In winter, the cold remained cold.
Even breath turned into white mist.
The sisters-in-law had fun playing with ice.
When people become friends, it's about clicking at the right moment.
When energies align, it feels like old friends meeting.
Mianmian felt her future sister-in-law was similar to her elder sister. She had been nervous before coming with her mother, having heard she was a proper official's daughter, a standard second-generation official. She worried they wouldn't get along.
After all, even though their entire family was now connected to the Princess Dowager, they were essentially common folk.
They had lived through hard times, and many things weren't done with such refinement.
When you can barely afford to eat, you don't worry about dining etiquette - you need food first.
These experiences of getting rich later in life shaped their life perspectives.
Many people from humble backgrounds work hard because they're constantly climbing upward, full of drive.
While many fallen aristocrats, even with good resources, often give up, because they're on a downward trajectory - their peak was at birth.
With equal resources, different people maintain different states of mind.
Mianmian worried about not fitting in.
Previously, when she studied in Jingzhou, some classmates looked down on her, even when her father was causing quite a stir in Jingzhou. They just naturally looked down on her.
There was nothing she could do about it; she couldn't waste energy trying to change others' perspectives. If they looked down on her, so be it.
It didn't affect her anyway, didn't hurt at all.
If her future sister-in-law was that kind of official's daughter, it would be terrifying.
Mianmian wondered if they would have to start family feuds and separations. (Is this where the novel properly begins, with everything before being setup?)
But then they arrived at the Dong Family.
Met Madam Dong.
Met Miss Dong.
Good, good, good - they were their kind of people.
No wonder her brother, who could kill Little Phoenix Immortal with one sword, agreed to marry her.
Their energies matched perfectly.
The sister-in-law was too adorable.
It was hard to imagine what kind of family environment could produce such a girl.
Innocent but not naive.
The sister-in-law seemed quite clever, graceful in her interactions, had high standards, appreciated valuable things but wasn't petty - could both take and let go.
Mianmian felt that indeed, among three people, there must be one to learn from.
She felt there was much to learn from her sister-in-law, who was sincere but not foolish.
Smart without showing off, simply very likeable.
Her elder sister would probably like her too.
They even gossiped together.
Perhaps the fastest way for girls to become close friends is to start with gossip.
Dong E curiously asked, "Is Princess Huiyun beautiful?"
Mianmian nodded: "Very beautiful, she looks like me, but many times more beautiful. Though Princess Grandmother has scars on her face, similar to my brother's, it doesn't affect her beauty - she's even more beautiful."
Dong E's mouth gaped open like a pouting fish, and she excitedly whispered, "Then if I marry your brother and have children, would they look like Princess Huiyun? That would be absolutely gorgeous."
Mianmian laughed heartily.
She had originally hoped to share her father's intense love through her sister's children, but her sister had returned to the Meng Family. Now her sister-in-law had arrived with clear intentions to have children, not planning to be childless - suddenly she felt very secure.
Have children, have children, boys or girls would be fine.
"They'll definitely be beautiful. My mother says when I was little, seeing how pretty I was made her eat an extra bowl of rice." (Actually, it was because Mianmian was too thin and small, so she needed to eat more, trying to get more milk)
"Princess Grandmother has many fun things, next time we'll play together. She'll definitely like you; she likes pretty young girls," Mianmian assured confidently.
Dong E nodded with sparkling eyes: "Yes, yes, I love to play too."
Then they naturally moved on to gossip about Immortal Liu.
Even in front of her future sister-in-law, Dong E didn't hold back.
"Actually, when I first met Immortal Liu, I knew Brother Liu had no chance. Brother Liu is like a bamboo tube, hollow without depth, while Immortal Liu is like a winter bamboo shoot - on the surface just a tiny green sprout, but underground there's a whole shoot, and beneath that, a network of bamboo roots spreading everywhere, with countless other bamboos growing from different roots."
Mianmian gave her sister-in-law a thumbs up - impressive, impressive, that was truly insightful.
Her sister-in-law looked pure and cute, but she didn't mince words when criticizing others.
"Sister-in-law, have you seen bamboo shoots before?"
"Yes, I have estates in the countryside with bamboo groves. The servants dig up shoots - I've seen them. Shoots are edible and very tasty, though they can be a bit numbing."
"Not numbing at all! Next time let's visit my elder sister - she makes everything delicious. She's amazing."
"Yes, yes, yes! I've heard about it. Elder sister is super capable. Mother says I should learn from her."
Mianmian: ...
The sisters-in-law chatted and whispered all afternoon.
At the government office, after arranging his work, Jiang Changtian went to the palace again.
Sometimes doing more work isn't as effective as reporting more.
In ancient times, without social media or PowerPoint, work reports could only be made in person or indirectly.
Direct face-to-face reporting, or having people close to the leader speak well of you indirectly.
That's why people close to leaders held such power.
Because they could influence perceptions.
Today Jiang Changtian entered the palace, not to report work.
Different leaders require different approaches.
Some leaders prefer hardworking subordinates, so you show yourself working hard, sacrificing family time for work.
Some leaders prefer flattery, so you must flatter extensively, constantly, earnestly, getting your whole family to join in.
Some leaders prefer romance, so you need to both work well and be romantic, combine capability with talent, ideals, and depth.
It's all about catering to their preferences.
You can't get it wrong.
Otherwise, the consequences are severe.
From Jiang Changtian's observation, the current emperor was the third type of leader.
He wanted subordinates who could work well, but that alone wasn't enough - more importantly, they needed to be able to accompany him, match his wavelength, be pleasing to his eye, with the highest form being spiritual resonance.
Third Son had achieved this.
That's why among all the palace eunuchs, no one could match Third Son.
He had achieved harmony with the emperor, that spiritual connection - sharing common interests, loving vocal and stage performance arts, reaching perfect alignment, so his position was far ahead of others.
What Jiang Changtian wanted to do today was add to the emperor's leisure activities.
The previously popular Transcendence Band from Jingzhou, after selection, had their best members form a group with the chance to come to the capital.
Unexpectedly, their opportunity wasn't just coming to the capital - the family head said they would have the chance to perform before the emperor.
This was the kind of luck that only came from ancestors' blessings.
Ordinary people might never leave their hometown in their lifetime, or reach the capital if they did, or enter the palace if they reached the capital, or see the emperor if they entered the palace.
But they were going to perform for the emperor.
They were absolutely thrilled.
Today, Jiang Changtian was bringing them to perform for the emperor.
The emperor's accomplishment in vocal and dance arts was leading the entire era.
Hearing Second Jiang say he would bring a band for his enjoyment,
The emperor shook his head with a smile: "Just do your job well, don't bother with these frivolous things. I worry other officials will criticize you."
Jiang Changtian carelessly replied: "Let them criticize. They're officials who all want to show off but don't have the chance. Though I'm also an official, I'm more importantly your nephew. I'm not an official for promotion or wealth, but because I want to be one. I want uncle to hear good music - what's wrong with that?"
The emperor laughed heartily.
"Good, good, good."
However, before listening to music, they were actually required to bathe and burn incense - quite formal.
The emperor was willing to spend time on entertainment.
So he properly bathed and burned incense, making his body comfortable and mind clear.
Then he sat on the dragon throne to watch the band perform.
If the emperor bathed and burned incense before listening to music, others naturally dared not be careless.
A high-standard performance began.
Not many people were allowed to enter.
Before the performance started, white smoke rose on stage, creating an otherworldly atmosphere.
The emperor leaned back in his chair, feeling this was good, had the right feeling - at least the staging was excellent.
Then came a "dong" sound.
Slowly, the echoes seemed to sway in the air, paused, then another "dong" sounded.
Wave after wave, like ripples on water, one ending only for another to begin.
Slow and heavy.
"Do not abandon your own path, nor disturb another's heart..."
A clear, bright sentence, followed by the toll of a bell.
As if striking directly into one's soul.
...
