Chapter 7 Assault: Have you ever heard of the Royal Metamorphosis?
After making up her mind, Shen Yujiao dragged Jiang Chen to live in the study the next day. She was determined to make up for Jiang Chen's lack of knowledge in classical Chinese, politics and history.
Jiang Chen, on the other hand, didn't have it so easy. He originally studied science precisely because he didn't like memorizing the complicated knowledge points of humanities subjects. He could recite the formulas of mathematics, physics, and chemistry with ease, but he just couldn't memorize the humanities subjects no matter what.
"You got it wrong again!" Shen Yujiao rolled up the book and gave Jiang Chen a flick on the forehead. "You can't even distinguish between the knowledge points of the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties, how am I supposed to continue explaining it to you?"
Jiang Chen dodged with his brush in hand, not daring to raise his hand to touch his head even after being hit. He just said loudly, "Isn't it necessary to start from the beginning? This Great Xia Dynasty is after the Han and Tang Dynasties, can't you just tell me about the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties?"
Shen Yujiao snorted coldly, her face full of disappointment: "Studying history can enlighten us, and understanding the past can help us learn from the present. You've forgotten everything Grandpa Jiang told you. Besides, if the emperor were to ask you about Yao, Shun, and Yu in a moment of inspiration, would you answer or not?"
"Alright, alright, I'll just say one thing. Why do you have so many lines to repeat? I'll learn them, okay?" Jiang Chen looked at Shen Yujiao with a face full of resentment.
After the two calmed down for a while, Jiang Chen handed in his dictation of the knowledge points again. Shen Yujiao couldn't bear it any longer: "You've made a mistake for the fourth time!"
Hearing the clattering noises coming from inside, Zhu Yu and Mu Jin, who were standing at the door, exchanged a glance. Both of them looked pale and sickly. They didn't know what their two masters inside were doing, but they sensed something was wrong from the sounds. Fearing that the servants would hear, they dismissed all the servants in the courtyard, leaving only the two of them to stand guard at the door. But judging from this situation, they didn't know how long they would have to stand there.
As the New Year approached, every household in the Great Xia Dynasty was busy preparing for the New Year. The closer it got to the end of the year, the stronger the festive atmosphere became in the capital city of Xia. On this day, the Little New Year, the Emperor and Empress were having breakfast together when the Emperor suddenly remembered the Crown Prince and asked him a question.
Upon hearing this, the Empress put down her chopsticks, lightly dabbed her lips with a handkerchief, and replied, "The Crown Prince has been feeling unwell lately. Because it's almost the New Year, he hasn't invited the imperial physician to the residence. The Crown Princess is currently taking care of him."
"Ill?" The emperor frowned upon hearing this. "The Crown Prince's illness is no small matter. Even though it's almost the New Year, he can't just stay ill like this."
"Your Majesty, please rest assured. Last night, I sent someone to the East Palace to check on him. They reported that the Crown Princess has been taking excellent care of the Crown Prince, and he is almost fully recovered. However, he is still a little weak. I thought that since today is only the Little New Year, I did not invite the couple to the palace. They can rest for a few more days and then come to the palace properly for the New Year's Eve banquet."
Hearing the Empress say this, the Emperor finally put his worries aside, casually praising the Crown Princess as a good one, and then turned to talk to the Empress about the recent preparations in the palace.
Meanwhile, in the Eastern Palace, the "Crown Prince who fell seriously ill after his marriage" finally emerged from his bedchamber today. Jiang Chen, with two bruises under his eyes, basked in the long-awaited sunlight with a satisfied expression. After being in seclusion for more than half a month, he had almost been tortured to death by Shen Yujiao's devilish teaching.
"Jiang Chen." Hearing Shen Yujiao call his name, Jiang Chen instinctively shuddered; the fear of being dominated by knowledge points hadn't yet faded.
Seeing him like this, Shen Yujiao chuckled, "Why are you so scared? Come on, it's the day of the Kitchen God Festival, let's go eat some Kitchen God candy?"
Jiang Chen breathed a slight sigh of relief and smiled wearily, "Alright, let's try this stove candy and see if the Daxia's is sweeter."
The two ate breakfast as quickly as if they were eating in the school cafeteria. After finishing, they collapsed together, marveling at how comfortable it was to not have to study. However, before they could rest for long, Zhu Yu came in.
"Your Highness, Her Majesty the Empress sent word that she is reminding the Crown Princess that she and the Crown Prince will ascend the high platform together for the ancestral worship ceremony this Lunar New Year. Her Majesty is worried that Your Highness has not been there before, so she specially sent Granny Zhao from the palace to accompany the two princes in practicing the ancestral worship ceremony in the East Palace before New Year's Eve."
Having just been freed from the burdens of humanities knowledge for less than an hour, Jiang Chen nearly fainted upon hearing this news.
As expected of someone close to the Empress, Granny Zhao was extremely strict with etiquette and rules, and she was particularly harsh when teaching Jiang Chen and Shen Yujiao. Fortunately, the etiquette of the Great Xia Dynasty was not too difficult. Shen Yujiao had a background in dance, so she could keep up with most of it. As for Jiang Chen, he had the convenient excuse of "not being in good health" to stop him.
So, starting from the Little New Year, the two of them studied etiquette during the day and reviewed it together at night. With their extra practice day and night, they managed to avoid being noticed anything unusual by Granny Zhao. It wasn't until the day before New Year's Eve that the two of them respectfully saw Granny Zhao off, and then collapsed onto the bed, disregarding all manners and etiquette.
The next day, on New Year's Eve, Mu Jin woke the two of them up before dawn. Shen Yujiao was sitting in front of the dressing table, letting her do her makeup. The bronze mirror reflected the girl's beautiful face. Before Mu Jin could even praise the Crown Princess for being so beautiful, she saw the beauty yawn without any regard for her image.
"Your Highness," Mu Jin whispered, then asked with a smile, "Didn't Your Highness and the Crown Prince retire for the night yesterday? Why are you still so sleepy now?"
Shen Yujiao looked up and met her gaze in the mirror, a bitter smile appearing on her face.
Heaven knows that, to outsiders, she and Jiang Chen, this "newlywed couple," were granted marriage right after their wedding. The two of them spent their days in the East Palace, either in the study, where she would add fragrance to the room and compose poems, or in the bedroom, where they would rest and recuperate under the flowers and moon.
In reality, the two of them have hardly had a day of rest since they transmigrated here.
They were either acting in front of others or studying behind closed doors, and they also had to find out all sorts of information in their spare time. Fortunately, the two of them had just finished the college entrance examination not long ago, and Shen Yujiao could recall the humanities knowledge points with ease. But even so, after a month, the two of them were almost skinned alive.
Because she was entering the palace today and would be attending the New Year's Eve banquet that evening, Mu Jin dressed Shen Yujiao in a noble and dignified manner. However, once she put on the Crown Princess's palace attire, Shen Yujiao felt as if she were tightly bound. To avoid making a fool of herself in the palace, she and Jiang Chen didn't dare to eat much for breakfast, only grabbing some filling cakes and finally swallowing a couple of sips of tea.
The carriage departed from the East Palace as dawn broke. Jiang Chen and Shen Yujiao arrived before everyone else entered the palace. Today was New Year's Eve, and the two of them had to stand guard beside the Emperor and Empress from early morning. So, after the carriage stopped at the palace gate, the two of them got into their sedan chairs separately, one going to the Qian Yuan Hall and the other to the Kun Yi Palace.
When Shen Yujiao arrived at Kunyi Palace, she happened to arrive just as the Empress was getting ready for the morning. Shen Yujiao went into the palace to remove her outer clothes and then went to the side hall to wash her hands. When she returned to the inner palace, the Empress had already finished dressing. Shen Yujiao then stepped forward to help the Empress to sit down at the dining table.
Seeing that Shen Yujiao was about to serve the meal, the Empress stopped her, saying, "You child, I know you are filial, but these tasks can be done by them."
Shen Yujiao smiled respectfully at the Empress, "Your Majesty loves me, and I know that in my heart. However, this is my first year in the palace, so these formalities are still necessary."
Although she said that, Shen Yujiao was worried in her heart: if she ate or drank too much, it would be inconvenient for her to go to the toilet in this outfit.
Upon hearing this, the Empress's face lit up with satisfaction: "The Crown Princess is indeed very particular about etiquette. Very well, then this year it will be as you wish. But next year, when you have a little grandson, your health may not be so good."
"Ah...yes..." Shen Yujiao felt embarrassed, but still put on a shy expression.
During the meal, the Empress inquired about the Crown Prince's health and whether she had experienced any difficulties adapting to life in the Eastern Palace. Shen Yujiao answered all her questions fluently and charmingly, behaving like a good daughter-in-law. The Empress was very pleased with her answers.
After breakfast, Shen Yujiao stayed by the Empress's side. First, palace ladies came to ask for instructions and report, and then concubines and noblewomen came to pay their respects. Since it was a family banquet today, all those who came were members of the royal family. Most of them came to pay their respects. Afterwards, they were led to various flower halls in waves to wait for the New Year's Eve palace banquet in the evening.
As evening approached, the Empress went back to rest before the evening's palace banquet, giving Shen Yujiao a moment to catch her breath. She leaned against the chaise longue in the side hall, her face stiff from smiling, her eyes vacant as she stared blankly at the carvings on the window lattice, her mind blank.
"Your Highness," Mu Jin entered from the outer hall carrying a bowl. She first dismissed the palace maids, then walked to Shen Yujiao's side and whispered in her ear, "Zhu Yu just came over and said that His Highness the Crown Prince instructed me to make you a bowl of brown sugar ginger and jujube tea, and told you to drink it as soon as possible."
Looking at the steaming bowl of brown sugar ginger and jujube tea, Shen Yujiao slowly gave a helpless smile. Jiang Chen actually remembered her daily routine, but Miss Shen's daily routine might not be in these few days.
Holding a full bowl of brown sugar ginger and jujube tea, Shen Yujiao felt both comforted and amused. She then drank the whole bowl. When Mu Jin took back the empty bowl, her eyes were full of smiles as she looked at Shen Yujiao, making Shen Yujiao's cheeks flush slightly. She urged, "Hurry up and return the bowl?"
"Eh!" Mu Jin answered crisply, curtsied, and turned to return the bowl. Watching her departing figure, Shen Yujiao, not knowing who she was talking about, laughed and cursed at the air, calling her an idiot.
The New Year's Eve palace banquet was held in Changqing Hall. When Shen Yujiao accompanied the Empress into the hall, the hall was already packed with people, except for the Emperor and Jiang Chen, who had not yet arrived. Upon seeing the Empress's arrival, all the imperial relatives and nobles stood up to pay their respects and offer their blessings. As soon as the Empress took her seat, a eunuch announced, "Your Majesty and the Crown Prince have arrived—"
Upon hearing this, Shen Yujiao, who had walked halfway to her seat, stopped halfway and bowed to the emperor as he entered the hall, along with everyone else.
Jiang Chen followed the emperor into the hall. When they reached the platform, the emperor walked towards the head of the table, while Jiang Chen went to Shen Yujiao's side and bowed to her. After the emperor was seated and everyone rose, Jiang Chen reached out to help Shen Yujiao up, and the two sat down at the first table on the left side of the lower table.
After settling down, Jiang Chen released Shen Yujiao's hand, which he had just been holding, and whispered to her, "Why are your hands so cold? Didn't I ask someone to bring you ginger tea? You mustn't get sick, I don't want to fight alone tomorrow."
The first half of Shen Yujiao's smile had vanished, replaced by a forced one. She pinched Jiang Chen's hand with her other hand and said through gritted teeth, "The leader is speaking, so pay attention."
The emperor sat at the head of the table and was giving his pre-dinner speech, which Shen Yujiao translated as: "Let's summarize this year and look forward to next year. Everyone has worked hard this year, and we should continue to work hard next year. Everyone, please eat and drink well tonight."
May Your Majesty and Her Majesty enjoy boundless blessings and peace, and may the Great Xia Dynasty prosper and endure forever.
After a lengthy pre-meal briefing, the New Year's Eve palace banquet finally began. Accompanied by songs and dances, dishes were served one after another. After the first bite, Shen Yujiao finally realized the wonder of attending a royal banquet.
The beef was firm and springy, the fish was tender and delicious, the seasonal vegetables were crisp and refreshing, and the wine was delicate and lingering. Not a single dish on the table disappointed Shen Yujiao. Seeing that she was eating to her heart's content, Jiang Chen used the serving chopsticks on the table to set the food for her.
The two were enjoying their meal when they heard Princess Yongjia step forward to offer a toast. In the main hall, she was charming and delicate in front of the emperor, behaving like a little girl. Where was the imposing manner she had displayed in Kunyi Palace that day? Shen Yujiao saw this and her movements gradually slowed down.
Jiang Chen had just placed the deboned fish meat into the dish when he noticed that Shen Yujiao's chopsticks had already fallen to the ground. He followed Shen Yujiao's gaze to the head of the table and asked in a low voice, "What's wrong?"
Shen Yujiao narrowed her eyes slightly, staring intently at the ceiling, and said, "The banquet is not even halfway over yet, and it's not time for the princes and princesses to offer toasts and say auspicious words. She walked up like this, which makes it seem like you, the crown prince, are being inconsiderate."
Jiang Chen lowered his eyes, picked up another mushroom for her with his chopsticks, and said nonchalantly, "The young lady is favored, let her show off, you eat yours."
After some investigation, the two had a general impression of these princes and princesses. Princess Yongjia was the daughter of Consort Yao, the most favored concubine in the harem. As the mother, she was the most favored concubine in the harem, and as the daughter, she was the emperor's darling. No wonder she dared to steal the limelight from everyone else.
"Father, today Yongjia presents a dance to Father and Mother, wishing our Great Xia a prosperous and flourishing future."
As soon as Princess Yongjia finished speaking, the emperor clapped his hands in delight. The next moment, Princess Yongjia's gaze met that of Shen Yujiao, who smiled charmingly and coaxed, "Father, I have heard that Fifth Sister-in-law is very talented. Why don't you perform a dance for Father and Mother?"
Jiang Chen slowly put down the silver chopsticks in his hand, raised his eyes to look at Princess Yongjia with an expressionless face, and heard Shen Yujiao snort coldly, as if to say to him: Look, is she just trying to show off for herself?
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