Fall In Love With A Substitute – The Princess’s Beloved Wife, Chapter 35
Song Pianxian sat back on the bed, seeing Feng Yuexian regain her composure and return to her cold and beautiful demeanor. She quickly spoke up before Feng Yuexian could:
“Have your people been stopped outside the palace?”
“They have some martial arts skills, and I’m afraid they might startle the distinguished guests, so they are staying at the General’s mansion,” Feng Yuexian replied indifferently.
Song Pianxian understood her meaning. Presumably, they were stopped by the ceremonial officials or the old General. After all, it was taboo for the Prince to be weak while his wife was strong, especially when involving the relationship between the sovereign and subject. Being cautious was not excessive.
“The palace is not lacking in people to serve, but it’s still convenient to have them nearby. Let them in tomorrow.”
Song Pianxian smiled, her voice still carrying the sweet innocence of a young girl, yet she spoke with dignity:
“Husband and wife are one body. Although we have not become husband and wife in reality, and I am not the Prince, since the alliance has been mentioned, there is no need to avoid anything.”
“In the past, Yuexian, you could treat this as the General’s mansion. Whatever you need, you can discuss with Xu Jing.”
Trying to seal the alliance with a little flattery?
Feng Yuexian sneered inwardly but didn’t argue further.
There was nothing to argue about. Since King Chu used tactics and made the old Emperor wary of the General’s mansion, the political situation was clear. Although not yet at the point of irreconcilable enmity, the struggle had never ceased.
Tonight’s events were too sudden, beyond her expectations. She never imagined that the somewhat feeble Prince, who barely kept control of the court, would be gone, leaving behind the articulate but ignorant Song Pianxian.
If the news leaked out, the ambitious King Chu would surely seek reasons to intervene, either by marching troops from Yunnan to the capital or—
Regardless, it was not good for the Fang Family.
Now, it was imperative to secure this “Prince.”
In this case, accepting the convenience offered by the other party was the best choice.
“Thank you, Your Highness,” Feng Yuexian said, her voice naturally cold, like winter snow flowing over creek stones.
When Feng Yuexian addressed her as “Your Highness,” Song Pianxian felt relieved and her smile became more sincere:
“No need for thanks.”
Haste makes waste. Song Pianxian knew that today’s progress was already sufficient. Feng Yuexian’s guard was still up, and they were only in agreement because of mutual interests.
After a moment of thought, she continued:
“On the day of the wedding, we were supposed to share the same bed. King Chu may not necessarily know about the Prince’s serious illness. Logically, he should have kept you resting in the main hall to keep the Prince’s illness a secret. But…”
Feng Yuexian waved her sleeve, poured herself a bowl of tea, and sipped lightly:
“But what then?”
“But if our relationship is too good, King Chu may also fear our collaboration.” Song Pianxian pondered as she spoke slowly, “What do you think, Yuexian?”
“You make a valid point.” Feng Yuexian nodded, but there was a hint of a smile on her face, and her clear eyes swept over Song Pianxian’s face.
There was more to say.
Song Pianxian waited quietly for her to continue.
“As the daughter of a first-rank General, it’s absurd that on the day of the grand wedding, I ended up living separately from my husband. If this gets out, it will become a joke.” Feng Yuexian raised an eyebrow, “What? Does the Princess want to see me being ridiculed again?”
Song Pianxian fell silent. Feng Yuexian did indeed hold grudges.
“Of course not.”
Feng Yuexian’s hand trembled slightly as she placed the tea bowl on the table. Her voice was firm, yet carried a hint of softness, and her smile was faint like mist:
“In that case, please, Your Highness, give me some dignity.”
In front of the East Palace gate, many palace attendants stood with their hands bound, led by Xue Qing and Xu Li. Initially, Xu Jing was also supposed to stay, but Xue Qing, following the new master’s orders, arranged for two young eunuchs to take Xu Jing back to rest.
After waiting for more than a cup of tea’s worth of time, Xu Li’s eyes flickered slightly, and he said to Xue Qing:
“Big Sister Xue Qing, the Princess Consort, hasn’t had anything to eat yet. I’ll bring her some supper.”
“I’ve already instructed the kitchen to prepare it.”
Xu Li hesitated and said, “Then I’ll personally go and fetch it. No need for Big Sister to go.”
“The Prince asked you to wait on her.” Xue Qing glanced at him, not too lightly nor too heavily, and said, “Do you have something urgent that requires you to leave?”
Xue Qing, being from the secret guards, had a keen sense of alertness. Xu Li immediately dared not move any further and said, “Big Sister, you are right—”
Suddenly, someone inside the hall raised their voice:
“Come in, all of you.”
Xue Qing led everyone inside in an orderly manner, seeing that the master was ready to rest, and she directed them efficiently.
Preparing the soup, trimming the candle flowers, replacing the tea, serving supper, assisting the Princess in changing clothes—dozens of palace attendants moved around the hall, making the atmosphere lively.
The supper was abundant and exquisite. Feng Yuexian had indeed been hungry for a while without eating, her stomach empty.
Her appetite was not comparable to those delicate young ladies; she ate even less than a bird. She had a cup of clear soup with snow fungus, tasted fresh mushroom hearts, pearl tofu, chicken with polygonum multiflorum, and milkfish slices, and finally ate a piece of chestnut cake.
Sipping her Yanghe Chun green tea, she looked at Song Pianxian.
Song Pianxian wasn’t hungry originally, but Xue Qing was meticulous and prepared a portion for her too. This Princess was quite spoiled, so she accompanied Feng Yuexian a little.
She didn’t touch the meat dishes, only had a few bites of vegetarian dishes, and drank half a cup of thick rice soup.
“The Prince usually likes rice soup?” Feng Yuexian asked.
After swallowing the rice soup, Song Pianxian gently placed the bowl down and said, “Rice soup has a mild and sweet taste, nourishing yin and strengthening the body.”
“Can ginseng soup be used?”
“Old ginseng does indeed replenish qi and blood, but if the constitution is too weak, it’s not good to use it all the time.” Song Pianxian patiently explained.
Feng Yuexian, feeling satisfied after the meal, showed a hint of contentment, like a well-fed cat. Her shiny fur seemed softer, and a natural smile appeared on her lips, like peach blossoms on a person’s face.
The palace attendants were already accustomed to the Prince’s appearance, but it was rare to see such beauty, like a bright pearl shining in the room, making the attendants unable to help but look at her, yet they were also intimidated by her dignity, so they dared not stare directly.
Xu Li stood behind Song Pianxian. When the two were talking, he could see the Princess consort’s appearance clearly. Even as a eunuch, he couldn’t help but feel shaken.
After Song Pianxian’s response, Feng Yuexian followed up:
“Do you usually need medicated diets?”
As Song Pianxian was about to answer, Xu Li, intending to show his cleverness, interjected:
“Auntie Fang is skilled in medicated diets. Now the kitchen is making dishes according to her recipes. It would be excellent if the Princess Consort could try them.”
He smiled and bowed, anticipating what the Princess Consort might ask. He even had the answers prepared in his mind, eagerly awaiting a reward from the esteemed guest.
But as he looked at the golden brick ground, there was no sound.
Xu Li, who grew up in the palace, immediately sensed something was wrong. His smile froze on his lips, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up.
“Does this palace need your input when talking to the Prince?” The voice, still slightly cold but scratching at one’s heart, sounded like a whip in Xu Li’s ears, making his knees bend and collapse to the ground with a thud, trembling as he said:
“I confess my guilt, please forgive me, Princess Consort.”
Feng Yuexian set down her teacup with a sound that was neither light nor heavy, causing Xu Li to startle again.
Her gaze shifted from Xu Li to the smiling face of Song Pianxian, and her eyes slightly deepened.
“This person has no manners, does not know respect or hierarchy, actually does not regard the master in his eyes, and jokes around. Can I deal with him?”
“This…”
“If not, I will feel uneasy in my heart.” Feng Yuexian lazily smiled, but there was no humor in her eyes. “I hope the Prince will agree.”
“Princess Consort, forgive me! Princess Consort, forgive me!” Xu Li panicked, repeatedly knocking his head.
The palace attendants beside him stopped their actions and stood still, silent as cicadas in winter.
The Princess Consort was unexpectedly domineering, showing her power on the night of her wedding, targeting Xu Li, a close attendant of the Prince!
In the shock and fear of the palace attendants, the Prince seemed helpless and compromised:
“Up to you.”
The palace attendants breathed a sigh of relief and watched as the Princess Consort called the imperial guards, taking away the shouting Xu Li, uncertain of his fate.
Only now did they realize that this stunning beauty came from a military family, ruthless and daring. If she dared to force the Prince, what else wouldn’t she dare to do?
With Xu Li in her hands, it would be lucky if he could keep his life!
The movements of the palace attendants became even lighter and more cautious, and no one dared to make a sound or interrupt.
One of the palace attendants, too timid, accidentally made a crisp sound while replacing pastries on the table, immediately kneeling down in fear.
Feng Yuexian, holding a leisure book, didn’t even glance at her until the commotion of her prostration disturbed her, lazily casting her eyes on her and dismissing her.
The palace attendant was relieved to have saved her life.
Other colleagues who were secretly observing concluded: that the Princess Consort was not only ruthless but also capricious.
Once Xue Qing had prepared the bed with others, they went to sleep.
The canopy bed was extremely spacious, accommodating three or four people side by side without any issues. Each person had their own bed and blanket, with no physical contact between them.
Song Pianxian had no psychological burden and treated it as sleeping on a futon with a friend.
The gauze canopy with embroidered gold thread was lowered, and the red candles outside burned brightly, casting flickering shadows into the tent.
As the Prince slept lightly, Xue Qing gently extinguished the glass lamp and quietly withdrew to guard outside the inner room.
Originally, it was said that Feng Yuexian would go to the west side hall, but now it had turned into sharing a bed. Although Xue Qing followed orders, she was afraid that the Princess’s maiden status would be discovered.
Now she finally understood why the Princess had asked Xu Li to rest first so that no one could hinder her actions.
Thinking of this, Xue Qing couldn’t help but sigh. These nobles were truly born with sharp minds, even the Princess, who was unfamiliar with worldly affairs.
Inside the canopy bed.
Song Pianxian had already lain down comfortably, the small blanket neatly covering her, wrapped up like a crispy pastry.
She said she would sleep, without any further thoughts.
A good night’s sleep meant having energy during the day, especially for this body that wasn’t in the best condition; taking care of one’s health was even more important.
Beside her, Feng Yuexian looked at the crispy pastry with her thoughts drifting slightly.
“How did you find out about Xu Li’s odd behavior?”
Without opening her eyes, Song Pianxian replied, “I had a conversation with the Crown Prince earlier, and he told me that Xu Li is not trustworthy.”
“Now that he knows I am not the real Prince, he cannot stay.”
With that, Song Pianxian smiled faintly, her white jade-like face showing a hint of girlish innocence:
“As for the person behind him, I’ll leave it to you to investigate.”
That makes sense, Feng Yuexian thought. In any case, the Prince is no longer alive, and she cannot verify anything.
“You’re making things easier,” Feng Yuexian said with a smile. As drowsiness enveloped her, she didn’t speak further.
In the original development, the original body knew nothing about Xu Li. It was also Feng Yuexian who took action to resolve this matter.
Otherwise, the fact that the Prince had passed away would be known to everyone the next day.
This also deepened the misunderstanding between the original body and Xu Jing, further deteriorating their relationship.
This time, Song Pianxian took the initiative to mention it, although Feng Yuexian still bore a bad reputation due to her image issues, she had to do so for the overall situation.
She would explain to Xu Jing’s side to maintain internal stability in their cooperation…
Thinking about what she needed to do, Song Pianxian gradually fell into a deep sleep.
Feng Yuexian looked at her, unable to believe she had fallen asleep like this—
By the bedside, how could anyone else snore? Why did Song Pianxian not have any vigilance at all?
But this proved that she truly trusted herself from the bottom of her heart.
Feng Yuexian, regarded as a safe person as the Princess Consort, felt extremely conflicted.
She looked at the delicate face of the “crispy pastry,” smelled the sweet fragrance of her daughter’s scent, and listened to her even breathing…
Unconsciously, she fell asleep too.
The next day, Song Pianxian got up and did not see Feng Yuexian’s figure.
Xu Jing had been waiting outside for half an hour. When Song Pianxian found out, she summoned him in.
Xu Jing was anxious: “Princess, what are you doing—has the Princess Consort discovered anything? Where did she take Xu Li?”
“I have already informed the Princess Consort of my identity,” Song Pianxian said directly.
Xu Jing almost fainted on the spot.
“How can such a thing be easily disclosed to the Feng Family!”
“Why can’t it?” Song Pianxian’s voice was not loud but as steady as a rock. She glanced at Xu Jing, her eyes deep as a pool, successfully silencing him.
“Feng Yuexian is very clever, and there are many people loyal to her in the palace. We can only hide it for a while, but not forever.”
“It can only be hidden temporarily.”
“If we don’t honestly inform her, with her heavy guard, she will not believe me.” Song Pianxian emphasized her tone.
Xu Jing was taken aback.
“The Crown Prince said that I should trust her,” Song Pianxian said in a gentle tone, “As for Xu Li, the Crown Prince once told me that he is colluding with someone behind the scenes. The Eastern Palace cannot keep him.”
“I used Feng Yuexian’s hand to get rid of him.”
This news was even more of a blow to Xu Jing, but loyalty was ingrained in his bones. He suppressed the pain in his eyes and suddenly realized, “Does this mean that you can now make the Princess Consort willingly do things for you?”
He looked at Song Pianxian with a hint of awe in his eyes.
To have subdued Feng Yuexian so quickly, if it were the Crown Prince, he might not have been able to do it either.
Song Pianxian paused for a moment, smiling faintly.
She didn’t explain much. Sometimes, letting subordinates not fully understand oneself was more conducive to action.
With Fang Ruo guarding the original body’s residence, Fang Ruo was a trusted person left by the late emperor’s consort. With her watching over, Song Pianxian only needed to return through the secret passage for a few days.
Since the Crown Prince was seriously ill yesterday and couldn’t stay, it didn’t make sense for him to be energetic today. Song Pianxian couldn’t show up at the Hall of Mental Cultivation either, so she had to summon the leader of the covert guards, Luo Chen, to come.
“After Xu Li was taken away, his whereabouts are unknown,” Luo Chen reported the important matter with a furrowed brow as soon as he saw her.
“There must be someone from the Feng Family in the Forbidden Army.” Their influence was immense.
Song Pianxian nodded without surprise.
She understood now that besides this dragon throne and the palace, the Great Li had only these people living in it. Everything else was full of holes and vulnerabilities.
“It’s better to have Feng Yuexian’s people than King Chu’s.” Song Pianxian’s mentality was stable.
This matter was not urgent. Feng Yuexian wouldn’t kill her, and what was pressing was the matter of the previous dynasty.
When King Chu learned about this marriage, as the antagonist, he would undoubtedly cause trouble for the Eastern Palace and the Feng Family, arriving on time with his congratulations.
On the side of the Eastern Palace, with the Crown Prince as the regent, King Chu would undoubtedly oppose him, targeting a few local officials affiliated with the Crown Prince’s faction, launching a round of impeachments.
On Feng Yuexian’s side, due to their relatively equal status, the conflict between the two sides was not light. Every day, the Ministry of Personnel would receive a stack of memorials arguing with each other.
Feng Yuexian dealt with these matters adeptly, not letting King Chu gain any advantage. She even counterattacked fiercely, bringing down the Minister of Personnel from King Chu’s faction and replacing him with her own person.
But Feng Yuexian never expected that her mentor would encounter trouble on the outskirts of the capital.
Feng Yuexian was exceptionally clever. Since she entered the women’s school, her reputation as a talented woman had spread far and wide. Later, she became a disciple of the renowned scholar Sun Qing, who was famous throughout the world.
It was Sun Qing who had encountered trouble. Sun Qing had a hobby of climbing mountains to enjoy the view and was killed while climbing the Western Mountains.
In the small study room on the east side of the Eastern Palace, Song Pianxian met with Luo Chen and instructed, “Recently, King Chu has been making too many moves. Spread my orders to the Capital Army to patrol the surrounding areas well and prevent any troublemakers.”
Luo Chen knew her identity and bowed, saying, “Should it be the Southern Army or the Northern Army?”
Fearing that Song Pianxian might not understand the difference, Luo Chen explained, “The Northern Army is led by the Xie Family’s descendants, while the Southern Army is led by Li Fang, who is King Chu’s confidant.”
“The Xie Family…” Song Pianxian recalled the information. They were extremely useful to the Feng Family and shared the same origins in the Northwestern Army, known for their bravery.
Thanks to the former emperor’s actions, not a single soldier in the vicinity of the capital was under their control.
Song Pianxian pressed her temples and said, “The Northern Army.”
“Over at the West Mountain Temple, there are always people praying and making offerings. It’s crowded and chaotic, so let them pay more attention,” she added casually.
“Yes,” Luo Chen acknowledged before leaving.
“And what about the Princess Consort?” After Luo Chen left, Song Pianxian asked Xue Qing.
“The Princess Consort’s maidservants have entered the palace and are currently assisting her in checking the items in the storage room.”
Feng Yuexian, who was being remembered, was currently playing with an unremarkable dagger. Meanwhile, the two maidservants, Yin Xue and Yin Bing, who were summoned into the palace, were directing the palace servants to inventory and record before returning the items to the storage room.
The two Yins had been following Feng Yuexian since childhood and had a good relationship with her. Yin Xue was lively and, after finishing her tasks, she brought a tea cup to Feng Yuexian and poured tea for her, asking, “Princess Consort, where did the Crown Prince go?”
“What do you need him for?” Feng Yuexian glanced at her.
“The Crown Prince allowed us into the palace, so we should express our thanks.” Yin Xue smiled. “If it weren’t for the Crown Prince, you wouldn’t even be able to bring a dagger in.”
“He doesn’t need your thanks,” Feng Yuexian paused briefly and said indifferently.
Just as they were speaking, there was some commotion outside, and Song Pianxian walked in.
At this moment, she was dressed as a man, wearing a plain white robe. Her face was as beautiful as jade in spring, although somewhat pale and sickly, indicating a deficiency in vital energy. Nevertheless, she appeared elegant and carefree, like an immortal banished from heaven.
Accustomed to seeing warriors while following Feng Yuexian, Yin Xue had never seen such a delicate and handsome demeanor before. She was momentarily stunned, forgetting to bow. Feng Yuexian cleared her throat lightly, bringing her back to reality.
Fortunately, Song Pianxian, with her intention to befriend Feng Yuexian and her modern mindset, didn’t dwell on such matters. She had come to Feng Yuexian for business.
After everyone else had left, Song Pianxian smiled and said, “I’ve heard that King Chu has been quite active recently. I feel that we should do something about it, so I ordered the Capital Army to make a round of inspections.”
“It was assigned to the Northern Army.”
Feng Yuexian raised an eyebrow. “That’s really giving them something to do. The area around the capital has always been peaceful, but some drills won’t hurt.”
“Listening to this, it seems like I was being too clever,” Song Pianxian pretended to look regretful. “I have no experience in handling political affairs. In the future, I’ll need Yuexian to remind me more.”
Indeed, this little Princess was clueless about politics, so she needed some guidance.
Taking a sip of her tea, Feng Yuexian felt at ease with Song Pianxian’s smooth words. Just as she was about to adopt the appearance of a good teacher to instruct the young Princess, she heard Song Pianxian continue:
“It’s probably safer to have the area around the capital under control. No matter what King Chu does, he can’t openly cause trouble.”
“I also ordered the Northern Army to patrol near the West Mountain Temple, so as not to disturb the worshippers. I think it’s better to cancel that.” Song Pianxian said, looking like she was about to retract her orders.
Feng Yuexian hadn’t noticed anything at first, but as she listened, her expression became more restrained. Subconsciously, she said, “Wait.”
“Hmm?” Song Pianxian turned to look at her, a hint of a smile in her eyes, but Feng Yuexian, with furrowed brows, didn’t notice.
When Song Pianxian mentioned the ‘West Mountain Temple,’ Feng Yuexian’s keen intuition kicked in like a wild beast. After a brief moment of contemplation, she suddenly said, “Today is the first day of the month.”
“Indeed,” Song Pianxian nodded.
Every first and fifteenth of the month, her mentor, Sun Qing, had a habit of going to the mountains to look into the distance. His favorite spot was an octagonal pavilion in the West Mountain—
Feng Yuexian let out a soft sigh.
How could she have missed it? How could she not have thought of it?
If King Chu laid hands on her mentor, taking it as a warning for her upcoming marriage, she would not be able to apologize enough, even if she died a thousand deaths.
“The Northern Army needs to patrol, and we need to investigate the West Mountain,” Feng Yuexian said in a deep voice.
“Hmm?” Song Pianxian sipped her tea. “Why the change of heart?”
Feng Yuexian looked at her, her eyes like cold stars. But Song Pianxian’s features were hidden behind the misty tea, soft and gentle, making it hard to discern.
Was it just a lucky guess?
Could Song Pianxian, with her status, really pay attention to these details?
Although she admired her mentor greatly, her focus had been on the court in recent years. It had been many days since she had seen her mentor among the warriors, so she might have overlooked it at this moment.
Even things she herself had forgotten, Song Pianxian had considered thoroughly—
Rationally, Feng Yuexian didn’t believe it, but she was naturally suspicious, and that lingering doubt remained in her heart.
Putting aside her thoughts for now, she rose gracefully and murmured, “It’s always better to be cautious.”
“Suddenly remembered that I left something important at home. I need to inform Yin Bing and probably have to leave the palace to retrieve it,” Song Pianxian didn’t inquire further, smiling.
“Go then.”
Yin Bing hurriedly left the palace to deliver Feng Yuexian’s message to the Northern Army camp, arriving just a step later than the orders from the Prince’s personal guards.
When General Xie You received the Prince’s orders, he was still prepared to just muddle through and handle the task casually —
Everyone knew there were only temples and farmlands near the capital, with no bandits or beasts to worry about. What could possibly happen?
Xie You even laughed with his men, mocking the Prince for being truly powerless and clueless about military matters.
But when Yin Bing, representing Feng Yuexian, appeared and immediately ordered them to go to West Mountain, Xie You was completely stunned.
What’s going on here?
Could there really be trouble?
With the reputation Feng Yuexian had built over the years, her authority among the military, centered around the Feng Family, was much more effective than the Prince’s orders.
Xie You dared not delay any longer, wiping the sweat from his forehead and personally leading two teams of soldiers to West Mountain, racing there like shooting stars.
Yin Bing had been to the West Mountain Pavilion before and led the way. They intercepted Sun Qing at the foot of the mountain as he was about to ascend.
Then, they carefully searched up the mountain and indeed found dozens of black-clad men halfway up. After a fierce battle, they captured the survivors and took them all into custody.
The news was relayed back to the palace with Yin Bing’s return, reaching Feng Yuexian.
She sat at the table for a long time, silent, with cold sweat in her palms.
If it weren’t for Song Pianxian’s reminder, the news she received today would not have been this, but…
Song Pianxian, how did she know?
Suddenly, a palace servant hurriedly entered:
“Princess Consort, the Prince has fainted in the small study.”
Fainted?
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Translator: Glariosa
Editor: Ruu
