Chapter 55: Time to Improve Physical Fitness.
Princess Hui’an claimed not to care and didn’t want to see her, but while she could sit calmly and drink tea at first, she was now pacing back and forth in the room.
Wumei said Duan Rong’s face was sunburned red, perhaps already sun-damaged. Hearing this, the Grand Princess felt a pang of pity. She was usually lenient with her servants, let alone a child she had once doted on—the only bloodline left by her ill-fated younger sister.
Several times she wanted to summon Duan Rong into the hall, but she held back. Whenever she thought of all the absurd incidents she had secretly handled for Duan Rong over the years, only to receive no gratitude in return, her heart truly grew cold.
“Wumei,” Princess Hui’an gazed out the window, her furrowed brows tightly knit.
Her voice carried anxiety, as if it were not Duan Rong being scorched under the blazing sun, but her own old bones. “Is she still refusing to leave?”
Wumei shook her head, carefully adding a word for Gan Qiongying, “The Princess says she wants to apologize to you in person.”
Princess Hui’an was taken aback by this.
She walked slowly to the window and let out a deep sigh.
“If only she had known better back then, why must it come to this…”
Through the window, separated by a pane, the Grand Princess looked at Duan Rong, who bore a striking resemblance to her younger sister, and couldn’t help but feel sorrowful, recalling some past events.
But what had truly hurt her back then, making her resolve never to interfere in Duan Rong’s affairs again, was something so absurd it could never be known to the world.
Back then, Princess Hui’an often brought several children from the palace to her estate to play. She had children of her own and was the elder sister of Emperor Huicheng, so naturally, there was no suspicion or formality between them, and the children got along exceptionally well.
Empress Kou Ning’an had been in poor health after a miscarriage and was unable to care for the children, so Princess Hui’an took on more responsibility, looking after them on behalf of the busy Emperor Huicheng.
But one day, after the playful children had tired themselves out and fallen asleep, Princess Hui’an came to check on them when she noticed the little troublemakers had gone quiet. To her shock, she saw Duan Rong kissing the sleeping Crown Prince.
At that time, Duan Rong was already an adult, and the Crown Prince was old enough to understand matters of intimacy. Such behavior between siblings nearly made Princess Hui’an cry out in alarm on the spot.
Fortunately, after discreetly investigating, Princess Hui’an discovered that at least the Crown Prince, Gan Lin, was rational—he had not joined Duan Rong in her recklessness.
One was the Crown Prince, the other a Princess; there was absolutely no reason for them to become entangled. This matter could never be known to outsiders.
At the time, Duan Rong was infatuated with her own feelings. Emperor Huicheng had tried several times to arrange potential Consorts for her, but she always found ways to refuse.
Princess Hui’an grew increasingly anxious and eventually came up with a solution.
Select a Crown Princess for the Crown Prince.
Although the matter was rushed, she and the Emperor prepared many candidates. Among them, the daughter of the Minister of Personnel, who excelled in character, appearance, and talent, was their favorite. She was around the same age as the Crown Prince.
What was rare was that during an encounter Princess Hui’an deliberately arranged for them, the Crown Prince also took a liking to her.
Everyone was happy about this—except Duan Rong, who went mad.
Duan Rong knew about the selection of the Crown Princess, but what she hadn’t anticipated was that the Crown Prince would develop feelings for someone else!
How could Duan Rong bear it when the person she secretly loved fell for another woman?
She threw caution to the wind and confessed her feelings to the Crown Prince, then ran to Princess Hui’an and, in a fit of anger, hurled vicious words at her.
At that time, Princess Hui’an had earnestly advised Duan Rong, saying that the Emperor regarded her as his own daughter and showered her with boundless favor. With so many potential consorts to choose from, why did it have to be the Crown Prince?
Duan Rong was furious at the time. The closer someone was to her, the better they knew how to strike at her heart.
In her anger, Duan Rong lashed out recklessly, sarcastically remarking to Princess Hui’an, “Aunt, you were able to watch the man you loved die on the battlefield, then don red wedding attire and marry his younger brother. Truly, such is the dignity and grace of the royal family!”
When Princess Hui’an was still an unmarried maiden, she once encountered bandits while on her way to offer incense at a temple. Fortunately, she was rescued by a young general returning from the border, which allowed her to escape danger.
At the time, there were others on the mountain path as well. Princess Hui’an graciously expressed her gratitude. The young general was handsome and tall, with impeccable manners.
Sometimes, the stirrings of affection between a young man and a maiden don’t even require many exchanged glances.
However, as a Princess, Hui’an had been cultivated since childhood to be elegant and dignified. It was absolutely impossible for her to exchange more than a few words with a mere general.
She simply returned to the palace and told her mother everything, emphasizing the young general’s life-saving kindness.
A mother knows her daughter best. Her mother quickly understood that Hui’an had developed feelings and promised to make inquiries on her behalf.
Meanwhile, the elders in the young general’s family were also arranging a marriage for him. Audaciously, he actually proposed the idea of marrying a Princess.
Pitifully and regrettably, he was merely a son born of a concubine in his clan. Even as the eldest son, and even with military achievements to his name, how could he possibly marry a Princess?
His family dismissed it as a foolish dream, reprimanded him, and urged him to abandon such thoughts.
But soon, there was indeed movement in the palace.
Yet, how could a son of a concubine marry a Princess?
At that time, the royal family was weak, while powerful clans and influential families ran rampant. The marriage of a Princess was an excellent tool for consolidating power.
The young general who saved her was promoted to general by her father, the Emperor, and sent back to guard the border.
Princess Hui’an did indeed marry into the young general’s family as she wished, but it was to his legitimate younger brother.
On the day of Princess Hui’an’s wedding, news of a victory from the border reached the Imperial City, accompanied by the report of the defending general’s death in battle.
The messenger said that the general had had the chance to retreat, but he resolutely charged into the enemy’s trap, took the enemy commander’s head, and stained his battle robes with blood.
From afar, he was donning red alongside her.
Clad in red wedding attire, a golden-threaded fan veiling her face, Hui’an smiled as she married—she could only smile.
She couldn’t even wear mourning clothes for him or shed a single tear.
This matter was actually widely known at the time—the young general who fearlessly marched to his death, and the Princess who was manipulated like a pawn.
But no one spoke of it, no one dared to.
At that time, Duan Rong, in her rage, had spoken such harsh words to Princess Hui’an. That Princess Hui’an refused to forgive easily was something Gan Qiongying understood very well.
After all, everyone has a place in their heart that must not be touched.
Moreover, was the dignity, wisdom, and grace that the Princess had upheld her entire life truly what she herself desired?
She was merely a tragedy of her era, a sacrifice to power.
Gan Qiongying understood this deeply.
If anyone were to touch such a sensitive spot of hers, she would certainly cut ties with that person forever.
Now, the unfortunate part was that she was the one seeking forgiveness.
In the end, Gan Qiongying only felt difficulty breathing and her vision blurring.
As she collapsed headfirst to the ground, her only thought was—I really need to work on my physical fitness.
Ginseng soup must be added to the routine.
Maybe throw in a hula hoop too.