HBWnovel Chapter 373 Small Paper Bag
Chapter 373 Small Paper Bag
Chapter 373 Small Paper Bag
Princess Jiaoyu stood up, holding the stove in her hands, tightened her thick cloak, walked to the window, and gently pushed it open a little.
A chill wind, carrying snowflakes, lashed the narrow cracks into the room. The once warm temperature plummeted several degrees, and Jiaoyu couldn't help but shiver. She peered through the swirling snowflakes, gazing out the window at the silvery white world. The snow flakes fell heavily, like willow catkins dancing in the spring sky, drifting down lightly. In a matter of moments, the windowsill was piled solid with white snow.
The glaring white outside stung her eyes, causing them to ache. She instinctively squinted slightly, her thick lashes casting a faint shadow across her eyelids. A few strands of her hair were blown wildly by the cold wind, tangling freely against her fair face. Her cape fluttered in the gusts of wind, making a rustling sound.
She slowly reached out her hand and caught the drifting snowflake. It landed on her slender fingertips, then instantly transformed into a drop of icy water, sliding quietly down between her fingers. The chill at her fingertips made her heart tremble.
Once upon a time, in weather like this, she would always dress in bright and colorful clothes and enthusiastically wander through the plum grove, watching the red plum blossoms bloom proudly in the snow, sniffing the delicate plum fragrance that filled the air, her heart filled with the leisurely and carefree feeling of walking in the snow and admiring the plum blossoms. When she tired of playing, she returned to the warm room, where a fire was already lit. She sat around the fire with her father, mother, and brother, brewing a pot of fragrant tea. The steaming aroma of tea filled the air, and everyone laughed and chatted, enjoying the comfortable time together.
But now, all that beauty seemed like a dream, gone forever. All that remained before my eyes were the cold snowflakes and the silent palace. The former peace and contentment could never be found again.
At that moment, Xiangcao hurried into the hall, her steps hurried, her face flushed with a blush that might have been from her haste. Upon entering, she saw Princess Jiaoyu standing at the open window. An anxious look immediately crossed her face. She took a few steps forward and, with a creaky sound, closed the window securely.
She turned around, knelt and bowed, her tone full of concern: "Princess, it's freezing cold, you must be careful not to catch a cold."
The view outside the window was suddenly cut off. Jiaoyu withdrew her thoughts, frowned slightly, and asked in a low voice, "Has the stuff been delivered?"
"In reply to the princess, I have already delivered the things to Her Majesty. Today's snow is really heavy, and there are fewer people outside than usual. The guards and servants are busy clearing the snow, and no one noticed me at all." As Xiangcao spoke, she gently supported Jiaoyu and walked towards the couch.
Jiaoyu nodded slightly and slowly sat down on the soft couch. "Princess, the Queen has something for me to pass on to you." Xiangcao lowered her voice and untied a small paper bag from her waist.
Jiaoyu's gaze fell on the paper package in Xiangcao's hand. In an instant, a trace of panic flashed in her eyes. She subconsciously shrank back and did not reach out to take it. Her voice trembled slightly: "This... What on earth is this?"
Vanilla looked around warily before quickly approaching Jiaoyu. She leaned over slightly and whispered something in her ear, lowering her voice anxiously. In an instant, Jiaoyu's face turned pale, bloodless, like a flower struck by frost in winter.
Her eyes were wide, filled with fear, shock, and deep disbelief. She trembled uncontrollably, her teeth chattering with a faint clattering sound. Jiaoyu turned her head stiffly and stared at Xiangcao.
Xiangcao was equally apprehensive. Recalling the moment she received this item from Zhangpin and heard her instructions, her mind went blank. She felt as if her bones and muscles had been pulled out, limp and light, as if she were in a dream.
She couldn't remember how she had walked out of Zhangpin's place in a daze, until the biting cold outside hit her face, and she barely woke up a little. Fortunately, she had calmed down a little at this time.
She raised her hand and gently placed the small paper bag in her hand on the small table next to Princess Jiaoyu. Her voice was soft but with a trembling tone: "Princess, you..." The words were on the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed them back. She really didn't know how to comfort the princess who was still in shock at the moment, so she could only stand aside awkwardly.
In reality, she knew she couldn't offer much help. The final decision, a matter of life and death, affecting the course of fate, ultimately rested with Princess Jiaoyu herself. At this point, she had reached a point of no return, a desperate situation she had no choice but to face.
Jiaoyu stared blankly at the small paper bag before her, as if under a spell, and didn't move for a long moment. The air in the room seemed to freeze, and suddenly became as quiet as death, with only the occasional soft crackling of the charcoal fire.
The snow outside the house was still falling endlessly, and the cold wind carried the snowflakes against the window frames, making a slight sound.
.......
Outside the city gates, a biting cold wind whipped up a blanket of snow. A group of carriages and horses, all dressed in exotic attire, struggled to make their way through the snow. The leading horses were sturdy, yet even they were tired from the harsh weather. Their hooves pounded the snow, sending up clouds of mist.
The men on horseback wore thick felt hats, their brims lowered, already covered in a blanket of snow. At first glance, they resembled small, moving snow-capped mountains. Their thick hair and beards were also covered in frost, as if covered in a layer of shimmering white gauze, making it impossible to tell whether it was snow or condensed frost. They were wrapped in garments crafted from thick animal hides, covered in a thick layer of snow that fell off with their movements, only to be quickly covered by fresh snow.
In the middle of the convoy, carriages were pulled by thick reins, their wheels mired in the snow, making a dull thud with each advance. The curtains whistled in the wind and snow, and faint shadows could be seen swaying inside. The driver, bundled up tightly, revealing only his eyes, occasionally raised his whip and gently lashed the horses' backs, urging them forward.
The sudden heavy snow made their journey extremely difficult, but they had no choice but to ignore the wind and snow and keep moving towards the city gate.
This was the delegation sent by the State of Yu to negotiate peace. They arrived so late because no one wanted to take on the task of ceding territory and humbly seeking peace after defeat. They all avoided it, fearing that such a humiliating mission would be recorded in history books. In the end, the King of Yu personally ordered Prince Dun of Yu to arrive late, bringing the three princesses with him.
But the delegation had already been delayed for quite some time. If they delayed any further, there was no telling when the snow would stop, and who knew how many more accidents would happen. Fortunately, the capital was within reach, so they had no choice but to brave the snow and continue on.
What they thought was that once they entered the capital, according to convention, Jin would arrange for them to stay in an inn with food and drink in accordance with the diplomatic etiquette between the two countries, so they would not have to worry about finding a place to stay in windy and snowy weather.