Jiuzhu had seen children cry, and she had seen the elderly cry, but she had never seen anyone cry so... beautifully and melodiously?
She had intended to step forward to offer comfort, but the sound of the other person's weeping was so captivating that she couldn't help but linger on the steps outside the pavilion, listening a little longer.
Concubine Liu had assumed Jiuzhu would come to console her, but after waiting for what felt like an eternity, there was still no movement from the other side. The atmosphere gradually grew awkward. She wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, pretending to notice Jiuzhu only then, and forced a brave smile. "Miss Ming."
Jiuzhu examined the woman, guessing that she must be one of the lower-ranking concubines in the palace. She curtsied slightly and, lifting the hem of her skirt, stepped into the pavilion. "The weather is chilly, please take care of yourself, Your Grace."
"I am merely an unfavored concubine in the palace, unworthy of being addressed as 'Your Grace' by Miss Ming," Concubine Liu stood up. "Please, take a seat, Miss Ming."
She noticed the embroidered red plum cloak Jiuzhu was wearing, which looked strangely familiar.
Sensing Concubine Liu's gaze, Jiuzhu touched the embroidery on the cloak and eagerly asked, "Isn't the embroidery on it beautiful?"
"Very beautiful," Concubine Liu nodded, though she couldn't help but feel that Jiuzhu was deliberately showing off the cloak.
"Your taste is excellent, Concubine. I also think it's beautiful," Jiuzhu smiled, her eyes curving into crescents. "Consort Su gifted it to me."
Concubine Liu: "..."
"Her Highness said that this cloak is warm without being heavy, elegant without appearing frivolous, which is why she specifically gave it to me," Jiuzhu, having finally found someone to boast to, became even more animated. "Her Highness is always so kind. I truly don't know how to repay her for such care and affection."
"The winter wind may be cold, but as a woman in the inner palace, there are many things I am powerless to change. I didn't mean to disturb you, Miss. Please forgive me for making a scene." Hearing the word "kind," Concubine Liu felt a deep discomfort in both body and mind.
To boast about how wonderful a favored consort is in front of a woman who had just been crying—was this something a decent person would do?
No wonder she had caught Consort Su's eye; they were clearly cut from the same cloth.
After saying this intriguing remark, Concubine Liu fell silent, waiting for Jiuzhu to press for more details.
"Oh," Jiuzhu remembered her teachers' advice: when encountering someone who is crying, do not pry into their reasons—this, in itself, is an act of kindness.
Concubine Liu looked at Jiuzhu, and Jiuzhu looked back at Concubine Liu. After a brief silence, Concubine Liu, seeing that Jiuzhu had no intention of asking further, reluctantly spoke up. "Miss, do you know who in the inner palace is most favored by His Majesty?"
"Consort Su, of course," Jiuzhu replied matter-of-factly. "Consort Su is so beautiful, kind-hearted, and has such a lovely voice. His Majesty must adore her the most."
Concubine Liu fell silent once more. Had the Ming family failed to teach their daughter proper manners? How could she say such tactless things?
"Yes, His Majesty has doted on Consort Su for many years," Concubine Liu smiled bitterly. "Since His Majesty ascended the throne, no new women have entered the palace. Those of us who have been here since his days as a prince are no longer in His Majesty's favor."
"Miss Ming, you may not know this, but in the vast inner palace, an unfavored concubine without children is as insignificant as a blade of grass on the ground."
"You mean..." Jiuzhu lowered her voice, gasping in surprise, "His Majesty doesn't give you any money?"
His Majesty didn't seem like the type to be stingy with his concubines.
"No, no, you misunderstand, Miss," Concubine Liu dared not speak ill of the Emperor. "His Majesty is benevolent and generous with the allowances for the concubines. The Palace Administration delivers cloth and silver every month."
Concubine Liu wasn't lying. The allowances for the palace concubines were never withheld, and their lives were far better than those of the unfavored concubines in the previous Emperor's harem.
"Miss, do you know how many days Consort Su has had the concubines copying scriptures?"
Jiuzhu nodded. "Has it not been ten days yet? Actually, according to grand rituals, scriptures should be copied for at least forty-nine days to show proper reverence. If one is undergoing ascetic practice, copying for eighty-one days is also common. But since the consorts are not practitioners, there's no need to be so strict."
Seeing that Concubine Liu had fallen silent, Jiuzhu looked at her in confusion. "Why have you stopped speaking, Concubine?"
Concubine Liu had nothing left to say. She hadn't expected that young Jiuzhu would be even more ruthless than Consort Su with her words.
Forty-nine days?
Eighty-one days?
Was this copying scriptures or observing a mourning period?
"N-no, it's nothing," Concubine Liu stood up. "I just remembered that I haven't finished today's scripture copying. I feel a bit uneasy."
She was afraid that if the conversation continued, she really would end up copying scriptures for eighty-one days.
"That's true. When copying scriptures, sincerity is of the utmost importance," Jiuzhu agreed wholeheartedly. "Copying scriptures is a way to accumulate merit and blessings. Consort Su is so kind-hearted. Not only does she provide the consorts with writing materials, but she also prepares quiet rooms for them. The consorts must be very grateful to her, right?"
"Haha," Concubine Liu laughed through gritted teeth. "Naturally, we are grateful."
She clutched her chest, which felt tight, and took a few deep breaths. "Thank you for keeping me company, Miss Ming. I should be going now."
As soon as she finished speaking, she felt her vision darken and her steps falter.
"Are you alright, Concubine?" Jiuzhu reached out to steady Concubine Liu's arm. "Let me escort you back."
"No, thank you, Miss Ming," Concubine Liu reacted as if struck by lightning, stepping back several paces and nearly leaping out of the pavilion to put as much distance between herself and Jiuzhu as possible. "Farewell."
Jiuzhu watched as Concubine Liu hurried away with quick, small steps, sighing with admiration. "The sincerity of the consorts in the palace when copying scriptures is truly moving."
Even she, who had grown up in a Taoist temple, couldn't match their devotion. She felt deeply ashamed.
Having witnessed the entire exchange, Liu Zhongbao approached Prince Chen with a smile and bowed. "Your Highness, this old servant must go to the inner palace to deliver an oral decree from His Majesty. I shall take my leave now."
Prince Chen waved his hand, indicating that Liu Zhongbao was free to go. He plucked a leaf and walked up behind Jiuzhu, intending to startle her with it.
"Ha!" Jiuzhu suddenly turned around, her cloak brushing lightly against Prince Chen's calf. It didn't hurt, but it tickled a little.
"It really is Your Highness," Jiuzhu chuckled softly.
Looking down at his calf, Prince Chen tossed the leaf aside. "When did you notice me?"
"I heard your footsteps," Jiuzhu said proudly. "Your Highness's footsteps are different from others. I recognized them immediately."
Prince Chen was slightly taken aback. "How are my footsteps different?"
"They just are," Jiuzhu thought for a moment. "I can't really explain it, but I can tell."
"Your ears are so sharp. Are you a dog?"
"Your Highness is so clever. How did you know I was born in the Year of the Dog?" Jiuzhu rummaged in her pouch and pulled out two mint candies, offering one to Prince Chen.
Catching the scent of mint from the candy, Prince Chen recalled how much he had loved sweets as a child. At thirteen, he had given up the habit after suffering from a severe toothache. He hadn't expected that, after so many years, someone would share candy with him like a child.
"Your Highness... don't you like it?" Noticing that the candy was still in Prince Chen's hand, Jiuzhu, with the candy in her mouth and her cheeks puffed out, mumbled, "It's mint-flavored."
Eight years ago, when Prince Chen had saved her from the river, he had given her mint candy. She still remembered the young maid by his side saying that it was His Highness's favorite.
"I haven't eaten candy in a long time," Prince Chen returned the candy to Jiuzhu. "You can keep it for yourself."
"Oh," Jiuzhu lowered her head, looking at the mint candy Prince Chen had returned to her. She absentmindedly sucked on the sweetness of the candy in her mouth, as if even the dragonfly hairpin on her bun had lost its vigor.
"Though, it wouldn't hurt to try it once in a while," Prince Chen took the candy back and popped it into his mouth.
"How is it?" Jiuzhu looked up at him, her eyes sparkling.
"Not bad," Prince Chen felt a slight stirring in his heart as he looked at the young girl gazing up at him. "It reminds me of a candy I used to eat as a child."
Jiuzhu smiled happily.
"What are you smiling about?" Prince Chen poked the dragonfly hairpin on Jiuzhu's bun, causing its wings to flutter energetically.
Jiuzhu untied the small candy pouch from her waist. "Your Highness, I'm giving all of these to you."
Prince Chen wanted to tell her that just because he had liked something as a child didn't mean he still would as an adult. But the thought of her possibly giving him the sad, puppy-eyed look if he told her the truth made him reach out and accept the pouch.
This wasn't him being soft-hearted—he just didn't want to deal with a child's disappointment.
"Why did you come here alone without any palace maids accompanying you?" Prince Chen looked around and finally spotted two maids standing outside the pavilion. He frowned, "From now on, when you're in the palace, make sure the servants stay by your side at all times."
Jiuzhu, though puzzled, nodded in agreement.
After tying the sugar pouch to her waist, Prince Chen glanced at the embroidered design on it. With a look of mild disdain, he pulled his cloak over his chest to cover the pouch and said with a teasing smile, "Some ladies in the palace have a habit of tripping while walking. Having maids around will help you catch them."
"The ladies in the palace are all quite slim," Jiuzhu waved her small arm, confident that she could lift them with ease.
Noticing her fair wrist exposed to the cold, Prince Chen grabbed her sleeve and pulled it down. "The wind is strong; your hands will freeze."
"Your Highness, is it going to snow soon?" Jiuzhu tucked her hands into her sleeves. "The snow in the capital must be beautiful, right?"
In Lingzhou, winters rarely brought snow. Even when it did, the snow was thin and melted before one could truly appreciate it.
Prince Chen glanced at the sky but couldn't discern anything. He replied vaguely, "It should... be soon?"
What was so special about snow? The capital saw it every winter.
As the cold wind howled, a maid from the Sun residence noticed that her mistress had fallen asleep. She blew out the candle in the room and quietly retreated. Lately, for some reason, the young lady had insisted on keeping a candle lit to fall asleep.
In the dimly lit chamber, Sun Caiyao pushed open the door and found Jiuzhu sitting calmly under the candlelight, her expression icy.
"Was it you who conspired with Consort Su to ruin all my plans?" Prince Qi barged in, his voice filled with accusation. "Why would you do this?"
The candlelight flickered as Jiuzhu stood up and closed the doors and windows. Her gaze was darker than the night itself. "Was it you who harmed Prince Chen?"
"What?"
"I'm asking you, who harmed Prince Chen?!" She walked to the incense burner and lit the incense with a fire starter. "Was it you, Consort Ning, or perhaps... the deposed Prince Huai?"
Prince Qi seemed to find the question absurd. "You and Prince Chen have never even met. What does his life or death have to do with you?"
"Your Highness," Jiuzhu stared at the curling smoke rising from the incense burner. "If both of us were to be poisoned in this room, which prince do you think the Emperor would suspect? Prince An? Prince Jing?"
"Are you trying to kill me?"
"Ah!"
Sun Caiyao woke up from her nightmare in a panic. She rushed to the window, her hands trembling as she pushed it open.
A delicate snowflake landed on her quivering face, melting into a mist that mixed with her cold sweat before falling to the ground.
"It's snowing," Jiuzhu pushed open her window and saw the courtyard blanketed in white. Overjoyed, she slipped on her shoes and socks, climbed over the windowsill, and jumped into the thick snow, leaving deep footprints behind.
Carefully pulling her leg out, she bent down and scooped up a handful of snow, marveling at it.
Prince Chen was truly amazing. Yesterday, he said it would snow soon, and today it did.
"I forgot to ask His Highness if he liked the painting I made of the koi fish playing among the lotus flowers," Jiuzhu muttered to herself with a sigh. She had been so preoccupied with giving him the peppermint candies that she had forgotten to ask.
Her father had mentioned that the Ministry of Rites was on break today, so perhaps... Prince Chen was at home?
