Nie Shaoguang sat alone in the teahouse for a long time. The number of pedestrians on the street gradually increased and then decreased, from noisy to deserted, just like the road she had walked. How glorious she was in the palace back then, but now she had nothing left. She had given her heart, body and youth to others, only to be abandoned in return. How could she just let go?
She simply couldn't be as indifferent as Chen Yifei.
Nie Shaoguang simply sat there, motionless, unaware of what she was seeing, thinking, or hearing. Even so, time continued to flow by at its own pace, regardless of her state.
As dusk fell and even the last rays of the setting sun faded, Nie Shaoguang finally got up slowly, feeling her legs go numb from sitting. Dragging her weary body and soul, she returned to the General's Mansion. Upon entering her boudoir, she was greeted by a letter delivered by someone sent by Empress Dowager Feng.
Remembering Chen Yifei's words that she was the one who was unwilling to accept it, Nie Shaoguang's hand, hanging at her side, clenched slightly. She wasn't wrong to be unwilling; she couldn't just marry someone else like that. Nie Shaoguang took the letter, dismissed her servants, and began to read it herself…
·
After Zhang Jin arrived in Tongcheng, she wrote a letter back to Lin'an. By then, it was already the scorching heat of July, and the summer heat had subsided considerably, making it cooler.
Empress Dowager Feng had been staying at the Hanshan Palace for over two months. Zhang Xin had asked Xia Mingzhe to accompany her and the child to the palace so that Empress Dowager Feng could see them. Xia Yucheng was so well-fed and adorable, a picture of joy and happiness. Empress Dowager Feng was instantly smitten.
“Such a good child, it would be nice to see him often. It's pitiful to see him only once, and to make the little baby ride in a carriage for such a long time. He's so young, how can he endure it? Just thinking about it makes my heart ache. I don't really feel sorry for you. They say grandparents love their grandchildren more, and it's definitely true.”
Empress Dowager Feng held a rattle drum in her hand and shook it to tease Xia Yucheng, who was being held in Zhang Xin's arms. Seeing Xia Yucheng's eyes crinkle with laughter and she look very happy, Empress Dowager Feng smiled even more broadly and talked to Zhang Xin.
Zhang Xin didn't know how to respond. She had mentioned to her sixth brother about bringing their mother back to the palace, but the thought of Ah Hao almost losing her life made her feel guilty. They were family, and their feelings were different; forgiving wouldn't be difficult. But Ah Hao…
Before those events, A-Hao had always held her mother in high esteem and was deeply grateful. But now, this very person wanted her dead—how could she possibly cope? Zhang Xin felt that her mother was ultimately in the wrong, and how much this had put her Emperor brother in a difficult position! A-Hao almost abandoned her Emperor brother!
Zhang Xin sighed inwardly, but smiled outwardly, "The journey is always smooth. He often falls asleep, so he doesn't seem to notice much. He really enjoys the scenery he sees along the way, and he wants to wave his little hands and feet. When he's a little older, he'll be able to come and visit his mother more often."
Knowing that Empress Dowager Feng hoped she would make the promise to persuade her sixth brother, Zhang Xin also knew she couldn't make that promise. If her mother hadn't made any mistakes, how could she be trapped in this palace? But Yu Cheng was her grandson, and she couldn't just not see him; he was over two months old, and this was only their first meeting.
Empress Dowager Feng continued to tease Xia Yucheng with a smile, as if she had not hinted at anything to Zhang Xin, and Zhang Xin had not refused anything either. After a while, she casually mentioned, "How is His Majesty these days? I haven't heard from him or seen him for a long time. As long as he is doing well, I am more at ease."
Zhang Xin responded with a smile, saying everything was fine. Then, remembering that her tenth brother was getting married to Ling Xiao next month, she mentioned it briefly. After all, it was a joyous occasion, and he was an elder, so informing him was perfectly acceptable. However, Zhang Xin did not mention that A-Hao was pregnant.
She used to worry about saying the wrong thing, but with Xia Mingzhe around, she could ask him beforehand and was more confident about what to say. Now, she can make her own decisions without hesitation, unlike before when she was impulsive and didn't often cause trouble.
"Xiao Shi is getting married now, which is a double blessing. Seeing you all doing well makes me happy too, otherwise I would always be worried and uneasy. Now that you have Cheng'er, you probably understand my feelings better than before. What mother doesn't want her child to be well? After all, they are a piece of her own flesh and blood."
Afterwards, Empress Dowager Feng rambled on and on about many similar things, to which Zhang Xin responded with a smile. Xia Mingzhe drank tea beside her, rarely interrupting. Occasionally, when Empress Dowager Feng asked him a question, he would answer it, neither humble nor arrogant, exuding a reliable and composed demeanor.
Zhang Xin and Xia Mingzhe spent the night at Hanshan Palace. The next day, after having breakfast with Empress Dowager Feng, they left. When Empress Dowager Feng woke up, her eyes were red and swollen. Her attendants vaguely revealed that she had cried several times during the night. Zhang Xin felt a little uneasy, but ultimately said nothing.
On the way back to Lin'an, Xia Yucheng slept gently in Xia Mingzhe's arms. Zhang Xin leaned lightly on his shoulder, her face full of sorrow, sighing repeatedly. Xia Mingzhe knew what she was thinking, so he took the initiative to say softly, "His Majesty has come to this point not only because of those things, so you don't need to feel guilty."
“After all, she’s the Empress Dowager…” Zhang Xin replied softly. She understood the reasoning, but what exactly were the things she didn’t know? Even Xia Mingzhe wouldn’t tell her, so perhaps it was better not to know. Zhang Xin sighed again, “With things turned out this way, Sixth Brother must be suffering too. Ah Hao is caught in the middle, which is also difficult. Fortunately…”
She thought it was fortunate that she lived alone with Xia Mingzhe and wasn't under anyone's control, and that Mr. and Mrs. Xia treated her politely. At least this superficial harmony was maintained, and without any conflicts, everything was fine. However, this prevented Xia Mingzhe from living with his parents to fulfill his filial duties. Running between the two places made it difficult to take care of them, especially since she became pregnant, which made it even more difficult for Xia Mingzhe to get away.
Zhang Xin thought for a moment, and it seemed she should praise and reward him? So she moved away from Xia Mingzhe's shoulder and sat up a little more upright. When Xia Mingzhe turned his head to look at her, Zhang Xin leaned in and kissed him, then leaned back on his shoulder and said with a smile, "I'm so glad I married you, I don't regret it."
·
Prince Ning ultimately decided on the eighth day of the eighth lunar month as the wedding day for the two of them, because Ling Xiao had made up a saying that "on the eighth day of the eighth lunar month, things will surely go well," which happened to be an auspicious day, so the timing was set quite smoothly.
To prepare for his marriage to Ling Xiao, Prince Ning rearranged his residence, even setting aside a courtyard specifically for Ling Xiao's pharmacy. She still liked these things; even if she didn't see many opportunities to use them now, it was always good to have them on hand.
The closer the wedding day got, the more excited Prince Ning became.
By August, Song Shuhao's pregnancy was showing. After two months of turmoil, things finally calmed down, and her symptoms lessened, making her feel much better. She still had some osmanthus tea left over from her usual preparations, and on a whim, she had it brought out, counting down the hours until Zhang Yu would be returning, wanting to brew some tea for him.
But whether it was due to unfamiliarity or a lack of concentration, he accidentally burned his hand. His Majesty the Emperor had always doted on the Empress, and now that she was pregnant, things were even more different; such a minor injury was unacceptable. The palace servants attending to her panicked instantly, fetching cold water, preparing ointments, and calling for the imperial physician.
The red mark was actually no bigger than a fingernail. Although it stung a little, it wasn't serious. Song Shuhao thought they were exaggerating and that calling the imperial physician was unnecessary, but she couldn't stop them in time. After washing it with cold water, she was applying a cooling ointment to the scalded area when Zhang Yu came in.
He had been in a good mood, a slight smile on his face, but these emotions vanished instantly when he saw that Song Shuhao seemed injured. Zhang Yu frowned and strode to Song Shuhao's side. The palace servants beside him immediately stepped aside, and then, at Song Shuhao's signal, they all withdrew.
After glancing at the red marks on Song Shuhao's hand and then at the items on the table, he basically understood what had happened. He couldn't help but say, "Why did you have to do all this yourself? It's fine now, but what if you really got burned?"
But she didn't realize she had become so useless that she couldn't even do the smallest things right.
Song Shuhao smiled and sighed, "I had hoped to brew a cup of tea with His Majesty, but even that's impossible now? It's none of anyone else's business, though." It was also out of concern that Zhang Yu would take his anger out on those unrelated that Song Shuhao had dismissed the palace servants. "Then what should we do?"
"Your well-being is more important than anything else." Zhang Yu sat down and finished brewing the tea that Song Shuhao hadn't finished. This was the first time he had done it; he was usually too lazy to do it.
Whether he was skilled or not was secondary; his movements were fluid and graceful. Zhang Yu was already extremely handsome, so there was no need for any other embellishment. The sight of his long, slender fingers resting on the delicate, lustrous celadon teaware was captivating. Even just this was enough to make one unable to look away.
Song Shuhao simply sat down beside him, resting her chin on her hand, watching him and admiring the scene before her. Zhang Yu, completely at ease, poured a cup of tea for her after brewing it, raising an eyebrow and asking, "Master, would you like to give your critique?"
After taking a sip of the tea, Song Shuhao looked at Zhang Yu. Seeing no expectation in his eyes, she smiled, as if she had thought about it carefully, and then said, "The aroma and aftertaste are insufficient, and the color is not clear enough. I think it can be improved after a few more tries."
Seeing her feign seriousness, Zhang Yu chuckled, and the words sounded familiar. He glanced at Song Shuhao suspiciously, then remembered, and immediately laughed, pointing at her with a helpless expression.
How long ago was that? Even though she was the one who taught Zhang Xin how to brew tea, he didn't belittle her, but rather gave an objective evaluation, yet she remembered it? Or did she suddenly remember it and use it on him?
Regardless of the circumstances, it was ultimately intentional.
Zhang Yu didn't argue with Song Shu. He poured himself some tea, not caring that it was too hot, and drank half a cup before putting it down. Then he said, "Now that the chosen locations for the academy have been set up, and Du Yuqing is in charge, there shouldn't be any major problems. After all, she has a lot of experience."
This was a long-planned project, entrusted to Du Yuqing because of her competence; otherwise, she wouldn't have been given such a prominent position. It was an opportunity, but not without risk; mishandling it would have serious consequences. Those who couldn't withstand the pressure might not dare to accept the assignment.
Establishing academies, especially providing opportunities for children from ordinary families to study, was no easy task. The idea that a woman's virtue lay in her lack of talent was deeply ingrained among the people. Yet, looking at the daughters of wealthy families, weren't they all learning music, chess, calligraphy, and painting from a young age?
If one could stand out among a group of noble ladies through talent and learning, one would often be admired and treated with special respect, and others would be willing to befriend her. If it were truly better to be without talent, why would things be like this? Clearly, it's not that simple.
“If everything goes smoothly, we can implement it in other places as well. However, there will be many obstacles in the first attempt, and we will probably encounter many problems. We can only improve it slowly,” Song Shuhao said. “But we can’t force people to study and write. Some people are just not interested and cannot concentrate on studying. Forcing them to study will probably not be very useful.”
"Even if there is an opportunity to enter the court as an official, it is a narrow path that is difficult to traverse. Wouldn't it be better to have other options? For example, learning medicine, embroidery, or handicrafts. Many poor people cannot afford medical treatment, and if they learn a little bit of medical skills, they will not be afraid of headaches and fevers. If one can have a skill, it is a way to earn money, and one can earn money, so one will not have to work so hard."
“Even if we can achieve these things, we still have to take it slowly.” Seeing that she was serious, Zhang Yu listened carefully before speaking, “If the relationship with Dayuan can be truly eased, a full opening of trade is something we can consider.” If it succeeds, it won’t be bad for Dayuan either, but that will depend on the abilities of Zhang Jin and the people who went to Dayuan with her.
Song Shuhao must have swindled a lot of money from Dayuan to be willing to invest so much in trying these things that were of unknown use or uselessness; otherwise, she would have been much more cautious.