Prince Jin stood tall and graceful.
The black bear's carcass had already been gutted, and workers were busy separating the skin, flesh, and bones. The smell of blood was so strong it seemed to pierce the heavens.
Bucket after bucket of clean water washed over the ground, staining the bluestone bricks beneath their feet with faint traces of red.
Yu Zhu lifted the hem of her skirt, carefully avoiding the bloody water.
She noticed that Prince Jin's shoes were stained with a light shade of red, and a complex feeling stirred within her. She sensed that his loneliness and the innate ruthlessness hidden deep within him had reached a point where they could no longer be suppressed after prolonged endurance.
Yu Zhu appeared carefree on the surface, but in truth, she was quite sensitive.
It would be more accurate to say she was adept at observing her surroundings, keenly attuned to any dangers or subtle changes.
But Prince Jin did not like perceptive people.
Yu Zhu had noticed this and decided it was better to maintain her usual demeanor.
Didn't Prince Jin like her precisely because she seemed a bit foolish?
Yu Zhu walked over to Prince Jin, pretending not to notice the profound and inscrutable look in his eyes.
She handed him a cooling pill and said, "Prince Jin, this might help you feel better."
Prince Jin took the pill, placed it in his mouth, and then took Yu Zhu's small hand in his.
"You are thoughtful."
Yu Zhu smiled, still startled by the enormous black bear.
She sincerely praised Prince Jin.
"Such a large bear must have been very difficult to subdue. Your Highness is truly remarkable."
Everyone enjoys flattery, and Prince Jin was no exception.
If it had been someone else, he might have suspected they were deliberately trying to curry favor.
But Yu Zhu was just a young girl, and he instinctively attributed her words to innocence and lack of worldly experience.
"It was nothing," Prince Jin said. "Tigers are the most challenging to hunt."
Yu Zhu looked up at Prince Jin with an admiring, submissive gaze.
"Even that would be no trouble for you."
Prince Jin was in high spirits, and the resentment he felt from being forced to keep a low profile began to fade.
He pushed aside thoughts of the Crown Prince, Prince Qi, and Prince Yan's messy affairs. He ordered the deer and rabbits to be brought forward.
The venison, already divided and marinated with fine salt and spices, displayed evenly distributed fat on its dark red surface.
Just by looking at it, Yu Zhu could imagine the taste of thinly sliced venison roasting over a fire.
Prince Jin even felt a bit apologetic. "I had originally hoped to capture it alive."
He expected to see disappointment in Yu Zhu's eyes, but they remained bright and sparkling.
"Even if it couldn't be captured alive, roasted venison is still delicious. Later, we can have Lan Xi set up a grill, and it would be best to serve it with some vegetables. Besides…"
Yu Zhu pointed to a few newborn rabbits. "We still have the little rabbits, don't we?"
The rabbits were only the size of a palm, fluffy and shivering in the cold wind.
Although Yu Zhu loved braised dishes, as the saying goes, "a gentleman stays away from the kitchen."
Seeing the living little rabbits, Yu Zhu couldn't help but silently murmur a word of apology.
With Yu Zhu by his side, Prince Jin lost interest in watching the dissection of the black bear.
Although the bloody scenes could alleviate the pent-up tension in his heart, the longer he watched, the colder he felt inside.
If he didn't stop in time, he might one day become a cruel executioner himself.
He took Yu Zhu's hand and led her toward the backyard. "Then let's do as you suggested."
Behind them, Lan Yue and Lan Xiang immediately went to prepare the stove and iron plates. In no time, the two had arrived at Yu Zhu's room.
The venison had already been sliced, and fresh seasonal vegetables were neatly arranged beside it.
Worried that their masters might become overheated from eating venison, they had also prepared chrysanthemum tea to cool the body.
As soon as she sat down, Yu Zhu felt surrounded by a rich aroma.
She took a deep breath, lowering her head somewhat sheepishly.
"Please excuse my embarrassment—I haven't eaten breakfast yet and was terribly hungry."
Hearing this, Prince Jin also felt his own hunger stir.
Every time he entered the palace, his stomach would trouble him, likely because he always swallowed his frustrations along with his meals.
The two fell silent then, focusing on their food.
Yu Zhu ate until her lips glistened, her heart swelling with contentment.
How wonderful it would be if every day could be this pleasant.
Yet a thread of sorrow remained buried within her—flowers do not bloom for a hundred days, nor do people stay fortunate forever.
It wasn’t so much that she held no hope for herself, but rather that she had never placed any hope in Prince Jin.
Sooner or later, she would become just another unnoticed weed in the rear courtyard.
Yu Zhu’s heart gradually cooled.
She didn’t care about Prince Jin’s love; she only feared that in the future, she might never again eat such fine meals.
Still, Yu Zhu’s demands were not high—having enough to eat would suffice.
She had always been pragmatic. Once she realized the worst outcome would merely be counting the bricks on the wall to pass the days, but that she would never starve, she felt at ease.
At this time, Yu Zhu had yet to realize that the rear courtyard was not a place of calm.
There were schemes and rivalries there as well, and losing favor was the least of it—one misstep could even cost a life.
She took a sip of tea, preparing to rest a while before continuing.
Just then, Xiao Quanzi entered with a bow, first paying his respects, then cautiously observing his masters’ expressions.
Seeing Yu Zhu beaming and Prince Jin appearing untroubled, he carefully chose his words.
"Your Highness, Nanny Gui has sent over the gift list."
Nanny Gui was in charge of affairs in the front courtyard.
With the princess consort about to enter the household, many matters in the prince’s residence were being managed entirely by her.
As the day drew nearer, Nanny Gui had compiled all the items needed for the occasion into a booklet for Prince Jin to review.
Yu Zhu glanced at it—the gift list was nearly two inches thick, a testament to its extravagance and grandeur.
She supposed her own courtyard would need some decoration as well.
Would they replace the lanterns and red candles? Perhaps even repaint the pillars?
Prince Jin took the booklet, flipping through it without finding any major issues.
Nanny Gui had always handled such matters impeccably.
Just as he was about to set it aside, he noticed Yu Zhu frowning deeply, biting her chopsticks, as if even the venison had lost its flavor.
Unconsciously, a pang of sorrow stirred within Prince Jin.
He asked Yu Zhu gently, "What’s wrong?"
He set the gift list aside, and Xiao Quanzi immediately retrieved it and withdrew.
Nanny Gui was waiting outside. Seeing him drenched in cold sweat, she muttered, "What’s there to panic about? The most important thing when serving our masters is to remain composed."
Xiao Quanzi was only in his teens—how could he compare to Nanny Gui, who was in her forties and far more experienced?
He could only force a smile and reply, "You’re right, Nanny Gui. Xiao Quanzi will remember that."
Nanny Gui glanced toward the courtyard, tucking the gift list into her sleeve.
"Did His Highness say anything?"
Xiao Quanzi shook his head. "No."
"And Yu Shiqie? Did she say anything?"
Xiao Quanzi’s face fell. "What would Lady Yu dare to say?"
Her family background was too low, offering no support at all. If she said anything, wouldn’t it just give the princess consort an excuse to target her?
Nanny Gui reassured Xiao Quanzi.
"Don’t be so timid. Your mistress won’t fall out of favor that quickly."
Nanny Gui had cared for Prince Jin since he was young and understood him well.
If he disliked someone, Prince Jin wouldn’t even glance their way.
Moreover, he had barely skimmed the list.
It was clear he feared discussing the princess consort in Yu Zhu’s presence, lest it hurt her feelings.
Xiao Quanzi bowed his head. "May your words prove auspicious, Nanny Gui."
Nanny Gui looked up and said, "We need to hang two red lanterns here. Go fetch them from the steward this afternoon."
…
Yu Zhu heard Prince Jin's words and shook her head. "It's nothing. I was just curious about what kind of grand ceremony the prince's mansion holds for a wedding."
This was genuine curiosity.
In Yu Zhu's imagination, if she were to marry, both the bride's and groom's homes would be adorned with the character for "double happiness."
The wedding dress would at least be made of silk, and she might even rent a set of head ornaments.
For a wedding, of course, it should be a splendid affair.
Then the groom's family would send a sedan chair carried by eight bearers to fetch her. Yu Zhu would wear a red veil, bid farewell to her parents, and cry until her tears fell like pear blossoms in the rain. Her mother would scold her.
"On such a joyous day, you mustn't cry."
Her mother would wipe away her tears and straighten the veil that had slipped askew.
A red silk ribbon would connect her to the groom. As Yu Zhu took her first steps, her heart would be filled with a bittersweet mix of sorrow and joy.
Firecrackers would crackle and pop, and children clamoring for candy would crowd around the sedan chair.
The wedding matron would loudly announce the start of the procession, accompanied by the blaring of suona horns and the beating of drums.
Unfortunately, Yu Zhu would never experience any of this in her lifetime.
There was no formal matchmaking, no ceremony to worship heaven and earth, and no bright red wedding dress.
Only a small sedan chair carried her into the prince's mansion through the back door.
Even the red lanterns hanging at the entrance were there only because of the princess consort.
So Yu Zhu was very curious about what the wedding between the princess consort and Prince Jin had been like.
The smoke stung Yu Zhu's eyes, making them water slightly.
Prince Jin, seeing this, assumed she was shedding tears of sadness.
He thought Yu Zhu must have asked out of regret that she would never have a wedding of her own.
Suppressing the unease in his heart, Prince Jin began to describe the arrangements for the wedding day at the prince's mansion.
First, the guests.
Male guests would be in the front courtyard, and female guests in the rear courtyard.
Every path would be covered with a red carpet, symbolizing a prosperous and joyful life.
The princess consort's feet must not touch the ground when she leaves her home.
So a red carpet would also be laid from her home all the way to the prince's mansion.
The wedding veil would be embroidered with intertwined branches and lovebirds, adorned with pearl tassels.
The wedding dress would be crafted by the most skilled embroiderers in Suzhou, starting a year in advance.
The craftsmanship was intricate and exceptionally magnificent.
The bridal sedan chair would be carried by eight bearers, made of sandalwood, with golden bells hanging from each corner. It would be decorated with nine auspicious animals and embellished with pearls and gold thread.
Prince Jin would ride a horse to fetch the bride, holding one end of a red silk ribbon while the other end would be held by the princess consort inside the sedan chair.
The two would first go to the palace to worship heaven and earth and the emperor and empress, register their names, and then return to the prince's mansion.
Afterward, the princess consort would wait for Prince Jin in the bridal chamber.
After saying all this, Prince Jin noticed that Yu Zhu still looked listless, and his heart ached even more.
"Why must you ask about these things? It only makes you feel worse."
Yu Zhu rubbed her eyes, thinking Prince Jin was referring to the stinging smoke.
"Indeed."
Once her eyes felt better, Yu Zhu picked up another piece of venison with her chopsticks.
"Can I attend that day too?"
Prince Jin said of course.
"The rule that concubines cannot be seen in public is from the previous dynasty."
People aren't objects to be hidden away in rooms all day.
The reason men and women sit separately is to prevent male guests from causing trouble after drinking too much.
Feeling bolder, Yu Zhu leaned closer to Prince Jin, draping herself against him like a boneless creature.
"Then can I invite my friend?"
Prince Jin took one of her fingers, finding it smooth and tender, and couldn't resist biting it gently.
"Your friend? Who?"
Yu Zhu gritted her teeth. "Xue Ningshuang."
She was the daughter of a minor official under Yu Zhu's father.
Yu Zhu had been close to her since childhood.
"Of course," Prince Jin said softly. "You can send her an invitation."
Seeing Yu Zhu's brow relax, his heart settled as well.
"You should socialize more with other noble ladies."
Yu Zhu instinctively replied, "They look down on me."
Prince Jin said, "How could that be?"
He stroked Yu Zhu's hair. "They will value you."
Prince Jin felt Yu Zhu was too withdrawn; having more friends might help.
Attending banquets, admiring flowers, playing cuju or polo—anything would be good.
He would make others understand that pleasing Yu Zhu meant pleasing him.
Yu Zhu indeed smiled until her eyes curved.
She nestled in Prince Jin's embrace, hooking her fingers onto his lapel.
"Your Highness, you are so good to me. I will miss you dearly."
Prince Jin lifted her chin, for the first time feeling the urge to give Yu Zhu a promise.
"Even if I take a princess consort, it doesn’t mean I will stop caring for you."
"No matter how many enter the prince’s residence, you will always be different."
Yu Zhu hummed in agreement and said, "Yu Zhu is also different to Your Highness."
Was this Prince Jin’s promise?
But a man’s promise is like passing gas.
Passing gas at least stinks for a few seconds, while a man’s promise doesn’t even need a breeze to vanish—once spoken, it’s forgotten.
However, under another’s roof, one must bow their head. Yu Zhu could only pretend to believe.
She brainwashed herself.
Wuwuwuwu, Prince Jin loves me so much.