Chapter 54: CH 54

Ban Hua didn’t take a carriage, she rode a horse instead.

Wrapped in elaborate court dress while riding a horse wasn’t comfortable, but her subconscious rejected the idea of turning back to change first. Strange thoughts kept urging her to go the Palace. Quick, go to the Palace.

“Go!”

The whip given by Emperor Yunqing fell on the horse’s body with a clear crisp sound. The road was still covered by unmelt snow. Ban family guards were worried, they desperately tried to chase after her. But their horses were not a match for the imperial horse Ban Hua rode, pretty soon they were left behind with a considerable distance.

“Master Count,” Jingting residence head guard jumped off his horse, kneeling down on one knee in front of Rong Xia, “Count Cheng’an, something isn’t right with Junzhu. Shuxia begs Master Count to protect Junzhu in the Palace.”

“Please everyone don’t worry, I will definitely protect her.” Rong Xia patted his horse, the good horse galloped away.

“Leader,” A guard panted some hot air, “What to do now?”

“Quickly inform Marquis and Marchioness Jingting.” The head guard deeply inhaled cold air, “Something must be happening in the Palace.” He had been a guard for Junzhu for a few years, he had never seen Junzhu lost herself like today. Even if he didn’t know what was happening, his instinct said it wouldn’t be anything good.

—

The icicles on tree branches, the dirty and muddy road, the blurry faces of pedestrians on the roads. Ban Hua felt as if it had all been in a dream, and at the same time an illusion. Cold wind slapped her face, made it frozen and numb.

The palace gates appeared, closer and closer to herself, she dazedly thought they were monsters with huge bloody mouths opened wide, ready to devour anyone at any moment.

Several imperial guards on horses were rushing out of the gates. As they saw the rider of the horse approaching in breakneck speed was Ban Hua, one of them held up a black flag with yellow rims, shouted, “Fule Junzhu, the Grand Princess Dening is seriously injured, His Majesty has issued an urgent summon!”

“What did you say?” Ban Hua gasped. She yanked the rein tightly, the galloping horse neighed. It’s body was pulled up backward for a while before stopping.

The leader of the imperial guards was alarmed to see Ban Hua’s bloodshot eyes and her pale cheeks tinged greenish, “The Grand Princess Dening…… seriously injured, critical condition…..” He hasn’t finished when with a burst of wind Fule Junzhu’s horse had shot passed him, directly into the Palace.

“Junzhu, it’s forbidden to ride in the Palace!”

“Quick, stop her!”

“Deputy Commander Shi, quickly stop her, be careful don’t hurt the person!”

Shi Jin was walking out when he heard the imperial guard’s shouts. He looked up to see a horse running towards his direction. Shi Jin leapt forward, quickly pulled the horse’s rein. It bent it’s front legs in pain, and the person on the horse’s back fell down heavily.

The imperial guards who were chasing the horse screamed in fear to see this scene, what if the rider was hurt?

“Who tripped me?” Ban Hua’s eyes were red like bloodied. The fall was heavy that her brain was a little muddled, she couldn’t get up for a moment.

“Junzhu!” Rong Xia jumped down from his running horse, dashed over in a run to support Ban Hua up, “How are you?”

Ban Hua’s brain hadn’t recognised her helper yet. Gripping the whip tightly, she lashed it to the person who had tripped her horse, hoarsely yelled, “Get lost!”

Shi Jin was stumped to see the rider was Ban Hua, he didn’t dodge the whip. It was unclear what the whip was made from, it’s tail lashed on the back of his hand, painful like burning.

“Junzhu, let’s find the Grand Princess.” Rong Xia didn’t see Shi Jin, his eyes were on Ban Hua, “Can you walk?”

Ban Hua blankly looked at Rong Xia, her lips trembled without a sound.

“I’ll carry you.” Rong Xia saw the rims of her eyes red, her hair a mess, and most of the accessories had fallen off. He squatted down in front of her, “Quick, come up.”

Ban Hua climbed on his back. Her dusty hands clutched Rong Xia’s sleeves tightly, as if the tighter she gripped, the faster he would run, a bit more faster.

Her eyes blurred, Ban Hua rubbed her face on Rong Xia’s back to hide her sobbings.

With the muffled sound of choked cries on his ears, Rong Xia quickened his steps.

—

“Deputy Commander,” The guards were nervous to see the blood at the back of Shi Jin’s hand.

The Crown Princess’s eldest brother who was also the legitimate firstborn son of the Right Minister was whipped by the Junzhu who His Majesty had personally appointed. Should they pretend not to have seen, or …. what to do?

“It’s fine.” Shi Jin looked at the wound at the back of his hand, “I’ll go have a look.”

“Yes!” The imperial guards were relieved. The Deputy Commander had said it was fine so they shouldn’t make it a big deal either.

—

In the Great Moon Palace, the Emperor and the Empress stared at the imperial doctors who were at their wits’ end, their hearts sunk little by little. Noone expected that an assassin had been hidden in public for so long, and it was a female official who had served His Majesty closely for many years.

If the Grand Princess hadn’t sensed something wrong and stepped in time to protect His Majesty, perhaps at this moment ……

The Empress felt her body chilled at the sight of the Grand Princess lying soaked with blood on the imperial couch. She couldn’t stop peering outside, “Anyone from Jingting house is here yet?”

The Grand Princess wasn’t looking good, at least…… let them meet one last time.

“Niangniang, the guards have only left just now. It will take some time.” The female official next to her said in a lowered voice, “Niangniang please do not worry, the imperial doctors will think of a way.”

The Empress laughed bitterly. What way to think of, the Grand Princess’s life was only sustained by a few slices of ginseng. If Jingting house people didn’t come soon, they wouldn’t be able to see her.

“Niangniang, niangniang.” Wang De stumbled inside, gasping for breath, “Coming, coming.”

The Empress hurriedly stood up from the chair, she saw Count Cheng’an entered with Ban Hua on his back. She didn’t know what happened but it wasn’t the time to ask, she just said, “No need to bow, get inside quick”

Ban Hua saw the Grand Princess was lying there like a bloody statue, she climbed down from Rong Xia’s back in a daze. When Rong Xia supported her to approach, she was already crying hard without realising it.

“Grand…. Grandmother.” Ban Hua knelt down in front of the couch, clutched the Grand Princess’ hand tightly, cried until she lost her voice. The hall of the Great Moon Palace was silent apart from the crying voice, noone spoke.

Emperor Yunqing was standing on a side. He wanted to say something to the cousin niece who was crying uncontrollably, but he didn’t know what to say. He had never seen Ban Hua in such a wretched state, body covered in dust, her hair tousled, the fair face was dirty grey as if she had rolled around in soil.

The Grand Princess heard Ban Hua’s crying voice, slowly opened her eyes. She smiled lightly at Ban Hua’s messy appearance, “Silly girl, what are you crying for?”

“Grandmother, Hua Hua is useless, it’s Hua Hua who is useless.” Tears drops fell one by one on the back of the Grand Princess’ hand. A person close to death perhaps became more sensitive, the few drops felt scalding hot, they burned into her heart and made it aching.

“Silly girl, what does it have to do with you?” The Grand Princess used her whole strength to press Ban Hua’s hands, “Raise your head, let Grandmother have a look. When Grandmother is underneath, I will tell your Grandfather that our granddaughter has grown up, she is as pretty as flower.”

Ban Hua sniffed, used her sleeves to wipe her face, tried to make it a little cleaner, a little prettier. But the makeup she put on this morning only made it worse, the more she wiped, the more dirty lines added to her face.

“Very pretty.” The Grand Princess smiled, it was extraordinarily gentle. She laboriously removed the gold bracelet on her wrist, “Your Great Grandfather gave it to me before I got married, now I give it to you.”

“En!” Ban Hua kept trying to wipe her tears away, but her eyes were still blurry no matter what. As she put on the bracelet, her emotions could no longer be contained, she grabbed the Grand Princess’ arm and howled, “Grandmother, don’t leave me, I am afraid.”

The Grand Princess wanted to pat Ban Hua’s back but no more strength left in her arm, only the fingers moved in difficulty. A hand reached out to place her arm on Ban Hua’s back.

Rong Xia stood silently next to Ban Hua like a big tree. The Emperor was on the side, the Empress was there, and a group of imperial doctors were behind him, but he didn’t move.

“Hua Hua, be a good girl. Don’t be afraid.” The Grand Princess whispered in Ban Hua’s ears, “Don’t be afraid, just move forward, Grandmother looks after you.” Her voice was so small that only Ban Hua could hear.

Ban Hua nodded as she choked, at this point she was no longer able to speak.

“It’s a pity, our Hua Hua is so pretty, Grandmother can’t see you in red wedding dress.” The Grand Princess said regretfully, “Don’t know which young man to marry our Hua Hua.”

Emperor Yunqing wiped the tears from the corner of his eyes, he said with a choke, “Please Aunt don’t worry, This Nephew will take good care of Cousin, and Cousin’s son and daughter. Won’t let them suffer.”

The Grand Princess’ consciousness was fading by now. After looking at Emperor Yunqing for a long time, she suddenly said, “Where is Rui-er, where is Rui-er. He is timid, did the assassin make him scared?”

Rui-er was Emperor Yunqing, his full name was Jiang Rui but noone dared to call that name anymore. He knew the Grand Princess’ mind was no longer lucid, he lifted his robe and knelt down in front of the Grand Princess.

“Aunt, please believe me, Rui-er is safe, and he is not scared. He has grown up now, so Aunt doesn’t need to worry for him anymore.”

“It is good then, it is good.” The Grand Princess’ voice was getting smaller and smaller, “Hua Hua, Hua Hua.”

“Grandmother, I am here. Here.” Ban Hua clasped the Grand Princess’ hands, “I am just here.”

“Are you getting married?” The Grand Princess looked at Ban Hua’s red dress, “Which young man?”

Emperor Yunqing’s lips moved, but he wiped his tears without speaking.

“Grandmother, it is me.” Rong Xia knelt down next to Ban Hua and gently said, “I will take good care of Hua Hua, I won’t let her suffer half a bit.”

“Which family’s son is this, so handsome…….” The Grand Princess looked towards the palace door, smiled lightly, “Fuma is here.”

Ban Hua turned her head. Her father, mother, and younger brother were at the door.

T/N – These 2 chapters should be read as one. Double update today.

This is a very emotional chapter, so no notes in the middle of the texts.

* shuxia 属下 = This Subordinate (referring to self)

* niangniang 娘娘 has multiple meanings, but mainly for very noble women and female deities.