Delighted by the praise, Mingtan’s eyes crinkled with joy. She enthusiastically led Jiang Xu around the room, meticulously introducing each detail.
Only then did Jiang Xu realize that in just half a day, Qi’an Hall had been transformed to suit his young princess consort’s tastes.
After the tour, Mingtan asked timidly, “I took the liberty of arranging our chambers. Does my lord disapprove or feel uncomfortable?”
He did feel quite uncomfortable. However, as Mingtan clung to him, her soft hand playfully caressing his palm, Jiang Xu found himself at a loss. Unaccustomed to dealing with women in this manner, his words betrayed his true feelings.
“It’s fine,” he said. “As long as you like it.”
Hearing this, Mingtan’s smile widened, her heart brimming with satisfaction.
Her contentment, however, came at a price, which she would repay in a different form that night.
After two intense sessions, Mingtan lay exhausted and sweaty in Jiang Xu’s arms. As she nestled against him, a drowsy thought crossed her mind: martial artists truly possessed extraordinary stamina. Though her husband spoke little, he was so passionate at night. Was this level of exertion expected daily between couples? If so, it seemed rather demanding.
In truth, Mingtan’s perception of “demanding” was somewhat skewed. Since their palace visit to express gratitude had already been postponed by a day and couldn’t be delayed further, Jiang Xu had deliberately held back. Had he indulged fully, she might have struggled to maintain her composure in her formal princess consort attire for an entire day.
The next morning, Mingtan awoke in Jiang Xu’s embrace, her body still aching. As she tried to change position, she found his arm firmly locked around her waist.
Unable to move much, she contented herself with admiring her husband’s strikingly handsome face up close.
She had to admit, her husband was exceptionally handsome! The women of the capital used to say that the second young master Shu was as elegant as jade and talented, but compared to her husband, he seemed somewhat too gentle, lacking the fierce demeanor of a battlefield commander.
She extended a finger to touch Jiang Xu’s face. Seeing no reaction, she added another finger, gently pinching his cheek and brushing his eyelashes.
Jiang Xu, a light sleeper, had already awakened. Just as he was about to lower Mingtan’s mischievous hand, she suddenly snuggled closer, planting a soft kiss on his chin. She then nuzzled into his neck, wrapping her arm around his waist dependently.
Her lips were cool and soft, like silken sweet cheese. Jiang Xu hesitated, unsure whether to feign sleep or wake up.
The ancient saying that “a tender woman can topple a hero” suddenly seemed to hold some truth.
—
They lounged in bed until early morning when the maids roused them.
After dressing and grooming, the couple boarded the prince’s rarely-used carriage at mid-morning and headed to the palace.
Upon entering the palace gates, they parted ways. Jiang Xu went to the Imperial Study to meet Emperor Chengkang, while Mingtan was led by a eunuch to Shoukang Palace to pay respects to the Empress Dowager.
Recalling that the Empress Dowager had once considered arranging her marriage, Mingtan felt somewhat anxious about potential difficulties. However, she didn’t let this show on her face. After parting from Jiang Xu, she adopted the dignified demeanor befitting a princess consort, maintaining a composed and graceful air.
The current Empress Dowager was not Emperor Chengkang’s birth mother.
The Emperor was born to the previous emperor’s first empress, while the Empress Dowager in Shoukang Palace was the previous emperor’s second empress, who had two sons of her own.
Though the past couldn’t be changed, anyone with sense could deduce that with three legitimate sons from two empresses, the succession to the throne was certainly not as peaceful as it appeared on the surface.
Moreover, the previous emperor’s first empress had died early, and her family’s influence paled in comparison to the deeply rooted power of the second empress’s family. It seemed that if the current emperor hadn’t been positioned as the Crown Prince from birth, cultivating a strong faction of supporters for the eldest legitimate son, he might have struggled to gain an advantage in his contest with the Empress Dowager.
The fact that the Empress Dowager could still reside peacefully in Shoukang Palace after losing the succession battle, with no one daring to treat her lightly, suggested she was no meek figure content with a life of quiet devotion.
As these thoughts crossed Mingtan’s mind, she arrived at the entrance of Shoukang Palace. An elderly matron came out to receive her from the eunuch, guiding her inside. “Princess Consort of Beiding, please enter.”
Mingtan nodded, taking a deep breath to steady herself.
She had heard that the Empress Dowager had turned to Buddhism in recent years, and indeed, Shoukang Palace exuded a sense of Buddhist simplicity. As they walked, she saw no elaborate carvings or precious ornaments, only the lingering scent of incense that calmed the mind.
“This humble servant greets the Empress Dowager and the Empress. May the Empress Dowager and the Empress enjoy good health and eternal fortune,” Mingtan said, bowing deeply.
The matron hadn’t mentioned the Empress’s presence, yet the Empress was there. Fortunately, Mingtan’s sharp eyes caught sight of a young woman in a deep red peony-patterned gold-threaded dress with a phoenix motif, wearing a nine-phoenix crown – attire that could only belong to the Empress.
“Rise, and be seated,” the Empress Dowager said, her voice gentle and seemingly kind. However, Mingtan knew better than to assume genuine warmth from the Empress Dowager.
She wasn’t a fool. If the Empress Dowager hadn’t indicated it, how could the guiding matron have failed to mention the presence of others, especially the Empress? Had Mingtan not been observant, she might have neglected to pay respects to the Empress, potentially causing offense.
“Empress Dowager, did I not speak truly?” Empress Zhang said with a smile. “The Princess Consort of Beiding is indeed proper and courteous, the very model of virtue and tranquility.”
The Empress Dowager nodded benevolently, her face full of affection. “She is indeed a good match. I can see she is very well-suited to Xu’er.”
As she finished speaking, a matron standing beside her came forward, presenting Mingtan with a rosewood box containing a welcoming gift.
Mingtan rose, accepted the gift with lowered eyes, and respectfully bowed again, thanking the Empress Dowager for her kindness.
Five women sat in the hall. Besides the Empress Dowager and the Empress, Mingtan deduced from their conversation that the one wearing a six-panel skirt adorned with butterflies among a hundred flowers was the Empress Dowager’s youngest daughter, Princess Wenhui. The one in a light green palace dress embroidered with orchids was Consort Lan, now the most favored in the palace after Consort Yu’s banishment to the Cold Palace. There was also a young, beautiful lady—
“Hmph, how boring,” the young lady suddenly remarked, eyeing Mingtan up and down with disdain.
“Nianzi, mind your manners!” Princess Wenhui reprimanded.
The Empress Dowager glanced over, smoothing things over with a gentle tone. “Nianzi has always been forthright, speaking her mind. There’s no need to be too harsh. Xu’er’s princess consort is a good match; she won’t take offense at a young girl’s words.”
Mingtan thought to herself, “I’m a young girl too…”
Consort Lan, seemingly aware that this wasn’t her place to speak, quietly fiddled with her teacup lid, remaining silent. The Empress, however, took up the conversation, introducing Qu Nianzi to Mingtan.
Qu Nianzi was Princess Wenhui’s daughter and the Empress Dowager’s granddaughter. She was greatly favored by the Empress Dowager, who had even bestowed upon her the title of “County Princess Yongle.” With such backing, her confrontational attitude towards others was not without foundation.
Mingtan had no intention of quarreling with someone she might not see for years, but County Princess Yongle seemed determined to provoke her.
One moment she was saying, “Are all the noble ladies in the capital as dull as the princess consort these days? How utterly uninteresting.” The next, she remarked, “The princess consort clearly knows nothing of battlefield strategy. What could she possibly discuss with His Highness, the Prince of Beiding?”
After listening with a smile for a while, Mingtan suddenly asked, “This humble servant has rarely heard County Princess Yongle’s name mentioned in the capital over the years. I presume the County Princess hasn’t resided in the capital for long?”
Qu Nianzi lazily ignored her question.
The Empress intervened, explaining, “Nianzi accompanied her father on the northern campaign, so she has indeed rarely returned to the capital.”
Ah, now Mingtan understood. This was a more privileged version of Ming Chu.
And she had accompanied her father on the northern campaign. Given that Mingtan’s husband was the Prince of Beiding, it was possible that this County Princess Yongle had some connection with him from those years in the north.
Moreover, the County Princess’s words seemed to imply that a pampered young lady like Mingtan was unworthy of the Prince of Beiding, which was tantamount to suggesting that she herself was a better match.
Having discerned the root of the hostility, Mingtan felt confident in addressing it directly.
She sipped her tea gracefully and replied with a gentle smile, “The County Princess’s martial prowess and spirited demeanor are truly admirable. However, the young ladies of the capital have always looked to the Empress Dowager and the Empress as role models, learning how to be virtuous and demure, how to practice self-discipline and propriety, how to manage households and support their husbands from the home front. These pursuits are far from uninteresting.
“Moreover, His Highness spends his days in military camps, discussing strategy with his officers. When he returns home, I imagine he desires a peaceful refuge. As his wife, offering a warm meal, inquiring after his well-being, and engaging in casual conversation about domestic matters would likely bring him more comfort.”
Qu Nianzi was momentarily stunned, unable to formulate a rebuttal.
Wasn’t this Princess Consort of Beiding essentially pointing out her lack of manners and propriety? Yet she couldn’t argue, as the princess consort had invoked the Empress Dowager and Empress as shields.
What galled her even more was the implication in the princess consort’s words that Prince Beiding had no desire to discuss military matters with his wife, and that there were plenty of marital pleasures awaiting him at home. The message was clear: stop meddling in affairs that don’t concern you.
—
Meanwhile, in the Imperial Study, Emperor Chengkang tapped the desk with a newly approved document and asked with interest, “How’s married life? Now that you have a princess consort, you’ve finally settled down.”
Jiang Xu, standing with his hands behind his back, replied indifferently, “It’s nothing special, just somewhat troublesome.”
“…”
“Who asked if it was troublesome or not?”
Jiang Xu responded with a look that seemed to ask, “What else could Your Majesty be asking about?”
Emperor Chengkang was at a loss for words.
Never mind, he thought. It was a marriage of convenience to keep Ming Tingyan at a distance. Given Jiang Xu’s personality, expecting him to suddenly become enlightened after marriage was perhaps unrealistic.
After some thought, the Emperor continued, “I’ve heard your princess consort has quite a reputation among the young ladies of the capital. She’s the proper wife you’ve brought home, so you mustn’t neglect her.”
Jiang Xu responded with a noncommittal “Mm.”
He hadn’t objected to her spending five thousand taels yesterday, which he considered far from neglectful. However, her plans to renovate the prince’s mansion would cost nearly a hundred thousand taels, which seemed excessive. He made a mental note to admonish her about it when they returned home.
Unaware of Jiang Xu’s thoughts and seeing his apparent disinterest in discussing his new bride, Emperor Chengkang changed the subject to recent court affairs.
As noon approached, Emperor Chengkang and Jiang Xu left the Imperial Study together. Jiang Xu, not wishing to dine in the palace, went directly to Shoukang Palace to collect Mingtan.
As he arrived, he saw Mingtan following behind the Empress and others, emerging from the hall.
She was walking alongside County Princess Yongle, engaged in conversation, when she suddenly stumbled on the steps, apparently twisting her ankle. Her brows furrowed as she let out a soft gasp of pain.
Without hesitation, Jiang Xu stepped forward and swept her into his arms.
Qu Nianzi: “…?”
Emperor Chengkang, upon hearing this news in his own hall, was equally perplexed for a moment.