My elder brother's success as the top scholar in the imperial examination had my father celebrating with a three-day feast. He even sent people to distribute rice and flour to the commoners in the northern district, ensuring even beggars received a share.
Our family wasn't the only one doing this, so it didn't seem out of place.
Half a month later, my elder brother was selected for the Hanlin Academy and appointed as a sixth-rank compiler. It's worth mentioning An Yishi. Perhaps due to his positive mindset, he performed exceptionally well on the final imperial examination, improving his ranking from 128th to 94th, and was personally selected as a Jinshi by the Emperor. My elder brother then enlisted the help of the Second Prince, who interceded with Prince Jing, the minister in charge of personnel. Consequently, An Yishi was successfully assigned a post in Jiangnan. He happily packed his bags and bid farewell to my father and mother.
Having been granted an official position, he had to return to assume his duties.
Before he left, the Empress herself specially summoned him and bestowed generous gifts, which he was to take back to his grandmother.
In the end, An Yishi departed with the Cheng family's merchant caravan. Our entire family escorted him out of the city. We watched until the caravan had disappeared from sight before he mentioned returning home.
My mother, in a rare display of emotion, wiped away tears, saying, "This time, it can be considered fulfilling her promise to Mother An."
Newcomers to the Hanlin Academy were primarily meant to learn from their superiors. However, the Second Prince, being close to my brother, often involved him in various tasks. This kept my brother exceptionally busy, though he himself was pleased, claiming to have made great progress.
Fearing he would overwork himself, my father instructed the kitchen to prepare nourishing soups for him frequently. The tonics were so potent that one day he collapsed, nose bleeding.
The imperial physician declared it was due to excessive supplementation, and my father received a beating from my mother, leaving her with many bruises.
As my elder brother smoothly embarked on his official career, the date for my wedding to the Crown Prince was also set. The Imperial Astronomical Bureau designated the twelfth of October as an auspicious day for the imperial wedding.
The rituals for a Crown Prince's wedding were incredibly complex. Counting from the twelfth of August, there were less than five months remaining. While other arrangements were proceeding without issue, my own etiquette was a significant concern.
Although I had learned etiquette from Princess Sui Sui since childhood, none of us anticipated I would become the Crown Princess. I had only learned casually. Ming Mama likely felt that as a merchant's daughter, my etiquette training would have limited use. In any case, she preferred teaching Song Shuxian. Seeing my casual approach to learning, she didn't intervene.
Therefore, I had only grasped the superficial aspects.
Who could have imagined that I would one day ascend to the Eastern Palace?
The Empress then dispatched four mamas to teach me etiquette. Looking at the training plan they devised for me, I felt my spirit drain away. The only thought that echoed in my mind was: Perhaps I should just elope.
After three days, I was tormented to the point of wishing for death.
It wasn't that I wasn't capable of enduring hardship. When practicing martial arts, I had maintained a horse stance for an entire day without complaint. But I enjoyed practicing martial arts. These rigid etiquettes and rules were pure torture for me.
One evening, Situ Yao came to pick me up. He said a servant had presented a deer, and he wanted to take me to eat roasted venison.
I reclined on the daybed, waving my hand. "No, I don't want to move at all right now."
"What's wrong?"
"I'm being tormented by those damned etiquettes and rules. Your Highness, I don't think I can last until our wedding day. Perhaps you should find someone else for the position of Crown Princess!"
Situ Yao's expression turned grim. "Did they take advantage of you?"
"It's not the mamas' fault; I just don't like it."
"How did they teach you?"
I pointed to the desk. "The training plan is there. You can see for yourself."
Situ Yao strode over and examined the paper for a long time before looking up. "I understand."
"Understand what?"
"Don't worry, I will handle it. You rest well." With that, Situ Yao left. I pondered what he had understood for a long time without any success.
Since I couldn't figure it out, I stopped thinking about it. I pushed myself up from the soft couch and asked A Xiu to bring me something to eat.
A Xiu looked at me with a complex expression. "Miss, is it right to deceive the Crown Prince like this?"
"Deceive? Haven't you seen how exhausted I've been these past few days?"
"I inquired, and the mamas teach other young ladies the same way. Miss, you are a martial artist, and your stamina is far superior to theirs. No one would believe you are this weak!"
"Whatever. I'm extremely unhappy right now, and I simply don't want to go out to eat with the instigators."
A Xiu: ...
Unexpectedly, the next day, the mamas' demeanor changed. Before, while they respected me as the prospective Crown Princess, their words still carried an air of professorial superiority. But today, their attitudes were incredibly cordial. The dull and tedious training plans were canceled, and they stated that etiquette was something that required long-term immersion, not something achievable overnight.
However, they claimed that inherent grace could not be learned, and mastering the superficial aspects was enough to impress.
The four mamas generously shared their knowledge, vying to impart various tricks, such as how to intimidate people with a single glance.
Even if I were foolish, I would have known that Situ Yao was behind this.
Alas, if I had known, I should have gone to him on the first day. I needlessly endured two more days of torment.
That evening, Situ Yao arrived again. This time, without being prompted, I dutifully changed into a new outfit and accompanied him to his villa outside the palace.
Indeed, the roasted venison tonight was exceptionally delicious.