After Rebirth, I Married my Archenemy - Chapter 42

In the central hall of the Biquan Palace, there is a natural hot spring pool, perpetually enveloped in mist, giving it a dreamlike, ethereal atmosphere. Behind the pool stands a statue of the Lamp-holding Buddha, its hands supporting a radiant lamp that glows with golden light. This lamp was a ceremonial gift brought by the envoys from the Liuli Kingdom.

As the concubines entered from the lush greenery outside, the solemn ambiance of the hall made them lower their voices. 

“Are we supposed to light the lamps?” one of them asked softly.

Around the hot spring, numerous butter lamps had already been placed. The three envoys from Liuli Kingdom, now clad in pristine white robes, said, 

“We invite the Emperor to light the butter lamps in celebration of Buddha’s birth.”

The Emperor of Chenming stepped forward to light a lamp near the Buddha.

Empress Ma, however, was slightly puzzled. She noticed that Princess Bao’an, whom she had placed under house arrest, was unexpectedly present. A maid by her side explained, 

“Your Majesty, Princess Bao’an is proficient in Sanskrit and skilled at pleasing the envoys. The Crown Prince permitted her to join.”

Since Han Wanyi had not attended due to health reasons, there was no immediate conflict. Yet the Empress harbored some simmering anger, though being overlooked was nothing new to her.

She then observed Qun Qing near the Crown Prince’s Consort, already kneeling and lighting a lamp across the hot spring. The Empress sighed at her own son’s lack of initiative. 

“The Crown Prince at least understands how to ease his father’s burden, always planning ahead. Unlike my third son, who refuses to believe in these rituals and constantly opposes his father. How can the Emperor favor him? Even in the vast Prince Yan’s residence, there isn’t anyone to light a lamp!”

Shortly after, Lu Huating was summoned to the hall. As Qun Qing lit her lamp, a sudden cool breeze extinguished it. She looked up to see Lu Huating kneeling beside her, adjusting his robes. He glanced apologetically at the extinguished lamp. 

“My apologies,” he said, seemingly innocent.

She didn’t respond and bent down to pick up the flint. However, a slender hand reached out first, grasping the flint. The hand, pale and refined, exuded elegance but hinted at latent strength when clenched.

Lu Huating picked up the flint and stared at the lamp, lost in thought, before finally lighting it.

“Why doesn’t the advisor light the lamp? Is it because Prince Yan’s bloodshed makes you afraid?” Qun Qing remarked coldly, observing his hesitation.

Lu Huating lifted his gaze, his dark eyes brimming with unspoken emotion, and replied with a faint smile, 

“Even the tyrant of Chu, who devastated his country and called himself devout, dared to light such a lamp. Why wouldn’t I?”

He then struck the flint and lit the butter lamp.

Irritated, Qun Qing waved her sleeve, and the wind extinguished the lamp once more. Her tone remained calm. 

“Advisor, do you smell the rosemary in the hall? It’s specially prepared for you, knowing you lack rest and might faint here.”

Lu Huating’s smile froze as he met her gaze. Under the faint scent of rosemary, his eyes sharpened like blades. Qun Qing continued, 

“Today, for Buddha’s birthday, no foreign officials are allowed inside the hall. It seems this lamp will remain unlit. The Crown Prince is here; you may leave.”

Casting a sidelong glance, Qun Qing relit the Crown Prince’s lamp and, in a show of disdain, tilted it to light Prince Yan’s lamp. Without a word, Lu Huating rose and exited the hall.

Outside, he spotted Li Xuan in ceremonial robes near the incense burner, attending to the concubines. With a cold smile, Lu Huating realized the rosemary was likely intended for Li Xuan. Passing by him without a word, Lu Huating strode out.

After the lamps were lit, everyone knelt on the mats by the pool to listen to the eldest envoy from Liuli Kingdom chant scriptures. Emperor Chenming and Li Xuan offered incense, praying for national prosperity.

Atine, the lead envoy, offered a slight bow and said, “The sacred Udumbara flower of Liuli Kingdom has another name—‘Water Lamp Flower.’ On Buddha’s birthday, it must be lit by a woman with a Buddhist connection. We have already presented the flower seeds in advance. May the Crown Prince’s consort now offer the flower in the hall.”

An attendant called, and Zheng Zhiyi entered, holding a pure white blossom in her hands.

“Approach the Buddha,” Atine instructed, his eyes narrowing.

Rumors said she was the daughter of bandits, expected to resemble the dark, rugged women of Beirong. Yet the delicate, fair young woman in heavy embroidered ceremonial robes, her high bun gracefully arranged, was a surprising contrast. Though nervous, her refined features exuded an air of innocence.

Atine’s smile deepened as he noted her subtle unease. 

“The flower is named ‘Water Lamp Flower’ because its fresh petals can ignite like a candlewick and float serenely on water, much like a river lamp. Dewu, assist the Crown Prince’s consort in lighting it.”

A young monk approached. When he touched the Udumbara flower, he hesitated briefly. Zheng Zhiyi glanced at him, noting his dark complexion but pure, glass-like eyes. Without a word, he lit the flower’s core.

The assembly watched in awe as the flower’s center burned steadily like a candle. Zheng Zhiyi gently placed the lit Udumbara flower on the water’s surface and released it. To everyone’s astonishment, it floated serenely like a sacred river lamp.

This novel sight drew exclamations of admiration from the concubines watching the floating lamp, their voices filled with praise. Yet, Qun Qing remained calm, silently observing everything. Atine’s expression tightened slightly. He glanced at the Udumbara flower, glowing brightly as it floated on the water, and then at Zheng Zhiyi, who cast Qun Qing a proud smile before stepping aside.

“There is another lady in the palace with a Buddhist connection, who also managed to cultivate an Udumbara flower. I invite Princess Bao’an to present hers in the hall,” Atine announced.

Outside the hall, Yang Fu could hear the cheers within, but Atine’s words unsettled her. She couldn’t help feeling nervous.

Yang Fu handed her vibrant, dew-covered Udumbara flower to Dewu. As the flower’s core was ignited, it emitted a faint flame. She carefully placed the flower on the water and released it. However, the moment she let go, the large, pure white flower tilted and sank into the water.

A hush fell over the room. Yang Fu widened her eyes in disbelief, staring at the empty pool surface where her lamp should have been. Traces of moisture from the flower’s petals still lingered on her hands, but the floating lamp was gone.

Instinctively, she turned to look at Atine. His face, shrouded by the mist rising from the pool, was hard to read. “The water lamp has sunk. That is unusual. What could it mean?” he asked.

“It sank for only one reason,” came a soft female voice from below. “This flower was not freshly cultivated Udumbara.”

Atine paused and turned toward the speaker. A slender woman rose gracefully from the water’s edge, her face serene and her eyes bright. Qun Qing bowed slightly to Emperor Chenming and Empress Ma before continuing, 

“I have studied the Records of the Four Seas. According to the text, Udumbara flowers that bloom within five days are covered with a layer of fine fuzz, which allows them to float. But once the bloom is older, it becomes heavy and sinks.”

“The Udumbara flower that Princess Bao’an just offered seems to have bloomed for quite some time,” Qun Qing stated. “The envoys said they gifted the seeds around eighteen days ago. Therefore, the flower offered by Princess Bao’an couldn’t possibly have been cultivated by her.”

A sinking water lamp was considered inauspicious, and it was clear that the envoys were ready to exploit this. Empress Ma initially felt relieved when Qun Qing interrupted, but as she realized Qun Qing had shifted the blame to Yang Fu, her worry deepened.

Why target Princess Bao’an at this moment? Could this celebration have been prepared solely to humiliate her?

Emperor Chenming’s expression darkened, though he merely rested his hand on his knee and remained silent.

“What nonsense are you spouting? Are you accusing me?” Yang Fu’s voice quivered with rage and disbelief as her body alternated between hot and cold. “If I didn’t grow it myself, where would it have come from?”

“If the princess truly managed to cultivate a blooming Udumbara flower, then she should focus on nurturing it quietly. Why, then, does she keep sending people to climb over the walls of the Qingxuan Pavilion, eagerly checking on the progress in Liangdi’s garden?” Qun Qing remarked. “Last night, a carriage stopped outside Luanyi Pavilion. It seems the flower was transported from beyond the borders. However, after such a long journey, it’s already been in bloom for five days.”

Atine let out a low chuckle. “Who would have thought a princess of a nation could stoop to such dishonesty? Claiming the Udumbara can bloom while resorting to tricks like swapping the real with the fake.”

What delighted him most was that he didn’t even need to expose the matter himself. A foolish palace maid had already unraveled everything, laying it bare for everyone to hear. Emperor Chenming and the Crown Prince must have been seething with rage, though constrained from making a scene.

“In that case,” Li Xuan said coldly, “Princess Bao’an has disgraced our nation. Let her remain in confinement for further reflection.”

Yang Fu trembled as she looked at Atine, realizing she had walked into his trap. Atine’s smile deepened; the show he anticipated had only just begun. He strode to the spring pool, scrutinizing the flowers, and his eyes lit up. 

“Liangdi’s Udumbara—is it truly her own cultivation? This is clearly a fake!”

To everyone’s surprise, Atine pressed further. Li Xuan clenched his fists tightly. What was he planning?

“I never claimed it was real,” Zheng Zhiyi’s voice rang out. “Eighteen days ago, the envoy Atine presented this seed to me. No matter how I tried, it wouldn’t sprout.”

“If Liangdi failed to cultivate it, it merely shows she lacks a connection to the Buddha,” Atine replied with patronizing patience, as though speaking to a child. “But forcing a counterfeit to create an illusion of success—such behavior is unbecoming of a great nation.”

“Failure to cultivate doesn’t mean I lack a connection to the Buddha,” Zheng Zhiyi replied with a calm smile. “The envoy knows full well why it couldn’t grow—it’s because the seed you gave me was a stone seed, deliberately made to fail.” She retrieved the halved seed from her sleeve and presented it to Dewu and the elder monk. “Take a look. Isn’t this the seed you provided? Is even this counterfeit?”

Her voice rang clear and bright. Dewu and the elder monk frowned as they inspected the seed, turning their gazes to Atine. 

“This seed is indeed a stone seed. It cannot grow.”

Emperor Chenming suppressed his anger, his expression dark. T

he envoy of the Liuli Kingdom is far too insolent.

Atine’s expression faltered. “It wasn’t intentional. There were too many seeds during the journey—I must have taken the wrong one.”

“Not only do I know this is a stone seed,” Zheng Zhiyi continued, “I also know the one you gave Princess Bao’an was the same. That’s why she had no choice but to import a substitute from beyond the borders. Whether by coincidence or intent, you know the truth!” She added sharply, “The three envoys came to Da Chen, and the Emperor and Crown Prince treated you with courtesy. Yet, you delivered two faulty seeds on purpose. Is this how the Liuli Kingdom displays its elegance?”

Atine was caught off guard by her bold words. As murmurs rose among the crowd, his face flushed red. After a moment, he retorted, 

“No matter how eloquent Liangdi defends herself, it doesn’t change the fact that you used a counterfeit flower to deceive the Buddha’s lamp. If you couldn’t cultivate it, you should’ve admitted it. Why resort to such deceit? Does everyone in Da Chen behave this way?”

“Lady Qing, come forward and show the envoy this ‘counterfeit flower,’” Zheng Zhiyi called, her throat dry from speaking.

Qun Qing smiled faintly, left her seat, and gave Zheng Zhiyi a reassuring glance before bending down to retrieve the flower lantern from the pool.

“Your story reminds me of a tale from your Liuli Kingdom,” Zheng Zhiyi began, her tone shifting. “It’s said that your king once tested his sons’ character by giving them fake seeds to see who was most honest. But that was a father testing his sons. Which father from the Liuli Kingdom dares to test me? Do you still claim you meant no disrespect to Da Chen?”

Her voice, sharp and resonant, echoed through the hall, causing Atine to flinch, a hint of fear surfacing in his demeanor.

“If your nation disrespects Da Chen so blatantly,” Li Xuan interjected, raising his phoenix eyes, “is it an act of provocation? My second and third brothers are stationed beyond the borders and are more than ready for battle. Da Chen was built through conquest. Out of compassion for the people, we’ve refrained from all-out war, but don’t think we fear a decisive clash with the eighteen nations of the Western Regions.”

The furrow in Emperor Chenming’s brow deepened, but he made no move to intervene.

Atine’s face turned deathly pale. His intent had only been to use the situation to humiliate Da Chen, not to escalate matters to this extent. If it led to war, his role as an envoy would become an unforgivable crime.

Before he could respond, Dewu and the elder monk exchanged astonished glances. Without waiting for the Ministry of Rites to translate, Dewu knelt on one knee, clutching his chest as he said, 

“The Liuli Kingdom’s royal court harbors no such intentions! As envoys, we came to seek friendship. The fault lies entirely with the envoy.”

Emperor Chenming declared, “To welcome the Buddha’s relic, I had the Zhaixing Tower built in earnest. I have shown my sincerity. Do the three envoys truly bear the Buddha’s relic?”

Dewu produced a wooden box holding the relic. 

“We genuinely come bearing the relic. Please, Your Majesty, do not misunderstand.”

Qun Qing retrieved the crafted flower from the pool and presented it to Atine, whose face flushed crimson. “Envoy, observe closely. This flower is called a ‘crafted flower,’ made with skillful hands using magnolia silk thread from Zhongzhou. Its ability to illuminate stems from the candle hidden in its center, and it floats because of fish bladders attached to its petals. From outside the hall to within, you failed to notice any flaws. This demonstrates the artistry of our palace maids, who have created something indistinguishable from the real thing—an equally capable water lantern.”

As she spoke, Qun Qing placed the crafted flower back in the spring pool. It spun gently, its radiance reflecting in the candlelight, appearing both beautiful and sacred. The concubines around them held their breaths, marveling at the ingenuity of the object.

Zheng Zhiyi said, “Because of the envoy’s interference, I was unable to cultivate the Udumbara flower. It is truly regrettable. Thus, I present this crafted flower in the likeness of the Udumbara as Da Chen’s gift to celebrate the birth of the Lamp-Lighting Buddha.”

Atine, his face flushed with shame, knelt on one knee, bowing his head as he stammered, 

“It was my pettiness and momentary actions that obstructed the relations between our two nations. Please forgive me, Your Majesty. Please forgive me, Liangdi.”

Zheng Zhiyi and Qun Qing curtsied. 

“Father, I acted on my own without prior notice. Please punish me.”

After a long silence, Emperor Chenming broke into laughter. 

“Truly, a tiger father has no dog daughters. Such a brave and wise woman is fit to be the Crown Princess of our dynasty. The Crown Princess’s intentions align with mine. Since the envoy has apologized, all may rise.”

Zheng Zhiyi’s lashes fluttered in disbelief as she looked toward Qun Qing, only to hear the court’s maids offer heartfelt congratulations. 

“Congratulations to the Crown Princess! Congratulations to the Crown Princess!”

She was truly the Crown Princess. The day had arrived, yet she felt calmer than she had imagined. However, the surging warmth in her heart—sparked by the Emperor’s words, “a tiger father has no dog daughters”—transformed into tears. Her father had been right; she possessed her own share of virtues.

“Since today is doubly joyous, with the Liuli Kingdom presenting the Buddha’s relic, we shall gift ten thousand bolts of silk as a token of gratitude,” Emperor Chenming announced. “A vegetarian feast has been prepared. Since the lamp-lighting is complete, let us enjoy it.”

Li Xuan raised his gaze, serene yet contemplative. Today, Emperor Chenming’s words had decisively chosen the Crown Princess. From now on, Zheng Zhiyi would be the one by his side.

His glance brushed past the ashen-faced Princess Bao’an, but when his gaze reached Qun Qing’s dark cyan shawl, he stopped and looked away.

Zheng Zhiyi approached Li Xuan. He grabbed her sleeve, startling her. 

“This ceremonial robe is delicate. Don’t pull on it!”

Li Xuan grasped her wrist instead. His hand was cold, catching her off guard. It had been so long since they last held hands that it felt unfamiliar to both of them.

The palace doors opened, and the maids entered, serving the vegetarian dishes to the attendees.

Qun Qing sat at a distance, biting into a sugar bun and sipping tea in peace. Zheng Zhiyi’s growing independence was a good thing. Just then, a commotion drew her attention—Yang Fu had collapsed from exhaustion.

Outside the hall, Lu Huating had listened to everything. It seemed Qun Qing had taught Zheng Zhiyi to respond this way, aiming for the position of Crown Princess—a choice different from her past life. But with the favor of both the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, her ambitions could grow even larger.

He watched as Qun Qing picked up a triangular sugar bun and walked toward Yang Fu. Slowly, a smile crept across his lips as he turned his gaze toward the azure sky.