The carriage of the Prince of Yan had barely come to a stop when the steward rushed over to greet Yuojin respectfully.
“This humble servant pays respects to Your Highness.”
Yuojin dismounted and waited beside the carriage. As the curtain was lifted, Aqiao helped Jiang Si step out. Yuojin extended his hand, and Jiang Si naturally placed her hand in his palm. The couple walked hand in hand towards the main gate of the Earl’s mansion.
The steward was stunned. How could such a noble prince be so attentive to Fourth Miss?
Jiang Zhan came forward and playfully punched Yuojin’s shoulder. “Finally, you’ve arrived. Hurry inside, you might still catch my father.”
Just then, Jiang Ancheng, who had entered the Hall of Compassion, let out a loud sneeze.
The steward, witnessing Jiang Zhan’s audacious behavior, felt his legs go weak with fear, and cold sweat breaking out. Seeing Yuojin completely unfazed, his jaw dropped even further.
Composing himself, the steward hurried to lead the way.
The paths in the Earl’s mansion were spotlessly clean. Servants bowed as the couple passed, and once they were out of earshot, excited discussions broke out.
“Did you see how attentive the Prince was to our Fourth Miss?”
“Of course! I heard the Prince personally chose Fourth Miss at the Plum Blossom banquet. How could he not treat her well?”
“The Prince was even so good-natured towards Second Young Master.”
“Love extends to the entire house, doesn’t it?”
The young maids giggled, undeterred even by the housekeeper’s stern glares. On such a joyous day, everyone from top to bottom was filled with warmth and happiness.
Old Madam Feng’s prayer beads moved faster through her fingers as she frequently glanced toward the entrance. As soon as the curtain moved, she straightened her back, feigning nonchalance.
Jiang Ancheng strode in.
“Haven’t they arrived yet?” Seeing it was her eldest son, Old Madam Feng asked impatiently, feeling disappointed.
Jiang Ancheng sat down and casually picked up a cup of tea. “I don’t know. I wasn’t standing guard at the main gate. But I reckon they should be here soon.”
Second Master Jiang’s lips twitched as he sipped his tea, suppressing the bitterness in his heart.
“The Prince and Princess have arrived!”
Soon, the handsome couple entered arm in arm.
Yuojin, with Jiang Si by his side, greeted each elder respectfully.
Seeing him not putting on airs as a prince, Old Madam Feng’s gaze toward Jiang Si grew increasingly warm.
A man’s attitude towards his in-laws speaks volumes about his wife’s place in his heart. Considering state protocol before family etiquette, the Prince of Yan could have been excused from paying such respects.
It seemed that Fourth Miss had, for now, won the Prince’s favor.
Old Madam Feng heaved a great sigh of relief. Among all her granddaughters, at least one had made something of herself.
Next came the greetings among peers.
Yuojin’s warmth towards Jiang Zhan secretly alarmed Old Madam Feng and made Second Master Jiang even more envious.
Second Master Jiang gave Jiang Cang a look. Jiang Cang tried to join the conversation but was met with indifference, leaving him to awkwardly sip his tea.
After all the greetings, as per custom, the men would take the new son-in-law for drinks, while Jiang Si, returning as a married lady, would chat with Old Madam Feng and the other women.
Feeling she had nothing to say to Old Madam Feng, Jiang Si said, “Grandmother, your granddaughter would like to visit Begonia Courtyard.”
Old Madam Feng, trying to hide her discomfort, suppressed her irritation and said, “It’s so hot outside. Why don’t you have some cool tea before going?”
Jiang Si smiled faintly. “Thank you for your concern, Grandmother, but I’ve had plenty of tea at the palace. I’m not thirsty now, and I’d like to visit the place where I lived for over ten years.”
Old Madam Feng could only nod.
Jiang Pei quickly said, “Fourth Sister, I’ll accompany you!”
If she had any thoughts of competing with Jiang Si before, they were now completely gone. Since she couldn’t compare, it was best to be on good terms.
But Jiang Si wasn’t one to inconvenience herself for the sake of saving face. She calmly replied, “Eldest Sister can accompany me. Sixth Sister should stay and keep Grandmother company over tea.”
She took Jiang Yi’s hand and left, leaving Jiang Pei red-faced and embarrassed.
“Everyone, disperse,” Old Madam Feng said irritably.
Finally alone with Jiang Si, Jiang Yi asked, “Fourth Sister, how does the Prince treat you?”
Facing Jiang Yi, Jiang Si’s demeanor softened. She smiled, “Don’t worry, Eldest Sister. The Prince treats me extremely well.”
Jiang Yi carefully observed Jiang Si, noting her rosy complexion and genuine smile. She finally relaxed. “That’s good. I’ve been uneasy thinking about you marrying into that grand palace with its blue-tiled roofs and vermilion walls.”
The sisters strolled through Begonia Courtyard.
The begonia flowers had passed their prime, and fallen petals lay beneath the gently swaying swing.
Jiang Yi couldn’t help but advise, “Fourth Sister, even if you dislike Grandmother and Sixth Sister, you needn’t be so harsh. After all, you won’t see them often in the future…”
Jiang Si laughed coldly. “Eldest Sister doesn’t know, some people take a mile when given an inch, and others love to bask in others’ glory. So, it’s not bad to make my stance clear. At least it prevents people from getting ideas.”
Jiang Yi thought carefully and found some truth in her words. She smiled, “As long as Fourth Sister knows what she’s doing.”
She could never be as free-spirited as her sister, but she hoped her sister could always remain this way.
Jiang Si sat on the swing, letting it sway gently.
Sunlight filtered through the dense leaves, sprinkling sparsely over the sisters.
The cicadas’ song rose and fell, echoing all around.
“Fourth Sister, I heard the Emperor gifted two palace maids to the Prince?” Jiang Yi asked softly as she gently pushed the swing.
“Even Eldest Sister knows about this?”
Jiang Yi smiled. “Second Brother told us when he returned. He serves in the imperial city, you know, and pays close attention to everything concerning you. Fourth Sister, how does the Prince treat those two palace maids?”
“He doesn’t treat them in any particular way. He assigned them to manage the spices.” Jiang Si looked back. “Surely Eldest Sister isn’t advising me to arrange for those palace maids to serve in his bedchamber?”
Jiang Yi gave Jiang Si a sidelong glance. “I was about to tell you, unless the Prince expresses interest, don’t act magnanimous.”
Her eyes held self-mockery and melancholy. “A man’s affection is limited. The more it’s divided, the thinner it becomes. You might gain a reputation for generosity for a moment, but in the end, you’ll be the one suffering.”
Jiang Si stood up and pushed Jiang Yi to sit on the swing, smiling brightly. “I love hearing Eldest Sister speak like this.”
When they returned to the Prince of Yan’s residence, the evening glow had already spread across the sky. Strings of large red lanterns were lit early along the corridors, aiming for a festive newlywed atmosphere.
However, this festivity was overshadowed by the tragedy that occurred in Changsheng Palace.
Jiang Si and Yuojin retired to bed early, discussing the day’s events.
“There might be someone behind Concubine Chen…”
“Let the Emperor and Empress worry about palace affairs,” Yuojin said, reaching up to untie the bed curtains, which fell around them.
The next day, the palace officially announced the passing of the Fifteenth Princess, posthumously titled Princess Changning.
Typically, princesses receive their formal titles upon marriage, though there are exceptions. For instance, Princess Fuqing, being the only legitimate princess and deeply loved by Emperor Jingming, received her title at birth.
Fifteenth Princess became another exception.
Privately, news of what happened in Changsheng Palace quickly spread in hushed tones.