Chapter 184
**Chapter 182: The Burned Parchment**
Zhao Qing's mind was a blank. In a flurry, she dug through the bricks in the corner, disregarding the dirt and dust, but after a thorough search, she still couldn't find the parchment.
“Cui'er! Cui'er!” Zhao Qing called out desperately.
The maid, Cui'er, rushed in, panic evident on her face. “Mistress, what happened?”
Zhao Qing's eyes were red with anger as she grabbed Cui'er's ear, demanding, “Did you steal my parchment from the corner? Was it you who took it?”
Cui'er winced, nearly in tears from the pain. “Mistress, I didn’t steal your book. It was the young lady. She came yesterday and took two of your pearls. The parchment fell when she was rummaging, and she thought it was dirty, so she threw it into the charcoal basin and burned it.”
Zhao Qing's head buzzed.
Burned?
She rushed to the now-empty charcoal basin, where a layer of ash lay, mixed with charred remnants of the parchment that crumbled at a touch.
“You worthless wretch! Why didn’t you stop her?” Zhao Qing scolded.
Cui'er looked even more aggrieved. “How could I dare to stop the young lady...”
Zhao Qing's legs went weak, and she sank down onto the cold floor, lost in despair. The contents of that parchment were complex and difficult to understand; she had been lazy, never bothering to memorize them, and had never imagined someone else would discover it.
Who could have guessed that by a twist of fate, it would be Shangguan Qian who burned it?
It was over. Everything was over.
“Sister-in-law~” Outside, the sound of hurried footsteps approached, and Shangguan Qian's lively voice floated in.
Zhao Qing quickly stood up, wiping her tears away and putting on a facade of calm. Cui'er lowered her head and stepped aside, not daring to speak.
Shangguan Qian burst into the room, her voice bright with excitement. “Sister-in-law, the carriage is ready! Big Brother is waiting for us outside. We’re going to the palace today to thank the Emperor and Empress!”
Zhao Qing, the Princess of Pingyang, had been granted this marriage by the Emperor himself. As a show of gratitude, she and Shangguan Xuan were required to visit the palace to pay their respects to the Emperor, and Zhao Qing would also need to bow to the Empress as a wife.
Shangguan Qian affectionately linked her arm with Zhao Qing's, her tone almost boastful. “Sister-in-law, do you like the pearl hairpin I’m wearing? Isn’t it beautiful?”
Today, Shangguan Qian was dressed to the nines in a bright red gown, adorned with a hairpin inlaid with South Sea pearls. Her lips were painted a vivid red, and her complexion was as fair as snow, making her quite the beauty.
Seeing the South Sea pearl hairpin at the tips of Shangguan Qian's hair, Zhao Qing felt a surge of anger. “Little sister, from now on, you’re not allowed to enter my room without permission, understand?”
She was furious about the two precious South Sea pearls taken and the destruction of the valuable parchment. But the culprit was her husband’s younger sister, making it impossible to scold her directly. Zhao Qing could only issue a verbal warning.
Shangguan Qian's expression froze.
She released Zhao Qing's arm and took a step back, huffing, “Sister-in-law, you’re being too stingy. You have twelve South Sea pearls, and I only took two. We’re family; what’s wrong with sharing a little?”
Zhao Qing was already fuming. She gritted her teeth and replied, “Yes, we’re family. Today, I’m going to the palace, so how about you lend me some of the gold and jade jewelry from your dressing box for my makeup?”
Previously, Zhao Qing had maintained a basic level of politeness towards Shangguan Qian. But now, as the mistress of the Marquis's household and a princess granted by the Emperor, she had every right to reprimand her troublesome sister-in-law.
Shangguan Qian stomped her foot in anger, retorting without thinking, “Why should I give you mine?”
Zhao Qing replied coldly, “We’re family.”
Shangguan Qian was momentarily speechless, as if realizing she was in the wrong. Her face flushed for a moment before she scrambled for a justification. “I... I’m younger, so you should let me have my way.”
Being the youngest girl in the family, she believed she deserved the most benefits. This mindset was ingrained in her, and she would simply take whatever she wanted, relying on her age.
Biting her lip in frustration, Shangguan Qian suddenly found herself disliking her sister-in-law. She missed the old Sun Qingmei, who was always accommodating and let her have her way.
Whatever Shangguan Qian desired—silks, gold, silver, cosmetics—Sun Qingmei would always buy for her.
“I’ll go tell Big Brother that you’re bullying me!” Shangguan Qian huffed, tossing her sleeves and turning to leave.
Zhao Qing ground her teeth, and after tidying herself up, she headed towards the Marquis's gate.
At the entrance of the Zhen Nan Marquis's residence, the carriage was waiting.
Shangguan Xuan, dressed in official robes, looked dignified. Noticing Zhao Qing's pale complexion, he took her hand with concern. “A Qing, don’t let it bother you. I’ve already scolded her.”
His gentle voice soothed her restless heart.
Zhao Qing forced a smile. As long as Shangguan Xuan's heart was with her, she could stand firm in the Marquis's household.
What was there to fear from a spoiled little sister-in-law?
Shangguan Xuan led Zhao Qing into the carriage. Inside, Shangguan Qian sulked in the corner, turning her back to her brother and sister-in-law.
As the carriage slowly made its way towards the palace, Shangguan Qian simmered in silence, waiting for Shangguan Xuan and Zhao Qing to appease her. In the past, whenever she was upset, the whole family would gather around to comfort her.
But as the carriage rolled on, she waited and waited, yet her brother and sister-in-law didn’t come to coax her.
Feeling a lump in her throat, Shangguan Qian fought back tears of grievance.
...
In the Chang'an Palace.
Shangguan Xuan brought his wife into the hall to express their gratitude. Shangguan Qian stayed outside, waiting to accompany Zhao Qing to meet the Empress.
Upon entering the inner hall of Chang'an Palace, Shangguan Xuan was surprised to find the Crown Prince, Prince Yan, and Prince Heng all present. Seeing the Crown Prince was the biggest shock; he had been ill for the past two years and rarely attended court.
Today, as Shangguan Xuan observed closely, he noticed the Crown Prince looked much better, the pallor of illness fading from his features. It seemed the rumors might be true—his health was improving.
The Emperor sat on the dragon throne, his hair graying and his expression weary. After Shangguan Xuan and Zhao Qing paid their respects, the Emperor, his voice hoarse, said, “Aiqing, rise. Take a seat.”
The eunuchs brought over two chairs.
The Emperor smiled kindly. “Princess of Pingyang, the schematics for the composite bow you submitted have been produced by the Ministry of War. Its power is extraordinary and truly exquisite. It is rare for our nation to have a woman of your caliber—this calls for a generous reward.”
The Emperor was indeed generous.
He rewarded Zhao Qing with four personal maids, a hundred taels of gold, and several bolts of silk.
Zhao Qing was overjoyed, quickly expressing her gratitude. “Thank you, Your Majesty, for your praise.”
Beside her, Shangguan Xuan beamed with pride. Zhao Qing had earned the Emperor's favor, and if she continued to provide him with schematics, the glory and wealth of the Zhen Nan Marquis's household would be secured, restoring its former splendor.
What more could a man desire than a wife like this?
The Emperor, feeling unwell, spoke a few more words before starting to cough. He waved his hand, signaling for Shangguan Xuan and Zhao Qing to leave, as well as Prince Yan and Prince Heng.
In the vast Chang'an Palace, only the Crown Prince and the Emperor remained. The Emperor coughed a few more times, taking the ginseng soup offered by the chief eunuch to soothe his throat. His murky eyes turned to the Crown Prince's frail figure.
The Emperor asked, “Yuan Chang, this ginseng soup tastes good. Would you like to try some?”
The Crown Prince clasped his hands. “Thank you, Father. I’m recovering and no longer need such tonics.”
The Emperor sighed deeply, sorrow and pain evident in his eyes. It was as if he were speaking to himself. “How many in the royal family can live to a ripe old age...”
The Crown Prince bowed his head, silent.
Both father and son understood without words that their time was limited. They only wished to create the most stable transition for the Da Qing dynasty in the time they had left.
This was their final wish.
...
At the entrance of Chang'an Palace.
Eunuchs and palace maids were clearing the snow that had accumulated overnight. A cold wind blew, causing Shangguan Qian to huddle her shoulders. Today, she was to pay her respects to the Empress, and she had dressed exquisitely, though her clothing was rather thin.
“Ah-choo—”
Shangguan Qian sneezed.
Suddenly, warmth enveloped her shoulders, and a faint scent of sandalwood wafted over. She looked up to see a thick, embroidered red cloak draped over her shoulders, and when she raised her gaze, the handsome face of Prince Heng came into view.
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