At the banquet between the emperor and his ministers, with toasts and praises flying in celebration and recognition of military merit, it was clear the feast would continue for quite a while.
Qingyang, having eaten her fill and watched a dance performance, began blinking slower and slower, her big eyes growing heavier with sleep.
Emperor Xingwu glanced at his drowsy young daughter, then at his eldest daughter, who had just been betrothed without prior notice but still sat gracefully in place, no longer touching her chopsticks.
He gave a subtle signal to the chief eunuch He Yuan.
He Yuan stepped lightly to the seats of the two princesses and said respectfully, “His Majesty says, if the two Highnesses are tired, you may withdraw early with the attendants.”
Yongkang truly had no desire to remain seated.
Holding her younger sister’s hand, she stood up.
The two sisters knelt to salute their father, then departed the Tai Ji Hall through the east side’s rear entrance, just as they had arrived.
Once outside the Tai Ji Hall, the raucous chatter of men, the music of strings and flutes, and the heavy scent of wine all disappeared.
As Yongkang’s heart stirred with complex emotions, Qingyang leaned sleepily on the nursemaid’s shoulder and mumbled with her eyes closed, “Big Sister, I want to go home and sleep.”
Yongkang smiled and patted her sister’s head, intentionally letting Qingyang’s group walk ahead while she and her maid lagged behind a few steps.
Only when there was some distance between them did the upward curve of Yongkang’s lips slowly fade.
Her gaze fell on the top of Qingyang’s head resting against the nursemaid, and layers of envy swelled in her heart.
Her younger sister was born noble and secure, cherished by their father and spoiled by Consort Li.
She even had a doting older brother to keep her company.
In contrast, Yongkang’s own mother had died young, their father was always away, and she couldn’t act spoiled around her foster mother, the Noble Consort.
On top of that, she had to keep a watchful eye on her younger brother, lest he fall into someone’s trap…
Jinshu, the palace maid, saw the conflicted look on her mistress’s face and whispered, “His Majesty really is something. For such a major matter, he didn’t even consult the princess beforehand.”
Yongkang cast her a sidelong glance.
“You think you can criticize the emperor?”
Jinshu bit her lip and lowered her head.
“This servant dares not. This servant just feels sorry for Your Highness.”
Yongkang scoffed, “There’s nothing to feel sorry for. I’d have to marry eventually anyway. The Fu family are founding heroes, it’s hardly a disgrace.”
This empire belonged to her father.
Now that it was stable in his hands, she could safely enjoy her status as a noble princess.
Besides, Father likely planned to pass the throne to her younger brother.
With her marriage to the Fu family, her brother would gain another powerful supporter.
Qingyang had always had the habit of taking afternoon naps.
After a lively morning, she always slept especially well in the afternoon, and today was no different.
Around the second ke of the Shen hour, Qingyang woke up.
Her nursemaid entered with a palace maid, gently coaxing her with sweet words while helping the little princess wash her face and change clothes.
Once dressed, Qingyang instinctively wanted to go to the main hall to find her mother.
The nursemaid smiled and said, “At the noon banquet, His Majesty drank quite a bit and summoned Her Ladyship to tend to him. We servants will take Your Highness to the Imperial Garden to play for a while. Her Ladyship will return shortly.”
Only then did Qingyang remember that they had welcomed Father back to the palace this morning.
Since her mother was with Father, Qingyang wanted to go see him too.
The nursemaid quickly calculated in her head.
Her Ladyship had only been gone half an hour.
His Majesty, mighty and vigorous, had been apart from Her Ladyship for over a year.
At this moment, they were likely still busy.
Under no circumstances could the little princess be allowed to go over and cause trouble.
“Today, the Third Prince doesn’t have lessons. Why doesn’t Your Highness go play with him? Once His Majesty finishes his rest, he’ll summon the princes to Qianyuan Hall.”
On one side were her father and mother, likely still asleep, and on the other, her Third Brother, who rarely got a day off, Qingyang quickly made her choice.
The relieved nursemaid smiled warmly as she accompanied the little princess to the Eastern Palace.
The Third Prince lived in Chengming Palace, located just behind the First Prince’s Chongyuan Palace.
When Qingyang ran in, Qin Ren was in the study practicing calligraphy.
“Is this homework from your tutor?”
Qingyang leaned beside her brother, her chin just above the edge of the desk, enough to see the lines of black characters on the xuan paper.
Qin Ren sighed, “I already finished my homework. I had nothing else to do, so I thought I’d practice more before Father checks.”
He was the only one of the three brothers who couldn’t score an A, it was embarrassing.
Qingyang glanced around and asked, “Where’s Zhang Su?”
Qin Ren replied, “The Duke of Wei followed Father to war in the southern borderlands. He’s been gone for over a year. This time, his mother especially gave him three days off to reunite with his family. He’ll return to the palace on the evening of the tenth.”
Qingyang thought of Zhang Su’s handsome face and said longingly, “I want to visit Zhang Su’s house too.”
Qin Ren: “…Do you want to go everywhere?”
Qingyang: “Don’t you want to go too, Third Brother?”
Qin Ren fell silent.
The palace was only so big.
Of course he wanted to go outside.
Even though he had left the palace this morning, he only waited at the city gate for half the day, it didn’t count!
Because of his sister’s arrival, Qin Ren stopped practicing calligraphy and took her out into the courtyard to rest under the shade of the trees.
A nanny from the small kitchen brought over freshly sliced melon.
Qin Ren, worried that juice might stain his sister’s hands or clothes, used a silver fork to lift a slice and fed it to her.
Qingyang opened her mouth and took the bite.
After finishing, she said, “I want to hear another story from Third Brother.”
Qin Ren’s longing for Zhang Su instantly hit a new peak.
At Qianyuan Hall, Consort Li couldn’t even cry out loud, her voice caught in her throat as Emperor Xingwu tossed her about like a rootless duckweed.
It was only after great difficulty that Emperor Xingwu was willing to carry her for a bath, but once the true dragon hit the water, he was suddenly reinvigorated and nearly wore her out entirely.
“If not for the family banquet tonight, I’d keep you with me until dawn,” Emperor Xingwu said, still not fully satisfied as he embraced the weak and breathless beauty lying in his arms.
Consort Li couldn’t speak.
Her body trembled uncontrollably in the bath, her eyes filled with panic, terrified the emperor might actually carry on like that.
Luckily, his words were more bluster than intent.
After a day of horseback travel, hosting a banquet, and a few rounds of vigorous exertion just now, even Emperor Xingwu was finally tired.
After changing into his inner robe, he pulled Consort Li under the covers and said contentedly, “Enough. Sleep with me for a while.”
Consort Li said, “You sleep, Your Majesty. Lin’er is surely awake by now. I need to go check on her.”
Emperor Xingwu replied, “There’s the nursemaid, she’ll find a way to soothe her. You’d better rest for a bit, or you’ll be too tired at the family banquet.”
Consort Li didn’t dare: “It’s nearly evening. The Noble Consort, the children, and Uncle Yong’s whole family will be here soon. If I go out with Your Majesty like this, won’t it be obvious to everyone…”
Emperor Xingwu could disregard what the Noble Consort or his younger brother thought, after all, ever since he brought Consort Li back, everyone around him could see all too clearly how deeply he lusted after her.
But now the children were growing up, especially his eldest daughter Yongkang, who had mocked him just this morning.
At last, Emperor Xingwu withdrew the arm he had wrapped around Consort Li’s waist.
Consort Li couldn’t get off the dragon bed fast enough, retreating behind the screen to put back on the same clothes she had worn earlier, piece by piece.
Emperor Xingwu watched her intently, then suddenly laughed.
“Just a moment ago you said you had no strength left, and now you’re moving around like nothing happened. So you really were lying to Me.”
Consort Li, tugging on her white silk pants while shaking her leg: “……”
After fixing her hair, Consort Li fled as if escaping, and when she couldn’t find her daughter at Xianfu Palace, she turned and headed to Chengming Palace.
“Mother Consort!”
Qingyang joyfully threw herself into her mother’s arms, clinging to her like they’d been separated for days.
Consort Li’s steps faltered and she nearly stumbled backward.
She quickly took her daughter by the hand and led her under the shade of the trees, sitting down in the wicker chair her daughter had vacated.
Qin Ren saw that the setting sun had reddened his mother’s face and dried her lips, and ordered the chief eunuch Fu An to bring tea.
Consort Li was truly comforted.
Though her third child was a little slow-witted, when it came to honoring his mother and taking care of his sister, he was never lacking.
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