He sat on the mirror, beginning to rack his brains thinking about how to make a type of mirror that was both transparent and unbreakable. Tie Ci got up and changed back into her clothes. Today’s women’s clothing game couldn’t continue – she would have to play the role of a lustful wild wolf in front of her mother consort later.

Baby’s heart was bitter, but baby couldn’t say it.

With her father emperor and mother consort, they could accept her having lustful desires and three palaces and six courtyards, but would absolutely never accept a husband who dared to touch her inappropriately in broad daylight.

Her Highness the Crown Princess silently shouldered a huge burden.

When she came out, she saw Noble Consort Jing leaning against the wall, hands pressed behind her back, chest heaving, the flush still not faded from her face.

This posture made it seem like she was the one caught in adultery.

Tie Ci sighed, looked at her new clothes, and said: “Very beautiful.”

But Noble Consort Jing’s thoughts were no longer on the clothes. She pulled her daughter to a corner and whispered: “You… he… you…”

Tie Ci most feared this way of speaking. She said tactfully: “Mother Consort, you are my birth mother. Between mother and daughter, we can speak directly about anything.”

Noble Consort Jing said: “I was just too shocked. I never expected Your Highness to be this kind of person!”

Tie Ci silently swallowed a mouthful of blood.

“Mother Consort, I thought about it – perhaps mother and daughter shouldn’t discuss this issue.”

“No wonder Murong Yi is weak.” Noble Consort Jing said thoughtfully. “With you being so fierce like a wolf or tiger, who could handle it?”

“Mother Consort…”

“In that case, might as well listen to your father emperor and take in both the Rong family son and Qi family son. Everyone would be happy.”

The curtain lifted and Murong Yi came out, saying expressionlessly: “Your Ladyship, are the clothes beautiful?”

Noble Consort Jing didn’t quite dare look at him, her face red as her gaze wandered here and there. “Mm… beautiful.”

Tie Ci supported her forehead.

“These clothes are the only set in all of Great Qian, specially customized for you. The materials, patterns, and embroidery are all unique.”

Noble Consort Jing showed a delighted smile.

“But I suddenly remembered, there are quite a few other consorts in the palace who could be considered Your Highness’s elders. Should we send one set to each of them?” Murong Yi smiled as he asked Noble Consort Jing. “Such beautiful clothing – would Your Ladyship be willing to share with the other consorts?”

“I’m not willing!” Noble Consort Jing blurted out.

“What a coincidence.” Murong Yi said quietly. “I’m not willing either.”

Noble Consort Jing: “…”

Tie Ci: “…”

“I am not weak, as was just proven. And I don’t mind proving it to Your Highness again, multiple times, countless times, in various positions.” Murong Yi turned to Tie Ci, showing a smile with eight teeth. “As long as Your Highness likes it – twelve hours a day, every hour, every moment.”

Tie Ci: “…”

Someone please drag away this old rogue.

Looking at Noble Consort Jing again, she had actually understood and then exploded.

Her entire person had become like a cooked shrimp, even her back curved exactly the same way.

Tie Ci rubbed her temples.

She had no choice but to suggest visiting the rouge shop again to divert her mother consort’s attention.

Loading a large basket of clothes onto the carriage, Tie Ci got in. Noble Consort Jing saw that Murong Yi wasn’t driving the carriage this time but had ridden ahead on horseback. Confirming that those dog ears definitely couldn’t hear this time, she pulled Tie Ci close and whispered: “…Your Highness, just now you…”

“Just now I only did what all women would do.” Tie Ci replied without blushing.

“Really? Do men really like that?” Noble Consort Jing was obviously very curious, insisting on asking despite her red face.

Tie Ci glanced at her mother consort, thinking that palace consorts were indeed different – their hearts to attract favor and seek love never died.

How could ordinary mother and daughter discuss such things, especially someone with Noble Consort Jing’s personality?

But she was clearly very interested in how she and Murong Yi got along, seeming to want to learn from their example.

Please no – they were already an odd pair, how could they serve as a model for parents?

Mother Consort was always having wild fantasies.

She said seriously: “Murong Yi had different experiences from ordinary people since childhood, so he’s more respectful toward women and more tolerant of me. But others aren’t him. What suits him and me may not suit everyone.”

Noble Consort Jing made a disappointed sound and stopped talking.

The carriage arrived at the rouge and powder shop under Murong Yi’s name, called “Hehuan Pavilion.” It was three stories tall, covering a vast area, very grand, with female customers coming and going constantly.

Noble Consort Jing’s group was led into the innermost private room. The entire floor was cleared, and a three-zhang long counter was laid out like a flowing banquet with Hehuan Pavilion’s newest, best, and most fashionable rouge, powder, and lip color.

Tie Ci wasn’t interested in these, but Murong Yi had also prepared novel items for her – painting supplies obtained from Gui Qizhai. The pigments were more vivid than those currently used in Great Qian, with more colors and finer distinctions, achieving more delicate painting effects.

Tie Ci had naturally learned music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. She was very interested in this novel set of painting supplies. Murong Yi set up an easel for her to try a few strokes – if it worked well, he would send it to the palace later.

Tie Ci painted on one side while listening to Noble Consort Jing and her palace maid selecting rouge. The two chattered endlessly, discussing the composition, color, fragrance of rouge, whether silk cotton or silk screening was better, how much gypsum and pig pancreas to use so it wouldn’t stick to hands but could be easily spread, which type of clam produced the finest clam powder, which region produced the best pearl powder… going on and on.

Tie Ci’s brush paused slightly. She wondered when Mother Consort had become so knowledgeable about rouge, powder, beauty, and cosmetics?

In her memory, there didn’t seem to be anyone around Mother Consort who was skilled in these things.

Because Tie Ci had been weak as a child and slightly allergic to rouge and powder, Tie Yan disliked the six palaces wearing heavy makeup. Over time, everyone stopped paying much attention to it.

Now Tie Ci naturally wouldn’t be allergic, but when had this formed habit changed?

Though this was a small matter – women beautify themselves for those who appreciate them, and palace consorts especially cared about such things – Tie Ci still decided to ask Nanny Qin about it after returning to the palace.

In Mother Consort’s palace, she had cleaned house early and replaced everyone with people she trusted. It was both protection and surveillance, preventing her from contacting random people. She had also arranged for Xia Houchun to especially guard Father Emperor and Mother Consort. Chongming Palace’s Dianfang Pavilion was airtight – there were no safety issues.

It would need to be strengthened further, because now that she had returned, the reckoning with the Xiao family would begin.

Father Emperor personally leaving the palace to meet her, and Murong Yi taking the opportunity to arrange so many activities – it was because everyone knew that she would have no leisure time to leave the palace in the coming period.

She heard Noble Consort Jing finish selecting rouge. Her Ladyship had much higher standards for rouge and powder than for clothes – she didn’t want everything, taking only a small cartload.

Tie Ci’s painting was also finished.

At first glance it was a landscape painting, mainly depicting the exquisite beauty of the earlier maple garden. Red maples blazed like fire with brilliant golden light, deer ran across the grass, white rabbits rolled about, male lions lazed on mountain cliffs, tigers smelled roses. Further away, beyond the courtyard walls, roads crisscrossed with crowds of people – the most prosperous street scene of Great Qian’s capital.

But Murong Yi’s gaze fell on the upper right side of the painting.

Layers of clouds rolled, wind and rain approaching.

Above the dark rain clouds, there was a ray of sunlight piercing through the hazy clouds. The cloud edges were like golden scales, stabbing out thousands of golden swords.

A very meaningful painting, showing that while Her Highness the Crown Princess was shopping in women’s favorite stores, her heart was still thinking of affairs of state.

Murong Yi was somewhat dissatisfied with this. “Where am I? Where are you? Where are we?”

Tie Ci readily complied and immediately added a few strokes to the painting.

After she set down her brush, Murong Yi leaned over the painting and looked for a long time without finding where the few added strokes were, much less his own figure, until Tie Ci pointed to the upper right area.

Only then did Murong Yi see that above the cloud layers were two extremely small human figures – one seemed to be raising a hand, the other appeared to be holding something like a mirror.

“This is…”

“Thunder God and Lightning Mother.” Tie Ci pointed to herself. “Thunder God.”

She pointed to Murong Yi. “Lightning Mother.”

She pointed to the sky. “Made for each other.”

Murong Yi: “…”

Thank you very much.

Afterward, Noble Consort Jing’s interest was still high, so Murong Yi led her to visit jewelry shops, silk stores, embroidery shops… When Noble Consort Jing returned to the palace, Murong Yi had another carriage brought to haul the goods.

Murong Yi escorted them to before the palace gates, sighing at the stern troops and massive deep red palace doors: “Once you enter the palace gates, it’s deep as the sea. From now on, the Crown Princess becomes a stranger.”

Tie Ci waved: “Hello stranger, goodbye stranger.”

Murong Yi remained in place, watching her be welcomed through those broad palace gates. He winked at her and made a gesture.

But Tie Ci didn’t understand it.

Tie Ci personally accompanied Noble Consort Jing back to her Dianfang Pavilion and personally received the palace staff of Dianfang Pavilion. Seeing that the personnel hadn’t changed and everyone was in their proper place, she felt reassured.

Only Nanny Qin had taken sick leave to return home, which was beyond her expectations.

It was said that not long after she went to Yannan, Nanny Qin caught a cold that the imperial physicians couldn’t cure despite long treatment. Fearing infection of the nobles, she first moved to Hanyang Palace where palace staff specifically recovered from illness. Later, Noble Consort Jing worried that Hanyang Palace was too desolate for recovery, so she petitioned His Majesty for an imperial edict granting Nanny Qin gold, silver, and medicine, having someone specially escort her out of the palace to recover at home.

This was also routine, actually quite generous treatment. Tie Ci had nothing to say about it. She asked who was now in charge of palace affairs here, and a female official came forward – called Qingqiu. She was also an old hand who had followed Noble Consort Jing for several years. Previously unremarkable, but she handled things properly.

Tie Ci routinely inspected the staff, gave rewards, and made a few pointed remarks. She had originally wanted to dine here with Mother Consort and observe the details of how her palace staff served, but turning around she saw Noble Consort Jing had already hurriedly sat before her dressing table, opened her makeup box and begun skincare. Beside her, Qingqiu led a long row of palace maids carrying a pile of bottles and jars, flowing like water as they presented them. For a moment the hall was extremely busy, with hardly room to stand.

Looking at this, Tie Ci thought – well, with this setup, the process wouldn’t finish in under an hour.

She was always meticulous about Mother Consort’s affairs, so she asked what all these things were. Noble Consort Jing said they were from a skincare recipe Nanny Qin had offered, seeing her distressed about her dark skin. Though troublesome and expensive to make, with particularly complicated usage rules, the effects were truly good.

She chattered on, introducing the uses and methods of those thick, dry, powdered, paste-like, liquid, red, black, and yellow bottles and jars. Tie Ci listened until her eyes spun in circles. She raised her hand to stop, and only then did Noble Consort Jing reluctantly close her mouth, having staff apply a thick layer of green mud to her face.

At first glance she looked like a sea monkey.

Additionally, palace staff brought hot water with many colorful powders added. Noble Consort Jing got up, saying she was going to bathe.

Only when she rolled up her sleeves did Tie Ci notice her skin had become much whiter and more tender.

Indeed, Noble Consort Jing quietly told her this was also a medicinal bath made from Nanny Qin’s recipe. The smell and color weren’t great, but the effects were good.

She smiled: “Not only does it make the skin all over white and lustrous, but there’s also an extremely great benefit.”

Tie Ci carefully examined those powders. After asking whether these skincare products and medicinal powders had all been repeatedly checked by the Imperial Medical Bureau, she still had someone bring a bag. Hearing this, she said casually: “How so?”

Noble Consort Jing suddenly smiled mysteriously, her smile hiding some shyness. She waved for all the palace staff to leave, leaned close to her daughter’s ear, and whispered a few sentences.

Tie Ci’s brow furrowed.

Noble Consort Jing said bashfully: “Originally I shouldn’t say such things to Your Highness, but seeing that Your Highness has already… already become a woman…”

Seeing Tie Ci’s expression didn’t look good, she added awkwardly: “Yes, with Your Highness’s status, others should be the ones offering charm and seeking favor from you. You don’t need these things…”

Tie Ci wanted to speak but hesitated. Harem women had many methods to seek favor – it was normal. Her position as daughter was awkward, so it wasn’t appropriate to say anything about this.

After all, children couldn’t interfere in their parents’ bedroom affairs.

But harem favor-seeking methods could easily lead people astray. The ever-vigilant Tie Ci finally asked subtly: “The effects are very good?”

“Naturally!”

“Father Emperor… also thinks it’s good?”

Noble Consort Jing’s smile became even more bashful, clouds flying across her cheeks. “…Naturally.”

Tie Ci took a breath and smiled: “Then… do I have hope for another little brother?”

Noble Consort Jing stroked her abdomen, saying with slight melancholy: “…It seems the fate hasn’t arrived yet…”

Tie Ci was silent for a long moment, then said: “Mother Consort, please prepare a set of these for me too.”

Noble Consort Jing was delighted that her daughter accepted her sharing, so she actively arranged to prepare everything she used for Tie Ci, even carefully writing usage instructions for her.

Tie Ci smiled and accepted them. After leaving Dianfang Pavilion, she said to Chi Xue: “Investigate whether anyone inside or outside Dianfang Pavilion has contacted anyone in the palace within this past year. You can give this task to Little Bug – he’s always been in the palace and his information is well-informed.”

Chi Xue acknowledged.

“Also send these things to the Mei tribe’s A’kou and ask if there are any problems. If she can’t tell, have her find Duanmu.”

“Yes.”

“Also send someone to Nanny Qin’s hometown to visit her. If she’s recovered, bring her back.”

“Yes.”

After Tie Ci finished her instructions, she took Dan Shuang to Chongming Palace to discuss with Father Emperor how to arrange the ten people selected from the grand competition.

Passing Ciren Palace on the way, she stopped and looked at the dark and gloomy Ciren Palace, then turned to look at Xia Houchun, who had hurried over upon hearing she was going to Chongming Palace.

Xia Houchun said nothing and pointed toward Chongming Palace.

Tie Ci didn’t ask either.

It was already nighttime. Most halls in Chongming Palace had extinguished their lights. Tie Ci didn’t need to be announced when entering Chongming Palace. As she passed the great hall and was turning toward the inner palace, Tie Ci suddenly dodged.

A small object rolled to her feet.