Chapter 4

Judging by the timing, it must have been not long after my coming-of-age ceremony that he went with the First Prince to investigate disaster relief and ran into trouble.

Ta Chi Tu grew bored. He let go of my sleeve, then rested his forehead against my neck and rubbed against it.

“Ningning smells so nice. I like Ningning…”

His hair tickled my neck. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

If he weren’t a fool, I’d really think I’d run into a pervert…

“Your Highness—”

The door creaked open.

Li Feng stepped inside. The moment he saw our position, he immediately lowered his head and stammered, “I—I’ve checked the medicine…”

My face burned. I pushed Ta Chi Tu away and put on a serious expression.

“Tell me.”

“It’s all ordinary nourishing herbs.” Li Feng paused, then continued. “But one of the ingredients is called Void Yang Flower. If it’s given to someone with a brain injury, it can easily make their mind confused.”

Just as I’d expected.

That damned Emperor!

After thinking for a moment, I asked, “Li Feng, how many household retainers like you are there?”

Li Feng froze, instinctively looking up at Ta Chi Tu beside me.

Then he lowered his head and replied, “The prince’s residence has a force of guards stationed outside the capital.”

11

I secretly began looking for renowned physicians who could treat Ta Chi Tu. Li Feng also handed me all the information about the guard force.

As I looked through the records, I could only feel regret.

Ta Chi Tu had so many talented people at his disposal, but now that he was pretending to be a fool, they had all been left to languish.

I recommended several advisers to help my father. The rest I assigned to the businesses under the Ninth Prince’s household.

I thought our lives would continue peacefully like that, but then the Ninth Prince’s residence suddenly received word from the palace—

There had been a snow disaster in the north.

The northern region had no rivers to rely on, and its terrain was high. Natural disasters struck every year.

But this one was particularly severe, like… the drought three years earlier.

Overnight, the crops died. The people began migrating in droves. The nearest city, Zhiyang, couldn’t take in so many refugees, and riots broke out.

Someone with a good reputation was needed to go north and calm the people.

The Emperor chose… my father.

“Absolutely not!”

I rushed to the Nguyen residence and stopped Father as he was preparing his carriage.

“Father, you can’t go!”

Father laughed heartily. “What are you afraid of? Your father once went alone to negotiate peace in an enemy country!”

I blinked, and my eyes immediately reddened.

Anyone could make this journey. Anyone but my father.

He was a thorn in the Emperor’s side and a bone in the Chancellor’s throat. If he went, he’d be walking to his death.

When refugees rioted, the death of a high-ranking official would be all too easy to explain.

Father looked deeply into my eyes.

“Ningning, you must live well. And… take care of your mother.”

I dropped to my knees before him.

“Let me go, Father.”

“Don’t be ridiculous!”

Father frowned.

I took a deep breath. “This is the best choice.”

“A member of the imperial family will reassure the people more. As the Ninth Princess Consort, I’m not someone those filthy men would dare touch casually. As the Grand Tutor’s daughter, I’m no threat to the Emperor—and he can use me to keep you in check.”

Father’s fingers twitched slightly, but he still didn’t help me up.

He couldn’t bear to let me put myself in danger.

Suddenly, someone knelt beside me. He wore ornate brocade and reached out to take my hand.

I froze and turned. Ta Chi Tu was smiling with perfect innocence.

“This prince will go with Ningning!”

12

In the end, Father agreed.

He went to the palace and volunteered, and that damned Emperor accepted with remarkable ease.

First, he praised me, saying that since I’d been taught by the Grand Tutor from childhood, I should broaden my horizons even as a woman.

Then he grandly declared, “In the past, Mulan took her father’s place in the army. Now Nguyen Ninh will take her father’s place in disaster relief.”

He even said he’d write me into the history books.

On the surface, I was so moved that I shed tears. The moment I turned away, I spat on the ground.

What was wrong with him? Was his brain broken?!

The one thing I hadn’t anticipated was that the Emperor would actually agree to let Ta Chi Tu travel north with me.

That fool…

“Ningning!”

Ta Chi Tu came running over with a new fox-fur coat.

“They say it’s very cold in the north. Ningning has to wear more!”

It really was made of fine fur.

I could only sigh helplessly. “You can stay in the capital. You don’t need to come with me.”

“This prince promised the Grand Tutor he’d accompany Ningning!”

Ta Chi Tu packed his own things.

I more or less understood Father’s thinking. With Ta Chi Tu beside me as a protective talisman, those people would be even less likely to touch me.

It was just a shame for this fool…

I asked Li Feng to arrange for several highly skilled guards to come with us, then took Ta Chi Tu’s hand and warned him again and again.

“This trip is very important. A Tu, you mustn’t act on a whim.”

Ta Chi Tu obediently climbed into the carriage.

“I’ll listen to Ningning.”

The carriage was made fairly comfortable. Ta Chi Tu and I sat inside and swayed along the road as we left the capital.

We traveled from morning until night, stopping at relay stations to rest before setting out again.

The journey took seven days.

Li Feng gently knocked on the carriage door.

“Your Highnesses, the gates of Zhiyang City are closed. We’ll have to stay in the nearby abandoned temple tonight and enter the city tomorrow morning.”

“All right.”

I gently patted Ta Chi Tu, who was sleeping soundly against my shoulder.

“Wake up.”

13

The abandoned temple looked as if it had been deserted for a long time, but at least it blocked the wind.

Li Feng lit a fire. Ta Chi Tu roasted the rabbit he’d just hunted, while several guards stood watch nearby.

Wrapped in my fox-fur coat, I sat beside the fire and read through the official documents.

The northern city most severely affected by the snow disaster was Han City.

The local governor couldn’t maintain control during the disaster, which had led to the refugee riots.

We needed to enter Zhiyang City tomorrow, first get a clear understanding of the situation from its governor, and then decide what to do.

“Ningning, have a rabbit leg.”

He held the golden-brown roasted leg up to my lips. I looked up and met Ta Chi Tu’s clear eyes.

I kindly took a bite and praised it.

“It’s delicious!”

A gust of cold wind swept in from outside the temple. Aside from the firelight and the guards’ quiet voices, there was no other sound.

Something was wrong…

I frowned and opened the map.

The memorials sent to the capital clearly said that large numbers of refugees were migrating south, and Zhiyang City couldn’t accommodate them, which was why its gates had been closed.

In that case, shouldn’t there be refugees sheltering in an abandoned temple this close to the city gate?

The leaves outside rustled, sending a chill down my spine.

Li Feng suddenly sprang up, his hand on the sword at his waist. The guards seated in the corner also rose all at once.

Ta Chi Tu seemed not to notice. He still held out the rabbit leg and said gently, “If you like it, have a few more bites.”

An arrow tore through the air, pierced the roasted rabbit leg, and buried itself in the pillar behind us.

“Protect His Highness and the Princess Consort!”

Li Feng barked at the guards behind him, then darted outside.

And then!!