Volume One, Chapter 11: Where Did These Refugees Come From?

Song Jing questioned sharply, “Where did these refugees come from out of nowhere? Did you bring them here?”

She had indeed guessed correctly.

Song Jiayin responded coolly, “How would I know? Am I supposed to predict exactly when the princess plans to visit my room?”

Suddenly, Song Yueyi grabbed Song Jing’s hand, looking somewhat guilty. “Brother, didn’t you leave already? Why have you come back? I’m fine. Let’s go inside first—I’m so cold.”

Song Jing replied with a nod, “Then let’s go in. This time you must learn your lesson. Tomorrow morning, you’ll come back with me to Nanjing, understood?”

Song Yueyi obediently nodded. “Alright, I understand. But brother, you still haven’t told me why you came back…”

Song Jing took her hand and stepped inside. “We’ll talk about it inside.”

Outside, Song Jiayin stood amid the fierce snowstorm, her legs frozen stiff and unable to move.

When she saw Su Lingfeng also enter, Song Lin approached her and asked, “How long do you intend to stand there like this?”

Song Jiayin was momentarily stunned before regaining composure. Though her body was numb from the cold, her mind remained sharp.

She lowered her gaze. “I don’t know what the Crown Prince means. Yun Nu has already returned inside.”

She tried to leave but could not take a single step.

Calling out “Zi Yan,” there was no response.

Summoning all her strength, she managed to take one step but collapsed onto the snow in agony from her aching knees.

Quick as a flash, Song Lin helped her up and said, “Those refugees arrived strangely. Aren’t you going to investigate?”

Song Jiayin hesitated, then looked up at him. “Your Highness, you killed them all.”

Song Lin replied, “Sister, times have changed. You must see the situation clearly. Not everyone is someone you can afford to provoke.”

She shrugged off his warm hand, expressionless. “Thank you for the reminder.”

Was he warning her not to cross Song Yueyi?

Rest assured, she neither dared nor intended to.

Limping, she entered the house, hearing Song Lin curse behind her, “Foolish!”

Her body tensed but she did not look back, closing the door behind her.

After Zi Yan returned, she was scolded by Song Lin.

Song Jiayin took it as if the reproach was meant for her. When Zi Yan wept and reentered, Song Jiayin was already lying on the bed.

She had long since extinguished the candle. When Zi Yan asked something, she remained silent; Zi Yan fell quiet as well.

Why Song Jing had returned was beyond Song Jiayin’s knowledge.

She noticed that when Song Jing tried to inquire about the refugees, Song Yueyi interrupted him. Could there be some connection between Yueyi and the refugees?

Song Yueyi’s apology seemed a stalling tactic. If she guessed right, Yueyi intended to take her life.

Now it seemed Song Lin had prevented Yueyi’s wish.

At present, Song Jiayin found Song Lin’s intentions unclear and Su Lingfeng’s motives even more so.

Soon after, she returned with Song Lin’s main force to Nanjing, a city unfamiliar to her but now the capital of Great Zhou.

The journey was relatively peaceful, perhaps because Song Jing had taken Song Yueyi away earlier.

Back in the imperial palace in Nanjing, once capital of the previous dynasty, it was even grander than the palace in Bianjing.

Spanning tens of thousands of acres, the palace bore a beautiful name: the Forbidden City.

Song Jiayin was led into the palace by Song Lin and learned she was assigned a new residence called Hanzhang Palace, named after a line from the Book of Songs meaning “harboring virtue within, able to maintain steadfastness.”

The name carried irony—she, a woman married off to a foreign land, was expected to maintain virtue and chastity.

Zi Yan mentioned that Song Yueyi’s palace was called Changle Palace.

Zi Yan also said that Hanzhang Palace lay to the east, close to the Crown Prince’s eastern residence.

Entering the inner palace, Song Jiayin was surprised by the large crowd greeting her.

The spectacle was overwhelming, her head spinning and vision blurred.

Just as she steadied herself, an urgent voice called out, “Jia Jia, is that you?”

It was Empress Dowager Zhou, the woman who had raised her for fifteen years.

Song Jiayin searched for the source and saw Empress Zhou, supported by palace maids, reaching out to grasp her.

Unwilling to touch her, Song Jiayin feigned ignorance and immediately knelt. “Yun Nu pays respects to Empress Dowager Zhou, to the noble ladies, wishing you all great fortune and peace.”

Empress Zhou was stunned.

“Yun Nu? Why call yourself Yun Nu? Even if you are not a true daughter of the Song family, a palace maid would have a family name—shouldn’t it be Gao?”

Recalling her son’s words that Song Jiayin had suffered mistreatment in the capital and lived a miserable life, perhaps given a name by the Jin, tears welled in Empress Zhou’s eyes.

She personally helped Song Jiayin up, scrutinizing her with a tender expression. “My child, why have you become so thin?”

Though not her biological daughter, she had raised her as her own. She had only hoped to send her away to Jin, far from home, but at least as the wife of a noble. Now seeing her so frail, with a sallow complexion, dressed in fine silk yet ill-fitting…

“Empress, please do not grieve so much. The child has finally returned,” came a tearful voice from Consort Li, Song Yueyi’s biological mother.

Once a humble concubine, she now wore jewels and finery, resplendent and dignified.

She looked at Song Jiayin with deep affection and a hint of guilt.

Empress Zhou wept openly, moved by fifteen years of maternal care. Yet Consort Li could only have known her briefly.

Song Yueyi, supporting Consort Li, wiped her tears with a handkerchief. “Mother, I did not deceive you. Sister suffered terribly in the capital and became what you see now.”

Song Jiayin ignored them all, lowering her eyes to the ground, treating everyone as invisible.

Empress Zhou never let go of Song Jiayin’s frostbitten hand. “Yes, Consort Li is right. The important thing is you’ve returned.”

Then she noticed Song Lin and calmly said, “Crown Prince, you have worked hard.”

Empress Zhou recalled her son’s angry arrival the day before and felt uneasy. She glared at the silent Song Jing. “Jia Jia, your brother is despicable! How dare he leave you alone in the capital? I’ve already scolded him. Rest assured, from now on, I will protect you. No one dares bully you again.”

Her eyes brimmed with tears, full of maternal tenderness.

This time, Song Jiayin did not pull away, though she found Empress Zhou hypocritical. With so many watching, she did not want to make her situation more difficult.

On the way, she had thought much. The Song royal family was determined to find and bring her back for some purpose.

She would not soon escape this cold palace.

Under the roof, one must bow.

Yet she still remained silent.

To Song Jing, however, her silence was an offense. He scolded, “Song Jiayin, what kind of attitude is this? The Empress Dowager personally came to receive you, and you show no gratitude?”

Song Jiayin lifted her eyes, casting him a cold glance. “Thank you, Empress Dowager, Consort Li, and all the noble ladies.”

Empress Zhou shot Song Jing another glare. “Enough. Why do you lose your temper with your sister? If she wants to speak, let her. What business is it of yours?”

“Mother, look at her indifferent attitude,” Song Jing glared at Song Jiayin. “Have you not had enough of being a servant for three years? Then why come back to the capital? The Great Zhou royal family raised you for fifteen years; you were only married off for three. We owe you nothing! You can be angry with me, but not with Mother! Do you really think you’re still a princess?”