The Courtier Who Loved the Princess

In order to establish the Jiang family firmly at the head of the prestigious families and advance her official career, Jiang Ruotang married Princess Duanhui. The princess, formerly a hostage in a hostile kingdom, had recently returned to her home country amidst a flurry of romantic rumors. The princess possessed a beauty like a blooming flower, with ice-like skin and jade-like bones, having truly the grace of a celestial being. However, she was unsociable by nature and disliked talking with others. Having heard about the princess’s temperament from others, Jiang Ruotang remained silent and reserved ever since bringing her home, treating her with distant and formal respect. Later on, the princess would frequently lose her temper for no apparent reason, acting as though she thoroughly despised her. Fearing to annoy her further, Jiang Ruotang gradually stopped visiting the inner courtyard, opting instead to keep her provided for in luxury within the manor. As days went by, Jiang Ruotang’s reputation in court grew, her official rank rose, and she became so overwhelmingly busy that she barely had a moment to breathe. One day, she completely forgot the princess’s birthday, only remembering it when she returned to the manor in the dead of night. The night air was chilly. Fearing she might disturb the princess’s sweet dreams, she thought it would be fine to give her the birthday gift the next day. However, all she ended up waiting for was a soaring blaze, as the princess’s courtyard had caught fire. After her wife’s death, Jiang Ruotang learned from the palace maid who served her personally that this princess, who was supposed to “despise and dislike” her, looked forward to her arrival every single day. Even a simple, offhand message passed through a servant, such as “It’s cold lately, remember to add layers,” could bring the princess joy for a long time. Jiang Ruotang felt a sudden, disorienting realization that she had missed something vital. Until the moment before her own death, she was still thinking: Since the princess liked me, why didn’t she speak up? Dying in bewilderment, Jiang Ruotang unexpectedly opened her eyes again. She was reborn on the day before her wife’s death, a time when she had not stepped foot into the inner courtyard for months. This time, she cast aside all official duties. With her crimson official robes fluttering, she walked briskly all the way from the front court to the inner courtyard. From afar, she caught sight of the slender woman exuding a sense of low spirits and melancholy, yet constantly craning her neck to look outside, as if waiting for someone to return. *** One-Sentence Summary: So Princess, please don’t seek death anymore. Core Theme: Don’t keep things buried in your heart, speak up. — Description from novelcodex.orgFull novel: The Courtier Who Loved the Princess — read the rest free on N​o⁠v​e⁠l​C⁠o​d⁠e​x⁠.​o⁠r​g⁠