Chapter 64 Even Before Leaving, It Has to Be Your Own Mother
Shen Yujiao is a person who acts on her impulses. Since the imperial edict did not specify the exact departure time and only gave a "beginning of the month" range which was too flexible, she simply started packing her luggage early. Even the steward, knowing that the Crown Prince was going out again, had been doing his best to cooperate with the Crown Princess these past two days.
"Your Highness, please rest and have some water." Seeing that Shen Yujiao was panting heavily, Mu Jin quickly helped her to sit down on a low stool.
The warm tea soothed Shen Yujiao considerably. She turned to ask, "Has the Ministry of Works sent anyone to deliver a message?"
“I’ve gone,” Mu Jin replied. “Lord Xu said that he has made all the arrangements and is just waiting for Your Highness’s instructions. We can set off at any time next month.”
"That's good," Shen Yujiao nodded. "The head steward in the manor is very capable, so there shouldn't be any mistakes. Is there anything else?"
Upon hearing this, Mu Jin hesitated for a moment, and then said, "This servant has something to say, but I don't know if I should... This is something that His Highness the Crown Prince should have told you."
"Speak."
"It's like this... When the person who went to the Ministry of Works returned with the news that day, you happened to be busy in the back hall, and His Highness the Crown Prince had not yet returned to the residence. The little eunuch then told me about the matter at the Ministry of Works. Besides Lord Xu, there was another matter."
Mu Jin frowned slightly, her expression troubled: "...It's Minister Zhao. He wants to do His Highness the Crown Prince a favor, hoping that Consort Liang can be brought along on this trip north. He says that the late Lord Chu was caught in a flood while repairing the river and died saving the people. Many years later, the Crown Prince has taken over the canal repair, and if Consort Liang could be brought along..."
As she spoke, Mu Jin's voice trailed off. "Lord Chu is indeed a good official who serves the people, but what's the meaning of the Crown Prince taking Consort Liang with him on his official duties? The Crown Princess accompanying the Emperor is a special privilege granted by the Emperor and Empress, and their joint travel is beneficial to their marital harmony. But Consort Liang..."
Mu Jin sighed inwardly, blaming herself for being too soft-hearted because of the little eunuch's words. This matter should have been discussed between Zhu Yu and His Highness the Crown Prince.
Upon hearing this, Shen Yujiao was somewhat surprised. After a moment of stunned silence, she asked, "What is Liangdi doing now?"
"Huh?" Mu Jin was also in a daze just now. When she heard the Crown Princess ask, she subconsciously replied, "Liangdi just ordered lunch and should be eating now."
“I see…” Shen Yujiao pondered for a moment, then said, “Let’s go to Jingtan Pavilion.”
Mu Jin followed behind Shen Yujiao, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Master, they're having their meal right now, and you just walked past like that?"
"The Crown Princess has arrived!"
Upon hearing the eunuch's announcement, Chu Rou's chopsticks, which were picking up food, trembled. She quickly put down her chopsticks, picked up a handkerchief to wipe her lips, and then went to the door to greet him with a bow: "This concubine greets Your Highness the Crown Princess. May Your Highness be well."
"Get up quickly."
Shen Yujiao reached out to help, her gaze passing over Chu Rou and settling on the dining table. Looking at the meager meal, she frowned and asked A-Jun, "Is this all your Liangdi eats every day?"
Although the Eastern Palace is not as strictly hierarchical as the Imperial Palace, it still has its own regulations. The daily meal allowance for a concubine is calculated to include at least eight dishes and one soup for lunch, with a minimum of three catties of meat and vegetables per day, not to mention chicken, duck, and fish. However, the meal in front of her consists almost entirely of vegetarian dishes with little oil.
Ah-Jun knelt to the side, noticing the warning look from her mistress. She hesitated for a long time, but ultimately didn't dare to answer.
"Your Highness, please don't be offended. It's just that I've been craving something light since autumn started. I feel quite tired these days, and I tend to sleep a lot in the afternoon. If I eat too much, I won't be able to sleep."
Shen Yujiao's expression was somewhat complicated; she could easily tell that Chu Rou was trying to smooth things over.
The servants of the Eastern Palace were used to acting according to the attitude of their masters. She had realized this when she was at the Royal Villa. After returning to the capital, she mentioned the portion sizes to Chu Rou twice. However, she never expected that the kitchen staff would dare to skimp on the food! They had calculated that she and Jiang Chen would not dine at Jingtan Pavilion, so naturally they would not have noticed this.
Shen Yujiao turned her head and glanced at Chu Rou, who had a docile expression. She couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Then she turned to her and said with a smile, "Then it won't be possible today. I have something to tell you later. I'll have lunch here with you."
Upon hearing this, Chu Rou subconsciously turned around and glanced at the table of dishes, her face slightly flushed. She heard the Crown Princess instruct A-Jun to clear the table, and then she ordered Mu Jin, "Go to the kitchen and bring me my lunch. Today, I will dine with Consort Liang."
Both palace maids bowed in response. Chu Rou stood beside Shen Yujiao, hesitant to speak. After a long pause, she whispered, "Your Highness, there's really no need for this..."
Seeing her like this, Shen Yujiao found it somewhat amusing: "Normally, you never lose your composure when things happen, and you can talk about military strategy and tactics in front of me with ease. How come you can't manage your subordinates when it comes to yourself? You want to keep things peaceful, but they don't appreciate it."
Chu Rou was well aware of what the Crown Princess was saying, but she genuinely felt it was better to avoid trouble. Her current allowance was not low, and with her dowry, it was a considerable sum of money. She could buy whatever she wanted on a daily basis. As for food, she didn't have much of a desire for food, so she never mentioned it to the head of the household.
But the Crown Princess was thinking of her, and she would never go against the Crown Princess's good intentions. After the meal was put back on the table, the two sat down to eat again. After lunch, Shen Yujiao pulled Chu Rou to the study.
Although the study in Jingtan Pavilion was small, it lived up to the name of the courtyard. As soon as you entered, you were greeted by the fragrance of sandalwood. The exquisite wooden furniture and furnishings were arranged in a pleasing manner, making you feel as if you had accidentally wandered into a quiet forest. Shen Yujiao looked around at the room full of books and couldn't help but exclaim, "No wonder you are the granddaughter personally raised by Grand Tutor Chu. Your dowry is probably mostly books, isn't it?"
This was the first time an outsider had set foot in the study. Chu Rou somewhat awkwardly prepared tea for the Crown Princess, then blushed and brought it over, saying, "When I was in my boudoir, I was used to flipping through books every day. Your Highness, please have some tea."
Shen Yujiao took the teacup, her gaze sweeping over the desk before settling on the book "Kaogongji" (The Book of Trades). Her eyes softened slightly as she turned and asked, "Would you like to come along on this trip north to build the canal?"
Upon hearing this, Chu Rou knew that Zhao Shangshu must have taken her casual remark to heart. She had originally intended to persuade him to be loyal to the Crown Prince, but she never expected that he would come to the Crown Princess for her sake.
Chu Rou felt a mix of emotions. On one hand, she was touched by Minister Zhao's concern as an elder, but on the other hand, she felt guilty for putting the Crown Princess in a difficult position.
After a moment's thought, Chu Rou curtsied and said, "When the Crown Prince travels with you, the Eastern Palace is now without a master. If I were to accompany you, there would be no one left to guard the capital. Although the situation is not yet chaotic, someone still needs to keep an eye on things for Your Highness."
"The Empress Dowager is in the palace in the capital, and the Ministry of Works is outside the palace. As for the Eastern Palace, the Crown Prince will also leave a few reliable secret guards there. Besides, even the chief steward is still in his residence. You don't need to worry about this."
"But... my health is too weak, and traveling would inevitably slow down the journey. Therefore, I will stay in the Eastern Palace."
"What are you saying? The Crown Prince's procession wouldn't be complete without a carriage, would it?" Shen Yujiao put down her teacup, stepped forward to help the woman up, and said softly, "I've heard a thing or two about your father's affairs..."
"Although this trip northward is not a proper canal construction project, the detailed drawings made along the way will serve as the reference basis for all subsequent projects. If you are willing, consider this trip as a way to see on behalf of your father how well the waterways of the Great Xia Dynasty have been built."
After the court session ended today, Jiang Chen set a departure date with the emperor. Upon returning, he excitedly sought out Shen Yujiao to share the news. However, before he could even speak, he heard that Chu Rou was now part of the trip, instantly halving his joy.
"You two never used to exchange more than a few words before, so why are you so close to her now that you're in the Xia Dynasty?"
Shen Yujiao was speechless for a moment when he asked her question. She casually threw a bundle at him. Fortunately, it was full of clothes, so it didn't hurt when it hit her. Jiang Chen picked it up with a smile and patted it. "Okay, it's good to take it with you. When I can't take care of you outside, she can keep you company."
"Chu Rou... I mean the Chu Rou we know, you... you are...?"
"Is it something?"
"Never mind, I forgot what I was going to say."
Shen Yujiao turned around and started packing her things halfway through her sentence. Jiang Chen was puzzled by her hesitant manner, but he didn't think about it any further. He walked to Shen Yujiao's side, mysteriously took out the brocade box that he had hidden since entering the room, and presented it to Shen Yujiao like a treasure.
"What is this—"
The moment the brocade box was opened, a pair of exquisitely crafted black daggers with dragon engravings lay inside. Leaving aside the intricate carvings, the material of the scabbards alone exuded a refined elegance. She was about to reach for them when Jiang Chen stopped her—
"I've tested these daggers; they truly cut through iron like mud. If you really want to handle them, you must be extremely careful."
"good."
The moment the dagger was drawn, a cold glint flashed. Shen Yujiao looked at the clear reflection of her face on the blade, her eyes filled with surprise: "Did the Emperor give this to you?"
Jiang Chen shook his head: "After court today, the Empress summoned me to Kunyi Palace and gave it to me, saying that I should take it for self-defense when I go out."
Upon hearing this, Shen Yujiao raised an eyebrow slightly: "It has to be my own mother. Even if I went to the palace to serve her every day, I'm afraid it wouldn't be enough."
"It's alright. The Empress isn't my biological mother. My mother likes you more than she likes me."
As soon as the words left his mouth, both of them were stunned. Jiang Chen hadn't really thought too much when he said them, but in this context, it made people subconsciously think of another layer of meaning.
"I--"
After staring at each other for a full three seconds, Jiang Chen stood up first. He carefully sheathed the dagger, then neatly closed the brocade box. His eyes swept across the inner hall: "This, this dagger is not suitable to be left in the room. I, I will put it in the study."
"Oh... okay..."
Seeing his flustered appearance, Shen Yujiao sat calmly in place, seemingly unaware of what he was busy with. After Jiang Chen left the inner hall, Shen Yujiao immediately poured herself a cup of tea and fanned her face haphazardly with both hands.
Just then, Mu Jin came in carrying a box of medicine. Seeing Shen Yujiao's flushed face, she quickly stepped forward to stop her: "Your Highness, you can't fan yourself anymore. It's autumn now and it's quite chilly. What if you catch a cold before you leave!"
The next second, Mu Jin saw that their prince was sitting up straight with a serious expression and said, "No, I'm not hot. Who said I'm hot?"
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