El cielo sobre los ríos y lagos está despejado

Capítulo 2

The beautiful father said, "Your mother is being pretentious. But even if he doesn't know you are the daughter of the Hidden Emperor and a little princess of the martial world, he should know that you have been with me for a while."

I could only shake my head and sigh: "My dear father, you did appear once, but you never told the truth. He had no idea who you were. He was jealous, though, thinking you were some new young master I had made friends with. Besides, what kind of 'little princess of the martial arts world' is that? It's not true."

Somehow, these words reached the ears of my imperial cousin and imperial uncle.

Brother Xuan said, "What Bai Yifei? How dare he bully our princess? Let's find a reason to teach that Baima Manor a lesson."

I lowered my head and said, "Brother, I am a princess. Besides, White Horse Manor is in Yunyang. Are you going to go to Yunyang to cause trouble?"

Xuan Ge said, "Your imperial brother will issue an edict immediately, bestowing upon you the title of Princess Shangde. After all, you are the eldest princess of the Northern Di. Also, as for that White Horse Manor, let your cousin handle it."

My face twitched: "Brother, what title did you bestow? Are you mocking me? Morally bankrupt?" It seems I shouldn't have been so proactive with Bai Yifei.

Brother Xuan chuckled and said, "Oh, bad luck with the name? How about we change it to the Neon Princess?"

Do whatever you want, ban me or not. If you ban me, it's just a material comfort to me; I'll still feel empty inside.

As for his uncle, the Emperor, he said, "Wu'er is the daughter of Prince Rui of Yunyang. I can also bestow upon her the title of Princess and the honorary title of Hongni."

Okay, they're thinking the same thing, but they really lack imagination.

He also said that people should keep an eye on Baima Village, as people from the martial arts world shouldn't be too wild.

I was still worried about Bai Yifei, so I said that Baima Village had nothing to do with me anymore and I didn't need to pay too much attention to it. My uncle sighed.

Xuan-ge and his cousin both said that it wouldn't be difficult for Wu'er to get married; she has plenty of men to choose from every day.

I felt that I could no longer enter anyone's heart. Since I had been granted the title of princess, I might as well do something for both countries. So I said to Brother Xuan and my uncle, "Why don't you use me for a marriage alliance? The farther away the better. That way, I can have peace of mind, and it will also be my contribution to the court."

Xuan said, "You're my only sister, how can I let you go far away? Besides, for a marriage alliance, Yunyang is our own family, so there's no need for that. The men in the east are too short; the men in Nandan are too dark-skinned; and the climate in the west is not good, so it's better not to go there."

My uncle also said, "If I were to use you for a marriage alliance, wouldn't my cousin plot against me? Besides, where would we go for such an alliance? Nowadays, Yunyang doesn't need women to make such sacrifices. The Northern Barbarians are your own home, and the Southern Dan is so hot it's unbearable, the people there are all as dark as charcoal, your father would definitely not approve. In the east, the men are all short and stingy; the Western Barbarians are too barbaric. None of them will do, so let's forget about this one."

I can't even arrange a marriage alliance with someone.

So my beautiful father said in a tone of disappointment, "Wu Bao, I thought that as a woman, you would be several times better than your mother. I never thought you would be so heartbroken and not let anyone deal with Bai Ma Zhuang and Nan Feng Bao." But even though he didn't want me anymore, he never treated me badly, so I couldn't be so narrow-minded.

The fourth uncle said sullenly from the side, "Her mother has never been hurt by anyone; she is the one who hurts others."

I sensed something else in those words. It turns out that Fourth Uncle had feelings for Mother back then, just like with the handsome father. Or perhaps, besides Mother herself, everyone else knew about these things. Mother, sometimes, is a bit too oblivious.

I found out when I was ten years old that my father had feelings for my mother.

Staying in Meiren's father's Jinzi shop, I saw a lot of miscellaneous people, things, and books. That year, I first learned that men could like each other, and then I noticed something was off between Meiren's father and Kun's father. They were always competing with each other, and Meiren's father was always picking on Kun's father. I'd heard that the more someone has feelings for another person, the more critical they become, so I became certain that Meiren's father did have something going on with Kun's father.

I eagerly went to remind my mother. Although my handsome father always doted on me, I was still afraid he would steal my brother away. My mother flicked my head and said, "Wu'er, what are you thinking about all day? Go practice the Falling Leaf Palm five more times when you have time." My brother also rolled his eyes at me.

Later, I heard my mother tell this to my father as a joke, and she said, "I always said that the boss shouldn't have taken her to those brothels."

Kun's father was very happy and said, "Wu'er is so close to me!"

The beautiful woman's father ignored his mother's advice to "stop taking Wu'er to Jinchun Garden and Jinxiu Tower all the time." Until one day, he suddenly realized that something terrible was going to happen.

Because I couldn't help myself, I went to ask him if he and his father had an affair. He laughed so hard he was shaking, and said, "If I really had such a thing, I would choose your father, that would be the mark of a real man. You fox, humph, if he were, he'd probably be a bottom too."

Then it dawned on me. The way he treated my father, and how he would always find fault with my mother, then... I suddenly asked, "So you've taken a liking to my mother?"

He was so shocked that he fell silent. I then said, "That won't do. My mother has a father. I like my father too."

He suddenly flashed a captivating smile, pulled me onto his lap, and stroked my face, saying, "I know, I won't fight with your father. But, Wu Bao, why don't you repay your mother's debt of love?"

I was completely mesmerized by his smile, but surprisingly, I remained quite clear-headed. I frowned, considering a very practical question, and then said, "That doesn't seem like a good idea either. I do like handsome dads. But by the time I grow up, you'll be old. They say that when men get old, they can't perform sexually anymore. I like you, but what if I can't keep my body?"

The handsome father's face seemed to have been cleaved in two, his expression a mixture of shock and anger. He gritted his teeth and asked with difficulty, "Misty Baby, how do you know all this?"

I obediently replied, "It was said by Piaohong, the most beautiful courtesan in Jinxiu Tower. That day, she took in a man in his forties. Qingyun asked her if he was going to redeem her from her servitude, but she said she didn't want him to. If she really married him, the man would be too old to be intimate, how could she keep her body? It's better to stay in the tower, where she has enough to eat and wear, and there are always young and strong handsome men coming to her door..."

The beautiful man's father stood up, summoned the manager of the Brocade Pavilion, and scolded, "I told you to set up guards between the front and back yards to prevent outsiders from disturbing Miss. Are you all deaf?"

This is the first time I've ever seen someone like my beautiful father, who loves to be sarcastic and even verbally abuse people. The steward, sweating profusely, knelt and said, "Yes, yes, we've added more people."

The beautiful woman's father said, "When Miss is here, lock the gates to the front and back yards."

The steward left hesitantly.

I tugged at my father's sleeve and said, "Father, don't blame them. They did set up a checkpoint. I was just testing the Thousand Mountains Flying Snow technique that Mother taught me, and they didn't even notice."

After that, my father rarely took me to the Brocade Pavilion in Longcheng. If we went to Longcheng, I would stay at the Shen family's place. Anyway, I was very happy to have Shen Yimei and Shen Yisang with me.

Author's Note: Well, if anyone's reading this, please say something or add it to your favorites.

Chapter Three Selection

Now I've finally gotten engaged.

Once my marriage was settled, my husband's father and fourth uncle soon wrote to inquire. I think my parents will also receive the message soon. If they object, they will naturally appear before me immediately. If they don't object, they will appear on my wedding day.

My marriage, according to Brother Xuan, should be set for the Qixi Festival (Double Seventh Festival). But my sister-in-law said that we can't rush it, and even the wedding dress needs to be prepared properly.

Xuan Ge said, "Didn't you start preparing Wu Bao's wedding dress back in February?"

The Empress Dowager said, "This wedding dress is made with meticulous care. I hired the best embroiderers, but it's not finished yet."

Xuan said, "Then let's do it on the 15th of August. It's a time for the moon to be full and people to reunite. It's perfect for our whole family to get together. That would be wonderful." Then he patted Yuan and said, "Little Yuan, I'll decide on Wu Bao's marriage, but you'll be in charge of the arrangements."

Yuan Ge said, "No problem, we have to please Wu Bao."

The wedding date on Qixi Festival is a bit rushed. Even if it's postponed to the 15th of August, there are only three months left, which is still tight. The princess's mansion that Brother Xuan allocated to me isn't even finished being renovated yet. If I rush to finish it, people will think I'm rushing to get married, although that seems to be the case. But it's fine this way, before my father and my husband can come up with any way to object, I'll get married.

As for Yi Ge, Qi Long quickly obtained his information from Uncle Mo. Yi Ge, aged twenty, was from Duwang Village, Qian County. He was recruited into Mo Qi's Shadow Guard at the age of fourteen.

He is now the commander of the Shadow Guards of the Prince Huaiyi's Mansion. He was already there before, and it has nothing to do with me appointing him as the prince consort.

Qi Long said that when Uncle Mo took Yi Ge in, he felt that Yi Ge's martial arts were outstanding among the young people, especially his lightness skill, which allowed him to move without a trace. That's why he was chosen as a shadow guard. He had a natural talent for martial arts, and his skills had improved quite rapidly in recent years, especially his lightness skill. Uncle Mo had also inquired about his teacher, and he said it was from his mother. However, when Uncle Mo took him in, he was already an orphan, so he didn't know who his mother was, and he wouldn't say when asked. Uncle Mo didn't care about family background when taking people in; he chose the most capable. There was no conflict of interest, and he had no intention of prying into people's privacy, so he didn't ask any further questions.

Two years ago, I would have loved to compete with anyone who was good at light-footed skills, but now I have no interest in it.

My brother and I were taught kung fu by our mother and father, but we each had our own focus. My brother inherited our mother's superhuman strength, so he focused on swordsmanship, which was taught to him by our father. Although our mother's kung fu was based on swordsmanship, she ultimately used a sword. Our father, on the other hand, had considerable insight into both swordsmanship and saber techniques.

As for me, my father thought women were more agile, so he preferred that I master the Thousand Mountains Flying Snow technique. From the moment I started practicing Thousand Mountains Flying Snow, I found it easy. When I came down the mountain at sixteen, my father said that I had mastered it far better than my mother had at that age. Regarding weapons, although my parents taught me the Thirteen Styles of Returning Wind, I was always a step behind Qi Long in practice. My mother and father used the legendary swords Mu Yun and Qing Xue, which were quite heavy, making them perfect for the Thirteen Styles of Returning Wind. I, on the other hand, chose an ordinary sword; while I could execute the moves flawlessly, I always lacked the power and momentum.

My father-in-law had started out with some martial arts training, and his skills were quite diverse. After watching me practice for a few years, he felt that although I wielded the sword well, it wasn't the most suitable weapon for me. So one day, he brought me back a specially made whip. The whip was white and thick, looking like a stick, but if you used some internal force to shake it, it would become a flexible long whip. With just a little skill, it was very agile to wield. My father-in-law named it Swift Shadow.

When the handsome father saw the whip, he laughed and said, "Your father is quite resourceful. This whip looks like a fan when it's folded up. Why don't I teach you how to use a fan?" He used it with lightness and grace, almost like a dance, which stunned me, an eleven-year-old. Only then did I realize that a weapon can transform into different things depending on who wields it, as long as you can imagine it.

I don't care about my marriage at all; I only care about how to deal with my parents' interrogations.

Fortunately, they received the message that it would take at least a month or two for them to return from the Western Barbarians.

In early July, my husband's father came to the capital first. He asked me, "Wu Bao, have you thought it through? You're getting married already?"

I nodded.

My beautiful father tapped my forehead and said, "Who said you don't have the same personality as your mother? You're so stubborn, you're just a carbon copy of your mother. You say you have the same personality as me, but that's just talk."

I chuckled. I felt neither anticipation nor disappointment about this marriage; I'd already made up my mind anyway.

My beautiful father turned around and disappeared from my sight in the blink of an eye.

I sat leisurely under the eaves of Qingxin Hall, sipping a cup of Longjing tea that Chunman had brewed for me, waiting patiently. After finishing the tea, a vibrant red figure appeared beneath the blooming hibiscus flowers in front of the hall. My handsome father elegantly flicked his sleeve and sat down opposite me: "It's alright, at least you chose someone decent-looking. Oh well, if it doesn't work out, you can always find someone else." I didn't dare tell him that I hadn't even really seen what Yi Ge looked like.

Yi Ge was still serving as the commander of the shadow guards at the Prince Huaiyi's residence.

Before issuing the imperial edict of marriage, Xuan asked if he wanted the Ministry of Revenue to arrange a position for him. I said I didn't know, but actually I didn't care. Qi Long later went to ask Yi Ge, and apparently, he refused to move. This made me think that this man wasn't very ambitious and was quite calm.

To be precise, the Shadow Guard Commander of the Prince Huaiyi's Mansion did have a rank, but it wasn't exactly prestigious.

I've returned to the Prince Huaiyi's residence a few times in the past two months, but I went to see my brother, so I didn't pay attention to whether he was there or not. Besides, shadow guards are always elusive; they generally won't appear unless summoned by their master. If I hadn't bumped into him at the entrance of Size Garden that time, I probably wouldn't have seen him even once. Even then, if he hadn't bowed and said, "Yi Ge greets the Princess," I wouldn't have known who he was. I felt a little awkward, so I quickly replied and let him go.

Chunman later told me that people in the manor talked a lot about Yi Ge, some congratulating him, others expressing jealousy and sarcasm, but Yi Ge didn't refute a word. Chunman relayed some gossip to me, saying that the shadow guards and the open guards in the manor had always been somewhat competitive. After the imperial edict came down, several of Yi Ge's shadow guards felt a sense of pride, saying, "Boss, we've finally produced someone of note among our shadow guards." Yi Ge then smiled faintly and said, "The prince consort isn't really anyone of note, and the princess didn't fall for my abilities; it was just a coincidence."

I nodded. This guy is actually quite clear-headed, not a frivolous person. At least I don't have to worry about him abusing his position anymore. But it seems that my casual pointing finger has put pressure on someone like him.

Chunman is a maid in the Prince Huaiyi's mansion. She followed me when I was in the mansion or the palace, so she knows the guards and maids in the mansion better than I do. She said that this Yi Ge has always been low-key and doesn't have much of a presence in the mansion. It surprised some people when he was promoted to commander of the shadow guards. This time, he was even chosen as the prince consort. Everyone in the mansion says he is really lucky.

My husband decided to stay in the capital for the Ghost Festival (August 15th of the lunar calendar) instead of wandering around and returning before then. He even told me, "I'm doing this for you. Your mother will definitely not forgive you for marrying like this, so I'm protecting you."

I'm not afraid of my father, but I am truly afraid of my mother.

Sometimes when my husband gets angry, I just need to act cute and get away with it. My husband taught me that if you can get rid of a woman with cuteness, don't waste your energy on anything else. And I've successfully gotten rid of him with cuteness several times now.

Although my mother has almost never hit me, I'm afraid of seeing her sad. What I'm doing now will surely make her sad.

The days quickly passed to the Ghost Festival on the fifteenth of the seventh lunar month. I left the palace and released river lanterns in the Jing River with Chunman before returning to the palace. It was hot and tiring to squeeze through the crowds. After taking a bath back in the palace, I felt exhausted just after midnight and went straight to sleep.

I had just fallen asleep when I was jolted awake by a woman's scream: "A ghost!" How fitting! Could it be that there really are ghosts roaming the night during Ghost Festival? I had just sat up in bed when I heard hurried footsteps and shouts of "Assassin!" Hmm, could this assassin be a ghost disguised as someone who'd wandered into the wrong room?

The doors of Qingxin Palace were pushed open, and a palace guard outside whispered to Chunman, "We captured an assassin. Did he disturb the princess?"

I put on my coat and stood at the doorway: "Someone, let me see who's trying to assassinate me?"

The candles were lit, casting a bright glow. The guards pushed a man in, trying to make him kneel, but they failed. I looked closely and said to the guards, "Release him!" I then yawned and said to Chunman, "Make a bed for this assassin in my outer room."

He then turned to the young man in blue who had just broken free from the guards and said, "Ayan, is it fun to pretend to be a ghost in the middle of the night? And how did you get here? Never mind, let's sleep tonight and talk about it tomorrow morning."

Ayan straightened his clothes and said, "Sister, Father and Mother are about to arrive in the capital. How can you still sleep?"

That's as if marrying just anyone would be a heinous crime. I pretended to tremble and said, "I'm so scared, but I still want to go to sleep first."

Fortunately, my Qingxin Palace is located in a remote area, so the commotion here didn't disturb Brother Xuan and his wife.

The next day, I woke Ayan up and asked her for details.

Ayan said, "Sister, you've seen me, aren't you afraid that Father and Mother are following behind? You're still so carefree?"

I picked up a crystal cake and said, "Even if my parents arrived now, I'm afraid it would be too late. The marriage certificate has already been issued. What did my father and mother say? How did you get here?"

Ayan took a sip of lotus leaf porridge and repeated his parents' words one by one, saying, "Mother received the news that you were getting married. At first, she was quite happy, saying that you had finally let go of your worries and found a good man. Later, she received the truth and learned that you had randomly chosen a guard you didn't know at all, so she got a little angry. Father advised her that perhaps Wu'er really liked someone else? Mother then complained that it was all Father's fault for spoiling you and making you more and more arrogant. Father said, how can Wu'er be considered arrogant? If she were really arrogant, she would have revealed her identity long ago, and Bai Yifei might not have married someone else. Mother also said, isn't her casualness harmful to herself and others?" He imitated her perfectly, and then added, "Mother wasn't very angry before, but it seems she's really angry this time! Sister, you have to be careful."

I silently drank a bowl of porridge, and only after putting down the bowl did I say, "There's no way to hide. Where are Father and Mother? Are they living in the Prince Huaiyi's mansion?"

Ayan's eyes flickered slightly: "Well, they and Fourth Uncle are still in Duanzhou, or they should have left Duanzhou."

My face relaxed: "Or? Should? Ah Yan, you snuck out? Won't your parents be worried sick?"

Ayan said nonchalantly, "I'm already twelve. I've been to the capital with my parents before, so why can't I come by myself?"

I took a breath and softened my tone, saying, "Young Master Yan, you're not even twelve yet. Even if you're very capable, walking alone on the road for ten days, did you think about your parents' worries when you suddenly disappeared?"

"I already told Ah Xu to tell Father and Mother in a couple of days. Besides, even if we don't tell them, Father is so smart, how could he not guess?"

Well, even nine-year-old Ah Xu got involved.

I stood up and hugged him: "Ayan, I know you're close to your sister, but your sister's affairs are enough to worry our parents. Don't make them worry anymore. You should go to the Prince Huaiyi's mansion and tell your brother, so he can at least try to send a message."

He tilted his head and said, "If I'm going, I'll go tonight, not now."

That brat, who knows what he's up to now. If he won't go, I have to.