Xiao Zhou Shi still remembered Wei Rao’s adorable appearance when she was two or three years old, with her short arms and short legs. It seemed like just the blink of an eye, and her daughter had grown into a graceful young woman, beautiful like a shy lotus bud about to bloom, so pure and delicate, her face flushed red as she allowed her mother to help untie her clothing.

“You’re already married, how can your face still be so thin-skinned?” Xiao Zhou Shi teased gently.

Wei Rao had become accustomed to the close attendance of Bitao and Liu Ya over the years. Although the person before her was her mother, after so many years of separation, no matter how close she felt to her mother in her heart, to suddenly be so candidly exposed like this made Wei Rao feel shy.

“Alright, quickly get into the water,” Xiao Zhou Shi said, holding her daughter’s discarded dress and skirt.

Wei Rao then dove into the large bathtub like a jade-white little fish.

Xiao Zhou Shi put away the clothes and carried a tray filled with various flower essences to the bathtub. After making preparations, she first helped her daughter wash her hair.

The bathtub had one end specifically designed for hair washing. Wei Rao sat over there, gently leaning back, her slender neck fitting perfectly into the bathtub’s slanted, rounded groove, comfortably tilting her face upward.

Xiao Zhou Shi sat on a chair, with a round stool in front of her holding a basin for hair washing. Once Wei Rao was positioned, Xiao Zhou Shi gathered her daughter’s black, soft hair and used a ladle to sprinkle warm water bit by bit through her daughter’s hair. When all the hair was wet, Xiao Zhou Shi scooped up a ladle of flower essence for hair washing, spread it evenly, sometimes gently massaging her daughter’s scalp, sometimes carefully washing her hair.

Wei Rao felt extremely comfortable. In this position, she could see her mother’s eyes.

“Mother, are you living well at the Xing Palace?” Wei Rao asked softly.

Xiao Zhou Shi looked at her daughter and smiled, “Except for missing you and your grandmother, everything else is quite good. When His Majesty and the others aren’t here, Mother is the only noble person at the Xing Palace. His Majesty has given instructions, so the palace servants don’t dare neglect Mother and Brother Yan. You’ve seen the Xing Palace too – it has mountains, water, and grasslands. Mother has no constraints here and lives very happily, much more at ease than when I was in the imperial palace.”

Wei Rao could see that the Xing Palace was indeed wonderful. If she were to live here, she would be happy too.

“Mother, I saw the Empress Dowager last year. She looked like she was nearly done for,” Wei Rao said in an even lower voice.

Xiao Zhou Shi’s eyes lit up: “So soon?”

Wei Rao knew that mother and daughter were hoping for the same thing, and chuckled softly, “Not that soon. I estimate she can live another two or three years. If His Majesty finds some miraculous elixir, she might live even longer.”

Xiao Zhou Shi said, “Where are there so many miraculous elixirs? I’ve read historical records – quite a few emperors would refine pills seeking immortality in their old age, yet not one truly achieved longevity. Emperors can’t even extend their lifespans, let alone others’.”

Wei Rao was surprised: “Mother, you read historical records too?”

Xiao Zhou Shi flicked her daughter’s smooth forehead: “What’s so surprising about Mother reading historical records? When Mother was still a maiden, I loved reading books. I’ve read almost all the books in your grandmother’s leisure estate’s collection.”

Wei Rao didn’t like reading. Her grandmother’s leisure estate indeed had a library pavilion. Wei Rao had searched through it a few times, looking for storybooks, but finding no success, she never went again.

“Mother doesn’t need your worry here. Raorao, tell me about how the heir treats you.” Xiao Zhou Shi was more interested in understanding her daughter and son-in-law’s lives.

Wei Rao’s eyelashes drooped slightly as she smiled, “The heir is very good. My reputation in the capital isn’t good, but he doesn’t despise me at all. Sometimes I get angry easily, and he’s very accommodating. He even petitioned His Majesty for an imperial edict to appease me. Old Madam, mother-in-law, and several aunts-in-law also take good care of me. Miss Lu is even learning swordplay from me.”

Xiao Zhou Shi listened carefully while helping her daughter wash her hair.

When she was still in the capital, she had heard of Duke Ying Mansion’s prestigious reputation. When she met Emperor Yuanjia on the Lantern Festival, Emperor Yuanjia praised Lu Zhuo effusively. Although Xiao Zhou Shi had never seen Lu Zhuo’s heroic bearing on the battlefield or his miraculous skills during dragon boat races, she had seen Lu Zhuo in person. With such bearing and appearance, he was perfectly matched with her fairy-like daughter.

The only thing Xiao Zhou Shi worried about was that Duke Ying Mansion’s men had sacrificed too much. She feared that someday Lu Zhuo might also…

However, marrying anyone could lead to unexpected circumstances. Thinking too much would be like worrying that the sky might fall. In any case, for now, Xiao Zhou Shi was very satisfied with Lu Zhuo.

“Tell Mother more about how the heir treats you well, starting from when you two got married,” Xiao Zhou Shi said gently.

Wei Rao didn’t dare look at her mother’s tender, expectant gaze. As for how Lu Zhuo treated her well, that was easy enough to fabricate – she could just reverse everything Lu Zhuo had done to her, and it would be about right.

After the bath ended, Xiao Zhou Shi took a brand-new maiden’s dress from the clothing rack.

Wei Rao looked at her mother in surprise.

Xiao Zhou Shi smiled, “Sometimes when Mother misses you, I make clothes for you. I have spring, summer, autumn, and winter outfits, but I didn’t know how tall you’d grown. Let’s try this first to see if it fits.”

Wei Rao’s eyes grew teary again. Xiao Zhou Shi quickly helped her daughter put on the clothes to divert her attention.

Wei Rao was taller and more full-figured than Xiao Zhou Shi had imagined. The flowing long dress fit well enough, but the bodice above was slightly tight at the chest area, making Wei Rao’s good figure even more prominent. However, it wasn’t worn to an improper degree and could be worn in public.

“Mother, I brought a change of clothes. Let me wear what I brought instead,” Wei Rao said, looking at herself sideways in the mirror, feeling increasingly improper.

Xiao Zhou Shi smiled, “Just wear this. It looks fine, and there’s no one else here anyway.”

Lu Zhuo was someone else, but Wei Rao feared her mother would become suspicious, so she had to give up.

Mother and daughter chatted for a long time. Just as Wei Rao had finished changing clothes, the Fourth Prince woke up from his long nap and eagerly ran over to see his sister.

The three-year-old Fourth Prince was no different from any ordinary three-year-old boy. Having heard his mother talk countless times about his dear sister coming to the Fourth Prince, it was like gaining a close playmate. His sister was so beautiful, too. The Fourth Prince grabbed Wei Rao’s hand and wouldn’t let go, wanting to take Wei Rao to see his favorite places to play in the Xing Palace.

Xiao Zhou Shi followed the pair of siblings with two palace maids and two eunuchs. Before leaving, she instructed Aunt Ying that tonight she would host a banquet for her son-in-law at Canglang Pavilion in the outer courtyard.

Aunt Ying empathized with her mistress’s joy and went to the outer courtyard to see Lu Zhuo.

Lu Zhuo had been settled in a courtyard specifically allocated for accompanying officials at the Xing Palace, very far from the inner courtyard. With so few people at the Xing Palace, Lu Zhuo could only hear the low discussions of a few palace maids and the cheerful chirping of birds from inside his room.

He had woken early, bathed and changed clothes, and sat in the main hall waiting for Consort Li’s summons.

Aunt Ying arrived, smiling as she said to him, “Heir, Her Ladyship is taking the young madam and His Highness to tour the gardens. Today’s time was rushed, so Her Ladyship can only host the heir at Canglang Pavilion tonight. However, Her Ladyship said that tomorrow she’ll take the heir and young madam on a proper tour of the Xing Palace, and the day after will be arranged according to your and the young madam’s preferences. The Xing Palace has many fun places.”

Lu Zhuo smiled, “Please convey my gratitude for Her Ladyship’s kindness.”

Aunt Ying was also seeing someone like Lu Zhuo for the first time, and the more she looked, the more she felt the young lady had married well. She called over a little eunuch and said to Lu Zhuo, “The heir can first stroll around the outer courtyard and slowly make your way to Canglang Pavilion. Her Ladyship and the others should be slowly touring their way over, too.”

Lu Zhuo thanked her again.

Aunt Ying completed her task and returned to report.

Lu Zhuo asked the little eunuch to guide him.

The Xing Palace was so vast that Lu Zhuo walked leisurely for two or three quarters of an hour before reaching Canglang Pavilion, built beside the lake. At dusk, the red sun had restrained its dazzling daytime radiance and hung in the sky like a red lantern. The gentle sunset spread across the lake’s surface, creating rippling light. The distant mountains and nearby waters opened one’s heart.

With the Emperor absent, this Xing Palace seemed to have become Consort Li’s possession, allowing her to arrange everything in the palace as she wished.

Such power probably exceeded even that of the Empress in the palace.

Horse hooves sounded in the distance. Lu Zhuo stood by the lake outside Canglang Pavilion and saw a carriage leisurely approaching from the direction of the inner courtyard. Colorful gauze curtains hung from all four sides of the carriage, swaying gently in the breeze and occasionally revealing graceful silhouettes inside. The distance was too far for Lu Zhuo to see the people clearly, but he could confirm the Fourth Prince was sitting inside.

Lu Zhuo walked forward a distance, preparing to greet Consort Li.

When close enough, Xiao Zhou Shi in the carriage also noticed Lu Zhuo’s figure. Speaking of which, she had been busy reminiscing with her daughter today and hadn’t yet met Lu Zhuo. Their only encounter was when she secretly watched from the boat on Lantern Festival. Originally, she had wanted to show herself, but Emperor Yuanjia was concerned about face and didn’t want his subject, Lu Zhuo, to know about his disgraceful behavior, so he only allowed her to watch secretly.

“Making the heir wait half a day, Mother was discourteous,” Xiao Zhou Shi said, turning to her daughter.

Wei Rao snorted, “A son-in-law is half a son. Even if Mother didn’t see him, he couldn’t find fault with you.”

Xiao Zhou Shi tapped her daughter’s nose: “Such a spoiled temper!”

“Mother, when sister marries brother-in-law, will she have little children?” the Fourth Prince, sitting in the middle, suddenly asked.

Wei Rao immediately blushed deeply. This little brother – what was he saying?

Xiao Zhou Shi patted her son’s little head and smiled at Wei Rao, “Don’t talk nonsense.”

The carriage stopped by the shore.

Wei Rao jumped down first.

The lake breeze brushed gently, her long dress swaying. Her face had already recovered its usual healthy, rosy complexion. The golden sunset enveloped her, making her beautiful like a fairy who had suddenly descended from heaven.

Lu Zhuo came to her side and asked with concern in a low voice, “Is Madam feeling better?”

Wei Rao looked at her little brother poking his head out and forced a smile: “I’m fine now.”

Lu Zhuo nodded and stood beside her, smiling at the Fourth Prince, who was looking over.

The Fourth Prince was happy to see anyone coming from outside the Xing Palace, especially such a handsome brother-in-law. Seeing his brother-in-law smile at him, the Fourth Prince immediately ran over and called out “brother-in-law” in a clear, crisp voice.

Lu Zhuo smiled even more warmly, but before he could say anything, noticing embroidered shoes stepping onto the carriage shaft, Lu Zhuo immediately knelt down and respectfully said, “This guilty son-in-law pays respects to Your Ladyship.”

Wei Rao was startled, about to wonder why Lu Zhuo would suddenly perform such a grand ceremony for her mother, but hearing Lu Zhuo call himself “guilty son-in-law,” she understood.

Xiao Zhou Shi hadn’t expected her son-in-law to do this either. After getting down and standing steady, she quickly gestured for him to rise: “Heir, please get up quickly. Raorao has told me everything. It was just a trivial matter. If anyone’s to blame, it’s Raorao’s bad temper. What guilt does the heir bear?” After speaking, Xiao Zhou Shi gave her daughter a meaningful look, signaling Wei Rao to quickly help Lu Zhuo up.

Wei Rao sneered inwardly. Lu Zhuo had insulted both her father and mother – he truly owed her mother this kowtow.

Her mother simply didn’t know the truth. If she knew, she probably wouldn’t even meet Lu Zhuo.

Nevertheless, Wei Rao walked over, tugged at Lu Zhuo’s sleeve, and pretended to complain, “Heir, please get up. If you keep kneeling, Mother will blame me for being unreasonable.”

Lu Zhuo gently brushed away her hand and said with lowered head to Consort Li, “Raorao saved this guilty son-in-law’s life, yet this guilty son-in-law repeatedly offended her and made her angry. This guilty son-in-law knows his wrongs and humbly requests Your Ladyship’s punishment.”

Xiao Zhou Shi smiled, “Since you sincerely admit your fault, then I’ll punish you to treat Raorao even better in the future, and never make her angry again.”

Lu Zhuo said shamefacedly, “This guilty son-in-law married Raorao and should naturally treat her well. Your Ladyship should choose a different punishment.”

Xiao Zhou Shi thought for a moment and said, “Fine, I’ll change it to something heavier. I’ve heard the heir is accomplished in both literature and martial arts, so I’ll punish you to compose a poem lavishly praising Raorao’s beauty. How’s that?”

Lu Zhuo glanced sideways, his gaze falling on Wei Rao’s pink satin embroidered shoes.

“Composing a poem counts as heavy punishment? Mother is just biased toward him,” Wei Rao said petulantly as she ran into Canglang Pavilion.

Xiao Zhou Shi smiled at Lu Zhuo, “Once the poem is finished, just recite it directly to Raorao. No need to report back to me.”

Lu Zhuo could only say, “This guilty son-in-law accepts the command.”

“Good, get up quickly,” Xiao Zhou Shi gestured for him to rise again.

Lu Zhuo stood up, eyes downcast, not looking at the noble consort before him.

Xiao Zhou Shi nodded with satisfaction, turned, and headed toward Canglang Pavilion.

Lu Zhuo silently followed.