Returning to the low table, Bai Fei Wan felt much more relaxed. All morning, she had been racking her brain about how to warn Jin Wang, so she hadn’t been able to calm her mind.
While speaking to Jin Wang, she had paid close attention to the changes in his expression. Bai Fei Wan knew he had already made the connection to the private salt trade, which meant her carefully selected savory pastries had not been in vain.
She had given her warning; the rest was up to Jin Wang. She hoped he would live up to her trust and resolve the matter. Otherwise, she would have to think of another way.
With the matter settled, Bai Fei Wan began to draw her design blueprints with an untroubled heart.
The two remained in the study until dinner.
Seeing that Bai Fei Wan was only eating a tiny amount, Jin Wang asked, “Why are you eating so little?”
Hearing his words, Bai Fei Wan patted her full stomach. “This servant is full. I finished both plates of pastries in the study.” As she spoke, she gave him an ingratiating smile.
Jin Wang sighed helplessly. “In the future, eat fewer pastries before meals. You need to eat more rice. Look how small you are.”
Indignantly, Bai Fei Wan puffed out her chest. “Where am I small? I’m still growing, you know.”
Seeing her action, Jin Wang realized she had misunderstood his words. He played along, his tone laced with deeper meaning, “They’re not small.”
Seeing the look on Jin Wang’s face, Bai Fei Wan said no more, afraid that if she provoked him, she would be the one to suffer later.
After dinner, Jin Wang took Bai Fei Wan for a stroll in the courtyard. He had come to Qingya Courtyard secretly, so they couldn’t go out.
The courtyard was rather small, and one lap around it was enough. So, Jin Wang asked Bai Fei Wan, “This prince saw a Go set in your study. Do you know how to play?”
“A little.”
“Then accompany this prince in a game,” Jin Wang said.
“Alright.”
So, the two brought out the Go board and began to play in the courtyard.
At first, Jin Wang didn’t pay much mind, intending to play casually. But he soon discovered that Bai Fei Wan’s skill was extraordinary and began to play seriously. In the end, Jin Wang won by a single stone.
Seeing that she had lost, Bai Fei Wan said, “Your Highness is brilliant. This servant is impressed.”
Jin Wang looked at Bai Fei Wan with pleasant surprise. “Your skill is also very impressive. You’ve made this prince see you in a new light. How many more things are there that this prince doesn’t know about you? This prince is discovering that you truly are a treasure. The more one gets to know you, the more delightful the surprises.”
Hearing Jin Wang praise her so, Bai Fei Wan’s face flushed with shyness, but her voice betrayed her delight. “Thank you for your praise, Your Highness. This servant just dabbled in it randomly at home when I had nothing to do.”
Jin Wang saw the hidden delight and pride in the little woman before him and didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
It seemed she really did love being praised. That proud look was about to break through her facade, yet she still had to feign modesty. She truly couldn’t hide anything; it was all written on her face.
“Then accompany this prince in another game.”
And so, the two began to play again. A match between equals, they battled for a long time.
Seeing how late it was, Jin Wang said, “It’s very late. Let’s rest. This prince will play with you again when there is time.”
Hearing this, Bai Fei Wan nodded. “Alright. Your Highness must remember.”
In truth, Bai Fei Wan didn’t care much about playing Go, but she needed to curry favor and make Jin Wang come to her. Otherwise, with so many women in his rear courtyard, he might forget about her in a few days. She needed him to remember her and just visit her occasionally.
Without favor, her life in the Prince’s mansion would be difficult. In the mansion, one couldn’t have too much favor, or it would incite the jealousy of the other women. But one couldn’t have no favor either, or one would be bullied by the servants.
Jin Wang hummed in agreement and took Bai Fei Wan’s hand, leading her toward the bedroom.
Jiang Shun observed his master’s attitude toward Bai Shiqie and mentally moved Bai Fei Wan up several ranks. It seemed he would have to be more attentive to her affairs in the future.
Once they had both bathed and gotten ready, the nightlife had just begun.
In the room, Jin Wang asked Bai Fei Wan, “Why aren’t you wearing the kind of clothes you wore yesterday?”
Bai Fei Wan replied, “Those clothes are not comfortable to sleep in.”
“This prince likes you in those clothes. From now on, wear them whenever this prince comes. This prince will take them off for you when we sleep, so you won’t have to sleep in them.”
When Bai Fei Wan didn’t reply for a long moment, Jin Wang tightened his grip. “Did you hear me?”
Speechless, Bai Fei Wan replied helplessly, “I understand, Your Highness.”
Hearing her answer, Jin Wang was satisfied. “Mm, be good.”
The next day, when Bai Fei Wan woke up, it was almost Wu Shi again. Jin Wang had to attend the morning court session and had already left; he had probably already finished by now.
And indeed, Jin Wang had already left court. He was currently in the imperial study, discussing the matter of the private salt trade in Jiangnan from yesterday’s letter with the Emperor.
Jin Wang told the Emperor his suspicions, and the two discussed it at length. They also talked about other court matters, and by the time Jin Wang emerged from the imperial study, it was already Xu Shi.
Upon returning to the Prince’s mansion, Jin Wang went to the main courtyard first.
The Wangfei was delighted to see him, quickly ordering tea to be served and having the Little Princess brought out to speak with him.
Seeing his only daughter, Jin Wang was very happy. He played with Chang Ning for a while, but remembering her poor health, he had her taken to rest early.
After Chang Ning had left, Jin Wang said to the Wangfei, “This prince must leave to handle some business tomorrow. I will be gone for at least a month. You are to look after the Prince’s mansion well.”
“Is Your Highness going alone again?”
Hearing the Wangfei’s question, an image of Bai Fei Wan surfaced in Jin Wang’s mind.
But he quickly dismissed the thought. “Yes. It’s getting late, you should rest early. This prince will be leaving.” With that, he stood up and walked out.
Hearing that Jin Wang was leaving now, the Wangfei immediately stood up and asked nervously, “Is Your Highness not resting here tonight?”
“This prince has matters to attend to in the front courtyard. You should rest early.”
Watching the Prince leave without a shred of hesitation, the Wangfei’s eyes filled with tears. She asked Zhang Momo beside her, “Momo, do you think His Highness has grown tired of me? Why does he refuse to stay even when he comes? For all these years, aside from the first and fifteenth of the month, he never stays the night in the main courtyard.”
Zhang Momo’s heart ached as she stepped forward to comfort the Wangfei. “How could that be? You are the wife His Highness officially married. His Highness is leaving on a trip tomorrow, so he must have many things to attend to in the front courtyard.”
Zhang Momo’s words did not comfort the Wangfei, who said resentfully, “Why isn’t Chang Ning a son? If she were a son, how could His Highness treat me this way? It’s all that bitch Dong Shi’s fault. She’s the reason it’s so difficult for me to conceive again. How many medicines have I taken all these years, yet I still haven’t been able to have another child.”
Hearing this, Zhang Momo simply stepped forward and held the Wangfei to comfort her, saying nothing more.
In the years since the Wangfei’s body had been damaged, making it difficult for her to conceive, she had developed a degree of resentment even toward the Little Princess. All of the Little Princess’s affairs were handed over to the maids in the courtyard to manage, and the Wangfei generally never asked about her.
Only when the Prince came would the Wangfei pretend to be more concerned about the Little Princess. She had tried to persuade the Wangfei to be kinder and more attentive to the Little Princess, but the Wangfei never listened. As a servant, she didn’t dare to press the matter too often, as doing so would only annoy the Wangfei.