Chapter 32 Palace Banquet You're really unlucky.
As everyone expected, the imperial decree bestowing marriage upon Qi Jingxuan and Shen Yan arrived quickly, with the wedding date set for May 22nd. The wedding was to take place in just over a month, which was quite rushed.
The emperor did not want to set the wedding date so early, feeling it would be bad for the two children and also damage the imperial family's reputation.
Consort Shu didn't take it seriously and suggested that instead of making the decision himself, he should ask the two children for their opinions.
Needless to say, Qi Jingxuan couldn't wait to marry Shen Yan as soon as possible; even the wedding date of May 22nd seemed too late to him.
The emperor thought that the Shen family would prefer to be more formal and not set the date too early, lest others feel that Shen Yan was not respected.
Unexpectedly, when someone was sent to inquire, they also said the sooner the better, so the wedding date was set.
When the imperial decree bestowing the marriage upon the Shen family was delivered, it was accompanied by a large amount of gifts, which filled most of the Shen family's courtyard.
Both Shen Mingshan and Madam Su were well aware that these were not only a reward for Shen Yan, but also part of her dowry.
Although Shen Yan came from a humble background, she was going to marry into the Prince of Jin's mansion as a princess. If her dowry was too meager, it would be a disgrace to the imperial family.
The neighbors were all ordinary people, without much fuss. Seeing that the Shen family had not only received a marriage bestowed by the emperor, but also so many rewards, they all came to congratulate them.
Shen Mingshan smiled and agreed. After everyone left, he carefully put away all the rewards, along with the list, intending to give them to his daughter intact when she got married.
While the Shen family was celebrating the imperial decree for the marriage, many prominent families in the capital were also making some noise. This was because Consort Shu, who usually didn't interfere in affairs, suddenly decided to hold a flower-viewing banquet, and many noble ladies from prominent families were on the invitation list.
"I originally thought that Consort Shu would be dissatisfied with this marriage, but now it seems that may not be the case."
"What good is it whether she's satisfied or not? It's her son's own doing. What can she do besides covering for him afterwards?"
"That's right. This daughter-in-law is destined to come into the family anyway. Slapping her in the face is like slapping your own son in the face. She's always doted on Prince Jin, so how could she bear to do this? Even if she doesn't like it, she has to grit her teeth and pretend to be satisfied."
"I heard that the Li family was also invited. I wonder if they will go. Prince Jin and Li's granddaughter were supposed to be engaged, but it didn't work out and it made quite a joke."
"Consort Shu is clearly trying to elevate her future daughter-in-law's status. Should we go or not?"
"Let's wait and see. If a lot of people go, we'll go and show our faces. If not many people go, then it won't matter if we don't go."
Such conversations took place in various residences. People were no longer as happy as they used to be when they could go to the palace for banquets. Instead, they all adopted a wait-and-see attitude, especially the Li family, who were the heads of all officials.
If the Li family members don't attend, Consort Shu's flower-viewing banquet will likely be quite deserted.
………………
Shen Yan had never been to the palace before, but she was about to marry into the Prince of Jin's household and would inevitably have to visit the palace in the future. It would be unacceptable for her not to know the rules and etiquette of the palace.
To prevent her from making any mistakes in the palace in the future, Consort Shu personally selected a nanny and sent her to the Shen family to teach Shen Yan etiquette.
This old woman, surnamed Hu, is in her fifties. She has been by Consort Shu's side since she entered the palace and is highly trusted by Consort Shu.
When Qi Jingxuan first learned that the palace was sending someone, he was worried that someone overly harsh would come. But when he heard that it was Granny Hu, he immediately felt relieved.
"Don't worry, Aci. Granny Hu is a very nice person. She's always been kind to others. As long as you study hard, she definitely won't make things difficult for you."
The two had been going out to play a few days ago. Qi Jingxuan felt that calling her Miss Shen was too formal, so he took it upon himself to change his address and started calling Shen Yan Aci, just like Shen Mingshan and Madam Su. In fact, he didn't even know which Ci she was referring to.
Shen Yan felt it was inappropriate and corrected him twice, but Qi Jingxuan didn't care and did as he pleased. She figured the two of them were already engaged, so she didn't bother to care anymore. However, she still addressed Qi Jingxuan as "Your Highness" just like everyone else, without any difference.
Shen Yan learns things very quickly. After three days, Hu Mama was about to take her leave. Before leaving, she held Shen Yan's hand and said with a smile, "Miss Shen is the most clever person I have ever met in all these years. She learned almost everything on the first day, and in three days she has become like a young lady from a noble family."
"As long as Miss Shen remembers what she has learned these past few days, she will not make any mistakes in handling the daily etiquette in the palace. As for the more elaborate etiquette required for other occasions such as festivals in the future, it is not too late to learn it then."
Shen Yan nodded in agreement and said, "It's all thanks to the good teaching of the nanny."
Granny Hu's wrinkled face broke into a smile as she gently patted Miss Shen's shoulder and said, "Miss Shen is destined for great things. She will surely have a peaceful and prosperous life."
As she spoke, she glanced at Qi Jingxuan, who had been sitting on the wall of the Shen family for the past few days, where grass was growing. Her expression was helpless yet affectionate. She said gently to Shen Yan, "I watched the Prince grow up. Don't be fooled by his somewhat unreliable nature; he is actually a very good person. You'll understand once you spend more time with him."
Shen Yan followed her gaze to the top of the wall, smiled and nodded, but did not reply.
She didn't know much about Qi Jingxuan and couldn't determine what kind of person he was, but she figured the rumors outside were exaggerated.
After bidding farewell to Shen Yan, Granny Hu greeted Shen Mingshan and Madam Su before leaving the Shen family. As she walked out of the alley, she glared at Qi Jingxuan on the wall and scolded, "Your Highness, please come down. Hanging on someone's courtyard wall like this all day long, what kind of image does it present?"
Qi Jingxuan just chuckled and remained motionless: "It's alright, I've always been outrageous, everyone's used to it."
Helpless, Granny Hu noticed the dark circles under his eyes and casually asked, "Has Your Highness been resting poorly lately? You look so pale."
Qi Jingxuan quickly waved his hand: "No, no, I'm fine. I was just so excited about getting married that I couldn't sleep, which is why I don't look too well. Please don't tell my mother when you get back to the palace, or she'll laugh at me again."
Granny Hu chuckled, seeing that apart from his pale complexion he seemed to be in good spirits, and that he was in decent condition, she then left.
Qi Jingxuan watched her walk away, breathed a sigh of relief, and reached out to touch the back of his eyes.
He hadn't been sleeping well these past few days, but not because he was happy about the upcoming wedding. It was because Shen Yan didn't want him to keep sleeping at her doorstep and had sent him back to the Prince's mansion.
He thought that he could sleep more soundly at night after returning to the Prince's Mansion, but because he was worried about Shen Yan and afraid that something might happen to her, he would wake up several times every night. He didn't sleep as well as when he was sleeping on the ground in front of the Shen family's house, which is why his complexion was getting worse and worse.
Qi Jingxuan was even more eager to marry Shen Yan as soon as possible. He couldn't even wait for the wedding, which was only a month away. He only regretted that the Imperial Observatory hadn't calculated an auspicious day earlier.
If there were an earlier date, he would definitely not choose May 22.
Thinking this, Qi Jingxuan turned to look at Shen Yan, who was still in the courtyard and hadn't gone inside, and asked cheerfully, "Aci, do you want to go out and play?"
These past few days, Shen Yan has been confined at home learning manners and hasn't gone out even once.
Qi Jingxuan wanted to keep an eye on her, so he stayed at the entrance of the Shen family's residence and didn't go anywhere except to go back to the Prince's Mansion to sleep at night.
I didn't think much of it at first, but after going out with her for a few days, I realized that such days were really meaningless and incredibly boring.
Now that Granny Hu is gone, he wants to take Shen Yan out immediately and visit all the places he hasn't taken her to yet.
Shen Yan shook her head and said, "I'm going to the palace the day after tomorrow, and I want to review the rules and etiquette that Granny Hu taught me so that I won't make any mistakes."
Qi Jingxuan's lips twitched, and he let out a disappointed "oh," before lying motionless on the Shen family's wall again.
Seeing him lying there listlessly, looking utterly bored, Shen Yan smiled and said, "Granny Hu taught me many rules and etiquette, but there are probably more things to be aware of in the palace than just these. Perhaps Your Highness could tell me something else."
"For example... after entering the palace, what should I avoid saying, what can I say and what cannot I say, who should I not fear, and who should I absolutely not provoke?"
"Granny Hu serves in the palace, so she probably can't talk to me about the intricacies of human relationships with the masters. Perhaps Your Highness could tell me about it."
Qi Jingxuan was delighted to finally be of some use and no longer just sitting idly on the wall watching her. He sat up straight and said, "Sure, I know a lot of things."
As he spoke, he leaned to the side, intending to climb over the courtyard wall into the Shen family's house. However, the imperial physician Zhou coughed loudly in the courtyard, causing him to pause. He had no choice but to obediently continue sitting on the wall and beckoned to Shen Yan: "Come closer, let's talk quietly."
Shen Yan followed her instructions and walked to the shady spot at the base of the wall. The two of them sat on the top of the wall and stood at the corner, talking in hushed tones about things in the palace.
Doctor Zhou sat on a rattan recliner, enjoying the cool air while watching the two little ones whispering to each other. He shook his head helplessly, slowly sipping his tea, and thought that staying in the Shen family wasn't so bad after all.
They still received their salary, and all they had to do was take care of one sick person. They also avoided all the messy and sordid affairs in the palace.
That's so convenient.
………………
On the ninth day, Shen Yan entered the palace by carriage.
Today was for a banquet at the palace, and the carriage had to go directly to the palace gate. Ordinary hired carriages could not get close, so she rode in Qi Jingxuan's carriage.
Qi Jingxuan originally intended to enter the palace with her, but since Consort Shu had invited only female members of the family, it was not appropriate for him to be there. So he and Shen Yan parted ways, with Shen Yan receiving the carriage and Qi Jingxuan entering the palace first.
When Shen Yan arrived at the palace gate, there were already quite a few people there, all of them ladies from various families who had come with their daughters.
Shen Yan stood out from the crowd by herself, and since she was traveling in a royal carriage, many people cast their gazes at her. However, most of them only glanced at her or nodded before looking away, and no one came forward to talk to her.
Shen Yan didn't know anyone and had no intention of approaching anyone to chat. She simply enjoyed looking at the palace that was so close to her.
She had only seen the palace from afar when she was young and accompanied her grandfather to the capital, and had no memory of it. Now, standing close to it, she realized that the palace was even more magnificent and imposing than she had imagined.
Looking at the high palace walls, she couldn't help but think of when she went to Yafeng Garden, Qi Jingxuan said that the house was too small.
A child who grows up in this magnificent palace will surely find everything small.
Shen Yan couldn't help but chuckle, and the slight tension hidden in her heart dissipated with this inexplicable thought.
Once all the women from the various households had arrived, it was time to enter the palace. The palace had already dispatched maids and eunuchs to guard the entrance and lead everyone to the place where the banquet was to be held.
On ordinary occasions like this, when women entered the palace, they were usually arranged in order according to their respective ranks. Those without official titles were arranged according to the rank of their husbands or fathers in the court.
According to this rule, Shen Yan should have walked at the very end of the crowd, but Zhaohua Palace had sent people to wait at the palace gate early in the morning. As soon as they saw Shen Yan get off the carriage from the Prince's residence, they knew it was her and led her to a position in the crowd that was neither too far forward nor too far back.
This position was neither higher than that of a noblewoman of high rank, nor too far back; it was clearly a deliberate arrangement by Consort Shu.
Some of the young ladies from prominent families who were lagging behind saw this and couldn't help but mutter a few words under their breath. After being glared at by their mothers, they dared not speak and simply followed silently with their heads down.
Shen Yan ignored all of this and went wherever the palace servants told her to go. She was neither proud of being ahead of the wives of officials nor timid because of it. She appeared to be very generous and proper, which made some of the noble ladies who were observing her nod in approval.
Consort Shu had been in the palace for over ten years, and this was the first time she had taken the initiative to host a banquet. The emperor was very accommodating and directly assigned Jianzhang Palace to her for entertaining guests.
Jianzhang Palace is located next to Taiye Pond, and the scenery is very beautiful. Among them, a lotus pond is a famous place in the palace to cool off.
Although the lotus flowers are not yet in full bloom, some buds are already visible, and the pink and white blossoms scattered among the green leaves are quite beautiful.
Consort Shu sat in the main hall of Jianzhang Palace, watching the ladies of various households, dressed in their finest attire, enter one by one. She greeted them politely, but her expression remained indifferent.
Only when the palace maid she sent led in a girl of about fifteen or sixteen years old did she sit up a little straighter, her smile deepening.
She had always been curious about what kind of woman could have enlightened her foolish son, and today she was finally able to meet her.
Following Hu Mama's previous instructions, Shen Yan stepped forward to greet Consort Shu. Her demeanor was dignified and poised, showing no signs of nervousness or awkwardness as if it were her first time entering the palace.
The other day, when Granny Hu returned from the Shen family, she praised Shen Yan to Consort Shu, saying how smart she was, how quickly and well she learned etiquette, and how well she treated people.
Consort Shu thought that just because she did well when practicing at home didn't mean she could do well once she entered the palace.
Many people are quite good at studying etiquette and manners in private, but once they enter the palace, they lose their composure and make a complete fool of themselves.
But clearly, the girl in front of him wasn't the type to easily get nervous and lose her composure.
Consort Shu's smile deepened, and she reached out to Shen Yan, saying, "Come to my side."
Shen Yan stepped forward as instructed, and Consort Shu took her hand and looked her up and down carefully, becoming more and more satisfied with her.
Although her son is unreliable, he has a good eye for choosing a wife.
She exchanged a few pleasantries with Shen Yan, asking her age, what she liked to do in her spare time, and what books she had read.
Asking these questions wasn't out of genuine ignorance, but rather to show her closeness to Shen Yan and prevent others from thinking she looked down on her daughter-in-law or treated her with disrespect.
As for Shen Yan's age, preferences, and usual character, she had already had someone investigate her back when Qi Jingxuan wanted to marry her.
The two exchanged a few words, then Consort Shu seemed to remember something and gestured towards her back, asking, "Why didn't your mother come with you?"
Shen Yan replied respectfully, "Your Majesty hosted a banquet, and my mother really wanted to come, but she is pregnant and the pregnancy is not very stable. Physician Zhou said that it is not advisable for her to move around and that it is better for her to stay at home and rest. So I advised her to stay at home and rest."
“My mother felt very bad about this. When I left, she specifically told me to apologize to you and that I would definitely come to the palace to make amends when I felt better.”
Madam Su was worried about Shen Yan going to the palace alone and originally wanted to accompany her, but Shen Yan knew that the palace banquet today would not be peaceful and was afraid that her mother's arrival would affect her pregnancy. In addition, Physician Zhou said that it was best for her to rest at home. After much persuasion, she finally agreed to stay at home and did not accompany her to the palace.
Consort Shu naturally knew that Lady Su was pregnant, but she asked a question to show her concern and to let her explain why Lady Su was not there so that everyone present could hear it, lest someone gossip that the Shen family did not know the rules and let her, a daughter, enter the palace alone.
After Shen Yan finished speaking, she immediately instructed the palace servants beside her: "I still have a few dishes of bird's nest soup in my palace. You can wrap them up and send them to the Shen family. Also, go to the Imperial Physician Jiang and ask him if there are any things that are good for a safe pregnancy. Prepare some of those as well and send them to Madam Shen together."
She then turned to the crowd and smiled, saying, "I haven't given birth for many years, and I've long forgotten what I should prepare for this time of year. I can only trouble Imperial Physician Jiang for this."
Everyone just smiled knowingly, knowing that she was doing this to save face for the Shen family.
As the head of the Imperial Medical Academy, Physician Jiang has been taking care of her alone for many years. Even if the Empress has a headache or fever, she has to ask Physician Jiang if he is busy and if there is anything going on at Zhaohua Palace before she can invite him over.
Now, with just a word from her, even something as trivial as preparing tonics for Madam Shen requires the personal attention of Imperial Physician Jiang.
Those invited to the palace were mostly the matriarchs of various households. These women were all shrewd and capable, and upon seeing this, they all expressed their concern for Madam Su. Some even said on the spot that they would send some tonics to the Shen family after returning home.
Shen Yan thanked them one by one, and the atmosphere in the hall was very harmonious for a moment. It seemed that everyone was genuinely good to the Shen family and had never hesitated about whether or not to enter the palace today.
After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Consort Shu smiled and said, "Since we still have some time before the banquet, and the spring scenery is just right, why don't we go for a walk outside? Although the lotus flowers in Taiye Pond haven't bloomed yet, there are already some buds, which are quite beautiful."
Upon hearing this, everyone agreed and, with their daughters, walked out of the hall together.
Just as they were about to leave the Jianzhang Palace, a palace servant suddenly announced in a slightly hurried tone: "The Third Princess has arrived, the Fifth Princess has arrived."
Before the words were even finished, two figures burst in one after the other. The third princess, who was in the lead, had an unfriendly expression and was clearly there to cause trouble.
The crowd paused, turning to look at Consort Shu.
Consort Shu's expression remained unchanged. She waited until the two princesses had paid their respects before speaking slowly and deliberately.
"I wonder what brings the Third and Fifth Princesses here?"
The Third Princess is sixteen years old this year, the same age as Shen Yan. Her birth mother is Consort Jia, whose status in the six palaces is second only to the Empress.
She was the only daughter of Consort Jia, and therefore was pampered from a young age, which made her spoiled.
She merely curtsied to Consort Shu before straightening up and said, "It's nothing, it's just that the weather is nice today, so I thought I'd bring my sisters to Taiye Pond for a walk."
"But when we got near Jianzhang Palace, the palace servants said that Consort Shu was holding a banquet there today and it was inconvenient for us to come over."
"I figured that since Her Majesty is a concubine in the harem, the guests she invited would likely all be women. In that case, what's inconvenient for my sisters and me to come?"
"That palace servant was truly rude, and claimed that he was acting on the orders of Consort Shu to stop us. So I came to ask, this Taiye Pond is so large, does Consort Shu intend to fence off the entire area for a flower-viewing banquet, preventing others from attending?"
As she spoke, she glanced at Shen Yan, who was standing next to Consort Shu. Although she had never met her before, just by seeing how close she was to Consort Shu and how Yu Zhu and Yu Rui from Zhaohua Palace were with her, she knew that this must be her sister-in-law who was not worthy of being in public.
Consort Shu's expression remained unchanged, with a faint smile on her lips, but her eyes were very cold, unlike the gentle look she had given Shen Yan earlier.
"The Third Princess is at least sixteen years old, and she was personally taught by the Imperial Concubine. Doesn't she know that it's very impolite for elders to show up uninvited when entertaining guests?"
Her voice wasn't loud, and her tone wasn't harsh, but she was clearly saying that the Third Princess didn't know manners, and she was also indirectly criticizing the Imperial Concubine for failing to raise her son properly.
The Third Princess's face stiffened, and her already pale complexion became even worse.
The rest of the people in the hall dared not utter a sound for a moment, and the surroundings were so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
The ladies were all apprehensive, and looked at Consort Shu with considerable surprise.
Some of them came because they saw that the Lin and Li families had accepted the palace's invitation, while many others came specifically to see Consort Shu.
Consort Shu had been in the palace for over ten years and was the most favored concubine, but she was aloof and rarely interacted with others.
She always had a place at the grand banquets during the palace festivals, but she either didn't attend or, if she did, she would just show her face and leave, showing no respect to anyone and not associating with anyone.
Therefore, all the noblewomen and ladies only knew that there was such a person in the palace, but no one really understood her or knew her true nature.
Having finally had the chance to get to know her, many people naturally wanted to see what kind of person this Consort Shu was, so they brought their daughters to the banquet.
If this lady is easy to get along with, it's always good to get closer to her and spend more time with her.
In any case, Prince Jin will definitely not participate in the struggle for the crown prince position, and Consort Shu has no family support and is without any foundation. Even if she gets closer to them, there is no suspicion of collusion between the court and the harem, so there is nothing to worry about.
If her daughter were to catch the eye of Consort Shu, there was no guarantee that Consort Shu might speak well of her to the Emperor later.
His Majesty has many sons, and several of them are still unmarried. Even those who are married have very coveted positions as concubines, such as the Crown Prince's...
After their interaction, everyone saw that although Consort Shu appeared aloof, she was very tactful in her dealings with people and could even be described as shrewd and worldly-wise.
But then they encountered the Third Princess, and suddenly...
The ladies looked at each other, all deeply shocked.
I had long heard that this Consort Shu was very favored, but I never expected her to be so bold. It was one thing to reprimand the Third Princess in public, but she even dared to show disrespect to the Imperial Consort in her words.
It seems... this Consort Shu's status in the palace is even higher than they imagined.
The third princess, reprimanded in public, gritted her teeth and clenched her fists, saying, "This palace belongs to my father, and I am his daughter. The palace is my home. What's wrong with me taking a stroll in my own garden?"
"Her Highness Consort Shu is merely hosting a flower-viewing banquet, yet she's making such a grand spectacle of it, even having people block our way. Why should we be allowed to come?"
Consort Shu chuckled and said, "I only know that the palace has strict rules, and you have to abide by the rules wherever you are. I have never heard that the imperial palace is like an ordinary person's vegetable garden, where anyone can go wherever they want."
"The princess is so arrogant, treating the palace as her home. Does that mean that one day when the civil and military officials are holding a meeting in the imperial court, she can also brazenly barge in and say, 'This is my home, I can go wherever I want!'"
The third princess's face darkened, and she grew increasingly angry.
She had always disliked Consort Shu, and upon hearing that she was hosting a banquet here, she deliberately came to find fault with her and embarrass her. However, before Consort Shu could do anything, she was the one who was humiliated in front of all the ladies and young women.
Even her mother wouldn't speak to her like that normally, how dare she!
The third princess was so angry that she opened her mouth to say, "Who do you think you are, daring to lecture me?"
Before she could speak, she heard hurried footsteps outside. It was Granny Chang from Yongning Palace rushing over.
When Granny Chang entered, she first bowed to Consort Shu, and then bowed to all the ladies present before saying, "Her Highness Consort knew that Consort Shu was hosting a banquet here today, and originally wanted to come and join in the fun, but unfortunately she suffered a headache and felt unwell. The imperial physician advised her to rest in bed, so she had to give up."
Then she looked at Shen Yan and said, "I heard that Miss Shen entered the palace today. The Imperial Concubine admires Miss Shen's talent and ordered me to bring a small gift. Please accept it."
As he spoke, someone handed him a rosewood box containing a gold hairpin with butterflies playing among flowers. The craftsmanship was exquisite, and a rather large piece of yellow jade was inlaid among the flower stamens.
Shen Yan stepped forward to accept the gift and thanked her. Granny Chang then took her leave, saying that the Consort still needed someone to serve her. As she left, she said to the Third Princess, "Your Highness is unwell. Please come with me back to Yongning Palace to attend to Your Highness."
The Third Princess knew she was lying; her mother was perfectly fine when she left Yongning Palace.
Since Granny Chang had said that in public, it would be unfilial for her not to go back. Naturally, she dared not refuse and could only glare at Consort Shu before leaving resentfully.
The Fifth Princess had not come voluntarily. After entering the hall, she hadn't uttered a single word except for bowing. Seeing the Third Princess leave, she silently thanked her heavens and hurriedly took her leave as well.
After everyone had left, Consort Shu let out a disdainful snort and said to the others, "Let's go, let's do what we need to do, don't let this ignorant little girl spoil our fun."
The Third Princess, who had only walked a short distance, was furious upon hearing this, but was held back tightly by Granny Chang, preventing her from turning back.
The ladies exchanged glances, suppressing their shock, and smiled as they walked out of Jianzhang Palace with Consort Shu.
The girls who came with the ladies had been itching to go out, and when they heard they could go play on their own, they quickly dispersed in small groups.
They weren't familiar with Shen Yan, and no one took the initiative to invite her. Shen Yan didn't mind and strolled around happily with the two palace maids by her side.
Consort Shu glanced at her from afar, but had no intention of calling Shen Yan over to stay by her side. She only instructed the palace servants to take good care of her and make sure nothing happened to her before going boating on the lake with the other ladies.
………………
When Shen Yan first entered the palace, she dared not wander around, but she was not so panicked that she dared not go anywhere.
She strolled slowly along Taiye Pond, admiring the scenery around her. Every now and then she would squat down to examine the rocks, flowers and plants along the roadside. If she encountered something she didn't recognize, she would ask the palace servants around her what kind of flowers and plants they were, and what kind of stones were used in the artificial mountains. She was interested in everything.
The other girls gathered in twos and threes, and couldn't help but glance in her direction.
Some were simply curious, others looked on with disdain, and still others hesitated to go up and say hello, but seeing that no one else had moved, they didn't dare to be the first to step forward.
As the granddaughter of Grand Secretary Li, Li Yaozhi was surrounded by the most people. They chattered together about topics that young ladies liked, such as the jewelry of one family, the rouge of another, or which handsome young man had recently arrived in the capital.
But no matter what people say, it inevitably comes back to Shen Yan in the end.
She and Qi Jingxuan are the hottest topics of conversation in the capital lately. Wherever there are people, their story is brought up, and the young ladies are naturally no exception.
"Is it true that the Prince of Jin abused her while drunk? If it is true, why would she still agree to marry him?"
"What Prince of Jin? He should be called Prince of Ping now."
Someone covered their mouth and laughed.
On the day the imperial decree for the marriage was issued, Qi Jingxuan's punishment was finally decided: he was demoted from a prince to a duke, and his title was changed from Jin to Ping.
"It makes me angry just thinking about it."
"A girl in a red dress said."
"When my elder brother heard that the Prince of Jin had been demoted to a county prince, he sighed and lamented at home, saying that the Prince of Ping was really unlucky."
“When I asked him why, he said that before Miss Shen even entered the family, Prince Jin was demoted to a county prince because of her. This shows that Miss Shen is a person with bad luck. Marrying her will not only not bring good fortune to her husband, but will also bring bad luck to her husband’s family.”
"I say that's not right. It was clearly Prince Ping who was punished for a drunken humiliation of Miss Shen. What does this have to do with Miss Shen? Miss Shen is a perfectly good young woman, and she's the one who's unlucky to have this kind of thing happen to her!"
“My elder brother said that Miss Shen is only the daughter of a sixth-rank lecturer, but now she has become a princess because of her entanglement with Prince Ping. She has clearly gotten a great deal.”
"I almost threw up when I heard that. They said if one day a princess took a fancy to you and forced herself on you, insisting you marry her, would you really think you'd gotten a great deal?"
"My older brother got angry when he heard me say that, saying that I was an ignorant woman with long hair but short brains, and that I only knew some fallacies and heresies."
"I rolled my eyes in anger and never spoke to him again."
As everyone knows, the prince consort of the Great Qi Dynasty does not hold real power. Becoming a prince consort means having no future in officialdom. Therefore, no man with any ambition is willing to marry a princess.
Some of the people surrounding the girl couldn't help but chuckle, while others whispered, "But I don't think your older brother is entirely wrong. Miss Shen comes from a humble background, and to become a princess, even if she's just a county princess, is a huge leap for her. It's not an exaggeration to say that she got a good deal."
The girl in the red dress rolled her eyes and scoffed, "Want this cheap deal? As long as you get drunk and harassed by some prince, you can become a princess! Even if you're gossiped about for the rest of your life, you'll still be a princess."
The girl who had been retorted blushed and clutched her clothes, saying, "You... what nonsense are you talking about!"
"How could I be talking nonsense? It's clearly a bad thing. Miss Shen's reputation has been ruined for life. Just because she comes from a poor family, a bad thing has turned into a good thing. It's as if she desperately wants the position of princess."
"I...that's not what I meant."
The woman said.
"I think... while it's a bad thing, it's not entirely bad. You can't look at things from only one perspective; there are always good aspects, aren't there? Besides... you're not her, how do you know she wouldn't be overjoyed?"
"You're not her, how do you know she'd be longing for you?"
The girl in the red dress retorted, "You say there are good points too? You make it sound so easy. You don't know the pain until you experience it yourself. If you actually encountered it, what good points would you see? You'd probably just be crying and wailing at home, threatening to kill yourself."
The two disagreed, and the others also held their own opinions, so they began to argue.
Li Yaozhi got a headache listening to this, so she simply found an opportunity to leave and went for a walk along the Taiye Pond.
She didn't look down on Shen Yan because of the matter of Prince Ping, but she wasn't interested in Shen Yan either. However, lately everyone was talking about her all the time, and she was tired of hearing it.
Li Yaozhi was walking alone by the pool when she suddenly heard the sound of footsteps behind her. It was the girl in the red dress who had caught up with her earlier.
She ran quickly to Li Yaozhi's side and said, "Azhi, why did you leave? I couldn't find you when I turned around."
Li Yaozhi idly tugged at a willow branch hanging by the roadside and said, "Those people do nothing but gossip all day long, it's so boring. I told you before to stay away from them, but you wouldn't listen."
"The same thing happened at Baoyuxuan last time. Yang Huiru looks gentle, but she is actually fond of stirring up trouble and is not a good person. Yet you still walked with her."
"If I had known she was with me that day, I would never have gone."
The girl in the red dress shook Li Yaozhi's arm and said, "Azhi, you're wronging me. I never asked Yang Huiru to come along. It was clearly Fang Wuniang who invited her that day. I only found out when I got there, and I couldn't very well send her away, could I?"
She chuckled again as she spoke, "You know I've always loved a lively atmosphere. I only said a few words because there were so many of them."
As she finished speaking, she looked around again and lowered her voice, saying, "Just now at Jianzhang Palace, Consort Shu was really something! I had only heard that she was favored by the emperor, but I never expected that she would not even put the Imperial Concubine in her eyes."
"Granny Chang came in such a hurry that she must have heard that the Third Princess was causing trouble and was afraid that she would suffer at the hands of Consort Shu, so she rushed over to take her away. It is clear that even the Noble Consort has to avoid her and dare not offend this Consort Shu too much."
"I don't go to the palace often, so it's understandable that I don't know this person. But you, Azhi, go to the palace frequently, how come I've never heard you mention her?"
Li Yaozhi frowned slightly, recalling what Consort Shu used to be like, but because she rarely appeared in public, she really had no impression of her. She could only shake her head and say, "Consort Shu is aloof and frail, and rarely appears in public. I have not had much contact with her. I have only heard that she is very favored, but I do not know her specific personality. Today... I have learned something new."
There were many concubines in the palace, but only five sat in the principal position of a palace: the Empress, the Noble Consort, the Virtuous Consort, the Wise Consort, and the Gentle Consort.
The Virtuous Consort, the Virtuous Consort, and the Gentle Consort all held the same rank of Consort, but they dared not be so arrogant and presumptuous as to disregard the Noble Consort.
The girl in the red dress nodded slightly and couldn't help but sigh again, "Consort Shu is truly remarkable. I've never seen the Third Princess suffer such a humiliation before."
She chuckled softly as she spoke, "If you ask me, the Third Princess deserves it. She's always so arrogant and domineering, looking down on everyone and not taking anyone seriously."
"Now look what's happened! After the flower-viewing banquet ends and everyone goes home, news of her being publicly reprimanded by Consort Shu will spread throughout the capital's inner quarters. Countless people are waiting to see her make a fool of herself!"
Li Yaozhi came from a good family and had never been bothered by the Third Princess. However, she knew that the Third Princess was arrogant and had bullied many people because of her noble status. Now, she was reaping what she had sown.
The girl in the red dress was in a great mood. She and Li Yaozhi walked and chatted until they came to a pavilion, where they decided to go in and rest.
Just then, someone walked by on another road; it was Shen Yan, who was taking a walk alone.
Although the pavilion was not secluded, it was a bit far from where the group had dispersed, so neither side expected anyone to appear there. They were both taken aback when they saw each other, and then quickly greeted each other after regaining their senses.
Shen Yan originally wanted to rest in the pavilion, but since the other party had arrived before her, she was afraid they wouldn't want to stay with her, so she decided to find another place.
Just as she was about to leave, she heard the tall woman say, "Miss Chen, I heard that you personally agreed to the marriage with the Prince of Heping. Is that true?"
Shen Yan paused, glancing at her with a puzzled look, wondering why she had asked that question, but still nodded and replied, "Yes."
Li Yaozhi had heard a lot about her lately, and when she suddenly ran into her, she wanted to verify it herself. But after she said it, she felt it was impolite and was about to apologize when she heard her very straightforward answer.
Li Yaozhi was taken aback, and couldn't help but raise an eyebrow slightly, asking again, "Why?"
Shen Yan looked her up and down a few times. Seeing that her expression was calm and there was no malice in her eyes, as if she was just asking a simple question, she replied truthfully, "Because I want to live, I want to live well."
This answer surprised both Li Yaozhi and the girl in the red dress, and neither of them spoke for a moment.
The girl in the red dress thought Shen Yan was saying that instead of trying to kill herself, she should marry into the royal family and become a princess, at least she would have endless wealth and honor and could live a life of comfort and ease.
Li Yaozhi's mind raced as she thought about the rumors she had heard in the past few days and the things her grandfather had told her.
She found it somewhat unbelievable and tentatively asked, "You mean... the rumors are true, that you and Prince Ping were framed, and that he didn't abuse you while drunk?"
Qi Jingxuan has been causing trouble for people lately, always claiming that he was framed at the Cheng'an Marquis's residence and that the other party might be the mastermind, which is why he's picking fights.
But this was only his side of the story. In addition, he had publicly admitted his mistakes at the Cheng'an Marquis's residence that day, so naturally no one believed him. They all thought he was making trouble out of nothing or trying to find excuses for himself.
However, Grand Secretary Li said that this might not be false, and advised Li Yaozhi not to be prejudiced or easily believe what others said just because she disliked Qi Jingxuan.
Li Yaozhi respected her grandfather greatly and did not refute him, but she did not take it to heart.
It wasn't that she didn't take her grandfather's words to heart, but rather that she looked down on Qi Jingxuan from the bottom of her heart.
She disliked him and hated him. When someone really dislikes another person, it's hard not to be biased, and she was no exception.
Shen Yan's answer was ambiguous and could be interpreted in many ways. She simply didn't want to lie, nor did she want to speak too intimately with someone she didn't know well, so she answered in that way. However, she didn't expect that this woman would understand her meaning so quickly.
Now that she understood, Shen Yan didn't hesitate to tell the truth and nodded, saying, "Yes, both Prince Ping and I were framed."
Upon hearing this, Li Yaozhi raised her eyebrows even higher. She carefully considered the recent events and the rumors she had heard, then chuckled and said, "Then you're really unlucky."
This surprised Shen Yan. She didn't expect that this young lady not only understood what she meant, but also believed her.
There was no mockery, no disdain, no sarcasm, just a teasing remark: "You're really unlucky."
It's rare to meet someone who understands you. A genuine smile appeared on Shen Yan's face as she said, "Life is full of disappointments, but things are already pretty good as they are now."
Li Yaozhi thought for a moment and nodded, "That's true."
If what Miss Shen said is true, then the person who framed them must be trying to use her to harm Prince Ping.
If she hadn't married Prince Ping, she would most likely have faced certain death. So, the outcome is actually quite good.
Faced with such misfortune, she didn't contemplate suicide or become despondent; instead, she calmly found a way out for herself. This Miss Shen is indeed someone worth befriending.
Li Yaozhi immediately stepped forward and bowed to Shen Yan again, much more solemnly than before.
She introduced herself: "My surname is Li, and my given name is Yaozhi, the Yaozhi of Yao tree. My father is Li Hang, the prefect of Qingzhou. If you don't mind, you can call me Azhi."
Seeing this, Shen Yan returned the greeting and said, "My name is Shen Yan, and my nickname is Aci, Ci meaning compassion. My father is Shen Mingshan, a lecturer in the Hanlin Academy. You can just call me Aci."
The woman in the red dress was still processing their conversation when she saw them suddenly bowing and introducing themselves. She quickly put that aside and curtsied as well, saying, "I am Gu Niannian from the Yongchang Marquis's Mansion. My nickname is A Xiang. You can just call me A Xiang, sister."
The women exchanged their maiden names, smiled at each other, and then went into the pavilion to sit down and chat.
Gu Niannian was a talkative person. After hearing Li Yaozhi say that Shen Yan and Prince Ping were both framed, she became curious and kept asking Shen Yan questions.
Shen Yan didn't hide anything and told them everything. Li Yaozhi and Gu Niannian were both amazed after hearing it and said again, "You're really unlucky."
To go to a banquet for no reason and have this happen is truly unlucky. People are still pointing fingers at me, and I'm sure I'll continue to be criticized in the future.
Compared to the "dream," things are much better now, so Shen Yan is quite optimistic and said with a smile, "Being unlucky is better than being dead."
Hearing her say that, Li Yaozhi and Gu Niannian couldn't help but chuckle. They couldn't help but admire her good attitude. If it were someone else, or even themselves, they probably wouldn't have been able to handle it so easily.
The three of them chatted and laughed in the pavilion, their clear laughter occasionally carried on the wind and heard by those who walked nearby.
Someone recognized Li Yaozhi and Gu Niannian and wanted to go forward, but stopped in their tracks when they saw that the other person was Shen Yan.
Shen Yan lost her innocence. Even if it wasn't voluntary, it was still a fatal thing for a young woman. Many elders advised their daughters not to associate with her, lest it ruin their reputation and affect their future marriage.
However, some people who already had a good relationship with Li Yaozhi and the others went over without much hesitation.
The pavilion, which originally housed only three people, gradually became lively as Gu Niannian chattered on about the Cheng'an Marquis's mansion that she had just heard from Shen Yan.
Some of the people present believed it, while others did not. But regardless of their belief, with Li Yaozhi present, no one publicly contradicted Shen Yan, saying that she was talking nonsense and trying to clear her name.
Gu Niannian only wanted to help Shen Yan clear her name as much as possible. Those who believed would believe, and those who didn't would not believe no matter how much she talked. So she just told the story once as a joke and quickly changed the subject without dwelling on it.
"Ah Ci, I heard from my third brother that you're exceptionally good at pitch-pot and archery. Why don't you show us your skills today and let us see what you're capable of?"
Gu Niannian said with her eyes shining.
"Your third brother"
Shen Yan pondered for a moment, then remembered that she had said she was a young lady from the Yongchang Marquis's mansion, and exclaimed, "Third Young Master Gu!"
Gu Niannian nodded with a smile: "Yes, Third Brother said that you were a force to be reckoned with at Ya Fang Garden that day, and even won his black jade pendant. In order to avenge his defeat, he hasn't been to Ya Fang Garden recently and has been practicing hard at home, hoping that one day he can turn the tables on you."
Shen Yan chuckled: "I was just using a trick, I'm not that good."
"My third brother said you're amazing, so you must be really amazing! He's always loved playing these kinds of games, and you not only beat him but also made him admire you so much, which speaks volumes!"
"Alright, stop being modest, let us see for ourselves!"
As Gu Niannian spoke, she instructed the palace servants to prepare the equipment for pitch-pot and wooden archery.
The area around Taiye Pond suddenly became lively, with many people surrounding Shen Yan, unlike when she first arrived, when it was quiet and deserted.
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Author's Note: I'm truly sorry everyone. Those who follow me on Weibo should know that my tenosynovitis has flared up and hasn't healed. Lately, I've been typing by voice and then uploading it to my computer for editing. To make matters worse, I caught the flu this week, coughing badly and losing my voice, so I couldn't keep up with the voice recordings either. It's just...when it rains, it pours. I've been really unlucky. Just when my grades were looking good, I suddenly had to stop updating. Every day I thought I could still write and shouldn't take a break, but I couldn't write anything. These 10,000 words were accumulated intermittently. From now on, if I can't write something on a given day, I'll take the day off that day; I won't procrastinate anymore.
I'm setting a goal: starting tomorrow, I'll be on Saturday every day for a week. If I don't, I'm a dog.
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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