In the evening when Zhou Weizhao and Song Chuyi returned, they heard Crown Princess Lu mention the matter of Zhou Weiyin’s adoption. Song Chengru’s secret memorial had precisely hit upon Emperor Jianzhang’s thoughts, resolving in one stroke the trouble that had plagued Emperor Jianzhang for so long. Emperor Jianzhang still valued sentiment too highly—how could he truly ignore his two grandsons? This way, he had even more legitimate reasons to make arrangements for the two grandsons.

After all, they were still young. Emperor Jianzhang privately told Zhou Weizhao: “Don’t resent your Imperial Grandfather for being partial, and don’t think your Imperial Grandfather failed to eliminate the roots.” He stood with his hands behind his back, watching the butterflies fluttering outside the window, then looking at the ground ivy spreading across the floor. He sighed, as if aging many years in an instant: “If there were truly no human feeling left, this world would lose much of its interest. Although one who occupies the supreme position must certainly be able to steel their heart, for matters that can be let go with a wave of the hand, let them go. Clinging on and refusing to release is truly too exhausting.”

Zhou Weizhao knew Emperor Jianzhang had the tendency to value sentiment all the more because he had received so little affection since childhood. Hearing this, he naturally wouldn’t object. After all, it was merely not demoting these two children to commoner status. By having them adopted by Prince Su and remaining in the capital in the future, they would still be under watchful eyes. Moreover, they were still young now—with proper teaching, they wouldn’t necessarily turn bad.

Since he had known this all along, he didn’t take it to heart. He helped Crown Princess Lu sit down, poured her a cup of tea, and casually poured one for Song Chuyi as well, smiling: “Everyone’s happy. After all, Prince Su has no sons, and the two younger brothers are still young—there’s no need to pursue them to total destruction.”

Crown Princess Lu naturally had no intention of pursuing total destruction either. Hearing him say this, she nodded. She had originally only wanted to remind her son. Since her son had made his arrangements, she said no more about this and instead asked Song Chuyi: “Is Mingzi’s health better?”

Song Chuyi knew Crown Princess Lu was busy every day like a spinning top that couldn’t stop, and also knew that she felt distressed about the Lu family’s affairs but couldn’t speak of it. She was very willing to follow her words and help her think less about those unhappy matters, so she smiled and nodded: “She’s doing well. Her lower abdomen is already slightly protruding now. Grandmother says that as her aunt, I should prepare little clothes and shoes for the baby. I’m quite troubled—I don’t know what patterns would be good to embroider.”

“How can there be such urgency?” Crown Princess Lu laughed: “At most it’s only been just over four months. Now should be the time to send congratulatory gifts, shouldn’t it? Though preparing in advance is also acceptable.” Thinking it over, she suddenly shook her head vigorously: “No, no, no. Right now you’d better not busy yourself with this matter first. I still have something else to discuss with you.”

Zhou Weizhao’s eyes widened as he glanced at her, then at Song Chuyi, and coughed: “Mother isn’t pressuring us, is she? Didn’t I say that Xiaoyi is still young? In another two years…”

Song Chuyi had married him right after her coming-of-age ceremony, but he had always heard his teacher’s wife say that for girls, childbirth was like walking through the gates of hell—the younger they were, the more dangerous it was. How could he bear for Song Chuyi to suffer this? He had long ago reached a tacit understanding with Crown Princess Lu in private. Now hearing Crown Princess Lu suddenly bring up Xiang Mingzi’s matter, he thought Crown Princess Lu was envious and wanted to urge them to have one quickly too.

Crown Princess Lu looked up at him blankly, then saw Song Chuyi’s face flush completely red. In her heart both angry and amused, she reached out to lightly pat Zhou Weizhao on the head and scolded: “What are you talking about?! How could it be about that?” It was already agreed upon. She wasn’t that kind of unreasonable evil mother-in-law who would go back on her word. She glared at Zhou Weizhao, then took Song Chuyi’s hand and told her of Old Madam Cui’s instructions. Finally she asked them: “What do you say—is this match feasible or not?”

Zhou Weizhao hadn’t expected it was about finding a wife for Ye Jingchuan. He couldn’t help but look at Song Chuyi, only to see Song Chuyi also looking at him, her eyes clear and bright. He couldn’t help but smile: “So Mother wants to be a matchmaker. You gave me quite a fright.” After ascertaining that Crown Princess Lu had already sounded out Princess Rongcheng’s opinion, he thought of Ye Jingchuan’s temperament and pondered for a while before slowly shaking his head: “We went to Yangquan together back then and stayed in Jin Province together for quite a while. I could see that Jingchuan had no such intentions toward my cousin…” Speaking to this point he paused again: “However, this fellow might have changed his mind after returning from Fujian—who can say? Let me go sound him out.”

He and Ye Jingchuan were childhood playmates. In their youth, only Ye Jingchuan could occasionally travel far to Longhu Mountain to keep him company for a while. If he didn’t truly like Song Chuyi, had it been any other girl that Ye Jingchuan liked, he absolutely would not have touched her. Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but sigh again.

Crown Princess Lu, however, was somewhat delighted: “I’ve been indebted to Old Madam Cui’s kindness for many years, and Old Madam Cui is also Xiaoyi’s own maternal grandmother. Since she has given instructions, I naturally want to help bring about this happy union. You have an excellent relationship with the second young master of the Ye family—going to ask him would be a good thing. Once we have a definite answer, we can have Rongcheng mention it to the Princess Consort of Zhennan. If the Princess Consort of Zhennan is also agreeable, that would be even better.”

Song Chuyi, however, felt like frowning a bit. After leaving Mingcui Palace with Zhou Weizhao, she turned to look at him: “Second Young Master Ye probably won’t agree.”

Zhou Weizhao stroked her hair and drew her into his embrace, guiding her as they walked while laughing softly: “I know. But I still have to ask. Without asking, how will that foolish fellow know what his true feelings are?”

Song Chuyi couldn’t help but raise her eyebrows in surprise: “So you’ve noticed it too?” Seeing Zhou Weizhao smile without speaking, she couldn’t help but marvel: “I’ve seen many clever people, but even my eldest brother doesn’t understand a girl’s heart like you do… I really don’t know who you take after.” The Crown Prince didn’t seem like someone so considerate of girls either.

Zhou Weizhao clasped his hands behind his back and extended one little finger, shaking it, indicating for Song Chuyi to hold it. Once Song Chuyi grasped it, he smiled somewhat proudly: “This is thanks to my teacher’s wife teaching me well. Teacher’s wife always felt that boys were careless and also disliked men being fickle and unfaithful, so she constantly instructed us.”

The Celestial Master’s wife was truly a remarkable woman, not unlike Madam Qin either. Song Chuyi smiled and walked a few steps following Zhou Weizhao. The butterflies embroidered on her pleated skirt’s hem seemed to come alive with her movements, as if flying in the lamplight. She followed him through the long corridor and sea of flowers, distantly seeing the palace lanterns of Yong’an Palace before exclaiming softly: “No wonder our Your Highness always understands a girl’s heart so well…”

Zhou Weizhao opened his palm and grasped Song Chuyi’s hand, giving it a gentle tug to pull her to his side. He lowered his head and lightly tapped her nose: “Don’t let your imagination run wild! It’s not understanding girls’ hearts—it’s only wanting to understand your heart.”