After the banquet, Zhao Ai returned to his own pavilion. He pondered left and right, growing increasingly worried the more he thought, and felt he could not allow Zhenzhen to remain in the Eastern Palace. Thus, he went to the Eastern Palace and requested an audience with the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince was reading in the Zhanlu Hall surrounded by emerald bamboo. Seeing Zhao Ai enter hurriedly with an anxious expression, he guessed the purpose of his visit. Sure enough, as soon as Zhao Ai spoke, he candidly requested that Zhenzhen be transferred to serve in his own Qinghua Pavilion, saying he was willing to send several palace attendants to the Eastern Palace in exchange.
The Crown Prince smiled faintly, closed the book in his hand, and said to Zhao Ai, "Let me ask you this: since you treasure Lady Wu so much, why did you not step forward to defend her like I did when Lin Hong rejected the marriage today?"
Zhao Ai lowered his gaze and after a moment replied, "I hadn't thought of what to say."
"I know your concerns," the Crown Prince stated bluntly. "Once Lin Hong mentioned 'Plum Blossom Wife and Crane Son,' everyone understood he was refusing to marry Wu Zhenzhen. To help Zhenzhen escape the label of being abandoned, the only way was to prove that her future was already arranged, completely unrelated to Lin Hong, and that this future was even better than marrying Lin Hong. You must have considered stepping forward to ask The Emperor to allow you to marry Zhenzhen. But you are a prince. The principal wife of a prince in our dynasty must either come from a family of distinguished merit or be selected from among the descendants of imperial relatives or non-imperial princes. For a daughter of a tavern and teahouse owner like Zhenzhen, if you were to request her as your principal wife, it would be an open defiance of imperial law and dignity. If you merely requested to take her as a concubine, becoming a concubine in the imperial clan would not be as good as marrying an official as his wife; her status would actually be lowered, insufficient to shield her from public ridicule. Therefore, only I could do this. You also know that only I could restore the dignity she lost when Lin Hong cast her aside."
"But having her enter the Eastern Palace will make everyone in the palace think you intend to take her as a concubine!" Zhao Ai said angrily. "As everyone knows, palace attendants specially bestowed upon the Crown Prince by previous emperors and empresses all ended up becoming his concubines, future consorts."
"That assumption is not wrong," the Crown Prince said frankly, looking directly at his brother. "I think so too."
Zhao Ai's anger flared: "Do you mean you weren't just helping her out of trouble?"
"I do need someone to assist in managing the household affairs of the Eastern Palace," the Crown Prince said calmly. "The Crown Princess is not fully capable, and I have no interest in such matters. Zhenzhen is a very suitable candidate. Moreover... I am the heir apparent. Continuing the imperial bloodline is my duty; I need to produce many descendants and will inevitably be required to take concubines sooner or later. For Zhenzhen herself, entering the Eastern Palace means she could become a consort in the future, and it would also allow her to utilize her talents and achieve accomplishments beneficial to the state and the imperial family. As Father said, perhaps this is the best arrangement."
"But that still means being a concubine!" Zhao Ai said indignantly. "If she married me, even if I couldn't marry her with full ceremony now, I would find a way to make her my principal wife later."
"Abandon that thought as soon as possible," the Crown Prince said coldly, fixing his gaze on him. "Being my concubine means she can become a consort in the future. If you were to elevate a concubine to principal wife, it would be a crime, punishable by strict laws, and could even implicate her."Zhao Ai was immediately rendered speechless, knowing his elder brother’s words were indeed true. As a concubine of the Crown Prince, one could not only become a consort in the future but, given the right opportunity, even be installed as Empress after the Crown Prince ascended the throne. Without looking far, just consider the current Empress Dowager and Empress—were they not both concubines in their time? On the other hand, if a member of the imperial clan took a concubine as his principal wife, he would indeed be charged and severely punished by law. Thus, from an outsider’s perspective, entering the Eastern Palace was certainly more promising than entering a prince’s residence. And from the Emperor’s point of view, if Zhenzhen married a prince instead of the Crown Prince, it would be a waste of her talents.
“But Zhenzhen does not like you,” Zhao Ai said dejectedly after a long silence, offering this final objection.
The Crown Prince immediately posed a question that left him utterly speechless: “Then does she like you?”
After dinner, the Crown Princess again ordered palace attendants to prepare an orchid-scented bath for Zhenzhen and later helped her dress and change into a white sleeping robe. Shortly after, a middle-aged female official arrived and briefly explained matters of the bedchamber to Zhenzhen, instructing her to serve the Crown Prince diligently.
After the female official left, the attendants in the courtyard asked Zhenzhen to kneel and sit quietly in the room to await the Crown Prince, then withdrew to the corridor to wait.
Zhenzhen had decided to serve the Crown Prince tonight partly to repay his kindness and partly to sever her ties with Lin Hong, cutting off any retreat so she would no longer be constantly preoccupied with him or, unable to suppress her longing, seek him out. But now, as the night grew deeper and the Crown Prince could enter at any moment, she couldn’t help but grow nervous. Recalling the female official’s instructions about the bedchamber, her face flushed even more, and she felt she had dug herself into a deep pit, secretly regretting her decision.
Glancing at the thin sleeping robe she wore, she couldn’t help but grumble inwardly: Even if it’s just a wedding night, couldn’t I at least have a red jacket? To have me meet the Crown Prince wearing so little. Then she thought: I’m just a concubine—how could I expect all six rites to be observed? The Crown Prince is probably busy with state affairs late into the night, so his attendants aren’t bothering with formalities and are doing whatever is convenient.
Thinking back to the events of the day, she felt even more heartbroken, her eyes welling with tears that threatened to fall. But she quickly wiped them away with her sleeve and told herself, After all, this is the path I chose. I can’t blame anyone else. Come on, on such a fine night, I should drink a large cup of wine!
On the table in the room were a pot of wine and some snacks. Zhenzhen rose and walked to the table, poured a full cup of wine, and drank it in one gulp. Instantly, she felt a warmth in her heart, as if she felt much better. After waiting a while and seeing that the Crown Prince still hadn’t arrived, she poured herself another cup and drank it. By the time the second watch had passed, the wine in the pot was almost gone. Her face was now flushed like peach blossoms, her eyes hazy with drunkenness. Suddenly, she remembered a song Xiangli’er used to sing, which she felt perfectly captured her desire to cut ties with Lin Hong. Leaning over the table, she tapped the surface and sang:
“I have someone on my mind, far away by the southern sea.
What shall I send to you? A hairpin of tortoiseshell with twin pearls,
Wound around with jade.
But hearing you have another in your heart,
I smash it, break it, and burn it!
Burn it, and scatter its ashes to the wind!
From now on, no more longing,
I sever all thoughts of you!”
“Burn it, and scatter its ashes to the wind! From now on, no more longing, I sever all thoughts of you!” These two lines she chanted through gritted teeth, repeating them over and over, feeling more and more liberated as she sang. Zhenzhen felt much more at ease, her eyelids growing heavy, her voice gradually fading, until finally, with a faint smile lingering on her lips, she fell asleep.She had been sleeping in a daze for a long time when suddenly someone lifted her by both arms and gently laid her on the bed. Zhenzhen felt the movement and opened her eyes, only to discover that it was the Crown Prince who had carried her. Instantly startled, she abruptly sat up, her drunkenness fading in fright.
The Crown Prince sat on the edge of the bed, looking at her with a faint smile.
"Your... Your Highness, why have you come?" she stammered, still groggy from sleep and momentarily unaware of the situation.
"Weren't you waiting for me?" the Crown Prince countered, then added, "Originally, I thought it would be too hasty to come to you tonight. I should have chosen an auspicious day, invited a few guests, and we could have exchanged formal greetings. But the Crown Princess told me you thought today was a good day... On second thought, since the young lady is so bold, if I didn’t come, it would seem overly reserved."
Zhenzhen didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, silently slapping herself twice in her mind.
Seeing her flushed cheeks and noticing her breath still carried the scent of wine, the Crown Prince smiled and said, "Afraid? So you drank to bolster your courage?"
Zhenzhen thought to herself that now was not the time to back down, so she replied, "No, it’s just that I waited for Your Highness late into the night and felt cold, so I drank to warm myself."
Hearing this, the Crown Prince lowered his gaze to her sleeping robe. Zhenzhen immediately felt embarrassed, pulling her sleeves together and shrinking back slightly.
"Well, I hadn’t finished reading the memorials from the previous dynasty that His Majesty asked me to review, so I was delayed until now. I should have sent someone to inform you earlier," the Crown Prince explained. Glancing at the palace candle that had burned nearly halfway, he said gently, "It’s late. Let’s rest."
Then he slightly opened his arms and tilted his head to look at her. Zhenzhen was momentarily stunned before realizing he meant for her to undress him. Blushing, she moved closer and reached out to untie his leather belt.
The Crown Prince’s leather belt was different from the ones used by female officials like her. She couldn’t figure it out—no matter how she tried, the buckle wouldn’t come undone. Already nervous, she now felt embarrassed, beads of sweat forming on her forehead.
Seeing this, the Crown Prince undid the buckle himself. Zhenzhen lowered her head in shame and whispered, "I’m sorry. I’m not very skilled at undressing others."
"It’s all right," the Crown Prince said, his gaze drifting to the knotted sash of her robe, speaking considerately. "You can undo your own."
Such suggestive words, yet he said them so elegantly. Moreover, he sat upright with a calm expression, leaving Zhenzhen momentarily speechless.
Seeing Zhenzhen sitting motionless, the Crown Prince leaned forward and politely inquired, "Do you need help?"
When Zhenzhen didn’t answer, he reached for her sash as if he truly intended to untie the knot.
Zhenzhen let out a soft gasp and quickly retreated to the corner of the bed.
The Crown Prince laughed heartily, fastened his own leather belt, stood up, moved away from the bed, and strode to the table to sit down.
"Don’t worry," he said to Zhenzhen. "Taking you in now, whether you’re willing or not, would be taking advantage of your situation. I won’t do that."
As if a heavy weight had been lifted from her heart, Zhenzhen let out a long sigh of relief. She moved to the edge of the bed to sit facing the Crown Prince and said happily, "The first time I saw Your Highness, I knew you were a good person."
"Oh? When was the first time you saw me?" the Crown Prince asked.
Zhenzhen then recounted the story of how she had first encountered him and the Crown Princess inside the Lizheng Gate. She added, "At that time, I had just entered the palace and was unfamiliar with etiquette. When I unexpectedly met Your Highness, I forgot to bow. All the palace attendants around me lowered themselves in greeting, but I just stood there foolishly. Yet Your Highness didn’t mind at all. You smiled at me and even bowed slightly in return. At that moment, I thought, Your Highness is truly so kind!""I remember now," the Crown Prince said with a smile. "But that was only the first time you saw me. I first saw you much earlier than that."
"Ah?" Zhenzhen was quite surprised. "Your Highness had seen me before?"
The Crown Prince nodded. "The backyard of the Bureau of Palace Provisions is separated from the Eastern Palace by just one wall. One day, I was reading in the pavilion behind that wall. After a while, my eyes grew tired, so I walked to the railing to gaze into the distance. Suddenly, I heard a commotion in the backyard of the Bureau of Palace Provisions. Looking down, I saw several palace attendants stopping you, probably wanting to know which palace you wished to serve in. They asked you directly: 'The Crown Prince, Second Great King, or Third Great King—which one do you choose?' And you retorted, 'If I choose, will you give him to me?'"
Zhenzhen covered her face, laughing. "I’d forgotten I ever said such shameless words."
"I found it amusing, so I paid attention to you and remembered you," the Crown Prince said with a smile. Then, turning serious, he added, "Perhaps now you truly have a choice. Today, Second Great King came to me, asking me to transfer you to his palace. I refused because I knew you might not be willing to go. For now, continue as the Assistant Director of Meals. If, after spending some time together, you find me tolerable and feel that being my consort wouldn’t be too much of a hardship, then you are welcome to stay by my side. But if you think Second Great King is better, I am willing to let you go to him."
These words moved Zhenzhen deeply. She immediately stepped forward and bowed solemnly to the Crown Prince, thanking him for treating her with such kindness.
The Crown Prince gently took her elbow and helped her up, smiling as he said, "Today, your words, 'Why wait for a chosen day when today is as good as any,' echoed the boldness of your earlier remark, 'If I choose, will you give him to me?'... Don’t let sorrow defeat you. The spirited you is who you truly are."
"Rest early and come dine with me tomorrow," he said before leaving. "You must gather your spirits. When it comes to food, I might be even harder to please than The Emperor."
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