Entering the inner hall, Wenyu curtsied: “Wenyu greets mother empress, may mother empress be well.” Since Xiao Shi was Yang Guang’s legitimate empress, all children born to concubines below her were considered her stepchildren.

“Rise.” At Xiao Shi’s words, Wenyu straightened up and said with concern: “I heard that mother empress has been coughing without recovery, so I came specially to visit. Who knew that before I even entered, I heard seventh sister calling someone ‘father’—what is this about?”

Xiao Shi said calmly: “Yunyi was calling His Majesty. She just told me that commoners call their parents ‘father’ and ‘mother,’ and it sounds more intimate.”

Wenyu said suspiciously: “But what I heard didn’t seem to be like that.”

Xiao Shi said with a half-smile: “Are you saying mother empress is lying to you?”

Wenyu’s expression grew stern—she dared not offend Xiao Shi. She said tactfully: “I must have misheard. By the way, mother empress, how is your health? I asked the imperial physician, who said that platycodon and licorice have the effect of moistening the lungs, stopping coughs, and dissolving phlegm. When needed, take three grams of platycodon and six grams of licorice, steep in hot water for twenty minutes—it’s very simple. So I specially brought some for mother empress.” As she spoke, palace servants had already presented platycodon and licorice separately contained in brocade pouches.

After Xiao Shi indicated for the palace servants to accept them, she said: “It’s rare for you to be so thoughtful. I’m very pleased. How are you finding living in Jiangdu?”

“Everything is well with me, thank you for mother empress’s concern.” As she spoke, she glanced at the silent Yunyi and said: “It’s just that seventh sister is very busy. Every time I’m idle and want to find seventh sister to chat and relieve boredom, seventh sister always has things to do and has no time to see me.”

Xiao Shi smiled slightly: “It’s all my fault. Since I caught cold and started coughing, Yunyi has had to stew rock sugar and pear soup for me daily. You must understand this.”

Wenyu smiled perfunctorily: “I understand.” Then she continued: “Then mother empress, please rest well. I’ll take my leave first and visit you again another day.”

After palace servants escorted Wenyu out, Xiao Shi said to Yunyi: “That’s just their nature—don’t stoop to their level.”

Yunyi smiled: “I know. If I really wanted to be petty, I would have been furious long ago after all these years.”

“That’s good.” After a moment of silence, Xiao Shi said: “How have you been considering that matter?”

Yunyi knew what she meant: “Didn’t mother empress say to let me stay by your side a while longer? How are you pushing me away so soon?”

“What do you mean pushing you away? You child always speak nonsense.” Xiao Shi coughed lightly: “It’s already been more than half a year. Haven’t you let go yet?”

Yunyi smiled bitterly: “Does mother empress think that after the affairs with the Zheng and Cui families, anyone would still dare risk their life to marry me?”

Xiao Shi immediately said: “Nonsense! Anyone who could marry my dear daughter would have cultivated such fortune over several lifetimes—countless people would compete for the chance. I hear that in Jiangdu, there are many talented scholars. If you don’t like noble families, common scholars would also be acceptable, as long as they have good character and profound learning.”

Yunyi lowered her head for a moment: “Father emperor has just arrived in Jiangdu, and many things need to be arranged. I don’t want to trouble father emperor at this time. Let’s wait a while longer.”

“Very well.” Though Xiao Shi very much wanted to see Yunyi marry, she didn’t force the issue excessively.

Yunyi tucked the brocade quilt around Xiao Shi: “Mother empress, this is my first time in Jiangnan. I’d like to look around everywhere. Could you help me speak to father emperor about it?”

“Leave the palace?” Xiao Shi frowned: “Though Jiangdu is relatively peaceful, we can’t guarantee rebels aren’t hiding among the people. If you encountered them, it would be troublesome.”

“This is after all where the Son of Heaven resides—I believe those rebels wouldn’t dare act recklessly. Otherwise… could I bring more guards along?” Yunyi pleaded: “It’s rare to visit Jiangdu once. I don’t want to return without seeing anything. Mother empress, please agree to this just once.”

Xiao Shi couldn’t bear to disappoint her and said helplessly: “Very well, I’ll speak to your father emperor when I have the chance.”

Hearing this, Yunyi said happily: “Thank you for mother empress’s grace!”

Xiao Shi smiled: “If you really want to thank mother empress, quickly go make some bacon for me. Mother empress has been thinking about it constantly.”

Yunyi chuckled: “Then I’ll go right now. But this bacon can’t be eaten before it’s air-dried, so however much mother empress wants it, you’ll have to wait several days.”

Let’s say that after Wenyu left Xiao Shi’s palace quarters, she remained lost in thought and collided head-on with Princess Xin’an, who was walking toward her, nearly falling. After steadying herself, Wenyu slapped her maid across the face and scolded harshly: “Stupid thing! You clearly saw fourth sister coming—why didn’t you remind me? Did you deliberately want to see me make a fool of myself?”

The maid came to her senses and said aggrievedly: “This servant did remind the princess, but… the princess didn’t hear.”

Wenyu’s eyes widened as she said harshly: “According to you, I wronged you?”

The maid knew her temper and dared not agree, quickly kneeling: “This servant doesn’t dare!”

Wenyu snorted coldly: “Doesn’t dare? So you do think this way in your heart? Dead girl, I’ve been too kind to you lately, haven’t I, making you increasingly insolent.”

The maid was both panicked and frightened by her words, not knowing what to do, only continuously kowtowing and begging Wenyu’s forgiveness. Princess Xin’an watched all this with a half-smile: “What’s wrong with ninth sister today? Getting so angry over such a small matter. Come now, I’m sure she didn’t mean it. Forgive her this once.”

“Sister doesn’t know—this dead girl has been getting more and more improper lately. It’s truly infuriating.” She glared at the maid still kneeling on the ground: “For Princess Xin’an’s sake, I’ll spare you this time. Now get up quickly.”

The maid thanked her repeatedly and hurriedly stood up, carefully following behind Wenyu. Princess Xin’an said: “What were you thinking about so intently just now?”

Wenyu recounted what she had just heard: “I’m quite certain that what seventh sister said definitely wasn’t about father emperor. Unfortunately, mother empress was there blocking me, so I couldn’t ask further.” She continued puzzledly: “But if seventh sister isn’t calling father emperor ‘father,’ who else could she be calling? I really can’t figure it out.”

Princess Xin’an walked while saying: “It is indeed strange, but it reminds me of something. From the moment Yunyi was born, father emperor hasn’t really liked her. Look at father emperor’s previous visits to Jiangdu—he brought several of us sisters but never brought Yunyi. If not for mother empress’s favor all these years, how could she be so prominent?”

“I find this strange too. Logically, since father emperor dotes on mother empress so much, he should love her by extension. Look at eldest sister—before she married, father emperor spoiled her to the bone. Even after marriage, she’s still the most favored among us sisters. Yet toward seventh sister… it’s truly puzzling.”

Princess Xin’an pondered for a moment, then said quietly: “Do you think… could it be…”