With the help of Chunping and Xia'an, Shen Yanshui got herself ready in no time. When she walked into the outer room, she saw a line of palace attendants filing in, setting the breakfast spread on the table.
She looked over to Cui Yu, the Crown Prince, who was sitting on the soft couch holding a book, and stepped forward with a smile to pay her respects.
Cui Yu lifted his gaze, as if he had only just noticed her.
The weather that day was lovely, with sunlight streaming into the room early on. Shen Yanshui was wearing a rose-purple soft smoke gauze dress, a white jade crabapple pendant fastened around her slender waist that looked so narrow it could be circled with one hand, with a thin layer of cicada-wing gauze draped over the whole outfit, making her look exceptionally gentle and pretty.
Only her hair and hair ornaments were far too simple.
Cui Yu spoke in a light, calm tone, telling her to rise.
Shen Yanshui noticed that his gaze had lingered on her hair for an extra moment just now, but she did not pay it any mind. Unless she was going out, in her own chambers, she usually only asked Xia'an to twist her hair into a simple bun, securing it with a single hairpin or a hair ribbon, as it was the most comfortable way to wear it.
Of course, this was also her gradual way of testing the limits of what the Crown Prince would allow her to do. So far... the results of her test seemed pretty good.
The two of them began to have their meal. Shen Yanshui was not picky about food at all, so even though all the dishes on the table were originally prepared by the imperial kitchen for the Crown Prince, she ate with great enjoyment.
When Cui Yu set down his silver chopsticks, he saw her glance at him, blink her eyes, and say, "Your Highness, your concubine hasn't had her fill yet."
Cui Yu said gently, "From now on, when you have meals, you can eat as much as you like. There is no need to hold back on account of me."
"Thank you, Your Highness. You are so kind." Shen Yanshui looked at him with bright, sparkling eyes.
After saying that, she served herself another bowl of green vegetable and minced meat porridge and continued to eat.
Though Shen Yanshui ate quite a lot, her manners were not rude or unrefined at all. After all, when a person was as beautiful as she was, every little thing she did was a pleasure to watch.
Seeing how good her appetite was and how happy she looked while eating, Cui Yu let out a soft chuckle, lowered his head to take a sip of tea, then suddenly frowned slightly and put the teacup down.
Zheng Yuande had long since seen through everything. This Lady Shen was truly a simple, silly soul who took every word the Crown Prince said completely seriously.
His Highness had told her to eat freely, and she had really settled in to eat without a second thought, leaving the Crown Prince sitting there waiting for her. It was almost as if tending to His Highness was less important than the two bowls of food in front of her...
Zheng Yuande was left completely speechless.
Still, it was a good thing he had been quick-witted and specifically told the imperial kitchen to make extra portions earlier, otherwise he would have been worried that there would not be enough food left for the Crown Prince to eat.
As for the serving maids Chunping and Xia'an, no matter what complicated thoughts they had in their hearts, none of them dared to say a word. After all, they had tried to gently persuade her before, but... it had not worked at all. In the end, they could only keep a steady, polite smile on their faces.
Shen Yanshui did not keep anyone waiting for long. She finished her meal soon after, and rinsed her mouth.
Cui Yu looked at her and suddenly said, "In a few days, it will be the Dragon Boat Festival. Would you like to go to Jinming Pool to watch the celebrations?"
Shen Yanshui was a little surprised, not expecting him to take the initiative to ask her such a question. But right then, her eyes sparkling, she answered without the slightest hesitation, "This concubine would love to go."
Who would not want to go and see all the lively fun?
Zheng Yuande: "..." He was now fully certain that this woman was truly a simple one.
Chunping and Xia'an: "..."
My lady, even if you really do want to go, you cannot say it so straightforwardly in front of the Crown Prince. You could at least be a little more tactful about it!
Cui Yu nodded at her answer, as if he had not found it unexpected at all. Listening to her speak openly of what she wanted, without using that soft, timid tone to hint and beat around the bush, or take the chance to throw subtle digs at the Crown Princess or other concubines to badmouth them, made the deep, calm light in his eyes soften into a faint, gentle smile. His voice was clear and rich, unhurried as he said, "I understand."
Shen Yanshui curtsied to see him off, and at the same time, she began to look forward to the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival.
Lady Liu watched the Crown Prince leave, his tall, graceful figure receding from sight. She suppressed the sour feeling in her heart, lowered her head, and curtsied to the Lady Shen beside her. "Sister Shen, I will head back to my chambers first."
Shen Yanshui nodded with a smile, pretending not to notice the dark circles under Lady Liu's eyes, and did not say anything extra. There were so many women in the imperial harem. If Lady Liu did not learn to look on the bright side and make an effort to live a better life, she would only end up suffering for it.
Back in her own room, Shen Yanshui picked up the book that was left on the soft couch to continue reading. It was a geographical record of the northern border of the Great Yong Dynasty, filled with the author's accounts of the local customs and conditions there, and she had found it really interesting to read.
"Eh?" Shen Yanshui flipped through the pages of the book, then looked all around the soft couch, before lifting her head to ask Chunping, "Where is my multicolored braided charm?"
Before Chunping could reply, Xia'an, who was in the middle of ironing clothes, suddenly pressed her lips together and snickered, whispering, "Your mistress, this servant saw it. The Crown Prince took it with him just now."
Shen Yanshui: "......?"
*
It was Cui Yu's day off. He did not have to attend court hearings, nor did he have to go to the capital administrative office to handle official duties. But as soon as he arrived at Changqing Palace and before he could even sit down, he turned to give an order. "I remember that last year, the Southern Ocean tributed a set of hibiscus pink crystal headpieces inlaid with pearls?"
Zheng Yuande was taken aback for a moment, then replied, "Your Highness, that is correct. I heard that kind of hibiscus pink crystal is extremely rare and precious."
Cui Yu said, "Deliver that set of headpieces to Lady Shen."
Zheng Yuande quickly bowed to acknowledge the order. But before he could step out, he heard His Highness add, "Also go to the Inner Palace's flower nursery and pick out some well-bloomed flowers and plants." He paused for a brief moment, then said in a light tone, "Have the Palace Attendants Bureau..."
After Zheng Yuande withdrew, someone came to report that Chen Qian, the Junior Supervisor of the Imperial Household who was an official of the Eastern Palace, was already waiting in the Dunben Hall. Cui Yu's brows drew together slightly.
Chen Qian was just over forty years old, wearing a vermilion official robe with a leather belt fastened around his waist. His features were dignified, and he wore a small goatee. But his expression at the moment was far from pleasant. He was ushered into the Crown Prince's study after his presence was announced.
Chen Qian bowed to pay his respects. "This subject greets Your Highness, the Crown Prince."
Cui Yu said in a calm voice, "Lord Chen, there is no need for formalities."
After Chen Qian straightened up, his brows furrowed into a deep frown. He said in a heavy tone, "Your Highness, early this morning, His Majesty suddenly issued an order for Marquis Xuanyi to lead forty thousand of the elite Tiger Wing troops under Great General Qi's command. This way, half of the military power has been split off. The Great General has also been ordered to remain at home to rest and recuperate. Your Highness, are we just going to wait for our doom like this?"
The Duke Fengguo, the maternal family of the Crown Prince, used to hold military power. But ever since the Crown Prince's young uncle Great General Qi rose to prominence on the battlefield, the old duke, who had seemed hale and hearty before, suffered a recurrence of an old injury and could no longer go to the front lines.
Great General Qi was brilliant at fighting wars, but when it came to court politics, he was not as seasoned and experienced as the old duke, so he could not offer much support to the Crown Prince.
After he finished speaking and saw that the Crown Prince did not say a word, he frowned even harder and added, "Your Highness, word has it that Marquis Xuanyi and Great General Qi have never gotten along, and he is also related by marriage to the He family, the maternal clan of the Fourth Prince. His Majesty is clearly paving the way to elevate the Fourth Prince. We cannot just sit back and do nothing any longer!"
"I heard that the arrangements for the Jinming Pool celebrations during the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival have been assigned by His Majesty to the First Prince and the Fourth Prince. We could place some of our men to make some secret moves there..."
Cui Yu suddenly cut off his next words, his expression turning slightly grim. "Lord Chen."
Chen Qian: "Your Highness?"
Cui Yu's brows drew tight. "I understand Lord Chen's intentions, but the Duanwu Festival gathering at the Golden Bright Pond will draw attention from all across the court and the general public. This matter concerns the imperial family's reputation, so there is no need to discuss it further."
In the end, this Lord Chen left with a rigid, stony expression on his face.
Cui Yu's own countenance remained perfectly calm. The matter of military power had long been discussed and planned between him, his maternal grandfather, and his young maternal uncle, so this turn of events was no surprise to him.
His father, the Emperor, was no foolish, incompetent ruler. When Cui Yu was young, he had always looked up to his father as his role model, and he had dreamed of becoming a wise, enlightened sovereign just like him.
Yet, as the Emperor's health faded day by day, and his sons grew older and more capable with each passing day, the Emperor's temperament grew increasingly unpredictable and suspicious.
It was at this exact juncture that foreign tribes from the northern border invaded. Cui Yu's young maternal uncle won instant fame through a decisive battle, and over the following years, he accumulated one brilliant military achievement after another.
As successive reports of victory arrived in the capital from the frontier, Cui Yu gradually noticed a distinct shift in the Emperor's attitude toward him.
Several years on, the original Crown Prince's Household Administration Office had become nothing more than an empty name. The former officials assigned to serve the Eastern Palace had all been dismissed or transferred away. Now, many of the officials holding posts in the Eastern Palace are just like Chen Qian -- good for nothing but show, short-sighted, or eager for quick gains at any cost.
There were a few of them with real talent and ability, but without exception, each of them held multiple concurrent official positions, all serving as the head of a government ministry in the imperial court. Their nominal post as a member of the Eastern Palace's staff was nothing but a meaningless, empty title to them.
It was true that Cui Yu could summon them if he needed something done, but... there was no point in doing so.
They were not the Crown Prince's men. They were the Emperor's men.
Cui Yu's gaze fell on a white jade paperweight at the edge of his desk.
It was one of the birthday gifts the Emperor had personally carved and given to him when he was three years old, the year he began his formal studies. The jade was warm and smooth to the touch, carved with simple, unadorned cloud patterns.
He still remembered the Emperor holding his small hand, guiding him stroke by stroke to write his very first character -- "yong", meaning forever.
"Yu'er, writing is just like being a person. Your brush must be held straight, and your heart must also be straight."
Back then, the Emperor's voice had carried a bright, hearty laugh, none of the suspicion and wariness that marked it now. Cui Yu could even recall being too small to reach the desk, so the Emperor had lifted him to sit on his lap, letting him curiously grab the heavy imperial private seal to play with.
The Emperor had not been angry at all, and had simply let him treat the royal seal as a toy, stamping random patterns all over sheets of paper.
Cui Yu slowly closed his eyes, the pad of his index finger unconsciously stroking the smooth edge of the jade paperweight.
Among the sons of heaven, it was far from unheard of for father and son to end up facing each other on the battlefield, fighting a life-and-death struggle.
But... he did not want that to happen between him and his father.
