ODF Chapter 2

After drinking her medicine, Shen Lingzhen felt weak and drowsy once more, and soon drifted back to sleep.

Her rest was anything but peaceful. Her dreams replayed the events of the previous day in fragmented, jarring flashes.

One moment, she was inside a jolting carriage, hands and feet bound, the clash of blades ringing out from beyond the wooden walls.

The next, the ropes around her wrists were cut mid-battle, and the carriage hurtled toward a cliff’s edge. A figure clad in armor descended like a divine warrior, using his own body to shield her from the impact.

Then came the mountain path, wild grass and swirling dust, stones flying underfoot. He swung his sword with deadly precision, felling three men in a single motion. And yet, when he sheathed his blade, his movements softened. He turned to her gently and asked, “Were you frightened?”

At that moment in the dream, Shen Lingzhen awoke in a cold sweat, unable to fall back asleep.

She had been frightened, terrified, in fact. In all her years, she had never even seen a drop of blood. How could she possibly bear the sight of severed heads strung together like candied hawthorn?[mfn][/mfn]

If not for her benefactor supporting her into the mountains, Shen Lingzhen would’ve long collapsed in a daze during their frantic escape.

She could hardly bear to recall what happened next. After hiding in the cave, she vomited violently, splattering filth all over him.

It was precisely because of this that she felt deeply ashamed. Seeing him struggle to tend to the knife wound on his waist and abdomen, she offered to help.

But things didn’t go as planned. The sight of blood flowing freely and flesh torn open frightened her so much that she fainted on the spot. From that moment on, she remembered nothing, not even his name.

By nightfall, Shen Lingzhen still hadn’t heard any news of her savior. Instead, word came that the Emperor had secretly ordered an investigation into her abduction, and the culprits had been identified: a group of followers from the cult known as the White Infant Sect.

The White Infant Sect had plagued the central lands since the previous dynasty. Its followers had repeatedly incited uprisings among the people. Though the court had tried time and again to suppress them, the cult was like wild grass—burn it down, and it grows back with the spring breeze. In the past, they had even used noblewomen as sacrificial offerings to the heavens, a brutal act meant to openly defy imperial authority.

Shen Lingzhen shuddered with fear, so much so that she didn’t notice her father entering the room.

Shen Xuerong gave a soft cough to announce his presence.

She looked up quickly and asked, “Father, is there any news of my benefactor?”

Shen Xuerong shook his head. “The imperial guards searched the mountain with hounds, combing the area again and again. All they found were tracks leading into the cave. That man seems to have vanished into thin air.”

“How could that be possible?”

“Of course it isn’t. But since no body has been found, chances are he’s still alive. Look on the bright side. Perhaps he’s one of those who ‘finishes the deed, brushes off his sleeves, and hides his name and merit deep away.’ Rest assured, the search is still ongoing.”

“And what about Brother Jie? Is he alright?”

Xue Jie’s secret meeting with her hadn’t gone unnoticed. He must’ve faced reprimands from the elders.

“That rascal’s tough as leather. Even if he were put through all eighteen punishments in succession, he’d probably still be fine. A few days of confinement and kneeling in the ancestral hall, why should you worry? As for your maid, she’s been given a proper burial. You needn’t blame yourself too much.”

She fell silent for a moment, then nodded. “Father always says one must look forward.”

Shen Xuerong let out a long sigh. “Yinyin, this time we won’t look forward. You’re not even married yet, and already you’ve been caught in so much bloodshed and turmoil. After much thought, I’ve decided to speak to His Majesty and see if we can postpone the wedding. Delay it if we can, even just for a while.”

Although the kidnapping was officially attributed to the White Infant Sect, the timing of Shen Lingzhen’s abduction was too coincidental. No one truly believed it had nothing to do with her betrothal.

But a young lady being kidnapped, once the story spreads, it’s bound to tarnish her reputation. The Shen family couldn’t openly demand justice, and so His Majesty was inevitably left with a debt to his niece.

Shen Xuerong’s plea to the Emperor might not cancel the engagement, but at the very least, it could buy them time.

“Is Mother thinking the same?” Shen Lingzhen suddenly asked.

Shen Xuerong hesitated for a moment. “Your mother has only you. Of course she’s reluctant to see you married off so far away. Why do you ask?”

“Though outsiders say this marriage was my Royal Uncle’s idea,” Shen Lingzhen said softly, “I believe that since he and Mother are siblings, he would never issue such a decree without her consent.”

“Yinyin…” her father murmured.

“Father, though I’ve lived in the inner chambers and know little of politics, I understand that marriage alliances are meant to strengthen bonds between ruler and subject. If my Uncle seeks to win over the Huo family, it must be because he believes they can aid the court. Mother fought beside him to build the Great Qi empire, and she’s always cared deeply for the realm. She taught me that as a daughter of the imperial clan, I must regard the rise and fall of the dynasty as my own duty… I understand all this. What saddens me is simply—why must it be me?”

She lowered her eyes. “But if everyone thought as I do, how could the rivers and mountains of Great Qi ever be reclaimed?”

Shen Lingzhen remained composed, but Shen Xuerong’s tears flowed freely. “If our Great Qi can only be defended by sacrificing our daughters, then perhaps this land truly deserves to be handed over to others!”

She quickly shook her head. “Father, that was my narrow view in the past. After yesterday’s ordeal, I’ve come to understand. The moment the engagement was announced, enemies couldn’t wait to strike. That alone proves how vital the Huo family is to the court and the royal family. They will surely be elevated by my Uncle. Suffering at the border may be temporary, but happiness could last a lifetime. How could that be called sacrifice? Please don’t be short-sighted and ruin my good match!”

Just as her words fell, a barely audible sigh came from outside the window.

Zhao Meilan dabbed her reddened eyes with a handkerchief, then resumed her usual cold expression and quietly walked away.

Ji Momo supported her gently and whispered, “Your Highness, twenty-seven years have passed. Even the deepest grudges must fade. The world isn’t short of clever people, it’s short of those who see clearly. The Young Lady is a rare type of person: cheerful, perceptive, and wise. Wherever she goes, she’ll be blessed. Who would bear to hold old debts against her?”

“Let’s hope so.”

In the days that followed, Shen Lingzhen remained in the manor to recover, until she was summoned by Empress Dowager Gao.

Though not the birth mother of the Emperor or the Princess Royal, the Empress Dowager cherished Shen Lingzhen as her own granddaughter—more dearly, even, than the princesses of the palace. When she first learned of the Emperor’s plan to marry Shen Lingzhen off, she was so enraged she fell gravely ill, and had yet to fully recover.

Naturally, no one dared report Shen Lingzhen’s abduction to the ailing Empress Dowager. Her summons this time was simply out of longing, as she often missed her granddaughter.

Fortunately, Shen Lingzhen had mostly recovered, and promptly answered the call, making her way to Baoci Palace, where the Empress Dowager resided.

When the Great Qi dynasty was founded, its capital was established in the densely populated city of Bianjing. The imperial palace spanned only five li in circumference, far smaller than the grand expanses of Chang’an or Luoyang in history, but what it lacked in scale, it made up for in refinement.

Within the palace walls, green lattice gates met carved stone steps, golden tiles gleamed beneath vermilion eaves, and the layered terraces and pavilions were arranged with exquisite precision. Every detail spoke of elegance and opulence.

Shen Lingzhen had grown up frequenting this place, and knew every flower and tree by heart. Yet today, as she gazed upon these familiar sights, a different emotion stirred within her.

After this spring, she didn’t know when she might return again.

The Empress Dowager, now advanced in age, had grown frailer with each illness. This latest bout had sapped her vitality, and her complexion had yet to recover. But upon seeing Shen Lingzhen arrive, the once listless old lady seemed to regain her spirit. She sat up straight from her carved, curved-back chair, her face lighting up with joy as she beckoned, “Yinyin, come to your grandmother!”

Shen Lingzhen stepped forward and bowed with proper decorum.

The Empress Dowager gazed at her from afar, growing more delighted the longer she looked.

The young girl, newly come of age, had yet to fully grow into her figure, but traces of graceful beauty were already emerging. Her almond-shaped eyes, brows like crescent moons, and delicate nose were framed by skin fairer than snow, altogether evoking a tender affection in the heart.

But with that affection came worry. Such a delicate and radiant child, how could she possibly endure the harsh winds and sands of the borderlands? And would the Huo family’s son know how to cherish her?

The Empress Dowager sighed as she looked at Shen Lingzhen. “I’m glad you came. I thought you were angry with your Royal Uncle, and that you didn’t want to see your poor grandmother either.”

If not for concealing her injuries, Shen Lingzhen would never have stayed away from Baoci Palace for so long.

She immediately shook her head, glanced at the palace maids standing around them, and lowered her voice: “Yinyin is willing to speak even with Royal Uncle, how could I not wish to speak with you?”

The Empress Dowager chuckled, clearly amused. It seemed she too felt the presence of the attendants was hindering their intimacy. She waved them away with a flick of her hand.

“I do have something private I’d like to ask Grandmother.”

“Then come sit by me and speak your heart.”

Shen Lingzhen gently rested her head on the Empress Dowager’s lap. “It’s nothing urgent. I just wanted to ask, have you ever met Second Young Master Huo?”

“I have, though it was many years ago. Why do you ask?”

“The wedding is fast approaching, yet I know nothing of his temperament, his appearance, or his family’s affairs. I asked Mother, but she always dodges the topic. So I thought I’d ask you instead.”

Whether she had truly come to terms with the marriage or was simply resigning herself to it, Shen Lingzhen couldn’t help but feel curious about the man she was to marry.

The Empress Dowager smiled. “As for his temperament, I remember him being quite cheerful in his youth. But after what happened when he was seventeen, I hear he’s become more reserved. After such a major change, anyone would be different.”

Shen Lingzhen nodded, then urged, “And his looks, Grandmother, you haven’t said anything about that yet!”

The Empress Dowager narrowed her eyes with a teasing smile. “So that’s what you’re really concerned about? Well, you needn’t worry, he’s not ugly.”

“So he’s handsome?”

“After his injury, he hasn’t returned to Bianjing, since it’s hard for him to travel. But I remember him as a striking boy. His father, in his youth, was famously handsome, one of the most admired men of the previous dynasty. Every time he went out, the girls in the streets would shower him with carts full of fruit and flowers.”

“That’s a relief!” Shen Lingzhen laughed, then grew thoughtful. “But now that he’s in a wheelchair every day… what if he’s grown fat, with a belly full of flab, and there is no trace of his youthful charm?”

The Empress Dowager tapped Shen Lingzhen’s forehead with her finger. “You. So concerned with appearances. What happened to all those classics you’ve studied?”

“I do care about inner qualities,” Shen Lingzhen replied earnestly. “Take Brother Jie, for example. He’s skilled in archery and horsemanship, and I admire that greatly. But Second Young Master Huo’s legs have been injured for years, so his martial skills are likely long gone. That’s why I asked about his looks. If he’s handsome and pleasing to the eye, then even if he lacks ability, it wouldn’t be so bad!”

“Not fond of scholars, but drawn to warriors. You’re quite different from most girls!” The Empress Dowager chuckled. “Speaking of your cousin, you two grew up together, know each other well, and are well matched in both talent and family background. You were of age to be engaged, but fate had other plans. What a pity…”

Shen Lingzhen’s smile slowly faded. Her mind drifted back to that day in Peach Blossom Valley, when Xue Jie rode off and left her with the words: “Yinyin, you didn’t even try to fight for it. I suppose you only ever thought I was a decent cousin, suitable enough to marry, but never someone you truly loved, never someone you couldn’t live without.”

She fell silent for a moment, then asked softly: “Grandmother, do such feelings truly exist, where one cannot marry anyone but that person, or love anyone else?”

The Empress Dowager sighed, answering obliquely. “It seems our Yinyin’s heart has yet to awaken. That’s not a bad thing… not bad at all.” She gently stroked Shen Lingzhen’s hair. “I’m not your Royal Uncle’s birth mother, so there are many things I wish I could do but cannot. For now, go to Qingzhou as planned. I’ll find a way to bring you back to Bianjing.”

Author’s Note: Let us welcome our first male lead who’s been “fat-shamed” before even making an appearance.