The plum blossom viewing banquet was set for the eighteenth day of the first lunar month when the plum blossoms would be in full bloom.
Noble Consort Xian deliberated for a long time before finalizing her guest list and sending it to the Imperial Household Department via her eunuch.
Although this banquet was jointly hosted by Noble Consort Xian and Noble Consort Zhuang, the two had never been on good terms. Rather than consulting each other, they each prepared their guest lists and handed them to the eunuch in charge of arrangements.
After sending off the list, Noble Consort Xian remained uneasy. Her long tortoiseshell fingernail guards, inlaid with pearls, brushed over the go-piece container as she picked up a black piece to fidget with. “I wonder whom Noble Consort Zhuang has invited,” she murmured.
Her list included young ladies from moderate family backgrounds—neither too prominent nor too humble—known either for their strict family upbringing or their gentle and obedient nature. She had also invited a few ladies from extremely prestigious families for appearance’s sake, though they weren’t actually under consideration.
Such a list would likely have little overlap with Noble Consort Zhuang’s.
Noble Consort Xian was a proud woman. While she had no intention of arranging a high-born marriage for her estranged young son, she didn’t want Noble Consort Zhuang to perceive this sentiment.
Her trusted elderly maid, understanding her mistress’s thoughts well, consoled her: “Your Highness has chosen the most suitable candidates.”
Noble Consort Xian tossed the go piece back into its container and walked to the window, sighing, “Well, let it be.”
The room was stifling, so half the window was opened for ventilation, revealing only a palm-sized patch of sky and ever-changing cloud formations.
Those uncontrollable clouds reminded her of her unpredictable young son.
During this time, Noble Consort Xian had attempted several times to summon Yu Jin to the palace to gauge his thoughts, but he had always declined with various excuses.
The memory alone was enough to irritate her.
Regardless of their relationship, he was still the son she had carried for ten months—how dare he ignore his mother like this!
Sometimes, Noble Consort Xian felt uncertain: given his indifference toward her, would he truly support the Fourth Prince as she wished?
This thought made her both attentive to the plum blossom viewing banquet and somehow lost, fearing that one misstep could bring disaster.
Quick footsteps approached—though soft, they were enough to alert Noble Consort Xian.
In the palace, successful eunuchs needed to maintain their composure. Such hurried steps usually meant important matters.
Soon, a palace maid in green entered: “Your Highness, Prince Yan has come to pay his respects.”
Noble Consort Xian turned abruptly. “Prince Yan is here?”
Realizing her loss of composure, she raised her hand to adjust her hair, the jewels on her fingernail guards gleaming brilliantly.
“Yes, His Highness is waiting outside. Would Your Highness like to—”
“Show Prince Yan in,” Noble Consort Xian cut off the maid’s words, walking gracefully to her noble chair to await his arrival.
When Yu Jin entered, he saw a woman in a palace dress sitting straight-backed in the noble chair. Though beautiful and dignified, she seemed somewhat ill-suited to what should have been a relaxed beauty couch.
His mother was quite interesting indeed.
Yu Jin narrowed his eyes, confirming he hadn’t mistaken her identity, before bowing. “Greetings, Mother.”
Noble Consort Xian stared at her youngest son as he paid his respects, finding everything about him disagreeable.
His lazy demeanor showed a complete lack of proper etiquette—how could he compare to the Fourth Prince in any way?
Though dissatisfied in her heart, she maintained her dignity: “Come closer, let mother look at you.”
Yu Jin stepped forward until he could see the fine wrinkles at the corners of her eyes.
Time was fair—it left its marks on all women, no matter their beauty.
Yu Jin’s lips curved slightly.
Come to think of it, in his nineteen years, this was the first time since gaining awareness that he had been so close to his mother.
It felt quite uncomfortable.
Noble Consort Xian was curious about Yu Jin’s intentions.
Since her son’s return to the capital, she had summoned him numerous times without success. Surely he hadn’t come today merely to pay his respects.
Instead of asking immediately, she carefully observed her young son.
The feeling was strange, yet his features were oddly familiar.
In appearance, the Seventh Prince resembled her more than the Fourth Prince did.
He was, after all, born of her flesh and blood.
Noble Consort Xian suddenly felt somewhat sentimental, her expression softening as she asked, “Do you have business with Mother today?”
“Son came to pay respects to mother.”
Noble Consort Xian didn’t believe this but smiled. “That’s thoughtful of you. Anything else?”
Yu Jin’s face reddened slightly, appearing to struggle before saying, “I heard the date for the plum blossom viewing banquet has been set.”
Noble Consort Xian fixed her gaze on Yu Jin, smiling. “Yes, it’s set for the eighteenth. Is Jin’er worried mother won’t arrange it properly?”
At the term of endearment “Jin’er,” Yu Jin nearly shuddered but maintained his composure. Red-faced, he said, “Son would never worry about that. It’s just that I’ve been in the Southern Frontier for years and know nothing of the capital’s noble ladies. I deeply yearn for a harmonious marriage, so whether I can find a suitable wife depends entirely on my mother.”
Noble Consort Xian watched Yu Jin continuously, noting his increasingly red face and growing awkwardness, and curved her lips in a smile.
She had heard about Seventh Prince brawling with other princes and thought him unruly, but now she saw that despite his wild upbringing, he was still a child at heart, with such innocent longings for his future wife.
In this aspect, the Seventh Prince was far more naive than the princes raised in the palace.
Noble Consort Xian didn’t consider this a virtue, but such emotional simplicity often meant that a man would be easily swayed by his wife’s pillow talk if she pleased him. This way, controlling her daughter-in-law would mean controlling her son.
Seeing her son’s expectant eyes, Noble Consort Xian smiled. “Don’t worry, mother will choose a suitable wife for you.”
Very well—whomever Seventh Prince fancied at the banquet, she would approve. This could even help improve their distant mother-son relationship. Then, the Seventh Prince would be more devoted to helping the Fourth Prince in the future.
“Then son shall take his leave.”
Upon leaving Noble Consort Xian’s chambers, Yu Jin’s face immediately turned cold, as if the blushing youth before his mother had never existed.
Indeed, he never had.
Yu Jin smiled coldly, making his way through the palace walls and turning a corner.
A grey-robed eunuch passed by Yu Jin’s side, subtly slowing his pace.
“Is it done?” Yu Jin asked softly, looking ahead.
The eunuch quietly responded, “Yes.”
Yu Jin’s lips curved upward as he strode toward the palace exit.
In the Imperial Household Department, Head Eunuch Han was directing several eunuchs to transcribe invitations according to both consorts’ lists. One eunuch glanced at the list and wrote down the name of Earl Dongping’s Fourth Young Lady.
As news of the plum blossom viewing banquet spread, two days before the eighteenth of the first month, most noble ladies who received invitations were overjoyed, while those who didn’t receive them sighed in regret.
A position as a prince’s consort—the opportunity had slipped away before they could even participate!
In Earl Dongping’s residence, Old Madam Feng repeatedly examined the ornately carved invitation presented by the steward, barely containing her excitement.