When all was said and done, he still had his heart set on Ling Jingshu.
Empress Xu could not help but shoot Prince Yan another glare: “What kind of spell has that Ling Jingshu cast over you, that you fixate on her so obsessively?”
Prince Yan smiled shamelessly: “Imperial Mother need not concern yourself with that — I simply like her. Imperial Mother said just now that one woman is of little consequence and does not affect the greater picture. Since that is the case, I will follow my heart and take her into my household.”
Before Empress Xu could glare at him, Prince Yan immediately continued: “Imperial Mother, rest assured — I know what matters. I will marry Miss Wang first; only after the principal consort is with child will I take a side consort. Even if I favor her somewhat more afterward, I will never do anything so scandalous as disregarding the wife in favor of a concubine.”
“Glib words — utter nonsense!”
Empress Xu was not so easily fooled, and said with a cold laugh: “You are flesh of my flesh — do you think I do not know your character and temperament? These past two years there has been no shortage of beautiful women around you; when have you ever given this much thought to a single one of them? If you are truly indulged in this, who knows what it would come to.”
If Empress Xu truly let Prince Yan have Ling Jingshu brought into his household, which one he would favor would be entirely as Prince Yan pleased. Even as the mistress of the Six Palaces and Prince Yan’s own mother, she would have no grounds to interfere in the inner affairs of Prince Yan’s residence.
What Prince Yan was saying now was merely to coax her into agreeing first.
Prince Yan’s scheme had been seen through, yet he showed not a trace of shame; he said with perfect boldness: “Imperial Mother, I have already agreed to marry Miss Wang — Ling Jingshu entering the household would only be as a side consort. What more is there to be dissatisfied about?”
Without waiting for Empress Xu to speak, he added with a hint of displeasure: “And I am not the only one with my eye on her. If I am too slow, I may not get what I want.”
A glimmer passed through Empress Xu’s eyes; she smiled and raised the corners of her lips: “You speak of the Crown Grandson?”
This Ling Jingshu — quite something, indeed. Only a few months in the capital, and she had already bewitched both the Crown Grandson and Prince Yan.
“Who else could it be.” Prince Yan gave a light scoff, and his tone held a trace of indignation: “And he had the advantage over me — he once rescued Ling Jingshu on the road to the capital.”
That life-saving grace — it is the easiest kind of thing to give rise to feelings between a man and a woman.
Empress Xu shot Prince Yan a somewhat impatient look: “Your thoughts should be on important matters. Spending all your time brooding over these romantic affairs — what kind of ambition is that?”
She paused, then said with imperious confidence: “You are His Majesty’s most beloved youngest son. You are also my only son. The Crown Grandson cannot compete with you.”
Both throne and beauty would belong to Prince Yan!
Prince Yan heard the softening in Empress Xu’s tone and felt a quiet satisfaction inside. In his pleasure, his words became somewhat more uninhibited: “With Imperial Mother’s assurance, your son is at ease. Come to think of it, taking Ling Jingshu as my wife would also serve a good purpose — it would spare that Wei Yan from harboring intentions of his own in silence…”
Empress Xu’s smile imperceptibly stiffened. A flash of cold ferocity crossed her eyes. Feigning nonchalance, she cut Prince Yan off: “Your words are increasingly without restraint. Fair and gentle ladies attract upright men’s hearts. A young woman so beautiful and clever — is it right that only you should like her, while no one else may admire her?”
“Imperial Physician Wei is already twenty-four this year. At such an age, still unmarried — how anxious Wei Jieyu must be. Even His Majesty occasionally inquires about his marriage. If Imperial Physician Wei and Ling Jingshu were to genuinely care for each other, it would be a fine match.”
Those words were spoken with all the lofty grace of a mother of the nation.
“Imperial Mother is right — I misspoke just now.” Prince Yan immediately bowed his head and admitted his fault. Yet a deep, unmistakable flash of contempt passed through his eyes.
Empress Xu’s words sounded fine enough, yet her actions were another matter entirely. If not for Empress Xu’s interference from behind the scenes, how would Wei Yan have remained alone all this time?
The bestowed marriage of years past — and then the violent death of Lüzhu — both had been the doing of Empress Xu herself.
Did she truly think no one could see through those schemes she kept hidden from the light?
Empress Xu suddenly lost all interest in further conversation, and said in an offhand manner: “I am somewhat weary today — you may go for now. As for the matter of Ling Jingshu, I have my own plans. In the coming days you are not to go and see her; it would be better not to let rumors spread, lest the Marquis of Ping’s household hear of it.”
Prince Yan acknowledged the instruction and took his leave from Jiaofang Palace.
……
After noon had passed, Xin Yun escorted Ling Jingshu out of the palace and back to the Ling residence.
Bai Yu had waited in the side hall for half a day and had a whole belly full of things to say. However, with Xin Yun present, she could not speak freely. She silently took the brocade and the lacquered box that had been bestowed by Empress Xu.
Not a word was exchanged along the way.
Upon arriving at the Ling residence, Xin Yun did not linger and immediately returned to the palace to report.
Sun Shi, Jiang Shi, Ling Jingyan, and Ling Xiao had been waiting with their necks craned, and finally Ling Jingshu was back. Almost at once they crowded around her, all talking at the same time with a flurry of questions.
“A’Shu, you saw Her Ladyship the Jieyu today, didn’t you? How did she treat you?”
“A’Shu, did you see Princess An’ya?”
“A’Shu, were these brocade lengths bestowed by Her Ladyship the Jieyu?”
……
Ling Jingshu answered each question patiently: “Her Ladyship the Jieyu has a gentle and amiable temperament and is very warm toward others. I also saw Princess An’ya — she has not yet recovered and is still resting in bed. These brocade lengths were bestowed by Her Majesty the Empress.”
What? Ling Jingshu had also met Empress Xu?
Everyone was taken aback.
Ling Xiao’s face showed little joy; instead, he furrowed his brow: “Why did Her Majesty the Empress suddenly summon you?” And she had even bestowed gifts — this particular attention she had been shown felt, for some indefinable reason, unsettling.
Not wishing to worry Ling Xiao, Ling Jingshu put on an air of ease: “Her Majesty the Empress also heard about Princess An’ya falling into the water. When Princess Changping visited the palace, she praised me before Her Majesty twice, and Her Majesty was curious and summoned me to Jiaofang Palace for an audience. Rest easy — I conducted myself well today, and Her Majesty has a very good impression of me. Not only did she bestow gifts, she also told Her Ladyship the Jieyu to summon me into the palace often.”
Everyone was both astonished and delighted.
The delight was that Ling Jingshu had this fortune; the astonishment was precisely the same thing.
Whether Wei Jieyu or Empress Xu — both were people of a status far beyond their reach. If Ling Jingshu were frequently summoned into the palace, it would be an immense distinction. Yet one misstep, one offense given to the palace’s great personages, and it would be a calamity the Ling family could not bear.
Sun Shi’s heart was a mixture of joy and worry, but she put a smile on her face: “That Her Majesty the Empress and Her Ladyship the Jieyu look upon A’Shu with such favor — all of this is A’Shu’s good fortune. To have the opportunity to enter the palace in the future is a blessing others could not even beg for. A’Xiao, do put your worries to rest.”
She also said to Ling Jingshu with a smile: “A’Shu, since Her Majesty has said so, it seems she will summon you to the palace from time to time. You must take care to dress properly. Tomorrow I will have someone come and have new dresses made for you, and I will also pick out some fine accessories.”
Ling Jingshu did not decline, and smiled her thanks.