Volume One, Chapter 20: The Crown Princess Secretly Investigates the Meals

"This woman comes from England, and her heart is inscrutable. Now that she even manages the meals, there is no guarantee she does not harbor malicious intent..."

She looked back at Li Chengqian, her eyes filled with worry and unspoken warning. Li Chengqian understood immediately, a flash of realization crossing his gaze.

He smiled faintly, sat down with composure, and picked up a pair of silver chopsticks. Gesturing to the delicacies on the table, he said, "Since this is a gesture of goodwill from England, I shall naturally accept it and not let them down."

With that, he unhesitatingly picked up a piece of exotic pastry and placed it in his mouth. He chewed slowly, then nodded in approval and laughed. "The taste is quite excellent; it has a unique, exotic flair."

Li Chengqian was as clear-headed as a mirror; he knew Isabelle’s actions were far from simple. However, she would never dare to blatantly poison a morning meal. To do so now would be to openly declare war on the Great Tang and expose her own treacherous ambitions. It would be equivalent to intentionally inciting a conflict between England and the Great Tang. As an envoy and a pawn of England, Isabelle would never be foolish enough to commit such a low-level error.

After breakfast, Li Chengqian rose and spoke to the maid with a calm expression. "Issue my decree: if Isabelle is diligent, let her spend more time in the Eastern Palace learning the rites and rules of our Great Tang. There is no need for her to toil over the meals every day."

The maid bowed her head in obedience and retreated. Once she had left, Su Chan'er spoke softly, her tone steady. "Husband, I have observed that Lady Isabelle seems exceptionally attentive. I wonder if her actions are truly out of pure dedication to our Eastern Palace?"

Li Chengqian’s gaze deepened. He turned to Su Chan'er and said in a low voice, "She is a gift sent by England. Since she has entered my Eastern Palace, she is not free to act as she pleases."

How could Li Chengqian allow an outsider to disrupt his chess game?

Inside the Wude Hall, Li Tai paced back and forth, his face as gloomy as water. Yesterday's state banquet at the Court of State Ceremonial had caused him to lose face before the Emperor, destroying the image he had painstakingly cultivated.

"Useless, a bunch of useless fools!"

Consumed with rage, he kicked over the ebony tea table beside him. Tea splashed everywhere, leaving a chaotic mess. Xiao Deyan scrambled to his knees, shivering as he was splattered with tea.

"Your Highness, calm your anger," Su Xu stepped forward, lowering his voice to advise. "The dancer sent to the Eastern Palace by the English envoy yesterday likely hides a secret agenda."

Hearing this, Li Tai stopped and turned to ask, "You mean that woman named Isabelle?"

"Indeed. The English have always been cunning and skilled in political maneuvering. The identity of this woman is likely far from simple," Su Xu’s eyes gleamed with a sharp light. "If we could use England's hand to eliminate the Crown Prince, would that not serve our purpose perfectly? Killing two birds with one stone?"

Li Tai’s eyes brightened as he asked eagerly, "What is the plan? What brilliant strategy do you have?"

"I have already sent men to keep a close watch on the Eastern Palace. As soon as she makes a suspicious move, we can go with the flow and turn their own scheme against them," Su Xu said confidently. "If we can implicate the Crown Prince in an assassination attempt by England, it will shake his position as heir regardless of success or failure, leaving him beyond redemption. Meanwhile, we can remain uninvolved and protect ourselves."

"Good!" Li Tai was overjoyed. He slammed his hand onto the table, his eyes flashing with a ruthless light. "Leave this matter to you to oversee personally. Be extremely cautious; do not let a single word leak out and ruin my grand plan."

Inside the Eastern Palace, Isabelle was pouring a cup of tea for Li Chengqian. Her movements were elegant and skillful, displaying the poise of nobility. "Your Highness, this is black tea specially prepared in England. Please, have a taste."

She handed the cup over gently, her voice soft and alluring. Li Chengqian took the cup, his gaze sweeping over her wrist. There was a tiny, barely visible scar—a mark left by years of practicing martial arts and swordplay.

"I have heard that noblewomen in England are all skilled in horseback riding and archery, and are proficient in martial arts?" he asked, seemingly casual, his tone carrying a hint of probing.

Isabelle’s expression did not change as she answered calmly, "What you say is true, Your Highness. The women of our country are all trained in riding and archery."

Li Chengqian chuckled, set the cup down slowly, and shifted the subject. "In that case, I would like to see the horsemanship of England with my own eyes. Would you be willing to accompany me to the autumn hunt tomorrow?"

Isabelle was slightly startled, then bowed in acknowledgment. "If it is your command, I shall naturally obey. I would not dare to decline."

After she retreated, Su Chan'er walked over with light steps and asked softly, "Is my husband doing this to test her?"

"No need to rush," Li Chengqian said calmly. "Since the English have sent this pawn, I shall play a grand game with them and see who emerges the final winner."

As night fell and the world went silent, Isabelle rose quietly. She moved on tiptoe to the backyard of the Eastern Palace and retrieved a dagger from a hidden compartment in the corner of a wall. Just then, the sound of faint footsteps echoed in the distance.

Isabelle felt a chill, quickly hid the dagger, and resumed her usual gentle and quiet demeanor. It seemed that it was not just the English who had designs on him; this game was far more complex and interesting than she had imagined.

The next morning, the royal hunting grounds were filled with fluttering banners and a bustling atmosphere. Li Shimin led the princes to the autumn hunt to display the prosperous might of the Celestial Empire. Li Chengqian rode a spirited bay horse, his gaze sweeping across the surroundings.

Isabelle, dressed in English riding attire, stood not far away, leading a horse as white as snow. Her posture was elegant and poised, but the way she held the reins was clearly that of one trained on the battlefield.

"Brother, you look in excellent spirits today," Li Tai rode up, smiling broadly. "I hear that with an English beauty attending to you day and night, these past few days must have been quite comfortable and pleasant?"

"Thank you for your concern, Prince of Wei," Li Chengqian said calmly. "It is merely a dancer; it is not worth mentioning. You are overthinking it."

A flash of coldness passed through Li Tai’s eyes, though it vanished instantly. "You are right, Brother. It’s just that this English woman behaves with such elegance and speaks so well; surely her identity is not ordinary."

"Oh? Since you are so concerned, why not ask her yourself? Wouldn't that be more direct?" Li Chengqian said with a wry smile.

"That won't be necessary," Li Tai laughed dryly. "Since Brother has the beauty's company, I shall naturally step aside and refrain from intruding."

Before he could finish, a loud blast of a horn pierced the sky. Li Shimin waved his hand and commanded loudly, "The autumn hunt begins! Ride to your heart's content!"

Everyone whipped their horses and galloped into the vast sea of forest.

"This is the hunting of the Great Tang; it is truly grand and extraordinary," Mahmud said, stroking his long beard and praising in somewhat broken Chinese.

Hearing this, Li Shimin frowned slightly. They understood Chinese? That they had not spoken Chinese at the Court of State Ceremonial the other day meant they were clearly deceiving the Emperor and had ulterior motives. However, since English etiquette traditionally valued their mother tongue, they had exploited this loophole. Even as the Emperor, Li Shimin could not afford to lose the dignity of the Celestial Empire by turning against them right then and there.

"Do the English envoys not wish to show off their skills?" Li Shimin asked indifferently.

Mahmud stroked his long beard, laughed heartily, and pointed at Isabelle beside him. "That is the gift our country has presented to the Crown Prince of the Great Tang—a noblewoman of our nation, skilled in riding and peerless in archery."