Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Pei Yun nestled in her mother's arms, her eyes curving into crescents as she said playfully, "If I embarrass you, there's no helping it—I came from your womb, and everyone knows it. There's no denying it, no matter how hard you try."

The Princess Consort of Ying shook her head helplessly and tapped her daughter's forehead. When Pei Yun had entered earlier, Bixiao, Hongliu, and Nanny Xu had all remained outside without following her in—this was a long-standing rule of the Ying household, where servants weren't allowed to enter the main courtyard without the Princess Consort's summons.

"Have Bixiao and Hongliu been taking good care of you?" the Princess Consort asked. "They're clever, but they're still young. If they're ever uncertain about something, have them consult Nanny Xu. And if they still can't decide, have them drive you home—I'll help you sort it out."

"Like yesterday's affair—you should have come home then, instead of stumbling around in the dark, being led around by the nose."

Pei Yun smiled. "Mother, don't worry. These are all people you handpicked—they're all excellent."

"Besides, the Marquis of Suguo's estate isn't a den of wolves. It won't eat your daughter."

Everyone Pei Yun had brought to the Marquis's household had been personally selected by the Princess Consort, each of them top-notch in both loyalty and wit.

The Princess Consort laughed and shook her head, pulling her daughter close with a sigh. "Ah, you. Thank goodness you've always been sharp since childhood—otherwise, even if I had to fight tooth and nail, I wouldn't have let you marry into the Marquis's family."

"It's not up to us to decide," Pei Yun said, looking up and blinking innocently as she lowered her voice. "His Majesty has already issued the marriage decree. Neither you nor Father can change that."

At the mention of her imperial uncle, Pei Yun saw her mother's expression turn noticeably cold. The Princess Consort waved a hand, and a waiting maid brought over a bowl of red date and bird's nest soup. Pei Yun took it without missing a beat and took a sip.

It was her favorite soup at home, the kitchen's specialty—but after arriving at the Marquis's estate, she always felt it never tasted quite the same.

Pei Yun drank nearly half the bowl in one go, leaving a bit of soup at the corner of her mouth. She lowered her head to reach for a handkerchief from her sleeve, but her mother's fair, delicate hand, with a faint floral scent, was already there with a purple silk handkerchief, gently dabbing away the stain.

"What marriage decree? It was just a political move."

"At the end of the day, your father's good for nothing." The Princess Consort's tone was flat. After wiping Pei Yun's lips, she gave her hand a scolding pat. "Eat slowly. Where's your lady-like grace?"

Then she continued, "If your father were still the Crown Prince, you'd be a princess now—you wouldn't have to care what anyone thinks."

Pei Yun kept her head down, sipping her soup. She knew that even her father wouldn't let such words bother him.

"Then why did you cut ties with the Chang family for Father's sake?" Pei Yun asked, smiling as she finished her soup.

The Princess Consort snorted, handing her handkerchief to a nearby maid, who quickly passed her a damp cloth. She took it and unhurriedly wiped her hands, glancing sideways at Pei Yun. "I did it because I wanted to. What's it to you?"

"..."

Pei Yun raised her hands in surrender.

Regardless, she was really happy with her family—her parents and her brother. Ever since she was a child, she had always felt incredibly fortunate.

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but think of Qin Yu and his sister. Compared to her, those two had had a rough childhood.

After finishing the bird's nest soup, the maids stepped forward neatly with bowls for rinsing and basins for washing to help her rinse her mouth and wash her hands, then withdrew and brought tea and fruit.

"I just feel sorry for Yue Jie'er," Pei Yun said, biting her lip. "She's so young to have suffered such hardship. I need to find some way to get her some justice."

This matter was clearly the work of the Western Manor, and judging by Old Madam Ming's attitude last night, she intended to cover for them. Out of filial duty, they could only let it go publicly—but privately, there was still room to maneuver.

"I can see you still haven't figured it out."

The Princess Consort glanced at her, raising a finger with red-painted nails to tap her forehead.

"Do you really think the younger branch of the Marquis's household could have pulled this off entirely on their own?" the Princess Consort said. "Forget everything else, what kind of person is your Aunt Qinghe? Do you think your aunt by marriage could command her, or your sister-in-law could persuade her?"

Pei Yun froze.

She hadn't actually thought that far.

"Mother, you mean the one behind this is someone in the palace—" Pei Yun didn't finish, only hinting vaguely.

"You're not completely dense." The Princess Consort pulled her close, fanning her with one hand as she said casually, "The title of Marquis of Suguo isn't just coveted by your own family."

Pei Yun frowned. If that were the case, would they have to look into Prince Zhao and Noble Consort Sun?

The Princess Consort didn't say anything, leaving Pei Yun to ponder it herself.

"I see you're really taking to being a stepmother," she teased. "Are you really raising those two children as your own?"

Pei Yun nodded solemnly. "Mother, Yu Ge and Yue Jie'er are both really smart and well-behaved children. Once you meet them, I'm sure you'll like them too."

The Princess Consort smiled faintly. "Alright, as long as you're happy."

Just then, she heard her father playing with the children outside. Yue Jie'er's laughter chimed like silver bells, calling "Grandfather!" over and over, which had Prince Ying laughing heartily as he excitedly said he'd take them to the front courtyard to see the two new white tiger cubs.

"Your father is desperate for grandchildren," the Princess Consort said with a resigned sigh.

It was then that she finally mentioned Qin Chu for the first time.

"And the Marquis of Qin—how does he treat you?"

Pei Yun nodded again. "He's fine too. The Marquis is well-read and is a true gentleman, very proper in how he treats people. This marriage was ordered by His Majesty, so even if it was rushed, he wouldn't dare mistreat me."

Pei Yun spoke the truth, but the imperial decree was a bind not only on Qin Chu but also on her. Even if they were complete strangers or even loathed each other, they still had to act like a loving couple in public—otherwise, wouldn't that be slapping Emperor Qing'an in the face?

The Princess Consort nodded at this and said seriously, stroking Pei Yun's hair. "How to get along as husband and wife is something you have to figure out slowly on your own. I can't help you with that. If you think the Marquis is decent, then really try to make a good life with him. Once you have a child of your own, life will be much better."

"If you truly can't get along with him, don't beat yourself up over it. Just live your own life as before. Bring in a few respectable concubines from good families with clean backgrounds, and when they bear children, you can raise them as your own—that works just as well."

The Princess Consort's expression turned serious, and she spoke to Pei Yun very seriously. "If he dares to bully you or push things too far, don't be afraid. Your father and I will find a way. Even if it's an imperial decree, we can always find a way to get His Majesty to take it back."

Pei Yun gazed at her mother, her heart melting, and she threw herself into the Princess Consort's arms.

"Mother—"

The Princess Consort pushed her away in mock disgust. "Alright, enough with the cuddling."

Pei Yun giggled. There really was no place like home. At the Marquis's estate, all she encountered was fake niceness—just thinking about it gave her a headache.

"Oh, Mother, when I entered the estate earlier, I saw servants carrying gifts out. Are you and Father heading out?" Pei Yun asked casually.

The Princess Consort peeled a piece of fruit and handed it to Pei Yun. "It's for your brother."

"The Princess Consort of Shunyang is pregnant, and the Prince of Shunyang invited your brother and a few other young men from noble families to a gathering. Those are the gifts for him to bring."

Pregnancy was a joyous occasion, but not something to celebrate with a grand banquet, so they usually invited a few close friends over for a small gathering to congratulate them.

The Prince of Shunyang was a side branch of the royal family, close in age to Pei Yuanzhao, and they had always had a good relationship. He hadn't forgotten to invite him today.

"So my brother won't be able to eat with us today?" Pei Yun's face fell.

The Princess Consort nodded. "He'll come by to show his face and chat for a bit, then he'll head over."

"Fine," Pei Yun said helplessly. "That's a bummer."

Seeing her daughter's pout, the Princess Consort laughed. "Back when you were home, you and your brother would fight every three days. What, now that you're married, you actually miss him?"

"Who misses him?" Pei Yun insisted solemnly that this was absolutely not the case, shooting back stubbornly, "This is my first time returning home after marriage, and I've brought Yu Ge and Yue Jie'er with me. As their maternal uncle, shouldn't he have given them a big red envelope? He managed to slip away without doing it."

Princess Consort of Ying just smiled. The couple had only two children, Zhao'er and Yun'er, and even though the siblings bickered and roughhoused all the time, they were really close. She often figured that even if she and Prince Ying passed away someday, Zhao'er would surely take good care of his sister.

Then Pei Yun thought of the Shunyang Commandery Prince. She blinked, thought for a moment, and said, "Mother, if I remember correctly, the Shunyang Commandery Princess is the niece of Princess Consort of Rong, isn't she?"

The Shunyang Commandery Prince's wedding took place shortly after Emperor Qing'an took the throne. At that time, Pei Yun's family had already moved out of the Qiulan Palace and had attended the wedding banquet—it was the first time in over a decade, so it left a deep impression on Pei Yun.

Princess Consort of Ying nodded. "That's right, though she's from a distant branch. Given Princess Consort of Rong's age, how could she have such a young niece?"

Prince Rong and Princess Consort of Rong were the most senior members of the imperial clan. In terms of seniority, they were Emperor Qing'an's grand-uncle and grand-aunt—the youngest uncle of the late emperor, Pei Yun's grandfather. They were both well past seventy now, but because of their high seniority, they still carried a lot of weight in the capital.

It was also at that wedding banquet that Pei Yun first laid eyes on the famously rigid, status-obsessed, somewhat mean, and definitely not someone to mess with Princess Consort of Rong.

Pei Yun still remembered how Princess Consort of Rong sat at the very front that day, her white hair combed neatly, a string of emerald jade beads gleaming around her neck. Her eyelids lifted slightly, and she sat perfectly still like a statue. Since the Shunyang Commandery Prince's parents were no longer alive, when the couple bowed to the elders, they bowed to her.

But at that time, Pei Yun had no idea she would one day marry into the Duke Su's household, becoming related to Princess Consort of Rong by a roundabout connection—though the connection between the two households wasn't exactly respectable.

Qin Chu's father, Qin Ruixi's first wife, Lady Meng, was Princess Consort of Rong's granddaughter. Her mother was Princess Consort of Rong's most beloved eldest daughter, Rongcheng Commandery Princess, who died in childbirth with her second child—both mother and baby were lost. Grief-stricken, Princess Consort of Rong doted even more on Lady Meng, the only blood her daughter had left behind.

No need to go into how the Duke Su's household treated Lady Meng. Princess Consort of Rong hated the Duke Su's mansion to the bone—they'd mistreated her granddaughter and even brought in a "parallel wife" to humiliate her, not to mention Lady Meng died young, and her only son, Qin Mu, was also short-lived.

Moreover, after Lady Meng's death, Princess Consort of Rong had forcefully sent Lady Meng's younger half-sister into the household as Qin Ruixi's honored concubine, ostensibly to care for the young Qin Mu, and also to tick off Tang Shi.

This old concubine had given Qin Ruixi a son and a daughter and was still living. However, last year was the tenth anniversary of Lady Meng's passing, so she'd gone to Pufo Temple outside the capital to fast and pray, saying she'd observe a year of mourning rites for Lady Meng. Pei Yun had not yet met her.

Speaking of Princess Consort of Rong, Princess Consort of Ying raised an eyebrow and teased, "Last year when your sister-in-law married, your mother-in-law tried to be stingy with her dowry. Princess Consort of Rong personally came to demand an explanation. Weren't you super curious and kept asking me about it for ages about the feud between the Rong Prince's mansion and the Duke Su's mansion?"

Pei Yun scratched her head. At that time, the marriage had not yet been arranged—how was she to know she'd end up in the middle of her own drama?

That incident had indeed been a topic of much discussion in the capital for quite some time.

The young lady who married out of the Duke Su's mansion was Qin Mei, daughter of Old Concubine Meng. Although she was a concubine's daughter, Qin Mei married remarkably well—into the Anguo Duke's mansion, as the wife of the heir apparent. Who exactly had pulled the strings behind this, Pei Yun wasn't sure, but she imagined Old Concubine Meng was no pushover.

To have borne a son and a daughter right under Tang Shi's nose, to have her daughter marry so well, and to be able to summon Princess Consort of Rong to come demand justice when Tang Shi mistreated her daughter—just from that alone, one could tell this woman was far from simple.

But precisely because Qin Mei's marriage was so advantageous, Tang Shi was displeased. Pettily, she skimped not only on the dowry but also on various ceremonial aspects. When Princess Consort of Rong came to make a scene, it became the talk of the town, and the Duke Su's mansion lost considerable face.

Mistreating a concubine's daughter was always a shameful affair, especially for a household of such noble rank.

In the end, Old Madam Ming stepped in and personally oversaw Qin Mei's wedding, marrying her off with great pomp, which barely smoothed things over.

But the grievances between Princess Consort of Rong and the Duke Su's mansion were too numerous to count.

Speaking of Princess Consort of Rong reminded Princess Consort of Ying of something else. She beckoned and had Nanny Zheng fetch a red-sealed, gold-embossed invitation to hand to Pei Yun.

Pei Yun opened it and saw it was an invitation from Princess Consort of Rong, announcing a polo match and flower-viewing banquet on the fifteenth of this month. Judging by the look of it, she had invited all the prominent families of the capital.

It was already past early spring—indeed the season for polo, flower appreciation, and spring outings.

"The Duke Su's mansion didn't receive this invitation, did they?" Princess Consort of Ying asked with a raised brow.

Pei Yun casually set it aside. "Mother, aren't you asking what you already know? Princess Consort of Rong would never send an invitation to the Duke Su's mansion."

Princess Consort of Ying said, "I know. But I suspect the invitation will find its way to you. After all, those two children you're raising are Lady Meng's only remaining blood. Princess Consort of Rong will still consider them to some extent."

Pei Yun was taken aback, then realized it was true. Yu Ge and Yue Jie'er were probably the two people in the Duke Su's mansion that Princess Consort of Rong cared about most.

But then she thought again and sensed trouble.

"If this invitation really does come to me, inviting only me but not my mother-in-law or those in the western branch, then should I go or not?"

With such a grand event hosted by Princess Consort of Rong, even though the Duke Su's mansion was on bad terms with her, Tang Shi and Mrs. Sun and others would certainly want to attend. There were two eligible young ladies in the Duke Su's mansion needing to arrange marriages, and in the western branch, there was also the eighth young master, Qin Mao, who had come of age. With all the capital's elite gathered, it was the perfect opportunity to size up potential matches.

Seeing Pei Yun's worried expression, Princess Consort of Ying smiled with a raised brow and said leisurely, "I'm not getting involved. You'll have to decide for yourself."

Author's note: Next chapter will be V-locked. Thank you for your support, dear readers.