Transtor Xiaobai:

  Dear Readers,

  I hope this message finds you well. I know this year has been incredibly challenging for everyone, especially my U.S. readers. With talks of a recession and rising costs, I understand how hard it is to support yourselves and your families right now. No matter where your political views lie, I know we’re all feeling the strain.

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  “You mustn’t tire yourself either,” Wumian said with a gentle smile. “The Eldest Princess is still young and needs proper care. As her mother, no one worries about her more than you do. I can see you’ve grown a little thinner tely. Summer heat tends to dull the appetite—you must take good care of yourself.”

  “Many thanks for Your Majesty’s concern. Both the princess and I are well. Just yesterday, she even said that to have her mother thinking of her is her greatest fortune,” Guifei replied with a smile.

  Of course, that st part was nothing but empty words—something for the Emperor to hear.

  “As it should be,” Wumian said lightly. “For now, I won’t trouble her to come pay respects. Let her focus on resting well and preparing her body. She needs to be in good health when it’s time to be inocuted.”

  Those words…

  The Eldest Princess rarely came to pay respects to the Empress, after all.

  As the daughter of the principal consort, she should have been doing so every day.

  Guifei’s heart skipped a beat. She quickly replied, “Your Majesty is far too kind. Once the princess is well and past the inocution, I will certainly instruct her to come often to serve Your Majesty’s side.”

  Ying Qionglou, listening from the side, now understood.

  He interjected, “How is Yunu these days? I’ve not seen her in several days.”

  Yunu was the princess’s childhood name. She didn’t yet have a formal name or title.

  “Many thanks to Your Majesty’s concern. The princess has been well these past days,” Guifei replied. Just yesterday, the little girl was still asking for her father. But now, hearing her mother say this, who would believe it?

  “The inocution is important. You must make proper preparations,” Ying Qionglou instructed.

  “Yes.”

  “Speaking of which,” Wumian said casually, “I hear Guifei has already had people move into Rongkang Pace in advance? How many children from the imperial cn will be inocuted this time?”

  “There are six children in total,” Guifei answered neatly. “Including the princess, three girls, and three boys. The pace has been thoroughly cleaned and arranged, fresh and bright. I’ve already sent people to take shifts living in the rooms, ensuring every room is prepared. When the time comes, there will be no mistakes.”

  Wumian furrowed her brows slightly. “Your Majesty…”

  “What is it?” Ying Qionglou asked, sensing her hesitation.

  “I had someone inspect the wing next to Rongkang Pace,” Wumian said. “It’s newly renovated and comfortable enough. Should we arrange for the Eldest Prince to stay there?”

  Everyone froze at her words, especially Guifei.

  She had just listed six children, pointedly excluding the Eldest Prince. She had assumed the prince wouldn’t return to the pace at all.

  Even Ying Qionglou paused. “What does the Empress mean by this?” he asked, not in a questioning tone, but genuinely curious.

  Wumian wore an expression of mild confusion. “The Eldest Prince’s health has always been frail. He’s been recuperating for years. Wouldn’t it be better to have him inocuted separately from the others? After the procedure, children are lively by nature. If they py and bump about, it won’t be good for him. Rongkang Pace is rge enough—an extra child won’t make a difference.”

  For a moment, Ying Qionglou was speechless. The Empress was speaking as though it were only natural, as though she had never considered the possibility that the Eldest Prince wouldn’t return.

  As if the only thing on her mind was where he would stay once he did.

  “Your Majesty, perhaps the Empress is unaware,” Rong Fei spoke up cautiously after gncing at the Emperor’s expression. “The Eldest Prince’s health is fragile. He’s been recuperating at the secondary pace all this time. It’s uncertain if he will return at all.”

  Wumian frowned. “Is that not absurd? Recuperating at the secondary pace is well and good, but is inocution a trifling matter? Leaving aside the risks of the procedure itself, the recovery period is difficult. I’ve undergone it myself—I know well how one burns with fever, itches all over, and cries for company day and night. The prince is only nine years old. To leave a sickly child in the secondary pace for this… is that proper?” She spoke matter-of-factly.

  You all want to say I’m ignorant of the past, don’t you? Very well—I’ll act as if I truly know nothing. Whatever matters there were between you and the te Empress Shen, I neither know nor care.

  Guifei was caught in an impossible situation. If she agreed, it would be disingenuous, since she clearly did not want the prince to return. If she disagreed, it would seem callous—after all, he was the Emperor’s child.

  But saying nothing was no better—she was, after all, in charge of pace affairs.

  In the end, while everyone remained silent, Ying Qionglou finally said, “The Empress is thoughtful indeed.”

  “As the Empress, it is my duty to care for the children,” Wumian replied calmly.

  “There’s no need to rush the matter of the Eldest Prince. Have Rongkang Pace prepare an additional room,” the Emperor instructed.

  With that, the matter was settled.

  Guifei hastened to say, “I was careless in my considerations. I will immediately have the rgest room cleaned and prepared.”

  How contradictory.

  The rgest room had surely already been cleaned—she simply hadn’t intended to offer it to the Eldest Prince. It had been reserved for her daughter.

  Things were different now.

  Wumian smiled contentedly. “You’ve all worked hard. If there’s nothing else, you may go back. His Majesty and I haven’t even had breakfast yet.”

  The gathered dies promptly rose to take their leave.

  During the morning meal, Ying Qionglou couldn’t help but gnce at Wumian from time to time. After a while, she caught him looking and responded with a smile, picking up food for him.

  After breakfast, Ying Qionglou made no move to leave. Instead, he sat down and asked, half in jest and half in scrutiny, “Why is the Empress suddenly so concerned about the Eldest Prince?”

  “Your Majesty!” Wumian stamped her foot. “Must you always be on guard with me, just because I used to be ignorant? Besides, what was I before? A foolish girl, curious about everything. I am the Empress—is it so strange that I’d be curious about a prince I’ve never met? And now? Am I wrong to be concerned for him now? Surely, Your Majesty doesn’t believe I would harm the Eldest Prince if he returned?”

  She lifted her hand solemnly. “Heaven knows, if I ever harbor thoughts of harming the Eldest Prince, may I never receive Your Majesty’s favor in this lifetime!”

  Ying Qionglou chuckled despite himself. He had never heard anyone swear an oath like that before.

  Reaching out, he gently pulled her hand down. “This is the first time I’ve heard someone swear in such a way,” he remarked. Usually, weren’t people supposed to vow something like ‘may lightning strike me down’?

  “What does Your Majesty know?” Wumian huffed. “You’re biased—always biased toward Guifei, toward Li Fei, and never once toward your Empress. What can I do about it? I am your principal wife, the Empress, yet I married a husband so partial. If I can’t win your affection in this lifetime, what’s left for me but to grow old alone in an empty pace? Tell me, isn’t that a terrible enough oath?”

  Of course, that wasn’t what she truly thought. Whether he liked her or not, she was still younger than him. One day, when he was gone, she would be Empress Dowager.

  “If Your Majesty feels even that oath is not enough, then it’s not favoritism—it’s heartlessness.” She looked at him solemnly. “To me, this is no trivial matter.”

  Ying Qionglou’s lips quirked into a smile. He gave her hand a light squeeze. “When did I ever show such favoritism that the Empress bears such grievances?”

  Who would dare say that he favored others over the Empress? Only the Empress herself—and she said it without making him annoyed in the slightest.

  “The Third Prince is still young. The Second Prince’s health is frail. The Eldest Prince should return,” Wumian said softly. “Don’t worry. I’m not plotting anything against him. I’m only nineteen; he’s nine. I couldn’t possibly have borne him at ten years old. I just think… the more children in the pace, the better.”

  “Do you know why he lives in the secondary pace?” Ying Qionglou continued to hold her hand, voice soft.

  “I know.” Wumian lifted her eyes to meet his. “But what fault is it of a child? A boy is better off growing up under the Emperor’s eye—at least, that way, he can find his footing.”