Chapter 18:- “Grace in Veiled Movement”

Princess Chaoyang truly took after her mother’s temperament, she immediately added fuel to the fire, “This can’t really be blamed on Crown Prince Brother. Our Jin Dynasty is simply too upright and reserved in custom. If not for today’s Horse Fair, these two lovers would hardly ever get the chance to meet.”

The Crown Prince handled it smoothly, smiling as he replied, “Chaoyang, your royal brother can take your teasing, but Rao’er has a thin skin, she might not. Don’t jest anymore.”

“Oh my, they haven’t even entered the Eastern Palace yet, and Crown Prince Brother is already protective! Clearly, his heart is tied in knots with nervous affection.”

At that, the Crown Prince laughed first, tacitly admitting it instantly stirring laughter and gossip all around. Especially since today’s crowd was filled with young ladies, such talk of romance quickly became the favored subject at the tables.

Jiang Rao thus became the focus of their teasing; a topic of laughter on everyone’s lips. Yet she could only sit upright, expression poised, enduring the scrutiny in silence and forcing herself to conceal her displeasure.

Her status was fixed; she represented the honor of the Marquis of Jing’an’s household. She could not refute anyone, nor afford to lose composure.

Even her elder brother Jiang Ming, standing nearby, believed that she and Mu Ling truly shared affection, so he made no effort to step in and shield her from the teasing words.

“Hyah!”

Suddenly…. a sharp cry.

Not only Jiang Rao, but everyone on the platform was startled.

All eyes turned at once.

Below the terrace, Chen Lian’s whip cracked through the air as it struck the horse’s flank.
The steed responded with a mighty neigh and bolted forward, racing far ahead of the others in an instant. One hand on the reins, the other holding aloft a flaming torch, he galloped boldly toward the great ceremonial bronze cauldron.

Lighting the cauldron, that was the ritual offering performed before the start of every annual race.

Until this moment, Prince Chen had remained silent. Now he rose to his feet and turned toward the Noble Consort. “Your Highness, the auspicious time for ignition has arrived.”

Only then did the crowd withdraw their surprised gazes.

Jiang Rao’s face stayed composed, but her heart was pounding violently. Chen Lian was already far from the platform; she lifted her eyes, straining to see, yet his face was lost to the distance and light.

The Noble Consort acknowledged Prince Chen with a nod, but her gaze lingered on the rider.

After watching for some time, she turned and asked curiously, “That young man on horseback, whose son is he? This palace finds his face rather unfamiliar.”

Prince Chen smiled faintly and replied, “Merely one of my guards. His horsemanship is particularly skilled, so I recommended him to take part in today’s opening ceremony. His voice may have been a bit brash just now, I hope he didn’t startle Your Highness?”

“Since the time is auspicious, it matters not,” she said lightly.

With that, everyone followed the Noble Consort’s lead, rising together to bow toward the distant cauldron and pay their ceremonial respects.

Chen Lian, torch in hand, drew his reins, dismounted in one fluid motion, and walked with upright bearing step by step toward the high platform of the flame.

Standing upon the elevated altar, clad all in black, he exuded solemn composure, the very image of command, looking down upon the crowd from above. With a single motion, he raised the torch and lit the bronze cauldron.

In an instant, the fire flared severalfold in brightness. The other young riders from the four directions gathered toward the blazing center, their horses neighing in unison; the rhythmic sounds of hooves and wind ignited the excitement of the audience below.

When the ceremony concluded, everyone returned to their seats. Only Jiang Rao remained motionless for a long moment.

Her gaze stayed fixed on the youth beneath the cauldron, bathed in firelight, his face shadowed by the glow, everything around him seemed dull by comparison.

Just then, Jiang Rao heard Prince Rui’s lazy voice beside her, “Tsk. Who would’ve thought that all the attention today would be stolen by an unknown guard under Second Brother’s command.”

A young nobleman sitting nearby immediately chimed in, tone full of disdain, “Just a lowly attendant. Your Highness shouldn’t concern yourself, to do so would be lowering your own status.”

Prince Rui’s expression stayed unconcerned, his voice playful, “What concerns me is how, the moment he appeared, every girl in the audience went wide-eyed. They say the daughters of noble houses are modest and restrained, but to my eye…”

He paused deliberately, then continued with a smirk, “To my eye, the more these ladies pretend to be demure, the more they crave a taste of manly vigor once they see it up close.”

When he finished, the group of idle young lords burst into laughter, openly joining in his coarse teasing.

The Noble Consort clearly heard their words, yet only half-smiled, turning a blind eye as though she hadn’t.

Jiang Rao felt a wave of discomfort rise in her chest.

She sat down quietly, feigning calm, but her eyes drifted toward the women’s section.

Sure enough, just as Prince Rui had said several young ladies still hadn’t withdrawn their gaze.
Their necks craned forward boldly, eyes glued to Chen Lian’s figure as if unable to look away.

Irritated, Jiang Rao took a sip of cold wine but the more she drank, the heavier the feeling in her chest became.

“Rao’er, don’t overdrink,”

Jiang Ming reached out to stop her as she poured herself another cup.

Seeing his concern, she forced a faint smile. “Brother, I’m fine.”

He frowned slightly. “You don’t look well. Are you feeling unwell?”

Jiang Rao shook her head, finding an excuse easily. “I’m only a little bored from waiting too long, that’s all.”

Jiang Ming sighed in helplessness, taking the wine jug away to his own side. “The ignition ceremony’s done. Next comes the race proper. Have you decided who will accompany you?”

That was one of the established customs of the Horse Fair. Although women were permitted to compete, few had real riding skill. To encourage participation and prevent accidents, each lady who lacked confidence could choose a man to accompany her in the race for protection.

Still….

Jiang Rao turned her head, puzzled. “Can’t Brother teach me himself?”

With such an expert right beside her, why bother looking for someone else?

Jiang Ming hesitated, looking a bit awkward, and then leaned closer to lower his voice. “Ruyan said she’d sneak over to find me once the ceremony ends.”

Jiang Rao blinked, amused by his unease. She wanted to laugh but dared not. “Second Brother, you could’ve said so earlier. I’d never be so tactless as to interrupt your… private meeting. I’ll just find someone else to help me later, don’t worry.”

Jiang Ming grew flustered. “It’s not a tryst.”

“All right, all right, I understand. You’re just meeting not… trysting.”

She deliberately emphasized the last word, and sure enough, his ears flushed red.
She thought secretly to herself, her second brother had always been terribly innocent in matters between men and women; Ruyan must have teased him many times before.

Still uneasy, Jiang Ming suggested, “Better let Li Hu assist you, he’s one of our own, I’d feel more at ease.”

At his name, Li Hu immediately responded with eagerness, “Yes, General!”

Prince Rui, overhearing, couldn’t resist joining in. “Now hold on, how’s it your turn to play the gallant? little sister, what do you think of my riding skills? Am I good enough to teach you?”

Before Jiang Rao could reply, the Noble Consort cut him off, “She is your future Crown Princess, how can you keep calling her ‘little sister’ so familiarly?”

Princess Chaoyang added snidely, “And besides, why should you be the one to play hero? Crown Prince Brother is so busy with state affairs, yet he still came rushing here. If you have any sense, you won’t disturb their tender affection.”

First “flirting with the eyes,” now “tender affection.”

Such words, repeated again and again, anyone listening might think Jiang Rao shameless, openly exchanging glances of desire with the Crown Prince in public.

“Your Highness’s words are inappropriate.”

Jiang Rao rose, curtsied, and, with neither arrogance nor servility, countered Princess Chaoyang’s words, “The Horse Fair is a longstanding celebration of our Jin Dynasty. When His Majesty first established this event, its purpose was to break the neighboring kingdoms’ prejudice that the daughters of our realm are frail and delicate. His Highness the Crown Prince’s presence here today,
as the Heir Apparent, is to lend encouragement to us women, how could it be, as Your Highness suggests, that he neglects state affairs merely to favor one person?”

“You—”

At those words, Princess Chaoyang’s expression instantly changed. Jiang Rao’s remark left her unable to respond, if she agreed with it, she would be slapping her own face; but if she remained silent, it would seem she was disregarding imperial instruction and casting doubt on the Crown Prince’s virtue.

She was truly caught between a rock and a hard place.

Jiang Rao watched her coldly, taking a quiet breath of satisfaction at seeing the princess so ill at ease.

Beside her, Prince Rui noticed the exchange. He slipped a hand under the table and secretly raised a thumb toward her in approval.

Jiang Rao looked at him in puzzlement for all his gloating, wasn’t Princess Chaoyang his own elder sister?

“Chaoyang, hurry and apologize to your Crown Prince brother and to your future sister-in-law. What sort of nonsense were you speaking just now?”

The Noble Consort, seated at the center, was the first to react. Her tone held faint reproach as she turned to her daughter.

Princess Chaoyang held her posture stiffly, and though she answered, it was unwilling and perfunctory, “It was my words that were improper.”

Jiang Rao made no reply, this was not the moment for her to play the generous one.

As expected, the Crown Prince put on his usual air of magnanimity, taking the burden upon himself and giving his mother face as well. “Rao’er spoke rightly. Affections between men and women are not the focus of today’s gathering. Still, Chaoyang meant no harm, her words were merely careless, and she need not be too harshly reproved.”

Listening to their polite back-and-forth, Jiang Rao, the one actually slighted felt entirely like an outsider. The whole scene reeked of hypocrisy and left her faintly disgusted.

She no longer cared to continue sparring in such empty conversation. Forcing herself to endure until the selection segment began, she immediately rose and descended from the platform.

Entering the grassy arena, she looked around, yet saw no sign of Chen Lian anywhere.

Could it be that he had already left after the opening ceremony?

She hesitated in place and then suddenly sensed someone approaching from behind.

A thrill of joy rose in her heart.

She thought, I knew it, Chen Lian wouldn’t be able to resist coming to find me.

Jiang Rao turned quickly but the moment she saw who it was, her steps faltered in fright.

The one drawing near was the Crown Prince. All her brief joy instantly turned cold.

“Rao’er, why did you leave in such a hurry? I almost lost sight of you,” he said.

Jiang Rao silently cursed herself, she should have walked even faster.

When she did not answer, Mu Ling stepped a little closer, his tone falsely gentle as ever. “Rao’er, at the last two banquets, I never managed to find a chance to speak with you. Are you angry that I’ve neglected you?”

Jiang Rao subtly shifted sideways, keeping distance to avoid appearing too intimate. “Your Highness is the heir to the realm. Naturally, you are entangled in countless official duties. Though I am a woman, my vision is not so narrow as to think only of myself, I understand, of course.”

Countless official duties, indeed.

At the first celebration banquet, he had poured all his warmth toward her brother, all for the sake of currying favor with the Marquis’s household, which held command of the troops. With her second brother present, how could Mu Ling spare any true attention for her?

At the second palace feast, it was the same. Mu Ling’s eyes had followed her father throughout, his hidden calculations almost visible on his face.

Her words now were meant as veiled mockery, yet wary of the political situation, she could only keep her tone restrained. The Crown Prince, of course, heard nothing amiss.

“Your Highness?” Mu Ling frowned slightly, his false smile finally fading to show a trace of displeasure. “Rao’er, you used to call me Crown Prince Brother so affectionately. Why do you sound so distant now?”

To parry words with him like this was exhausting, but Jiang Rao had no choice. No matter how much she detested him inwardly, there still existed the unalterable fact that their marriage had been personally decreed by the Emperor.

Defying that order was not something she could bear. Thus she could only continue to play along, masks upon masks.

“Today there are many people present,” she said softly, deliberately gentling her tone,
her expression pitiful and tender “so calling you ‘Your Highness’ is merely to show proper respect. Please don’t make things difficult for me, or Princess Chaoyang will seize the chance to mock us again.”

The instant she showed weakness, Mu Ling was easily appeased by her few words. He hastened to reassure her, “Rao’er is right. It’s your Crown Prince Brother who misunderstood you.”

Seeing how readily he was placated, Jiang Rao had just begun to relax, when she noticed a new heat kindling in his eyes.

Then she heard him murmur, “Rao’er, there’s no one around right now… Would you call me a few more times… Crown Prince Brother?”

“……”

Author’s Note:

Chen Lian: (cold laugh) “Even I’ve never made such shameless demands.”