The Empress Dowager granted Wei Rao a seat, placing the brocade stool right beside the Empress Dowager’s chair.

Wei Rao couldn’t fathom the Empress Dowager’s intentions. After expressing her gratitude, she sat down with composed dignity, slightly turning her head to admire the lake scenery below.

The Empress Dowager bestowed upon her a plate of pastries—glutinous rice cakes shaped like flower petals and topped with a layer of cherry jam, their colors most enticing.

Wei Rao picked up a piece and smiled as she took a small bite.

The Empress Dowager had been watching her all along, asking lovingly, “How does it taste?”

Regarding palace pastries, Wei Rao could only praise: “Soft, sweet, and sour—quite delicious.”

“If you enjoy them, please have more.” The Empress Dowager smiled, watching Wei Rao take two more bites before turning to address the Empress: “Over these years, I’ve seen quite a few refined young ladies and beauties, yet looking at them all, not one compares to Raorao’s charm.”

As she spoke with the Empress, before the Empress could respond, Prince Jing, the Empress’s legitimate son sitting across from them, unconsciously nodded while stealing glances at Wei Rao.

With so few people in Zhaixing Tower, his foolish gesture was far too obvious.

Wei Rao lowered her eyelashes, pretending not to notice anything.

Emperor Yuanjia cast a sideways glance at Prince Jing, his dignified face showing no change in expression.

The Empress felt a surge of anger, dissatisfied both with her son displaying such a pathetic appearance before Emperor Yuanjia and with her son being so captivated by Wei Rao. Yet she couldn’t show it on her face and had to cooperate with the Empress Dowager first, saying with a smile: “Mother is quite right. Indeed, few can surpass Raorao, though if Old Grand Tutor’s Sixth Miss Xie were here, she should be able to match Raorao’s beauty.”

The Empress Dowager and Empress were aunt and niece by blood, having long reached an understanding in their words.

Wei Rao also understood at this moment that the Empress Dowager intended to use Sixth Miss Xie to diminish her.

As one qualified to be an imperial tutor, Old Grand Tutor Xie’s talent and knowledge went without saying. The Xie family was renowned throughout the realm as a family of scholarly integrity since the previous dynasty, with every man in the clan being a refined gentleman and every woman virtuous and worthy.

The Xie family’s method of raising daughters differed vastly from Shou’an Jun’s approach. All Xie family daughters never stepped beyond the main gate or the second gate, deeply sheltered in their chambers. Only their good reputation and talents spread through the words of those who visited the Xie household.

The Wei family had no connection with the Xie family, and Wei Rao had no opportunity to personally witness Sixth Miss Xie’s beauty and talents. However, because their beauty was considered equal, some young ladies who found Wei Rao disagreeable enjoyed using Sixth Miss Xie to diminish her, saying things like Wei Rao was at best a bewitching and graceless peony, while Sixth Miss Xie was an elegant and dignified peony—peonies were spurned by scholars, but peonies represented true national beauty.

Wei Rao had heard the phrase “Sixth Miss Xie” so many times her ears were practically calloused from it.

Who would have thought that the Empress Dowager and Empress would stoop to the same level as those shallow young ladies, playing the same game?

Wei Rao lowered her long lashes slightly, assuming a modest posture.

The topic having been successfully directed toward Sixth Miss Xie by the Empress, the Empress Dowager asked with considerable interest: “Sixth Miss Xie? Since the Xie family daughters are raised in deep seclusion, I’ve never met them. Is Sixth Miss Xie truly as beautiful as you claim?”

The Empress replied: “I, too, have only heard from the young ladies. It’s said that among the capital’s refined daughters, all acknowledge that Sixth Miss Xie possesses the bearing of a peony, while Fourth Miss Wei has the coloring of a peony.”

Listen to that—earlier, she said Sixth Miss Xie could match Wei Rao’s beauty equally, but now, with one being a peony and the other a peony, a ranking had emerged.

The Empress Dowager glanced at Wei Rao and exclaimed: “It’s truly hard to imagine there’s another maiden in the capital as beautiful as Raorao. What a pity that Xie family daughters rarely venture out—who knows when we’ll have the fortune to glimpse such elegance.”

The Empress smiled: “Soon, soon. In the third month, Sixth Miss Xie became engaged to the heir of Duke Ying Mansion, Lu Zhuo. The wedding is set for the twelfth month. Once Sixth Miss Xie marries over, she’ll be able to enter the palace to pay her respects to you.”

Wei Rao was slightly surprised, as she hadn’t heard of this marriage arrangement during the two months she hadn’t gone out visiting.

However, given Sixth Miss Xie’s reputation and family background, marrying Lu Zhuo was indeed a perfect match between families of equal standing.

“Young ladies grow up so quickly—in the blink of an eye, they’re ready for marriage.” The Empress Dowager sighed, her gaze returning to Wei Rao. “Raorao has also come of age. Has anyone been discussed for her?”

Wei Rao rose to reply: “My grandmother can’t bear to part with me and says she wants to keep me for another two years.”

Who couldn’t embellish their situation? She, Wei Rao, wasn’t unmarriageable—her elders simply loved her too much to let her go.

Wei Rao’s charming yet shy demeanor made it seem as if this were truly the case, rather than her having a poor reputation with no one coming to propose marriage.

However, everyone present understood the truth. The Empress Dowager produced a meaningful smile and finally let Wei Rao be, no longer targeting her.

Just as Wei Rao was about to return to her seat, something suddenly rolled down from Emperor Yuanjia’s direction, tumbling and spinning until it came to rest at Wei Rao’s feet.

It was a red gold and jade walnut—deep green jade beads wrapped in gold, carved with walnut patterns, precious yet elegant.

Wei Rao quickly picked it up, intending to hand it to Eunuch Kang, who was hurrying over.

“Since this walnut has taken a liking to you, keep it for your amusement,” Emperor Yuanjia said indifferently.

The Empress Dowager immediately said: “Your Majesty works diligently at state affairs, daily reviewing memorials until your wrists ache. Thus, the imperial physicians ordered craftsmen to make a pair of walnuts for you to play with and exercise your hand bones. This pair of walnuts concerns Your Majesty’s dragon body—how can they be casually bestowed upon others?”

Emperor Yuanjia rotated the remaining walnut in his hand: “Have the craftsmen make another pair following this pattern. That one has no affinity with me—better to do without it.”

The Empress Dowager pressed her lips together.

Wei Rao felt the residual warmth from the emperor’s palm still lingering on the golden walnut, unable to determine whether this golden walnut truly had affinity with her or if Emperor Yuanjia had deliberately bestowed it upon her out of pity for the grievances she suffered from the Empress Dowager and Empress.

But one thing Wei Rao understood very clearly—Emperor Yuanjia had already angered the Empress Dowager over this golden walnut. She couldn’t afford to be ungrateful now.

“This subject daughter kowtows in gratitude for Your Majesty’s great kindness.”

Having received the imperial gift, Wei Rao knelt and kowtowed to Emperor Yuanjia.

Emperor Yuanjia nodded, not giving Wei Rao a single additional glance, and called to Eunuch Zheng waiting outside Zhaixing Tower: “Begin.”

He was referring to the dragon boat race.

Eunuch Zheng received the command and signaled to the young eunuch in waiting to wave the brocade banner in his hand, sending signals to the six teams waiting on the grassy shore.

Since the dragon boat race was about to begin, the Empress Dowager and others tactfully closed their mouths and ceased conversation.

Wei Rao sat down, clutching her newly acquired golden walnut, her eyes gazing toward the competition field. Her small hand quietly rotated the walnut once—the gold-carved walnut patterns rolling against her tender palm felt somewhat ticklish, but produced no other sensation. She couldn’t determine whether it had any special benefits for wrists and finger bones.

Because of this walnut, Wei Rao lost interest in the dragon boat race below, her gaze shifting toward Emperor Yuanjia.

The Empress Dowager spoke correctly—Emperor Yuanjia was indeed a good emperor who governed diligently and loved his people. Ascending the throne during a time of internal and external troubles, Emperor Yuanjia devoted almost all his energy to strengthening the military and nation. He wasn’t indulgent regarding beauty, having conducted no selection of concubines since ascending the throne. Aside from his mother, who received the title of Noble Consort in recent years, the Empress and three other consorts were all women from Emperor Yuanjia’s Eastern Palace when he was Crown Prince.

In the people’s hearts, Emperor Yuanjia had virtually no flaws. The only thing that drew criticism was his ennobling of a widow who refused to remain chaste for her deceased husband, as Noble Consort—and that deceased husband had been a clean official and loyal minister whom Emperor Yuanjia greatly praised.

Wei Rao’s feelings toward Emperor Yuanjia were also complex.

Emperor Yuanjia respected his maternal grandmother and doted on his mother, for which Wei Rao loved and revered him. Yet Emperor Yuanjia had arranged for her mother’s younger brother to go to Xishan Xing Palace, causing her to be unable to see her mother and brother for two years. She had never met her brother face to face, and there was no word on when they might reunite. That indefinite separation caused Wei Rao great distress.

“Ah!”

A sudden cry of alarm came from beside the Empress, interrupting Wei Rao’s thoughts. Her gaze refocused on the several dragon boat racing teams, and she saw that the mounted archery competition had already progressed halfway. The Shenwu Army’s red team and the Longxiang Army’s gold team were each leading the other four teams by half a track length. However, at this crucial moment, a Shenwu Army member’s horse suddenly pitched forward when landing after jumping a barrier obstacle, and the rider fell heavily from his mount.

The mounted archery competition used a relay format with thirteen members per team. Only after the previous person completed their mounted archery task and reached the finish line could the next person depart. This meant that if the fallen Shenwu Army member’s injuries were too severe and he took too long to remount, or if he couldn’t even stand up, the Shenwu Army would certainly place last in this year’s dragon boat race.

“Ma Feng!”

“Get up!”

Shenwu Army members who had already finished or were waiting in line at both ends of the track began shouting. The distance was too great for Wei Rao to see each person’s face clearly, but at this moment, hearing those anxious, unwilling yet magnificently powerful shouts, Wei Rao found herself growing tense as well, hoping the man could remount and complete the race belonging to him and the Shenwu Army. Even if they lost, they should lose with honor.

Perhaps his comrades’ shouts had an effect—the Shenwu Army member struggled to his feet. His first few steps showed he was in great pain, but afterward, he moved faster and faster, as if his legs were perfectly fine. He retrieved his fallen quiver, walked to his fallen horse, forcibly pulled the horse up, and continued the competition.

But he had delayed too long. The other five teams had already completed eight members, while the Shenwu Army had only finished six.

The subsequent Shenwu Army members increased their speed, their scarlet uniforms whistling past like flames.

If the seventh through twelfth members were flames, the final thirteenth member to depart was a scarlet meteor, moving so fast that everyone could barely see his bow-drawing and arrow-shooting motions. They could only see arrow after arrow shooting out like trailing light from a meteor, swishing into the targets.

The mounted archery competition concluded.

Riding and archery were scored separately. The Shenwu Army’s horsemanship ranked third, archery first.

Eunuch Zheng reported these results to Emperor Yuanjia.

The Empress’s son, eighteen-year-old Prince Jing, asked in confusion: “The Shenwu Army’s horsemanship is excellent—we all witnessed them finish third in the race. But that injured member’s final arrow missed the target entirely. How can the Shenwu Army’s total archery score still rank first?”

Eunuch Zheng had the military officer who came to report the scores explain.

The officer said, “The targets have three rows. Hitting the bullseye of the first row earns full points. If an archer is exceptionally skilled and their arrow penetrates the first row target and continues to hit the second and third row targets, bonus points are awarded. The Shenwu Army’s commander hit the third row target with every arrow. His bonus points alone elevated the Shenwu Army’s total archery score.”

Emperor Yuanjia asked: “The Shenwu Army’s commander—is that Lu Zhuo, the last one to depart?”

The officer replied: “Your Majesty’s keen eye is correct.”

Emperor Yuanjia showed his first smile since Wei Rao had entered Zhaixing Tower.

Seeing this, the Empress Dowager smiled and praised: “No wonder Duke Ying had the heart to send Lu Zhuo to the frontier for eight years. This skill is indeed different. The Lu family can be said to have a worthy successor.”

Emperor Yuanjia smiled: “Indeed, the Duke’s intentions were profound. I can only admire him.”

The Empress Dowager gave the Empress a meaningful glance.

The Empress reluctantly forced herself to change the subject: “Young Master Lu’s courage dominates the capital. Sixth Miss Xie is truly fortunate—countless young ladies must envy her.”

Upon hearing this, the smile at the corners of Emperor Yuanjia’s mouth gradually faded.

Wei Rao struggled hard to suppress her laughter.

The late emperor had countless consorts, and the Empress Dowager lived the first half of her life cautiously and carefully. Perhaps because she was too cautious, after becoming Empress Dowager, she began to indulge herself. After all, Emperor Yuanjia was her son—no matter how dissatisfied he became, he couldn’t commit unfilial acts.

As for the Empress, including her mother, she only had four rivals total. With no real palace struggles, the Empress lacked practice and was pitifully shallow in her scheming. Knowing that Emperor Yuanjia was the one she should please most, she instead chose to flatter the Empress Dowager and constantly spoil Emperor Yuanjia’s good mood.

Emperor Yuanjia wanted to watch the dragon boat race and observe the elite skills of the six armies. For the Empress to bring up Sixth Miss Xie at this moment—what difference was there between this and a group of refined ladies appreciating flowers and the moon when one suddenly began loudly discussing agriculture and irrigation?

Like mother, like son—no wonder Prince Jing, despite being eighteen years old, still had such transparent thoughts.

Having been stared at so many times by Prince Jing, Wei Rao finally glanced at him, coincidentally meeting Prince Jing’s secretly peering gaze.

The result was that Prince Jing was even more startled than Wei Rao, swiftly averting his gaze as if Wei Rao were some venomous beast.

Noticing Prince Jing’s half-flushed face, Wei Rao felt somewhat regretful.

If Prince Jing weren’t the Empress’s son, if her cousin hadn’t become Princess Duan, she could have married Prince Jing and surely satisfied both her maternal grandmother and paternal grandmother.

What a pity…

She was destined to have no connection with the position of princess consort.