The Battle of the Noble Ladies (Book 2)

Chapter 150 - Royal Blood

There was no one in the royal family born without beauty. The Eleventh Princess closely resembled Noble Consort Song. In just three years, the youthful innocence she once possessed had subtly matured. Now, she leaned against Old Lady Song, a slight smile on her lips, with a faint but discerning look in her eyes. She cast a subtle glance at Song Chuyi before greeting her affectionately as "Aunt."

Song Chuyi hadn't yet completed her formal greeting when the princess gently stopped her. Left with no choice, she turned to Old Lady Song for guidance. She had never met the Eleventh Princess and didn't know what kind of temperament her noble niece had. It was best to be cautious. After all, Noble Consort Song wasn't exactly known for warmth, so unless there was a particular reason, her daughter was unlikely to differ too drastically in character.

Old Lady Song nodded slightly at her. "The Emperor has granted permission for Her Highness to come here to give your Fourth Sister her wedding gifts. Her Highness is approachable and doesn't wish to observe the formalities of ruler and subject. Let's proceed with family customs instead."

Though she said this, a faint shadow crossed her face, and Song Chuyi understood the Emperor's true intentions in allowing the Eleventh Princess to visit. This was a subtle push for Song Chengru to take a stance—or perhaps a reminder. Things were different now; Noble Consort Song had a young prince in the palace.

The Eleventh Princess took Song Chuyi's hand in one of hers and Xiang Mingzi's in the other, dimples flashing as she looked at Old Lady Song. "Grandmother, may I borrow my two aunts for a while?"

Old Lady Song, of course, couldn't refuse and watched as palace attendants hurried after them. She advised Xiang Mingzi and Song Chuyi, "Take care while accompanying Her Highness. Avoid the water's edge, and steer clear of the rock gardens too—wasn't a snake found there just a few days ago?"

But the Eleventh Princess was impatient and didn't even wait until they were in Song Chumi's room. Standing under the corridor with the attendants surrounding them, she held Song Chuyi's hand tightly, her bright eyes pleading, "Auntie, please help me!"

In her previous life, Song Chuyi had held a high status, so hearing herself addressed this way didn't feel strange. She glanced at Zhu Yi, who stood beside the Eleventh Princess with a watchful eye, realizing that Noble Consort Song must have given permission or at least hinted at this meeting.

"Why not go to my Guanju Courtyard, Your Highness?" Song Chuyi suggested, glancing around to imply this wasn't a suitable place for such a discussion.

Zhu Yi seemed to agree and whispered something into the Eleventh Princess's ear, who then reluctantly nodded.

Noble Consort Song was an exceptionally shrewd woman. Even without someone who could foresee events to assist her, she had once maintained a delicate balance between the Empress and the Empress Dowager despite the Emperor's waning favor. Later, she had dared to use her relationship with the Song family to weaken Empress Dowager Rongxian's influence. A woman as formidable as Noble Consort Song would only grow stronger as a mother. It puzzled Song Chuyi what help the Eleventh Princess could need from her.

The attendants filled the courtyard, yet the Eleventh Princess paid them no heed, walking straight to a window-side chair once inside. She sat, her expression anxious and unsure. "Mother said you could help me. Please, Aunt, help me!"

Xiang Mingzi, still shocked by the princess's earlier words, looked uncertainly at Song Chuyi, managing a forced smile. "Your Highness, surely you're jesting. You're a noble princess; what help could you possibly need from her?"

With a sob in her voice, the Eleventh Princess turned to Xiang Mingzi, "What do you know?!" She then looked at Song Chuyi with tear-filled eyes. "I heard... I heard that envoys from Japan have come to request a marriage alliance..."

Xiang Mingzi's eyes widened, her heart pounding. The coastal war with Japan had raged on for years, and despite multiple victories under the command of generals Cui Shaoting and Guo Huaiying, and the new governors making preparations along the coast, Japan had sent envoys seeking peace, signaling that they could no longer bear the strain of prolonged naval warfare.

However, no one was naive. Japan had previously sought marriage alliances after facing setbacks, and Great Zhou had granted them before. But marriage had never guaranteed long-term peace. Once Japan's forces recovered, they resumed raids on the coastal areas, and those noblewomen sent off in marriage had long perished, their sacrifices all in vain.

Marrying into Japan was a death sentence, and no one wanted to be part of such an alliance.

Unlike Xiang Mingzi, Song Chuyi remained calm, focusing on the Eleventh Princess with her usual composure. "Where did Your Highness hear such news? You have elder sisters, and it may not be Your Highness who is chosen..."

Unless someone was manipulating the situation.

Who might be pulling the strings? Song Chuyi's mind raced, her fingers unconsciously tapping on the table until she abruptly stopped. Prince Duan's connections with Japanese pirates and Japan itself were well-known; if anyone could interfere, it was him.

If a princess carrying the Song family bloodline were to be sent to Japan, should the pirates return in force, it would be easy to brand the Song family as traitors.

It seemed this was Prince Duan's retaliation for Zhang Yuan's dogged investigation that implicated his allies in Yangzhou. Prince Duan had faced setbacks at the Song family's hands multiple times, and now the case was under Song Chengru's jurisdiction, with the whole affair tied to the Crown Prince.

This was a clear move by Prince Duan to exact revenge, to harm the Song family and the Crown Prince, and to drag Noble Consort Song down with them.

The Eleventh Princess's tear-streaked face trembled as she held Song Chuyi's hand. "The envoys are already in the capital! At the palace banquet, they openly requested it of Father. Mother said that the Ninth Princess would never be sent... and the envoys aren't so foolish as to insist on her..."

Noble Consort Song's instincts were razor-sharp; she must have sensed something was wrong immediately. Prince Duan would never push his own sister, the Ninth Princess, into such a dangerous position. If the Ninth Princess was unsuitable, the next in line would clearly be the Eleventh Princess. They were, indeed, targeting her and the Song family.