A Rebirth: Joined As One - Chapter 17

When the procession reached Luoping, everyone got down from their carriages and was led to the tent camp that had already been prepared two days earlier to settle in.

Jing Ya was also led by a palace attendant to the front of her own tent.

The palace attendant bowed and lifted the curtain at the tent entrance. “Miss Jing, this will be your residence for these ten days in Luoping. If you need anything, simply instruct this servant.”

Jing Ya nodded. “All right. Thank you.”

The palace attendant hurriedly said, “Miss Jing is too polite. The wind outside is strong, so please enter the tent and rest.”

After nodding, Jing Ya entered the tent. There was no helping it—the wind outside truly was too strong. When it blew, it carried a trace of winter’s lingering chill, making it very cold.

Luoping stood on higher ground, so compared with the fourth month weather in the capital, it was more like the third month here. This was also why the spring hunt was scheduled for the first day of the fourth month.

Once Jing Ya entered the tent, she felt a little warmer. She removed her cloak and hung it on the rack at the side, then walked around the horizontal screen into the inner area. She looked at the bed and low table facing each other. There was also a standing screen between the two, and with the two screens arranged like that, the tent was divided into separate sections. Jing Ya was quite satisfied with the furnishings.

Walking around the upright screen, Jing Ya went to the low table and opened the two small boxes placed beside it. Those boxes held her belongings and had arrived in Luoping one day earlier than she had.

She opened the boxes and glanced at the contents. She did not touch the box of clothes, since she could simply take them out when needed. Instead, she only took the books from the other box and arranged them on the low table.

After putting the books in order, Jing Ya sat before the low table, casually picked up a book, and flipped through two pages before her mind wandered to other matters.

Tomorrow, the ceremony would be held. Once the ceremony ended, the spring hunt would officially begin.

Speaking of the spring hunt, in her previous life… she had actually participated in it too. Unfortunately, her participation had only consisted of staying beside that young Crown Prince the whole time as his guard and caretaker.

Just as she was thinking, she suddenly heard movement in front of the tent. She rose to go take a look, but just as she reached the entrance, the curtain was lifted and someone walked in. Because the person was coming in against the light, Jing Ya could only make out a rough silhouette. Only after the newcomer lowered the curtain did Jing Ya see clearly. Somewhat surprised, she called out, “Princess Royal?”

She had just seen the Princess Royal’s tent earlier. It did not seem to be very close to hers…

The Princess Royal gave a casual sound of acknowledgment and did not stand on ceremony. She walked straight in and asked, “Grand Preceptor Jiang’s granddaughter—why did she suddenly run halfway through the journey to ride in the same carriage as the Crown Prince?”

“She went to the Crown Prince?” Jing Ya truly had not known.

The Princess Royal nodded and naturally sat down by the bed. “Mm. When she passed by my carriage, I happened to see her. Did Qingyang say something to her? Or was it because of something else?”

Jing Ya could only take her book and follow the Princess Royal toward the bed. She replied, “It was nothing much. Commandery Princess Qingyang wanted to rest, but Grand Preceptor Jiang’s granddaughter spoke a little loudly, so the two of them…”

Jing Ya did not finish, but the Princess Royal already understood.

Smiling, the Princess Royal said, “No wonder Qingyang was complaining to her Third Brother that she hadn’t slept enough… What about you? Did you sleep on the way?”

Jing Ya did not know whether the Princess Royal had come over out of boredom just to chat, or whether there was some other meaning behind it. So she looked at the Princess Royal while carefully choosing her answer. “No…”

The Princess Royal lifted her eyes to look at her and smiled. “Then you were reading?”

“Mm…” Jing Ya answered, still looking at the Princess Royal. Their eyes did not quite meet, and she wanted to see some hint of something from her, but there was nothing. It was as though the Princess Royal truly had only come to make idle conversation with her.

Perhaps she really was overthinking it…

Just as Jing Ya was about to withdraw her gaze, she suddenly heard the Princess Royal ask, “Why are you staring at me?”

Jing Ya paused, then turned her eyes away and said calmly and naturally, “I wasn’t…”

The Princess Royal looked at Jing Ya and gave a soft laugh. She did not continue on this matter and instead brought up something else. “After tomorrow’s ceremony ends, remember not to wander around. Come back here and wait for me.”

Jing Ya did not know what the Princess Royal was planning to do, but she still nodded and agreed. “Yes.”

After saying this, the Princess Royal stood and lightly brushed her clothes, preparing to leave. “All right. Rest well. Luoping is cold. Don’t catch a chill.”

As Jing Ya saw the Princess Royal out, she said, “Thank you for your concern, Princess Royal.”

At the entrance of the tent, the Princess Royal stopped Jing Ya from sending her any farther. “No need to see me out. The wind is strong outside. You should stay in the tent.”

Jing Ya could only watch as the Princess Royal lifted the curtain and left.

Staring at the slightly swaying tent curtain, Jing Ya wrapped her arms around herself and lightly rubbed them. Luoping’s weather was indeed a little cold. Mm… she should listen to the Princess Royal and stay properly inside the tent…

With the howling wind outside the tent as her pillow, Jing Ya barely slept through the night. Early the next morning, just as the sky brightened, she rose and washed up.

The spring hunt ceremony was still a ceremony, so its rules and procedures were all equally strict and precise. Naturally, at the very front were the emperor and empress. Closely following them was the young Crown Prince, and only behind him were the Princess Royal, Commandery Princess Qingyang, and the other imperial relatives.

Jing Ya stood at the very back with Xie Ru Yi and the other students from the palace school, observing the ceremony.

With a wall of people standing in front of her, even if Jing Ya wanted to look ahead, there was no way to do so. Beside her, several girls from the palace school who had also been chosen to accompany the spring hunt whispered, “Where is Jiang Ling? Why haven’t I seen her?”

“I haven’t seen her either. I haven’t seen her since early this morning…”

“If you haven’t seen her, then you haven’t seen her. She’s such a grown person. Could she have disappeared?”

“That’s hard to say… After all, Luoping isn’t like the palace. If something happens, maybe we’ll be dragged into it too…”

The moment the possibility of being implicated came up, the girls immediately grew a little worried about Jiang Ling.

But no matter how they looked left and right, they could not see her anywhere. Besides, the ceremony was still ongoing, so they could not behave too improperly.

Fortunately, Xie Ru Yi was tall enough. He leaned forward to look for them and very soon spotted Jiang Ling ahead. He then said to those girls, “Miss Jiang is standing beside the Crown Prince. You needn’t worry.”

Hearing this, the girls looked at one another. Their expressions changed again and again before, in the end, they only thanked Xie Ru Yi.

Xie Ru Yi did not understand these girls’ thoughts and could only smile awkwardly while waving his hand. “No need to be polite. We are all classmates. It is only right.”

One of the girls said rather sharply, “We are classmates, yes, but classmates don’t necessarily share the same heart. In the future, when someone soars high, how could she still remember that there was once a bond between classmates here? We are still worrying for her, but she has no need of it at all!”

Another girl beside her hurriedly tugged her. “What are you saying?!”

That girl grew even more indignant. “Am I wrong?! She is exactly that kind of person. Since she has the face to do such things, is she afraid of others talking about it?!”

The other girl said angrily, “Gu Wenqing! Are you not even going to listen to me now?”

The girl stamped her foot and called out aggrievedly, “Sister!”

The other girl’s expression was cold, and she said sternly, “Shut up!”

The girl could only lower her head, turn aside, and sulk. The other girl forced a smile and looked toward everyone. “Wenqing just has this stubborn temper. Even when I speak, it’s no use. Please don’t take it to heart.”

Everyone could only laugh dryly and wave their hands, saying it was nothing. Each of them also quietly shifted a little farther to the side, putting some distance between themselves and the sisters.

The other girl specially apologized to Xie Ru Yi once more. Xie Ru Yi also looked awkward, but because of status, he could not say much. He could only move aside along with the others.

Jing Ya treated it as watching a play from the side. Along the way, she also heard a little of the twists and turns hidden within.

That granddaughter of Grand Preceptor Jiang… if one calculated carefully, her status was indeed qualified enough. Grand Preceptor Jiang had great prestige in court, many students, and connections tangled like deep roots. He had long since taken firm root in the court. If he deliberately wanted Jiang Ling to approach the young Crown Prince, then their side could not avoid guarding against it and uprooting her in advance.

Perhaps she should remind the Princess Royal…

Jing Ya drew her cloak tighter around herself and withdrew her hands into her sleeves. Lightly rubbing her fingertips together, she gathered away her thoughts and only gazed from afar in the Princess Royal’s direction.