Yao Huang's carriage turned into Longevity Alley just as the neighbors were having lunch at home, leaving the lane quiet and empty.
The Yao family of three had forgotten to ask the imperial envoy when their daughter would return. Amid the whirlwind of emotions during the imperial decree announcement, they only realized afterward that the envoy had likely already returned to the palace.
It was the gatekeeper, Gui, who heard movement outside. Peering through the door crack, he caught sight of two finely dressed maids helping Yao Huang alight from the carriage.
Gui, both shocked and delighted, unlatched the gate while shouting at the top of his lungs, "Master, Mistress! The young miss is back!"
His booming voice carried into the main hall, where the Yao family dropped their bowls in surprise. Neighbors on either side pricked up their ears and rushed out in excitement.
Amid the flurry of footsteps, Zhang Yue exchanged a glance with the seven guards. The eight of them took up positions around the future princess consort and her carriage, swords at the ready, ensuring no one approached without permission.
Among the four palace maids, Huamei and Bailing—originally second-tier maids in Imperial Consort Du’s palace—were accustomed to noble etiquette. They frowned at Gui’s loud announcement.
Bailing was merely unaccustomed, but Huamei, entrusted by Imperial Consort Du with this task, was filled with disdain. Prince Hui ignored Her Highness’s advice and insisted on marrying a low-ranking officer’s daughter as his primary consort. He’ll regret it sooner or later!
As for Chunyan and Qiuchan, they were randomly selected from a new batch of palace maids. Imperial Consort Du’s personal attendants were all meticulously trained and long-serving—she wouldn’t part with them all for Prince Hui’s sake.
Once out of the palace, Yao Huang no longer felt the same urgency to rush home. Along the way, she happily weighed the silver ingots and admired her new jewelry, returning to her family’s doorstep with calm composure.
Hearing Gui’s thunderous announcement, Yao Huang instinctively observed the four maids, catching every subtle shift in their expressions.
Finally, the gate swung open. Yao Zhenhu, Luo Jinhua, and Yao Lin rushed out as if racing, followed by the equally excited cook, Lady Wu, and her two daughters, Qiaoniang and Aji.
"Mother!"
Seeing her family after over a month apart, Yao Huang’s eyes welled up instantly. She threw herself into her mother’s arms, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Luo Jinhua glanced at the unfamiliar guards and maids, then deliberately teased in a loud voice, "The palace food must be excellent—look at you, you’ve gained weight!"
Yao Huang: "..."
Huamei lowered her eyes to hide her disgust. What a vulgar woman!
Noticing Yao Zhenhu’s scrutiny of the guards, Zhang Yue stepped forward and saluted, introducing their roles. Given the Yao family’s modest household, the eight guards would split into day and night shifts, with two stationed at each gate—more than sufficient.
Yao Zhenhu laughed heartily. "His Highness is too considerate! But Longevity Alley hasn’t seen a thief in years. Stationing you here is a waste of talent—you should return to serve His Highness."
Zhang Yue: "..."
Yao Huang was stunned by her father’s bluntness. Wiping her tears, she turned to him. "Father, His Highness arranged this for my safety. I appreciate it, so please don’t interfere."
Seeing his daughter’s sweet smile, Yao Zhenhu relented. He warmly asked Zhang Yue, "Have you eaten? We’ve just steamed fresh buns—care to join us?"
Zhang Yue: "Thank you, sir, but we’ve already eaten. Please accompany the young miss inside to rest."
Worried her father might say something else inappropriate, Yao Huang let Zhang Yue handle the guard arrangements and led her family into the courtyard.
The neighbors, intimidated by the guards, didn’t dare follow but returned to their homes.
Inside the Yao family’s small courtyard, Yao Huang briefly introduced the four maids to her family. Glancing at the southern room in the west wing, she told their own maid, Aji, "Take them to tidy up the southern room—they’ll stay there. Once done, prepare some food for them."
Aji nodded nervously, intimidated by the maids’ attire, which outshone even the mistress’s.
Yao Huang then said to Huamei, "Rest after your meal. There’s no need to rush into duties."
Huamei responded coolly, and Aji led the maids away.
The Yao family gathered in the main hall. After the kitchen brought an extra bowl and chopsticks for Yao Huang and withdrew, Luo Jinhua shut the door. Eyes red, she clasped her daughter’s hands, examining her. "Tell me, were you mistreated or bullied all this time?"
Yao Huang laughed. "You’re overthinking it. Under the matrons’ watch, the selection process was harmonious—not a single harsh word was spoken."
Luo Jinhua: "Well, your complexion is rosy, and you haven’t lost weight."
Yao Huang: "How could I? We weren’t allowed to run or jump in that tiny space—no way to burn energy. Let’s eat while we talk. I only had a plain bun this morning and I’m starving!"
Yao Zhenhu’s eyes widened. "The palace—the wealthiest place in the world—only fed you plain buns?"
Yao Huang: "Just this morning. Dry and bland, but least likely to spoil."
Pushing past her father, Yao Huang weakly sat at the redwood table and picked up a steaming bun. The familiar taste—thin skin, juicy filling—was unmistakably her mother’s handiwork.
She devoured half in one bite before glancing at her family, who surrounded her on three sides, watching intently.
Yao Lin: "Now you seem like my sister again. Out there, you were like a different person."
Luo Jinhua: "What do you know? Yao Yao is a future princess consort now. Every move is watched by guards and maids—she has to act dignified."
Yao Huang: "Exactly. Appearances matter in public."
Yao Zhenhu grumbled again. "So many rules, and Prince Hui is crippled. Be honest, Yao Yao—do you even want to be his consort?"
Yao Huang gasped. "What are you saying? Of course I do!"
She then listed the benefits of marrying Prince Hui and the rewards she’d received that day.
Luo Jinhua smiled proudly. "I knew it. Yao Yao takes after me—sharp as a tack."
Yao Zhenhu snorted. "Don’t just focus on the luxuries. Fine clothes and jewels are fleeting—what matters is the person by your side for life. Look at me and your mother. When she’s angry, I fetch tea, massage her shoulders, and carry her shopping bags. But Prince Hui? He can’t go anywhere with you. Instead, you’ll have to tend to his every need—even help him relieve himself! And who knows if he can even father children?"
Yao Huang’s bun froze mid-bite.
Luo Jinhua smacked him with her chopsticks. "Enough! Must you be so crude?"
Yao Lin scolded his father. "Mind your words—she’s still young."
Having spent years among rough soldiers, he was used to coarse talk, but his sister wasn’t.
Yao Zhenhu snatched his wife’s chopsticks. "It’s the truth! Prince Hui is a hero for his battlefield sacrifices, but I won’t throw my daughter into a pit of misery."
Yao Huang felt warmth in her heart and no longer blamed her father for his thoughtless remarks ruining her appetite. She smiled and said, "Dad, I understand everything you're saying. The problem is, back then, I had no choice. Marrying Prince Hui was my best option. I was the one who first caught his eye, and I'm already grateful he was willing to accept me. How could I turn around and complain about his leg? That would make me an ungrateful wretch. Does our Yao family raise people like that?"
Yao Zhenhu replied, "No, of course not. I just—"
Yao Huang set down her chopsticks and glanced at her silently concerned mother and brother before speaking earnestly. "I saw it with my own eyes—Prince Hui is exceptionally handsome, a prince with both looks and military achievements. If his leg were perfectly fine, would this opportunity have fallen to me? One must be content with what they have. I’m gaining the status of a princess consort, so it’s only fair that I accept the inconvenience of his condition. Gains and losses go hand in hand."
"Dad, I’m marrying him willingly. The imperial decree has already been issued. If you truly care for me, you should be as happy as I am and help me prepare for the wedding. From now on, Prince Hui is your future son-in-law. If you keep nitpicking, making assumptions, or deliberately poking at his flaws, you’re only humiliating me. And if anyone makes me unhappy, I’ll cut them off."
Her gaze was stern as she looked from her father to her brother.
Yao Lin was the first to surrender. "Fine, fine! From now on, I’ll only speak well of him. If anyone dares mock the prince, I’ll beat them up!"
Yao Huang corrected, "Beating people is illegal. A warning will suffice. We don’t want outsiders accusing us of bullying others or saying the prince can’t handle criticism."
Yao Lin nodded repeatedly.
Luo Jinhua ladled soup for her daughter. "Our Yao Yao is so clever. If you two had even half her sense, I wouldn’t have grown white hair so early."
Yao Zhenhu grumbled, "Here we go again! It’s just one white hair, and you’ve been complaining since New Year!"
Luo Jinhua retorted, "One leads to another. I’ve aged from worrying about you two!"
Yao Zhenhu fell silent.
Yao Huang watched the exchange with amusement. When her father shot her a pleading look, she raised an eyebrow and demanded, "Did you remember everything I just said?"
Yao Zhenhu muttered reluctantly, "...Yes. Prince Hui is my son-in-law. He can criticize me, but I can’t criticize him. Right?"
Yao Huang added, "That depends on what he criticizes. If he’s being unreasonable, I’ll side with you."
Yao Zhenhu was satisfied. A biological daughter was indeed a biological daughter!
---
After the meal, Lady Wu and Qiaoniang cleared the dishes. Luo Jinhua instructed her husband and son to guard the front and back courtyards to prevent eavesdroppers while she and her daughter lounged comfortably on the heated kang bed in the east room, basking in the afternoon sun as they shared private words. Their conversation revolved around Yao Huang’s experiences in the palace, particularly involving the imperial consorts and other selected maidens—topics unsuitable for Yao Zhenhu and Yao Lin’s ears.
At first, Luo Jinhua listened leisurely, but when Yao Huang mentioned Imperial Consort Du’s disdain for her, she sat up abruptly, frowning. "This is bad. If the Imperial Consort dislikes you, trouble is inevitable. Ordinary mothers-in-law are hard enough to deal with, but she’s an imperial consort! Crushing you would be as easy as stepping on an ant."
Yao Huang had already considered this. "As a maiden candidate, she could treat me like an ant and humiliate me freely. But once I become a princess consort, our statuses will be nearly equal—she’ll only have the advantage of seniority. Even in the imperial family, reason must prevail. If I don’t provoke her and she still tries to torment me, I’ll take the matter to the Empress. If it escalates, she’ll be the one losing face."
As a commoner, no one expected refined manners from her—being a little rough around the edges was expected. But Imperial Consort Du was different. Born into nobility, she was raised with strict decorum. Any stain on her reputation would infuriate her.
Luo Jinhua nodded. "Still, much depends on Prince Hui’s attitude. How close is he to the Imperial Consort?"
Yao Huang replied, "I’ll observe carefully after marriage."
But she had a feeling Prince Hui wasn’t particularly close to Imperial Consort Du—otherwise, he wouldn’t have ignored her suggestions during the selection process.
The afternoon sun was so soothing that Yao Huang eventually dozed off beside her mother, waking only when the sun dipped low in the sky, feeling refreshed.
Luo Jinhua sent Aji to fetch water for her daughter to wash her face.
When Aji returned, she was accompanied by the palace maid Huamei.
Seeing Yao Huang’s disheveled hair and sleepy demeanor, Huamei frowned. "Has the young lady forgotten all the etiquette and decorum she learned in the palace so soon after leaving?"
Aji’s hands trembled as she set down the copper basin, while Luo Jinhua’s eyebrows shot up.
Yao Huang merely smiled and asked calmly, "What exactly have I done wrong?"
Huamei lifted her chin and listed two offenses: "First, a young lady of seventeen should no longer nap in her parents’ room. Second, sleeping all afternoon is improper for an official’s daughter, let alone a future princess consort."
Yao Huang nodded and said to Aji, "Go summon Bailing and the others."
Aji didn’t dare question her; she simply obeyed.
Soon, Bailing, Chunyan, and Qiuchan entered one after another. Yao Zhenhu and Yao Lin eavesdropped from the main hall, while Lady Wu and Qiaoniang lingered under the eaves.
Yao Huang instructed Huamei to repeat her earlier remarks.
Huamei did so, her tone righteous.
Yao Lin gritted his teeth outside, but Yao Zhenhu held him back, whispering, "Your mother hasn’t called for us. Stay put."
A mere maid like this was no match for his wife—no need for the men to intervene.
Inside, Yao Huang ignored Huamei for the moment and asked Bailing, "Before Imperial Consort Du sent you to the selection pavilion, did she give you instructions? Were you to teach me palace etiquette as her envoys, or were you gifted to me as maids, bound to serve me loyally from then on?"
The newcomers, Chunyan and Qiuchan, instinctively looked at Bailing.
Bailing felt a pang of unease but answered respectfully, "My lady, the Imperial Consort bestowed the four of us upon you, repeatedly emphasizing that we must be loyal and serve you wholeheartedly."
In truth, Imperial Consort Du hadn’t said nearly as much, but Bailing had to embellish for the sake of her mistress’s reputation.
Yao Huang then turned to Huamei. "Is what Bailing said true?"
Huamei had no choice but to agree.
Yao Huang continued, "If I am your master and you my servants, tell me—since when do servants reprimand their masters?"
Huamei argued, "This servant only meant well—"
Yao Huang cut her off. "As the Emperor’s chosen princess consort, am I so foolish that I can’t distinguish right from wrong without a maid’s guidance?"
Huamei fell silent.
Yao Huang declared, "Since this is your first offense, I’ll only punish you with three slaps. Remember this lesson and conduct yourself properly in the future, lest your actions reflect poorly on Imperial Consort Du’s ability to discipline her maids."
Huamei stiffened.
Yao Huang added coolly, "What? Did no palace matron ever teach you how to slap yourself?"
Realizing she couldn’t escape punishment, Huamei gritted her teeth and raised her hand. Under the watchful eyes of Luo Jinhua, Aji, and the other maids, she delivered three light but humiliating slaps to her own face.
The force was minimal, but the blow to her pride was undeniable.
Perhaps Bailing and the others weren’t actually mocking her, but the more arrogant a person was, the harder it became to endure such "humiliation."
Yao Huang said, "Aji stays. The rest of you may leave. Remember, unless there’s something to report, no one is to come without my summons. Do not presume to act on your own."
Huamei was the first to withdraw, and Bailing and the other two quickly followed.
Aji let out a quiet sigh of relief, while Luo Jinhua gave her daughter an approving look. This was how it should be—how could a future princess allow a mere palace maid to walk all over her?
