With the final stroke of the brush, a figure in celestial blue appeared beneath the triangular pavilion. The peach grove landscape, unchanged for years, now featured an additional person. Yan Peifeng slightly furrowed his brows before casually rolling up the painting.
The bookshelf on the right was filled entirely with paintings of the peach grove, arranged chronologically. Yan Peifeng placed this newly completed work among them.
When he returned to the window to observe again, the pavilion stood empty, with only the vacant stone table and stools remaining.
Yan Peifeng chuckled softly. He hadn’t seen the young lady’s face clearly, and based solely on her silhouette, he couldn’t identify which family she belonged to. Having secluded himself for five years, Yan Peifeng recognized none of the young ladies attending today’s banquet, though he was somewhat familiar with their fathers and brothers.
“The peach grove is indeed tranquil,” Yan Peifeng murmured softly, recalling his mother once saying the same. It was this very tranquility that Princess Jiarong cherished, which led her to plant the peach grove here.
After a brief moment of melancholy, Yan Peifeng quickly composed himself. It was time to visit the Emperor at Qianqing Palace. The Empress had worked diligently to organize the Flower Appreciation Banquet, and he ought to express his gratitude.
Just as Yan Peifeng was about to leave, Gu Dong suddenly knelt down. “This servant has come to seek punishment.”
Yan Peifeng’s brow tightened, his expression turning cold. “What have you done?” Gu Dong was an old and loyal servant, which made Yan Peifeng’s expression grow even more tense.
Gu Dong hurriedly explained, “Earlier, the Third Miss of Taishi Mansion stopped this servant, saying she wished to pick a peach to plant a similar tree back at her residence. This servant took the liberty of granting her request. I beg for your punishment.”
Hearing the full story, Yan Peifeng felt a wave of relief. “I’m not some ferocious beast. The peaches are sent to Qianqing Palace every year. One more or less won’t be noticed by the Emperor. It’s fine that you gave it to her.”
“For such a trivial matter, there’s no need to kneel.”
A flicker of emotion passed through Gu Dong’s eyes as he kowtowed. “Thank you, Master.”
Yan Peifeng left the pavilion and headed straight for Qianqing Palace, only to be intercepted midway by Wang Gonggong, who escorted him to the Hundred Views Tower overlooking the imperial garden.
The Emperor, dressed in bright yellow casual attire, observed the gathering of young ladies from afar, feeling hopeful about Yan Peifeng’s marriage prospects. With so many present, surely one would be suitable?
Standing beside him, the Empress subtly glanced upward. Could the Emperor not notice that the largest cluster of young ladies was gathered around Moon Shadow Lake, where the Crown Prince was?
The rest were scattered throughout the imperial garden, but Yan Peifeng himself had retreated to the peach grove pavilion.
The Empress wasn’t sure how to persuade Yan Peifeng. At twenty-three, could he still be oblivious to matters of the heart?
The Emperor and Empress’s shared concern for Yan Peifeng’s marriage stemmed from the fact that his father had died saving the Emperor. During an assassination attempt years ago, Yan Peifeng’s father had shielded the Emperor, taking a fatal sword strike in his stead. His health declined steadily thereafter, and after six years of struggle, he passed away.
Princess Jiarong had been frail since childhood. When the Emperor was still a prince, the siblings relied on each other, sharing a deep bond.
For these dual reasons, both the Emperor and Empress hoped Yan Peifeng would marry and start a family soon, so he would have someone to care for him and share his burdens.
“Why hasn’t Peifeng arrived yet?” the Emperor asked, flipping through the portraits on the table. Beside each were notes detailing the young ladies’ grandfathers’ and fathers’ official positions—a meticulous effort akin to the selection process for imperial consorts.
Yan Peifeng entered the room. “Your Majesty, I have arrived. I could have been here sooner, but I assumed you were at Qianqing Palace.”
The detour had delayed him. The primary responsibility lay with the Emperor for not staying at Qianqing Palace but secretly coming to the Hundred Views Tower instead.
The Emperor paid no mind to such trivialities, eagerly beckoning Yan Peifeng over. “Quick, tell me, which family has caught your eye? Which young lady suits your fancy?”
“I have never met any of them,” Yan Peifeng gently uttered words that were infuriating.
The Emperor drew a sharp breath and hurried to the window to confirm, pointing toward the direction with the most young ladies. “Who is over there?”
Yan Peifeng showed no guilt. “That is His Highness the Crown Prince.”
“Oh?” The Emperor raised an eyebrow.
“The Crown Prince lost a game of chess to me, so he had no choice but to lend me a hand.” Yan Peifeng absolved the Crown Prince of responsibility, lowering his eyes submissively.
“Nonsense! How many wives does he already have, and he still wants to compete with you?!”
The Empress felt a twitch at her temple. How could the Emperor speak like this?
The next moment, the Emperor shifted his target. Slapping the table in anger, he pointed at Yan Peifeng. “You! Don’t take advantage of my reluctance to blame you and act recklessly! I will draft an edict right now. If you don’t choose today, I will pick one for you at random and arrange the marriage immediately!”
Yan Peifeng fell silent for a moment. Seeing the determination in the Emperor’s eyes, he understood that the Emperor genuinely feared the bloodline of Princess Jiarong and the Yan family would end. Today, Yan Peifeng had to be forced into marriage.
Yan Peifeng stepped forward and pointed to a painting on the table. “Her, then.”
The Emperor and Empress quickly approached the desk. The figure in the painting had a full figure, a rounded forehead, and bright, charming features. Both the Emperor and Empress nodded in approval. Looking at the inscription below, it read: Shen Yunying, granddaughter of Grand Tutor Shen Yunnian, daughter of the late magistrate of Zhuanghua, Shen Fengcheng.
“Grand Tutor Shen’s granddaughter?” The Emperor recalled having asked Grand Tutor Shen about his family. “His family is good. A scholarly household—she might even be able to guide you in your studies in the future.”
The Empress reminded him, “Last time, Grand Tutor Shen mentioned two granddaughters but didn’t speak of this Shen Yunying. Should we reconsider?”
“Ah, they’re three flowers from the same vine—likely similar. I still remember this Shen Fengcheng. He died in office years ago while rescuing flood victims—a good man.” The Emperor mentally reviewed the Shen family and felt this marriage was suitable, mainly because he feared Yan Peifeng might change his mind.
It was rare for Yan Peifeng to personally choose a wife! The Emperor decided that as long as there were no major issues, the matter would be settled.
Hearing this, the Empress agreed. Shen Fengcheng was Grand Tutor Shen’s legitimate son, and his only child would surely be well-treated in Taishi Mansion. Raised by Old Madam Shen, she likely wouldn’t be lacking.
However, the Empress felt uneasy about Yan Peifeng choosing a wife so casually, knowing nothing of Shen Yunying’s temperament or appearance. What if they couldn’t get along in the future and he regretted this hasty decision? She wanted to be more cautious.
But the Emperor was already impatient. He immediately called for brush and ink to draft the imperial edict. Fortunately, before issuing the edict, the Emperor knew to send someone to investigate Shen Yunying.
The Empress felt slightly relieved but couldn’t help glaring at the Emperor. Why did he always act so impulsively?
“Perhaps you could choose a few more? We can investigate their character and temperament together and select the best?” the Empress gently suggested to Yan Peifeng. Since he had started choosing, why not choose a few more? If Shen Yunying had any flaws, they could easily switch to someone else.
A trace of helplessness flashed in Yan Peifeng’s eyes. “Aunt, your nephew has already made his choice. If it doesn’t work out, it simply means fate hasn’t arrived. We can wait until next time.”
Hearing this, the Emperor quickly raised his hand. “This one it is! Wang Quan, hurry up!”
Wang Gonggong responded and rushed out again, urging the investigating guards to speed up their work!
The Empress suddenly remembered and instructed the lady-in-waiting beside her, “The poetry composition in the Imperial Garden should be nearly finished. Go retrieve them and pick out Shen Yunying’s piece. I want to see how she wrote.”
The lady-in-waiting turned and headed toward the Imperial Garden.
Shen Yunying hid the small red peach in her sleeve. Fortunately, that little eunuch was there—a single golden peanut bribed him to secretly pick a small peach for her.
Following the path back to the Imperial Garden, most people had already submitted their poems by then. The eunuch overseeing the writing materials was idly counting to see if all submissions were in.
Just as Shen Yunying returned to her previous seat, she overheard the neighboring table discussing how the Crown Prince was playing chess by Moon Shadow Lake. The granddaughter of the Minister of War boldly stepped forward to challenge him, and the Crown Prince agreed. Afterward, several other young ladies also went to play chess.
After praising the Crown Prince’s unparalleled elegance, one girl curiously asked, “Why hasn’t Young Master Yan appeared?”
The girls around her all shook their heads. “No idea.”
Could it be that this Flower Appreciation Banquet was arranged for the Crown Prince?
Not just these few girls—more and more young ladies returned to the area, all thinking the same thing. After chatting among themselves, they realized Yan Peifeng hadn’t shown up at all.
Shen Yunying caught a bit of gossip. She had only come here to make up the numbers, but from the sound of it, it seemed everyone else was just filling seats too? The Crown Prince appeared for an hour to participate in the chess competition, and all the young ladies were defeated by him. Yan Peifeng never even made an appearance.
She suddenly found the Taishi and the Old Madam of her family, who had taken this so seriously, rather amusing. Especially the Old Madam, who had even pressured her mother as if attending would guarantee selection.
Hah, the Old Madam’s plans have fallen flat.
In a cheerful mood, Shen Yunying walked toward the writing area when suddenly someone blocked her path.
“Third Sister, your literary talent is lacking. Better not embarrass yourself,” Shen Yunman whispered, reaching out to grab Shen Yunying’s arm.
Shen Yunying didn’t mind and readily agreed, “Fine.” Turning her head to Shen Yunman, she added, “Second Sister, let go. I’ll go sit for a while.”
Shen Yunman was incredulous. “You’re just agreeing like that?”
Shen Yunying answered with action—she was indeed that easygoing. Fresh tea and pastries had been brought to the table, including a plate of jade dew cakes. Shen Yunying couldn’t help but savor them slowly, though she felt a bit disappointed. She thought the ones from Yipin Zhai were more fragrant, softer, and sweeter.
Shen Yunman stomped her foot angrily and returned to her friends.
When the lady-in-waiting came to collect the poems, she searched through them several times but couldn’t find one signed by Shen Yunying. She had no choice but to return and report, “The third young lady of Taishi Mansion did not submit a poem.”
The Empress looked up in surprise. At banquets like these, it was customary to submit newly composed poems if one had them—it was an opportunity to gain fame. Everyone usually prepared something in advance. Even if it wasn’t outstanding, it was unlikely that someone would have nothing to submit at all.
“Could it be that her learning is poor?” the Empress murmured. She remembered that the eldest Shen daughter, Shen Yunzhi, was a renowned talented lady who had nearly married into the Yong’an Marquis Mansion.
The Emperor, however, didn’t mind. “For women, lack of talent is a virtue. If she has good character, what does it matter if she can’t write poetry? It’s not like it puts food on the table.”
He indirectly praised himself, adding, “I was only average in my studies as a child, yet I’m still wise and mighty, aren’t I?”
The Empress held back repeatedly before coldly saying, “Be quiet.” She had never seen an emperor who loved to talk so much—his mouth chattered incessantly, even more than the palace matrons.
The Emperor pouted in grievance. “I’ll come to Kunning Palace tonight to talk to you again!”
The Empress secretly decided to close Kunning Palace early that night.
The Emperor wished to investigate someone, and the results were soon presented to him. The time was short, and it was impossible for a young lady in the inner chambers to inquire about more detailed inside information, but as long as no major errors were found, it was sufficient.
Thus, with Yan Peifeng personally chosen and the Emperor personally writing, an imperial decree of marriage was thus decided.
After the Flower Appreciation Banquet in the Imperial Garden ended, Shen Yunying and Shen Yunman returned together in the same carriage.
Shen Yunying’s face was full of ease, forming a stark contrast with Shen Yunman’s slightly despondent expression. Shen Yunman suddenly spoke up, “Aren’t you worried about your marriage? Do you really want to marry into the Jiang family? The highest-ranking official in their entire clan is still one rank lower than my father?”
Shen Yunying raised her eyes and said indifferently, “Matters of marriage are naturally decided by my mother.” After a moment’s thought, Shen Yunying did not continue. Shen Yunman’s parents were both alive, so why was she in such a hurry to marry into a prestigious family? Her own elder brother was still taking the imperial examinations and was not in a rush to marry to consolidate his position.
But everyone has their own choices.
Shen Yunman forced a smile and said nothing more. The third aunt had chosen the Jiang family for Shen Yunying—a minor official’s family that she herself looked down upon. As for her own parents, they were not even as good as striving for a future themselves.
The carriage swayed and jolted, finally returning to Taishi Mansion.
Shen Yunying got off the carriage and headed straight for Jingyuan Studio. She still had a peach hidden in her sleeve, and she planned to call the gardener later to see what variety of peach it was and transplant a few into the mansion.
Before she could enter the courtyard gate, she was suddenly pulled aside by Yinping. “Miss, an imperial decree has arrived. You must come quickly to receive it.”
Shen Yunying was a bit confused. “An imperial decree? For me?”
“All the masters have gone.” Yinping did not know the details; the third madam had sent her to call the young lady to the front hall.
Shen Yunying patted her chest in relief. “Then it must be that Second Sister has been chosen? I just don’t know whether it’s the Crown Prince or Yan Peifeng. I hope she gets her wish.”
With Shen Yunzhi gone from the capital and Shen Yunman married off, she would be the only young lady left in the mansion. Life would become very uneventful.
Arriving at the front hall, Shen Yunnian stood at the front, with the old madam at his side. Behind them were the eldest master and his wife, the second master and his wife, followed by the male cousins and Shen Yunman.
Shen Yunying stood behind Jiang Wensheng and knelt directly to listen to the decree.
Wang Gonggong unrolled the imperial decree and began to read aloud: “By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: I have heard that establishing a family and building a career are the foundation of human relations; the righteousness of a husband and the obedience of a wife are the basis of royal transformation. Now, the son of Princess Jiarong, Commandant of Light Carriages Yan Peifeng, is a virtuous talent and a fine jade, his literary brilliance unparalleled, his bearing grand and magnificent. The granddaughter of Grand Preceptor Shen Yunnian, Shen Yunying, was trained in her youth, virtuous, gentle, and intelligent, long known for her chaste wisdom. A talented scholar and a beautiful lady, they are a perfect match. Now, I specially bestow this marriage to complete this beautiful affair. Let the Ministry of Rites select an auspicious day, and the Director of the Qintianjian (Imperial Astronomical Bureau) choose a propitious date for an early completion of the marriage! So it is decreed.”
“Third Miss Shen, receive the decree.”
The moment Shen Yunying heard her name, she was stunned, her face full of astonishment as she slowly raised her head and reached out to receive the bright yellow, heavy imperial decree. Her voice seemed not to come from her own throat.
“Your subject thanks Your Majesty for this great grace.”