Zhao Yang came to the Prince's Mansion to visit Shen Wei, and news of this soon reached the Princess Consort's ears. However, the Princess Consort paid it no mind—she was currently overwhelmed with her own affairs.
Spring brought a flurry of miscellaneous tasks.
The Prince's Mansion's fields needed managing, tenant farmers in the estates required their wages, the profits from the shops had to be calculated, and new spring garments for the wives and concubines had to be arranged. The Princess Consort rubbed her temples wearily, staring at the piles of account books on her desk, her head throbbing.
In truth, during the first few years after her marriage into the Prince's Mansion, the Princess Consort had managed the household quite well. Unfortunately, she later shifted her focus entirely to the struggles among the wives and concubines and the education of the children, gradually growing unfamiliar with the intricacies of household management.
To make matters worse, she had no capable maids or matrons by her side to share the burden.
"Granny Liu, send someone to deliver these to the East Wing," the Princess Consort finally said, unable to bear the sight any longer. She ordered the account books to be handed over to Steward Fugui.
She then retreated to the prayer hall to continue her devotions.
A short while later, Granny Liu entered to report, "Princess Consort, Concubine Zhou from the South Courtyard wishes to see you. With spring arriving, she has made new clothes for her child and hopes to see him."
The Princess Consort lit an incense stick before the shrine and took a moment to recall who Concubine Zhou was. The Prince's Mansion had many concubines, and this Concubine Zhou came from an unremarkable family, initially entering the mansion as a mere maidservant.
Later, by sheer luck, she bore a son and was elevated to the status of concubine. Naturally, the child was handed over to the Princess Consort to raise. Every time Concubine Zhou wished to see her son, she had to come begging on her knees—nine times out of ten, she was turned away.
The Princess Consort replied indifferently, "Spring is a time for study. The children are well cared for by their tutors and servants in the schoolhouse. They lack for nothing, least of all a new set of clothes."
Granny Liu left the prayer hall and arrived at the entrance of Kunyu Courtyard, where she addressed the thin, haggard woman waiting there. "The Princess Consort is occupied, Mistress Zhou. You may return."
Concubine Zhou fell to her knees with a thud, clutching Granny Liu's sleeve as tears streamed down her face. "Granny Liu, please let me see the Princess Consort. Chengming is frail—he always coughs in spring. The schoolhouse is full of willow catkins—what if he inhales them and his coughing worsens?"
Her son, Li Chengming, was only five years old and had always been sickly.
Despite her desperate pleas, Granny Liu remained unmoved. "Each young master in the schoolhouse has attentive servants and learned tutors to guide their studies. Mistress Zhou, you need not worry."
With that, Granny Liu turned and reentered the courtyard, leaving behind the sound of Concubine Zhou's stifled sobs.
Inside the prayer hall, incense burned thickly before the compassionate Buddha.
The Princess Consort replaced the water in the vase before the shrine and asked Granny Liu, "I heard the Prince has postponed the full-month banquet for Shen Wei's daughter?"
Granny Liu confirmed, "Indeed. No doubt Shen Wei begged the Prince to delay it, unwilling to part with her child. My lady, postponing the full-month banquet is highly irregular."
The Princess Consort smiled mockingly. "It matters not. This Princess Consort can wait."
Had Shen Wei borne a son, the Princess Consort would have taken the child away immediately after the full-month celebration.
But Shen Wei had been unlucky—she had only given birth to a daughter. If Shen Wei wished to keep the child by her side a little longer, the Princess Consort was not angered.
In fact, she felt a secret satisfaction. Shen Wei had enjoyed Prince Yan's near-exclusive favor, basking in glory—yet in the end, she had only produced a useless daughter. How laughable.
Soon enough, mother and child would be separated. If Shen Wei wished to see her daughter, she would have to come begging on her knees. The thought of that delightful scene brought a smile to the Princess Consort's lips.
What did it matter how favored she was?
In the end, she was still just a concubine.
The Eastern Palace.
The Crown Prince handed a border report to Prince Yan. "The frontier has temporarily ceased hostilities. General Shen is stationed in Liangzhou. Shangguan Xuan has submitted a request to return to the capital for a short stay later this year before heading back to the border next year."
Prince Yan nodded. "Granted."
After discussing official matters for a while, a sweet voice called from outside the study: "Father! Wan'er has brought sweet soup for you and Uncle!"
The Crown Prince's daughter came skipping in, followed by a maid carrying two bowls of sweet soup.
Wan'er wore a delicate pink spring dress, her hair tied in two pretty buns. Her round, chubby face beamed as her embroidered little boots tapped against the floor. She handed the first bowl to the Crown Prince, her voice soft and sweet. "Father, you first."
Then she offered the second bowl to Prince Yan, smiling brightly. "Uncle, you too."
Prince Yan accepted it, studying the adorable little girl before him. Suddenly, he thought of the child Shen Wei had borne. In a few years, his own daughter would surely be even more delightful than Wan'er.
"Father and Uncle have worked hard! Wan'er won't disturb you any longer—I'm going to play with Nanzhi!" With that, she skipped away, her figure fluttering like a lovely butterfly.
The Crown Prince took a sip of the sweet soup. "Quite delicious."
Prince Yan tasted his and frowned. "Too sweet. How can you stomach this, Brother?"
The Crown Prince chuckled without answering.
As they drank, they continued discussing the spring imperial examinations. This year, the number of candidates was high, the Ministry of Rites' grading period was longer, and the selection criteria were stricter.
The Crown Prince advised Prince Yan, "Yuan Jing, the scholars selected this year will become assets in your hands. You must win them over early, appointing them based on merit, not background."
Prince Yan nodded. "I understand, Brother."
With the large number of candidates, the release of the results had been delayed. Prince Yan had already looked into it—Shen Wei's younger brother, Shen Xiuming, had written an excellent examination paper and was likely to pass.
Prince Yan had therefore postponed his daughter's full-month banquet. Once the examination results and palace rankings were announced, they could celebrate together.
It was dusk by the time Prince Yan left the Eastern Palace. The Prince's Mansion's grand black carriage rolled through the bustling streets of the capital.
By the roadside, a peddler selling rattle-drums called out cheerfully, "Come take a look! Rattle-drums, children's favorite rattle-drums!"
Unexpectedly, a grand black carriage halted right in front of his stall.
The horses pulling it were majestic, their manes glossy black. The carriage itself was luxurious, its dark curtains blocking out the light. Four armed guards stood on either side, imposing and fierce.
The peddler trembled in fear.
Whoever rode in such a carriage had to be a man of great importance in the capital. And stopping before his stall surely wasn't to make a purchase—in all his years of selling, his customers had almost exclusively been women and children.
Trembling, the peddler bowed to one of the guards, his legs shaking. "Sirs... this humble one has done no wrong... why, why have you stopped here?"
A slender, well-defined hand emerged from the carriage's black curtains, pointing at a colorful rattle-drum painted with carp on the stall.
The guard took out a purse. "My lord wishes to purchase this rattle-drum."
The peddler: "..."
With shaking hands, the peddler retrieved the beautiful rattle-drum and accepted the payment. When he looked up again, the magnificent carriage was already rumbling down the wide street, disappearing into the distance.
Prince Yan strode back into the Prince's Mansion, the newly bought rattle-drum in hand.
In the Glazed Pavilion, Shen Wei reclined on a soft couch, selecting fabrics for new spring garments while Cai Lian and Cai Ping entertained the child. Prince Yan entered briskly, and the maids discreetly stepped aside. Shen Wei looked up in surprise.
"Prince, you're back—what is that in your hand?"
Prince Yan eagerly leaned over the cradle.
The little infant, upon seeing Prince Yan, immediately became excited, waving her chubby little hands and babbling sweetly as if greeting him.
Prince Yan's heart melted.
The exhaustion accumulated from a long, busy day vanished in an instant.
