Wаnwаn's bоut оf сold lingered fоr sеven or еight days, with соughing аnd fеvеr shоwing no signs of imрrovement. She couldn't slееp аt night eithеr, fееling thе sour асhе оf tеars аnd mucus from her nоsе all thе way up tо her forеhead. Lуing dоwn wаs imроssiblе—shе couldn't brеаthe рrорerlу—so shе hаd Tong Нuаn fetсh a quilt, roll it thicklу into a barrеl shарe, аnd prop it bеhind hеr bаck. Оnlу thеn did shе mаnаge tо find sоme sеmblanсe of сomfоrt.
Yin Lоu сamе tо visit hеr, bringing аlong many trinkеts she herself enjoуed. Knowing Wаnwan keрt a squirrеl, shе oftеn brought treats like pine nuts to bribe it, seizing the chance to stroke the squirrel's head a couple of times. Wanwan was terribly bored these days, and with the weather turning colder, it wasn't wise to go outside and catch a chill. So Yin Lou had someone bring a small kang table, and the two of them sat on the bed playing Double Six.
Wanwan, with tears and a runny nose, blew her nose and apologized sheepishly, "You come to see me, and all I show you is this sorry state."
"What's the big deal? We all eat grains and live ordinary lives—who doesn't have their little troubles?" Yin Lou didn't mind at all. Wanwan had been raised with a different upbringing than hers. Yin Lou was an overlooked concubine-born daughter, growing up with little care, crawling through reed thickets and even napping by small streams. Wanwan, on the other hand, carried an air of refined elegance wherever she went. As the only princess in three generations of Great Ye, the Emperor and Empress were dedicated to molding her into the model for all royal women. She had to be dignified and majestic, unattainably lofty, and ideally, she would even abstain from the ordinary human needs of eating, drinking, and relieving herself. So blowing her nose in front of others was considered highly improper. Fortunately, she felt at ease with Yin Lou, or else Princess Chang would have been utterly mortified.
Because Wanwan had grown close to Yin Lou, she had picked up some of her temperament. In the past, she hardly dared to show her emotions openly; no matter how rich her inner feelings were, she appeared like a wooden doll. In life, good guidance is crucial. Nanny Li, who had once enforced strict discipline, had been sternly reprimanded by Wanwan twice and now kept a low profile, no longer hovering around her. Wanwan felt that after over a decade of constraints, she had grown like a gourd shaped in a mold—her form was already set. From now on, how she polished and waxed herself would be entirely up to her.
Leaning against the Hidden Pillow, she tired of the chess game and had it cleared away, replacing it with a small table of snacks. Her bed was a Step-out Bed, much larger than those used by common young ladies, resembling a small wooden hut with railings carved from beechwood into crabapple blossoms. The inner side was inlaid with a multi-compartment shelf adorned with porcelain and curios. One advantage of this Step-out Bed was that once the curtains were drawn, the two inside were almost isolated from the outside world. The space was spacious, allowing them to sit or lie down as they pleased.
Wanwan poured tea for Yin Lou. "I haven't been able to visit you these past couple of days. What have you been up to?"
Yin Lou frowned deeply. "My sister comes to see me every single day, yet she has nothing to say. She just sits idly in my room, and I have to make small talk with her. Back when The Late Emperor was critically ill, the palace selection of beauties was originally to prepare Sky-facing Maidens. They made me take her place, leaving me to face death. Now that fortune has turned, she eyes my position in the palace with envy. Honestly, if The Emperor were willing, I'd swap places with her."
Wanwan immediately objected, "But if you were to go with the Prince of Nanyuan, what would become of the Eunuch Official?" The moment the words left her mouth, she realized she had slipped up and froze in shock.Yin Lou was greatly flustered, stealing an awkward glance at her. "Our affair... you already know? You won't expose me, will you?"
If she were going to expose her, would she have waited until now? Wanwan said she wouldn't. "You're both unfortunate souls, and you can keep each other company. I used to think that as long as I was in the palace, I could often keep the Eunuch Official company to relieve his boredom. But I will eventually leave someday, and how lonely he would be then. Now it's good—you can share heartfelt words with him, and I can rest easy even after I'm gone."
She spoke with utmost seriousness, but Yin Lou detected a note of helplessness in her words. A great demon like Xiao Duo—what need did he have for her care? In truth, after spending some time together, she had vaguely sensed some clues. Wanwan's feelings for Xiao Duo were rather complicated. It was Yin Lou who had barged in between them, and Wanwan felt wronged but couldn't bring herself to say it.
"Wanwan, you like him too, don't you?"
Wanwan flushed crimson at the sudden question, flustered as she denied it. "Where did you hear such rumors?"
Yin Lou simply smiled. "No need to inquire from others. I can tell just by looking at your eyes."
Suddenly exposed, Wanwan felt unbearably awkward. Sweat beaded on the tip of her nose, and her whole face flushed with heat. After fidgeting for a long while, she realized there was no point in denying it. Twisting her fingers, she pleaded softly, "Don't tell him. It's all my own wishful thinking. Before, when he was in charge of affairs at the Cultivating Virtue Palace, one of my wet nurses committed an offense and should have been executed, but he quietly saved her. I've always been grateful to him, and over time, that gratitude turned into affection." She then lowered herself, shaking Yin Lou's arm. "You must keep my secret for me, or else I won't have the face to see him again. You two be well together, and don't worry about me. If there's anything I can do, just say the word. As long as you're happy, I'm happy."
Yin Lou looked at her, suddenly feeling a pang in her nose. She reached out and pulled Wanwan into her embrace, stroking her hair with a sigh. "You'll surely find a good match in the future. You're such a wonderful person..."
Outside the tent, Tong Huan watched the Seal-holding Official's face shift through a kaleidoscope of emotions, feeling utterly powerless to help.
Yet Wanwan felt relieved. Yin Lou knew the truth and didn't blame her or deliberately distance herself. She felt this friendship was truly worthwhile, and even the melancholy of having missed her chance with Xiao Duo faded somewhat. After a couple of days, when she had nearly recovered, she draped on a thick cloak and went for a walk in the Imperial Garden. She and Tong Huan strolled slowly along the winding stone path, flanked by stacked rockeries, with the intricately carved Imperial Viewing Pavilion ahead.
Tong Huan helped her up the steps, but after only a few steps, they heard faint laughter from behind the Mountain of Piled Elegance. Curious, she followed the sound and, just around the corner, saw two figures nestled together in the Floating Emerald Pavilion. One was the emperor, who should have been seated behind the imperial desk, and the other was Yin Lou's sister, who ought to have been following the rules.
Wanwan froze for a moment, unable to avoid them in time. It was Yin Ge who noticed her first, hurriedly tugging at the emperor's sleeve and stepping aside.
Only then did the emperor see her, his expression awkward. "Little sister, are you well? It's not warm today—be careful not to catch a chill in the wind."
Wanwan had always been disgusted by the emperor's indiscriminate behavior, and today, having stumbled upon it, she couldn't hold back. She glanced at Yin Ge. "Madam... according to the Qi People's customs, you should be addressed as Secondary Consort. Have you come to the palace again today? Have you visited Consort Bu?"Yin Ge, her face flushed with shame, curtsied to her. "Greetings to the Princess Royal. In reply to Your Highness, this servant girl had just entered the palace when she encountered His Majesty and had not yet had time to go to the Coughing Phoenix Palace." As she spoke, she glanced at the emperor. "This servant girl takes her leave."
The emperor watched her retreating figure with a sense of loss, then remembered his sister was still there and quickly regained his composure. "Are you still feeling feverish? Has your cough completely healed?"
Wanwan ignored his questions, frowning as she said, "If I recall correctly, that is Yin Lou's elder sister, isn't it? How could you act this way, Brother? Not to mention she is related by marriage, even if she weren't, she is still the Southern Garden Prince's concubine. Your behavior is improper."
The emperor choked for a moment, attempting to explain, "It was just a chance encounter."
"Even a chance encounter requires discretion! If you had questions for her, you could have summoned her openly to the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Hiding behind these rockeries—how would that sound if word got out?"
The emperor was almost dumbfounded. It was strange; he paid little heed to the Empress Dowager or the Empress, yet he alone feared this sister of his. Wanwan was still young, only fifteen, but sometimes she spoke like a scholar. Though a young girl, she cared deeply for the state and dared to speak out when she saw him acting improperly. He could do nothing about it and gradually found himself at a loss when facing her.
He scratched his head. "This brother was wrong. I will be more cautious in the future. Don't stand in the draft; come up into the pavilion."
She slowly took a step forward. "I shouldn't have spoken to you like this, but I hope Second Brother will be a wise and virtuous ruler. Our Great Ye's finances and political situation are currently strained, and we rely on you to turn the tide. If you pour all your energy into such matters, how will things fare in the future?" She wanted to argue further but hesitated, mindful that she was an unmarried maiden and some topics were not suitable for debate. After a moment's thought, she only added, "Yin Lou's sister is the Southern Garden Prince's concubine. What you did was not proper. I won't say more; Second Brother knows the rest."
With another displeased expression, she pouted and walked away. The emperor watched her go, only relaxing after she had disappeared into the distance. The eunuch Chongmao approached to receive instructions. "Your Majesty, how should we handle the Secondary Consort? The sedan chair is still waiting in the alleyway."
The emperor thundered in anger, "Have you no sense! What else can be done? Send her out of the palace!"
Thus, returning empty-handed, Yin Ge left in a huff through the Gate of Shunzhen and was still in a foul mood by the time she reached the Princely Mansion. A servant girl came forward to take her cloak, but she shoved her away forcefully, sending the girl stumbling back. Yuwen Liangshi was watering flowers with a watering can and, seeing her in this state, knew her mission had failed. As she approached, he did not even look up. "What happened?"
"That Princess Hede is truly a formidable character! Originally, I was speaking with the emperor in the Floating Emerald Pavilion, and everything was going smoothly. Then this troublemaker appeared out of nowhere. With just a few words, she left the emperor speechless, and I couldn't stay any longer, so I had to return to the mansion first."
At first, he wore an indifferent expression, but upon hearing her mention Wanwan, his face softened. Unhurried, he asked with interest, "What did the Princess Royal say?"
Yin Ge tore off a handful of leaves and flung them violently to the ground. "She spoke with sarcasm, saying, 'Isn't this the Secondary Consort? What are you doing here? Have you visited Consort Bu yet?'... The emperor was standing right there, utterly helpless."He couldn't help but laugh upon hearing this. "Who told you to make yourselves so conspicuous in the garden? It's already her grace that she didn't bring a whole crowd to watch the spectacle. What about the Emperor? Has he given any instructions?"
Yin Ge shook her head, feeling even more dejected. "After the Princess Royal caused such a scene, the Emperor lost all interest. What instructions could there be? I'm beginning to suspect that the Emperor is afraid of that lady. Who would have thought there could be such a brother in this world, one who doesn't even dare to breathe heavily when his sister speaks? I've lost all hope. Whatever happens from now on, I'll just have to leave it to fate."
In truth, one shouldn't blame the Emperor but rather be astonished by that lady. This is the principle of one thing subduing another. Logically, as the supreme ruler of the empire, what could possibly make the Emperor apprehensive? Yet, strangely enough, he is wary of his own sister—or perhaps it's not so much wariness as it is deep affection. This Princess Royal was born with the ability to sway an emperor. Confrontation with confrontation only leads to conflict, but her delicate yet stubborn nature leaves people at a loss.
He was in a good mood, no longer tending to the flowers. With his hands clasped behind his back, he strolled leisurely around the courtyard. Yin Ge, her plans thwarted, followed closely behind him. "What should we do next? I beg for your guidance, Prince."
He glanced back, his eyes shimmering with a golden light as if stirring the clouds in the highest heavens. "You still don't understand men. Unless you've never caught his eye, once you have, he will never let you go. You can still enter the palace to visit Consort Duan. Who would dare stop you? As for the Emperor, with someone speaking on your behalf, you'll have more than enough to benefit from."
It seemed he had already made arrangements, at least ensuring there was no need to worry about the Emperor's presence.
"Your Highness once said we each have our own needs. So, what is it that you want? This servant dares to guess..." Yin Ge recalled the faint smile on his face, gritted her teeth, and ventured, "Is it Princess Hede?"
His expression gradually turned cold as he looked at her with indifference. Yin Ge shuddered, her heart nearly breaking from fear. Just as she regretted her careless words and wished she could slap herself twice, she heard his lonely tone, each word spoken deliberately: "You guessed correctly. It is indeed her that I want. So, you can only succeed, not fail."
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