The Times Spent in Pretense

It was at this moment that the crown prince said from outside the carriage, “Liuli, we have almost arrived at your home.” 　　　　　

Hua Liuli set down the empty cup. Lifted open the curtain and said to him with a smile, “Many thanks, Your Highness the crown prince.”

“No need for thanks.” The crown prince handed a cloak over to her. “Wear this. It’s cold outside.”　　

In an obedient way, Hua Liuli draped the cloak over her shoulders and tied up the strings at the collar. Following that, the crown prince took out a hairpin and a jade comb from somewhere and handed it to her. “Once you’re home, go and rest properly. Imperial Father and I will be handling the case regarding your abductors, so do not worry.”　　　　

Hua Liuli fashioned her hair into a bun, inserting the hairpin crookedly.　　

The crown prince gave it a look, then gave it another. In the end, he could not endure it anymore and reached out to straighten out the hairpin. “Better.”　　

The horse-drawn carriage stopped in front of the Hua estate’s front doors. The servants gave their thanks and wept, the noise giving Jiamin a headache. 　　　　

“Commandery Princess, your honored self has suffered.”　　

“Hurry and summon a physician. Commandery Princess is delicate and in poor health. We can’t be careless.”　　

Jiamin recognized that voice. It belonged to Hua Liuli’s personal attendant, named Gouweiba or Yuanyang or something.　　

“You’ve grown thinner. You’ve grown thinner,” said one of the old female servants, though Jiamin wasn’t sure who. Said servant was heartbroken and sobbed with so much sorrow, as if she were about to die.　　　　

“Commandery Princess, your face is so pale. Did you not take flower nectar pills these past two days?”

“Hurry, hurry and bring over the pills Commandery Princess normally takes.”　　

Realization finally struck Jiamin. So it turned out it wasn’t just Hua Liuli who had something wrong with her brain. The whole Hua estate did too.　　　　

“Your Highness,” said Hua Liuli, holding the tied strings at the collar of the cloak. Servant girls supported her as she turned her head and looked at the crown prince atop his steed. Hua Luli smiled at him, curtseyed, then slowly stepped through the main doors of the Hua estate.　　　　

Gazing at her back figure, the crown prince thought with some regret, It would be nice to have a little girl like her in my family.　　

The carriage continued its journey. When it stopped in front of the princess estate, Jiamin lifted the curtain and looked at the crown prince. Where are my cloak, hairpin, and comb?

Is the Ji clan’s partiality hereditary?　　

Once Princess Shunan caught sight of her daughter, she called out, “Jiamin!” Her eyes were red and she gripped Jiamin’s hands, before turning to the crown prince and expressing her thanks. The servant girls all around stood and watched the scene in a well-behaved manner. They were completely different from the servants of Hua Liuli.　　　　

She looked at her father, who stood behind her mother, expressionless. Then she retracted her gaze.　　

“Many thanks, Your Highness the crown prince.”　　　　

“Aunt is too serious.” The crown prince did not dismount his steed. He said in a lazy tone, “Since she has already returned, I will return to the palace.” 　　

Princess Shunan said, “Safe travels, Your Highness.” She had noticed that he did not have any intention of climbing down the horse, her expression somewhat unsightly.　　

After the crown prince had left, she said, discontent, “His Majesty has spoiled the crown prince to the point where he’s getting more and more egotistical. He’s acting so rudely toward his elders.” 　　　

Looking down, Jiamin did not speak.　　

During the emotional period in which she had, with much difficulty, returned home, her mother could still take note of the crown prince’s domineering manner. It was evident that her resentment toward him reached extreme heights.　　

After Princess Shunan finished complaining about the crown prince, she led her daughter inside, feeling distressed.　　

“Hurry and bathe and change clothes. Seriously, does that crown prince not know to let you change your clothes?”　　

To which Jiamin was speechless.　　

“Are you hungry? Did the crown prince give you anything to eat when he found you?　　　　

“Thank goodness nothing happened to you. If you still haven’t returned, this palace would have people post notices in the city searching for you. A civil official from the crown prince’s side said something about that being a bad idea for you. But the way this palace sees it, he just didn’t want to search for you properly.　　

“Thank goodness my Jiamin was able to escape from those evildoers’ clutches.”　　

Jiamin was rendered without a word.　　

Early the next day, the princess estate received countless generous gifts from General Hua’s estate. 　　　　

“My silly sister is frail. Fortunately, Commandery Princess was there to protect her. May Princess and Prince Consort accept these meager gifts.” Hua Changkong bowed with his hands held front to this couple. “Many thanks to Commandery Princess Jiamin for saving her life.”　　

When Prince Consort Yao heard that his daughter had saved Commandery Princess Fushou, he could not believe his ears. His daughter had how excellent of martial arts, had how good of a brain?　　

He turned his head to look at Princess Shunan. Not a word escaped his lips.

“Third Young Master Hua is too polite. Commandery Princess Fushou is descended from a great general. It is only right that my daughter saved her.” Princess Shunan appeared pleased with herself. So what if she’s the daughter of General Hua? Didn’t she rely on my daughter to preserve her life?　　

As Jiamin sat in the seat of honor, her expression was one of having nothing left to live for. She truly did not want to hear even a word about her rescuing Hua Liuli. Right now, her thoughts were filled of this horrific scene: Hua Liuli dragging that double-edged sword toward her.　　　　

The moment she thought of it, her legs went soft. The moment her legs went soft, she could not help but think of that scene. To the extent that she did not even want to hear the three words “Hua Liuli.”　　

“Actually, Commandery Princess Jiamin also saved me. If it weren’t for her, I would have died from a viper’s bite. We helped each other,” Jiamin rushed to say.　　

“Oh.” Princess Shunan was disappointed. Things were made even like so. What a pity.　　

Prince Consort Yao was speechless.　　

The spring chill was so intense, yet vipers would strive so hard to bite people that they even abandoned hibernation?　　

In hardly any time at all, the womenfolk of the capital began to spread the story of “Commandery Princess Jiamin bravely saving the Hua family’s daughter.” The young ladies that normally got along with her rushed to ask her if she had taken the opportunity to humiliate Hua Liuli a lot.　　　　

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Such a situation brought Jiamin much despair. When she heard the young ladies planning to use her rescuing of Hua Liuli to make Hua Liuli bow her head, Jiamin blurted, “Stop talking about this. Hua… Hua Liuli is Defender General’s daughter in any case. It was only right that I saved her.”　　

“So what? When someone saves your life, you have to pay them back tenfold. Even if she worked like an ox or horse for you, it would still be appropriate,” said a young miss of the Yao family. “Let’s see if she still dares to act pitiful and delicate in front of you in the future.”　　

Jiamin’s expression grew numb. Yep, it truly is working like an ox or horse. But the one to do this is me, is me!　　　　

Sisters, stop talking so much. Jiamin was really afraid that once these words entered Hua Liuli’s ears, on a moonless and windy night, Hua Liuli would drag her double-edged sword to teach them a lesson on how to behave.　　

They were all relatives. She really did not want to do them harm.　　

“Actually, she’s a great person. You people shouldn’t gossip about her,” said Jiamin, clenching her teeth. Following that, she forced herself to smile. “We shouldn’t say things like this in the future. What’s more, she saved me from getting bitten by a viper. Saved my life. So she doesn’t owe me anything.”　　　　

“Jiamin?” A girl from the Yao family reached out and felt her forehead. “You’re not sick. Why are you saying such nonsense? Didn’t you say before that we’d embarrass Hua Liuli during the Birthday of the Flowers?”　

Before Jiamin could respond, another young lady said, “You don’t have to worry. With us around, we absolutely won’t let you suffer.” 

Jiamin could not utter a word.　　

Sisters, your lives are so great. So why can’t you treasure them?　　

Prince Ying had rushed to Nanzhou. When he learned that the two commandery princesses had been rescued, he made haste back to the capital. Although they were saved, the Tian family had yet to be washed clean of suspicion. As such, Prince Ying had no alternative but to enter the imperial palace and plea leniency for the Tian family.　　　　

When he arrived at Chenyang Palace, he caught sight of Ji Yuansu. Prince Ying frowned, worried that the crown prince would make things difficult for him.　　

“Son-Official greets Imperial Father.” Prince Ying felt somewhat nervous.　　　　

“Sit,” said Emperor Changlong, glancing at his silly son. He set down his imperial brush. “You’ve rushed about for a few days. Hurry and rest.”　　

“Many thanks for the concern, Imperial Father.” Prince Ying glanced at Ji Yuansu, who sat there without a word. Dropping to one knee in a kneel, he said, “Imperial Father, Son-Official asks that you investigate thoroughly the case regarding the two commandery princesses’ abduction by assassins. So that we can prove the Tian family’s innocence.”　　

“Minghao.” Helpless, Emperor Changlong sighed. “Beloved Minister Tian passed away due to illness. We are in deep grief and are unwilling to make things difficult for the Tian family at this time. But the two commandery princesses were abducted from the Tian estate without a sound. If We do not look into the Tian clan, what would Princess Shunan and Defender General think?” 　　　　

“But the Tian clan is innocent,” said Prince Ying, unable to understand. “May Imperial Father grant this favor.”　　

“As the emperor, We cannot carelessly dismiss one’s blame just because We find them innocent.” Emperor Changlong looked at his unresigned eldest son. “We have already sent people to thoroughly investigate this matter. You need not worry.” 　　　　

“But why have you demoted Uncle’s noble rank?” Prince Ying kowtowed. “May your honored self grant him some leniency.”　　

A sigh escaped Emperor Changlong’s lips. He felt that his words earlier had been in vain.　　

“Eldest Brother, if I were you, I’d tell Sir Tian to apologize to the two commandery princesses,” said the crown prince, gazing at his silly older brother with pity. “Whether or not this has anything to do with the Tian family, it cannot erase the fact that they were abducted from the Tian estate. Only when the two victims are willing to forgive the Tian family can the Tian family come out of this clean. Understand?”

Prince Ying looked at the crown prince with suspicion. He wasn’t convinced that Ji Yuansu had good intentions.　　

“Do what Crown Prince suggests,” said Emperor Changlong, waving. “Withdraw.”　　　　

Since his child wasn’t very smart, as his imperial father he was also responsible. Scolding him wasn’t any use. But as long as he didn’t see him, he wouldn’t feel bothered.　　

“Yes.” Prince Ying endured the unwillingness in his heart and withdrew from Chenyang Palace.

After his departure, the imperial guards in charge of searching through the mountainous forest returned. They rushed into Chenyang Palace and the leader said, “Reporting to Your Majesty the emperor and Your Highness the crown prince, this subordinate’s men found skeletons in the forest that had been picked clean by ferocious beasts. But the skeletons are not complete, and it’s impossible to determine how many people died there. This subordinate’s men also found medicinal herbs that repelled snakes and insects on a tree, as well as man-made marks of someone climbing up said tree.” 　　　　

“Jiamin and the Hua clan’s little girl probably relied on this opportunity to escape. The people who climbed up the tree should have been them.” Emperor Changlong nodded. “Looks like there was some use in Jiamin learning martial arts and how to handle weapons.　　

“Compared to her mother…” Emperor Changlong glanced at the crown prince. It wouldn’t be good to talk poorly about Princess Shunan in front of him, so he waved to dismiss the imperial guards. Then he said to the crown prince, “Fortunately, the Hua family’s young lady is fine. Otherwise, We won’t know how to explain things to Yingting.”　　

A smile graced the crown prince’s lips. Following that, he changed the topic of conversation by saying, “Imperial Father, why has your honored self chosen Governor Lin’s daughter for Eldest Brother’s princess consort? Son-Official heard previously that Consort Xian seemed interested in having him marry Jiamin.”　　　　

“The Lin family’s daughter is well-read in the Book of Songs and the Book of History. Bright and beautiful. We heard from an imperial physician that a girl’s intelligence comes from her parents.” Emperor Changlong sighed. “In order to make it so that your Eldest Brother can have smart children, the Lin family’s daughter is more suitable than Jiamin.”　

To which the crown prince fell silent for a short while. “Son-Official understands.”　　　　

Contrary to what one might expect, he thought Jiamin and his eldest brother were great matches when it came to intelligence.　　

Learning how to govern a country from his imperial father, the crown prince left Chenyang Palace when night had already arrived.　　　　

As he sat in a lazy manner in his sedan, he had long since gotten used to the fearful and respectful attitudes of the palace maids and court eunuchs all around. The crown prince was too lazy to even look up.　　

In the dark, the cry of a kitten rang from who knew where.　　

He sat upright. “Go take a look.”　　

“Yes,” said a personal attendant, rushing off. Shortly after, he returned with a kitten. A piece of string was tied around its neck, and there was even a little golden bell attached to it. It should belong to one of the imperial concubines with status. 　　

After a couple looks, the crown prince lost interest in the kitten. “Set it free.”　　

The personal attendants rushed to place down the kitten on the side.　　

The crown prince was certain he had no interest in raising a cat. In a thoughtful manner, he played with the jade medallion hanging by his waist. “Have you people sent any snacks to Commandery Princess Fushou lately?”　　　　

“Your Highness, we have not.”　　

“Send some tomorrow.”

He probably wanted to raise a little girl who resembled a cat.