Chapter 1 She Cannot See the Light

Chapter 1 She Lived in the Shadows

Two young maids carried wooden buckets and old kitchen brushes, daubing paste along the edges of the window frames before smoothing out a sheer, delicate green gauze to stick onto them.

As autumn arrived, the air grew cooler, and the windows needed sealing.

A-Wu leaned back against a silk brocade pillow, cradling a bowl of silken tofu braised with fresh water chestnuts. With an exquisite, translucent white jade spoon, she savored each bite slowly.

These fresh water chestnuts were tribute sent from South Lake. It was said they had arrived at Donghua Gate early in the morning, parceled into several crates, and delivered with ice to the Crown Prince’s residence. The prince’s finest provisions always made their way to her, so today she had the pleasure of tasting this delicate dish.

At White Dew season, water chestnuts were at their most tender—with thin skins, plump flesh, and sweet juice. The kitchen’s skill was impeccable, steeping the delicate tofu with the chestnuts’ fresh aroma. A single spoonful, placed in the mouth, brought a flood of delicate flavors, as if carrying the crisp scent of Taihu Lake.

A-Wu sighed in contentment, though a quiet melancholy lingered beneath.

Such blissful days, she feared, would not last much longer.

Since arriving at the Crown Prince’s residence, she had been kept in the secluded Huancui Garden, rarely allowed outside.

There was no helping it—for now, she lived in shadows and had to stay hidden.

Who could have predicted that before the Double Ninth Festival, the Emperor would make an appearance?

At the time, A Wu naturally knew nothing of this. She remained alone in Huancui Garden, fiddling with a nine-linked ring puzzle.

Then, suddenly, an older matron appeared with several attendants, insisting she come at once—on the Crown Prince’s orders.

Having little worldly experience and confined to Huancui Garden since her arrival, she was oblivious to the implications. She assumed it truly was the prince’s summons, that she was finally to be “brought into the light.”

After dressing carefully, she followed the matron.

When she had first arrived at the Crown Prince’s residence, it had been in a dusky green sedan chair, hurriedly carried through a side gate. Peeking out along the way, she had glimpsed only red walls and blue tiles, endless rows of trees—leaving her with almost no understanding of the estate’s layout.

Now, trailing the matron, she saw exquisitely carved eaves and glittering halls, a dazzling display that made her head spin.

By the time she was led, bewildered, into the banquet hall—where the Emperor’s feast unfolded in a sea of sumptuous silks, graceful music, and a hundred judging eyes—her heart pounded and her knees went weak.

She’d been sickly since birth and had never been strong. How could she withstand such an ordeal? She could barely stand, swaying like a reed.

This only made her appear all the more timid and delicate.

The imposing Emperor, seated above the guests, cast a disdainful glance at A Wu and snapped, “Mo Yao, your household grows ever more unruly. Must you bring such vulgar company before Us?”

With those words, A-Wu’s doom was sealed.

Mo Yao was the Crown Prince.

In the height of summer, Songzhou had suffered floods, and the prince had been dispatched to oversee relief efforts. During a brief stop at a countryside estate, he chanced upon A Wu and was instantly smitten. That very night, he commanded her to his bed.

After the disaster relief, he brought her back to the capital.

Since the prince’s mission to Songzhou had been an official imperial assignment, returning with a woman in tow would have tarnished his reputation. Thus, A Wu had been hidden throughout the journey, sometimes disguised as an ordinary maid attending him.

Upon reaching the Crown Prince’s residence, she was secretly settled in Huancui Garden.

The prince intended to wait until the gossip subsided before presenting her publicly.

He had even promised A Wu that he would petition the Emperor to grant her the title of “Lady,” explaining that his household could have one principal consort, one secondary consort, two ladies, and four concubines.

A Wu understood none of this, so the prince held her close and patiently explained the ranks to her.

The Crown Prince held A Wu's face tenderly, murmuring affectionately, "You can first be a Consort. Then, one day, when you bear me a son or daughter, I will promote you to Crown Prince's Concubine. And someday—"

At this point, he leaned close to her ear, whispering promises A Wu barely grasped.

To A Wu, all this felt distant.

In the heat of passion, a man might say many things in his satisfaction, only to forget them the next day.

For her, the fresh water chestnuts specially delivered from South Lake, the yellow lamb from Datong, the chicken fir mushrooms from Yunnan, the egg pine nuts from Kaifeng, and the preserved lychees from Sichuan—these were the real luxuries she could actually taste.

Without the Crown Prince, she would hardly enjoy such delicacies in this lifetime.

Every bite counted.

And now... with the Emperor's single remark, her good life was probably over.

Three days had passed since that incident, and the Crown Prince had not once visited Huan Cui Yuan (Emerald Bower).

During these three days, A Wu had indeed felt uneasy and helpless.

She shoveled a heaping spoonful of tender tofu with her soup spoon, opened her lips, and devoured it in one go, her heart heavy with thoughts of the future.

How would she live without the Crown Prince?

Nanny Sun observed with a cold eye, scrutinizing A Wu. The longer she stared, the more at a loss for words she grew.

This girl... once pampered by the Crown Prince, now that the Emperor had spoken so disdainfully, her cushy life was doomed. Yet here she was, wolfing it down with gusto!

Originally, Nanny Sun had thought that if A Wu didn’t eat the water chestnut tofu, she could take it all for herself.

But A Wu kept eating, bite after bite!

This empty-headed girl was nothing but a pretty face!

She eyed A Wu’s delicate lips—naturally a soft, rosy pink without a hint of rouge—so tender and beautiful, like a figure carved from jade.

Nanny Sun curled her lip in a smirk. "Not everyone gets brains, but some get looks."

A Wu ignored her, taking another hearty bite. "Not just looks—a hearty appetite to boot! My mother always said, you can’t take riches to the grave. But food? Once it’s in your mouth, it’s yours!"

Nanny Sun stifled a scoff, but considering A Wu’s current predicament, she couldn’t help but smirk.

What good was beauty if she’d end up discarded, never to know comfort again?

A Wu lowered her lashes, staring at the half-eaten water chestnut tofu, adrift in her thoughts.

She had seen Nanny Sun’s disdain from the very first day but had never mentioned it—not even to the Crown Prince.

Nanny Sun loved to gossip, and A Wu found her chatter something to break the monotony. If she complained and the Crown Prince dismissed Nanny Sun, replacing her with someone tight-lipped, who would entertain her then?

From Nanny Sun’s gossip, A Wu had learned a few things.

The Crown Princess came from an illustrious family. Her grandfather had served as a Hanlin Lecturer and Hanlin Academician under the previous emperor, later becoming Junior Preceptor to the Crown Prince. When the current Emperor ascended the throne, he entrusted him with greater responsibilities, granting him the title Duke of Yingguo.

The Crown Princess, as the Duke of Yingguo’s eldest granddaughter, was exceptionally intelligent and talented. When she came of age, she was selected for the Eastern Palace and wedded to the Crown Prince last autumn, becoming the Crown Princess.

According to Nanny Sun, the Crown Princess and the Crown Prince were deeply devoted to each other, their marriage harmonious. Favored by both the Emperor and Empress, she naturally enjoyed unparalleled prestige, praised by all.

A Wu knew Nanny Sun told her this to put her in her place.

She knew—she understood perfectly well, she never thought of competing with anyone!

With her status, how could she compete? She might not even be able to keep her own life.

As she pondered, suddenly, Nanny Sun glanced at the two busy maids outside and couldn't help sighing, "His Highness has really gone out of his way for you. Our Crown Princess is generous and kind-hearted. Now that His Highness hasn’t returned for three days, you've still gotten your share of the household's best. Don’t you know how to acknowledge Her Highness’s kindness? Someone of your lowly birth, able to enjoy such delicacies in the household—it’s all scraps from their highnesses’ tables. You—"

A Wu was getting irritated.

Chattering was fine, but this was downright excessive!

She came right out with it, "Are His Highness and Her Highness not getting along?"

Nanny Sun jumped at this, widening her eyes, "What makes you say that? Who told you anything?"

A Wu gave a faint smile and placed the plate firmly on the carved lacquer tray beside her.

The sharp "clink" drew the attention of several nearby maids.

A Wu looked at Nanny Sun and said, "Like you said, Nanny, my status is lowly. What does His Highness and Her Highness’s affection have to do with me? I’m just a toy, aren’t I?"

Nanny Sun was suspicious but agreed, "At least you know where you stand!"

A Wu chuckled lightly, "Nanny keeps hammering this into me just to warn me not to harbor delusions. That must mean Her Highness feels uneasy. Otherwise, why bother saying such things to a mere toy like me?"

Nanny Sun was caught off guard.

Since this girl arrived at Huancui Garden, she had been under Nanny Sun’s care. Watching her with a cold eye, Nanny Sun saw clearly—her frail body, her innate deficiencies, her airheadedness, stuffing her face with treats all day, oblivious to sarcasm, untouched by the occasional dig.

Who would have thought she’d suddenly say something like this today!

Nanny Sun scrutinized the girl again. She was indeed beautiful.

Delicate bones, enchanting fragility, her eyes like autumn water, her lips like a thread of red silk against snow-white skin—a porcelain doll with an alluring, captivating beauty.

His Highness had brought back this porcelain doll from his southern inspection, pampering her like she was made of glass, shielding her from outsiders, indulging her night after night.

Since his return, he had shunned the Crown Princess, leaving her fuming.

So, she orchestrated that scene a few days ago—to show her up in front of everyone, to put her on display!

Sure enough, the Emperor couldn’t stand such a seductress, giving His Highness a public dressing-down and demanding he get rid of her right away.

His Highness couldn’t bear to part with her and had been dragging his feet, trying every trick in the book.

Nanny Sun, overseeing A Wu in Huancui Garden, had long since uncovered her background—lowly origins, little education, could barely read. Such a girl was easy to handle, and Nanny Sun had boasted confidently to the Crown Princess.

Never did she expect A Wu to suddenly speak so shrewdly.

Squinting at her, Nanny Sun watched A Wu warily and cautiously asked, "If His Highness and Her Highness are at odds, what would you do?"

A Wu calmly picked up the osmanthus egg-drop soup beside her. "How would I know? I only hope..."

Nanny Sun pressed, "Hope for what?"

A Wu blew lightly on the soup. The osmanthus egg-drop soup was made by frying eggs into osmanthus-like shapes. The chefs in the Crown Prince’s household were masterful—golden egg ribbons floating like scattered osmanthus petals in the wind.

After a sip, A Wu replied, "I only hope to get more silver and live a few peaceful days."

Nanny Sun probed, "What do you mean by peaceful days?"

A Wu: "Of course, to find a dependable man—whether rich or poor, as long as he’s honest—and grow old together in a simple life."

Nanny Sun found this more and more ridiculous. What a little hypocrite! How could such a scheming little fox, who bewitched the Crown Prince, ever hope for a peaceful life?

She asked pointedly, "Why don’t you say this to His Highness the Crown Prince?"

A Wu wiped her lips with a handkerchief. "Oh I told him."

Nanny Sun couldn't believe her ears. "You... told him? You said this to His Highness?"

A Wu nodded. "Yes!"

When she uttered the word "yes," her voice went all soft and drawn out, sounding almost childlike.

Nanny Sun’s head was spinning. She cautiously studied A Wu. "And what did His Highness say?"

A Wu tilted her head, recalling for a moment, then said, "His Highness ran his fingers through my hair and said he was the one who would grow old with me. He told me not to worry and not entertain any other thoughts."

Frowning delicately, she looked innocent yet helpless, murmuring under her breath, "Nanny Sun, what should I do? His Highness won’t listen to me."

Nanny Sun’s expression turned slightly dazed.

She gave A Wu a deep, searching look.

Thinking to herself, *She's nothing but trouble. If this temptress isn’t driven away, none of us will have peace.*