~ A Pillow Delivered Right When She Needed One ~
The Third Prince’s personal guard stood to the side, not daring to make a sound. Ever since being placed under house arrest, His Royal Highness Jin Wang had become moody and unpredictable. A few days ago, he had even ordered the beating death of a maid who washed his feet, simply because the water she brought was a bit too hot. The entire Third Prince’s residence had been plunged into a stifling gloom.
After a long while, the Third Prince finally calmed down and gave a low, heavy order, “Prepare brush and ink. I’m going to write a letter of repentance to my Imperial Father.”
Since his eyes had already recovered, it was only a matter of time before his legs stood again. The struggle for the throne had reached a critical point. He could not afford to be cast aside. Otherwise, he would never again be able to touch that lofty position.
Do kings and nobles truly have a fixed fate? Even more so for imperial sons. They were all his Imperial Father’s sons. There was no reason the throne had to fall into the hands of Leng Wang or Yu Wang. He would stake everything and fight for it.
“Yes.” The guard quickly raised the writing tools, while the Third Prince continued flipping through the booklet.
His mood was strangely buoyant, but when he reached the section about the banquet, he froze in shock.
“The Li family accused Yue Wang of not being the Emperor’s child?”
The guard nodded. “Yes. They even dragged Eldest Princess Yide into it. But His Majesty didn’t believe it at all. He executed the witness on the spot, then declared before all officials that Yue Wang would forever be his son. And the accusation also targeted Eldest Princess Yide, claiming she deliberately concealed Yue Wang’s identity, intending to confuse the imperial bloodline.”
“Hahahaha!” Hearing what Leng Wang and the Li family had done, the Third Prince burst into loud laughter. “Ling Wang is truly a fool!”
Eldest Princess Yide’s status was far too special. As an Eldest Princess, she had supported the Emperor all the way to the throne. Her bond with his Imperial Father ran extraordinarily deep. Unless someone were tired of living, no one would ever test Eldest Princess Yide’s limits.
The guard lowered his head and waited silently.
Suddenly, the Third Prince’s lips twitched. His gaze locked onto a date, and the air around him turned instantly dark and oppressive.
“The eighteenth day of the first lunar month…”
“His Majesty has already issued an edict granting a marriage between His Royal Highness Yue Wang and Wen Xian County Princess. The wedding date is set for the eighteenth day of the first lunar month.”
The Third Prince narrowed his eyes. After a long silence, he swiftly spread out the paper and began to write.
Three days later, a thick, ten-thousand-character letter of repentance was delivered to the Emperor’s desk.
In the letter, the Third Prince admitted his past crimes without reservation and expressed profound remorse. He began with his childhood memories and wrote through his blindness and the reflection he endured in darkness. Every word was sincere, every line heart-stirring. It was said that after the Emperor finished reading, he wept. Ignoring Xu Li’s attempts to dissuade him, he left the palace and went to the Third Prince’s residence in person.
Mu Yunyao sat before a bronze mirror, leisurely combing her hair and choosing which hairpin to wear.
At her side, Jin Qiao described everything with vivid animation. “Miss, it’s spread all over outside. They say when His Majesty arrived at the Third Prince’s residence, he found the Third Prince hugging one of His Majesty’s old garments and crying. It was the perfect picture of tears and snot everywhere. When he saw His Majesty, he was so overwhelmed that he toppled straight out of his chair. That old garment was from years ago, when Jin Wang fell ill, and His Majesty stayed up all night to care for him. His Majesty changed clothes the next morning before court, and the Third Prince has carefully kept that garment ever since.”
As Jin Qiao spoke, she could not help pursing her lips. It hadn’t sounded that strange when she first heard it, but repeating it now made it feel oddly unsettling. And besides, to keep clothing from so many years ago, the Third Prince’s mind truly planned far into the distance.
Mu Yunyao’s lips curled slightly. “His Royal Highness the Third Prince should be excited.” But that excitement was not for the Emperor’s visit. It was for the fact that he had finally regained his sight.
“And there’s more, Miss. They say His Royal Highness the Third Prince hasn’t cared about tea or food these days and spends every day repenting. He hasn’t shaved, hasn’t changed clothes. Add in his tear-soaked garments, and he looks miserable beyond belief. His Majesty was furious and punished the servants who were caring for him on the spot. He also said that before you and His Royal Highness Yue Wang marry, he will restore the Third Prince’s Jin Wang title. After all, as the elder brother, having no rank at all wouldn’t be appropriate. Now, many officials are watching to see whether the Third Prince’s legs can recover. Compared to supporting a stubborn, reckless Leng Wang, or a rigid, unbending Yu Wang, they’d rather support Jin Wang.”
Mu Yunyao selected a Danyang pearl-hanging hairpin and gently inserted it into her hair. After examining it for a moment, she nodded with satisfaction. “How has Ling Wang reacted?”
“Reporting to Miss, Ling Wang Manor was very quiet at first.”
Mu Yunyao raised a brow. “Quiet?” Even if he didn’t fly into a rage, Ling Wang should be looking for a way to deal with Jin Wang, to keep him from disrupting the crucial matter of selecting the Crown Prince. How could it be quiet?
“From the time His Majesty went to the Third Prince’s residence to now, three days have passed. Leng Wang only had a few people spread rumors. It doesn’t resemble the Li family’s usual style at all.” Jin Qiao was equally puzzled. “Could it be they think the Third Prince has no hope of fighting for the throne, so they’re letting him be and not bothering to deal with him?”
Mu Yunyao gave a soft laugh. “If Ling Wang could truly see things as far as you do, then this year’s Crown Prince selection might succeed without any need for deliberate courting.”
Just then, Jin Lan entered carrying a teacup. “Miss, news has just come from outside the palace. Beijiang has dispatched envoys. In a little over half a month, they’ll arrive in the capital.”
Mu Yunyao’s eyes trembled violently. She lifted her head at once. “What did you say? Beijiang has sent envoys?”
“Yes.”
By the count, the last time the two nations exchanged envoys was more than ten years ago. In recent years, relations between the Da Li Dynasty and Beijiang had grown increasingly tense. In the past few years, the Beijiang cavalry repeatedly harassed the Da Li Dynasty’s borderlands, forcing many people to abandon the frontier and move to nearby cities to survive. Even so, many still died every year. Of course, Beijiang suffered casualties as well.
The two nations had long become bitter enemies. Now, envoys arriving at this moment inevitably made one think of the Li family.
Mu Yunyao suddenly remembered something else. “Wait. If Beijiang’s envoys arrive in a little over half a month, won’t that coincide exactly with the timing of selecting the Crown Prince?”
“Yes. No one knows whether it will have an impact,” Jin Lan said, nodding.
“If this Beijiang mission truly has ties to the Li family, then this Crown Prince selection probably won’t succeed.” Mu Yunyao spoke while slowly curling her lips into a smile.
Jin Qiao looked confused. “Miss, haven’t you always hoped Yu Wang would become Crown Prince? Why do you not look anxious at all, and instead seem happy?”
Mu Yunyao’s smile deepened. “Selecting the Crown Prince is something His Majesty already has in mind. Early or late doesn’t make much difference. But Beijiang’s envoys are a different matter. That requires careful planning.”
She and Yue Wang had been planning to trap the Li family and Beijiang together. But Beijiang was far away, and messages were hard to send back and forth. Just getting the Third Prince and Beijiang to connect was already difficult, let alone anything beyond that.
Now, Beijiang’s envoys were walking right up to their doorstep.
It was truly the perfect pillow delivered at the exact moment she needed one, and she intended to seize the opportunity with both hands.
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