Li Cheng had grown up in the south, where the rice cakes they ate were nothing more than snacks, or sliced and stir-fried with greens, or even pan-fried and dipped in honey. Sometimes they would boil them into a rice cake soup. This style of pork rib rice cakes—not braised in the red-cooking method but slowly simmered—was something he had never tasted before.That aside, this pulled noodle was something he was using for the first time."This noodle was something I brought back from the north. It's whiter and chewier than southern noodles. I didn't cut it—I pulled it by hand, like this—bouncing it on the board and then stretching it." Huiyin sat down and began explaining with great enthusiasm.The noodles were smooth and springy, and after finishing one bowl, Li Cheng still craved more. "I never imagined you had such skill."Huiyin smiled. "You flatter me—it's just that you're being generous. Now that the Prince has finished eating, shall we go take a look at the Dayuan Steed? It'll help digest the meal. What do you think?"Li Cheng readily agreed.Nanny Chao couldn't find a way to interject, and seeing that Nanny Fan remained as still as a mountain, she forcibly suppressed the urgency in her heart.According to the Records of the Grand Historian, the Dayuan Steed was described as "descended from the heavenly horse." After a hard gallop, its shoulder area would gradually swell, and sweat resembling blood would seep out—hence its name, the Blood-Sweating Horse.Men love horses the way women love jewelry. Even Li Cheng, upon seeing this white horse with a streak of jujube red running through its head, fitted with a precious Khitan saddle, was immediately eager to try it out.It was Huiyin who spoke up: "The young Prince has a wound on his shoulder. If breaking the horse causes the wound to split open, then I'll have to take the horse back.""Don't—Princess, don't. I'll listen to you." Li Cheng couldn't bear to part with it, and he knew that Huiyin meant well for him. He would never actually let her take it back.Huiyin chuckled secretly. "The Prince really is something. If anyone overheard this, they'd surely laugh at the both of us. Once your shoulder wound has fully healed, I'd love to see your dashing figure on horseback. To be honest, although I grew up in the north, I've never been good at riding."Seeing how full-figured and charming Huiyin was, Li Cheng couldn't help but say, "A delicate beauty like the Princess not being skilled at riding is only natural. If there's time in the future, I'll take you out riding.""Then this humble wife will thank the young Prince in advance." Huiyin beamed.As the two walked side by side, Huiyin took the opportunity to ask Li Cheng about a few matters: "This humble wife doesn't know whether it's Nanny Fan or Nanny Chao who manages this household. After all, I brought quite a number of dowry attendants with me, and some of them don't know the household rules. I don't know who to ask—so I'd like to ask the Prince to enlighten me."Li Cheng slapped his forehead—he really had forgotten. "This household is, of course, yours to manage. Nanny Fan is someone my grandmother relies on, so you needn't assign her tasks. She'll be returning to Jianye next month anyway. As for Nanny Chao, she's my wet nurse, and she's getting on in years. The one who actually manages my household is Yun Hui. Yun Hui was previously my maidservant, and she was betrothed once, but her fiancé died before the wedding. If you find her presence inauspicious, you may simply have her work in the back.""What's there to speak of regarding auspicious or inauspicious? It's not as if she chose this fate. She's a pitiful woman, truly. In the few days since I've arrived, I've observed her quietly—she speaks very little and is quite capable. A person like me, without talent or ability—how could I manage a household? It's better that the young Prince assigns duties to whoever he deems fit." Huiyin wanted to see who Li Cheng trusted most in the household.Li Cheng noticed her charming smile and her flawless speech, and could tell that she possessed a level of sophistication far beyond what a girl her age should have. Zheng Fang was a man of courage but little strategy—he never expected his daughter to be so quick-witted and clever in her words and actions.With that, letting her manage the household was just right: "Princess, my household must be managed by you—you are the mistress."Huiyin thought to herself that Li Cheng was completely different from Li Heng. In truth, her situation was much like Lu Xiao's—Prince Wei wanted Li Cheng to marry her, also hoping to use her father to kill Lu Wei, or even lull her father into complacency before killing him, since the Hebei region was Prince Wei's northern passage. This was also why Yuwen Dang and the others did not take Qingzhou seriously.But the two men's approaches were entirely different. Li Cheng might not have been unaware of her position, but once he married her, he truly treated her as his wife. Though he might not love her, he absolutely respected her. On the other hand, Li Heng had cold-shouldered Lu Xiao, deliberately favoring her instead, letting the women tear each other apart while he reaped the benefits.The key point was that it would be one thing if Li Heng didn't love Lu Xiao—but he deeply loved her. He was simply out of his mind.Li Cheng was clearly very courteous with her, but he showed her respect and gave her status. As for love—someone like him, surrounded by people fawning over him, would surely have everyone vying to treat him well. Given enough time, love might come."Since my husband trusts me, I will not decline. But I am still young—if any mistakes or oversights occur, you must be lenient with me," Huiyin said.The matter of the Household Management Token was discussed in the afternoon, and by evening Li Cheng had already sent it over. Managing a household required first settling all previous accounts, then following old conventions before gradually making changes.Nanny Nan said happily, "The young prince sent the token over so quickly—how wonderful.""This is also one of the things I appreciate about the young prince—when he says something, he acts on it immediately rather than dragging his feet. For someone so young to govern an entire region, he is indeed no ordinary man," Huiyin remarked.As the saying goes, great things can be seen in small details—this was exactly that.The household had six stewards and three stewardesses in total, and Yun Hui wasn't even ranked highly among them. The next day, all of them were summoned to Huiyin's quarters. They didn't know the new princess's temperament, only that the young prince had stayed with her for several consecutive nights, that the two had been seen together, and that before three days had even passed, he had sent the token and put the young princess in charge of the household. Clearly, this Lady Zheng was no ordinary woman.That was how servants were—if you showed weakness, they wouldn't sympathize with you; instead, they'd think you were easy to bully, and even those around you would begin to look down on you. But if you were favored, like in her previous life, when she appeared favored on the surface, plenty of people came to curry favor with her."Everyone, the young prince said that since ancient times, men handle external affairs and women handle domestic ones, so he has entrusted the household's minor matters to me. As for the household's previous affairs, I wasn't here, and since I don't know the full picture, I won't comment. First, register everything and hand over the account books to me. After I verify and settle them, we'll use new account books going forward. As for the rules, you may continue as before—don't worry, I will follow established practices," Huiyin said with a smile.The stewards were delighted to hear this. Every one of them had discrepancies in their records and feared being found out, worried that the new princess might uncover something and get them into trouble.Unexpectedly, she didn't investigate at all and even gave them three days to sort out their accounts. Naturally, these people were overjoyed—at least they had saved their positions.Yun Hui was upright by nature and could not bear to see such behavior, so she seemed to want to speak but hesitated.Huiyin naturally knew that she was different from her mother, so after the stewards left, she deliberately kept her behind: "Aunt Yun Hui, do you have something to tell me?"Yun Hui nodded: "This servant knows that what she is about to say may be a bit presumptuous, but you cannot simply let these people play their tricks. What if the money in the accounts runs short, and when the time comes for the four seasons and eight festivals, there is no money to pay out? That would be terrible."Huiyin looked moved: "Yun Hui, you truly are someone who genuinely cares for me. But I have only just arrived, and I am not as deeply rooted here as they are. Yet the young prince has entrusted this manor to me, and I cannot very well refuse.""This servant understands your difficulties, young princess." Yun Hui had no solution either.Huiyin did not think Li Cheng would lack money—the entire Xuzhou territory was his. How much silver could the inner accounts need? The so-called display of grandeur truly could not be diminished. In the past, Huiyin had also felt that her mother, Madam Ji, was sometimes too extravagant, but her mother said she had no choice. If one let others see through a weakness, if they sensed that one was failing or about to decline, then people's hearts would begin to waver first. Other feudal lords, for instance, if they knew your grain and provisions were insufficient, would very likely make the first move.Moreover, there might be spies or any manner of people within Prince Huaiyin's manor, and they would need to be replaced without leaving a trace.Her thoughts were, of course, not for outsiders to know, but those around Huiyin were all delighted that she now managed the household. Nanny Fan also came specially to pay her respects—she had more sense of propriety than Nanny Chao, waiting until three days after the wedding before coming."This old servant has been sent by the late consort to present you with a gift. This is something that the grand empress dowager bestowed upon our late consort when she was in the palace." Nanny Fan opened a box and handed it to Huiyin.Huiyin saw that it was a Brahma Hairpin. This small hairpin gathered together the seven treasures—the silver pin head was a glass bead, and the five petals holding the glass bead were made of gold, coral, giant clam, red pearls, and agate.It was indeed exquisite and precious. Huiyin quickly said: "Please, Nanny Fan, thank the late consort on my behalf. Tell her that such a precious item has been bestowed upon me, and in the future, I will surely honor her together with the young prince."Nanny Fan smiled: "This servant will certainly relay your words. I heard from the young prince that you will stay here to take care of him—that is truly not easy.""Originally, I also wanted to return to serve my grandmother, but I cannot simply enjoy my comforts in Jianye and leave the young prince here alone." Huiyin put on an air of having no thought for anyone else for Li Cheng's sake.Nanny Fan only nodded and added: "Baolian Temple is a great temple in Xuzhou with many followers. They will also invite the prince and princess to attend the ceremony together. When that time comes, the young princess can wear this hairpin."Huiyin smiled: "Indeed, the late consort has thought of everything. At home, I never practiced Buddhism, so I know nothing of these matters."Nanny Fan said: "The late consort also thought that the princess is young and might not be familiar with these things, which is why she sent this servant to deliver it."After Nanny Fan left, Nanny Nan said: "I never expected the late consort to be so thoughtful. You have truly married well, princess.""It is still too early to say such things. I heard that Nanny Fan rarely leaves the manor.""Yes, she is a very prudent elder."Unexpectedly, Nanny Fan was having someone write a letter back, and in the letter it only said that the new princess, Lady Zheng, did not audit the accounts, so the underlings could not band together to trap her, and the plan had failed.Huiyin shook her head. "Hard to say—it's too early for any conclusions."Just like the Eastern Palace in her past life, you never knew until the very end whether these people were human or ghosts.Late at night, Li Cheng entered from outside. He hadn't been intimate with Huiyin these past two days, but tonight, seeing her in a pale green bodice, her arms like milk poured from green porcelain, gazing at him with shimmering eyes, his blood surged with desire.Huiyin stepped forward, rising on her toes to loop her arms around the back of his neck, thinking that no matter whether he held another in his heart, or whether he was willing or not, he would still have to be intimate with her.
Chapter 12
Rebirth of the Empress