Chapter Five: The Devouring Mother Chapter Fifty-One: Without Rank, Without Grade
“I can’t beat him!” The words were honest, and now Wanqiu seemed like a wronged child.
“Ah!? Hahahaha…” That was the truth, and precisely because it was the truth, Joy couldn’t stop laughing.
“One thing subdues another!” Changxiao added with a gentle smile.
“He’s never cared for that child!” Jade Ice also gazed toward the foot of the mountain, feeling a pang in her heart.
“He was originally ordered to go to Pingyang County, passed by here, and only thought to detour and look when he heard the young prince was missing! To avoid leaving any handle in the court, he could only pretend to be indifferent. Because he is a bastard, an illegitimate child! Sensitive by nature. If he didn’t care about the young prince, maybe the child could live a normal, healthy life. But once he shows weakness, the young prince’s safety is no longer assured!” Zhang Huai understood his helplessness; after all, just a few days ago, he himself had been such a diligent person.
Sometimes, you don’t wish to do something, but there are always reasons forcing you to compromise!
“That’s his own child—who can say anything?” Joy became increasingly indignant. “Is he supposed to ignore his own missing child just because he’s the Crown Prince? Is the child more important, or is his status?”
“Perhaps he has worries he cannot speak of,” Jade Ice mused.
“He’s the Crown Prince of a nation, what unspeakable worries could he have? Only the emperor outranks him—what could he fear?” Joy couldn’t help but retort.
“It’s not as simple as you think!” Zhang Huai wanted to explain, but then shook his head, deciding against it. Different perspectives yield different visions!
“If you’re not in that position, don’t meddle in its affairs! Sister, you’ve overstepped!” Changxiao cut straight to the point.
Jade Ice gave Changxiao a look of approval, and the two shared a knowing smile.
“Let’s go. There’s little reason to stay here any longer; let’s return to the village and rest,” Zhang Huai suggested, now that the case had ended rather hastily. Everyone had lost their purpose and didn’t know where to go.
“Agreed, let’s relax for a bit,” Jade Ice nodded.
Everyone followed Zhang Huai down the mountain…
“Master Zhang, you can’t just leave like this! What should we do next?” Seeing Zhang Huai descend the small slope, the Prefect of Bingzhou, Zeng Yi, hurried shakily to the edge of the forest to consult him.
The Crown Prince had arrived with a troop of soldiers, sweeping in and out at will…
Leaving behind this chaotic mess—how was it to be handled? Zhang Huai didn’t have any particularly helpful suggestions.
“Just treat it as an ordinary case!” Seeing Zhang Huai remain silent, Jade Ice spoke directly.
“This?” Prefect Zeng Yi looked at Zhang Huai with doubt, since Zhang Huai was the only one who could stand shoulder to shoulder with the Crown Prince. As for that woman, Zeng Yi didn’t know her.
“What’s the hesitation? Do as she says!” Zhang Huai brusquely sent him away.
“Yes, yes…” The Prefect retreated, glancing back at Jade Ice as he went. In his heart, he reminded himself repeatedly not to provoke this woman—her backing was far too powerful for him to contend with!
What he thought, Jade Ice couldn’t know. Since hearing Zhang Huai’s words, she realized she’d unwittingly gotten herself into a major trouble! Now she was torn—should she keep investigating, knowing full well it was trouble, or should she do as those previous officials had, turning a blind eye and muddling through?
Jade Ice didn’t know; she needed to think carefully…
Returning again to the village, Jade Ice looked at the newly built mounds of graves. Amid the fluttering white banners, she suddenly understood—
The truth is the outcome; everything else is just the process. Since she was already involved, forging through brambles to find the truth was the only way forward!
Back in that same courtyard, sitting in the room she’d visited before, Wanqiu lamented, “What a pity such a fine house should be left idle, never again to await its master’s return!”
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“There’s nothing strange about that—one day, a new master will choose this place!” As soon as Wanqiu finished, Joy shot back unceremoniously.
“They’re all just trying to survive—they have no choice,” Mingxia found a chair and sat, adding his thoughts.
“This can’t go on; eventually, there’ll be fewer and fewer people in this village until it’s deserted,” Zhang Huai paced back and forth in the room, growing increasingly uneasy at the thought.
“But they said themselves—nothing from this sacred mountain can be grown elsewhere!” Changxiao, standing at the door, recalled.
“You’ve all forgotten something!” Jade Ice smiled as she spoke.
“What is it?” Joy asked directly, voicing everyone’s curiosity.
“Who said those words?” Jade Ice’s tone was calm, unhurried.
“That family’s young master!” Everyone knew, and Joy was baffled by the question.
“It was that family’s eldest young master,” Jade Ice added.
“What’s the difference?” Joy was even more confused.
“If the eldest young master was impersonating the village head, how trustworthy are his words?” Zhang Huai interjected, understanding what Jade Ice meant.
“…” Everyone understood—could those things really not be grown? Only by searching the county records would they know.
In the archives of Jun’an County, they found no method for cultivation. The matter fell to Jade Ice to draft, and Zhang Huai picked up his brush to write a memorial, sending it through the relay stations to the Crown Prince. The reply hadn’t arrived, but a decree for Jade Ice did:
By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor proclaims:
Jade Ice, a common woman in cloth and skirt. Clever and quick-witted, learned and reasonable. Dignified and gracious, beautiful and delicate. Thus, she is specially appointed as:
Censorate Inspector. Empress Dowager orders her to return to the capital immediately to await her rank! Respect this!
“Long live the Emperor!”
“Long live the Empress Dowager!”
“Jade Ice, a subject, accepts the decree with gratitude!”
“Everyone may rise!” The eunuch, satisfied with the gratuity from Zhang Huai, tucked it away, saying, “Miss Jade, this decree was hard-won—you must bring honor to the Crown Prince! I, too, am favored by imperial grace, and this time, by order of the Emperor, I came to see for myself: what kind of common girl could so capture the Crown Prince’s attention and merit such promotion?” As he spoke, he patted his silver, “Yes, you seem excellent! His Highness truly has foresight! I’ll certainly speak well of you before the Emperor, but as for what happens after—that depends on your own fortune!”
Without waiting for Jade Ice’s thanks, he turned and departed…
This wasn’t his only decree—a mere Censorate Inspector hardly needed him, a pen-wielding eunuch, to announce. He’d diverted here solely at the Emperor’s command, fearing the Crown Prince’s youth might lead him astray by a temptress!
Fortunately, it seemed the Emperor would not be disappointed!
“Congratulations, Sister Ice!”
“Jade Ice, what a joy!”
“Miss Ice, you’re truly remarkable!”
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Once the eunuch left, everyone rose and congratulated her.
Only Jade Ice couldn’t truly rejoice. The case could have been investigated quietly, but now it was in the open—who knew if that was good or bad?
And her own secret! Before, she was just a woman, blending into the crowd like wild grass, unseen. Now, wherever she went, she would stand out—actually, that was less appealing.
Well, step by step—what else could she do? Ask them to take the decree back? Even if they could, it would hardly matter now!
“So, can you come to the capital with me now?” Zhang Huai fanned himself as he approached Jade Ice; she no longer needed to hide.
He also believed that, thanks to the eunuch’s words, wherever he went in the future, someone would report to the palace. But perhaps that was good—at least he’d no longer be hunted! Though the eunuch repeatedly hinted she belonged to the Crown Prince, he forgot that sometimes a denial speaks louder than any admission!
“Very well, we’ll leave tomorrow,” Jade Ice nodded heavily, knowing the case was far from over. But with the decree, she was now powerless to resist.
Half a month later, by the main road to Xingzhou, at a tea house—
“After such a long journey, you must be thirsty!” As soon as they sat, Zhang Huai poured Jade Ice a cup of tea. “Here, drink.”
Jade Ice accepted it without fuss and took a sip.
“Does it quench your thirst?” Zhang Huai eagerly asked.
“You really mean: ‘Is it poisoned?’ Am I right?” Jade Ice mercilessly exposed him.
“Heh…” Zhang Huai, embarrassed, opened his fan to cover his face, “Well, you are immune to all poisons.”
“You should say, my life isn’t as valuable as yours,” Jade Ice raised her brow, unmoved by his false compliments.
“If you’re too blunt, it’s not so good!” Knowing he couldn’t hide anything from her, Zhang Huai closed his fan and stopped pretending.
“That’s right, some things shouldn’t be spoken too plainly,” an old man at the next table remarked.
“Wise words, sir—they strike right at my heart!” Zhang Huai nodded to the elder.
“If words aren’t spoken, they don’t clarify; if reason isn’t debated, it doesn’t become clear!” Jade Ice cared nothing for age; she believed no matter how old, or how much one had experienced, some words must still be said!
“Well said!” A young man at another table sided with Jade Ice.
“What a good child,” Joy had a fondness for the remark, and turning, saw a tender, chubby little child beside the young man, which made her even more delighted!
She reached out to touch the child’s cheek, but unexpectedly, the little one dodged!
Joy was left awkwardly withdrawing her hand.
“Ha!” Wanqiu finally found a chance to tease her. He immediately said, “Even you slip up sometimes!? Looks like your skills are slipping!”
“Hmph! Still better than some tagalongs! Instead of going home, they insist on trailing behind us!” Joy wasn’t to be outdone and retorted sharply.
“What did you say!” Wanqiu, quick-tempered as ever, slapped the table and stood up, “If it weren’t for Master Qiu’s orders, do you think I’d want to follow you? Anyway, I’m ordered to follow Jade Ice, not you! She hasn’t said a word—why are you blabbering?”
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