Chapter 261: Spring’s Message
The sky over Shangjing seemed to have completely cleared.
The ice and snow on the streets had melted cleanly, and the warm sun made the glazed tiles sparkle with golden light.
However, this fine weather did not benefit Prince Duan’s Mansion.
Since Xue Yuechen returned from Shui Yue Nunnery, she had been confined to her chambers day after day. The vast Ying Yue Residence was eerily silent, with only the wet nurse’s soft footsteps and the occasional cry of an infant adding a touch of life.
Li Huan stood in the corridor of Ying Yue Residence, listening to the faint sobs from within, his brow furrowed.
Ever since giving birth to her daughter, Xue Yuechen had become like a different person. Her former gentleness and virtue had vanished, replaced by endless self-torment and suspicion. She spoke harshly to him and often chided him.
Li Huan knew she was fixated on having a legitimate son, and he knew the thorn in her heart that could not be removed…
“Your Highness.” Fei Cui emerged with a medicine bowl, startled to see him standing there. She quickly curtsied, “The Princess Consort has just taken her medicine and is resting. She mentioned earlier that Your Highness is busy with official duties and shouldn’t worry about things here…”
Li Huan glanced at the dark brown liquid and waved for her to withdraw.
He pushed open the door and entered. The medicinal vapor mixed with the scent of milk assailed him, heavy and stagnant…
The mingled scents created an indescribable heaviness and oppression.
Xue Yuechen lay facing inward on the brocade couch, her back to him. She held a brocade pillow in her arms, her shoulders trembling slightly as if she were weeping silently.
“Still troubled?” Li Huan walked over, his voice carrying a hint of fatigue.
Xue Yuechen did not turn around, only hugged the pillow tighter. “Has Your Highness come with something to convey?”
Li Huan looked at her back and remained silent for a moment.
“In five days, A Ning will be a month old.”
He paused before continuing, “I have already arranged for a full moon banquet. Nobles and dignitaries from the capital will attend to bestow blessings upon A Ning…”
He had given their daughter, born on a snowy night, the milk name A Ning, meaning peace and safety, and wishing her a lifetime of tranquility.
Xue Yuechen disliked the name “A Ning” very much.
But Li Huan had made up his mind, and she could do nothing to change it.
Upon hearing his words, she slowly turned around, her eyes filled with undisguised sorrow.
“She’s just a girl. Why hold a full moon banquet? Does Your Highness wish to announce to the world that the Princess Consort of Prince Duan cannot bear a son and can only rely on a daughter to save face?”
Li Huan frowned. “A Ning is your daughter, and she is also this Prince’s flesh and blood. Why must the Princess Consort be so heartless?”
“When have I been heartless? I am merely speaking the truth.” Xue Yuechen gave a shallow, mocking smile, her fingertips tracing the folds of the brocade quilt. “Has Your Highness forgotten that Prince Duan’s Mansion needs a legitimate son, a legitimate son to continue the royal bloodline…”
“Enough!” Li Huan’s voice suddenly rose. “A Ning is this Prince’s legitimate eldest daughter. This full moon banquet will not only be held, but it will be held magnificently!”
Xue Yuechen looked at the unquestionable determination in his eyes, feeling as if her heart had turned into a cold pool.
“Your Highness may decide. In any case, I have no say in these matters, nor can I make decisions for Prince Duan’s Mansion.”
Li Huan was silent for a long time before speaking softly, “Princess Consort, please set your mind at ease… and stop overthinking.”
“Am I overthinking?” Xue Yuechen suddenly sat up, clutching the quilt. Her eyes churned with obsession and pain. She gave him a mournful smile, tears threatening to fall.
“Does Your Highness think I am foolish? Although Sixth Sister has entered the Buddhist Gate, has Your Highness truly let her go? Without Sixth Sister managing things in the mansion, will Your Highness still visit Ying Yue Residence in the future? What Your Highness truly hopes for is not for Sixth Sister to return to secular life and continue the family line, is it?”
“Princess Consort!” Li Huan’s voice was sharp and stern. “Do not speak such nonsense!”
Xue Yuechen chuckled softly, tears rolling down her cheeks.
Perhaps it was because Xue Sui personally delivered the child and saved her from the brink of death, that this little girl held such importance in Li Huan’s heart.
His care for her far surpassed that for his Princess Consort…
“Fine.” She smoothed her pale face, her smile tinged with despair and fragmentation. “If Your Highness wants to hold it, then hold it. But do not let people mock Prince Duan’s Mansion for having no hope of a legitimate son and having to rely on a daughter to save face!”
Li Huan looked at her face full of pain and felt a surge of irritation. He turned and left.
Distressed, he walked aimlessly along the Nine-Bend Corridor, and before he knew it, he had arrived outside Tan Qiu Courtyard.
Standing in the corridor, gazing at the lingering sunset clouds, he recalled Xue Sui’s appearance, her hair white but her demeanor calm and composed.
Having both experienced life and death, why could she remain so resilient and peaceful, while Xue Yuechen harbored so much resentment?
Five days later, Prince Duan’s Mansion was decorated with lanterns and festoons for the full moon banquet of his legitimate daughter, A Ning.
Dignitaries and nobles from the capital came to offer their congratulations. Amidst the clinking of glasses and cheerful chatter, the atmosphere beneath the surface was somewhat subtle.
Everyone knew how eagerly the Prince and Princess Consort longed for a son. Now, holding a banquet for their daughter, though seemingly grand and dignified, only they knew the true feelings behind it.
Li Huan held his daughter, accepting everyone’s congratulations, his face weary as he forced a smile.
Xue Yuechen sat in the main seat, her makeup exquisite, but her brows devoid of any joy.
She watched the tenderness on Li Huan’s face as he doted on their daughter, and the bitterness in her heart intensified.
When had he ever shown her such tenderness?
Halfway through the banquet, an eunuch from the mansion hurried in.
“Your Highness, someone has arrived from the palace. His Majesty summons you to the palace immediately!”
“Did they say what the urgent matter is?” Li Huan’s brows furrowed slightly.
“Reporting to Your Highness, the eunuch who delivered the decree only said it concerns the corruption case involving military supplies and the snow disaster in the Western Frontier. His Majesty requires you to attend a meeting at the imperial court without delay.”
Li Huan’s expression turned serious.
That corruption case involved many people. After Xue Qinglian escorted the grain and fodder transport official to Shangjing, he interrogated him day and night for half a month, implicating several nobles in the capital…
Just then, trouble erupted again in the Western Frontier. The war was urgent, the army was facing a grain shortage, and then a once-in-a-century snow disaster struck…
The Emperor’s urgent summons likely meant further complications…
“Prepare the horse!”
Li Huan asked the wet nurse to take the child and left in a hurry.
From beginning to end, he did not say a word to Xue Yuechen.
Xue Yuechen watched his departing back, then suddenly covered her face and ran out, weeping uncontrollably in the late spring garden.
Beneath the rose trellis, a faint fragrance wafted.
However, the fragrance filling the courtyard could not dispel the resentment that permeated her heart…
Meanwhile, at Shui Yue Nunnery, Xue Sui sat by the window, absentmindedly copying scriptures.
From time to time, she would look up at the Spirit Feathers and Snowballs preening each other in the warm sunlight under the eaves, a faint smile on her lips, her demeanor exceptionally languid.
The cold plum blossoms had withered, and spring was about to arrive.
The sky over Shangjing still seemed shrouded in a haze, and it was uncertain when it would truly clear.
“Miss, have you finished copying today’s scriptures?” Ru Yi entered with a pine tray, the lotus seed soup in the bowl still steaming.
She was becoming more efficient, and as she spoke, she placed the soup bowl on Xue Sui’s desk. She then casually brushed away fallen leaves from the window frame and refilled the food and water for the two pigeons.
Xue Sui glanced at the still-wet Xuan paper, put down her wolf hair brush, and noticed faint ink smudges on her fingertips.
She stood up and walked to the copper basin, burying her hands in it to wash them carefully.
“Miss, let me…” Ru Yi quickly stepped forward, intending to wash her hands for her.
The warm water carried a faint scent of soapberry, mixed with the lingering smell of smoke from the kitchen. Xue Sui looked up at Ru Yi, seeing the fine sweat on her nose, and couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Did you go to the kitchen to help again?”
Ru Yi stuck out her tongue, her cheeks flushing slightly. “Sister Xiao Zhao said Miss used to love tender bamboo shoots braised with meat the most. The kitchen got some fresh spring bamboo shoots yesterday, so Ru Yi wanted to make a dish of vegetarian meat and jade bamboo shoots for Miss to try…”
During her time at the nunnery, with Xiao Zhao taking care of things, she could always eat some meat and was never short of soups and stews. Every time she ate heartily of rich food, she felt sorry for Miss’s simple ascetic life.
Xue Sui knew they were craving good food and turned a blind eye, only warning them not to let the abbesses of the nunnery find out.
“It’s thoughtful of you. I’ll try it.”
She picked up a silver spoon to scoop some lotus seed soup and then used wooden chopsticks to pick up a piece of the tender bamboo shoot Ru Yi had carefully prepared.
The white jade bamboo shoot segments were tender and flavorful. The vegetarian meat, made from gluten, was also chewy, and coated in the sauce, it was exceptionally fragrant…
The corners of her eyes curved slightly, and she praised with genuine smiles.
“Crisp, tender, and refreshing, even more flavorful than what the head chef in the vegetarian kitchen makes. Ru Yi’s cooking has improved so much…”
Ru Yi couldn’t help but beam upon hearing this.
“It’s good that Miss likes it. In the future, Ru Yi will try to come up with new dishes, and I guarantee Miss will enjoy them.”
The more she was praised, the more enthusiastic she became. Encouraged, she would often ponder new ways to cook for Xue Sui, and Xue Sui herself was the beneficiary.
One, Xiao Zhao, was skilled in martial arts and protected her closely. Another, Ru Yi, was an excellent cook and meticulously took care of her diet. And then there was Jinshu, who was meticulous and managed all the affairs, arranging everything in perfect order…
She felt that her days in the nunnery were truly comfortable…
As the mistress and servant were talking, a soft knock came from outside.
Jinshu lifted the curtain and entered, holding a gilded lacquer box, a smile on her face.
“Miss, County Princess Minghui has sent something again.”
Xue Sui raised her eyebrows slightly, smiling as she asked her to bring it over. Upon opening it, she saw a set of jade grooming tools made of mutton-fat jade, including a comb and a mirror case, all complete. The edges were inlaid with tiny pearls, clearly indicating their great value.
Beneath the box lay a piece of plain paper, with Guo Yunrong’s very elegant handwriting.
“My fourth brother’s wedding is approaching, and the household affairs are complicated. Yunrong has been unable to visit the nunnery for a long time. I have prepared a small gift and hope my elder sister will accept it. Yunrong bows her head.”
As Xue Sui read the letter, Ru Yi and Xiao Zhao began to examine the jade ornaments.
Third Miss Guo was truly generous with her gifts.
The two young girls looked on with envy, exclaiming softly and clicking their tongues.
“How has she been recently?” Xue Sui put down the plain paper, her fingertips tracing the cool jade comb.
Jinshu said in a low voice, “According to news from the capital, since the County Princess was granted the title of County Princess Minghui, the Empress has often summoned her to the palace for company. Privately, she has also been busy looking for suitable young men for her. It is said that almost all the eligible young talents in the capital have been considered…”
“Does the County Princess have anyone in mind?”
Jinshu shook her head. “This maidservant does not know. The County Princess seems uninterested in marriage, saying only that fate has not yet arrived. As for Duke Zheng’s Mansion…”
She hesitated, glancing at Ru Yi and Xiao Zhao, signaling them to leave.
After the door gently closed, she lowered her voice.
“The wedding of Guo Si Lang and Eighth Miss Xue is at the end of the month. The Xue Mansion has already sent an invitation to the nunnery, asking if Miss wishes to return to the mansion to attend the ceremony…”
Seeing that Xue Sui remained silent, she continued to report in a low voice.
“Recently, the price of rice in the capital has soared. The corruption case involving military supplies has affected the canal transport. Furthermore, the roads in the Western Frontier are frozen, and coupled with the snow disaster, the army’s grain and fodder are in short supply. The common people are hoarding out of fear, merchants are taking advantage to inflate prices, and the populace is grumbling, with rumors spreading…”
“Duke Zheng Guo Pi’s second son, who holds the position of Minister of Agriculture and is in charge of warehousing, has been embezzling funds. The grain and fodder official escorted back to the capital by Second Master Xue has implicated him…”
Xue Sui listened as she recounted the chaos in the capital, her expression unchanged as she gently stroked her prayer beads.
“I always trust Senior Disciple Brother’s handling of matters.”
Jinshu said, “The deeper Duke Zheng’s Mansion gets involved, the harder it will be for them to extricate themselves.”
She took a deep breath as she spoke.
“It’s a pity for Third Miss Guo. She was such a bright and forthright young lady, but she has to bear the stigma of her father and brother’s actions and be dragged down by her family.”
Xue Sui was silent for a moment, then pushed the lacquer box aside.
“Put it away and send it back to Duke Zheng’s Mansion. From now on, if County Princess Minghui sends anything, please politely decline all of it.”
Jinshu acknowledged, took the lacquer box, and withdrew.
Ru Yi watched her leave and, upon entering, asked Xue Sui with confusion.
“Miss, these are all good things. Clearly, County Princess Minghui chose them carefully. Why are you refusing the County Princess and making her sad…”
“This is a pure Buddhist land. What need is there for these worldly possessions?”
Xue Sui said lightly, her gaze turning towards the window.
The bamboo forest behind the nunnery rustled in the spring breeze. A few sparrows perched on the branches of the plum tree, chirping noisily.
Guo Yunrong is a rare and good girl.
But the blood feud cannot go unavenged.
Ten years of meticulous planning cannot be abandoned now…
She will get back what Guo Zhaohuai owes her.
She will also reclaim the people’s wealth plundered by Duke Zheng’s Mansion for the common people…
As the three masters of Old Mausoleum Swamp said, to act on behalf of Heaven!
She only hopes that by then, Guo Yunrong will have found a good husband and will no longer be implicated by her maternal home…
See you tomorrow~
