He arrived quite quickly. Wanwan reluctantly averted her gaze and asked Tonghuan: “Are the gifts for the Dowager Consort prepared?”
Tonghuan confirmed and had someone present the lacquered tray. “Our Daye Princess’s descent—this is her first meeting with the in-laws, so the bestowed items all have fixed regulations. Since the old Prince has passed away, Your Highness only needs to prepare gifts for the Dowager Consort: one set of clothing, one box of handkerchiefs, plus dressing cases and bath powder sachets, along with three hundred pairs of silver vessels. The princely mansion has three concubines and two young masters—everything that should be prepared has been arranged properly.”
Wanwan nodded. Meeting such a large household was quite overwhelming. Fortunately, those who had come with her were all reliable, so she wasn’t worried about losing propriety in etiquette. However, yesterday the painted pleasure boat had arrived in Nanjing, and the wedding procession had entered the Princess Manor directly—Prince Nanyuan’s prestige outside would probably be diminished. She had to follow the court’s established protocols, but within her personal capabilities, she could still make some adjustments.
She smoothed her hair and smiled at Prince Nanyuan: “Since the old Prince is no longer here and I cannot pay respects to him, I’ll go burn incense at the family temple later. This way Your Majesty can also comfort Father’s spirit in heaven.”
Her suddenly addressing his father as “Father” really overwhelmed him with surprise. He had originally thought her dissatisfaction would spread to other aspects, but it hadn’t. If you said she was Murong Gaogong’s own sister, sometimes it was hard to believe. The current Emperor was a scholar’s type, especially focused on details and fond of seeking revenge for the smallest slights, but she understood the bigger picture and knew not to give people grounds for criticism in visible matters. It was a pity she was a princess—such talent was wasted. If she were to become king or marquis, she would probably be excellent material for governing in peacetime.
It had to be said she understood how to win people’s hearts—just a small favor was enough to make him feel grateful. He cupped his hands and bowed deeply to her. “Thank you, Your Highness.”
She nodded lightly. Beneath her great robe, the python-patterned ceremonial collar revealed a section of plain silk undergarment, making her slender neck appear exceptionally delicate. A eunuch lifted the incense burner to lead the way in front. She gestured with her hand, indicating the Prince should go first—also preserving his dignity as the husband leading and wife following.
He couldn’t help but smile softly. Very good—having such a wife was all his good fortune. He walked slowly ahead, able to hear the sound of her jewels gently swaying as she followed behind—wave after wave of tinkling that inexplicably made him feel at peace.
Wanwan kept her eyelashes lowered throughout the journey, occasionally lifting her eyes to observe. He was right in front of her—so tall, probably due to years of martial practice, seeming even more imposing than the palace eunuchs. The jade belt hook accentuated his solid waist, making his lower robes appear particularly long. Judging by appearance alone, he truly deserved to be called impressive in bearing. If the good impressions from their previous meetings could have continued, she might have been glad to marry him. But now, there was a vague sense of regret at a missed opportunity—truly, there were no perfect people in this world.
As for this Princess Manor, she was only now finding time to examine it closely. Southern buildings differed from northern ones—the courtyards were more winding, and her deepest impression was that the doors were built particularly high, almost connecting with the eaves. Three small doors in the middle could open and close together; if only one was opened, it would be narrow and tall, like a sliver of sky.
With tall doors came correspondingly high thresholds. Wanwan unconsciously measured—just a little more and it would reach her knees. What was this about? Even ordinary daily life felt like house arrest?
They passed a small courtyard planted with banana trees before reaching the front hall. The Dowager Consort of Nanyuan was already seated in the eastern hall—a kindly-looking woman wearing an amber-colored jacket with clustered flower patterns. Due to her widowhood, even for her son’s wedding she didn’t wear bright colors, only pressing a pair of gem-inlaid golden lotus buckles at her collar. The careful attention to such details suggested she was someone open-minded who knew how to enjoy life.
When they entered from the doorway, she stood up to greet them, her gaze examining the new daughter-in-law filled with joy and satisfaction.
Wanwan had been somewhat nervous before entering, but meeting the person actually calmed her. Having grown up in the palace, she naturally never heard concubines complain about the Empress Dowager, but mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationships being difficult was something she’d heard about early on. When coming here, she had feared this mother-in-law might give her cold looks—after all, all the wedding day customs had been reversed, which would surely displease her. Unexpectedly, there was no trace of resentment on her face; tolerance and magnanimity flowed directly from her eyes.
Female attendants lit incense, and the steward guided her to the position for bowing. She placed her hands flat against her forehead and bowed four times to the Dowager Consort. Any family that married a princess had certain rules regarding etiquette toward the princess daughter-in-law. In ordinary families, parents-in-law naturally received respect—even kneeling to serve tea was nothing strange. But in imperial families, it was completely different. After parents-in-law received respect, they must rise and return the courtesy—four bows from the princess, two bows returned by the parents-in-law. Of course, the courtesy wasn’t returned for nothing; the princess brought gifts, and whether this counted as filial respect or bestowed favor depended entirely on personal interpretation.
The Dowager Consort wasn’t petty-minded. After expressing thanks and passing the lacquered tray to an attendant, she personally came to lead Wanwan to her seat, sighing with some emotion: “Your Highness probably doesn’t know yet—I was close friends with your mother, Lady Xu, when we were in the women’s quarters. When the court arranged marriages, your mother entered the palace to serve Emperor Xiaozong, and I was ordered to marry into Nanyuan. Separated by thousands of li between north and south, our contact gradually lessened from then on. As you know, feudal princes cannot enter the capital without imperial decree. Whenever I missed your mother, I would complain tearfully to Liang Shi’s father. Later we finally had an opportunity—when Emperor Xiaozong held the great feast for feudal princes, I accompanied Liang Shi’s father to the palace to visit Lady Xu. You were already five or six years old then, and we met once. Do you still remember me?”
Like typical wealthy families, everyone from old to young valued restraint—it was rare to say so much on a first meeting. Wanwan was somewhat surprised but not put off. Especially since the Dowager Consort had connections with her mother, this made her feel closer.
Wanwan was like this—good-tempered and gentle-natured. If others treated her sincerely, she would naturally reciprocate in kind.
She smiled shyly: “I was too young then and don’t remember…”
The Dowager Consort continued looking at her with deep affection: “Seeing you is just like seeing Lady Xu. That time I couldn’t stay long—I was there for only three days total before returning to Nanjing. When we met, your mother’s health was already poor. By the winter solstice, she grew weaker day by day, and after the New Year she…” Suddenly realizing this shouldn’t be discussed on such a joyous day, she quickly stopped and changed to a smiling expression: “I was looking forward to seeing you yesterday and was so excited I didn’t sleep all night. Seeing you today, you’re exactly as I imagined. Looking closely at these features, you still have traces of your childhood appearance. You’ve just arrived in Nanyuan and will naturally feel like a stranger at first—that’s fine. From now on, we’re family. I never gave birth to a daughter, so I’ll treat you as my own daughter. You mustn’t be formal with me at all. If Liang Shi does anything inappropriate, just tell me and I’ll certainly discipline him.”
The Dowager Consort was a very gentle person. Even having said so much, every word was practical and reliable, never giving any impression of flattery. In her mouth, Yuwen Liang Shi was just an ordinary son—if he did something wrong, his mother could smooth things over by scolding him. Wanwan even began to long for this kind of life filled with everyday warmth.
She pressed her hands on the cloud-patterned cape over her knees, a light blush rising on her cheeks as she lowered her head slightly: “Thank you, Mother. Northern and southern customs aren’t necessarily the same—if I’m discourteous anywhere, please give me guidance.”
Almost everything was perfect. For an imperial princess to have such a gentle temperament and humble attitude was very rare. The Dowager Consort had also been raised in the capital as a girl—her family’s old master had students throughout the capital region, and during holidays, official wives came and went. She had seen far too many refined ladies and imperial clan women. Those precious people might not have backbone, but they had arrogance—even a simple sentence could reveal their sense of superiority. Yet this true golden branch and jade leaf, the one and only princess of three reigns, was both serene and dignified. How could she not touch the Dowager Consort’s heart? She was exactly like Consort Xu in her younger days!
After the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law had a good conversation, a maid beside them reminded: “Old Lady, the two young masters and the concubines are waiting outside.”
Only then did the Dowager Consort remember, making a sound of realization: “I actually forgot about them all.” She glanced at Wanwan’s expression—after all, she was a young girl, and seeing her husband had other women around him, with children already so grown, who knew what she was thinking? But ultimately, paper couldn’t wrap fire—these were all open matters, and hiding them wouldn’t work.
She nodded: “Please have them all come in and kowtow to Grand Princess Your Highness.”
Wanwan was actually calm about it, just as Tonghuan had told her—the palace had nephews, and the Emperor brother had his three palaces and six courtyards. In this world, men having several concubines in their rooms was too common. If she was broad-minded about it, she wouldn’t think much of it.
A eunuch in hemp arrow-style clothing bent at the waist to lead the way, brand-new boot soles clicking crisply and urgently on the blue stone bricks. Behind him followed two children of seven or eight years old—small people dressed properly and cleanly in Qi people’s ceremonial clothing, with small jackets outside and four-panel robes inside. Upon entering, they snapped their horse-hoof sleeves smartly and steadily requested permission to kneel—
“Son Lan Zhou…”
“Son Lan Ting…”
“Respectfully request Mother’s golden well-being.”
Wanwan was stunned and glanced at Tonghuan. She hadn’t expected to become someone else’s mother so suddenly. Even with prior preparation, she couldn’t hide her surprise.
Seeing her dazed expression, the Dowager Consort pointed to the older child: “Lan Zhou is eight years old this year, born to the concubine Tala Shi.”
During her introduction, a woman in Qi dress came forward to kowtow. Qi people’s clothing still retained their characteristics—all robes were connected to skirts, feet wore flower-pot soles, and heads wore banner headdresses. When kneeling, the velvet flowers and ornaments nearly swept the dust—it looked very difficult.
Wanwan said: “No need for such formality. Please rise.”
The children were lively and stood up immediately. That concubine had more difficulty because of the three-inch-high wooden block on her feet—she needed maids to help her up.
Wanwan looked sideways—that young master was truly beautiful, carved like rice powder and jade, like a boy attendant before Guanyin. His eyes took after his father’s, with a golden ring in them, clearly a miniature version of Yuwen Liang Shi. Looking at that Tala Shi, she wasn’t particularly beautiful but was quite delicate, standing timidly and very cautiously.
The eldest young master looked at her with dark eyes. Wanwan couldn’t help but smile and turned to call Xiao You to prepare rewards. Everyone in the room was waiting for her attitude—seeing she didn’t mind, they all breathed sighs of relief.
The Dowager Consort then pointed to the second young master: “Lan Ting is seven years old this year, born to the concubine Zhou Shi.”
Zhou Shi came forward to kowtow. Han people weren’t as elaborate as Qi people—she wore a lilac-colored brocade jacket with underneath a railing skirt. Wanwan politely had her rise. When she lifted her head, this person was naturally born with a smiling appearance—round eyes, round nose, even her mouth was round. Fortunately, her son didn’t resemble her, or the young masters would lack dignity.
It was really strange—everyone in Prince Nanyuan’s mansion was quite interesting. The concubines weren’t very beautiful but each had their own charm. The last one surnamed Chen had borne no children, conducted herself with propriety, and wasn’t at all rash. Wanwan had heard about these concubines’ backgrounds—supposedly they had all originally served the Dowager Consort. When it came time for Yuwen Liang Shi to marry, he absolutely refused to agree, so the Dowager Consort had no choice but to place women in his room. Just like when princes grew up, their bed attendants and chamber maids all had guiding responsibilities—once involved, if he wasn’t interested, they’d just be given some rank later. Though these women’s status had changed, they still retained the diligence slaves showed their masters—both incredible and somewhat sad.
Wanwan wasn’t very interested in them but was more taken with the two young masters. She had specifically instructed Xiao You to prepare toys that children in the capital played with, and indeed they liked them. Gold and silver meant nothing to them—they held rattle drums, secretly pulling the red string underneath. There was a spring mechanism inside; when pulled, the rabbit lord’s mouth and eyes would move randomly. They didn’t know this at first, but when they made it move, they were all stunned for a moment, then quickly blushed.
The Dowager Consort pretended to scowl: “Really now, losing proper behavior on your first meeting with someone! Just wait till your father doesn’t beat you!”
The two children became even more frightened, looking over with big eyes, mumbling and about to kneel before her.
Wanwan quickly rose to support them: “I brought these specifically for them to play with—you can’t blame them.” While speaking, she returned to her seat, smiling: “The palace has ten princes, and when they have free time, they also come to my place. Children are children—don’t be too harsh on them, or you’ll destroy their natural spirits. Let them play—the better they play, the smarter they become.”
When she smiled, it was like spring breeze on one’s face, her tone gentle and melodious, able to penetrate to the bone. The two children looked at each other and smiled—she had probably spoken right to their hearts.
The Dowager Consort was also overjoyed, calling out: “Why don’t you thank your mother! Look, your father is strict with you, but with mother protecting you, you can relax the reins from now on.”
Wanwan felt embarrassed being called “mother” repeatedly. The two children came forward again to bow: “From now on, sons will definitely obey mother and be filial to mother.”
Wanwan’s face flushed red. That cunning old fox beside them was very satisfied with the children’s words, a smile appearing at the corners of his mouth that made her teeth itch with irritation.
The old Dowager Consort spoke again: “Starting tomorrow, come here for morning and evening greetings—don’t miss a single day. Though the princely mansion is a bit far from the Grand Princess Manor, it doesn’t matter. The master teacher also teaches you archery and horsemanship—you can practice on the way.” She turned to look at Liang Shi: “The children are small, and I’m not at ease. You, after finishing your morning business, should accompany them here! With Your Highness dining alone, it’s quite lonely. You being beside her to pour tea and pass water isn’t excessive. Your father also did this in his time—the men of our Yuwen family dote on their wives, and this tradition mustn’t be broken in your generation.”
This really created solid conditions for him. The old Dowager Consort was quietly calculating. The two mansions were far apart—there would always be times of wind and rain. With the Grand Princess’s kind heart, could she bear watching children travel back and forth? Going back and forth, perhaps she’d allow them to stay overnight. If even the sons stayed, could the father’s good days be far behind? Calculating this way, it was truly seamless. The old Dowager Consort clapped her hands, delightedly laughing at her own cleverness first.