6
“Ninth Princess.” Lian Sheng quickly stood up when he saw Yu Shu approaching.
“I’m here to help,” Yu Shu said with a smile. She picked up a piece of dry wood and placed it into the fire, which immediately blazed brighter.
The firelight illuminated Lian Sheng’s face—thick eyebrows, large eyes, and a rosy flush from the heat. He lowered his gaze, added more wood to the fire, and began roasting the cleaned, descaled fish on the rack.
“Lian Sheng, thank you for taking care of me. I will always remember your kindness,” Yu Shu said, her gaze fixed on him. She spoke not only to thank him for his help but also to express gratitude on behalf of her original self for having such a trustworthy friend.
Lian Sheng tightened his grip on the dry wood in his hand. His lips moved as though he had a lot to say, but in the end, he simply smiled and replied, “Princess, we’ve been friends since we were children. Don’t you remember how I said I’d always protect you? As long as you need me, I’ll always be by your side.”
His promise was as steadfast as a mountain, unchanging and unwavering.
Yu Shu fell silent for a moment. Lian Sheng was a good man. She softly murmured, “Mm.”
Lian Sheng glanced around to make sure no one was nearby, then lowered his voice and said, “If you still don’t want to go through with the marriage alliance, I’ll help you.”
Yu Shu’s head snapped up, meeting Lian Sheng’s determined gaze. Her heart raced uncontrollably.
But she quickly calmed herself, shaking her head firmly. “No, I can’t run away. I must go to Daxia for the marriage alliance.”
Even if she wanted to escape, now was not the time. She couldn’t drag Lian Sheng into it again, nor could she jeopardize Xijiang.
Just as Mu Liangzhe had said, Xijiang was a beautiful land, and everyone there was working tirelessly to protect it.
Since she had transmigrated into the body of Xijiang’s Ninth Princess and taken over this life, she couldn’t selfishly disregard the fate of Xijiang.
Her original home was already gone and she couldn’t bear for Xijiang to suffer the same fate.
At that moment, Mu Liangzhe returned with two fish in hand. Sensing the odd atmosphere, his dark eyes darted between Yu Shu and Lian Sheng. “What were you two just talking about?”
“Nothing,” Yu Shu and Lian Sheng replied in unison.
Hearing this, Mu Liangzhe chuckled but didn’t press the issue. Handing the fish to Lian Sheng, he sat down beside them.
The sky gradually darkened, stars twinkling and spreading across the heavens. The fire crackled and snapped, its flames casting a warm glow over the group. The enticing aroma of roasted fish slowly filled the air.
After a while, the fish was done. Yu Shu, Lian Sheng, and Mu Liangzhe sat around the fire, sipping Xijiang’s strongest wine and savoring the golden, crispy fish.
As the fire burned down to embers, Yu Shu realized this would be her last night in Xijiang.
At dawn, the diplomatic envoy resumed their journey to the Daxia Dynasty.
At the border of Daxia, officials tasked with receiving the envoy warmly greeted them. Mu Liangzhe engaged in a cordial and friendly conversation with them, and both sides seemed to enjoy the exchange.
Afterward, the Daxia officials led the envoy onward to the capital of the dynasty.
For the next ten days, Yu Shu remained quiet and well-behaved, following the group obediently without any sign of attempting to escape. This eased Mu Liangzhe’s concerns, and he gradually relaxed.
After two more days of travel, they finally arrived at Daxia’s capital on a clear, cloudless day.
The envoy stopped at the city gates, where the guards conducted a thorough inspection. Once security was confirmed, they were allowed to enter.
Sitting in the carriage, Yu Shu gazed calmly at the bustling capital before her. This city was once the capital of the Dayan Dynasty and was known as Yandu City. However, with the fall of Dayan and the rise of Daxia, the city was renamed Xiadu City, now serving as Daxia’s capital.
The city remained the same, yet everything about it had changed.
“Princess, look how beautiful and vibrant it is here! And there are so many people!” Qingli exclaimed, her excitement evident as it was her first time visiting Xiadu City.
Yu Shu followed her gaze and glanced outside before responding with a faint “Mm.”
The streets and the old, established shops seemed unchanged, just as lively as they had been before Yu Shu’s death.
Before reaching Xiadu City, Yu Shu had imagined she would be overwhelmed with emotion upon her return. Yet, as she truly laid eyes on the city, she felt an unshakable calm within her—like a still, ancient well, untouched by even the faintest ripple.
“Princess, look! Over there, someone’s performing acrobatics! And that stall is selling specialties from Xijiang!” Qingli exclaimed excitedly, tugging Yu Shu toward the window to look.
But as they watched others, they didn’t realize that they, too, had become a sight for others.
In a private room on the second floor of the Yuelai Teahouse by the street, a man in a dark brocade robe stood by the window, his gaze fixed on the long procession of the envoy below.
Beside him stood a pale, clean-shaven man who whispered, “Master, this is the envoy from Xijiang. The one in the pink carriage at the front is likely the Ninth Princess of Xijiang, reputedly their greatest beauty. In recent years, Xijiang has often been harassed by neighboring Lanze Kingdom. This time, their visit to Daxia serves two purposes: first, to submit as a vassal state and seek our protection; second, to propose a marriage alliance using the Ninth Princess.”
Upon hearing this, Xiao Jingyao let out a cold laugh, his interest in the envoy fading instantly. He turned away from the window, walked back to his seat, and said to Xu Daman, “They’ve traveled a long way, so let them stay comfortably at the Guest Pavilion.”
Xu Daman pondered this statement. It seemed the emperor had no intention of meeting the Xijiang envoy.
Hadn’t the Emperor recently expressed sympathy for Xijiang, a small, remote kingdom struggling to survive? Why had his attitude suddenly shifted?
A thought flashed through Xu Daman’s mind, could it be because of the proposed marriage alliance?
It was likely the case. Xu Daman felt he had grasped the key to the situation. In the Emperor’s heart, no woman could compare to her. The Ninth Princess of Xijiang was unlikely to win his favor!
Meanwhile, out on the street, Yu Shu was oblivious to the fact that she had already been “dismissed.” Seated in her carriage, she followed the envoy as they slowly made their way to the Guest Pavilion.
The officials at the Guest Pavilion were polite enough. Not only did they come out to greet the group, but they also arranged excellent accommodations for the Xijiang envoy.
Yu Shu’s room was among the best in the pavilion. While it couldn’t compare to the comforts of her former residence in Anyi Palace, it was a significant improvement over the roadside inns and tents they had stayed in during the journey.
Qingli led the maidservants to thoroughly clean the room, replacing all the bedding and mattresses with fresh ones.
Yu Shu sat inside, sipping tea as she waited. When Qingli finished her work, Yu Shu gestured for her to sit down and rest for a bit.
Taking a sip of tea, Qingli remarked, “The journey was rough, and the food and accommodations weren’t great. Princess, you’ve lost weight these past few days. But now that we’ve finally arrived in Xiadu City, you’ll be able to get a good night’s rest tonight.”
Yu Shu smiled faintly. Rest? Now that she was here, she feared she might not sleep at all.
When would Xiao Jingyao summon them? She looked so much like her original self now—how would Xiao Jingyao react when he saw her? Would he try to kill her again?
No. If she could help it, she would rather never see Xiao Jingyao at all.
Yu Shu picked up her teacup and took a sip. She needed to think of a way to delay the matter. Perhaps she could seek out the people her mother had left behind before her passing.
“Third Prince is here,” Qingli’s voice interrupted her thoughts.
Setting the teacup down, Yu Shu stood up and saw Mu Liangzhe entering the room. “Is there something you need, Third Brother?”
Mu Liangzhe nodded and sat down at the table, a trace of worry on his face. “I just inquired with the officials from the Ministry of Rites. It seems the Emperor of Daxia has no intention of summoning us.”
Yu Shu blinked, a flicker of joy rising in her heart. Not being summoned was ideal—it aligned perfectly with her wishes. However, she couldn’t let her delight show too openly in front of Mu Liangzhe. Suppressing the urge to smile, she instead asked with feigned concern, “Why wouldn’t the Emperor of Daxia plan to meet with us?”
“I don’t know,” Mu Liangzhe replied, his frustration evident. “That’s exactly what’s troubling me. I asked the officials from the Ministry of Rites, but they couldn’t give me a reason. We’ve just arrived and haven’t done anything offensive—at least not to my knowledge.”
“Maybe it’s not about us doing something wrong,” Yu Shu suggested, pursing her lips. “Perhaps he simply doesn’t want to see us. Maybe he feels he’s too important as the mighty Emperor of Daxia to bother meeting us. He could be deliberately making us wait for a few days to put us in our place—a subtle show of power.”
“Xiao Jiu,” Mu Liangzhe chided her gently, his tone cautious. “This is Daxia. Watch your words. Walls have ears.”
Yu Shu reluctantly bit her tongue, though inwardly, she couldn’t help but think: Fine, I won’t say anything. But Xiao Jingyao is exactly the type to pull such a power play!
Still, it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. If he didn’t want to see them, she wouldn’t have to face him, precisely what she had hoped for.
Not being able to meet the Emperor of Daxia left Mu Liangzhe deeply unsettled. Frowning, he said, “Tomorrow, I’ll pay a visit to Chancellor Liu of Daxia and try to find out what’s going on.”
“Then tomorrow, I’d like to go out and explore the city,” Yu Shu said, feigning enthusiasm for the bustling Xia Du city. “It looked lively on the way here, and it’d be a good chance to learn more about the local customs and culture.” In reality, she was planning to contact the people her mother had left for her.
“No,” Mu Liangzhe refused firmly. “It’s too dangerous. I can’t allow it.”
“This is the capital of Daxia, how dangerous could it possibly be?” Yu Shu retorted immediately. She leaned closer to him and added, “If you’re worried, just assign someone to accompany me. Trust me, I might even gather some useful information while I’m out.”
Mu Liangzhe hesitated for a long moment before finally nodding in agreement, worn down by her repeated pleas. “Fine, but only for two hours. I’ll arrange for people to go with you.”
“Got it!” Yu Shu replied cheerfully. As long as she could step outside, the city would be her playground.
The next day, before heading out, Yu Shu instructed Qingli to procure a few sets of Daxia-style clothing under the guise of blending in. They all disguised themselves as commoners of Daxia, donning veiled hats, and then set off with the guards assigned to protect her.
Xiadu City was a place Yu Shu knew all too well. Leading Qingli and the others, she weaved through the bustling streets, appearing to wander aimlessly but with clear intent.
Before long, Yu Shu found herself at the end of a quiet alleyway. With practiced ease, she strode toward a familiar spot—a tofu shop tucked away in the corner. The tofu pudding here had always been her favorite, and she used to frequent this place.
“Boss, a few bowls of tofu pudding, please—” Yu Shu’s words caught in her throat the moment she stepped inside the shop.
Seated at the central table was a man she least wanted to see—the Emperor of Daxia, Xiao Jingyao.
***