35
Receiving this compliment, Ming Tan smiled until her eyes curved into crescents. With great enthusiasm, she led Jiang Xu around the room, carefully introducing every corner in detail.
Jiang Xu only then realized that in just half a day, the Qian’an Hall had been completely transformed according to the preferences of his young princess consort.
After finishing her explanation, Ming Tan asked cautiously, “A-Tan took the liberty of redecorating the room. Does my husband dislike it? Is anything uncomfortable?”
Indeed, it was quite uncomfortable.
Yet Ming Tan tugged at him gently, swaying and acting coquettishly; her hand was soft and restless, tickling lightly against his palm. Unaccustomed to—and never before having to deal with—a woman in such a manner, every word he spoke went against his true feelings.
“No matter.”
“As long as you like it, that is what matters.”
Upon hearing this, Ming Tan’s smile widened even further, her heart filled with deep satisfaction.
Yet her satisfaction did not come without cost; it had to be repaid in other ways during the night.
After two rounds of exertion that evening, Ming Tan was drenched in sweat and so exhausted she felt as though her body might fall apart. She lay limp in Jiang Xu’s arms, her mind still hazy with thoughts: “The stamina of those trained in martial arts is truly extraordinary. Though my husband speaks little, he becomes so passionate after nightfall. Could it be that married couples must engage like this every single day? That would indeed be far too taxing.”
In truth, Ming Tan’s understanding of what constituted exhaustion was somewhat mistaken. Since their audience at the palace to express gratitude had already been postponed by one day and could not be delayed further, Jiang Xu had deliberately restrained himself considerably. Had he allowed himself full rein, she likely would not have been able to endure an entire day properly dressed in the ceremonial robes befitting a princess consort.
When Ming Tan awoke the next morning still cradled in Jiang Xu’s embrace, her entire body ached. Rubbing her eyes, she attempted to shift onto her back, only to discover the arm encircling her waist held her firmly in place.
She couldn’t move much, but fortunately, she could tilt her head to admire up close her husband’s incomparably handsome face.
She had to admit, her husband was truly exceptionally handsome! In the past, ladies in the capital often said that Second Master Shu was graceful and outstandingly talented. Indeed, Second Master Shu was handsome, yet compared to her own husband, he seemed slightly too gentle, lacking some of the imposing spirit characteristic of men forged on the battlefield.
She extended one finger to touch Jiang Xu’s cheek; seeing no reaction, she secretly added another finger, gently pinched his skin together, and even lightly brushed upward against his eyelashes.
Jiang Xu slept very lightly and had already awakened. Just as he was about to pull away Ming Tan’s mischievous hand, she suddenly nuzzled upward, planting a soft kiss on his chin. Then, her little head nestled further into the curve of his neck, and she wrapped her arms around his waist with evident dependence.
Her lips were warm yet cool, like sweet cheese strained through a sieve, delicate and soft. Jiang Xu paused slightly, momentarily unsure whether he should wake up.
The ancients said, “A haven of tenderness is the grave of heroes.”
He suddenly felt there was some truth to those words.
–
They lay on the couch until the first hour of Chen, when both were awakened by a maid.
After tidying up and freshening themselves, at the hour of Si (around 10 a.m.), the two boarded the princely mansion’s carriage, rarely used even once a year, and proceeded together to the palace.
Upon entering the palace gates, they parted ways: Jiang Xu went to the Imperial Study to meet Emperor Chengkang, while Ming Tan was escorted by a eunuch to Shoukang Palace to pay respects to the Empress Dowager.
Recalling how the Empress Dowager had once intended to arrange a marriage for her, Ming Tan felt a certain apprehension about facing potential difficulties. Yet she did not let this unease show on her face; after parting from Jiang Xu, she assumed the dignified demeanor befitting a princess consort, gazing straight ahead with composed grace.
The current Empress Dowager and the reigning emperor were not mother and son by birth.
The Emperor was born of the late Emperor’s first Empress, while Empress Dowager Su of Shoukang Palace was the late Emperor’s second Empress, who herself bore two sons.
Though the past cannot be reclaimed, even a moment’s reflection reveals that with three legitimate sons born to two different Empresses, the succession to the throne could hardly have been as peacefully straightforward as it appeared on the surface.
Moreover, since the late Emperor’s first Empress died early, her natal family was far less entrenched than that of the second Empress. It seems likely that had the Emperor not been installed as Crown Prince from birth, thereby cultivating a steadfast faction supporting the rightful eldest heir, he would have struggled to gain any advantage in his struggle against Empress Dowager Su.
And yet, after losing the contest for power, Empress Dowager Su still resides peacefully in Shoukang Palace, with no one daring to treat her lightly; clearly, she is no gentle soul content merely to spend her days beside a green lamp and ancient Buddha.
By the time she reached this thought, Ming Tan had already been led to the entrance of Shoukang Palace. An elderly matron emerged to meet the inner eunuch and guided Ming Tan inside: “Princess Dingbei, please enter.”
Ming Tan nodded, silently drawing a deep breath.
It was well known that in recent years the Empress Dowager had devoted herself entirely to Buddhism; indeed, Shoukang Palace bore something of the simple, ancient air befitting a devotee. As one proceeded inward, there were no carved beams or painted rafters, no gold or jade ornaments—only the lingering, faint scent of incense that seemed never to fade, calming the heart of all who breathed it.
“Your humble servant pays her respects to Her Majesty the Empress Dowager and Her Majesty the Empress. May both Your Majesties enjoy robust health and ten thousand blessings of golden peace.”
Throughout the journey, the matron had not offered any warning; Empress Her Majesty was also present here. Fortunately, Ming Tan had sharp eyes; from the corner of her vision, she spotted several women seated at the head. Apart from the lady holding prayer beads, who was unmistakably the Empress Dowager, there was another young woman dressed in a deep-red brocade skirt embroidered with golden phoenixes amidst peonies, wearing a hairpin of nine phoenixes greeting the sun. Such attire could belong to no one other than the Empress.
“Rise, and be granted seats.”
Empress Dowager Su’s voice was exceedingly gentle, sounding quite affectionate; however, at this moment, Ming Tan dared not perceive Her Majesty the Empress Dowager as particularly affectionate.
She was no fool; had the Empress Dowager not given indication, how could the guiding matron have failed to remind her that others besides Her Majesty the Empress Dowager were present in the hall? Especially the Empress; had Ming Tan not been keen-eyed just now and failed to pay proper respects to Her Majesty, it would have been uncertain whether the Empress might harbor displeasure.
“Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, please see, was there even a slightest error in what I said?” Empress Zhang smiled brightly. “The Princess of Dingbei is dignified and courteous; none could be more virtuous, gentle, or chaste.”
The Empress Dowager nodded kindly, her face full of affection. “She is indeed excellent; in my view, she matches Xu’er perfectly.”
As soon as she finished speaking, an elderly maid standing at her side stepped forward to present Ming Tan with a gift of first meeting, contained within a box made of red sandalwood.
Ming Tan rose, lowered her head to receive it, then performed a respectful curtsy to express her gratitude for the Empress Dowager’s grace.
Five women were seated in the hall. Besides the Empress Dowager and the Empress, from their conversation, Ming Tan also guessed that the one wearing a six-panel skirt adorned with butterflies playing among a hundred flowers was the Empress Dowager’s youngest daughter, Princess Wenhui; the one in a pale green palace skirt embroidered with orchid patterns was Consort Lan, now the most favored lady in the palace after Consort Yu had been exiled to the Cold Palace; and there was another young, bright-looking maiden—
“Tsk, how boring.”
Before Ming Tan could guess this maiden’s identity, she saw her looking Ming Tan up and down, then suddenly letting out a light scoff.
“Nianci, do not be rude!” Princess Wenhui rebuked sharply.
The Empress Dowager glanced over and gently deflected with a warm tone, “Nianci is simply forthright by nature; she speaks whatever comes to mind. There’s no need to be too harsh on her. Your new Princess Xu is virtuous; surely she wouldn’t stoop to quarreling with a young girl like her.”
Ming Tan: “…”
She herself was still just a young girl.
Consort Lan, perhaps realizing this was not the occasion for her to speak, lowered her eyes and toyed silently with her teacup lid, remaining quiet and barely uttering a word. It was the Empress who took up the conversation, introducing Zhai Nianci to Ming Tan.
Zhai Nianci was the daughter of Princess Wenhui, thus the granddaughter of Empress Dowager Su. Greatly favored by the Empress Dowager, she had even been bestowed the title “Lady of Yongle County.” Given such backing, it was no wonder she felt confident enough to confront anyone she met.
Ming Tan had no intention of quarreling with someone she would likely not see for another three or five years, yet despite her willingness to let it go, the County Princess of Yongle seemed afflicted by some strange compulsion, relentlessly provoking her.
One moment she says, “Could it be that all the noble ladies in the capital are as dull as Her Highness? How utterly boring!” and the next, “Her Highness clearly knows nothing of battlefield strife; what could she possibly have to discuss with His Highness the Prince of Dingbei?”
Ming Tan listened with a smile for some time, then suddenly countered with a question: “In all the years I have been in the capital, I have rarely heard of the Lady of Yongle County. I presume the Lady did not reside in the capital for long in the past?”
Zhai Nianci remained languid and did not answer her at all.
It was the Empress who broke the silence, saying, “Nianci has accompanied her father on northern campaigns and indeed rarely returns to the capital.”
Oh, I see.
Ming Chu, the version with a prestigious family background.
And she accompanied her father on the northern campaign. Her husband is none other than the King of Dingbei; perhaps this Lady of Yongle County forged some connection with him during those years on the northern frontier.
Moreover, every word out of Lady Yongle’s mouth implies that a delicate, sheltered young lady like herself is unworthy of His Highness the Prince of Dingbei. Does that not essentially mean she considers herself perfectly suited for him?
Once Ming Tan identified the root of the hostility, she no longer feared addressing it directly.
She delicately sipped her tea and smiled gently. “Your Ladyship is every bit as courageous and spirited as any man; I truly admire you. However, young ladies in the capital have always taken Her Majesty the Empress Dowager and Her Majesty the Empress as their models, learning how to be dignified and virtuous, how to restrain themselves and uphold propriety, how to manage servants, and how to run a household, thereby securing stability for their husbands’ families. This, too, can hardly be called dull.”
“Moreover, His Highness spends his days in the military camp, surrounded by generals discussing strategy and command. Upon returning home, he likely desires nothing more than a tranquil haven. As his wife, offering warm words of care, serving him a bowl of soup, or sharing casual conversation about daily life would surely bring greater comfort to his heart.”
“…”
Zhai Nici found herself momentarily speechless, unable for a long while to muster any rebuttal.
Isn’t the Princess of Dingbei essentially pointing a finger at her nose, accusing her of being ill-bred and disrespectful? Yet she couldn’t possibly retort, especially since the other had already invoked the Empress Dowager and the Empress as shields.
What made her heart skip a beat even more was that, between the lines, the Princess of Dingbei was implying that His Highness the Prince of Dingbei had no desire to discuss military deployments with his wife; there would be plenty of time for bedroom pleasures once they returned home, so she should stop being self-righteous and meddling in affairs that weren’t hers.
–
Meanwhile, inside the Imperial Study, Emperor Chengkang tapped the desk with an approved memorial, asking with evident interest, “How is your new marriage? Now that you’ve taken a princess as your wife, you can finally be considered to have established a family.”
Jiang Xu stood with his hands behind his back, replying dismissively, “Nothing much, merely somewhat tedious.”
“…”
“Who asked you whether it’s complicated or not?”
Jiang Xu gazed at him silently with a look that seemed to say, “Then what exactly is Your Majesty asking?”
Emperor Chengkang found himself at a loss for words.
Oh well, in the end, it was merely his own desire to keep Ming Tingyuan close; the engagement had been arranged as a temporary measure. Given Jiang Xu’s nature, expecting him to suddenly gain insight just because of marriage was unclear—who exactly was being put in a difficult position?
Emperor Chengkang pondered for a moment, then added, “I’ve heard that this princess consort of yours enjoys quite a reputation among the noble ladies of the capital. Since she is your legitimately wedded wife, you must not treat her poorly.”
Jiang Xu merely responded with an “Mm.”
Yesterday alone, her antics had cost five thousand taels of silver, yet he had said nothing; clearly, this could not be considered poor treatment. However, according to her plans for renovating the princely mansion, nearly another hundred thousand taels would be required—far too extravagant. Upon their return, he would certainly have to reprimand her accordingly.
Emperor Chengkang, unsure of what Jiang Xu was thinking and interpreting his nonchalant demeanor as reluctance to discuss his new bride, shifted the conversation to recent court affairs.
By noon, Emperor Chengkang and Jiang Xu finally exited the Imperial Study. Unwilling to remain in the palace for the midday meal, Jiang Xu proceeded directly to Shoukang Palace to fetch Ming Tan.
Upon arriving at Shoukang Palace, he saw Ming Tan following behind the Empress and others as they emerged from the hall.
She was walking alongside the County Princess of Yongle, engaged in some conversation, when suddenly she stumbled, seemingly twisting her ankle on the steps. Immediately, her delicate brows furrowed, and a soft hiss of pain escaped her lips.
Jiang Xu didn’t even think twice before stepping forward and scooping her up into his arms.
Zhai Nianci: “…?”
Even Emperor Chengkang, upon hearing the news in his own palace, was momentarily bewildered.