Chapter 4: Perhaps the Crown Prince still cares about her.
“Hold on to your pride,” a familiar and dignified voice came from outside the door, “and do not be rude.”
The two looked towards the door. A pair of black boots stepped across the threshold, his dark blue robes fluttering, a jade belt outlining his slender waist, his figure tall and graceful, and his expression slightly displeased.
Shen Mi hurriedly rose from her seat, bowing her head: "This concubine greets Your Highness."
Princess Roufu, Gu Chiying, did not bow. Instead, she stepped forward, hugged Gu Zhan's arm, and looked up at him, saying, "Brother, you actually scolded me for the sake of an outsider!"
“I wasn’t being mean to you,” Gu Zhan’s brow relaxed. “After all, she’s married into the Crown Prince’s palace, so she still needs to be careful with her words.”
Gu Chiying pouted in dissatisfaction, "You're so protective of her. If you marry her, don't you want Sister Su anymore?"
"Don't talk nonsense. How can the marriage of a young lady be treated so lightly?"
"Yes, yes, I know that you have always valued Sister Su's reputation, so I won't mention it anymore, okay?" Gu Chiying then let go of him.
After just a few words, Shen Mi's eyes reddened.
Even though she is now Gu Zhan's concubine, she will always be an outsider in front of the brother and sister. Is that Miss Su's reputation any less important than her own dignity?
Once upon a time, her brother had said that he would marry her off to the best man in the world. He didn't have to be from a noble family or be extremely wealthy, since the Shen family had both of those things. All he needed to do was treat her wholeheartedly and cherish her like a priceless treasure.
My brother said that if that man dared to wrong her in the slightest, she would have to ask his sword first.
But now, Gu Chiying, who had been so aggressive towards her, has an older brother, who was forever buried in that war.
He died in battle so young, barely twenty, and had never married.
Thinking of this, she couldn't help but shed two lines of tears.
Like a handful of lotus flowers covered in morning dew, delicate and pitiful.
Seeing her cry, Gu Chiying immediately frowned and pointed at her, "I didn't say anything to you, but you started crying first?"
Shen Mi then realized that she had been moved by the scene and hurriedly wiped away her tears, saying, "I have been impolite, Your Highness, please forgive me."
"Alright, it's getting late. Let's return to the East Palace," Gu Zhan said calmly.
Before leaving, Gu Chiying pulled Gu Zhan aside and asked, "When exactly will Minister Su return to the capital? Will Sister Su stay on Pingjiang Road with Minister Su forever? I really want to play with Sister Su."
"Why ask so many questions? He'll come back when he's supposed to."
Gu Chiying glanced at Shen Mi intentionally, "That's right, then remember to tell me if you have any news about Sister Su."
Gu Zhan didn't respond, but walked outside. Shen Mi bowed to Gu Chiying before following him.
On the way back, Gu Zhan, unusually, took the initiative to talk to her, "Besides what I heard, what else did she say?"
Shen Mi was taken aback. Considering Gu Zhan's intentional or unintentional protection of Miss Su in his words and his favoritism towards Gu Chiying, she figured that Gu Zhan probably didn't want her to know too much about Miss Su.
So she concealed the truth, saying, "No, it's just that there was some misunderstanding between me and the princess."
Gu Zhan seemed unconvinced, "Then why are you crying?"
Shen Mi thought of a way to brush it off, "Perhaps I didn't sleep well last night."
Gu Zhan glanced at her and noticed the dark circles under her eyes that she had deliberately covered with makeup, but he didn't ask any more questions.
Before getting into the sedan chair, Gu Zhan said again, "There aren't many things in the Eastern Palace that you need to manage. The internal affairs are handled by the Six Bureaus. If you are interested, just take a look at the monthly account books and the gifts and favors received in social interactions."
Gu Zhan makes it sound so easy, but how simple are human relationships?
Whose gifts can be accepted? Whose gifts cannot be accepted? Which gifts can be accepted? Which cannot? The significance of the gifts is intriguing, and there is much to learn about them.
But these were orders, how could she refuse?
Upon returning to the East Palace, Gu Zhan indeed sent Sun Cheng to deliver the account books to her. Along with the account books came countless gold, silver, jade, silk, and satin artifacts. Shen Mi glanced at them and knew they were all priceless treasures.
Cuiwei took the gift list from the palace servants led by Sun Cheng, then glanced at the box on the table in the hall, and smiled broadly, "Miss, this jade bracelet looks like mutton fat jade. I've heard that mutton fat jade is the best for nourishing the body!"
Sun Cheng laughed along, “Miss Cuiwei has a good eye. It is indeed mutton fat jade. This pair of jade bracelets must have been a gift from the Empress when His Highness came of age three years ago. They are rare treasures.”
Cuiwei was impatient. "Doesn't the young lady have a jade pendant made of mutton fat jade? It was blessed by the young general at a temple when she was weak back then."
Shen Mi subconsciously touched her collar. During the three years she spent in Yanzhou observing mourning for her father and brother and caring for her ailing mother, countless precious items from her family were sold for money, but she couldn't bear to part with the jade pendant that her brother had braved the heavy snow to obtain for her.
As soon as Cuiwei finished speaking, she noticed that Shen Mi's mood was off and her eyes were getting wet. She immediately changed her words, "It was my fault for talking too much. I shouldn't have brought this up."
Shen Mi lowered her eyes, not wanting to show any vulnerability in front of Sun Cheng. "It's alright," she said, seeing the gift list and remembering Gu Zhan's instructions about social interactions. So she pretended to be nonchalant and asked Sun Cheng, "Did Your Highness send these things according to the list of names such as visiting cards?"
Sun Cheng was taken aback. He hadn't expected Shen Mi to ask such a question. He quickly smiled and explained to Shen Mi, "You're overthinking it, Consort. These were all sent to your Qingluan Palace at His Highness's request." He looked at the pair of jade bracelets that Cuiwei had mentioned, "For example, those mutton-fat jade bracelets. They were imperial gifts. How could His Highness possibly bestow them upon anyone other than Consort?"
Shen Mi really didn't expect Gu Zhan to give her something on his own initiative, and the gift was not perfunctory at all.
Having worked in the palace for many years, Sun Cheng immediately understood Shen Mi's thoughts. "Now that Consort Liang has entered, the Eastern Palace will be managed by someone. This is all your responsibility, and there is nothing wrong with it."
"Your Highness is busy with official duties, and I am not at liberty to disturb you. Please ask Eunuch Sun to convey my gratitude to Your Highness." Only then was Shen Mi relieved for the time being, and she instructed Cuiwei to accept the gift.
Just then, a young eunuch announced at the door, "Eunuch Sun, Imperial Physician Cheng from the palace has arrived."
Sun Cheng turned around and said, "Please come in quickly."
Shen Mi was momentarily taken aback. "Imperial Physician? Is His Highness unwell?"
“It is a blessing for the Crown Prince that Consort thinks of His Highness in both big and small matters,” Sun Cheng replied. “But Consort, rest assured, His Highness is in good health. Physician Cheng was specially sent from the palace by His Highness to treat your cold.” He greeted Physician Cheng, who had just entered, and then said to Shen Mi, “His Highness has always been compassionate. Yesterday, there were many formalities, but His Highness could not bear to see Consort suffer any more.”
A tender feeling suddenly melted into Shen Mi's heart.
So Gu Zhan wasn't disgusted by her catching a cold yesterday? On the contrary, he was concerned about her health, otherwise he wouldn't have specially summoned the imperial physician from the palace today to treat her minor cold? Gu Zhan still cares about her to some extent, doesn't he?
She only came to her senses when Physician Cheng took out a piece of silk from his medicine box, bowed to her, and was about to take her pulse.
Physician Cheng knelt before her, taking her pulse through the thin silk handkerchief, his brow furrowing more and more deeply. "Has Consort Liang had this cold for quite some time? Haven't you taken any medicine before?"
Shen Mi still hadn't figured out the background of that Instructor Wu, so she didn't dare to speak rashly at this moment, and only said, "Thank you for your trouble, Physician Cheng."
Physician Cheng gestured for her to switch wrists, took her pulse again, and then put away the silk handkerchief. "It's my duty, nothing to worry about. It's just that your cold has been lingering for a while, and it will take some time to recover."
Shen Mi nodded. "I understand." Then she looked at Cuiwei.
During her time in Bianjing, Cuiwei had already come to understand the necessity of dealing with people in the palace and making connections with those above and below her. She skillfully took out a few gold melon seeds from Shen Mi's dressing case, wrapped them in a handkerchief, and handed them to Imperial Physician Cheng.
Physician Cheng glanced at Sun Cheng beside him, but did not respond, saying, "I am a servant of the emperor and should share his burdens. There is no need for such formalities, my lady."
Cuiwei was undecided and asked Shen Mi for his opinion.
Sun Cheng personally pushed Cuiwei's hand back, "If Your Highness has been unwell before, it was always Physician Cheng who came to treat you. If you need anything in the future, you can also summon Physician Cheng. There is no need for gold or silver."
Shen Mi understood Sun Cheng's meaning—this Imperial Physician Cheng was Gu Zhan's confidant, and Gu Zhan must have given him much more, so the gold and silver were insignificant. Therefore, she signaled Cuiwei to put the gold melon seeds back into the dressing case.
After exchanging a few more polite words, she saw Physician Cheng and Sun Cheng off.
Looking at the dazzling array of precious items filling the Qingluan Palace, and hearing the faint smell of medicine wafting from the small kitchen, Shen Mi felt much more at ease, even though Gu Zhan still didn't set foot in the Qingluan Palace for the next two days.
There are still decades ahead, and with His Highness the Crown Prince, there's no need to rush, is there?
On the third day, a palace maid served dumplings for breakfast.
Seeing her astonishment, another palace maid, Danju, said, "Has Your Highness forgotten? Today is the Winter Solstice."
It would have been better if she hadn't mentioned it, because the moment the matter was brought up, Shen Mi's movements suddenly stopped.
Today should be her homecoming day, but she has nowhere to go, and it just so happens to be the Winter Solstice, a day for paying respects to relatives.
She ate the breakfast with a bitter taste, and Danju assumed she was still ill and didn't say much. But Cuiwei knew why her young lady was sad.
So the palace maids cleared away the remaining food, and she hurriedly closed the door, leaving Shen Mi a quiet place.
Shen Mi remained silent, gently clutching the mutton-fat jade pendant hanging around her neck. She sat by the window, gazing northwest, the direction where her father and brothers were buried, and silently wept.
Her father and brother's graves are in Yanzhou. In previous years, she would always bring paper money to their graves to pay her respects on Qingming Festival, Winter Solstice, and the anniversary of their deaths. Now that she has entered the palace, it is like entering a deep sea, and she will never have the chance again. She wonders if they think of her this year in the afterlife. Perhaps her mother has already reunited with them. She wants to tell them that she is doing well now, that His Highness the Crown Prince treats her well, and that they don't need to worry. Yet, she doesn't even have a cenotaph.
Thinking of this, she became even more upset and cried for a long time before letting Cuiwei help her change her clothes and touch up her makeup.
"Cuiwei, sneak out of the palace later and buy some paper money." Fang had just finished crying, and Chen Mi's voice was still a little hoarse.
Cuiwei hesitated slightly, "Miss, burning paper money in the palace is a major taboo. Moreover, today is the Winter Solstice, and according to custom, you are to go to the palace banquet with His Highness the Crown Prince."
Shen Mi curled her fingers. "I know. We'll burn it secretly in the side courtyard. When Your Highness goes to the palace banquet, I'll dismiss the palace servants beforehand. We won't be discovered. As for the banquet, you can go to Eunuch Sun later and tell him that I suddenly have a fever and can't accompany Your Highness. Your Highness should understand."
After all, she was only a concubine, so it wouldn't be a big deal if she didn't go.
Cuiwei was sold into the Shen family when she was young. The Shen family treated her very well. She also wanted to do her part for the old general, the young general, and the lady, so she did not try to persuade Shen Mi again.
After lunch, she went to see Sun Cheng and said that Consort Shen was unwell and might not be able to attend the banquet. Sun Cheng also asked if she could invite Physician Cheng over. Cuiwei thanked him and declined. Fortunately, Sun Cheng did not pursue the matter further and only said that he would discuss it with His Highness the Crown Prince.
After dinner, it was past dusk; the sun was setting, and weary birds were returning to their nests.
Cuiwei watched Gu Zhan leave the East Palace with his men before she felt relieved. She then found an excuse to dismiss the eunuchs and maids serving in the Qingluan Palace and took the charcoal brazier, along with the paper money and yellow paper she had bought during the day, to the courtyard.
There is a folk saying that if one cannot personally visit the grave to pay respects to one's relatives, one can find a crisscrossing road, burn paper money, and the wind will carry one's sorrow to the Bridge of Helplessness.
Unable to leave the palace late at night, and with no such place in the Eastern Palace, Shen Mi had no choice but to choose a spacious area behind the Qingluan Hall, hoping it would work.
She knelt before the charcoal brazier, her hands trembling as she poured paper money into it.
However, Gu Zhan always made only a token appearance at such banquets before leaving.
When Gu Zhan reached the entrance of the Hall of Diligent Governance, he suddenly asked Sun Cheng, "Isn't Consort Shen seriously ill? Have you sent Cheng Lin over?"
“After the Imperial Physician Cheng came to examine her the day before yesterday, he said that she had been ill for a long time and needed to recuperate slowly. This servant noticed that Consort Shen was getting better, and Consort Shen also said that there was no need to summon the Imperial Physician,” Sun Cheng carefully chose his words, still wanting to give the poor Consort Shen a chance to see His Highness the Crown Prince. “She is not attending the banquet today, perhaps because she is worried that she is not fully recovered and will be disrespectful in front of the Crown Prince.”
Gu Zhan turned towards the backyard, passed through the hanging flower gate, and said, "Let's go and take a look at the Azure Phoenix Palace."
A note from the author:
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Little Sister: Don't come any closer! [Please!]
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