029
Life in the deep palace seemed to be pushed along by an invisible hand, and before long, the year was drawing to a close. Si Mianmian was now the most sought-after person in the palace, the darling of the Empress Dowager, the apple of the Crown Prince's eye, and even the usually cold-hearted Emperor, due to his unspeakable guilt and growing fatherly love, showed her exceptional favor. Zhuixia Pavilion was bustling with visitors, with a constant stream of people coming to offer congratulations and curry favor. Si Mianmian handled them all flawlessly, still maintaining her charming and innocent appearance, but the string in her heart never relaxed.
That afternoon, fine snowflakes drifted down from the sky. Si Mianmian was nestled in the warm pavilion, accompanying Consort Wen as she drew patterns. Now that Consort Wen had been promoted, her complexion was much rosier than before, and the light sorrow that had lingered between her brows for years had faded somewhat. Si Mianmian leaned against her, twirling a strand of silk thread between her fingers, making playful remarks to amuse her mother. The room was warm and cozy, a scene of harmonious motherly love and filial piety.
Suddenly, a palace maid outside announced that the head maid from the Empress Dowager's palace had arrived, accompanied by an unfamiliar old maid. Si Mianmian and Consort Wen exchanged a glance, both somewhat surprised. They recognized all the people close to the Empress Dowager, but this old maid was completely unfamiliar to them.
The head maidservant entered, smiling and bowing: "Greetings to Consort Wen and Princess Zhaochen. The Empress Dowager was tidying up the storerooms today and found some old items from earlier years, including a pair of exquisite mutton-fat jade pendants. Her Majesty said that the Princess is still young and would be very comfortable wearing them, so she specially ordered me to deliver them. Also, this is Granny Su, who served the Empress Dowager at Renshou Palace in her younger days. She recently returned from the imperial mausoleums outside the capital. The Empress Dowager, mindful of her advanced age and merits, has granted her permission to enter the palace to enjoy her retirement. Granny Su has heard that the Princess is intelligent and filial, and insisted on coming along to kowtow to her."
Si Mianmian's gaze fell on Granny Su. The old woman looked to be over seventy, her hair neatly combed, dressed in a dark brown palace gown. She was thin, but her back was ramrod straight. Her eyes, unlike those of ordinary elderly people, were not cloudy; instead, they shone with a calm and clear gaze that came with the vicissitudes of life. Si Mianmian stepped forward and performed a deep bow respectfully, her voice hoarse yet clear: "This old servant, Su, greets Consort Wen and Princess Zhaochen."
"Please rise, Granny Su. You are a senior, there's no need for such formality." Consort Wen hurriedly had someone help her up.
Si Mianmian smiled sweetly and said, "Granny Su is well, thank you for your concern."
Palace servants served tea and snacks. The head maid handed over the jade pendant, exchanged a few words of casual conversation about the Empress Dowager's instructions, and then took her leave, leaving only Granny Su behind. Consort Wen, being kind-hearted, saw that the old nanny was advanced in years and offered her a seat, gently inquiring about her hardships guarding the imperial mausoleum. Granny Su thanked her and answered only briefly, her words respectful yet neither servile nor arrogant.
As she spoke, Su Mama's gaze seemed to casually sweep over the small, exquisite jade safety buckle hanging from Si Mianmian's waist. It was one of the birthday gifts that Rong Jingyu had sent to Si Mianmian a few days ago, and she often wore it because she thought it was unique.
Granny Su's gaze lingered on the jade pendant for a fleeting moment, her brow furrowing almost imperceptibly before returning to normal—so quickly it seemed like an illusion. But Si Mianmian, with her keen perception, immediately caught this subtle change. A thought flickered in her mind, but her face remained impassive. She picked up her teacup, gently stirring the floating leaves with the lid, and asked with a seemingly casual smile, "Granny Su, do you find something wrong with my jade pendant? Or... does it look somewhat familiar?"
Upon hearing this, Granny Su raised her eyes and gave Si Mianmian a deep look. Her gaze was complex, filled with a hint of reminiscence and a touch of emotion, which ultimately turned into a barely audible sigh: "Princess, please forgive me for my rudeness. However... the color, craftsmanship, and especially the way the cord is tied in this piece of jade are very similar to an old item that I saw on an old friend many years ago."
"Oh?" Si Mianmian put down her teacup, intrigued. "Who is this old friend? Does it resemble my jade pendant?"
Consort Wen also showed a curious expression.
Granny Su pondered for a moment, as if recalling a distant past, and slowly said, "That was... many years ago. At that time, this old servant was still serving the Empress Dowager in Renshou Palace. There was a... hostage from the Yan Dynasty, who, in fact, was His Majesty's cousin, named... Xuan Yi."
Xuan Yi! Si Mianmian's heart trembled. This was the name of Rong Jingyu's deceased father, the previous generation of the Yan Dynasty's Prince! Her hand in her sleeve tightened slightly, but her face still showed just the right amount of curiosity: "A hostage of the Yan Dynasty? Granny, please tell me in detail."
Consort Wen seemed to remember something as well, and her expression turned slightly serious.
Granny Su sighed, her gaze drifting to the swirling snowflakes outside the window as she drifted into memories: "That Prince Xuanyi bears a striking resemblance to the current Prince Rongjing, though his personality is... more unrestrained and flamboyant. When he was young, he was a hostage in Yudu, where he became acquainted with several princes and princesses of similar age."
She paused, her gaze seemingly sweeping over Consort Wen, before continuing, "Especially... she became quite... compatible with a princess who was the gentlest and kindest of them all, but who was rather taciturn due to her family's lack of prominence."
Si Mianmian immediately realized that the "princess" mentioned by Granny Su was very likely her mother, Consort Wen Lingling! She looked at Consort Wen and saw that her mother's hand holding the teacup trembled almost imperceptibly, her eyes lowered, and her ears turned slightly red.
As if oblivious to her surroundings, Granny Su continued, “His Highness Xuanyi is skilled in music, especially the flute and xiao. That princess is a master of the pipa. When the late Emperor was alive, there were often banquets in the palace, and the two would frequently play together, a truly perfect match. This jade safety buckle,” she pointed to Si Mianmian’s waist, “is something this old servant remembers clearly; it was His Highness Xuanyi’s cherished possession, which he wore year-round. The unique ‘love knot’ tying method was something His Highness specially devised, saying it symbolizes ‘interlocking rings, forever good’.”
The warm pavilion was silent, save for the soft crackling of the silver-boned charcoal in the brazier. Consort Wen had completely lowered her head, her neck flushed crimson. Si Mianmian's heart was in turmoil. She never imagined that her mother had such a past with Rong Jingyu's father in her youth! No wonder Rong Jingyu always treated her differently; could it be… he knew about this past?
"And... what happened next?" Si Mianmian asked softly, her voice carrying a hint of nervousness that she herself was unaware of.
"Later..." Granny Su's tone lowered, "The Yan Dynasty was in turmoil, and the old King of Yan Dynasty fell seriously ill. As the eldest son, Prince Xuanyi had to return to the country to inherit the title and stabilize the situation. He... he pleaded with the late emperor to marry that princess as his heir."
Si Mianmian held her breath.
“However,” Granny Su shook her head, “at that time, the court was wary of the Yan Dynasty, so how could it possibly marry a royal princess to the heir of an enemy state? The late emperor resolutely refused. In addition… another powerful concubine in the palace at that time also wanted to marry her own princess to Prince Xuanyi in order to win him over. When that failed, she… used some tricks. In the end, Prince Xuanyi was forced to marry the daughter of a high-ranking official in the Yan Dynasty, who is now the Princess of Yan Dynasty and the birth mother of Prince Rongjing. As for that princess… alas, not long after, she was betrothed to a prince of ordinary family background but kind nature, who was… later Prince Wen.”
The truth, like snowflakes washed clean, suddenly became clear! Si Mianmian recalled the complex look in Rong Jingyu's eyes, a look that seemed to see through her and into someone else; she remembered his contradictory attitude, sometimes close, sometimes distant; she remembered how he knew she had ulterior motives, yet still indulged her, even…guided her. It turned out that the source of all this lay in the ill-fated romance and palace intrigue of their parents' generation! How much of his approach to her was because she was Si Mianmian, and how much was because…she was that person's daughter?
Survival Handbook Rule #29: Palace secrets are often intricately intertwined. Today's results are the seeds of yesterday's causes. The key to unlocking the truth often lies in unnoticed details and long-forgotten memories.
"Then... after His Highness Xuanyi returned to the country..." Si Mianmian pressed.
"After His Highness Xuanyi returned to the country, although he inherited the throne, I heard that he was always depressed and had a distant relationship with the Queen, only maintaining a superficial marital bond. Not many years later, during the suppression of a rebellion by a vassal king, his old wounds relapsed, and he passed away." Granny Su's tone was full of regret. "He was a man of deep affection and loyalty, but unfortunately... fate played a cruel trick on him."
As she spoke, she looked again at the jade pendant at Si Mianmian's waist, her words carrying a hidden meaning: "The way this jade pendant is tied is unique, and this old servant would never mistake it. Presumably, the person who gave the jade also knew about this past event. However, times have changed, the old friend is gone, and many things... Princess, you must look forward."
These words were spoken not only to Si Mianmian, but also to Consort Wen, who had remained silent throughout.
Consort Wen raised her head, her eyes brimming with tears, but she forced them back. She took a deep breath and gave Granny Su a strained smile: "Thank you for telling me these old stories, Granny. They're all in the past now... we're all doing well."
Granny Su nodded, rose and bowed: "Your Highness and the Princess are kind and benevolent. It was this old servant who spoke out of turn. Seeing the Princess today is like seeing an old friend. I am filled with emotion and have spoken incoherently. I hope Your Highness and the Princess will not take offense. This old servant takes her leave."
After Granny Su left, a long silence fell over the warm pavilion. Consort Wen stared blankly at the snow falling heavier and heavier outside the window, a single tear finally sliding down her cheek. Si Mianmian silently handed her a handkerchief and gently held her mother's cold hand.
"Mother..." she called softly.
Consort Wen snapped out of her reverie, took the handkerchief to wipe away her tears, and grasped her daughter's hand tightly. "Mianmian, it's all in the past. Granny was right, we must look forward. Now... I have you, and I am already very content." She looked at her daughter's features, so similar to that person's in his youth, and her heart was filled with mixed emotions, which ultimately turned into a relieved smile. "It's just... that child (referring to Rong Jingyu) suffered so much, losing his father at a young age and being held hostage in a foreign land..."
Si Mianmian rested her head on her mother's shoulder and gave a soft "Mmm." But her mind was perfectly clear: how much of Rong Jingyu's ambiguous affection for her was mixed with his desire to make up for his parents' regrets, his habitual pursuit of fate, and perhaps even... a hint of subtle revenge? Revenge for the pressure the Yu Dynasty court had placed on his father, revenge for the scheme that had broken up their marriage—was that why he was so determined to get close to, and perhaps even "get" that man's daughter?
And within this deep palace, the "instigator" of that turmoil back then, that powerful concubine, is very likely to be the same faction as Consort Li, with whom they are now at odds, or even more extensively involved.
Survival Handbook Postscript: Behind emotions may lie entwined vines of self-interest; present closeness may be rooted in past wounds. Only by seeing the path we've traveled can we take each step forward with care.
The truth has come to light, but Si Mianmian feels that the road ahead is even more shrouded in mist. The vague feelings of affection she has for Rong Jingyu, which she herself has not yet figured out due to spending so much time together, have now become complicated.
However, Si Mianmian was never one to be bound by the past. The grudges of her parents were theirs; she would walk her own path. As for how much of Rong Jingyu's treatment of her was genuine and how much was fake, she would use her own eyes and her own heart to see and judge.
As for those old enemies lurking in the shadows… Si Mianmian's lips curled into a cold smile. If they behaved themselves, fine; but if they still wanted to cause trouble, she wouldn't mind stirring up this mess even more!
The snow fell even heavier, covering the red walls and green tiles, and temporarily concealing the deep-seated, intricate secrets buried underground. But Si Mianmian knew that when the warm spring sun arrived and the ice and snow melted, everything that had been covered would eventually reappear.
And she was ready.
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