However, while he could give Lan Zhou guidance, he couldn’t tell Wanwan about his worries. The son was his—if she knew about those hidden circumstances, how would she view him?

“Failure to teach a child is the father’s fault”—he bore responsibility. But Lan Zhou had never been like ordinary children since childhood. His soul seemed to have been placed in the wrong shell. From the beginning of his education, he displayed maturity and scheming far beyond children his age. He had once felt comforted by this, but now that this precocious intelligence had turned its point directly at him, he realized that a child understanding too much too early wasn’t necessarily a good thing.

Fortunately, it hadn’t reached an irreversible situation. Lan Zhou had one good quality—at least he was respectful and obedient. With proper methods, he still knew how to examine himself. Sigh, this old father truly worried his heart to pieces over him. He would eventually marry a wife—why must he remain obsessed with someone else’s wife!

He walked slowly from that end of Yanwan Lake’s embankment with his hands behind his back, his black cloud leopard cloak lifted high by the wind. Tomorrow would likely bring a change in weather. After walking a few more steps, he heard a familiar soft call. She was waiting for him at the waterside pavilion in front of Longen Tower. The desolate winter scenery set off her delicate silhouette. He quickly forgot his worries, hurried forward, and wrapped her in his cloak.

“Why did you come out? On such a cold day—look, you’re frozen!”

She said: “I saw you returning from far away and rushed out to meet you. I didn’t stand long—I’m not cold.”

He pinched her hand, which was clearly ice-cold, and warmed it in his palm. She wore a sweet smile on her face, asking if he had finished all his business. He hesitantly nodded: “More or less. Don’t worry.”

She looked back into the distance, where the clouds were so thick and heavy. Standing on her tiptoes, she said: “It will snow tomorrow, won’t it? This is what’s bad about the south—it builds up momentum for so long, makes such a big show, then holds back at the last moment. Just let it fall heavily once, then clear skies—that would be refreshing.”

Following her gaze into the distance, he murmured: “Southern weather is like southern people—mostly careful, preferring to think things over repeatedly before acting. The thinking process may be long, but once they decide it’s not worth it, they immediately drop it.”

“You’re also a southerner—are you like this too?”

Her eyes were bright, catching his slip, waiting to see him embarrassed. He pinched her nose tip: “The Yuwen clan’s roots aren’t in Jiangnan. Our ancestors used to herd on the grasslands below Qilian Mountain. Your Murong clan looked down on us, saying we were uncivilized barbarians.” Then he lowered his head and kissed her neck: “Yet this barbarian still married a princess—this is fate.”

The two laughed and played as they returned to the tower. It was too cold outside—standing briefly had given them goosebumps all over. She pulled him to sit around the brazier, which had a tripod stand with a copper tea pot warming milk tea. After Xiao You filled their tea and withdrew, Liang Shi held his cup, took a sip, and brought up Lan Zhou again.

“Now that he’s registered under your name, you’ll inevitably have to handle his future marriage arrangements. I need to pay attention during this period. When the time comes, I’ll compile a list of names and send it for you to review. You and the Old Dowager can discuss which family would be suitable, prepare things, and have someone engaged.”

Wanwan looked at him in surprise: “Arranging a marriage for Lan Zhou? Are you so eager to become a father-in-law?”

He clicked his tongue: “I’m eager to hold a grandchild. He’s already this big—it’s time to make arrangements. Last time when we chose chamber maids, you all said it was too early. Now three years have passed, and looking at his build, it’s about time.”

He was tall, but his temperament was still that of a child. She hesitated: “If his attention is divided there, I’m afraid it will delay his growth.”

As a princess, she wouldn’t speak so directly. What she meant by “delaying growth” was fear of him wearing himself out physically. After all, young boys, once indulging, might not withstand the consumption.

Liang Shi believed in “no pain, no gain.” Due to their ethnicity, the Qi people matured much earlier than the Xianbei. Many had children at thirteen or fourteen. He was already considered late having Lan Zhou at sixteen. Starting to let him practice now, by next spring he could properly marry a wife.

He spoke a lot of profound words, from ancestors living in felt tents on grasslands to the physiological conditions of Qi people. Countless evidence proved that twelve-year-old Qi people were already grown, and experiencing some intimate matters wouldn’t cause great harm. Wanwan couldn’t argue with him and had to nod: “Two chamber maids will do. Too many people might be too much for the child.” After saying this, she blushed.

He laughed at her thin face, deliberately teasing her by lowering his voice: “Let’s see his capabilities. As long as he has half his father’s skills, it’ll be enough for him to handle.”

Wanwan became even more bashful, stamping her foot coquettishly: “You just like to tease me!” She stood up and went behind the floor screen, complaining as she walked: “I don’t want to pay attention to you. You’re not a good person!”

He chased after her. Originally they were both standing, but somehow they ended up rolling onto the bed.

The measure of whether a man had come of age was first whether he had someone in his room. Like the coming-of-age ceremony for Han girls, once they wore that hairpin, they left the circle of children. From then on, their words carried weight, and everyone treated them as adults.

Great families didn’t casually decide on chamber maids. After all, this was the young master’s sexual education—they needed to find someone slightly older who could guide him. Like Liang Shi had experienced, basically choosing from among those whose character his mother understood. Now it was Wanwan’s turn to arrange this. Looking around at her personal attendants, Tonghuan and Xiao You both looked like they’d seen ghosts, and besides, the age gap was too large—choosing them definitely wouldn’t work. As for others, she hadn’t much interaction with the old servants originally in the mansion and didn’t know their true nature, fearing she’d choose wrongly and wrong Lan Zhou.

Having no choice, she still had to ask the Dowager Consort for help: “Lan Zhou grew up with Mother, so I must ask Mother to take trouble for him. Mother judges people accurately. Though all the children in this mansion are good, since they’ll be placed in the young master’s room, we must choose someone extremely cautious for me to feel at ease. This year is Lan Zhou, next year will be Lan Ting’s turn. I’ll first see how Mother handles it, then I can follow the example when arranging for Brother Ting.”

The Old Dowager smiled broadly: “Last time you said it was early, but this time it’s just about right. He’s twelve this year, thirteen after New Year. According to Qi customs, now is exactly the right time. Don’t rely entirely on me either. I’ll pick out a few first, you take a look, and keep the ones you approve of. The young master’s chamber maids will also be people with status in the future—we can’t be careless. In my opinion, their duties don’t matter much—what matters is character. Like his grandmother, who originally washed my feet. It sounds unpleasant, but those who understand know—would you let just anyone see your feet? Those who hold your feet must be the most observant of expressions among your attendants.” She pondered again: “Let’s gather all the girls from thirteen to eighteen, lest I miss any. You also keep an eye out—we don’t seek beauty, just honest and dutiful ones.”

So at the Dowager Consort’s command, all eligible girls in the mansion assembled in the hall. At a rough count, there were over twenty, standing in orderly lines, waiting to be selected.

The Dowager Consort walked among the girls, pointing with her hand: “You, you… and you…” Those chosen stood in another area, while the rest could kowtow and leave.

“These six have all served me—each is clever and bright.” The Dowager Consort sat in the rose chair, smiling: “Choose two who catch your eye—any of them will do.”

For a moment, Wanwan truly felt the melancholy of approaching twilight years. Her son was already choosing chamber maids—once she held a grandchild in a year or two, she would be old.

These six girls all had neat, regular features. Wanwan carefully examined their figures, checked their eyes and skin, deliberated repeatedly before designating two. The Dowager Consort was very pleased: “We mother and daughter thought alike—I also found them very good.”

Wanwan said: “I’ve prepared Lan Zhou’s courtyard, not far from Longen Tower, convenient for my care.”

The Dowager Consort looked at her, a faint layer of melancholy floating in her eyes. Poor dear, so devoted. If her own son were alive, how wonderful that would be!

But Wanwan was in high spirits, just like arranging a nest for baby birds in childhood, doing everything personally to arrange everything for Lan Zhou. Once the courtyard was tidied, she went to check the furniture arrangement. The mother-of-pearl cabinet paired with the nanmu wood screen didn’t look good, so she had someone change it for a purple sandalwood one. The blue and white vine-pattern incense burner on the table also seemed out of place, so she had a young eunuch bring the green-glazed lion from her room. Finally everything was properly arranged, and Lan Zhou returned from outside.

He entered and looked around, roughly guessing what was happening, his mood plummeting.

Wanwan asked him: “What’s wrong? Don’t you like this room? I chose according to my own preferences. If you think it’s not good, we can change it.”

He saw the two maids standing by the south window, his expression growing worse, lowering his head and muttering: “Adoptive Mother, I don’t want this.”

She expected he wouldn’t want it, but what could be done? His father wanted to hold a grandchild early, and she couldn’t help it.

She could only persuade him gently: “A real man must first establish a family before he can achieve great things. You’ve reached the right age—we can’t delay any longer. Next year we’ll also need to arrange for you to marry a young mistress. These two girls were carefully selected by me and your great-grandmother—they’re both steady children who can serve you well. You must be obedient. From now on, you must act like an adult, not be willful and disappoint your elders. Your father, great-grandmother, and I are all doing this for your good. Listen to your adoptive mother, keep them, and treat them well…” The rest couldn’t be instructed too specifically. After a few perfunctory words, she left that courtyard.

Xiao You sighed: “That young master is not easy to get along with! These Qi people are really strange—making such a small child practice, aren’t they afraid of breaking the plow so he won’t grow tall later?”

Indeed, like master, like servant—Xiao You’s thoughts matched hers perfectly. The difference was that what she was too embarrassed to say, Xiao You expressed completely without missing a word. She didn’t mind her crudeness, just laughed: “I originally wanted you to go over.”

Xiao You rolled her eyes skyward: “I’m the same age as you—I’d be more suitable as his wet nurse than as a chamber maid. I’m a bit too old for that.”

Tonghuan laughed at her shamelessness: “Still wanting to be someone’s wet nurse—how beautiful of you! You haven’t had children—where would you get milk to feed someone? Last time when the Princess mentioned pairing you with Jin Shi, you acted all proper. If that had really happened, you’d certainly be invited to take that position now.”

The two fought playfully, and Wanwan laughed for a while, then seeing the overcast sky, became somewhat wistful.

She now had the imperial physician check her pulse every few days, ostensibly to regulate her body, but she knew in her heart she still hoped for good news—she also wanted her own child. But the longer time passed, the more discouraged she became. Her longstanding worries seemed about to become reality—she couldn’t conceive. Her body was probably depleted and couldn’t be restored no matter how she nurtured it.

Disappointed and dejected, she didn’t tell Liang Shi, secretly drinking medicine to regulate herself, but the effects were still minimal. He spent every day with her now—what more could he do? Her own belly wasn’t cooperative. Perhaps her blessings were only this much, destined to be childless.

A letter came from the capital, in the Emperor’s own hand, saying he’d been feeling unwell lately, finding everything nauseating. Foods he used to love were now hard to swallow, and his neck was so swollen… The National Master’s opinion was that this was a good opportunity for fasting—his cultivation had reached this level. But from the pulse reading, the imperial physicians saw it as “essential nutrients unable to nourish the five organs, spleen and kidney deficiency from excessive fatigue.” He’d always believed in Daoist arts, but this time he was somewhat uncertain, not knowing whom to trust.

Wanwan held the letter, having nothing but sighs. The National Master’s words were all nonsense to fool idiots—fasting, not eating or drinking, trying to make him abdicate sooner? As for the imperial physicians’ diagnosis, it was even more ridiculous. Since ancient times, had there been a more comfortable emperor than him? Where was he fatigued? According to her judgment, it was entirely due to eating too many immortality pills.

She took up her brush to reply. Actually, there wasn’t much extra to say—just asking him to take care of his dragon body and take medicine properly according to medical advice. Immortality pills were too powerful; now that his body was weak, he couldn’t withstand them. It would be better to recuperate well before using them again, so as not to waste them. He was already so obsessed that ordinary good advice couldn’t persuade him. Following his train of thought and talking nonsense with him—that was the wonderful method to treat him.

Lan Zhou’s side lived up to expectations. A month later, Nanny Jingqi entered carrying a red lacquered tray. Wanwan didn’t understand at first, but when she lifted the covering cloth, underneath was a bloodstained handkerchief.

The nanny said: “Congratulations to Your Highness—the eldest young master has come of age. This servant specially brings this for Your Highness to inspect.”

This was quite amusing, reminding her of her first menstruation when Nanny Zhang brought bloodstained undergarments to the Empress Dowager, saying the same words. Later, Nanny Zhang received a large reward, and the Empress Dowager selected jewelry to be sent over as recognition for her growing up.

She followed the same pattern, ordering Xiao You to grab a handful of gold and silver for Jingqi, and carefully selected jewelry to have a maid deliver. Not long after, she saw a girl with hair in a bun enter the courtyard. Upon entering, she knelt and kowtowed to her, thanking her for the reward.

Wanwan felt quite emotional—so this was being a mother-in-law. Thinking about it was truly incredible. She granted the girl a seat. Though they differed little in age, she already had the mentality of an elder. She asked why she wasn’t resting, instructing her to be more alert in the future and serve her master well.

Looking outside, Lan Zhou hadn’t appeared. She asked: “Where is the young master? Out on duty again?”

The girl was somewhat evasive: “Replying to Your Highness, the young master left early this morning. This servant didn’t dare ask, but it’s probably so.”

Yuwen family men showed tenderness only to one person—toward all others they seemed cold. Even if a woman had been with them or borne children for them, without emotional attachment, they always lacked patience.

Wanwan nodded and said gently: “You’ve worked hard. Go back and rest. If the Grand Consort knew, she would certainly be very happy too.”

The girl withdrew with a red face. Only then did Liang Shi emerge from the back room, silently sitting in the round chair, suddenly discovering new panic—originally he might have been naive and confused, but now having experienced it, he was knowledgeable… He supported the armrest, covering his mouth and nose. Only his dark, thick eyebrows and eyes remained visible, his long eyelashes covering his brilliant eyes.

Sometimes Wanwan enjoyed admiring his appearance. He was born beautiful—even a gesture of supporting his forehead or turning around carried endless charm. The room was warm, southern fruits filling it with clear fragrance. She reclined on the couch. He didn’t speak, and she remained silent, just quietly watching him.

His fingers were slender with distinct joints, yet not gaunt. A full green thumb ring, bright and even, outlined beauty interweaving delicacy and boldness. Like entering meditation, he pondered back and forth. How could Wanwan know these things? Seeing he never returned to awareness, she coughed lightly. Only then did he raise his eyes. His gaze rippled as he slowly smiled.

“You heard everything?” Wanwan smiled gracefully: “I really didn’t expect…”

Didn’t expect a twelve-year-old child could accomplish it? The Qi people’s nature was evident—there was nothing strange about it.

He slowly exhaled: “New Year is approaching. Once spring opens, let’s settle the engagement.”

Wanwan agreed: “I’ve also mentioned this to Mother. Mother said for such a major matter, we should at least ask his grandmother’s opinion. Not for anything else, but fearing the child might not be comfortable with it.”

In her heart, she knew that nominally Lan Zhou had acknowledged her as mother, but mother-child connection was natural. For a son’s grand wedding, if his birth mother didn’t attend, it wouldn’t be fair to anyone.