Volume 1, Chapter 18: Meeting the Emperor, Then the Virtuous Consort

Song Jiayin had no desire to see the Emperor.

Her heart pounded at the thought of meeting anyone from the Song family. Standing at the entrance of the Zichen Palace, she felt unsettled, the humiliations of her three years of forced marriage to the Jin kingdom flashing before her eyes.

She feared that if she were sent to the south, those people would continue to torment and degrade her. To say she was not afraid would be a lie.

After waiting for so long that her limbs began to go numb, a eunuch finally came to summon her before the Emperor.

Crossing the high threshold, she was greeted by the heavy, cloying scent of dragon-saliva incense. The aroma, both strange and familiar, only deepened her agitation.

As she stepped inside, she heard Song Wenyuan say, "Three years of marriage have made you quite composed; your sharp edges seem to have been smoothed away."

In the past, Song Jiayin would have flared up in a fit of temper and refused to stand there for even a second.

She sneered inwardly, then knelt and performed a formal kowtow: "Yunnu pays respects to the Emperor of the Great Zhou. May you live ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand times over."

She dared not refer to herself as a subject, nor did she dare use the name Jiayin; she felt the name "Yunnu" was her safest shield.

Upon hearing the name "Yunnu," the Emperor paused briefly before asking, "Do you resent me?"

Prostrate on the ground, Song Jiayin did not even raise her head as she replied, "Yunnu would not dare."

Song Wenyuan’s expression darkened. After a long silence, he said, "The Virtuous Consort wishes to see you. Go to her."

Song Jiayin acknowledged the command and withdrew, never once meeting the eyes of the man who was once her father.

Escorted to the Xianfu Palace, she had barely finished her salute when a warm, fair hand grasped her wrist. "You are too polite, child. There is no need for such grand gestures between us. You are a princess; by rank, it is I who should be bowing to you."

Song Jiayin replied coolly, "I thank Your Ladyship for your kindness."

Consort Xian, Gu Yuanying, offered a gentle smile before dismissing all the palace attendants. Once the doors were closed, the room filled with an air of warmth that only made Song Jiayin feel more panicky.

The Consort led Song Jiayin to sit on a cushioned bench and said with concern, "Your knees are weak; sit, there is no need to kneel."

Song Jiayin sat and murmured, "Thank you for your concern, Your Ladyship."

She felt utterly adrift. She had expected the Emperor to force her into marriage with Wu Tianyi, the heir to the Prince of Zhennan, but instead, he had sent her to Consort Xian.

Consort Xian was the mother of the current Crown Prince, Song Lin.

Song Jiayin surmised that the Consort had been tasked with discussing the marriage.

Suddenly, Consort Xian sighed, her words filled with helplessness. "Your father could not bring himself to speak of it, and that unfilial Lin spoke such wild words that it is truly shameful. You were wronged yesterday; it was an unprovoked disaster, and the fault was not yours..."

"Wronged?" Song Jiayin pondered bitterly. Compared to her three years of suffering in the Jin kingdom, yesterday’s grievances were trivial.

Consort Xian continued, "Do not blame your father. The Prince of Qin acted too impulsively, and your father could not simply ignore it—after all, those killed were Jin nobles."

A wave of disappointment washed over Song Jiayin. She understood that the mistakes of others would always be borne by her. After all, she was not of royal blood; otherwise, the burden of the marriage alliance would never have fallen upon her shoulders.

Everything was merely another form of punishment for her.

Consort Xian looked at her tenderly, as if reading her thoughts. "I know you feel wronged and resentful."

Yet, Song Jiayin remained cold and silent. If she were a true princess, perhaps the marriage alliance would have been a duty she could accept.

But that was not the case. Why should she suffer for the sake of a princess?

Just because she had lived in the inner palace for fifteen years, was she to bear the burdens of everyone else?

Seeing her reaction, Consort Xian added, "Lin was also enraged yesterday. It was not easy to capture the Jin, and he has been planning for five years. Ever since you left for the marriage alliance, he has not smiled. He often said it was unjust that the incompetence of the Great Zhou should be paid for by a woman. Do not worry—while you are in the palace, I will ensure your safety."

Song Jiayin felt no ripple of emotion. She knew those plans were for the sake of imperial power, not for her. Perhaps it was only because she had once helped Song Lin that the Consort was willing to show her a sliver of mercy.

Or perhaps, because Song Lin had proposed her remarriage, the Consort feared her resentment and sought to offer a bit of comfort.

Song Jiayin offered a shallow word of thanks, unwilling to open her heart further.

When Consort Xian took her hand—rough, yellowed from labor, and covered in chilblains—the Consort whispered, "Tell me, what do you want? I promise to grant you one request, whether now or in the future."

Song Jiayin answered without hesitation, "Xiangxiu, who accompanied me to the marriage alliance three years ago, is missing. May I ask Your Ladyship to send someone to find her?"

Consort Xian was surprised, having expected Song Jiayin to demand exemption from the marriage to Wu Tianyi, not to search for a maid whose fate was unknown.

"Is she that important to you?" the Consort asked.

Song Jiayin nodded, a flicker of determination in her eyes. "When the others were slaughtered by the Jin, only Xiangxiu escaped and protected me. But the day the Prince of Qin found us in the capital, she disappeared..."

In that foreign capital, during those cold, agonizing nights, only Xiangxiu had treated her with genuine kindness.

No matter what, she had to find her.

Consort Xian seemed touched and nodded slightly. "I will have Lin send men to look for her."

Song Jiayin thanked her quickly, rising to bow. "I am deeply grateful for your benevolence, Your Ladyship."

Looking at the frail woman before her, Consort Xian asked, "What else do you need? Silver, clothing, jewelry—I can grant you all of it."

Song Jiayin shook her head, a faint smile touching her lips. "I only wish to live in peace and safety hereafter. I have no other requests."

Peace and safety? Hearing this, Consort Xian felt a complex mix of emotions and could say no more. She selected a few pieces of jewelry and some cotton-padded garments to gift to her.

When Song Jiayin left the Xianfu Palace, her heart was in turmoil, fearing the Consort might bring up the marriage again. Her knees throbbed with unbearable pain, and she was so weak that she had to lean against a wall to catch her breath after only a few steps.

Suddenly, a familiar voice came from above: "Did you fail to take your medicine on time? Can your knees no longer support you?"

Song Jiayin had been taking medicine since her return from the capital—it had been over half a month. Though it could not cure her, it at least dulled the pain.

However, she had not expected to encounter Song Lin at this moment.

Since he had been the one to suggest her marriage to Wu Tianyi yesterday, she had no desire to speak with him. Given the vast chasm in their status, even if she were to kneel and kowtow, it would only be expected.

Song Lin glanced at the palace maid carrying the clothing and jewelry, his tone icy. "Why have you not delivered these to the Hanzhang Palace? What are you looking at me for? I have questions for the Princess—do you intend to listen to those as well?"