"Your forehead..." Prince Chen lowered his head, his face drawing closer to Jiuzhu's.
What is His Highness doing? Although Miss Ming is his fiancée, this is the palace entrance. His actions seem a bit improper.
"Ah, it's a carp-shaped forehead decoration," Prince Chen straightened up. "Why does your carp look so chubby?"
"My mother said that women in the palace love forehead decorations. Today is Her Majesty's birthday, so I drew a carp for good luck," Jiuzhu leaned her forehead closer to Prince Chen, letting him see it more clearly. "I added gold powder to the tail. A golden tail symbolizes prosperity and longevity. Does it look good?"
"Did you draw it yourself?" Prince Chen looked at her fair face. She seemed so delicate and petite, yet she liked drawing chubby fish?
"Yes," Jiuzhu was confident in her skills.
"Well... it's passable," Prince Chen added, seeing her expectant gaze. "You're dressed nicely today."
Jiuzhu beamed with joy. "Since Your Highness approves, Her Majesty will surely be pleased."
Prince Chen felt something was off. Whose fiancée was she, exactly?
After hearing their conversation, Xiangjuan retracted the foot she had stepped forward.
She had overthought it, giving His Highness too much credit. There was no need for propriety here—just two "ten-year-olds" chatting.
"Let's go. I'm also heading to see my mother. You can come with me," Prince Chen tossed his horsewhip to his attendant and strode ahead.
After walking a distance, he glanced back and noticed Jiuzhu trailing behind, keeping a gap between them. He stopped and waited for her to catch up. "What's wrong?"
She used to be able to snap a thick branch of dogwood with her bare hands. Why was she walking so slowly today?
Did she not want to walk with him?
Jiuzhu tugged at her skirt, too embarrassed to let others hear, and whispered, "The hem is a bit long."
Seeing her cheeks flush with shyness, Prince Chen walked closer and lowered his voice. "No wonder women in the palace walk so slowly. It's the skirts holding them back."
Jiuzhu suddenly realized she wasn't the only one struggling with the wide sleeves and long hems of palace dresses.
"There's a consort in the palace who wore a dress with a hem two zhang long during the New Year banquet. On her way back, a strong wind blew, and the hem wrapped around her, giving everyone quite the show."
"Two zhang..." Jiuzhu had never heard of such a long dress. "How much fabric would that take?"
Prince Chen sized up Jiuzhu's figure and concluded, "Enough to make two outfits for you."
Jiuzhu marveled at how different the palace ladies were, able to wear such extravagant dresses.
Xiangjuan looked away, pretending not to hear their whispers. As long as she couldn't hear what they were saying, she would remain the most rule-abiding Xiangjuan Auntie of Bright Moon Palace.
"There are steps ahead," Prince Chen suddenly stopped and extended his arm to Jiuzhu.
"Huh?" Jiuzhu hesitated, then reached out to support Prince Chen.
Prince Chen: "..."
"Your hem is long. Hold onto my arm," he sighed. "I didn't mean for you to support me."
He was a grown man. He didn't need a young girl to help him up a few steps.
"Oh," Jiuzhu finally understood and placed her hand on Prince Chen's arm, smiling gratefully. "Thank you, Your Highness."
After descending the steps, Prince Chen awkwardly added, "You can keep holding my arm. Wouldn't want you to fall and cry."
"I don't cry," Jiuzhu explained earnestly. "Really."
Prince Chen: "..."
Xiangjuan lowered her head and slowed her pace, putting some distance between herself and the two.
If she got too close, she might overhear their conversation, and she was afraid she wouldn't be able to hold back her laughter.
The chief female official of Bright Moon Palace had her dignity to maintain.
"Your Majesty, His Highness and Miss Ming have arrived."
"Bring them in quickly."
"Mother, no need. I'm coming in myself," Prince Chen entered the room. "Bring me some breakfast. I was in such a hurry to get to the palace that I didn't have time to eat."
"Greetings, Your Majesty," Jiuzhu curtsied to Consort Su.
"Rise quickly," Consort Su personally helped Jiuzhu up, praising her. "Jiuzhu, you look absolutely beautiful today, especially that forehead decoration. It's quite charming."
"I drew it myself," Jiuzhu said, delighted by the compliment.
"Perfect. I was just unsure what design to choose," Consort Su took Jiuzhu's hand. "You can draw one for me, just like yours."
"Of course," Jiuzhu rolled up her wide sleeves. "Drawing is something I excel at."
Prince Chen was baffled. How had they gone from talking to drawing forehead decorations in just a few sentences?
She turned a carp into a chubby fish and still claimed to be skilled?
Watching the two huddle together, debating whether to use gold foil or gold powder for the fish tail, Prince Chen clicked his tongue. One dared to ask, and the other dared to draw. He wasn't sure who was bolder.
"Your Majesty is as beautiful as a celestial being. Any forehead decoration would suit you," Jiuzhu gently blended the tail with her brush, sincerely admiring. "They say the decoration enhances the person, but in Your Majesty's case, it's the person who enhances the decoration."
Consort Su laughed at Jiuzhu's sweet words. "Your tongue must be coated in honey. Did you eat something sweet before coming?"
"No honey, but I do love speaking the truth," Jiuzhu applied the gold powder, completing the golden tail. She set down the brush and knelt before Consort Su. "When I first saw Your Majesty, I truly thought you were a fairy descended from the heavens."
"If I'm a fairy, then you must be the most beloved little fairy under the Queen Mother of the West," Consort Su turned to her son, who was quietly eating breakfast. "Duqing, don't you agree?"
"Whatever you say. As long as you're happy."
It was his mistake for sitting here in the first place.
With no empress in the palace, Consort Su, as the highest-ranking consort, would receive the birthday greetings of high-ranking noblewomen at the Fei Feng Hall every year at the designated time.
Lady Shen arrived at Fei Feng Hall neither early nor late. After exchanging greetings with the other noblewomen, she took her seat, determined not to speak unless necessary.
Everyone noticed that Lady Shen hadn't brought her daughter into the palace, secretly wondering how dissatisfied the Ming family was with the engagement to Prince Chen that they wouldn't even bring their daughter to celebrate Consort Su's birthday.
The women exchanged glances, but no one approached Lady Shen.
Consort Su wasn't known for her understanding nature. With the Ming family showing such disrespect, things might get awkward later.
Sun Caiyao sat behind her mother, watching Lady Shen's calm demeanor with mixed feelings.
The world is driven by self-interest. These women, all afraid of offending the consort, wouldn't even approach Lady Shen...
The sound of clapping echoed outside the hall, followed by an announcement.
"Consort Su has arrived."
Sun Caiyao quickly stood and bowed toward the door.
Led by the consorts, the noblewomen all curtsied. "We congratulate Consort Su on her birthday and wish her longevity, health, and eternal youth."
"Bow, kneel."
"Bow again."
"Rise."
Sun Caiyao stood below, listening to the court official read the birthday tribute written by the Emperor himself for Consort Su, recalling many stories about her.
Years ago, a civil official had accused Consort Su of being unworthy of receiving the greetings of noblewomen. The Emperor, enraged, personally hosted a grand birthday banquet for her. Since then, the Emperor had written a birthday tribute for Consort Su every year and opened the main gates of Fei Feng Hall for her to receive the greetings of noblewomen.
Among the palace consorts, only Consort Su enjoyed such favor. Some whispered behind her back, calling her a bewitching consort, but no one dared to voice a single complaint in her presence.
"Thank you all for coming to celebrate my birthday. Please, take your seats," Consort Su sat gracefully at the head of the hall, addressing the crowd. "I thought a birthday shouldn't be such a grand affair, but the Emperor insisted that as the mistress of Bright Moon Palace, I should host a banquet to thank the noblewomen for managing their households, allowing their husbands to serve the empire without worry."
The noblewomen quickly expressed their humility.
"It is our husbands' honor to serve the nation."
"Your Majesty's consideration moves us deeply."
Consort Ning sneered inwardly. Who were they trying to fool? Everyone knew the Emperor was determined to elevate Consort Su, even treating her birthday with the grandeur of an empress's.
But no matter how much he favored her, the Ming family wouldn't even bring their daughter to the palace.
Consort Ning glanced mockingly at Consort Su, only to notice a fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl standing behind her. The girl was lovely, dressed in an exquisite palace gown, her forehead decoration strikingly similar to Consort Su's.
Who is this person?
"Jiuzhu," Consort Su beckoned Jiuzhu to her side, gently taking her hand and addressing the gathered ladies: "This child is young, kind-hearted, and delightfully innocent. I hope you will all look after her in the future."
The noblewomen who did not know Jiuzhu wondered inwardly who this girl was, to have Consort Su herself standing up for her.
Ming Jiuzhu?!
Sun Caiyao nearly lost her balance when she saw Ming Jiuzhu holding Consort Su's hand.
Why was she by Consort Su's side?
Why was Consort Su so affectionate toward her?!
Sun Caiyao's mind was in chaos. By the time she regained her composure, the noblewomen were already showering Jiuzhu with praise, even complimenting the unusual floral ornament on her forehead with phrases like "radiant and lively" and "full of good fortune."
In a flash, Sun Caiyao turned to look at Jiuzhu's mother, Lady Shen.
Lady Shen remained as composed as ever, showing neither joy at Jiuzhu being favored by Consort Su nor any hint of displeasure at her closeness to the imperial consort.
Seated in the first position on the left, Consort Ning watched as the young lady from the Ming family served tea to Consort Su and sneered coldly.
A child raised outside the family could never compare to a true noble lady. How shallow, to flatter so shamelessly, risking the family's reputation.
After the noblewomen paid their respects, they were led by palace attendants to the Bright Moon Palace to enjoy tea and watch a performance. Consort Su remained seated above, waiting for the princes and princesses to enter and pay their respects.
Jiuzhu wanted to leave with her mother but was kept behind by Consort Su.
"Jiuzhu, stay," Consort Su smiled at her. "You'll be interacting with them often in the future. It's good for them to get to know you sooner."
Her words seemed to carry a warning, as if telling them to tread carefully and not offend Jiuzhu.
Jiuzhu nodded blankly and returned to Consort Su's side. "Alright."
As expected of a fairy-like consort, her words were so commanding.
Soon, the princes and princesses entered the hall. Jiuzhu immediately spotted Prince Chen, now dressed in a robe embroidered with four coiled dragons. She lifted her skirt and descended the steps, curtsying to the royal siblings.
Prince Qi nodded slightly at her, exuding grace and charm.
Prince Chen glanced at the steps and raised an eyebrow at Jiuzhu. Why had she walked down so quickly? What if she had tripped? It would have been both painful and embarrassing.
Jiuzhu, thinking the prince was greeting her, smiled brightly, her eyes curving into crescents.
Prince Chen: "..."
Sigh.
