Chapter 5 – The Crown Prince

Chapter 5 - The Crown Prince

A month passed quickly, and the Crown Prince's eighteenth birthday was imminent.

As the appointed comptrollers by the Palace of Imperial Concubines, they were to embody the Empress's "maternal love." After being meticulously prepared by their aunts, they were set to report to the Crown Prince's residence, the Lingzhi Palace, and officially become his attendants.

When Xu Shangchun brought them to the palace, Palace Matron Zhou, who served by Empress Luo's side, was there reporting the birthday gifts bestowed by the Empress to the Crown Prince. Upon seeing them arrive, she smiled and said, "Xu Shangchun is here, and these are the comptrollers granted by the Empress this year to serve the Crown Prince. Today, there was supposed to be a grand banquet for the Emperor to gather with the Crown Prince and other princes. However, the Chief Eunuch from the Chenggan Palace reported that the Emperor is in a crucial stage of seclusion and thus the banquet has been canceled. Our Empress was quite distressed but had no choice but to send an abundant gift. I hope His Highness won't mind."

The Crown Prince, seated, lifted his head slightly. His voice was clear and melodious, with a gentle and refined tone: "Woe to my parents, who have labored for me. Birthdays are a day of sorrow for both father and mother; thus, grand celebrations are unnecessary. Thank you, Palace Matron Zhou, for conveying the Empress's edict. Her efforts are much appreciated. Tomorrow, I will pay her a visit to express my gratitude."

His long, dense eyelashes fluttered, casting shadows over his dark eyes, making it difficult to discern his emotions. "Please, take a seat, Palace Matron. You've gone through the trouble, so let me offer Pei Qiu's recent acquisition, a box of jasmine pearl tea, for Sister Zhou to enjoy."

Palace Matron Zhou laughed, "I'm unworthy of such kindness. Thank you, Your Highness, for your generosity."

She then turned to them and called them forward, "Come, quickly pay your respects to His Highness."

Both girls stepped forward, knelt, and bowed. The Crown Prince said, "No need for formalities, please instruct Palace Matron Yuan to make arrangements for you."

They stood up, but suddenly, Han Suyin seemed to trip on her own hem. With a soft cry, she stumbled forward, falling into the Crown Prince's arms.

The room fell silent as the Crown Prince promptly stepped forward to support Han Suyin, his expression serene. "Be careful."

His voice was gentle, even comforting. Indeed, he seemed like the epitome of a courteous gentleman... but Rong Bi noticed the subtle frown that flickered across the Crown Prince's face.

Rong Bi observed as Han Suyin, blushing with a mix of embarrassment and shyness, apologized to the Crown Prince. He maintained his mild demeanor. "There's no need to be formal. Follow Aunt Yuan down to your quarters."

Han Suyin's cheeks burned bright red. Rong Bi, however, sensed the Crown Prince's concealed disdain and aversion beneath his polite exterior.

"Aunt Yuan" arrived promptly. She was the Crown Prince's wet nurse and oversaw the affairs of the Lingzhi Palace. She led the two girls downstairs and summoned Pei Qiu, the leading palace maid by the Crown Prince's side, asking her to introduce the newcomers to their fellow concubines before they retired to their rooms for rest.

"Aunt Yuan" spoke gently, "I'll consult His Highness the Crown Prince tonight to determine which lady will attend to him." Han Suyin's face flushed even more, and she cast a bashful glance at Rong Bi. Unaffected on the surface, Rong Bi knew in her heart that neither of them would be chosen for the night.

By tradition, the Crown Prince had four chief palace maids serving him closely, while sixteen junior palace maids were divided into three shifts for different duties. Additionally, there were ten eunuchs outside ready to attend to his needs.

As a special palace maid appointed by the Empress, Siangzhai held an official rank within the palace, considered a female officer. Of course, these officers with specific roles, if not favored after a certain period, would be returned to the Shangshin Bureau upon the Crown Prince's approval, making way for new concubines to be selected.

The four chief palace maids had served the Crown Prince for many years. Pei Qiu had long eyebrows and delicate eyes, with fair skin. The others were named Peilan, Peizhu, and Peixiang, reportedly chosen by the late Empress herself and had been devotedly serving the Crown Prince since childhood.

Their reception of the new arrivals was cold and indifferent, revealing a subtle hostility towards the new Empress's appointments. They were well aware that the Crown Prince would never take any of these women into his favor. Initially, they carried an air of detached superiority, but the exceptional beauty of this year's candidates made their confidence in this superiority somewhat uncertain. As a result, an awkward disparity in attitude emerged among the four of them.

The room was situated in close proximity to the Crown Prince's quarters, for she was, after all, a comptress. The role entailed not only attending to the prince in his bedchamber but also assisting him in undressing, preparing his bed, and seeing to his grooming needs. Of course, it also involved night duties. With a gentle smile, Pei Qiu outlined their responsibilities and shared details about the Crown Prince's wardrobe, footwear, and various taboos. Her instructions were meticulous and exhaustive. After finishing her explanation, she chuckled and asked, "That's essentially what your duties will entail, sisters. I, on the other hand, must await the arrival of the fish soup from the Imperial Kitchen to inspect it. Do either of you have any further questions?"

Han Suyin smiled and said, "Sister has explained it quite thoroughly. As newcomers, we are merely concerned about not being acquainted with the Crown Prince and inadvertently crossing any of his taboos. I wonder if there is any particular advice or guidance Sister could offer us?"

Pei Qiu smiled and said, "His Highness, the Crown Prince, is quite fastidious about cleanliness. Remember this, my dear sisters." After her remark, she cast another glance at Rong Bi, who was looking at her with a pensive expression. Slightly taken aback, Pei Qiu then nodded with a smile and exited the room. Inwardly, however, Rong Bi was mildly puzzled. Pei Qiu wore virtually no makeup on her face, save for the subtle lining of her brows with eyebrow pencil. Her attire was exceedingly simple, and she didn't even adorn herself with sachets or any other accessories. One must understand that as a senior palace maid attending to the Crown Prince, Pei Qiu held a ranked position akin to a female official; it was unimaginable for her to lack in these adornments—was the Crown Prince truly so particular about cleanliness?

Han Suyin sneered as she addressed Rong Bi, "You appear diligent and devoted to the Crown Prince, as if you've revealed everything without reservation, but I find it hard to believe. Each time a head accountant is sent by the Imperial Household Department to serve him, they're promptly dismissed, and when asked, they can't explain why. They claim to be utterly baffled by His Highness's displeasure, chalking it up simply to the Crown Prince's dislike. I refuse to accept that these senior palace maids, who have attended him since childhood, haven't played a part in this. Could it truly be that he refuses to entertain anyone appointed by the Empress Dowager? Her Majesty the Empress is in good health; not only the head accountants but even the Crown Princess' affairs are often arranged by her. Does the Crown Prince always decline such arrangements?"

Is this because they find the attendants around the Crown Prince difficult to deal with and are now trying to win me over? Rong Bi couldn't help but smile inwardly, merely nodding in agreement.

Han Suyin cinched her belt tightly to accentuate her slender waist, then fetched fresh water to wash her face and apply a light layer of powder. She dabbed on some blush and sat before the mirror to meticulously draw her brows, revealing no intention of hiding her eager anticipation from Rong Bi.

Rong Bi sighed inwardly but couldn't resist offering a gentle hint to Han Suyin: "I've noticed that the other ladies attending the Crown Prince seem to go without makeup. Could it be that His Highness prefers a more natural look?"

Han Suyin was taken aback, turning to smile at Rong Bi. "I found it odd how those sisters all appeared rather pale today. You have a keen eye, indeed. It seems the Crown Prince appreciates subtlety in makeup. I'll pay closer attention and thank you for your advice."

Yet, her hand didn't slow down as she continued to draw her brows. After a careful inspection in the mirror, she gently rubbed the center of her lips and added a touch more of light pink blush, making her delicate lips appear even more luscious.

Rong Bi knew Han Suyin likely didn't believe her, especially given that Rong Bi was visibly more attractive. Han Suyin might suspect that Rong Bi was trying to discourage her from dressing up, hoping to outshine her. With a touch of self-mockery, Rong Bi fell silent and turned to lay out her belongings on the bed, starting to make up her quarters.