Jiang Ruan was slightly taken aback. She had actually forgotten about her own birthday. In her past life after entering the palace, apart from Ye Li who would visit her on her birthday, no one else had ever asked about it. But even that warmth had been false. Now, reborn into this life, Jiang Xin Zhi had actually mentioned her birthday in front of the Emperor, stirring indescribable emotions within her.
"Replying to Empress Dowager Yide, that is correct," Jiang Xin Zhi stepped forward and said.
"Where is the eldest daughter of the Jiang family?" Empress Dowager Yide, after all, had lived through the Eight Princes' Rebellion, and her voice carried a faint authority.
Jiang Ruan stepped forward and spoke softly, "Your subject Jiang Ruan pays respects to Empress Dowager." With that, she bowed deeply.
Her movements were proper and humble, even carrying a trace of inexplicable devotion. Though the bow was the standard one for a minister's family member meeting the Empress Dowager, there was an indescribable emotion within it—solemn beyond measure, not like a greeting but rather carrying the weight of a farewell.
Empress Dowager Yide watched her quietly, observing the fair neck bending low, the Rose Hairpin swaying gently, the peach-colored dress bright and lively. This charming and lovely young girl exuded an aura of steadiness from head to toe. She was very much like that person.
The Empress Dowager's eyes grew somewhat dazed.
Seeing the Empress Dowager lost in thought, the Emperor coughed lightly, and she seemed to snap back to reality. Looking at Jiang Ruan, she said, "Rise."
"Thank you, Empress Dowager." Jiang Ruan stood up. She tried her best to ignore the pressure emanating from the Emperor beside her, focusing only on the faint smile directed at Empress Dowager Yide. Naturally beautiful, the gentle smile she deliberately maintained at her lips gave her an air more regal than even a princess.
Those around them watched with envy. Empress Dowager Yide was known for her iron-fisted methods and rarely showed favor to anyone. Why Jiang Ruan had caught her eye was a mystery to all. Jiang Xin Zhi watched Jiang Ruan nervously. Though he had brought her up, he hadn't expected the Empress Dowager to suddenly speak. The thoughts of the imperial family were never easy to guess, and he couldn't help but feel tense.
Below the platform, Jiang Susu and Xia Yan's expressions were somewhat unpleasant. Today, first it was Noble Consort Chen, and now Empress Dowager Yide—Jiang Ruan was truly stealing the spotlight. At the same time, a question arose in their minds: Noble Consort Chen was one thing, but why was Empress Dowager Yide so attentive to Jiang Ruan? Could she really be considering her as a consort for one of the princes? Which one—the Eighth Prince, the Fifth Prince, or perhaps the Fourth Prince?
"Eldest daughter of the Jiang family, this Dowager has promised Deputy General Jiang to fulfill a birthday wish for you. Whatever wish you have for tomorrow, you may speak it today, and this Dowager shall grant it," Empress Dowager Yide said.
So it was about a birthday wish. It seemed Jiang Xin Zhi had mentioned it earlier in front of the Emperor, or perhaps exchanged his merits for Jiang Ruan to make a birthday wish. Whatever protection Jiang Ruan desired, she could now ask for it openly.
Xia Yan and Jiang Su Su breathed a sigh of relief. As long as she wasn't being considered as a prince's consort, it was fine. If Jiang Ruan really became a prince's consort, she would certainly not treat the Jiang family kindly.
However, the smile on Noble Consort Chen's lips seemed slightly off. If Jiang Ruan took this opportunity to ask to marry a certain young master...
Jiang Ruan smiled faintly, her tone tinged with melancholy. "Empress Dowager is most gracious. This subject has no desires, only a wish to see the newly bloomed peach blossoms at Ning Shui Valley with my mother."
"But this wish can never be fulfilled," she added with a bitter smile. Empress Dowager Yide abruptly looked up.The crowd couldn't understand why Jiang Ruan would say such words during such a golden opportunity. Xia Yan sneered inwardly, thinking it was just Jiang Ruan's clumsy attempt at feigning vulnerability to gain the Empress Dowager's sympathy.
Nevertheless, many official wives were present, and womenfolk tended to be soft-hearted in such matters. They couldn't help but feel pity for Jiang Ruan, who had lost her mother in childhood and now couldn't even fulfill the simple wish of admiring peach blossoms with her mother as her birthday approached. It was truly heartbreaking.
Jiang Xin Zhi hadn't expected Jiang Ruan to say this either and sighed inwardly. As her elder brother, even if he tried his best to compensate for her in every way and let her live a carefree life, a mother's presence was irreplaceable. No matter how composed his sister appeared on the surface, deep down, she was just an ordinary girl longing for maternal love.
On the Zhao family's side, Zhao Guang, Zhao Yuanjia, Zhao Yuanfeng, and Zhao Yi all sighed in unison. Li Shi was already in tears, murmuring, "Why did Mei'er leave so early? Poor Ruan'er, missing her so much—how hard it must be without a mother by her side."
Zhao Yulong and Zhao Feizhou also sighed sympathetically, but Zhao Yuanping's gaze remained profound. He wouldn't assume Jiang Ruan was merely moved by the scene just because she said so. In his eyes, Jiang Ruan was a person with clear objectives. Everything she did had a purpose, and her foresight was uncannily precise. It might sound unbelievable, but every seemingly ordinary action she took would eventually become an indispensable step toward her goals.
Moreover, Zhao Yuanping believed Jiang Ruan was not one to act on impulse. There must be some underlying intention behind her words. But what could it be?
The Xia family, however, looked on with disdain. Xia Jiao Jiao, in particular, cursed Jiang Ruan inwardly, convinced she was just putting on a pitiful act like a cunning fox spirit.
While the Xia family disapproved, many of the male guests present were moved by the beauty's sorrow, feeling an urge to protect her. Gu Yi was especially affected—his heart melted at the sight of Jiang Ruan's faint frown. Guan Lianghan, noticing this, remarked curiously to Xiao Shao, "What's up with that Gu boy? Seems like he's taken a fancy to the Jiang girl too."
Mo Cong clicked his tongue in amazement. "A sought-after maiden brings honor to her family. With Deputy General Jiang's rising influence, this once-overlooked eldest daughter of his is now in high demand. Good for her, good for her." He then casually turned to Liu Min beside him and asked, "Don't you think so, Minister Liu?"
Liu Min responded absentmindedly. Ever since the Emperor had personally appointed him as the top scholar, he had enjoyed the ruler's trust and swiftly climbed to a third-rank position. If Jiang Xin Zhi was the fastest-rising young military officer in the Da Jin Dynasty, Liu Min was its fastest-rising civil official. While this was ostensibly a good thing, the deeper he ventured into court politics, the more he found it treacherous. Many schemed against him—some out of jealousy, others with false flattery. Wearing a mask of pretense every day to deal with people was not the career he had envisioned.
At times like this, he couldn't help but recall the anonymous correspondent from his days at the Imperial Academy. That person had once shared insights on officialdom with him. Back then, Liu Min had dismissed the advice as overly shrewd and lacking in integrity. Now, however, he realized it was a kind of wisdom—an enlightened understanding of the world.But that person never appeared again.
Xiao Shao observed Jiang Ruan's every move, also noting Empress Dowager Yide's momentary distraction. Though a trace of doubt arose in his heart, his expression remained utterly composed as he sat apart, leisurely sipping tea, drawing the enamored gazes of many noblewomen.
Empress Dowager Yide finally regained her composure and said, "What kind of wish is this? This Dowager wishes to hear your reasoning."
"Nothing in this world compares to the joy of having loved ones by one's side," Jiang Ruan replied with a faint smile. "Yet my mother and I have long been separated by life and death, and in this lifetime, there will never be another chance for us to admire the newly bloomed peach blossoms of Ning Shui Valley together. My only regret is that when my mother was still alive, I did not cherish more moments with her. Now, all that remains is an irreparable void."
With each word she spoke, Empress Dowager Yide sat up straighter. Though her expression revealed nothing, Jiang Ruan knew her words had struck deep.
Indeed, the world knew Empress Dowager Yide as cold and ruthless—willing to exploit even her own son and daughter for the sake of the empire, sacrificing all without hesitation. In her youth, Princess Yuan Rong had already found love and was unwilling to marry far away in a foreign land. Yet Empress Dowager Yide confined her to the palace, unmoved by her desperate pleas. In the end, Princess Yuan Rong had no choice but to depart for a distant kingdom, where she died of heartbreak within three years. Empress Dowager Yide did not even arrange for her daughter's remains to be returned, leaving Princess Yuan Rong to rest eternally in foreign soil.
Those who knew of this incident all believed Empress Dowager Yide to be heartless, capable of such cruelty toward her own flesh and blood. Yet in her past life, Jiang Ruan had learned from Ye Li that Empress Dowager Yide was not as cold as she seemed—in truth, she cherished her three children deeply. The death of the eldest prince had been an accident, and Princess Yuan Rong's marriage alliance had been an unavoidable necessity. On the day of the princess's departure, Empress Dowager Yide wept for a full month in the Cining Palace. When news of the princess's death arrived, the Empress Dowager nearly followed her in death. Only the instability of the Emperor's throne at the time kept her from doing so. Throughout her life, Princess Yuan Rong remained the one she loved most—and the one she regretted most.
Ye Li had once investigated the matter thoroughly. Knowing how fiercely Empress Dowager Yide guarded the Emperor's position, he found a woman whose appearance and bearing closely resembled Princess Yuan Rong and arranged for her to enter the palace as a companion. After careful instructions, the woman soon "accidentally" caught the Empress Dowager's eye and was summoned to serve in the Cining Palace. Before long, she was ennobled as a commandery princess. Not long after, Empress Dowager Yide suddenly passed away.
In Jiang Ruan's past life, Ye Li had claimed that his grandmother, consumed by grief for her lost daughter, had sought solace in a lookalike. At the time, Jiang Ruan had believed his filial intentions. But now, she realized that the sudden death of Empress Dowager Yide was undoubtedly linked to that newly titled commandery princess.No matter what, time had turned back, and she was fortunate enough to arrive before that woman entered the palace—even before Ye Li had thought to investigate Empress Dowager Yide’s past. If she couldn’t gain the Empress Dowager’s trust now, it would truly be inexcusable.
Empress Dowager Yide gazed quietly at Jiang Ruan, her eyes unexpectedly soft. The crowd assumed the usually cold and stern Empress Dowager had been moved by the tragic circumstances of the Jiang family’s eldest daughter, but no one knew the shock and excitement stirring in her heart.
Because, whether it was Jiang Ruan’s attire, her smile, or the words she spoke—they were identical to those of Princess Yuan Rong from the past!
Back then, after the late emperor’s passing, her position as Empress Dowager was unstable. The eldest prince, then the Crown Prince, had been assassinated, and the second prince was enthroned as the new emperor. Yet, factions were restless. In desperation, she could only think of using Princess Yuan Rong for a political marriage.
Princess Yuan Rong had long remained secluded in the deep palace, so few had seen her. At the time, she had also favored peach-pink attire. Though already a grown woman of marriageable age, she still wore her hair in a single spiral bun, adorned with a Rose Hairpin, looking every bit like a pampered daughter of a noble family. The princess had a gentle nature—kind, innocent, yet excessively sensible. When informed of the marriage alliance, though reluctant, she did not resist to the death as rumors claimed. Empress Dowager Yide still remembered the day Princess Yuan Rong boarded the bridal sedan, bowing deeply to her in farewell with a smile:
"This daughter departs now, across mountains and rivers. I know not if I shall ever again tread the land of the Da Jin Dynasty or see the peach blossoms of Ningshui Valley with Your Majesty."
She had spoken softly, "Take care."
Every time Empress Dowager Yide recalled that parting bow, her heart ached unbearably. And just as Princess Yuan Rong had said—mountains and rivers stretched between them, separating mother and daughter forever, never to admire Ningshui Valley’s peach blossoms together again.
Now, Jiang Ruan’s appearance mirrored Princess Yuan Rong’s exactly. The way she bowed deeply evoked a familiar feeling, and her words made Empress Dowager Yide feel as though she were seeing Princess Yuan Rong’s voice and smile across decades. The Empress Dowager abruptly closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
Those who knew of the past were no longer in court, and the private words Princess Yuan Rong had spoken to her could not have been known by another. Jiang Ruan was far too young to have been coached into saying them.
The longer she looked at Jiang Ruan, the more she resembled her .
Could reincarnation exist in this world? If so, could Jiang Ruan be Princess Yuan Rong returned?
Empress Dowager Yide did not know that Jiang Ruan was indeed a reincarnated soul—but not that kind, sensible Princess Yuan Rong who sacrificed herself for the greater good. She was the reborn Jiang Ruan from her past life—the weak, ignorant girl who had been deceived and drenched in blood and tears. Reborn into this Jiang Ruan, who charmed with laughter while slaughtering in the shadows.
The cycle of fate had its own justice. The words Ye Li had once spoken to her in her past life had now become her sharpest weapon against him.
The longer Empress Dowager Yide remained silent, the more the crowd believed she pitied Jiang Ruan, the ill-fated daughter of the Minister’s household. Princess He Yi, noticing the Empress Dowager’s demeanor, flashed a displeased look, her gaze toward Jiang Ruan turning venomous. Jiang Susu’s face paled. Already fair-skinned, she now resembled a sheet of snow-white paper. Her usually delicate and refined features appeared dull, carrying the sickly pallor of decline.Noble Consort Chen noticed that Jiang Ruan did not take the opportunity to make any additional demands, and her smile grew even more tender, laced with faint sympathy and comfort—like the gaze of a young maiden who, while passing by a lakeside in Jiangnan, chances upon an injured rabbit and cradles it in her hands with boundless pity. She said, "Poor child, the departed are gone. You should focus more on the future."
The future? Naturally, she would look to the future. Jiang Ruan lowered her head slightly. In the future, she would watch as these people crumbled and fell, one by one, becoming sacrifices to her vengeance.
"Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness," Jiang Ruan replied.
"This consort suddenly recalls something," Noble Consort Chen said with a smile, turning to the Emperor. "Your Majesty, this subject had already taken a liking to the eldest daughter of the Jiang family, finding her well-mannered and proper in conduct. Now, hearing her story, my heart aches for her. I humbly request Your Majesty to grant me a wish."
"What wish does Our beloved consort have?" The Emperor, seated high above, lacked the soft-heartedness of women, and his memories of Princess Yuan Rong had long faded. To him, Jiang Ruan was no different from anyone else. Hearing Noble Consort Chen's request, he naturally inquired further.
(End of Chapter)
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