Chapter Twenty-Four
Empress Dowager Chen could not wait another moment. She summoned Qi An and Qian He and said, “Go through all my dowry, as well as everything that family has sent over the years. If anything is missing, turn it into silver. I don’t want even a single needle or thread to remain connected to them. Clear it all out.”
Having served Empress Dowager Chen for decades, the two immediately understood what it meant to see her looking so radiant, so unlike her former self. She was finally ready to let go of the past.
“Yes, we’ll get right to it. We promise not a single thing will be missed.” They answered brightly, their voices brimming with delight.
Once the two had left, Aunt Gao and Aunt Xia wiped at the corners of their eyes together. “Heavens above, you’ve finally come through it, haven’t you?”
Cui Lanyin was utterly bewildered. Was Empress Dowager Chen really returning her dowry? In all her years, she had never heard of anyone returning a dowry to her mother’s family—much less a reigning empress dowager. If she kept the matter discreet, perhaps it would be all right. But if she made a public display of it, the entire city would be watching the greatest spectacle under heaven. Cui Lanyin hardly dared imagine how sensational it would be.
She silently repeated the phrase, “helping outsiders stab her own family in the back.” What sort of past could it refer to, that Empress Dowager Chen still could not let go of the Chen family and had to sever ties with such ruthless finality before she could lay the matter to rest?
Nothing involving the imperial family was ever simple.
Afraid they might continue discussing things she ought not hear, Cui Lanyin rose to take her leave when noon approached. Empress Dowager Chen looked at her kindly. “If you return at this hour, your family will have already missed the meal. Stay and dine with me.”
Before Cui Lanyin could answer, Aunt Xia instructed the young eunuch standing nearby, “Hurry to the kitchens and have them prepare a few dishes that young ladies enjoy.”
The young eunuch answered hurriedly and ran out. Aunt Xia turned back and took Cui Lanyin by the hand. “It’s rather late today, so make do with what we have. Next time, you can choose whatever you like.”
“Then won’t I spend the whole meal looking forward to the next one?”
Everyone burst into laughter, and the atmosphere in the hall immediately relaxed.
When the young eunuch brought in the meal, there were the soft, easily digested dishes prepared for Empress Dowager Chen, along with four ordinary dishes—fried, deep-fried, and stir-fried fare beloved by young girls. Cui Lanyin found every one of them to her taste.
The walk from the Horse Landing Bridge to Funing Palace had tired her out. She quickly finished a bowl of rice with the dishes, then ate two steamed dumplings before setting down her silver chopsticks shortly after Empress Dowager Chen had done the same.
Empress Dowager Chen pointed at Cui Lanyin with a smile. “They say beauty is enough to satisfy one’s appetite. I believe it today. Looking at her has filled me up.”
Aunt Gao handed her a damp cloth. “That’s wonderful. You haven’t had such a good appetite in ages. It seems we’ll have to invite Second Young Lady to dine with you more often.”
Empress Dowager Chen did not even look at Cui Lanyin. “I wonder whether the young lady herself would be willing.”
Her manner reminded Cui Lanyin so strongly of Lady Tan that, after spending this much time with her, she had realized Empress Dowager Chen was simply hard-mouthed but soft-hearted. She was no longer afraid of her.
Besides, her earlier remarks about not wanting or raising sons born to concubines had struck directly at Empress Dowager Chen’s old wound. Though she had tried to make amends afterward, Empress Dowager Chen had not blamed her. Cui Lanyin still wanted to do something for her, if only to ease her own conscience.
She leaned closer and said, “Your Majesty, why don’t we replace the gauze screens in this room with glazed windows? Once you have glazed windows, I’ll want to come visit every day. Getting more sunlight will surely lift your spirits. If you ask me, the last thing you should do is make yourself miserable over someone else’s mistakes. You ought to enjoy yourself every day and watch other people stew.”
“Exactly! Exactly! Second Young Lady is absolutely right.” Aunt Gao and Aunt Xia stamped their feet in vexation. “We’re nothing but a pair of dullards. How did we never think of saying something like that to comfort Your Majesty?”
Empress Dowager Chen laughed heartily. “Replace them! Not just the windows in this room—all the windows in Funing Palace. I want to enjoy myself every day while watching other people grow miserable.”
“It’s rare to find someone whose temperament matches mine so well. Come keep me company whenever you have free time and talk with me.”
Empress Dowager Chen’s gaze softened as she looked at Cui Lanyin. Then she turned to Aunt Gao. “While those two are sorting through the storerooms, go choose some things suitable for a young girl and send them to her home.”
Cui Lanyin felt too embarrassed to accept anything more. “You’ve already given me so much. Really, there’s no need.”
Seeing that she was genuinely uncomfortable, Aunt Xia came over and said, “It’s been a hectic day, and it won’t be easy to find anything suitable right away. Why not give them to her once we’ve finished sorting through everything? Second Young Lady will be coming often from now on, so waiting a day or two won’t matter.”
Only then did Empress Dowager Chen agree, and she ordered people to see Cui Lanyin out of the palace.
Cui Lanyin quickly said there was no need—Buyan was with her.
Still, Aunt Gao and Aunt Xia accompanied her all the way to the gates of Funing Palace. Cui Lanyin did not know when it had happened, but the two women had begun speaking of her just like the people at Prince Wei’s residence did, constantly referring to her as “Second Young Lady.”
She had just left the lane in front of Funing Palace and was about to head south when two eunuchs called out to stop her.
One of them approached with a fawning smile. “Are you Second Young Lady Cui? We serve in Lijing Palace. One of the loose-tongued people in our palace caused you some trouble, and Her Ladyship feels terribly apologetic. She wishes to invite you over for a little conversation.”
They were from Consort Shun’s palace. A single eunuch had said too much, yet Consort Shun had gone so far as to summon her personally. Even with Prince Wei and Empress Dowager Chen at her back, Cui Lanyin still did not believe she had gained enough standing in the eyes of the nobility to warrant this. Something about it felt wrong.
Consort Shun had given birth to Emperor Xuanning’s eldest son, Prince Kang. Though she did not enjoy the emperor’s favor and her rank was even lower than that of Consort Ning, mother of Prince An, who had entered the palace later, no one dared take her lightly.
Cui Lanyin had heard that Consort Shun was competitive and loved to rise above others. She could not bear being treated with disregard. If someone touched a sore spot of hers, she would go to any lengths to restore her dignity, whether by summoning Prince Kang or by making a scene herself.
Besides, one could not refuse a summons from a noblewoman. No matter what, Cui Lanyin had to make this trip.
Buyan edged closer and whispered, “Second Young Lady, don’t be afraid. Young Master Qing told me what to do if we run into an emergency in the palace. We don’t even need to go all the way to Empress Dowager Chen’s palace.”
Cui Lanyin felt considerably more at ease. “It’s fortunate you came with me.”
She followed the two eunuchs toward Lijing Palace.
Once they arrived, the two eunuchs stopped Buyan outside and invited only Cui Lanyin into the side hall where Consort Shun usually sat.
Fortunately, Buyan remained outside in the corridor. Cui Lanyin was not a palace eunuch or maidservant whom Consort Shun could kill at will, so she entered at an unhurried pace.
Consort Shun looked older than her actual years. As the saying went, one’s appearance reflected one’s heart; the beauty that had once been hers now carried a hint of sharpness.
At present, however, she was extremely warm. After Cui Lanyin offered her formal greeting, Consort Shun immediately took her hand and led her to the chair beside her couch.
She examined Cui Lanyin from head to toe before praising her. “What a peerless beauty. No wonder.”
No wonder what? Cui Lanyin had a bad feeling.
“Your Ladyship flatters me.”
“I think of you as one of my own children, so I’ll speak plainly.” Consort Shun held Cui Lanyin’s hand with intimate fondness. “I failed to keep order in my palace and allowed those fools to spread word that you suffer from a head ailment. The moment I thought it might affect your marriage, I became so anxious that I could neither sit nor sleep these past few days.”
“Your Ladyship, please don’t take it to heart. It won’t affect anything.”
“You’re such a good, honest child, still saying that even now. Tell me—what plans does your family have for you? I asked the Imperial Medical Office. Your ailment is difficult to cure, and given your grandmother’s precedent, you may…”
She let the words trail off. “All the more reason for you to make proper plans for your own future.”
“If you ask me, since you can’t have children of your own, you might as well give up on living the life of an ordinary married couple. In the end, you’ll only be working for someone else’s benefit.” Consort Shun did not wait for her reply and continued on her own. “With your beauty and talent, you’d be better off seeking unimaginable wealth and becoming someone everyone has to curry favor with. Whether you bear children or not—what does it matter?”
Cui Lanyin held her breath and forced her face to flush with embarrassment. She rose awkwardly. “Your Highness… If there is nothing else, I… I should be going home.”
“All right, all right. I know young girls like you can’t bear to hear such things. I won’t say any more.” Consort Shun chuckled, but still offered one final hint. “Prince Duan is a generous man. You’ll know what I mean soon enough.”
Cui Lanyin knew she had to make her position clear. Suppressing her fear, she replied slowly and distinctly, “I should inform Your Highness that, when I was young, my family consulted a master of fortune-telling. He said I should not marry before the age of twenty, or I would bring misfortune to my husband and his family. That is why my family has never been in a hurry to arrange my marriage. I’m afraid Your Highness’s efforts will be in vain.”
Cui Lanyin suppressed the urge to flee and only slowly withdrew after giving Consort Shun a respectful curtsy.
The message had been delivered. Since there were other people living in Lijing Palace, Consort Shun was also afraid that someone might see Cui Lanyin and gossip about it afterward. She herself did not care, but Prince Kang could not afford to lose face. Thus, she did not stop Cui Lanyin from leaving and even called over the two eunuchs from earlier to escort her out.
Even after she climbed into the carriage, Cui Lanyin’s mind was still a blank. She had never even met Prince Duan. How could this be happening?
The more she thought about it, the more uneasy she became. Prince Duan could not possibly have sought Consort Shun’s help on his own. Prince Kang had to be involved.
Who had ever said that Prince Kang was simple-minded? This alone showed how deep his schemes ran.
She would have to ask Prince Wei to help her turn down this proposal. Once Prince Duan ascended the throne, Prince Wei would certainly fare poorly, while Prince Kang would advance even further because of his closeness to the future emperor.
Even if Prince Wei did nothing and allowed her to enter Prince Duan’s residence, Prince Duan would still see Prince Kang and Consort Shun as the ones who had brought the matter about, and would remember their kindness. Prince Wei would still be pushed into second place.
No matter what happened, Prince Kang would be the one to benefit.
Cui Lanyin could hardly avoid suspecting that Prince Kang was using her to strike at Prince Wei. After all, with Emperor Xuanning placing increasing importance on Prince Wei these days, Prince Kang—the eldest son—was becoming more and more overshadowed.
Cui Lanyin was so aggrieved she could hardly bear it. One piece of bad luck after another—would it never end?
