Qin Shuying recalled that among the books Qin Yongzhou had left behind, there were descriptions of such people who lived in very distant places and also had countries and civilizations.

“But she was so happy, how could I stop her? So, I endured the pain of watching her marry. From then on, I could never see my Yongxing again. After that, I completely gave up on myself. You can see the relationship between Madam Rong and me, yes… I even threatened Madam Ji, but she refused me. As for Yong’an Lane, the big locust tree… Mei Niang lives there. She never entered the residence from the beginning, but has lived there for over ten years.”

Qin Shuying hadn’t expected Princess Yongjia to tell her everything. Perhaps she had been holding it in for too long and too severely.

Before, she had Yongxing to listen to her speak. These past five years, with Yongxing gone, no one listened to her talk, no one knew the pain in her heart. She desperately needed to pour it all out.

Since that was the case, Yongjia hadn’t forced Yongxing either. Looking at it this way, Princess Yongjia naturally had her own pride and principles.

Qin Shuying nodded gently. Princess Yongxing was indeed an anomaly among women, but she was truly very brave and very clever!

“Consort Kang knows about Your Highness’s affairs, so she coerced Your Highness into harming this subject?”

Princess Yongjia shook her head: “Even if she knew, this princess would not be coerced by her. This princess merely… went with the flow. This princess is too lonely, too bored…”

So that was why she always appeared languid and listless – this was her way of indulging herself.

Qin Shuying said, “Your Highness, this subject has heard that after Princess Yongxing married Luo’er Si, she bore three children – two sons and a daughter. She must be living very happily now.”

Princess Yongjia softly hummed, “Yes, as long as she’s happy.”

“But Your Highness also has Mei Niang.”

Princess Yongjia hummed softly again, “In the end, I’ve wronged Mei Niang.”

Mei Niang lived in Yong’an Lane while Yongjia lived in the residence. Though she often went to Yong’an Lane, or Mei Niang would find excuses to come to the residence, Princess Yongjia still had other people around her.

For instance, now her languid demeanor indicated she had indulged in pleasure last night, and that person might not necessarily have been Mei Niang.

Though the Princess’s residence was heavily guarded, it wasn’t completely airtight. Qin Shuying had had people watching this place for several days and thus knew some things others didn’t.

“Yongxing often writes to me, telling me interesting things. When she speaks of the customs of the northwest, even mentioning a distant country called something like Lis… I’m quite drawn to it and wish I could fly there on wings. But how would my imperial brother permit it?”

She smiled bitterly. As a princess, she appeared supremely noble, but was actually constrained everywhere.

Lis?

“Your Highness, this subject has some interesting books that I’d like to lend to Your Highness to read, if Your Highness would be interested.”

Princess Yongjia didn’t seem too interested: “Bring them another day, and this princess will see.”

After Yongxing left, as she herself said, her entire being had fallen into decline, and nothing could arouse her interest anymore.

“Yes.”

“This princess has little interest in managing Fu’an’s affairs – this is between you all. Each one calculating so well, wanting to use this princess to do this and that for them, without considering what use this princess could have for them now.”

So it seemed that summoning her several times was purely because she had caught her attention, making the bored Princess Yongjia find her amusing.

“However, this princess must warn you that Fu’an won’t let this go easily. You must weigh things carefully yourself. Currently, the palace consorts cannot leave the palace and dare not casually summon court ladies and noble young ladies. It’s fortunate that the Seventh Prince isn’t in the capital, otherwise how could you still be standing here safely? If you truly encounter problems you cannot solve someday, this princess grants you one opportunity to seek this princess’s assistance.”

Qin Shuying rose to give thanks: “Many thanks, Your Highness!”

So she had caught Yongjia’s fancy?

Disregarding rules, sharp-tongued…

These were the evaluations of her by the capital’s noble ladies, yet Princess Yongjia had taken a liking to her?

The Fifth Prince, Sixth Prince, and Seventh Prince were all currently away from the capital on assigned duties. That’s why Princess Yongjia could say such things.

The facts were indeed so. Though Consort Kang had a noble status, she didn’t have the right to casually summon court ladies. This palace rule probably frustrated her to the point of illness!

If Consort Kang could summon Qin Shuying, forcing her to enter the palace, wouldn’t she be at Consort Kang’s mercy?

Everyone thought the noble ladies of the palace were exalted, but they were merely canaries kept in luxurious cages. Even the Empress, having entered the palace, could only leave a few times in her lifetime.

Palace consorts leaving the palace? This was absolutely impossible. Unless someday the Emperor had a whim to grant a consort permission to visit her family, allowing her to return home once – but this would only happen once in a lifetime.

As for family members entering the palace, this also wasn’t at the consorts’ whim.

As Consort Lian’s birth mother, Xu Shi could only enter the palace three to five times a year. Consort De was more favored than Consort Lian, so perhaps Consort De’s family could enter the palace one or two more times than Xu Shi.

But that was the limit.

If it were the Empress Dowager or Empress, naturally it would be different – they could summon people to the palace at will for conversation or entertainment.

Having spoken so much, it was now lunchtime. Princess Yongjia said, “Enough, that’s all for today. Since you have such intentions, this princess accepts your sentiment. Ziyuan!”

Ziyuan quickly came up and bowed: “Your Highness!”

“Escort Seventh Miss Qin back.”

Ziyuan was somewhat surprised, but she didn’t show much emotion, instead saying respectfully: “Yes, Your Highness!”

Qin Shuying bowed and followed Ziyuan out.

Princess Yongjia watched her retreating figure, staring blankly for quite a while before softly murmuring: “The world is not easy, women’s paths are difficult.”

When Ziyuan escorted Qin Shuying back, the banquet was just beginning.

Seeing Ziyuan’s respectful and enthusiastic manner, everyone in the flower hall whispered endlessly. Though they had seen Qin Shuying receive the Princess’s favor for several consecutive days, they still couldn’t help but discuss it extensively.

Dong Shi saw Ziyuan off and said to Qin Shuying with a beaming smile: “Seventh Sister, quickly sit down. The dishes just arrived, and we haven’t started eating yet.”

Qin Shuying smiled faintly and sat down: “Thank you, sister-in-law.”

Seeing her calm expression, Qin Lulu asked quietly: “Seventh Sister, Her Highness didn’t make things difficult for you, did she?”

“No.”

Qin Lulu showed a smile and sighed in relief: “That’s good. These noble people are truly hard to fathom. Fortunately, Seventh Sister, you’re clever. If it were me, I wouldn’t know what to say.”

Though Dong Shi was eating, her ears were perked up. This Seventh Sister truly exceeded her expectations, actually being able to deal with the Princess repeatedly.

Dong Shi wouldn’t be so naive as to really think the Princess summoned Qin Shuying repeatedly out of boredom because she liked her.

The thoughts of these noble people, as Qin Lulu said, were very difficult to guess. One careless step could lead to mortal danger. However, Qin Shuying being able to gain Princess Yongjia’s favor was undoubtedly a good thing.

She heard Qin Shuying say: “As long as one treats others with sincerity and doesn’t lose one’s true heart, it’s not as difficult as Fifth Sister thinks.”

Easy to say – but how difficult was it to actually do?