Tears rolled down Xue Jinqiao’s cheeks. Seeing this, Xue Heng’s heart ached. Having never wiped anyone’s tears before, the Grand Secretary Xue awkwardly used his sleeve to wipe them away: “Don’t cry. Everyone must face death when they grow old. The Prince of the Northwest is a man of his word. With your great-uncle watching over Zhaoning Princess, she is no ordinary person. If she truly marries into the Eastern Palace, the outcome of this world would be hard to predict.
The Xue family has already lost its influence. Your father cannot sustain the family. Your great-uncle only hopes to hold on until you come of age and marry early. The benefit of being adopted is that Xue Tai won’t be able to control you in the future. The downside is that if your great-uncle can’t hold on, you’ll have to observe the mourning period.
Your great-uncle doesn’t dare arrange your marriage carelessly. Others cannot protect you, but with the Crown Prince of the Northwest and Zhaoning Princess, you will surely be safe. In the future, when you marry into the Shen family, you must consider them more. The Xue family cannot be your support – they will be your true family.”
“Yes,” Xue Jinqiao nodded through her tears, choking out, “Qiaoqiao understands.”
“Thankfully… thankfully heaven shows mercy…” Xue Heng sighed with relief.
At this time, the Seventh Lady met Shen Xihe and Shen Yun’an. Shen Yun’an was truly willing to marry her. The Prince of the Northwest knew of Seventh Lady’s illness and felt only pity without any disdain. As long as this marriage was arranged, Seventh Lady would have a place to belong, and he could face his deceased wife in the underworld without shame.
Xue Jinqiao was heartbroken. Her most respected great-uncle had an incurable illness. The doctor said it was a disease of the heart – longing for his deceased wife – with no cure. She didn’t want to lose her great-uncle.
But she knew her great-uncle truly missed her great-aunt deeply. Sometimes in his sleep, he would murmur her great-aunt’s maiden name. Therefore, she dared not ask her great-uncle to stay strong for her sake.
Her great-uncle knew her father couldn’t sustain the Xue family. He knew the family would collapse after his departure, yet he couldn’t hold on. If even the family couldn’t make her great-uncle persist, one could imagine how difficult it was for him to keep living. Though heartbroken, she didn’t want to be selfish.
However, with no one to confide her pain in, she could only seek out Shen Xihe.
Shen Xihe sat in the warm chamber, helplessly allowing Xue Jinqiao to embrace her. Since arriving today, Xue Jinqiao had been holding her like this, red-eyed but not crying, not speaking, just refusing to let go.
Knowing she was to be betrothed to her brother, Shen Xihe naturally considered her family and didn’t reject her intimacy. Knowing she was sad and distressed, Shen Xihe didn’t dare ask, fearing that one wrong word would make the tears lingering in her eyes fall.
Though she was a lady, perhaps because she rarely cried herself, she too feared seeing ladies cry.
“Sister, great-uncle is going to leave me…” After who knows how long, Xue Jinqiao spoke in a hoarse voice.
Shen Xihe’s gaze focused. She stroked Xue Jinqiao’s back, silently comforting her.
Yet internally, her thoughts were churning. If Xue Heng passed away, it would cause huge waves in court. As one of the Three Grand Secretaries, the current balance of power relied on the three great families. Since the Cui family and Xue family shared political views, they had always united to suppress Wang Zheng.
When the position of Head of the Secretariat became vacant, Wang Zheng would likely fill it. It remained to be seen whom His Majesty would choose to fill the vacancy of Vice Director of the Chancellery.
Most likely Xue Tai would be promoted. Being from a different branch than Xue Heng, he wouldn’t need to observe mourning. However, Xue Tai’s abilities…
“Sister, I want great-uncle to live, but I know living is bitter and exhausting for him,” Xue Jinqiao said as tears fell again.
Feeling the scalding tears seep through her clothes with an icy chill, Shen Xihe couldn’t help but say: “Qiaoqiao, you still have a sister. Me, brother, and brother will all treat you well. Great-uncle is too weary and tired. Let’s let him go peacefully, without making his departure uneasy by worrying about you.”
“Mm.” Xue Jinqiao nodded, embracing Shen Xihe even tighter. “It’s so good that Qiaoqiao still has a sister.”
How pitiful she would be if she hadn’t met her sister. She would have followed her great-uncle to death.
Shen Xihe accompanied Xue Jinqiao. Seeming to sense Shen Xihe’s indulgence, Xue Jinqiao immediately began asking her for sachets, dresses, hairpins, and food…
Never mind, she would indulge her just for today.
Thinking about having to enter the palace tomorrow to personally meet Xiao Huayong, she considered how Xue Heng appeared rosy-cheeked – he must have hidden his condition very well. They needed to prepare early. If they couldn’t scheme to obtain one of the Three Grand Secretary positions, at least they couldn’t let His Majesty have his way.
While Shen Xihe was thinking about discussing important matters with Xiao Huayong, he was thinking about how to please her.
Burning incense coal and basking in the lingering fragrance, he reclined on the imperial couch, his fingertips holding a light golden northern pearl: “This pearl is unique.”
Xiao Huayong held up the pearl toward the winter sun. The gentle, subdued sunlight cast upon the northern pearl created a halo of faint golden light, magnificent and elegant. “Send people to find more. When I marry Youyou, we’ll use these for her phoenix crown. It will be unparalleled in the world.”
“Your Highness, this northern pearl was brought back by the gyrfalcon,” Tianyuan said softly. “Such northern pearls are only found on the shores far east of the Eastern Sea. The pearl oysters mature in the tenth month, but countless layers of solid ice make it impossible for anyone to harvest them.
White birds by the sea feed on these oysters. The oyster flesh digests but the pearls remain in their bodies. The gyrfalcon likes to eat these white birds.”
Ever since Xiao Huayong had restricted its food last time, the gyrfalcon had angrily left in a huff, returning to its birthplace to eat its fill. Then it brought back a pearl, which Tianyuan believed was meant to please the Crown Prince.
After receiving this pearl, Tianyuan investigated its origins thoroughly.
“Oh?” Xiao Huayong found this interesting. “Then let it go collect pearls. Have Jiuzhang go with it to the Far Eastern Sea to gather more.”
“Yes…” Tianyuan complied.
“If it’s unwilling, just starve it for a few more meals,” Xiao Huayong shamelessly ordered, his silver-gleaming eyes gazing lovingly at the pearl, growing more fond the longer he looked.
Tianyuan felt a sense of shared misfortune. He felt that ever since His Highness met the Princess, they – his once-trusted subordinates and precious birds – had all become tools to please her.
He ran errands all day and had to stay constantly alert, cleverly deflecting the Princess’s cold words toward His Highness.
How precious the gyrfalcon used to be! Who would dare let it go hungry for even one meal without facing severe punishment? Now it had fallen so low as to be starved into collecting pearls for the Princess’s wedding crown.
Poor gyrfalcon. It had thought to bring back a pearl to please His Highness and earn back its food sooner but instead had miscalculated, resulting in even longer food restrictions.
Your Highness truly shows great potential to become an incompetent ruler.
These words, Tianyuan only dared say in his heart.
The next day, Xiao Huayong had Tianyuan take this pearl to test if Shen Xihe liked it: “His Highness happened to obtain a northern pearl. Finding it extraordinary, he wished to gift it to the Princess for her appreciation.”
“A golden pearl.” Even Shen Xihe, who had seen countless treasures, was amazed. The pearl was the size of a longan, perfectly round and lustrous, extremely rare.
Very good, the Princess likes it.
May the gyrfalcon fend for itself…