The servants of the Princess’s Residence were quite strong. As soon as Lu Mingzhu gave the order, one of them picked up the fainted man like a little chick and tossed him to the side of the road.
To demonstrate the humanitarian concern of the Princess’s Residence to the onlookers, the servant even draped a coarse cloth outer robe over the man.
The ground was freezing, but with the robe covering him, he would be less likely to fall ill from the cold.
“Wait,” Yun Qiya said, pulling back the carriage curtain and handing the servant half a string of copper coins. “Give this to him for a physician.”
“Copper coins?” Lu Mingzhu usually rewarded servants with silver peanuts; she had never been this stingy.
“Half a string of coins is plenty,” Yun Qiya said as she neatly tucked away the remaining string. “So many people saw him collapse in front of your carriage. Giving him a little money will save us from a lot of nasty rumors.”
“Let them say what they want,” Lu Mingzhu muttered, though she didn’t argue further.
Anyone who has lain on the street on a winter morning knows exactly how cold it is, especially a man who had deliberately dressed in thin layers just to look elegant.
He lay on the ground for a moment, but eventually, the bone-chilling cold seeping up from the earth became unbearable. He feigned waking up, slowly opening his eyes only to find countless pairs of eyes staring down at him.
A crowd of commoners had gathered to watch the excitement, pointing and whispering the moment they saw him stir.
“He’s awake! He’s awake!”
“What luck. He ran into a noble’s carriage and instead of being punished, he actually got a reward!”
A reward?
The man looked down at the cold, meager half-string of copper coins in his hand. His face turned a sickly shade of green—it was hard to tell if it was from the cold or from sheer rage.
Wasn’t it said that Princess Rongshan and her daughter both had a weakness for beauty? Why was there not even a hint of emotion when they saw him?
Could it be they hadn’t seen his face clearly just now?
When Lu Mingzhu said she would take Yun Qiya to see the world, she truly meant it. She took her to experience almost every popular haunt frequented by the noble ladies of the capital.
Music houses, painted pleasure boats, pavilions, taverns, theaters…
They played from dawn until dusk, and there were still many places left unvisited.
Yun Qiya reclined on a soft chair in a private room of a theater. The flowing sleeves of a performer danced through the air, stirring a light breeze that caused the nearby gauze curtains to sway gently.
“Well?” Lu Mingzhu asked, resting her chin on her hand as she turned to Yun Qiya. “Isn’t her form exquisite?”
Yun Qiya nodded; it was indeed exceptionally beautiful.
“This theater only caters to female guests. The noble ladies of the capital often come here for recreation,” Lu Mingzhu said, leaning lazily toward Yun Qiya. “The one in our room is their most famous lead.”
Hearing the esteemed guest mention her, the performer’s eyes turned soft as autumn ripples. She stepped forward and gave a graceful bow. “It is this humble servant’s honor to dance for such distinguished guests.”
“Your dance is as graceful as a startled swan and as agile as a soaring dragon,” Yun Qiya praised, clapping lightly as she played along with Lu Mingzhu’s mood. “It is truly marvelous.”
“Hmph.” Seeing that Yun Qiya liked her arrangement, Lu Mingzhu was quite proud. “You little country bumpkin, the things I bring you to see are naturally the very best.”
“Exactly, exactly.” Yun Qiya cupped her face in her hands and playfully bumped her shoulder against Lu Mingzhu’s. “Fortunately, I have Sister Mingzhu to show me around the capital. Otherwise, how could I have seen all this so quickly?”
“As long as you know it.” Lu Mingzhu found Yun Qiya’s words very gratifying. She grabbed a handful of gold peanuts and tossed them to the performer as a reward. “Sing another song for Miss Yun…”
*Bang!*
The door to the private room was slammed open. A young woman with sharp, arrogant features walked in. “I want to see who has the audacity to steal my person.”
“It’s me.” Lu Mingzhu looked at the newcomer and sneered. “Barging into someone else’s room—is this the etiquette of Prince Jin’s Mansion?”
The girls following behind the woman recognized Lu Mingzhu and immediately pulled their feet back from the threshold, standing quietly in the hallway, not daring to make a sound.
“I was wondering who it was. So, it’s you.” The woman’s arrogant expression softened slightly, but Yun Qiya could tell from her face that her relationship with Lu Mingzhu was far from harmonious.
Lu Mingzhu didn’t bother with her. “Get out.”
“I hold the rank of County Princess. How dare you command me?”
Lu Mingzhu gave a light scoff and unfastened a token of Princess Rongshan from her waist. “My mother is Princess Rongshan, with a rank equal to a Prince.”
“You yourself have no rank or title,” the woman countered, her face souring.
“My mother is Princess Rongshan.” Lu Mingzhu didn’t bother to argue; she simply continued to flaunt her mother’s status.
The atmosphere turned icy. The performer knelt in the corner, not daring to breathe loudly.
“And which family are you from? You look quite unfamiliar. Are you the daughter of some insignificant, uncultured household?” The woman took a deep breath and stopped badgering Lu Mingzhu, turning her gaze toward Yun Qiya instead. “Are you actually willing to be Lu Mingzhu’s lackey?”
Yun Qiya felt like an innocent bystander who had been bitten by a dog for no reason.
Look at how she spoke! Sister Mingzhu was such a good person—she had treated her to food and entertainment all day without letting her spend a single copper coin.
Lu Mingzhu’s expression faltered. She looked at Yun Qiya, appearing hesitant to speak, her eyes darting away.
“If you had any sense at all, you would know—”
Yun Qiya noticed Lu Mingzhu’s expression and cut the woman off before she could finish. “To be favored by Miss Lu is my honor.”
In life, the most important thing was to avoid being double-faced or wavering in one’s loyalty.
Lu Mingzhu’s eyes widened. She stared at Yun Qiya, a faint blush gradually creeping up to the tips of her ears.
Not expecting such an answer, the woman was stunned for a moment before she let out a mocking laugh. “Oh, so you really are Lu Mingzhu’s lack—”
“She is the eldest granddaughter of the Chengping Marquisate Manor!” Lu Mingzhu’s spirits soared. She scooted closer to Yun Qiya, pressing right up against her, her previous embarrassment and hesitation vanished. “The Yun family has been loyal and upright for generations. For over a hundred years since the founding of the dynasty, they have served the court with unwavering devotion. Even His Majesty praises the Yun family for their loyalty and filial piety. Are you trying to insult the descendant of a loyal minister?”
“The… the Yun family?” The woman’s expression shifted rapidly, and she looked at Yun Qiya with a complicated gaze.
*If you have that kind of background, why didn’t you say so earlier? When I called you a lackey just now, why didn’t you argue? Why were you just sitting there smiling?!*
The woman remained silent for a long time before saying with a stiff face, “My apologies. No one in Prince Jin’s Mansion has any intention of disrespecting the descendants of meritorious officials.”
A quarrel with Lu Mingzhu could be considered a petty squabble between younger members of the royal clan, but it absolutely could not involve insulting loyal ministers of the court.
“You overstate the matter, County Princess.” Yun Qiya gave a slight bow. “It was merely a small misunderstanding.”
In any case, she never held a grudge to someone’s face—that was how one ended up losing out. If anything happened, she would just go home and secretly complain to the adults.
The County Princess of Prince Jin’s Mansion had arrived arrogantly but left in disgrace. The people following her even carefully closed the door for Yun Qiya and Lu Mingzhu.
Lu Mingzhu slapped the table in delight. “She loses every argument with me, yet she keeps coming back for more humiliation.”
“Sister Mingzhu is mighty and domineering,” Yun Qiya chirped, clapping her hands.
After watching the performance, Lu Mingzhu sent Yun Qiya home. Just as Yun Qiya was stepping down from the carriage, Lu Mingzhu suddenly called out to her.
“Yun Qiya.” Lu Mingzhu seemed a bit awkward, her eyes wandering everywhere except at her. “I don’t like playing with others, and I never take on lackeys.”
Yun Qiya turned back toward the carriage, stood on her tiptoes, and looked up with a beaming smile. “I don’t serve as a lackey for anyone, either.”
“You’re younger than me.” Lu Mingzhu’s face grew redder and redder, eventually matching the color of the lanterns hanging under the eaves. “From now on, when you see me, you’d better call me ‘Sister’ properly.”
With that, she pulled down the curtain to block Yun Qiya’s view. The carriage hurried away, looking almost as embarrassed and flustered as its occupant.
Yun Qiya watched the carriage disappear into the night. she scuffed her toe against the ground and let out a soft laugh.
“What are you laughing at? Standing at the front door in the middle of the night instead of coming in?” Yun Luoqing was leaning against the doorframe. He glanced in the direction Yun Qiya had been looking and rubbed his hands together. “It’s freezing out here. Aren’t you cold? Get inside, quickly.”
“Brother, didn’t you go to study at the Imperial Academy? Why are you back so soon?” Yun Qiya ran inside and looked at him suspiciously, whispering, “You weren’t kicked out because your grades were too poor, were you?”
“Can’t you wish for something better for me?” Yun Luoqing pulled several sheets of paper from his robe and stuffed them into her hands. “Don’t worry. My scholarship might be average, but idling my way through the Imperial Academy is a piece of cake.”
“What is this?” Yun Qiya glanced at the papers.
“Let’s talk inside.” Yun Luoqing was dressed in fine clothes, and with the good looks inherited from his parents, anyone who saw him would praise him as a noble and talented youth.
However, this refined image only lasted until they reached the West Courtyard. As soon as they entered, he wrapped himself in a thick cloak, removed his jade crown, and curled up on a lounging chair with his hair loose.
“This is the information I gathered on the eligible young men from noble families in the capital who aren’t yet engaged.” He shivered as he took a few gulps of hot soup. To maintain his image outside, he had nearly frozen into an idiot.
“Good family background, simple personality, strict adherence to male virtue, lenient parents, and decent looks—they’re all in there.” After finishing the soup, Yun Luoqing leaned back comfortably. “I specifically asked the school proctor for half a day’s leave just to give this to you.”
“Only these few pages?” Yun Qiya flipped through them carelessly, her interest waning.
“There’s nothing I can do; good men are a rare commodity.” Seeing that his sister wasn’t interested in any of them, Yun Luoqing comforted her, “It doesn’t matter if you can’t find a suitable match. You still have me. If we both work hard, at least one of us will eventually manage to eat ‘soft rice.’”
Yun Qiya flipped through the pages again and again, then closed her eyes and sighed in resignation. “Brother, ‘soft rice’ isn’t a necessity. Let’s just stick to ‘eating old.’”
“You stay at the Imperial Academy for two years, build good relations with our two cousins, and have Eldest Aunt arrange an idle job for you.” She had already given up on the idea of living off a husband. “As for me, I’ll stay home and keep Grandmother, Mother, and Eldest Aunt company to ensure they stay in high spirits.”
“Uncle and Eldest Aunt are good people; they certainly won’t have the heart to let us live in poverty later.” Yun Qiya reached out and tore the papers into tiny shreds. “Why bother with someone else’s ‘soft rice’ when our own family’s food tastes better?”
“You’re right.” Yun Luoqing agreed wholeheartedly. “I need to remind Father to take good care of Grandfather and Grandmother. While I’m at it, I’ll go to the ancestral hall and light some incense, asking the ancestors to bless the elders with long lives.”
“Then let’s go now,” Yun Qiya said, ever the woman of action. “From now on, I’ll go every few days to light incense and mention this to the ancestors a few more times.”
“Now?” Yun Luoqing looked out the dark window. Visiting the ancestors in the middle of the night felt a bit disrespectful.
“They are our ancestors. No matter when their descendants go to offer incense, they’ll only be happy. Why would they find fault with us?” Yun Qiya said righteously. “Haven’t you heard that elders dote on the youngest? Right now, we’re the youngest in the family, so the ancestors will surely spoil us the most.”
“That makes sense.” Convinced by his sister, the two of them wrapped themselves in thick cloaks and ventured into the night to the ancestral hall. Only after making their wishes to the ancestors did they feel settled enough to go to sleep.
Trying to find a way to eat “soft rice” was much harder than simply asking the ancestors for protection.
The blue smoke from the incense curled upward, eventually dissipating among the ancestral tablets. A new day was about to begin.
The Grand Court Assembly was another day of clamor and shouting among the officials.
The military officials argued with the civil officials, the Six Ministries argued with each other, and the royal clan members argued with the court ministers.
However, given that the current Emperor was not as tolerant as the Former Emperor, the officials only used their words and didn’t resort to violence. Back in the Former Emperor’s day, the Grand Court Assembly would sometimes devolve into a full-blown physical brawl.
Prince Jin was minding his own business in a corner when he was suddenly impeached by the Left Vice Minister of Rites. The man was so eloquent and sharp-tongued that Prince Jin didn’t even get a chance to argue back before the tirade was over.
*Wait, why?*
Prince Jin was bewildered. He had no particular friendship with the Chengping Marquisate Manor, but he had never crossed them either. Why would the usually steady Minister Yun pick a fight with him?
However, when he heard Minister Yun finish scolding him and move on to lambasting a low-ranking official from the Hanlin Academy—someone who wasn’t even qualified to attend the assembly—his heart settled.
Minister Yun had only impeached him with a few sentences, but his criticism of that minor official was endless. This meant that the person Minister Yun hated most wasn’t him.
Even the Emperor was puzzled. Minister Yun was known for his mild temperament and rarely scolded anyone. Who was this Hanlin Compiler named Zhou-something, and what had he done to make Minister Yun submit such a lengthy memorial against him?
After court adjourned, the Emperor specifically pulled out Yun Boyan’s memorial. “Minister Yun has quite the literary talent; even his insults are satisfying to read.”
“Find the Hanlin Academy evaluation list that the Ministry of Personnel sent yesterday.” The Emperor took the list from the Imperial Scribe Eunuch and found the name Zhou Yuzhi.
He had a slight impression of this man—the Third-Place Scholar from two years ago.
“Your Majesty.” A guard entered the room in a hurry. “His Highness Prince Ruining seeks an audience.”
“Bring him in quickly.” The Emperor tossed the list aside and walked toward the door.
“My son is frail. If there is anything, you could have just sent a servant. Why make the trip yourself?” Seeing him enter, the Emperor wanted to be close to him but didn’t know how, so he personally handed his son a cup of health-nourishing tea at the perfect temperature.
“Imperial Father, I heard that you and Mother Empress intend to select a consort for me?” Prince Ruining’s face was half-hidden in his thick cloak. His slender fingers lacked color, possessing a sickly, porcelain pallor.
He took the teacup, his expression weary and tired. “A daughter is also the pearl in her parents’ palm, the treasure of their hearts. There is no need for me to burden an innocent woman. I ask Imperial Father to dismiss this notion.”