“I know! I know!” Besides these three words, Yunyi was so excited she didn’t know what else to say. After her emotions calmed down slightly, she said chokingly: “Meeting Second Young Master is the greatest happiness and fortune of my life.”

Li Shimin raised his eyebrows: “Still calling me Second Young Master?”

Yunyi’s cheeks reddened, and just as she was about to change her form of address, she suddenly remembered something: “Our matter… will the Prince of Tang agree to it?”

Li Shimin patted her hand: “Father is a reasonable person. As long as I speak with him properly, I believe he won’t oppose it. In any case, leave these matters to me – you needn’t worry. It’s just that… I must trouble you, a princess, to be my equal wife.” There could only be one principal wife, and his position of principal wife had already been promised to the Zhangsun clan.

“As long as it’s where the heart’s affection lies, what difference does it make between wife and concubine?” Hearing her use his own words from earlier to answer, Li Shimin laughed heartily, hugged her tightly, and said emotionally: “Yunyi, Li Shimin will never fail you in this lifetime!”

Yunyi nestled in his embrace, quietly listening to the sound of the carriage wheels rolling over the ground, her heart filled with unprecedented contentment…

The next day, after Yunyi went to bid farewell to Li Yuan, she ordered Ruyi and Jixiang to pack up the things in the room. Though there didn’t seem to be much, when all the odds and ends were added together, they filled several large boxes.

Jixiang wiped the sweat from her forehead and said: “Princess, the things are mostly packed. Tomorrow morning we can have someone load them onto a carriage and send them to the palace.”

Ruyi placed the last bundle on top of a box and said with emotion: “Who would have thought that after going in circles, we’d end up returning to Mingse Palace after all.” At this point, she frowned slightly: “Actually, living anywhere is the same, but thinking about having to see Princess Xin’an frequently in the future is truly vexing. Princess, what do you think Princess Xin’an is plotting?”

Yunyi frowned: “I can’t guess for the moment. I can only take things one step at a time.”

As the two were responding, Zhangsun Shi walked in. She seemed to have walked hurriedly, her breathing slightly labored. Upon seeing the boxes and bundles already packed in the room, she said urgently: “Earlier I heard that the Princess was moving back to live in the palace. I thought it was just idle gossip, but it turns out to be true. Why move when everything was fine?” Without waiting for Yunyi to speak, she continued: “Is it because I didn’t care for you properly or did something wrong? If so, Princess, please just tell me directly.”

Yunyi smiled and took her hand: “Where are your thoughts going? Since coming to Chang’an, my greatest fortune has been meeting Shimin and you.”

Her words made Zhangsun Shi’s expression relax slightly, but she still looked puzzled: “If that’s the case, why does the Princess want to move?”

“This is His Majesty’s intention. Actually, he mentioned it to me before, but I politely declined. Yesterday when I went to the palace for dinner, His Majesty brought up this matter again, saying that living alone in Daxing Palace was too lonely, and he hoped that Fourth Sister and I could both stay in the palace to accompany him. I couldn’t bear to disappoint him, and besides, staying in the Prince of Tang’s residence indefinitely isn’t proper either, so I agreed to this matter.”

“I see.” Zhangsun Shi nodded: “His Majesty is young and indeed needs family to accompany him. It’s just that this way, you and I won’t be able to see each other often. I was originally thinking that when I had time in a few days, I’d go to a temple with the Princess to pray for my husband’s safe journey.”

Yunyi smiled: “It’s just changing residences – it’s not that far away. If you miss me, you can come to Mingse Palace anytime. As for the matter of praying, we can arrange a time to go together. It won’t be a problem.”

“That’s the only way then, but it’s certainly not as convenient as now.” Saying this, Zhangsun Shi added: “Oh, yesterday a batch of fabric arrived. I noticed that one piece of evening mist purple silk with auspicious cloud patterns would suit the Princess very well. After I finish making it into clothing, I’ll send it to the Princess.”

Hearing this, Yunyi suddenly sighed: “Ah, how can this continue?”

Zhangsun Shi asked in confusion: “What do you mean by that, Princess?”

Ruyi smiled with pursed lips nearby: “Ever since Second Young Madam sent a piece of clothing to the Princess, the Princess has often praised Second Young Madam’s skillful hands in front of us servants, saying that the clothes she makes fit better than those made by the palace embroiderers. She says that once you get used to wearing them, clothing made by others becomes unwearable.”

Understanding the situation, Zhangsun Shi also laughed: “Since the Princess doesn’t mind, I’ll make a few more pieces for the Princess when I have time. I don’t have much else to do on ordinary days anyway.”

Yunyi looked at her quietly, and when Zhangsun Shi felt puzzled by her gaze, she said: “Your heart is so kind and generous that you will surely be blessed in the future.”

Zhangsun Shi was startled, then smiled and shook her head: “Actually, I already have enough. I don’t seek any more blessings. If I must say something, it’s only… only…”

Seeing her hesitant to speak, Yunyi asked curiously: “Only what?”

Zhangsun Shi’s face turned slightly red as she said in a low voice: “My husband and I have been married for over two years, but I still haven’t been able to bear him a son or daughter. If there truly are the blessings you mentioned, Princess, I only wish to conceive soon and continue the Li family line.”

Yunyi laughed softly: “It will surely happen. Perhaps right now the goddess of fertility is planning to send you a little boy.”

Zhangsun Shi smiled somewhat shyly: “Then I’ll take the Princess’s auspicious words.”

In Daxing Palace, Princess Xin’an was holding a blueprint and examining it carefully. The next moment, she slammed the blueprint down on the small table beside her and said coldly to the female official standing nearby: “This is what you’ve been dawdling over for half the day – a greenhouse blueprint?”

After having the plum trees removed yesterday, Xin’an planned to follow her previous idea and build a glass greenhouse on the former site of the plum trees, filled with peonies, roses, and other flowers. So this morning, she had the palace servants convey her message to the Palace Administration Bureau, instructing them to produce greenhouse blueprints within the day, and construction would begin tomorrow according to the blueprints.

The female official glanced at her and said cautiously: “This blueprint was drawn according to the Princess’s requirements.”

“According to my requirements?” Xin’an threw the blueprint in front of the female official and said coldly: “Did I tell you to make the greenhouse only half a zhang high? Did I tell you to build the greenhouse only one zhang in circumference? According to what’s drawn on this paper, would I have to bend over and hunch my back when entering the greenhouse in the future?” After a pause, she said: “Take it back and revise it immediately. Remember, it must be at least one zhang high and three zhang in circumference. If you mess it up again, you can go work in the cleaning department.”

“But according to the Princess’s requirements, the glass usage would increase by nearly ten times, and the palace simply doesn’t have that much glass.” Before the female official finished speaking, Xin’an had already scolded: “If the palace doesn’t have it, then requisition it from outside the palace. Such a simple matter – do I need to teach you this?”

The female official said with difficulty: “Forgive my frankness, but I’m afraid we can’t requisition so much in such a short time. How about making it seven chi high and one and a half zhang in circumference instead?”