Volume 1, Chapter 24: The True Heiress Is a Powerhouse 24

At a critical moment, a thunderous sound of hooves suddenly echoed from afar, rolling across the long street like a storm.

Princess Heqin’s "Snow-Treader" steed reared up abruptly, pawing at the ground in agitation. It was the instinctive fear of a fine horse in the presence of a superior member of its own kind.

As the crowd turned toward the sound, they saw a cloud of dust rising. Leading the charge was a rider in spirit-garb who pulled his horse to a halt, the aura of his blood-sweating stallion instantly overwhelming the entire scene.

"By order of the young lady of the Duke of Rong’s mansion, one hundred blood-sweating stallions are donated to ease the travel of officials heading south for disaster relief!"

An Qianqian pulled back the carriage curtain, took a glance, and nodded with satisfaction. She looked at the stunned Heqin beside her and said coldly, "Good dogs don’t block the path."

Princess Heqin’s face flushed a deep crimson. She shouted loudly, "Snow-Treader! What are you afraid of? Charge forward!"

But the white horse, which usually obeyed her every command, now acted as if it were being held back by an invisible hand. It backed away repeatedly, snorting heavily, its front hooves carving deep grooves into the ground. No matter how hard she whipped it, it refused to take another step forward. The oppressive aura of the blood-sweating stallions was inescapable—a dominance of rank carved into its very bones.

"Useless trash!"

Furious and flustered, Princess Heqin snatched the whip from the driver and lashed it hard against the horse’s rump. The Snow-Treader, stung by the pain, did not charge forward; instead, it reared up violently, throwing her from the carriage. Her maids rushed forward in a panic to support her, and the scene descended into chaos.

Watching this farce, Cheng Mingyue curled her lips into a faint smile. She smoothed her robes and said to her maid, "Let’s go." So many blood-sweating stallions—at a glance, she knew they belonged to her clever daughter. Today, she, Cheng Mingyue, had reclaimed her standing.

The Crown Princess had learned of the incident at the gate from her attendant, Wu Siyan, especially the news that An Qianqian had donated over a hundred blood-sweating stallions. Without a second thought, she made her way to greet them. As soon as she emerged from the hanging flower gate, she stepped forward with a smile and took Cheng Mingyue’s hand. "Madame Rong, I have been looking forward to your arrival."

Her gaze swept over An Qianqian behind Cheng Mingyue, and her smile deepened, her tone filled with genuine admiration. "I just heard that your daughter donated a hundred blood-sweating stallions for the disaster relief. This level of magnanimity truly earns my respect. The disaster in the south is urgent, and I was worried about the difficulties officials would face in traveling. Qianqian’s timely assistance is more precious than any gift."

Cheng Mingyue hurriedly responded with humility, "Your Highness is too kind; these are merely worldly possessions."

An Qianqian also stepped forward, saying calmly, "It is the duty of the citizens of the Shang Kingdom to share the burdens of the Imperial Court."

The smile at the corners of the Crown Princess’s eyes reached her brows, and her gaze held a hint of appreciation. "Miss An, your words are far more insightful than those of the officials at court who do nothing but talk."

As she spoke, the Crown Princess led Cheng Mingyue inside, deliberately slowing her pace to walk side-by-side with her, her voice dropping to a more intimate tone. "You have raised a wonderful daughter. Wu Siyan told me about what happened at the gate. That child, Heqin, has been spoiled. I shall certainly have a word with her later."

She turned her head to look at An Qianqian, her eyes curving like crescent moons. "Qianqian, come with me. Today’s ice banquet features iced cheese from the Western Regions—sweet but not cloying. I’m sure it will suit your taste."

An Qianqian lowered her gaze, murmured a "Thank you, Crown Princess," and followed them inside.

As the Crown Princess led Cheng Mingyue through the carved wooden corridor, they happened to bump into Princess Heqin, who was being supported by her maids and looked utterly disheveled. The Crown Princess merely glanced at her coldly without even stopping, continuing to smile at Cheng Mingyue. "Madame, this way please. Let us go to the water pavilion to talk. It is hot today, and it is cool over there."

Princess Heqin watched the three of them walk away, chatting and laughing. She looked down at her mud-stained skirt, her fingernails digging into her palms in fury. It was just a few horses—how could that earn them a personal welcome from the Crown Princess?

She had only taken a few steps when Wu Siyan, the Crown Princess’s attendant, caught up to her.

"Greetings, Princess Heqin. By order of the Crown Princess, please go to the side hall to rest. I saw that you scraped your hand when you fell from your horse. The side hall has been prepared with medicinal powder and clean clothes. Please go treat your wound so the heat does not inflame it."

Upon hearing this, the anger on Princess Heqin’s face largely dissipated, replaced by a touch of smugness. She reached up to smooth her disheveled hair. "I knew the Crown Princess cared for me." She glanced toward the water pavilion, her tone tinged with jealousy. "It was just a few horses; how could that compare to our years of friendship? She must have only done it to put on a show for outsiders because the Duke of Rong’s mansion donated something."

Wu Siyan lowered her eyes, her voice remaining level. "The Princess is right. The Crown Princess is always considerate of everyone. When she saw you were injured, she was so worried that she ordered me to find medicine immediately, fearing any delay in your treatment."

Princess Heqin was soothed by these words, holding her chin high. "That is only natural."

However, Wu Siyan suddenly changed the subject, saying slowly, "Speaking of which, the disaster in the south is becoming increasingly severe. The Crown Princess has been so worried these past few days that she cannot sleep, always saying that if there were more silver and grain, more lives could be saved."

She looked up at Heqin, her tone sincere. "The Princess has always been kind-hearted and is highly regarded by the Crown Princess. If you could express your own intentions at the ice banquet later, the Crown Princess would surely be very pleased—it would certainly not be in vain, considering how concerned she is about your injury."

Princess Heqin’s smile stiffened. She had thought Wu Siyan was there to provide a graceful exit, but it turned out she was there to solicit a donation. Yet, with things having reached this point, and the phrase "not in vain, considering how concerned the Crown Princess is" blocking any path for refusal, she had no choice but to bite the bullet. "That is only natural. I will certainly... I will certainly donate more."

Only then did Wu Siyan slightly nod and bow. "Then this servant will return to serve the Crown Princess. Please rest well, Princess."

Her mission accomplished, Wu Siyan returned to the water pavilion to report.

Over there, An Qianqian, her three sisters-in-law, and Cheng Mingyue were seated on a soft couch by the water on the east side of the pavilion. The pavilion was airy, separated only by gauze curtains. The couch was covered with cooling mats, and the low tables beside them held iced fruits and sour plum soup. The high-ranking matriarchs and unmarried young ladies sat in the seats of honor, while the married daughters-in-law sat in order on both sides—convenient for conversation and allowing them to see the guests coming and going through the water curtains without appearing to be deliberately exposing themselves.

As soon as Cheng Mingyue picked up her teacup, she caught sight of several young men in fine robes walking through the corridor on the opposite bank. She hurriedly covered her mouth with a fan and leaned over to whisper to An Qianqian:

"The one in the sapphire-blue brocade robe is the eldest son of the Minister of Personnel; he passed the imperial examination last year and is very refined. The taller one beside him is the youngest son of the Marquis of Dingbei; he is excellent at riding and archery, and I heard the Emperor praised him during the hunt the day before yesterday..."

An Qianqian glanced over casually and gave a faint, "Mm."

Seeing that her daughter was not resisting, Cheng Mingyue spoke with even more enthusiasm. "Don't think your mother is long-winded. Look at that one in the moon-white gown; he is the second son of the Vice Minister of Rites. I hear he has the gentlest temperament, and his calligraphy and painting are peerless..."

She suddenly paused, seeing that An Qianqian was staring at the water, clearly not listening. She couldn't help but tap the back of her daughter's hand lightly. "Do pay attention; you might find someone who catches your eye."

Only then did An Qianqian snap back to reality. She followed her mother’s gaze for a moment and said calmly, "Mother, I have no interest in these things."

"Silly girl," Cheng Mingyue sighed, poking her forehead with her fingertip. "A girl must find a good home. Look at those young men—their family background, talent, and looks are all top-notch. It never hurts to look."

As they were talking, they saw the heir of the Marquis of Yong’an passing by the pavilion, and Cheng Mingyue began to explain his details as well, acting just like a shopkeeper eager to sell his wares, which made the second and third sisters-in-law nearby giggle softly.

An Qianqian rested her chin in her hand. While she listened to Cheng Mingyue listing the merits of those young men, her eyes were fixed on Si Chengnian, who was currently in a private conversation with the Emperor of the Shang Kingdom.