Chapter 117: Shocking News from the Border

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The emperor had already embarked on the expedition, and Crown Princess Chu Jinyao didn’t even know about it. Startled and alarmed, she wondered if, had Qin Yi not visited tonight, she might have thought she had been deposed and was now being confined in Changhe Garden.

 

However, Qin Yi seemed quite at ease. It was evident that he was genuinely pleased not to have to attend morning court. Noticing something off in Chu Jinyao’s expression, he raised an eyebrow and asked, “What’s with that look?”

 

Chu Jinyao, filled with mixed emotions, shook her head and said, “It’s nothing. I’m just really surprised. I thought such a significant event like a personal expedition would at least have some sort of departure ceremony. But here I am, the Crown Princess, who knows just as much as an outsider.”

 

“Outsider?” Qin Yi frowned slightly and tapped Chu Jinyao’s forehead lightly. “You’re overthinking again.”

 

Pregnant women are often emotional, their moods shifting unpredictably. Chu Jinyao was aware she might be overthinking, but she couldn’t help it. Staying alone in a place almost completely isolated from the world, only seeing Qin Yi every few days, made her instinctively anxious and unsettled.

 

“Your Highness,” Chu Jinyao said softly, “I want to return to the palace.”

 

Qin Yi’s expression tightened slightly. “Why do you suddenly want to go back? Has someone here upset you?”

 

“No,” Chu Jinyao paused for a moment before lowering her voice, “It’s just that everything here is fine, except there’s no you. I don’t want to stay here anymore.”

 

Qin Yi was surprised. His pupils involuntarily contracted. He had assumed someone had disturbed Chu Jinyao during her pregnancy. It never occurred to him that this would be her reason.

 

In the past, Qin Yi would have scoffed at phrases like “soulmates destined for each other,” but now, he believed them. There really was someone in this world who seemed destined to challenge him.

 

Three years ago, when Qin Yi had helplessly broken his principles to comfort Chu Jinyao, telling her not to cry, it was a moment of no return. Now, hearing Chu Jinyao softly say, “Everything here is fine, but there’s no you,” he remained outwardly composed, but inside, he was retreating rapidly, completely defeated.

 

“Alright.” Qin Yi wrapped his arms around Chu Jinyao, pulling her close to his chest, right near his heart, the safest yet most vulnerable place. “If you want to come back, you’ll come back. I’ll tidy things up in the palace, and I’ll come to get you soon.”

 

Chu Jinyao understood that when Qin Yi said “tidy things up,” he wasn’t just referring to cleaning up Ciqing Palace; he was also referring to dealing with the unruly people in the palace.

 

The emperor had just left the capital, and Qin Yi had been left to oversee the government. Chu Jinyao wasn’t sure if it was wise to stir up trouble at such a sensitive time, but since Qin Yi had said so, she felt reassured and focused on waiting for him.

 

Perhaps it was because of her pregnancy, or maybe it was because over the past year of marriage she had become increasingly audacious, but Chu Jinyao felt as though her brain had dulled. Whenever she encountered a problem, her first reaction was to seek out Qin Yi.

 

Since agreeing to return to the palace, Chu Jinyao’s mood improved dramatically. She smiled more and even started eating more during meals.

 

Chu Jinxian noticed the change and commented, “What’s gotten into you? You seem much more energetic all of a sudden.”

 

“It’s nothing,” Chu Jinyao replied, “I just realized it’s not good to stay cooped up like before. I’m not alone anymore, so I should be more cheerful.”

 

Chu Jinxian, thinking about the recent changes outside, assumed it was because the emperor had left the capital, leaving the Crown Prince to rule in his stead, and that Chu Jinyao was happy for Qin Yi. Chu Jinxian had little interest in political matters and only remarked in passing, “The emperor sure left quickly for this expedition. I barely had time to react, and he was already gone with his men.”

 

“That’s true,” Chu Jinyao agreed. “An imperial expedition should be a grand event, but it happened so swiftly that it feels surreal. However, with so many capable officials accompanying him, I’m sure they won’t make any rash decisions. Perhaps this is just how military expeditions work—speed is key. Besides, the officials who went with him are far more knowledgeable than we are.”

 

“That’s true.” Chu Jinxian nodded. “I heard many nobles and officials sent their sons to accompany the emperor. In situations like these, it’s no wonder they’re all eager to go. I imagine when they return, we’ll see some new rising stars among the court officials.”

 

Indeed. The emperor had taken 300,000 elite soldiers with him, and it was clear to everyone that this was going to be a triumphant campaign. Throughout history, the battlefield has always been a place to earn merit and advance one’s career, especially with the emperor personally leading the army. Anyone who achieved merit in this battle and caught the emperor’s attention would have the chance to rise rapidly. As a result, many noble families in the capital scrambled to send their sons along, a stark contrast to the reluctance they had shown in the past. This situation didn’t bode well for the Eastern Palace. In a political landscape that had already reached equilibrium, the sudden emergence of a few new talents handpicked by the emperor could disrupt the balance and threaten the Crown Prince’s faction.

 

Chu Jinyao saw this clearly but chose not to comment. Since her own family wasn’t involved, she treated it as a matter of interest rather than concern. After all, her father, the Marquis of Changxing, hadn’t joined the expedition, so it didn’t affect her family directly.

 

As someone whose ancestors rose to prominence through military achievements, and whose father also served in the army, Chu Jinyao’s own life had been shaped by war. Yet, she still had only a superficial understanding of military matters. Her most significant impression of war was Qin Yi’s victorious campaign two years ago, when he defeated the Tatars and turned a losing battle into a victory. As for Chu Jinxian, she cared even less about such things. After briefly discussing the nobles’ sons and husbands who had joined the campaign, they shifted the conversation to the happenings among the ladies of the capital.

 

What Chu Jinyao said that day had touched Qin Yi deeply, striking a chord in his heart. It triggered something inside him, making him suddenly yearn to bring Chu Jinyao back to the palace. Had it not been for this moment, Qin Yi might not have realized how long he had been suppressing that desire.

 

However, Qin Yi was, above all, a cautious and rational person, raised under the most rigorous imperial education. No matter how much he longed to bring Chu Jinyao back, he wouldn’t act until all potential threats had been eliminated. Chu Jinyao was already fragile enough, and now she carried another, even more vulnerable, life inside her. Qin Yi simply couldn’t afford to take any risks.

 

With the emperor away on the campaign and the Crown Prince left to govern, the situation was inherently legitimate and in line with ancient traditions. Qin Yi, having long been involved in governance, was naturally in a position of authority. However, overseeing the country’s affairs in wartime was a challenging and thankless task. Making poor decisions could harm the people’s trust, while making overly effective ones could lead to problems once the emperor returned.

 

The challenges of governing multiplied exponentially, and Qin Yi’s friction with various factions in court grew. Managing affairs during wartime was completely different from advising from the sidelines. Now that the emperor was absent, Qin Yi had to make decisive judgments on his own. Given that the current emperor had neglected court matters for years, Qin Yi inevitably faced tremendous resistance from those whose vested interests were at stake.

 

In history, the most virtuous crown princes were often those who died prematurely, before they could ascend to the throne. Because they never implemented any policies, they remained idealized as perfect future rulers. But once they started wielding real power and infringing upon the interests of the court officials, their once-stellar reputation quickly faded.

 

The political landscape was deeply entrenched, and Qin Yi was heavily entangled in the situation, with the forces around him becoming ever more complex. Under such circumstances, how could he possibly bring Chu Jinyao back? Qin Yi could thoroughly secure Changhe Garden with his men, but he couldn’t do the same within the palace. As a result, keeping Chu Jinyao at Changhe Garden was, in fact, the safest option.

 

Though this was the reality, Qin Yi still felt guilty toward Chu Jinyao, especially since he had already promised her. However, Chu Jinyao was understanding, even comforting Qin Yi in turn. With Qin Yi so busy, how could she possibly bear to pressure him?

 

As winter approached, the days grew shorter. Today, the weather wasn’t good—dark clouds loomed, and the wind howled through the trees in Changhe Garden. Though the dense vegetation provided shade in spring and summer, it now seemed rather dreary. Dry branches creaked in the wind, and inside the hall, a fire crackled quietly in the stove.

—

 

Chu Jinyao sat sideways on the heated bed, gently comforting Lu Ge’er. “Lu Ge’er, don’t cry. Fifth Aunt has asked someone to bring over some milk porridge for you.”

 

Lu Ge’er usually loved milk porridge, and Chu Jinyao carefully scooped a spoonful, gently offering it to his lips. But Lu Ge’er kept crying relentlessly, his face flushed red from crying, and he had started hiccupping.

 

“What’s wrong?” Chu Jinxian asked anxiously. She took Lu Ge’er from the nanny’s arms and walked around with the child herself. Perhaps the familiar scent comforted him, and gradually, Lu Ge’er stopped crying, though he still sobbed occasionally, his little neck jerking with each sob, eyes still shut tight from all the crying.

 

At least he stopped crying. Chu Jinyao had worked up a sweat from trying to soothe the child. She handed the bowl of warm milk porridge to a maid and let out a long sigh of relief. “Raising a child is so tiring. What’s wrong with Lu Ge’er? Why did he suddenly start crying like that?”

 

The nanny who served Lu Ge’er was terrified. She quickly said, “Your Highness, this common woman has taken great care of the young master. I would never slack in my duties!”

 

“I know, I’m not blaming you,” Chu Jinyao reassured her. The nanny was chosen by the Zhao family, and she was both clean and attentive in looking after the child. Chu Jinyao was merely asking out of concern, not suspicion. She hadn’t realized that her casual remark could frighten the nanny so much. She considered herself a reasonable person, and her tone had been quite gentle. How had it caused such a reaction?

 

Chu Jinxian stepped in to smooth things over. “Children are difficult to care for, especially at such a young age. Perhaps his bedding was uncomfortable, and he didn’t sleep well.”

 

After a while, Chu Jinxian finally managed to get Lu Ge’er to sleep. However, the child still clung to her, refusing to let go. Over the past few days, Chu Jinyao had learned quite a few tips from Chu Jinxian on how to care for children, but even so, seeing this scene made her realize just how exhausting it really was. She unconsciously placed her hand on her own belly. Would her own child cause her this much trouble too? Would it refuse to calm down for anyone except its mother?

 

If that were the case, what would Qin Yi’s reaction be when he saw it? The thought of this made Chu Jinyao smile faintly. She stood and walked over to Chu Jinxian, carefully watching the sleeping Lu Ge’er. “You’re always making things difficult for your mother.”

 

Chu Jinxian chuckled lightly, looking both exhausted and at peace. As Chu Jinyao gazed at the child, an odd feeling stirred in her heart. “Lu Ge’er isn’t usually fussy. He was fine earlier. What made him cry so suddenly?”

 

The nanny was quite superstitious, and hearing this, she lowered her voice and spoke in a somewhat mysterious tone, “Your Highness, they say that young children have their ‘heavenly eyes’ open and are the most sensitive to spirits. Lu Ge’er might have sensed something unsettling, and that’s why he wanted to be close to his mother.”

 

Before anyone else could react, Chu Jinxian shot a stern glance at the nanny. “What nonsense are you spouting? How dare you mention such superstitions in front of the Crown Princess!”

 

The nanny looked embarrassed and quickly smiled apologetically, asking for forgiveness. Chu Jinyao normally didn’t believe in such things, but in that moment, she suddenly felt a strange unease in her heart.

 

Her heartbeat quickened unnaturally, and she clutched her chest in confusion, trying to figure out what was happening. Before she could fully understand, hurried footsteps echoed from outside the hall. Despite the fact that Changhe Garden was far from the palace, it was still an imperial residence. Running in such a frantic manner was a serious breach of decorum. When something like this happened, it often meant that the news was so dire that even the basic courtesies had been abandoned.

 

“Your Highness!” A eunuch, disheveled and pale with fear, ran inside, his face ashen with terror. “There’s been a disaster at the front! The emperor has been captured at Xuanfu!”

 

Those few words seemed incomprehensible to Chu Jinyao. She stood frozen for a long time before she could summon the strength to ask, “What did you say? The emperor has been captured?”

 

The eunuch collapsed to his knees, shaking uncontrollably as he cried, “Your Highness, I swear I’m not lying. This is the news that came from the front line. By now, the capital must already know.”

 

In the opulent warmth of the hall, the clatter of a falling vase suddenly echoed. The emperor, the Son of Heaven, was the head of the entire dynasty. For him to be captured meant the collapse of the empire itself.

 

Chu Jinyao’s face turned ashen. Struggling to keep her composure, she pressed on in a trembling voice, “The emperor led an army of 300,000 elite troops, with the best from the military and artillery corps. What were they doing?”

 

How could an army of 300,000 elite troops let their commander and emperor be captured by the enemy?

 

The young eunuch sobbed as he replied, “The 300,000 elite soldiers were wiped out. Half died in battle, and the other half were either captured or fled.”

 

“What about Marquis Ying, Marquis Fu, the general, and the other officials accompanying him?”

 

“The two Marquises, General Chai, and the Minister of War have all perished in battle. As for the others, their fates are unknown.”

 

Chu Jinyao’s vision went black, and she stumbled backward. The terrified maids quickly caught her, shouting, “Your Highness!”

 

What did “fates unknown” mean in this situation? With the emperor captured, these accompanying officials were either dead or would soon meet the same fate. Chu Jinyao took a deep breath, forcing herself to stay calm, though her body trembled uncontrollably.

 

The army was defeated, the emperor captured, and Xuanfu was only a day’s march from the capital. If the enemy advanced swiftly, they could reach the city gates by afternoon. Worse still, Changhe Garden, where she was staying, was located in the western suburbs—right along the route to the capital. As the Crown Princess, a pregnant woman far from the palace, her location was no secret.

 

—

 

Author’s note: 

The emperor: Time to show everyone what it means to be a proper incompetent ruler. Thank you!