Proud Feather

Chapter 115 Lonely Shadow
Chu Ling didn't know how she got back to Nanming Palace.

Zheng Qiu was startled when she stepped down from the palanquin.

"What's wrong, Princess? You look so pale."

Chu Ling didn't answer, and went into the inner room to lie down.

Zheng Qiu looked at Qing Cha with a puzzled expression.

Qingcha shook her head, indicating that she knew nothing.

Zheng Qiu had a guess in mind. After thinking for a moment, she went in and sat on the edge of the bed, asking softly, "Princess, does His Majesty disagree with postponing the conclusion of the case?"

Chu Ling didn't speak, her back to her and her face turned inward.

Zheng Qiu comforted him in a low voice, "Don't worry, His Majesty has his reasons. Let's think of another way. For example, we can ask the Crown Princess to plead for him, or ask Lord Lü to intervene..."

Chu Ling remained silent, only her shoulder twitched slightly.

Zheng Qiu sensed something was wrong and reached out to touch her, only to find her crying. She was shocked and asked, "Princess, why are you so sad? Did you quarrel with His Majesty?"

Chu Ling held her hand, and only then did she let out a few sobs—she was clearly extremely wronged, but dared not cry out loud, which made Zheng Qiu's heart ache.

Clearly, she couldn't get any information from this situation, so she gave up asking questions and hugged Chu Ling from behind, just like when they were little, gently patting and comforting her.

"It's alright, whatever happens will pass. Don't be sad, Princess, everything will be alright."

Under her soft, gentle comforting words, Chu Ling's sobs gradually grew louder, and tears poured out freely.

From her past life to this one, from Shangyuan to the capital, she has never had any so-called support or any way out.

From beginning to end, only one person was on the road.

……

Chu Ling lay in bed for two whole days.

I cried when I first got back, but I stopped crying afterwards and just lay there in a daze.

Zheng Qiu hesitated for a long time before seeking help from Consort Xian.

Consort Xian, grateful for Chu Ling's help last time, made a special trip to Funing Palace and returned saying, "It seems she had a fight with His Majesty and kicked everyone out, leaving only the father and daughter. When I asked, His Majesty only said to let her calm down, but he doesn't seem to have calmed down yet."

"What should we do?" Zheng Qiu was extremely worried.

"Don't worry," Consort Xian comforted her. "When I left, His Majesty specifically told me that the princess has been working hard lately and needs to replenish her energy. You see, His Majesty still cares about the princess. Father and daughter don't hold grudges overnight; they'll be fine in a few days."

Zheng Qiu felt somewhat comforted and expressed his deepest gratitude to Consort Xian.

Consort Xian smiled and said, "It's just returning the favor. The princess helped me before too."

After saying that, she peeked into the inner room and whispered, "The princess hasn't recovered yet, so I won't go in and bother her. You're always so considerate. I'll have the Imperial Pharmacy send over some medicinal herbs later, and you can decide how to nourish her."

The Consort Xian's words were truly apt; she handled the matter effortlessly while also gaining favor.
-
In the middle of the night on the third day, Zheng Qiu, still feeling uneasy, went to check on Chu Ling and found that she had actually gotten up.

She sat alone under the lamp, her solitary shadow cast on the wall, a sight that tugged at the heartstrings.

“Princess.” Zheng Qiu went in and draped a coat over her shoulders. “Winter is coming, you should wear something warm.”

Chu Ling turned back and nodded to her: "Qiu Niang".

She hadn't spoken for several days, and her voice was slightly hoarse, but Zheng Qiu was only happy and asked repeatedly, "Princess, have you woken up? Are you hungry? Shall I have someone make you a midnight snack?"

"Okay!" Chu Ling replied softly, appearing very easy to talk to. Zheng Qiu was even happier and quickly instructed the palace servants to prepare some easy-to-digest snacks, which she personally brought over to eat and talk with Chu Ling slowly.

After finishing a bowl of chicken congee, Chu Ling put down her chopsticks.

"What time is it?"

Zheng Qiu glanced at the water clock in the corner and said, "It's the hour of Yin (3-5 AM). It will be dawn in another hour."

Chu Ling said, "When it gets light, send someone to tell my father that I'm going to stay at the Duke of Anguo's mansion for a few days."

"This..." Zheng Qiu hesitated. Father and daughter had just argued, and instead of apologizing to His Majesty, the princess went to her maternal grandparents' house. Wasn't this just holding a grudge? What if His Majesty...

"Don't worry!" Chu Ling knew what she was thinking. "Father won't be angry."

Zheng Qiu was relieved, not because of what she said, but because the princess seemed confident and had regained her previous composure.

"Alright, I'll have someone wait for me at Funing Palace later," she said softly.

Chu Ling smiled slightly and let her go call people and pack her luggage, while she sat down at her desk, laid out paper and ground ink, and began to practice calligraphy.

After lying down for several days, my hands were a bit stiff, and I accidentally dripped several ink drops, which quickly ruined a piece of paper.

Chu Ling was neither angry nor annoyed. She put the badly written paper aside and continued to write another one calmly.

Yes, calm down.

Although the price of shattered faith was terrible, it was far better than the desperate situation of my previous life.

There was no enemy at the gates, no land shattered, no threat of national subjugation. Although the second brother's true colors had not yet been revealed, the cause of the eldest brother's death was already known to the world. Even if it was covered up for the time being, there was still a chance for redemption.

The case is closed, isn't it? It's not all bad. With the case closed, some people might think they've won, and she can now operate in the shadows, pulling out the hidden spies one by one!

Back then, she was exiled far away, but she was able to rise to power with her meager resources and manage Shangyuan like an ironclad fortress. Now her situation is much better than it was back then, so why can't she do it again?
In her previous life, Chu Ling had nothing at the age of eighteen. She gathered manpower along the way, earned money little by little by developing trade routes, and trained her soldiers from scratch...

Now fifteen years old, Chu Ling has Qiu Niang at home, Jiang Shijun at home, Gao Mian in her hands, the Crown Prince's faction in her hands, and has also made contact with Prince Xining, Xiao Shi, in advance.

What is she afraid of? She's not even afraid of a war that could destroy a nation!
"The princess's handwriting is getting better and better!" Zheng Qiu exclaimed as he returned sometime earlier.

Chu Ling continued writing without stopping, her writing becoming smoother and smoother, flowing like clouds and water, incorporating eight years of hard work and experience, no longer concealing her brilliance.

Zheng Qiu looked on with increasing astonishment: "Princess..."

Chu Ling finished the work in one go, and with a final stroke, the ink was dripping and the sharpness of the brush was fully revealed!
The color of Longquan spring water is like frost and snow, and even the most skilled craftsmen marvel at its wonder.

Though buried in dust and rendered useless, it still soars to the heavens every night!
She possessed a precious sword, its form emerging amidst hardship, its edge solidified in the flames of war. Unfortunately, hampered by opportunity and bound by family ties, it was never truly unsheathed.

Now that the situation has forced her to this point, she will take up a sharp blade, break free of the shackles, and let the world see its brilliance!
Chu Ling tossed her pen aside; it was already daylight outside. She turned to Zheng Qiu and asked, "Have you packed your luggage? Has Father replied?"

Zheng Qiu replied, "Yes, His Majesty has agreed."

Chu Ling wasn't surprised at all. She had figured out her father's temperament from their many quarrels in her previous life. She had just thrown a tantrum, and her father was still feeling guilty. He would definitely hope that her grandmother could persuade her to change her mind. How could he refuse?

“Let’s go then!” she said.

"Princess, what should we do with these words?" Zheng Qiu asked, pointing to the pieces of paper.

"Burn it." Chu Ling said without hesitation.

The poem is taken from the ancient sword chapter, and a few lines are extracted from it.