Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 384 Compassion
Outside Yanxing Gate, it was late autumn.

The sun hung low over the west wall, casting a dim yellow hue over the bluestone path.

On the official road leading to the villa, there were many more unfamiliar faces than usual, with families in tow, carrying bundles, walking hurriedly, their eyes filled with fear.

Xue Sui had just returned from the city and stepped over the threshold when he heard the heart-wrenching cries of a child, mixed with the helpless pleas of a woman.

She paused slightly, turning her gaze toward the source of the sound.

Seeing this, Jinshu quickly stepped forward and said in a low voice, "These past few days, more and more refugees have been pouring into the capital. Xiao Yan's rebel army has been advancing eastward, causing disasters in the prefectures and counties along the way, and the people are all crowding into the city..."

Xue Sui listened to the mournful cries and remained silent for a moment.

"Have the kitchen steam twenty large steamed buns and send them to Yanxing Gate."

"Why send him to Yanxing Gate?" Ruyi asked, puzzled.

“There are soup kitchens set up by the government there.” Xue Sui didn’t explain further. As she turned around, her white veil hat swayed gently. “Xiao Zhao, go and have the Seventh Prince take stock of the storerooms and see how much old rice and other grains there are. Send them over there as well.”

Xiao Zhao was about to leave when Xue Sui stopped her: "Wait, let Seventh Master take out all those coarse cloths that are kept at the bottom of the trunk and have dull colors. It's getting cold, and the wind is like a knife. Those old people and children can't stand the cold."

Jinshu looked at her and said, "Aren't you afraid people will say you're trying to win people's hearts?"

"Winning people's hearts requires sincerity." Xue Sui lifted a corner of his veil, revealing half of his chin. "An extra bite to eat, an extra bolt of cloth, might save another life. In the face of life and death, what do idle gossip matter?"

Jinshu's expression turned solemn. "Yes. Miss is very understanding."

As the crying faded into the distance, the three of them passed through the front courtyard, went around the screen wall, and entered the inner courtyard. They saw Wenjia squatting under the eaves, fixing Niu Niu's braids. The door was wide open, and Alimu was pacing back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back, his brows furrowed, looking preoccupied.

"I'm back."

Wen Jia breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Xue Sui return.

"Envoy Hassan arrived early this morning and was waiting in the east wing. He had already drunk two cups of tea and said he wanted to see you in person."

Xue Sui removed his veil and handed it to Ruyi, revealing a newly grown layer of short hair.

"Thank you for keeping me company, Your Highness. I'll go change my clothes and come right away."

She turned to leave, and Alimu followed her two steps, his gaze falling on her hair, his attitude unconsciously becoming somewhat respectful.

"Young lady, your hair is much darker and shinier than the last time I saw it?"

Wen Jia laughed, glancing at Xue Sui and gently scolding, "Didn't I say it was a bit too dark and shiny? Is Ping An believable now?"

Xue Sui smiled slightly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

Alimu added, "Xiz has a secret hair-nourishing cream made with the roots and stems of snow safflower and he shou wu... It's incredibly nourishing for the hair marrow. I'll have a caravan deliver it to you by fast horse later, young lady, why don't you try it?"

"Thanks to you." Xue Sui glanced back at him, a faint smile on her face. "You've gone to a lot of trouble."
-
In the east wing, Hassan and the deputy envoy were getting impatient.

Before Xue Sui even entered the door, the two men rose and waited outside, placing their right hands on their chests in a gesture of greeting.

"Meet the girl."

Hassan's voice was filled with barely concealed excitement.

After saying this, he gestured to the deputy envoy.

The deputy envoy bowed and presented a gilded tray.

On top was a silver box inlaid with gemstones, clearly a valuable item.

"You've suffered so much, young lady!" Hassan bowed deeply, his posture respectful. "Upon hearing of the calamity that befell Her Highness the Princess and you, the entire royal court is deeply saddened, and we wish we could take your place... This is a small token of my sympathy; I earnestly hope you will accept it."

Xue Sui's gaze lingered on the silver box for a moment before shifting away.

"I cannot accept such a reward without merit; Your Excellency is too kind."

She gestured for the two to sit down, and then sat down herself in a round-backed chair.

"I heard that the envoy visited my mother at the Eastern Palace today. I wonder what the imperial physician said?"

“Still asleep.” Hassan frowned. “The imperial physician said his pulse is stable, and the stagnant blood has cleared up somewhat, but… but he hasn’t woken up and is completely unresponsive to the outside world…”

Hassan frowned and asked again, "When Her Highness the Princess was lucid before, did she say anything to you, young lady? About her past?"

“No.” Xue Sui shook her head gently. “In her heart, she was just a lowly concubine in the Xue family. What she taught me was how to live cautiously and prudently in the inner quarters of the mansion and win my father’s favor…”

She glanced at Hassan as she spoke.

"Perhaps my mother was too young when she was attacked, and in her fear, she buried the past deep in her heart. Over time, she even forgot about it herself..."

"It is our incompetence that we failed to find the princess sooner..." Hassan's Adam's apple bobbed with difficulty, and his tall body seemed to hunch over a bit. His voice was hoarse, full of guilt, yet also brimming with hope.

"Young lady, does Her Highness the Princess really not utter a single word about Siz? Not even a single phrase...?"

It was clear Hassan was still unwilling to give up. Xue Sui looked at him, his gaze vacant. "From as far back as I can remember, she never spoke a single word of Siz. There was only one lullaby she sang to lull me to sleep..."

She softly hummed the melody from her memory.

Hearing the familiar tune, Hassan's eyes instantly reddened, and he clenched his fists tightly.

"Yes! It's Siz's lullaby... When the princess was young, the late Grand Queen... the late Grand Queen often hummed it too... I wonder what kind of fright Her Highness suffered back then, that would cause her to... never mention anything, or perhaps... forget her roots..."

Xue Sui remained silent.

Hassan took a deep breath and solemnly said, "The High Priest said that from now on, the Royal Court will do everything in its power to make up for the Princess's many years of neglect..."

"The new king, Turgutai... will he agree?" Xue Sui's lips curled into a very faint smile.

Hassan paused, then straightened his back. "Turgutai was originally the late king's illegitimate son. He was able to inherit the throne entirely thanks to the high priest's strong support. He deeply respects the high priest and swore a solemn oath before the late king's spirit that he would do everything in his power to find the princess and would never dare to show the slightest disrespect in his lifetime..."

Xue Sui looked at the sincerity in Hassan's eyes and smiled slightly.

Compared to the cunning old foxes in the Liang court, Hassan seemed quite pure, even somewhat... naive.

Under the influence of power, oaths are the most fragile things.

She didn't intend to reveal the truth, only saying, "Has Your Excellency considered that my mother probably doesn't need these things anymore? Twenty years of loneliness and hardship, twenty years of torment and trampling, a single poisoning that nearly took her to the underworld... all the suffering she has endured over the years is real. Treasures? Prestige? These things cannot bring back the years and health she has lost."

Hassan opened his mouth, but was speechless.

Seeing this, Alimu quickly smoothed things over: "The pain of the past was all due to the dereliction of duty by the royal court. Her Highness the Princess is still alive, which is the greatest blessing that Mount Ulan has given us... We only want an opportunity—to protect the Princess and help her return to her homeland, so that she may enjoy honor..."

Xue Sui looked at him in silence.

I think of the small crescent-shaped birthmark under my mother's shoulder blade.

"Whether my mother will wake up is still unknown. Even if she does wake up... it should be her decision to stay or leave. The Xiz Royal Court, you, including me, her daughter... have no right to make this decision for her."

These words were spoken not only to Hassan, but also to herself.

She cannot, and will not, choose the future for her mother.

Hassan and the deputy envoy exchanged a glance, and Hassan pressed his right hand heavily against his heart.

"Don't worry, young lady, we understand and would never dare to force you in the slightest..."

Xue Sui nodded slightly and said no more.

Hassan and Alimu sat for a while, and seeing that Xue Sui looked tired, they tactfully got up to take their leave.

Xue Sui escorted them to the second gate, watching them mount their horses and depart.

Turning around, I noticed that outside the courtyard, there were several strong men dressed as ordinary people, silently guarding the alley entrance and under the shade of the trees, their eyes scanning the surroundings warily.

They are from the Crown Prince's Palace...

Silent protection, airtight.

She smiled and gave instructions to Ruyi.

"It's getting cold. Send some hot soup dumplings to the people outside."

Ruyi replied crisply, "Yes, miss."
-
Xiao Zhao returned from outside at dusk.

Xue Sui inquired about Yao Guang's delivery of food to the soup kitchen.

Xiao Zhao vividly described, "You didn't see it, young lady, but the official who was distributing porridge held onto Seventh Young Master's hand and wouldn't let go. He said he would rush to make a plaque that read 'Saving the World and Loving the People' overnight, and send it to Hongfu Gambling House with gongs and drums, so that all the wealthy families and gentry in the city could see that people from all walks of life understand how to do good deeds, and they should all follow suit..."

"What did Seventh Master say?" Ruyi asked.

"Seventh Master refused, saying that if the plaque were hung up, all the gamblers in the city would think the gambling den had been turned into a charity, and who would still come to lose money? It would be better to send two jars of the finest liquor to warm the brothers up..."

"That monkey is clever," Xue Sui said, shaking his head with a smile. "He's so slippery. He knows exactly what's going on in his head."

Everyone found it amusing and couldn't help but laugh.

Amidst the laughter and conversation, a servant's voice came from the corridor: "Miss, dinner is ready."

Niu Niu immediately slid off Wen Jia's lap, grabbed Xue Sui's sleeve, and shook her incessantly: "Sixth Aunt, Sixth Aunt, I want to hear the story of the little fox stealing chickens. Can you tell it while you eat?"

Wenjia patted the back of her hand, "Don't bother your aunt... she's not fully recovered yet."

The group was laughing and about to head out to the dining room when Ruyi lifted the curtain and came in, carrying a lacquered tray. She slammed it down on the table, her face full of annoyance.

“Miss, the gatekeeper just reported that Granny Wei from the Xue family’s old lady’s courtyard has arrived, saying she has important business to discuss. I just peeked through the side gate and saw a carriage parked outside, followed by four or five maids carrying gift boxes. It’s quite a grand affair.”

(End of this chapter)