Mistakenly Treated The Princess As A Concubine - Chapter 55

When Yan Qinglan stepped out of Zichen Hall, the sunlight was slightly glaring, causing her already fragile eyes to well up with tears.

Supported by a palace maid, her demeanor remained dignified and commanding, but the tears added a touch of vulnerability and delicacy to her appearance.

Yan Qinglan was heading toward Zhonghe Hall, where the polo match was to be held.

When Yan Zisang told her that the devil’s work ball had been offered as a prize for the polo match, Yan Qinglan’s first reaction was disbelief.

It was likely a mistake.

Yan Ji had always treasured that devil’s work ball. Just moments ago, he had spoken of it with such fondness. How could it have been offered as a prize?

Under the pretext of adding another prize, Yan Qinglan decided to go and see for herself. She wanted to touch the devil’s work ball that had been offered as a prize.

If it was indeed the one she had made, she would retrieve the golden fish talisman hidden inside. If it wasn’t, she would continue her search.

Before Yan Qinglan could board her palanquin, she noticed a figure in deep purple approaching.

“Greetings, Your Highness. Are you heading to the palace banquet?” a voice called out.

Yan Qinglan recognized the voice. It was Consort Feng, one of the four highest-ranking consorts in Yan Ji’s harem.

Among the four consorts—Noble Consort, Virtuous Consort, Worthy Consort, and Gentle Consort—Consort Feng was the most striking in appearance, with a bold personality and a notorious streak of jealousy.

Moreover, while the other three consorts had been chosen by Yan Qinglan for Yan Ji, Consort Feng had been personally selected by Yan Ji himself, and he had indulged her greatly.

In the past, Consort Feng had been relatively obedient in front of Yan Qinglan, but recently, she had grown bolder and more arrogant.

Knowing that Jiangxiao was one of the masterminds behind her predicament, Yan Qinglan was naturally wary of Consort Feng.

Yan Qinglan paused and acknowledged Consort Feng with a soft hum, carefully listening to her response.

“Why does Your Highness seem so downcast? Today is His Majesty’s birthday. Why do you look so somber? Oh, could it be because His Majesty offered the devil’s work ball as a prize?” Consort Feng said with a coy laugh.

“…” Yan Qinglan frowned.

She sensed a tone of gloating and schadenfreude in Consort Feng’s words.

“Oh, I forgot to tell Your Highness. His Majesty gave me the key to the treasure box and said I could take anything I wanted from it. I decided to offer the devil’s work ball as a prize. It will be announced soon, and all the foreign envoys will know about it.” Consort Feng added.

Yan Qinglan was surprised by Consort Feng’s tone.

It seemed Consort Feng was unaware that the “Elder Princess” in the palace was an imposter. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have spoken to her like this.

Was Consort Feng really so jealous that she would target her?

How much of what Consort Feng said was true?

Regardless, the devil’s work ball she needed was likely among the prizes.

That made it even more urgent for her to retrieve it.

“Consort Feng, your words are disrespectful. Huixin, slap her ten times!” Yan Qinglan raised her voice after a pause.

“How have I been disrespectful? You…” Consort Feng, who had been reveling in Yan Qinglan’s apparent defeat, suddenly changed her expression.

“I said you were disrespectful, and that’s final. Anyone who dares to interfere will be dealt with accordingly!” Yan Qinglan said coldly.

Recently, the “Elder Princess” had kept a low profile, focusing on her recovery, and much of her authority had been transferred to Yan Ji. Consort Feng had gradually grown bolder in her disrespect.

She had been testing the waters, pushing the boundaries further and further.

The “Elder Princess” had once been formidable, but since falling ill, she seemed to have weakened.

Who wouldn’t lose their edge after being stripped of power, suffering from poor eyesight, and battling illness?

But Consort Feng hadn’t expected Yan Qinglan to retaliate so decisively today.

Hearing Yan Qinglan’s words, Consort Feng broke out in a cold sweat. The once authoritative and decisive Elder Princess seemed to have returned.

Before she could react, the palace maid by Yan Qinglan’s side stepped forward.

The maid, actually a disguised embroidered guard, moved swiftly and decisively.

“Your jealous nature has grown worse. How dare you meddle with the gifts I gave to His Majesty? Well done! Consort Shu, on the other hand, is gentle and virtuous, with the potential to be a queen. Consort Xian is also commendable, always steady and composed.” Yan Qinglan said softly.

Consort Feng whimpered, her eyes wide with fear, and didn’t dare to say another word.

But inwardly, her jealousy and resentment grew, extending even to Consort Shu and Consort Xian, whom Yan Qinglan had praised.

The maid quickly finished the punishment and helped Yan Qinglan onto her palanquin.

Yan Qinglan knew that her presence in the palace to retrieve the devil’s work ball would eventually be discovered.

Since many in the palace were still unaware of the truth, there was no need for her to hide.

The imposter “Elder Princess” was currently being led by another disguised embroidered guard to perform a blessing ritual, under the influence of divine incense. She would be in a state of delirium for a while.

However, when questioned later, she would likely reveal inconsistencies.

Since Yan Qinglan was already here, she might as well interact with as many people as possible to gauge who knew the truth about her identity and what their intentions were.

Meanwhile, Yan Ji had arrived at Zhonghe Hall ahead of her, and the palace banquet had begun.

The nobility of Northern Jin and the foreign envoys who had come to offer their congratulations all bowed and paid their respects to Yan Ji, the Emperor of Northern Jin.

Wen Zhuojin, seated far back, couldn’t clearly see what the emperor looked like, nor was she particularly interested. She simply bowed her head in respect, then sat down and continued eating.

However, the Dashi envoy seated not far from her seemed quite excited and even tugged at Wen Zhuojin’s sleeve.

“Wen, your Northern Jin emperor is indeed handsome and young. If I could marry him…” the Dashi envoy muttered excitedly to himself.

“Miss Wen, if you participated in the imperial selection, you might have a chance. With your qualifications and being a disciple of Tianxuan Palace, you’re practically heaven’s chosen!” another person, whose origin Wen Zhuojin couldn’t discern, whispered.

“…” Wen Zhuojin was speechless.

No matter how impressive the emperor was, what did it matter?

Who could compare to her beauty sister?

A lavish array of dishes and fine wines was served, accompanied by the melodious music of palace musicians and lively dances.

Wen Zhuojin watched the festivities for a while until a eunuch arrived to announce the rules and prizes for the polo match.

The prizes were brought out by palace maids for display.

Each item was exquisitely crafted and looked incredibly valuable.

Wen Zhuojin’s eyes immediately fell on a palace lantern.

The lantern was nearly a meter long, made of multicolored glass, adorned with crystal curtains and tassels. Even in daylight, it sparkled brilliantly.

Her beauty sister’s eyes were weak and could only distinguish colors.

Such a colorful, beautiful lantern that could fetch a high price would be perfect to take back and show her beauty sister!

The lantern would be soothing for the eyes and a delight to behold.

Wen Zhuojin’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

She barely noticed the other prizes that followed.

When the devil’s work ball was presented, Wen Zhuojin didn’t pay much attention.

The ball looked small from a distance, and its intricate details were hard to discern.

On the high platform, Yan Ji, who had been maintaining a solemn and regal demeanor, froze when he saw the devil’s work ball.

“Who put this here?!” Yan Ji demanded.

Accompanying Yan Ji to the banquet were Consort Xian and Consort De from the four consorts.

“Your Majesty, Consort Feng placed it there. She said you had gifted it to her, and she wanted to offer it as a prize for the polo match. Your Majesty, is there something special about this devil’s work ball? Should it be taken back? But it has already been displayed, so it might be inappropriate to retract it now.” Consort Xian said in a gentle, unhurried tone, exuding a sense of calm and virtue.

“…No need.” Yan Ji said, his gaze fixed ahead, his fists clenching and unclenching.

Consort Xian observed Yan Ji’s expression, her eyelashes fluttering slightly as a faint smile played on her lips.

What was said on the high platform was unknown to those below.

Wen Zhuojin watched the dances for a while before being called to prepare.

In the side hall, Wen Zhuojin changed into the prepared crimson and gold polo uniform with a folded collar and fitted waist. She picked up a vermilion-painted polo mallet and tied her hair into a high bun with a crimson and gold ribbon. She was ready in no time.

“Miss Wen, you look stunning in that crimson and gold polo uniform! If you were a man, I’d want to marry you!” a noblewoman teased.

Wen Zhuojin’s striking appearance, tall and slender among women, was further enhanced by the simple yet sporty outfit, adding a touch of heroic charm to her otherwise gentle and elegant demeanor.

Even among this group of beautiful noblewomen, she stood out.

Wen Zhuojin smiled at the woman but didn’t respond.

County Mistress Yunshu, after preparing herself, approached with a serious expression.

“Today, we’ve been drawn to play against the team from Northern Qiang. The women of Northern Qiang are skilled riders, with excellent horse control, and they are all strong and fierce. Don’t take them lightly. I’m not being modest, but our chances aren’t great. Everyone, give it your all, but also protect yourselves from injury. The Northern Qiang women’s polo team can be quite aggressive. If anyone feels afraid once the match starts, you may withdraw. But know that you won’t be allowed to rejoin the team in the future.” County Mistress Yunshu gathered the team and spoke gravely.

During their preparations, County Mistress Yunshu had always been confident and spirited, aiming for victory.

But now, before the match had even begun, she was speaking like this.

“County Mistress, why such pessimism? Northern Qiang and Northern Jin have been at war for so many years. We should fight with everything we have to defeat them! Let them see the strength of Northern Jin’s women!” one of the women said.

“I will fight with all my might for victory. But there’s a formidable player on the Northern Qiang team, stronger than most men, and she has actually fought on the battlefield and killed people. Everyone, please be careful.” County Mistress Yunshu said.

Though she knew her words might dampen their spirits, it was necessary to prepare them mentally and ensure their safety.

Wen Zhuojin glanced at County Mistress Yunshu and patted her on the back.

“County Mistress means well. There’s no need to say more. We’ve trained hard for this; we won’t give up easily. No matter how strong that person is, she wouldn’t dare to kill anyone on the polo field, would she? We’re here to compete in skill. Let’s keep our spirits up.” Wen Zhuojin said, lifting the team’s morale.

“Alright!” County Mistress Yunshu nodded at Wen Zhuojin, surprised that the young woman, who didn’t seem particularly strong or assertive, now seemed more like a team leader than she did.

As the team prepared to leave the side hall, a eunuch arrived.

“By His Majesty’s decree: Today’s match against Northern Qiang may not be a battlefield, but it is close. If the team captain wins, in addition to the displayed prizes, there will be an additional reward, more valuable than what has been shown.” the eunuch announced.

The team members exchanged glances and quickly acknowledged the eunuch’s message.

Wen Zhuojin’s eyes sparkled with renewed determination. She had joined the polo match for the prizes and to build connections with the noblewomen. If there were additional rewards and a chance to gain the emperor’s favor, it would be worth the risk. With the emperor’s recognition, she might even secure opportunities to supply goods to the palace or other lucrative ventures.

Challenges and risks didn’t scare her as long as the rewards were worth it.

In front of Zhonghe Hall, a large open area served as the polo field.

Colorful flags were planted near the goals at both ends. The ten-women team in crimson and gold, representing Northern Jin, faced off against the ten-women team in aqua green, representing Northern Qiang.

The Northern Qiang team was noticeably taller and more robust than the Northern Jin team.

Wen Zhuojin gripped her mallet, her eyes fixed on the opposing team. There was no fear in her gaze, only excitement.