Visiting Zhu Wuyang

"Who did you say was here?"

At the General's Residence, Zhu Juxuan had been humming a tune in the courtyard, quite at his ease. Upon hearing the servant's report, he sprang from his chair, his expression somewhat odd.

The servant thought he hadn't heard clearly and confirmed it repeatedly.

"General, it really is the Sixth Princess. That palace maid even has a palace token."

Zhu Juxuan drew a short breath and hurriedly asked, "Did she say what she came for?"

Why was she here? Hadn't she only spent a few days recuperating? Was she already well enough to leave the palace and wreak havoc on people?

"No. She only stated her identity and said she had come to pay a visit."

Zhu Juxuan nodded and quickly gestured to him. "All right, hurry and fetch Madam and the three young ladies. Tell them the Sixth Princess is here."

"Yes." The servant left.

Zhu Juxuan composed himself as well, though he still couldn't help looking a little odd as he went out.

A princess visiting the residence was not as grand and exalted an occasion as the emperor's personal arrival, but as his subject, Zhu Juxuan still had to receive her. Besides, Di Qingyu was no ordinary princess, so he brought his wife and three legitimate daughters out to welcome her.

"This subject / this subject's wife / this subject's daughter pays respects to the Sixth Princess."

At the entrance, the curtain of a plain carriage was lifted. Chunzhi alighted first, then helped Di Qingyu down. Only Xialin and Qiuwen followed behind them; the whole party kept an extremely low profile.

Di Qingyu was dressed more warmly than before. Her fur coat reached her ankles and made her look more bundled up than those around her, though it could not conceal her slender figure.

"Please rise, everyone."

Di Qingyu stepped forward to help Zhu Wuyang and Madam Zhu up, a gentle smile on her cool, delicate face. "General Zhu, it has been a long time. Qingyu took the liberty of visiting today; I hope you won't mind."

Zhu Juxuan welcomed her with a smile. "Not at all, Princess, you jest. It is a great honor to have you visit our residence."

"Sixth Princess, the wind is strong outside. Let us go in first. I've already had someone light the braziers inside," Madam Zhu said gently from the side.

"Mm, very well. Sorry to impose."

The group went inside, chatting and laughing, and warmed themselves by the charcoal fire in the room.

It was not particularly cold today, but Di Qingyu was in poor health, so they dared not neglect her.

Zhu Juxuan had been somewhat doubtful at first, but when he heard that Di Qingyu had brought gifts to visit Zhu Wuyang and thank him for saving her life, he breathed a slight sigh of relief. It was good that she wasn't here for him.

"My son was ordered by His Majesty to protect you; it was his duty. Princess, there was no need to trouble yourself over it and make a special trip. Your Highness still looks pale to me; you should take greater care of yourself."

A faint smile appeared on Di Qingyu's face. "If Young Master Zhu hadn't risked his life to save me that day, I'm afraid I wouldn't be sitting here safe and sound today. I must give him a proper token of thanks."

She glanced at the three beside her, and Chunzhi and the other two immediately brought out the gifts.

"These are some precious medicinal herbs Imperial Grandmother bestowed on me a few days ago. I thought that since I haven't finished using what Imperial Father gave me, I might as well borrow flowers to offer to Buddha and bring them all here, so that Young Master Zhu can recover sooner."

"This..."

At her words, Madam Zhu immediately looked at Zhu Juxuan, wanting to see what he would say.

The Empress Dowager...

Zhu Juxuan narrowed his eyes and turned to look at the herbs. They were indeed all precious medicinal herbs worth a thousand gold pieces, but the Empress Dowager had given them to Di Qingyu...

Besides, Di Qingyu treasured wealth as dearly as her life. How could she give away so much?

"Sixth Princess, you are too kind. His Majesty has already sent imperial physicians to care for my son and bestowed quite a few medicinal herbs. Besides, these are a token of Her Majesty the Empress Dowager's affection for Your Highness. I would not dare overstep; please keep them for your own use."

Zhu Juxuan cupped his hands, smiling without warmth, and spoke with great courtesy.

But how could Di Qingyu let him dodge this pitfall? Her lips curved and her eyes held a smile, though there was a chill to it.

"Rest assured, General Zhu. Imperial Grandmother dotes on me. Since she gave these things to me, I naturally have the right to decide what to do with them. Besides, this was Imperial Grandmother's compensation to me over Du Yutao. Young Master Zhu was hurt more badly than I was, so this is only right."

Those words made Zhu Juxuan's brows draw together. He raised his eyes and looked at her.

"Oh? Her Majesty the Empress Dowager wants Your Highness to forgive Du Yutao?" The Empress Dowager had finally been unable to hold back from stepping in.

"Not so."

Di Qingyu shook her head. "Yesterday, Imperial Grandmother not only refrained from pleading for Du Yutao, she also said that his assassination attempt on a princess was a capital crime against the imperial family, and that he ought to be executed as soon as possible... to uphold the dignity of the imperial household."

She paused when she said "as soon as possible." After another pause, Di Qingyu added, seemingly innocently:

"By the way, on my way out of the palace today, I also heard some commoners saying that the Du Clan's sins had angered the heavens and that their wickedness deserved death, and such things. Lord Du has only just been confined to his residence because of his son, and now he is beset by rumors like these. I couldn't bear to add frost to snow, so I asked Imperial Father not to rush Du Yutao's execution, but to wait until Lord Du's affair has been investigated."

With things said this plainly, Zhu Juxuan understood the meaning between her lines. The Empress Dowager wanted Du Yutao dead quickly, but whether that was her own wish or Du Chengji's was unclear. She had only gone to appease Di Qingyu yesterday, and today the matter involving Du Chengji seven years ago had come to light, although there was currently no evidence confirming it was true.

Yet the Empress Dowager's hasty intervention was already somewhat amiss.

That day, Du Chengji had argued with him before the emperor, fighting his case on the strength of reason, and had tried to save this son. The Empress Dowager had not intervened then, but now...

So there were two very likely possibilities. First, after the matter of the natural disaster arose, Du Chengji had a guilty conscience and feared that Du Yutao's affair would bring more criticism, so he wanted to cut off an arm to save his life and lessen the danger. Second, Du Yutao was his son and might know something. Du Chengji feared he might say something reckless in the imperial prison and wanted to silence him to eliminate future trouble!

Zhu Juxuan narrowed his eyes and looked at Di Qingyu's innocent young face.

"Then does the Sixth Princess believe that the matter concerning Lord Du is true?"

Di Qingyu pursed her lips, lowered her eyes, and smiled. "What would a mere princess like me understand of court affairs? I only want to protect myself, that's all. General Zhu should know that Qingyu is not very broad-minded and only likes to repay kindness with kindness."

"Besides, heaven watches what people do. What is true or false is only a judgment made by human hearts; in the end, only what the heavens deem true or false is truly true or false."

Those last words made Zhu Juxuan narrow his stern, imposing eyes. He looked at Di Qingyu, his expression dark, pondering what she had meant by them.

Seeing him sitting in his chair without a word, his gaze growing deeper, Di Qingyu turned to Madam Zhu.

"Madam Zhu, I haven't tasted your lotus seed soup in quite a few days. Might Qingyu be so bold as to stay for a meal today? It has also been a long time since I last spoke with the three elder sisters."

She occasionally spent time with the noble young ladies of the royal city, and the three Zhu sisters were among those she got along with fairly well.

Madam Zhu quickly smiled. "Of course. Since Your Highness wishes to have some, I'll go and prepare it right away. Jiuning, you three keep the princess company and have a good chat."

Her three daughters nodded. "Yes, Mother, rest assured."

With something on his mind, Zhu Juxuan also found an excuse to leave. "Since you young ladies are going to share secrets, I, this old fellow, won't stay and make a nuisance of myself. Sixth Princess, I shall take my leave first."

Di Qingyu smiled faintly. "General, you jest."