Youthful Glory

This seemed to be the first time Ming Tan had heard Jiang Xu call her adorable. She couldn't help but stare at him, momentarily stunned.

In that brief moment, most of her dress was peeled away as the man pressed close with his familiar air of dominance.

Their last intimate encounter had been at Pang Mountain. After several days without intimacy, this sudden closeness made Ming Tan inexplicably shy and somewhat uneasy—perhaps also because since the fire on the pleasure boat, she had realized her feelings for her husband went beyond mere marital duty.

Her soft little face flushed slightly, her lashes fluttering shyly as she half-lowered them. Her small hands restlessly pushed against him in light resistance, only deepening the desire in Jiang Xu's eyes.

Just as the room began to warm with passion, an abrupt announcement came from outside: "M-my Lord, the magistrate requests an audience."

This was the magistrate's residence, so the "magistrate" the maid referred to could only be the local prefect.

Jiang Xu, on the verge of ignoring the interruption, felt Ming Tan push against his chest. Between ragged breaths, she urged, "If the magistrate has come at this hour... it must be something important..."

After a pause, he turned his head toward the door and asked in a low voice, "What is it?"

"This servant does not know. The magistrate only asked to see you, my Lord."

The desire in Jiang Xu's eyes hadn't faded, but he eventually rolled off the bed, straightening his disheveled robes. Before leaving, he leaned down to pinch Ming Tan's cheek, his voice slightly hoarse: "Wait for me."

Ming Tan covered her right cheek where he'd pinched her, using her other hand to prop herself up on the bed. Shy and flustered, she wiped away the marks left by his kisses.

Outside, Jiang Xu strode through the courtyard gate without so much as glancing at the magistrate, his voice devoid of warmth: "This had better be urgent."

The magistrate was sweating profusely. If he'd had a choice, he wouldn't have dared disturb this fearsome lord either. But caught between offending the Su family or Jiang Xu, he'd chosen the lesser evil.

Bowing nervously, he stammered, "Y-Your Highness, a young lady named Qingyu from Huilou insists on seeing you."

"That's all?"

The magistrate nodded awkwardly. "She refuses to leave, claiming she has urgent matters to discuss with you... I-I didn't know how to refuse, so I had her wait in the reception hall."

In truth, he knew exactly how to refuse—had he truly been uncertain, the hidden guards would have turned her away. But since she'd invoked Yu Bozhong's name, and unwilling to offend the Su family, he'd escorted her to the hall before coming to fetch Jiang Xu.

As the magistrate anxiously awaited Jiang Xu's response, someone stepped forward calmly from behind: "Since she's here, we might as well see her."

Ming Tan had noticed Jiang Xu had forgotten his seal and, thinking it might be needed for official matters, had quickly changed clothes to catch up with him. She hadn't expected to overhear the magistrate's report upon arriving.

Only now did she remember—she'd been angry earlier, but his distractions had made her forget entirely.

He might have dismissed those other beauties, but he'd never explained about this Qingyu. And now, without him needing to fetch her, the woman had come knocking herself. Ming Tan was determined to see what made this person so remarkable.

Without waiting for Jiang Xu's response, she instructed the magistrate to lead the way.

In the reception hall, Qingyu sat poised in a new aqua-blue dress. She rose when the magistrate entered, but the joy at seeing Prince Dingbei in her peripheral vision froze momentarily when she noticed the unfamiliar woman beside him.The woman had snow-white skin and flower-like beauty, with bright eyes and pearly teeth. Her graceful steps were so captivating that one couldn't look away, as if she were a rare treasure—exquisite yet fragile, making people unconsciously hold their breath, afraid to breathe too freely.

Ming Tan also observed the woman before her. She was extraordinarily beautiful, yet there was a faint sense of familiarity, as if they had met somewhere before.

Consort Lan, the Empress, Bai Minmin, Zhou Jingwan, Shen Hua, Yun Yi… Many familiar, beautiful faces flashed through her mind, even recalling her own reflection in the mirror for a moment. No, none of them matched.

But those eyes and brows…

Before she could ponder further, Qingyu suddenly fell to her knees with a thud, kowtowing three times with a straight back, exuding an air of neither servility nor arrogance.

"This humble servant greets the Lord and the Lady."

On her way here, she had encountered the companions who had just been sent back to Huilou and learned that Prince Dingbei was heading to Lingzhou with his Lady accompanying him. Thus, the woman before her was undoubtedly the Lady.

Still kneeling, she continued, "This servant knows her status is lowly and unworthy of serving the Lord. However, the Superintendent of Maritime Trade is pressing hard. If the Lord refuses to accept me, I…" She kowtowed several more times toward Ming Tan. "I beg the Lady's mercy. I am willing to serve like an ox or a horse, never overstepping my bounds."

This display made that subtle sense of familiarity vanish abruptly.

As Ming Tan pondered where the familiarity came from, Qingyu mistook her silence for consideration and began recounting how difficult her life had been in Huilou since childhood, subtly hinting at her desperate desire to escape Huilou and the Su family.

Ming Tan took her seat at the head of the room and was about to speak when she caught sight of the painting "Goddess of the Luo River in Spring" hanging on the right side of the hall. In a flash of insight, she suddenly remembered something, her heart trembling as she instinctively turned to Jiang Xu.

Jiang Xu met her gaze, tacitly confirming her thoughts.

Ming Tan steadied herself, the weight in her chest lifting. She picked up her teacup, took a measured sip, and then looked down at Qingyu, who was still kneeling. Softly, she asked, "Miss Qingyu, you wish to leave Huilou, is that correct?"

"Yes," Qingyu answered without hesitation.

She had painstakingly convinced Yu Bozhong to let her come and try. No matter the means, she had to seize this chance to stay by Prince Dingbei's side—even if it meant burning bridges and offending the Su family.

Ming Tan mused, "The Prince's residence is not a sanctuary. If we were to take in everyone who pleads, there would be no room left to stand. However, Miss Qingyu does strike a chord with me. If you wish to leave Huilou, I can help you this once."

Qingyu suppressed her surging emotions, showing only gratitude on her face as she immediately prepared to kowtow in thanks.

As expected, her gamble had paid off. These pampered young ladies were soft-hearted. Facing them, it was better to humble oneself completely to win their sympathy.

But Ming Tan added, "There’s no need to rush with thanks, Miss Qingyu. I can help you leave Huilou and ensure Lord Yu won’t trouble you over this matter. But this favor ends here. Whether you leave or stay is entirely up to you. And once you leave, your future—whether in poverty or wealth—will be solely in your hands."

This meant she could help her leave Huilou but wouldn’t allow her into the Prince's residence? Qingyu looked up, meeting Ming Tan's gentle gaze.

"My Lady, this servant—""You need not answer in haste, Miss Qingyu. I shall give you a day to consider carefully. Should you wish to leave Huilou by sunset tomorrow, arrangements will be made for you."

Qingyu was momentarily speechless and instinctively turned to Jiang Xu, hoping he would speak on her behalf.

Earlier at Huilou, Prince Dingbei had clearly glanced at her more than once—surely that meant he wasn’t entirely indifferent to her. Where had things gone wrong?

After a long silence, Jiang Xu finally spoke—but not for her.

"Escort her out," he said coldly, without even looking at her. "Whether she accepts the Princess Consort’s mercy or not, I do not wish to see this person appear before me or my wife again." His indifference was palpable.

The journey back to the courtyard was silent. Ming Tan hesitated, wanting to say something but unsure how to begin. Her earlier emotions had faded, leaving only a faint unease for her husband.

When she had glimpsed the portrait in the hall, she finally realized why Qingyu’s features had seemed so familiar—they bore a striking resemblance to the painting of Crown Prince Mincong’s Consort hidden behind a scroll in the manor’s study.

She had once accidentally seen that portrait. It depicted her mother-in-law upon her investiture as Crown Princess Consort, dressed in formal regalia, her beauty captured with such lifelike detail that it was unforgettable.

Though Qingyu’s grace and bearing fell far short of the late Crown Princess Consort’s, a passing glance revealed an uncanny similarity in their eyes and brows. No wonder her husband had allowed her company.

He must miss his mother deeply.

He had lost his father before his first birthday, never knowing a father’s love. Yet his mother had lived until he was five before succumbing to illness—

"My mother was from the Yi family of Lingnan, a prominent lineage. From childhood, she was groomed to be a queen," Jiang Xu suddenly said, unprompted.

The Yi family of Lingnan? That was indeed an illustrious clan.

"After Father passed, the Sheng family sought to install the imperial grandson as heir. But Mother refused to let me become a pawn in their power struggles—she wished only for my safety and peace."

"Her choice brought great misfortune upon the Yi family. Their patriarch once denounced her as unworthy of the Yi name. She may not have been a fitting daughter of the Yi, but she was... an exceptional mother."

Before marrying into Prince Dingbei’s household, Ming Tan had inquired about his past. Her uncle had mentioned that as the former imperial grandson, his survival through two regime changes had been due in no small part to the Crown Princess Consort’s protection. Yet she had never delved deeper, unaware even of her mother-in-law’s origins.

After a pause, she ventured, "Husband, regarding Miss Qingyu... perhaps—"

"A mere superficial resemblance. How could she compare to my mother? Pay her no mind—nor any attention."

Ming Tan nodded slowly, though she secretly hoped Qingyu would make the wiser choice. With those faintly similar features, she could still seek a peaceful life.

Yet fate willed otherwise. The next day, news arrived—Qingyu had refused to leave Huilou.

As Huilou’s most accomplished courtesan, leaving would leave her with nothing but her face. Without a patron as powerful as the Su family, staying was her best option. The Su’s dominance in Lingzhou was absolute; with her skills, gaining favor after entering the household wouldn’t be difficult.

Learning this, Ming Tan felt an inexplicable melancholy. Each person had their own path—she couldn’t say the girl’s choice was entirely wrong.However, it seemed that her husband's affairs were nearing their end, and he would soon be leaving Lingzhou. As she packed his clothes, she fell into deep thought—what could she do for him?