Feng Xuan wasn’t sick; she was just uncertain about how much Princess Zhao Yang would indulge her and why Princess Zhao Yang would endure so much for her and treat her so well.
When she was with Qu Country, she often heard about how princesses, after leaving their homeland, had to constantly please others and rely on the hospitality of others, living in fear.
When she left Qu Country, Feng Xuan had already prepared herself to be used and abused.
But because there was the Zhuque (Princess Zhao Yang) present, the people in the Qi Country palace knew that Princess Zhao Yang treated her well. Sometimes, when she was in a good mood, she would even smile faintly.
And so, they treated Fengxuan well too, willing to sacrifice a few smiling faces and provide her with luxurious clothes and food.
Princess Zhao Yang was the eldest daughter of the emperor and empress, the most esteemed Zhuque in Qi Country.
In the eyes of the people in the palace, there was no difference between doting on a person and doting on a cat. It was all irrelevant and a matter of course.
The reason it was considered irrelevant was that they didn’t care whether Fengxuan was a human or a cat.
If Princess Zhao Yang happened to like an animal, they would treat it well too. If they were tired of a troublesome weed, they would also become tired of it.
However, the Prince Yao from the neighboring country of Yao didn’t think the same way. He took the opportunity when Princess Zhao Yang went hunting with the emperor to approach Fengxuan.
“Feng Xuan, you and this palace are the same. This palace is the unwanted son of the emperor, and you are the unwanted daughter. Otherwise, why would you have such extraordinary signs at birth and be named Fengxuan?”
Fengxuan ignored him and walked faster on the palace path.
Prince Yao continued, “Fengxuan, what do you think you are? Without that Zhuque, you are even lower than this palace. And now that she’s gone, doesn’t want you anymore, you won’t have anyone to protect you in the future, and you’ll only live a more miserable life than this palace.”
Fengxuan’s brows furrowed, and she looked at Prince Yao coldly, saying, “No matter how miserable I am, what does it have to do with you?”
“Ah, although that Zhuque treated you like a cat or a dog and eventually got tired of you, this palace pities you and somewhat likes you.”
Prince Yao had a smile on his face as he continued, “If you want to follow this palace, this palace can seek a favor from the Emperor Qi for you. When we return to Yao Country, this palace can grant you the position of a side cocunbine, and you won’t have to live like a pig or a dog.”
Fengxuan smiled and said, “You want me to marry you and become your side cocunbine?”
“Yes.”
Fengxuan said, “In that case, even if I were to live like a pig or a dog, it seems much better than marrying a pig or a dog.”
Although Prince Yao was angry, he couldn’t do anything to Fengxuan as she was surrounded by palace maids.
However, one day, Princess Zhao Yang went hunting with Emperor Taizong and stayed away for a long time without sending any message to the palace.
Gradually, the way the palace maids looked at Fengxuan changed.
If Fengxuan was truly the person in Princess Zhao Yang’s heart, how could she not send a few words or letters after several months?
How could she not miss her day and night, keeping her thoughts on Fengxuan, who stayed in the Wenyue Palace?
It can be seen that the so-called special treatment was nothing more than treating the phoenix as a cat or dog with some amusement, playing around with it and nothing more.
So, when Prince Yao intercepted Fengxuan by the Taiye Pond one day, wanting to pull her hair and clothes, the palace maids around didn’t move, and the passing palace people just watched coldly.
Fengxuan’s hairpin fell to the ground, and she tried to pick it up but was stopped by Prince Yao, who grabbed her chin and forced her to look up at him, “Today, this palace will let you see clearly, without this face, what exactly are you?”
Prince Yao picked up the hairpin, pointed the tip towards Fengxuan’s fair face, hoping to see fear in her eyes, but there was none.
Fengxuan’s eyes remained calm, without a ripple, only tranquility.
From birth, she had learned to face things calmly that happened to her.
If she only complained about the unfairness of heaven, why give her the extraordinary vision of a dragon and a female body? That would be too biased.
Being a woman was not a bad thing, what she didn’t want was the dragon lurking in the water.
Just like now, Fengxuan didn’t want this beautiful but ominous appearance. She had pleased so many people with this facade, but she had never truly pleased herself.
The dragon in the pond and this face were both things that Fengxuan didn’t want, so it didn’t matter if they were destroyed.
However, Fengxuan didn’t expect that in the end, the tip of the hairpin stopped a few inches away from her face.
She opened her eyes and saw blood flowing from Prince Yao’s lips, dripping onto her face, with a temperature hotter than the water at the bottom of the summer pond.
Fengxuan saw the sword piercing Prince Yao’s chest, adorned with golden red gems, finely engraved with a crimson totem.
At this moment, she realized that the sword hanging from Princess Zhao Yang’s waist could be used to kill.
Princess Zhao Yang pulled the blood-stained blade from Prince Yao’s chest. Her fiery red dress fluttered like flames, with colors cut from the neckline to the hem, more vivid and striking than the blood dripping into the gaps between the bricks.
However, the joints of her hand holding the sword were extremely shallow and transparent, as pale as her tightly pursed lips.
The palace maids remembered that day when Princess Zhao Yang returned to the capital after being seriously injured while hunting.
Once back in the palace, she killed Prince Yao in a fit of rage and strangled dozens of palace maids.
The entire palace was bathed in moonlight, but it was filled with a deathly silence.
Emperor Taizong had some objections to this matter, but due to Princess Zhao Yang’s injuries from the wild animal attack, which had not yet healed, he didn’t say much.
On the other hand, there were many envoys from Yao Country demanding an explanation from Qi Country.
When the news reached the Wenyue Palace, Princess Zhao Yang was lying on a couch repairing the broken hairpin, and by her side sat the obedient Fengxuan.
Fengxuan lifted the teapot with her fingers, but her eyes were fixed on the eunuch’s buzzing mouth.
After watching for a while, she cautiously glanced at Princess Zhao Yang’s complexion through the window paper, taking advantage of the snow light passing through.
Princess Zhao Yang’s brows furrowed and relaxed from time to time.
As a result, ripples appeared in the water in the teapot.
Sometimes it poured into the overflowing teacup, and sometimes it boiled, almost pushing the lid off.
Fengxuan was extremely nervous, but Princess Zhao Yang, leaning on the couch, put down the hairpin and smiled, “Yao Country sent Prince Yao, who is despised by his own clan and indulges in vanity and idleness, to be sent to Qi Country. Now that he is dead, instead of being angry with this palace, Emperor Yao should be grateful to this palace.”
The eunuch delivering the message was drenched in sweat, respectfully saying, “Princess Zhao Yang, His Majesty’s intention is that although Prince Yao is foolish, his crime does not warrant death.”
Princess Zhao Yang glanced at the eunuch lightly, “There are plenty of people whose crimes don’t warrant death, what’s Prince Yao? This palace wants him dead, and he dares not die.”
Xiao Jin, who was observing everything transparently, saw through it all.
Xiao Shuang’s words were a way for one person to take all the blame, even if the envoys from Yao Country wanted to hold Fengxuan accountable, they couldn’t bypass her.
The palace maids said that Princess Zhao Yang used to spend time in the Wenyue Palace reading books. When her eyes grew tired, she would go to the courtyard to practice swordsmanship.
Now that Princess Zhao Yang had a lingering illness due to her injury, on rainy days, her knees and wrists would be particularly painful, and she couldn’t hold a book or dance with a sword.
However, fortunately, the Wenyue Palace now had the Fengxuan, who, despite feeling drowsy, still yawned and held books for Princess Zhaoyang.
The sound of rain outside the courtyard grew louder, and Fengxuan looked at Princess Zhao Yang’s furrowed brows, knowing that she was in pain, so she spoke nonsense to distract her attention.Â
Just as she had said a few words, Princess Zhao Yang’s face gradually darkened, and she reprimanded, “Nonsense.”
Fengxuan, however, knew that Princess Zhao Yang liked to hear her speak nonsense, so she became even more unrestrained.
Moving closer, she massaged Princess Zhao Yang’s wrists and legs and took advantage of the situation, saying, “Although Sister scolds me, I saw you smile just now, which means Sister is actually happy. I’ve heard that when a wise ruler is in a good mood, they don’t hesitate to reward their subordinates with treasures. But instead of rewarding me, Sister scolds me, indicating that Sister will become an extremely cruel tyrant in the future.”
Princess Zhao Yang smiled and asked, “Fengxuan, if this palace is a tyrant, then what are you?”
Fengxuan thought for a while and said with a bitter face, “If Sister is a tyrant, then I can only be a villain assisting in evil.”
Princess Zhao Yang was somewhat surprised, “Why would you want to be a villain instead of a advisor?”
Fengxuan replied, “If I were an advisor and opposed you, I would definitely have only one path, which is death. It’s better to be a villain supporting a tyrant. At least when you’re around, I just need to please you to preserve my life. If you were to fall, as a small person like me, I would simply die. But I’ve lived for so many years, so I consider it a net gain.”
There was a faint fragrance on Fengxuan’s clothes, and as Princess Zhao Yang smelled it, she gradually became drowsy and said, “According to what you’re saying, this extremely cruel tyrant in this palace should indeed live well and live for many more years to preserve you, the villain.”
Princess Zhao Yang believed that as long as she lived for one day, she could protect the Fengxuan in the Wenyue Palace for one day.
Little did she know that when Qu Zhaoxin ascended the throne, he broke the previous alliance with Qi Country and instead allied with the increasingly powerful Yao Country.
In addition, Qi Country suffered several defeats in the war against Yao Country and brought up the old account of the hostage’s death, demanding an explanation from Qi Country.
Emperor Taizong felt that Fengxuan was not his own child and often played and joked with Princess Zhao Yang, which he didn’t like.
So he wanted to send her to Yao Country for a political marriage.
Summoning Fengxuan to the study, he said to her, “Feng’er, over these years, we have treated you well, and Princess Zhao Yang has treated you well too. If it weren’t for her protecting you everywhere and Qu Country’s departure from Qi Country, your life in the palace would be worse than that of a livestock. Do you understand?”
Fengxuan nodded, “I understand, Your Majesty.”
Emperor Taizong felt that Fengxuan was clever and smiled as he touched her head, “You’re a good obedient child. There’s no need for me to teach you; you know what to do.”
Fengxuan certainly knew what to do.
She knew that if it weren’t for the emperor sending her to Qi Country, her disfavored elder brother would have taken the throne, and she would have become nothing more than a fish on the chopping block.
Even in Qi Country, if it weren’t for Princess Zhao Yang protecting her, she would have been subject to disdain and abuse.
Xuan was a precious jade, bestowed by the emperor, and she was meant to endure.
As long as she could survive, what difference did it make if she was a dragon or a phoenix, a precious jade or an inferior one?
The old emperor of Qu Country had gone to great lengths to preserve a roughly made jade, while Fengxuan, after so many years of living in fear, ultimately couldn’t escape her fate of being shattered.
Before leaving the Wenyue Palace, Fengxuan quietly placed a wooden hairpin under Princess Zhao Yang’s pillow.
On ordinary days, Princess Zhao Yang would occasionally find materials to make hairpins.
She made them, but she didn’t wear them herself.
Instead, she called Fengxuan over and looked at her as if she were looking at an empty vase.
She inserted one hairpin on the left and another on the right, with a smile that always belonged to Princess Zhao Yang herself.
Sometimes Fengxuan felt that Princess Zhao Yang treated her exceptionally well, and sometimes she felt that Princess Zhao Yang treated her no differently than teasing cats and dogs.
But when Princess Zhao Yang wrapped herself in a silver sable fur coat, coughing softly while repairing the broken edges of a hairpin for her, Fengxuan always wanted to do something for Princess Zhao Yang.
After many years, she only made a wooden hairpin as shoddy as herself, and a gift that was good for everyone.
After all, on that day, the emperor of Qi Country said to her, “Feng’er, you are your father’s cherished jewel, and Zhao Yang is also my cherished jewel. She is the heir I favor, a born ruler. If you stay here, you will only hinder her.”
In the end, Fengxuan didn’t leave.
Because on the day when the marriage entourage was about to depart, there was a heavy rain in the capital.Â
Princess Zhao Yang braved the heavy rain and hurried back from her fiefdom, but she didn’t see the Fengxuan in the Wenyue Palace.
Instead, she found a wooden hairpin under her pillow.
Ignoring the pursuit of the palace servants, she rushed to the study.
Although her knees and wrists were throbbing with pain, it was not as intense as the pain of the wooden hairpin piercing her palm.
Her clothes and hair were completely soaked by the heavy rain, but in her heart, she thought that Fengxuan was such a foolish phoenix.
She willingly made the hairpin, yet she didn’t even bother to smooth the tip of it. It hurt both herself and others, and she wondered who taught her to be like this.
Princess Zhao Yang stormed into the study, drenched from head to toe, resembling a ghost that had just escaped from the water.
The ministers stared at her in astonishment. She knew that she would never be more disheveled in her life than at this moment, but she still shamefully admitted her disheveled state and said to the emperor on the high seat, “She cannot leave.”
Emperor Taizong looked at Princess Zhao Yang and suddenly felt that his daughter was so unfamiliar.
This unfamiliar Princess Zhao Yang was not like the beloved eldest princess he and the empress had doted on for so many years, nor did she resemble the proud Vermilion Bird.
Anger brewed in his eyes. Where had his future emperor, the pearl in his palm, gone?
Emperor Taizong questioned, “If she doesn’t leave, how can we appease Emperor Yao’s anger?”
Princess Zhao Yang said, “Your child will go and appease him.”
Princess Zhao Yang proved through her actions that she indeed had a way to appease him.
She had planted so many hidden moves in Yao Country for all these years, scheming for her ambitions.
For the Fengxuan that had left her, she made her move in advance.
The risk was great in doing so.
With the slightest carelessness, Tang Ling, who was lurking in Yao Country, would die, and the chess game she played would end in defeat.
But Princess Zhao Yang was lucky; she chose the right person.
Nan Jin, the noble daughter of Prince Gong, who had been undercover for ten years, rose to power.
From then on, Yao Country was consumed by internal strife and had no time to attend to conflicts with other countries.
Emperor Taizong no longer frequently summoned Princess Zhao Yang and instead paid attention to the Sixth Prince, who was unremarkable before but had shown exceptional skills during the hunting on the hunting grounds.
Sixth Prince Xiao Ye’s birth mother had a low status, just a mediocre talent with an ordinary family background.
Therefore, he was never valued by Emperor Taizong.
If it weren’t for that hunting trip when Princess Zhao Yang gave him guidance and he shot down two white eagles with one arrow, delighting Emperor Taizong, he probably wouldn’t have a chance to stand out in his lifetime.
Xiao Ye admired and feared the formidable imperial sister, but when he heard that the imperial sister had lost the Emperor’s favor because of Fengxuan, he couldn’t help but be surprised.
He thought that Fengxuan was causing trouble.
At the same time, he was curious about what kind of woman could make Princess Zhao Yang offend the Emperor’s favor for her.
When he went to the Wenyue Palace to pay his respects to Princess Zhao Yang and asked about Fengxuan, Xiao Shuang smiled and said, “Fengxuan is very good. Others flatter this palace, but it’s only out of fear. Although they hate this palace to the bone, they still have to put on a smiling face. Fengxuan’s intention to please this palace is pure. She writes her flattery and fawning all over her face, desperately saying that she wants to live and doesn’t want to die, afraid that this palace might not know.”
Xiao Ye had never seen Xiao Shuang smile like this before.
It seemed like she was somewhat resentful but helpless, with a faint smile that was full of resignation.
Xiao Ye didn’t understand the reason behind it and asked in confusion, “After listening for so long, I still don’t know where Princess Qi Yun excels?”
Princess Zhao Yang glanced outside and caught a glimpse of the fluttering clothes in the wind.
She smiled faintly and said, “She excels in making this palace feel joyous all the time.”
Xiao Ye was curious and followed Princess Zhao Yang’s gaze, seeing the figure standing in the spring scenery.
The woman had a slender figure and was holding a broken ancient qin, her face filled with worries as she contemplated how she had caused trouble yesterday and how she should enter today.
At this moment, Xiao Ye’s gaze lingered and didn’t retract for a long time.
Xiao Jin stood inside the room and watched Princess Zhao Yang’s expression gradually fade away.
Only then did the young Emperor Qi awaken as if from a dream.
He turned his head and smiled, “Princess Qi Yun is indeed an extraordinary person.”
….
Fengxuan felt that she had lived a decent life in the first half of her life.
Apart from being intentionally alienated by her father in her childhood and being mocked and bullied by her elder brothers and sisters, she had a relatively peaceful and smooth journey.
She often took her newborn sister, Zhao Hua, to the Taiye Pond to see flowers, clouds, and the golden carp at the bottom of the pond.
Holding Zhao Hua’s hand felt like holding herself when she was a child.
Turning around, she saw a figure in red standing by the weeping willow, gazing at her from a distance.
Fengxuan had never thought that the falling silk and satin of the willow branches could be so delightful, simply because they perfectly outlined Princess Zhao Yang’s profile and figure.
Just like the pouring rain on the day of the marriage alliance, Fengxuan wore the same red dress as Princess Zhao Yang, taking slow steps onto the carriage that was moving away from the capital.
She touched the golden hairpin engraved by Princess Zhao Yang in her hair, the silver bracelet Princess Zhao Yang had given her on her wrist, and suddenly felt very sad.
She was getting married, but the person she loved didn’t know.
Fengxuan suppressed the tears in her eyes, but when she thought about the heavy rain in the capital, her departure, and no one being there to hold books and offer swords to Princess Zhao Yang on rainy days, no one to touch her wrist that was in pain and trembling, and no one to please and talk nonsense, she didn’t know what to do.
At this moment, the curtain of the carriage was lifted by Princess Zhao Yang.
Princess Zhao Yang stood there, quietly looking at her.
Heaven was not kind; the raindrops fell without sparing Princess Zhao Yang, completely wetting her eyes and cheeks.
Fengxuan couldn’t hear what Princess Zhao Yang said exactly.
She just cowered in the carriage, despairing.
But when Princess Zhao Yang approached, she hugged her frantically, kissing Princess Zhao Yang’s eyes, lips, the trembling wrist, and the moist hair.Â
At that moment, Fengxuan felt that her insignificant life had finally experienced a moment of catharsis.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Translator’s note: WHAT A BIG SIGH… A tragedy is a tragedy. That young emperor Qi is like a bug between them, he is the reason why a love tragedy happens🙂. Well, just like Ronglian and Nan Jin.. a tragedy story.. Both Chu Shao and Xiao Jin have a similar situations rather their birth mothers have the similar situations.
TO BE CONTINUE…
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