Leaving Zhangliu Palace, the further west they walked, the quieter it became. The wind howled through the palace corridors, its mournful whistle the only evidence of its passage.
Holding a shivering cat beneath his sleeve, Prince Chen turned to Jiuzhu. "Little Pig, are you cold?"
Jiuzhu shook her head. "The cloak Her Majesty prepared for me is very warm. Your Highness, this place looks so desolate."
When her aunt Xiangjuan had taken her around the palace, she had never brought her to this area.
"The ones living here are the late emperor’s consorts," Prince Chen slowed his steps. "Most held low ranks and bore no children. They entered the palace in their youth and barely caught the emperor’s gaze in their lifetimes."
He faintly remembered that when he was very young, a fifteen-year-old palace maid had died in a well just three days after being favored by the late emperor.
"By ancestral law, these childless consorts should have been sent to a nunnery in Chong’an Prefecture to pray for the late emperor until their deaths." Prince Chen pointed at the high wall separating the Dowager Consorts’ quarters. "In truth, those without sons, favor, or family support would have lived worse than commoners in those nunneries."
"Did the ones who sent them away not know this?" Jiuzhu tightened her grip on her cloak.
"Even if they did, what could they do?" Prince Chen glanced down at the cat in his arms. "No one cared."
"Then why are these dowager consorts still in the palace?" Jiuzhu asked curiously, feeling a surge of relief for them.
"It was Her Majesty’s decision to let them stay. To avoid criticism, she even had this high wall built to separate their quarters from the main palace." At this, Prince Chen let out a soft laugh. "Do you know why the court officials first started calling Her Majesty a 'seductive consort'?"
Jiuzhu shook her head.
"Because of this very act." His smile turned sardonic. "Some ministers claimed that keeping these dowager consorts defied ancestral law, and that Her Majesty was disrupting the palace by disregarding tradition."
"But Her Majesty was helping them!"
Chong’an Prefecture was hundreds of miles from the capital. If these women were mistreated in the nunnery, no one would ever know.
The ministers opposing Her Majesty saw only the rules of their ancestors, while she saw the women whose fates had never been theirs to decide.
"Truthfully, the ancestral laws of the Yun imperial family never explicitly stated that consorts must be sent to nunneries after the emperor’s passing." Prince Chen lifted his chin smugly. "Back then, I accompanied His Majesty and Her Majesty in scouring the Yun family’s regulations three times over. In the end, those ministers had no choice but to grudgingly accept it—and even praise His Majesty for his filial piety."
The officials who lost the argument didn’t dare criticize the emperor openly, so they simply muttered behind his back about Consort Su "bewitching the sovereign’s heart."
"Wow." Jiuzhu gazed at him in admiration. "Your Highness, Her Majesty, and His Majesty are all so incredible."
"Then..." She glanced at the attendants following them, inched closer to Prince Chen, and whispered, "My family didn’t argue with you, did they?"
"Why do you think those officials ended up praising His Majesty’s filial piety through gritted teeth?" Prince Chen chuckled, guessing her thoughts. "The three Ming lords played no small part in that."
"Tell me, tell me!" Jiuzhu perked up upon learning her family had stood with them. "What did my father and uncles do?"
"The three Ming lords compiled a list of officials renowned for their filial piety during the Daqing era, then singled out those praised for supporting their stepmothers." Prince Chen couldn’t help but laugh. "Especially your second uncle—his silver tongue and sharp wit left the opposing ministers speechless. Some were nearly reduced to tears."
"Second Uncle was that impressive?" Jiuzhu had heard from her mother that her second uncle was now the governor of Huaizhou. His letters home were always witty and warm. She couldn’t quite picture this same uncle reducing court officials to tears.
"We’re here." Prince Chen pointed at a vermilion gate. "Beyond this door is Jing'an Palace, where the dowager consorts reside."
"Your Highness, please wait here with the County Mistress." A young eunuch stepped forward to knock. Soon, an elderly eunuch answered, bowing nervously. "How may this humble servant assist you, young master?"
"Esteemed elder, this lowly one serves at Zhangliu Palace and now attends Prince Chen. We heard that one of the dowager consorts lost her cat, and His Highness has come in person to return it."
"Prince Chen?" The old eunuch stiffened at the name, then hurried forward. "Forgive this old fool for failing to greet Your Highness properly!"
"No need for formalities." Jiuzhu gently motioned for him to rise. "Please take us to the dowager consort."
"This is County Mistress Ming, daughter of Vice Minister Ming," the young eunuch whispered to avoid embarrassment. "And His Majesty’s chosen betrothed for Prince Chen."
"Daughter of Lord Ming..." The old eunuch murmured, studying Jiuzhu with clouded eyes. "Esteemed guests, please come in. This way."
Beyond the red-lacquered gate lay a vast garden flanked by three palace halls. Silver-haired dowager consorts sat in small clusters—some chatting, others slowly stitching embroidery, pausing occasionally to listen to their companions.
The younger-looking ones huddled around a table, debating calligraphy and paintings. When they noticed the newcomers, tension rippled through them.
"Is it the Palace Administration?"
"No, it doesn’t look like them."
"Are they here to... send us to Chong’an?"
"Don’t frighten yourselves. Their attire suggests a prince and his..." The speaker trailed off. "Wait, why is her hair styled as an unmarried maiden’s?"
"Enough guessing. That prince is holding a cat. Didn’t Sister Zhao lose hers? They must be here to return it."
"The cat’s been found?" One dowager consort sighed in relief. "Thank goodness. That Zhao woman cried all night—I barely slept."
"Hush, all of you. That prince looks familiar... could it be Prince Chen?" The embroidering dowager sounded uncertain. After so many years, the child she remembered had long since grown.
"Prince Chen..."
The chattering ceased. They all knew that without Consort Su, their peaceful lives would not exist.
"These three halls are Jing'an Palace, Ningkang Palace, and Fushou Palace," Prince Chen explained quietly. "Jing'an houses several dowager consorts; the other two are for lower-ranking elder consorts."
Jiuzhu noticed cloth tigers and rabbits hanging from the trees, their stitches uneven—likely due to failing eyesight.
Yet the dowager consorts were clean and healthy, their cheeks rosy. Life here seemed kind.
Rising on her toes, she curiously reached for a cloth tiger dangling from a branch.
"Does the young lady like this?" An aged voice spoke up behind her.
Jiuzhu withdrew her hand and turned to see an elderly woman addressing her. She curtsied slightly in greeting.
"If you like it, take it with you," the old woman said as she stepped closer, her silver-streaked hair neatly arranged. "These are just little things I make to pass the time."
"Thank you." Jiuzhu hesitated, but seeing the hopeful look in the woman's eyes, she reached out and took the cat from Prince Chen's arms. "Your Highness, could you help me take that down?"
Prince Chen raised an eyebrow, glancing at Jiuzhu, whose head barely reached his chin, then stretched to pluck the small tiger ornament from its perch.
"Meow." The kitten nestled in Jiuzhu's arms let out a soft sound.
"Oh, you little thing!" The old woman laughed upon seeing the cat. "I had people searching all night for you—finally found!"
Hearing its owner’s voice, the cat lazily flicked its tail and turned its head toward Consort Dowager Zhao.
"So this is Your Ladyship’s cat." Jiuzhu stroked the kitten’s fluffy head before carefully returning it. "Its paw was injured, but the imperial physician has already treated it."
A eunuch from Zhangliu Palace presented a packet of medicine. "This is the prescription—apply it morning and evening."
"Thank you, young lady, and Your Highness." Consort Dowager Zhao cradled the cat, pressing her cheek against its head. "You little troublemaker, didn’t I tell you not to wander off? Now you’re hurt—doesn’t it hurt? Next time you dare run off, I’ll leave you to fend for yourself!"
Despite her scolding, her touch was gentle, careful not to aggravate the injury.
"Young Master and Lady, you’ve gone through such trouble returning this mischief-maker," she said gratefully. "Please, come inside for some tea and refreshments before you leave."
Her tone carried a hint of pleading, as if fearing refusal. Jiuzhu glanced at Prince Chen, hesitating to accept immediately.
"Then this prince shall impose." Prince Chen placed the small tiger ornament in Jiuzhu’s palm, then awkwardly offered his arm to steady the elderly consort. "Let’s go."
Consort Dowager Zhao beamed at the young man’s hand on her arm. "It’s been so long since anyone other than eunuchs and maids has visited these old halls."
As they stepped into the inner chamber, Jiuzhu caught a faint whiff of medicinal herbs.
"Is someone unwell?" Prince Chen helped the consort sit before scanning the room.
"At our age, aches and sniffles are inevitable," she replied warmly. "Thankfully, Consort Su ensures the imperial physicians check on us old women every five days. We’ve managed to stay in fair health."
Just then, a matron in her forties or fifties entered with tea and sweets. She stole a glance at Prince Chen before bowing deeply and arranging the refreshments.
"If I’m not mistaken, Your Highness must be Consort Su’s child—Yun Duqing?" The consort gestured to a plate of pastries. "These are quite good—do try one."
"Thank you, Your Ladyship." Jiuzhu quickly picked up a pastry before Prince Chen could, broke it in half, and took a bite. She smiled approvingly. "Delicious."
Only then did she hand the remaining half to the prince.
Prince Chen ate it without comment—neither exceptional nor unpleasant, but suited to an elder’s palate.
"Your Highness bears a blessed name," Consort Dowager Zhao murmured, stroking the now-dozing kitten.
Jiuzhu watched them, nibbling her pastry with a quiet laugh.
"What’s amusing?" Prince Chen tilted his head.
"I just think… Your Highness and Her Majesty are remarkable." Her crescent-moon eyes sparkled.
How could the world hold people so wonderfully kind?
Prince Chen smirked. "Hmm. On that point, your judgment is impeccable."
"Your Highness, I’ll be returning home tomorrow," Jiuzhu said, her smile fading slightly. "My mother wrote that the 28th of the month is an auspicious day—Uncle has arranged for matchmakers to visit the Zhou family for Brother Fuli’s betrothal."
"Then after New Year’s Eve, I’ll have Mother summon you back."
Consort Dowager Zhao watched the two young heads nearly touching and smiled tenderly.
