While Xu Wu was preparing to attend the banquet, Princess Huayang was also making connections. After all, Consort Wang (Consort Ming) and the Sixth Prince were individuals well worth investing in.
Speaking of Consort Wang, she was indeed a fortunate woman. Although her family background was not particularly prominent, she possessed delicate, peerless beauty, resembling a blooming peony flower. Thus, as soon as she entered the palace, she caught the Emperor’s eye, was conferred the title of Noble Lady, and was bestowed the special title “Ming” (Bright).
The title “Ming” symbolized illuminating the four directions and appointing the wise to reach afar.
This demonstrated the Emperor’s deep affection for her; however, the murky waters of the inner palace meant that whoever stood out would become a target. Empress Cheng, whose temperament was hardly broad or benevolent, found fault with Wang and punished her repeatedly. During that period, Wang fell ill frequently.
With sickness came a natural waning of imperial favor, and this state of affairs did not completely improve until Wang gave birth to the Sixth Prince, Li Jingling. When Li Jingling was born, the celestial phenomena were exceptionally auspicious, and the divination text provided by the Bureau of Astronomy foretold peace and stability. Both Dowager Empress Lu and the Emperor were extremely fond of Li Jingling, leading to Wang’s promotion from Noble Lady Ming to Consort Ming.
Li Jingling was regarded by Consort Ming as her treasure of good fortune, and she believed he was the one who brought her luck.
Later on, when Consort Ming’s father encountered bandits while transporting iron ore and flint from Bishan to Xinning, an incident that nearly delayed crucial military intelligence, the Emperor flew into a rage. Because the other imperial concubines were deeply jealous of Consort Ming, no one dared to plead on her behalf.
Consort Ming was worried to tears and nearly fainted. At the time, only seven years old, Li Jingling went alone to meet the Emperor at the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
The Emperor loved his sixth son, but upon seeing him at such a critical juncture, his smile faded. “Have you come on behalf of your birth mother?”
Li Jingling smiled, a small dimple indenting the corner of his lips, before respectfully bowing and kneeling to the ground. “Imperial Father, this son has heard the Grand Tutor teach that a wise ruler is clear in his rewards and punishments. My grandfather revered the grace of heaven, which is why, despite his advanced age of eighty, he personally requested to transport the iron ore and flint. When the military supplies were intercepted, the common people spontaneously joined in to escort them, which clearly demonstrates Imperial Father’s benevolence and virtue. Although there was fault in this matter, it also proves that Imperial Father is a wise ruler and a benevolent sovereign.”
At first, Li Jingling had been smiling, but after finishing, he turned as serious as an adult, raising his head to look at the Emperor with neither servility nor overbearing pride.
Hearing the words “wise ruler and benevolent sovereign,” the Emperor could not help but slightly relax his brow. After a long moment, he burst into laughter, pulled the kneeling Li Jingling up from the ground, and said with immense delight, “The Sixth Prince is intelligent, virtuous, and well-versed in poetry, books, and statecraft. I am very pleased!”
In this manner, Li Jingling won the Emperor’s appreciation through his own talent. Consort Ming’s status rose alongside his, and her imperial favor continued unabated thereafter. People throughout the palace whispered that Li Jingling was a noble bringer of good fortune, and anyone who grew close to him would find their luck improving.
Therefore, no matter how much Princess Huayang had to swallow her pride, she still wanted to build a connection with him, for Li Jingling was truly outstanding. Who under heaven would not wish to take the dashing and unrestrained Li Jingling as a husband?
Yet, just as Princess Huayang was busy making arrangements, Consort Ming dispatched a palace matron to deliver a verbal message calling off the engagement.
After all, the original promise of marriage had merely been spoken of verbally; there was no imperial decree bestowing the match, nor any other substantive action. It was simply that rumors had spread so swiftly throughout the capital that the matter had come to be regarded as set in stone.
Since the promise was verbal, the annulment of the engagement was naturally verbal as well. Consort Ming had never actually thought highly of the Xu family anyway; she had only tolerated them out of consideration for the relationship between Princess Huayang and Consort De, which was why she sent Mama Shen to make a trip to the Xu residence.
Mama Shen had served by Consort Ming’s side for many years. With Consort Ming enjoying the Emperor’s favor, Mama Shen had also grown arrogant and complacent, habitually looking down on everyone from on high.
Looking at the plaque of the Xu residence, Mama Shen felt a trace of quiet disdain. Since no imperial decree had ever been issued for the marriage, what use was Princess Huayang’s frantic maneuvering to forge connections? In the palace, whatever was spoken was final; why bother trying to curry favor and network when coming from such a humble household?
Having seen much of the world, Princess Huayang naturally would not lower herself to argue with the arrogant Mama Shen. However, Old Madame Xu felt a sudden surge of fiery anger upon witnessing Mama Shen’s attitude. Her anger was not caused by Xu Wu’s engagement being broken off; rather, she despised being looked down upon, and she despised even more being looked down upon because of the affairs surrounding Xu Wu and Princess Huayang.
Yet Old Madame Xu was also timid; she dared not vent her anger on a matron from the palace, though she was exceptionally skilled at using filial piety to suppress Princess Huayang.
Old Madame Xu smoothed her grey-blue brocade vest, reached down to straighten her moon-white short tunic, cast a sideways glance at Princess Huayang, and said, “If a blessing is not destined to be yours, do not forcefully strive for it. Falling out with the palace will bring disaster upon the entire household. One must always consider the family in their conduct.”
Princess Huayang’s expression remained steady. She knew Old Madame Xu was putting her in her place to vent her own dissatisfaction, but she could not be bothered to bicker with the old woman. She only wanted to try her utmost to strive for a way forward.
Seeing that Princess Huayang remained silent, Madame Cheng of the First Branch seized the opportunity, chiming in with a few more words echoing the old Madame.
Old Madame Xu tightly furrowed her brows. “Matrimony is determined by heaven. Since the noble figures in the palace are unwilling, we can simply seek another match in the future. We must take care not to provoke the royal family’s disgust.”
If only Princess Huayang’s father, Prince Anyang, were still alive, or if only Princess Huayang had not broken ties with her mother, she certainly would not have had to swallow this insult. But at present, she possessed only this empty title, so as she was tormented by Old Madame Xu, she could only endure her temper and reply, “Wu’er’s heart is hurting. I simply hope to do something for her.”
“Do something? What more can you possibly do?” Old Madame Xu frowned. “Consort Ming’s maternal clan has been walking very closely with the Marquis of Xiuwu’s manor lately, and the palace has already requested the birth characters of the women from the Marquis of Xiuwu’s household.”
Princess Huayang’s heart skipped a beat, knowing this matter truly left no room for turning back.
In the blink of an eye, the tenth day of the month arrived, and the intimate banquet hosted at Princess Yongqing’s estate was exceptionally lively. The noble young ladies of the capital were seated together. Just as Xu Wu took off her cloak, she heard that Princess Yongqing’s daughter, Zhang Ruopei, had arrived.
Zhang Ruopei hurried over, grasped Xu Wu’s delicate hands, and smiled. “They all said you wouldn’t come, but I figured you certainly would! My Wu’er is nothing like those vulgar people. It is just a man. Is it worth making such a fuss over to the point of dying or living?”
With that, she retrieved a gold-stamped invitation card from her maid’s hands. “On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the Duke of Ying’s estate is hosting a lantern festival. I have brought the invitation over for you.” Leaning in close to Xu Wu’s ear, she whispered with a smile, “Shall we go take a look? I heard that Grand Justice Pei Han is going too.”
Looking at Zhang Ruopei’s sparkling eyes, Xu Wu took the invitation. “Pei Han?”
Zhang Ruopei leaned in closer still, chuckling softly, “Trust me, he is ten million times better-looking than the Sixth Prince!”
“I have matters to attend to on the fifteenth,” Xu Wu replied lazily, leaning back against the wooden chair and declining without changing her expression. Her purpose in coming today was to dispel those unfavorable rumors in the capital; afterward, she intended to conceal herself until the entire affair blew over.
Besides, as for Pei Han, she truly did not wish to see him. Not even a little bit.
Zhang Ruopei patted the back of Xu Wu’s hand. Seeing that the two of them had finished whispering, the other noble young ladies gathered around, discussing a newly released cosmetic formula from a capital rouge shop. Gatherings of noble ladies were always like this: initially maintaining a veneer of strict etiquette, but once they began playing together, they would end up gossiping about every imaginable topic.
Just as Zhang Ruopei was explaining the benefits of those cosmetic powders, a maid outside suddenly came running in to announce that the Sixth Prince and the Eldest Young Master had arrived.
Li Jingling was dressed in a black long robe bound at the waist with a red sash. His waist was slender and upright, rendering him extraordinarily striking and imposing. The moment the noble ladies caught sight of him, their faces flushed red, though a moment later their gazes drifted toward Xu Wu.
Following the crowd’s gaze, Li Jingling looked at Xu Wu. Her complexion was as white and lustrous as snow, and her elegant brows were slightly furrowed, making her resemble a red plum blossom in winter, resilient yet enchanting.
In truth, he had come to attend to official business, but having run into Zhang Ji, the heir of Princess Yongqing’s estate, along the way, he had initially intended to exchange a few polite pleasantries and leave. However, upon hearing Zhang Ji mention that Xu Wu was attending a banquet at their estate, he had suddenly frowned.
Jilted by a broken engagement, yet she still has the mood to attend a banquet?
This piqued his curiosity, and after some back-and-forth, he found an excuse to accompany Zhang Ji inside.
All the noble young ladies hastened to greet Li Jingling. He was an imperial prince; no matter how illustrious their own family backgrounds might be, they were still ultimately subjects of the royal family. The Sixth Prince before them wielded the power of life and death, so none of them dared to be negligent.
Because Zhang Ruopei was close friends with Xu Wu and was also Princess Yongqing’s daughter, by seniority she ought to address Li Jingling as her fourth uncle. Yet Li Jingling was only four years her senior, and she always felt she was getting the short end of the stick. It was only after everyone else had finished paying their respects that Zhang Ruopei slowly stood up and softly called out a reluctant Fourth Uncle toward Li Jingling.
Li Jingling gave a faint, indifferent acknowledgment. In truth, he cared little for these rigid etiquettes, and his relationship with Zhang Ruopei was genuinely mediocre.
Noticing that the atmosphere had grown somewhat subdued, Zhang Ji walked over, cast a sideways glance at Xu Wu, and teased Li Jingling, “Your Highness, there is still another young lady here.”
Xu Wu sat there pretending to be a wooden goose. She truly did not wish to exchange pleasantries with Li Jingling, but Zhang Ji’s loose mouth had abruptly dragged her into the spotlight. Annoyed, she glared at Zhang Ji with a pair of clear, captivating eyes shimmering with moisture.
At that single glance, Zhang Ji’s heart skipped a beat, and the four characters celestial goddess flashed instantly through his mind.
In terms of appearance, Xu Wu was indeed a peerless pearl and exquisite jade, outshining the entire capital.
Li Jingling glanced briefly at Zhang Ji, then frowned slightly as he looked toward Xu Wu. After a moment, he suddenly spoke up, “The prefectural governor of Lingnan recently paid tribute with fresh red jujubes. Would you care to eat some?”
He uttered these words with complete familiarity and natural ease, acting as though a subconscious instinct told him she loved eating jujubes, especially those dark-red ones.
The moment he finished speaking, he found his own behavior rather strange. He and Xu Wu had only crossed paths once at the palace banquet; how on earth had he so smoothly blurted out a remark about jujubes?
Hearing this, the onlookers instantly caught a whiff of an ambiguous atmosphere.
Yet, if he felt such thoughtful concern, why on earth had he made an issue out of that affair with Consort Yi to break off the engagement?
Hearing these words, the corners of Xu Wu’s mouth twitched slightly. She replied indifferently, “Many thanks to Your Highness, but this subject’s daughter does not care for jujubes. In fact, I detest them the most.” With that, she bade farewell to Zhang Ruopei and departed without sparing Li Jingling a single glance.
In her past life, Xu Wu had indeed loved eating jujubes, particularly those from Lingnan. The Sixth Prince’s mansion had specially transplanted jujube trees from Lingnan for her sake, and every year when the red fruits hung heavy on the branches, Xu Wu would pick them to brew jujube tea. Those jujubes hanging on the highest branches were almost always plucked for her by Li Jingling.
Later on, Xu Wu finally came to understand that his pampering had only been because he viewed her as a substitute for Lu Mingfang.
Therefore, Li Jingling’s abrupt yet seemingly natural inquiry about whether she wanted to eat Lingnan jujubes filled her with immediate disgust, prompting her automatic reply that she disliked them.
Was it the jujubes she disliked? What she disliked was Li Jingling!
Li Jingling was a member of the imperial elite, accustomed to others currying favor with him and always prioritizing his own desires over others. Yet when Xu Wu declared with utter revulsion that she disliked jujubes, the fire in his chest ignited instantly.
Li Jingling turned around and strode after Xu Wu, startling the surrounding crowd into trembling whispers. How this engagement business turned out so bizarre. It looked just like a lovers’ quarrel.
Noticing that Li Jingling was giving chase, Xu Wu quickened her pace, but the faster she walked, the faster the footsteps pursued her from behind.
Abruptly, Xu Wu stopped dead in her tracks, whirled around to face Li Jingling, and offered a formal bow. Then, with a calm expression, she said, “This subject’s daughter wishes Your Highness and the adopted daughter of the Marquis of Xiuwu a harmonious match of birth characters and a long life together until your hair turns white!”
Upon hearing this, the dashing, imposing look on Li Jingling’s face froze mid-expression.
He had indeed entrusted a close minister to manipulate Lu Mingfang’s background, and he had pulled strings to have the Marquis of Xiuwu take Lu Mingfang in as an adopted daughter. He had most certainly done all of this so that Lu Mingfang’s status would match his own.
Yet, hearing these words spoken directly by Xu Wu made him feel somewhat awkward.
Li Jingling stepped forward, attempting to grab Xu Wu’s hand, only to see her pull the golden hairpin from her hair and press it directly against her own pure, white, tender neck. Xu Wu understood Li Jingling even less now; wanting to play the saint while still indulging in hypocrisy made him utterly repulsive.
Xu Wu had already made up her mind: if this hypocritical Li Jingling continued to pester and harass her, she would use the golden hairpin to pierce her own skin and let the imperial censors impeach him thoroughly!
Sure enough, seeing her neck pressed red by the hairpin, Li Jingling stepped back a few paces. “If you have something to say, say it. It is merely a broken engagement. What need is there to make such a scene?”
At this, Xu Wu was genuinely laughed into anger, her lustrous eyes meeting the sunset glow. “Merely a broken engagement? What, you think that after being jilted by you, I should still three-life be bound in harmony with you and share our lives as one?”
Seeing her emotions turning volatile, Li Jingling stealthily circled around behind her, intending to lunge forward and snatch the golden hairpin away. Unexpectedly, the moment he drew close, Xu Wu turned and scratched fiercely across his face, leaving sharp, bleeding claw marks printed right on his handsome features.
“Is this how a young lady of a noble household behaves?” Li Jingling stared at the now-calm Xu Wu. “I have never seen any noble lady act as frantic and wild as you! You are completely unreasonable!”
Xu Wu’s heart and mind burned with frustration, and she briefly contemplated whether she really ought to act frantically and wildly and be truly unreasonable for once. But just as she turned around, she unexpectedly caught sight of a group of young men approaching from the east.
Xu Wu tightly clutched her handkerchief. She was a woman who valued her dignity; ruining Li Jingling’s face was fine, but she could not afford to tarnish her own reputation.
Hastily drawing a handkerchief from her sleeve to half-cover her face, Xu Wu prepared to oil the soles of her feet and flee.
Before she could lift her foot, however, she heard Zhang Ruopei trotting over, her eyes sparkling with stars. “Pei Han?”
Pei Han?
Xu Wu paused in her tracks. Pei Han, Grand Justice Pei Han?
Hearing that it was Pei Han, Li Jingling’s face darkened with a murky, unreadable expression, first dodging, then fluttering with panic before hurriedly forcing a facade of calm.
The figure approaching slowly from the east moved with an air of authority in every step. Glancing at the reddened skin on Xu Wu’s neck, he asked in a cold voice, “Have you finished copying the books I gave you, Cousin?”