Youthful Glory

"Shen Yu?" Ming Tan paused. "He should be... still unmarried. Why do you ask?" She played a leaf card, glancing hesitantly at the Sixth Princess.

The Sixth Princess had intended to speak directly, but upon noticing the presence of Princess Consort Yu, Bai Minmin, and Zhou Jingwan playing leaf cards with her, she swallowed her words. Pretending nothing was amiss, she casually said, "It's nothing," then clasped her hands behind her back and skipped away lightly on her toes.

Ming Tan had originally been playing backgammon with Bai Minmin. When Princess Consort Yu arrived, eager to join, but backgammon being a two-player game, Ming Tan pulled Zhou Jingwan—who had been doing embroidery nearby—into switching to leaf cards instead.

As they played and chatted, Princess Consort Yu asked why the Sixth Princess of Nanlü had visited her tent early that morning. Ming Tan had just begun answering when the Sixth Princess rode back from the dense forest to the encampment.

Watching her leave, Bai Minmin patted Ming Tan and said, "Could it be that the Sixth Princess has taken a liking to Young General Shen?"

Ming Tan didn’t answer, lost in thought, while Zhou Jingwan and Bai Minmin exchanged knowing glances.

Princess Consort Yu wasn’t very familiar with Shen Yu. After playing her card, she pondered for a while before asking, "Is Young General Shen the younger brother of the Li family’s second daughter-in-law?"

"Exactly," Bai Minmin replied. "He’s also distantly related to A Tan—close enough to call cousins. He and his sister used to live at Jing'an Marquis Manor."

Princess Consort Yu nodded slowly. "Now I remember. I’ve heard Young General Shen is exceptionally brave and skilled in battle, highly trusted by Prince Dingbei."

Ming Tan neither confirmed nor denied this.

After marrying into Prince Dingbei's Manor, she had hardly seen Shen Yu. Recalling his past feelings for her... surely they had faded by now? If any lingering affection remained, her husband wouldn’t have kept him so close.

Thinking this way, Shen Yu and the Sixth Princess seemed quite well-matched.

...

At noon, the Sixth Princess returned from the forest with a white fox she had hunted. Eagerly, she presented it to Ming Tan, offering its pelt for a cloak, while subtly probing for more information about Shen Yu.

Feeling obliged by the gift, Ming Tan reluctantly shared what she knew.

"He’s your cousin?" The Sixth Princess was shocked.

"Well, technically. We’ve always called each other that, but we’re actually quite distantly related—three generations removed."

The Sixth Princess seemed to ignore this, her limited mental capacity busy calculating. "So if he becomes my consort, I’d be your cousin-in-law?"

Ming Tan: "..."

Nothing was even settled, yet she was already scheming to elevate her status.

The Sixth Princess pressed on, "Since he’s neither married nor betrothed, does he have someone he likes? At his age, shouldn’t he have already been matched in your Daxian?"

This question—

Ming Tan hesitated.

"A girl he likes... probably not." She weighed her words carefully, emphasizing "girl."

The Sixth Princess wasn’t entirely oblivious to implications. Her eyes widened. "Does that mean he likes a man?!"

...?

"No, no, that’s not what I meant. I meant... the one he likes might no longer be a girl. Perhaps... she’s already married?"

Ming Tan didn’t want to hide the truth. Misunderstandings often arose from concealment. Better to clarify things early, especially since there was nothing between her and Shen Yu to begin with.However, it was truly too embarrassing for her to outright claim that Shen Yu had once fancied her. Thus, she could only hint at it repeatedly.

The Sixth Princess sighed in relief: "Since you're already married, then it doesn't matter anymore."

She casually picked up a grape, but before putting it in her mouth, she suddenly realized something. Suspiciously raising her eyes, she looked at Ming Tan, who appeared slightly guilty: "The one he liked... couldn't it be you?"

"He... actually... a long time ago... I suppose now it's already—"

The Sixth Princess put down the grape, her round face tightening: "You!"

"I have absolutely no interest in cousin," Ming Tan quickly assured.

"You're just a bit prettier, why are you so popular!"

"Appearance isn't something I can control," Ming Tan said with an innocent expression.

The Sixth Princess couldn't help but glare at her.

After sulking for a while, for some reason, she seemed to come to terms with it herself: "Well, I once fancied Prince Dingbei, and he once fancied you. That makes us even."

Though she muttered this under her breath, after walking a short distance away, she turned back resentfully and took the white fox with her.

Ming Tan had genuinely been considering what style of white fox cloak to make, but now there was no need to plan—this little princess was far too pragmatic!

...

By evening, Jiang Xu and his party returned from the hunt with a bountiful haul. Emperor Chengkang was so pleased that he distributed all the game he had personally hunted among his ministers.

Jiang Xu had also managed to hunt two red foxes as he wished.

With the new fox pelts in hand, Ming Tan's eyes curved into happy crescents, finally putting aside her earlier frustration over the Sixth Princess taking the white fox.

"By the way, Husband, did cousin Shen Yu come to the hunting grounds today?" Ming Tan suddenly asked, remembering something.

Jiang Xu gave a noncommittal "Hmm": "He was away on official business yesterday and only arrived today." As he spoke, he glanced at her subtly.

Ming Tan, assuming Jiang Xu was unaware of Shen Yu's feelings for her, wanted to gather more information about Shen Yu's recent activities for the Sixth Princess: "What kind of business is he handling now? I think I heard Cousin Hua mention that he was promoted?"

Jiang Xu patiently answered a few questions, but every time he responded, she had another one ready.

Finally, Jiang Xu couldn't hold back any longer and asked sternly, "Why are you so intent on asking about Shen Yu?"

Ming Tan paused, then smoothly deflected: "He... is my cousin. I haven't heard news of him in a long time. Isn't it normal for me to be concerned?"

She didn't mention the Sixth Princess's interest in Shen Yu, as it wouldn't do a young lady's reputation any good to casually discuss such affections.

Jiang Xu replied coldly, "He's a cousin three thousand li removed. What kind of cousin is that?"

Ming Tan: "......?"

Jiang Xu suddenly stood up and added, "This prince just remembered—your mother has long suffered from knee pain. Perhaps the red fox pelts should be given to her instead. You rest first; I have matters to attend to outside."

It seemed that merely banning Shen Yu from the prince's residence wasn't enough. A chance encounter today had already stirred up so many thoughts.

Ming Tan had no idea what he was thinking and was utterly bewildered.

Giving the pelts to her mother wasn't a bad idea, but hadn't he promised to make a cloak for her? Why had her husband suddenly changed his mind?

In a single day, Ming Tan had lost three fine fox pelts, leaving her feeling rather despondent. Meanwhile, Jiang Xu left the tent and went straight to find Shen Yu, intending to assign him some official business that would take him far from the capital.Shen Yu had no objections to leaving the capital on official business and was about to agree when he heard his lord coldly admonish, "Since the Consort is now the Consort, it would be best if you did not see her again in the future. Any improper thoughts should be abandoned."

"......?"

"What do you mean, my lord? This subordinate does not understand."

Jiang Xu gazed at him silently.

His expression was genuinely confused and sincere—he truly didn't comprehend.

"You did not see the Consort today?"

Shen Yu shook his head. "Is something the matter with the Consort?"

Jiang Xu paused briefly, then gave him a look that clearly said "mind your own business" before turning away wordlessly, hands clasped behind his back.

The next day was the archery competition.

Such contests were usually reserved for young men to showcase their skills. Jiang Xu only participated in the opening shot and did not compete afterward. Shen Yu, however, thanks to his response the previous night, was not ordered to leave the capital immediately on urgent business. Instead, he was allowed to participate, displaying the prowess of the Northern Army.

In the preparation area, the Sixth Princess, clad in riding attire and holding a longbow, darted straight to where Shen Yu was testing his bowstring. She beamed at him. "Young General Shen!"

Shen Yu was taken aback. "Sixth Princess."

Her lips curved, eyes crinkling into crescents. "You remember me."

"......"

They had just met yesterday, and he was no fool. Shen Yu found her remark somewhat puzzling.

"Oh, Young General Shen, you left your horse behind yesterday. I had it tied near my tent and even fed it myself."

"Ah... thank you, Sixth Princess." He had indeed forgotten about it.

"Then after the competition, I'll return it to you personally."

At the word "personally," Shen Yu felt uneasy again. "There's no need to trouble the Sixth Princess. If you like the horse, you may keep it."

"Really?" Her face lit up with delight. "You're giving it to me?"

Just as Shen Yu was about to nod, she added, "Then does this count as a token of affection?"

......?

How—how did this suddenly become a token of affection?

Shen Yu was stunned, taking a long moment to recover before swallowing hard and replying, "S-Sixth Princess, please be careful with your words! If others hear, it... it would tarnish your reputation."

The Sixth Princess looked puzzled. "How would this tarnish my reputation?"

Shen Yu didn't know where to begin explaining.

She then muttered, "Your Great Xian is so strange. Merely calling it a token of affection harms my reputation? Then the women of Great Xian must have a terribly hard time preserving their virtue."

Shen Yu: "......"

Truth be told, he felt the same way.

The Sixth Princess had another question for him, but asking directly might damage the embroidered pillow's reputation.

After some thought, she rephrased it: "Young General Shen, I heard you are yet unmarried. Do you currently have a woman you fancy?" She emphasized, "This includes both married and unmarried women."

Shen Yu was flustered, having never encountered such a straightforward woman before. His tongue tied itself in knots.

"Don't tell me the men of Great Xian also have reputations to protect? Is my question damaging yours now?" The Sixth Princess fell into deep confusion. Suddenly, she recalled something. "Now that I think of it, yesterday in the woods, you even held me. That must be even more serious, right? Doesn't that mean you should marry me?"