Chapter Seventy-Nine: The Northern Palace Hostage

After being reminded by Ji, Kaiming became increasingly attentive to the two children’s well-being. Ever since that quarrel, the hero in her heart had fallen from grace. Yin, however, treated her with greater courtesy, never giving her another chance to argue. Aside from forbidding her and Spoon from approaching Xiaowan, everything else seemed satisfactory.

Spoon, too, was full of complaints. A child accustomed to roaming freely in the village, he could hardly bear being cooped up in the mansion all day, and every few days he would come to quarrel with Kaiming.

She considered that Yin was no ordinary woman; she herself was no match. She wanted to move out, but every time she raised the topic, Yin cleverly deflected it. Thinking that softness wouldn’t work, she tried a more forceful approach. Who could have guessed that the other was even more unyielding.

Her gold hadn’t even left her room before the soldiers of the general’s mansion were stationed at her door, declaring, “By order of the General!” With a click, the door was locked, and she was left pounding her chest in frustration, confined for an entire day.

After that, she knew better than to confront Yin head-on. Each time she found an excuse to leave the mansion, she would discreetly carry some private silver with her, seeking out a safe place beyond the estate to hide it. Once she began this roundabout tactic, Yin seemed less inclined to intervene.

Perhaps Yin was simply too busy; with the constant comings and goings of soldiers and spies, she was exhausted enough. As long as Kaiming didn’t do anything too outrageous, Yin couldn’t be bothered to deal with her, which made it easier for Kaiming to transport her little fortune.

Kaiming secretly purchased a second-hand house in an inconspicuous corner of the imperial capital. Though it was remote and had virtually no potential for appreciation, all other indicators showed it to be well-suited for use. It was a solitary little courtyard, where she could grow her own fruits and vegetables. The house’s decor was far from the latest fashions in the capital, but it was clean and elegant. There were only a few tables and chairs, a single bed, two rooms inside and out, nothing remarkable—except for the door and the floor.

The door was of the sliding type, reminiscent of Japanese style, but unlike the typical paper-thin panels that seemed ready to crumble at a touch, these were solid wood, surprisingly light, a testament to the craftsman’s skill.

When she first viewed the house, opening the door, what truly caught her eye was the floor. Unlike the usual cement or marble floors common in the capital, this small house had wooden floorboards, making her wonder whether the previous owner was a foreigner.

What she liked most was the space beneath the floor. The agent explained that, thanks to the owner’s ingenuity, the foundation was raised several meters with wooden posts, creating a storage area beneath the floorboards. Lifting an inconspicuous plank revealed ample space—enough to stash a thousand taels of gold.

Following the capital’s architectural traditions, who would suspect such a plain floor concealed such a treasure beneath? Even thieves would likely overlook such a house!

Upon seeing this feature, she immediately decided to buy the house.

Finally, she had her own place! In a city where every inch of land was precious, she was now a homeowner! Unable to restrain her joy, she walked home with a spring in her step. She resolved that once her little treasury was fully transferred, she would bring Spoon and Xiaowan to live with her. If Yin came to make trouble, she’d simply hire a few formidable bodyguards; and if even bodyguards couldn’t handle it, she’d run—to the ends of the earth, to a place where Yin could never find her.

Though her plans were naïve, she basked in her own delight for quite some time. Turning onto the main road, she saw the city gate open and a long line of palace soldiers standing guard on either side, spears and halberds at the ready. In the center, several silver-laden carts, silk carts, and all manner of unknown wagons rolled slowly past—a dazzling array.

She wondered aloud, “So much wealth—whose wedding is this?” But there were no banners, no drums, and the entourage wore grim faces, so it hardly seemed to be a wedding.

The crowd was packed tight. Unable to squeeze in, she tugged at someone’s sleeve and asked, “What’s going on here?”

“The tribute from the Northern Palace has arrived,” the person replied with great pride, as if the gifts were meant for himself. “They don’t dare wage war with the Central Palace, so they’ve surrendered and are paying tribute!”

So it had happened quickly. Kaiming nodded, recalling Ji’s recent mention of the Northern Palace—how time had flown, and now the day had arrived.

“Look, that’s the carriage of the Northern Palace’s hostage prince,” the person said excitedly, pointing to a black-hooded carriage trailing behind. Painted pitch-black, it looked as if part of a funeral procession. The young coachman was handsome but wore a grim expression, as if mourning.

Kaiming shook her head, refraining from further questions to avoid stoking the citizen’s vanity. She felt a pang of sympathy for the carriage’s occupant—being sent as a hostage to a foreign land by one’s own emperor must be a bitter fate.

She lost interest in the spectacle and turned away.

That afternoon, bored at the general’s mansion, and with Spoon nowhere to be found, she mused over her ennui. The emperor had granted her a position, but no tasks, as if she’d been given a useless title, and Yin watched over her like a housekeeper. What was the point of it all?

Her thoughts turned to her new house. After the last uproar, Yin had learned to avoid confronting her, making it easier to come and go. Why not go inspect her little nest?

With her mind made up, she left the mansion in high spirits. Just as she reached the gate, she heard the guard say repeatedly, “The general is in the inner chamber; allow me to report your arrival.”

“No need, no need—I can’t wait!” replied a middle-aged man, rudely barging in and storming toward the inner rooms, followed by two officials in matching uniforms, equally impatient.

Kaiming saw their faces, as if they’d swallowed gunpowder, and her curiosity was piqued. She hurried after them.

She watched as they entered Yin’s room, and within a minute, a storm of angry voices erupted, shaking the whole house.

There was no need to eavesdrop; standing by the wall, she could hear everything clearly.

Stripping away the expletives and exaggerated complaints, the gist was: the Northern Palace prince was arrogant; the official had gone to visit him and been insulted, tried to teach him a lesson but was himself rebuffed, now begging the general to report to the emperor and punish the prince.

Kaiming found it increasingly amusing—an official unable to handle a mere hostage prince, yet bold enough to complain at the general’s mansion, and even wanting to escalate it to the emperor. Clearly, they needed a place to vent and had come here to curse and let off steam.

She wondered how Yin would handle them, shook her head, and walked away uninterested.

The Northern Palace prince? He sounded intriguing. Kaiming stood for a moment, pondering—such dull days, why not seek him out to pass the time?

Her mind made up, she prepared to leave the estate.

The prince’s quarters were at the post station, which had quieted down since the initial commotion. His lodging was a desolate house at the station’s farthest edge. It seemed he was unwelcome not only in the Northern Palace but even more so in the Central Palace.

Kaiming stood at the door and sighed. “A fallen phoenix is no better than a chicken,” she mused. For a royal prince to end up like this was truly unfortunate.

With a loud creak, the door was yanked open. A man, muttering curses, was about to step out when he saw her standing there and recoiled in fright. “Who are you, standing there like a log, trying to scare people to death?”

Kaiming looked closely. It was the young coachman, his face pale, eyeing her with annoyance.

She had intentionally dressed in male attire, wrapping her head in a cloth, and made sure to bring some private silver for her visit.

When the coachman stared at her, she remained calm and confident: “Commander Kaiming, here to visit the Northern Palace prince. Please announce me.”

The coachman crossed his arms, raised a brow, and sneered, “My master has no time!”

She smiled, pulled out a silver ingot, and waved it before him. “How about now?”

His eyes lit up, and he snatched it, stashing it in his robe. “Isn’t that obvious? Go in!”

Kaiming was a bit taken aback—though the coachman was greedy, his tone remained unpleasant.

He stepped aside, but before she could enter, a calm male voice came from inside: “Ying Shi, you’re accepting bribes again, acting on your own.”

The coachman replied impatiently, “Master, if I don’t save up some money for food, I’ll be left starving with you. I won’t stand for that.”

Kaiming was amazed. Judging by the prince’s words, the coachman had accepted bribes more than once, and the master was well aware. The coachman’s response was oddly amusing—as if taking bribes was only natural, and saving money was for his master’s sake. The prince’s tone wasn’t strict; he almost seemed to indulge him.

“Since you’ve accepted the money, invite the commander inside.” The voice sighed softly, tinged with resignation.

Kaiming felt a bit stifled—she had come to visit, but he was so reluctant. With such a greedy servant and a stingy master, she thought, “Fine, I’ll save my money and effort next time and not bother coming here.”

The room was indeed shabby, rivaling her own recently purchased old house, though the bedding was fresher and the furniture tidier. Scattered across the floor were various tools, all wrapped in black cloth. The prince sat cross-legged in the center, carefully untying the cords.

In the windless room, he seemed afraid of the cold, bundled head to toe in a hooded cloak. He hunched over, exposing pale, slender fingers—surely a refined scholar. She wondered why the officials had been so offended, and watched him with curiosity.

The prince turned his head and saw her. She gasped—the prince’s appearance shocked her profoundly.