Volume 1, Chapter 5: The Princess Drives the Young General to Fury

As twilight descended, the marriage procession arrived at the official relay station in Xiongping County. General Fuyuan dismounted and waved for the county magistrate to approach, leaving the arrangements for lodging in his hands.

The bridal party was vast, far too large for the relay station alone. Officials were housed in standard inns, while cooks and craftsmen were relegated to civilian lodges; meanwhile, attendants and guards were assigned their respective quarters. Once everything was settled, Princess Changning finally stepped down from her phoenix carriage.

She had shed the formal wedding attire she wore when departing the palace that morning, now dressed in a crimson silk ru-skirt with a white cloak draped over her shoulders. Her hair was styled in a graceful flying-celestial bun, and her cheeks were flushed a soft pink. Her eyes, bright as stars, made her skin appear as luminous as snow. Having spent the day reclining in her carriage, her steps were unsteady and weak. Two personal maids supported her from either side, while a dense throng of over a dozen maids and eunuchs followed behind.

Gu Han stood beneath the veranda, watching the scene with a faint, expressionless gaze.

"General Fuyuan," Changning glanced at him, a beaming smile on her face. "You have worked hard."

Gu Han bowed slightly. "The Princess is too kind; it is merely my duty."

He straightened up, maintaining his aloof demeanor, his nose bridge sharp and his brows and eyes deep. Changning curled her lips, too lazy to say more. She had no interest in bothering with someone who treated her with such indifference.

She had no desire to attend the welcoming banquet hosted by the Xiongping magistrate; she intended to soak in the hot springs at her father’s imperial villa. The springs in Xiongping were natural, fed by mountain streams from the capital region. When they first set out, little Eunuch Xu had sent someone to make arrangements; using the magistrate to coordinate the visit was merely a ruse.

Every year in the heart of winter, Changning would accompany her father, the Emperor, and the Empress to this villa. The hot spring pool was located in her private peach blossom garden. When the peach blossoms were in bloom or the winter plum trees were flowering, she would often soak in the springs with the Empress.

Yet, returning now held a different weight. If not for this return, she would have almost forgotten who it was that had caused her death.

Princess Changning used her slender, fair fingers to pluck an iced grape and placed it between her lips. Her red lips were stained with droplets of water, their color distinct and tempting.

After soaking for half an hour, Qiu Tao helped Changning out, draped a silk robe over her, and walked slowly toward the couch. Her steps were soft and languid, as if every movement required all her strength, and her maids supported her with the utmost care, fearing she might stumble.

Before long, a guard at the courtyard entrance reported that the young master had arrived, and soon, Song Yunche was led in by Eunuch Xu.

"Cousin, please, sit," Princess Changning said, stopping Song Yunche from performing his respects.

Song Yunche pulled a carrier pigeon from his robes, smiling. "The Princess's pigeons are quite impressive!"

"Cousin, don't you want to ask why I summoned you?" Princess Changning tilted her head. This cousin had favored her since childhood, and she asked this with specific intent.

"Whatever the Princess commands, Yunche shall obey. Just speak your mind, cousin!"

Song Yunche was handsome and upright, possessing a comforting presence that far surpassed the other cousins from her uncle's household.

"Cousin, it is like this..."

She instructed Song Yunche to keep a close watch on Xu Pu to ensure he did not betray her, and to maintain communication with her. Otherwise, if she were to travel so far away, she would remain ignorant of any incidents in Shengjing. She also provided him with bank notes and the deeds to several shops, knowing that money was essential to get things done. In the future, any people she might need to employ would have to be vetted through Song Yunche.

Furthermore, she urged him to recruit talented individuals. Princess Changning recited the names of the top ten scholars from the imperial examination two years hence; they were likely still studying in various regions. If she could reach them early, they would become the talent needed to aid her son, An'er.

As for who sits on the throne of this world, let whoever is capable take it!

In her previous life, her suicide had infuriated the Emperor, causing the Empress and An'er to suffer the consequences. Now, she had traded her life to ensure their safety. If the Emperor continued to dote on Consort Yu, she would no longer concern herself with the ties of father and daughter.

Consort Yu had missed her monthly cycle for many days before the Princess had left for the marriage alliance. The Emperor had visited her a few times, but those visits had grown infrequent. It was clear he was a heartless man.

"Everything is entrusted to you, Cousin! Ning'er thanks you!"

Thinking of how her cousin had also died miserably in a small county in the southwest in her previous life, she was determined to carve a better path for him in this one. A man of such integrity deserved to ascend to the highest offices of the court!

"If you continue to be so formal, Cousin, I shall be angry. Caring for my aunt and Cousin An is my responsibility!" Song Yunche patted Changning’s head, as warm as the sun, just as he had been in their childhood.

The Princess, naturally, did not attend the magistrate's banquet, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief, enjoying the festivities as host and guests. Gu Han, unable to refuse the hospitality, drank two cups before excusing himself under the pretext of inspecting the guards.

After walking a few laps outside the relay station and returning to his room, his deputy general reported, "General, the envoys from the Sheye Kingdom have been poisoned!"

Gu Han frowned and rushed to the envoys' quarters. Inside, he found the three envoys pale, lying weakly on their beds, foaming at the mouth.

"What happened?" Gu Han asked.

The deputy replied, "General, it is food poisoning. The imperial physician has administered medicine, but they require a few days of rest to recover."

Gu Han’s expression turned colder. He lowered his eyes and commanded, "Give every eunuch and maid who handled today's meals ten lashes and lock them up for the night."

Shortly after, Gu Han marched to the imperial villa to request an audience with the Princess, his intent clearly accusatory.

At this moment, Changning was leaning on her couch, sipping fruit wine with a serene expression. Seeing Gu Han enter, she looked up, a smile in her eyes. "General Fuyuan, don't you find it rude to disturb this Princess so late?"

"Princess, why were the Sheye envoys poisoned?" Gu Han asked directly, his tone cold yet laced with pressure.

Changning set down her wine cup and wiped the corner of her mouth slowly. "Why?"

Gu Han’s expression remained stony. "Why play the fool, Princess? The cooks for the entire procession answer to the head eunuch, and the head eunuch answers to you. Furthermore, the contracts of all the servants are in your hands. If not for your orders, who would be bold enough to poison the envoys?"

Changning couldn't help but let out a soft laugh. "General Fuyuan, you speak with such logic that it sounds as if you have already decided it was me."

"Is it not?" Gu Han narrowed his eyes.

Changning raised an eyebrow, her smile as bright as a peach blossom in May. "And why couldn't it be you? General Fuyuan, you were ordered to escort this marriage, yet you were clearly unwilling. The Emperor has stripped the Duke of Zhen's military power; perhaps you thought to poison the envoys, abduct me, and incite a war between our nations to exact your revenge?"

"Absurd!" Gu Han’s face turned deathly pale, his fists clenching until they cracked. "Princess, do not cast false accusations!"

Despite being only seventeen or eighteen, she radiated an innate nobility and authority, seemingly touched by the cold, lethal aura of the battlefield.

"Oh? We are only a day's journey from the capital; why haven't you asked the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial to investigate the truth?"

Gu Han took a deep breath, struggling to suppress his rage. "Princess, do not deflect! The envoys have been harmed, delaying the marriage alliance. Why take your displeasure out on the escorting general?"

Princess Changning glanced at Gu Han, turned, and sat back on the wooden couch. "General, there is no need to be nervous. They merely ate something that disagreed with them; they will be fine after a few days of rest. The procession will move on first; they can follow later, whether by land or by water."

"Are you intending for them to be separated from the main procession?" Gu Han frowned.

"Not at all," Changning replied, her smile deepening with a flash of cunning in her eyes.

Gu Han’s chest heaved violently, his fists clenched tight, veins bulging as he struggled to contain his fury.

"So, this is a sham marriage alliance, and you intend to escape?"