Chapter 2

Year 2 of the Yanxi Era.

On the morning of the first day of the fourth month, the sky was unusually dark.

A draft swept through the long corridor, causing the windbreak canopies on both sides to sway incessantly.

In the sleeping chamber on the west side of the rear hall, a bronze lamp was lit.

The palace maid on night duty quietly drew back the outer curtain and hooked it on the golden Ruyi-shaped hooks on either side. She softly reported to the faint silhouette in bed, “Princess, the imperial physician from the Imperial Medical Office is here to take your pulse.”

Jiang Luan opened her eyes in the dimly lit tent.

Through the inner gauze curtain, the young girl’s slender, fair wrist extended out. Palace maid Chun Zhe placed a finely woven silk handkerchief over the pulse points at the wrist. The imperial physician knelt by the bedside, focused as he took the pulse.

“The pulse is much firmer than a few days ago; this is a sign of recovery. However, the princess is still in the midst of growing, and after such a severe illness, her vital energy has been greatly depleted. She still needs to recuperate slowly. The decoction should be taken morning and evening, and the tonic ginseng must be simmered and consumed daily.”

He then inquired, “How have the nightmares been since the princess fell ill some days ago?”

Jiang Luan nodded slightly inside the tent. “They have ceased in recent days. I sleep peacefully now, though I still cough occasionally.”

“That is very good. Frequent nightmares at night may have been caused by the bloodshed and shock you witnessed at the city tower some time ago. It would be beneficial for the princess to be more active during the day to cultivate calmness through movement and nourish the heart,” the physician advised before bowing and withdrawing.

Jiang Luan coughed a few times and gave the order, “Draw back the curtains. It’s time to rise.”

The chamber brightened as the lamps were lit.

Once the mistress of the chamber rose, the entire hall seemed to awaken from its slumber. Several eunuchs busied themselves lighting dozens of bronze lamps in the front and rear halls, while a few palace maids carrying basins, towels, toothbrushes, and water pots entered in single file.

The late emperor had passed away in the autumn and winter of the previous year, and the new emperor had ascended the throne. Jiang Luan, as the youngest daughter of the late emperor and the younger sister of the new emperor, had been granted the title of Princess of Hanyang and bestowed residence in Linfeng Hall.

This was the very elegant and ancient hall she now inhabited. Its layout consisted of a front hall and rear sleeping quarters, with east and west side chambers, surrounding a large, spacious courtyard in the center, making it one of the most expansive residences within the imperial harem.

After washing and dressing, Jiang Luan sat before her dressing table.

Several palace maids attending her moved in unison, skillfully arranging her hair and makeup.

The polished bronze mirror reflected her clear image.

At fifteen years old, the girl’s skin was as white as snow, her features delicate and refined: a small, high nose bridge, round, jet-black almond-shaped eyes with gently drooping corners, her coquettish appearance tinged with a touch of adorable vulnerability.

Earlier this spring, the capital had suffered the calamity of a rebel siege, which only came to an end by mid-March.

Almost the day after the loyalist forces crushed the rebels and lifted the siege, Jiang Luan fell gravely ill. Her recovery was slow and delicate, and only yesterday was she able to rise again. Her once rosy face had lost all color, her cheeks showing a faint, sickly pallor.

Palace maid Bailu stood behind her, quietly finishing combing her jet-black hair and skillfully twisting it into a double spiral bun.

Qiushuang brought forth an open double-layered lacquered makeup box inlaid with mother-of-pearl and tortoiseshell, presenting it for Jiang Luan’s inspection.

“This is a set of gold phoenix hair ornaments newly bestowed during the New Year. Crafted with exquisite detail, each golden thread on the phoenix’s feathers is visible, and the tail feathers are adorned with fine kingfisher inlay. Shall we wear this gold phoenix hairpin today?”

Jiang Luan took the delicate phoenix hairpin in her hand.

Her fingers idly toyed with it, but her attention passed over the ornament, gazing beyond the half-open window at the gloomy sky above the vermilion palace walls.

“After such an illness, the days have already entered April,” she murmured. “This April will be hard to endure.”

When Lady Yuan, Jiang Luan’s wet nurse, entered with a bowl of ginseng soup, Jiang Luan was seated at her redwood writing desk carved with peonies, grasping a fine brush, a sheet of blank rice paper spread before her, held down by bronze paperweights.

Lady Yuan, who always spoke with more confidence than other palace staff, placed the steaming ginseng soup on the food table. She glanced at the half-open carved window and couldn’t help but murmur, “Princess has just recovered and must rest well, avoiding drafts. Don’t let any evil spirits invade.”

Jiang Luan did not look up, replying simply, “Leave the window open. Let the wind come in.”

She rose without shoes, wearing only a pair of fine silk socks, then sat cross-legged on the broad redwood low couch. As she lifted her brush, her black hair cascaded from her shoulders.

The cool, damp draft swirling through the corridor stirred the young girl’s soft, black fringe.

Glancing at the darkened sky outside, she calmed her mind and carefully wrote today’s entry:

“April 1st. Overcast.
Mountain rain approaches, pear blossoms scatter on the ground, wind sweeps the wooden corridor.”

She wrote the date and weather on the two-foot-long sheet of rice paper, then stopped.

Her gaze was drawn to the scene outside the window, toward the spacious courtyard.

She saw an unexpected figure.

The gloomy weather did not affect the guards patrolling Linfeng Hall.

Before her eyes, the guards formed two rows, their armor gleaming, long knives at their waists, marching in step through the courtyard.

The young officer leading the patrol was not yet of age to wear the official cap; his hair was simply tied back with a wooden pin. Tall and upright, he led the guards steadily along the square courtyard.

“Hm?” Jiang Luan stared at the young officer’s back. “Has the guard rotation at Linfeng Hall changed?”

“Indeed,” Lady Yuan answered. “They changed early this morning. All new faces from top to bottom.” She continued, “I just went out to deal with some matters; the commanding general is a young man. See, that one who just passed by — the young general with thick eyebrows and large eyes? Not yet twenty years old, and he already commands the Imperial Guard.”

Lady Yuan fussed again, urging, “The kitchen just prepared fresh ginseng soup, princess, drink it while it’s hot.”

Jiang Luan put down her brush, scooped a slice of ginseng floating in the bowl with a silver spoon, and placed it under her tongue to savor.

“The new young general’s surname is Wen, isn’t it?”

Lady Yuan was surprised. “How did the princess know? Yes, the new young general’s name is Wen Jing.”

Jiang Luan drank a few more sips before setting the bowl back on the table.

“I have met General Wen Jing before. It’s interesting that he has been assigned to guard Linfeng Hall.”

Her gaze passed beyond the bronze mirror and half-open window, once again resting on the open courtyard.

The two rows of patrol guards receded along the corridor, their blurred forms melting into the shadows below.

“That young General Wen leading the group,” Lady Yuan whispered, “is said to be a trusted and favored general under Commander Pei. Their Hedong Black Iron Cavalry entered the capital to support the emperor recently, and General Wen distinguished himself greatly.”

“Of course,” Jiang Luan replied casually. “If he weren’t a trusted favorite of Commander Pei, he wouldn’t have been assigned to the Imperial Guard protecting my Linfeng Hall. Ah, by the way, Commander Pei was recently granted the title Marshal of the Hebei Military Circuit. We should address him as Marshal Pei now.”

She picked up a round fan beside her and leaned lazily against the carved backrest of the Luohan bed.

“Have General Wen come here. Since he’s already at my residence, I should at least greet him.”

A moment later, the young officer on patrol entered without looking around and knelt five steps away, saluting deeply.

“I am the humble General Wen Jing, greeting Princess Hanyang. May I ask what matter the princess summons me for?”

Jiang Luan half-covered her face with the fan and quietly observed the man kneeling before her.

It had been a long time.

Wen Jing was a confidant she had supported in her past life.

Behind him stood another master who had deceived her for many years.

This time they met unexpectedly, years earlier than before. Wen Jing had not yet donned his many disguises. He was plainly a veteran of the Hedong Black Iron Cavalry and a direct retainer of the Pei family.

Jiang Luan raised the fan to conceal most of her face, her long eyelashes drooping over her shimmering eyes.

“General Wen, what a pleasure,” she greeted lightly. “So you are from Marshal Pei’s Black Iron Cavalry. May I ask where you are stationed now? Are you a fierce warrior fighting on the front lines?”

Wen Jing lowered his head, cautious. “I am not a front-line soldier charging into the capital. I serve under the Central Army’s camp, responsible for guarding the central position and protecting my Marshal’s safety.”

“So, General Wen is indeed a trusted favorite of Marshal Pei. Quite an important connection,” Jiang Luan said, setting the fan aside, revealing her full face.

The girl, having just turned fifteen last month, still bore the slight roundness of baby fat on her cheeks, her delicate brows and features not yet fully matured.

Her appearance was exquisitely charming, her voice soft and gentle — nothing like the aloof noble lady one might imagine.

Wen Jing had been sneaking glances at her, but was caught off guard by her full appearance and quickly lowered his head again.

“See, my cold has already healed well,” Jiang Luan pretended not to notice and leaned slightly toward where Wen Jing knelt, a casual gesture of familiarity.

“But I wonder, General Wen, how long does Marshal Pei intend to keep me confined here in Linfeng Hall?”

Wen Jing was startled and quickly raised his head to deny, “I dare not! Please do not misunderstand, princess. The city defenses were breached once, and disorder spread within the imperial city. Your Highness is of royal blood and utmost honor. My Marshal feared that thieves would take advantage of the chaos and thus sent me to guard Linfeng Hall and protect the princess’s safety. It is not, not imprisonment!”

“I see,” Jiang Luan leaned back lazily against the Luohan bed’s backrest. “Since it is not imprisonment, then if I want to go out for a stroll, I suppose I may?”

Wen Jing hesitated. “That…”

“If I cannot go out, isn’t that still imprisonment?” Jiang Luan picked up her fan again, fanning idly. “General Wen, you keep flattering me with sweet words. What exactly did Marshal Pei order? Even a prison sentence has a time limit.”

As her words pressed in, her attention was drawn to several shifting shadows outside the corridor.

Faint figures appeared under the eaves, seemingly someone had broken in from outside the hall and was being surrounded and silenced by several guards. The intruder resisted fiercely, the silhouettes blending into the shadows of foliage, barely visible in the gloomy weather.

“Who is making noise in the corridor?” she raised her voice slightly.

The figures covering and dragging someone paused. The fiercely resisting shadow seized the moment, swiftly crawling a few steps on their knees, breaking free from the circle, and appeared beneath the dim lantern light, bowing heavily.

“I am a servant from the Prince of Jin’s residence. The princess’s consort sent me with an urgent message—”

Before finishing, the woman’s mouth was covered again. Several guards rushed over and knelt outside the window.

“We apologize for disturbing Princess Hanyang. We beg forgiveness! This woman disguised herself as a medicine assistant from the Imperial Medical Office and used the pretext of delivering ginseng to sneak in. We immediately dragged her out, please pardon us, princess!”

Jiang Luan lowered her fan with a gentle press.

“No rush. She says she is from the Prince of Jin’s residence? That is my second brother’s household. Let her finish speaking.”

The Prince of Jin was the second royal brother, her younger brother.

The late emperor left few heirs: she had only two elder brothers and one elder sister above her. The eldest brother now sat on the dragon throne, the Prince of Jin was second in line, while the other royal brothers had died young.

The ink on the rice paper, still fresh, bore the date “April 1st.” Jiang Luan lightly tapped the date with her fingertip, deep in thought.

Sure enough, something was bound to happen on this day.

“What message did the Princess Consort of Jin send?”

The disguised servant knelt and replied, “Our princess consort said: This morning, the Sacred One summoned the Prince of Jin into the palace. At this moment, he is fiercely agitated in the Two Yi Hall.”

“Your Highness’s only brothers are the Sacred One and the Prince of Jin, both of royal blood. There is no need for sibling strife!”

“Please, princess, hurry to the Two Yi Hall to calm the Sacred One’s overwhelming anger. Do not let a tragedy of brothers fighting each other occur before your eyes!”

The intruding court lady spoke quickly and anxiously. By the time the others reacted, she had finished.

Lady Yuan, both shocked and angry, hurried outside and sternly scolded the woman, pointing at her nose.

“This is outrageous! Our princess was bedridden only days ago. Your princess consort is so bold as to command a sick princess? Get her out at once!”

The woman was dragged away still shouting, “Since the loyalist army entered the capital, it is no longer the capital as before. Princess, you are sheltered in the deep palace, but the Prince of Jin suffers hardships outside! For the sake of sibling love, please save His Highness the Prince of Jin!”

The patrol at Linfeng Hall had been breached. Wen Jing could not stay in the hall. He only said hastily, “My Marshal never ordered imprisonment. Princess, please do not take it to heart,” before rushing out to deal with the matter.

As the shouts faded into the distance, Jiang Luan stood, casually pulling the kingfisher-inlaid phoenix hairpin from her hair and tossing it onto the yellow pearwood dressing table.

“A cumbersome thing. I won’t wear it anymore.”

She stretched out her arms. Palace maid Chun Zhe stepped forward, helping her put on a guest robe and a warm cloud-patterned shoulder cape. Then she knelt by her side, carefully smoothing the jade ring silk ribbons pressing down the skirt folds with her palms.

When helping her put on shoes, Jiang Luan shook her head.

“It’s going to rain heavily. Embroidered shoes are not good for going outside. Bring me a pair of sturdy leather boots.”

Lady Yuan personally sent someone to fetch the boots. Seeing her dressed, she was surprised and showed a worried expression.

“Princess, don’t listen to those gossiping servants. You are still so young, not even having had your coming-of-age ceremony. The court affairs are handled by the officials; you only need to focus on restoring your health. Being free from illness is already a great help to the court.”

Jiang Luan smiled faintly, looking at her youthful features reflected in the bronze mirror.

“You have been with me since childhood and think I am still a child. I just celebrated my fifteenth birthday last month. Although I haven’t undergone the coming-of-age ceremony, I am no longer a child.”

She examined her hands under the lamp. Her fingers were soft and slender, her palms delicate, with pink crescent moons at each fingertip.

“If I wait any longer, it may be too late.”

“Too late for what?” Lady Yuan asked in surprise.

Jiang Luan did not answer directly but changed the subject by asking Bailu, “Where is Dian Dian? I want to take Dian Dian with me.”

Dian Dian was a kitten recently raised in Linfeng Hall.

Only three or four months old, a small snowy-white bundle, kept in an exquisite golden cage. Its nose and paw pads were pink, with just two tiny black tips on its ears, like ink spots on white paper. Its two green-glass eyes glowed faintly in the dark.

“Meow~” Dian Dian called softly when lifted from the cage.

Jiang Luan held Dian Dian in her arms and ordered them to bring rain gear. Without a formal escort, only Chun Zhe and Bailu accompanied her, holding a large oil-paper umbrella with twelve ribs to shield them from the drifting rain as they took a shortcut to the Two Yi Hall.

Only a few steps outside the sleeping chamber, young General Wen Jing, having received news, hurried over to stop her.

“The imperial city’s situation is unstable. My Marshal has ordered that the princess must not leave the hall at will!”

Jiang Luan looked at his armored arm vaguely blocking and yet unwilling to truly touch her, and laughed.

“Not imprisoned, yet not allowed to go out freely? Is that Marshal Pei’s order? What if I am not ‘going out at will,’ but rather ‘going out on official business’ with caution?”

Wen Jing was a career soldier, used to strict obedience, but had never encountered such a troublesome person. Not stopping her seemed wrong; blocking her felt improper. His face flushed red with frustration.

“Forget it, I won’t make it difficult for you,” Jiang Luan said, holding Dian Dian as she sat in the sedan chair.

“Have a few reliable men follow three paces behind me.”