For an entire year, Yuancheng refused to have his height measured, leaving Jiang Yunshu with no choice but to secretly measure him while he slept.
During the day, Yuancheng was always busy, and by night, he slept so soundly that Jiang Yunshu didn’t have to worry about waking him. She directed Xie Lin to straighten Yuancheng’s body, then carefully measured him from head to toe with a ruler, scrutinizing the numbers.
"He’s grown so much taller again. Yuancheng is growing so fast," Jiang Yunshu remarked casually. "Once he’s fully grown, he might even surpass the Chief Steward in height."
The moment the words left her mouth, she instinctively glanced at Xie Lin’s expression and quickly corrected herself, "Though of course, the Chief Steward is still taller."
Xie Lin shot her a look. "Does Her Majesty truly think I’m so petty that I’d begrudge a child for growing taller than me?"
Jiang Yunshu nodded emphatically in her heart—Xie Lin was exactly that petty and jealous!
It wasn’t just Yuancheng’s jealousy he indulged in—he’d even get envious over cats, dogs, or horses! Once, when Xie Lin had a rare day off and they went horseback riding together, Jiang Yunshu ended up talking more to the horse, Zaoren, than to him, and Xie Lin secretly sulked over it.
Left with no choice, Jiang Yunshu made sure to always prioritize Xie Lin whenever they were together.
Fortunately, Xie Lin was busy from dawn till dusk, so Jiang Yunshu had plenty of time to spend with her cats, dogs, and horses—or collaborating with Concubine Qiao on choreography.
Every dance performed in the palace’s Music and Dance Bureau now bore the creative touch of Concubine Qiao and Jiang Yunshu.
Concubine Qiao was no longer just an officially titled First-Rank Lady but had also taken on the role of Director of the Music and Dance Bureau.
Everyone in the Bureau spoke of Director Qiao with deep reverence, all due to her extraordinary mastery of dance.
When Jiang Yunshu stood beside Director Qiao in front of the Bureau’s performers, they regarded the Empress Dowager with awe—but it was only when they looked at Director Qiao that their eyes sparkled with genuine admiration.
Director Qiao’s choreography never failed to astonish the world.
Jiang Yunshu mused that perhaps their work might even earn a place in history.
She wondered if she’d be lucky enough to be listed as a secondary contributor, her name trailing after Concubine Qiao’s.
While Xie Lin was occupied during the day, Jiang Yunshu had her own endless tasks to attend to.
But when they both finally had time to rest, she made sure nothing and no one disturbed them, dedicating herself entirely to Xie Lin.
Deep down, she knew Xie Lin’s "jealousy" wasn’t really about envy—it was simply because he felt their time together was never enough.
Even seeing each other daily, sharing every moment, still left him wanting more.
Xie Lin often wished Yuancheng would grow up faster. Once the boy was old enough to handle state affairs, he could finally step back and spend more time with Jiang Yunshu.
"If I’d known, I wouldn’t have picked a three-year-old. I should’ve gone with a ten-year-old from the start," Xie Lin grumbled.
Jiang Yunshu burst into laughter, remembering how Xie Lin had once swapped the one-year-old emperor for a three-year-old—Yuancheng—causing Empress Dowager Wu to faint on the spot and leaving the court officials utterly speechless.
If he’d gone with a ten-year-old, half the court would’ve collapsed in shock.
But Jiang Yunshu knew Xie Lin’s complaint was just idle talk. Had they chosen an older child, Xie Lin would’ve never trusted them fully. After selecting Yuancheng, he personally taught the boy every detail of governance.
"Chief Steward, you don’t have to push yourself so hard," Jiang Yunshu said. "Giving Yuancheng some independence might be good for him… and we could take a short trip?"
In her mind, no matter how high-ranking or busy one was, everyone needed a vacation.
Xie Lin’s eyes lit up at her suggestion.
But Yuancheng was still young, and Xie Lin and Jiang Yunshu couldn’t just leave on a whim.
They spent months preparing—Xie Lin taught Yuancheng how to handle emergencies, Jiang Yunshu gave him endless advice, and they left trusted imperial guards to ensure his safety.
By the time Yuancheng turned six, Jiang Yunshu and Xie Lin finally left him in the palace for the first time and set off to travel.
At first, Jiang Yunshu couldn’t stop worrying about Yuancheng, her thoughts constantly drifting back to him.
But after two days?
Pure bliss.
