When Ren Yaoqi went to Jiuyang Palace, Xiao Jinglin hadn’t arrived yet. The Princess Consort was sitting in the side hall, giving instructions to Nanny Xin. When she looked up and saw Ren Yaoqi enter, she beckoned her over.
“Sit for a while first. Once Jinglin arrives, we can eat. After that, we’ll all go to Chengde Palace together. Here in my place, we’re just family eating together—there aren’t many rules.” The Princess Consort smiled at Ren Yaoqi.
On the second morning after a new bride entered the Yanbei Prince’s Manor, there was also a family recognition ceremony. However, the Princess Consort’s family recognition ceremony was completed in the side hall of Chengde Palace, the Xiao family’s ancestral hall, after the new couple worshipped their ancestors once more. Both the Old Princess Consort and Grand Consort Yun would attend. The Princess Consort had them come to Jiuyang Palace first, both to eat together and to prevent them from oversleeping and missing the time for Chengde Palace, which would give scheming people ammunition against them.
After the Princess Consort said a few words to Ren Yaoqi, she turned back to instruct Nanny Xin about the ancestor worship and family recognition ceremonies at Chengde Palace later. Ren Yaoqi also listened carefully from the side, though she had already heard these rules many times.
Before long, the Prince, Xiao Jingxi, and Xiao Jinglin all entered together. The Prince’s hearty laughter could be heard from far away.
“…When we have time today, let’s have a competition. Whoever loses will be the target for archery practice for a month, how about it?”
“I won’t compete.” Xiao Jinglin said expressionlessly.
The Yanbei Prince was displeased: “I say, precious egg, your old man at this age isn’t afraid of losing, so what are you afraid of? You don’t have any of our Xiao family spirit!”
Ren Yaoqi was just about to stand up when she heard the Yanbei Prince’s form of address and nearly lost her footing.
The Princess Consort frowned unhappily: “Your Highness! Please watch your forms of address!”
While other families gave their children pet names like “little treasure” or “little girl,” only the Yanbei Prince affectionately called his daughter “precious egg”—an honor that not even Xiao Jingxi enjoyed.
The Princess Consort was very dissatisfied with this.
When Xiao Jingxi was young, the Yanbei Prince had also given him a pet name, but it was later firmly opposed by the Princess Consort. However, Xiao Jinglin had spent years with the Yanbei Prince at the frontier, beyond the Princess Consort’s reach.
The Yanbei Prince laughed heartily and sat down boldly: “It’s just a form of address—what’s the big deal? You just have too many rules and too much fuss. Look now, our daughter takes after me, our son takes after you. Tsk—” Considering the new daughter-in-law’s presence, the Yanbei Prince still saved his son some face, just waving his hand to conclude: “In the future, all the grandchildren will follow me!”
Hearing this, the Princess Consort had Nanny Xin lead the maids down to bring up the meal, then said to the Prince with a half-smile: “Does Your Highness mean to blame me for failing to educate our son properly?”
The Yanbei Prince pointed at the Princess Consort and said to his children: “Look, look, your mother is overthinking again, isn’t she? Whatever I say, she has to analyze point by point, one, two, three, four, five, six—isn’t she tired? This Prince is a rough man! Where would I have so many schemes for her to figure out?”
The siblings Xiao Jingxi and Xiao Jinglin seemed accustomed to this scene and sat down as if it had nothing to do with them. Xiao Jingxi sat beside Ren Yaoqi.
The Princess Consort gave the Yanbei Prince a look and stopped arguing with him, lest their daughter-in-law see them make fools of themselves.
The meal was set in the right side hall of Jiuyang Palace, around a medium-sized round pear wood table. The Prince and Princess Consort sat at the head, Ren Yaoqi and Xiao Jingxi sat on the left side by the Prince, and Xiao Jinglin sat on the right side by the Princess Consort. The seating arrangement was that of an ordinary family banquet, and the dishes were similar to what Ren Yaoqi had at home, not particularly elaborate.
The Princess Consort explained to Ren Yaoqi: “Eating too elaborately in the morning isn’t good for health. Homestyle food is better. Tell Nanny Xin what you like, and we’ll add it when you come to dine in the future.”
The Prince nodded and smiled: “Exactly! When you first married into the Prince’s Manor, you even used ginseng soup to rinse your mouth. I don’t know how you developed that habit.”
The Princess Consort pretended not to hear the Yanbei Prince’s words and said, “Your Highness, we may begin eating.”
So the family head, the Yanbei Prince, picked up his chopsticks and placed some crispy pork belly strips in the Princess Consort’s bowl: “Princess Consort, please eat.”
The Princess Consort’s expression softened slightly, and she reciprocated by placing a small sesame bun in the Yanbei Prince’s bowl: “Your Highness, please eat.”
Only after they began eating did the children below pick up their chopsticks.
Xiao Jingxi served Ren Yaoqi a spoonful of eight-treasure steamed egg, and after thinking about it, Ren Yaoqi also served him a spoonful. Xiao Jinglin ate her meal expressionlessly and properly.
The family’s morning meal proceeded harmoniously.
After finishing breakfast, when it was nearly time, the Yanbei Prince and Princess Consort led their children and the newly entered daughter-in-law to Chengde Palace.
When they arrived at Chengde Palace, they found that Grand Consort Yun had arrived before them. She was standing with her back to them outside the rear hall where the ancestral tablets were enshrined, not going inside.
The Yanbei Prince and Princess Consort led their children forward to pay respects to Grand Consort Yun. Grand Consort Yun turned around, nodded, and looked at Ren Yaoqi and the others behind them.
“There’s still a quarter hour left. They should arrive soon, too. Let’s go to the side hall first.” Grand Consort Yun said.
Just as Grand Consort Yun finished speaking, they saw the Old Princess Consort entering from outside, followed by the Xiao family’s second branch—Xiao Heng and his family.
As soon as the Old Princess Consort saw Grand Consort Yun, her already unhappy face completely darkened. Grand Consort Yun remained expressionless as usual.
Both sides exchanged formal greetings.
The Princess Consort said to Ren Yaoqi and Xiao Jingxi, “Since everyone is here, prepare yourselves and enter the ancestral hall first.”
Today’s ceremony was much simpler than yesterday’s.
When the time came, the Yanbei Prince first entered the ancestral hall and lit three incense sticks, then Xiao Jingxi and Ren Yaoqi entered together. The Xiao family ancestral hall didn’t have rules forbidding women from entering. Yanbei’s customs were liberal, and many great families didn’t have such rules. As long as one was a legitimate wife, she could enter the ancestral hall, though one wouldn’t go to the ancestral hall without reason, except during New Year holidays for ancestor worship.
The Princess Consort accompanied the Old Princess Consort and Grand Consort Yun to the side hall first.
After Ren Yaoqi and Xiao Jingxi followed the Prince in offering incense to the Xiao family’s ancestors, they returned to the side hall. The ancestor recognition ceremony was followed by the family recognition ceremony.
As soon as they entered the side hall, they heard the Old Princess Consort saying: “According to the rules, recording in the family register should wait until she bears a child, then both she and the child are recorded together. Why record her so early in the family register? There’s no such rule in the family register.”
The Princess Consort spoke kindly: “That’s a very old family rule. There’s nothing wrong with changing it. The Prince and I have discussed it, and we’ll just do it conveniently today.”
The Old Princess Consort sneered: “Since you’ve already decided, why ask for my opinion? If I said I disagreed, who would listen anyway?”
The Yanbei Prince strode to his seat and sat down, then turned to smile at the Princess Consort: “What are you all chatting about so happily?”
Everyone: “…”
Ren Yaoqi: “…”
Why did this phrase sound so familiar?
The Princess Consort glanced at Ren Yaoqi and said to the Prince: “We’re discussing having Yaoqi recorded in the family register today.”
The Yanbei Prince nodded and laughed heartily: “That’s a good thing! No wonder you’re all so happy!”
Xiao Jingyue was playing with his fan on the side and smiled: “Uncle, you didn’t hear clearly. Grandmother is saying that waiting until the eldest sister-in-law bears a child before recording her in the family register would follow proper rules.”
Hearing this, the Yanbei Prince was confused: “When was this rule established? Why don’t I know about it?” The Yanbei Prince looked at his younger brother Xiao Heng.
Xiao Heng lowered his head: “I don’t remember family matters too clearly. There seems to be such a saying, but as the Princess Consort said, it’s a very old rule from many years ago.” He said it as if he hadn’t said anything. Xiao Heng never openly contradicted the Yanbei Prince on such occasions; only his son would speak with “childish innocence.”
The Yanbei Prince stroked his chin thoughtfully, looking at the Old Princess Consort and then at the silent Grand Consort Yun: “Do both elders think we should follow this old rule?”
The Old Princess Consort said, “This is a rule left by the Xiao family ancestors and cannot be changed at will.” The Old Princess Consort was adamant. She was in a bad mood today, so everyone looked disagreeable to her. The reason was that during Xiao Jingxi’s wedding yesterday, when some great families came to pay respects, several family matrons gave Grand Consort Yun gifts that were more valuable than hers. The Old Princess Consort was so angry she didn’t sleep well all night, and now, early in the morning, she had to attend a family recognition ceremony. She wanted to simply not come, but if she didn’t come, wouldn’t that make it even more convenient for that “family” to be loving and harmonious?