"Miss Ming?" Xiangjuan looked at Jiuzhu in surprise, suddenly recalling that the County Princess had once been fostered in Lingzhou. Could she truly know something?
"I..." Jiuzhu glanced around, slightly embarrassed and worried others might overhear. "Auntie, let's go inside first."
"Alright." Xiangjuan nodded and was about to lead Jiuzhu into the inner hall when she remembered Consort Ning still kneeling outside the palace gates. She paused mid-step—how should she explain this to Miss Ming?
"Your Highness." Jiuzhu tugged at Prince Chen's sleeve, refusing to let go, her eyes sparkling as she gazed at him. "Will you accompany me inside?"
"Fine." Prince Chen held her hand through the fabric of his sleeve as they walked forward. Watching their retreating figures, Xiangjuan couldn’t help but smile—His Highness had finally learned to care for someone.
"Cold?" Even through the fabric, Prince Chen could feel the chill of Jiuzhu’s fingertips.
"Not at all." Jiuzhu shook her head with a smile. "Your Highness is just as gentle and attentive as you were when you were little."
Him?
Gentle and attentive?
Prince Chen almost scoffed at the idea. He rubbed his nose self-consciously. "You don’t even know how I was as a child."
Jiuzhu beamed at him. "But I do."
As they walked, Jiuzhu noticed someone kneeling at the entrance and halted. "Your Highness, is someone kneeling there?"
"Pay no mind." Prince Chen glanced at Consort Ning and pressed a hand atop Jiuzhu’s head, steering her forward. "In the palace, some people use kneeling as a means to an end."
"Oh." Jiuzhu nodded, but as they drew closer, she recognized the kneeling figure as Consort Ning.
Hearing their footsteps, Consort Ning lifted her head, her eyes meeting Jiuzhu’s—filled with suppressed pain, helplessness, and unspoken grievances.
Jiuzhu leaned close to Prince Chen’s ear and whispered, "Did Consort Ning study opera before entering the palace?"
Prince Chen arched a brow. "What makes you say that?"
"Her performance is impeccable—just like a tragic flower-dan on stage."
Prince Chen tightened his grip and swiftly dragged her inside, fearing Consort Ning might faint if she overheard Little Pig Ming’s remark.
"Where’s Mother?" Prince Chen waved off the bows of the attending eunuchs and maids.
"Your Highness, Her Ladyship is in the rear hall."
"Let’s go." Prince Chen bypassed the front hall and headed toward the rear. Just as they reached the doorway, they heard Consort Su speaking sharply to a eunuch: "Whoever pleads for her can kneel alongside her. It seems I’ve been too lenient all these years, allowing them to trample over me. The moment there’s news from Lingzhou, report it to me immediately. Understood?"
Prince Chen glanced at Jiuzhu and cleared his throat. "Mother, I’ve arrived."
Consort Su looked up from her book—a chronicle of infamous imperial consorts—and smiled at Prince Chen and Jiuzhu. "Jiuzhu, come sit beside me."
Prince Chen handed the mermaid-silk lantern to a eunuch, instructing him to hang it in Jiuzhu’s chamber, then took a seat next to her. "Mother, have you dined yet?"
Consort Su glanced at the darkening sky. "Did you rush here with Jiuzhu just to eat at my palace?"
"You misunderstand, Mother. I was only concerned you might have skipped supper." Prince Chen turned to Jiuzhu. "Isn’t that right, Little Pig Ming?"
"Your Ladyship, His Highness only came to escort me," Jiuzhu explained earnestly. "We’ve already eaten."
Consort Su hadn’t expected Jiuzhu to take her teasing so seriously. Suppressing a laugh, she said, "Since Jiuzhu vouches for you, I’ll believe you this once."
"Now that she’s safely delivered, you should leave." Consort Su dismissed her son without mercy. "Though there are no young concubines in the rear palace, an adult prince loitering in his mother’s quarters is hardly proper."
Prince Chen clicked his tongue and lazily rose from his chair. Well, he understood now—with Little Pig Ming as her future daughter-in-law, he was the expendable one.
"Wait!" Jiuzhu panicked and reached for Prince Chen’s sleeve, accidentally catching his finger instead. "Your Highness, don’t go yet."
Prince Chen froze at the touch of her hand, stiffening like a statue.
Consort Su watched the scene with amusement before turning to Jiuzhu with a gentle smile. "Jiuzhu, is there something you wish to tell me and Du Qing?"
She waved her hand, dismissing all the attendants. "No one is to approach this chamber without my command."
The servants bowed and withdrew, quietly shutting the doors behind them.
Jiuzhu looked up at Prince Chen.
"T-Take your time. I’m not leaving," Prince Chen muttered, sitting back down. He rubbed his burning ear—had the winter wind scorched it? Why else would it feel so hot?
Clutching Prince Chen’s finger as if it gave her courage, Jiuzhu spoke softly. "Your Ladyship, Auntie Xiangjuan mentioned... you’ve been searching for a girl from Lingzhou?"
Consort Su noticed the shift in Jiuzhu’s tone and expression. Her smile faded as she nodded.
"Eight years ago, in winter, by the Huaxi River outside Lingzhou’s city walls—was that the place?" Jiuzhu’s eyes burned with intensity as she looked at Consort Su, then turned to Prince Chen. "Your Highness wore a light-purple round-collared brocade robe that day, with a fox-fur cloak draped over your shoulders. You looked like an immortal’s attendant."
Prince Chen stared at Jiuzhu, his mind spinning with a wild yet terrifying suspicion.
He couldn’t bear to imagine this silly little girl, shivering in the icy river, enduring such agony.
"You..." Consort Su’s lips parted, but no words came out.
"The person Your Highness saved back then... was me." Jiuzhu lowered her head. "I’m sorry for keeping it hidden all this time."
No one knew how overjoyed she had been upon entering Bright Moon Palace and seeing Consort Su again. She had nearly blurted out the question: *Where is the little immortal who saved me? Has he grown into a kind and noble man?*
But she had never forgotten Consort Su’s warning—*the capital is a place without secrets.*
She dared not speak, dared not endanger them.
For eight years, she had burned incense before the Three Pure Ones, praying for her saviors’ safety and happiness.
And now, the gods had answered.
"Child." Consort Su stepped forward and pulled Jiuzhu into a tight embrace, stroking her hair as tears slipped down her cheeks. "You foolish, foolish girl."
Jiuzhu nestled against Consort Su’s soft warmth, breathing in her faint fragrance before tentatively wrapping her arms around her.
*Her Ladyship smells so sweet... and feels so warm.*
No wonder she had been so affectionate from the start. No wonder Jiuzhu had clung to her and Prince Chen, unbothered by those who accused her of currying favor or being opportunistic.
She had trusted them—simply, completely, without reservation.
"Your Ladyship?" Jiuzhu felt warm tears drip onto her face and tried to look up. "What’s wrong?"
"Nothing, I'm just happy." Consort Su wiped away her tears clumsily with one hand, while the other refused to let go of Jiuzhu. "I'm just... overjoyed."
"Meeting Your Highness and Your Ladyship again brings me great happiness as well." Jiuzhu leaned against Consort Su, her lips curving into a smile. "Lingzhou and the capital are separated by thousands of miles. People come and go in this vast world—it must have been an extraordinarily special fate that allowed me to meet Your Highness and Your Ladyship."
Prince Chen watched Jiuzhu nestled in his mother's embrace and slowly reached out, his fingers lightly brushing her shoulder before quickly withdrawing.
He clenched his fist, emotions surging violently within him, roaring to spill forth. Yet, in the presence of the gentle Jiuzhu, he forcefully suppressed them all.
"Little Pig Ming," he asked, "Back then, did I give you some candies?"
Jiuzhu turned her head to look at him from Consort Su's arms. "Yes, the mint candies Your Highness gave me. They were so, so sweet."
Had she always carried mint candies in her pouch because she thought he still liked them?
Prince Chen gazed into her bright eyes for a long moment before chuckling softly. "The candies this prince gave you are, of course, sweeter than anyone else's."
"Mhm!" Jiuzhu nodded earnestly, agreeing wholeheartedly. "After that, I never tasted mint candies as delicious as those again."
Consort Su released Jiuzhu, wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes as she forced a smile. "Jiuzhu, what kind of candies do you like? I’ll have the imperial chefs make them for you."
"Mother," Prince Chen interjected, "I know better what Little Pig Ming likes to eat. Leave this matter to me."
Consort Su caressed Jiuzhu's cheek, not even glancing at her son. "You and Du Qing stay here for a while. I need to attend to some matters."
"Alright." Jiuzhu nodded.
As Consort Su reached the door, she turned back and called, "Jiuzhu."
"Your Ladyship?" Jiuzhu lifted her head, her sparkling eyes filled with affection and warmth.
Consort Su smiled brightly. "Meeting you again has also made me very happy."
Then she saw the girl's face light up with an incomparably radiant smile—one so dazzling it melted her heart into a pool of spring water.
Pushing open the palace doors, she saw Xiangjuan waiting outside with a bow. "What is it?"
"Your Ladyship, the Princess Consort of Qi requests an audience." Xiangjuan glanced inside before hesitantly closing the door behind her, shielding Prince Chen and Miss Ming from view.
"What does she want?" Consort Su flicked her silk shawl, her skirt flowing like water over the steps.
"This servant suspects she’s here to plead for Consort Ning’s sake," Xiangjuan said, supporting Consort Su’s hand. "Your Ladyship, the Princess Consort of Qi is a daughter of the Sun Family. Their ancestors produced three chancellors, four top scholars, and ten imperial scholars. Among scholars and civil officials, their prestige is immense."
"So what? Jiuzhu’s father, uncles, and brothers are all remarkable men too." Consort Su scoffed. "Did the Sun Family ever have three brothers who all achieved the highest imperial honors at once?"
Xiangjuan fell silent.
Such a feat was exceedingly rare, even for the Ming Family.
"The glories of ancestors don’t mean the current Sun Family members are impressive." Consort Su understood Xiangjuan’s concerns. "As a daughter of the Sun Family, instead of letting Yun Yanze handle this, she’s humbling herself to beg me—her devotion to him is truly profound."
The Sun Family had never favored her, the favored imperial consort. Though outwardly respectful, the arrogance emanating from the elderly matriarch of the Sun Family was unmistakable.
The Sun Family knew she was aware of their disdain, and she was well acquainted with their pride. But for the sake of the capable officials they had produced, she had long chosen to ignore it.
All these years, an unspoken balance had existed between them—neither side provoking the other. Yet now, Sun Caiyao had broken that balance for the sake of Prince of Qi County.
"Just another foolish girl blinded by love," Consort Su remarked coolly. "This consort has no interest in quarreling with her juniors."
Xiangjuan smiled. "This servant knows Your Ladyship has always been lenient with young ladies."
Consort Su chuckled. It wasn’t about leniency—just that it wasn’t worth the trouble.
***
"Mother!" Sun Caiyao’s heart ached at the sight of Consort Ning still kneeling before the main hall of Bright Moon Palace. She reached out to help her up but was stopped by a stern palace maid.
"Princess Consort of Qi," the maid curtsied. "Consort Ning is here to sincerely seek an audience with Her Ladyship. If you help her rise, it would be no great matter—but this servant fears Her Ladyship might then fail to see Consort Ning’s sincerity."
Sun Caiyao understood this was Consort Su’s deliberate humiliation of her mother-in-law. Gritting her teeth, she said, "My mother-in-law is delicate in health. I am willing to kneel in her place to demonstrate our sincerity."
"Your Highness’s filial piety moves heaven and earth, truly admirable. Yet this servant is but an insignificant maid—how could I presume to interpret Her Ladyship’s intentions?" The maid knelt before Sun Caiyao. "I beg Your Highness not to make things difficult for us."
"Please, Your Highness, do not make things difficult for us," the other servants outside the hall echoed as they, too, knelt in unison.
Sun Caiyao glanced at them, then at Consort Ning, whose strength was clearly failing. With a stifled breath, she knelt beside her. "I beg an audience with Her Ladyship!"
Consort Ning turned to her, swaying slightly. "Why have you come? Go back at once!"
"How could I stand by while my mother suffers?" Sun Caiyao supported her. "Mother, if you’re unwell, lean on me."
Consort Ning longed to shove her away.
She had knelt for hours—she needed to faint for this to work. Sun Caiyao’s arrival ruined everything.
"Return to tend to Yanze. I’ll be fine..."
The doors to the main hall creaked open. Consort Ning lifted her head to see Su Meidai, resplendent in layered robes, looking down at her with icy detachment.
At the consort inauguration ceremony years ago, she had knelt below while Su Meidai sat upon the phoenix throne—watching her with those same disdainful eyes.
"Greetings to Her Ladyship." Sun Caiyao kowtowed deeply.
"What is the meaning of this?" Xiangjuan chided the servants. "How could you let the Princess Consort kneel here? Help Her Highness up at once!"
"Has the Princess Consort come to see Jiuzhu?" Consort Su regarded the forcibly "assisted" Sun Caiyao with a faint smile. "Inform the County Princess that the Princess Consort of Qi has come calling."
"Your Ladyship, I’m not here for—"
"Princess Consort, I am your elder." Consort Su arched a brow, her tone deceptively light. "At this late hour, if you’re not here for the County Princess, could you be seeking me? This old consort is frail and must not be disturbed at night. Yanze has always been filial and courteous. As his wife, surely you share his virtues?"
Sun Caiyao inwardly cursed but could not refute her.
With no empress in the palace, Consort Su held the highest rank as de facto mistress of the inner court. Strictly speaking, every prince and princess owed her the address of "Imperial Mother Su."
"Escort the Princess Consort to the side hall to await the County Princess." Consort Su gestured dismissively before stepping toward the kneeling Consort Ning. "This consort recalls that eight years ago, during His Majesty’s southern tour, you fell ill. Is that correct?"
Consort Ning kept her head lowered. "This concubine does not understand what Your Ladyship means."
"Whether you understand or not makes no difference." Consort Su gripped Consort Ning's hair, forcing her to meet her gaze: "Zheng Lanyin, look at me!"
Consort Ning struggled briefly, clenching her teeth to suppress her fury: "Your Highness, what do you intend to do?"
Consort Su sneered. "From today onward, I will make sure you learn what it means to be an arrogant, favored consort."
Consort Ning paled.
"Don’t be afraid, or in such a hurry." Consort Su released her hair, stood, and turned to wash her hands in a bronze basin. As she dried them, she circled Consort Ning slowly. "I think the title 'Ning' doesn’t suit you. Neither does the rank of consort."
She paused, smiling down at Consort Ning. "How does 'Concubine Zheng' sound to you?"
"No! You can’t do this to me!" Panic finally seized Consort Ning. "I bore His Majesty a prince—he would never treat me this way."
"Then try your luck." Consort Su handed her handkerchief to a maid, her tone icy. "Zheng Lanyin, as you sow, so shall you reap. We have accounts to settle, and there’s no hurry."
Consort Ning stared at her in dismay. What did she know?
If Su Meidai knew, then what about His Majesty? Did he know as well?
As if reading her thoughts, Consort Su smiled. "You may wonder what I know. And as for His Majesty... do you think he’s aware of it too?"
"Su Meidai!" Consort Ning frantically clutched at her skirts. "You dare act so brazenly today—aren’t you afraid of retribution?"
Consort Su took a step back, amused. "In this harem, as long as one holds His Majesty’s favor, whether arrogant or not, they become a thorn in everyone’s side."
"Do you think I care?" Her voice was light. "Women shouldn’t make life difficult for each other, but you crossed the line when you schemed against my child."
"Zheng Lanyin, you are a mother—and so am I."
"Su Meidai, you rely on His Majesty’s favor to act so shamelessly. One day—"
"Shh." Consort Su smiled gently. "Zheng Lanyin, I have a principle: harm should never touch the innocent. Don’t force me to break it. Understood?"
Consort Ning swallowed her words. She stiffly withdrew her legs and knelt again, bowing deeply. "What must I do for you to spare me?"
Consort Su regarded her impassively.
"Your Highness, Prince of Qi County?"
At the maid’s voice, Consort Su looked up to see Yun Yanze standing in the distance, his face ashen.
——
In the rear hall, Prince Chen studied Jiuzhu, who sat with her hands neatly folded on her knees like an obedient child. She blinked at him. "Your Highness, do you have something to say?"
Prince Chen wasn’t sure what to say. He felt he had much to tell her, yet when faced with her bright eyes, nothing seemed right.
An absurd thought even crossed his mind—had he brought Ming Jiuzhu back to the capital years ago and raised her himself, it might not have been such a bad idea.
"During your years in Lingzhou... did anyone mistreat you?" His thoughts were a jumble, and in the end, this was all he managed to ask.
Jiuzhu shook her head. "My masters were very kind. They were ascetics who avoided meat, yet they bought chicken and fish for me. They said cultivation is about refining the heart, not restricting others. I grew up surrounded by mountains and rivers, far from the bustling world, rarely leaving the hills. The only time I was ever wronged... was when I met you, Your Highness." She beamed. "My masters said I’m blessed, destined to meet noble helpers."
Raised away from worldly strife—no wonder she was so guileless.
"Little Pig Ming." He gently pinched the tip of her nose. "You... you."
Such a sweet girl shouldn’t, after marrying him, have to endure the ugliness of schemes and the fickleness of human hearts.
"Your Highness," Jiuzhu caught his wrist, "you mustn’t pinch a girl’s nose too much. It’ll turn ugly."
"It’s fine. Even if it turns into a pig’s snout, I won’t mind." Prince Chen released her nose. "I’m not a shallow man."
"But still!" Jiuzhu protested. "I can’t let people see you and say, 'He married a pig-nosed princess consort.' How embarrassing!"
"I don’t care what others say." Prince Chen resisted the urge to pinch her cheek—she wasn’t his wife yet. "As long as I think you’re wonderful, that’s all that matters. Understand?"
"So... in Your Highness’s eyes, I’m wonderful?" Jiuzhu gazed at him hopefully.
Prince Chen smirked and crooked a finger at her.
She leaned in eagerly.
He flicked her forehead. "Guess."
Jiuzhu clutched her forehead, wide-eyed with shock.
"Cough." Flustered under her stare, he quickly nodded twice. "Mm."
"Your Highness nodded—does that mean I’m wonderful?" She brightened instantly.
"Tch." He noticed the faint red mark on her forehead and gently rubbed it with his thumb. "Does it hurt?"
"No." She shook her head, tugging his sleeve. "Your Highness, say more!"
"You’re clever, capable, and breathtakingly beautiful." Prince Chen watched her small hand swaying with his sleeve. "And your paintings are extraordinary."
"Aiya." Jiuzhu covered her slightly flushed cheeks. "Your Highness flatters me too much!"
Prince Chen: "..."
Her words denied it, but her expression was pure delight.
Hah. What a dishonest little thing.
"Your Highness isn’t lying to me, right?"
"Would I lie to you?"
"No." Jiuzhu shook her head.
Prince Chen continued soothing her forehead. "It’s late. I should return to Zhangliu Palace."
If he stayed longer, the palace ladies would gossip about her.
"I’ll walk you to the gate!" Jiuzhu sprang up, radiating happiness.
"Mind the threshold." He steadied her, then, as before, took her hand through his sleeve.
"Your Highness." Wrapped in the fabric of his sleeve, Jiuzhu felt utterly safe. She could almost close her eyes, certain he’d never let her stumble. "May I visit you at Zhangliu Palace tomorrow?"
Prince Chen nearly said, *Your father gave me a stack of books to copy.* But what came out was: "Alright."
She was new to the palace. It wouldn’t hurt to indulge her for a couple of days.
Just two. Not a day more.
——
"Greetings, Consort Su." Yun Yanze watched his mother kneel humbly before the other woman, then stepped forward and dropped to his knees.
"If my mother has offended, I will bear the punishment in her stead." He kowtowed deeply. "I beg Your Highness to spare her."
The night wind swayed the lanterns by the palace gate, casting flickering shadows across Yun Yanze’s face.
*Thud. Thud.*
He kowtowed again and again.
Silence enveloped the entrance of Bright Moon Palace. Not a soul dared breathe too loudly.
At that moment, the sound of a young girl's laughter rang out.
Jiuzhu walked to the doorway and saw Yun Yanze kneeling at the entrance, kowtowing. Startled, she turned to Prince Chen and asked, "The Prince of Qi County was caned—if he kneels like this, won't his wounds reopen?"
The crowd turned to look at County Princess Ming, whose words were utterly out of place in the solemn atmosphere.
Prince Chen took a step forward, shielding her behind him.
Everyone quickly averted their gazes.
For a prince to suffer the humiliation of a caning was a pain the Prince of Qi County could not speak of—yet County Princess Ming had just driven a knife straight into his pride.
