What could Li Wanran do? She simply rolled up her sleeves and got to work.
By the time Yinzhen arrived that evening, she was barely interested in paying him any mind, her entire focus poured into her “homework.” Yinzhen sat there in silence for a long while, but Li Wanran didn’t rush into his arms with a beaming smile as she usually did. He had previously felt she was a bit too clingy, but now that she suddenly stopped, Yinzhen felt a wave of irritation and dissatisfaction.
If Li Wanran had known the true thoughts beneath his seemingly indifferent exterior, she would have only sneered: Men are just troublesome.
To pull Li Wanran’s attention back to him, Yinzhen intentionally pressed a fist to his lips and let out several loud coughs. Hearing this, Li Wanran looked up with a face full of concern. “Did you accidentally catch a cold, my Lord?” She immediately instructed Banxia to brew a cup of chrysanthemum tea for him.
Feeling she had done her duty, she lowered her head and returned to her tasks.
Hearing her greeting and the order for tea, Yinzhen merely nodded with dignity, waiting for her to show further care. To his surprise, even after the tea was served, there was no further move from her. Yinzhen’s brow furrowed slightly as he glanced sideways. He saw Li Wanran sitting at her desk with a serious expression, painting stroke by stroke with total concentration.
At this sight, his anger vanished as quickly as it had come; after all, he was the one who had caused this situation. Furthermore, this served as proof that Lady Li took his words very much to heart. However, one thing was separate from another. He stood up, strode to her side, and scooped the startled girl up, carrying her back to the inner chamber.
He arched an eyebrow and said, “In a moment, I shall let you know the consequences of daring to ignore me.”
Thus, that night, Li Wanran was tossed and turned by Yinzhen like a pancake until the early hours of the morning. By the end, she was so exhausted she didn’t even want to move a finger. The moment her eyelids closed, she fell fast asleep, leaving even the task of cleaning up to Banxia.
Yinzhen, looking at the exhausted, sleeping Li Wanran, felt quite proud of himself. After all, regardless of age, a man always cares deeply about his prowess in that regard. After washing up, he removed his outer robe and got into bed, contentedly pulling Li Wanran—who was already dreaming—tightly into his arms as he drifted off.
The next day, in the small garden.
Lady Song, who hadn’t stepped out for several days, saw the brilliant sunshine and decided to come out for some fresh air. After breakfast, she brought her maid to walk in the back garden. Though called a “small garden,” it wasn’t actually that small; it simply couldn’t compare to the scale of the Imperial Garden, nor did it have as many varieties of flora.
Several paths in the garden were paved with pebbles. They looked beautiful, but they were quite painful to walk on in soft-soled satin shoes. If it hadn’t been for the imperial physicians saying that walking on pebble paths helped blood circulation in the feet and was good for health, these paths would likely have been dug up and repaved long ago.
Lady Song leaned on Tinghe’s hand as she walked slowly along the pebble path. Delicate flowers bloomed on both sides, and nearby stood several lush, green trees where crisp birdsong rang out from time to time. The fresh air, pleasant scenery, and refreshing fragrance were the kind of sights that should have improved one’s mood instantly, yet they couldn’t hold Lady Song’s gaze for even a second.
The two suddenly stopped at a corner. Lady Song stood frozen, gazing toward the eastern part of the garden. “The Fourth Prince went to her place again last night.” From this position, looking east, one could just see the eaves of Li Wanran’s courtyard.
It was an abrupt sentence, but Tinghe understood the meaning perfectly. She lowered her head and offered soft words of consolation. “I heard that Lady Li sent someone to the medical academy for medicine yesterday. It seems she is ill. The Prince likely went to see her because of that.”
Lady Song let out a disdainful huff. “You actually believe that nonsense?”
Tinghe fell silent. She was only a servant and didn’t dare criticize the masters, so she could only lower her head further. Lady Song didn’t care if Tinghe replied; she continued to stare fixedly toward the east until her eyes grew sore, and only then did she close them.
It wasn’t yet the heat of noon, and several gentle breezes drifted by, cooling the skin and ruffling the hair. Tinghe gently tidied Lady Song’s wind-blown hair and tried to persuade her to stop standing there. “Gégé, the wind is picking up, and you are wearing very little. Let’s head back and add another layer of clothing.”
Lady Song had come out wearing only a thin green robe, and Tinghe was worried she would catch a cold. Lady Song seemed not to hear this, but she responded to Tinghe’s earlier comment with a look of resentment. It was as if she had been bottling things up for too long and finally had to vent.
“Ill? I see her clearly faking illness to gain favor. She was never one to stay in her place; every day she’s using tricks to coax the Fourth Prince.”
There was no need to guess who “she” was. Tinghe looked around nervously, and only when she saw no one was nearby did she sigh in relief. She whispered a reminder: “Gégé, be careful of eavesdroppers.”
Lady Song nodded irritably. She knew she had lost her composure just now. Moreover, this place wasn’t safe; it was easy for someone to overhear. But she had been holding it in for too long, pretending to be gentle and understanding day after day until she felt she was going mad. If she didn’t vent soon, she would be stifled to death.
Lady Song took a deep breath, letting her reason take over again. With a slight smile, she transformed back into the gentle and amiable Lady Song that everyone knew. However, her smile soon froze on her face, and her expression turned as if she had seen a ghost as she stared at Li Wanran, who had suddenly emerged from around the corner.
When did she get here? How much of those words did she hear? A flash of panic crossed Lady Song’s eyes, and her mind began to race with suspicion. But within just a few breaths, her expression returned to normal, showing no sign of her inner turmoil. She smiled brightly at Li Wanran, a hint of a probe hidden in her eyes. “What a coincidence. I didn’t expect to run into Lady Li here today. I wonder how long you have been here?”
Li Wanran seemed to be in an excellent mood, not at all stingy with her smiles. “We just arrived. I woke up early today and decided to take a walk.”
Lady Song couldn’t see any clues on her face and assumed Li Wanran had indeed just arrived. At this thought, Lady Song’s smile became much more genuine as her eyes involuntarily scanned Li Wanran.
Today, she was wearing a pink robe embroidered with butterflies and flowers on the hem and sleeves. Over it, she wore a pinkish-blue silk waistcoat. Her hair was styled in a small “two-handle” bun, adorned with a kingfisher-feather and gold-wire butterfly hairpin. Every time Li Wanran moved her head slightly, the butterfly on the pin would tremble, looking as if it were about to take flight. Combined with her fair, rosy, and naturally beautiful face—free of any makeup—she looked refreshed and filled with youthful delicacy. It was no exaggeration to say she was more beautiful than the flowers.
The more Lady Song looked, the more bitter she felt. Her smile became strained. She opened her mouth to speak, but Li Wanran beat her to it. “I was thinking of sitting in that pavilion for a while, so I’ll take my leave first.” With that, she nodded to Lady Song, took Banxia’s hand, and walked past her, disappearing from sight with light steps.
Once Li Wanran’s back had completely vanished, Lady Song had no desire to stay either and left with hurried strides.
Meanwhile, Li Wanran was already seated in the four-sided pavilion, leaning against the railing. She held a box of fish food and was leisurely feeding the carp in the pond below. Banxia sat beside her, gently fanning her, but her face held a trace of dissatisfaction. “Lady Song is truly good at putting on an act. First she tried to plot against you with those gifts, and now she’s talking behind your back, all while pretending to be a good person on the surface.”
Yes, when Lady Song had accused Li Wanran of faking illness, Li Wanran and Banxia were already there. They had heard every single word of her petty complaints. Li Wanran watched the carp swimming and competing for food below and let out a soft laugh.
“Is that not normal? Where in a back courtyard have you seen people tearing each other apart openly? No matter how much they wish the other were dead, they maintain an air of harmony on the surface.” She closed the lid of the fish food and set it aside, wiped her hands clean with a handkerchief, and leaned over to give Banxia’s cheek a gentle pinch. “We have our Banxia to thank for dragging me out for a walk; otherwise, how could we have had such an unexpected harvest?”
She had woken up unusually early that morning and, after a bowl of thick rice porridge, had planned to go back to bed. But Banxia, seeing she hadn’t been out for a while, was worried she was getting bored. Thus, she had chattered incessantly in her ear about going for a walk. Seeing that Banxia wouldn’t give up until she was hoarse, Li Wanran had no choice but to get ready and come out for some air. She hadn’t expected to hear Lady Song’s “heartfelt words” while resting at the corner.
Banxia scratched her cheek sheepishly. “I didn’t expect such a coincidence either.”
The two stayed in the pavilion until the sun hung high in the sky and the heat began to intensify before they got up to head back. On the way back, Li Wanran was thinking that she needed to finish the homework Yinzhen had assigned her as soon as possible. Otherwise, the matter would always be on her mind, which was quite annoying.
But as soon as she returned and sat at her desk, her mind changed instantly; she didn’t have the slightest desire to pick up the brush. She sat there, either reading a few pages of a novel or fiddling with things here and there, never stopping for a moment. In short, she just didn’t want to do her homework. When there had been very little work before, it didn’t feel like much, but now that it had suddenly increased, she felt like a student back in modern times right before a holiday, when the teacher suddenly assigns a mountain of exam papers.
After procrastinating for a long time, Li Wanran saw it was getting late. She sighed and slowly reached for the brush. However, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Banxia holding the pair of “flower-pot” shoes she hadn’t worn since her sprain, about to put them away in the cabinet. Li Wanran’s eyes suddenly lit up as a new excuse for procrastination appeared in her mind.
She jumped up, called out to Banxia, and took the shoes from her hand. With an excited expression, she declared she was going to resume practicing walking in them.
Banxia was still a bit fearful, worrying about what would happen if Li Wanran sprained her ankle again. She tried to persuade her to stop, but Li Wanran refused with a righteous air. Banxia had no choice but to stare at her without blinking, ready to rush forward the moment she showed signs of falling.
Fortunately, this time Li Wanran didn’t have any accidents; in fact, it went very smoothly. After a short practice, she could walk back and forth with a bit of a wobble. Just as Li Wanran was happily about to change her shoes after the training session, a voice announced from outside: “Greetings to the Fourth Prince.”
When Yinzhen entered the main hall, he saw her wobbling toward him in the flower-pot shoes. He immediately frowned and stopped her. He strode forward, carried her to a chair, and had Banxia fetch her soft-soled shoes. Only then did he speak: “If you aren’t used to wearing these, then don’t. Aren’t you afraid of spraining your ankle again?”
You can’t even walk steadily in these; aren’t you afraid of falling?
Li Wanran felt something was off. “Aren’t these shoes mandatory for the consorts and mistresses in the palace?” Had she been wrong all this time? No way…
Yinzhen looked at her with a confused expression. “How could that be possible?” Seeing Li Wanran’s look of disbelief, he paused, thinking it was normal for Lady Li to be unaware of these things since she hadn’t been in the palace long. He sat down and explained it to her.
Essentially, everyone in the palace, from high-ranking consorts to low-ranking maids, didn’t need to wear flower-pot shoes; in fact, hardly anyone wore them normally. Of course, it wasn’t that no one wore them. Some would occasionally wear them to make themselves look taller. But all in all, Li Wanran’s previous belief that one must wear them after entering the palace was a misconception.
Having realized this, Yinzhen said amusingly, “When have you ever seen Lady Song or the others wear them?”
Only then did Li Wanran realize he was right. She had never seen Lady Song or Lady Yi wear them. Feeling like she had made a fool of herself in front of Yinzhen once again, she covered her face with her hands and refused to let them down. Thinking about how much she had suffered because of those shoes, she was speechless with anger—furious at herself for not noticing something that could be seen with a bit of observation.
With a smile in his eyes, Yinzhen pulled her hands away and teasingly asked why she had such a thought. Li Wanran hesitated for a long time before sheepishly admitting the reason.
There was a girl in her neighborhood who had participated in the selection a year before her. Although she had been rejected, she was considered a person who had “seen the world” in their alleyway. Many girls around Li Wanran’s age loved to go to her house to hear what the people in the palace were like. For people of that time, knowing even a tiny bit about palace life was enough to brag about for a long time. Li Wanran was one of those girls who listened to the gossip, and she enjoyed every bit of it. Naturally, the idea that consorts and mistresses had to wear flower-pot shoes came from that girl.
When she first heard it, Li Wanran had been skeptical. That was until she entered the palace for the selection. While rushing to handle an “urgent call of nature,” she happened to see several consorts passing by. When Li Wanran knelt to pay respects, she caught a glimpse of their feet, and they were all wearing flower-pot shoes. From that moment on, she was convinced that all consorts had to wear them.
After hearing her story, Yinzhen couldn’t help but burst into laughter. Seeing the expression on Li Wanran’s face grow increasingly resentful, he cleared his throat and suppressed his laughter. “Actually, it’s fine whether you wear them or not. If you like them, you can wear them every day, and no one will say a word.” Seeing she still looked a bit upset, he added, “When I walked in just now, I thought you looked very beautiful in those shoes.”
He wasn’t just saying that to coax her; Yinzhen truly thought so. After being coaxed for a bit and scolding herself internally, Li Wanran let the matter go, though she didn’t show it on her face.
Yinzhen didn’t know what she was thinking and assumed she was still dwelling on being fooled. He tweaked her cheek and changed the subject. “The mansion being built by the Imperial Household Department is almost finished. The Emperor should be calling us to make our selections soon.”
“A mansion?” This topic immediately caught Li Wanran’s attention. She asked in surprise, “Does that mean we’ll be leaving the palace soon?” Leaving the palace would be much more relaxed than it was now; she might even be able to see her mother and the others.
Li Wanran had a brief, beautiful dream of life outside the palace before she suddenly remembered—she didn’t think Yinzhen was supposed to leave the palace and open his own manor this soon. Had she remembered incorrectly?
But Yinzhen’s next words proved she hadn’t. He smiled and said, “How could that be possible?” Not to mention it wasn’t finished yet, even after completion, the Bureau of Astronomy would have to select an auspicious date based on the prince’s circumstances. Then a memorial would be sent to the Emperor, and only after receiving approval could a date be set. “Between all that, it could take several years before we actually move out.”
Li Wanran immediately deflated and waved her handkerchief. “That’s so far off; why are you telling me this now?” It was a waste of her emotions and expectations.
Yinzhen shot her a glance. Was I not trying to keep you from dwelling on those shoes? You ungrateful little thing. Seeing her reaction, Yinzhen arched an eyebrow. “Looking at you, it seems you want to leave the palace even more than I do. Is there anything wrong with the palace?”
Ding—warning bells!
Li Wanran lowered her eyes and said softly, “How could there be anything wrong with the palace? Countless people in the world hope to enter. Even though I have been fortunate enough to stay by your side, I still sometimes fear it’s all just a dream. I just… I miss my parents. Since I was a child, this is the first time I have been away from home for so long. I don’t know how my mother and younger brother are doing.”
Hearing this, Yinzhen’s gaze deepened for a moment, as if he had thought of something, but he quickly returned to normal. He reached out toward Li Wanran. Understanding his gesture, she stood up with a sad smile, took his hand, and sat on his lap. She leaned quietly against his chest and said no more. She had spoken from the heart, but she usually didn’t dare show it. To see her family again, she would likely have to wait several years, as Yinzhen said. She only hoped they wouldn’t worry too much about her and would take good care of themselves.
As her mind involuntarily wandered to more memories of home, Yinzhen suddenly stroked her hair. “In a few days, I will send someone to tell your parents of your situation so they won’t worry.”
Li Wanran was stunned by this sudden surprise. She froze for several seconds before asking uncertainly, “Really?”
Yinzhen arched an eyebrow. “When have I ever lied to you?”
Li Wanran actually thought back and realized he never had. She instantly beamed, cupped his face with both hands, and gave him a heavy kiss, forgetting all formal speech in her excitement. “Fourth Prince, you are so good to me. I love you to death!”
Yinzhen didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He intentionally put on a stern face to tease her. “You didn’t love me before?”
Li Wanran wrapped her arms around his neck and giggled charmingly. “I loved you before, but I love you even more now. I could never leave you in this lifetime.”