The morning court session was naturally not missed—when Rongyu woke, the space beside her was already empty.
Since the Prince’s Consort had yet to be selected, and the Side Consort was even further from being decided, there was no need to consider matters of paying respects.
She allowed Muyun to attend to her as she rose, then turned to instruct Muxi to summon the morning meal, and also to add an extra cup of boiled cow’s milk.
Muxi was already well acquainted with her mistress’s dietary habits, though from now on, the task of fetching food from the main kitchen would fall upon Cheng Mu.
Although Bakdun had drilled Cheng Mu with repeated instructions, he was still newly acquainted with Rongyu and unfamiliar with her ways. Muxi decided to bring him along a few times, using the opportunity to also learn more about the temperaments of the servants in the main kitchen.
Rongyu paid no mind to such matters—whatever she ordered, there would naturally be someone to carry it out.
While waiting for the meal, she picked up the Record of Traveling Delicacies that she had previously asked the Fourth Prince to borrow on her behalf. It was written by a Grand Tutor of the previous dynasty after he resigned from office and wandered the realm, containing recipes and methods for over 150 kinds of seasonings, beverages, pastries, noodles, dishes, candied fruits, and medicinal foods. Rongyu loved to eat and enjoyed studying such things whenever she had nothing to do.
“This book is terribly amusing. Muyun, find me more books like this in the days ahead—or at the very least, hunt down some storybooks for me as well.”
“Miss, you’ve always enjoyed reading these since your days in the family residence. This servant truly has never seen any young lady who delights in studying food as much as you do.”
“Isn’t this just to pass the time when I’ve nothing else to do? Now that I’m in the residence, it’s not like the old days when I could run outside every day. I fear I may not even leave these gates more than a few times in my entire life.”
“Miss, you…”
“Alright, it’s nothing. At least your mistress is currently quite favored by His Highness—far better off than most ladies who sit alone in their empty chambers.”
Muyun and Muxi knew well their mistress’s resilient nature, which was precisely why her occasional moments of reflection struck them so deeply. But at times like these, they said nothing more.
After finishing the meal, Rongyu took Muyun along for a stroll to aid digestion. Every maid and eunuch they encountered along the way bowed respectfully, and Rongyu need not acknowledge them—she didn’t even have to slow her steps.
This was the advantage of having only one woman in the inner court—no need to worry about encountering someone of higher status, and being deliberately harassed or reproached was out of the question.
“Muyun, tell me—once that one enters the gates, will I still be able to live as freely as I do now?”
“Miss is naturally blessed with good fortune. There’s a pebble ahead—do mind your step.” That was Muyun’s way of telling her to watch her words.
Muyun had always been cautious, and besides, the entire inner court was riddled with who-knows-how-many eyes belonging to the Fourth Prince—or even Emperor Yuanli himself. Rongyu said no more on the subject.
It was rather amusing, really—Muyun was only one year older than her. Having held a lowly position in her own household, she had been raised by Rongyu’s mother since childhood. When she accompanied Rongyu to participate in the Minor Selection this time, it was of her own volition to stay by her side.
Muyun had always been prone to overthinking, and walking behind Rongyu, she couldn’t help but worry on her behalf.
Rongyu was also quite fond of this distant, distant cousin of hers. Muyun had possessed some unconventional ideas since childhood—when First Madam Fuca first heard them, she was greatly startled, feeling that the girl’s mind ran too deep. Had it not been for Rongyu’s insistence on having Muyun by her side, and the fact that Muyun had grown considerably more prudent as she matured, First Madam Fuca would never have dared place her beside her daughter.
That evening, the Fourth Prince returned to the residence and came to Rongyu’s courtyard. During idle conversation, he mentioned the commotion in the Fifth Prince’s inner court.
Now that she lived somewhat farther away, Rongyu could no longer keep constant tabs on whether those two Shuren were up to any new antics. She found herself rather bored by this, and eagerly wished the Fourth Prince would share more.
“The Fifth Brother favored one of his serving maids, and those two women raised an absolute ruckus. In broad daylight, the Fifth Brother had to flee to our residence to hide.” The Fifth Prince was a romantic who loved beautiful women—unlike the Fourth Prince, who had only Rongyu. Not a single tea-serving maid in his front courtyard had escaped his advances.
Rongyu knew her boundaries well. She listened, but would never dare make jokes at the Fifth Prince’s expense—that was a grave taboo. She merely toyed with the jade pendant hanging at the Fourth Prince’s waist while nestled in his arms.
The Fourth Prince chuckled softly, indulging her little gestures: “If your lord’s courtyard ever becomes this rowdy in the future, I’ll have our Arong’s backside beaten.”
Rongyu knew the Fourth Prince’s words carried a measure of testing, but she was still pleased by the phrase “our Arong.” She looked up at him with a smile and said, “This concubine is not one to stir up trouble. From what you’ve mentioned of Lady Gao, I know she’s not a difficult person to get along with. But if anyone ever provokes me in the future, then I will certainly stand on the opposite side of them. This concubine is not a magnanimous person—if there’s a grievance, it will most certainly be avenged.”
The Fourth Prince had always appreciated Rongyu’s straightforward nature, her refusal to hide or dissemble, and he naturally knew she was not one to initiate conflict. He held her soft body close, pressed a kiss to her forehead, and said with a smile in his eyes, “No matter what, as long as it’s not Arong’s fault, your lord will always protect you.”
Before she had left her family home, her mother had quietly told her that the Fourth Prince was a man destined for great things—that matters of ink and incense would never be lacking, and thus beautiful women would never be lacking either, and that she should not let her heart be moved.
Rongyu was rational, but in the end, she was still young. Since entering the rear courtyard, she had lived comfortably, and the Fourth Prince treated her well—ultimately, she had still fallen for him.
Fortunately, even though she liked the Fourth Prince, she retained some rationality. The Fourth Prince held her in his heart, in a special place, and would surely ensure her later years were free from worry.
Moreover, having received such a promise from the Fourth Prince today was enough to warm Rongyu’s heart.
Rongyu said nothing more. She returned his embrace, curling up in his arms, and let the Fourth Prince carry her to the couch. After their lovemaking, Rongyu murmured drowsily, “My lord, you must remember the promise you made to me today.”
Though her voice was soft, it reached the Fourth Prince’s ears clearly. His drowsiness faded somewhat as he drew Rongyu closer into his arms and gave her his answer: “I will surely keep Arong free from worry.”
In that moment, the two of them, so vastly different in status, each offered the other their true heart.
And so the days passed with Rongyu eating and drinking her way through them.
In September of the third year of Yuanli, Consort Gao, who had missed the Minor Selection due to mourning and had been granted special permission to enter the household, finally arrived at the rear courtyard.
The delicate balance was broken. Everyone in the Fourth Prince’s household began to watch for the “clash” between the two Shuren in the rear courtyard.
After all, Consort Fuca was the Fourth Prince’s first woman, and for several months she had enjoyed considerable favor. Apart from her monthly days, the Fourth Prince spent nearly every night at Rongmuzhai.
But Consort Gao was no simple person either—she shared a childhood bond with the Fourth Prince, a connection far deeper than Consort Fuca’s when one considered it. Who would ultimately come out on top was anyone’s guess.
Rongyu, however, didn’t have such thoughts weighing on her mind. Consort Gao’s given name was Qingwen, and the Fourth Prince called her by that name directly in front of Rongyu. From this alone, one could glimpse the depth of the Fourth Prince’s feelings for Consort Gao.
She was more concerned about whether the peace of the rear courtyard would be disrupted, and could only hope that Consort Gao would be easy to get along with.
On the fifth day of the ninth month, Lady Gao entered the household.
She took up residence in Qinglanzhai, adjacent to Rongmuzhai. The naming was similar in style—”Qing” was taken from Consort Gao’s given name, while “Lan” represented someone close to Consort Gao.
The newlywed Consort Gao was only fourteen, just at that tender age. The pink decorations throughout the courtyard made her complexion even more delicate: Consort Gao was naturally a beautiful woman with bright, radiant features. Her beauty was of a different type from Rongyu’s—the distinction between Manchu and Han was especially evident in the two of them, one delicate and one striking, both extremely captivating.
That evening, Qinglanzhai called for hot water several times. Rongyu didn’t deliberately inquire, and Muyun and Muxi wouldn’t bother her with such matters. They simply served her with extra care, requesting several fine pastries from the main kitchen, worried that their mistress might take it hard.
Seeing how cautious the two maids were, even Cheng Mu and Qing’er unconsciously reined in their usual ease, trying their best to comfort her in their own ways.
Rongyu was touched, but also somewhat amused. She called the four of them before her and said, “I know you’re worried for me. I do feel a bit of a pang, but it’s not as serious as you imagine. Things like this won’t be rare in the future—am I to wallow in self-pity every time someone new comes in?
And what’s more, there will eventually be a proper mistress of this prince’s household. Your Shuren here sees things clearly.
Besides, His Lordship does have genuine feelings for me. So all of you, wipe those expressions off your faces. If outsiders see you looking like that, they’ll think I’m terribly resentful of Consort Gao, and that would just make enemies of Qinglanzhai’s people.”
By the end of her speech, all four had knelt down. Rongyu didn’t tell them to rise immediately, continuing, “The days ahead are long. I will rise to higher positions in the future. Making no enemies and courting no trouble—that is our way of survival. Just remember this: as long as you remain loyal, I will never treat you poorly.”
“Madam, the people of Rongmuzhai will only ever belong to Rongmuzhai,” Muyun said, taking the lead.
“Alright, all of you, rise. Rongmu, Rongmu—Rong and Mu cannot be separated. From now on, Qing’er will be Mu Qing of our Rongmuzhai.”
Qing’er said nothing more. She knelt straight and kowtowed to Rongyu: “Madam, this servant Mu Qing will never betray her mistress.”
Without letting Muyun act, Rongyu personally helped the kneeling Qing’er to her feet, smiling as she patted the young maid’s head: “I trust you. For now, I can only have two first-class maidservants by my side. Later, we’ll take things slowly.”
“This servant thanks the Lady.” Anyone could be a Shuren, but “Lady” was reserved for their own mistress alone.
From that day on, Qing’er became Mu Qing of Rongmuyuan.