Ch 8: When the Wild Goose Returns

Su Ruqing’s expression stiffened. All the emotions in her heart dissolved into emptiness.

She had basked in the pride of being the future Princess Consort to Prince Zhan for so long. She had yearned day and night for Duan Wucuo to secularize and leave Yongzhou Temple.

But he didn’t even recognize her…

Still, it didn’t matter. She had always known Duan Wucuo had no romantic intentions toward her.

This engagement—she had used countless connections to make it happen.

Su Ruqing forced a smile, trying to remain dignified.

Just as she was about to speak, Duan Wucuo gave a polite “oh” and said, “Princess Zhenxian.”

A smile immediately formed on Su Ruqing’s face. The tears she had been holding back gathered rapidly in her eyes—a kind of sorrow that stung with a rush of warmth.

The dignity she had just barely pieced together collapsed in an instant.

The noble princess suddenly spoke like a girl with a budding crush—quickly and breathlessly: “I just visited Her Majesty and didn’t expect to run into Prince Zhan here.

What a coincidence.”

Duan Wucuo nodded with a faint smile, then walked past her without even offering the most basic pleasantries.

Su Ruche ran out from behind a corridor pillar and deliberately passed close to Duan Wucuo, stealing a glance at him before quickly looking away. She acted like nothing had happened as she skipped over to grab Su Ruqing’s hand, raising her voice sweetly and calling, “Sister.”

Duan Wucuo didn’t pause. His lips curved into a subtle, unreadable smile.

Heh.

There were two kinds of people in this world—those who were rational enough to keep far away from Duan Wucuo, and those who were so blinded by his appearance that they followed him hopelessly.

The Su sisters clearly belonged to the latter.

But Qing Yan considered herself part of the rational first group.

She believed she couldn’t just sit and wait for fate.

Life in the Cold Palace was quiet and peaceful—something she longed for. So she decided to try for it.

Start with Emperor Wen He?

Qing Yan figured that would be too risky.

If she acted too eager toward the emperor and accidentally became a favored concubine, wouldn’t that attract too many enemies?

That kind of life would be the exact opposite of the peaceful one she wanted.

Start with Duan Wucuo?

Should she run up to him and loudly declare she didn’t want to marry him and that she only wanted to marry the emperor?

Qing Yan touched her own neck. She didn’t have the nerve.

So she set her sights on Princess Zhenxian instead.

It took a lot of convincing to get General Li and Wen Xi to agree to bring her to Prince Xingyuan’s manor to see Su Ruqing.

The Su sisters had visited her yesterday—so today, she came bearing gifts in return, a perfectly proper visit.

The Su sisters were lost in their own thoughts and sat in silence. When a servant reported that Princess Huachao had arrived, they exchanged surprised glances.

“Does she know I almost married Prince Zhan and came to flaunt it?

Or warn me?”

Su Ruqing bit her lip, her long eyes glinting with restrained anger.

Since being brushed off by Duan Wucuo at the palace yesterday, she had lost her temper multiple times after returning home.

“Don’t overthink it, Sister.

She’s far from home and alone—would she really dare to flaunt or threaten?

There’s no need to worry.

Maybe she just doesn’t want to attend my birthday banquet. Or maybe she just wants to chat and make some new friends in the Yi Kingdom.”

Estimating that the maid escorting Qing Yan was nearly here, the sisters said no more.

Though their expressions were sour, when Qing Yan entered, both instinctively straightened their backs and offered polite smiles, embodying the grace of noble ladies.

“Your Highness honors us with your presence.”

Su Ruqing maintained her noble posture.

Qing Yan lifted the light purple veil from her face, revealing pale violet eyes.

She handed the veil to Wen Xi. Without putting on airs or going through empty formalities, she got straight to the point—

“Princess, I’ve come today because I need your help with something.”

A flicker of confusion passed through Su Ruqing’s eyes, but she kept up appearances. After a few polite words, she invited Qing Yan to sit and offered her tea.

With all the formalities complete,

Su Ruqing finally said, half-heartedly, “I wonder what matter has troubled Your Highness. If it’s within my ability, I’ll certainly help if I can.”

Qing Yan opened her mouth as if to speak, but then stopped herself.

Seeing her like that, Su Ruqing and Su Ruche grew even more curious.

Qing Yan let out a long, gentle sigh, her face full of difficulty, and said,
“I don’t want to marry Prince Zhan.”

“Cough, cough, cough…” Su Ruche, who had been drinking tea, choked on the spot. A couple of drops splashed onto the back of her hand.

She stared at Qing Yan in shock, the scalding pain in her hand completely forgotten.

Su Ruqing’s heart, which had been half-dead, suddenly came back to life.

Qing Yan reached out and took Su Ruqing’s hand into her own.

Her light violet eyes were filled with emotion.
“I’ve come all this way to marry the Son of Heaven of Yi—not some monk with a topknot.

If news of this gets back to my homeland, my sisters will laugh me out of court!”

Watching Su Ruqing’s expression closely, Qing Yan continued,
“I heard that Her Majesty the Empress had intended to marry the Princess to Prince Zhan, but the wedding was delayed because he entered the monastery.

Prince Zhan may have found peace in the temple, but you, Princess, waited bitterly for over two years.

How could an outsider like me come in and steal that away?”

She paused and sighed again, her little face scrunching up in worry.

In a soft, downcast voice, she said,
“But people speak both well and ill of Prince Zhan. If, back when the Empress was matchmaking, you were already unwilling, then I won’t dare involve you in this matter today. Just pretend I said nothing.

May I ask—are you still willing to marry Prince Zhan?”

“I am!”

Su Ruqing blurted it out without thinking.

Realizing how abrupt that was, she quickly composed herself. After a moment’s careful thought, Su Ruqing added,
“But marriage is a matter of parental command and matchmakers’ words. How can a girl simply choose as she pleases?

If I did, people would say I was neither virtuous nor chaste.”

Everyone in Yi knew Su Ruqing had long been infatuated with Prince Zhan.

Of course Qing Yan knew too—but she pretended not to. She tilted her head in mock confusion and nodded vaguely,
“I suppose that… makes sense…”

Su Ruqing had hoped Qing Yan would be the one to refuse the match to Duan Wucuo. But seeing Qing Yan’s clueless and innocent demeanor, she started to panic—afraid Qing Yan might actually believe her feigned indifference.

Qing Yan was waiting for Su Ruqing to take Duan Wucuo back.
Su Ruqing was hoping Qing Yan would reject him herself.

Each was gambling on the other making the first move, and for a moment, the atmosphere fell into a standstill.

Su Ruche’s eyes flicked back and forth. She smiled and said,
“I have an idea that could make both of you happy!”

Immediately, Qing Yan and Su Ruqing leaned in closer. Su Ruche began whispering her plan.

Three heads huddled together—each with their own agenda.

And so, Su Ruche’s upcoming birthday banquet was moved to be held in the imperial palace.

As the daughter of Prince Xingyuan and the Empress’s younger sister, it was completely natural for her to hold her coming-of-age ceremony at the palace.

Su Ruqing’s past birthdays had all been held in the palace as well.

Only, with just two days left, the household of Prince Xingyuan had to send out another round of invitations.

Back in the carriage returning to her separate palace residence, Qing Yan opened a box and took out a piece of snow lotus and tuckahoe cake to eat.

Wen Xi gave a surprised “hm?” and asked,
“Isn’t that one of the gifts you brought for the princesses?”

“I’m not giving them this one. I didn’t get enough of it.”

Qing Yan replied, completely self-assured.

Wen Xi shut the box and said sternly,
“Qing Yan, are you really set on not marrying Prince Zhan? You insist on entering the palace?”

“That’s not something I get to decide.”

Qing Yan answered casually.

“Then what was today about, conspiring with those two princesses?

Even if things don’t go your way, you’ve now given them something to use against you.

If not for Prince Zhan acting as a counterbalance, Prince Xingyuan could rebel at any time. Even the emperor of Yi must show him some deference.

In this capital, the last people you want to cross are those three Su sisters.”

Qing Yan looked up at Wen Xi with wide, innocent eyes.
“If I end up in the palace, I’ll avoid pregnancy, never compete for favor, and massage Her Majesty the Empress’s shoulders. That way, I’ll be winning over the eldest Su daughter.

If things don’t go my way and I marry into Prince Zhan’s household, the other two Su daughters will know it wasn’t my wish. They’ll know I didn’t steal away their good husband, and that I worked with them to change this fate.

What could they blame me for?

Maybe they’ll even cry with me about how things didn’t work out for any of us.”

Wen Xi was taken aback, carefully mulling over Qing Yan’s words—it did seem to make a certain kind of sense.

Even if she ended up marrying into Prince Zhan’s household, it would be considered a precaution—softening Princess Zhenxian’s resentment ahead of time and leaving herself a fallback.

Wen Xi began to reassess Qing Yan, feeling suddenly that perhaps she hadn’t seen through this girl after all. She might not be as simple and innocent as she appeared.

“Can I keep eating now?”

Qing Yan smiled sweetly, lips curled into a playful grin.

She picked up another piece of snow-lotus tuckahoe cake and nibbled on it with relish.

Still chewing, her eyes curved into a crescent as she said,
“Sister Wen Xi, next time could you swap the date paste for minced meat?”

Wen Xi’s expression darkened. She didn’t bother replying.

She suddenly felt like she’d definitely overthought things just now.

…

Two days passed in a flash.

Su Ruqing and Su Ruche entered the palace early to receive guests.

The venue for the coming-of-age ceremony was set at Yuexi Palace, once the residence of a favored consort of the late emperor.

Its pavilions and towers were breathtaking.

There were also winding paths leading to quiet places, such as Chang’an Hall, hidden from the eyes of others.

Countless poets and scholars had used these winding paths to write about the late emperor’s love for his consort.

Su Ruche crouched in front of her younger brother, Su Hongfang, whispering into his ear.

“Go.”

She patted Su Hongfang’s shoulder.

He nodded solemnly, then turned and ran off.

Su Ruqing stood beneath the eaves, her thoughts uneasy.

She asked nervously,
“Will it really work?”

“Sister, success depends on our own efforts.

How will we know if we don’t try?

That day, His Majesty nearly conferred the title of consort on the spot—it was only stopped because the Empress suddenly had abdominal pain.

His Majesty already has feelings for Princess Huachao. It’s only the Empress that’s standing in the way.

If someone catches the emperor meeting her in private, His Majesty will simply go along with the tide and bring her into the harem.”

Su Ruqing let out a long breath.
“Let’s hope everything goes smoothly.”

She grabbed Su Ruche’s hand, her eyes full of gratitude.
“Ruche, you’ve done so much for your sister’s marriage. You’re truly a good sister.”

“Sister, we’re family. No need for such polite words.

If you’re happy, I’m happy too.

I still have guests to tend to—otherwise people might get suspicious.

You go and keep Princess Huachao company, keep her settled, and guide her as needed.”

Su Ruche smiled as she spoke.

“I’ll go now.”

Watching Su Ruqing’s departing figure, Su Ruche slowly let her smile fade.

Instead of tending to guests, she headed to Jinglan Pavilion.

She knew Duan Wucuo was there.

After a great deal of coaxing and convincing, she finally persuaded the guards to let her in.

Su Ruche climbed the steep stone steps. By the time she reached the top of Jinglan Pavilion, she was panting, her cheeks flushed red.

Seeing Duan Wucuo’s back in the distance, Su Ruche clutched her handkerchief and calmed herself.

“My sister doesn’t want you to marry Princess Huachao. She’s luring the princess to a private meeting with His Majesty, then plans to bring others to ‘accidentally’ discover them together—so everyone will question her chastity, making her unfit to marry you.”

Su Ruche’s heart pounded with nerves.

“But when I met Princess Huachao a few days ago, I realized she’d fallen for you at first sight—she’s been joyfully waiting to marry you! Even though we’ve only met twice, it felt like old friends. I can tell she’s a good person, and I can’t bear to see her used like a pawn and miss her true love!”

Su Ruche bit her lip.
“I’ve already told you the truth. Whether or not you choose to stop it is up to you now, Prince Zhan!”

She turned and ran down the mountain steps, the sound of her hurried footsteps echoing across the stone.

Whether Duan Wucuo stopped it or not didn’t matter.

If he intervened and married Princess Huachao in the end, she—an outsider with no allies in a foreign land—would be far easier to get rid of than her sister.

If he did nothing and married Su Ruqing, then after today’s revelation of her manipulations, he would grow to resent her, and Su Ruche would have a chance to slip in.

Su Ruche glanced back toward Jinglan Pavilion, a triumphant smile playing on her lips.

Duan Wucuo narrowed his eyes toward the distant Yuexi Palace.

The view from Jinglan Pavilion was broad—he could see the palace awash in the colors of beautiful young women.

He slowly rolled the prayer beads in his hand, the corner of his mouth curving into a half-smile.

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