Chapter 018: Study Companion

That day, when the two of them were returning, most of the people at the lantern festival had already dispersed.

Yan Lin held the horse and helped her up.

They walked the same way back.

But this time, he didn’t gallop wildly; instead, he let the horse walk freely, sitting on the horse with her, wishing the road back to the Jiang residence could be longer, much longer, until the end of time, until the seas dried up and the rocks crumbled, with no end in sight.

At this moment, the young man was filled with sincerity, with his beloved girl sitting on his horse, leaning in his arms, unable to think of anything else.

His intense heartbeat occupied his entire mind.

He was so looking forward to the days ahead that he didn’t notice the unusual silence of the person sitting in front of him.

The wind was slightly cold.

Jiang Xuening could feel the burning heat from the chest behind her.

But as she looked at the increasingly familiar road back to the Jiang residence, she felt more and more lost: If she were at the age of a young girl now, having shed the stubbornness and immaturity of her previous life, and met a young man willing to go through fire and water for her, she would be delighted, shy, excited, and moved by his sword, his eyes, his tightly held hand, and the hibiscus flowers casting shadows on the high walls.

But she was no longer that person.

When they reached the gate of the Jiang residence, it was already late at night.

Yan Lin helped her off the horse again, smiling and reminding her, “Make sure to get a good night’s sleep tonight.”

After speaking, he got back on the horse.

But when he turned his head, he saw her still standing at the gate looking at him, and said, “Go back inside, I’ll watch you.”

Jiang Xuening quietly looked back at him and asked, “Yan Lin, you always pamper and protect me like this, but have you ever thought about what it would be like if one day I no longer had you? What would I do then?”

Yan Lin was stunned.

He felt she was a bit sad today and said, “You’re worrying unnecessarily. How could you not have me? I will always be by your side.”

Jiang Xuening suddenly felt a heart-wrenching pain, finding it hard to even look at him again, so she laughed softly, “Yes. Then I’ll go back.”

Yan Lin nodded.

So she turned around and walked into the side door of the Jiang residence that was still open for her.

Yan Lin sat tall on the horse, holding the reins, watching her figure gradually disappear, a sudden confusion rising in his heart.

---

Many people in the Jiang residence hadn’t slept, waiting for her to return.

The news of the assassin in the capital had already spread during the day. When Jiang Boyou heard that Jiang Xuening was present at the scene and was almost taken hostage by the assassin, he was nearly scared out of his wits. Fortunately, others said she was unharmed.

But later, this little girl was taken to the lantern festival by Yan Lin, which made people quite angry.

Jiang Boyou had planned to give her a good scolding when she returned.

But when he saw her come back, her face didn’t look good.

At that moment, he couldn’t help but feel sorry for the girl: The assassination was either the work of the rebellious party of Prince Pingnan or the chaotic party of the Tianjiao (Heavenly) Sect. It wasn’t Ning’s fault. It would be too much to scold her after such a terrible experience.

So before he could speak, his heart softened, and he gently said to her, “The capital has been quite unsettled recently. I heard the Jinyiwei have arrested many rebellious parties, and today, not only Xie Ju’an was attacked. Although you and Yan Lin are close, and I trust him, no one knows what might happen. Stay home for a while until things settle down, then you can go out again.”

He thought Jiang Xuening would argue.

But unexpectedly, this time she lowered her head and agreed, “Okay.”

For the next ten days, she indeed didn’t go out again.

The day after the attack, she sent someone to Xiejie Alley to deliver a name card to Yan Lin through Zhou Yinzhi.

After that, she didn’t inquire about the matter.

Within two days, Yan Lin went with his father, Marquis Yongyi, to inspect the Fengtai and Tongzhou camps, returning on the 21st of September.

On that same morning, news came from the palace that Princess Leyang admired the daily lectures at Wenhua Hall and requested the emperor to find her a few reliable teachers so she could study seriously.

Thus, the emperor issued a decree to select companions for the princess.

After the court session, he instructed the ministers to recommend daughters of suitable age and good character from their families, to be selected by the palace.

This news stirred the thoughts of all the officials.

Who didn’t know that Princess Leyang was favored?

Moreover, those who accompanied the emperor in Wenhua Hall were all of noble birth and outstanding talent.

Not to mention the prestige of having “entered the palace” and “served as a companion to the princess” when the girls married in the future, the opportunity to form marital alliances and the honor for their families were worth striving for.

Jiang Xuening didn’t know how other families arranged it.

She only knew about her own family.

After returning from the palace, Jiang Boyou discussed the matter with Madam Meng, saying, “I heard that during the Double Ninth Festival banquet at the Qingyuan Marquis’s residence, Princess Leyang seemed to favor Ning’er, showing her special affection. Each family will submit their candidates, and the palace will make the final selection. In terms of character and talent, Xuehui is more suitable, being steady and dignified, not prone to causing trouble, but she may not compare to other girls. Ning’er has a high chance of being selected, but her unruly nature might be even more troublesome than the princess. What should we do?”

Madam Meng frowned upon hearing this.

She knew that Jiang Boyou felt guilty towards Ning’er and was particularly indulgent because of Marquis Yongyi, but sending Jiang Xuening to the palace as a companion to the princess was a serious matter. How could they be at ease?

She said, “Ning’er is impulsive, and the palace is restrictive. She may not be willing to go.”

Jiang Boyou glanced at her, “I also think Xuehui would be more reliable.”

It wasn’t favoritism, but Ning’er’s temperament was indeed worrisome.

Losing face was one thing, but causing trouble was another.

However, such matters needed to be discussed with the two girls, so Jiang Boyou said, “Go and invite the two young ladies.”

Madam Meng sighed, “I’m afraid Ning’er will make a fuss and refuse to give up.”

---

Jiang Xuening was taking a nap and was a bit grumpy when suddenly woken up, but she couldn’t show it. After tidying up, she found that Jiang Xuehui had already arrived.

She greeted and sat down.

Jiang Boyou explained the situation to them and said, “We only know that companions are being selected, but we don’t know what they will study or do in the palace. The companions of the princess in our dynasty will all live in the palace, and you know what the palace is like. You must be very careful, and we need to choose someone reliable. Ning’er seems to be favored by the princess. What do you two think?”

There was a moment of silence.

Jiang Xuening sat still and said nothing.

Jiang Xuehui lowered her head, looking at the embroidered handkerchief in her hand, thinking of the person she met at the Double Ninth Festival banquet at the Duke’s residence. Although she had the title of a legitimate daughter, she had no standing to fight for herself in front of Jiang Xuening.

She softly said, “I will follow my parents’ decision.”

Madam Meng looked at Jiang Xuening and said, “There are only two legitimate daughters in the family, and either of you would be suitable. One is steady, and the other is favored by the princess. But entering the palace is not easy, and you will be companions. We don’t want you to bring glory to the family, just to come back safely. Ning’er is too lively, and although Yan Lin might look after her, the palace rules are strict, and he doesn’t live in the palace. He may not be able to take care of her. So, it would be more appropriate for Xuehui to go.”

Jiang Xuening listened expressionlessly.

Jiang Boyou was always watching her expression. Hearing Madam Meng’s words, he felt inexplicably guilty and thought it was unfair to his second daughter, so he quickly added, “Of course, Ning’er is favored by the princess. If you want to go, we can still submit your name.”

Madam Meng pressed her lips together and said nothing.

Jiang Xuehui didn’t have much hope.

She knew Ning’er’’s temperament well. Whatever she had, Ning’er always wanted something better. Now, with the opportunity to enter the palace as a companion, other noble girls were fighting for it. How could Ning’er let her have her way?

Although this time, she did have a tiny bit of hope.

But just a tiny bit…

Jiang Xuening sat for a long while, with everyone’s eyes on her.

Her gaze, however, was on Jiang Xuehui.

Jiang Boyou and Madam Meng waited for a long time without hearing her speak, thinking she had tacitly agreed to let Jiang Xuehui have the opportunity. They both felt a weight lifted off their hearts.

Madam Meng breathed a sigh of relief and was about to say, “Then it’s settled.”

But just as she was about to speak, Jiang Xuening stood up.

The words got stuck in Madam Meng’s throat.

Her eyelids twitched.

Jiang Xuehui turned her eyes and saw this, feeling a slight bitterness in her heart: As expected.

Even Jiang Boyou secretly thought, “This is bad,” and started thinking about how to handle the situation if Ning’er caused a scene.

But unexpectedly, Jiang Xuening didn’t look at anyone, lowered her eyes, bowed, and said, “Father and Mother are right. Although the opportunity to enter the palace is rare, I know my own temperament. I can’t endure or yield. But my sister is dignified and sensible, willing to go, and has connections with noble girls in the capital. It would be more appropriate for her to enter the palace. I have no objections to letting my sister go this time.”

Jiang Boyou was suddenly stunned: “What did you say?”

Madam Meng sat up straight: “You—”

Jiang Xuehui was also stunned, her eyes flickering with inexplicable emotion: “Sister Ning…”

Jiang Xuening sneered, thinking of Wanniang, and gave her no face at all, saying, “Don’t think I’m doing this to fulfill anyone. I don’t want to enter the palace because I can’t stand the rules there. If you have something I want in the future, I’ll still take it!”

Jiang Xuehui was speechless, just looking at her.

Jiang Xuening turned her gaze away and said directly to Jiang Boyou and Madam Meng, “If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave.”

Jiang Boyou and Madam Meng didn’t expect things to go so smoothly.

They didn’t react immediately.

When they heard her words, they felt a mix of emotions: They had thought Ning’er would cause a scene, but she easily gave up this great opportunity, making them feel a bit ashamed of their previous thoughts.

Jiang Boyou quickly said, “Nothing else.”

Jiang Xuening didn’t linger, bowed again, and left the room.

The three of them were left in the hall, each with different expressions.

In the end, Jiang Xuehui looked at the slender figure disappearing into the corridor and slowly smiled, saying to Madam Meng, “Ning’er has a very soft heart…”

Madam Meng remained silent.

Jiang Boyou was quite moved and sighed, “Ning’er is so sensible now, it’s a bit hard to get used to. She’s really grown up, understands how to care for us, and knows how to yield to her sister.”

Fortunately, Jiang Xuening didn’t hear this, or she might have laughed out loud.

Everyone probably thought she had given up the great opportunity to enter the palace as a companion, but they didn’t know she never intended to take it in the first place.

Walking out of the hall, her steps were light.

Lian’er almost couldn’t keep up with her, exclaiming, “Oh my, Miss, what’s gotten into you? That’s an opportunity to enter the palace and be a companion to the princess! So many people in the capital would do anything for this chance, and you just gave it away!”

Jiang Xuening snorted, “I’d be a fool to go!”

The palace is nowhere near as comfortable as outside.

Everything has to be done according to strict rules.

Not to mention the companions selected from the families of ministers and nobles, even the concubines serving the emperor have to be cautious and can’t afford to be careless.

She only realized how hard life in the palace was after entering it. Fortunately, she was later made empress, so even if she acted a bit recklessly, no one dared to say anything.

But what was it like to be a companion in her previous life?

There was Xiao Shu, who was proficient in everything and made it hard to breathe, and Princess Leyang, who “hated her out of love” and seized every opportunity to find fault with her and wouldn’t let her go.

Even worse, there were two subjects taught by Xie Wei!

In her previous life, she had no enmity with Xie Wei at this time, and he didn’t make things difficult for her.

But in this life, with Xie Wei as the teacher, how could she survive?

Not to mention the look in Princess Leyang’s eyes that made her uneasy, and Yan Lin often entering and leaving the palace…

If she put herself back into that situation, it would be like asking for trouble!

When Jiang Boyou and Madam Meng asked earlier, with Jiang Xuehui sitting there, she didn’t want to make things too easy for her, so she deliberately delayed.

But the final result was somewhat unexpected. They all seemed to think she was some kind of good person. But it didn’t matter, it wasn’t a bad thing.

As for whether Jiang Xuehui would suffer as a companion in the palace?

What did that have to do with her?

---

After returning to her room, Jiang Xuening had her belongings brought up and checked them again, thinking: Now that the companion matter has fallen on Jiang Xuehui, even if she isn’t selected, it has nothing to do with her. This way, her path diverges completely from her previous life. She hasn’t provoked Shen Zhiyi. So, she just needs to find a suitable opportunity to explain things to Yan Lin, wait for the matter with Marquis Yongyi’s residence to be settled, and regardless of the outcome, she has done her best. After that, she can return to Tongzhou or simply pack her bags and travel the world like You Fangyin in her previous life.

The scenery outside is so beautiful, why confine herself to one place?

Her little plans were clicking away in her mind.

Although the involvement of Marquis Yongyi’s residence in Prince Pingnan’s rebellion still worried her, she managed to sleep well that night.

The next afternoon, the list of selected companions from the palace was released.

When it reached the Jiang residence, Jiang Boyou and Madam Meng could hardly believe their eyes. They repeatedly confirmed with the eunuch from the palace, “Sir, is there a mistake with this list? We submitted the name of our eldest daughter, but why is the second daughter’s name on the list?”

The eunuch, unaware of the details, simply said, “This is what the decree states. I don’t know the specifics. Anyway, it’s still a girl from your family, so it doesn’t matter. After the decree, she can pack some things and enter the palace the day after tomorrow to learn some rules and get familiar with the palace. If she’s really unsuitable, she can still be sent back. Just prepare for her.”

Jiang Boyou and Madam Meng looked at each other in disbelief.

When the news reached Jiang Xuening, she was still in her room sorting her belongings, planning to convert some of her valuable but cumbersome items into silver notes for easier travel in the future.

Then Lian’er rushed in excitedly, “Miss, it’s you! It’s you!”

Jiang Xuening felt a headache coming on from her voice.

But Lian’er was always different in her thinking.

If Lian’er thought something was good news, it was definitely bad news!

Pausing her brush on the ledger, Jiang Xuening’s eyelid twitched, and she asked, “What’s me?”

Lian’er, out of breath, said, “Entering the palace! Being a companion to the princess!”

Jiang Xuening’s scalp tingled, and she threw down her brush, standing up, “What did you say?!”

Lian’er, not understanding the situation, thought she was overjoyed and quickly explained, “The list of companions from the palace has your name on it! The master submitted the eldest daughter’s name, but for some reason, she wasn’t selected, and your name was added instead. You’re going to be a companion to the princess soon!”

“……”

Jiang Xuening’s mind buzzed, with countless thoughts rushing through like a tide.

In the end, only one thought remained—

Even though her name wasn’t submitted, it still ended up on the list.

The palace is a real “battlefield”!

Who is behind this?