As the chief eunuch of Taiyang Palace, Liu Zhongbao had always been cautious and discreet in his words and actions. Even the civil officials, who were notoriously critical of eunuchs, rarely found fault with him.
The Emperor had chosen the young lady of the Ming family to be the Princess Consort of the Fifth Prince, not because of her character or appearance, but because of her status as a daughter of the Ming family.
It is often said that the Emperor's heart is inscrutable, but even an emperor is human. When it comes to a favored child, he always considers many things and paves the way for them.
The main gate of the Ming residence was wide open, and Liu Zhongbao immediately spotted the young girl standing beside Lady Shen, dressed in a floral-patterned ruqun. She was like a tender bud on a willow branch in early spring, full of vitality. Her eyes, in particular, were like those of a clever cat under the moonlight, endearing and lovable.
"Lady, young lady," Liu Zhongbao greeted respectfully, and as he raised his head, he saw the young lady of the Ming family curtsy in return, her sparkling eyes filled with unabashed curiosity and innocent joy.
Liu Zhongbao winked at her and returned her smile.
Jiuzhu covered her mouth and giggled secretly. Seeing that her mother and sixth brother hadn't noticed her, she quickly put her hand down, once again the picture of a well-behaved young girl.
Lady Shen noticed that Liu Zhongbao hadn't brought any imperial edict with him and invited him into the main hall, instructing the servants to prepare fruits and tea. "I apologize that my husband is still at the Ministry of Rites and hasn't returned yet to receive such an esteemed guest," she said politely.
"You are too kind, Lady," Liu Zhongbao replied amiably, taking a sip of tea. "Minister Ming is loyal to the Emperor and dedicated to his duties. Having such a virtuous minister is a blessing for our great Yu dynasty. Even His Majesty often praises Minister Ming."
"This old servant has come today on behalf of His Majesty and Consort Su," Liu Zhongbao said with a benevolent smile, like a kind old man. "Since the engagement between the Fifth Prince and your daughter was announced, His Majesty has been occupied with state affairs and has not had the chance to meet Young Lady Ming. Tomorrow is Consort Su's birthday, and His Majesty, knowing that the young lady has just returned to the capital, is concerned that she might not have everything prepared. Thus, he sent me to deliver some items."
Lady Shen expressed her gratitude with a smile. "Thank you for His Majesty and Consort Su's kindness."
"As long as Lady and the young lady do not find them unworthy," Liu Zhongbao said, raising his hand. Palace servants filed in, carrying or holding various items, and soon the entire hall was filled to the brim.
Looking at the mountain of gifts, Lady Shen couldn't help but wonder just how poor their family appeared in the eyes of the imperial family that their future in-laws felt the need to send so many gifts so frequently.
There were gold and silver jewelry, fine silks, books, paintings, writing tools, musical instruments, jade artifacts, and even toys that young, unmarried girls would enjoy.
"His Majesty has heard that the young lady has a great talent for painting, so he specially prepared the finest pigments and brushes for her," Liu Zhongbao said, opening one of the boxes, which was filled with small containers of pigments.
Ming Cunfu, sitting nearby, couldn't help but show a look of envy.
"And these paintings," Liu Zhongbao opened another large box filled with scrolls, "are for the young lady to enjoy."
Lady Shen thought of the paintings her daughter had done in her spare time and then looked at the pigments and famous paintings before her, letting out a long sigh in her heart.
"Thank you, Your Majesty and Consort Su. I truly love these gifts," Jiuzhu said, her eyes shining as she looked at the box full of pigments.
"As long as the young lady is pleased," Liu Zhongbao said, then turned to Lady Shen and asked, "This old servant recalls that Minister Ming's ancestors once held a noble title?"
"Our ancestors once held the lowest rank of baron, but it is nothing to boast about," Lady Shen replied with a smile. "My husband and his brothers have since been removed from the Lingzhou family registry and established their own household. The glories of the past should no longer be mentioned."
"Lady, there is no need to be modest. When people today speak of the Ming family, they naturally think only of the Ming family of the capital. What does it matter what others think?" Liu Zhongbao smiled. "What our ancestors achieved, their descendants can surely achieve as well, and perhaps even surpass them."
Before Lady Shen could respond, Liu Zhongbao stood up. "This old servant has imperial duties to attend to and cannot stay long. I must take my leave now."
"It is almost time for lunch. Please stay and have a meal before you go," Jiuzhu urged.
"Thank you for your kindness, young lady. If there is an opportunity in the future, this old servant will certainly enjoy the delicacies of your esteemed household," Liu Zhongbao said with a smile, bowing to Jiuzhu. "Please come to the palace early tomorrow. Consort Su is looking forward to seeing you."
"I, too, am eager to see Consort Su," Jiuzhu replied with a curtsy. "I will surely arrive early at Bright Moon Palace to pay my respects to Her Highness."
Lady Shen: "..."
My dear daughter, you probably don't realize that there is a kind of polite remark in this world that is not meant to be taken literally.
"Then this old servant will await the young lady's arrival at the palace," Liu Zhongbao said, leaving with his entourage. Ming Cunfu quickly escorted them to the gate.
"Young Master Ming, there is no need to see us off," Liu Zhongbao said, glancing at the plaque above the gate of the Ming residence. "Please rest assured, His Majesty and Consort Su are both very fond of Young Lady Ming."
After seeing Liu Zhongbao off, Ming Cunfu was puzzled. The chief eunuch had gone through all this trouble just to deliver gifts to Jiuzhu? As for the matter of the horse farm, he hadn't even mentioned it.
It is often said that the imperial family is suspicious, but where was the suspicion in this?
Today's events were anything but imperial.
Jiuzhu didn't know whether the imperial family was suspicious or not, but with so many pigments now in her possession, she was extremely happy.
She felt she could paint a grand landscape of a thousand mountains, but before she could even start her painting, Lady Shen persuaded her to return to her room.
She needed to try on the palace attire, jewelry, and shoes she would wear the next day when entering the palace.
"Not a single detail can be out of place," Lady Shen said, her tone unusually serious as she looked in the direction of the imperial palace. "Jiuzhu, the moment you step into Bright Moon Palace tomorrow, in the eyes of others, you will no longer be just the daughter of the Ming family. You will be the future Princess Consort of Chen."
Jiuzhu stared at Lady Shen in surprise.
"Don't be afraid," Lady Shen said softly, gently stroking her daughter's hair. "Your mother will always be here to help you."
"Mother, don't be sad," Jiuzhu said, looking at Lady Shen's smile. Though her mother was smiling, Jiuzhu knew she was sad, for her mother's eyes were filled with nothing but her.
"I'm not afraid," Jiuzhu said earnestly, kneeling in front of Lady Shen so that her mother wouldn't miss a single expression on her face. "As the sage Laozi said, 'True words are not beautiful; beautiful words are not true. A good person does not argue; one who argues is not good.' Human hearts are complex, and though I may not fully understand them, I know how to protect myself. You can rest assured, I am quite clever."
"Yes, our Jiuzhu is very clever," Lady Shen said with a smile. "There is no smarter young lady in the world than you, right?"
"Right," Jiuzhu nodded.
"Oh, you," Lady Shen sighed, both helpless and amused. What clever child would declare herself clever? It was like a drunk person who would never admit to being drunk.
She held her daughter, whom she had worked so hard to find, in her arms, her gaze resolute.
The candlelight flickered like a bean, and Sun Caiyao listened to the sound of the wind outside the window, her fingers so cold she could no longer feel them.
Tomorrow was Consort Su's birthday at Bright Moon Palace, but in her dream, the celebration had ended before it even began, with the entire palace draped in mourning white.
People said that Consort Su had gone mad, setting up a memorial for a junior as an elder.
All Sun Caiyao remembered was the endless white mourning cloth in her dream, fluttering in the cold night wind, chilling and eerie.
"Young lady, it's time to sleep."
Her frozen fingers twitched slightly, and Sun Caiyao snapped out of her reverie, only to realize that her back was drenched in cold sweat.
Before dawn, Jiuzhu had already gotten out of bed and was sitting in front of the bronze mirror, waiting for her maids to help her with her makeup.
Today, she was going to meet the fairy-like Consort Su, and she wanted to make sure she looked her best.
"Young lady," Chunfen yawned, glancing at the still-dark window. "Isn't it a bit too early for you to be up?"
"I promised Eunuch Liu that I would go early to see Her Highness today," Jiuzhu said with an apologetic smile to Chunfen and the other maids. "I'm sorry to trouble you all."
Chunfen: "..."
My dear young lady, there's no need to take polite remarks so seriously.
In Bright Moon Palace, Consort Su was getting ready for the day. A new box of jewelry had been delivered, and as she sifted through the pieces, she suddenly picked up a hairpin shaped like a dragonfly perched on a lotus.
"This hairpin would suit Jiuzhu perfectly," she said, handing it to her lady-in-waiting. "Wrap it up and give it to her discreetly when she arrives."
With so many female guests at the banquet, it wouldn't be appropriate to give Jiuzhu jewelry openly. But such beautiful things should be reserved for her future daughter-in-law, not given to outsiders.
"These earrings have a fresh, youthful color that would brighten any young lady's complexion. Set them aside for Jiuzhu as well," Consort Su said, picking out a pile of items to save for her future daughter-in-law.
The lady-in-waiting hesitated, then spoke cautiously, "Your Highness, with so many items gathered together, the target becomes too conspicuous. It would be difficult to deliver them 'secretly.'"
"Liu Zhongbao mentioned that Jiuzhu would arrive early today. Arrange for someone to meet her at the palace gates. Many noble ladies are entering the palace today, and since she has just returned to the capital, I fear some ill-mannered individuals might cause her distress."
As she spoke, Consort Su's mind conjured images of Jiuzhu being mistreated by others. "Send two high-ranking ladies-in-waiting to accompany her. Go now."
The personal lady-in-waiting, Xiangjuan, thought to herself: "Your Highness, the families of civil officials are known for their politeness and meticulousness in speech, but they are also rigid in their actions. How could the Ming family allow their daughter to enter the palace so early, risking the reputation of currying favor with a consort?"
However, seeing the earnest expression on Consort Su's face and the box filled to the brim with jewelry, Xiangjuan dared not dampen her enthusiasm. "Your Highness, I will personally go to the palace gates to receive Miss Ming."
By going herself, she could find excuses to soften any potential disappointment for Consort Su.
"Very well," Consort Su nodded. "I trust you the most in handling such matters."
Xiangjuan exited the room and summoned two high-ranking palace maids to accompany her.
"Aunt Xiangjuan, who are we going to receive?" one of the maids asked, puzzled. Given Consort Su's status, who could possibly warrant Xiangjuan's personal attention?
"Silence," Xiangjuan replied expressionlessly. "Just carry out Her Highness's orders diligently. Do not ask unnecessary questions."
"Yes," the maid replied, not daring to inquire further, and obediently followed behind Xiangjuan.
"Isn't this Xiangjuan from Bright Moon Palace?" Consort Ning, seated on her palanquin, called out as they passed on the palace pathway. "Today is Consort Su's birthday. Shouldn't you be attending to her instead of being here?"
Xiangjuan curtsied politely but remained silent.
Consort Ning lowered her gaze. "For Consort Su's birthday, I ordered my unruly nephew to stay at home to avoid causing any disturbances. I hope Consort Su is satisfied with this arrangement."
Xiangjuan understood that Consort Ning was still harboring resentment over the incident where the young master of the Zheng family was sent to Princess Consort of Qi for "discipline."
She bowed deeply. "Thank you, Your Highness, for your magnanimity."
Consort Ning's expression stiffened, but she suppressed her anger.
The people of Bright Moon Palace, from top to bottom, will one day meet their downfall due to their arrogance.
We shall see.
After seeing off the visibly frustrated Consort Ning, Xiangjuan arrived at the palace gates and stood still. It was still early, and aside from the guards on duty, the area was silent.
Xiangjuan slightly lowered her gaze, no longer looking ahead. She was not surprised by this outcome.
Suddenly, the sound of a carriage echoed from afar.
She quickly looked up, her gaze fixed in the distance. Reason told her that even if a carriage arrived, it might not be Miss Ming. Yet, her heart clung to a faint, inexplicable hope.
The carriage stopped at the palace gates. The coachman placed a footstool in front of the carriage, and two maidservants stepped out first.
The carriage curtain was lifted, and a young girl dressed in wide-sleeved palace attire, her hair styled in a lily bun, emerged.
She raised her head, her eyes meeting Xiangjuan's, and smiled brightly and innocently. "Aunt Xiangjuan."
Xiangjuan's hands, resting in front of her abdomen, trembled slightly. She stepped forward and bowed. "Greetings, Miss Ming."
"Am I late?" Jiuzhu pointed to her head. "It took a full half-hour to style this bun."
"You look beautiful today," Xiangjuan said, extending her hand to support Jiuzhu's arm respectfully. "Her Highness has been eagerly awaiting your arrival and sent me here to welcome you."
The palace gown was intricate, and Jiuzhu dared not walk too quickly. "Thank you for Her Highness's care. I'm sorry to trouble you, Aunt Xiangjuan."
"It is no trouble," Xiangjuan smiled. "I am glad to have received you."
"Miss Ming, stay right where you are."
The sound of hoofbeats approached from behind. Jiuzhu turned around upon hearing the familiar voice and saw Prince Chen galloping toward her on horseback.
The horse came to a halt in front of Jiuzhu. Prince Chen pulled on the reins, dismounted, and his cape billowed dramatically in the wind, exuding an air of grandeur.
"Your Highness," Jiuzhu's silk shawl fluttered slightly from the wind stirred by Prince Chen's dismount. She looked up at him.
He was so tall, standing nearly half a head above her.
