Chapter 208: The Art of War
After White Dew, the sky over Shangjing grew even clearer.
Servants at the Prince Duan’s Mansion had long since moved the autumn chrysanthemums to the corridor, their various golden centers freely unfurling their petals under the sun. A faint, lingering scent of osmanthus wafted through the air, refusing to dissipate.
Xue Sui sat at ease on the recliner in Tan Qiu Courtyard, her fingertips gently sifting through the incense ash in the burner, lost in thought.
Jinshu entered on tiptoe, holding a lacquer tray. As soon as she lifted the lid, a bitter medicinal smell permeated the air.
“Young Lady, it’s time for your medicine.”
“Leave it there,” Xue Sui said, looking out the window.
Several rough-handed maids were kneeling on the bluestone slabs, scrubbing the corridor pillars.
Sunlight dappled their indigo-colored clothes, the light and shadow flickering, and in a daze, they resembled the girls washing silk by the Old Mausoleum Swamp.
Mid-Autumn Festival was approaching, and she missed the Old Mausoleum Swamp.
She missed the familiar landscape, and even more, she missed her three Masters…
Since she left the Old Mausoleum Swamp, communication had been handled by her Senior Brother and Seventh Senior Brother. Master had not given her excessive instructions or reprimands; everything seemed to be silent.
However, she strongly felt that Master had never been absent, always behind her, never far away.
Jinshu pushed the medicine bowl closer to the desk, leaning in slightly, her expression growing serious.
“Young Lady, there is news from the Eldest Young Master…”
She glanced around to ensure no one else was present, then lowered her voice.
“The Xizi envoy, E Er Qi, will enter the palace to meet His Majesty tomorrow.”
Xue Sui nodded slightly, her expression calm.
“After such a long stalemate, there’s finally some progress.”
Jinshu’s eyes flickered slightly as she continued, “At the posthouse, there is a Xizi Princess, rumored to be the half-sister of King Xizi Ashina. Tomorrow, she will accompany the tribute carriage into the palace…”
Xue Sui’s fingertips paused.
At this critical juncture, why would Amun Rah suddenly introduce a Xizi Princess? What was his intention?
Seeing a maid pass by the window, Jinshu feigned nonchalance and smiled, as if coaxing a child.
“Young Lady, this medicine needs to be taken while it’s hot…”
After the maid had passed, Xue Sui spoke softly again.
“Is there still no news from Senior Sister Yuheng?”
Jinshu shook her head helplessly, “I wonder if Young Lady Yuheng will return to the Old Mausoleum Swamp this Mid-Autumn Festival…”
Xue Sui nodded in silence.
Just then, the sound of tinkling jade pendants suddenly came from outside the courtyard.
Xue Yuechen, supported by Fei Cui, slowly crossed the courtyard. Her honey-colored skirt brushed against the bluestone floor, and the pearl pendants on her hairpin glinted brilliantly in the sunlight, making her appear even more radiant.
“Sixth Sister is quite leisurely today.”
She stepped into the warm pavilion with a smile, her tone carrying a hint of intimacy.
“The embroidery workshop made new autumn clothes, and I thought of you, Sister, so I brought them over specially. Autumn has arrived, and the drafts through the corridors are most bothersome. You should add more layers.”
As she finished speaking, four maids followed in single file and gently placed the trays they were holding on the wooden desk.
The satin surface, illuminated by the sunlight, flowed with a warm and soft radiance, dimming the autumn colors in the entire room.
Magnificent attire, naturally noble.
Upon seeing this, Xue Sui quickly rose and curtsied respectfully.
“Such precious fabric would be most suitable for Princess Consort. I was born with little fortune and fear I cannot carry such noble aura, and would instead ruin this fine item.”
“You are now a Consort of Prince Duan, personally appointed by His Majesty. What fabric can you not wear?”
Xue Yuechen said, her fingertips tracing the satin. She suddenly pressed lightly on the fabric and lowered her voice.
“The Mid-Autumn Palace Banquet is fast approaching. Everyone in the capital is watching the Prince Duan’s Mansion’s every move. Those censors and officials have ears everywhere, afraid they won’t find any fault…”
She paused, then glanced at Xue Sui.
“Your new title as Consort showcases the dignity of the Prince’s Mansion. Do not lose your status and make people gossip that I, the Mistress, am narrow-minded and unforgiving.”
Xue Sui lowered her gaze, quietly looking at the new clothes on the desk, her eyelashes trembling slightly.
“Sister is pregnant and needs rest the most. Why worry about such trivial matters? Even if others have a thousand words, they cannot overstep the Princess Consort’s authority.”
These words clearly struck a chord with Xue Yuechen, making her feel much more at ease.
She turned her gaze to the medicine bowl on the desk, concerned about Xue Sui’s health.
“Did you stay up late copying medical books again? What medicine are you drinking…”
“It’s an old ailment. I cough and have shortness of breath every autumn and winter.” Xue Sui casually adjusted her shawl, picked up the medicine bowl, and took a sip.
The bitter taste spread through her throat, and she smiled calmly.
“If not for Princess Consort Sister’s concern, I don’t know where I would find such good medicine for my frail body…”
Xue Yuechen’s expression softened with pity upon hearing this.
“You had a difficult childhood, Sister, and suffered too much. In the future, at the Prince’s Mansion, with my care, you must steadily recuperate. Do you understand?”
Xue Sui said, “Sister has been so thoughtful towards me, how can I repay you…”
“Silly Sister! Why speak such formal words? You are now part of the Prince’s Mansion; your dignity is my dignity.”
Xue Yuechen held her hand, smiling gently, but her heart was complex.
Ever since Xue Liu married into the Prince Duan’s Mansion, she had felt a mix of emotions…
Sometimes, seeing Li Huan show her particular care, she would feel a pang of jealousy and couldn’t help but overthink, her mind filled with suspicion.
But other times, thinking of the hardships Xue Liu endured in her childhood, and seeing that she didn’t compete for favor and always supported her, her heart would soften, and she would feel more sympathy.
More importantly, since Xue Sui arrived, the Prince Duan’s Mansion had become noticeably quieter.
The two previous consorts, one had gone to a nunnery for spiritual cultivation, and the other, influenced by her maternal home, feigned illness and refused to appear. The other concubines dared not act presumptuously.
She had never had such a worry-free time before.
Xue Liu played the role of the villain, while she could simply be dignified and benevolent, her reputation spreading.
The mansion needed Xue Liu; she couldn’t do without Xue Liu.
Especially now that she was pregnant and facing many inconveniences, she needed help. They were both from the Xue family; having such a considerate and sensible sister by her side made her feel much more at ease…
Comforting herself in this way, Xue Yuechen’s concern for Xue Sui became even more genuine.
She tightly held Xue Sui’s hand, smiling softly and tenderly.
“Sister, have you heard? Princess Ping Le has caused trouble before His Majesty again. She is determined to bring back the Lu Twin Children, but Old Prime Minister Lu and his wife are strongly obstructing her. The two children are clinging to Old Madam Lu, crying uncontrollably, calling Princess Ping Le a monster and the Princess’s Mansion a demon’s lair…”
Ping Le was arrogant, and seeing her suffer such humiliation, Xue Yuechen couldn’t help but feel a sense of schadenfreude.
Xue Sui’s fingertips, resting on the satin, curled slightly, and she smiled.
“What are Sister’s thoughts on this?”
Xue Yuechen pondered for a moment, finally letting out a soft sigh.
“After all, blood is thicker than water… No matter how absurd and overbearing Princess Ping Le is, those two children came from her womb; they are her flesh and blood. It’s somewhat unreasonable for the Lu elders to prevent her from taking the children. His Majesty has always doted on Princess Ping Le, so he likely won’t stand by and do nothing…”
Seeing Xue Sui remain silent, she gently shook her hand.
“Sister, you must stay far away from this matter. Don’t get burned by the fire.”
Xue Sui smiled faintly and shook her head, “Sister thinks too highly of me. As an ordinary woman, how could I have the ability to interfere in a dispute among royal bloodlines?”
Xue Yuechen also began to laugh.
As they spoke, her gaze inadvertently fell upon a scroll of 《 Sun Tzu’s Art of War 》 spread on the desk. She then surveyed the books and porcelain displayed on the curio shelf, sighing with admiration.
“Your room, Sister, exudes an aura of scholarly refinement. Every time I visit, I feel at peace and settled. And that Green Plum Wine, and Osmanthus Wine, are so enticing… If it weren’t for my condition, I would definitely ask for a jar to take back and have a few sips.”
Xue Sui pursed her lips and smiled, suddenly recalling what Duke Lu had said in the Lu Mansion’s chess room yesterday: “The struggle of chess pieces is never a struggle for power.”
But black and white chess pieces are born as blades to divide territory; how can the struggle for power be avoided?
Like Li Huan and Li Zhao, the Eastern Palace and Prince Duan’s Mansion…
She glanced at Xue Yuechen, picked up a sugar cake, and gently placed it in her mouth. Her fingertips were dusted with powdered sugar, and she replied humbly.
“It’s just something to pass the time when I’m idle. Sister always praises me…”
The maid Pei Lan lifted the curtain and walked over. She glanced at Xue Sui and reported:
“Princess Consort, Consort, the Prince is here.”
Immediately after, a steady and powerful set of footsteps could be heard from outside.
The two women exchanged smiles and tidied their clothes before going out to meet him.
As they stepped over the threshold, they saw Li Huan approaching, dressed in dark blue Yun Jin brocade casual clothes. The jade pendant at his waist swayed gently with his steps, his eyes holding a gentle smile and a deep gaze.
“Are the gifts all prepared?”
Xue Yuechen curtsied in response, then turned to pinch Xue Sui’s wrist, saying intimately, “It will be busy during the Mid-Autumn Festival, so I’m afraid we won’t be able to return. Yesterday, the Prince and I agreed that we would visit our elders early today. Sister, you should come with us.”
Visiting one’s maternal home before the Mid-Autumn Festival was an unwritten rule of the Xue family.
Every year at this time, married daughters would bring their husbands and children back to their parents’ home for a lively day.
In previous years, Li Huan did not accompany Xue Yuechen. Although the gifts were generous, they lacked a certain prestige. This year, he had proactively suggested accompanying her, which made Xue Yuechen feel proud.
Upon hearing this, Xue Sui respectfully bowed to the two of them, using the excuse of needing to prepare medicine for her grandmother, stating that it would be inconvenient to travel with the Prince and Princess Consort.
Li Huan swept his gaze over her calmly, showing no particular expression.
Xue Yuechen, however, visibly relaxed, her face beaming with a happy smile.
“Sister is so thoughtful. No wonder Grandmother often praises your filial piety.”
–
The Prince’s Mansion’s carriage rumbled out of the manor gate.
Under the old locust tree across the street, two scouts from the Eastern Palace, dressed in faded short jackets, squatted on a stone platform eating flatbread.
They ate and casually wiped their mouths with their sleeves, looking quite disheveled, clearly laborers.
After the carriage had passed, one scout said hurriedly:
“Quick! Report to the Master immediately, Prince Duan is taking Consort Xue back to the Xue Mansion!”
The other scout almost choked, “You dare to disturb Your Highness with such a trivial matter?”
“How can this be considered trivial? In Your Highness’s eyes, Consort Xue combing her hair—every strand is a stratagem! Consort Xue cracking melon seeds—even the shells are part of a scheme! Consort Xue sneezing—there are three layers of ambush! Consort Xue farting—it carries the scent of conspiracy…”
“Understood! Brother gets it—”
The scout patted his shoulder, vigorously rubbing the oil stains on his clothes, and clasped his hands.
“Your Highness treats Consort Xue like a living 《 Art of War 》… Brother will go claim his reward now!”
