Chapter 139: An Unexpected Encounter

 

“Your Highness, please accept my condolences.”

 

The five-year-old child, clad in heavy mourning attire, knelt before the altar. Despite his tender age, he was already remarkably handsome. Now, this fragile yet noble boy knelt in front of the late Empress’s spirit tablet, his small body frail but his back stiffly upright, his lips tightly pursed in defiance. Everyone who passed by this sight couldn’t help but sigh quietly in sorrow.

 

But that was all they could do—just sigh. Royal matters were not things that one could easily meddle with. If the deceased Empress had been the daughter of any other prominent family, her relatives would have already stirred up trouble, with her brothers and allies demanding justice. Petitions and complaints would have flooded the court. However… the Empress also bore the surname Qi. That made things rather complicated. The noble families could only gossip in private, maybe shed a few tears at the Empress’s memorial service, and perhaps offer some words of comfort to the motherless prince. Beyond that, it had nothing to do with them. As for taking action for the Empress, that would be downright laughable.

 

The Empress’s own family, the Qi clan, who held the title of Marquis Zhenbei, remained silent. Why would anyone else get involved?

 

Qin Yi knelt by his mother’s spirit tablet, numb to the people coming and going around him, hearing them offer hollow words of sympathy.

 

Oh, they weren’t exactly hollow—at least they pitied him.

 

Qin Yi found this thought ironic, though his face showed no emotion. His beautiful and noble mother had been driven to her death by a vile person, and he was so enraged that he nearly went mad. But after days of agonizing thought, he realized he had no one to turn to for help. His father, the Emperor, was out of the question. The noble princes who came to pay their respects would not involve themselves in this scandal. His maternal family, the Marquis Zhenbei’s household, was complicit in his mother’s death—how could he rely on them to seek justice for her? Qin Yi even thought about seeking help from the ministers of the Grand Secretariat or the inspectors of the Court of Censors. If they were willing to assist, it would be a great boon, but… how could a mere prince, confined to the inner palace, possibly connect with officials of such high rank?

 

As young as he was, Qin Yi searched his mind, only to realize there was no one he could turn to for aid. His righteous anger gradually transformed into deep sorrow and a profound hatred for his own powerlessness.

 

It was at that moment that Qin Yi developed an obsession that would influence him for years to come. He vowed to rise to the highest level of power, to obtain an overwhelming amount of authority, so that no one could ever ignore his wishes again.

 

From then on, the mischievous prince who had once been a little terror suddenly changed. He became studious and well-behaved. The palace servants were both shocked and pleased, even the Grand Tutor marveled at the transformation. They attributed it to the natural maturation that followed the loss of his mother.

 

By the time Qin Yi turned ten, his exemplary conduct earned the approval of the Grand Tutor and the ministers of the Grand Secretariat, and they proposed he be named the Crown Prince. The gap between a prince and the sons of noble families was vast, but the gap between a crown prince and a regular prince was even greater. Qin Yi immediately noticed that once the idea of making him the heir was raised, the attitudes of those in the palace changed. People became more cautious and respectful around him.

 

This reaffirmed Qin Yi’s belief that the title of Crown Prince was his lifeline. He had to secure it, and once he did, he had to hold onto it for as long as possible.

 

Qin Yi’s background was impeccable, and his behavior aligned with what the ministers expected of a crown prince. So, without much difficulty, Qin Yi was officially crowned as the heir apparent. He donned the ceremonial robes that would define his life.

 

No one called him the “eldest prince” anymore; everyone respectfully addressed him as “His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.”

 

“Your Highness, I know you’re upset. That’s why you acted impulsively and did what you did. But drawing a weapon in front of His Majesty and Her Majesty the Empress, that was wrong. Moreover, there was bloodshed. Now the palace and even the army are abuzz with gossip. His Majesty is furious, and Her Majesty, having been so deeply disturbed, is still bedridden. No matter how you look at it, Your Highness, you must apologize. I heard Her Majesty is still recuperating from the shock. Why don’t you take this opportunity to nurse her back to health and offer your apology? I will personally petition His Majesty on your behalf. This whole matter will be smoothed over, and the incident can be put behind us.”

 

“Nurse her back to health?” Sixteen-year-old Qin Yi was no longer the helpless child kneeling before his mother’s coffin. His gaze was sharp, and his tone was dripping with sarcasm. “Her? Worthy of my care?”

 

The Grand Tutor was taken aback. He vaguely recalled that it had been during Qin Yi’s time caring for Empress Wenxiao when he had discovered the affair between the Emperor and the Empress Xiao Qi. Now, to ask Qin Yi to tend to Empress Xiao Qi was… ironic, to say the least.

 

Such small discomforts were no issue for the Grand Tutor, who had weathered many storms in his career. But this young Crown Prince, with his fiery temperament and sharp edges, refused to tolerate what others might shrug off. If there was even a hint of humiliation, he would rather fight it than yield.

 

The Grand Tutor sighed inwardly. How had the Crown Prince, after years of careful guidance, turned out to have such a fiery disposition? He was nothing like the calm and measured prince they had hoped for.

 

Despite his concerns, the Grand Tutor was still shocked by what happened next.

 

The Emperor had sent the Crown Prince to the frontier! The Crown Prince was only sixteen, practically still a boy. Even if he were twenty-six, the Grand Tutor and the other ministers would never have agreed to such a thing. They couldn’t believe their ears.

 

The Grand Tutor was so worried for Qin Yi that he fretted more than for his own grandchildren. But even he couldn’t help but wonder—was the Crown Prince really the Emperor’s own son?

 

When Qin Yi heard the news, he packed his bags and left the palace without a backward glance.

 

Left.

 

The Emperor flew into a rage, and even the Grand Secretariat could do nothing to change his mind. Thus, the Crown Prince, the second most powerful person in the empire, was truly sent to the frontier. Even a disgraced nobleman could usually avoid such a fate with the right connections, yet the Crown Prince had been exiled without recourse.

 

Upon arriving at Datong, everything felt strange to Qin Yi.

 

For instance, there was no heated flooring during the winter, only coal for warmth—and not the high-quality coal used in the palace but a smoky, unpleasant type. The barracks also had a peculiar odor, a mix of dampness and horse urine. And then there was the food, water, sleeping arrangements—everything.

 

But these external discomforts could be overcome. What troubled Qin Yi more was the psychological shift.

 

He had believed that, as the Crown Prince, he was untouchable. In the capital, everyone treated him with the utmost respect. He had grown up surrounded by flattery. But here at the frontier, no one seemed to care about his status.

 

Naturally, Qin Yi found this unbearable. He endured for about a month, but when the Tatar tribes once again raided the border and the commanding general ordered no pursuit, Qin Yi could no longer suppress his frustration.

 

Instead of arguing or using his royal status to rebuke them, Qin Yi mounted his horse and charged out of the city gates with his men, heading straight into the enemy’s territory.

 

As it turned out, the commanding general had some sense in not pursuing. Qin Yi left the safety of the city walls and ventured deep into enemy territory with no supply lines or artillery. On the vast plains, he was completely exposed, and the Tatar cavalry, renowned for their speed and mobility, easily outmaneuvered him. Eventually, the Tatars realized who he was, and during the retreat, Qin Yi was ambushed and severely injured. He lost a great deal of blood and soon fell unconscious.

 

When he finally regained consciousness, it was because of a commotion nearby. This was the first good sleep he’d had in a long time, and now someone dared to disturb him? Unforgivable.

 

Qin Yi reluctantly opened his eyes, ready to lash out, but something felt wrong.

 

Even though he had just woken up, his body didn’t respond as it should. His limbs felt strangely distant, as if they weren’t really there.

 

A sense of dread crept over Qin Yi, though he maintained his composure. As he quietly assessed his surroundings, he realized something else was off—why was his field of vision so low?

 

Thinking quickly, Qin Yi evaluated his situation while listening to the conversation around him. “…Send her away. I don’t want to see her. There’s no way I’d have a daughter like her. Where’s Miao’er? Bring her to me immediately!”

 

The voice belonged to an older woman, cultured but clearly aged. Qin Yi was all too familiar with this tone—definitely a pampered but elderly noblewoman. The shelves of treasures in front of him, though plentiful, were of poor quality, likely just pearwood from twenty years ago. This indicated that the family, while noble, wasn’t particularly wealthy—probably ranked around the fourth grade. Based on the woman’s accent, a blend of Shanxi dialect but not quite from Datong, it was likely that they were in Taiyuan.

 

Qin Yi instinctively analyzed the situation, but before he could finish, he heard a strange noise above him—someone seemed to be stifling sobs?

 

Wait a minute—why was someone above him? Did they want to die?

 

Qin Yi’s growing indignation was met with silence as he realized he was powerless to act.

 

Qin Yi could only see his surroundings retreating as the sound above became clearer, indicating that the person was running. Eventually, they reached a young girl’s bedroom, and the figure collapsed onto the bed, finally allowing her emotions to break free. Yet even now, she didn’t dare cry aloud. Instead, she buried her face in the bedding, her shoulders shaking as she sobbed quietly.

 

Qin Yi saw “her,” and for the first time, he realized his current predicament. He was inside a jade pendant, hanging around the neck of this young girl.

 

It was utterly absurd.

 

Qin Yi kept his face expressionless. The Crown Prince didn’t waste energy on unnecessary emotions. No matter what bizarre situation he found himself in, he could immediately compose himself and rationally analyze how to extract the greatest benefit. As for how this had happened, what good would it do to dwell on it?

 

But this time, Qin Yi’s usual train of thought was interrupted repeatedly. The soft sobs from the girl above continued, distracting him and breaking his focus. For the first time in his life, Qin Yi felt both angry and helpless.

 

Enough with the crying. What was there to cry about? So, your mother said some harsh words? Big deal. He got attacked verbally by his own father, the Emperor, almost every day, and you didn’t see him crying.

 

In a matter of moments, Qin Yi had pieced together the situation. Somehow, he had been transported to Taiyuan, into the household of a local official, and was now trapped inside the jade pendant of the official’s daughter. Judging by the scene he had witnessed earlier, this girl wasn’t treated well by her family.

 

Indeed, the middle-aged woman he had heard earlier was likely this girl’s mother, and for some reason, the girl had just returned home, only to be treated coldly.

 

For as long as the girl, who would later introduce herself as Chu Jinyao, kept her face buried in the bed crying, Qin Yi’s head throbbed in agony. He didn’t know her name yet, nor did he care much about her personal affairs. What mattered to him now was that her weeping was driving him insane.

 

After an indeterminate amount of time, Chu Jinyao’s sobs finally began to subside. Qin Yi’s mind was still buzzing from the ordeal. At that moment, Qin Yi didn’t realize her name, her background, or even her face. He only knew that she was a young girl, newly arrived in Taiyuan, with a strained relationship with her family.

 

Qin Yi couldn’t care less about Chu Jinyao’s troubles, nor did he think it mattered to him. While she wept, Qin Yi silently absorbed a thin wisp of red energy from within the jade pendant. A faint, smug thought passed through his mind: Look at this fool. The carvings on her most precious possession are being altered, and she hasn’t even noticed.

 

As night fell, Qin Yi found himself in an unexpectedly awkward position. Yes, he was a Crown Prince, destined to one day preside over the imperial palace and perhaps father many children, but this… this was different.

 

Qin Yi was arrogant and ruthless by nature, but he had his principles. He despised deceitful tactics, especially those involving women. However, now that night had come, Chu Jinyao was preparing to bathe and change clothes. Qin Yi, of course, couldn’t reveal his presence. That would make him look like some vulgar, sneaky rogue.

 

The indignation simmering in Qin Yi’s chest made him fume. He was the Crown Prince, coveted by many women. And now, here he was, stuck in this absurd position, feeling as though he had been reduced to a peeping tom.

 

Inwardly seething, Qin Yi closed his eyes, forcing himself to ignore the sight of Chu Jinyao as she undressed.

 

Thankfully, as a piece of jade, he didn’t need to go into the bathwater with her. Instead, he was placed on the nearby table, giving him a brief moment of relief.

 

But that relief didn’t last long. Who could have predicted that, despite her age, Chu Jinyao still insisted on holding the jade pendant as she slept?

 

Qin Yi was on the verge of a mental breakdown. For the first time in his life, he felt that he might have preferred to die on the battlefield. Better a clean death than this! There was no dignity in this situation.

 

As Chu Jinyao drifted into a peaceful slumber, clutching the jade pendant in her hands, Qin Yi was left feeling frustrated, powerless, and utterly humiliated.