In the Palace of Benevolent Longevity, after Chu Heng paid his respects to the Empress Dowager, he saw that fatigue was hard to hide on her face and could not help asking a few questions.
“Did Mother rest well last night? Are you feeling all right?”
The Empress Dowager reclined on her couch, with attendants massaging her from shoulders to legs. She smiled faintly and said, “I can’t compare to you young people. Still, thanks to Master Pingyi—seeing you so full of energy, even if my body is a little tired, my heart is happier than ever.”
Given Chu Heng’s usual health, after being worn out for a full day like that, he would normally fall ill for some time. Yet now he was able to enter the palace. The Empress Dowager attributed it all to Master Pingyi’s divination.
This marriage truly was well matched!
Chu Heng was neither entirely unbelieving of Master Pingyi nor willing to trust him completely—doing so felt rather inexplicable—so he was never keen to mention him. Hearing the Empress Dowager speak of it now, he merely glossed it over. “Mother has gone to so much trouble for me.”
Praising the Empress Dowager as a devoted mother who loved her child wholeheartedly was something that always pleased her.
Sure enough, the Empress Dowager smiled and patted his hand. “Good child. It’s enough that you understand my good intentions.”
Chu Heng lowered his gaze with a faint smile and continued, “Speaking of which, Mother, I remember that the twentieth is the day for the na-cai rite.”
The Empress Dowager thought for a moment and nodded. “Yes. Na-cai in the seventh month, asking the name in the ninth—those dates were set long ago. Why do you ask?”
“It’s nothing important,” Chu Heng said with an unassuming smile. “I was just thinking that Mother has worried over so much for me. Since it is my wedding after all, I should at least ask about it.”
It sounded as though his sudden concern for the wedding was simply filial piety, with nothing to do with anyone else.
The Empress Dowager looked at him and smiled. “Yes. Our Heng’er has grown up and become sensible. Your marriage—of course you should ask about it.”
Chu Heng leaned forward slightly, his eyes lowered to conceal his true emotions. “These past years, everything has depended on Mother’s care. In the future, I will still have to rely on you.”
“I am old—what can you still rely on me for?” the Empress Dowager said, though she smiled gently as she spoke. “But don’t worry, Heng’er. As long as I am here, you will have someone to rely on.”
Chu Heng sneered inwardly, though his expression barely changed, still carrying that shallow smile.
…
The current Minister of the Imperial Clan was a generation senior even to the late emperor; Chu Heng had to address him as grand-uncle. He was over seventy, rarely handled affairs, and only came by to show his face, leaving all matters to the two vice ministers below him.
When Chu Heng arrived, the minister happened to be present, so Chu Heng went over to pay his respects first.
The minister examined Chu Heng for a moment, then nodded. “Oh, Heng’er is already this grown. It’s been quite some time since we last met.”
Chu Heng smiled. “My wedding matters have troubled Grand-Uncle.”
“To be in one’s post is to fulfill one’s duties—and besides, we’re family,” the minister said as he rose with the support of an attendant. “You’ve come to look over the na-cai rite?”
“The Empress Dowager has given me the gift list. With Grand-Uncle overseeing it, everything is surely in order—there was no need for me to meddle,” Chu Heng said with a smile. “But since this is a matter of a lifetime, I couldn’t help wanting to see it for myself. I hope Grand-Uncle will understand.”
The minister laughed warmly. “Young people—of course, of course. Come with me.”
After finding the two vice ministers, Chu Heng first went to inspect the most important item of the na-cai rites: the betrothal gifts—two lively, flapping wild geese.
One of the vice ministers said, “The Empress Dowager specifically instructed that the geese must be alive. The palace isn’t like those small households outside, making do with wooden geese.”
Chu Heng nodded. If nothing else, the Empress Dowager had always valued appearances most.
He then inspected the other items one by one—silks, gold and silver, jade, paired deer hides, tea bricks—all of the finest quality.
The vice minister asked, “Does Your Highness find everything satisfactory? If anything is lacking, we can make it up.”
“There is still one item missing,” Chu Heng said. “You needn’t handle it. I will entrust it to Princess Hejia.”
The na-cai rite required a matchmaker. The Empress Dowager had chosen her eldest daughter, Princess Hejia—the fifth princess of the late emperor. After leaving the Court of the Imperial Clan, Chu Heng returned to his residence to fetch the item, then went to Princess Hejia’s residence to visit his fifth sister.
“A rare guest,” Hejia said. Sitting beneath the shade of flowers to enjoy the breeze, she fanned herself and smiled when she saw Chu Heng enter. “It’s only been a few days, yet Fifth Brother looks even more handsome.”
“Fifth Uncle,” the children standing with their mother all rose to salute.
Princess Hejia had four children: her eldest son was fourteen, her eldest daughter thirteen, her younger daughter ten, and her youngest son five. Fortunately for her, none of them took after their father in appearance.
Chu Heng smiled and returned the salute. “Fifth Sister.”
“There are no outsiders here—spare me these formalities,” Hejia said with a laugh.
Chu Heng smiled. “I haven’t visited Sister much these past years. I brought a few bolts of cloth for my nephews and nieces to make clothes—these were imperial gifts from past festivals. There are also some gemstones and jade. If Sister doesn’t mind, keep them to make a couple of pieces of jewelry; if they’re not to your liking, just reward them to others.”
Hejia tapped his arm lightly with her round fan and laughed. “Saying that—how could anything from you be inferior? Come, thank your uncle.”
After the children paid their thanks, Chu Heng helped each of them up, and Hejia then sent them away.
Smiling, Hejia said, “It’s not a festival—why bring me gifts out of the blue? Fifth Brother, all I want now is to look after these children. I have no other thoughts.”
Chu Heng smiled. “Since Fifth Sister is free, I have even less pressing business. It’s just that I have a matter that will trouble Sister, so I came especially to thank you for your efforts.”
“You have some matter… Oh!” Hejia suddenly realized and exclaimed in surprise, “Is it about the na-cai rite?”
Chu Heng nodded. “I trouble Fifth Sister greatly. I am most grateful.”
Hejia let out an “ah” and said slowly, “Well… it’s not really much…”
It hadn’t been long at all. The last time she saw him, his attitude toward the bestowed marriage was still vivid in her mind—yet now he had come personally for the na-cai rite.
What had happened?
Chu Heng remained unmoved. He turned and took the brocade box that Zhao Qing was holding, smiling as he said, “On the day of na-cai, I trouble Fifth Sister to deliver this item to Miss Lin.”
Hejia took it blankly. Oh—right—Miss Lin!
Was it this Miss Lin who had captured the attention of the cold-hearted Prince Duan? She had heard that the two of them stayed at Longhua Temple with the Empress Dowager for half a month…
Just half a month—was Miss Lin really that capable?
Hejia looked at Chu Heng and probed cautiously. “Fifth Brother is quite attentive toward Miss Lin.”
“The marriage was bestowed by His Majesty, and the Empress Dowager has taken great pains. Naturally, I must not treat it perfunctorily,” Chu Heng replied, watertight.
Hejia smiled and did not try to extract anything more from him. Chu Heng had grown up in the palace for over ten years; unlike Man’er, who lacked scheming, he was full of it.
That was just as well.
Hejia felt a trace of melancholy. Without such scheming, how could one have endured those past matters in the palace?
Man’er’s current circumstances were much better.
After concluding the business, Chu Heng rose to take his leave, and Hejia had someone see him out.
Among the four siblings born of the same mother, although Chu Heng and Yongkang were seven years apart and bickered without regard for rank whenever they met, they could still be considered close as brother and sister.
As for the emperor and Hejia—this elder brother and sister—Chu Heng had always treated them with courtesy in recent years, with no intimacy to speak of.
…
Daiyu was sorting through the rewards she had received over the past month. The bestowed marriage had come too suddenly—she had needed time to prepare herself. Then she had fallen ill, and after recovering, she prepared to go to Longhua Temple, leaving no time to organize things. Now, with the na-cai rite approaching and the weather gradually turning cooler, she finally had the chance to put everything in order.
Given the Empress Dowager’s usual lavishness, the na-cai gifts would certainly be extraordinary. Daiyu worried that with so many items, this space might not be enough.
She would inevitably have to speak with the Old Madam about freeing up another two rooms. But once people knew, gossip would follow. Over the years, Daiyu had heard no shortage of sour remarks, though there had been fewer of them recently.
A lodger Miss Lin and a future princess consort were ultimately different—especially when box after box of rewards from His Majesty and the Empress Dowager were carried into Miss Lin’s quarters. The Jia household servants, who were best at currying favor and trampling the weak, knew well that even with a noble consort in the palace, their own masters had never received so many imperial gifts over the years!
Now they could hardly curry favor with Miss Lin fast enough—who would dare offend her?
Daiyu paid no mind to this. When steward’s wives or favored matrons deliberately came before her to flatter her, she maintained her usual attitude—she would exchange a few words if she felt like it; if not, she would have Zijuan and the matrons accompany them for tea.
Yet no matter how Daiyu behaved this time, no one dared say she was aloof or arrogant anymore. Everyone said instead that this was precisely the dignity of noble status!
Xueyan repeated these remarks to her mistress. Daiyu only shook her head and smiled. “We’ve been busy here for two days, yet you still have time to listen to such idle talk. Why don’t you hurry and help your Sister Zijuan?”
Zijuan was taking out a kingfisher-blue hairpin inlaid with gemstones. Hearing this, she smiled and said, “As long as she doesn’t cause trouble, that’s good enough. Miss, the item you mentioned on the gift list just now—is it this one?”
Daiyu glanced at it and nodded. “Put it away. I won’t need it this year.”
Xueyan nodded as well. “There’s no way to use it in this household. Otherwise, so many people would be so jealous their eyes would bleed!”
Daiyu’s expression hardened. “Xueyan, say less. Do you think your mistress is someone who gets carried away by success? If others hear this, it will become a joke!”
When her mistress’s face lost its smile, it meant she was serious. Xueyan immediately stopped being playful, bowed respectfully, and said, “Miss, I understand. I never say such things outside.”
Daiyu nodded. She knew Xueyan was speaking up for her, but Daiyu had grown accustomed to caution over the years. She was not someone who quibbled over every detail; if disputes could be avoided, it was best to avoid them.
Softening her tone, Daiyu said, “There’s also a ruby headpiece. Go and look for it.”
Xueyan answered, “Yes.”
While the side room was bustling with activity, in the main hall Lady Wang came to pay her respects to the Old Madam. From a distance, she saw several boxes under the corridor and said to a little maid nearby, “Miss Lin has been tidying for two or three days already—why isn’t it finished yet? Don’t be lazy. You should go help Miss Lin with some of the work.”
The little maid replied crisply, “The Old Madam also said to send more people over, but Miss Lin said she has more than enough help. It’s only because of Heaven’s abundant grace—there are too many items—that things are taking longer. Besides, with too many people, there’s no room to stand in those rooms.”
Lady Wang’s face turned iron-blue, her teeth clenched. “Mm.”