Jiuzhu covered her forehead and continued gazing up at the lanterns.
"Do you like them?"
"Mhm." Jiuzhu nodded.
Prince Chen waved to a eunuch. "Bring one down."
"Which one do you like?" He turned to ask Jiuzhu.
"They're all beautiful." Jiuzhu looked up and pointed at one. "This one?"
The color of this lantern somewhat resembled the hue of His Highness's robes.
"Then take this one." Prince Chen reached out to accept the mermaid-silk lantern handed down by the eunuch and offered it to Jiuzhu.
Young girls will always be young girls, fond of these flashy, ornate things.
"Thank you, Your Highness." Jiuzhu carefully held the lantern, reluctant to let it get dirty, as if she had just received a treasured childhood possession.
"County Mistress Ming."
Jiuzhu looked up in surprise and saw Sun Caiyao, her hair styled in a married woman’s coiffure. After a brief pause, she quickly regained her composure. "Greetings, Princess Consort."
Sun Caiyao glanced at the lantern in Jiuzhu's hand and smiled faintly. "It’s been a while since I last saw you, County Mistress. If you have time, do visit me."
"Fourth Sister-in-law," Prince Chen interjected. "Fourth Brother is injured and needs rest. Our Jiuzhu is young and unaware of proper etiquette. It would be unfortunate if she disturbed him."
Sun Caiyao forced a smile and tried to speak further, but Prince Chen had already led Jiuzhu away.
Watching their retreating figures, Sun Caiyao turned her gaze to the swaying mermaid-silk lantern on the branch. Her heart felt just as unmoored as that lantern, drifting aimlessly with nowhere to land.
"Princess Consort." A young palace maid hurried over. "This servant is from Lanxu Palace. Please, you and His Highness must help Her Ladyship!"
"What happened to Her Highness?" Sun Caiyao adjusted the hair at her temple. "What’s wrong?"
"Consort Su summoned Her Ladyship to Bright Moon Palace but refused to see her. Instead, she made her kneel in the meditation chamber and sort prayer beans." The maid was on the verge of tears. "Please, Princess Consort, think of something!"
Every time Her Ladyship suffered humiliation at Consort Su’s hands, it was the servants who bore the brunt of her frustration. The maid was at her wit’s end.
"Don’t panic. I’ll think of a solution." Unwilling to trouble her ailing husband, Sun Caiyao paced in place for a moment before looking up at the mermaid-silk lantern swaying on the tree. Gritting her teeth, she headed toward Prince Chen’s residence.
---
In Taiyang Palace, Emperor Longfeng set down his book as Consort Su stormed in. "What’s the matter? Who has upset you?"
His gaze shifted to Liu Zhongbao and Commander Wang behind her, his brow furrowing slightly.
The two swiftly retreated, sensing that the following conversation was not for their ears.
"It’s not about anyone else." Consort Su flicked her sleeve and sat down. "Your Majesty, someone tried to kill me and Du Qing. How could I possibly tolerate that?"
"The accident at the imperial hunting grounds, the embroidered painting at my birthday banquet—which of these wasn’t a scheme against us?" Consort Su fumed. "I thought the princes had grown ambitious with age, but it turns out we were already on death’s doorstep eight years ago."
"It’s my fault. I failed to protect you." Emperor Longfeng approached and gently took her hand. "Rest assured, I will ensure justice is served."
Consort Su lowered her eyes, refusing to acknowledge him.
"Mei Dai, I was wrong." The emperor tenderly traced her temple. "Vent your anger at me, but don’t torment yourself."
"To offend the imperial countenance is a grave crime. How dare I scold Your Majesty?" Consort Su scoffed. "If the officials found out, they’d label me a wicked consort again."
"To others, I am the emperor. But before you, I am just an ordinary man with a soft heart." With a sweep of his robe, Emperor Longfeng sat on the floor before her, putting himself at a lower level than the seated consort.
"Still acting spoiled?" Consort Su glared at him. "Do you think you can still charm me with that face like twenty years ago?"
"I know I’ve aged, and Mei Dai has grown weary of me." He sighed theatrically. "But for Du Qing’s sake, won’t you endure this old man a little longer?"
"The ministers should see how shamelessly you play the fool." Some of her anger dissipated. She lifted her skirts, preparing to sit across from him.
"Wait." Emperor Longfeng rose and spread his cloak on the floor. "Now you may sit."
Glancing at the cloak embroidered with dragon patterns, Consort Su sat cross-legged. The two stared at each other until a faint smile finally tugged at her lips. "That day, Du Qing and I had planned to dine at a restaurant for their famous braised fish. But along the way... an incident occurred."
Recalling the little girl they had rescued from the river, Consort Su sighed. "I always thought we saved her, but in truth, she saved us."
Fate had twisted in such a way—what she assumed was the result had instead been the cause.
After hearing the full account, Emperor Longfeng couldn’t bear to imagine what might have happened if Du Qing hadn’t rescued the girl, delaying them so long that they abandoned their plans.
Those who hated Mei Dai and Du Qing truly only resented him for not bestowing his favor upon them.
Greed and jealousy were the roots of it all, and he was the source.
"It’s all my fault." His finger trembled slightly. "I gave you my love but not enough protection."
"Your Majesty, you are not at fault." Consort Su shook her head. "The fault lies in human nature."
"Who was that little girl?" Emperor Longfeng didn’t argue. "I must reward her."
Consort Su shook her head. "I don’t know. I never asked her name. I only remember she had bright, beautiful eyes. Before leaving, she said she would remember this kindness forever."
Her expression softened. "She was a well-raised child."
Emperor Longfeng picked up the report Commander Wang had submitted and handed it to her. "These are the confessions from the Zheng Family’s servants."
Consort Su skimmed the contents, nearly tearing the document in fury. "Do the Zheng Family have a death wish?!"
She would destroy them!
Otherwise, what was the point of being called a wicked consort?
"The child who was pushed into the river by the scarred man..." Her fingers traced the record of the little girl. "If only the girl we saved was her..."
Had the assassins not targeted her and Du Qing, that child might not have died.
But the river had been swift, and no one could guarantee that a bound little girl would survive.
"Heaven cherishes life. Perhaps it was her." Emperor Longfeng understood her grief. "I’ll have Commander Wang continue investigating. We will find the girl you saved."
Consort Su deeply regretted telling the child to keep it a secret.
Lingzhou was vast, and eight years was enough to change a girl beyond recognition. She might be married, or no longer in Lingzhou at all.
Between heaven and earth, where could they even begin to search?
"Trust me." Emperor Longfeng embraced Consort Su in his arms. "Once we find her, we can buy her a grand house, give her plenty of silver, and even help her choose a good husband."
All for your peace of mind.
Commander Wang waited outside the palace hall for half an hour before being summoned again by His Majesty. He hurriedly bowed and entered. By accident, he glanced up—the Emperor was handing Consort Su a cup of tea. This was not something he should witness.
"Commander Wang." Emperor Longfeng set the tea before Consort Su. "Dispatch someone immediately to Lingzhou to investigate a young girl, around sixteen or seventeen years old."
Commander Wang cautiously glanced at Consort Su. The Emperor was ordering him to investigate a young girl—right in front of Her Highness?
"Your Majesty, may I ask for the girl’s name and appearance?"
"If we knew her name or looks, would we need you to investigate?" Consort Su arched her delicate brows. "I want you to find out about the little girl who was pushed into the river by the Zheng Family’s servant years ago. I suspect she is the same child I once saved."
Commander Wang froze.
Could it be that Consort Su had turned back that day… because she had saved someone?
If the girl rescued by Her Highness was indeed the one pushed into the river by the Zheng Family’s servant, then the assassination attempt targeting Consort Su and her son would be nothing short of absurd.
The heavens are just; karma comes full circle.
He cupped his hands in salute. "This humble general obeys."
At times like this, he too wished for coincidences in the world. He prayed that the little girl pushed into the river by the scar-faced man had been saved by Consort Su, grown up healthy and happy, living a carefree life.
"Your Highness’s courtyard is enormous." Jiuzhu held a lantern, peeking through the gate at the inner courtyard. She had worried that the prince might be squeezed into a shared palace with his brothers, suffering in discomfort—but this courtyard was far grander than she’d imagined.
"Why are you lurking at the gate?" Prince Chen turned to look at her. "Come in."
Jiuzhu clung to the doorframe. "Wouldn’t that be… improper?"
"You’ve already come this far, and now you worry about propriety?" Prince Chen laughed in exasperation. "Relax, there are maids and eunuchs everywhere. What could possibly be improper?"
Jiuzhu stepped into the courtyard, carefully handing the mermaid-silk lantern to a young maid before trailing behind Prince Chen.
"Sit here for a while." Prince Chen led her to a pavilion and sat down, studying her. "Now, let’s talk. Why did you bite my hand earlier?"
Jiuzhu clutched her teacup, head bowed. "Your Highness, I really didn’t mean to. I’m sorry."
"Of course I know it wasn’t intentional." Prince Chen crossed his arms. "But I also know you’re hiding something."
"Just… a little." Jiuzhu lifted the lid of her cup and took a gulp of tea.
"Wait—!"
"Hot, hot!" Tears nearly sprang from Jiuzhu’s eyes from the scalding pain.
"Here, sip some cold water—hold it in your mouth, don’t swallow." Prince Chen brought a cup of cooled tea to her lips, watching as her cheeks bulged comically from the water. "This kind of tea must be brewed with boiling water first, then tempered with cooler water to bring out its flavor."
Jiuzhu blinked. Who knew drinking tea came with so many rules?
"Still hurting?" Prince Chen sighed and called for a maid to bring ice. "By dinnertime, you’ll truly regret this."
Jiuzhu grabbed an empty cup, discreetly spat out the water behind her sleeve, and complained, "The cup didn’t feel hot at all. Why was the water so scalding?"
"Didn’t you know some teacups are heatproof?" Prince Chen took a jade bowl of ice from a maid, picked up a piece with chopsticks, and held it to Jiuzhu’s lips. "Keep this in your mouth."
"Cold." Jiuzhu shivered as the ice numbed her tongue.
"Good. Maybe this’ll teach you a lesson." Prince Chen set the bowl aside. "Now, back to the matter at hand—what’s bothering you?"
"After hearing about the assassination attempt on Her Highness and you, I grew worried." Jiuzhu glanced at the maids and eunuchs behind Prince Chen, unconsciously pressing her tongue against the freezing ice. "If Your Highness is angry, you can… bite my finger in return."
Prince Chen stared at the small, fair hand extended toward him, its fingers neatly trimmed and delicate.
…He did feel the slightest urge to bite it.
Just a little. Not a lot.
"Your Highness." A maid approached. "The Princess Consort of Qi requests an audience."
"Declined." Prince Chen glanced at Jiuzhu, still sucking on the ice. "She’s my sister-in-law. Meeting her young brother-in-law alone would be inappropriate."
He hadn’t even married his bride yet—why stir up unnecessary trouble?
