The Grand Princess

TGP Chapter 2: Memories

"Should I choose Pei Wenxuan this time?"
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Li Rong's last words before her death were about Pei Wenxuan, a man who had lived as her husband for 30 years.

After saying that, she had lost consciousness, thinking that it was the end for her. With her chronic illness, how could she withstand the fierce poison of Fragrant Beauty?

Yet unexpectedly, after an unknown period of time, she woke up again!

When she woke up, she found herself lying on a soft and comfortable bed with rays of sunshine streaking into her room. There was even orchid incense lit in the background, the scent she loved most when she was young.

She opened her eyes in a daze and heard a familiar voice softly calling from afar: "Your Highness, are you awake?"

Li Rong heard that voice and turned her head to look over. There was a gentle and calmly smiling face in her line of sight. That face could not be considered beautiful, but it was still considered pretty. That person looked to be about 25 or 26 years old, calm and dignified, and that figure looked exactly like it had in her memory.

Confused, she called out: "Jing Lan?"

The other person smiled and extended a hand to help her up and softly said: "It is now the hour of the snake (9 - 11 am). His Majesty has just left the morning court. He sent people over to say that he will be having a meal with Your Highness the Princess this afternoon. This servant was about to wake Your Highness up but did not expect Your Highness to already be awake."

Li Rong heard Jing Lan's words and looked at her surroundings, feeling a little shocked.

She followed along with Jing Lan's movements, letting Jing Lan help her get up and wash her face as she evaluated her surroundings. After she had washed her face, she could confirm that this was indeed Chang Le Palace.

Chang Le Palace was the place where she had lived before she was married. Back then, Jing Lan was her personal attendant and served by her side up until she got married. Later on, she became a steward at the Princess's mansion.

When she was young, she didn't like Jing Lan very much because she felt that Jing Lan was too stern, disciplined, and hard to talk to. Instead, she preferred the clever Jing Mei more, but her Mother Empress liked Jing Lan, so once the Princess's mansion was built, Jing Lan took over as the steward there.

It wasn't until she faced an assassination attempt at the age of 30, and Jing Lan blocked a sword for her and died right in front of her, did she realize that some people act without saying a word and not because they had no merits worth speaking of.

Seeing Jing Lan still alive and at work before her eyes, as well as the palace in the days of her youth, Li Rong quickly recomposed herself and finally accepted that she seemed to be alive again.

Moreover, she had returned to when she was young.

She needed to determine which point in time she had returned to as soon as possible, but she didn't want others to find out. As Li Rong washed her hands, she recalled what Jing Lan had said earlier and tentatively asked: "Father Emperor declared that I would be sharing a meal with him. Did you happen to hear why?"

Although this Emperor Father of hers seemed to dote on her very much, he rarely summoned her to share a meal. Every time she was called to attend, it was no different than a Hongmen Banquet.1 For example, that day when her marriage was decided, she was also summoned to share a meal.

"This servant does not know," Jing Lan said, but after thinking about it, she added, "But this servant heard that a few days ago, His Majesty had every family submit portraits of youths of marriageable age."