After letting Zhao Ai embrace her for a moment, Zhenzhen gently withdrew and got up to fetch the prepared medicinal decoction for Zhao Ai to drink. She took back the medicine bowl and placed it on the table. Maintaining her position with her back to him, Zhenzhen suddenly told him: “I cannot forget Crown Prince Zhuangwen.”
“I understand,” Zhao Ai gazed persistently at her back and said, “If I remember correctly, you two were together for three months. By next year, it will be three full years since elder brother’s death. Will three years be enough for you to resolve the joy and pain that those three months brought you? I’m willing to wait for you.”
“He once told me that the depth of feelings isn’t measured by the length of time spent together,” Zhenzhen slowly turned around and said to Zhao Ai, “You don’t know what those three months meant to me. Though that period was brief, he made me feel what the best form of love between a man and woman could be… Between us, there was natural attraction and also mutual understanding born from admiring each other’s talents. We always had much to talk about when together. When chatting with me, he could make me blush and my heart race with just a casual remark, and he could also speak candidly with me from the heart. Topics like family background and people we had loved before – subjects usually difficult to mention – we could naturally confide to each other… I can’t even determine which day I began to love him. I only felt that with each additional day we spent together, I loved him a little more. When he was critically ill from mushroom poisoning that time, I felt a terror like the sky was falling and realized I had already fallen deeply in love with him – I was too afraid of losing him.”
Zhao Ai forced a smile: “Elder brother should have treated you more gently than Lin Hong.”
Zhenzhen said: “He respected me very much and wasn’t sparing in expressing his love for me. This was a major advantage he had over Teacher Lin.”
Zhao Ai then asked: “Lin Hong didn’t respect you?”
“I can’t say that, but his respect was more like politeness, making it difficult to distinguish whether this respect was for a lover or a guest,” Zhenzhen thought for a moment, then continued, “Teacher Lin is self-esteem and reserved. He keeps everything in his heart and is unwilling to express himself proactively. Being with him, I was always cautious, afraid of saying the wrong thing or doing something wrong that would anger him. Sometimes I would even unconsciously lower myself to please him, spending each day guessing whether he actually liked me, feeling alternately sad and happy, restless and anxious. But Crown Prince Zhuangwen’s respect was his willingness to listen to what I had to say, his willingness to put himself in my shoes and see the world through my eyes. So he understood my joys and sorrows, and also comprehended my regrets and hopes… He always properly protected me completely. What I thought of, he had already helped me with first. What I hadn’t thought of, he also did for me… His respect was understanding, was care, was treating me with sincerity. His feelings for me were also expressed clearly – I didn’t need to guess, allowing me to put down all pretense and defensiveness and peacefully stay with him. So since he left, I’ve missed him every single day.”
“Actually, I also respect you very much and am not sparing in expressing my love for you,” Zhao Ai said slowly.
“Yes, that’s true,” Zhenzhen immediately affirmed, then said, “But you’re not only unsparing in expressing it to me, you’re also unsparing in proclaiming it to everyone, letting everyone know. This sometimes makes me very embarrassed.”
“So all sweet words should be said to you privately. In front of others, I should appear indifferent and maintain respectful distance,” Zhao Ai suddenly understood, holding his forehead. “I’ve lost to elder brother by another half move.”
Zhenzhen couldn’t help smiling, but quickly restrained her smile and said to Zhao Ai: “My heart still holds your elder brother, and moreover, he died under unclear circumstances. This matter is like a heavy stone constantly weighing on my heart. If I cast aside these doubts without seeking the truth and accept you for the sake of stability, it would be unfair to both you and him. I would feel uneasy in my conscience.”
Zhao Ai nodded: “I understand what you mean, and I won’t force you to accept me. Then let’s let things take their natural course. We can still be friends. Regarding the truth about elder brother, we’ll continue investigating. When the day comes that everything becomes clear, I believe heaven will give you the best arrangement.”
Zhenzhen also told Zhao Ai about her speculation regarding snake venom. After pondering, Zhao Ai said: “This hypothesis is possible, but there’s insufficient evidence, and we can’t determine what food the snake venom was placed in. We temporarily can’t report this to His Majesty. Otherwise, with unclear details, as the one who tasted the Eastern Palace’s food first, whether you administered the poison or not, you can’t escape responsibility. When we find more evidence and have some clues about who the poisoner is, we’ll return to the capital together to clarify this matter.”
The two sat facing each other talking, and before they knew it, dawn was approaching. A layer of red light peeked through the window and scattered on the ground before them. Seeing this, Zhenzhen was startled, then quickly walked over to push open the window. She saw a red sun rising slowly on the horizon directly ahead.
“This room faces east – we can see the sunrise,” Zhenzhen said to Zhao Ai with pleasant surprise, turning back.
Hearing this, Zhao Ai got up and walked slowly to Zhenzhen’s side with a smile, raising his eyes toward the red sun.
The wheat waves in nearby fields rose and fell with the gentle breeze, gilded with golden-red light from the rising sun, reflecting the rosy clouds in brilliant splendor. While the east gradually whitened, a trace of new green appeared near the horizon in the distance, like early spring grass color, a shallow hint just an inch or so tall.
Zhenzhen pointed to that touch of green in the distance and asked Zhao Ai: “What is that?”
“Those are rice seedling beds,” Zhao Ai smiled with delight. “The seedlings have been cultivated. After the secondary wheat is harvested, rice transplanting can begin.”
Zhenzhen immediately broke into a broad smile and said to Zhao Ai: “Congratulations! The rice-wheat double cropping you planned is within reach.”
“Mutual congratulations,” Zhao Ai smiled and met her gaze. “You contributed to this achievement too.”
Zhenzhen and Zhao Ai stood side by side, their faces raised to receive the golden radiance of the rising sun. They completely forgot yesterday’s terror, worry, and sadness, greeting the hope-filled new day with smiles, feeling only that the sunlight was warm, the soft breeze gentle, and everything was just right.
After a long while, she turned her head slightly and discovered Zhao Ai was smiling as he watched her, not knowing how long he had been looking. Zhenzhen avoided his gaze and turned her head away bashfully.
“I hope that one day, this firefly can also transform into such a beam of light, illuminating infinite joy for you and dispelling all sorrow,” Zhao Ai said beside her, then calmly withdrew his gaze and continued standing with hands behind his back, looking together with her toward that place of clear water, green seedlings, and soft green traces.
Luo Shihua’s medicine was indeed effective. After Zhao Ai returned to rest for several days, his poisoning symptoms completely disappeared and his wound healed. He soon devoted himself to handling official duties again, inspecting everywhere during the transition between rice and wheat cultivation, often forgetting to eat and sleep because of this. But not long after, a eunuch came from Lin’an to convey the emperor’s decree that he should temporarily return to the capital for discussions.
Under the eunuch’s urging, Zhao Ai had no choice but to depart immediately and return to the imperial city he had been away from for so long.
As soon as he entered the palace gates, Zhao Ai headed straight for Funing Hall to pay respects to his father, but the palace attendants said His Majesty and the Third Prince had gone to the training grounds on Phoenix Mountain for archery practice again today, asking the Second Prince to come back later. Zhao Ai returned to his quarters to rest briefly, then went to Funing Hall again. After waiting a long time, he finally saw his father and Zhao Hao return together, both wearing golden armor and striding into the hall with animated conversation. Initially, the emperor didn’t notice Zhao Ai waiting to greet them, continuing to pat Zhao Hao’s shoulder in praise: “Third Brother’s archery skills have improved again – excellent! Now with your heroic appearance, you look very much like me!”
Zhao Ai silently ignored the ominous feeling that rose in his heart and stepped forward to bow to his father. Upon suddenly seeing him, the emperor seemed somewhat surprised but quickly smiled, warmly inviting the two brothers to sit and briefly asking about Zhao Ai’s official duties in Ningguo Prefecture. He expressed approval of Zhao Ai’s dike repairs and agricultural promotion, praising him considerably.
Zhao Ai bowed and asked what matter his father had summoned him back to discuss. The emperor said: “Go to Cifu Palace and let the Empress Dowager tell you.”
Seeing his father didn’t wish to explain further, Zhao Ai could only take his leave. Seeing this, Zhao Hao also got up and bowed to leave, but the emperor detained him: “Third Brother, sit a while longer. I still have some things to discuss with you.”
Zhao Ai thus left alone, keenly perceiving from his father’s attitude that he and his third brother now held different positions of intimacy and distance in his heart.
Zhao Ai set out for Cifu Palace again. Along the way, he saw many eunuchs hurrying about, spreading word that the Hanlin Academy would be sealed tonight.
Whenever the emperor had important edicts for the attending Hanlin scholars to draft, he would summon the academicians for face-to-face instructions. When the academicians returned to the academy, eunuchs would immediately lock the academy gates, prohibiting anyone from entering or leaving. This was called “sealing the academy.” After the Hanlin scholars finished drafting the edict and eunuchs presented it to the emperor, it would be delivered to the Secretariat the next morning for the drafting officials to read aloud, then the academy would be opened. This was called “announcing the unsealing.”
Now seeing that the academy would be sealed, Zhao Ai knew an important decree would be announced tomorrow. But since the emperor hadn’t mentioned any major matters to him, he assumed it didn’t concern him and didn’t think much about it, continuing hurriedly toward the Northern Inner Palace.
When Zhao Ai reached Cifu Palace, the Empress Dowager looked him over carefully, asking about his health and comfort, occasionally wiping tears and saying he had grown thin, thinking he must have suffered hardships outside, showing much maternal affection. Zhao Ai chatted with her about family matters for a while, then asked what she wanted to discuss with him. The Empress Dowager said: “You’re already past twenty – not young anymore – yet you’ve been unwilling to marry. Previously when your elder brother died, you wore mourning garments, and later your father sent you to serve as an official in other prefectures, making marriage inconvenient. Now nearly two years have passed since your elder brother’s death, and I see you’ve achieved some political accomplishments as an official, but with no one managing household affairs, my grandson has become haggard. It truly pains me to see. Now I’ve selected several girls with good appearances and character from among the descendants of nobles, meritorious families, and imperial relatives, having artists paint their portraits. Tonight you should stay in the Northern Inner Palace and carefully examine these portraits. If any catch your fancy, I’ll speak to your father and arrange an engagement as soon as possible.”
“Please don’t trouble yourself with this matter, Your Majesty,” Zhao Ai immediately refused. “Your grandson is now busy with official duties all day and doesn’t wish to be distracted by marriage. Moreover, life in the outer prefectures is hard and not as comfortable as Lin’an. I don’t want to burden these noble young ladies by having them accompany me to live in hardship.”
The Empress Dowager was displeased: “Men should marry when they come of age, women should marry when they mature. No matter how busy with official duties, one cannot delay the important matter of marriage… Don’t worry about those young ladies. As long as they’re willing to marry you, they’ll naturally be willing to follow you through wind and rain. Besides, you’re a legitimate imperial son, a noble prince of the dynasty, and exceptionally handsome – what family’s daughter wouldn’t eagerly want to marry you? What’s a little hardship in the outer prefectures!”
After speaking, she no longer listened to Zhao Ai’s protests and had him stay overnight in the Northern Inner Palace after the evening meal to select his future wife from that pile of portraits in his sleeping quarters that night.
The eunuchs brought the portraits that night, unrolling them one by one for Zhao Ai to examine. Zhao Ai barely looked at them properly, roughly glancing before waving for the eunuchs to roll them up and take them away. He took out a book to sit and read, ignoring the eunuchs’ earnest persuasions.
Early the next morning, Zhao Ai took leave of the Empress Dowager and returned to the Southern Inner Palace. As soon as he entered the palace city, he felt the atmosphere was completely different from yesterday. The officials, eunuchs, and guards he saw along the way were all whispering among themselves, unable to suppress their excitement. Upon seeing him, they would immediately fall silent, bow to him, and often give him meaningful looks as if trying to observe his expression.
Full of doubt, Zhao Ai continued walking inward. Seeing Yin Rui guarding before Chuigong Hall, he approached to call him and ask what major event had occurred today. Yin Rui seemed quite hesitant but finally told him: “The Secretariat just read the heir apparent’s investiture document… His Majesty has decided to establish the Third Prince as Crown Prince.”
Zhao Ai was instantly speechless, standing silently before the hall, momentarily not knowing where to go. At this moment, Zhao Hao, who had just received the imperial decree, walked out from within the hall with measured steps under the escort of Zhang Zhibei, the Director of Palace Attendants, his face full of irrepressible joy. Seeing Zhao Ai, Zhao Hao was startled and hesitated before walking up to him, bowing and quietly calling “Second Brother.”
Zhao Ai smiled faintly, returned the bow, and said: “Congratulations, Your Highness.”
Zhao Hao’s face reddened as he thanked him and hastily took his leave. Zhang Zhibei bowed to Zhao Ai before following Zhao Hao, not forgetting to quietly instruct Zhao Hao: “Your Highness is the heir apparent. In the future, when you see Prince Wei, you must not bow to him first. You must wait for him to bow before returning the courtesy…”
This instruction carried on the wind into Zhao Ai’s ears. He felt neither anger nor resentment, only a desolate emptiness in his heart, like those abandoned dike fields of years past – utterly barren. Actually, this was a result he had already anticipated when he was originally sent to Ningguo Prefecture, but he hadn’t expected that when this became reality, it would still make him so sad.
After a moment, he turned around, abandoning the thought of seeing his father, and headed toward the Northern Inner Palace again.
“Your Majesty had me stay overnight in the Northern Inner Palace yesterday because you knew Third Brother would bypass order to become Crown Prince, fearing I would be dissatisfied and cause trouble upon hearing the news?” Zhao Ai asked the Empress Dowager directly.
The Empress Dowager sighed and consoled him: “My grandson, do you think being emperor is easy? When you truly become one, you’ll discover that the worries are far more numerous than when you were just a prince. Emperor, emperor – the Three Sovereigns governed the realm, the Five Emperors ruled as a family. It sounds glorious, being the supreme ruler of all under heaven, but is this realm so easy to manage? Take the ministers, for example. The emperor hopes to employ talented individuals, yet fears that highly valued ministers will rely on their abilities to disregard imperial authority, even seeking power and plotting rebellion. To protect the country and restore lost territories, one inevitably must rely on certain military generals, yet worry they’ll command troops for personal gain, leading to a repeat of the Chenqiao Incident. Managing ministers requires neither being too lenient nor too harsh – any slight imbalance can lead to serious consequences, even the disaster of death and national destruction… Furthermore, having served as a local official, you surely know that whenever natural disasters occur and the country faces famine, each prefecture and county is like a starving child, all crying to be fed. The emperor has only so much surplus grain in hand, yet must worry about how to distribute it, who to give it to first. Poor handling becomes another source of trouble… Oh yes, before disaster relief, one must first issue an edict of self-blame, taking responsibility for bringing about the calamity… These past decades, I’ve watched your grandfather and father break their hearts worrying about the country, deeply understanding that governing is not easy. You are my most beloved grandson – I’d rather you be a carefree, wealthy prince living more easily.”
Seeing Zhao Ai remain silent, the Empress Dowager changed the subject and said gently: “I heard from the eunuchs that you weren’t satisfied with any of the women in the portraits. Actually, there’s another noble lady of distinguished status who has quite a connection with you. His Majesty also thinks she’s suitable and was just about to have me tell you…”
“Please don’t mention this matter again, Your Majesty,” Zhao Ai interrupted her and stated his position once more. “I only want to accomplish several good deeds in Ningguo Prefecture now and don’t wish to be distracted by marriage. I hope Your Majesty and Father will grant this and allow me to return to Ningguo Prefecture quickly.”
“You don’t want to marry and ask your father and me to grant this, but Third Brother, as Crown Prince, has reached the time when he must marry. Can’t you grant him this favor?” The Empress Dowager assumed a solemn expression and said coldly, “You’re the elder brother. If you don’t marry first, Third Brother cannot bypass order to marry either.”
Zhao Ai smiled sardonically: “Has a candidate for Crown Princess been chosen?”
“Yes,” the Empress Dowager answered frankly. “Someone you know, actually – the Royal Kitchen palace woman Ling Fengxian who once served you.”
This answer was completely unexpected to Zhao Ai, and he couldn’t help being somewhat shocked. He could see that Zhao Hao was fond of Fengxian, but he had never imagined that Fengxian, being a palace woman, would be considered as a Crown Princess candidate.
“Third Brother likes Fengxian and often uses various pretexts to come to Cifu Palace every few days because of her,” the Empress Dowager slowly explained. “Originally I also thought she was just a palace woman and giving her to Third Brother as a concubine would suffice. But Shangguan Chen examined her physiognomy and told me this woman has dragon eyes and phoenix neck – the appearance of great nobility who could serve as mother to the nation in the future. Her father is Ling Tao, who has distinguished himself defending the northern borders these years when northern troops occasionally came south to cause trouble. So His Majesty also feels that Ling Fengxian, as the daughter of a meritorious general, can be considered as a Crown Princess candidate.”
Remembering what Fengxian had previously advised him to do, Zhao Ai sneered inwardly but showed no emotion, only saying indifferently: “Excellent. Ling Fengxian and Third Brother are indeed a match made in heaven.”
“So are you willing to fulfill their wishes by marrying first?” the Empress Dowager asked.
“No,” Zhao Ai refused decisively. “If Third Brother wants to marry, let him marry. He needn’t look to my actions… Since he can bypass order to become Crown Prince, why can’t he bypass order to marry?”