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Chapter 48: The first one deceives is always oneself

Actually, when Song Juguang had left the Palace, she'd still felt that bringing master and servant into the Palace like this was not at all suitable, but she'd already agreed to this matter in front of Jiang Changbai, and wasn't willing to turn back and argue with her. So, she'd placed the decision on the two of them, thinking that if they weren't willing, then Jiang Changbai wouldn't force them on the matter of entering the Palace. She'd gone so far as to come prepared this time, going especially to the barracks to choose a soldier who had, similarly to Wei Xiren, grown up on the borders of the two nations, to act as translator out of fear that the nanny wouldn't cooperate and deceive both parties. After all, what sort of white-haired elder over sixty would pass through ten thousand trials and tribulations on her own two legs to enter the capital? Merely hearing their account of their experiences, this nanny was clearly not a simple figure. The nanny wa...

Chapter 47: Enter the Palace?

Song Juguang seemed not to have understood, and asked, "What?" Jiang Changbai didn't raise her head, repeating what she'd just said. "Bring the two of them into the Palace to live; there are many places in the Rear Court that are empty." Song Juguang looked at Jiang Changbai with astonishment, and when she spoke, it was peculiar. "So, Bixia really has agreed to this marriage." Hearing these words of hers, Jiang Changbai raised her head, a few degrees of equal surprise flashing in her eyes; when she spoke, a smile that couldn't be restrained was in her words. "What are you thinking, hm?" Having finished speaking, she set down her brush, rising and unhurriedly pacing to Song Juguang's side; she continued, "In the capital, the people are many and the eyes are multitudinous; even if people were deployed to surveil day and night, there'll always be a moment of carelessness. Now, Liang Jiwen's identity is in question, so sh...

Chapter 46: The journey

Song Juguang didn't pay her any attention, only coughed softly. Unexpectedly, now, Wen Song was tactful, and hurriedly said, "This is the Great Li's Regent." Hearing this, the nanny understood, and made obeisance once more. "So, you're Wangye." But with merely these few words of hers, Song Juguang coughed once more. The nanny immediately fell silent, looking towards Wen Song as if seeking for help. Wen Song wasn't a fool, and in a low voice, advised her, "You're meant to say Wangjun." The nanny, in truth, didn't understand the matter of ti. But from the time she'd entered the capital, Wen Song was the only one who acted kindly towards her, and she was willing to trust in her. So, she hurriedly corrected herself: "Wangjun, the Princess grew up in Shejin from childhood, and can't speak the language of the Great Li. So, every matter has to translated for her by this servant." Song Juguang scoffed. "She couldn...

Chapter 45: Princess?

"A marriage alliance princess? How did We not know Shejin sent someone for a marriage alliance?" Jiang Changbai felt it was absurd; could it be that the King of Shejin believed that the person who sat on the imperial throne now was still that emperor who only knew covetousness and pleasure-seeking? More than that, the two nations weren't in any military conflict now, and there was no need for this traditional method of bringing about peace. And, even if the two nations had been at war, Jiang Changbai would equally have thought that sending a marriage alliance princess to seek for peace was the most detestable action. The maid, head lowered, replied, "Replying to Bixia, this servant isn't certain of the specific situation either, but the person who came to the Palace gates to report is waiting right outside of the hall right now." "Call her in." Jiang Changbai closed her eyes, and walked a few steps to sit down on the low couch. An imperial bodyguar...

Chapter 44: Xuanya

Yet after Wei Xiren got a clear look at that ball of darkness, she grew more tense; before it had settled stably on her arm, she had raised her other hand to take the roll of paper tied to its leg. This was the Cangwei army's special message courier. The xuanya looked similar in shape and appearance to crows, yet after going through training, they could take on a human-like personality, and their flight speed would increase as well; moreover, as their bodies were those of crows, when hidden in the dark of night, it would be hard for someone to notice them, and even if they did notice, most people would only assume they were crows. The implication of crows didn't need to be explained; no one was willing to take a second look, and so the xuanya had become an indispensable courier of messages. She'd received a message carried by a xuanya not even half a shichen before, and so, just then, when hearing the clattering of the window, had subconsciously eliminated the possibility t...

Chapter 43: Nanfu

However, the weather in Nanfu was still dreary. Heading further southeast from Nanfu, it was the region administered under Luyuan. The town of Nanfu had been built along the mountains, and the mountain paths all around it were rugged and craggy; only this bit had smooth terrain, and as a result, had over time become the unavoidable road for merchants and travellers. The late summer going into autumn rains of Nanfu were still heavy, and it had just rained early that morning; now, though it was evening, the air was still humid and sticky. As people walked along the road, it was as if the jet-black piles of clouds above their heads were about to press down at the very next moment. Xie Qianbing and Wei Xiren each wore coarse cloth attire, carrying a bag on their backs, and followed the stream of people along the Nanfu road, the dozen or so people following behind them either pulling flatbed carts, or watching after wares. Even if someone with a keener eye were to look, they'd assume th...

Chapter 42: A nod

The white porcelain cup cover slipped out of Yang Zhuofei's hand, rolling a few circles on the tabletop, and then finally tumbled to the ground, and in an answering sound, shattered. She'd clearly not guessed that, today, Song Juguang and Jiang Changbai, one after the other, would come to Prince Yu's manor, which, in a month, didn't even see a single visitor; her gaze, looking towards Jiang Changbai, was full of astonishment. But Yang Zhuofei, in the end, was a senior, and grew calm quickly, rising to give obeisance towards Jiang Changbai. "This subject didn't know Bixia would come; excuse me for not coming out to meet you." "No matter, We only came on a last moment whim," Jiang Changbai said, waving her hand to indicate to her to rise, and then immediately looked towards Song Juguang, and asked, "how could it be that A Guang is here as well?" Yang Zhuofei rose, and only then was able to call a maid to clear away the fragments on the gr...