The old steward was deeply moved, and Xie Ciyuan’s eyes were equally sincere. “What Uncle Mo says is exactly what I have in mind. If this medicine truly works, I will certainly protect you. If you are unwilling to go to Bei Huang, I can also give you a letter of divorce and grant you your freedom.”
“Given the current situation, even if I had a letter of divorce, where could I go?” Chu Jing is a place surrounded by wolves and tigers. Now that she was tied to Xie Ciyuan, even if she returned with the divorce papers, she would be drowned in spit and scorn. Besides, although she had provoked Yun Daowei into writing a letter severing ties, in this absurd era, the weight of filial piety could crush a person. If she went back with a separation agreement, who knew what kind of monster Yun Daowei might sell her off to next. Running away on her own without identity papers or travel permits was also a dead end. She could use the system to evade the Great Chu court’s inspections, but living in hiding like that was no different from exile.
Yun Jiuqing accepted reality with such composure that Xie Ciyuan felt a pang of guilt. “I’m sorry. This is my fault for dragging you into it.” The emperor was targeting him while also using him to win a good reputation, and Yun Jiuqing had indeed suffered undeserved misfortune.
“No need to be so polite.” Yun Jiuqing swung her feet carelessly. “Marrying you, at least I still have a way to survive. Once we reach Bei Huang, you can give me a letter of divorce, and with the sky high and the land vast, I’ll roam free. But if I stayed in the Yun family, who knows what rotten melon or cracked date Yun Daowei would hand me off to. At least the Prince is easy on the eyes, so I’m not losing out.”
She spoke with such frankness that Xie Ciyuan was left coughing in embarrassment, a flush spreading from his face to the places hidden beneath his clothes.
A knock came at the door—”thump, thump”—and a familiar voice called out, “Big brother, Father sent me to bring you something to eat.” The old steward hurried over and opened the door. Ning Ruoyu entered holding a paper package, looking somewhat ill at ease. “Big brother, this is the meat pie that Cousin Wen sent over today. It’s a bit cold, but the filling is generous. You should eat a couple of bites quickly, or your body won’t hold up.”
The oil-paper bundle was not small, yet inside there was only a meat pie the size of a child’s palm. Xie Ciyuan raised an eyebrow knowingly at him. “Did you eat yours?”
“I—I did.” Ning Ruoyu blushed and stammered in reply. “Third Uncle said you don’t like eating with others, so I ate before bringing this to you.” Even as he said this, his gaze unconsciously drifted toward the meat pie, and he swallowed hard.
Seeing this, Xie Ciyuan’s expression did not change. “If you’ve already eaten, then give it to someone else. I haven’t moved in a long time and can’t stomach such greasy food. Xuan Qing and the others will prepare something for me.”
“But big brother—” Ning Ruoyu’s words were cut short as Xie Ciyuan fixed him with a cold look, and the rest of his sentence died in his throat. “Then you rest for now, big brother. Call me if you need anything.” With that, he scurried out in a fluster, as if fleeing, which even made Yun Jiuqing turn her head to watch. But she was also a bit curious. “Are you really not hungry?” She had secretly eaten an Energy Ball during the day, so she didn’t feel hungry, but Xie Ciyuan had been going strong all day without a bite.
“That foolish boy may be dim-witted, but he has a kind heart. Today is the first day, and everyone still has some food sent by their relatives, so they’re probably reluctant to spend money buying food from Wang Jingkang. Everyone can barely share and make do, but that foolish boy—he’s likely already given his own portion to someone else. In the Ning family, it’s just him and Third Uncle as the only men now, and on the road, everything depends on them. He can’t go hungry.” Besides, Xuan Qing and the others had indeed hidden some silver on them, so they could trade for food, and he wouldn’t truly starve.
But just as he finished speaking, the door was pushed open again. Ning Ruobing entered carrying a tray. “Cousin, I heard from Second Brother that you haven’t eaten yet, so I’ve brought you some food.” She walked gracefully to Xie Ciyuan’s front, and only then did the others see that what she carried was no tray at all—it was clearly a piece of tile. The grayish-blue tile was missing a corner, and Ning Ruobing’s hand happened to cover the broken edge, hiding the imperfection. On it lay several crushed pieces of pastry arranged neatly. Ning Ruobing presented the tile to Xie Ciyuan with a hint of awkwardness. “Second Brother said you don’t like greasy things, so I specially brought you my portion. But your favorite chestnut pastry couldn’t be found at the moment, so please make do for now, Cousin.”
Her expression remained cool and aloof, but her words carried an undeniable warmth. Yet her tone shifted, and she turned her attention to Yun Jiuqing. “And you—since you came to bring good fortune to Cousin, you should fulfill your duty properly. Don’t you know Cousin is in poor health and can’t go thirsty or hungry? You sit here from the moment you arrive, waiting to be served, as if you’re really the Princess Consort Yan.”
Yun Jiuqing felt like a dog dozing by the roadside that had just been kicked out of nowhere. She stared at Xie Ciyuan in bewilderment. “Princess Consort Yan—is there a difference between real and fake? So am I real or fake?”
Xie Ciyuan was gravely wounded, and on their wedding day, Yun Jiuqing had performed the ceremony with a wooden post.
Because Yun Daowei was the new emperor’s man, everyone in Prince Yan’s Residence was dissatisfied with this marriage. As soon as Yun Jiuqing entered the residence, she was dumped in her own courtyard and left to fend for herself.
As a result, today was actually the first time Xie Ciyuan truly saw his own princess consort.
It was also during this brief time together today that he witnessed this young princess consort’s sharp tongue. Suppressing a smile at her words, he said, “Isn’t my princess consort you? What distinction between true and false is there?”
Playing along to complete Yun Jiuqing’s act, he then turned serious and said, “The food sent by relatives from various households is limited—take it back and eat it yourselves.
Xuan Qing and the others are strong and healthy after all. With them handling my daily needs, there’s no need for you women and children to scrimp and save food for my sake.”
“But cousin, this is my heartfelt gesture!”
Ning Ruobing called out to Xie Ciyuan in a soft, gentle voice, “Please, at least taste a little.
You haven’t eaten anything since this morning, and the princess consort hasn’t thought to find you any food or water. At this rate, how can your body hold up?
If only I had known back then…”
Her words trailed off mid-sentence, and Ning Ruobing’s cheeks flushed crimson. “It’s too late to say all that now. In any case, cousin, you must take good care of yourself.
Only when you recover can everyone have a chance to return. Even if it’s for my—our—sake, cousin, you must look after yourself!”
So gentle and considerate—Yun Jiuqing watched, deeply moved.
However, “Brothers of Nangu Ying!
The Prince has passed through this area and has come specifically to bid you farewell!
The Prince said that no matter where he is, the brothers of Nangu Ying must protect themselves well, preserve their lives to protect the people of Great Chu, and guard the realm!
Always remember that the nation must come first. Only when the realm stands eternal will the Prince’s life not have been lived in vain!”
The thunderous shouts interrupted Yun Jiuqing’s enjoyment of the drama. She jumped to her feet. “Didn’t we say we’d act after the meal? Why are they starting now?”
It wasn’t just one or two people speaking. Xuan Qing had gathered every able-bodied man he could muster from the exiled group, and together they shouted toward the Nangu Ying soldiers just beyond the wall.
That voice—never mind a single wall’s distance—could probably wake even the dead separated by the veil between worlds.
“They must have had a sudden change of plans.”
Xie Ciyuan also shifted restlessly. “Uncle Mo, go see what’s going on.”
The old steward acknowledged with a word and hurried off.