After the Qixi Festival matchmaking, Hu Shi grew increasingly satisfied with Peng Fanjin. Regardless of Peng Fanjin's preferences or temperament, as long as she appeared presentable overall and could carry herself as the wife of an heir apparent, that was sufficient—and not to mention, Peng Fanjin's status was highly suitable for the role.
Subsequently, the Duke of Wei's residence also invited Hu Shi, who brought Qin Yan along for the visit.
It was said that on that day, Peng Fanjin had gathered two of her close friends at home for a small gathering and took the opportunity to observe Qin Yan carefully once more. Coincidentally, Qin Guan was performing needle therapy at Prince Yi's residence that day and missed accompanying Hu Shi. When Hu Shi returned with Qin Yan, her beaming smile made it evident that both families had intentions of forming a marriage alliance.
With Qin Yan's matchmaking showing promising results, time flew by, and soon it was the nineteenth day of the seventh month—the day of Prince Cheng's grand wedding.
Given the strained relations between the Marquis' residence and Prince Cheng's household, further complicated by Qin Xiang's involvement, the Loyal and Brave Marquis naturally avoided attending to spare himself discomfort. However, to maintain decorum without outright severing ties, he sent a steward to deliver gifts but did not go in person.
Since neither Qin Shu nor his wife attended, Qin Guan kept an even greater distance. Moreover, this day marked the anniversary of her own family's death.
While joyous celebrations echoed from Prince Cheng's residence, Qin Guan remained at home, composing a memorial essay. With no graves for her father, mother, or her past self to visit, she had nowhere to pay respects. All she could do was write the essay and burn it along with incense, hoping her parents would find solace in the afterlife.
After writing for most of the day, Qin Guan finally finished. She burned the essay along with incense and paper money prepared in advance by Fuling in a secluded corner of the backyard. Conducting memorial rites for the deceased outside of customary festivals was considered inauspicious, so Qin Guan naturally kept it from Qin Shu and his wife. Although Baiying and Fuling were aware, they did not know whom Qin Guan was mourning, as it was not the death anniversary of Qin Yi and his wife.
Fuling had long found Qin Guan's thoughts inscrutable—this was true back in Jinzhou and even more so since their return to the capital. Later, when Qin Guan performed corpse examinations, she always took Baiying along, as Baiying's martial skills made her more capable. Fuling harbored no resentment, but seeing Qin Guan secretly mourning someone now left her puzzled. Yet, with Qin Guan remaining silent, she refrained from pressing further.
By the time the memorial rites concluded, it was already late at night. Thinking of how she hadn't seen Yan Chi since their parting after Qixi Festival, Qin Guan resolved to visit the palace the next day and take the opportunity to see the Grand Princess.
Early the next morning, Qin Guan took her palace entry token and set out by carriage. Arriving at the palace gate, she unfortunately encountered the carriages of Prince Cheng and Feng Chenbi, who, as custom dictated, were also heading to the palace early to pay respects to the Empress Dowager.
The area before Zhengyang Gate was vast and empty, leaving Qin Guan no way to avoid the encounter once their carriages met.
As soon as her carriage halted, Feng Chenbi's voice rang out from ahead, "Well, if it isn't Yongci County Princess gracing us with her presence."
Qin Guan alighted from her carriage to find Prince Cheng and Feng Chenbi standing outside the gate with a retinue of attendants.
Both were dressed in formal court attire. Prince Cheng, Yan Qi, wore a prince's robe of dark brown embroidered with four-clawed coiling dragons, while Feng Chenbi was adorned in a trailing brown palace gown with wide sleeves, embroidered with auspicious clouds and cranes. Her hair was styled in a married woman's coiffure, the somber hues of her attire tempering her former delicate vulnerability, lending her a more dignified air. However, her small face remained overly pale from excessive pearl powder, paired with vividly red lip color, creating an impression of hollow grandeur that failed to carry the weight of her lavish robes.
Qin Guan curtseyed, "Greetings to Prince Cheng, greetings to the Princess Consort."
Yan Qi narrowed his phoenix eyes slightly and waved a hand dismissively, while Feng Chenbi stared coldly at Qin Guan from beside him.She had never liked Qin Guan for stealing her spotlight before, but now, as she looked at her, there was an additional layer of inexplicable resentment in her eyes. Qin Guan hadn't seen this young lady for many days and couldn't fathom where she had offended her.
Feng Chenbi had always been arrogant and willful, so Qin Guan paid no mind to whether she was resentful or pleased. Rising to her feet, she said, "Please, Prince Cheng and the Princess Consort, go ahead." She had no desire to walk alongside these two.
They were likely to pay respects first to the Emperor, then the Empress, and finally the Empress Dowager. By heading directly to the Longevity and Health Palace, she could avoid them. Her plan was well thought out, but Feng Chenbi remained unmoving. "Is the Yongci County Princess going to pay respects to the Empress Dowager? Perfect, we can go together."
What kind of goodwill was this from Feng Chenbi? Did she actually want to accompany her?
Qin Guan grew wary. Beside her, Yan Qi smiled and said, "We are also heading to the Longevity and Health Palace. Today, His Majesty and Her Majesty are waiting there…"
Qin Guan inwardly cursed her luck but wasn't afraid of the two. She simply didn't want to walk alongside people she disliked.
"In that case, please, Your Highness, lead the way…"
Qin Guan was a person who adhered to etiquette. Only after she spoke did Prince Cheng smile, turn, and walk away.
He turned and left without waiting for Feng Chenbi. Dressed in heavy palace attire, Feng Chenbi naturally wanted to keep up with Prince Cheng's pace, but after a short distance, not only was she panting and exhausted, but she also lagged far behind Yan Qi. Gritting her teeth, Feng Chenbi gave up and turned to look back at Qin Guan. Her offer to walk together had been meant to humiliate Qin Guan!
After all, her status was now extraordinary!
Seeing Feng Chenbi deliberately waiting for her, Qin Guan knew she had something to say. Sure enough, supported by her attendants, Feng Chenbi stared straight ahead and said, "Speaking of which, the County Princess and I are now somewhat related."
If it were anyone else, they might have been confused and asked why.
But Qin Guan understood immediately and smiled. "The Princess Consort's status is noble. Naturally, you would not be related to me."
Feng Chenbi sneered mockingly. "Oh? There is a maidservant in the royal residence named Xiang'er, who I've heard is the legitimate daughter of the Qin family's third branch. By rights, she should be the County Princess's own cousin, shouldn't she? Have you forgotten?"
There was no avoiding the matter of Qin Xiang. Qin Guan sighed. "I am aware of this person."
Seeing Qin Guan respond so indifferently, Feng Chenbi scoffed coldly. "A legitimate daughter of the esteemed Qin family, yet she threw herself at someone to become a concubine. The Yongci County Princess has the audacity to act so unashamed. The Qin family truly has fine upbringing—no wonder they raised such a disgraceful daughter."
Qin Guan smiled, completely unperturbed. "On the very first day of your marriage, the Princess Consort is already so fixated on a concubine. Could it be that you know Prince Cheng was once infatuated with a Qin family daughter and forcibly took her from the Marquis's residence?"
Feng Chenbi's expression shifted, but Qin Guan continued, "These are the Princess Consort's private family matters. I have no interest in prying. But if the Princess Consort goes around drawing attention to this and telling everyone, it will only make it seem that Prince Cheng does not favor you, seeing as he already had a concubine before you even entered the household. That would surely reflect poorly on you. Moreover, the rights and wrongs of the matter are hard to determine now. Even if Prince Cheng is of noble status, if word spreads that he forcibly took a Qin family daughter, I doubt the Emperor would commend him. It would be best for the Princess Consort to tread carefully."Feng Chenbi had intended to join Qin Xiang in humiliating Qin Guan, but to her surprise, Qin Guan not only remained unperturbed, but also struck her sore spot with a few words. When Qin Guan mentioned that the Emperor intended to investigate Yan Qi, Feng Chenbi found herself unable to refute, leaving her with a stifling anger that she could neither vent nor suppress. "You... you... It was your own cousin who willingly degraded herself to seduce Prince Cheng!"
"The incident occurred at Mount Wei Hunting Grounds. Instead of emulating his ancestors by excelling in the hunt, Prince Cheng took advantage of a court official’s daughter right under the Emperor’s nose. Does the princess consort truly wish to argue with me about this? Would you like to continue this debate later in front of the Empress Dowager and the Emperor?"
Qin Guan turned her gaze to Feng Chenbi, her eyes sharp and piercing, startling Feng Chenbi with their intensity. She had never known that Qin Guan, who usually appeared gentle and refined, could possess such a blade-like glare!
"You... I..."
Though Feng Chenbi was spoiled and arrogant, she was all show and no substance, incapable of handling serious confrontations. Qin Guan’s status and position were now entirely different, and Feng Chenbi had always been wary of her. Seeing Qin Guan’s sharp retorts, she grew even more apprehensive. These matters were something she could only use to privately shame the Qin family—how could she possibly bring them up before the Empress Dowager and the Emperor? If she did, not only would the Empress Dowager and the Emperor refuse to support her, but Prince Cheng would likely be the first to resent her for causing trouble. On their wedding night, Prince Cheng had initially treated her with proper decorum, but when she couldn’t resist asking about that wretched Qin woman, his expression immediately darkened, ruining what should have been a joyful occasion.
Feng Chenbi loathed Qin Xiang intensely. Before she could even plot against Qin Xiang, she had encountered Qin Guan. She had intended to humiliate Qin Guan but instead met with firm resistance.
Pressing her lips tightly together, Feng Chenbi fell silent.
With the surroundings quieted, Qin Guan felt a sense of relief. Qin Xiang had brought this upon herself, and there was nothing Qin Guan could do. Now that Feng Chenbi had come to pick a fight, she naturally wouldn’t back down. But if she went too far, it would only be Qin Xiang who suffered.
As the legitimate wife of Prince Cheng and the niece of a high-ranking consort, Feng Chenbi could easily target a mere concubine.
Qin Guan sighed. She was too far removed to intervene and had no inclination to pity Qin Xiang.
The journey to the Longevity and Health Palace proceeded without incident. Upon reaching the entrance, Prince Cheng remembered to wait for Feng Chenbi. The Emperor’s and Empress’s processions were stationed at the palace gates, indicating that everyone had already gathered inside.
Qin Guan hung back a step, allowing Prince Cheng and his wife to enter first. She then followed through the palace gates but did not proceed to the main hall. It would be inappropriate for her to intrude while the prince and his consort were paying their respects.
Just as she decided to wait outside the hall, Momma Su hurried over, likely on her way to report to the Empress Dowager. Spotting Qin Guan outside, she immediately approached to pay her respects. Noticing Momma Su’s anxious expression, Qin Guan quickly asked, "What’s wrong, Momma?"
Momma Su looked frantic. "Your Highness, the Ninth Prince has gone missing!"
Qin Guan frowned. "How could he disappear? Weren’t you watching him?"
Momma Su was on the verge of tears. "His Highness was sleeping, so I didn’t keep a close watch. But when I stepped out for a moment and returned, he was gone. I thought he might have gone out to play or come to the Empress Dowager, but after asking around, no one has seen him. I searched again, and everyone says they haven’t seen His Highness."
"No one has seen him? With so many people guarding..."Momma Su smiled bitterly. "You don't know this, my lady, but His Highness often runs off on his own. I don't know where he found a way out, but I'm worried about him. I was just about to report to the Empress Dowager and have Her Majesty assign some people to search for His Highness."
Qin Guan pondered briefly. "Prince Cheng and the princess consort have just entered the main hall. In that case, I'll go look for him first. You should also send a few junior palace maids to check the places he frequents. Just inform the Empress Dowager so she doesn't worry."
Momma Su quickly expressed her gratitude. Qin Guan, accompanied by Baiying, left the Longevity and Health Palace once more.
Exiting the palace gates, Qin Guan headed straight for the Imperial Garden. She remembered seeing Yan Sui playing alone on the corridor near the Imperial Garden last time. That day, she happened to witness Feng Lingsu disciplining a palace maid.
If he were a normal child, Qin Guan wouldn't be so concerned, but Yan Sui didn't like to talk. If something were amiss, he probably wouldn't even cry or make a fuss, which made her especially worried.
Walking along the Palace Road toward the Imperial Garden, it was still early, and there were few people coming and going. Because of this, Qin Guan found it difficult to ask if anyone had seen Yan Sui. As she walked farther, she grew anxious, wondering if Yan Sui might be hiding in some corner or if he never left the Longevity and Health Palace at all...
Thinking this, she slowed her pace. Just then, two palace servants approached, whispering to each other. Seeing them, Qin Guan quickly asked, "Have you seen the Ninth Highness?"
At this question, the two servants' expressions changed slightly, but they didn't immediately deny it.
Qin Guan could tell they had seen Yan Sui. "Where is the Ninth Highness?"
Recognizing Qin Guan, the servants didn't dare be disrespectful. One of them whispered, "We did see the Ninth Highness earlier... He... he seemed to be heading toward the Eternal Peace Palace..."
Eternal Peace Palace! Qin Guan remembered—this was the palace where Consort Jin had lived!
No wonder these two looked strange... Yan Sui actually ran back to the Eternal Peace Palace on his own?!
After Consort Jin's incident, the Eternal Peace Palace had become somewhat taboo in the palace. Who knew why Yan Sui would run back there like this.
Not wanting to say more to these two, Qin Guan asked for directions and hurried off to find Yan Sui.
The Eternal Peace Palace was located in the northwest of the Inner Palace, in a secluded area to begin with. Consort Jin had entered the palace late, so naturally, she couldn't secure a well-positioned palace. But that didn't affect her favor—she was the only consort in years to share the Emperor's affection with the Noble Consort. No wonder many later suspected the Noble Consort had harmed her.
Qin Guan was breathless from walking by the time she reached the Eternal Peace Palace, only to find the palace gates long locked.
Once, the Eternal Peace Palace had housed the Emperor's newest favorite consort, glorious and vibrant. But now, a year after Consort Jin's death, not only were the gates shut tight, but the vermilion paint had peeled and faded, and spiderwebs covered the lintels. In this late summer season, it felt especially desolate and bleak. Qin Guan scanned the area but found no sign of Yan Sui.
Frowning, Baiying said, "Miss, could it be that the Ninth Highness never came here?"
Qin Guan shook her head and walked around the outer wall of the Eternal Peace Palace toward the rear. The palace's secluded location, now deserted and empty, gave the surroundings a similarly bleak atmosphere. The palaces further northwest were uninhabited, leaving the area silent and devoid of people. As Qin Guan circled the palace, the surroundings grew increasingly desolate. Before long, she reached another ceremonial gate.The Eternal Peace Palace occupied a considerable area. Besides the main gate, there was also a ceremonial gate connecting to the Imperial Garden. At this moment, Qin Guan stood outside this ceremonial gate. Since the main gates were locked, this ceremonial gate was naturally closed as well. Meanwhile, Yan Sui’s small figure crouched by the old door overgrown with green moss and vines. Hidden by the nearby greenery, one might not even notice someone squatting there unless looking carefully. Qin Guan’s heart ached at the sight...
“Ninth Highness?” Qin Guan called out softly. Yan Sui stirred and turned to look.
Seeing it was Qin Guan, Yan Sui’s expression remained calm, yet he didn’t speak. He quietly turned back, fiddling with something on the ground. Qin Guan stepped through several patches of weeds that reached her calves and approached Yan Sui. She saw him holding a twig, having dug a small hole in the ground, and now burying a small cloth bundle in it.
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