After nightfall, the vast imperial palace that seemed so expansive in daylight became like a dark, deep pool, swallowing everyone whole except for the scattered points of lamplight.
In Xie Yanchuan’s bedchamber, Zeng Lun was having someone replace the cold tea by His Majesty’s side with a fresh, hot cup.
Ever since returning from Princess Chang’s Mansion, His Majesty had been sitting here all day. The tea by his side had been replaced again and again as it grew cold, and by now, seven or eight cups had been exchanged. Yet Xie Yanchuan had not taken a single sip of any of the replaced tea.
“When I first ascended the throne and took consorts, she cried and said she wanted to marry me, forbidding me from marrying anyone else. But at that time, she was only seven years old. How could one take the words of a child seriously?”
After sitting in silence for a long while, Xie Yanchuan finally spoke. At this moment, only Zeng Lun was by Xie Yanchuan’s side. Zeng Lun had been with him since Xie Yanchuan was still a prince, and in this world, Zeng Lun was likely the person who understood Xie Yanchuan best.
“She is eleven years younger than me. If I were a few years older, I could almost be her father. She said that the consorts selected for the palace are even younger than her, so why couldn’t she be one?”
Xie Yanchuan let out a long sigh. “But Niannian has never considered that in my heart, how could she possibly be the same as others?”
Zeng Lun understood clearly in his heart: the Emperor before him placed far too much importance on the eldest daughter of the Pei family. He saw it most clearly—that young lady from Guogong Mansion held extraordinary significance for their Emperor.
But if she were treated as a daughter, that young lady had already come of age. Even if she did not understand the boundaries between men and women, surely His Majesty knew better? It was simply that His Majesty intentionally indulged her.
If the young lady of the Pei family had not taken the initiative to bring it up, perhaps His Majesty would have continued muddling through like this. When that young lady said she wanted to be Crown Princess, His Majesty truly could have bestowed the marriage to the Crown Prince.
But Zeng Lun heard clearly and distinctly: that young lady wanted to enter the palace. Seeing His Majesty in this state now, he knew that Pei Yunshu would certainly enter the palace, and might even ascend to the position of Empress.
“Your Majesty, this servant dares to speak out of turn: doesn’t Miss Pei know exactly that? If it were anyone else, who would dare to treat Your Majesty like this?”
“She has been like this since she was little. As her Tutor, I never taught her proper etiquette. When you think about it, it is indeed my fault.”
Zeng Lun detected the protective tone in these words, elevating Pei Yunshu’s already high status even further.
“So now, if Miss Pei wishes to enter the palace, will Your Majesty refuse?”
Zeng Lun asked a “foolish” and direct question. Xie Yanchuan looked around his bedchamber, feeling uncharacteristically lost. “I don’t know. What do you think? Should I agree to her?”
“This servant dares not speak recklessly. However, based on this servant’s understanding of Miss Pei, if Your Majesty does not agree, she will likely stir up such a storm that Your Majesty’s world will be turned upside down. After all, Miss Pei also knows that Your Majesty has no way of handling her.”
These words bordered on overstepping. An emperor should never be constrained by anyone—no one at all.
Yet Xie Yanchuan calmly acknowledged this statement.
“Yes, I have always had no way of handling her. She has a childlike temperament, but I do not. I always thought that as an elder, it was enough to protect and guide her from the shadows. I believed I should not harbor such sordid thoughts toward a child I watched grow up with my own eyes.”
Zeng Lun dared not speak, merely lowering his head as if he had not heard these words.
Xie Yanchuan held the teacup and murmured to himself, but today, when Pei Yunshu said she wanted to marry him and enter the palace, Xie Yanchuan knew better than anyone that he could not muster even a hint of refusal.
“I, after all, am not that noble and upright.”
The person on the Dragon Throne sighed softly.
…………
When Pei Yunshu woke up the next day, she had just sat up in bed when a young maid entered with washing supplies to attend to her.
After wiping her face with a damp handkerchief, Pei Yunshu finally felt fully awake. “Why is it so bright outside?”
“Miss, it is already the end of the si hour.”
“Why so late?”
“We tried to wake you at the chen hour, but you simply wouldn’t stir,” Yue Yun replied as she attended to Pei Yunshu.
“I must not have slept well last night, so I slept more soundly this morning,” Pei Yunshu said, rising to let the maids help her dress.
“Miss, your cousin has arrived and has been waiting for nearly two hours,” Yue Yun whispered to Pei Yunshu.
“Two hours? Why did she come so early?” Pei Yunshu remembered that in her past life, she had been closest to Jiang Liuyan. Jiang Liuyan had indulged her, coaxed her, and flattered her. Pei Yunshu, being naive and trusting, had naturally treated Jiang Liuyan with wholehearted sincerity.
However, in recent days, the entire mansion had noticed that the young miss and her cousin were at odds. The cousin still acted with gentle flattery, while the young miss appeared unwilling to engage.
Though she was only a cousin, over time, and given that there was little difference in treatment between the cousin and the young miss, even the people of the Guogong Mansion had grown accustomed to this Miss Jiang in their midst.
Now, with Jiang Liuyan behaving this way, it made Pei Yunshu seem unreasonably stubborn.
“Miss, we wait like this every time. Isn’t this deliberately embarrassing you?”
The maid beside Jiang Liuyan could no longer hold back, but Jiang Liuyan appeared unconcerned, even somewhat indulgent.
“Yunshu is young and inevitably a bit willful. As her elder sister, I should naturally be more accommodating.”
The maid pouted. Her own miss wasn’t much older. In her opinion, it was only because her miss had such a gentle temperament that she allowed the young miss to treat her this way.
Jiang Liuyan didn’t notice the shadow quietly clinging to a corner of the room.
“Cousin, why have you come so early? You should have had someone wake me.”
Pei Yunshu walked briskly into the main hall, a slight smile on her face. She knew that Jiang Liuyan’s reputation was far better than her own—she had been “unreasonable” for many years now.
“It’s no trouble. I had nothing to do in my courtyard anyway. I heard from Yuehua that you weren’t feeling well, so it’s good that you slept a little longer.”
“Yes, I’ve been having nightmares lately, so my mood hasn’t been the best. I’ve wronged you, cousin.”
“What are you saying? There’s no talk of wronging me. We grew up together since childhood—how could I possibly blame you?”
As she spoke, Jiang Liuyan smiled gently, inwardly sighing in relief. She had thought something had gone awry, but it seemed it was just another bout of unexplained temper—still the same foolish, easily deceived girl.
“Cousin, you must have already had breakfast. I’ve just woken up and haven’t eaten yet. I’m afraid I’ll have to trouble you to wait a little longer.”
As Pei Yunshu spoke, a maid entered with breakfast: translucent crystal buns, steaming crab roe porridge, and a plate of crystal pigeon cakes.
Pei Yunshu ate on her own, while Jiang Liuyan sat awkwardly beside her. Today, she had put on quite the act—rising early to wash and dress before coming over, and she hadn’t eaten breakfast either.
Usually, she often had breakfast at Pei Yunshu’s place, waiting for Pei Yunshu to invite her. But now, she couldn’t just say outright that she hadn’t eaten.
Jiang Liuyan had no choice but to sit and watch Pei Yunshu eat, her stomach growling with hunger, and she could only sip a few mouthfuls of tea to stave it off.
Pei Yunshu watched with amusement out of the corner of her eye. She knew that Jiang Liuyan always put on a flawless act, but in reality, she had never made Jiang Liuyan suffer. Yet everyone believed that Pei Yunshu was spoiled and domineering, bullying this cousin of hers.
Since that was the case, if Jiang Liuyan wanted to put on this act, then she ought to play along and be the good person.