Empress Dowager Zheng held Yanyu’s hand and spoke a few words. At that moment, several consorts entered to pay respects.
Empress Zheng’s eyes flashed with disgust as she saw them. Over the years, many new concubines had entered the harem—young, beautiful, and talented—making the older ones seem dull in comparison.
The highest-ranked among them was Consort Luo, mother of the Seventh Prince, Xiao Qirui. She often flattered and pleased both Empress Zheng and the Empress Dowager.
When Consort Luo lifted her eyes and saw Yanyu seated above, she smiled: “Oh, and who is this before the Empress Dowager?”
The Empress Dowager patted Yanyu’s hand: “This is Princess Consort Qin. Yan’er, this is Consort Luo, mother of the Seventh Prince.”
Yanyu bowed politely.
Seeing the Empress Dowager’s kindness toward Yanyu, Consort Luo’s eyes flickered. She smiled: “Such a beauty, like one who shames the moon and flowers. Prince Qin is truly fortunate…”
But before she finished, she noticed Empress Zheng’s face darken.
Empress Zheng despised such fawning, fox-like women—just the sight of them disgusted her.
Consort Luo spent more time before the Empress than the Empress Dowager. To offend the Empress meant misery. She thought the Princess Consort Qin was young, raised outside the palace, without parents or proper upbringing—surely simple-minded. If she teased her a little, she might win favor with the Empress.
As for the Empress Dowager—who really believed she liked Princess Consort Qin?
Consort Luo continued: “I heard the Princess Consort Qin is not in good health? You must take care. Prince Qin carries heavy murderous aura—even spirits fear him. It is good you married him, for he cannot be overcome.”
Yanyu’s smile faded. She turned her head toward Consort Luo: “Consort Luo, I am young and ignorant, and do not understand your words. What do you mean?”
Consort Luo hadn’t expected her to counter so directly. Awkward, she laughed: “Oh, it means nothing. I only heard people outside say such things and thought there was some truth.”
Yanyu curved her lips coldly: “By your words, I should not have been born. If I had not been born, then the Cang Kingdom would not have fought Wei for a hundred years, correct? I should go to the Emperor now and ask him to grant me a white silk cord. If I die, then all troubles are solved.”
Consort Luo was stunned that she dared to speak so plainly, and panicked: “See what you’re saying! Life and death—how can you speak such things before the Empress Dowager? What if the Emperor hears?”
The Empress Dowager frowned: “Listening to gossip from below? Let them talk, but you, their mistress, dare to believe it? Cut out the tongues of those who spread such idle words!”
Consort Luo nodded repeatedly: “Yes, Your Majesty is right.”
At that moment, Xiao Chengji entered from outside. No one had expected him to come. He had avoided paying respects to the Empress Dowager for years, and his tense relationship with the Zheng family was well known.
Empress Dowager Zheng narrowed her eyes slightly, her fingernails lightly tapping the large gem on her nail guard: “Prince Qin, you actually came to see me—what a rare guest. I thought you would not come. Among all the princes, the one who least values filial piety is you.”
The word *filial* carried great weight. In Wei, to brand someone as unfilial was a serious accusation, one that could spread far and wide.
Xiao Chengji, always strong-willed, had never avoided confrontation with the Empress Dowager’s faction. Yet she was still an elder, the Emperor’s mother. No matter how fierce the private struggles, in person, he had to show respect.
Yanyu was startled by the Empress Dowager’s words. Though she hadn’t known Xiao Chengji long, she could tell he was not the type to bow his head.
Yanyu, however, had long learned to bend and yield. Years of living under others’ roofs had ingrained in her the instinct to say the right words for the right occasion.
Before Xiao Chengji could speak, Yanyu smiled, stepped forward, and pulled his hand, bowing together before the Empress Dowager: “Your Majesty, those words are too heavy. It is not that His Highness does not wish to come, but that he truly has no time—state affairs are many. Just yesterday, he lamented that the Ministry of Justice kept him too busy to pay respects to his imperial grandmother and asked me to do so on his behalf. In the future, I will accompany you. If you are displeased with Prince Qin, please vent it on me instead.”
Xiao Chengji glanced at Yanyu, then accepted the step she offered:
“Replying to the Empress Dowager: recently, there have been several major cases in the Ministry of Justice, and I have also taken assignments from the Ministry of War. I have been unable to spare time to come to the harem.”
The Empress Dowager had intended to provoke Xiao Chengji, then feign illness from anger to summon the Emperor. But Yanyu’s smooth words dissolved the matter.
The Empress Dowager forced a smile: “Grant them seats. Serve tea.”
Xiao Chengji sat down. Yanyu did not return to the Empress Dowager’s side but sat beside him.
Consort Luo, still smarting from her earlier embarrassment, sought to recover. As everyone drank tea, she seized the chance, smiling: “Oh my, Prince Qin has married a Princess Consort with quite the sharp tongue. Everything she says sounds reasonable.”
Xiao Chengji shot her a cold glance: “Those who are clumsy with words and cannot read the occasion naturally think my Princess Consort has a sharp tongue.”
Consort Luo was humiliated again. With neither the Empress nor the Empress Dowager supporting her, she grew sullen.
Beside Empress Zheng, Wei Ruxuan felt aggrieved. She had barely understood the exchanges just now, unable to interject. Seeing everyone speaking with Yanyu, it was clear they favored her. She herself had been ignored, left sitting on the cold bench, unnoticed. In her heart, she cursed them all—snobs who despised concubines and only fawned over the principal wife. One day, when she became Empress, she would teach these people a lesson. She secretly glanced at Prince Qin again, still unable to believe her eyes.
This man, cold and aloof as he seemed, actually allowed Yanyu to sit beside him. Wasn’t he the one who never let women near?
Yanyu still had to return to her family that day. After sitting for a while in Shoukang Palace, she excused herself. Normally, she was not talkative, but today she had spoken more than she would in half a month.
Socializing in the palace was far more exhausting than speaking with people in the Prince’s residence.
Xiao Chengji walked ahead, and Yanyu followed with small steps: “Your Highness, wait for me. I’m going back to the Duke’s household later—will you come too?”
He was tall, long-legged, always moving briskly. Yanyu, like a fragile willow swayed by the wind, grew breathless after only a few steps.
Suddenly, Xiao Chengji stopped.
Yanyu bumped into his back, rubbing her nose in pain.
Xiao Chengji slowed his pace: “I’ll accompany you.”