The nannies quickly changed the teaching schedule. I only needed to study with them for an hour in the morning, leaving the rest of the day free.
Seeing that I had spare time, my mother wanted to take me to the shop to familiarize myself with Empress Dowager’s businesses. She even moved a pile of account books into my room, stacked them up until they were half my height.
“Niannian, since you’ve become a family with the Empress Dowager, you naturally need to understand what the family has, right?”
“Mother, that’s not quite right. If nothing unexpected happens, Crown Prince will inherit the throne. If the empire is his, these external assets should naturally be divided among the Second Prince and Princess Suisui. It would be rather inappropriate for me to interfere further.”
My mother found my reasoning sound, so she had the account books moved away again, only asking me to properly manage my dowry.
Besides fifty thousand taels of silver, my dowry also included two manors with fertile land and forests, and four shops.
It was considered quite substantial.
Primarily, Empress Dowager’s businesses were very profitable, and the dividends paid to my parents were exceptionally high. In terms of wealth alone, my family had long since entered the ranks of the wealthy. It was just a pity that in the capital, to gain respect, one also needed power.
Of course, imperial merchants like the richest man Cheng, whose wealth rivaled the nation’s, were a different story.
“Miss, Miss Song is here again,” Ah Xiu said with a hint of distaste.
“What does she want this time?”
“She said she’s learned a few new pastries and specifically made them herself to offer you a taste.” Ah Xiu looked constipated. “Where does she get the nerve to think you’d eat her pastries?”
“Perhaps she’s come up with some new trick.”
“What should we do then?”
“Just ignore her. Go and tell her I’m very busy and don’t have time to receive guests.” The last time she disgusted me, I let it slide for Uncle Song’s sake. But one shouldn't fall into the same pit twice, should they? I don’t owe her anything.
When Ah Xiu returned, she was carrying a food container. “Miss, she insisted on leaving the pastries. I’ve already taken a piece of each and sent them to the imperial physician for examination.”
I chuckled. “Even if she hates me, she wouldn’t poison something she’s giving me, would she?”
“Hmph, it’s better to be safe than sorry.”
The pastries were naturally not poisoned, but the next day, Song Shuxian came again, saying she was there to apologize. She claimed she had been thoughtless that day and had spoken nonsense to me, asking me not to hold it against her in consideration of our years of companionship.
Ah Xiu’s expression was even more displeased as she relayed the message. “Miss, what exactly does she want?”
“Who knows? Go and tell her I haven’t taken that day’s incident to heart and she should mind her own business.”
Song Shuxian did leave obediently, but on the third day, she still came to my residence, bringing a vase with two bright peach blossoms, claiming they were for me.
Refusing her entry for three consecutive days was too much. I had no choice but to invite her to the small flower hall again.
To my surprise, Song Shuxian only made small talk with me and then took her leave. Furthermore, her demeanor was extremely humble, as if she intended to follow my lead from now on.
Ah Xiu watched her retreating back, utterly bewildered.
I asked her, “You didn’t understand?”
Ah Xiu shook her head.
“Have you been reading your storybooks from the covers? If she doesn’t try to curry favor with me now, what if I deliberately make things difficult for her when the Crown Prince selects his secondary consorts? Wouldn’t she suffer a great loss?”
Actually, it wasn't just Song Shuxian. These days, all the young ladies who came to seek my favor harbored the same intention, didn't they? Everyone understood that the Crown Prince would not have only me by his side in the future. It was normal for the Emperor to have many consorts. My parents loved each other dearly; in our household, let alone concubines, my father didn’t even have a temporary maid. How could I not have hoped that my future husband would only have eyes for me?
Alas, fate plays tricks.
It just so happened that I was entangled with the man most unlikely to be faithful to one person in this world.
Ah Xiu was stunned for a long time, then suddenly large tears began to stream down her face, startling me. “Ah Xiu, what’s wrong? I don’t dislike you for being slow.”
Ah Xiu cried, choking back sobs. “Wuwu… hic… How… how can this be… hic? Miss… hic… you’re not even married yet, and these people are already trying to… hic… divide your husband.”
I helplessly handed her a handkerchief. “When you spoke so highly of the Crown Prince, didn’t you consider this?”
Ah Xiu cried even more sorrowfully, hiccupping as she told me she had thought of it, and that she would never have said anything good about the Crown Prince if she had known.
“There’s nothing we can do about it. The imperial edict has been issued. Fleeing marriage now would mean having our family’s assets confiscated.” I spread my hands, not particularly concerned.
When I agreed to Situ Yao, I had already considered this. Things will work out in the end. If you fall in love, you fall in love. Rather than being hesitant, it’s better to walk this path with him without regret. If, one day, he falls in love with another woman, I’ll just leave.
The palace walls are high, but with my martial arts skills, they cannot trap me.
I need to practice my Qinggong even better. Zhong Ling Shu will finally be useful again. When I spar with him again, I won't just exchange blows.
I will specifically practice him chasing me and me fleeing.
And their shadow arts, which their assassins are best at.
However, I don’t think that move will be of much use. Whether the Crown Prince will fall in love with someone else in the future, I cannot guarantee, but I do trust his character. If that day truly comes, he probably wouldn't go so far as to trap me within the palace walls.