Chapter 14: Checking Palm Lines

Emperor Longqing's residence was in the easternmost Splendid Victory Pavilion; Gu Jiu Ling followed Xiao Yin and waited at the doorway, expecting the eunuch to go in and report.

Soon the eunuch came out and invited Xiao Yin to bring Gu Jiu Ling inside.

Gu Jiu Ling's expression grew stern; just moments ago she had nearly been beheaded by the Empress Dowager, but now seeing the present emperor, she finally understood what it meant to serve a ruler like serving a tiger.

She stepped cautiously into the Splendid Victory Pavilion; inside and out it was utterly silent, and Emperor Longqing bent over, writing something unknown.

"Subject younger brother pays respects to elder brother!" Xiao Yin pulled Gu Jiu Ling to kneel properly before Emperor Longqing and kowtow.

"Rise!" Emperor Longqing's voice was hoarse; even those few simple words sounded exhausted.

Gu Jiu Ling cautiously looked at Emperor Longqing seated in the place of honor; she had heard he was gravely ill, and indeed the situation was not promising.

He was very tall and extremely thin, unable to support the dragon robe on his frame; his whole skeleton seemed on the verge of collapse.

His cheeks were gaunt, and his peach-blossom eyes, resembling Xiao Yin's, exuded a stern chill even without anger.

Emperor Longqing stared fixedly at Gu Jiu Ling, his gaze sweeping over her waist and abdomen; someone had already transmitted the news of the blood‑dripping kinship recognition from Empress Dowager Ning'an to his ears.

The atmosphere was somewhat oppressive; finally Emperor Longqing said: "Back then your maternal grandfather and I were somewhat acquainted, and now you have become a daughter‑in‑law of the Xiao family—this is fate."

Gu Jiu Ling didn't know how to reply, so she just stood there listening. "Fate?" Indeed, it was quite fateful—she was destined to remain entangled with the imperial family.

First she was engaged to Emperor Longqing's son, and now she has married his younger brother.

After Emperor Longqing rewarded Gu Jiu Ling with ginseng and other tonics, he dismissed her and kept Xiao Yin alone.

Only then did Gu Jiu Ling relax, and under the eunuch's guidance she arrived at Xiao Yin's residence; although it was a modest annex within the Imperial Villa, it was still quite impressive.

A two‑courtyard compound: the front courtyard planted with lush green bamboo, the rear courtyard featuring a pond for goldfish, pavilions, towers, artificial hills, and flying eaves—exquisitely lovely.

Here the attendants were all palace grannies; Jiu Yue was not by her side, so Gu Jiu Ling grew more cautious, removed her heavy headpiece, bathed and changed, and it was evening.

The Imperial Villa supplied meals uniformly; the eunuchs brought over food boxes, the fare not lavish but passable.

Xiao Yin hurried back at mealtime; as he entered the warm pavilion, the dark‑purple trim of his robe brought a hint of night‑time chill.

Gu Jiu Ling hastily set out bowls and chopsticks; Xiao Yin sat opposite her and glanced at the dishes.

The day before the hunt, the Empress Dowager observed a strict fast, so the table held only vegetarian dishes.

Several wild greens, a plate of pastries, some congee, and four small side dishes.

Just as Gu Jiu Ling was about to pick up her chopsticks, Xiao Yin pushed them aside, a flash of mockery crossing his handsome face.

"Why aren't you eating?" Gu Jiu Ling looked at Xiao Yin in surprise. "Oh, you want meat? Forget it, just bear with it."

"The Empress Dowager says it's best to fast before taking life."

Xiao Yin snorted contemptuously: "How hypocritical!"

Gu Jiu Ling ignored him; she was starving to death, this being her first meal since arriving at the Imperial Villa, and she was already feeling her stomach press against her backbone.

"I'm not eating! Come with me!"

Xiao Yin rose, pulled Gu Jiu Ling up from the kang table, changed into a plain dark‑blue brocade robe, draped his own dark‑blue cloak over her head, took her hand, and went out.

Gu Jiu Ling dared not ask the prince what he was up to; she could only grit her teeth and follow him.

Little did she expect him to bring her out of the compound to the dog hole by the west wall.

Staring at the opening before her, Gu Jiu Ling could not have imagined that on her first night at the Imperial Villa, her husband‑by‑marriage would lead her to crawl through a dog hole.

She probably was already the most unconventional person in Jing Cheng, never expecting Xiao Yin to be even more outrageous.

"Your Highness, what does this mean?" Gu Jiu Ling refused to enter.

"It means crawling through a dog hole," Xiao Yin smiled faintly, took her hand, and pulled her through.

The hole was large, yet Gu Jiu Ling still rubbed dirt on her nose, and her lovely face instantly became a speckled‑cat visage.

Xiao Yin was no better; dirt clung to his handsome forehead, making him feel like a dirt‑mouse.

Xiao Yin used his sleeve to wipe Gu Jiu Ling's face; the cuff embroidered with chi dragon patterns brushed her skin, a sensation she could hardly describe.

Her hand held by Xiao Yin, they walked along the forest path toward a Daoist temple on the hillside.

The Daoist temple was unremarkable, its interior neat and clean; a single lamp in the main hall gave off warmth.

Xiao Yin pushed the door open; a wave of fragrance greeted them, and a table stood in the hall.

The table was laden with food and drink: boiled chicken, braised salted duck, assorted platter, canned wild fowl, sesame‑oil rolls, sautéed white mushrooms, braised asparagus, lotus‑leaf aquatic vegetables, filling the whole table.

A large jar of daughter‑red wine sat in the corner, and at the place of honor sat a Daoist priest wearing a tattered robe, his hair white‑flecked, looking rather aged.

Were it not for the table of food and wine before him, he would have seemed even more an immortal with Daoist bones.

Gu Jiu Ling blinked slightly; Xiao Yin stepped forward, clasped his fists, and smiled: "Greetings, Master Nian Yuan—I've come to mooch a meal."

Master Nian Yuan chuckled: "I expected Your Highness to come tonight, after all you never bother with fasting, so I prepared some light wine in advance."

Xiao Yin brought Gu Jiu Ling to sit down; she inwardly wondered how at ease he felt before this Daoist master, all his usual constraints vanished.

"This must be the Princess Consort," said Master Nian Yuan, rising slowly to bow to Gu Jiu Ling, who dared not accept such an elder's salute and hastily rose as well.

Xiao Yin piled various meat dishes into Gu Jiu Ling's bowl, laughing: "No need for restraint—since you're here, eat."

Master Nian Yuan sat down chuckling, saying nothing, merely gazing at Gu Jiu Ling's face as if deep in thought.

Gu Jiu Ling didn't overthink it; her nature was to go with the flow, to accept what came, and she remained fairly calm and composed.

Moreover, the spread looked appetizing, so she dispensed with politeness, picked up her chopsticks, and dug in heartily.

Master Nian Yuan watched Xiao Yin pull off a drumstick and place it before Gu Jiu Ling, then wiped his hands, likewise offering her an eight‑treasure ball, worried she might choke, and pushed a bowl of fresh mushroom soup toward her.

A smile flickered in Master Nian Yuan's eyes; this child had finally learned to care for others.

Seven years ago he had never done such a thing; back then he was arrogant, like the rising sun, but now he had finally learned to restrain his sharpness, having concealed it for a full seven years.

Yet the prince felt somewhat different toward this Gu Jiu Ling.

After a moment, a black‑clad shadow guard strode in, saluted Xiao Yin, and leaned close to whisper a few words in his ear.

"Take your time eating; I'll be back shortly," Xiao Yin greeted Gu Jiu Ling, rose, and left the compound.

In the rear courtyard a crowd of people stood in dense darkness, each beside a large wooden crate.

Likewise clad in combat gear, Ling Feng walked over and opened the foremost crate.

As the lid opened, a burst of golden light flashed out, blindingly bright.

Xiao Yin bent down, picked up a twenty‑tael gold ingot and turned it over in his hands; Ling Feng whispered, "Prince, these were all shipped in via the waterway, passing through the Imperial River."

"Buy up the entire estate between the Two Wolves Mountains in the suburbs of Jing Cheng, raise warhorses, and outwardly claim it's just a business venture forming a caravan— isn't this the Princess Consort's dowry arriving at the Wangfu? Record everything under the Princess Consort's name, and say it's her silver, her caravan!"

In the courtyard, Gu Jiu Ling had also eaten her fill; a little Daoist boy came in to sweep, and Master Nian Yuan invited Gu Jiu Ling to step into the flower hall beneath the corridor for tea.

The tea was also top‑grade Snow Mountain Silver Needle, very refreshing; Gu Jiu Ling leaned back comfortably in an armchair, with Xiao Yin's long cloak draped over her, sipping tea while chatting with the Daoist priest, waiting for his return.

Master Nian Yuan stared at Gu Jiu Ling and smiled, saying, "Princess Consort, may this humble Daoist examine your palm?"

Gu Jiu Ling startled, wondering if he had discovered something.

As a wandering soul that had crossed over, she still felt a bit fearful facing the person before her.

She actually really wanted to return to that world, where she had parents, friends, classmates and teachers, and her career.

At that moment, myriad thoughts flashed through Gu Jiu Ling's mind, yet she still extended her hand toward Master Nian Yuan.

Master Nian Yuan focused his gaze, and suddenly his expression changed drastically.