Chapter 383: Chapter 307: Asking for Your Help_2
For this reason, he himself wasn’t particularly keen on poetry gatherings. In truth, even if Tang, Song, Yuan, and other dynasties had no place in this world, copying poems would still be immensely difficult. Without mastering classical Chinese writing, no matter how many poems might be copied, they would inevitably betray a shallow imitative nature, much less the higher art of parallel prose.
Chen Yi didn’t consider himself a crude person, but in the eyes of the Commandery Princess, this husband seemed coarse—coarse beyond measure.
"Then how about I recite for you while you write?" After pondering briefly, Yin Tingxue proposed.
Chen Yi was already inclined towards this idea.
Thus, Yin Tingxue propped her hand on the table, her voice soft as she asked Chen Yi who he wanted to write to and what he wanted to convey. Upon learning that the letter was intended for the pregnant royal princess, Yin Tingxue fell silent for a moment.
For some reason, she suddenly didn’t want to help Chen Yi write the letter.
But a promise made was like water spilled. Yin Tingxue shook her head lightly and resolved to focus her mind, determined to help Chen Yi with it.
The letter contained mostly words of care and consolation, with a few lines conveying recent events. Although ostensibly addressed to the Princess, the tone grew increasingly affectionate toward the end, implying deeper feelings.
Yin Tingxue composed a line of poetry: "Though spring has long been spent in remembrance, today, I finally meet thee."
Chen Yi initially intended to include it, but as he reached the conclusion, he felt compelled to write something personally—something truly his own. The time spent following the sentiment of the letter had sparked his thoughts.
Thus, he penned eight characters:
"Snow burdens Cangshan; even as the seas dry, stones crumble."
Whether these eight characters were well-written, Chen Yi himself couldn’t tell. He simply folded the letter and planned to send it at the first opportunity via the courier station.
Judging by the timing, the letter would likely arrive as they returned to the Southern Border.
To be fair, writing the letter colloquially wouldn’t have been impossible. However, knowing that Qin Qingluo would read this letter, Chen Yi felt that using plain language would not only invite her disdain but might also disappoint her greatly. Thus, he insisted on composing it in classical form.
Yin Tingxue observed this and refrained from persuading Chen Yi otherwise. She understood that this was simply her husband’s nature.
Moreover, she had noticed,
that in the dead of night, he would secretly carve Bodhisattvas for her in the courtyard...
Because she had laughed at him before, he no longer did it in the morning.
Life went on like this until the day Min Ning arrived at their doorstep with Min Ming in tow.
The sisters of the Min family showing up at the door left Chen Yi somewhat surprised.
Min Ning’s face was solemn, her brows tightly furrowed. Those phoenix-shaped eyes locked onto Chen Yi, her thin lips pressed together, as though she didn’t know how to begin.
Her sister, however, turned pale and avoided looking at Chen Yi altogether, her peach blossom eyes cast downward with an expression of utter embarrassment.
Seeing Min Ning step hesitantly through the courtyard gate, Chen Yi asked with evident confusion:
"What brings you here with your elder sister?"
As his voice echoed, Min Ning, her brows still knit tightly, averted her gaze. Crossing her arms, she spoke in an ashamed tone: "Something... requires your help."
Chen Yi glanced at Min Ming, who hung her head low and stepped aside slightly, her subtle movement revealing a hint of what might be going on.
Turning back to Min Ning, Chen Yi said, "Yue Chi, there’s no need to plead."
Hearing his tone, Min Ning visibly relaxed before she composed herself and responded matter-of-factly: "Even if unnecessary, I must plead. Though we may be brothers, one thing shouldn’t conflate with another."
She struggled to define their relationship.
Pretending to be a man for so long had made their "brotherhood" feel surprisingly natural. But now, with her gender revealed—hers female, his male—calling themselves brothers felt undeniably strange.
To use "friends" instead? That felt too superficial. After all, their bond ran deeper, catching in her throat, undefinable yet undeniable. To say "husband and wife"? That was premature; their fates hadn’t reached that mark yet. Ultimately, Min Ning chose not to overthink. Brothers it would be.
A female brother, as he once demanded—so she would remain.
"What is the matter? Let me hear it," Chen Yi replied evenly.
Min Ning sighed deeply and answered: "It’s straightforward enough. The Empress Dowager has summoned my elder sister to the palace."
She then recounted to Chen Yi everything Min Ming had told her about the matter, from the initial audience with the Empress Dowager to the current accountability she faced. She laid it out clearly, and whenever Chen Yi sought clarification, Min Ning responded point by point.
After hearing it all, Chen Yi’s brows furrowed as well.
Min Ning observed him intently, gritting her teeth. If not for the sheer difficulty of the situation, she would have handled this family affair independently. But at present, she was utterly powerless, forcing her to turn to Chen Yi.
She wanted to blurt out something along the lines of, "After this, I’ll be yours."
But to say such a thing would surely twist its meaning, making him think she was using her chastity as an exchange. Observing her moral guilt, Min Ning cared less about earning his disdain than about respecting herself—she wanted moments of shared fate, a natural connection.
So she couldn’t speak those words, leaving her to stare helplessly at him.
Chen Yi chuckled, as if understanding her thoughts, and remarked:
"I am not hesitating; I’m thinking of the one in the palace."
Min Ning nodded slightly and asked softly:
"Then what’s your plan?"
"The plan? I’ll confront her directly in the palace." Chen Yi paused, glanced toward Min Ming, and said, "Truth be told, I’ve long wanted to stand face-to-face with her in Jingren Palace. Yet the Jinya Pavilion incident left things awkward between us, keeping me from finding an excuse to enter. To be honest, perhaps I should even thank your elder sister."
Min Ming, shrinking under the statement’s weight, lowered her head even further, now visibly avoiding her own sight.
Chen Yi cast her one meaningful look, then gave no further attention.
Completely uninterested in Min Ming? That would be a lie. However, Chen Yi had already spoken his truth: he wouldn’t retract his word unless absolutely necessary. By now, he had mastered restraint and no longer indulged unnecessary thoughts.
Compared to Min Ming’s troubles, the one occupying Jingren Palace was the true source of headache.
Chen Yi took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before speaking further:
"Yue Chi, I believe that once I enter the palace this time, you should depart from the capital as soon as possible."
Min Ning was momentarily taken aback but quickly understood and replied:
"Are you saying..."
Chen Yi followed through: "I fear she won’t let this rest easily. If she begins targeting you, leaving will be too late—better to act now while she hasn’t yet realized you’re a woman."
Chen Yi turned to glance briefly toward Jingren Palace, aligning his gaze along the direction of Donghua Gate.
"This time, I must enter the palace to have a conversation with her."
He repeated, his tone half as though addressing Min Ning, half as if speaking to himself.
"Alright..." Min Ning hesitated briefly before adding, "I’ll wait for your return before leaving."
Chen Yi didn’t refuse her. He knew her initial plan to leave after the New Year, but unfortunately, heaven seemed to have other intentions this time.
Since the incident at the underground palace, even though Chen Yi had almost entirely avoided Jingren Palace—and she had deliberately refrained from summoning him—the Empress Dowager’s desire for control seemed only to have grown deeper, blurring every boundary invisible yet relentless.
For instance, that time she came incognito on a private visit, intent on gifting Yin Tingxue a commandery princess title, plainly demonstrated her manipulative tendencies. Were it not for the Jinya Pavilion incident, she might have sparred with Zhou Yitang there for an entire day.
By contrast, in his past life, because the Dowager had never entered the underground palace, her control over him was considerably weaker—had it been otherwise, leaving the capital back then wouldn’t have been so easy.
Chen Yi turned to the water vat, lifted its lid, fetched a ladleful of water, and splashed his face clean.
Then, he lightly knocked on the guest chamber door.
Without speaking a word, he simply stood there briefly before turning away.
And he knew the occupant inside—his wife from a past life—understood everything perfectly.
Chen Yi turned and entered the residence, settling Yin Tingxue before emerging. Dressed now in the thousand householder’s dark robe, sword slung on his back and dagger tied at his waist, he waved toward Min Ning and strode straight toward Jingren Palace.
The sky above was murky, dim, and deep.
Inside Jingren Palace.
Ground dragons rumbled hot beneath, releasing wafts of white steam against the winter chill, lending the scene a dreamlike haze that only accentuated the sanctity of its mistress’s noble visage.
The stately, graceful matron who had been preparing to step out of the palace doorway suddenly paused. She adjusted the fox fur cloak draped around her shoulders, her gaze instinctively drawn eastward toward Donghua Gate, eyes growing contemplative.
The palace maids stationed outside, braving the wind and cold, rushed toward her, intending to persuade their mistress to avoid lingering so long.
But she raised one hand lightly, her fingertip suspended mid-air.
"Relay my order: if anyone from outside the palace seeks an audience today, they are to be denied. Should any force themselves into the palace, they are to be seized alive."