Yue entered after Jiang Ruan departed and stood beside Xuan Pei. She was silent for a moment, and then suddenly asked, “Why didn’t Your Highness tell w.a.n.gfei the truth?”
Whether or not Xuan Pei was interested in the throne, he was not completely apathetic in Ming Yue’s opinion. Every action he took was part of a strategy to win the country, while calmly attracting the Emperor’s attention. Furthermore, he had gradually begun to win over a group of officials in the imperial court. Although everything was executed flawlessly, it was inevitable that, over time, it would undoubtedly help him seize the throne
Normally, Xuan Pei would never answer such a question. He was almost always very indifferent, but for some reason, possibly because of Jiang Ruan, today he had softened his stance a little, and he even showed a gentle and tired look. “She wants me to be an innocent and kind prince, so why should I shatter this illusion and show her the ugly truth?” he said. “It would be better for me to be regarded as a child in her eyes. After all, the only reason I’m seizing this country is to protect the people I care about.”
He wished to protect Jiang Ruan from harm. To achieve that, first he needed to a.s.sume the supreme position to crush those who despised them. Only through absolute power would he have absolute safety. For Jiang Ruan’s sake, even if the path to becoming the Emperor was filled with slaughter and blood, it didn’t matter to him.
Ming Yue silently withdrew to one side and stopped speaking, knowing that Xuan Pei would not explain more to her if she continued to ask.
After Jiang Ruan stepped out of Nan Hua Yuan, she had only taken a few steps when she heard an unfamiliar voice behind her. “Hong’an Junzhu.“
She turned to see a man dressed in grey approaching, surrounded by palace eunuchs and palace maids. The man wore a long grey robe and a hat that nearly concealed the upper half of his face. The only visible part of him was his delicate chin, and it was difficult to determine whether he was male or female from his voice. At first glance, he seemed both beautiful and strange.
“You are…?” She gave a faint smile. This person didn’t address her as ‘Jinying w.a.n.gfei’ but as ‘Hong’an Junzhu’. It was the first time that this had ever happened in the Great Jin’s imperial palace.
“I am Yuan Chuan.” The man in grey smiled. “I have come all the way from Tian Jin to offer my loyalty to Great Jin.”
The eunuch on the other side explained hastily, “To answer Junzhu, Yuan Chuan Daren is an envoy of the Tian Jian kingdom.”
Jiang Ruan calmly examined Yuan Chuan in front of her, only noticing that his attire was not characteristic of someone from Tian Jin. There was an indescribable aura surrounding him that made people uncomfortable. Yuan Chuan faced her with his eyes obscured by his hat, making it impossible to see his expression and even more difficult to deduce his thoughts.
“So you are an envoy of the Tian Jin kingdom,” Jiang Ruan smiled. “Great Jin has a vast territory and abundant resources. It is wide and rich, so Envoy can take the time to stroll around and expand your horizons. Guests are always welcome in Great Jin.” Her remarks were sarcastic. Why should the envoy of a defeated nation act in such a n.o.ble and benevolent manner when he was only there to submit a letter of surrender? And in her words, she made no attempt to hide the fact that Tian Jin was a tiny nation with short-sighted people. The two young eunuchs turned pale. Although he was an envoy from a defeated nation, they still owed him some respect; otherwise, rumours would spread that the royal family of Great Jin used their position to bully others. On the other hand, Hong’an Junzhu was now Jinying w.a.n.gfei, and she could not be offended either. For a brief moment, the two eunuchs were uneasy, hoping that Yuan Chuan was a gentle person who would not take this matter seriously.
Yuan Chuan indeed seemed very gentle. In the face of the irony hidden in Jiang Ruan’s speech, he unexpectedly showed no resentment. “I just saw Junzhu coming out of Nan Hua Yuan. Yuan Chuan knows that Nan Hua Yuan is the residence of Thirteenth Prince,” he said with a smile. “Even if there is no blood relationship, I did not expect Junzhu to have such a deep sibling relationship with Thirteenth Prince.”
The two eunuchs’ faces turned pale again. They a.s.sumed earlier that Yuan Chuan had a gentle temperament, but now they had the impression that this man was truly repulsive. He was insinuating that Jiang Ruan and Xuan Pei were just putting up a front and in turn wanted to ruin Jiang Ruan’s reputation. Had Jiang Ruan not been married, who knew what kind of uproar this sentence would have caused if it spread out?
Jiang Ruan smiled, as if unaware of Yuan Chuan’s slander. A strange light flashed across her beautiful face, but it vanished in an instant. Then, she said with a smile,”Thirteenth Brother asked me to find a few rare books outside the palace and by chance I happened to find them. Additionally, Empress Dowager also wanted to send some items to Thirteenth Brother, which I delivered. I wonder if Yuan Chuan Daren has any objections?”
She had already planned ahead of time to use Empress Dowager Yi De’s name to get out of a predicament if such a situation arose. That sentence “Yuan Chuan Daren” was filled with irony. How could a Tian Jin envoy speak out to discipline a Great Jin royal family member over family matters? He had really stretched his hand out too far.
Yuan Chuan paused and did not speak for a long time, but the two eunuchs around him were already quite furious. Outsiders had no say in one’s own country, but now an envoy dared to express his thoughts on royal family matters. He must have ulterior motives, and thus Yuan Chuan infuriated them. After some time, Yuan Chuan remarked, “Junzhu is truly gentle and kind, a good older sister who loves her younger brother.”
He couldn’t find out anything, even though he had his suspicions. Empress Dowager Yi De and the rare books she had brought to the prince were solid pieces of evidence that no one could find fault with. Jiang Ruan treated Xuan Pei’s affairs with meticulous care, especially now when countless pairs of eyes were staring at him in the palace. Jiang Ruan would never do anything that could be used against him in the future. Even an ordinary meeting was planned flawlessly, so no one could use it against him.
“Likewise, I only have similar praise for you.” Jiang Ruan smiled.
Yuan Chuan lowered his head slowly. “In that case, Yuan Chuan won’t stop Junzhu from leaving.” After saying that, he gave a strange salute which was probably a custom of Tian Jin kingdom. Jiang Ruan smiled as she looked at him and said, “Envoy, please take care as well.”
* * *
Due to Xuan Pei, Jiang Ruan spent the rest of the day reorganising her thoughts. Meeting Xuan Pei again was a pleasant surprise, like a treasure that was lost and found again. It helped to alleviate some of her grief over Bai Zhi’s death. Lu Zhu was perplexed, while Lian Qiao suspected it had something to do with Xuan Pei but didn’t know the exact reason. Jiang Ruan even managed to go through the piled-up account books after her mood improved. After staying in the study until late at night, Lian Qiao came in and said, “Miss, it’s time to rest.”
Jiang Ruan put down the book in her hand and rubbed her eyes. She got up, freshened up, and returned to her bedroom. Xiao Shao had already returned and was now leaning on the bed in a jade-coloured inner garment, his coat removed, and flipping through a book.
As soon as Jiang Ruan walked in, her footsteps halted. The only reason she shared a bed with Xiao Shao before was because it was their first night as a married couple. Later, she was poisoned. When she returned home, her mind was not focused on the arrangement because of Bai Zhi’s issue. But now that these matters were resolved, personal matters were right before her eyes as she found it a bit embarra.s.sing to be alone with Xiao Shao, especially as husband and wife.
Under the hazy light of the lamp, the beauty’s face looked like jade. Xiao Shao always seemed gloomy and stern when wearing black. However, when he put on lighter-coloured clothes, that gloominess turned into a kind of elegant n.o.bility, and his solemnity became gentle and charming. His black hair hung down his shoulders, and his side profile was stunningly beautiful, like a piece of shimmering jade.
When he became aware of Jiang Ruan’s movements, Xiao Shao looked up and gave her a glance. Jiang Ruan nonchalantly walked up to the bed and sat down. Xiao Shao was taken aback; he set down the book he was reading and stared at her in confusion.
Jiang Ruan coughed softly and then became a little annoyed. She looked as if she was dissatisfied. Quickly discarding this absurd idea in her mind, she skillfully pulled back the quilt while pretending to be calm, then lay down and covered herself. When she turned her head, she met Xiao Shao’s pensive gaze.
Jiang Ruan’s face suddenly turned a little feverish as she recalled Xuan Pei’s words about her being much older than Xiao Shao. She felt the atmosphere was a little off and said this as she looked at him. “Today, in the palace, I met Yuan Chuan, the envoy of Tian Jin kingdom.”
Xiao Shao absent-mindedly replied. “Hmm.”
“He is not a native of Tian Jin.” Jiang Ruan frowned. Without waiting for Xiao Shao’s response, she spoke again. “I deliberately belittled and undermined Tian Jin, but he did not respond at all.” No matter how bad a person was, they wouldn’t tolerate others bullying their home. Especially for an envoy who represented a country’s dignity, he would never allow his country to be insulted so easily. If Yuan Chuan were as gentle as he appeared, Tian Jin’s Emperor would not have sent him to embarra.s.s himself.
“In your opinion, if he is not a native of Tian Jin could he be someone else’s spy, but what would be the purpose? Somehow I feel like he wants to target Pei… Thirteenth Brother.” Jiang Ruan was still speaking when she suddenly realized that Xiao Shao gave her no response. She couldn’t help but ask angrily. “Are you even listening?” As soon as she finished speaking, she felt a weight on her body and was pushed down on the bed. Xiao Shao propped himself up with one hand and looked down at her with an indiscernible expression in his eyes.
Jiang Ruan’s entire body tensed up, but she was stunned for a moment and didn’t know what to do. Xiao Shao replied slowly, “Hmm, I’m listening.”
His smooth and silky black hair tickled Jiang Ruan’s senses as it fell over her face. His facial features were clearly defined, his long eyelashes were straight and quivering, and his thin lips were pursed. Jiang Ruan could almost make out the sound of his vigorous heartbeat over his soft breathing. Suddenly, she felt an overwhelming pressure, coupled with an indescribable ambiguity.
She stuttered, “You…you should get up, you’re too heavy.”
When she said this, she was unaware of the view she let him see. She was originally beautiful, but now the collar of her undergarments was slightly opened by such a movement, revealing a glimpse of her crimson chest wrap. She looked charming, like the newly bloomed rose. Her fair face had a hint of pink, more alluring than any rouge. Her lips were naturally red as if inviting someone to come closer.
Xiao Shao was just trying to tease her. He thought it was amusing that the girl who usually acted cold and killed without mercy now looked so nervous. But he was caught off guard by her beauty, and even he, who was usually indifferent, found it hard to resist. His breathing grew faster and his head gradually leaned towards her.
Jiang Ruan’s eyes widened, and she found herself at a loss for what to do. In her past life, even at the height of her love for Xuan Li, they had only held hands. She had never been so intimate with a man before and did not know how to react. She closed her eyes and her heart pounded with nervousness.
However, the kiss never arrived, and she was interrupted by Xiao Shao’s laughter. Jiang Ruan opened her eyes to find Xiao Shao smiling at her as if he found her reactions amusing.
Jiang Ruan struggled free and wrapped herself tightly in the blanket, feeling angry and embarra.s.sed. Feeling helpless, Xiao Shao hugged her from outside the blanket and warned her, “Be careful, don’t get suffocated.”
Jiang Ruan ignored him, but Xiao Shao said quietly, “Ah Ruan, it’s all my fault. I was nervous.”
His words were so shameless that Jiang Ruan suddenly sat up, pulled off the blanket, and glared at him. Xiao Shao found her even more amusing now. Despite her usual coldness and sharpness, he was the only one who could see this side of her. He felt pleased with himself. Jiang Ruan, however, lost her temper at the sight of his handsome face and coldly said, “Lend me Jin San tomorrow. I have something to do.”
“Alright.” Xiao Shao agreed without hesitation. “They’re all your people, so you don’t have to tell me.”
“And are you my person?” Jiang Ruan asked him with a sidelong glance.
“I’m your person.” Xiao Shao couldn’t help laughing again.
“…. Shameless!”
* * *
Jiang Ruan couldn’t recall how she fell asleep, but she felt they had gotten closer than before. At least it made her feel much more at ease that there was one more person in bed. She had grown accustomed to the feeling of Xiao Shao’s presence. While Jiang Ruan and Xiao Shao were eating breakfast, Steward Lin came in singing a ditty and carefully searched the entire bed. When he didn’t find what he was looking for, he left dejectedly with his head hung low.
After the meal, Xiao Shao had to leave to take care of other matters, while Jiang Ruan stayed in the w.a.n.gfu. Jin San hurried over after she was given the instruction. Seeing Jiang Ruan sitting and arranging her books, she asked, “What does Young Furen want Jin San to do?”
Jiang Ruan told Jin San exactly what she wanted done. Jin San was surprised. “Did Young Furen not tell Master?”
“He most likely already knows I’m going to do this.” Jiang Ruan said with a slight smile. “I also heard him have someone get those in the investigation department ready.”
“Young Furen making such a bold move will undoubtedly attract gossip. Although these outsiders’ words don’t need to be taken to heart, but if Jin San may be so bold as to ask why Young Furen wants to do this at this crucial time. Do you have another intent?” Jin San asked.
Jiang Ruan gave her a faint smile but did not hide the truth from her.”I would have done this anyway, it was just a matter of time. But, I’m picking now just because I’m fed up. Even though it seems like I’m targeting him, I’m actually aiming at that person in the palace. The greater the commotion, the greater her panic. I am forcing her to make a move because she is cautious and I can’t grasp her weakness. People only make mistakes when they are panicked. Everything has been set up so that she will make mistakes and fall into my hands.”
After pondering for a while, Jin San eventually realised her intention and exclaimed in surprise, “Young Furen is so clever.” She then asked, “But there must be another tough battle today, doesn’t Young Furen need Master to accompany her?” The Jinyi Guard now sincerely admired Jiang Ruan for refusing to flee but staying in the Jinying w.a.n.gfu to protect it and keep their strength a secret. The Jinyi Guard held this mistress in the highest regard. People’s hearts are made of flesh, and if she had something to do, they would a.s.sist her without hesitation.
“It’s not necessary,” Jiang Ruan smiled. “I am, after all, the mistress of this w.a.n.gfu. If I can’t even handle something as simple as this, I’m clearly not strong enough. This is my own business and I can handle it. There will be things for Xiao Shao to do in the future.” An unfamiliar emotion swelled in her bright eyes, like an eager impulse and a bit of ironic heartache tangled together, making her beauty appear cruel.
* * *
At this moment, at the gate of the investigation department, the drum of justice was being beaten heavily, and there was a circle of people watching the excitement around. More and more people were stopping to watch, and soon the entrance of the investigation department was jammed. Both of the young women on the left and right sides looked angry as they beat the drum. After a while, an official walked out and yelled, “Who is beating the drum of justice?”
“These servants beat the drum of justice on behalf of the eldest di daughter of the Jiang family. A pet.i.tion is posted above. Please, Daren, hold a trial to investigate and bring to justice the person responsible for the murder of Minister Jiang fu’s former Furen!”