In Dazhou, physicians did not practice a lowly trade. Especially at the rank of imperial physician — though the official grade was not particularly high, they held a proper government post with an attendant salary.

However, in the eyes of the nobility and imperial relatives, the imperial physicians who practiced medicine could not help but be regarded with a certain measure of condescension.

Given Imperial Physician Wei’s station in life, even with a sister who held the rank of Jieyu, he would still fall somewhat short of qualifying to marry a commandery princess who held an honorary title, a generous dowry, and considerable imperial favor.

Commandery Princess Fumin pouted, protesting unhappily: “Father and Mother have said all this already — Cousin Sister, why must you speak in the same vein as they do, going on and on about whether one’s rank and standing are a match? I know that for Imperial Physician Wei to marry me would be something of a concession on my part. But I like him, and I am willing to marry him — is that not enough?”

So Fumin had entirely missed her real meaning!

The one who was unworthy was not Imperial Physician Wei — it was Fumin herself!

Princess Changping was too impatient to say more, and it was not convenient to be too explicit, so she spoke vaguely: “In any case, you cannot go wrong listening to me. Keep your distance from Imperial Physician Wei from now on. What sort of appearance does it make, you being an unmarried commandery princess, chasing after a man every day? Is it not embarrassing enough?”

Commandery Princess Fumin gave a perfunctory murmur of assent, making it abundantly clear she had not taken Princess Changping’s admonition to heart.

What an utter fool!

Princess Changping’s brow creased, and her voice suddenly turned considerably cooler: “Very well, I am also weary today. I have no energy to keep talking with you — you may go back to your manor for now. When I have some free time in the future, I will summon you again for a chat.”

When it came to capricious moods and mercurial temperament, no one could rival Princess Changping.

Commandery Princess Fumin was, at heart, a little intimidated by her. The moment Princess Changping’s face went cold, Fumin did not dare linger any further, and she rose and departed quickly.

Once Commandery Princess Fumin had gone, the atmosphere finally became considerably more peaceful.

Princess Changping idled through a brief rest. When the mood struck her, she summoned a palace attendant — a young man of fair complexion and fine looks — to come inside.

The other palace maids and attendants immediately withdrew.

Shortly afterward, the sound of soft, hushed sighs began to drift from behind the door. At first the sounds were somewhat restrained and suppressed, but as time went on, they gradually grew more unrestrained and uninhibited.

The palace maids and attendants standing guard several paces outside the door were long accustomed to such things, and kept their eyes straight ahead without wavering.

At that very moment, a palace attendant came hurrying over in a quick run. He leaned close to the maid keeping watch by the door and said in a low voice: “Prince Yan has arrived!”

The maid frowned slightly. If it had been anyone else calling, she could have found some excuse to turn them away. But the one who had come was Prince Yan, and there was simply no turning him back.

Yet the Princess was currently engaged with an attendant in her private pleasures. From the sounds of it, things would not be concluding anytime soon, and no one had the courage to knock on the door. If Princess Changping were angered, one’s life could well be forfeit.

“Lead His Highness Prince Yan to the Princess’s music room first.” The maid made a quick decision and said quietly: “If His Highness asks, tell him that the Princess is currently bathing, and will come once she has finished.”

The palace attendant nodded and quickly withdrew.

“The Princess is currently bathing. Would Your Highness please wait in the music room for a moment.” The palace attendant smiled apologetically and led Prince Yan into the music room.

Bathing?

Bathing in broad daylight!

Most likely she had summoned an attendant for her amusements again!

The handsome young man dressed in scarlet brocade raised an eyebrow and gave a half-smiling sound of acknowledgment: “If that is the case, this prince shall wait here for a while.”

The palace attendant silently exhaled in relief. The excuse did indeed lack sincerity… fortunately, His Highness Prince Yan had not called it out.

After the attendant withdrew, Prince Yan leisurely made a slow circuit of the music room.

Though Princess Changping’s character was a little frivolous, she was, after all, a princess of the imperial family. From childhood she had received rigorous instruction and was quite accomplished in poetry, calligraphy, painting, and music — particularly skilled at playing the qin.

With Princess Changping’s fondness for lavish indulgence, this music room was naturally furnished in a manner unlike any ordinary one. There were over a dozen precious antique qin instruments alone, placed separately across several rooms.

In addition to the antique qin, there were wind instruments such as the long xiao flute and the bamboo di flute.

Growing somewhat impatient with waiting, Prince Yan casually picked up a bamboo flute and played a lively tune.

When the last note faded, Princess Changping finally arrived.

Princess Changping wore a look of languid ease; the flush had not yet fully faded from her face, and she smiled before she even spoke: “A’Qi, sorry to have kept you waiting.”

Prince Yan glanced at Princess Changping and spoke without a shred of tact: “Imperial Elder Sister, you are a princess of the highest standing — you ought to show a little consideration for appearances. If you want to seek pleasure, summon an attendant in the evening. This sort of daytime indulgence — you would do best to do it less.”

“If word reaches the Prince Consort’s ears, the Prince Consort will lose face, and he will inevitably go and lodge a complaint with the Empress Mother. If the Empress Mother is truly angered, you can forget about enjoying this kind of carefree life.”

Even if Princess Changping’s skin were as thick as a city wall, being spoken to so bluntly by her own younger brother was enough to mortify and infuriate her.

Princess Changping’s smile faded, and she gave a light snort of displeasure: “Mind your own business where my affairs are concerned.”

“If you were not my own full-blooded sister, do you think I would bother to concern myself with you?” Prince Yan gave a light snort in return, his handsome face full of mockery and derision.

Princess Changping glared at Prince Yan: “If you have this much time on your hands, you would be better off going to the palace more often to keep Father Emperor company and make him happy — perhaps he would give you a proper official post. Rather than wandering about aimlessly every day with nothing to do.”

She paused, then added mockingly: “Just look at you — a full-fledged imperial prince, and yet you do not measure up to A’Yao, the Crown Grandson. When the court officials bring up the Crown Grandson, every one of them sings his praises. When they bring up you — tsk, tsk — the words that come out are not so kind. ‘Idle and dissolute,’ ‘lazy and unruly,’ ‘beyond hope of being made into anything useful.’ If I were you, I would have long since been too ashamed to show my face.”

Even Prince Yan, who habitually played the jokester and was loose-tongued in all things, changed color at these words that struck right at the heart, and said coldly: “No matter how unruly and incorrigible I may be, I am still a man. Even if I had beautiful palace maids all around me, no one would dare gossip. When I take a principal consort in the future and also take on a full household of beauties besides, the consort would not dare utter a single word of complaint.”

“Imperial Elder Sister is entirely different. You are, after all, a woman, and moreover one who is already married to a Prince Consort. The attendants at your side are changing faces in an endless stream, each one more handsome than the last. Do you truly think every person in this entire capital is a fool?”

“Prince Consort Xu Yuan may be spineless and useless, but he is still the legitimate son of the Xu family, and the Empress Mother’s own nephew by blood. Even if you have no regard for your own face, you might at least spare a thought for the Empress Mother.”

“You——” Princess Changping was so furious she practically had steam coming from her nose, and she glared at him with blazing eyes.

Prince Yan gave a cold laugh and returned her gaze with equal disdain.

The two of them, tearing at each other’s old wounds, were very much a picture of mutual loathing.

Princess Changping bit her lip and ultimately suppressed the fury in her heart, softening her tone: “All right — you so rarely come by, and is this how you want to spend the time, bickering with me?”

Princess Changping had given ground, and Prince Yan did not press her further, taking the offered exit gracefully: “Nothing in particular today — just came to see you.”

Princess Changping roused herself and smiled: “I held a lotus-viewing banquet at my manor today, and there were truly some amusing happenings — let me tell you about them and give you a bit of entertainment.”