Chapter 2 Prologue: The Third Year of Shengde

The young emperor spent the entire day discussing matters with several ministers, only returning to his palace at dusk. After dinner, palace servants served tea, and Xu Asheng, the chief eunuch by the emperor's side, entered carrying a memorial.

After gesturing for the palace servants to leave, Xu Asheng walked to the emperor's side and said, "The Prince of Jin's residence submitted a memorial today. Since it is a private matter, I took the liberty of staying."

The Emperor, tired from a long day, was rubbing his temples when he heard it was a private matter from the Prince of Jin's residence. He casually asked, "What is it? Has Ningning taken a fancy to something, or has she been wronged and come to complain?"

Xu Asheng replied in a low voice, "The princess is fine. It was the Princess Consort of Jin who made the request."

"Princess Consort of Jin?" The Emperor's tone held a hint of doubt. "What did she say?"

Xu Asheng lowered his head and replied respectfully, "The Princess Consort of Jin has requested to return home."

The emperor was silent for a moment before asking, "How long has it been since the Prince of Jin passed away?"

"It's been almost four years."

"Ningning is six years old?" The emperor tapped the table lightly, looking down at the teacup, lost in thought.

Xu Asheng answered each question with a single sentence, neither looking at it nor saying anything more: "He is six years old."

The emperor smiled slightly: "Speaking of which, my eleventh uncle and I are about the same age and were playmates in our childhood. My eleventh uncle is brave and intelligent, which I am not as good as. My grandfather also doted on him. Back then, my grandfather injured his leg, and the court thought it would damage the emperor's dignity. There were many calls to depose the crown prince and establish another one. If it weren't for my eleventh uncle's insistence on going to the country, it would be unknown who would be the master of the Eastern Palace then and who would be the emperor now."

Xu Asheng kept his eyes down, pretending that it was just a passing breeze and that he hadn't heard anything.

The emperor didn't care whether Xu Asheng could hear him or not. He just thought of the past and sighed, "When my eleventh uncle gave Ningning her nickname, he only asked for a peaceful life. But my uncle died young, and Ningning lost her father at a young age. It's just a cruel twist of fate."

Xu Asheng flattered, "The Emperor Taizu personally inscribed the words 'Yong'an' for the Princess. With the Emperor's protection, the Princess will surely be safe and happy."

The emperor neither confirmed nor denied, but instead inquired about matters concerning the Prince's residence: "Is the Princess Consort currently managing the Prince of Jin's residence?"

Xu Asheng had inquired about the situation at Prince Jin's residence in advance, in preparation for the Emperor's inquiry. Now, guessing the Emperor's thoughts, he replied, "Yes, Qin An manages Prince Jin's fields and shops. A servant named Doumiao serves the Princess; I heard she used to work in the palace before being released. As for the clothing and utensils left by Prince Jin, as well as the royal regalia previously bestowed upon him, they are under the care of Clerk Cui."

"Qin An." The emperor murmured the name softly, his voice barely audible.

Xu Asheng thought the emperor didn't know who Qin An was, so he quickly explained, "He was originally a servant in the palace. He had been with Prince Jin since he was a child, and later went to his fiefdom with Prince Jin."

The emperor glanced at Xu Asheng and then said, "I've met him before; he's quite clever. Is that Clerk Cui also one of Uncle Eleven's men?"

“When the Princess Consort of Jin and the Princess returned to the capital, Emperor Taizu specially sent him to help sort out the Prince of Jin’s old belongings because he saw that the Princess Consort was grieving and the Princess was young. He still receives the salary of an inner palace clerk.”

Cui Dianbu had also tried to bribe officials in the palace to return to his post. However, firstly, the emperor rarely mentioned the Prince of Jin's residence, and secondly, Xu Asheng vaguely sensed that the emperor's attitude towards the Prince of Jin's residence was somewhat ambiguous, so he never took the initiative to mention Cui Dianbu.

The emperor gave a soft hum and glanced at the memorial in Xu Asheng's hand: "My eleventh uncle is my elder, and I cannot make a decision on his family matters. Send someone to the Hundred Blessings Hall to have the retired emperor approve it."

When the messenger arrived, the Emperor Emeritus was looking at calligraphy and paintings with the Empress Dowager. Xu Zhiyi, Xu Asheng's godson, came in, kowtowed to greet him, and presented the memorial from the Prince of Jin's residence.

Yu Chaorong, the chief eunuch serving the retired emperor, received the memorial and handed it to him. The retired emperor, head bowed, carefully examined the painting of a golden pheasant on the table. Without looking up, he casually placed the memorial on the table and said, "What is it that the civil and military officials cannot resolve? Why present it to me?"

After presenting the memorial, Xu Zhiyi stood with his head bowed in the hall, waiting for the Emperor Emeritus to ask him questions. He then hurriedly replied, "It is a private matter concerning the Prince of Jin's residence."

Having not heard the title "Prince of Jin" for a long time, the retired emperor was momentarily dazed.

Emperor Su's palace was filled with beauties and numerous offspring, leading to frequent conflicts and disputes. Emperor Su never concerned himself with harem affairs, and the retired emperor, as the eldest prince, had always had a strained relationship with the princes born to Consort Cao. When Emperor Su established his heir, the retired emperor moved to the Eastern Palace, where he became even more hostile towards Consort Cao, who was a potential successor to the empress. Fortunately, with the secret assistance of Consort Yang, he was able to avoid losing his position as heir apparent.

Consort Yang came from a humble background, but she possessed a resemblance to Empress Lu, Emperor Su's first wife, in her youth. She was also beautiful, and Emperor Su doted on her. However, Consort Yang was born weak, and after giving birth to the eleventh son, she became even more anemic and bedridden.

Initially, the concubines in the palace who were on good terms with Consort Yang took turns looking after Eleven Lang. When he reached the age to begin his studies, it was the retired emperor, who was still the crown prince at the time, who took him under his wing.

Later, Shiyilang lived in the Eastern Palace for a long time, and the Emperor Emeritus taught him to read, write, ride horses, and shoot arrows. Shiyilang once slept on his elder brother's shoulder and also misbehaved in the study of the Eastern Palace.

When the retired emperor was tricked and injured his leg, Emperor Su really considered deposing the crown prince and establishing a new one. At that time, the retired emperor was truly heartbroken and never expected that his closest younger brother would become his rival. At the same time, he felt a sense of mockery. The empress dowager tried every means to depose him, but in the end, she became the dowry for the eleventh prince.

But things took an unexpected turn. Shiyilang hastily married and went to his fiefdom, and Emperor Su ultimately did not depose the crown prince. After leaving for his fiefdom, Shiyilang gradually erased all traces of himself in the capital, as if he would never set foot in the capital again.

The Emperor Emeritus believed that his younger brother, who had grown up in the Eastern Palace, was either a delaying tactic or had no interest in the throne. However, not everyone thought so.

In the third year of the reign of the Eleventh Prince, news arrived that an earthquake had struck the sacred mountain, and that the Prince of Jin had died in a landslide. The earthquake buried all the signs of inconsistency, and the retired emperor, residing in the Eastern Palace, was powerless to do anything about it, and could only be pushed forward step by step.

Now, four years have passed. He went from being the crown prince to the emperor, and then abdicated to become the retired emperor. Time has changed everything, and I never expected to hear the title "Prince of Jin" again.

The retired emperor slowly raised his head and looked at Xu Zhiyi: "Prince Jin... what is it?"

The Empress Dowager sat up straight upon hearing the name "Prince Jin".

Xu Zhiyi lowered his head and stared at the half-foot-long blue brick in front of him: "The Princess Consort of Jin has requested to leave the mansion and return home. She has come to ask the Emperor for his approval."

Upon hearing that it was the Princess Consort of Jin, the Emperor Emeritus's barely perceptible emotion was replaced by impatience: "Let her go if she wants to. What's there to ask?"

Just as Xu Zhiyi was about to agree, the Empress Dowager interrupted and asked, "What about Yong'an?"

No one cared whether Princess Jin stayed or left, but Yong'an was Prince Jin's only child, and her life could not be ignored.

“Yong’an is young, and I don’t know how sad he must be to be separated from his mother. I also don’t know where Madam He is going. If we can see her often, Yong’an will feel better.”

The Emperor Emeritus stopped Xu Zhiyi and asked, "Did she say where she's going after leaving the mansion? Is she going back to Jiangning or staying in the capital? If she's staying in the capital, has she found a place to stay?"

Xu Zhiyi bowed and replied, "The Princess Consort of Jin did not mention it."

"Then go ask." The retired emperor had been emperor for several years after all, and his voice was still authoritative.

The Empress Dowager added a few more words: "If you stay in the capital, I think it would be better to find a suitable house near the Prince's residence, closer to Yong'an so that you can take care of things if anything happens. When you go to ask questions, be gentle and don't let people think that the imperial family is bullying you."

Xu Zhiyi agreed to everything and went back to report to Xu Asheng. The next morning, he left the palace for the Prince of Jin's residence. However, when he arrived at the Prince of Jin's residence, he did not find anyone there. The Princess of Jin had made an appointment and left early in the morning.

Xu Zhiyi had nothing to do today, so he decided to wait a while and then go to pay his respects to the princess.

Princess Yong'an's cough and asthma had dragged on for over a month, and she had tried three or four different prescriptions, but to no avail. Even when Xu Zhiyi came to inquire about her well-being, she coughed several times.

A maid brought soup for the princess to drink. Xu Zhiyi glanced at the soup as the maid passed by and saw that it contained red dates and lilies. He then looked up at the princess's complexion, which, despite her illness, was still rosy and did not appear to have lost weight. The maid serving the soup was also well-mannered and acted in a proper manner. Xu Zhiyi immediately understood the situation and decided not to disturb the princess's recovery any longer. He then took his leave.

After meeting the princess, Xu Zhiyi planned to meet Qin An.

A maid led Xu Zhiyi to the stable. Qin An was leading a magnificent, tall, black horse with a silver mane out of the stable. Seeing the horse's glossy coat and strong physique, Xu Zhiyi couldn't help but exclaim, "What a fine horse!"

Qin An handed the horse to the groom, exchanged greetings with Xu Zhiyi, and said, "This is the horse of the Prince of Jin, named Lueying. He takes it to the hunting grounds for a few laps every day."

As they spoke, they heard a few sharp bird calls, and Xu Zhiyi asked curiously, "Do you still keep eagles at home?"

"Originally raised by the Prince of Jin for hunting, it has remained in his residence ever since."

Hearing that they were all left behind by the Prince of Jin, Xu Zhiyi didn't ask any more questions. Watching the horse disappear into the distance, he chatted with Qin An: "I've heard that the Prince of Jin was excellent at both riding and archery. Seeing this fine steed, I can almost imagine the Prince of Jin's heroic figure."

Qin An smiled but did not speak.

Xu Zhiyi hadn't come here to see the horses. He glanced at them briefly, then looked away and casually inquired, "The Princess Consort of Jin submitted a memorial to the palace. Does Qin Zhongguan know about it?"

Qin An had served Prince Jin for many years and was well aware of every move in the Prince's residence, as well as who the Princess Jin associated with. However, when faced with someone from the palace, Qin An remained extremely cautious and vigilant, saying, "How could a mere servant like me inquire about the Princess's affairs?"

As they were all court officials, doing the work of serving others, Xu Zhiyi was not surprised by Qin An's words.

He leaned slightly towards Qin An, as if he were genuinely concerned for the Prince's residence: "The Princess Consort has requested to return home, and the Emperor has sent me to inquire about her whereabouts. The Princess is still young, so whether she stays in the residence or is taken to the palace requires a plan."

Qin An said politely, "The Princess Consort has gone out today. If you are in a hurry, I will ask the maids around the Princess Consort to send a message to her."

Xu Zhiyi raised his hand in a gesture of obstruction: "I'm not in a hurry, there's no need to disturb the princess's enjoyment."

Qin An had no intention of actually going to see the Princess Consort of Jin. If Xu Zhiyi were in a hurry, he wouldn't be chatting idly with him here. Seeing that Xu Zhiyi clearly wanted to inquire about something, Qin An simply led Xu Zhiyi to the flower hall. It was better to accompany this spies of the emperor for tea than to let him wander around the mansion: "This place is filthy, please, Eunuch Xu, move aside." He gestured with his hand and led the way.

Qin An provided excellent hospitality, with the tea, fruit, and seeds all being of the highest quality.

At noon, a banquet was served, consisting of four hot dishes and two cold dishes, a soup, a dessert, and two staple foods. The portions were small, but the dishes were exquisite, including both meat and vegetables, all of which were light in flavor and easy to digest. Xu Zhiyi was very satisfied and pleased with the meal.

After dinner, he played chess with Qin An for a while, chatting about everything from the Prince of Jin's past to the princess's health, and Qin An answered each question.

When asked about the princess, Qin An was quite dissatisfied with some of the princess's behavior, but since the prince had passed away and the princess and the princess were getting along well, Qin An had no intention of causing trouble for those trivial matters, and simply said that he did not know.

Xu Zhiyi ate a lot of tea and snacks, and it wasn't until dark that Princess Jin returned.

Qin An sent someone to inform the princess that someone from the palace had arrived, while Xu Zhiyi leisurely walked towards Qingyun Pavilion, where the princess resided.

Princess Jin invited the ladies of the Minister of Rites to a refined gathering today to support Yulang. Afterwards, they went hiking and drinking. Now she feels tired and is preparing to take a bath before having Chunyan massage her waist and legs.

Just as Chunyan had sent someone to prepare water, Qiuyou came in to report, "My lady, someone from the palace has come specifically to see you. They have been waiting at the mansion for a day."

Princess Jin felt her feet hurt after walking a few more steps, kicked off her shoes and slumped on the couch. Hearing someone from the palace arrive, she quickly sat up and asked, "Who is it? What brings you here?"

Qiu You replied, "He was a eunuch. He only said he had something to ask of me, but he didn't say what it was."

Princess Jin was puzzled. What could possibly be so important in the palace that required such a special trip, and why had she waited all day? If it was something important, why hadn't anyone come looking for her? If it wasn't important, she could have come another day. Why wait until now?

As she thought about it, she kicked her shoes, signaling Chunyan to help her put them on. She stood up, straightened her clothes, and, finding nothing amiss, said to Qiuyou, "Where is he? Take him to the side hall." With that, she went to the side hall herself.

When Princess Jin entered, Xu Zhiyi was already standing in the hall. Upon seeing the princess, he respectfully bowed and greeted her.

Princess Jin looked the young eunuch up and down. His loose-fitting official robes made him appear rather thin. He had ordinary features but fair skin, and when he wasn't smiling, he exuded a faint sense of aloofness.

The day after the wedding, Princess Jin accompanied Prince Jin to his fiefdom. Later, when she returned to the capital, she was not required to pay her respects or offer congratulations. Therefore, she was not familiar with the palace maids and officials, and Xu Zhiyi had never met her before.

She sat down at the head of the table and looked at Xu Zhiyi, asking, "What brings you here, eunuch?"

Xu Zhiyi did not sit down, but stood and said, "His Majesty asks, after the Princess Consort of Jin left the mansion, has she found a place to go? If a residence has not yet been found, may the palace help to inquire about it?"

Princess Jin guessed that Xu Zhiyi had come for the memorial, but she didn't expect him to ask where she lived. Originally, Princess Jin planned to wait until her return home was approved before bringing up the matter of the house, but since Xu Zhiyi had asked now, she might as well take this opportunity to get the house.

Thinking of this, Princess Jin said, "There used to be a house in Qinrenfang, which is just right for us to live in."

Xu Zhiyi thought for a moment. Qinrenfang wasn't too close to Jiuru Lane, where the Prince Jin's residence was located, but it wasn't too far either. However, Qinrenfang was extremely valuable, filled with wealthy and powerful families. He wondered which property the Princess Jin owned. The He family, on the other hand, was quite generous, managing to purchase a house in Qinrenfang as a dowry for their daughter.

After asking his questions, Xu Zhiyi didn't linger. He bowed and took his leave.

It was already late, and Princess Jin was too lazy to chat with him any longer. She called someone to escort Xu Zhiyi out of the mansion, and then went back to take a relaxing bath.

In a small study in the southeast corner of the front yard, Qin An was talking to a boy who was about half a teenager.

This young man's name is Cheng Liwu. His father, Cheng Baoding, was the former military commander of the Prince of Jin's mansion. After the Prince of Jin encountered danger, all the original officials in the mansion were dismissed. Cheng Baoding and some of the original princes' relatives stayed behind to become guards, and Cheng Liwu also followed along, doing odd jobs in the mansion.

"What did Xu Zhiyi say?" Qin An asked.

"Sister Qingyou said that she only asked one question, asking where the Princess would live after leaving the mansion. The Princess said she would live in Qinrenfang. She didn't say anything else. After asking the question, that person surnamed Xu left."

Cheng Liwu was young and lively. He was always very sweet-talking, calling everyone "sister" and often buying snacks to share with the maids. He had a good relationship with all the maids in the mansion.

Qinrenfang? Qin An recalled that he had handled the dowry list of the Princess of Jin back then. Was there a house in Qinrenfang on it?

Qin An went through all the residences in Qinrenfang, but they were all owned; he couldn't find a single vacant house.

It's not that there isn't one; there is indeed one vacant place, which was the residence of Fang Youren, the former Right Guard General. Ten years ago, Fang Youren was executed for treason, his wife and children were exiled, and all his property was confiscated.

Could this be the place the Princess Consort of Jin was referring to? Qin An didn't show it on his face, but inwardly he cursed the Princess Consort for being foolish.

Xu Zhiyi wasn't there to inquire about the house; he was clearly there to ask about the princess. If the Princess Consort of Jin were intelligent, she should have humbly admitted her dullness and inability to teach the princess, said some words of deep affection and reluctance to part, and begged the Emperor for mercy so that she could see the princess again in the future. Why did she actually start discussing accommodations with Xu Zhiyi?

Besides, there's no reason why there's anything wrong with it. Prince Jin left behind more than one residence. Qin An had previously said that if one day Princess Jin no longer wanted to live in the mansion and had no other place to live, she could choose one of Prince Jin's former properties. However, these things cannot be said to the palace, and the Qinrenfang residence certainly cannot be mentioned to the palace.

Previously, Prince Jin was too busy with state affairs to spend time with her, and out of pity for her being married off alone to a distant place, he indulged her greatly. After arriving in the capital, there was no one in the household to restrain her. She lived too comfortably and became complacent. Even after being stopped once by Clerk Cui, she did not learn her lesson and continued to speak recklessly to people from the palace.

However, Xu Zhiyi had already left, and Qin An could not stop him even if he wanted to. He could only pray that the person in the palace did not remember those old stories.

When Xu Zhiyi returned to the palace, it was already dark. After reporting to Xu Asheng in detail what he had seen and heard at the Prince of Jin's residence that day, he went to rest first. The next day, he estimated that the Emperor Emeritus had eaten breakfast before going to the Baifu Hall.

"Princess Consort Jin left early in the morning and did not return until evening. The young princess is not in good health. She has been seen at the Imperial Pharmacy. They said it was caused by external pathogens invading her lungs due to the change of seasons. It is not difficult to treat, but the young princess's lung qi is weak, so they dare not use strong medicine and can only slowly regulate her body. The people around the princess seem to be quite well-behaved and serve her diligently. Prince Jin's original hawks are still kept in the mansion."

The retired emperor interrupted Xu Zhiyi: "Is it that silver-maned horse?"

Xu Zhiyi bowed his head and stood respectfully, replying, "That's right."

The retired emperor grunted in acknowledgment and said nothing more.

Xu Zhiyi waited a few moments, and seeing that the Emperor Emeritus had no intention of asking any further questions, he continued, "The Princess Consort of Jin has already found a place to stay, it is..."

Before he could finish speaking, the Emperor Emeritus asked again, "She hasn't returned even for a single day?"

Xu Zhiyi knew who "she" referred to and told the truth: "I heard that it was arranged by the Princess Consort of Jin in advance. When I arrived at the Prince of Jin's residence, the Princess Consort had already left. Qin An wanted to send someone to look for her, but I didn't allow it."

"You said the Imperial Pharmacy visited Yong'an. Who invited them, and when?" The Emperor Emeritus's tone was relatively calm, making it difficult to discern his emotions.

Seeing that the princess was ill, Xu Zhiyi guessed that the Emperor Emeritus might want to ask about her condition, so he personally went to the Imperial Pharmacy last night to ask about her several house calls in detail.

When asked, he sensed that the Emperor Emeritus would be angry, but he had never had any dealings with the Prince of Jin's residence, so he didn't need to cover for anyone: "It was Qin An who invited her. The princess had just started coughing and had invited the imperial physician from the Imperial Pharmacy. After using the medicine for a period of time without improvement, she came to invite him again."

"The imperial physician who came to the clinic said that the medicine was too weak, so it was slow to take effect. He took the pulse again and changed a few medicines. After that, he would call me every three or four days. The last time was two days ago. He prescribed some mild and nourishing medicinal diet."

"Lu Fengyu said that the princess had cried her throat before, and the illness she suffered from traveling to the capital during her illness left her with a lingering ailment. Now that it has flared up, it is naturally difficult to cure. With a period of more medication, she will see improvement, and with careful recuperation, she will be fine in the future."

"Hmph," the Emperor Emeritus said with some displeasure, "Yong'an is ill, yet she seems quite carefree. Has she said how she plans to settle down after leaving the mansion?"

"The Princess Consort of Jin said she would move to Qinrenfang."

"Qinrenfang?" The Emperor Emeritus was also surprised by this place. "Which family in Qinrenfang is selling their house?"

“No one is selling it; the princess said it’s an old house,” Xu Zhiyi replied.

The Emperor Emeritus was even more surprised and turned to ask Yu Chaorong, "Are there still empty houses in Qinrenfang?"

Yu Chaorong had no idea where there were any vacant houses in the capital, so he could only say, "This old servant doesn't know either."

Xu Zhiyi didn't know which house in Qinren Ward was occupied by which person, but someone else did. There was no reason to ask for directions on the street when the imperial decree was being delivered. Xu Zhiyi reported in detail: "There is only one empty house in Qinren Ward, which was originally the residence of the criminal Fang Youren."

As for whose name is on the deed for this house, Xu Zhiyi pretended not to know and didn't dare to mention it.

Just because no one mentioned it doesn't mean the Emperor Emeritus couldn't remember. The moment Fang Youren was mentioned, the Emperor Emeritus knew which courtyard it was. Yu Chaorong also remembered which courtyard it was; he looked at the Emperor Emeritus and, as expected, saw that the Emperor Emeritus's expression was displeased.

The Emperor Emeritus slowly spoke: "That house is indeed quite nice. Fang Youren amassed a fortune of millions and built his mansion with pearl-beaded windows and painted beams. But why do I remember this house belonged to Eleventh Prince?" He then looked at Yu Chaorong.

Yu Chaorong quickly replied, "The late Emperor Taizu did indeed bestow this residence upon the Prince of Jin. Originally, he intended to build the Prince of Jin's Mansion, but unfortunately, the Prince of Jin went to his fiefdom to take up his post before the project was completed."

Later, because the Prince of Jin died unjustly, Emperor Su was reminded of him by the sight of the house. Even when the princess returned to the capital, he did not use the house, but instead chose another place to build a new residence.

“Since it belongs to Shiyilang, go and tell He Yujing that the house is old and dilapidated and uninhabitable, and tell her to find another place to live.”