TRBDM -Chapter 136 Palace Stipend Halved

“Mother Concubine—”

Zhao Jingrui stepped into the room with a smile, striding confidently.

The next moment, he froze in place.

“Fifth Younger Brother, long time no see.”

Zhao Lingchen’s voice hit like a heavy hammer. Zhao Jingrui’s ears rang, his limbs went numb, and for a long moment he couldn’t speak.

“Jingrui, seeing the Eldest Princess, shouldn’t you greet her?” Concubine Ling immediately reminded him.

Zhao Jingrui suppressed his wildly beating heart and forced a stiff smile: “Forgive me, Eldest Sister. I didn’t expect you to be here, and I was too surprised, so I behaved improperly.”

Zhao Lingchen watched him lying so blatantly—turning shock into delight—and thought, What a ridiculous excuse.

Zhao Jingrui’s features were distinctly foreign, but his pupils were brown-black like Zhao Kuang’s.

Every time Zhao Lingchen saw him at royal events, she remembered the time at the border, when she and Fu Wei had disguised themselves as ordinary siblings and blended in with a group of refugees to enter the northern frontier town.

Recalling it caused her pain, so she never spoke to Zhao Jingrui and avoided looking at his face.

Now, standing close to him, she allowed herself to scrutinize him.

Zhao Jingrui shivered under her gaze.

His composure faltered. Unable to maintain a calm expression, he decided to speak first: “Eldest Sister, what made you come to Liuxiao Palace today?”

“I’ve had some free time recently, and was bored without anything fun to do. Passing by Liuxiao Palace, I suddenly remembered that a bunch of people from the Northern Border live inside—it should be interesting.”

Her words were a blatant slap in the face to the Northern Borderers.

In the capital, Northern Borderers lived under the scrutiny of others, constantly subjected to others’ whims, their lives already unpleasant.

Zhao Lingchen’s remark turned them into objects of amusement.

Out of the corner of his eye, Zhao Jingrui saw Mother Concubine’s personal maid kneeling to massage Zhao Lingchen’s feet, and a surge of humiliation rose in him.

Yet he dared not defend the Northern Borderers.

“You jest, Eldest Sister. They’ve lived in the capital for over twenty years and are no different from the Han people. I’m afraid there’s nothing amusing for you to enjoy here.”

Uttering those words was like swallowing shards of teeth for Zhao Jingrui—helpless and frustrating.

Even though he endured humiliation, Zhao Lingchen wasn’t done with him.

“You have a point. They’re no match for you—half Han, half Northern Borderer. There’s no one else like you in the entire capital. Fifth Younger Brother, are you Han or Northern Borderer?”

Zhao Jingrui’s face changed dramatically. Aside from childhood taunts by other princes, he had rarely been attacked so openly like this since growing up.

He couldn’t even force a fake smile this time.

“What did Eldest Sister say? I was born in the Dachong Dynasty, and Father is the current Emperor. Of course, I’m Han.”

“Mm.” Zhao Lingchen nodded in agreement, then pivoted to ask, “If the Dachong Dynasty went to war with the Northern Border, which side would you support?”

As soon as the words fell, every Northern Borderer in Liuxiao Palace visibly paled.

Concubine Ling gripped her cup, fingers white from the pressure, and the water inside shook violently.

Zhao Jingrui replied anxiously: “Eldest Sister, the Dachong Dynasty and the Northern Border have traded for over ten years. How could there be a war?”

Zhao Lingchen remained noncommittal: “I just fear someone with wolfish ambition might try to disrupt the peace between the two countries—maybe by following someone—”

Zhao Jingrui’s heart sank. He finally understood why Zhao Lingchen had come to Liuxiao Palace.

The person he had sent to follow someone had been caught.

No wonder there had been no news these past few days—they were probably already dead.

“Eldest Princess, what do you mean by following? I don’t understand.” Concubine Ling could no longer restrain herself and finally spoke up.

“It’s fine; someone understands.”

Zhao Lingchen lifted a leg, and the Northern Borderer servants instinctively lowered their heads and stepped back.

“From today onward, Liuxiao Palace’s stipend will be halved.”

“Eldest Princess, what have I done wrong? Are you punishing Liuxiao Palace?” Concubine Ling asked in disbelief.

As the most favored princess holding the military tally, Zhao Lingchen’s power was truly overwhelming.

She rarely involved herself in palace affairs, preferring to amuse herself in the world outside.

Thus, Concubine Ling did not question why a Princess Royal had the authority to reduce the stipend of Lingxiao Palace; instead, she asked why.

“No particular reason… perhaps because…” Zhao Lingchen glanced at the Northern border maid who had just been massaging her feet. “It hurt too much when she was massaging my feet.”

After saying this, Zhao Lingchen didn’t look at anyone else and strode away.

Her little punishment was meant as a warning—strictly for Zhao Jingrui to understand that certain people should not be touched. Otherwise, with just a flick of her finger, she could wipe out all the Southern border personnel in the harem.

Zhao Jingrui collapsed onto the long couch, gasping in fear.

Seeing this, Concubine Ling realized the situation was serious. She dismissed all the servants and grabbed Zhao Jingrui’s hand.

“Rui’er, did you anger the Princess Royal?”

Zhao Jingrui nodded.

Concubine Ling’s heart skipped a beat. “What did you do?”

“I sent someone to follow the Princess Royal.”

Concubine Ling’s mind went cold. She lightly tapped his head in exasperation. “You’re audacious beyond measure! Do you know that the secret guards of the Princess’s residence are the top experts of the Dachong Kingdom? The people you sent—do you think they could evade their eyes?”

“I…”

Zhao Jingrui knew the risk, but he had his own plan.

“I received a secret report from the Northern border. It’s said that the eldest Princess once had a child.”

“What! The Princess Royal has a child?” Concubine Ling’s eyes, like crystal, trembled in disbelief.

“Shh, Mother, quietly,” Zhao Jingrui glanced toward the door before continuing. “I don’t know if it’s true or not. I sent someone to verify it, but unexpectedly, they were discovered on the very first day.”

“Rui’er, you must not act on your own next time. And why didn’t you tell me when you received the secret report? I could have helped you plan it.”

Zhao Jingrui felt that he had grown up and could make decisions for himself. He hadn’t expected that the first time he acted, it would go wrong.

“Mother, it’s all my fault. Lingxiao Palace has been implicated because of me.”

Concubine Ling patted the back of his hand. “It’s nothing for your mother to suffer a little. I only hope that one day, you and I can return to the Northern border.”

Zhao Jingrui said firmly, “Mother, rest assured—we will.”

Jiang Yuelin had finished handling a case in Qishan and was now riding at full speed back to the capital.

Having not seen Xie Wanrou for several days, she filled his dreams every night.

Gentle, virtuous, every expression and smile of hers captured his heart.

In the past, when he often left the capital on cases, he had never felt a longing to return so intensely.

Now he understood why newlywed colleagues, when forced to conduct overnight investigations for major cases, always complained about not being able to return home sooner.

Now he felt the same way.

Although he and Xie Wanrou were not husband and wife, he knew he had long since fallen for her.

From the very first glance, Jiang Yuelin had been captivated.

Xie Wanrou had been deeply hurt by Lei Lieshan; the scars in her heart were still healing.

Jiang Yuelin was willing to heal her.

Once she fully opened her heart, he would formally come to propose.

Just thinking about the future made Jiang Yuelin feel happy along the journey.

No matter how long the road, it didn’t feel distant or arduous.

The hooves of the horses clattered, raising dust behind them. As night fell, Jiang Yuelin found an inn to stay.

He ordered two dishes and sat by the window.

After taking a bite, he found himself missing Xie Wanrou’s cooking even more.

Jiang Yuelin calmly finished the meal and was about to leave when someone sat across from him.

He looked up.

Luo Feiyang, dressed in a dark red outfit, smiled at him.