In an instant, everyone at the palace banquet stared in astonishment at the scene before them.
The Crown Prince had personally served food to a young girl?
Had it been any other prince, the crowd wouldn’t have been so surprised. But the Crown Prince, Ji Lin, was known for his icy demeanor, keeping others at a distance.
Even the Empress wore an expression of surprise—this was the first time she had seen her son behave this way.
Ling'er was her own child, yet he had only been affectionate and playful in his earliest years. As he grew older, his every movement became rigidly proper.
Ling'er held himself to the standards of both a gentleman and a future ruler, acting like a miniature adult.
The Empress had repeatedly told him that he was still a child—he could be livelier in front of his father and more attentive to his siblings…
Yet each time Ji Lin solemnly agreed, he remained as stiff as ever before the Emperor, and his "care" for his siblings amounted to little more than a few dry words…
The Empress had never seen Ling'er serve food to his own younger sister!
Today was the first time he had even met the Second Miss of the Marquess Xiping’s Mansion—so why had she caught his eye so instantly?
At this thought, the Empress smiled. Hadn’t she herself taken an inexplicable liking to Jiang Yunshu at first sight?
Ji Lin stepped away briefly and returned dressed in black instead of white.
Jiang Yunshu stole a few glances at him—she thought black suited him better than white, making him look like a doll carved from ice.
For the rest of the banquet, Jiang Yunshu and the Little Crown Prince exchanged no further words.
When the feast ended, the Empress rewarded Jiang Yunshu with an exquisite set of tableware.
Jiang Yunshu hurried to express her gratitude, though she found it odd. In the period dramas she’d seen, rewards were usually jewelry—why had she been given utensils instead?
Had the Empress discovered her secret love for food?
Jiang Yunshu shook her head—impossible! She had been perfectly well-behaved at the banquet.
The Empress’s gift must have been a coincidence, one that just happened to delight her heart!
Back at the Marquis of Xiping’s Mansion, Jiang Zhaohua immediately threw a tantrum, demanding the set of tableware the Empress had given Jiang Yunshu.
In the past, Jiang Yunshu would have handed it over without hesitation.
No—in the past, such a situation wouldn’t have arisen at all. Everything in the household went to Jiang Zhaohua first; her younger sisters only got what she didn’t want.
But this time, the item Jiang Zhaohua coveted was a gift from the Empress—even the Marquess Xiping and Lady Hou dared not take it from Jiang Yunshu to give to her.
Jiang Zhaohua cried until her voice turned hoarse the next day.
Lady Hou frantically summoned a physician and had the kitchen prepare pear soup to soothe her throat, her heart aching for her daughter.
After this "illness," Lady Hou grew even more resentful toward Jiang Yunshu.
The servants, ever quick to read their masters’ moods, began treating Jiang Yunshu worse—her daily life grew increasingly difficult.
Jiang Yunshu’s nursemaid, though often lazy, had grown fond of her over the years. Seeing the girl’s face grow thinner by the day, the nursemaid couldn’t hold back her anger.
“Those people… they’re too petty!” she grumbled, glaring toward the main residence.
Jiang Yunshu comforted her, “They’ll calm down eventually, and then things will go back to normal.”
At five years old, Jiang Yunshu’s food, clothing, and daily needs were all controlled by her stepmother. Aside from waiting and enduring, she had no other choice.
So she waited silently for Lady Hou’s anger to fade…
Instead, she received an imperial summons—the Empress wanted her in the palace!
This time, it wasn’t for a banquet, but a private audience!
The entire Marquess Xiping’s Mansion was stunned by the news.
Even the Marquess, who usually ignored household affairs, came to investigate, eager to understand why Jiang Yunshu had won the Empress’s favor.
Lady Hou was seething—how should she know?
Her Zhaozhao was superior in every way—who could guess why the Empress had taken a liking to that little girl?
Noticing Lady Hou’s displeasure, the Marquess shot her a warning glance. “Since the Second Miss has caught the Empress’s eye, she may have a great future ahead. From now on, her living standards in this household will be raised by one level.”
Lady Hou had no choice but to comply.
She knew her husband well—he favored whichever child could be of use to him.
With the Empress’s attention on Jiang Yunshu, the Marquess would now take a personal interest in her affairs, forcing Lady Hou to treat her better.
On the day of the audience, a palace maid arrived to escort Jiang Yunshu to the Phoenix Palace.
Nervous and uncertain, Jiang Yunshu entered the grand halls, her mind racing with unanswered questions about the summons.
She bowed low before the Empress, only to hear a warm, amused voice say, “I’ve brought your little sister here—now you can ask her yourself!”
Jiang Yunshu looked up in surprise—the Phoenix Palace wasn’t empty. The Little Crown Prince was there too!
The Empress’s words had been directed at him!
Confused, Jiang Yunshu wondered—what did the Little Crown Prince want to ask her?
Ji Lin’s gaze settled on Jiang Yunshu. He could tell at a glance that she had grown thinner, her eyes appearing even larger in her small face.
His voice cool and clear as jade, he asked, “Jiang Meimei, have you been well these days?”
Perhaps it was the sincerity in a child’s concern that moved her. Despite enduring her stepmother’s neglect without shedding a tear, Jiang Yunshu now felt her nose sting, her vision blurring.
The Empress needed no further explanation—Jiang Yunshu’s reaction said it all.
“Ling'er guessed correctly after all…” the Empress murmured in astonishment.
This summons had been Ji Lin’s idea. He had worried that Jiang Yunshu was being mistreated by her stepmother and stepsister at home.
He had seen their dislike for her at once and shared his concerns with his mother.
The Empress had initially doubted him—Lady Hou’s reputation for virtue was well-known.
But Ji Lin had insisted, and the Empress, willing to indulge him in such a small matter, had agreed to summon Jiang Yunshu.
Never had she expected Ling'er to be right!
Frowning, the Empress wondered—was Lady Hou’s virtuous reputation nothing but a facade?
She couldn’t bear the thought of such a sweet girl suffering. Already, her mind was spinning with ways to help Jiang Yunshu.
But she held back, deciding instead to test Ji Lin. He had been studying statecraft under the Crown Prince’s Tutor—would he know how to handle such a domestic matter?
“Ling'er,” she asked, “if you want to help Jiang Meimei, how would you do it?”
Without hesitation, Ji Lin replied, “Mother, let’s bring Jiang Meimei to live in the palace! I’ll share my food with her!”
The Empress burst into laughter. Ling'er had always been precocious—it had been years since she’d seen him act so childishly.
