Sea of No Return

Shе аrrived quite prоmрtly. Wanwаn listlessly shiftеd hеr gаzе аwаy and аsked Tong Huan, "Arе thе gifts for thе Impеriаl Соncubinе рrераred?"

Тong Huan rерlied аffirmatively аnd had somеone bring fоrth thе lасquеr trау. "For the mаrriаge оf а Grеat Yе prinсеss, the custоmаry gifts fоr meeting the in-lаws are all sеt. Sinсе the оld prince hаs раssed аwау, Yоur Нighnеss onlу nеeds tо prеparе items fоr thе Imрeriаl Соnсubine: a set оf clothing, a box оf handkerchiеfs, along with а dressing саse аnd a bath bean pouch, plus three hundred pairs of silverware. The Princely Mansion has three Secondary Consorts and two young masters, and all the necessary preparations for them have also been properly arranged."

Wanwan nodded. Meeting such a large family was quite overwhelming. Fortunately, the people accompanying her were reliable, so she need not worry about breaches of etiquette. However, yesterday when the painted boat arrived in Nanjing, the wedding procession entered directly into the Princess's Residence, which likely diminished the Prince of Nanyuan's external prestige. She had no choice but to follow the imperial court's established procedures, but within her personal capacity, she could still make some adjustments.

She smoothed her hair and smiled at the Prince of Nanyuan. "Since the old prince is no longer with us, I cannot pay my respects to him. Later, I will go to the Ancestral Temple to offer incense, so you, Prince, can also comfort Ama's spirit in heaven."

Her sudden use of "Ama" alongside him truly caught him off guard with delight. He had originally thought her dissatisfaction might spread to other matters, but it did not. If she were truly Murong Gaogong's younger sister, it was sometimes hard to believe. The current Emperor was a man of literary refinement, particularly attentive to details and prone to holding grudges, yet she understood the greater picture and knew how to avoid giving others visible grounds for criticism. It was a pity she was a princess—her talents were underutilized. Had she been a prince or a marquis, she would likely have been excellent material for governing the realm.

It must be said she knew how to win people over; a little kindness was enough to make him feel grateful. He clasped his hands and bowed deeply to her. "Thank you, Your Highness."

She gave a slight nod. Beneath her ceremonial robe, the collar of her python robe revealed a section of plain gauze undergarment, accentuating her slender neck with exceptional delicacy. The palace attendant lifted the incense burner to lead the way. She gestured with her hand, indicating for the Prince to go first, thus preserving his dignity as the husband leading his wife.

He couldn't help but smile lightly. Excellent. To have such a wife was truly his blessing. Walking slowly ahead, he could hear the gentle tinkling of pearls and jade as she followed behind, rippling wave after wave, inexplicably bringing him a sense of peace.

Wanwan kept her eyes downcast along the way, occasionally lifting them to observe. He was right in front of her, so tall—likely due to years of martial arts training—he seemed even more imposing than the Eunuch Official. The jade belt hook cinched his sturdy waist, making his lower robe appear exceptionally long. In terms of appearance alone, he was indeed commendably dignified. If the favorable impressions from their previous meetings could have continued, perhaps she would have been glad to marry him. Now, however, there was a faint sense of regret, as if they had missed their chance. Indeed, there truly was no such perfect person in the world.

As for this Princess's Residence, she only now had time to examine it carefully. Southern houses differed from northern ones; the courtyards were more winding, and her deepest impression was that the doors were built exceptionally high, almost reaching the eaves. In the center, three pairs of small double doors were joined together. If only one of them was opened, it would be narrow and tall, like a slit of sky.

With the doors high, the thresholds were correspondingly raised. Wanwan instinctively compared—just a little more and it would reach her knees. What was the meaning of this? In everyday life, was it like being under house arrest?After passing a small courtyard planted with banana trees, they arrived at the front hall. The Imperial Concubine of the Southern Garden was already seated in the eastern chamber—a kind-faced woman dressed in an amber-colored round-flowered vest. Due to her widowhood, she wore no bright colors even for her son’s wedding, only adorning the collar with a pair of gem-inlaid lotus gold clasps. Such subtle details spoke volumes; she seemed like someone open-minded and content.

As they entered through the door, she stood up to greet them, her gaze upon the new bride filled with joy and satisfaction.

Wanwan had felt somewhat nervous before entering, but upon seeing her, she calmed down instead. Having grown up in the palace, she had naturally never heard any concubines complain about the Empress Dowager, but she had long been told that relationships between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law were difficult to navigate. She had feared that this mother-in-law might be cold and stern, especially since the wedding customs had been reversed on the day of the ceremony, which was bound to cause some displeasure. Unexpectedly, there was no trace of resentment on her face; her generosity and magnanimity were evident directly in her eyes.

The female attendant lit incense, and the Master of Ceremonies guided her to the worship position. She raised both hands levelly before her brow and bowed four times to the Imperial Concubine. In households that married princesses, there were specific rules regarding etiquette toward the princess bride. In ordinary families, it was natural for parents-in-law to receive such respects—even kneeling to serve tea was nothing unusual. But in the imperial family, it was vastly different. After receiving the respects, the parents-in-law had to rise and return the courtesy: for the princess’s four bows, the parents-in-law returned two. Of course, such courtesies were not given in vain—the princess would present gifts. Whether this was considered filial piety or a reward depended entirely on personal interpretation.

The Imperial Concubine was not a petty person. After expressing thanks and handing the lacquer tray to the attendant beside her, she personally took Wanwan’s hand to lead her to her seat, sighing with emotion. “Your Highness probably doesn’t know this, but your mother, Consort Xu, and I were close friends since our maiden days. When the imperial court arranged marriages, your mother entered the palace to serve Emperor Xiaozong, while I was ordered to marry into the Southern Garden. Separated by thousands of miles, north and south, our contact gradually dwindled. As you know, feudal princes cannot enter the capital without an imperial decree. Whenever I missed your mother, I would fuss and cry to Liangshi’s Ama. Later, an opportunity finally arose. Emperor Xiaozong held a grand banquet for the feudal princes, and I accompanied Liangshi’s Ama to the palace to visit Consort Xu. You were about five or six years old then, and we met once. I wonder if you still remember me?”

In wealthy families like these, from the old to the young, restraint was highly valued. It was rare for someone to speak so openly upon a first meeting. Wanwan was somewhat surprised but did not feel displeased. Especially since the Imperial Concubine had ties with her mother, this connection made her feel even more at ease.

This was Wanwan—good-tempered and gentle. If others treated her sincerely, she would naturally respond in kind.

She smiled shyly. “I was too young back then, so I don’t remember…”The Imperial Concubine continued to gaze at her with deep affection. "Seeing you is just like seeing Consort Xu. That time I couldn't stay long, only three days in total before returning to Nanjing. When we met, your mother was already in poor health. By the winter solstice, she grew weaker day by day, and after the new year she..." Suddenly realizing this was not appropriate talk for such a joyous occasion, she quickly stopped herself, replacing it with a smile. "I've been looking forward to seeing you since yesterday, so happy I couldn't sleep all night. Now that I've seen you, you're exactly as I imagined. Looking closely at your features, I can still see traces of your childhood self. You've just arrived at the Southern Garden and may feel unfamiliar, but that's alright. From now on, we are family. I never had a daughter of my own, so I will treat you as my own daughter. And you, please don't be formal with me. If Liangshi ever does anything improper, just tell me, and I will naturally discipline him."

The Imperial Concubine was a very warm person. Even though she spoke a great deal, every word was sincere and reliable, never giving the slightest impression of flattery. Yuwen Liangshi, in her words, was merely an ordinary son. If he made a mistake, his mother could mediate by scolding him. Wanwan even felt a bit envious of this kind of life filled with hearth fire atmosphere.

With both hands pressing down on the cloud collar over her knees, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks, she lowered her head slightly and said, "Thank you, E'nie. The customs of the north and south may not be the same. If I ever commit any breach of etiquette, I hope E'nie will guide me."

Almost nothing was lacking. For a princess of the imperial family to possess such gentle temperament and humble attitude was truly rare. When the Imperial Concubine was a young girl, she also lived in the capital. Her family's patriarch had disciples spread throughout the Capital Region, and during festivals, Mandate Orders were exchanged. She had seen countless young ladies and clan daughters. Those golden nobles might not have proud bones, but they certainly had a proud air. Even a perfectly good sentence could be uttered with an air of their own invincibility. Yet this true golden branch and jade leaf, the only princess of three dynasties, was composed and dignified. How could she not strike a chord in the Imperial Concubine's heart? She was the very image of Consort Xu in her youth!

Mother-in-law and daughter-in-law had a good conversation before a servant girl nearby reminded them, "Old Madam, the two young masters and the Secondary Consorts are waiting outside."

Only then did the Imperial Concubine remember, exclaiming, "Oh, I actually forgot about them." As she spoke, she glanced at Wanwan's expression. After all, she was a young girl. Seeing that her husband had other women by his side, and even sons so grown, who knew what she might be thinking? But ultimately, paper cannot wrap fire. These were all matters in plain sight; hiding or concealing them wouldn't work.

She nodded. "Invite them all in. Have them kowtow to Princess Chang."

Wanwan remained calm, just as Tong Huan had told her. In the palace, there were her nephews and also the Three Palaces and Six Courts of her brother, the Emperor. In this world, it was all too common for men to have several concubines in their households. If she kept an open mind, it wouldn't seem like such a big deal.

A eunuch wearing an arrow-sleeved ramie garment led the way, bent at the waist, his brand-new boot soles tapping crisply and hurriedly against the blue stone bricks. Behind him followed two children of about seven or eight years old—small figures dressed properly and neatly in Qi People's festive attire, with small riding jackets on the outside and four-slit robes underneath. Entering the room, they slapped their horseshoe sleeves and steadily performed a kneeling salute—

"Your son, Lan Zhou..."

"Your son, Lanting..."

"Respectfully wish E'nie golden peace."

Wanwan was stunned, glancing at Tong Huan. She hadn't expected to become someone else's mother so suddenly. Even though she had prepared herself, she still couldn't conceal her surprise.The Imperial Concubine noticed her distraction and pointed to the older child, saying, "Lan Zhou is eight this year, born to Secondary Consort Madam Tala."

As she made the introduction, a woman in Banner Attire stepped forward to kowtow. The attire of the Qi People still retained their distinctive features: garments connected as robes, Flowerpot Soles on their feet, and Banner Headpieces on their heads. When kneeling, the Velvet Flowers and Head Ornaments nearly swept the dust, looking quite cumbersome.

Wanwan said, "There’s no need for such formality, rise."

The child was lively and stood up immediately. The Secondary Consort, however, found it more difficult, as the Wooden Lump under her feet was about three inches high, requiring a Servant Girl to help her up.

Wanwan tilted her head to look. The young master was truly lovely, delicate and fair like a child before the statue of Guanyin. His eyes resembled his father’s, with a golden ring in them, clearly a smaller version of Yuwen Liangshi. Looking at Madam Tala, she wasn’t exceptionally beautiful but rather delicate and refined, standing timidly with great caution.

The young master’s dark eyes gazed at her, and Wanwan couldn’t help but smile, turning to call Xiao You to Bestow Rewards. Everyone in the room was waiting for her reaction, and seeing her unconcerned, they all breathed a sigh of relief.

The Imperial Concubine then pointed to the second young master, "Lanting is seven this year, born to Secondary Consort Madam Zhou."

Madam Zhou stepped forward to kowtow. Unlike the Qi People’s elaborate attire, she wore a lilac-colored embroidered satin jacket with a Balustrade Skirt underneath. Wanwan, as usual, asked her to rise. When she lifted her head, this woman naturally had a smiling appearance: round eyes, a round nose, and even her mouth was round. Fortunately, her son didn’t resemble her, or else the men would lack dignity.

It was truly strange; everyone in the Southern Garden Palace was quite interesting. The concubines weren’t particularly beautiful, but each had her own charm. The last one, surnamed Chen, had no children, was measured in her actions, and not at all rash. Wanwan had once heard about the origins of these Secondary Consorts. It was said they originally served the Imperial Concubine. When she urged Yuwen Liangshi to marry, he adamantly refused, leaving her with no choice but to send women to his chambers. Just as when princes grew older, the Bedchamber Attendants and Accountant Attendants had the duty to guide them—once touched but not cherished, they would eventually be given a title. Although these women’s status had changed, they still retained the diligence of servants toward their masters, which was both bewildering and somewhat sorrowful.

Wanwan had little interest in them, preferring the two young masters. Before coming, she had specifically instructed Xiao You to prepare toys that children in the capital played with. As expected, they liked them, showing no interest in gold or silver but instead clutching the Clacking Mouth and secretly pulling the red string underneath. Inside was a Mechanism; when pulled, Lord Rabbit’s mouth and eyes would move wildly. At first, they didn’t know and made noise, momentarily stunned before quickly blushing.

The Imperial Concubine pretended to scowl, "Really, losing manners upon first meeting someone! See if your Ama doesn’t punish you!"

The two children grew even more fearful, their large eyes looking over as they mumbled and prepared to kneel before her.

Wanwan quickly stood up to help them, "I brought these for them to play with, so it’s not their fault." As she spoke, she returned to her seat and smiled, "There are ten princes in the palace, and they often visit me in their free time. Children are just children; don’t be too harsh, lest you stifle their nature. Let them play; the better they play, the smarter they become."Her smile was like a spring breeze brushing across the face, her tone gentle and soothing, each word seeming to seep into the very marrow. The two children exchanged smiles, as if her words had truly touched their hearts.

The Imperial Concubine was also overjoyed and called out, "Hurry and thank your E'nie! See, your Ama is strict, but with your E'nie to protect you, you'll have much more freedom from now on."

Wanwan felt quite embarrassed by being addressed as "E'nie" over and over. The two children stepped forward to kowtow, saying, "We will listen to E'nie from now on and be filial to her."

Wanwan flushed red. Beside her, that old and cunning man seemed quite satisfied with the children's words, a faint smile curling at the corner of his lips, which made her grit her teeth in irritation.

The Old Imperial Consort Dowager spoke again, "Starting tomorrow, come to your E'nie for morning and evening salutations, not missing a single day. Although the Princely Mansion is a bit far from the Eldest Princess Residence, it doesn’t matter. The Chief Instructor still teaches you archery and horsemanship, so you can practice along the way." She turned to Liangshi, "The children are young, and I’m not at ease. As for you, after finishing your morning discussions, accompany them here! Your Highness must feel lonely dining alone. It’s only right for you to serve tea and water by her side. Your Ama did the same back in the day. The men of our Yuwen Clan cherish their wives, and this tradition must not be broken in your generation."

This was a solid opportunity created for him. The Old Imperial Consort Dowager, quiet as she was, knew how to scheme. The two residences were far apart, and there would inevitably be days of wind and rain. Would the Princess Royal, with her kind heart, bear to see the children traveling back and forth? After a few trips, she might even allow them to stay over. And if the sons were staying, how far off could the father’s good days be? With this calculation, it truly seemed like a seamless heavenly garment. The Old Imperial Consort Dowager clapped her hands, already delighting in her own cleverness.