“Yesterday, Miss Lin entered the palace to express her thanks. After meeting her, the Empress Dowager summoned the Chief Astrologer and also invited Grand Master Ping Yi to calculate an auspicious day. The dates for the Six Rites have now been set.” Shuangyun sat half on the embroidered stool, smiling as she said to Chu Heng, “Your Highness, please take a look.”
Zhao Qing presented the large red paper slip with both hands. Chu Heng unfolded it and first glanced at the wedding date.
Next April, less than ten months away. Compared to the speed of the marriage decree, the Empress Dowager was not in such a hurry now.
Chu Heng then asked: “Were these dates set by Grand Master Ping Yi?”
Shuangyun smiled and replied: “Precisely. The Master said these dates are the most compatible with Your Highness’s and Miss Lin’s birth signs. In the future, the Prince and Princess Consort will certainly be free of all ailments, healthy and strong, with long lives blessed with fortune.”
Chu Heng: “…”
The old monk’s lies were endless. Didn’t he know when to quit while he was ahead?
“Thank you, Auntie, for making the trip.” Chu Heng curved his lips. Regardless of the old monk, a later date suited him well.
“It is merely my duty,” Shuangyun leaned forward and smiled. “The Empress Dowager also asked me to convey one message to Your Highness: Miss Lin is very good. Your Highness will likely be pleased when you meet her.”
The Empress Dowager naturally knew her son’s mind. He had no interest in understanding or accepting a Princess Consort he had never met. His lack of outright refusal was merely because the imperial decree could not be defied.
However, the Empress Dowager, now strongly believing in Grand Master Ping Yi for the sake of her son’s future health, naturally hoped they could have a harmonious marriage. Therefore, the Empress Dowager felt she needed to expend more effort on this matter.
Chu Heng smiled and said, “Mother seems… very fond of Miss Lin.”
The Empress Dowager was a demanding person; for her to say the two words “very good,” it seemed that Miss Lin was indeed extraordinary.
What a pity, though, that such a fine girl is not getting a good match. Chu Heng thought dismissively.
Chu Heng also considered that seeking an audience with the Empress Dowager to express thanks was requested proactively by Miss Lin, which must have gained her considerable favor with the Empress Dowager.
At least she is tactful and knows her place, Chu Heng made his first judgment about his future Princess Consort.
Later, Chu Heng would learn that this was an incorrect judgment.
Shuangyun observed his expression and smiled: “Although Governor Lin is deceased, speaking of family background, Miss Lin is truly impeccable. Moreover, Miss Lin is beautiful, perfectly courteous, and skilled in poetry and essay writing. The Empress Dowager even said that not only the young ladies of the great families and noble houses in the capital, but even the Princesses in the palace, might not be able to match her.”
“Since Mother likes her, let Miss Lin visit the palace more often in the future to keep Mother company and relieve boredom,” Chu Heng raised an eyebrow and smiled.
She was being praised like a goddess. Chu Heng thought of the old monk’s words and mused, Could this Miss Lin truly be a goddess?
Shuangyun was speechless. The Empress Dowager wanted him to find the Princess Consort good and him to become a loving husband and wife with her. Did the Empress Dowager really lack people to relieve her boredom?!
Seeing her unable to speak, Chu Heng asked again: “Auntie, does Mother have any other instructions for me?”
Despite all the compliments, Prince Duan remained indifferent to his future Princess Consort. Shuangyun thought of the Empress Dowager’s high hopes and nearly sighed, but she managed to restrain herself.
“The Empress Dowager asks Your Highness to recover well…” Shuangyun continued to chatter on, recounting all the things the Empress Dowager had instructed Chu Heng to do.
Chu Heng had heard these words for over a decade and could recite them backward. After listening with a fixed smile and offering a set, polite response, Shuangyun would then leave.
This had been the routine for many years.
When Zhao Qing escorted Shuangyun out of the residence, he happened to run into the Consort of Princess Wen’an, who had come to visit. Seeing the Auntie from the Empress Dowager’s side, he quickly stepped forward to greet her.
Shuangyun smiled: “Consort Ba, please don’t take offense. His Highness sees very few people while he is ill. This was approved by the Emperor and the Empress Dowager early on.”
“Fifth Brother is frail and should prioritize rest. I merely came to offer my regards. His Eighth Sister is quite worried, you know.” Consort Ba naturally dared not comment on Prince Duan in front of others, after all, everyone knew he was the most doted-upon by the Emperor and Empress Dowager.
However, this didn’t stop Consort Ba from murmuring quietly in his heart that Prince Duan didn’t see few people because he was ill; he disliked seeing people day in and day out for decades. Not only did the Consorts, his brothers-in-law, rarely see this brother-in-law, but even the Princesses only saw him a few times a year.
When the Consorts privately discussed this brother-in-law over drinks, they would even wonder if he had some illness that prevented him from seeing people.
Of course, “prevented from seeing people” here was in the literal sense, not referring to some unspeakable disease.
After all, their brother-in-law had been physically weak since childhood, and it was likely impossible for him to pursue carnal pleasures. Even if he wanted to contract that kind of disease, he wouldn’t have the opportunity.
After asking Zhao Qing about Chu Heng’s condition, Consort Ba instructed his attendant to leave some supplements and then took his leave.
Shuangyun once again exhorted Zhao Qing to serve the Prince well before getting into the carriage to return to the palace.
When Zhao Qing returned to the main courtyard, Chu Heng was carefully examining the large red paper slip.
“Your Highness…” Zhao Qing saw no sign of happiness on his face and cautiously asked, “What are you looking at?”
Outsiders only thought that because Prince Duan was favored by the Emperor and Empress Dowager, he could act willfully and recklessly. However, Zhao Qing had served by his side for many years and knew that his master was actually very measured and always kept the distinction between sovereign and subject in mind; he was certainly not someone who presumed upon imperial favor.
Since the marriage had been decided by the Emperor and the Empress Dowager, he would absolutely not defy the order. Moreover, Zhao Qing had never seen his master arbitrarily vent his anger on others. Even if he disliked his future Princess Consort, the Prince would definitely not mistreat her.
But as for whether the Prince could only make things difficult for himself, Zhao Qing thought that was also unlikely. Given his master’s indifference to life and death, he would quickly come to feel that having an extra person in the house was no big deal.
Chu Heng pondered for a moment and said something out of the blue: “Hmm… no need to rush.”
“What matter does Your Highness need attended to? This servant will note it down for you,” Zhao Qing quickly said.
Chu Heng nodded and said: “Yes, you note it down first. After the New Year, have someone clean up a spacious courtyard. Remember, it must be far away from mine.”
Zhao Qing was stunned. Prince Duan’s Residence was built according to the specifications of a Prince of the First Rank and occupied a vast area. Since there was only the Prince as master currently, ten or even eight spacious courtyards could be prepared. The question was, wasn’t the Prince’s purpose…
Zhao Qing cautiously asked: “Should it be prepared according to Your Highness’s preferences?”
“I won’t be living there,” Chu Heng said.
Zhao Qing was now certain: this courtyard was for the future Princess Consort. Planning to keep his distance from the Princess Consort before they were even married meant that any hopes anyone had would be dashed.
Thinking this, Zhao Qing sighed.
Chu Heng glanced at him and asked: “Eunuch, do you perhaps have a past connection with the Lin family?”
Zhao Qing was momentarily confused: “This servant entered the palace as a child and does not know anyone from the Lin family.”
“Then why are you sighing?” Chu Heng handed the paper slip to him.
Zhao Qing finally understood his master’s meaning and quickly said: “Your Highness, this servant just hopes that after the Princess Consort enters the gate, things will be more lively…”
“I don’t like liveliness.” Chu Heng waved his hand, signaling him to withdraw.
Zhao Qing had to swallow the rest of his words. Only with liveliness would life seem to have something to look forward to. The Prince’s Residence was cold and quiet all day long, a life that could be seen to the end in one glance. That’s why the Prince always lived so passively, indifferent to life and death.
In the early morning, Daiyu was practicing calligraphy by the window, with birds chirping outside on the covered walkway. Yuanyang walked over, handed a small package of bird’s nest to Zijuan, and softly said: “When Madam came to pay her respects, she mentioned that Second Master Bao is much better. The Old Madam is worried that if he sees Miss Lin, it might stir up his old illness again, so she is temporarily forbidding him from coming over. You should mention this to Miss Lin, so she doesn’t worry too much.”
Zijuan also said softly: “Miss and Second Master Bao grew up together like siblings all these years, so she naturally cares. We are all relieved that the Second Master is well.”
Yuanyang nodded, quite satisfied with this phrasing.
The Old Madam knew about the gossip among many of the servants in the residence. The Xue family promoting the ‘Golden-Jade Match’ had made it known throughout the residence, and she had allowed the rumor of the match between the Second Master Bao and Miss Lin to spread.
But such talk could absolutely not be spoken now. Miss Lin was already Prince Duan’s Princess Consort. If the news reached the Imperial Family’s ears, it could cause trouble.
After seeing Yuanyang off, Zijuan instructed Xueyan to stew the bird’s nest. She turned around to see her mistress putting away her paper and brushes, quickly went over to take over the task, and simultaneously recounted Yuanyang’s words.
Daiyu nodded slightly after hearing it, then lapsed into thought.
Although she once had expectations, in the past year or two, she had become increasingly clear that her second maternal aunt would not permit her hopes to come true. However, when those hopes were truly shattered, she couldn’t simply move past it and still felt unavoidable sadness.
Daiyu covered her mouth and coughed a few times. Zijuan gently massaged her back. Before she could think of how to comfort her, she saw her mistress frown and say: “Zijuan, I feel a little cold.”
Although there was some coolness in the early morning of June, it was still summer, and her mistress was not wearing thin clothing. Zijuan knew immediately that her mistress was feeling unwell again.
After reporting to the Old Madam, they presented the visiting card and invited the Imperial Physician for a consultation. He said it was nothing serious, just a slight chill, and that she would be fine after taking two doses of medicine and resting for a few days.
Unexpectedly, the news of Daiyu’s illness reached the Empress Dowager that very day. She sent her personal female physician to examine Daiyu and bestowed many medicinal herbs and tonics upon her.
Suddenly, this incident spread throughout the entire Jia family.
Grandmother Jia was naturally happy. Daiyu’s visit to the palace two days ago to express thanks had apparently caught the Empress Dowager’s eye. Today, she had received the Empress Dowager’s concern, giving Daiyu face. This looked much more like a proper daughter-in-law.
Despite her happiness, the slight sense of regret in Grandmother Jia’s heart still lingered. As Madam Wang was taking advantage of Baoyu’s recovery to seek a virtuous daughter-in-law from a noble family for him, Grandmother Jia was even more displeased. However, she didn’t trust her second daughter-in-law’s judgment and still had to bear the responsibility of planning for her precious grandson.
Madam Wang, from the second branch, was fully focused on her son. As long as she considered that Daiyu was ultimately a notch below her daughter [Yuan Chun], the matter of the Empress Dowager’s gifts didn’t mean much to Madam Wang.
Concubine Zhao, however, was green with jealousy. Tanchun’s and Daiyu’s birth signs were submitted together, so why was the Lin girl chosen? If her daughter had become the Princess Consort…
Madam Xing, from the first branch, was equally jealous as Concubine Zhao, but no matter how jealous they were, they could only utter a few sour words.
Daiyu was currently recovering from her illness and not going out, so this gossip had not reached her ears yet.
However, in the Palace of Benevolence and Longevity, the Empress Dowager had heard everything clearly.