“Then let’s keep it quiet.”
This time, it wasn’t just the Third Prince who fell silent—Anning did too.
She had only just realized that since entering the palace, she hadn’t read a single book.
But then again, for someone like him to be making snide remarks at her…
Anning felt a pang of guilt and pretended not to catch his meaning. She quickly offered a sweet, placating smile. “I will study, I promise. Tomorrow, I’ll accompany you to the Maoqin Hall for lessons, alright?”
“If you wish to learn something, the Empress Dowager will naturally arrange a tutor for you. You likely won’t be able to attend the Maoqin Hall.”
The princes of the palace typically began their studies at the Maoqin Hall upon turning six, where they learned Manchu, Chinese, and Mongolian, as well as Confucian classics, ancient history, literature, and even horsemanship, archery, astronomy, and mathematics.
Princesses, however, had no formal place of study. Instead, those who raised them would carefully select exemplary young ladies of noble birth from the capital and invite them into the palace.
These exemplary ladies were usually older in years. Once inside the palace, they would be respectfully addressed as “Nanny” by the princesses. Having taught royal princesses, their reputations would spread far and wide, earning them respect from all.
Anning quietly breathed a sigh of relief and quickly feigned disappointment. “What a pity.”
Third Prince: “…” He knew it.
She wasn’t foolish—she immediately realized that the Empress Dowager would soon arrange a tutor for her. “Then what kind of tutor will the Empress Dowager find for me?” At home, her mother and father couldn’t bear to see her suffer, so she had taught herself a few Chinese characters and nothing more.
“What do you want to learn?” the Third Prince asked.
She was too embarrassed to say she didn’t want to learn anything at all, so she mulled it over for a long while before finally saying, “Painting.”
“Painting is fine, but you’ll also need to learn to read and write.”
“Together with Third Brother? Didn’t you say I can’t go to the Maoqin Hall with you?”
“The side hall of Cining Palace will do.”
She had rested for over four months now; it was time to study. Anning quickly perked up and accepted reality, though she still asked, “Why not study with the other young ladies? I heard there are three adopted daughters in the palace.”
That way, they’d only need to hire one tutor—what a savings it would be!
The Third Prince’s expression cooled. “They weren’t brought into the palace to truly become the Emperor’s adopted daughters.” He said no more on the matter and changed the subject. “Alright, I need to rest.”
He detested such matters and was unwilling to discuss them further.
Before she had come, he had been diligently studying. But the moment she arrived, he claimed he needed to rest.
Anning let out a reluctant “Oh,” clutched her handkerchief, gave a hasty bow, and turned to run off.
The Third Prince watched her retreating figure. He knew full well that she had come to check on him, which was why she had been rambling on about this and that.
The next morning, Talu helped Anning dress and wash, recounting the events of the previous night:
“Last night, the Emperor confined Consort Tong to her palace for offending the Imperial Noble Consort. And at this morning’s court session, he issued an edict posthumously conferring upon the Fourth Prince the title of Heshuo Prince Rong.”
Anning hesitated. “It sounds like both sides were punished.”
Talu nodded. “After all, the Emperor’s original intention was to make the Fourth Prince the Crown Prince. If he had been resolute, he could have posthumously named him Crown Prince as well. But now, he’s merely a prince.”
She paused, then added, “However, the Emperor intends to build a mausoleum for the Fourth Prince at Huanghua Mountain. This is an extremely rare honor—there’s no precedent for it.”
Anning yawned, listening as if it were nothing more than a story.
She never took breakfast with the Empress Dowager, as the latter received visitors very early—the Empress, the Imperial Noble Consort, and other high-ranking consorts would come to Cining Palace to pay their respects.
During that time, no one paid her any mind, so she would laze about on the small couch.
She lounged until the sky was fully bright. Talu brought in the morning meal, and Anning took a few casual bites when suddenly she heard a eunuch’s urgent voice from outside: “The Emperor is on his way to Cining Palace!”
Anning was startled. In the four months since she had entered the palace, she had only caught a brief glimpse of the Emperor on the second day of her stay.
Talu broke into a nervous sweat and hastily re-brushed Anning’s hair and changed her clothes.
The Emperor rarely visited Cining Palace. In recent years, ever since he had blatantly demoted the late Empress to the rank of Consort Jing and was then forced by the Empress Dowager to marry the second Khorchin Empress, their relationship had plummeted to freezing point.
The Imperial Noble Consort’s unrivaled favor across the three palaces was proof enough that the Emperor was no longer the young ruler who could be manipulated by the Empress Dowager.
His sudden visit today caught everyone off guard.
Anning rushed out after hurriedly dressing, nearly colliding with the Third Prince, who was radiating cold air. He had just returned and hadn’t yet changed his clothes.
“Where did you go?” Anning asked in a low voice.
“Jing’an Palace.”
Anning immediately fell silent. Jing’an Palace was Consort Tong’s residence—the Third Prince must have gone to pay his respects.
All the maids and eunuchs of Cining Palace had lined up in the courtyard. Anning was frightened and pressed close to the Third Prince.
He glanced at her from the side and took her ice-cold little hand in his.
The entire palace was deathly quiet. Suddenly, the sharp crack of a whip rang out—clear yet muffled. The servants knew the Emperor was approaching. After another moment, heavy footsteps and light, hurried ones intermingled as they drew near.
Anning quickly lifted her head for a glance, catching a rough glimpse of Sumalagu’s back as she curtsied toward the palace gate. A bright yellow arm reached out to gently help her up.
Behind him followed a group of eunuchs—those at the front wore python robes of various ranks, while the rest were dressed in the plainest gray-blue palace attire.
The outermost ring was composed of imperial guards in yellow surcoats, weapons in hand, tasked with close protection.
As that figure in bright yellow stepped into Cining Palace, the eunuch in python robes announced in a booming voice: “The Emperor has arrived—”
In an instant, a vast sea of maids and eunuchs knelt down with a rustle.
Anning still remembered the rules, hurriedly kneeling to pay her respects.
From the corner of her eye, she saw the procession pass by in front, but the steps paused slightly when they reached her side.
A gaze landed directly upon her, like a thousand-pound boulder pressing down on the top of her head.
Her heart instantly leaped to her throat, and she fearfully tightened her grip on Third Prince’s fingers.
But in just a moment, the footsteps continued past, and the gaze vanished as well.
The Emperor entered the main hall, and the imperial guards all took their positions under the eaves. The doors and windows were tightly shut to prevent anyone from overhearing the masters’ conversation.
Anning rose to her feet and only then noticed that her fingernails had left crescent-shaped marks on Third Prince’s palm. “Oh dear, does it hurt?”
Third Prince stared at the closed doors of the main hall, distracted. “How much strength could you possibly have?”
Anning: “…”
She rubbed his hand vigorously, then lifted it to blow on it.
A warm breeze swept past, and Third Prince snapped back to attention, seeing her holding his hand, rubbing and blowing on it.
Once the marks faded, she tossed his hand away. “I’m not talking to you anymore.”
He caught her hand in return. “The weather is clear this afternoon. I’ll take you somewhere else to play.”
Anning’s eyes lit up, but then she suspected he was just trying to coax her. “Really?”
His tone was firm. “Really.”
She was delighted. “Then I want to go to the Flower and Bird Pavilion, and also see the corner tower. I heard that from the top of the corner tower you can see most of the Forbidden City—is that true?” As she spoke happily, she swung his hand back and forth.
Third Prince nodded. “Not far east of the Flower and Bird Pavilion, there’s a stage.”
“Can people listen?” She widened her eyes with eager anticipation. “Are you talking about the one next to Sui Yu Xuan? There’s also a swing pavilion behind Sui Yu Xuan, and right next to that is the Imperial Garden.”
“Of course you can listen,” Third Prince said. “Cining Palace also has a garden, yet I never see you strolling through it in your spare time.”
Anning pouted. “I’m afraid of disturbing the Empress Dowager’s rest.”
“In that case, wouldn’t you be bored to death?”
“I truly am bored to death!”
He showed a bit of consideration, and she immediately made a big deal of it, as if afraid no one would know of her suffering.
Having settled on playing in the afternoon, Anning hurried back to her room and had Talu pack several pouches full of snacks.
The Emperor did not stay for lunch and departed half an hour later.
During the meal, Anning noticed that the Empress Dowager was in a poor mood. She was very good at reading people, so she dared not speak and quietly ate her own food, even reducing the number of times she summoned the serving eunuch to add dishes.
Third Prince glanced at her. “Give Princess Hesheri more of the shrimp from the braised bamboo shoots.”
The serving eunuch quickly acknowledged in a low voice.
Anning secretly lifted her eyes and flashed him a sweet smile.
The meal wasn’t exactly difficult, but it was certainly uncomfortable.
The Empress Dowager was old and needed companionship, so she always kept the two young ones by her side during meals. But she was the Empress Dowager, accustomed to being honored, and her temper brooked no dissent.
Anning was not her biological granddaughter, so it was only natural that she served with extra caution.
After they left, Third Prince asked her, “Are you full?”
Anning patted her belly. “Not quite.” She wasn’t really used to the way meals were served in the palace—everything had to be portioned out by eunuchs. At home, she could just help herself to whatever she wanted, and the atmosphere was warm and harmonious. But the palace had so many rules.
Third Prince was silent for a moment, then raised his voice. “When we go listen to the opera at the stage later, I’ll have the Imperial Kitchen make some of your favorite dishes.”
Anning immediately perked up, and also patted his stomach. “Third Brother, are you full?”
Third Prince had no particular cravings when it came to food—he could eat anything. But looking at her little face, he said considerately, “No, I’m hungry too.”
“Then let’s be sneaky about it.” Anning was full of energy, grabbing his hand and running. “Hurry, hurry!”
Third Prince was caught off guard and actually stumbled forward a step as she pulled him along.
Gu Wenxing stood in the distance, not knowing what the prince and Princess Hesheri had said to each other. Princess Hesheri pulled him along for a few steps, and soon the prince recovered his footing. The two of them, hand in hand, dashed out through the gates of Cining Palace in a flash.
“Oh dear, hurry, hurry!” He was greatly alarmed.
Talu hadn’t expected her young lady to act on such a whim either, and hastily grabbed the pouches of snacks her mistress had packed.
Author’s Note:
Here we are.