Proud Feather

Chapter 139 With You
Back at the tavern, Gongsun Hong wiped the sweat from his brow, still shaken.

"My goodness, how did His Majesty arrive so silently? Could we have been exposed?"

Xiao Yu shook her head: "It must have been an accident, otherwise it wouldn't have been so easy to get through."

Gongsun Hong breathed a sigh of relief: "Tonight was truly thrilling! Young Master, if His Majesty had actually seen you, would he have recognized you?"

"His Majesty has never seen me before, how could he recognize me?" Xiao Yu was not worried. "When my father died in battle, the court sent someone directly to Xining to confer posthumous honors, without allowing me to enter the capital. Besides, so many years have passed, a child has grown into an adult, who could recognize me?"

Gongsun Hong thought about it and realized that he had been too nervous.

Xiao Yu asked again, "Are our identities okay? Go and sort things out again; the Imperial City Guard will probably be here soon."

Gongsun Hong agreed. Their frequent contact with the princess meant they were already prepared to be investigated.
-
As night deepened, the emperor watched Chu Ling return to her courtyard to rest, and then sat down in the central hall, looking weary.

A short while later, Xue Wang walked in silently.

"His Majesty."

"How is it?" The emperor didn't even open his eyes.

"They came from the north, claiming to be surnamed Xiao, but in reality they are relatives of the Consort Xining, surnamed Yu. They said that the young master injured his eye and could not be cured in the north, so they came to the capital for treatment. I checked their travel permits and luggage, and apart from purchasing some rare items that are not available in the north, there was nothing suspicious."

The emperor opened his eyes: "Xi Ning... are they closely related to the Xiao family?"

Xue Wang replied, "I asked some questions, and their steward acted as if he was very familiar with the Xiao family, but he showed some hesitation. I suspect that he is a distant relative of the Yu family and just wants to embellish his own reputation."

The emperor then asked, "What about that young master?"

Xue Wang said, "He knows a little bit of martial arts and can be considered both scholarly and martial. He is good-looking and has a pleasant way of speaking. The two met at the entertainment district when the princess was investigating Wenxianju and accidentally bumped into him... The princess looked for him a few times afterward, and that's roughly how it happened."

"He doesn't have any ulterior motives, does he?" the emperor asked warily. "Given his status, he's not fit to be a prince consort."

"I'm afraid there's a bit of that," Xue Wang said frankly. "I've already warned him."

The emperor nodded, his suspicions somewhat dissipating. It was only natural for him to want to become the emperor's son-in-law; if he didn't, he must have ulterior motives.

After thinking the whole thing through, he said, "Fine, if A-Ling likes it, let him stay with me! He's just a man..."

Think about his aunts, they had a blast when they were young, so what if his daughter had one or two lovers? Besides, it's good to have something else to distract her, so she doesn't get stuck on things or harbor bad thoughts.

He still loved his innocent and pure daughter; if she were tainted, she would no longer be beautiful.

"Keep a close eye on her. The princess can play around, but she can't go too far."

Xue Wang understood: "If anyone goes too far, I will immediately execute him!"

The emperor nodded in satisfaction.

……

As soon as the door closed, Chu Ling's smile vanished.

Qingcha sent everyone else out, leaving only herself to serve.

"Princess, are you alright?"

Chu Ling slumped weakly into a chair: "You scared me to death..." With the Imperial City Guard around, she knew that her father couldn't possibly be unaware of her whereabouts, but his sudden appearance tonight was still beyond her expectations.

Think about how much she did today? First, she listened to Jiang Shijun's report, then she interrogated Ge Dahai, and finally she went back to inform Xiao Yu. Every single thing she did was a secret that couldn't be known by anyone.

Fortunately, her father was fooled, and the crisis was temporarily averted. As for Xiao Yu, given his meticulous nature, he should have been prepared to be investigated.

Recalling the harmonious scene between the father and daughter while watching the acrobatic performance, Chu Ling felt a pang of sadness.

What should have been a scene of family bliss turned into a perfunctory gesture for her. And her father? He said he missed her, but did he truly care about her?

I can't tell anymore. Imperial power, ah, it can be intoxicating, and it can also break your heart.
-
The next day, the father and daughter returned to the palace together.

Chu Ling did not ride in her own carriage, but instead sat in the emperor's jade carriage.

The imperial carriage slowly made its way towards the palace, and she chatted and laughed with the emperor.

"Father, yesterday's acrobatics was really good. Could we invite them to the palace for the New Year? I want my sister-in-law, Jin'er, and the Consorts Xian and Shu to see it."

The emperor laughed and said, "You, isn't seeing them once enough? It's already December, and the New Year is not far away. I'm afraid there won't be enough time to investigate their identities and origins."

The imperial banquet was naturally conducted with utmost care, and everyone had to be thoroughly checked. Chu Ling gave an "Oh," and the corners of her mouth curled up.

The emperor glanced at her: "You're already unhappy?"

"What do you mean?" Chu Ling said, but the corners of her mouth remained turned up. "What Father Emperor said makes sense, so of course I will listen."

Seeing her reluctant expression, the emperor smiled and said softly, "The Consort Xian has already shown me the arrangements for the banquet. Although this particular variety show isn't included, there are other shows that you can still enjoy."

"Ah?" Chu Ling immediately perked up. "Really? I'll go see Consort Xian later!"

The emperor said indulgently, "Go! Just tell Consort Xian if you want anything added. It doesn't matter what you eat, drink, or watch."

"Yes." Chu Ling nodded repeatedly.

As the emperor looked at you, he suddenly said, "You look just like your mother."

Chu Ling was stunned. No one had ever said this to her—not her maternal grandmother, not her uncles and aunts, and it wasn't apparent in their portraits. She had always thought she didn't resemble her mother much; others described her mother as a gentle and tender woman, while she was as spoiled and capricious as the wind.

The emperor seemed to be reminded of something and continued, "The first time I saw your mother, she had just returned from the battlefield. She was wearing armor, carrying a red-tasseled spear, and looked incredibly heroic."

“Back then, your maternal grandfather was ordered to resist the Western Wei. My fief was nearby. Once, I was accidentally captured by the Western Wei people, and it was your mother who came to rescue me.”

At this point, the emperor sighed deeply, lost in his memories.

She was a radiant woman; when she rode in on horseback, it was as if she pierced the darkness of the night, instantly calming his anxious heart.

Later, he got engaged and married... His father was just an unfavored prince, and by the time it was passed down to him, the title of Duke of Jia was insignificant among the imperial clan. If it weren't for the eldest daughter of the Feng family marrying into the family, protecting his fiefdom, and winning battles and making meritorious contributions, he might not have been able to enter the sights of those high-ranking officials in the capital, let alone obtain the throne.

Feng had done him a great service.

The emperor looked at his daughter. This was the last bloodline that woman had left him; she lacked her fierce and valiant nature, but possessed only her radiant and passionate beauty. How wonderful.

Thinking of this, the emperor smiled again and affectionately patted his daughter's head: "Ah Ling, it's so good to have you."

(End of this chapter)