Shu Shenhui returned to the prince’s residence, where Li Xiangchun and Zhang Bao attended to his change of clothes. He removed the somber official robes he usually wore and changed into garments of sapphire blue silk, fastening a slate azure belt adorned with jade ornaments. The slate azure complemented the sapphire blue—for such an occasion, it was neither ostentatious nor overly formal, appearing both dignified and appropriately understated. His naturally distinguished appearance was further enhanced by this formal attire he rarely wore, making him appear even more handsome and imposing.

Jiang Hanyuan was also nearly ready.

She was unaccustomed to wearing skirts, having worn almost exclusively military uniforms from childhood. Even her daily attire at the prince’s residence these past days had been robes that allowed for easy movement. But today was a formal visit to a place that was neither court nor battlefield. Jiang Hanyuan had no intention of emphasizing her unique identity as a general everywhere outside the military camp, so, like on her wedding day, she donned a formal dress.

Her garments were naturally prepared by Zhuang Shi, modeled after the formal attire worn by noble ladies of Chang’an at grand occasions. The upper garment was a frost-moon colored jacket with wide sleeves that crossed at the front, paired with a cinnabar red brocade skirt of the most authentic hue, with a silk shawl draped over her shoulders. The embroidered pattern on the shawl was not the commonly seen bright flowers that were popular, but rather an elegant design of wild geese flying beyond autumn clouds. Zhuang Shi said that when preparing clothes for her, this pattern had caught her eye immediately. Her hair was arranged in a peony chignon. Zhuang Shi remarked that although the peony chignon was no longer fashionable, she felt it suited the princess consort perfectly.

Whatever she said was fine—Jiang Hanyuan closed her eyes and patiently endured the fussing. Once her hair was finished, the maids all gathered around to admire it, praising the result profusely.

To cooperate with the styling, Jiang Hanyuan had sat for over half an hour just for her hair arrangement. Seeing it was finally complete, she stood up.

“Princess Consort, please wait—we haven’t applied rouge yet. With just a light touch, your complexion would look even better—”

Zhuang Shi called to her.

Jiang Hanyuan replied, “This is fine, let’s leave it as it is.”

Zhuang Shi knew she hadn’t worn makeup on their wedding night either. Though somewhat disappointed, since the princess consort didn’t like it, she let it be, smiling: “Very well, the Princess Consort has naturally emerald brows and bright eyes—no excessive decoration is needed. Let me go check if His Highness is ready.”

As soon as she finished speaking, a maid outside announced that His Highness had come to escort the Princess Consort.

Shu Shenhui entered, and his gaze fell upon Jiang Hanyuan, studying her appearance.

Under his scrutiny, Jiang Hanyuan felt as if needles were pricking her entire body. She took a winter cloak handed to her by a maid and stepped forward to leave.

“Wait—”

Shu Shenhui suddenly spoke, quickly walking to the desk. He picked up a writing brush, dipped it in the rouge box, and returned to stand before her.

“Don’t move,” he said softly.

Jiang Hanyuan froze. He had already raised the brush, gently dotting several points in the center of her forehead, then withdrew the brush and stepped back slightly to admire his work.

“Perfect,” he said with approval, his brow relaxing.

Following his gaze, Jiang Hanyuan’s heart seemed to skip a beat with a soft thump. The spot on her forehead where the soft brush tip had suddenly touched felt cool, as if invisible tiny creatures were slowly emerging from beneath her skin, spreading outward.

She snapped out of her brief daze as a smiling maid held up a mirror before her. In the reflection, she saw that cinnabar red dots had been added to the center of her forehead, shaped like plum blossoms, matching the color of her skirt. The reflection of her face was remarkably beautiful and alluring.

Zhuang Shi covered her mouth and said solemnly, “Adding the finishing touch, the perfect embellishment! His Highness and the Princess Consort are truly a perfect match made in heaven.”

The bolder maids in the room were already giggling softly, all praising the result.

He smiled and set down the brush.

Jiang Hanyuan instinctively raised her hand to wipe it away. The next moment, her raised wrist was grasped by the man and gently moved away.

“Leave it,” he said, gazing into her eyes and speaking in a low voice.

She stopped moving. He turned his head and instructed Li Xiangchun, who was waiting outside the door: “We can go now.”

The two took a carriage to the Worthy Prince’s residence. Along the way, Jiang Hanyuan felt that the person beside her was somehow different from the past few days. Like now, as they sat alone together, though he still wasn’t speaking, he seemed particularly spirited and energetic. This feeling was very pronounced. She didn’t know what good fortune had befallen him, though naturally, she wouldn’t ask.

Upon arriving at the Worthy Prince’s residence, someone had gone ahead to announce their arrival. As the two alighted from their carriage, the Worthy Prince and his wife, along with the entire household and numerous male and female guests, were already waiting outside the gate—several hundred people in a dark mass welcoming them. After the formal greetings, the two entered. Jiang Hanyuan was to go to Jinhui Hall, where the old Princess Consort was hosting, while male guests like him would go to the Worthy Prince’s side.

“I’m going over there. If you need anything, Princess Consort, just send for me.”

Before several hundred pairs of eyes, the Regent Prince smiled and bowed slightly, his lips approaching the Princess Consort’s ear to whisper intimately, appearing affectionate and reluctant to part.

The surrounding crowd fell silent. Jiang Hanyuan secretly clenched her hands into fists. Suddenly, light laughter emerged from the crowd. Only Princess Yongtai would dare to laugh at such a moment. From beside the old Princess Consort emerged a young, beautiful woman dressed in goose-yellow brocade. She approached the Regent Prince and his wife, curtsied gracefully, then laughed: “Regent Prince, go ahead without worry. Elder Sister will help you take good care of the Princess Consort.”

The Regent Prince smiled, expressed his thanks, and withdrew. Jiang Hanyuan offered birthday greetings to the Worthy Prince’s wife. The old Princess Consort smiled and repeatedly expressed her pleasure: “The Regent Princess Consort’s presence brings glory to our humble dwelling. Ah Meng, you must not be presumptuous or rude, lest you make the Princess Consort laugh at you.”

The Princess replied, “Mother, what are you saying? Last time when the Regent Prince and Princess Consort entered the palace, I so wanted to go, but I didn’t have the proper rank to attend. I’ve been longing to meet my female general sister-in-law, and could only wait until today. Having finally gotten this chance, I’m overjoyed—how could I dare be presumptuous?”

A round of agreeable laughter arose from the surrounding crowd.

Today, except for the Imperial Dowager Consorts and Empress Dowager Lan in the palace, all the noble ladies of Chang’an, including the Grand Princess, had come. After exchanging pleasantries, the Worthy Prince’s wife also called forward Wen Wan, who had been standing behind her, telling Jiang Hanyuan that she was her newly adopted daughter, and laughingly asked Wen Wan to pay respects to the Regent Princess Consort.

Wen Wan curtsied gracefully.

Before she could complete the courtesy, Jiang Hanyuan personally helped her up: “No need for such formality.”

Her tone was very gentle.

Wen Wan slowly straightened, her eyes gazing at Jiang Hanyuan, softly expressing her thanks: “Thank you, Regent Princess Consort.”

When Wen Wan bowed to her, everyone around was watching. Seeing this exchange, after a brief moment of silence, those who had originally come hoping to witness drama were inevitably disappointed. The Worthy Prince’s wife looked around and announced with a smile that theatrical performances had been arranged for the residence, then continued leading everyone inside, and this scene passed. Over a hundred women qualified to attend the banquet followed behind in a magnificent display of silk and brocade, arriving at the banquet hall.

The young Emperor had not yet arrived, so the birthday banquet had not yet begun. The ladies gathered around the old Princess Consort and the Regent Princess Consort, with the two at the center, chatting and laughing while watching the theatrical performances. After a while, someone came to announce that His Majesty had arrived, so they all went out again to receive the imperial presence.

From head to toe, the young Emperor maintained a dignified bearing. When he ceremoniously told everyone to rise, his gaze briefly glanced at Jiang Hanyuan before he looked away and offered birthday congratulations to the old Princess Consort. Afterward, the two groups separated again, and the birthday banquet was about to begin.

As Jiang Hanyuan returned to the banquet hall, just before arriving, the Grand Princess approached and said to Princess Yongtai with a smile: “Has the Princess finished speaking? I saw that after the Regent Princess Consort arrived, you’ve been clinging to her. At least come out for a while so the rest of us can have a word too.”

Princess Yongtai replied with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes: “What are you saying, Aunt? If you want to speak, then speak. Did I seal your mouth?”

“Enough, you’ve always been sharp-tongued. Only your Prince Consort indulges you—your aunt is afraid of you.”

The Grand Princess, maintaining her dignity, wouldn’t engage in a prolonged dispute with Princess Yongtai. She dismissed her with one sentence and turned to Jiang Hanyuan: “Might the Regent Princess Consort spare a moment to speak privately?”

Jiang Hanyuan’s feet remained planted.

The Grand Princess’s expression remained unchanged. She glanced around, and the others tactfully withdrew, except for Princess Yongtai, who didn’t leave. The Grand Princess ignored her as if she were invisible, and her expression had already turned sincere as she addressed Jiang Hanyuan: “Princess Consort, I know that because of past events, you must hate me deeply in your heart. I don’t dare hope for anything, as everything originated from me. In truth, all these years, whenever I recall those events, I too am filled with piercing regret and remorse. It’s all my fault. If I had known it would lead to such consequences, I would never have left the capital that year, no matter what. Whether you believe me or not, that order was not issued by me. I encountered wild beasts on the road and fainted from fright. My attendants, fearing something would happen to me and they would be held responsible, heard from people in Wucheng that your father had passed by recently, so they took it upon themselves to summon him for protection. How could I have known this would lead to such a disaster? Though it was unintentional, I still bear undeniable responsibility. Today, finally having this opportunity, I wish to personally apologize to the Princess Consort.”

“Please accept my courtesy.”

This Grand Princess, who had always been arrogant and supremely self-important, actually bowed to Jiang Hanyuan before the many secretly watching gazes from afar, performing a formal salute.

Never mind others—even Princess Yongtai was stunned by this unprecedented display of humility.

Jiang Hanyuan’s gaze remained calm as still water: “Since it had nothing to do with the Grand Princess, why feel guilty? And what need is there to apologize? Today, both you and I have come to celebrate the Worthy Prince’s wife’s birthday. For the Grand Princess to act thus risks overshadowing the host. I dare not accept such courtesy. It would be more appropriate for us all to take our seats.”

“Yes, yes, the Princess Consort speaks wisely. I was presumptuous.” The Grand Princess was momentarily stunned, then quickly recovered and replied with a smile.

Jiang Hanyuan departed. Princess Yongtai smiled secretly and deliberately added, “Aunt, my mother is waiting to drink with you. Why don’t you hurry over?” Having said this, she lifted her skirts and hurried after Jiang Hanyuan.

Though Shu Shenhui had only been married to his Princess Consort for a little over half a month, he already knew that Jiang Hanyuan was straightforward in character, quite different from the noble ladies of Chang’an. It wasn’t that he worried she might commit some breach of etiquette that would invite ridicule—even if she did, no one would dare laugh, and they would probably make excuses for her instead.

His concern was for his aunt, the Grand Princess Nankang. First, there had been Jiang Hanyuan publicly humiliating her the day after their wedding, and now there was the matter of Wen Wan’s marriage. Given her temperament, she must harbor resentment. While she wouldn’t dare act openly, there might be harsh words or subtle schemes. Leaving Jiang Hanyuan alone on that side, though the old Princess Consort and Princess Yongtai were there, Shu Shenhui still felt somewhat concerned. After they separated again, he instructed Zhang Bao to keep watch and summon him if anything happened, then followed the young Emperor to the banquet.

Zhang Bao was diligent, running back and forth between the two sides. He came to report that when they first took their seats, the area around the Princess Consort was empty—no one dared approach. Princess Yongtai sat beside her, and she smiled at everyone, then took the initiative to first help the Worthy Prince’s wife to her seat, then assist another elderly Princess Consort to hers. Only then did the other ladies at the table vie to take their seats. The Princess Consort didn’t speak much, simply ate her meal, but whenever she said anything, no matter what it was, there would inevitably be a chorus of agreement from those around her.

In short, the atmosphere couldn’t be better!

Shu Shenhui found this both amusing and ridiculous, then asked about the Grand Princess.

“This servant has been watching her constantly. Before the banquet began, she went to speak with the Princess Consort in front of everyone, seemingly to apologize.”

“How did the Princess Consort respond?”

“The Princess Consort didn’t make things difficult for her—she was quite amiable. Everyone went to drink wine afterward.”

After being repeatedly humiliated, the Grand Princess had lowered her stance even further. Shu Shenhui was somewhat surprised, but thinking it over, he could understand the reasoning—it was nothing more than adapting to circumstances and swallowing her pride, performing for his benefit.

As for the Jiang family daughter encountering the Grand Princess today, and no longer treating her with cold hostility—

Frankly, he naturally hoped for this, but hadn’t expected it and had no intention of mentioning it to her, lest he also receive her cold glares. The awkwardness he’d experienced when trying to speak with her on the road after leaving the palace the day after their wedding was something he didn’t want to experience a second time.

Now, regardless of what lay beneath the surface, if they could maintain harmony on the surface, he naturally desired nothing more. Thinking that the young Emperor had just mentioned feeling dizzy and sleepy after two cups of wine, he decided to first settle him properly, then sent Zhang Bao back to attend to matters on the other side.

In the ladies’ banquet hall, the feast was reaching its climax.

To entertain her guests, the Worthy Prince’s wife had put considerable thought into today’s birthday banquet dishes. One of the main courses was roasted pigeon. Whole pigeons were marinated, wrapped in lotus leaves, slowly roasted over plum wood fires, then served hot in precious lotus-shaped plates while still wrapped in the leaves for each honored guest to enjoy.

Behind the Worthy Prince’s residence was a plum garden. In autumn, to encourage the plum blossoms to bloom magnificently in winter, the household staff would prune away excess plum branches. Thus, this unique dish of plum wood-roasted squab had always been a signature dish used to entertain guests at the Worthy Prince’s residence.

Dozens of servants carried trays, weaving back and forth in an orderly fashion, serving the noble ladies at their seats.

A servant approached with a tray and gently placed it before Jiang Hanyuan. Princess Yongtai introduced: “Princess Consort, please try this—it’s a unique dish from our household. The plum wood used for your roasting was cut from a five-hundred-year-old Bone-Deep Red plum tree transplanted from elsewhere to our plum garden. There’s no second serving like it in all of Chang’an.”

The edges of the plate were adorned with several early spring plum blossoms for ambiance. The Princess looked at the cinnabar red dot on Jiang Hanyuan’s forehead and praised: “What a coincidence—you also seem to have plum blossoms on your brow. I’ve been wanting to comment since I first saw it—it’s painted so beautifully! When I go to Xianquan Palace with my Prince Consort tomorrow, I’ll imitate it.”

The ladies at the same table finally noticed as well. Though the female general didn’t initiate conversation, she wouldn’t ignore you if you spoke to her. With everyone having had some wine, they gradually relaxed and all began to flatter her. Amid the chatter and laughter, the squab had been served to everyone. Servants lifted the precious lotus covers for the noble ladies, and fragrant aromas filled the air.

A palace attendant from the young Emperor’s entourage entered and walked to Jiang Hanyuan’s side, bowing and speaking softly: “Princess Consort, His Majesty is with the Regent Prince. His Highness has sent this servant to request the Princess Consort’s presence—there are matters concerning Qingmu Camp that require the Princess Consort’s input.”

The Worthy Prince’s wife heard this and shook her head with a smile: “What urgent matter is this, not even allowing people to eat properly today?”

Jiang Hanyuan recognized this attendant. Since he had come to summon her, she stood up and begged forgiveness from the Worthy Prince’s wife and several elderly ladies at the table before withdrawing.

After walking some distance, she noticed the attendant was leading her toward the rear garden of the Worthy Prince’s residence. The path was lined with plum trees, and they encountered fewer and fewer servants from the Prince’s residence. Growing suspicious, she stopped before a moon gate: “Where are His Majesty and the others?”

The attendant bowed: “Princess Consort, please follow this servant just a few more steps—we’re almost there! The matter concerns military secrets, so His Majesty and His Highness are discussing affairs in the plum garden, waiting for the Princess Consort in the pavilion ahead.”

This attendant kept his eyes downcast and didn’t dare look at her while speaking.

Jiang Hanyuan asked again: “The Regent Prince just met with His Majesty in the palace this morning—why are they discussing affairs again?”

“It’s… It’s an urgent matter…”

The attendant stammered, his waist bent so low it nearly touched the ground.

Jiang Hanyuan turned to leave. After taking just two steps, she heard a commotion of footsteps behind her.

Seven or eight people suddenly poured out from behind the moon gate, rushing straight toward her and surrounding her.