During these days, Yan Xiaoying had to pay her respects to the Empress every morning and evening. Nine times out of ten, she ran into female members of the Tang family entering the palace to deliver messages for their clansmen and discuss outer-court affairs.
Yan Xiaoying had learned quite a bit about palace protocol recently. By the rules, imperial in-laws were not supposed to enter the palace so often.
However, the Empress was the mistress of the harem, and with no living Empress Dowager above her, no one except His Majesty dared interfere. The Empress’s residence bustled with visitors day and night. At times, it seemed less like a palace residence and more like a second court of government within Great Feng.
As for what the Tang family sought, Yan Xiaoying had overheard bits and pieces while coming and going. The conduct of some Tang clansmen could not even be described as merely arrogant or overbearing.
The moment the Emperor began his stern questioning, a flash of insight struck her. She suddenly understood what Ge Danian had meant by “a great tree attracts the lightning.”
Who, besides the Tang family, could rival such a towering, sheltering tree?
The Tang family had become so powerful that they even intended to decide the future Crown Prince’s consort in advance, refusing to let any other family claim the position. How could an emperor tolerate such behavior?
With that thought in mind, she set down her bowl and chopsticks and cautiously tested the waters. “No matter how prestigious a noble house may be, they are still Your Majesty’s subjects. They should teach their daughters proper conduct! I am Your Majesty’s son. How could I allow myself to be suppressed by a mere woman? What if she’s beautiful? Your son… your son can’t stand the sight of her!”
Emperor Chunde had always regretted that his fourth son took after neither him nor his own temperament. The boy had been timid by nature and so thoroughly cowed by his birth mother that he seemed to possess no spirit of his own. Yet these words from the Fourth Prince struck directly at the Emperor’s heart. After four years of confinement, this son had finally begun to show the temperament of a prince. Back then, the Dinggeng Rebellion had originated from the excessive influence of imperial in-laws.
Fortunately, the late Emperor, Emperor Chunde’s father, then merely a remote prince in Lingxi, had turned the tide. Though from a lesser branch of the imperial clan, he had fought his way back to the capital with the support of several great aristocratic families, restoring Great Feng and preventing the dynasty from collapsing altogether. But years of warfare had damaged the nation’s foundations. The empire still had to suppress banditry across the land and remain vigilant against the neighboring State of Wei across the river. Under such circumstances, instability at court was intolerable. Now, the veteran meritorious officials led by the Tang family had woven a vast network of influence. The Emperor found himself unable to move against them for the time being. Even though he wished to depose the weak Crown Prince, he had to consider the face and influence of both the Tang family and the Empress, delaying the matter again and again.
At last, this child had developed a spark of backbone. He was a son of the Feng imperial clan. Even if he had been born frail, he was not someone others should bully.
Emperor Chunde lightly reprimanded the Crown Prince, warning him not to tarnish his cousin’s reputation. After all, a daughter raised by the Tang family could hardly be at fault. Afterward, he instructed Li Quan to visit the Imperial Kitchen and bring the Fourth Prince a bowl of white rice. Millet was too coarse and hard; young people were not used to eating it. The Fourth Prince was still growing and deserved something better.
Having spent her days in the Empress’s palace being drilled on etiquette, Yan Xiaoying was never allowed to eat her fill. Now, clutching the bowl of rice, she paid no attention to who sat across from her and devoured the fragrant meal with wolfish enthusiasm.
The sight filled the Emperor with another sense of satisfaction. A man should eat without fuss or affectation. Such a tiger-descending-the-mountain appetite was excellent, truly excellent.
But after finishing his meal, the Crown Prince suddenly knelt before the Emperor, bowed deeply, and begged his imperial father to save him.
Under questioning, it was revealed that he had been beaten by the Empress and feared being punished again if he returned.
Leaning against a cushion, the Emperor spoke coolly. “And how exactly do you expect me to save you? By reprimanding your mother for teaching her son improperly?”
Pretending not to catch the Emperor’s veiled sarcasm, Yan Xiaoying continued, “Mother is always worried about me. She keeps such a tight rein on me, treating me no differently from Sixth Brother, who’s only eight years old. But I’m no longer a child. How can I keep living in Mother’s side palace? If I could move farther away, I might finally get a chance to breathe. Otherwise, even the old matrons around Mother are enough to drive a person mad!”
Emperor Chunde was in an exceptionally good mood that day and was inclined to overlook the Crown Prince’s “outrageous disrespect.”
After all, Feng Qiyuan’s timid, cowardly disposition was partly the result of the Empress’s excessively strict upbringing.
He nodded. “Very well. It is time for you to move out. I will speak with your mother. You may withdraw.”
Yan Xiaoying rose with a face full of gratitude. Thoughtfully, she even served the aging Emperor another bowl of rice before taking her leave.
Emperor Chunde had always found this fourth son tiresome. Whenever he had occasionally tried to foster some father-son affection in the past, the boy could only say things like, “Mother says…” or “Mother won’t allow it…” He had seemed nothing more than a puppet controlled by the Empress. The Emperor had never expected much from him. Yet now that the boy had grown up, he had finally developed some courage.
Excellent. This child needed some real-world experience. Otherwise, he would never learn to think for himself.
After that meal, word spread throughout the palace that the Crown Prince had fallen in love with Miss Yanyan of the Mu family at first sight.
Even if the Mu family were unwilling, the Crown Prince remained devoted. He told the Emperor that matters of the heart should be based on mutual affection. He did not wish to use imperial authority to pressure anyone. Instead, he was willing to persevere patiently, like water wearing through stone, until the young lady changed her mind of her own accord.
The Crown Prince had not yet reached his twentieth year and was still too young to marry. Since his heart belonged to Mu Yanyan and he intended to proceed gradually, he quietly shelved the matter of selecting consorts.
The Emperor then summoned the Empress and informed her that, as the mother of the heir apparent, she should preserve the Crown Prince’s dignity. How could she casually order palace servants to punish him with the board? Now that the Crown Prince was grown, it was inappropriate for him to continue living with the Empress. Effective immediately, he would move from the quarters beside the Empress’s Fengming Palace to Chuwen Hall in the Eastern Palace, the traditional residence of crown princes throughout the dynasty. All attendants and servants assigned to him would be personally bestowed by the Emperor.
The Empress was stunned. She attempted to persuade the Emperor to rescind the order, arguing that the Crown Prince was still incapable of handling affairs independently and needed her constant guidance.
But the Emperor replied that, since the Crown Prince would now be living on his own, it was time he gained some experience. He could begin by working at the Court of the Imperial Treasury (Shaofu), learning about tribute revenues and taxation. Even if he failed to master the subject, at least the exposure would do him some good.
The Empress was both alarmed and delighted.
Alarmed because the false Crown Prince was about to move out of her side palace, making the situation far harder to control.
Delighted because the Emperor had finally granted the Crown Prince an official assignment and allowed him to take part in government affairs.
With the matter framed that way, the Empress could no longer oppose the Crown Prince’s move. The moment she returned from her audience with the Emperor, she hastily summoned Yan Xiaoying and demanded to know exactly what she had said to His Majesty.
Yan Xiaoying replied offhandedly, making things up as she went. “I simply admitted my mistake to His Majesty. Your Highness, I shouldn’t have held a grudge after arguing with A Ru and deliberately handed out the hairpin unfairly. Hold another selection banquet. This time I’ll definitely give the hairpin to the Tang family’s young lady.”
The Empress no longer cared about the consort-selection matter.
Once the Crown Prince moved into his own residence, he could take up duties in the Court of the Imperial Treasury. That meant he would be close to participating in state affairs. To the Empress, this was far more exciting than choosing a bride.
Yet when the foolish girl learned the Emperor had approved the Crown Prince’s appointment, she suddenly began causing trouble again and declared that she wanted to resign as Crown Prince.
The Empress felt threatened. A chill entered her voice, and killing intent flickered in her eyes. “You… do you think that once you’ve moved out of my side palace, you will no longer be under my control?”
Yan Xiaoying lounged sideways on her mat, a grape from the Western Regions dangling from her lips. She lazily replied, “I’ve always had this kind of temperament. If people treat me well, I’ll repay them sincerely. But if they keep hitting me with boards and forcing rules on me, then this stubborn mule of a girl can’t stand it! What kind of damned Crown Prince am I supposed to be? Even some just-of-age Tang family girl dares to disrespect me! And he’s supposed to be the heir apparent? Turns out even a passing dog can come by and kick him! I’m not refusing to move, and I’m not trying to threaten Your Highness. I just feel suffocated playing this role! Punish me however you like. Kill me and my father while you’re at it. Then the two of us can reincarnate sooner and try our luck at being born into a wealthy family next time. Maybe then I could become a real young master. That would be satisfying!”
By the end of her rant, she flopped onto the floor and lay there like a corpse, waiting for someone to execute her.
“You…” Empress Tang was so infuriated by the girl’s shameless behavior that she nearly choked.
There were a hundred ruthless methods at her disposal to keep this girl under control. But tomorrow would be the Crown Prince’s first day at the Court of the Imperial Treasury, where he would meet government officials. If the girl showed up injured or threw another tantrum, it would create needless complications. Besides, the girl was genuinely likable. In only a few days, she had repeatedly won the Emperor’s favor. The real Feng Qiyuan could never have accomplished that, even if beaten to death.
Right now, the Empress needed her. Why tear things apart and create unnecessary trouble?
So the Empress gripped the edge of the table, swallowed her anger, and forced a smile. “I was only angry and treated you as I would my own child. It was merely a few strikes of the palace board, and they weren’t even very hard. Didn’t you say you wanted to be my daughter? Why, then, when I treat you with genuine affection, do you throw a temper instead?”
Those soothing words left the little calf-like girl lying on the floor with tears shimmering in her eyes.
With a sob, she lunged to the Empress’s side, wrapped her arms around the Empress’s leg, and wailed: “I grew up without a mother! It’s like I popped out of a stone shell like a little monkey and spent my whole life being mocked! How was I supposed to know that being beaten means you’re loved and being scolded means you’re cared for? So Your Highness treasures me this much! Your Highness… your boundless kindness and grace… I can never repay it!”
The young girl’s tears were moving enough. Unfortunately, the strength in her arms was like that of a calf’s iron vise. She squeezed so hard that the Empress sucked in a sharp breath, but still forced herself to endure it, lest she lose control and order the wild girl beaten again.
Although the “mother-daughter” misunderstanding had finally been smoothed over, Yan Xiaoying still burned with anger toward Tang A Ru.
If she didn’t hear an apology from her so-called cousin, she felt so furious she’d fall ill and be unable to get out of bed the next day.
The Empress ground her teeth audibly. In the end, however, she endured. She ordered Nanny Song to summon Tang Ru into the palace.
That evening, as the sun was about to set, Tang A Ru arrived at Chuwen Hall with a grievance-filled expression and formally apologized to the “Crown Prince.”
Yan Xiaoying lounged crookedly on her seat, eyeing the indignant young girl before her with all the menace of a mountain bandit.
The other day, while speaking with the Crown Prince, she had asked about his relationships with his relatives. Aside from Mu Hanjiang, with whom he had a longstanding grudge, Feng Qiyuan had also mentioned this younger Tang cousin.
According to the Crown Prince, this youngest daughter of the Tang family had been pampered from childhood. Favored by Empress Tang herself, she had, over time, come to seem more like the Empress’s own child than he, a prince of the imperial blood.
With such backing, Tang Ru had grown increasingly brazen. She looked down on the timid Crown Prince, constantly teasing him before running to the Empress with complaints that turned the blame back on him. Sometimes she even joined forces with other Tang family youths to play petty and underhanded tricks.
Growing up, Feng Qiyuan had suffered no shortage of unjust punishments because of Tang Ru. As a result, whenever he saw her, he preferred not to speak and would avoid her whenever possible.
Yan Xiaoying felt that childish grudges like these were hardly worth carrying overnight. Fresh debts should be settled while they were still fresh.
Besides, Tang Ru had already suffered a humiliation during the consort selection. Her aunt, the Empress, had refused to stand up for her and had instead ordered her to apologize. She was filled with resentment.
Maintaining the same attitude she had always used toward Feng Qiyuan, Tang Ru spoke loudly and sarcastically, “The Crown Prince is certainly putting on quite an impressive display today. You summoned me here, yet you won’t say a word. What exactly do you want?”
Resting her cheek on one hand, Yan Xiaoying turned to Nanny Song. “As the daughter of a subject, she answers before being addressed while in the presence of the Crown Prince. According to palace regulations, what offense is that?”
Watching the troublesome girl wield borrowed authority, Nanny Song suppressed her irritation and replied, “Twenty slaps to the mouth would be the prescribed punishment. However, Miss Tang is Her Majesty’s close relative. Even in the Empress’s presence, she need not observe every formality. Your Highness need not…”
Before Nanny Song could finish her lecture, Yan Xiaoying interrupted sympathetically, “Nanny Song, you’re far too strict! She’s family. Why make it twenty strikes? A Ru is my dear cousin, after all. Naturally I feel sorry for her. For Mother’s sake, a light punishment of ten will do!”
With that, she waved a hand and ordered the eunuchs serving in the hall to carry out the palace regulations.
Nanny Song rolled her eyes so hard she nearly fainted.
The little wretch certainly knew how to play the good person. When had she ever suggested twenty slaps?
The young eunuchs standing nearby all lowered their heads, unwilling to take on such a dangerous task and offend the Tang family.
Tang Ru nearly laughed aloud. She was Empress Tang’s favored niece. Which blind fool would dare lay a hand on her?
Yan Xiaoying smiled as well and asked lazily, “Opportunities like this are rare. Now that I have been restored to the Eastern Palace, if you do not show your loyalty, how am I supposed to remember your names?”
At that moment, a young eunuch named Jinzhong suddenly decided to distinguish himself before the Crown Prince. Hurrying forward, he stopped in front of Tang Ru and immediately began striking her.
The ten slaps came in quick succession, like a rainstorm beating lotus leaves. Before Nanny Song could intervene, Tang Ru’s cheeks were already swollen and red, and her head was spinning. Clutching her face, she stared blankly at the Crown Prince. “Y-you… you actually dared to hit me!”