“Commandery Princess, Secondary Consort Wei said that as long as you apply only a thin layer, it should be healed by tomorrow.”
Chunxiao hurried to explain what Secondary Consort Wei had said to Song Shuyu.
“Commandery Princess, you should use this palace medicine sparingly.”
“You used up the ointment Princess Consort sent last time after only a few applications.”
“After that, there was no more ointment, only the medicine prescribed by the physician.”
“Didn’t you say it smelled awful and didn’t work very well?”
“Secondary Consort Wei said that this entire jar of ointment is for you, Commandery Princess.”
Chunxiao earnestly tried to persuade Song Shuyu.
Song Shuyu pouted. “You’re so long-winded. Hurry up and apply it!”
“If it isn’t better by tomorrow, I’ll hold you responsible!”
Chunxiao understood that Commandery Princess Funing had taken her words to heart.
With a smile, she used her fingernail to scoop a little ointment into her palm, then carefully spread it over Song Shuyu’s face.
After finally covering the whole area, only a thin layer of ointment had been used.
Chunxiao put the lid back on and placed the jar on the dressing table.
Song Shuyu felt a cool sensation spread across her face as soon as the ointment was applied. The area, which had been numb before, suddenly felt refreshed.
“That feels wonderful.” She lay down.
“Commandery Princess, I don’t think you’ve finished your lessons today.”
Chunxiao reminded her cautiously.
Song Shuyu glared at Chunxiao, but when she suddenly remembered Duoduo, who had been locked up in the Office of Discipline, her mood improved.
“Bring me my book. I’ll memorize it first!”
“Yes.”
Chunxiao walked away with light, quick steps.
Commandery Princess Funing seemed unusually easygoing today.
She had listened to both of Chunxiao’s suggestions.
Chunxiao brought over the book and handed it to Song Shuyu.
Lying on the reclining chair, Song Shuyu held the book up with both hands and opened it to the page her tutor had assigned.
“There’s so much! When am I supposed to finish memorizing all of this?”
Song Shuyu was overcome with gloom.
Who had come up with the idea of making them attend school in the first place?
They were girls, and they couldn’t even take the imperial examinations. What use was there in studying all this?
She grumbled as she recited her lesson.
Before long, she fell asleep.
The book slipped to the floor, and Chunxiao hurried to pick it up.
She didn’t dare wake Song Shuyu.
Song Shuyu had a terrible temper whenever she was roused from sleep.
Chunxiao quietly put the book away, closed the door, and went outside.
When it was nearly time for dinner, Chunxiao had no choice but to enter the room.
“Commandery Princess, it’s time for dinner.”
She called out softly.
“Commandery Princess, His Highness is at the residence today!”
“Please wake up!”
Chunxiao continued calling in a low voice.
Song Shuyu opened her eyes and was just about to lose her temper when she suddenly heard Chunxiao mention “His Highness.”
She sat up at once.
“Father hasn’t left yet? Isn’t he very busy?”
Chunxiao helped Song Shuyu to her feet.
“It seems His Highness is spending the night at the residence. He won’t be going to the palace until tomorrow.”
Song Shuyu’s expression fell immediately.
Didn’t that mean she would have to enter the palace with her father again tomorrow?
Seeing Song Shuyu’s expression change, Chunxiao hurriedly changed the subject.
“Oh, Commandery Princess, your face is much better!”
Song Shuyu glanced at herself in the mirror. The swelling on the left side of her face had almost gone down.
However, the shape of a handprint was still clearly visible.
Song Shuyu bit her lip.
A sense of resentment quietly began to grow in her heart.
But her fate was now tied to Prince Ling.
By this point, Song Shuyu understood perfectly well that from the moment the Song family had sent her to Prince Ling’s residence, she had climbed aboard Prince Ling’s ship. There was no way for her to leave now.
That was why she also hated the grandmother who had sent her there.
And her second uncle!
Song Shuyu now knew that everything had been her second uncle’s idea.
He had told her grandmother to offer her to Prince Ling in exchange for his own promising future.
Song Jiang had gotten drunk once at Prince Ling’s residence and let the truth slip in his drunkenness.
Her parents had never even had the chance to object.
Song Shuyu had also learned from her second uncle that her father wanted to seek refuge with Prince Ling as well.
It was just that there were too many capable people around Prince Ling. If her father wanted to join him, he would have to offer something substantial to be accepted.
Song Shuyu blinked.
She didn’t really understand the affairs of adults.
But over the past six months at Prince Ling’s residence, she had seen too much and suffered too much.
She had grown up.
She had learned to listen, and she had learned to observe.
At school, she sometimes overheard older classmates analyzing the political situation at court.
She would quietly listen from the side.
Sometimes, when she returned to the residence and Princess Consort Ling was teaching her two children, Song Shuyu would linger nearby instead of leaving.
Princess Consort Ling assumed that Song Shuyu didn’t understand anything, so she sometimes spoke without avoiding her.
Little by little, Song Shuyu had figured things out for herself.
“Commandery Princess, what’s wrong? We should go. If we’re late, His Highness will be angry again.”
Seeing Song Shuyu sitting motionless before the dressing table, Chunxiao called out to her.
Song Shuyu came back to herself and lowered her head to check her clothes.
“Let’s go.”
Song Shuyu walked toward the dining hall.
Only after arriving did she realize that Prince Ling wasn’t there.
“His Highness has something to attend to and won’t be joining us for dinner.”
“You may all return. The servants will deliver your meals later.”
Secondary Consort Wei gave the order with a disappointed expression.
She had thought that since Prince Ling had finally returned, and Princess Consort Ling was still unconscious, she might have a chance to spend some private time with him today.
But then one of Prince Ling’s guards had come to tell them, “His Highness is busy and won’t be coming.”
The other women in the household were all disappointed when they heard.
They spent every day confined to the rear residence, unable to go anywhere.
It was rare for them to have the chance to dine with Prince Ling, yet once again, he wasn’t coming.
When Prince Ling eventually ascended the throne and had three thousand beauties in his harem, there would be even less hope of him noticing these old companions.
The women all had more or less the same thought, and none of them moved.
Secondary Consort Wei’s expression darkened at once.
“What? His Highness isn’t here, so you no longer listen when I speak?”
Seeing Secondary Consort Wei grow angry, the women finally left reluctantly, each taking her child by the hand.
Song Shuyu, however, was delighted.
She had been struck today and was still angry about it.
She had no desire to face Prince Ling and put on a smiling expression.
Song Shuyu rose and left with Chunxiao.
Secondary Consort Wei stared at the carefully prepared dishes, feeling deeply disappointed that the guest of honor had never arrived.
Only after seeing everyone else leave did Zhenzhu lean close to Secondary Consort Wei’s ear and whisper,
“Consort, I just made some inquiries.”
“As soon as His Highness returned to the residence, he summoned his advisers to the study. They’ve been discussing matters there until now.”
A flicker passed through Secondary Consort Wei’s eyes.
“Zhenzhu, have the servants pack up all the food here and send it to His Highness.”
“Then pass on a message to him.”
“Tell him that no matter how busy he is, he must take care of his health.”
Zhenzhu’s face lit up with a smile.
“Yes, Consort. I’ll be sure to deliver the message!”
Zhenzhu called for several servants, and before long, they had packed up the food and carried it to the outer courtyard.
Zhenzhu did not notice that someone was following behind her.
