Jiang Wan returned to her bedchamber, washed up early, and lay down. Qiaoqiao came back after gathering news, saying that Xie Changlin had only ordered them to be beaten with boards. A few with weak constitutions had died, while those barely clinging to life were all sent out of the palace.
Jiang Wan nodded and let out a sigh.
Although she avoided meddling in others’ affairs, when so many lives were laid before her, it was impossible to remain truly indifferent.
My benefactor, my benefactor… let’s keep it in check, shall we?
The next day, Jiang Wenshan entered the palace early and waited in the front hall.
When Jiang Wan arrived, she saw several exquisite boxes in front of him and walked over with a puzzled frown. “Father, why did you bring gifts when you came?”
Jiang Wenshan performed a symbolic bow, then waved cheerfully. “Come, Wan’er. Your mother was worried you wouldn’t be used to the palace pastries, so she made your favorite osmanthus cakes and lotus flower pastries.”
The delicate pastries were placed in the food box, seemingly gleaming with a luster.
Jiang Wan picked up a piece and took a bite, smiling sweetly. “Thank you, Father. Thank you, Mother.”
The affection in Jiang Wenshan’s eyes was almost overflowing. “The other boxes are gifts prepared by your two brothers. Although you’ve always been in Jiangnan, they’ve been thinking of you. When you entered the palace this time, they were even more nervous than you.”
Jiang Wan lowered her eyes slightly, concealing the emotions within, and smiled. “I know. Tell them not to worry. I’m doing well.”
Jiang Wenshan sighed. “The situation in the palace is turbulent, and the rear palace is filled with countless beauties. Although you now hold a high position, you must not let your guard down. Be extra careful.”
He waved his hand, dismissing all the servants, and his expression grew more serious. “Wan’er, you wanted to see your father so soon after entering the palace. Has something happened?”
“Not at all. Can’t a daughter just miss her father?” Jiang Wan said coquettishly. “Before entering the palace, Father was so busy he was hardly home. I barely got to see you.”
Jiang Wenshan laughed heartily. “Alright, alright. It was your father’s oversight.”
After a warm moment between the two, Jiang Wan finally got to the main topic. “Then, Father, shouldn’t you tell me what you haven’t mentioned? I can’t just wander blindly in the palace, can I?”
The man fell silent for a moment, pondering. “Wan’er, some things are better left unknown. You grew up in Jiangnan, free and unrestrained, with no one to restrain you. Now that you’ve suddenly entered the palace, what you must do is follow the rules and ensure your safety. Understand?”
“Father, I’m not a three-year-old child. I should have some idea of what you and my brothers are doing.”
Jiang Wenshan hesitated, wanting to speak but holding back. After a long while, he sighed. “The palace isn’t a good place to talk. I suppose you’ve heard some news in the palace. As for the rest, you only need to know that the Seal Keeper of the Ceremonial Directorate is someone everyone wants dead. Remember to stay far away from him.”
Her gaze paused. She neither nodded nor agreed, instead bringing up another matter. “He gave me the Phoenix Seal.”
Jiang Wenshan snorted coldly. “You are the empress. Did he think he could keep the Phoenix Seal to himself? That eunuch’s reach is too long. The Twelve Directorates, the Eastern Depot, and the Western Depot are all under his command. Over the past eight years, his influence has grown unimaginably.”
“So… the Phoenix Seal?”
He hadn’t intended to say it, but he didn’t expect his little daughter to be quite clever. He let out a soft laugh, “He agreed to what Father offered, rest assured. With this phoenix seal, you’ll have some security in the palace, and Father and your brother won’t have to worry about you constantly.”
The emperor was a puppet without real power, and he didn’t want his daughter to be similarly sidelined by that eunuch in the palace, left with only the empty title of empress.
Jiang Wan now understood—perhaps Jiang Wenshan had exchanged some bargaining chips with Xie Changlin for this. Otherwise, if Xie Changlin was unwilling, no one could force him to give it.
This family seemed genuinely good to their daughter, unlike some power-hungry households that treated their daughters as mere objects. They had even sent Jiang Wan far away eight years earlier to keep her safe and avoid involving her in these conflicts.
But they didn’t know that their daughter, the real Jiang Wan, had drowned after accidentally falling into a river before returning. She had seized this opportunity to secretly take her place, and to this day, she was merely playing the role of their daughter, with little genuine affection involved.
The osmanthus cake in Jiang Wan’s mouth suddenly tasted somewhat bitter.
Bearing a love that didn’t belong to her, did she have the right to act as she pleased?
However…
It was no wonder people said Jiang Wan was heartless. This thought lingered in her mind only for a moment before being quickly cast aside.
After seeing Jiang Wenshan off, she eagerly took Qiaoqiao to the small kitchen. “Does anyone know how to make Jiangnan tea cakes?”
……
On the second floor of Qu Palace, sandalwood incense wafted gently.
Xie Changlin strode in, removed his cloak, and Rong Qing attended to him at his side.
“Has Jiang Wenshan been to Eternal Joy Palace?”
“Yes, he went early this morning.”
“What did he say?” Xie Changlin tilted his neck slightly, his dark eyes deep as ink.
Rong Qing recounted the conversation at Eternal Joy Palace, omitting the insults Jiang Wenshan had hurled at Xie Changlin, then smiled. “Chancellor Jiang is quite cautious, unwilling to tell even his own daughter some things.”
Xie Changlin shot him a warning glance but asked no further. He walked to the table and began brewing tea with deliberate calm.
Just as he brought the cup to his lips, a clear voice sounded from outside the door, “Your Eminence!”
Lifting his eyelids, he saw the young empress standing at the doorway in a light pink dress, her forehead adorned with simple yet charming hair ornaments, holding a food box with a radiant smile.
His eyes darkened, but the corners of his lips inexplicably lifted into a faint, ambiguous curve.
Didn’t the old man tell her to stay away from him?
Rong Qing bowed and retreated outside the door to wait.
Jiang Wan walked in, seemingly completely unbothered by yesterday’s events, her eyes still sparkling brightly. She waved the food box in her delicate hand. “Jiangnan tea cakes, made by this palace herself. Will Your Eminence honor me with a taste?”
“Her Majesty has such refined tastes, always visiting this unworthy place of mine.”
She ignored his sarcastic tone, sat down opposite him, opened the lid of the box, and picked up a piece of pastry to offer him.
Xie Changlin leaned lazily on the soft couch, took a sip of tea, and didn’t even glance at the pastry. “I don’t eat sweets.”
“It’s not sweet… well, only faintly so. Please try it, Your Eminence. Look, my hands are covered in blisters from making this.”
Jiang Wan pitifully extended her reddened palm for him to see.
As for these tea cakes, she had only tasted a few pieces when she first arrived in the mortal realm in Jiangnan. With one bite, a refreshing tea fragrance would spread in her mouth, leaving a lingering sweetness.
Jiang Wan had never been particularly fond of sweets. The pastries in the capital were overly cloying, yet this tea cake was the one she couldn’t forget.
She had just learned to make it this morning from a young kitchen maid. Not many in the palace knew how.
“If Her Ladyship insists on meddling and burns herself, what does it have to do with this servant?”
“…”
“What is Her Ladyship wearing? As the mother of the nation, dressing like a young girl—aren’t you ashamed?”
“…”
“Go back. You now oversee the imperial harem. Instead of being busy with affairs of state, you have nothing better to do all day?”
“…”
Jiang Wan consoled herself: she must grow accustomed to offering warmth where it wasn’t returned. Surely, persistence would eventually kindle a response.
So, after only a moment of hurt, she lifted her smile again. “Who told Your Eminence to possess such celestial looks, keeping this consort awake at night? Naturally, I must find ways to capture Your Eminence’s attention.”
Xie Changlin: “…”