Sea of No Return

Веfоre the Вu fаmilу fоrmеd a marriagе аlliancе with the Southеrn Gаrdеn Раlаce, thеy had only heard thаt thе Prinсe оf Nаnуuаn was аn ехсеptiоnal young mаn, аcсomplished in bоth civil and militаry affаirs. Тhе mаtсhmаkеr praisеd him аs if he wеrе а rarе treаsurе from heаvеn—

"Tsk tsk, trulу, no one in this wоrld can cоmраre tо His Highness in реrfеctiоn. Тhе Рrinсе inheritеd thе old Fеudal Рrince's titlе at еightееn, and thе еntirе Jiаngnan Circuit is firmlу in his grasp. I don't need tо explаin—you undеrstand, isn't Наngzhou аlso under the jurisdiction of Nanyuan? How prosperous it has been these years, with the people living in peace and contentment—all thanks to the Prince of Nanyuan! When a young lady grows up, she must find a husband. Looking across the entire Jiangnan region, who could possibly surpass the Prince in status! If you only listen to me, you might think I'm boasting, but I have seen the Prince's golden face with my own eyes. Ah, that appearance, that demeanor... tsk tsk tsk, even ten Gao Changgongs could not match him. These years, the Prince has been diligent in governance, neglecting matters in his own household. The Old Imperial Consort Dowager is anxious for her son to expand the family line, so she summoned me to discuss it. She specifically instructed that the young lady must come from a good family, be well-educated, reasonable, and have a proper appearance. Immediately, I thought of your family. When I explained your situation to the Old Imperial Consort Dowager—that the master of the house is a retired Grand Tutor, and the young lady is a renowned beauty—she was instantly delighted."

At the time, Grand Tutor Bu was somewhat hesitant. "I heard the Prince of Nanyuan already has three concubines..."

The matchmaker waved her handkerchief dismissively. "In this day and age, who still cares about such things! Those with power and influence in this world—which family doesn't have three wives and four concubines? Those three were originally the Prince's former Bedchamber Attendants, taken into the household by the Old Imperial Consort Dowager's decision. The Prince doesn't pay them much mind. When your young lady goes over, she will naturally be held in high regard. A proper marriage from outside—how could it be the same as a House-born Servant? Absolutely not! Listen to me, I'll be frank with you: the position of Consort in the Southern Garden Palace is still vacant to this day. If our young lady wins favor, she can be promoted step by step, and eventually become the rightful mistress!"

From a commoner's perspective, it was a good match—only the rank was a bit low. "What exactly is a Secondary Consort? Is it a Side Consort?"

The matchmaker was evasive, not daring to clearly state that it was even inferior to a concubine. Among the Qi People, the ranks within the inner court were clearly defined: Consort, Side Consort, Secondary Consort, and below that, an unranked princess. To put it bluntly, a Secondary Consort was only two ranks above a maid—not even equivalent to a Side Consort.

An experienced matchmaker knew how to downplay the less favorable aspects. "In any case, she will be a mistress, commanding servants and maids—it's quite dignified! That's just their custom: women enter the household step by step and rise gradually. Those three have served for so many years, yet they still hold the rank of Secondary Consort. Our young lady will enter on equal footing with them. Given time, she can step over their heads and rise—such matters don't require seniority."

Earlier, Yin Lou had entered the palace under Yin Ge's name, so their identities were publicly swapped. Thus, when the matchmaker came to propose marriage, it was naturally on behalf of the Bu family's illegitimate daughter. For the illegitimate daughter of a Grand Tutor to enter the Prince's household as a concubine was not considered a disgrace. After discussing it within the family and finding no better alternative, they agreed to it.

Unfortunately, the Southern Garden Palace had taken an interest in her with ulterior motives—the root cause ultimately lay with Yin Lou. Although she had not served the Late Emperor, she had caught the eye of the current Emperor. The Prince of Nanyuan had long received word of this and devised a plan to bring her elder sister into the palace. Indeed, it was all in preparation for marrying a princess.This roundabout scheme, such elaborate effort wasted! Yin Ge let out a sigh from the depths of her lungs. "No wonder—does the Prince intend to exchange me for Princess Hede? The Princess Royal is the Emperor's only full sister. I fear my humble status may not be of much help to Your Highness."

He glanced at her, his tone indifferent, even somewhat cruel. "By yourself, naturally, it wouldn't be enough. So you must strive harder. Once you conceive the Imperial Seed, everything will fall into place."

Yin Ge felt a pang of indignation. "But, Your Highness, I remain an Unbroken Jade Body to this day. Since we have never been husband and wife for even a day, the Emperor has no reason to feel indebted to you. Don't you agree?"

He halted his steps, frowning slightly. After careful consideration, he turned to scrutinize her. "You have a point."

A flicker of joy stirred in Yin Ge's heart. When it came to genuine affection, who wouldn't admire such a remarkable man? Yet he paid her no mind, especially after entering the capital and meeting the person he had long dreamed of—she had become even less significant in his eyes. But she had her own stubborn streak, determined to drag him into the mire. Perhaps once entangled, he wouldn't be able to let go. She didn't necessarily want to push Yin Lou aside; she could even overlook the accounts of Yin Lou conspiring with Xiao Duo to deal with their maternal family. If she could simply follow him and live a peaceful life, why bother entering the palace at all?

Filled with anticipation, she gazed at him with hopeful longing. Yet, after examining her for a long while, he found himself unable to proceed and instead called out to Shucun, "Go, gather all those who accompanied us this time."

Shucun bowed in acknowledgment. Yin Ge, furious, raised her voice, "Wait! What does Your Highness intend to do?"

He lifted his chin slightly. "Among so many people, there must be one or two who catch your eye. Choose as you please—one or even two, it's entirely up to you."

Regardless of the circumstances, there was still the pretense of status to uphold. How could such a thing happen in this world—asking his own woman to pick another man, even allowing her to choose two if one wasn't enough? Was she truly so unworthy that even offering herself freely earned nothing but his disdain?

Tears welling in her eyes, she retorted indignantly, "There's no need. I have now fully experienced Your Highness's generosity."

He didn't press the matter, merely advising her calmly, "Find your own way. It's best not to reveal any flaws. If you ruin my plans, you'll be in deep trouble."

How infuriating! Treating her like this, he must be a heartless man. Yet, toward the Princess Royal, he became a thousand times more considerate. The box of pastries on the table had long spoiled, yet he couldn't bear to throw it away. The pair of clay figurines he brought from Jiangnan were carefully packed before entrusting her to deliver them to the palace, hoping to please the Princess.

Wanwan had always been fond of these folk trinkets. She repeatedly removed and replaced the Six-in-One Hat on the clay figurine's head, never tiring of the motion.

"Please convey my thanks to the Prince of Nanyuan. It was such a long journey, yet he still brought this for me."

Yin Ge smiled awkwardly. "As long as the Princess Royal likes it, it's nothing. Our Prince often speaks of you. The pastries you sent that day are still preserved to this very moment."

Wanwan hesitated for a moment. Such words could only be listened to; it would be improper to inquire further. She brushed it off, though inwardly she couldn't help but sigh. He probably didn't know yet that trouble was brewing in his own household, allowing his consort to come and go from the palace so freely.She had also discussed with Tong Huan, "If someone could remind him once, perhaps things would improve. Bu Yin Ge stayed in the capital under the pretense of sisterly affection, yet committed such acts—how could she face him?"

Tong Huan said, "Last time you reprimanded The Emperor. If he were to ignore her from then on, no matter what schemes she employs, they would be useless."

Wanwan sneered with a bitter smile, "I know my brother's temperament—when has he ever taken others' words to heart? To put it crudely," she covered her mouth with one hand, "he has both the desire and the audacity. Now that he reigns supreme, what is there to fear?"

Thus, the affair between Yin Ge and The Emperor ultimately could not be avoided. Empress Zhang even complained to The Empress Dowager about it, muttering resentfully, "A fine emperor, reduced to a man who steals women—wouldn’t it be a laughingstock if word got out? With so many in the Three Palaces and Six Courts, isn’t that enough for him? To covet a subject’s beloved concubine—how can he still care about his dignity?"

Out of jealousy, The Empress spoke without restraint. The Empress Dowager was at a loss, for The Emperor was not her own son. Separated by flesh and blood, it was difficult to speak too lightly or too harshly, leaving her in a dilemma.

The Imperial Consort nudged Wanwan with her elbow, "Your Highness, are you just going to stand by and watch?"

This Imperial Consort was no good person; she always enjoyed pushing others to the forefront while staying safely on the sidelines. Wanwan withdrew her arm slightly and said coldly, "I am an unmarried girl. I shouldn’t even be listening to such talk, yet you want me to intervene? What should I say when the time comes? 'The Imperial Consort sent me to advise The Emperor'?"

The Imperial Consort, having been rebuffed, pursed her lips and leaned back, sipping her lotus seed tea.

The Empress Dowager sighed heavily, "This Prince of Nanyuan is also to blame—how can he not even control a woman?"

"Who knows what he’s thinking? It might even be a tactic to curry favor."

"Who would play games with their dignity? He is, after all, a Feudal Prince and not often in the capital. There are plenty of beauties in Jiangnan—are the Bu sisters incarnations of fairies? If he wanted to please The Emperor, he could have selected a stunning virgin to send to the palace. Why bother wearing this cuckold’s hat?"

Someone snorted, "Not to speak out of turn before the Empress Dowager, but men are just like this—what’s theirs is never as good as what belongs to others. The Prince of Nanyuan probably saw this and deliberately had his woman seduce The Emperor..."

Wanwan could no longer bear to listen and rose to leave the hall.

The wind picked up, and the weather grew colder. The leaves on the two phoenix trees in the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility had turned brown and yellow, occasionally falling one or two at a time, rolling across the ground and flying far away.

Tong Huan draped a cloak over her, urging her to be careful not to catch a chill. She gathered the ribbons on her collar and sighed deeply, "That Prince of Nanyuan is truly a pitiable man, suffering such a silent injustice and still being suspected like this."Tong Huan said, "Why trouble yourself over other people's affairs? You've already done your best last time; if the Emperor won't heed your advice, there's nothing we can do. There's something I haven't yet reported to you: earlier, Cao Chun'ang sent word that Seal-holding Xiao has dealt with that Zhao Huanzhi. Nowadays, there isn't an official who doesn't embezzle. Last year, he misappropriated funds from his department. When the matter came to light, his father used his influence to suppress it. This time, they seized the opportunity to dismiss both father and son. Old Consort Zhao fell ill with anger upon hearing the news and has even requested leave from the Empress Dowager for the upcoming incense offering at Tanzhe Temple in a couple of days. Amitabha, this is finally settled. Otherwise, that pent-up resentment would have festered inside her, who knows for how long!"

It was good news. Upon hearing it, Wanwan revealed a faint smile. "You see, befriending a villain or two isn't without its benefits."

"If Seal-holding Xiao heard you say that, he'd surely be furious. He wholeheartedly sought revenge for you, yet you call him a villain!" Tong Huan chuckled after speaking. "Actually, you're not wrong. With a bad reputation, one has fewer scruples when handling matters. The Eastern Factory was never a good place to begin with. Those agents are even more ruthless and terrifying than the Silk-clad Guards when making arrests. If we had to rely on the Remonstrance Officials to bring down the Zhao family through condemnation, we'd be waiting forever. It's better to have someone like Seal-holding Xiao, who handles things quietly without anyone knowing the details."

She hummed in agreement and walked around the screen wall, intending to return to the Cultivating Virtue Palace. As she entered the narrow passageway, she happened to see Xiao Duo stepping out from the Moonlight Gate. Upon noticing her, he approached to pay his respects. She nodded with a smile. "Tong Huan has already told me about that matter. You handled it well, Eunuch Official. I must thank you."

Xiao Duo said he dared not accept the praise. "On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, it was my fault for failing to take proper care of Your Highness. I certainly dare not claim credit now. As for Zhao Huanzhi, the matter has been dealt with for the time being. Regarding Empress Rong'an, if Your Highness can wait a little longer, I will surely give you an explanation."

Wanwan was not one to dwell obsessively on matters. Some time had passed, and her initial fury had subsided. She slowly shook her head. "As for Old Consort Zhao, there's no need to pursue it further. We'll just keep our distance from now on. Seeing her as a widow without support, I can't bear to make things difficult for her. If she steps out of line again in the future, we can deal with it then."

Indeed, a crab without claws likely can't cause much trouble anymore. Xiao Duo bowed in agreement. She nodded slightly and passed by him. The corridor stretched straight ahead, flanked by towering palace walls. The young princess walking within it always gave off a fragile impression. He felt a pang of guilt and impulsively called out to her, "Your Highness... have you been well lately?"

Wanwan looked puzzled. "Perfectly well. Why do you ask, Eunuch Official?"

A slow smile spread across his face. "That's good. Please return now; the wind is strong in this passageway."

She turned away. The Step Restraint on her skirt made only a faint, clear sound as she walked steadily, yet her heart sank to the depths of the earth.