Тhe Prinсеlу Маnsion was built on Vеrmiliоn Bird Streеt, adjaсеnt tо thе Yingtiаn Рrefeсture Administrative Officе аnd quite сlosе tо thе Тemрlе оf Rесeivеd Grace. Оf сoursе, it was a cоnsiderablе distancе frоm Вig Наt Lаnе—from south tо nоrth, the Imреriаl Cаrriagе tоok threе quаrters оf an hour to аrrive, and by thе timе it rеaсhed the mansiоn, it wаs nеarlу nооn.
Wаnwаn аlighted frоm thе cаrriagе, having originаlly thоught hе wоuld cоmе tо grеet her, but uneхpectedly, hе did not. The Sеcondаry Соnsorts stеpped forward to assist her, careful and considerate in every way, as she held the title of consort, and those beneath her had to tread carefully to survive. She was in low spirits, and her expression showed it, causing everyone to feel anxious, unsure of what had displeased her. She reflected on herself, realizing she could not indulge her temper so freely. Besides, being angry with him only meant she cared too much.
She lifted her skirt to ascend the steps. The Imperial Concubine, to show respect, had been waiting in the hall for some time. Hearing the sound of knocking at the door, she hurriedly led the servants out to greet her, extending her hand from afar with a smile, saying, "I've been waiting for so long, and you've finally arrived." Turning to dismiss the servant girls, she added, "Tell the kitchen to prepare the meal; once Her Highness has rested, we'll serve."
Wanwan curtsied to her, saying, "I haven't been able to come to the mansion to pay my respects to E'nie lately. Please forgive me for my lack of courtesy."
"Not at all!" The Imperial Concubine took her arm as they ascended the steps, patting her hand gently. "I know the reasons behind it; it's not your fault for being upset. Liangshi is deeply devoted to his wife, and if he has been lacking in any way, please bear with him. Men can sometimes be like children, not caring whether you're happy or not. Let us women speak openly. As your E'nie, I'll offer you a few words of comfort: if you broaden your heart, nothing will seem like a big deal."
Wanwan's face flushed red again. The whole affair had caused such a stir, all because she had been too impulsive. If she had simply driven him out that day, perhaps everything would have been peaceful.
She didn't know how to respond, especially with so many people around, so she simply lowered her head and replied, "I am inexperienced and have caused E'nie to worry. It truly is my fault."
The Imperial Concubine merely smiled, guiding her to sit by the south window and dismissing the Secondary Consorts to arrange the midday meal. Then, she spoke softly to Wanwan, "I was once a young woman too, and I understand your feelings. Men, like mud pigs and mangy dogs, unfamiliar and unrefined—why should they be allowed to get close? After all, you are husband and wife, not their servants, to be entirely at their mercy." She paused, glancing outside and seeing her son pacing in the corridor before continuing, "But I must still advise you: his rudeness stems from his lack of understanding. You can scold him or even hit him, but you must not hold a grudge against him. Look at him—he's tried every trick in the book and is now at his wit's end, pitiful and distressed. Don't you feel sorry for him when you see him like that? And let's not forget, if he weren't so deeply devoted to you, he would never have acted so rashly. He has always been honest since childhood. When the Grand Prince was alive and assigned tasks to his brothers, others knew how to cut corners, but he was always meticulous, suffering many hidden losses. Back then, I thought he might not become the Heir Apparent, but his Ama adored him, calling him the jewel of the Yuwen Clan... Over the years, I've grown lazy. Since the Grand Prince passed away, my heart has grown cold, and I no longer concern myself with outside matters. But if you young couples cannot get along, what am I, as your E'nie, to do?"She spoke as if on the verge of tears. A mother always spared no effort to smooth things over for her son, especially when the daughter-in-law’s status was special. If this knot remained untied, perhaps it would stay that way for a lifetime. This Princess Royal was actually a very good girl. Just from the way she never put on airs with anyone, if there was someone in the middle who could mediate, this marriage still held great promise. So the Imperial Concubine also threw caution to the wind, using tears to handle the matter, hoping it would at least soften her attitude.
She wiped away a tear and sighed, “To be honest, when you married down, I was also worried—afraid you wouldn’t adjust to our way of life here, and afraid you’d feel uneasy if he had sons with others. Good child, let me tell you, their Yuwen Clan is just that peculiar. Raising sons is like raising cattle and sheep—only with heirs can you secure the foundation, allowing you to inherit the family’s titles. He was unwilling at first. Several Bedchamber Attendants were sent into his room, only to be driven out. This went back and forth for over half a year. Later, the Grand Prince spoke up, saying if he didn’t succeed, he wouldn’t acknowledge him as his son anymore. Left with no choice, he finally accepted them into his household. I didn’t understand at first. Young men, like greedy cats, which of them doesn’t have their heart stirred by a pretty girl? I even thought he might be ill, perhaps preferring men… Only later did I realize he already had someone in his heart, someone he’d yearned for all these years, unreachable yet unforgettable. It must have been so hard for him.”
Wanwan felt even more caught in a dilemma. That person in his heart was her. As a young girl, her face was tender, flushing so deeply it seemed about to drip blood. She stammered, “You shouldn’t have to worry about this, E’nie… Matters between us…”
Seeing that she wasn’t entirely unresponsive, the Imperial Concubine secretly breathed a sigh of relief. She exchanged a glance with Ta Momo beside her, signaling her to call in the person outside the door.
Wanwan kept her head lowered, watching as a pair of black boots came into view. After a slight pause, she asked with difficulty, “Is E’nie about to have the meal served?”
The Imperial Concubine’s tone was rather sharp. “What’s so urgent about eating? Let’s talk about the important matter first. Tomorrow is your birthday. Officials from the region are sure to come to offer their congratulations. Instead of planning how to arrange things, what are you doing wandering around outside all the time? And another thing—Her Highness has graciously agreed to lend you her presence for the occasion. Have you thanked her yet?”
The Imperial Concubine’s tone was almost like scolding a grandson, likely frustrated by his lack of progress. As for Wanwan, she refused to even glance at him. His heart felt heavy, yesterday’s events flooding back, weighing him down until he could hardly breathe. Yet, remaining deadlocked like this was no solution. If he didn’t yield in such matters, could he expect her to lower her head for him? He had no choice but to cup his hands and offer her a deep bow. “Thank you, Your Highness.”
She stood up to return the courtesy. “You are too polite, Prince. This is simply my duty.”
The Imperial Concubine, who had been observing for a long while, shook her head in dismay. Look at these two—there wasn’t the slightest resemblance of a married couple. Liangshi was usually quite clever, but in front of her, he became utterly useless. Truly, one thing conquers another!Her head began to ache as she shot her son a sharp glance, then rallied her spirits to play the peacemaker once more. "Well... let's talk about Lan Zhou. This time he fell ill at Your Highness's place, and thanks to Your Highness's wholehearted, personal care, when he came back that day, he lay across my knees and said, 'My E'nie is so good, I really like her.' You see, even a child knows what's good. In fact, everyone in our entire household hopes Your Highness will stay in the residence. After all, we're one family, and being together means we can look after each other. It's not that the Princess's Residence isn't good, it's just too quiet and lonely. I originally thought that after you married, I could take care of you with you by my side, but now that intention is completely useless. If this goes on, I'll end up like Lan Zhou—moving into your Princess's Residence."
Hearing the Imperial Concubine speak this way made Wanwan feel quite embarrassed. She was not adept at social interactions, and although she had visited once the day after the grand wedding, she still felt unfamiliar with the people and environment here. After hesitating for a long time without being able to express her stance, the person sitting opposite her wore a calm expression, yet the melancholy in his eyes was so thick it seemed impossible to dissolve. In the end, he couldn't help but come to her rescue. "This matter cannot be rushed, E'nie, please don't pressure her for now. We'll discuss it later and decide then. The banquet in the flower hall is already prepared; we shouldn't let it get cold. Let's first invite Your Highness to move over there."
This meal was tasteless for Wanwan. The Prince's residence was just like the palace—there was no custom of the entire extended family eating together. The Secondary Consorts had their meals in their own courtyards, and the children had their own small kitchens. She dined with the Imperial Concubine and Yuwen Liangshi, with eunuchs serving dishes for the Imperial Concubine beside them, while the dishes before her were all attentively arranged by him. He was quiet, and to avoid making her uncomfortable, he never urged her to eat more. She liked lily bulbs, so after scooping two spoonfuls for her, he didn't add more, saying gently, "That's just for a taste; it's better to eat less. Otherwise, it might be hard to digest later, and your stomach will feel uncomfortable."
Wanwan's ears grew slightly warm. She quietly set down a slice she had picked up with her chopsticks. He served her soup, and she took a few sips. When the Imperial Concubine put down her chopsticks, the meal was considered finished.
After the meal, the Imperial Concubine intended to shirk responsibility. She stood up and paced around the room, mocking herself, "Getting old is no good—once I'm full, I get drowsy. I must go and rest. Will Your Highness also take a midday nap? Liangshi, escort Your Highness back to the Tower of Profound Grace. You two young ones should talk for a while; it was so nice just now. In ordinary daily life, if you yield to me a little and I yield to you a little, a lifetime passes in the blink of an eye. If you don't cherish it when you're young, how much regret you'll feel when you're old! Thinking of the Grand Prince..." She sighed deeply, shaking her head as she headed toward her own bedroom.
This only made things more awkward. With only the two of them left in the room, not even anyone to interrupt or ease the tension, Wanwan had no choice but to make conversation. "Did Your Highness visit my residence yesterday? I... wasn't aware; it was the servants who told me."
His thick brows gradually furrowed. "Do you really not remember at all? We met yesterday."
She looked utterly bewildered, wondering if she had hit her head—how could she have no impression at all?
He was deeply disappointed. He had heard of men finding solace in other women after romantic disappointments, but he had never heard of women being able to do the same. How pitiful he was, actually serving as a shadow for Xiao Duo. Thinking of it now, it felt like an utter humiliation.
He gazed at her with sorrow. "Your Highness, what exactly do I mean to you?"She stood there in a daze, her heart heavy with secrets. His words made her feel a pang of guilt. As she pondered how to deal with him, he turned away and said indifferently, "I have already ordered preparations. Let them attend to Your Highness and help you rest."
The attending Nurse Matron came in to receive her. As she stepped out of the flower hall, she felt almost as if she were fleeing in defeat.
The Tower of Profound Grace was built by the lake and, unlike the scattered smaller courtyards, served almost as the central hub of the entire Princely Mansion. The mansion was modeled after Suzhou-style gardens, with each courtyard separated by partition walls. As she walked along the covered corridor, someone on the other side of the lattice window watched quietly, a faint, ambiguous smile on their face. They turned to the child beside them and said, "It seems your well-intentioned plan didn’t work out. Look at the Princess Royal—she shows no gratitude at all. And your Ama’s face is so sour it’s unbearable to look at."
Sometimes, with the best of intentions, things go wrong—life is just that unpredictable. But a child wouldn’t understand. Even with the incense having such a potent effect, his Ama still failed to succeed. Who could he blame?
He sighed, clasping his hands behind his back. "It was all my own doing. I only wanted to help liven things up for them, but it ended up like this... I’ll go to Ama later and explain everything, so they don’t hold any grudges."
Madam Tala was startled. "My dear boy, you’re clever, but now you’re being foolish. If you had helped your Ama, you could have earned his favor. But this time, you only made things worse. Do you have the courage to confess and invite his scolding? In my opinion, since they’ve never been on good terms anyway, one more incident won’t make much difference. Why bring trouble upon yourself? If the whip falls on you later, it won’t be a joke."
Lan Zhou was still young and feared his Ama’s wrath. He wrestled with whether he should tell the truth, unable to decide.
He looked up at his mother. "Mistress, you haven’t been very happy since the Princess Royal descended upon the Southern Garden, have you?"
Madam Tala made no pretense in front of her son. She crossed her arms and snorted lightly. "Before, aside from the Grand Consort, there were no other female masters in this mansion. Although Madam Zhou, Madam Chen, and I were on equal footing, thanks to your favor, I was practically half a Mistress. I had thought that if your Ama’s rightful consort position remained vacant for another three to five years, he might one day choose someone to elevate. With your help, I had at least a fifty percent chance. But now, with this Princess Royal appearing out of nowhere, she rightfully outranks me. I’m not like Madam Zhou—she only cares about having enough to eat and wear. Madam Chen has no children, is timid, and has no chance of being promoted either. Looking around, I’m the one who stands to lose the most. The title isn’t even the main issue—I’m afraid that if she gives birth to a son, he’ll gain status through his mother, and your position as the eldest son will be in danger."
So everyone had their own calculations, and those with sons and ambition made them all the louder. Even without his mother saying it, he already knew. He had once tested the Princess Royal’s intentions, and the result proved that even if you didn’t scheme against others, they might still scheme against you.
"Ama cherishes her, and his heart is entirely with her. Mistress, the best way to protect yourself is not to make an enemy of her."
Madam Tala glanced at him. "I carried you for ten months and gave birth to you. You mustn’t forget your own mother after just a few days in someone else’s presence."Lan Zhou smiled, "If I couldn't even distinguish between closeness and distance, wouldn't Grandma have doted on me in vain? In my opinion, that great bodhisattva cannot be moved no matter what. No matter how much you think about it, you’d only be treating the symptoms, not the root cause. It would be better to get closer to Ama. As long as you hold a place in Ama’s heart, no matter how capable the Princess Royal is, she’d still be an empty shell."
These words struck right at Madam Tala’s heart. Everyone knew that if you could win over a man, you’d have everything. The problem was that she had exhausted all her efforts, yet that Master remained like a stone, not even sparing her a glance. The few times they had been together, when she recalled them, her body would turn cold and her heart would tremble. He would cover her face with a handkerchief, forbid her from making a sound, and show no tenderness or affection—just doing what needed to be done. Being with a woman was merely for bearing children. If it hadn’t been for the Grand Consort’s decision back then, women like her wouldn’t even have a proper status! Speaking of status, what was a Secondary Consort of the Qi People? It was just a playful title—not recorded in the registry, without formal attire. That was why she had to kowtow when meeting the Princess Royal, and even her own son didn’t call her E’nie, because that title was reserved for the rightful consort.
Women and men were truly different. Once you bore him a son, you’d be bound to this man for life. Even if he didn’t care for you, your affection for him would never diminish. This was the tragedy of women. But when it came to her son, his detached, almost spectator-like attitude made her feel uneasy.
She lowered her head and looked at him, "What kind of person your Ama is, don’t you know? What’s going on? Are you really siding with her?"
Brothers Lanzhou had been raised by the Imperial Concubine since childhood, so their bond with their birth mother wasn’t particularly strong. To be precise, the time they had spent with their mother added up to less than the few days they had spent with the Princess Royal. As for himself, his primary goal was to assist Ama in building a prosperous and grand enterprise. He had no interest in getting involved in women’s scheming and struggles, such as the practical issue of what would happen if the Princess Royal bore a son. That could be left for later.
He bowed to his mother, "I just remembered, I have to practice wrestling with the outer Anda this afternoon, so I won’t linger here any longer. Please stay, Grandma, I’ll take my leave."
Madam Tala glared angrily, "Having given birth to you is no better than having given birth to a wooden club! Look at how Ting treats his mother, and then look at you!"
He turned around, walking backward with a grin, "Didn’t Grandma instruct me to find a way to be recorded under the Princess Royal’s name? I’m just doing as you said. Why aren’t you happy?" Seeing his mother speechless, he bounded out of the courtyard in a few leaps.
He went straight to the Tower of Profound Grace. Xiao You had just come out of the tower and bowed slightly upon seeing him, "It’s the middle of the day, Young Master. Shouldn’t you be resting? Be careful not to doze off during your studies this afternoon."
He peered inside, "Has E’nie gone to sleep?"
Xiao You said no, "She’s copying scriptures."
"Go and ask for instructions on my behalf. Tell her I’ve prepared a kite and will be waiting for her in the open space by Green Waters and Fragrant Shores. Ask if she’d like to come."
Xiao You accepted the order and went inside to relay the message. Lan Zhou thought of the string of coins Chang Bao had tied, said to have over twenty sections, and wondered how to get it airborne. He planned to prepare it in advance to amuse the Princess Royal later. He was in high spirits as he passed the rockery, but as soon as he stepped onto the corridor, someone grabbed him forcefully, yanking him so hard that he stumbled.
Furious, he turned to curse, only to see his Ama’s face.His Ama remained unperturbed, "You're unwell, I grant you half a day off. Go back to your room and rest."
He struggled defiantly, "Ama, I am clearly fine..."
His Ama narrowed his eyes, "I say you're sick, so you're sick! No more nonsense! Rong Bao, take the young master back to lie down. If he doesn't listen, call the physician to give him a couple of needles. And these hands—if they remain restless and continue fiddling with incense burners, tie them up and throw him into the dry well at the back to sober up."
Lan Zhou was stunned speechless, "Ama..."
His Ama paid him no mind, took his flute, and went to Green Waters Fragrant Pavilion for his appointment.
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