Spring in the Hall of Paintings

With the imperial decree of the marriage arrangement issued, Yinzhen left the Forbidden City and returned to his princely residence. Next door, the Eighth Prince’s mansion was undergoing extensive renovations. Emperor Kangxi had decreed that the Eighth Prince, Yinti, was to establish his own residence before his wedding, meaning the ceremony would not be held in the Forbidden City but in his newly established princely estate. Since Yinti had been elevated to the rank of a Prince (Beile) and was also getting married, his mansion had to be built according to higher specifications. Kangxi had secretly instructed the Imperial Household Department to ensure a grand wedding, and they did not dare delay. They worked tirelessly to perfect every detail.

Yinti had always been known for his kindness and generosity, so the officials in charge of the renovations were more than willing to put in extra effort. Moreover, since he was marrying the legitimate daughter of Rongxuan, the commander of the Fengtai Camp, it was a powerful political alliance—one they dared not take lightly.

Upon entering his own residence, Yinzhen’s face showed no joy at having successfully requested Yun Lan’s hand in marriage. Instead, he frowned slightly. The reason? The Eighth Prince was simply more well-liked than he was. It was hardly surprising—who would willingly warm up to the cold, severe Fourth Prince? Few had the persistence or audacity of Yun Lan, who was bold and unafraid of his stern nature.

Even Yinzhen’s primary consort, Lady Nara, served him with great caution, always mindful not to provoke his displeasure. Lady Nara was calm, dignified, and managed the household with fairness and competence, ensuring that everything in the prince’s residence was in perfect order. None of Yinzhen’s concubines dared to act out in her presence. Her reputation for virtue was well established, and her position as the principal consort was secure. Though Yinzhen was emotionally distant, he maintained the household’s structure—he spent the first and fifteenth of every month in Lady Nara’s quarters, and most nights, he stayed there as well, giving her the respect and recognition due to the main consort. Aside from this unusual exception of taking Yun Lan as a side concubine, he had never broken protocol.

Lady Nara was two years younger than Yinzhen and in the prime of her life. While she was not as strikingly beautiful as Yun Lan, she exuded a calm and graceful dignity—precisely the reason she had been chosen to marry Yinzhen in the first place. A prince’s principal consort needed to embody composure and virtue above all else.

“Congratulations, Your Highness.” Lady Nara personally handed Yinzhen a cup of tea, smiling warmly. “Congratulations on gaining another beauty. I have heard of Tong Jia Yun Lan before, but I never expected His Majesty would grant her to you. It shows how much he cherishes you.”

There was not a trace of jealousy on her face, as if she were unaware of the deeper implications of the matter. She simply appeared genuinely happy for Yinzhen. She chuckled lightly and continued, “Your Highness, what do you think of Luoying Pavilion? It’s newly renovated and exquisitely designed. It’s located just past the moon gate, close to the main quarters, making it convenient for you to visit Yun Lan. At the same time, it’s near my courtyard as well, allowing her to come pay her respects and speak with me.”

Yinzhen nodded in agreement; he, too, felt that Luoying Pavilion was a suitable place for Yun Lan. Seeing this, Lady Nara’s smile deepened. “Since Your Highness approves, I will make the arrangements. Rest assured, I will make sure your cherished beauty is well taken care of.”

Yinzhen stood up, gently patting Lady Nara’s arm in a rare display of warmth. “And I will not mistreat my principal consort either,” he reassured her. “I trust you to manage the household affairs well.”

After Yinzhen left, Lady Nara sat on the heated brick bed, her smile vanishing. With a cold sneer, she muttered, “Tong Jia Yun Lan… I’d like to see what makes you so special that His Highness would be so infatuated with you—even at the cost of his princely title.”

“Madam, please have your medicinal tonic first,” said a sharp and capable-looking woman in her thirties, dressed in the attire of a senior maid. She carefully handed Lady Nara a bowl of herbal medicine. “Once you finish this dose, your treatment will be complete. I’ve been eagerly hoping for good news. Tong Jia Yun Lan is a fool. The Fourth Prince may be fascinated with her now, but that won’t last. She’s not worth harming your health over.”

Lady Nara took the medicine, her lips curling into a smirk. “You give her too much credit. No matter how much favor she gains, she will have to behave herself in front of me. I am the official wife, the legitimate princess consort of the Fourth Prince.”

Lady Nara pressed a hand against her lower abdomen. If she could conceive a child, she would rather sit back and watch the spectacle unfold—watching Yun Lan stir up trouble. Placing the empty soup bowl on the bedside table, she smiled confidently, fully in control. “Go and tell Lady Li that the promise made to her can no longer be fulfilled. His Highness has decided that Luoying Pavilion will be given to the newly arrived Side Concubine, Tong Jia Yun Lan.”

“I understand.” The senior maid chuckled knowingly, massaging Lady Nara’s shoulders as she spoke in a low voice. “Should we also arrange for Gege Wu (Low-ranking concubine), who entered the residence alongside the Side Concubine, to stay in one of the side rooms in Luoying Pavilion?”

“Do you even need to ask? His Majesty bestowed two beauties upon His Highness. Since they entered the household together, it shows they are fated to be companions. How could I possibly let that go to waste?”

Lady Nara smiled smugly. With Yun Lan and Wu Gege present, she could suppress the growing influence of Lady Li in the household. She was well-versed in balancing power within the residence. “And that’s just one part of the plan. To reach Luoying Pavilion, one must pass by the main residence. I refuse to believe that His Highness, who has always been strict about etiquette, would pass by my quarters without stepping inside. Even if I don’t spread the news, once Yun Lan is involved, others will take up my cause on my behalf. His Majesty will never favor Yun Lan. Even if he doesn’t stand up for me, will Imperial Concubine De in the palace or the Empress Dowager remain silent? Our prince is someone who values his dignity above all else.”

“Madam is truly wise. I will make all the arrangements. Side Concubine Tong Jia is as delicate as a budding flower—she needs to be handled with the utmost care. I will personally select a few meticulous and reliable attendants to serve her well. She will not be mistreated in the slightest.”

Lady Nara nodded in satisfaction, and the matter was settled.

Meanwhile, Yinzhen sat silently at his desk, staring at the imperial decree that had just arrived, officially promoting him to the rank of Beile (Prince of the Third Rank). His expression was unreadable. Was this the right choice? Or a mistake?

After a long pause, the corners of Yinzhen’s lips lifted slightly, and he leaned back in his chair. For Yun Lan, it was worth it. It was worth everything.

His gaze drifted to a silk handkerchief placed inside a small box on his desk. It didn’t belong to Yun Lan—it was from his eighth brother’s wife. Plum blossom embroidery? Yinzhen was curious about the design. Given Yun Wei’s cautious nature, she wouldn’t even take off her hat in public, and he had never actually seen her before. Yet, he was certain that the handkerchief wouldn’t bear a name.

After a moment of contemplation, Yinzhen closed his eyes. Immediately, Yun Lan’s radiant smile surfaced in his mind. He had taken Yun Lan from his eighth brother—the woman who wholeheartedly loved him and understood him best.

“Why? Why do I have to marry my cousin? I don’t want to! I don’t want to…” Jing Shu swept the cups and plates off the table, her eyes welling with tears. “I don’t like him! I don’t like my cousin!”

“Miss, hold your tongue!” Jing Shu’s wet nurse quickly covered her mouth, glancing around cautiously. She shot a cold, warning look at the maids standing nearby. “If I find out that any of you talk too much, I’ll have your skin peeled off. Now, leave!”

The maids curtsied and withdrew. Only then did the wet nurse release Jing Shu, her voice filled with disappointment. “Miss, how can you speak so recklessly? The Ninth Prince is a highly esteemed royal son, and His Majesty granting this marriage is a great honor. Saying you don’t like it—are you trying to slap the emperor in the face? Imperial Concubine Yi dotes on you like her own daughter, but if she hears these words, do you think she will care for you more than she does the Ninth Prince?”

Jing Shu sobbed into her wet nurse’s arms. “I didn’t want this… I really didn’t… I love him! Why… why did His Majesty grant Tong Jia Yun Wei to him instead? In what way am I inferior to her? Even compared to Yun Lan, I refuse to accept this!”

“There, cry it out, my lady. It will help.” The wet nurse sighed, stroking her back. “Some things are just not meant to be. A woman must learn to accept her fate.”

Jing Shu’s mother had passed away shortly after giving birth to her, leaving the wet nurse to raise her like her own daughter. Having once served as her mother’s maid, she had seen much of life in the prince’s manor and spoke with experience. “Miss, don’t blame the heavens or the earth. It’s just unfortunate that your mother left too soon. Though you grew up in the prince’s manor, you were always an outsider. Who would sincerely take care of your marriage arrangements? Our Prince’s Manor is no longer as influential as it once was.”

Prince An had long lost the emperor’s favor, and the struggle for the heir to the title had grown increasingly fierce, filled with endless scheming and power plays. As the granddaughter of the family by her mother’s side, Jing Shu had always been an outsider in the An Prince’s Manor. Out of respect for the emperor’s fondness for her and Imperial Concubine Yi’s favor in the palace, people still treated her well on the surface. But how many truly cared for her? If her mother had still been alive, she might have had a chance to send a message to the palace earlier, but now, as a young girl, who could she even confide in?

“Miss, the Ninth Prince genuinely cherishes you. The bond between cousins runs deep, and Imperial Concubine Yi will not only be your aunt but also your mother-in-law. His Majesty himself favors you. Marrying the Ninth Prince is the best outcome for you. Stop overthinking it. From this day forward, you are the Ninth Prince’s consort—the legitimate wife of a royal prince. No longer a lonely orphan dependent on Prince An’s household.”

Jing Shu wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. Why should Tong Jia Yun Wei be the one to marry the Eighth Prince?

She had seen Yun Wei during the imperial selection and never thought she was anything special. With growing resentment, she blurted out, “What makes her worthy of the Eighth Prince?”

“Because she is the daughter of Tong Rongxuan,” the wet nurse replied calmly. “Miss, Minister Tong bears the imperial surname Tong—he is related to the late Empress Xiaokangzhang, the emperor’s mother. He once saved His Majesty’s life and even protected a royal prince. Even if his daughter were completely unremarkable, she would still be married into a good family.”

Jing Shu was unwilling to accept it, but she had no choice. Especially after hearing that the Eighth Prince had been promoted to the rank of Beile (a prince of the third rank), she felt even more indignant. There was a difference between being a Prince’s Consort and a Beile’s Consort—the latter held greater prestige.

Yun Wei and Yun Lan sat in the carriage with the matriarch, Lady Jue Luo. Yun Wei was lost in her thoughts. She was now the principal consort of the Eighth Prince? The nervousness she had felt when facing Emperor Kangxi only now resurfaced in full force. Her legs felt weak, and her heart pounded as if it would leap out of her chest. Leaning against the carriage wall, her face was as pale as paper, making the matriarch’s heart ache.

Yun Wei had never experienced anything like this before, nor had she ever imagined she would be summoned before Kangxi. A single misplaced word during the audience could have cost her her life. The matriarch had been just as anxious, but thankfully, Yun Wei had carried herself with grace and propriety. Otherwise, the matriarch would have felt ashamed before the ancestors of the Tong family. With Yun Lan’s situation already causing a stir, if Yun Wei had displayed any trace of small-mindedness, the reputation of the Tong household would have been ruined. The military achievements that Rongxuan had risked his life to earn would have been diminished, even with today’s imperial favor.

“Sixth Sister, have some water.”

Yun Lan handed Yun Wei a cup of warm tea from the carriage, her voice filled with concern. “You look absolutely terrified. Sixth Sister, don’t worry. His Majesty favors you. In the future… in the future… I will always help you.”

“Lan girl, mind your words! Wei-girl is the rightful principal consort of the Eighth Prince. Who would dare mistreat her?”

The matriarch was displeased. Yun Lan had nearly dragged the entire Tong household into disaster. She had little fondness for the girl. However, Yun Lan was now officially recorded in the imperial registry as a side concubine to a Beile. The matriarch knew that Yun Lan was shrewd—she was not someone who would recklessly throw everything away simply for the sake of love for the Fourth Prince.

A thought nagged at the matriarch—perhaps the Fourth Prince would be even more powerful in the future? Yun Lan would never be foolish enough to give up the position of a principal consort just to become a secondary consort.

Both Yun Lan and Yun Wei had married into the imperial family, which was considered an advantageous match for the Tong household. They were now imperial daughters-in-law and thus the true mistresses of the Tong family. Even if the matriarch harbored resentment toward Yun Lan, she would never reveal it.

Yun Wei accepted the teacup with a polite, distant smile. “Thank you, Fourth Sister.”

Then, turning to the matriarch, she flashed a soft, sweet smile and gently shook her head. “Mamu, I’m fine.”