Chapter 851: Always Sharp-Tongued
Princess Huaiqing had already arrived last night.
It was just that she rested at the post station last night and did not enter the palace.
His Majesty specially arranged for her to enter the palace during morning court, also to proclaim to the world that Princess Huaiqing had returned.
Before long, a woman walked in from outside with measured steps.
The woman’s bearing was dignified; though there was a trace of wind and frost on her face and she no longer looked young, she was still incomparably beautiful.
Many of the ministers were seeing Princess Huaiqing for the first time, though they had long heard the rumors of her beauty.
Compared with Princess Shoukang, this beautiful and decorous woman in formal robes looked far more like the princess in their hearts.
As Princess Huaiqing entered the great hall, she was about to slowly kneel down.
His Majesty on the dragon throne, seeing his elder sister and recalling how in the past the two of them, brother and sister, were not favored by the Retired Emperor and had relied on each other in the palace, could no longer restrain himself. He came down from the vermilion steps and pulled Princess Huaiqing into his arms.
The siblings had been separated for many years, and now they could not help but throw their arms around each other and weep bitterly.
The ministers standing in the hall, whether they were putting on a show or truly moved, many could not help but shed tears as well.
His Majesty only lost his composure for a brief moment before wiping away his tears and returning to sit on the dragon throne.
He smiled and said, "Princess Huaiqing’s return is a great joy both to Us and to the Imperial Family."
"We shall proclaim a general amnesty to the realm to pray for blessings for Our Imperial Sister."
The ministers all echoed, "Your Majesty is wise."
His Majesty was in high spirits: "The Empress Dowager is waiting for Our Imperial Sister in the inner palace, and Princess Shoukang also returned a few days ago. You sisters can be reunited."
Princess Huaiqing showed surprise. "Princess Shoukang?"
"Last year, I heard that Princess Shoukang died of a sudden illness. How has there come to be another Princess Shoukang?"
His Majesty’s expression changed.
The ministers below also began to murmur among themselves.
"Died? Then who is this Princess Shoukang?"
"Isn’t it obvious? Naturally someone is posing under a false name."
"I knew it. That woman was skin and bones; she didn’t look like a princess at all."
"Exactly, she had none of a princess’s bearing."
Listening to the discussions filling the hall, Jiang Youzhi lowered his eyes and said not a word.
His Majesty’s face darkened, and in his heart he came to the same suspicion as the ministers.
He ordered a eunuch, "Go, summon Princess Shoukang to the hall."
Whether she was truly Princess Shoukang or not, Princess Huaiqing would know at a glance.
The eunuch hurried off toward the inner palace, and before long, Princess Shoukang was summoned over.
Princess Huaiqing had last seen Princess Shoukang on the road to Huining.
And that journey was the most humiliating experience she least wished to recall.
She still remembered, the first time that day when she was called into the tent by a Jin Army officer; when she came out, her eyes were vacant, and she was in such pain she wished she were dead.
At the time Princess Shoukang had even mocked her, "You already have a Prince Consort, yet now you betray him, and your body is no longer pure. If I were you, I’d be too ashamed to live in this world."
Princess Huaiqing had been driven by her words to the brink of taking her own life.
Two days ago at the official post, Lord Chief Minister kindly sent someone to remind her that Princess Shoukang had returned to Great Chu.
He told her everything about Princess Shoukang’s withered appearance and how His Majesty had not recognized her.
Princess Huaiqing had made up her mind on the spot that Princess Shoukang could not be allowed to remain.
This girl had always been headstrong and unreasonable, with no filter on her tongue. If she were to speak out about her being ravished, or reveal that she had borne a son for the Zuo Xian King, she would have no face to stand in Great Chu.
The best way was to strike first.
Only if this Princess Shoukang was a fake would her words carry no credibility.
Only then would she forever be unable to speak.
As soon as Princess Shoukang entered the great hall, she saw Princess Huaiqing.
Though her beauty was no longer the sort that could topple a kingdom as it had been years before, she was still extraordinarily beautiful.