“I’m not clear either. Let’s wait for her to speak for herself.” After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, a middle-aged beautiful woman followed the palace attendant in, curtsied, and said respectfully, “This humble woman pays respects to Her Majesty the Empress. May Your Majesty enjoy ten thousand blessings.”
“Please rise, Lady Cui.” After ordering the palace attendants to provide a seat, Lady Xiao smiled and said, “I remember the last time I saw Lady Cui was during the grand palace banquet three years ago. Now three years have passed, yet Lady Cui’s appearance hasn’t changed at all. You remain as graceful as ever, truly enviable.”
Lady Cui lowered her eyes and said, “Your Majesty has a good memory, but this humble woman is merely of willow-like beauty and truly doesn’t deserve such praise from Your Majesty.”
Lady Xiao smiled without speaking. After the palace attendants served tea, she said, “Lady Cui’s visit to the palace to see me today—may I ask what matter brings you here?”
Upon hearing this, Lady Cui quickly set down the tea cup she had just received, stood up, and said, “This humble woman has come to ask Your Majesty the Empress to bestow a gracious favor.”
Lady Xiao said in surprise, “Oh? What favor?”
“To be frank with Your Majesty, my son Cuiji has been unable to forget Princess Jinyang ever since he met her. But at that time, the Princess chose Young Master Zheng, so there was nothing to be done. Now that Young Master Zheng has accidentally passed away, he wants to…” Lady Cui hesitated for a moment, then bit her lip slightly and said, “He wants to marry the Princess, so he asked this humble woman to enter the palace and request this favor from Your Majesty.”
When there seems no way through the mountains and rivers, suddenly there appears a village amid dark willows and bright flowers.
Lady Xiao had an impression of Cuiji. Among the thirty-eight young gentlemen selected at that time, he and Dugu Hong were among the most outstanding. Later, when Cuiji and Zheng Yang were chosen, she had thought Yunyi would select the gentle and refined Cuiji as her consort, but unexpectedly, Yunyi chose the forthright Zheng Yang in the end.
She thought Yunyi and Cuiji’s connection had ended half a year ago. She never expected that Cuiji had been thinking of Yunyi all this time, much less that he would have his mother enter the palace to propose marriage to Yunyi.
Compared to the Qi, Zhao, and other families she had previously considered, Cuiji was undoubtedly much better in both family background and character. Most importantly, his feelings for Yunyi ran deep. If Yunyi could marry him, it would truly be the best possible arrangement.
Lady Xiao suppressed the joy in her heart and said, “I didn’t expect young Cuiji to have such feelings. This truly surprises me.”
“Indeed, when this humble woman heard about it yesterday, I was also startled, especially since…” She paused mid-sentence, then smiled and said, “It’s nothing. I wonder if Your Majesty would be willing to fulfill this marriage?”
Although Lady Cui changed topics quickly, Lady Xiao still caught the implication. Looking at her, she said, “The rumors recently circulating in the city—has Lady Cui heard of them?”
Lady Cui’s expression slightly stiffened, and her smile became somewhat forced. “Is Your Majesty referring to the rumors about the Princess cursing her husbands to death?”
“Exactly. According to my knowledge, Cuiji is Lady Cui’s only son. Aren’t you afraid?”
Rather than wait for the Cui family to regret after the marriage, it was better to clarify things now to avoid them making things difficult for Yunyi later.
After a long silence, Lady Cui sighed deeply and said, “To be honest with Your Majesty, to say I have no concerns at all would be false. I even tried to persuade my son to abandon this idea, but he was very determined. He even told me that if he couldn’t marry the Princess, he would rather remain single for life. He also said that Young Master Zheng’s death was an accident, and the curse talk is merely rumors spread by the common people that shouldn’t be believed. After thinking it over carefully through the night, I felt his words made sense, so I agreed.” Before Lady Xiao could speak, she hurriedly added, “Your Majesty, please be assured that if the Cui family is fortunate enough to have the Princess marry into it, we will certainly treat her with respect and would never show her the slightest disrespect.”
Lady Xiao nodded slightly. Lady Cui’s words were quite reasonable and didn’t avoid her questions, seeming to be spoken from the heart. “Cuiji is young and accomplished. If he were to marry Jinyang, it would indeed be a good thing.”
Her words made Lady Cui’s face light up with joy as she leaned forward and said, “Does this mean Your Majesty agrees?”
Lady Xiao smiled and said, “I would naturally be happy to see it happen, but this is not a small matter. I still need to discuss it with His Majesty, and I also need to ask Jinyang for her own opinion. Don’t you think so, Lady Cui?”
Lady Cui naturally nodded repeatedly. After speaking with Lady Xiao for a while longer, she withdrew from Zhaoyang Hall. After she left, Hong Li curtsied with a beaming smile and said, “Congratulations, Your Majesty. This calls for celebration.”
Lady Xiao smiled and gently touched her cheek, saying, “Heaven has finally not been too unkind to Yunyi. Although Zheng Yang accidentally passed away, there’s Cuiji who loves her deeply!”
Hong Li said with a smile, “Should Your Majesty go see His Majesty now?”
Lady Xiao thought for a moment and shook her head, “No rush. I want to hear Yunyi’s thoughts first. Otherwise, if His Majesty settles it and Yunyi refuses, wouldn’t that be troublesome?”
Hong Li smiled with pursed lips, “Young Master Cui is excellent in character, learning, and family background. I’m sure the Princess won’t refuse. It’s just that…”
Lady Xiao waited a while but didn’t hear her continue, so she said, “Just what?”
Hong Li said, “These past six months, the Princess has often summoned Chief Clerk Du Ruhui of the Court of Imperial Stud into the palace to play chess and taste tea, and Young Master Du has never married. Could it be… that the Princess favors Young Master Du more?”
Hearing this matter, Lady Xiao immediately laughed, “No, when Yunyi first summoned Du Ruhui to the palace, I asked her about it. She said Du Ruhui was a friend she met in Honghua Commandery, and summoning him to the palace was just to reminisce with an old friend, nothing more. Moreover, Du Ruhui has always had someone he loves…” Speaking of this, Lady Xiao’s expression darkened, and her smile had long since disappeared. “The one he loves is none other than Meixue. Back then, the reason he studied so desperately and rushed to the capital for the examinations was to pass the imperial examination and convince his mother to let him marry Meixue. But that poor child Meixue had no fortune and died early. I never even got to see her once. I failed her!”
“The departed are gone. Your Majesty, please don’t be too sad.” Hong Li knew that Meixue’s matter had always been an inconsolable pain in Lady Xiao’s heart.
Lady Xiao slowly clenched her hands, her face showing coldness as she said, “Yang Guang… all of this is thanks to Yang Guang. This hatred and resentment, I will never forget!”
Hong Li said worriedly, “Your Majesty…” Before she could continue, Lady Xiao said, “Don’t worry. Before ensuring Yunyi’s safety, I will certainly endure this hatred well.”
Hong Li sighed secretly. She knew that Her Majesty was now living entirely for Princess Jinyang, and without her, she probably would have been unable to persist long ago.
At this moment, in Changsheng Hall, Du Ruhui was taking a small pot from a palace maid’s hands, pouring high-quality spring water into it, then placing it on a wind stove burning fine silver charcoal to boil. When the water surface showed fish-eye patterns and made slight sounds—that is, at the first boil—he added a spoonful of salt. After waiting a while longer, when the spring water continuously bubbled at the second boil, he took a ladle and scooped out a ladleful of water, setting it aside.