Chapter 79

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Chapter 79: Title

Ning Yu stood quietly in the center of the hall, dressed in a plain long dress, and slightly lowered her head, afraid to look up at the person seated at the top.

"Your Highness, this lotus seed soup was personally made by the secondary princess."

"Lan Ruo."

Lan Ruo was Ning Yu’s close maid who had come from the palace. They had stood in the hall for quite a while with no sign of a reaction from the person above them. Unexpectedly, as soon as she spoke, she was scolded by her master, leaving her feeling slightly wronged.

"Lan Ruo is ignorant of the proper etiquette; I hope Your Highness will forgive her," Ning Yu still kept her head lowered, her posture humble and respectful.

Lan Ruo cast a reluctant glance at her master. Her master had never spoken so humbly in the palace; even the emperor had favored her greatly. Now, she ended up marrying a woman, and that woman was Prince Rong. What did power and influence mean if they couldn’t even have children? Of course, she only dared to think this in her heart.

Lian Rong toyed with two beads in her hand, her gaze slightly lowered. She didn’t know where her thoughts had wandered until she finally spoke after hearing Ning Yu’s words. "I heard from my brother that your health hasn’t been good; you need to rest well."

Ning Yu looked up in surprise. She hadn’t expected Lian Rong to care for her.

As she accidentally met Lian Rong’s black eyes, Ning Yu realized she had been rude and hurriedly lowered her head to hide her fluster.

"You have been by my brother’s side for over ten years; now you are marrying into Prince Rong’s residence. It must be difficult for you," Lian Rong’s voice was so soft that it was hardly audible. "If you feel uncomfortable in the prince’s residence, you can return to live here."

Upon hearing this, Ning Yu suddenly knelt before her, "Since I have married into Prince Rong’s residence, I am naturally one of them and also belong to Your Highness. Please do not drive me away."

Ning Yu was beautiful to begin with, and now, as the lovely girl knelt on the ground with tears in her eyes, anyone who saw her would feel pity.

Just then, a soft sigh came from above. Snapping back to reality, Ning Yu felt someone gently lift her up. She looked at the enchanting face before her, one that made everyone else jealous, and for a moment forgot her words.

Lian Rong’s hand lightly brushed against Ning Yu’s wrist before letting go. He spoke softly, “It is still late August, and the weather is quite hot. If I guess correctly, the cold poison in your body has been there for four to five years. At such a young age, how did you get this illness?”

Ning Yu had been rescued by the Eastern Emperor during the chaos of war when she was just a child. Now, at nineteen, she had lived in the palace for years, and surely this cold poison had come upon her during that time.

“…I’m not quite sure. I caught this illness a few years ago when I was out of the palace with the queen and several princes. It never healed, and I’ve neglected visiting the Imperial Medical Institute. It’s nothing serious; thank you for your concern, Your Highness.”

Lian Rong shook his head. “You are still young; you cannot just ignore this illness. I will have someone take a look at you. Although it may be difficult to completely cure it, we can certainly improve your health.”

Ning Yu showed her gratitude. Just as she was about to kneel again, Lian Rong reached out to support her. “This is Prince Rong’s residence, not the palace. Here, there are not so many rules. You are now the secondary princess; for matters in the residence, you can manage with Qian Yue. Don’t tire yourself.”

Ning Yu gently nodded.

After Ning Yu left, a white figure appeared in the hall. “Your Highness has truly forgotten his old love for the new one; when the crown princess was here, she wasn’t dealing with the chores either.”

Lian Rong didn’t even glance at the person but turned to walk toward the inner hall. “Wuyang, your courage is growing bolder.”

Wuyang followed closely behind Lian Rong. “Isn’t Your Highness curious about how the crown princess is doing? It has been three months.”

Lian Rong paused. “Wuyang, do you wish to lose your position?”

Wuyang stopped as well, her expression serious. “The epidemic in Liangzhou is getting worse; the Third Prince’s life is in danger.”

“The Emperor will send someone to rescue them; you don’t need to worry about that. I want to know, why are only Lian Chen and Lianyang not mentioned?” Lian Rong’s tone was unusually indifferent. It was as if the lives of those two who called her royal uncle had nothing to do with her, as if they were merely strangers.

Wuyang showed little emotion. “The Second Prince was ambushed in Pingzhou and rescued by the crown princess and others passing by. He is now in the Northern Region Capital.”

Lian Rong raised an eyebrow. “You mean he is with Gu Meisheng?”

“Yes.”

Lian Rong suddenly laughed.

Wuyang looked at her, puzzled. “My lord, you must have been affected by something.”

Lian Rong tilted her head to look at her. “Find a way to cure Ning Yu’s cold poison.” Her royal brother made a terrible move by placing Ning Yu next to her; it would have been more effective to put Gu Hengbo there. Look at her now, getting jealous of her own nephew.

“The cold poison Ning Yu suffers from is not easy to treat; it seems my lord is really concerned,” Wuyang remarked, knowing Ning Yu’s identity, but she couldn’t help but sigh deeply about the crown princess so far away.

Lian Rong glanced at her. “Learn more from Qian Yue; she is much more obedient and sensible than you. At least she won’t offend her superiors.”

“She is much more obedient than Qingfeng,” someone retorted unwillingly.

Lian Rong eyed her. “She is indeed much more obedient. When she returns to accept punishment, how about you skin her for me?”

“My lord?” Wuyang was taken aback. Although Lian Rong said it jokingly, she knew Lian Rong never joked about such matters with her subordinates. This time, Qingfeng had really angered her.

Lian Rong stretched, yawning. “If you have nothing else, you may leave. I need to catch up on some sleep. I haven’t been out for a few days, and I still have to go to the Ministry of Punishment this afternoon.”

Seeing her lord walk inside, Wuyang did not follow but sighed and stepped out of the inner hall.

As long as her lord’s mindset does not change, everything can proceed according to plan. When someone is determined to reclaim something, no one can stand in their way, especially someone with such a resolute mind.

The next morning,

As a group of courtiers watched Lian Rong, dressed in official robes like them, arrive for morning court, their eyes nearly popped out of their heads.

Lian Rong calmly accepted their bows and greetings. When she passed by Gu Yuanqing, she smiled slightly. “In my opinion, let’s delay the funeral arrangements for Madam Dou and the crown princess for now.”

Gu Yuanqing didn’t understand why Lian Rong would bring this up right away. “Your Highness, this matter…”

Lian Rong raised her hand to stop him from speaking further. "Everything will be discussed when I come back."

Gu Yuanqing was even more confused. What does it mean to talk when she returns?

Like the other court officials, the Eastern Emperor had been sending people to Prince Rong’s residence to invite her to the palace. Unfortunately, each time, they were stopped, being told that the crown princess had encountered an issue, and the prince was too heartbroken to meet anyone, not even his own brother.

Now seeing her standing quietly in the main hall in her court attire, smiling, it seemed she was fine. The Eastern Emperor naturally would not mention Lian Rong’s personal matters in the court.

"What do you officials think about the situation in Liangzhou?" the Eastern Emperor asked solemnly from the dragon throne.

There was a moment of silence in the hall before Censor Chen Chong stepped forward. "Your Majesty, I believe we should send people from the capital to provide support. Regardless, the lives of the two princes are the most important."

The Eastern Emperor glanced around at the officials in the hall. "What about the others?"

Zhao Yue, the General of the State, stepped forward from the military officials. "Your Majesty, over ten thousand people in Liangzhou are still living in dire conditions. I also believe sending people from the capital is feasible."

General Gu Bailong also advanced a step. "Your Majesty, I think it’s too late to send people from the capital now. The people of Liangzhou have just faced a rebellion, and now there is an outbreak of disease. It is indeed dangerous for the two princes to stay in the city. In my opinion, Liangzhou falls under the jurisdiction of the Duke of Beiyuan, who is the closest. It would not hurt to ask him for assistance."

The Eastern Emperor slightly nodded. "What does Prime Minister Gu think?"

Gu Yuanqing stepped forward. "General Gu’s words are very true. The situation in Liangzhou is urgent, and sending someone from the capital is already too late. Whether it is a rebellion or an outbreak, the Duke of Beiyuan, as the controller of the sixteen states, must be involved."

The Eastern Emperor’s gaze deepened. "Prince Rong."

Lian Rong did not step forward but slightly bowed. "What the lords said is feasible. In my opinion, we could try both methods at the same time, which might yield even better results."

The Eastern Emperor looked at her steadily. "You mean, let me give orders to the Duke of Beiyuan while sending someone from the capital?"

Lian Rong nodded slightly. "Exactly, the Duke of Beiyuan has been in the northern desert for a long time. This way, we can test his loyalty to the court and also resolve the crisis in Liangzhou, achieving the best of both worlds."

The Eastern Emperor nodded appreciatively. "This proposal is good, but given that there is a plague in Liangzhou, who do you think we should send?"

Lian Rong smirked. "I have a candidate in mind; I wonder if Your Majesty would agree."

The Eastern Emperor’s eyes darkened. "Who is it?"

"The initial rebellion in Liangzhou involved two royal nephews recommended by the royal sister. Now that they are in trouble, as their royal uncle, I naturally cannot stand by and do nothing."

As soon as Lian Rong finished speaking, there was an uproar around her.

The Eastern Emperor frowned. "No, this mission is too dangerous; I do not agree."

Lian Rong did not speak but stepped forward, lifted her gown, and knelt down. "The situation is serious. I ask Your Majesty to issue an order quickly. The people of Liangzhou cannot wait, and the two nephews of the royal sister cannot wait either." Her words were sincere, clear, and unwavering. The ministers around her couldn’t help but respect her even more, feeling a mixture of admiration and reverence.

The Eastern Emperor did not expect Lian Rong to act this way. As the father of two sons himself, he believed that the well-being of the common people was more important. Why should this royal uncle care so much about those two boys?

In the end, the Eastern Emperor agreed. Whoever went did not matter much! Especially considering this sister he had treated with caution for many years.

After the court session, Liu Yu and Lian Rong walked out together. Liu Yu’s expression was complex. "Prince Rong truly knows how to endure and act."

Lian Rong took a few steps but suddenly paused, and Liu Yu was about to ask why she stopped when they saw the Chief Steward, Li Xin, approaching with a feather duster. "Your Highness, please wait."

Lian Rong glanced at Liu Yu. "Out of years of friendship, I advise you: you must not dismiss that fierce tigress at home. Also, be careful of that pampered child; I see something wrong with his eyes. Watch out; he might take your life in bed. Enough said; handle it well." With that, she turned and walked towards Li Xin.

Liu Yu stood there for a while, gradually losing his playful expression, replacing it with a ruthless look. Lian Rong would not say such things without reason. Could that boy have tempted her when she visited his residence? No way! Even if he did, it shouldn’t have been her. Was there some sort of conspiracy? What did she mean by warning him about the fierce tigress? They were quite affectionate, right? (Really?)

*

Meanwhile, at Lord Zou’s residence in Northern Region Capital, the servants were busy running around.

A woman dressed in a pink long dress, with a slight bulge at her belly, was directing the busy servants in the courtyard with one hand on her waist.

Gu Hengbo stood behind her, exasperated. "Lord Zou, we only have five people. We really don’t need to make such a fuss. Just tidy up the house a bit. Also, the food on that table is enough for us for half a month. You’ve been at it for five months now; please stop."

Lord Zou turned around, supporting his waist, and pinched Gu Hengbo’s face, saying, "Good girl, since this is your first time here, as the host, I must treat you well. Ever since that heartless man left me, my home has not been this lively for a long time."

Gu Hengbo scratched her face and replied, "But you will tire yourself out like this."

Lord Zou waved his hand dismissively, "If this little bit tires me out, you don’t know. Back in the day when your sister and I took the top scholar title, that was real hardship. Oh, oh, oh, that jug inside is my aged brew. Don’t put it anywhere else; set it on the table for me later."

Just like that, Gu Hengbo watched a pregnant woman bustling around the courtyard, saying this wasn’t okay, that wasn’t okay. Did she have obsessive-compulsive disorder? She finally understood the feelings of that scoundrel who abandoned the female scholar to run off with the mistress.