Chapter 20: Imitating Beauty with a Frown

The four beauties looked at one another, until finally, one tremblingly raised her hand.

Yin Jiaojiao was instantly energized. It was her—the assassin, Luo Xiang!

Luo Xiang recalled, "Yesterday, just as you, my Princess, instructed, I climbed onto the low wall between the Bamboo Shadow Pavilion and the study and sang a verse of 'Immortal at the River'. It truly worked; it lured the Prince out!"

"Immortal at the River" was a popular ballad from two years prior. The lyrics were a masterpiece by a Jiangnan poet from a century ago, and the melody was a folk tune that had drifted into the Central Plains from Shazhou. Before it became a sensation, it had circulated through taverns and teahouses for a long time. The reason it suddenly exploded in popularity was because of Gu Xuezhi.

She was a master of the zither. Once, at Princess Danyang’s Orchid Appreciation Banquet, she performed this piece with a famous instrument. It was said that the performance was as breathtaking as the descent of the Goddess Luo herself, and her singing lingered in the rafters for three days, leaving listeners with no appetite for anything else. That floral banquet was a private affair with few guests, but word spread quickly, and through repeated retellings, it became a legendary scene that catapulted the song to fame.

In that scene, besides Gu Xuezhi, the other protagonist was Xiao Yuanchi. Rumor had it that he was so delighted he even drew his sword and performed a dance to the music.

At that time, Yin Jiaojiao did not understand the relationship between the two. The key takeaway she grasped was that Xiao Yuanchi loved this song. Thus, she practiced diligently, and one day, while Xiao Yuanchi was accompanying Consort Shu to make offerings at the Tiandu Temple, she seized the chance to sing it for him.

She hadn't climbed a wall that time, but it was much the same. She found a rockery closest to the guest quarters where Xiao Yuanchi was staying, climbed to the top, and sang at the top of her lungs. She had even paid a high price to hire a young Taoist to accompany her on the zither. Before this, she had appeared and vanished around Xiao Yuanchi several times, yet the words they had exchanged were pitifully few; progress had been agonizingly slow.

But this time, it happened quickly.

Xiao Yuanchi pushed open his door, walked to the foot of the rockery, and looked up at her. "This is a place of Taoist cultivation, Lady Yin. Do you have no sense of a maiden’s decorum?"

Yin Jiaojiao, who had very thick skin back then, put her hands on her hips and declared boldly, "For you, I have none!"

"What of the dignity and propriety befitting the daughter of the Prime Minister?"

"If it is for you, I can cast it all away!"

Hearing this, Xiao Yuanchi suddenly laughed. It wasn't a cold laugh or a cruel one, but a very ordinary laugh—yet it was strikingly handsome, like clouds parting after rain. Yin Jiaojiao was instantly mesmerized.

"I am impressed, my Lady," he said with a smile. "So, you ran here to sing; what do you want me to do? Sing along with you?"

Listening for the subtext, Yin Jiaojiao immediately understood—this meant there was a chance. She scrambled down the rockery and said joyfully, "Three days from now, by the Qu River, I invite you to go boating!"

Xiao Yuanchi readily agreed.

Although the result of that boating trip was disastrous, the opening had been excellent. It was one of her few successful tactics. Who would have thought it would still be effective now? The same tactic, used by different people, yielding the same result—it showed that the root cause was Gu Xuezhi herself.

Yin Jiaojiao felt a bit sour. "And after you lured him out?"

Luo Xiang sighed heavily.

"The Prince glanced at me sideways and said..." she said, utterly dejected, "he said it was 'the ugly woman mimicking the beautiful,' and that it was utterly ridiculous!"

"Then he slammed the door and went back inside. He seemed quite angry."

The ugly woman... mimicking the beautiful?

Was he saying that this beauty was the ugly woman?

Qiuming was sharp and suddenly realized, "Princess, could it be that you used this trick before?"

Yin Jiaojiao bit her lip.

Qiuming whispered, "Princess, if you have used it, the Prince must be angry that they are imitating you!"

Yin Jiaojiao’s heart skipped a beat. If he accepted the same tactic from her but not from others, could it be considered, however slightly, that he held a special favor for her?

No!

He might have a sense of responsibility toward her, and perhaps desire, but he possessed no special favor. Of that, she was certain.

This remark about "the ugly woman" must have had another target!

Whether it was her or these beauties, to put it plainly, they were all the "ugly woman." The true original was always Gu Xuezhi.

Xiao Yuanchi was so clever; seeing the beauties act this way, he must have guessed that she was the one pulling the strings behind the scenes. The "ugly woman" he truly meant to insult was, in all likelihood, Yin Jiaojiao herself.

"He wouldn't be angry about that," Yin Jiaojiao said. "Forget it. You are right; being too impatient will only provoke his disgust. Let us think of another way."

The beauty applying medicinal oil hurriedly agreed, "Yes, yes!"

Yin Jiaojiao gave a few more instructions and turned to leave. Suddenly, Luo Xiang asked, "Princess, I have a question. Why do you hope so much that my sisters and I can catch the Prince's attention? Are you not worried that we might have ulterior motives?"

Yin Jiaojiao looked back. Luo Xiang's eyes held suspicion. It was true; even a broad-minded Princess of Qi would make a scene if the Prince of Qi stepped out of line, let alone she, the Princess of Qin, who was famous for her jealousy.

The harder she tried, the more these two sharp-witted assassins would likely suspect her, fearing they were being led into a trap.

Yin Jiaojiao thought for a moment and said, "Given the Prince’s status, he cannot belong to only one woman. I was foolish in the past, but now, thanks to Consort Shu’s guidance, I understand. Since you were chosen by her, you must understand the rules. I am at ease. Besides, even if you had other thoughts, could you really surpass me? Tell me, isn't that so?"

Luo Xiang was stunned for a moment, then nodded. "The Princess is right."

...

Back in the East Courtyard, Yin Jiaojiao stood under the veranda, watching the moonlight.

There was no progress here, and as for Xia Lan, the two people responsible for tailing her had gone and never returned, with no news to this day.

"The West Courtyard has been quiet for the past few days. Only yesterday, after Luo Xiang sang, Han Yan went to invite the Prince, but for some reason, he didn't go," Qiuming said. "It is truly rare; even when Lady Sun claimed to be ill, she couldn't summon him."

"He can't go every single day."

Yin Jiaojiao flicked her handkerchief. "Perhaps I still need to follow the path of my previous life."

Qiuming didn't hear clearly. "What?"

"Nothing."

Yin Jiaojiao waved her hand, but in her heart, she was pondering. Continuing like this was certainly not viable; she had to facilitate the assassination as soon as possible.

After much deliberation, there was no better way to bring Xiao Yuanchi and the assassin face-to-face than by holding a banquet. However, the last time, it was Consort Shu who held it, and Xiao Yuanchi had no reason to refuse. This time, she had been so well-behaved and proactive that Consort Shu was very satisfied; there was no reason for the Consort to throw her weight around, and thus, there was no pretext for a banquet.

If she held it in the name of the Princess of Qin... the probability of being avoided by Xiao Yuanchi was likely about the same as it was for the beauties. Yin Jiaojiao sighed sorrowfully.

"If only tomorrow were my birthday."

"Isn't your birthday still two months away?" Qiuming thought for a moment. "Though Lady Sun's birthday is coming up soon."

"Right! Her birthday!" Yin Jiaojiao said happily. "I remember, is it in five days?"

"Yes. Last year for her birthday, because you had offended her, the Prince sent you to a separate villa to reflect on your mistakes, so you happened to miss it," Qiuming glanced at her cautiously. "I heard it was held in the Qingning Palace; it was very grand, and even His Majesty attended."

After all, she was to be married off shortly after that birthday, and the Emperor, unwilling to let her go, naturally had to attend.

A smile slowly bloomed on Yin Jiaojiao’s face. "I have a way."

"What way?"

Before Yin Jiaojiao could speak, Lin Wen, one of the two who had been tailing Xia Lan, returned.

He was dressed as a servant and bowed to Yin Jiaojiao first. He performed his duties well, showing that Mr. Zhang had trained him effectively.

"Princess, as you instructed, we followed Lady Xia Lan home. She was very vigilant, circling several times before getting on the right path. This is not something an ordinary maid could do; she must have received specialized training. After returning home, she didn't stay long. She spent one night there and then went to the Tiandu Temple to see an old Taoist."

As Yin Jiaojiao listened to his report, she became increasingly alarmed.

This man belonged to the secret guard organization under Xiao Yuanchi. When it came to spying and reconnaissance, they were experts. For such an expert to say that Xia Lan was no ordinary maid meant she definitely had a significant background. And yet, for so many years, she had never noticed.

"Can you confirm the identity of that old Taoist?"

"There are already leads. Within three days, there will surely be good news."

"Well done," Yin Jiaojiao nodded. "Besides this old Taoist, did she have contact with anyone else at the Tiandu Temple?"

Lin Wen thought for a moment and said, "Lady Xia Lan stayed at the Tiandu Temple for a day and a half. On the last half-day, we happened to run into the Empress visiting the Tiandu Temple for a ritual. With heavy guards inside and out, it was difficult for us to move, and we lost her for two hours. Therefore, your subordinate cannot guarantee."

Just as he finished speaking, Xia Lan’s voice rang out from outside.

Yin Jiaojiao gave a look, and the man understood, vanishing as lightly as a shadow behind a large tree.

"Princess!" Xia Lan was extremely cheerful, skipping over as she said, "The task you entrusted to me was handled perfectly! You will surely be satisfied!"