"Granny Rong, don’t forget to send money to the Temple of Literature for my mother and brother. Also, deliver the new pair of boots I made to my brother."
"Keep a close eye on the movements within the Prince’s residence. Record any unusual occurrences and report them to me as soon as I return."
Shen Wei issued her orders methodically, explaining in detail the tasks each person needed to carry out. Only after everything was clear did she dismiss everyone to prepare for the upcoming trip to Dongshan.
Time flew by, and the next morning, Shen Wei accompanied Prince Yan as they boarded the royal carriage heading to the Dongshan hunting grounds.
Having traveled back in time to this ancient era, this was Shen Wei’s first long journey. Sitting in the spacious and luxurious carriage, she felt a sense of novelty.
As the carriage left the inner city of Yanjing and entered the outskirts, dozens of carriages, both large and small, were already waiting.
The royal guards led the procession, escorting the royal carriages and those of the nobility as they set off in a grand parade along the official road toward Dongshan.
Shen Wei secretly lifted the dark curtain of the carriage and saw the long procession on the road. Black banners bearing the character "Qing" fluttered in the wind, while in the distance, rolling green mountains stretched endlessly. A gentle breeze carried the faint fragrance of unknown flowers and plants.
Having been confined to the Prince’s residence for so long, the sight of majestic mountains and rivers was a refreshing and novel experience.
Shen Wei also noticed another luxurious carriage behind Prince Yan’s, bearing the banner of "Zhao Yang." It was the carriage of the Zhao Yang Princess. She hadn’t expected the princess to join the Dongshan hunting trip.
During the spring banquet, Shen Wei had once saved the Zhao Yang Princess’s life. She wondered if the noble princess still remembered that small act of kindness.
Prince Yan, noticing Shen Wei’s curious glances, couldn’t help but smile faintly. "It will take three more hours to reach Dongshan. Rest for now."
Shen Wei lowered the carriage curtain and obediently sat beside Prince Yan, pouring him a cup of cool mint tea. "I rarely leave the residence, so seeing such a grand scene is quite thrilling."
Despite her words, the rocking motion of the carriage gradually made Shen Wei feel drowsy. Her head slowly tilted and came to rest on Prince Yan’s lap, and she ended up sleeping through the entire journey.
Any other concubine would never dare to sleep on Prince Yan’s lap.
But Shen Wei dared.
She was determined to cross that line step by step, slowly increasing Prince Yan’s tolerance for her.
Prince Yan looked down at Shen Wei, who was sound asleep. Her small, round face was fair and delicate, her eyelashes slightly curled, making her look like a sleeping child—adorable.
A faint smile crossed his lips as he draped a thin robe over her. Then, he opened the scrolls presented by his officials and began reviewing them with full concentration.
...
While Shen Wei was on her way to Dongshan, a major incident occurred at Prince Yan’s residence.
The Princess Consort was leisurely drinking tea in the courtyard, while a young maid carefully massaged her shoulders. The incense in the shrine burned slowly, filling the courtyard with the rich scent of sandalwood.
The sound of hurried footsteps came from outside, and Granny Liu rushed in.
"Princess Consort, there’s news about Zhang Yue in the storage room," Granny Liu said breathlessly, beads of sweat forming on her forehead.
The Princess Consort set down her teacup. "What? Did Zhang Yue die? No matter. Wrap her in a straw mat and throw her in the mass grave."
In the inner quarters of the Prince’s residence, it was common for concubines to take their own lives out of loneliness. The Princess Consort was well-practiced in handling such matters.
Granny Liu, too flustered to wipe the sweat from her brow, informed her, "Zhang claims to be pregnant. I had a physician examine her, and she is indeed one month along."
The Princess Consort was momentarily stunned before the realization set in.
After a moment of thought, a mocking smile crossed her lips. "Zhang is quite lucky. With this child, her life is spared."
Shen Wei had been favored by Prince Yan for months, yet her belly remained unchanged.
Zhang Yue, who had only been with the Prince a few times, had somehow managed to conceive. This was the first child in the Prince’s residence in two years. If Prince Yan found out, he would surely be delighted.
Granny Liu asked cautiously, "Princess Consort, how should we handle Zhang?"
The Princess Consort smiled calmly. "Stop her daily beatings for now and send her back to the Rose Courtyard to recover. Assign a physician to treat her injuries. We’ll let the Prince decide her fate when he returns from Dongshan."
Granny Liu nodded. "I’ll see to it immediately."
With that, Granny Liu hurried off to arrange Zhang Yue’s care. The Princess Consort slowly made her way to the prayer hall, where a maid handed her three sticks of incense.
The white jade statue of Guanyin stood tall and serene, her compassionate gaze fixed on the devotee.
The Princess Consort offered the incense with reverence. "May the Bodhisattva protect us."
The Empress in the palace had long been dissatisfied with the Princess Consort, blaming her for not bearing children for Prince Yan. Now that Zhang Yue was pregnant, perhaps this would silence the Empress’s criticisms.
The news of Zhang Yue’s pregnancy quickly spread throughout the residence, eventually reaching the ears of those in the Glazed Pavilion.
Cai Ping was pacing anxiously. She grabbed Nanny Rong’s arm. "Nanny Rong, that Zhang Yue is so lucky! With this child, she’ll strut around the residence like she owns the place! What will happen to our mistress?"
Nanny Rong, dressed elegantly, was preparing to leave for the Temple of Literature to deliver money to Shen Wei’s mother and brother, Shen Xiuming, while also planning to "mock and belittle" them.
Nanny Rong smiled faintly, comforting Cai Ping. "There are many concubines in the residence with children. Do you see them being favored? Besides, Zhang’s pregnancy is rather suspicious. She’s frail, and the Prince has only visited her a handful of times. How could she conceive so quickly?"
Cai Ping thought about it. Many concubines with children lived in cold, neglected courtyards, rarely visited by the Prince.
Having served in the residence for years, Nanny Rong saw things clearly. "Having a child doesn’t guarantee favor. Even if Zhang Yue gives birth, she won’t be allowed to raise the child. She’s merely paving the way for the Princess Consort."
Among the social classes, merchants were at the bottom. Zhang Yue, born into a merchant family, would never rise in status, even if she bore a child.
In the end, Zhang Yue would remain a mere concubine for life.
Nanny Rong believed Shen Wei’s approach was far wiser. Shen Wei had been pushing her brother, Shen Xiuming, to study hard. If he passed the imperial exams next spring, Shen Wei could rise to the rank of secondary consort or even higher.
Cai Ping glanced around and whispered to Nanny Rong, "Nanny, I’ve also heard a rumor. The Princess Consort has carefully selected a talented and beautiful merchant’s daughter from Jiangnan. She’s already on her way to Yanjing."
Nanny Rong narrowed her eyes. "Find out as much as you can about this Jiangnan woman. The more details, the better. When our mistress returns, she’ll know how to handle it."
Compared to the pregnant Zhang Yue, Nanny Rong was more wary of the new concubine from Jiangnan.
Cai Ping nodded proudly. "Don’t worry, Nanny. I have plenty of connections in the residence."
Cai Ping, the gossip enthusiast, had access to a wide network of information. With Shen Wei’s encouragement, she had already established a small intelligence network within the residence.
Nanny Rong left the residence discreetly to carry out her tasks at the Temple of Literature. Meanwhile, Cai Ping stayed behind in the Glazed Pavilion, dusting the furniture with a feather duster.
As she worked, a faint voice called out from outside the pavilion. "Cai Ping, Cai Ping~"
