In late autumn, the fallen leaves are rustling.
To the north of Chang'an City, dust and smoke billowed on the official road, and a group of people and horses emerged from the distance.
The dozens of elite soldiers who led the way were all wearing black armor and riding on fine horses, as if they had descended from the sky on yellow clouds.
Pedestrians and carriages moved to the left side of the road, whispering:
"See those black horses and black armor? They are the King of Qi's Divine Wing Army."
“It’s really majestic!”
"Hasn't the King of Qi been defending the border against enemies for many years? Why did he suddenly return to the capital?"
"The prince is getting married, so this brother has to show up."
"Didn't you say that the King of Qi and the Crown Princess... ahem... wouldn't it be awkward to see each other again..."
"Shh... this is a head-breaking statement!"
"What's going on? Everyone in the city is talking about it..."
Everyone in the capital knew that the Crown Prince and the King of Qi were fighting over a woman.
The object of their competition is Ruan Yuewei, the third daughter of the Ningyuan Marquis's family.
Ruan Yuewei is the empress dowager's great-grandniece. She was raised in the empress dowager's palace since childhood and was a childhood sweetheart of Prince Huanxuan of Qi, who was also raised by the empress dowager.
She was beautiful and charming, and was known as the most beautiful woman in Kyoto. As they grew up together, it was natural for the King of Qi to fall deeply in love with her.
However, when they were discussing marriage, something big happened in the palace. The eldest prince suddenly died of a sudden illness, and the second prince became the crown prince. The first thing the second prince did after entering the East Palace was to ask Ningyuan Hou for Ruan Yuewei's hand in marriage.
Ningyuan Hou acted promptly and arranged a marriage between Ruan Sanniang and the prince.
The sweetheart became his sister-in-law, and the King of Qi fled to the western border in anger.
Three years passed in a blink of an eye, and the Crown Prince's wedding was approaching. The Emperor ordered the three sons to return to the capital in order to stop the gossips - he had made such a big fuss over a woman that he didn't even show up at his brother's wedding, which would make him a laughing stock for the whole world.
Disobeying the imperial order would be considered treason, so no matter how reluctant Huan Xuan was, he had to return to Beijing to attend the wedding.
Carriages and horses rumbled by, and no one noticed that among them was an inconspicuous small carriage with a green curtain.
In the carriage, the maid Chun Tiao rubbed her numb legs, and occasionally glanced at the young woman beside her out of the corner of her eye.
The woman was in her twenties, dressed in blue cloth, without any makeup, and without a trace of gold or jade on her body. Her long hair was tied into a bun with a bone hairpin. She was said to be the master, but her clothes and appearance were more like a servant than she.
She leaned against the carriage with her eyes closed, her plump chest rising and falling gently with her breathing, and she was obviously asleep.
Chun Tiao almost admired her. She was very brave to be able to fall asleep amidst the thundering sound of horse hooves and wheels.
Just then, the carriage jolted heavily.
The woman frowned, her long eyelashes trembled, and her eyes slowly opened. The setting sun that filtered through the gap in the car curtains passed across her face. Her amber pupils glowed golden, and she was eerily beautiful.
She yawned and stretched. It was a rough movement, but when she did it, it had an unrefined grace, like a lazy leopard stretching its body.
Chun Tiao thought to himself, wow, after being with this girl day and night for half a year, he would still be dazzled by her beauty if he was not careful.
How come a girl who is as beautiful as pearls and gems cannot please His Royal Highness the Prince of Qi
"Haven't we reached the post station yet?" The woman spoke Mandarin poorly, with a strong frontier accent. Her voice was deeper than that of an ordinary young lady, and a little hoarse, reminding people of the wind blowing across the wilderness in early spring.
"We're almost there, ma'am," Chunjo replied, "Would you like some tea?"
The woman was still a little confused after waking up. She shook her head and her eyelids drooped again: "Then I will continue..."
Before she could close her eyes, a leather water bag was handed to her mouth.
"Madam, have some tea to wake yourself up," Chun Tiao said, "so that you won't sleep too much during the day and wake up at night."
The woman took the water bag and took a sip. The tea tasted bitter and astringent after being steeped for a long time. She frowned and said, "It's bitter."
"Suffering is refreshing."
"Change me the milk."
Chun Tiao's eyebrows were twisted into knots: "The wine is gone."
"Gone so soon?"
"The wine jar has been emptied a long time ago." Chun Tiao showed a little dissatisfaction.
Other young ladies would sip wine in small amounts, but I've never seen anyone drink a whole bowl of wine in one gulp like her.
She couldn't help but advise: "Ladies in the capital all drink tea. Now that you are in the capital, you should learn to follow the local customs."
"No matter how much you study, it can't change from bitter to sweet."
The woman said she disliked it, but she couldn't resist the thirst. She tilted her head back and took two gulps before returning the water bag to her. She said heartlessly, "Besides, I'm not a lady. Why should I learn this?"
Harujo was speechless for a moment.
She really has nothing to do with a lady.
The girl's surname was Lu and her name was Sui Sui. She was the daughter of a hunter.
Half a year ago, the King of Qi led his troops to Qinzhou to quell a rebellion. He went into the mountains to hunt down the rebels and saved her by chance.
Sui Sui's entire family was killed by the rebels, and he himself was also seriously injured and barely managed to survive.
There were no women in the King of Qi's camp, so he sent someone to the governor's house to ask for a slave to take care of them.
When Chun Tiao heard that the job was to serve the women in the palace, she thought it was a good job, so she tried her best to bribe the steward and spent most of her savings to get the job.
Who would have thought that the person she served was just a poor girl rescued by the King of Qi, and not a member of the royal family at all.
However, seeing the unconscious Sui Sui in person, Chun Tiao's dead heart began to move again - she had seen a lot of the world in the governor's mansion, from ladies to singing girls and prostitutes, but she had never seen such a beauty, from her face to her figure, she was so beautiful that it made people dizzy and their hearts tremble.
The first time she was changed and wiped, even she, a woman, blushed.
She firmly believed that no man could resist such temptation, otherwise how could His Royal Highness the Prince of Qi save her
It seemed that she was right. During Sui Sui's coma, King Qi came to visit her almost every day and sat by her bed for more than half an hour.
Once, Chun Tiao saw him wringing out a wet handkerchief with his own hands and wiping the sweat off her forehead.
She still can't forget that look, so gentle and focused, as if her heart and eyes were filled with only the person in front of her, and even she, a bystander, was impressed.
At that time, Chun Tiao thought that his luck had turned and he had married a very lucky master. He just hoped that she would wake up soon so that she could bring him and his family to heaven.
Half a month later, someone finally woke her up, but when the King of Qi saw the person, the tenderness in his eyes disappeared.
As soon as he opened his mouth, he only said half a sentence, then he turned to Ji Ma impatiently: "Ask her if she has anywhere to go."
Upon learning that Sui Sui was alone and had no relatives to turn to, the King of Qi showed no sympathy for her and said coldly, "The military camp is not a place for a woman. Let her leave when her injury is better."
After saying this, he left without even looking at Sui Sui.
Chun Tiao later found out that it was not that the King of Qi could not understand the border language, he just didn't want to talk to Sui Sui.
Since then, the King of Qi never set foot in this tent again. Fortunately, Sui Sui's injury had healed and no one came to chase them away. Perhaps His Highness the King of Qi was a forgetful person and had completely forgotten about her.
This woman also had a heart as broad as the sea, and lived in the camp with peace of mind.
This time, on behalf of the Crown Prince's wedding, the King of Qi returned to the capital in compliance with the imperial decree. He only brought a hundred or so guards with him, but somehow he managed to bring Sui Sui along as well.
Chun Tiao couldn't figure it out.
If you say His Highness is interested in her, he has refused to even look at her, let alone summon her to sleep with him in the past six months; but if you say he has no such interest, he still brings her with him when he returns to the capital.
But no one revealed a word about how she would be arranged after returning to Beijing - whether to bring her into the palace or keep her as a concubine outside, the difference was huge.
While she was thinking, the people around her fell silent.
Chun Tiao turned around and saw that he had fallen asleep again. She sighed deeply. She was really unlucky to have such an unmotivated master.
…
As the sun was setting, the King of Qi and his entourage finally arrived near Changle Posthouse on the outskirts of Yong'an City.
The official road was crowded with carriages and horses, and the road was bright with red and purple, making it very lively.
Sui Sui was awakened by the neighing of horses and voices of people outside. He pulled aside the green satin curtain on the car window and looked out.
There were brocade curtains on both sides of the road, and attendants were holding up feather fans and painted screens. In the middle was a man wearing a brocade robe, a jade crown, a belt, and a sable fur coat. He was sitting on a tall horse and was slowly walking towards them, surrounded by officials.
Although she couldn't see the face clearly, she guessed the man's identity by looking at his clothes.
When the Prince of Qi returned to the capital, the Crown Prince actually led all the officials out of the city to welcome him, really giving his younger brother enough face.
She raised the corner of her mouth sarcastically and lowered the curtain.
Upon learning that the Crown Prince would personally welcome him, the King of Qi immediately got off the carriage, stepped forward and saluted: "I pay my respects to Your Highness the Crown Prince. I am ashamed to receive you personally."
The prince quickly dismounted, helped him up, and patted his upper arm affectionately: "Why are you so polite, third brother?"
He paused, and said seriously: "You pacified Anxi and saved the people of the four towns from danger. You are a meritorious official of our Daliang country. It is me who is the heir to the throne, but I cannot accomplish anything. I am unworthy of my position and feel deeply ashamed."
"Your Highness' words are too kind," Huan Xuan said calmly, "Your Highness's virtue is equal to heaven and earth, and he holds the balance. I am an incompetent minister, and I can only show my loyalty with my humble skills of archery and horsemanship."
The prince seemed to be unaware of his indifference and laughed loudly, "After so many years, my third brother is still the same."
He raised his hand and gestured at his brother's head: "I remember that when you left Beijing, you were not as tall as me. Now you are half a head taller than me. Father and mother will definitely be pleased to see you."
Hearing the word "Queen Mother", Huan Xuan's eyes dimmed slightly.
"How are father and mother?" he asked calmly.
The prince's eyes flickered. "Everything is fine. Father's rheumatism is sometimes better and sometimes worse, and it is always harder to endure in winter. He usually lives in the Hot Spring Palace. Knowing that you are returning to the capital, he came back early to wait for you. Father has always loved you the most, so you should come to the palace early tomorrow to pay your respects."
He only said "Father Emperor" and did not mention Mother Queen, but Huan Xuan did not ask any more questions. There seemed to be some kind of tacit understanding between the two.
Huan Xuan nodded: "Okay."
The prince patted his back again and said, "Don't leave now that you are back. You are already twenty years old, and you are not young anymore. You don't have anyone who cares about you. It's time to get married."
Huan Xuan did not comment, but just smiled faintly.
Three years ago, the four towns of Anxi rebelled, and he volunteered to lead the troops to suppress the rebellion. At that time, the crown prince and the court officials had no complaints. Now that the rebellion has been suppressed, he still commands 100,000 border troops. With the tiger talisman in hand, many people can no longer sleep peacefully.
There was a hint of surprise in the prince's eyes. If it was the innocent and calm young man from three years ago, he would have been furious and ashamed to be tested like this, and would have handed over the tiger talisman to avoid suspicion.
He couldn't help but look at his younger brother again. Three years had passed, and he had lost the last bit of his childishness. His already handsome face became even more stern, and he seemed to have the bearing of a deep and majestic mountain. He seemed to overlap with the figure of another person in his memory.
The prince was startled, his heart pounding, and he managed to calm himself down: "We haven't seen each other for several years, and today we must get drunk together."
Huan Xuan smiled and said, "Brother, you know that I am narrow-minded."
The prince breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that he looked normal. He put his arm around his shoulders affectionately and asked, "You haven't made any progress in these years in the army?"
The two men walked towards the inn, chatting and laughing, followed closely by officials and servants.
Arriving at the main hall, the prince took off his fox fur coat and handed it to the attendant. His sword and jade pendant collided with each other, making a slight sound.
Huan Xuan's eyes inadvertently fell on the sachet on his waist, and his heart couldn't help but shrink.
Begonia flowers are embroidered with silver on a bamboo green background. The pattern, color scheme and needlework are all extremely familiar.
The prince noticed his gaze, and fiddled with the sachet seemingly unintentionally, then sighed softly and said in a voice that only the two of them could hear: "Atang has missed you all these years. She has always regarded you as her own brother. Now that you have returned safely, she can finally rest assured."
Atang is Ruan Yuewei's nickname. She therefore likes the crabapple flower the most. She likes to decorate her silk handkerchiefs, sachets, clothes, even utensils, curtains and furnishings with crabapple patterns.
The prince glanced at his brother. His face looked normal, but the pain still couldn't be suppressed from his eyes.
Ruan Yuewei will always be his weak spot. Even after three years, just a sachet can make him lose his composure.
The prince smiled slightly, patted him on the back, and said gently, "Stop talking, it's time to take your seat."
Everyone took their seats in turn, and the prince ordered the banquet to be set up. At one moment, the sound of flutes and pipes played, and all the delicacies from land and sea were laid out in front of them.
The prince rolled up his sleeves, washed his hands with the fragrant soup, and personally cut fish sashimi for his brother: "I remember you like to eat fish and shrimp. This sea bass was shipped from Jiangnan. It was changed by dozens of post horses along the way. It was still alive and kicking when it arrived in Beijing. You should try it."
Huan Xuan smiled: "Second brother is thoughtful."
The two brothers are very friendly and respectful to each other, and they are very happy.
Huan Xuan had been away from the capital for several years. He had been living and eating with the soldiers in the army, eating simple meals every day. However, facing the table full of delicacies, he had no appetite at all.
After finishing a plate of fish sashimi that the prince had sliced himself, he put down his chopsticks.
Ministers kept coming forward to toast him, and he accepted all of them and drank the cup in one gulp.
Huan Xuan's alcohol tolerance is not very good, but when he is drunk he is particularly sober.
He drank a few cups without counting them, but the prince couldn't stand it anymore, so he snatched his wine glass and said to the eunuch, "Help your Highness go back to his room to rest."
When Huan Xuan walked outside the courtyard, two beautiful dancers in red gauze dance costumes came up to him. They bowed and said in a sweet voice, "Your servants are ordered by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to wait on His Royal Highness the Prince of Qi to bed."
Huan Xuan didn't even bother to take a look. He raised his hand to the eunuch Gao Mai and walked straight into the courtyard.
Gao Mai understood and said to the two with a smile, "Thank you for your hospitality, Your Highness, but our Highness doesn't like to have other people around him when he goes to bed."
The two looked at each other, their faces showing embarrassment: "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will blame us, please be lenient with me, Your Highness."
Gao Mai still smiled, but did not give in at all: "Two sisters, please go back."
After sending the two beauties away, Gao Mai sighed leisurely and walked quickly into the room, only to see the King of Qi finding some wine from somewhere and drinking it by himself.
"Your Highness has been on horseback for days and drinking too much is harmful to your health. You should rest early." He advised kindly.
Huan Xuan said nothing, but just held the wine glass tightly, staring at the remaining wine in the glass in a daze.
"Your Highness, why do you have to torture yourself like this..." Gao Mai advised carefully.
Huan Xuan raised his eyelids and looked over the rim of the cup, which was as cool as the moonlight on the steps.
Gao Mai quickly apologized: "I am sorry for talking too much, Your Highness, please forgive me."
Huan Xuan sneered and put down his wine glass: "You are right."
He paused, tapped the table with his fingertips and said, "Call that..."
He found that he could not remember the woman's name, so he said, "Ask the hunter girl to serve us."