After Spending a Passionate Night with the Eldest Princess - Chapter 21

Two hours later.

Jiang Si glanced at the city gate close at hand and carefully said, “Master, the capital is just ahead. Would you like to eat something?”

Master had not eaten breakfast. As for them, they had committed such a huge mistake. They deserved to go hungry.

“This palace is not hungry. You all may eat. Rest briefly, then enter the capital.”

“Yes, Your Highness.” Hearing her refer to herself as “this palace,” Jiang Si immediately changed his form of address.

The Eldest Princess’s full name: Qin Muqiu.
For the convenience of the plot, she will no longer be referred to as Miss Qin from this point onward.

Inside the carriage, Qin Muqiu’s face was pale. She had no desire to speak, nor any appetite to eat.

She unconsciously rubbed her fingers together, carefully reviewing everything that had happened over the past few days.

Tang Er’s disloyalty. Xin Yuan’s false compliance.

Even if these two had never had any private contact, they had still joined hands in giving her a painful lesson.

She did not blame the guards for failing in their duty. After all, even she herself had been deceived.

How could she not have been deceived…

Tang Er had been personally assigned to her as a personal guard by her imperial father before his death. In the past three years, he had never shown anything unusual. He had been dutiful, meticulous, and thorough in everything, naturally earning her trust.

As for Xin Yuan, because of that dream, Qin Muqiu had no choice but to keep her by her side. Last night, after the two of them had been so intimate, Xin Yuan had woken and kept saying she was willing to take responsibility, even agreeing to return to the capital with her.

And the result?

Qin Muqiu’s expression grew increasingly ugly. Tang Er’s betrayal was not the most frightening thing. The key was Xin Yuan.

Because of that uncontrollable dream…

She frowned, a trace of killing intent flashing through her eyes, along with a little regret.

Tang Er’s sudden betrayal had been unexpected, but Xin Yuan’s escape could originally have been avoided.

It was only because…

Only because she had experienced intimacy for the first time. At the time, not only had her body been unwell, but her heart had also been filled with mixed feelings. Under the influence of many factors, she had lost her usual composure.

And that person’s thoughts had also been meticulous. Every action had been flawless, causing Qin Muqiu to let down her guard for a moment.

“Unforgivable…” Qin Muqiu murmured. Her fingers tightened against her palm, sending fine threads of pain through her hand.

Fifteen minutes later, Jiang Si first ordered people to take out ceremonial items such as the red staffs, golden parasol, and banners from the wooden boxes in the luggage carriage behind them—the Eldest Princess’s ceremonial procession.

Only then did he order the guards to set off again.

Before long, when the procession arrived at the city gate, the soldiers guarding the gate saw the ceremonial display of the Eldest Princess’s residence and immediately reported it to the imperial guards responsible for defending the capital.

The capital guards then swiftly passed the news to the imperial guards responsible for defending the palace.

At noon, Emperor Qin’an was dining with the Empress Dowager in Cining Palace.

Upon hearing the report, he abruptly stood. “Quickly summon the officials. We will leave the palace to personally welcome her.”

“Stop.” Empress Dowager Lu heavily set down her chopsticks, displeasure appearing on her face. “She is a princess, and you are the emperor. What need is there for you to personally welcome her?”

Emperor Qin’an’s steps paused, hesitation appearing in his eyes. “But Imperial Sister’s trip this time…”

The Eldest Princess Qin Muqiu had secretly left the capital this time to raise grain. She had even sailed overseas to an enemy country and clashed with the great dynasty of Baiyue.

This journey had been extremely dangerous. The slightest mistake would have led to eternal ruin.

And his imperial sister, Qin Muqiu, had not only successfully raised grain, but had also led the soldiers safely back.

Now, the grain had already been transported to various regions ahead of her and would soon be distributed into the hands of the refugees. In Emperor Qin’an’s private opinion, he ought to personally leave the palace to welcome her.

First, it would display his benevolence. Second, it would conveniently announce the Eldest Princess’s achievements to the world.

Mainly, even if he did not announce it, there were some things he could not hide.

Since it could not be hidden, why not do her a favor in passing and let the civil and military officials know of his wisdom?

But looking at the Empress Dowager’s expression, which was far more imposing than usual, Emperor Qin’an’s heart sank. “We understand. Imperial Mother, please dine in peace. We will handle this properly.”

Emperor Qin’an knew the Empress Dowager was displeased that he had relied heavily on the Eldest Princess this time. But did he have a choice?

Among the civil and military officials of the entire court, no one dared go to the enemy country to raise grain, and no one could guarantee that they could obtain it.

Only Imperial Sister was willing to risk herself for the people. Only Imperial Sister had outstanding strategy and that level of confidence.

Emperor Qin’an raised his head and looked at the sky, saying gloomily, “Little Zhuozi, pass down Our oral decree. Order all officials to go outside the palace gate to respectfully welcome the Eldest Princess. We will hold a banquet in Renhe Hall to welcome Imperial Sister back and wash away the dust of her journey.”

“Yes.”

The emperor’s chief eunuch was surnamed Zhuo, known as Eunuch Zhuo. “Little Zhuozi” was the nickname the emperor had given him.

Watching Eunuch Zhuo run off, Emperor Qin’an sighed softly and walked toward Renhe Hall.

Imperial Mother feared Imperial Sister. But was he not the same? After all, even this imperial throne had been given to him by Imperial Sister.

Yet many times, he had no choice but to rely on Imperial Sister. Even the ruler of a country had times when he was forced by circumstances.

Emperor Qin’an quickened his pace. His heart felt chaotic, and the bit of instinctive joy he had felt earlier instantly scattered completely.

Outside the palace, the moment the officials received the emperor’s oral decree, they hurried toward the palace gate. Some people’s official hats were even crooked.

After the officials gathered and stood according to rank, every one of them looked excited.

The Eldest Princess had returned safely. Not only had she raised enough grain, but she had done so without spending a single soldier. This was the fortune of Xidao.

After the great joy, they felt that something was not quite right. The Eldest Princess had rendered such great merit. Logically, even if the emperor did not leave the palace to personally welcome her, they should not be waiting here at the palace gate.

If someone else had achieved what the Eldest Princess had, it would only be proper for the emperor to bring all the officials to the city gate to welcome them.

Realizing this, everyone looked at one another for a moment, then tacitly turned their gazes toward Chancellor Zhou.

With the emperor absent, Chancellor Zhou was the head of all officials. Any matter had to be decided by him. Otherwise, it would be resisting the decree.

Chancellor Zhou stood there calm and composed, looking as if he only intended to follow the emperor’s instructions and did not want to cause extra trouble.

He did not want to cause trouble, but that did not mean everyone was unmoved.

At that moment, someone raised his voice. “The Eldest Princess has saved the people from suffering and resolved the court’s crisis. With achievements such as these, we ought to welcome her with the utmost respect. Are you all willing to go with me?”

The speaker was Libationer Zhu, head of the Imperial Academy and a third-rank official. Although his rank was high, he held no real power.

However, the Zhu clan was not only the leader of the upright scholar-officials, but also one of the four great families. Libationer Zhu himself had students all over the realm.

With him taking the lead, nearly half of the officials walked toward the Imperial Street that led into the palace.

The remaining officials each had their own factions and did not act rashly for the moment.

Before long, Minister Jiang of the Ministry of Personnel moved, and several more officials followed. The Jiang clan was also one of the four great families and was loyal to the imperial family.

A little while later, Minister Lu of the Ministry of Revenue also moved. Although the Lu clan ranked last among the four great families, it was related to the imperial family, because the current Empress Dowager Lu was Minister Lu’s full elder sister.

In the end, only Chancellor Zhou’s faction remained where they were. The Zhou clan was the foremost of the four great families, and Chancellor Zhou’s youngest daughter was Emperor Qin’an’s empress.

Chancellor Zhou was undoubtedly the emperor’s staunchest supporter and had always carried out imperial orders. But at this moment, he hesitated.

After hesitating, he slowly began to walk. After today, the Eldest Princess’s achievement of raising grain would be known throughout the world.

If only the Zhou faction did not go to welcome her, it would certainly give others something to criticize.

Thinking of this, Chancellor Zhou secretly frowned. These old bastards were becoming more and more daring. They actually openly coerced the imperial order, and yet he could not stop them.

The Eldest Princess truly could not be allowed to remain…

The news spread rapidly. For a time, the common people in the capital all poured onto the streets.

On the second floor of a certain inn, Xin Yuan stood by the window, curiously looking outside.

“Those people wearing official robes are all court officials, right? They’re way too disorderly.” These officials were arriving in waves. They could not even form one proper line.

Guo Xiaowu did not speak. In her heart, she could vaguely guess some things.

The Eldest Princess Qin Muqiu was not only virtuous and talented, but had also repeatedly rendered miraculous service. Her reputation for loving the people like her own children had spread throughout the realm.

And the emperor? Since Emperor Qin’an ascended the throne, although he had made no mistakes, he also had no accomplishments worth praising. Moreover, because he held frequent palace selections, he was not especially popular with the people.

So the more outstanding the Eldest Princess was, the more mediocre the emperor appeared by contrast. Since ancient times, achievements that overshadowed the ruler had always been a great taboo.

The court officials all had their own calculations. With interests tangled together, naturally, they appeared harmonious on the surface while being divided in their hearts.

Thinking of the news she had heard downstairs earlier, Xin Yuan could not help sighing. “The Eldest Princess really is loved by the officials and the people. This scene is practically the whole city turning out, isn’t it?” Even she could not help feeling stirred.

At that moment, the Eldest Princess’s ceremonial procession happened to pass below and meet the leading officials.

“This humble minister kowtows to Her Highness the Eldest Princess. May Your Highness live for a thousand years, a thousand years, a thousand thousand years…”

“This commoner kowtows to Her Highness the Eldest Princess…”

After voices rose and fell one after another, the street was instantly filled with kneeling people.

At that moment, even the air seemed to slow down.

The carriage stopped steadily, and a guard stepped forward.

Xin Yuan unconsciously held her breath, then frowned. Why did she feel that this carriage looked so familiar? Even the guard walking forward also seemed…

In her surprise, she could not help asking Guo Xiaowu, “Look quickly. Isn’t that guard Jiang Si?”

The moment her words fell, Jiang Si lifted the carriage curtain, and the noble and precious Eldest Princess finally revealed her true appearance.