Ноw рitiful is thе heart of раrents in this world! Whеn a son mаrriеs but dоеs nоt grоw closе to his wife, especiаllу when thе wife соmеs frоm an ехсееdingly nоble backgrоund, if thеre is nо mediator tо recоncile bеtwееn thеm frоm thе stаrt, oncе thеy drift араrt, it beсomеs diffiсult to grow сlоse аgain later.
Тhe Imperiаl Соncubinе had also sреnt hеr entirе lifе wоrrуing еndlеssly. Тhе men оf the Yuwеn Clan wеre аll mеn оf greаt аffаirs, аdept and shrеwd in political mattеrs, but when it camе to domеstic lifе, thеy сould be somewhat lacking in certain aspects. For instance, stubbornly sticking to one path without turning back—this was a bad habit. Her son, of course, she knew well. Over the years, many had sought to align themselves with the Southern Garden Palace, so why had he never mentioned establishing a Principal Consort? Were the beauties of Jiangnan not lovely? Were their temperaments not gentle and graceful? Of course not! He had someone in his heart but kept it to himself, yet that position had always been reserved. If he could not fulfill his wish in this lifetime, he would wait a lifetime.
What woman in this world could catch their eye? There was no need to worry about suddenly having a beloved concubine appear who could stand on equal footing with you! She had once spoken to him privately, saying that those few in his chambers should also be treated well—after all, they had borne him heirs to continue the family line. He agreed, promising earnestly, "Of course, of course," speaking with great conviction. But later, when she checked the records, she found that after his two sons were born, it was as if his mission had been accomplished, and there had been no further activity.
Until one day, he came to see her, standing by her side to attend to her towel and comb for a long while before slowly speaking: "There is something I would like to ask for E'nie's guidance."
What could it be? At most, it was some new scheme from the imperial court to extort money and grain from the Southern Garden. Or perhaps it was about ceding a piece of land to subsidize another province. The worst-case scenario would be the reduction of the fiefdom, a possibility they had been preparing for over fifty or sixty years—nothing new.
At the time, she did not take it seriously. After washing her hands, she said, "Speak. What great storms and waves have I not seen?"
Only then did he smile and say, "I wish to marry Princess Hede as my wife. I came first to inform E'nie and seek your opinion."
She was stunned for a long moment. "Welcoming the Princess Royal to descend into marriage is a good thing. For at least the next ten years, we need not worry about the palace's situation. But the Yuwen Clan has never had such fortune, and the imperial court is wary of us. This matter may not be easy to handle."
Yet he spoke lightly, "E'nie, just wait for my good news. In another six months, I will surely give you an answer."
Six months later, the Southern Garden Palace received the imperial decree for the Princess Royal's descent into marriage.
She did not wish to inquire about the process—it must have been full of twists and turns, requiring immense effort and consideration. She only knew that he kept his word, and Princess Hede indeed entered the gates of the Yuwen Clan. At first, she feared this imperial sister might be proud and difficult to serve, but he spoke highly of her, praising her as if she were made of gold. "E'nie, just wait and see. You will surely like her once you meet her."
And indeed, she did. A person's character can be discerned through conversation. At the very least, she now knew that the Princess Royal was kind and gentle, even showing no prejudice toward the children born of the concubines below. Coming from an imperial family, such magnanimity was not simple. The Imperial Concubine was delighted to see the family in harmony, without having to sacrifice her two grandsons to appease a princess consort. Truly, it was a joyous outcome for all.However, it was clear that the Princess did not have such feelings for Liangshi. She had already found out that they had not consummated the marriage on their wedding night. In truth, there was no need to rush. The Princess Royal was only sixteen, still young. Suddenly arriving in an unfamiliar place and meeting strangers, it was perfectly normal for her to feel resistant. Take it slowly. In time, when she realizes how much her husband cherishes her, even a stone can be warmed.
The Imperial Concubine was full of confidence for the future, but Wanwan found herself in a dilemma. The children coming for Morning and Evening Salutations was only proper, and she could hardly say anything about it. But Yuwen Liangshi joining in the commotion was not quite appropriate.
After hesitating for a moment, she still attempted to politely decline, "Your Highness is busy with official duties, so there’s no need to come every day. The two young masters still have their studies, and traveling back and forth like this might tire them out. Perhaps visiting me on the first and fifteenth of the month would be enough to show their regard."
The Imperial Concubine pressed her hand gently. "Propriety must not be neglected. Young children seeking comfort and forgetting their duties! I originally thought, if Your Highness would be so gracious, you might even move to the Princely Mansion. Although it goes against protocol, many princesses and clan daughters gradually stop caring about such things. After all, a young couple should be together often. A lifelong partner should not remain distant—how could they spend decades together otherwise? There’s no need for you to feel embarrassed. Rules should adapt to people, so life can be more comfortable."
Hearing this, compared to moving to the Princely Mansion, having the father and sons visit frequently didn’t seem like such a big deal after all. Wanwan disliked making a fuss over small matters, so she decided to let things proceed as originally planned.
A servant girl stepped forward to serve tea. When she reached Madam Tala, Madam Tala took the tea tray midway and carefully approached to serve it herself. "This servant has not studied much, and when I used to teach the eldest young master, I lacked confidence. Now that Your Highness is here, any shortcomings the eldest young master may have will rely entirely on Your Highness. Don’t be fooled by his mischievous appearance—this child is very obedient. If Your Highness does not mind, please treat him as your own son. It would be a blessing for both this servant and the eldest young master."
These words were spoken humbly, yet they felt somewhat unnecessary. According to custom, once a wife is established, children born of concubines naturally belong to the wife. When introduced publicly, they honor only the wife as their mother, and concubines are rarely even mentioned. Madam Tala’s eagerness to push her child forward seemed like an attempt to curry favor and secure an advantage for her son. After all, both young masters were born of concubines, and whichever one the Princess Royal favored more would have a more secure future.
Wanwan understood her intentions perfectly. Meanwhile, Lanting and Madam Zhou exchanged a knowing glance, quietly sticking out their tongues in unison.
Lan Zhou remained silent, his brow furrowing slightly before quickly smoothing back into calm indifference. Wanwan noticed it all, her smile deepening, but she did not respond to Madam Tala’s words. Instead, she reported to the Imperial Concubine, "I discussed with His Highness earlier about visiting the Ancestral Temple to pay respects to our ancestors. E’nie, when do you think would be the best time to go?"
The Imperial Concubine was greatly pleased. "Your Highness is truly thoughtful. The late Prince’s spirit in heaven will surely be comforted. I will immediately arrange for the preparations. Since we are to pay respects, it’s better to do it sooner rather than later."Over there, Yuwen Liangshi stood up, "E'nie, don't trouble yourself, I have already ordered someone to handle it. I will accompany Her Highness, so let Madam Zhou and the others attend to you back at the residence first. Later, if Her Highness is willing..." He gave her a meaningful glance, "after paying respects, I will invite Her Highness to visit the residence. After all, it is her own home, and it wouldn't be right to pass by without entering."
The Imperial Concubine agreed, delighted to give them some time alone. She rose with a smile, "Then it's settled. We'll return to the residence first to prepare and await the arrival of Her Highness, the Princess Royal."
Madam Zhou and Madam Chen helped her over the threshold, while Madam Tala led the two children in kneeling to bid farewell to Wanwan before retreating outside to follow the Imperial Concubine.
Only then did Wanwan finally breathe a sigh of relief. Dealing with these people was even more exhausting than handling the Empress Dowager and the imperial concubines in the palace. In the palace, she was never the center of attention, merely listening on the sidelines, dispensable. Here, however, it was different. As the legitimate consort and the stepmother to the illegitimate sons, her identity had changed too quickly and abruptly, making it impossible not to feel uneasy.
She touched her forehead, her snow-white fingers adorned with an agate ring, its rich and vivid color accentuating her delicate, jade-like quality. Feeling somewhat discontented, she sighed and said, "I still need to change my clothes. Please wait a moment, Prince."
Meeting people and paying respects were different matters. Entering the Ancestral Temple in bright reds and purples would be extremely disrespectful, so she had to return first to change into her Ceremonial Robe and cleanse her face and hands before entering the Ancestral Hall.
She complained to Tong Huan, "I'm tired. I really wish I could rest."
Tong Huan teased her, "Who told you to try to please the Grand Consort? You could have avoided this, but you insisted on handling it yourself. Now you're complaining to me?" As she adjusted the tassels on Wanwan's chest, she asked softly, "Does Your Highness still have some feelings for the Prince of Nanyuan after all? I see you consider everything for his sake. This time, you only offered to pay respects to the old prince because you were afraid of hurting his pride. Well, it's settled now, and there's no use in sulking. It's better to live well and enjoy life properly."
Wanwan frowned at her words, "What nonsense are you talking about? When have I ever had feelings for him? I did this for the sake of the imperial court. Since we are now bound by marriage, it's better to appease both sides than to stir up trouble." A faint worry lingered between her brows as she murmured, "Great Ye cannot withstand turmoil. For over two hundred years, the civil and military officials have grown accustomed to peace. If something goes wrong now, I fear they wouldn't even know where to find their swords."
Tong Huan was well aware of this, but she had only been teasing her to draw out her thoughts. It seemed her mindset remained unchanged. Even if she were to bear children with the Prince of Nanyuan in the future, her responsibility to the nation would still outweigh everything else. Whether such strength in a woman was a good or bad thing remained uncertain.
Once everything was ready, they stepped out of the residence gate, where a sedan chair was already waiting. Its exquisitely carved openwork patterns faintly revealed the Gold Brocade fabric inside. He was attentive and considerate toward her, just as the Old Imperial Consort Dowager had said—the Yuwen Clan had a tradition of serving their wives well. He lifted the curtain for her and helped her into the sedan chair without any hesitation. Wanwan watched as his distinctively jointed hand slowly lowered, and the hanging curtain blocked her view. She sat calmly for a while before secretly lifting the window curtain to look outside. The charm of Jiangnan was unique; the grandeur and solemnity of the capital still paled in comparison to the delicacy and elegance here in her eyes.The spring weather was fickle. Last night at Peach Leaf Ferry, the lingering chill in the air had seeped through her clothes. By daytime, it had improved—the sunlight was warm, the sky clear and bright, and a gentle breeze blew past, lulling her into drowsiness.
The sedan chair jolted abruptly, startling her awake. Someone came to help her alight, and behind the curtain appeared his face once more.
He always wore an amiable expression, extending his hand with his palm turned upward in a gesture of reverence. He said nothing, yet his eyes brimmed with hope.
Wanwan recalled that time beneath the white pagoda and the jujube tree, when he had also taken her hand. Back then, her heart had overflowed with sweetness, yet today, it had come to this. Outside, the clamor of voices surged, suggesting that many had accompanied the ceremony. The Yuwen Clan had dominated the Jiangnan region for so many years, having grown vast and intricate over time. Thus, even here, she had to continue her pretense. Not just this time, but from now on—perhaps, with time, she would gradually grow accustomed to it.
She placed her hand in his palm. Hers was slightly cool, while his was warm, enveloping hers tightly as if cradling a treasure. She had intended to appear more mature, yet in an instant, her cheeks flushed red. After all, she was still an inexperienced girl, her composure nowhere near as thick as his. He chuckled softly, and her embarrassment deepened. Yet the more flustered she felt, the more she straightened her posture, holding her head high—so much so that she appeared almost stiff.
There truly were many people outside. Even with the palace guards setting up barricades, countless heads peered from every low-lying spot within the enclosure. Wanwan walked with care, her senses keenly attuned. His hand, likely from years of archery and horsemanship, bore thin calluses at the base of his fingers—strong and powerful. She couldn’t help but wonder: Feudal Princes were forbidden from raising troops, so even if he practiced archery and horsemanship daily, it shouldn’t have left his hands so worn.
Lost in thought, she entered the Ancestral Shrine. Directly facing the main gate was a long altar table, upon which dozens of ancestral tablets were arranged from top to bottom. Along the walls hung portraits of successive Princes of Nanyuan, each holding a jade scepter and dressed in a Four-Clawed Python Dragon Robe. The painter’s skill was remarkable, rendering the figures vividly lifelike. As Wanwan examined each one, she realized that none of the Yuwen Clan’s ancestors were anything less than dignified in appearance. Looking back now, her earlier insistence that the Southern Garden Barbarian was a monster seemed utterly foolish.
The Master of Ceremonies guided them in offering libations, performing rituals, and lighting incense. Wanwan followed the instructions respectfully. Previously, she had only paid homage to the ancestors of the Murong Clan in the Ancestral Hall. Now, having entered another family’s temple and bowed before their ancestors, she had truly become one of them.
She let out a long sigh, unsure why a sense of melancholy had arisen. Before entering the shrine, all her attendants had waited outside, leaving only him by her side. He helped her insert the incense into the burner and tidied the cups used for the libations. For a Prince, he was surprisingly adept at serving others.
They stood before the portraits for a while, watching as the incense smoke gradually filled the room. Just as they were about to leave, she suddenly heard him say, "Each pair of ancestors throughout the generations has a moving story. In life, they commanded the winds and clouds; in death, they returned to dust. One day, we too will be here. By my side, there will only ever be a place for you."
Wanwan looked at him curiously. "Why speak of this now?"His eyes held a shadow, glancing at her slightly as he murmured in a pitiful tone, "After receiving the imperial marriage decree, I was so overjoyed that I didn’t consider Your Highness’s feelings. If Your Highness resents me, I dare not defend myself. Now that we’ve come to the Ancestral Shrine, I swear before our ancestors: marrying a princess is indeed a great honor, but to me, Your Highness is the greatest blessing. If you believe me, I can still live with hope; if you don’t, even if I live, I’d be no different from a walking corpse."
She was startled inwardly and glanced around, saying, "What kind of place is this? How can the Prince speak so recklessly, letting our ancestors hear such words? Whatever you have to say, can’t it wait until we return? Why must it be said here?"
Declaring love before the ancestral tablets—truly the first person in history to do such a thing. Wanwan thought he usually seemed steady, but sometimes he wasn’t so reliable. Yet she couldn’t say much, only feeling extremely awkward, as if the figures in those portraits were alive and all beginning to laugh at her.
As for him, he wouldn’t lie before the ancestors. Since he could express his determination, he had already accounted for it to them.
Wanwan awkwardly walked out of the Ancestral Hall and silently entered her sedan chair. On the way to the Southern Garden Palace, her cheeks still felt faintly warm, perhaps from the heat of the burning paper offerings, and her heart was unsettled, filled with mixed emotions.
Regardless, the palace’s welcome was still grand. The Imperial Concubine had long prepared a new courtyard for them. Standing under the corridor, she pointed north into the distance, "They’re currently digging a lake there. Construction started after the New Year, and after three months of digging, it’s finally almost finished. Liangshi knows Your Highness loves lotus flowers, so he sent people to fetch various roots from Suzhou and Hangzhou to plant now. By summer, you’ll see a sea of green leaves. It’s rare for a man to be so thoughtful. Your Highness, please see his sincerity and be sure to appreciate his affection."
She still smiled faintly but did not respond. The issues between them weren’t just about the matter with Yin Ge; later, the Emperor’s instructions were also involved. Whether the Emperor was serious or not, how could she treat it as a joke!
Accompanied by the womenfolk, she strolled slowly through the garden while he stood not far away, watching with his hands behind his back. Footsteps approached from behind, and he turned to look. Lan Zhou stepped forward, bowing slightly as he called out, "Ama—"
"The Haicang ships in the dockyard have all been built according to Ama’s instructions. Rongyuan reported back that they tested the ships’ draft—about seven or eight feet—and they’re even more agile than Patrol Ships. They’ve all been moved to New River Mouth now. If anyone from above inquires, we’ll report them all under the naval forces, making it impossible to trace."
He nodded slightly, patting Lan Zhou’s hair. "Good son, well done. Tell me, how many weapons can they carry?"
The little one looked up and said, "Four Thousand-Catapult Frankish Cannons, three Bowl-Mouthed Blunderbusses, fifty Fire Lances, and one hundred each of Smoke Pots and Crossbow Bolts. Each ship carries sixty crew members. Depending on Ama’s wishes, we can add more sailors and soldiers if needed. Once battle begins, with Haicang ships cooperating with fortune ships, we’ll be invincible."
Everything was progressing well. He narrowed his eyes. "Xiao Duo is now struggling to protect himself. With the Naval Fleet Inspection, he has no time to spare. How much military supplies we accumulate is entirely up to us." He then lowered his head to look at him. "When we succeed in the future, Ama will avenge you, capture that Xiao Duo, and let you cut his flesh for fun every day."Like father, like son—who would have thought that an eight-year-old child had already become his right-hand man. This boy was a rare prodigy, fearless and unyielding, yet Xiao Duo alone had frightened him so much that he couldn’t sleep soundly for over a month. Back when they tried to win over the Eastern Factory, Xiao Duo refused to comply, and Lan Zhou came up with a plan to poison Consort Duan, who was accompanying him, in order to force a rift between him and the Emperor. Unfortunately, man proposes but heaven disposes—Consort Duan’s fate was strong, and she did not die. Xiao Duo’s Eastern Factory agents captured Lan Zhou and nearly flayed the skin off his back. Since then, Lan Zhou had harbored both hatred and fear toward Xiao Duo. When he was disobedient, his own father had even used Xiao Duo to scare him, a thought that now filled him with both guilt and amusement.
When Lan Zhou mentioned carving Xiao Duo’s flesh, his eyes immediately lit up with excitement. "It’s settled then. When we breach the Forbidden City, hand him over to me."
Liangshi nodded. "Agreed."
"So when do we march north?"
He hesitated, his gaze drifting into the distance as he pursed his lips. "Your Ama has just taken a wife and hasn’t yet enjoyed a good life."
Lan Zhou frowned. "Is Ama obsessed with the warmth of a wife, children, and a cozy bed? Don’t let personal attachments hinder our great cause. The subordinates are all watching you."
He grew impatient. "Let’s wait a while. Matters are complex and numerous. If we don’t act, all is quiet; once we move, it will shake heaven and earth. Rushing into action without thorough preparation will only lead to utter defeat. If you have too much free time, go study military strategy. Also, take charge of the affairs of the Hunan Provincial Administration Commission. Whether good or bad, handle it on my behalf."
A father lost in love had completely lost his fighting spirit. The son couldn’t help but shake his head—indeed, even heroes have their weaknesses. A girl of fifteen or sixteen—how could she be worth all this!
OpenNovel