Yun Wan took small bites of the chestnut cake in her hand, trying her best to be careful, yet crumbs still scattered across her palm.
Yun Wan pulled out a clean handkerchief to wipe the corners of Sui’s mouth and his hands, gently reminding him, "Don’t eat too much, or you’ll have indigestion."
"Yes, Mother!" Sui nodded eagerly, looking utterly obedient.
A pang of unease struck Yun Wan’s heart.
Suddenly, a warm touch brushed her cheek—Sui had pressed his clean hand lightly against her face. "Mother, do you not want me to go to the Hongwen Institute?"
Yun Wan looked up abruptly, startled.
Sui kicked off his shoes and climbed onto the couch, kneeling beside Yun Wan and nestling close. "I overheard your conversation with Uncle earlier. Uncle wants to send me to the Hongwen Institute, just like Cousin Changze, but you don’t."
Surprised by his perceptiveness, Yun Wan stroked the back of his round head and sighed. "Sui, do you know what the Hongwen Institute is?"
Sui lowered his hands and shook his head. "But I’ve heard that students there can enter the library, which holds the most extensive collection of books in all of Great Qi!"
At the mention of the library, his eyes sparkled.
Yun Wan’s heart softened as she recognized his longing. Sui had always loved reading—sometimes so absorbed that he lost track of time, a true little bookworm.
Her initial resistance wavered. Still, she fretted, "The Hongwen Institute is filled with children of nobility and royalty, all with different temperaments. Aren’t you afraid?"
"Why should I be?"
Sui tilted his head, blinking in confusion.
His gaze was pure and clear, devoid of any fear or hesitation—utterly open and unguarded.
It was as if something struck Yun Wan’s heart. "I nearly lost myself in unnecessary worries," she murmured.
Her reluctance to let Sui attend the Hongwen Institute stemmed from fear—fear that his origins might be questioned.
But the more she resisted, the more suspicious it would seem, wouldn’t it?
Besides, five years had passed without incident. Did that mean no one knew the truth except her?
What was she so afraid of?
With this realization, Yun Wan felt a weight lift from her shoulders.
She had nearly trapped herself in a spiral of anxiety, but now, freed from those thoughts, she felt light and at ease.
Pulling Sui into a hug, she said cheerfully, "I’ve made up my mind. If the Hongwen Institute will benefit you, then we’ll go!"
Delighted by his mother’s change of heart, Sui beamed and eagerly shared, "I love the essays written by Scholar Xu."
"You can understand them?" Yun Wan was astonished.
Scholar Xu, a renowned Confucian scholar of their time, was celebrated for his unparalleled prose. She had read a few pieces herself.
Sui nodded, then shook his head. "Some I understand, some I don’t. If only I could ask Scholar Xu in person someday."
Pride swelled in Yun Wan’s chest at his intelligence. She tapped his nose playfully and smiled. "Once you enter the Hongwen Institute, you might get that chance. He could even become your teacher."
"Really?"
"Of course. When has Mother ever lied to you?"
"........."
That evening, a servant from the Compassion Hall arrived with instructions for Yun Wan to prepare for their palace visit in two days, delivering two sets of garments—one large, one small.
The palace was a place of countless rules. Yun Wan spent the afternoon teaching Sui the essential etiquette, though she wasn’t overly concerned—with the Dowager Lady present, she and Sui wouldn’t need to take center stage.
Two days later, shortly after the rooster’s crow, the Dowager Lady’s head maid came to hurry them along. Yun Wan rose to bathe and dress.
She sipped a bowl of bird’s nest soup to settle her stomach before donning the gown sent by the Dowager Lady—a cloud-mother-colored silk dress with intricate floral patterns, layered with a soft misty gauze overdress.
While styling her hair, Yue Jian asked, "My Lady, shall I arrange your hair in a Cloud-Reaching Chignon today?"
Yun Wan nodded. "No need for excessive ornaments. Just the pear blossom hairpin will do."
Yue Jian paused, then understood.
The pear blossom hairpin had been carved by the late Third Master himself, from jade he personally selected for his wife. Over time, it became a symbol of their deep affection, and Yun Wan wore it on special occasions.
After securing the chignon, Yue Jian fastened the hairpin and added two delicate, understated silk flowers as accents.
By mid-morning, Sui had also woken.
Still too young for a formal topknot, his hair was tied into a simple knot with a ribbon. He wore a newly tailored indigo-blue round-collared robe embroidered with carnations, a pouch sewn by Yun Wan hanging at his waist—his whole appearance neat and spirited.
When the time came, Yun Wan led Sui to the main gate, where the Dowager Lady had yet to arrive.
They waited in the carriage for about a quarter of an hour before the Dowager Lady joined them. The carriage then set off toward the palace, wheels leaving faint tracks on the stone-paved road.
After an hour’s journey through the bustling streets from the Lu Estate, they arrived at the Western Glory Gate of the imperial city.
No carriages were permitted beyond this point. The party disembarked and were greeted by an attendant.
"This humble servant greets the Dowager Lady, the Third Lady, and Young Master Changsui."
Chun Tang, Consort Shu’s head maid, welcomed them with a smile, her eyes lingering on Yun Wan in admiration.
Years had passed, yet the Third Lady had only grown more striking.
Her features were exquisitely refined, and her flawless, snow-white skin was a rarity.
Paired with her graceful bearing and elegant figure, she would stand out even among the palace’s famed beauties—hardly resembling a widowed mother.
As for the young master, he took after his mother—fair and bright as a jade doll, instantly endearing.
Holding Sui’s hand, Yun Wan stood quietly beside the Dowager Lady and offered Chun Tang a faint smile.
Recognizing the maid from Consort Shu’s household, the Dowager Lady brightened. "Greetings, Miss Chun Tang. How have Her Ladyship and the Third Prince been?"
Chun Tang stepped forward to support the Dowager Lady’s arm. "Rest assured, My Lady. Her Ladyship and His Highness are both well. Knowing of your visit, Her Ladyship has been so overjoyed these past days that she’s eaten two extra bowls of rice each meal."
The Dowager Lady patted her hand in relief. "That’s good to hear."
Consort Shu was the Dowager Lady’s only daughter, the Lu family’s legitimate heir, who had entered the palace at fifteen—thirteen years ago.
Since her youngest son’s passing, the Dowager Lady had worried endlessly about her daughter’s life in the palace.
The imperial palace was heavily guarded, sentries posted every ten paces. Walking down the long corridor past the Western Glory Gate, the imposing aura pressed upon them, and the group instinctively tensed.
Yun Wan followed silently behind the Dowager Lady, her expression serene.
Five years had passed since her last visit to the palace.
Though outwardly composed, her heart raced, and her palms grew damp with sweat.
Then, a faint tickle in her palm.
She glanced down to see Sui slipping a handkerchief into her hand. The taut string in her chest suddenly loosened.
Yun Wan gave him a reassuring smile.
By mid-morning, they finally reached the Eternal Spring Palace.
