Chapter 42

Chapter 42

As everyone pondered, the guards who had gone to investigate pushed through the bushes and found an elegant, pure-white deer with majestic antlers lying on the ground. Its eyes were open, and its hind legs twitched occasionally, as if attempting to rise but collapsing weakly.

One guard approached for a closer look, noting its stiff joints, seemingly injured yet without visible blood. Puzzled, he then spotted a blunt arrow nearby and immediately understood: Prince Pei, with foresight, must have deliberately removed the arrowhead to avoid harming the auspicious white deer.

Signaling the others to secure the deer, the guard belatedly realized: this white deer was traditionally regarded as an auspicious omen!

So, on the very first day of the hunt, His Majesty had captured a living auspicious omen? He had even touched it himself!

Returning to report the news, the guard’s face glowed with pride as he loudly announced, "Congratulations, Your Majesty, for obtaining an auspicious omen!"

Those who had worried the deer might be dead, turning a joyous occasion into a misfortune, now saw that it was clearly alive and well.

Someone exclaimed in surprise, "Did Prince Pei miss his shot?"

The guard cheerfully replied, "Prince Pei’s archery is superb—he struck the deer’s joints, disabling its movement without injury, because his arrow had no head."

A chorus of congratulations erupted for the emperor, filling the air with praise.

The emperor raised a hand to quiet the well-wishers, dismounted, and walked over to the securely bound white deer. Bending down, he silently observed the unblemished creature.

The crowd, too, fell silent, puzzled by the emperor’s lack of visible joy despite the auspicious event. The forest grew still.

"This deer appears listless. Have the veterinarians examine it thoroughly," the emperor said, straightening up and remounting his horse. "To obtain such an auspicious omen is truly a joyous occasion. Our morning’s harvest is sufficient—let us return to camp."

Relieved, the group relaxed, and the procession followed the emperor back to camp. Those at the rear couldn’t help but glance back at the white deer carried on horseback, marveling at its pristine, unmarred hide—truly a wonder of nature.

Ahead, the emperor glanced at Pei Yue beside him and casually remarked, "During today’s hunt, why did you have a blunt arrow in your quiver?"

Pei Yue smiled wryly. "My young nephew insisted on seeing me shoot at home. The estate is small, so I removed the arrowhead to avoid accidents. Somehow, the servants included it in my quiver. Without this oversight, I fear I might have injured the deer today."

The emperor neither approved nor disapproved, nodding slightly. "A serendipitous outcome, then."

Upon returning to camp, the emperor retired to his tent while the guards processed the morning’s game. Others sought veterinarians to tend to the deer. The emperor’s hunting grounds were the finest, with game deliberately driven toward him, so despite the early return, the yield was substantial, keeping everyone busy.

By dusk, the other hunting parties gradually returned with their own spoils, most conspicuously, Prince of Chu’s party, which had bagged a black bear. Such large prey was rare and usually enough to dominate the hunt. Though battered and bloodied—even Prince of Chu was splattered—the group was triumphant.

Commanding the bear to be presented to the emperor, Prince of Chu scanned the crowd and, spotting Prince of Jin's dark expression, deliberately approached. "Brother, what rare game did you bag?"

Prince of Jin scoffed, rallying instantly. "You’re bragging about a mere bear? Father captured a white deer—alive."

Prince of Chu stiffened, his excitement dampened. But he kept his composure, smiling lightly. "Who am I to rival His Majesty?"

As long as he outshone his brothers, that was enough.

Glancing at Prince of Yan, who had only a few foxes, and Prince of Ping, who had nothing, Prince of Chu felt better. He clasped his hands and bid Prince of Jin farewell. "Since Father has obtained such a rarity, I’ll go see it now. Excuse me."

The white deer was corralled in a clearing at the camp. Thanks to the veterinarians' care, it seemed livelier than in the morning, though its injured legs left it limping.

But the onlookers cared little for how it walked—just seeing its pure white coat was reward enough. They murmured excitedly, recounting the event.

Some mentioned Prince Pei: "Prince Pei was lucky to spot the auspicious omen first and take the shot. Otherwise, who knows who’d have gotten the credit?"

Others were skeptical: "How fortuitous that he’d just happened to have a blunt arrow. Anyone else would’ve wounded it."

"Enough. You think you’re the only one suspicious? If His Majesty raised no doubts, who are you to?"

Inside the tent, the emperor was also listening to Wang Shen's report on the matter.

"Yesterday, Young Master Pei indeed put on an archery display in the manor. It's said he even shot down a bird, but since it was a blunt-tipped arrow, the bird flew away shortly after falling."

"Hmm." The emperor didn’t even look up. "Continue."

Wang Shen lowered his voice slightly: "The veterinarian said the white deer seemed to have mistakenly ingested some mind-altering herbs, which is why it appeared lethargic when brought in this morning. As for the joint injury, it’s not serious and will heal in a few days."

"Mistaken ingestion?" The emperor paused his movements. "Tell Liang Ying to investigate how the deer ingested those herbs and how it ended up in my hunting grounds."

Wang Shen bowed and accepted the order.

In the evening, the emperor hosted a grand banquet for his ministers. The food served naturally consisted of the day’s hunt, prepared by imperial chefs for all to enjoy.

Amidst the clinking of cups and toasts, the ministers offered their congratulations, and the emperor smiled as he drank his wine, creating a festive mood.

Back at the Pei family’s manor, Mrs. Pei and the others, having returned from the banquet, had just finished dinner and were sitting together chatting.

In the afternoon, Pei Yue had sent someone back with the game he had hunted, so they’d already heard about the so-called "auspicious beast" incident.

Mrs. Pei frowned, looking somewhat worried, and cautioned Ming Tang: "Yue drew attention today, and whether this 'auspicious beast' bodes well or ill is unclear. When you attend the Ji family’s banquet tomorrow, you must remain composed."

Ming Tang nodded. "I’ll remember."

Pei Ze, who had been sitting quietly nearby playing with a long and ornate pheasant feather, spoke up upon hearing this: "Mother says the auspicious beast is good luck!"

Ming Tang said it was good luck? Mrs. Pei immediately frowned and looked at Ming Tang. "Is that true?"

Rulers who took such signs to heart often gradually turned to seeking immortality and mystical practices. Thus, Mrs. Pei had always been wary of such things. Now that Pei Yue had become the one associated with the "auspicious beast," Mrs. Pei was already anxious enough. Hearing this, she couldn’t help but feel displeased—even if Ming Tang had her own questionable beliefs, why would she say such things in front of A Ze?

Ming Tang nodded. "It’s true in a way." She glanced at Pei Ze. "A Ze, what did Auntie say this afternoon?"

At the time, the two had been engrossed in a tense game of Gomoku, with Ming Tang spotting Pei Ze three stones. Pei Ze, who wasn’t particularly fond of the game, had played along for a long time. When someone from the kitchen arrived, knowing Ming Tang always perked up at kitchen news, Pei Ze immediately abandoned the game and naturally accompanied Ming Tang to see the kitchen staff.

That’s how he’d learned about the so-called "auspicious beast" at the same time as Ming Tang.

It was Pei Ze’s first time hearing the term, and he couldn’t help but ask curiously, "What is... 'auspicious beast'?"

Ming Tang casually explained: "An auspicious beast refers to a white deer. Because white deer are rare, people call them auspicious beasts, a sign of good fortune." Though who’s to say if their rarity came from their white coats making them easy prey in nature, thus reducing their chances of being seen alive by humans, she didn’t know.

Pei Ze suddenly understood: "So, A Ze, Grandmother, Mother, Uncle..." He ticked off on his fingers, listing everyone he could remember, then nodded firmly. "One A Ze, one Grandmother... everyone’s an auspicious beast."

Hearing Pei Ze say this, Mrs. Pei visibly relaxed. When she looked at Ming Tang again, she felt a pang of guilt for having misunderstood her earlier and beckoned Lin Ma over.

After Ming Tang returned to the eastern courtyard, she had just finished washing up when she saw Wen He presenting her with a gold filigree bracelet, saying it was sent by Mrs. Pei. The hollow bracelet was intricately woven with fine gold wires, inside which five or six round pearls rolled with movement, gleaming in the candlelight.

Though unsure why Mrs. Pei had sent her another piece of jewelry, she accepted it with ease—after all, one doesn’t refuse an elder’s gifts. As a daughter-in-law, she felt she had performed her role well enough to deserve it. The next morning, she cheerfully slipped it onto her wrist while dressing.

As for Pei Yue, after washing up and dressing, he noticed the dark blue riding outfit prepared for him and his step was noticeably lighter.

Only after putting it on did he realize something was off—the patterns on the clothes were woven with silver threads, understated until the light caught them.

Ming Tang studied it openly for a while and smiled. "Yesterday, I noticed you didn’t seem fond of red, so I had Hong Ying find a blue set for you. Do you like it?"

Pei Yue could easily tell Ming Tang was just using any excuse to dress him in the outfit she had already chosen.

He nodded. As he was about to leave, watching Ming Tang’s brisk retreat, he suddenly asked, "Is A Ze also wearing dark blue today?"

Ming Tang paused mid-step, turned around, and replied calmly, "A Ze’s clothes are all arranged by Mother. If you’re curious, you’ll see for yourself when we reach the main courtyard."

Mrs. Pei had already accepted the fact that Ming Tang had made identical outfits for her son and grandson. This morning, when she heard Pei Ze insisting on wearing a particular set, she suspected what was happening. Seeing the two indeed dressed alike again, she glanced at Ming Tang, who wore an expression of serene composure, and found it rather amusing.

Despite her many private ideas, it was impressive how flawlessly she maintained her dignified facade in public.

On the first day, the banquet had been hosted by the Zhang family, the Prince of Jin's in-laws, while the second day's was held by the Ji family, relatives of the Prince of Chu's wife. Once the group was ready, they boarded their carriages and headed for the Ji family's estate.

The Ji estate was not far from the Pei estate, though located farther from the imperial hunting lodge. It was more expansive and exquisitely constructed, with a layout reminiscent of Jiangnan gardens, with picturesque views at every turn.

Mrs. Ji, whom they had met the previous day, was today's hostess. Compared to her gentle demeanor yesterday, she now exuded confidence and ease, her smile broader as she greeted them.

Entering the flower hall with Mrs. Ji, Ming Tang observed at a glance that more than half the seats were already occupied. The ladies who had surrounded Mrs. Ji the day before were now seated and chatting, while the faces that had clustered around Second Madam Zhang were not yet present.

As for Second Madam Zhang herself, she had yet to arrive.

After sitting with Mrs. Pei and waiting for about as long as it takes to finish a cup of tea, an announcement came that Second Madam Zhang had arrived.

No sooner had the announcement been made than Second Madam Zhang's boisterous laughter rang out from outside: "Sister Ji, forgive my tardiness!" Decked out as ornately as yesterday, she looked dripping with jewels. "I forgot to instruct the coachman before leaving, and it wasn’t until we’d been on the road for fifteen minutes that I realized he was heading straight for Wangshan Tower. So we had to turn back, which delayed us."

Since Wangshan Tower had been opened for hosting guests, being able to entertain there had always been a matter of prestige. Mrs. Ji understood the implied slight—that hosting at their own estate was less distinguished than at Wangshan Tower.

Unfazed, Mrs. Ji countered with a smile: "We had originally considered Wangshan Tower as well, but since Her Majesty the Empress did not join this trip, Consort Shu cautioned us not to overstep. So we decided to host at home instead. If our arrangements are lacking, I hope all the ladies will forgive us."

She finished with a polite bow to the room.

Second Madam Zhang’s smile faltered briefly before she replied, "Is Her Majesty’s favor not gone simply because she is absent?"

Mrs. Ji chose not to argue further, merely smiling as she invited everyone, "Last year, my husband had this estate renovated, and there are now many points of interest. Shall we all take a stroll together?"

As guests defer to their host, the party moved from the flower hall.

Mrs. Pei was pressured by her sister-in-law, the Marquis of Xingguo’s wife, to step outside, but she hesitated when she noticed Ming Tang following. She asked, "Would you prefer to join us outside or stay here?"

Observing the Marquis’s wife’s somewhat fawning manner and Mrs. Pei’s subtle resistance, Ming Tang regretfully accepted that she wouldn’t be able to hear any juicy gossip. She curtsied and replied, "Thank you for your concern, Mother. I’ll stay here and keep A Ze company."

The Marquis’s wife finally glanced at Ming Tang and remarked approvingly, "Your young daughter-in-law has good sense."

Rather than feeling flattered, Ming Tang grew even more wistful: With such a blunt way of speaking, her mother-in-law Mrs. Pei must not get along well with the Marquis’s wife. If their relationship was strained yet they still sought private conversation, she wondered just how much intrigue she was missing.

Watching the two depart, Ming Tang noticed fish tanks placed along the corridor outside the flower hall. She beckoned a maid and asked, "Might there be any fish food?"

The maid, taken aback, saw the finely dressed little boy beside Ming Tang and nodded. She fetched a box of fish food with a small spoon and kindly reminded, "The tank isn’t deep, but do mind the young master while feeding."

With that, she curtsied and left.

Once she was gone, Pei Ze blinked up at Ming Tang. "A Ze doesn’t want to feed fish."

Ming Tang gestured for Nanny Zhou to pick him up and stood to walk outside. "I know A Ze doesn’t like feeding fish, but would A Ze keep Auntie company while she feeds them?"

Pei Ze was immediately enthusiastic, excitedly leaning in to watch Ming Tang feed the fish—or rather, to enthusiastically praise everything. When Ming Tang sprinkled the food, he exclaimed, "Auntie is amazing!" When the koi surfaced to eat, he cheered, "Fish so good!" And when the fish dove back down, he marvelled, "Water so good!"

Ming Tang laughed so hard she nearly dropped the fish food box, and when Pei Ze added, "Box so good!" Wen He quickly took it from her hands. Watching Pei Ze’s innocent delight, Wen He fretted, "The young master is still little, so everyone just laughs when he says such things, but what if he still talks like this when he’s older?"

Ming Tang rolled her eyes. "He says these things precisely because he’s little. Children speak innocently—he’ll grow out of it."

Her own nieces and nephews had been the same, absolutely adorable in their early years but gradually learning to choose their words carefully.

Wen He rubbed her nose and glanced around before setting the fish food box on a nearby stand. Her gaze caught something amiss, and she leaned in to whisper, "Miss, look over there—are those people watching us?"

Ming Tang lifted her eyes to see two unfamiliar women, one tall and one short, each accompanied by a young girl.

Noticing they’d been spotted, the pair hesitated briefly before approaching with their attendants.

Up close, Ming Tang studied their faces but didn't recognize them—she hadn’t seen them yesterday either. She smiled to herself: So, though she’d missed others’ drama today, it seemed the drama came to find her instead?

As she mused, the two women drew near. The taller one, who had a kindly face, nodded slightly and greeted, "Good day, Second Young Madam." When Ming Tang acknowledged her but didn’t respond further, she realized Ming Tang didn’t recognize her and flushed slightly. "I am Madam Guan. My husband is the eldest son of the Imperial Academy’s Chancellor. This is my sister-in-law, Huang Shi."

Behind her, Huang Shi smiled at Ming Tang before beckoning to Pei Ze. "And this must be little A Ze? Why so quiet when meeting your Second Aunt?"

Pei Ze stared wide-eyed but said nothing, shrinking into Nanny Zhou’s arms before reaching for Ming Tang.

Huang Shi’s brows lifted in displeasure, but before she could speak, Nanny Zhou—holding Pei Ze—cut in sharply.

If Huang Shi was annoyed, Nanny Zhou was even more so. Her expression stern, she swiftly curtsied with Pei Ze and retorted, "Second Young Madam’s words are unfair. Our young master is barely two or three years old—must he call any unfamiliar woman ‘aunt’? If Second Young Madam wishes for the respect due an aunt, she ought first to act as an aunt should."

The words were swift yet articulate, and Ming Tang regarded Nanny Zhou with newfound admiration.

No wonder Mrs. Pei had chosen her to attend Pei Ze daily—loyalty alone clearly wasn’t enough for the role.