Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"Grandmother, you truly can see the future."

Pei Yun smiled, lowering her eyes as she recounted the day's events in detail.

The Empress Dowager merely smiled after listening and said, "So that's what it was about. Look at that frown on your face. Grandma's got your back—what are you afraid of?"

Pei Yun hugged the Empress Dowager's arm and said, "Grandmother, you know Aunt Qinghe's temper well enough. She won't do me any favors, so I had no choice but to come and ask you to smooth things over."

"Yue'er is still just a kid, and we're all one family—why must we go so far as to ruin her reputation entirely?"

The Empress Dowager stroked Pei Yun's hair and nodded with a smile. "You're right. We're family, no matter what—blood is thicker than water. Qinghe was probably just seeing red today. It's no matter; in a little while, I'll summon her to the palace and speak with her personally."

Having navigated palace politics for years, the Empress Dowager naturally understood Pei Yun's meaning without needing her to spell it out.

Hearing this, Pei Yun broke into a smile and chatted and charmed the Empress Dowager for a while, until the old lady was all smiles.

"Alright, but there's something fishy about this. You needn't worry about Qinghe—just keep an eye on things at Duke Su's estate, understand?" The Empress Dowager smiled and tapped Pei Yun's forehead with a bent finger.

Pei Yun rubbed her nose. "I've got it under control, Grandmother—rest assured."

The Empress Dowager sighed and started grumbling on and on: "When the Emperor first talked about marrying you off to the Marquis of Huai'an, I was against it from the start. You went through hard times with Kai'er, and now that you've finally gotten out of Qiulan Palace, I wanted you to have a happy, peaceful life. Duke Su's estate is hardly a good place to end up."

To marry in and instantly become a stepmother—and to two kids at that—the Empress Dowager, like Pei Yun's own mother, always had a problem with this.

"Grandmother, I know you love me, but His Majesty arranged this marriage because he cares about me." Pei Yun beamed and coaxed, "Marquis Qin is young and brilliant, and he's good to me—please don't worry."

"As long as he treats you well, that's what matters."

What's done is done—the marriage was already made. The Empress Dowager could only instruct, "If anything's bothering you at the estate, come to the palace and find your grandmother. I'll make it right for you."

Pei Yun felt a warmth spread through her heart. Looking at the Empress Dowager's hair, now more than half gray, her eyes welled up and her voice caught: "All those years in Qiulan Palace, we only got by thanks to you, Grandmother. Even though we were under house arrest, we lived comfortably—we never went without. Now that we've come out, I still have to trouble you to worry for me—I'm such a bad granddaughter."

Though the Deposed Crown Prince had been under house arrest for over a decade, Qiulan Palace, where he was confined, was still within the palace walls. The Empress Dowager, then the Empress, had authority over the six palaces and could naturally look after her son somewhat. So while Pei Yun's family couldn't move about freely, they never lacked for food or clothing and had servants to attend them—truly a comfortable life.

"Silly child, what are you saying?" The Empress Dowager laughed. "Your father is my own flesh and blood, and you are my own granddaughter. If I don't spoil you, who would I spoil?"

Just then, Aunt Sushui led four maidservants carrying plates of pastries—pea-flour cakes, hibiscus cakes, and golden-thread date cakes, plus two kinds of pastries Pei Yun didn't quite recognize, all served on dishes painted with gold and silver, delicate and exquisite in small portions.

"Princess, the Empress Dowager always has the kitchen keep your favorites ready, waiting for you to come and enjoy them fresh." Aunt Sushui set them on the table one by one and introduced with a smile, "These are milk plum-blossom cakes—a new recipe from the kitchen, made with sweet potato and honey. Don't they look just like red plum blossoms?"

The palace pastries looked exquisite, no matter how they tasted.

The Empress Dowager urged Pei Yun to try them right away, saying the chef was new from Jiangdong and made excellent pastries—they taste best hot.

Pei Yun picked up the silver chopsticks beside her and dug in. The Empress Dowager sat beside her, watching with a smile, and even personally fanned her with a tourmaline-and-ivory fan.

"If you like them, I'll have Sushui wrap up some more for you to take back," the Empress Dowager said with a smile. "And if you get a craving, come visit your grandmother in the palace often."

The pastries were sweet but not too sweet, with a light fragrance. But since they were mostly made from glutinous rice flour, Pei Yun felt a bit parched after two pieces. She picked up her tea and said with a laugh between sips, "If Brother finds out about this, he'll surely complain that Grandmother is playing favorites."

Pei Yun's full-blooded elder brother was none other than the current Heir Apparent of Prince Ying, Pei Yuanzhao.

Their parents—setting aside everything else—had a relationship that remained as devoted as ever, decades on. Even in the years before her father, the Deposed Crown Prince, was stripped of his title, he absolutely refused to take concubines. The Eastern Palace held only the Crown Princess, with no children born of other women—only Pei Yuanzhao and Pei Yun as his offspring. Even after the Crown Princess's health was damaged giving birth to Pei Yun and she could no longer conceive, the Crown Prince still insisted on taking no concubines. After his deposition, this remained even more so—he devoted himself wholly to their family of four.

"Would your brother be so greedy for treats?" The Empress Dowager raised an eyebrow. "But speaking of it, Zhao'er hasn't come to the palace in a while. What's he busy with?"

Pei Yun shook her head, saying she hadn't returned to Prince Ying's manor since her marriage, so she wasn't entirely sure.

"In that case, since Marquis Qin is also back, the two of you should go visit your parents." The Empress Dowager took a handkerchief and wiped a few pastry crumbs from the corner of Pei Yun's mouth. "Your parents must miss you terribly."

"I'll go back tomorrow—rest assured, Grandmother." Pei Yun smiled obediently.

Pei Yun finished most of the pastries, then casually asked what Emperor Qing'an had come for earlier.

The Empress Dowager's expression turned somewhat displeased at the mention.

"It's about Prince Zhao's marriage. He's of age now and should be betrothed." The Empress Dowager complained to her granddaughter, "But you know what kind of person his mother, Noble Consort Sun, is—she'd sooner have a fairy descended from heaven as her daughter-in-law. The Emperor was driven to a headache by her nagging, so he came to have me choose a princess consort for Prince Zhao."

Prince Zhao was Emperor Qing'an's eldest son, and Noble Consort Sun was the younger sister of Pei Yun's second aunt on the western side of the manor.

So when Pei Yun heard this, she paused with the silver fork between her teeth. Seeing her stunned expression, the Empress Dowager remembered that Pei Yun was now, in a roundabout way, related by marriage to Noble Consort Sun and Prince Zhao.

"Don't get involved in this matter. The Empress is also gearing up on her side—in short, the palace is in for quite a stir." The Empress Dowager refilled Pei Yun's tea and said.

Pei Yun nodded. This matter really had nothing to do with her.

She had just suddenly remembered that Mrs. Sun still had an unmarried youngest daughter, Shun Jie'er, who had just come of age this year. By relation, she was also Prince Zhao's cousin. Would Mrs. Sun consider marrying her daughter to her nephew?

Duke Su's manor currently had two young ladies of marriageable age—one being Mrs. Sun's legitimate youngest daughter, Qin Shun, and the other being Tang Shi's daughter, Qin Pan. The two were only a few months apart in age, both just past their coming-of-age ceremonies.

This chess game was becoming more and more interesting.

The Empress Dowager didn't dwell on it after speaking, but suddenly remembered that Pei Yun's brother, Pei Yuanzhao, should also be thinking about marriage. In previous years, it had been delayed due to the house arrest, and now she still hadn't heard her son and daughter-in-law mention their son's marriage prospects. So she instructed Pei Yun to ask her parents when she returned home the next day.

Pei Yun agreed to everything, first setting these worries aside, and cheerfully chatted with the Empress Dowager about idle matters.

...

In the Zichen Hall, Emperor Qing'an stood before a curio shelf, examining a sandalwood bow newly presented by the Imperial Workshops. Emperor Qing'an had fought his way from the southwest back to the capital—he had won his throne on horseback—and had a great fondness for bows, arrows, and blades.

"...Sun Kui and his forces have all been executed. Another hundred or so fled into Mount Youlan. Yang Yun and Zhou Keqi are leading men in pursuit and should root them out completely before long."

Qin Chu stood to one side, handing arrow feathers to Emperor Qing'an while reporting on the bandit suppression in the northwest.

Emperor Qing'an took the black-feathered arrow, drew the bow to test it, but didn't loose it. In the end, he tossed it onto the table.

"I've always trusted your handling of matters."

Emperor Qing'an patted Qin Chu's shoulder, then strode toward the sitting couch nearby. The eunuchs and maids waiting around had already set out tea and refreshments—tea smoke curling upward, fragrant and pleasant.

"Come, sit."

Emperor Qing'an took his seat and gestured to the seat across from him, indicating Qin Chu should sit.

Qin Chu inclined his head in thanks and sat facing Emperor Qing'an.

"Liangzhou is still in disarray, I imagine. The previous Governor of Liangzhou was Jiang Wen." Emperor Qing'an personally poured tea for Qin Chu. At this point, he looked up at Qin Chu and said, "I don't care for that man. He's reached his years—let him return to his hometown to retire."

"For the new Governor of Liangzhou, I intend to let you make the choice."

Qin Chu furrowed his brow slightly and clasped his hands in salute. "Your Majesty, this—"

"Don't rush to decline." Emperor Qing'an waved his hand, cutting off Qin Chu's words, and continued, "You've just returned from Liangzhou. No one understands the situation there better than you, so naturally you can pick the right person."

"Moreover, we came from the southwest, and I've only just ascended the throne. There are many matters in the capital—I won't hide it from you—that I'm still trying to get a handle on." Emperor Qing'an said with a smile, "New nobles and old ministers are all tangled together, not to mention the centuries-old aristocratic families in the capital. You come from Duke Su's manor, once placed first in the imperial examinations, and can shoulder both civil and military duties—handling affairs will come easily to you."

"There's no rush on this. Take your time searching, and when you find the right person, just let me know."

When Emperor Qing'an put it that way, Qin Chu could only accept.

After discussing state affairs, Emperor Qing'an couldn't help but make small talk with Qin Chu.

"I just came from the Empress Dowager's place and saw Zhao Yang there," Emperor Qing'an said with a smile. "You're one lucky guy—Zhao Yang's beauty is among the finest in the capital, and she's got her mother's lively, capable personality. She'll make a great lady of the house."

Qin Chu's expression remained unchanged as he replied with a slight smile, "The Princess has both looks and substance. I'm grateful to Your Majesty for arranging the marriage."

"A talented man and a beautiful woman—you're perfect for each other." Emperor Qing'an waved his hand and poured Qin Chu another cup of tea, then asked, "Have you gone to see your father-in-law at Prince Ying's estate yet?"

"As soon as I got back to the capital, I came straight to the palace to report to Your Majesty and haven't yet visited Prince Ying's manor. I just talked it over with the Princess, and we'll make the formal visit tomorrow."

Qin Chu sat tall and composed, like a snow-covered pine—cool and unyielding.

Emperor Qing'an nodded with a thoughtful look, then said with a smile, "In that case, go with Zhao Yang for a proper visit and meet Prince Ying and the Princess Consort of Ying."

"Your brother and sister-in-law are easygoing people—you can chat with them freely."

Qin Chu's gaze shifted slightly, and he bowed in acknowledgment.

At this point, Emperor Qing'an was in a good mood and wanted to keep Qin Chu for a round of Go. But just as they were setting up the board, a eunuch hurried in, head bowed, and reported, "Your Majesty, His Royal Highness Prince Zhao has arrived."

Emperor Qing'an paused and tossed the piece he was holding back into the box.

"Let him in."

Before long, the Emperor's eldest son, Prince Zhao, who had just turned seventeen, came in from outside.

Prince Zhao looked like Emperor Qing'an—broad face, big ears, bright eyes, and a tall, sturdy build.

"Your son pays his respects to Father!"

Qin Chu stood up, stepped aside, and bowed with his hands clasped. "Prince Zhao."

Emperor Qing'an waved his hand. "Get up. What do you need?"

Prince Zhao stood up quickly but didn't answer. He just glanced at Qin Chu, making it obvious he didn't want Qin Chu to listen in.

Emperor Qing'an shook his head helplessly. "Go to Ci'an Palace and find Zhao Yang for now."

Qin Chu lowered his eyes and took his leave without another word.

"You—how many times have I told you to get closer to Marquis Qin?" After Qin Chu left, Emperor Qing'an shook his head in reproach. "You haven't listened to a single word."

Prince Zhao stepped forward with a smile. "Father, what I want to talk about today really isn't something Marquis Qin should hear."

Emperor Qing'an raised an eyebrow and asked what it was.

"Father, the Duke Su title has been sitting empty for three or four years now. Isn't it time you issued the decree and gave out the title?"

Emperor Qing'an shot his son a sideways look and asked, "Give it to who? Your uncle on your mother's side?"

Prince Zhao smiled. "Father, the late Duke Su, Qin Ruixi, is gone, and the Duke's heir died young too. Clearly, the eldest branch of the Duke Su household can't carry the title. By seniority, it should go to Qin Ruili."

"That's enough—don't bring this up again." Emperor Qing'an's expression turned cold. "I'll decide that myself. You'd better worry about your own marriage."

Prince Zhao was a bit deflated but didn't dare say more, just nodded.

Qin Chu left Zichen Hall and made his way to Ci'an Palace. Whether it was fate or just luck, he happened to run into Pei Yun on the way.

The two of them walked together toward the palace gate. Pei Yun told Qin Chu that the Empress Dowager would soon summon Princess Qinghe to the palace to smooth over today's incident, so he didn't need to worry.

"Thanks, Princess," Qin Chu said flatly.

Pei Yun waved her hand. "No need—it's no big deal."

With that, they fell silent again. As they neared the palace gate, Pei Yun spotted apricot branches poking out over a stretch of red walls and asked him, curious, if he knew what place this was.

Qin Chu hadn't been to the palace much and wasn't familiar with it, so he shook his head.

Then Pei Yun said with a bright smile, "This is Qiulan Palace."

Qin Chu stopped mid-step and looked at her, but saw no resentment on her face—just a hint of nostalgia.

Pointing at the apricot branches hanging over the wall, she said, "This apricot tree was planted by my brother and me. By early summer, it's full of fruit—really sweet."

Qin Chu was quiet for a long moment, then said, "You've had a rough time, Princess."

Pei Yun: Huh?

She'd been happily sharing a childhood memory—where did "rough time" come from?

But soon she figured out what Qin Chu meant. Did he think they were so poor in Qiulan Palace that they had to grow their own fruit just to eat?

Pei Yun almost laughed and was about to explain when a great idea suddenly hit her.

"Yeah, house arrest was rough—we often went days without a decent meal." Pei Yun lowered her eyes, her voice trembling a little. "The palace servants always bullied us too, which is why I got a bit hot-tempered. If I ever seem impatient in the future, I hope the Marquis will bear with me."

A delicate beauty, speaking softly with a choked-up voice—truly a pitiful sight.

If it weren't for Bixiao and Hongliu behind her nearly tripping in shock.

What on earth was the Princess saying?

Qin Chu looked at her and sighed to himself. True—life under house arrest was hard. If she hadn't been tough, she might not have survived this long.

He'd be more understanding from now on.

Author's Note:

Pei Yun: A little white lie, no harm done. Qin Chu: My wife had it too rough in the past—her temper makes sense.