Princess Fuxi had never told Princess Shengping that she could rise, so everyone assumed that Princess Fuxi had only just entered the palace and did not yet understand palace etiquette.
The Empress Dowager patiently instructed her, “Fuxi, when someone salutes you, you should tell them they needn’t be so formal.”
Rongyao listened attentively and nodded. Then she turned toward Princess Shengping and beamed brightly, imitating the Empress Dowager as she said, “You needn’t be so formal.”
Only then did Tantai Yu raise her head. The corners of her mouth pulled stiffly upward as she concealed the displeasure in her eyes.
The Empress Dowager glanced at Tantai Yu, then at Rongyao, and nodded in satisfaction. Her gaze then fell upon the Third Prince, Dantai Chang.
The Third Prince was looking up at his elder sister, Tantai Yu, with an expression of puzzlement.
The Empress Dowager reminded him, “Chang’er, hurry and pay your respects to your eldest imperial sister.”
The Third Prince tilted his head and asked, “Imperial Grandmother, why has Eldest Imperial Sister changed?”
“Your eldest imperial sister was lost before and has only just been found. She is older than all of you, so naturally she is your eldest imperial sister. What? Isn’t it wonderful to have another sister?”
The Third Prince shook his head. Then he looked curiously at Rongyao and raised his hands, copying the proper form of a salute. “Chang’er pays his respects to Eldest Imperial Sister. May Your Highness enjoy boundless blessings.”
Rongyao said, “Third Imperial Brother, you needn’t be so formal.”
Next came the Fourth Prince, Dantai Yi. He was only three years old—small in age and even smaller in stature. With his large eyes open wide, he stood there obediently. When the Empress Dowager reminded him to pay his respects, he hurriedly bowed to Rongyao. It was obvious that he had been taught proper etiquette from a very young age.
Soon it was the Fifth Prince, Dantai You’s turn. A closer look revealed crumbs of pastry still clinging to his face, while he held another piece in his hand.
His salute was far from proper. His arms and hands were all over the place. But he was only a tiny child, and his honest, clumsy appearance instead amused everyone.
No one would blame or reprimand a three-year-old child.
Next came the youngest princess, Dantai Yue.
She was just old enough to walk, and her nursemaid supported her from the side, afraid that the little princess might fall.
The little princess was fair and plump—truly plump. Her cheeks were round and fleshy, and her eyes, which she had inherited from Lady Yin, were large. She looked like a little good-luck doll.
The nursemaid performed the salute on the little princess’s behalf.
Rongyao returned it as well.
With that, all the imperial princes and princesses had formally met her.
Now that the formalities were over, the Empress Dowager naturally would not show favoritism. She quickly called all her grandchildren over and fussed over them, asking about this and that.
She first asked Tantai Yu, “Yuer, what have you been doing these past few days?”
“Reporting to Imperial Grandmother, Granddaughter has been reading and practicing calligraphy.”
The Empress Dowager nodded in satisfaction. “I knew you were the most diligent one. From now on, you won’t have to go to Wenchang Academy alone. Your eldest imperial sister is also old enough to study and practice calligraphy. In a few days, she will go to Wenchang Academy with you. As sisters, you must support and look after each other.”
“Granddaughter understands.” Tantai Yu clenched her hands, then smiled toward Rongyao and remarked casually, “I only wonder whether Eldest Imperial Sister enjoys studying. If she has not yet begun her education, perhaps we should inform the Grand Tutor in advance.”
The Empress Dowager was taken aback. She had not expected Tantai Yu to bring that up.
The two children were only a few days apart in age, making comparisons between them inevitable. Rongyao had ultimately been brought back from outside the palace. Consort Cui’s father had once been merely a sixth-rank official, a secretary in the Ministry, so he likely had not arranged for Rongyao to begin learning characters at the age of five as children in the imperial family did.
Yuer, on the other hand, was exceptionally clever. From the moment she learned to speak, she had already begun recognizing characters. Even the Grand Tutor at Wenchang Academy praised her as a child prodigy.
If Rongyao entered Wenchang Academy, the Grand Tutor and Yuer would inevitably compare the two of them. That might wound the child’s feelings.
The Empress Dowager hesitantly looked at Rongyao, wondering whether she should wait another six months before sending her to Wenchang Academy.
Just as she was considering this, Rongyao suddenly spoke.
“Imperial Grandmother, Yaoyao wants to go. Yaoyao likes studying. I love reading more than anything!”
The Empress Dowager paused, then broke into a relieved smile. “Good! It’s wonderful that you like studying. Yaoyao will go to Wenchang Academy in two days!”
Rongyao smiled sincerely.
From the side, Tantai Yu cast Rongyao a secretive glance. She thought the child was far too young to understand the limits of her own abilities. She was only six years old—what could she possibly know? How many books could she have read? She would have no choice but to be thoroughly outshone by Tantai Yu.
Once she truly entered Wenchang Academy and was disciplined by those old men whom even Tantai Yu found difficult to endure, she would surely burst into tears. When word reached the Emperor and the Empress Dowager, they would certainly grow tired of her.
At the thought, the corners of Tantai Yu’s mouth rose despite herself, and her mood improved considerably.
Rongyao was thrilled and eager at the prospect of studying and reading many books.
“Eldest Imperial Sister, studying is very tiring. Do you really like it?” A voice, still somewhat unclear in pronunciation, sounded beside her.
Rongyao lowered her head curiously and discovered that it was her Fourth Imperial Brother, Dantai Yi. He gazed up at her with wide, inquisitive eyes. When she did not answer, he tugged at her sleeve.
Rongyao bent down and asked, “Fourth Imperial Brother, have you already started studying?”
The Fourth Prince stole a glance at the Empress from across the room, pressed his lips together, and said, “Mm-hmm. Yi’er has to study every day, and he has to practice calligraphy too.”
“Then you’re very impressive.”
The Fourth Prince scratched his head shyly. “I—I’m all right.”
“What is studying?” The Fifth Prince, who had been nibbling on a pastry nearby, poked his little head over and asked curiously, his large eyes wide. “Why do all of you have to study? I don’t like it. I like eating delicious things.”
Looking at her chubby Fifth Imperial Brother, Rongyao suddenly remembered a portly prince she had met in her previous life…
“Fifth Imperial Brother, hasn’t your mother consort made you study?” the Fourth Prince asked in astonishment.
The Fifth Prince shook his head in confusion. “Why study? Will studying give me delicious food?”
The Fourth Prince cast an envious glance at the Fifth Prince, then lowered his head unhappily.
Rongyao tentatively comforted him. “Although Fifth Imperial Brother isn’t studying yet, when he does begin, he’ll still have to read all the books you’ve already read.”
Dantai Yi lifted his head, his eyes shining as he stared at Rongyao. “Really?”
“I never lie.”
The Fourth Prince immediately perked up again, believing Rongyao’s words completely.
The Empress Dowager had heard every word exchanged among the children.
She felt that her newly found granddaughter must be clever. Rongyao was certainly not the foolish, witless sort. Consort Cui had raised Yaoyao very well.
The Empress Dowager smiled as she watched the dancers’ graceful performance and took Rongyao’s hand. “Once you begin at Wenchang Academy, you needn’t compare yourself with others. Whatever you do, take it one step at a time.”
Rongyao nodded obediently. “Granddaughter understands.”
After admiring the flowers and watching the dances, the banquet came to an end amid laughter and conversation.
Rongyao received many gifts. Chenxiang, Daoxiang, and the others could scarcely carry them all. After returning, they spent a long while sorting everything before recording in a small booklet the gifts sent by the various consorts and imperial aunts.
The mother and daughter then went together to the Palace of Eternal Joy. The palace was still being renovated, and since they would be living there for quite some time, Cui Huaiyin had taken extra care with the arrangements. She had ordered plants and trees to be placed in every empty space, and a small pond to be dug in the center of the flower garden for raising fish.
She had also ordered a swing to be built beneath one of the large trees in the Palace of Eternal Joy.
For now, however, none of it was finished.
They had heard that it would take another half a month.
Even though Cui Huaiyin was somewhat impatient, there was nothing she could do. For the time being, mother and daughter could only continue living in Liangyi Palace.
These days, Liangyi Palace had become much livelier.
Although Princess Fuxi was the eldest princess, she was only six years old. Perhaps the food outside the palace was not as nourishing as that within it; despite being older, Princess Fuxi was not even as tall as Princess Shengping. She was, however, considerably chubbier—and all the more lovable for it.
Princess Fuxi was also a cheerful child. A single tease from Consort Cui was enough to make her laugh. Consort Cui doted on her daughter and, every morning, would wait by the bedside to dress the little princess and amuse Princess Fuxi for quite some time.
Just like this morning, when Rongyao was drowsily roused from bed by her mother. With her eyes only half open, she let her mother wipe her face while listening to her say, “Yaoyao’s gotten chubbier again. You look just like a little celestial child from a painting. Let Mother pinch your cheeks.”
Then Consort Cui gently pinched both of Rongyao’s cheeks. It didn’t hurt; it only tickled a little.
Rongyao opened her eyes and gave her mother an accusing look, only to see her mother smiling at her, her beautiful face filling Rongyao’s vision as she leaned close and planted a quick kiss on her cheek.
Both of Rongyao’s ears turned bright red. She stared blankly at her beautiful mother.
Seeing her daughter’s dazed expression, Cui Huaiyin deliberately put on a disappointed look. “What’s wrong, Mother’s little princess? Do you dislike Mother? Sigh… Yaoyao has grown up and is already starting to dislike her mother.”
Rongyao hurriedly threw herself into her mother’s arms, wrapping her arms around her slender waist. “No! Of course not! Yaoyao likes Mother so much! I like Mother best! Let Mother kiss me—Mother can kiss me every day.”
Cui Huaiyin embraced her well-behaved daughter as well. Her heart felt as though it had been warmed by hot water, filled with gentle warmth. She felt that being granted this daughter by Heaven was a blessing she must have earned over several lifetimes.
In this life, having Yaoyao was enough for her.
“Ahem! What about your father, then?”
The warm and lively room was suddenly interrupted by that voice. Still holding her daughter, Cui Huaiyin looked up and saw the Emperor standing in front of them, peeking at the mother and daughter.
Cui Huaiyin released her daughter slightly and rose to curtsy. “May Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings.”
The Emperor nodded. He glanced at Cui Huaiyin, then lowered his head and looked tenderly at Rongyao. A smile spread across his face as he said, “Rongyao, would you like Father to hold you? Father is strong—he can hold you higher than your mother can.”
Rongyao pressed her lips together and lowered her head, staring at the flowers embroidered on her shoes.
