Spring in the Hall of Paintings

Yun Wei spent some time with Fucha, who carefully checked her over to make sure everything was fine before she could relax. Afterward, she instructed the servants to bring out the food that had already been prepared. Qi Mama said, “Miss, you may not know this, but Madam has been worried about you. She hasn’t eaten, and the Master’s appetite has decreased significantly.”

“Mother, how could you not take care of yourself?” Yun Wei looked at the food that had been brought out, all of it her favorite. She picked up her chopsticks and placed some crystal elbow meat on the plate in front of Fucha. This was something both of them liked. Fucha glanced at Qi Mama, silently scolding her for talking too much. Qi Mama smiled faintly, tapping her lips, and Fucha softly said, “Eat, eat.”

Clearly, the mother and daughter had forgotten the rule of not speaking while eating. After finishing their meal, Yun Wei and Fucha leaned back on the kang and chatted. Fucha gently stroked her daughter’s head. Yun Wei sat up and said, “Mother, I need to go visit Mamu. She must be thinking about her granddaughter too.”

“Mm, go ahead. Come back quickly. I’ll be waiting for you,” Fucha said with a slight twinge of sadness in her heart, as if her precious daughter was no longer hers. Yun Wei put on her soft shoes and gave her mother a sweet smile. “Mother, I’ll be back soon.”

Since Yun Wei returned home, the composed old lady had been in a state of unease. She had considered sending a servant to call Yun Wei several times but had held back. Fucha loved Yun Wei dearly, and the old lady was well aware of it. She didn’t want to disturb their mother-daughter bonding, but she was still secretly anxious. Chen Mama shook her head and said, “Mistress, if you’d like, I can go.”

The old lady’s eyes brightened, but she slowly shook her head. “No, no, I’m her grandmother. Does she dare not come see me? Be careful, or I’ll have her punished.”

“Of course, of course. The Sixth Miss will definitely come to visit you. You’re the matriarch of the Tong family,” Chen Mama said just as the sound of a servant greeting came from outside. “Sixth Miss, good day.”

The old lady’s smile deepened, and she looked triumphantly at Chen Mama. “See? I knew Wei would come.” Chen Mama raised her thumb, silently chuckling to herself about who had been restless just moments ago.

“Greetings, Grandmother.” Yun Wei curtsied lightly, but before she could finish, the old lady pulled her into her arms, looking at her with a tender expression, like a precious gem. “Wei, you’ve lost weight.”

“Mamu, it’s just that I missed one meal, how could I have lost weight?” Yun Wei leaned gently into the old lady’s embrace and softly asked, “Have you eaten?”

“I have, I have.” The old lady looked carefully at Yun Wei and, seeing that she was in good spirits, let out a sigh of relief. “Neither you nor your mother have gone through the selection process, but I’ve heard about it from Yang Mama. I’m so worried, I fear my little girl might be bullied.”

“Mamu, don’t worry. Father is a nobleman, and the people in the palace know how to behave. They won’t treat my granddaughter unfairly. Besides, I’m clever and will never suffer. The initial selection is only the beginning; the second round will have us stay in the palace for half a month. Don’t let your concern for me make you worry yourself sick.”

The old lady sincerely hoped that Yun Wei would be eliminated during the initial selection. After all, she trusted the Fucha family, knowing their background well. Later, she would request a marriage alliance from the palace. Yun Wei’s father, a newly elevated noble and loyal marquis, would ensure that the Fucha family wouldn’t treat Yun Wei poorly. Given Yun Wei’s charming personality, it would be hard for others to dislike her. The old lady sighed softly, “The second selection? The second selection… I was foolish. Wei, after experiencing this, you will become wiser. Once you pass this hurdle, there will be nothing that can hinder you in the future. But during the second selection, when you’re in the palace, be extra cautious.”

“Mm,” Yun Wei nodded. The old lady then asked, “Wei, now that you’ve been to the palace, do you like it?” The Forbidden City was the most noble and prosperous place under heaven. Yun Wei, with clear eyes, shook her head. “If you ask me if I like the palace, I would say I do. The Forbidden City is grand and magnificent, with pavilions, towers, and palaces that are exquisitely beautiful. The eunuchs and palace maids are everywhere, and I imagine that the empresses in the palace must command servants to attend to them, living in luxury, where a single call would have a hundred voices answering.”

“Sometimes, I wonder what kind of life that is. But when I think it through, I still prefer my current life. Fourth Sister once said, ‘One’s position determines one’s responsibilities.’ I’m not smart enough to want to bear too much responsibility, and in the palace, competition for favor is inevitable. I don’t like that.”

The old lady gazed at Yun Wei for a moment before smiling. “Silly girl, I could never bear to send you to such a place.”

Yun Wei chatted with the old lady for a long while. The old lady understood that Fucha was concerned about her, and even though she was reluctant to let Yun Wei go, Chen Mama brought in some tea and said, “Mistress, there’s still plenty of time. The second selection is still half a month away.”

The old lady calmly stirred the tea leaves, her face serious. “Until Wei’s future is settled, my heart will remain uneasy, especially these past few days. I keep feeling like something bad is about to happen.”

Chen Mama, who had been by the old lady’s side, knew of her unease and shared Yun Wei’s concern, trying to offer a weak smile. “You’ve been overworked lately. Once the Sixth Miss is in front of you, you’ll feel at ease. With the Second Master’s title, the Emperor will surely take that into consideration.”

“I hope I’m just overthinking things,” the old lady sighed. Yang Mama entered, lifting the curtain and looking around. Chen Mama, understanding, instructed the servants to leave and personally stood guard at the door. The old lady asked, “What’s going on? You look troubled.”

“There’s something I need to tell you, so you’ll be prepared.”

Yang Mama looked serious. The old lady knew that if Yang Mama was coming from the palace, it wasn’t a simple matter. Though the old lady usually feigned ignorance, she knew that with Rongxuan now in control of the military, it would be strange if the Emperor didn’t take people from the Tong family into consideration. The old lady took a deep breath and said calmly, “Speak, I’m listening.”

“I don’t know how it started, but now there’s a rumor circulating in the palace. They’re saying that the Tong family will definitely produce an Empress or a noble consort for the prince.”

“What? Is it Yun Wei?” The old lady shook her head. “No, no, it must be Yun Lan, whose reputation is greater.”

Yang Mama nodded. “I’ve heard that the Second Master praised the Fourth Miss in front of the Emperor. The Emperor had already planned for the Fourth Miss to marry the prince when he was in the northwest. This marriage alliance is a special favor from the Emperor to the Tong family.”

The old lady’s arm trembled, spilling tea from the cup and scalding her wrist, but she didn’t mind the pain. Her brow furrowed deeply, “If it were a favor from someone else, that would be one thing, but it’s Yun Lan. That girl is so stubborn… she’s… she’s…”

Because the information had been well-contained, Yang Mama didn’t know that Yun Lan had secretly given her heart to the Fourth Prince, swearing she would marry no one else. The old lady couldn’t speak of it yet. Seeing the old lady’s discomfort, Yang Mama sensed something was off. The old lady, twisting her prayer beads, relaxed her furrowed brows and returned to her usual calm demeanor, “It’s the Emperor’s grace. Lan has great fortune, being chosen as the prince’s legitimate consort is an immense honor.”

“It’s good that you think so. I’ve always said the Fourth Miss would marry well. I never expected the Emperor to arrange a marriage with the prince.”

Yang Mama knew the old lady cherished Yun Wei the most. The two granddaughters had different fates awaiting them in marriage, which wasn’t clear yet. But when they married and returned after their wedding, their statuses would become evident. Before marriage, one’s father’s rank mattered, but after marriage, it was all about the husband’s position. If Yun Lan became the prince’s legitimate consort, she would instantly become the mistress of the Tong family, and not just Yun Wei, even the old lady would have to bow to Yun Lan. Knowing how much the old lady prized her, Yang Mama advised, “If the Tong family produces a legitimate consort for the prince, it’s the Emperor’s grace. Anyone thinking of causing trouble for the Tong family will have to think twice.”

“Is this really certain?” the old lady asked. Yang Mama paused, then quietly replied, “If I didn’t have at least a 90% certainty, I wouldn’t have mentioned it.”

“Good, I understand. It’s a blessing for the Tong family, a blessing for Lan. I’ll wait for the Emperor’s marriage decree.”

The old lady spoke a few more words, her face showing signs of exhaustion. Yang Mama, understanding, excused herself. After Yang Mama left, the old lady suddenly sat up straight from the couch, her voice stern as she ordered, “No one in the Tong family is allowed to speak of Lan’s matter, go and tell Rongxian and Jing Yi to keep their mouths shut. If any rumors about Lan and the Fourth Prince get out and bring trouble to the Tong family, I won’t spare them.”

“Yes.”

The old lady gritted her teeth, her eyes dark with anger, and said, “I know Rongxian too well. She has weak ears and is easily influenced. Jing Yi is the kind of girl who plays clever tricks but has no sense of the big picture. She only thinks of herself, never considering the life or death of the Tong family. Jing Yi sees the Tong family as a stepping stone for a good marriage. What’s even worse is Rongxian, who listens to everything her precious daughter says. She’s truly blind and foolish. I can’t let the Tong family be ruined by them. Go and summon Rongxian. Tell her I’m unwell and need her to come attend to me. Without Rongxian, Jing Yi will be easier to handle.”

“Yes, I will go right away.”

Chen Mama understood the urgency of the situation. The old lady rubbed her head and whispered, “By the way, also call Rongzhi’s wife and Lan over. The matter of the Tong family producing a legitimate consort can’t be kept secret for long. We need to give them a hint first. Lan will never settle for being a side concubine when she could be the legitimate one.”