The wind was fierce, the snow was cold, and the expressions of Prince Qi's attendants were equally grim.
Prince Chen, the younger brother of their master, had the audacity to demand that Prince Qi yield the road—an act that was utterly humiliating! However, Prince Chen was known for his unpredictable temper. He had even disregarded the dignity of the heir to a marquisate, so what could a few lowly attendants of Prince Qi possibly do? They could only seethe in silence, unable to voice their anger.
Prince Qi stared at Prince Chen without speaking, nor did he move aside.
"What? Fourth Brother refuses to yield?" Prince Chen looked at Prince Qi and let out a cold laugh. "I am feeling unwell today and cannot bear the cold. If I have offended you, I beg your forgiveness, Fourth Brother!"
With that, he spurred his horse and charged forward with his carriage in tow. The sound of hooves grew louder, and the speed showed no sign of slowing.
As the horse and carriage bore down on him, Prince Qi recalled a childhood memory. He and Yun Duqing had both taken a liking to a palace lantern. Back then, Yun Duqing had brought along a eunuch and fought him for it, snatching the lantern and leaving in triumph.
"Your Highness, be careful!" An attendant pulled Prince Qi's horse to the side, narrowly avoiding the oncoming carriage.
The carriage brushed past Prince Qi, the gust of wind ruffling the fox fur on his cloak.
"Your Highness, are you alright?" The attendant looked at Prince Qi with concern. It was clear to everyone that had he not acted quickly, Prince Chen's carriage would have collided with them.
"I'm fine," Prince Qi replied, his face as calm as still water.
The carriage ahead came to a halt. Prince Chen, seated high on his horse, turned around and cupped his hands in a mocking salute. "Thank you, Fourth Brother, for caring about my health."
"Prince Chen, do not push your luck!" one of the attendants finally snapped. "You show no respect for your elder brother. Aren't you afraid of being ridiculed by the world?"
"My elder brother willingly yielded the road. What business is it of yours?" Prince Chen sneered. "When the master has not spoken, how dare a servant overstep and sow discord between royal brothers? Such behavior is inexcusable."
"Fourth Brother, are you just going to stand by and let this lowly servant drive a wedge between us?" Prince Chen said lazily, a smile playing on his lips. "Look at my attendants. Do they ever dare to speak out of turn when we are conversing?"
"Thank you for your concern, Fifth Brother. When I return, I will discipline my servants properly," Prince Qi replied coldly. "Since you are unwell, you should head back early and avoid catching a chill in this snowstorm."
"Fourth Brother is too kind, but I have a short temper. If I ever see this servant following you again, I will personally teach him a lesson on your behalf," Prince Chen said, his gaze icy as he glared at the attendant who had spoken. "The royal family has no place for such insolent servants."
The attendant turned pale and dropped to one knee, not daring to utter another word.
"Thank you for the reminder, Fifth Brother," Prince Qi said, gripping the reins tightly before slowly releasing them. "Safe travels, Fifth Brother."
"That's more like it," Prince Chen said, patting his horse before riding off into the distance.
As the carriage disappeared into the snowstorm, Prince Qi glanced down at the kneeling attendant. "Rise."
"Your Highness, this servant is incompetent."
"It is not your fault," Prince Qi said, lowering his gaze. "He came here today with the sole purpose of provoking me."
The road from Prince Chen's residence to Vice Minister Ming's home did not require passing through this route. Yun Duqing had deliberately taken the long way just to force Prince Qi to yield, all because the Pingyuan Marquisate had once made Ming Jiuzhu step aside.
"Prince Chen, emboldened by the Emperor's favor, is becoming increasingly lawless..."
"Enough," Prince Qi cut off his attendant. "Let's go back."
As long as the Emperor doted on Prince Chen, the other princes and princesses had no choice but to tread carefully around him.
"Your Highness," Jiuzhu poked her head out of the carriage. "Did you just quarrel with Prince Qi? Will there be trouble?"
"What trouble could there be?" Prince Chen pushed her head back inside. "I've always acted this way. I don't care what others think. At most, they'll call me arrogant and disrespectful."
The old lady of the Zheng Family had bullied his future wife, a young girl. He couldn't take it out on the elderly, so he had to settle the score with her grandson instead.
Her head popped out again, and Prince Chen glared at her.
"Don't push me back! Let me say two more things," Jiuzhu held up two fingers. "First, Your Highness is not arrogant at all."
She retracted one finger. "Second, Your Highness isn't disrespecting your elder brother. You're just standing up for me, right?"
"Right? What are you talking about?" Prince Chen poked her forehead. "This has nothing to do with you. Sit properly in the carriage. We're almost at Vice Minister Ming's residence."
Jiuzhu smiled at Prince Chen. He was so kind, helping her without seeking any credit.
Lady Shen and Ming Jingzhou watched their daughter skip happily into the house. Pretending to have just passed by, they casually asked, "What would you like for dinner tonight?"
Jiuzhu patted her stomach. "I'm not very hungry. Just a little something will do."
Lady Shen noticed the bulging pouch tied to her waist. "What's this?"
"It's dried meat from Prince Chen's residence," Jiuzhu said, pulling out a handful and offering it to Lady Shen. "It's delicious. Try some."
Lady Shen: "..."
Her teeth ached. She couldn't eat it.
"My dear, did you have fun at Prince Chen's residence?" Ming Jingzhou took a piece of dried meat and chewed it. "It's quite good."
"It's delicious, isn't it?" Jiuzhu handed the rest to Ming Jingzhou, her eyes curving into smiles. "Everyone at the residence was very kind, and His Highness was especially nice."
The once-tasty dried meat suddenly lost its flavor. Ming Jingzhou bit down hard.
What father would like the man who stole his daughter's heart?
"Did my son have a falling out with Prince Qi?" Emperor Longfeng closed the secret report in his hand and asked Liu Zhongbao. "What happened the other day when the Pingyuan Marquisate made the Ming girl step aside?"
Liu Zhongbao recounted the incident.
"Old Madam Zheng is getting on in years," Emperor Longfeng stood up. "The elderly can become senile, and their descendants mediocre. Beneath the surface of prosperity lies nothing but decay."
He sighed, feeling a sense of regret. "When the old Marquis of Pingyuan was still alive, the Zheng Family was a sight to behold. But the younger generation is incompetent, tarnishing their ancestors' legacy. It's truly a pity."
Liu Zhongbao bent down to replace Emperor Longfeng's tea.
"I recall that the Marquis of Pingyuan submitted a memorial a few days ago, seeking a position for his son?"
"Your Majesty has an excellent memory. This old servant only vaguely remembers such a matter."
"Reject the memorial. With such a family ethos, how can the younger generation serve in the court?" Emperor Longfeng found Zheng Wangnan's name on the list of the younger generation and crossed it out with a red brush. "Although the Marquis of Pingyuan is gravely ill, and I should show compassion, integrity and moral character are paramount in officialdom. I cannot jeopardize the state for the sake of momentary pity."
Liu Zhongbao looked at the bold red cross and smiled. "Your Majesty, under your benevolent rule, talented individuals abound. Without the Zheng Family, there are still the Sun Family, the Li Family, the Ming Family, and countless others across the land. All of them are at your service."
Emperor Longfeng chuckled. He glanced at the weather outside and set down the red brush. "The snow is heavy today. Let's have hotpot at the Bright Moon Palace."
As for the secret report about Prince Chen's public altercation with Prince Qi, Emperor Longfeng tossed it into the brazier.
Yun Duqing was young and hot-headed. Standing up for his future wife was only natural.
"Your Highness, Prince Chen is being so aggressive. Should we have the censors impeach him for disrespecting his elder brother?"
"No," Prince Qi firmly refused. "Father dotes on Fifth Brother. Even if the censors submit a memorial, he won't punish him severely. Instead, he'll think that I, as the elder brother, am being petty and unable to tolerate my younger sibling."
"Even if His Majesty doesn't punish him, it will let the officials know of Prince Chen's unreasonable behavior..."
"Do the officials not already know his temperament?" Prince Qi sneered. "Who would dare to criticize him to his face?"
The strategist fell silent. The prince was right. As long as the Emperor favored Prince Chen, there was nothing they could do.
"Your Highness, even though His Majesty favors Prince Chen, he is still the Emperor," the strategist lowered his voice to remind Prince Qi. "If Prince Chen continues to act so recklessly, he will eventually cross His Majesty's line. When the time comes, we can give things a little push..."
"Your Highness, your wedding is approaching. The priority now is to win over the Sun Family's support and plan for the future," the strategist said. "With the Sun Family on your side, you will gain the backing of countless scholars across the land."
Prince Qi thought of the Sun Family's young lady. She was intelligent and knew when to advance and retreat.
The snow fell for two days. On the third morning, Jiuzhu got up and saw the sun hanging in the sky. She sighed deeply. "The snow is going to melt."
"Don't worry, Miss. It might snow again this year," Chunfen comforted her with a smile. "Every winter, you'll be able to see beautiful snowscapes."
Ming Jiuzhu leaned on the windowsill, gazing at the icicles hanging from the tree branches. "It can't keep snowing forever, or people will freeze."
"That's true. If it snows for too long, it's the common folk who suffer," Chunfen said softly as she combed Jiuzhu's long hair. "I heard that in the past, some people even froze to death. But since His Majesty ascended the throne and established relief shelters across the regions, such tragedies have become much rarer."
"His Majesty is truly a remarkable emperor," Jiuzhu turned to look at Chunfen. "Sister Chunfen, have you always been by Mother's side?"
"Yes, I entered the mansion at the age of six and have been here for twelve years," she replied, her eyes lingering on Jiuzhu's delicate features. "Back then, the master had just been exonerated, and there were very few servants in the mansion. The mistress, being kind-hearted, took in a few abandoned girls, and I was one of them."
What Chunfen didn't tell Jiuzhu was that the mistress had taken them in because of the young lady. Perhaps seeing their pitiful state reminded her of her own daughter, who had been sent to live with the old relatives in Lingzhou.
The year the fake young lady entered the mansion, Chunfen was only eight, but she still remembered how heartbroken and despairing the mistress had been when she uncovered the truth.
Thankfully, heaven had blessed them, and the young lady had returned safely to her mother's side.
"Good sister, tell me more about the past," Jiuzhu said, her curiosity about her family growing.
Chunfen smiled and continued to share amusing anecdotes about the master, mistress, and the young master. Seeing the sparkle in Jiuzhu's eyes, Chunfen felt a pang of sadness. If only those so-called relatives in Lingzhou hadn't abandoned the young lady back then, how much better things would have been.
If that had been the case, the young lady could have grown up by her parents' side, cherished by them and cared for by her elder brother.
"So my brother loved climbing trees when he was young too?" Jiuzhu was delighted to hear about the similarities between her and her brother. "When I was little, I loved climbing trees too. My teachers always said I shouldn't be born in the Year of the Dog but in the Year of the Monkey, since only monkeys love jumping around."
"There's no monkey as adorable as you, young lady," Chunfen said as she finished styling Jiuzhu's hair. "The sun is so lovely today. After breakfast, you should go out for a walk."
"Alright," Jiuzhu replied, thinking about buying a new set of brushes to paint a snowscape for Prince Chen.
The sun after the snowfall seemed especially radiant. As Jiuzhu stepped out of the carriage, she looked up at the sky and was momentarily blinded by the sunlight.
"Miss Ming."
Hearing someone call her, Jiuzhu turned around. "Miss Zhou?"
The person approaching was Zhou Xiao, the daughter of Vice Minister of Rites Zhou Rui. Jiuzhu had met her once when she went out with Ming Cunfu, and though they had seen each other on other occasions, they hadn't had the chance to chat.
"I thought it looked like you from afar," Zhou Xiao said as she stepped down from her carriage. "Are you heading to the teahouse to listen to storytelling?"
Jiuzhu only then noticed the teahouse nearby.
"There's a female storyteller here who specializes in entertaining female guests. If you have no other plans, Miss Ming, would you honor me by joining me for a listen?" Zhou Xiao had a gentle appearance and spoke softly, and Jiuzhu found herself nodding without thinking.
"My father and your father are colleagues and good friends, and my mother and your mother have been close friends for many years," Zhou Xiao said as she led Jiuzhu upstairs. "The last few times we met, there were other people around, so I didn't have the chance to talk to you properly."
"Come, let's sit here," Zhou Xiao chose a good spot and skillfully handed some silver to the waiter, ordering tea and snacks.
"Miss Zhou..."
"I'm a few years older than you. If you don't mind, you can call me sister," Zhou Xiao whispered in Jiuzhu's ear. "You probably don't know this, but Ming Cunfu asked me early this morning to accompany you today, worried that you might be bored."
At the mention of Ming Cunfu, Zhou Xiao's cheeks turned slightly red, and she quickly took a sip of tea.
Jiuzhu cupped her face in her hands and looked at Zhou Xiao, blinking her eyes.
The last time she saw Miss Zhou and Mr. Zhou, Ming Cunfu hadn't shown any special behavior toward Miss Zhou. Who would have thought...
Are men and women in the capital so good at hiding their feelings?
"Miss Zhou and Brother Cunfu..." Jiuzhu gave a knowing smile. "Thank you, Sister Zhou, for going out of your way to accompany me today."
Zhou Xiao's cheeks flushed even redder. "Miss Ming, stop overthinking and focus on the storytelling."
Jiuzhu blinked her big eyes innocently. She hadn't been thinking anything at all.
"Ladies and gentlewomen, last time we spoke of the dashing prince and the noble lady who fell in love," the storyteller rapped her wooden table, capturing the attention of everyone in the room.
"The handsome prince was dignified and graceful, and countless women in the capital were smitten with him," the storyteller sighed. "Yet there was one person who harbored resentment toward the prince, causing him trouble at every turn."
Jiuzhu lowered her head to peel some peanuts. The peanuts at this teahouse were quite well-roasted.
"The wicked prince abused his power, humiliating the handsome prince in public. Such rudeness!"
As Jiuzhu listened, she felt something was off about the story. Frowning, she looked at the storyteller, who continued to speak without pause.
"The handsome prince, unwilling to harm the bond between brothers, chose not to retaliate..."
"Wait," Jiuzhu interrupted the storyteller. "I don't like this story. Change it."
"Miss, although I don't have many guests, I can't just change the story at will," the storyteller examined Jiuzhu. "You must be here for the first time. You probably don't know how many ladies adore this story about the handsome prince."
"I don't care for any handsome prince," Jiuzhu emptied her purse of silver. "Tell me a story about a wicked prince who thrives, is surrounded by descendants, and is adored by countless people."
"Miss, this is..."
"Tell it," Jiuzhu placed the silver in front of the storyteller. Seeing her hesitation, she added a few more pieces.
"Of course, satisfying the guests' requests is also part of our duty as storytellers," the storyteller pocketed the silver and changed her tone. "Now, let me tell you about the wicked prince. Though he seemed arrogant and domineering, it was all a facade. In truth, he was wise and benevolent..."
In the palace, a maid whispered into Consort Ning's ear, "Your Highness, I've already given the script to that storyteller. Many ladies enjoy this story. I believe it won't be long before the prince's reputation spreads among countless women."
"Well done," Consort Ning smiled with satisfaction.
The world doesn't understand how powerful women's words and ears can be. They are the wives and mothers of men.
Soon enough, Prince Chen's arrogance and recklessness will be deeply ingrained in everyone's minds!
