Chapter 16: The Wedding Day

When Xingde returned to the main courtyard of the madam’s residence, he found several people kneeling there, including his wet nurse and two maidservants by her side.

“Young master is back. Today, the madam made your favorite duck meat shumai,” one of the maids said.

Bai Su, who had been reprimanding someone in the courtyard, quickly approached Xingde as he came back from the Fourth Prince’s study, taking the items from his hands with a bright smile. “The madam noticed you had a couple more bites earlier, so she specially instructed the kitchen to prepare extra today.”

Xingde pursed his lips, his eyes involuntarily drifting toward the wet nurse. She knelt silently, the dew on her head seeming to have turned into frost, pure and white as snow.

“Aunt Qi made a careless mistake. The madam punishing her by making her kneel is for her own good,” Bai Su said coldly, casting a sharp glance at Qi, who had been left behind by Xingde’s birth mother. If it weren’t for the madam secretly sheltering her in Xingde’s room, no one would know how much gossip she spread behind the scenes, endlessly repeating the notion of “borrowing a life” in front of the child, as if afraid he wouldn't resent the madam otherwise.

Xingde said no more. The little maid at the door rolled up the curtain to let him in. After warming himself by the brazier to shake off the chill, he carried the book he had studied today into the madam’s bedroom.

Honghui was awake, awkwardly shifting by the edge of the bed, while the madam leaned gracefully against it, smiling warmly at him.

“Come quickly, the things prepared for you are still warm,” she called, straightening up and beckoning Xingde over. Nearby, Dongqing lifted the cover from the evening meal basket, revealing steaming bowls and plates beneath. Xingde sat on a stool, chewing the shumai and rice, drinking from the soup cup when thirsty, the warmth dispelling the lingering cold entirely.

Being a child, Xingde ate slowly. By the time he finished, the once lively Honghui was already drowsy. The wet nurse took him to the backroom, a chamber adorned with green gauze curtains, to soothe him to sleep. Left alone, Xingde fidgeted anxiously.

“Auntie…” he murmured, unable to hold back his curiosity. “Did Aunt Qi really do something wrong?”

The madam took a sip of tea, then sighed, pulling Xingde onto her lap.

Though the same age as Yelinzhu, he was much lighter than that child. Gently loosening his sweat-dampened jacket, the madam pondered how to explain Aunt Qi’s punishment while flipping through the calligraphy sheets he had practiced earlier.

“Did Aunt Qi often tell you that she brought you here to ‘borrow a life’ for your cousin?”

Before Xingde could answer, she continued, “Although you are young, your mind is sharp. The things we say, you understand, right?”

Seeing him nod, she carefully went on, “Your cousin’s health has always been poor. Folk tales say that bringing a child closely related by blood into the home can ‘suppress’ the fate of the household children. It’s about suppressing fate, not borrowing it. Since your father is often away on official business, and there’s no proper matron in the house, I thought it would be good to bring you into the palace to keep Honghui company. So, it was not just for your cousin’s sake but for your own good.”

Later, when the household opened, Xingde, as the madam’s nephew and the legitimate eldest son’s companion in the prince’s mansion, would have a bright future ahead, whether in career or marriage.

Xingde listened, somewhat confused, but understood that Auntie was explaining it for his benefit. He turned to her with a childish voice and comforted, “Auntie, you are so good to me. I am willing.”

He didn’t quite grasp what it meant to borrow or suppress a life, but either way, he was willing.

The madam’s eyes grew moist as she smiled and touched his forehead. “Silly child.”

That matter with Aunt Qi was settled. The madam took the “Thousand Character Classic” book he had studied today. Remembering the uncle’s advice, Xingde began to recite:

“Outside, receive the teachings of the master; inside, obey the mother’s guidance. Respect aunts and uncles as if they were your own parents. Love brothers as if branches of the same tree. Choose friends wisely and heed their counsel.”

These two lines meant: learn from teachers outside, obey parents at home; treat older relatives as your own parents. The madam knew Yinzhen had carefully selected these lines to teach him, as Xingde had lost his mother and his father was indifferent, so she was not like a natural mother to him. The second line explained the relationship between brothers and friends, implying the connection between him and Honghui and Hongxi.

Smiling, the madam pulled him close. “The classics only grow harder as you advance. You’ve already learned three books, which is slow—Yelinzhu is already studying the ‘Expanded Wisdom Texts.’ If you don’t want your cousin to outshine you, we’ll have to work harder in secret. After school, come to me, and I will teach you more.”

Embarrassed, Xingde nodded obediently.

After returning to his room with Bai Su, Dongqing hurriedly lifted the curtain and approached the madam.

“Madam, the two maids by young master’s side have confiscated everything,” she said with a stern expression. “No wonder the second princess gave her hand warmer to the young master. Madam, since you married into the palace, why have the household servants become like this?”

“Not surprising. My mother was hands-off with everything. Since I began managing household affairs, I’ve taken over everything. When the eldest sister-in-law was alive, the house ran smoothly. After her passing, the two other sisters-in-law took over but only cared about the men’s futures and how to divide the household funds. Training servants was the last thing they wanted to bother with. If a servant was bad, just send them away and buy new ones,” the madam said indifferently.

“Besides, if I hadn’t helped with the finances from a young age, Empress Xiaoyi wouldn’t have taken notice of my steadiness and dignity,” she smiled. “Before she passed, she asked my father to promise me to the Fourth Prince to serve in the palace. But this palace is unlike a noble’s household. In a common family, husband and wife work as one—the husband manages the front yard, the wife the inner chambers. I married a prince, who is the master here—I am merely a servant. Until the Fourth Prince allows me to punish servants, I cannot act, otherwise, he would be displeased.”

“What about the servants by young master’s side…” Dongqing hesitated.

The madam cleared her throat twice. “I’ll assign two maids from my household: Qingdai, who is steady, and Songlan, who is clever. They will watch over Aunt Qi. When Xingde grows older, we’ll send her back home.”

This year’s festivities in the palace were lively. By the end of December, after the selection of consorts, the emperor decreed marriages for the Seventh and Eighth Princes, with weddings set for the early spring.

In early March, the seventh and eighth madams formally entered the southern section of the palace. Yinzhen and Yinzhu were close, so Yuyan also took the opportunity to visit the new brides.

The eighth madam was surprisingly the granddaughter of Prince An, Guoluoluoshi. Her bright red wedding gown made her look radiant and lively. Seeing Yuyan, a young maid, she quickly grabbed her and squeezed her cheeks. “Have you learned to ride yet? If the Fourth Brother is busy, come find me. I learned archery and horsemanship from Guoluoma in my youth. Though I can’t kill wolves or tigers, hunting rabbits is no problem.”

Yuyan smiled, revealing her charming dimples. “Can I learn archery now? Father said I’m too young to draw the bow.”

“Oh, that’s nothing.” The eighth madam laughed, the candlelight flickering in her bright phoenix-like eyes that seemed to reflect the starry sky. “You’re five now, not too young. I started learning archery at your age.”

She squeezed Yuyan’s hand. “When you have free time, find someone to arm wrestle with to build strength. Let Fourth Brother find you a small horn bow to practice daily. With time and effort, you’ll get better.”

Outside, a nurse was laughing and calling for Yuyan to come out. Yinzhu had drunk quite a bit with the people from Prince An’s mansion. As they stumbled into the room, Yinzhen was supporting Yinzhu, his steps unsteady. It was the first time Yuyan smelled alcohol on Yinzhen, likely because he had taken some of Yinzhu’s drinks outside, shielding him. After all, Prince An was royal, unafraid of his brothers. They had certainly given their nephew-in-law a proper celebration.

Yuyan wrinkled her nose in displeasure at the smell, a small gesture caught by Yinzhen. Emboldened by the alcohol, he suddenly swept Yuyan into his arms and carried her into their room, blowing the scent of alcohol onto her cheek.

The royal brew wasn’t unpleasant, but it was enough to make Yuyan roll her eyes. She kicked wildly, shouting at the top of her lungs, “Mother! Legitimate mother! Help me!!!”

The palace maids and eunuchs nearby couldn’t hold back their laughter, smiling broadly, yet no one stepped forward to rescue her. Yinzhen carried her into Lady Li’s room. The smell made Hongxi hold the bedpost tearfully, and Lady Li angrily snatched her daughter from his hands, soothing her, “It’s alright, Yelinzhu. Your father is drunk; don’t hold it against him.”

Yuyan’s anger faded, replaced by an inexplicable ache in her heart, tears streaming down. Sobbed loudly, “Father bullied me!”

Yinzhen hadn’t been that drunk. Seeing her red eyes, he sobered instantly and apologized, “Sorry, Father won’t do that again.”

Lady Li gently tapped Yinzhen. “It’s alright, mother will deal with him. Look at Yelinzhu’s eyes all red.”

Yinzhen quickly changed into his usual clothes behind the screen, took the floral water agate necklace, held it in his mouth for a few minutes, then spat it out, dispersing most of the alcohol smell.

Pearl opened a small window to let the breeze clear the room’s scent and lit a plum blossom incense cake in the brazier. The Fourth Prince’s alcohol breath was now nearly undetectable.

Yuyan returned to her usual self, walking shyly to Yinzhen’s side. He scooped her into his arms, sniffed carefully, and only then did she reluctantly say, “Father, I want a small horn bow as compensation.”

“One won’t be enough. If mother agrees, your father should get you several,” Lady Li said, tapping Yuyan’s forehead.

Yinzhen smiled, “I’ll have the Ministry of Internal Affairs prepare them for you right away.”

Though Hongxi didn’t understand the nuances, he eagerly joined in, “Bow! Sister!”

Yuyan’s frowning face softened as she patted her plump, fair-cheeked little brother.