The narrow alley.

Xie Shiyun stood there, facing four children who were about the same age as him.

He wore tattered clothes.

Those four wore bright, fine garments.

He was filthy and disheveled.

Those four were neat and clean.

Those four pairs of eyes stared at him, leaving him nowhere to hide.

Tingxue blocked the four children and spoke up. “Third Young Master Xie, why are you here?”

Xie Shiyun lowered his head. “I’ll leave right away.”

Over these past two months, he had opposed Xie Shi’an at every turn, so Xie Shi’an had cut off his food, clothing, and necessities, forbidding their grandmother from caring for him. He had become no different from a beggar.

He knew that as long as he admitted his fault to Xie Shi’an, Xie Shi’an would no longer treat him this way.

But he couldn’t do it.

His birth mother had been killed by Xie Shi’an. He couldn’t coexist peacefully with Xie Shi’an.

He only wanted to kill Xie Shi’an with his own hands one day.

But he was still too young.

He was only five years old.

He still needed to grow.

But he was starving to death.

Xie Shiyun turned around and walked out of the alley.

“Wait a moment.”

A soft, sweet voice sounded behind him.

The voice wasn’t loud, but he heard it. He immediately stopped and turned around to see a girl emerge from behind Tingxue.

The little girl who came out was none other than Chu Changsheng.

She took the basket filled with pastries from Xu Ti’s hands and walked toward Xie Shiyun with measured steps.

Tingxue immediately stepped forward and took hold of the little girl’s hand.

Although Xie Shiyun posed no real danger, the Xie Family members were inherently selfish and dark at their core. She wouldn’t allow any possibility of mishap to occur.

Chu Changsheng walked up to Xie Shiyun and held out the basket in her hands. “For you. Eat.”

Xie Shiyun couldn’t believe it. “For me?”

The little girl nodded vigorously. “If you eat, you won’t be hungry anymore.”

Xie Shiyun remembered a time long ago when this same little girl, nestled in her mother’s embrace, had given him a piece of pastry.

He reached out his filthy hands, took the basket, and said quietly, “Thank you.”

“Changsheng…”

Suddenly, Yun Chu’s voice came through.

Xie Shiyun’s body trembled. He clutched the basket tightly, turned, and ran.

When Yun Chu arrived, she only saw Xie Shiyun’s back disappearing around the corner.

“Mother, he’s so pitiful.” Chu Changsheng felt somewhat uncomfortable.

Chu Hongyu feigned indifference. “There isn’t a single good person in that Xie Family. Mother already married our father the prince, yet he still comes to pester her!”

Yun Chu picked up her little daughter. “Everyone in this world has their own path to walk. Your compassion won’t help them in any way.”

Ganlai reported news about the Xie Family every two or three days.

Xie Shi’an was now an advisor at Prince Gongxi’s manor and could earn some silver. He now had a voice in the Xie Family. When he said to cut off Xie Shiyun’s food and clothing, Yuan Shi truly didn’t dare intervene anymore.

Even Yuan Shi, his own grandmother, could disregard Xie Shiyun.

So what business was it of hers, an outsider with no blood relation?

As she said this, Xu Ti glanced at her.

He had first been at the charity hall the Princess Consort had established, which was how he could meet his current mother and have a warm home.

The Princess Consort was clearly a kindhearted person, yet she insisted on saying such cold words.

He wondered what exactly Xie Shiyun had done to make the Princess Consort withdraw her compassion.

After leaving Concubine Jiang’s home, Chu Changsheng’s mood remained somewhat low.

Yun Chu held her and said, “Imperial Grandmother has prepared some little palace maids for you. Tomorrow, Mother will accompany you to the palace to select them, all right?”

Imperial children all had companions of similar age at their side. Growing up together from childhood, they would later become the most loyal confidants.

Chu Changsheng shook her head. “I only like Xian.”

“Sister Xian is your friend. The ones we’re selecting this time are servants.” Yun Chu pinched her cheek. “Surely you don’t want Sister Xian to help you dress and wash?”

According to protocol, a princess should have at least one supervising matron, four first-class maids, eight second-class maids, plus a group of rough-work maids and servants at her side.

Previously, when Changsheng was young and in poor health, everything was handled by Nanny Zheng. Now that she was getting older, these attendants naturally needed to be gradually added.

Only then did Chu Changsheng nod.

Consort Yin usually had nothing much to do and had devoted all her energy to selecting servants. Over a dozen little palace maids aged five or six stood below the steps.

Although these palace maids were young, they understood the rules very well, having clearly been trained for a long time.

Chu Changsheng nestled in Consort Yin’s embrace and said softly, “Imperial Grandmother, you select for me. I don’t understand any of this.”

Consort Yin was fairly familiar with these little palace maids. With a few points of her fair finger, she settled on all the attendants.

“I’ve also found a teacher to instruct in the qin.” Consort Yin spoke with a smile. “After studying with this teacher for seven or eight years, our Changsheng will surely be the young lady with the finest qin skills in all the capital.”

Chu Changsheng blinked her big eyes. “Can I not learn it?”

Consort Yin spoke earnestly. “Qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting—you must learn them all. We’ll take it slowly.”

Chu Changsheng pouted. She didn’t like learning to play the qin.

She looked toward Yun Chu for help.

Consort Yin immediately said, “Don’t look at your mother. Even if she objects, it won’t work.”

Yun Chu spoke unhurriedly. “Mother Consort, did Princess Qinghua also learn these things back then?”

“Of course.” Consort Yin nodded. “Starting from age four, she had the most excellent teachers to learn everything a noble lady should learn. She never slacked off for even a single day.”

“Second Sister worked so diligently, yet the capital has never spread word of Second Sister’s talents.” A smile floated to Yun Chu’s lips. “Does Mother Consort know why that is?”

Consort Yin was suddenly struck speechless.

Yun Chu continued, “Changsheng likes painting. I’d like to ask Mother Consort to find a master of calligraphy and painting to teach Changsheng.”

Chu Changsheng immediately chimed in. “I want to become the young lady who paints the best.”

She lifted her small chin, her big eyes bright and shining, radiating spirit.

Consort Yin shook her head with a laugh. “Fine, we’ll do as you wish.”

Consort Yin worked quickly. In just five days, she found a female teacher skilled in painting.

Yun Chu had once purchased one of this female teacher’s paintings to hang in her study. It was a style she liked, and she herself attended two lessons.

Changsheng studied painting.

Brother Yu studied martial arts.

Time flew by, and it was the transition between spring and summer.

The weather gradually grew hot.

It was also at this time that the Crown Princess sent an invitation, inviting Yun Chu to the Eastern Palace to admire corn poppies.

The western courtyard of the Eastern Palace had the most corn poppies in all the capital. Every year during this season, when the corn poppies were in full bloom, the Crown Princess would widely invite people to come admire the flowers.

This circle was like that—today this person hosted, tomorrow that person hosted. There were always all kinds of banquets, just different ways of gathering together.

Yun Chu could decline other banquets, but she couldn’t decline invitations from within the palace.

Because last time at the imperial mausoleum, Changsheng and the Crown Princess’s several daughters had an unpleasant incident, this time when entering the palace, Yun Chu didn’t bring the children along.

The carriage stopped at the palace entrance. She followed a young eunuch to the Eastern Palace.

Just as she reached the entrance to the Eastern Palace, the Crown Princess came forward to greet her. “Third Sister-in-law, I should have hosted and invited you to the Eastern Palace for tea much earlier, but with so many mundane matters, it was delayed. I hope it’s not too late now.”

She was referring to the matter of apologizing at the imperial mausoleum last time.

Yun Chu revealed a polite smile. “Crown Princess, you’re too courteous. We’re all one family; there’s no need to be so formal about these things.”

The Crown Princess led Yun Chu inside. Quite a few people had already arrived at the Eastern Palace.