When the message from Ma Changjiang and Ma Wangkun reached Song Chuyi, she was just selecting clothes to wear into the palace. The outfit that First Madam Song had personally sent over was rather too ornate. She softly instructed Qing Ying to put it away and instead wore a frost-white standing-collar inner garment, with a lake-blue snowflake gauze outer robe layered on top. Below, she tied a white skirt embroidered with blue butterflies flitting among flowers in flowing light. Her hair was styled in a simple low bun, adorned only with a few pale pink pearls. At her temple, she pinned a red-gold butterfly hairpin set with blue gems. Because it was crafted with spring mechanisms, the butterfly wings trembled slightly as she moved, as if ready to take flight at any moment—extremely beautiful.
Even the First Madam laughed. “Young ladies really know how to dress. Your eye is better than those of us who blindly pursue wealth and complexity.”
Third Madam Song had just returned from visiting her daughter and newborn grandson. Seeing Song Chuyi, her eyes lit up. Hearing what the First Madam said, she joined in the flattery. “How fortunate to have grown into such an appearance—one truly can’t take their eyes off you!”
Old Madam Song took her hand and looked her up and down, also nodding. “This is very good. For a young lady, there’s no need to be too ornate. What suits you is best. At this age, anything looks good.” She then turned to ask the First Madam, “Are the carriage and horses all prepared?”
The First Madam acknowledged. Today she was to accompany Song Chuyi into the palace, so she was dressed quite grandly. Speaking of which, it was truly hard not to feel moved—a few years ago, she had considered pushing Song Chuyi out to shield Consort Song from Empress Dowager Rongxian’s wrath. Now Song Chuyi had such fortune. She suppressed the sigh in her heart and assured Old Madam Song once more, “Don’t worry. Consort Song will be there. It’s just a group of young ladies enjoying flowers and keeping Her Ladyship company.”
Just as they were about to leave, Song Chuyi was called back by Qing Luo, who came running quickly. She paused for a moment, and Qing Luo hurried forward to tell her, “A message has come back from Ma Changjiang and Ma Wangkun. They say the matter is done. Not one of Consort Fan’s people survived—they all slit their own throats and committed suicide. They’re now accompanying the Chen family grandmother and granddaughter, having switched to the land route. They should arrive in the capital in about seven or eight days.”
So Consort Fan had indeed struck on the road. Song Chuyi’s eyebrows didn’t even move, as if she were hearing about something as trivial as adding or removing layers of clothing. She nodded to Qing Luo and boarded the carriage.
After presenting their token, they first had to go to the Empress’s palace to pay respects. First Madam Song habitually went first to Qingning Hall to pay respects to Her Majesty the Empress. The Empress smiled and asked the First Madam a few questions, then looked at Song Chuyi without showing any emotion, telling them to go first to Consort Song’s Fengzao Palace and come back when the banquet began.
Consort Song was having someone tailor clothes for the young prince. Now that autumn was approaching, children grew quickly—last year’s clothes wouldn’t fit this year, so the garments needed to be rushed. Seeing her mother and Song Chuyi, she was quite happy. Learning they had come from Qingning Hall, she furrowed her brow slightly and looked at Song Chuyi, asking with some hesitation, “Were there no other people in Her Majesty’s hall?”
First Madam Song found her question strange and was somewhat bewildered. After thinking for a moment, she carefully replied, “I heard that two young ladies from Elder Du’s household also came with Old Madam Du first and went to see Dowager Consort Jing.”
In the palace now, there remained only two dowager consorts in total. One was Dowager Consort Jing, whose surname was Du. Her ancestors had connected with Elder Du’s family through clan ties, so they were proper relatives who maintained contact. The young ladies of the Du family often entered the palace to keep this Dowager Consort Jing company.
Consort Song made a sound of acknowledgment, then after hesitating briefly, she softly told First Madam Song and Song Chuyi, “I heard the Lu family has also sent people. Today, the Lu family’s eldest legitimate daughter will also be entering the palace.”
Both the current Empress and the Crown Princess bore the surname Lu. For Consort Song to personally mention the Lu family’s eldest legitimate daughter, she naturally came from the Lu clan that was the natal family of both the Empress and Crown Princess.
At this time, the Lu family hadn’t entered the capital for many years. First Madam Song had managed the household accounts of the Earl of Changning’s manor for fifteen or sixteen years. Among the families they maintained contact with, there was also the Lu family, but that was limited to sending someone with gifts during festivals—and this was only because the two families’ ancestors had known each other, and even though the Lu family wasn’t in the capital, they had never ceased the exchange of seasonal gifts. She was startled and instinctively asked, “The Lu family hasn’t had anyone enter the capital for many years, right? Why all of a sudden—”
She didn’t continue asking. In fact, there was nothing more to ask. Coming neither early nor late, but precisely when His Highness the Grand Heir had achieved great merit and it was time to select a Grand Heir Consort, bringing their eldest legitimate daughter—the purpose was self-evident.
First Madam Song glanced at Song Chuyi, and worry unconsciously crept onto her face—the Lu family was, after all, the natal family of both the Crown Princess and the Empress. This generation’s eldest legitimate daughter from the Lu family was moreover the daughter of the Crown Princess’s own elder brother. Since ancient times, having a niece from the natal family as a daughter-in-law had always been what pleased aunts most.
Things had been going so well—surely there wouldn’t be any complications? First Madam Song couldn’t help but sigh.
Consort Song also looked at Song Chuyi with some worry, holding her hand. “A few days ago, the Lu family’s eldest daughter-in-law brought the Lu family’s young lady into the palace to pay respects to Her Majesty the Empress. Her Majesty invited her to attend today’s flower banquet as well.”
The worried expression on First Madam Song’s face grew heavier. In her heart, she felt that the Lu family’s timing for this notion was truly inopportune, and she couldn’t help but break into a cold sweat on Song Chuyi’s behalf.
Song Chuyi, however, wasn’t particularly worried. She had learned of the Lu family’s arrival in the capital from Qing Zhuo yesterday. Just as Qing Zhuo said, this proper cousin and the cousin from the Cui family were all the same—in Zhou Weizhao’s eyes, they were no different from wooden blocks. Besides, anything that could be snatched away wasn’t truly hers to begin with. If fate insisted on arranging things this way, then she could only submit to destiny.
After talking for a while, seeing that Song Chuyi herself wasn’t worried, Consort Song felt much more at ease. Previously, she hadn’t wanted Song Chuyi to choose Zhou Weizhao—the imperial family was a pool of muddy water where one could easily get splashed if not careful. To wade through safely was truly too difficult. But now that fate had arranged it thus, aside from working hard to live well, there was no other solution. She held Song Chuyi’s hand and advised her, “No matter what, everything is still just our speculation. Don’t frighten yourself.”
Song Chuyi naturally smiled and agreed. Seeing that she was taking it well, Consort Song didn’t dwell on the topic anymore—some words, when said too much, only made everyone anxious. Once was quite enough. She had someone bring the young prince for First Madam Song and Song Chuyi to see, then chatted idly for a while. When Qingning Hall sent someone to invite them, she accompanied First Madam Song and Song Chuyi together.