Reborn as Powerful Minister's Beloved
Chapter 29 Token

Chapter 29: Chapter 29 Token

Nanny Yun’s loud shout awakened many people; Fu Dong immediately walked toward Zheng Nianru’s bedside as Xue Liu rushed in. Seeing that there was no one inside the sleeping quarters, she then felt relieved.

"Commandery Princess, I’ll go help Xing Yu," Xue Liu dashed out again.

"Come back." Zheng Nianru finally spoke. If Xing Yu couldn’t control the thief, then no one in Qishun Building could, it seemed.

Zheng Nianru stood up and was about to walk out barefooted when Fu Dong immediately handed her shoes and quickly followed up with a cloak.

A cold breeze blew in, and the cloak timely enveloped Zheng Nianru’s entire body, as the lights slowly brightened.

"Was he caught?" Fu Dong asked tentatively. There were rustling sounds outside the double doors, but no sounds of a fight.

"Commandery Princess, he was caught."

Only then did Zheng Nianru open the outer door and walked out. She saw Xing Yu pinning down a black-clothed person, with Nanny Yun, Nian Xia, and three or four eunuchs present to bind the person with ropes.

"You ungrateful wretch. Our Commandery Princess saved you, and yet you dare to steal in the middle of the night." Nanny Yun cursed, rolling up her sleeves to search the person.

Zheng Nianru’s eyelids twitched. Stealing? Although the items in her Qishun Building were good, she feared none were what he desired.

"Bring him in."

Nanny Yun was stunned. Why bring him inside? Shouldn’t they directly tie him up and throw him in the woodshed to freeze overnight and whip him tomorrow as a lesson?

Fu Dong quickly urged Xing Yu to bring the person inside. Yu had told no one about that night’s events, being shocked and not knowing whom to tell.

"The rest of you, go rest." Zheng Nianru had the person brought in and closed the door. The candlelight was bright, and the peach-red colored cloak faintly glowed under the candlelight, revealing an exceptionally pale and flawless face amidst the snow-white phoenix feathers, natural as a fresh lily without any makeup. The hair hung to one side, and the pure white silky single garment inside the cloak occasionally appeared with the movement of the young lady, revealing an ultimate laziness when exposed.

The youth awkwardly lowered his head, his ears and neck blushing furiously, hidden in the shadows of the candlelight.

"Search him." Nanny Yun immediately came to her senses. Indeed, it wouldn’t be good if news of this got out during the middle of the night.

Xue Liu stepped forward to search him: a few wrinkled white papers stuffed in front of his chest, a red, delicately wrapped silk handkerchief enveloping a jade pendant, and several ordinary rings and jades that even the palace maids disdained, nothing more.

"Still say you have not stolen anything? Look, look, how come you have such items?" Nanny Yun picked up the red silk handkerchief and shook it out, revealing a jade so deeply green it seemed almost transparent beyond the light of the candle.

"That’s mine," the youth struggled, surprised at how strong this small-framed palace maid could be.

Xue Liu unfolded the crumpled papers, confused. Weren’t these the poorly drawn cats that the Commandery Princess had discarded but not yet cleaned up?

"You would have such a thing?" Nanny Yun held the jade up in front of the youth. Even she had to admit it was a fine piece, "Look at your body, what part of you says you deserve such a fine item?"

Zheng Nianru suddenly cupped her forehead, remembering that he indeed possessed this item.

When it was first given to her, she disdainfully threw it back. The jade was good, but the Glass Type green jade bracelets in Crown Prince’s collection were even better. Later, to make him carry out a task for her, she took the jade pendant back to entice him to commit murder for her.

Zheng Nianru vaguely remembered, this item was supposedly from Nanmen State, sincerely given at the time, even the red silk was of the same fine quality.

"Nanny Yun, I’m feeling a bit hungry. The night is long; we’ll interrogate him slowly," Zheng Nianru spoke.

Nanny Yun put down the items and called Nian Xia to go out. Fu Dong seemed to have guessed something as well.

"Xue Liu, go get the whip." Fu Dong stepped forward, taking Xue Liu’s place; Xue Liu immediately went to the outer courtyard to look for a whip.

Only then did Zheng Nianru stand up and walk around the boy, who was not much taller than herself. Despite his ragged clothes, they were tidy and clean, a scent of soapberries wafting from him.

"Xing Yu, you may leave first."

"Commandery Princess—" Xing Yu was astonished, how could this be, Fu Dong quickly gave her a look.

"Was it you who sent the rabbit?" Zheng Nianru asked, "And did you send this as well?" The item wrapped in the red silk handkerchief was so neatly done, it clearly was prepared with care.

A flash of panic appeared in the boy’s eyes, and he wanted to deny it, but while he could deny the rabbit, the jade pendant was his token.

"This jade pendant is a thank-you gift for saving me," the boy said stiffly.

Zheng Nianru raised her eyebrows; at this moment, she didn’t have Nanmen Yu in her eyes. She noticed the jade pendant placed on her desk—was it also meant to be thrown back at Nanmen Yu’s face when they met again? Could it be that Nanmen Yu’s resentment toward him started then?

Zheng Nianru looked at the jade pendant again. Even now, she had to admit it was a rare treasure, its color and quality beyond what one could usually find.

Looking back, in her previous life, she had made a decision that was tedious and thankless, costing her fortunes and forces.

"The jade pendant is beautiful, thank you," Zheng Nianru said, holding the item in her hand and expressing her fondness "seriously."

The boy was momentarily stunned, his awkwardness, shame, and unspoken inferiority fleeting and turning into bewilderment, his heart in turmoil and at a loss what to do.

"I should go back now."

"All right."

The boy thought she would ask him to stay, but as he left the Qishun Building, he only heard the slow sound of the door closing behind him, then darkness and silence followed.

He laughed at himself mockingly. Why would she keep him? What status did he currently have that she should ask him to stay? Moreover, he couldn’t even morally reproach her.

The Crown Prince and the Fourth Prince were her shelters in the Imperial Palace, just like himself, disguised under the night and the ruins, all were pretenses, so what right did he have to reproach anyone?

...

On the eighth day of the second month, it was the day for all those in the palace whose zodiac signs clashed to travel to the Traveling Palace. Groups of carriages from the Southern Palace Gate of the Imperial Palace stretched to Yongping Square, with palace maids and eunuchs hurriedly loading luggage into the carriages.

The main palace’s maids and eunuchs were more spirited as they also traveled to the Traveling Palace; their large carriages even came with soft litters.

For those maids and eunuchs without a principal going to the Traveling Palace, they were divided into several groups, closely monitored by a few strict nannies, trailing humbly behind in the long, noisy procession.

"Which officials are responsible for accompanying to the Traveling Palace this time?" Amidst the dense procession, various flags fluttered in the wind, the spring’s warm breeze enticing the grass and riverside flowers to bloom vibrantly.

"The Empress Dowager has appointed Heir Wu of the same rank, and Scholar Ju from the Hanlin Academy as academician, both responsible for this trip to the Traveling Palace."

"Scholar Ju? Isn’t he a favored person by the Crown Prince’s side? How did he get assigned to such a duty?" The guard who asked looked briefly at the long procession, leading which were two gentlemen in official attire, one particularly imposing and undoubtedly exceptional.

"Hey—" The guard exchanged a knowing look with his colleague, "when you’re an official, it’s not about whether you’re competent, but about how strong your backing is."