Chapter 18: Dining

Of course, Wen Qiao was still unaware of this matter, but by the time classes resumed in the afternoon, she would inevitably find out. Then, one could only imagine how she might mock Wen Qi in her heart.

After all, the Fourth Prince had been the first to fall from grace in the previous life, for he was both foolish and wicked. He was always coveting the palace maids, and on one occasion, he even reached out to someone close to Xiao Zheng.

Since it was only a palace maid, Xiao Zheng merely feared that if the matter were exposed, people would accuse the Fourth Prince of losing himself to debauchery. He had no intention of punishing him severely—he simply executed the maid, considering the matter closed. Yet, the Fourth Prince remained unrepentant and later committed adultery with one of Xiao Zheng’s consorts.

By then, Xiao Zheng was no longer young. His harem contained many consorts, all newly selected and each youthful and beautiful, like blooming flowers.

The Fourth Prince, unable to control his illicit desires, again violated a consort.

This time, Xiao Zheng was furious.

The emperor was naturally suspicious and sensitive by temperament; with age, he grew even more wary of such entanglements among his sons.

If word got out that a consort had been compromised by a prince, it would become a scandal for the royal family.

The Fourth Prince’s actions were a direct affront to Xiao Zheng, as if to tell everyone that the emperor was old, that even his consorts no longer believed in a future of happiness with him. Instead, they chose the princes, hoping through them to maintain their current life of comfort, honor, and wealth.

Once Xiao Zheng discovered this, the Fourth Prince swiftly fell from grace.

Lust, indeed, is a double-edged sword.

As of now, none of them knew the ultimate fate of the Fourth Prince. It was likely that Wen Qi only intended to use the Fourth Prince. Should anything actually befall him, she would sever all ties without hesitation—just as when Xiao Minghe ascended the throne and the entire Yongning Marquis household was wiped out. Even the family members who had grown up with her were discarded without a second thought. How much less would she tolerate an unstable alliance with someone as unreliable as the Fourth Prince?

Putting aside what happened after Wen Qi followed the Fourth Prince, when Wen Qiao returned to Chengfu Palace with Xiao Yunshu, Consort Cheng’s attitude was lukewarm. However, with Xiao Yunshu mediating, Consort Cheng’s demeanor toward Wen Qiao improved somewhat.

She was merely cautious, fearful that someone might harm her daughter.

Yet Wen Qiao’s intentions were not as simple as they appeared, which made Consort Cheng somewhat wary. After a meal, Wen Qiao’s words were sweet and deft; everything she said was pleasing to the ear. Between the lines, she constantly defended Xiao Yunshu’s interests, which naturally earned her some favor from Consort Cheng.

Indeed, the dining table is the best place to foster goodwill.

“If you could watch over Yunshu more in daily life, I would be at ease. Yunshu has been overly protected by me; she understands little of many things and acts on impulse when outside. Should anyone scheme against her in secret, she would be completely unaware. Having you around would give me some peace of mind. I see you are a good child, just a little overthinking, with no ill intentions. If you and Yunshu play together, I would not be so worried. I can tell Yunshu sincerely regards you as a friend; do not disappoint her trust.”

Consort Cheng lifted her teacup, swirling the foam on the rim as she spoke, her voice betraying no emotion.

“Your Highness flatters me. I am but a mere lady of the Marquis household, recently brought back from the countryside. In terms of status, the Sixth Princess is naturally more distinguished. I can see that the Sixth Princess truly treats me as a friend, and I would never betray her trust. Please rest assured, if anything happens to the Sixth Princess, I will not stand idly by. She is pure of heart and hates injustice; I see it all. Should trouble arise, I will be the first to protect her.”

Wen Qiao’s words sounded like empty formalities, but she spoke pleasantly enough that Consort Cheng was willing to hear her out.

Adding to this, after dining together that noon, Consort Cheng had gained a shallow understanding of Wen Qiao and could see she was no schemer.

It seemed that if Xiao Yunshu played with her, she might learn a lot as well.

Though Consort Cheng initially wanted to shield Xiao Yunshu from such affairs, as the siblings grew older, she had no choice but to let Yunshu be aware of these matters. Otherwise, if the Empress were to deploy some sinister scheme, she feared Yunshu would be unprepared.

Fortunately, Wen Qiao was perceptive and could offer Yunshu some guidance, preventing her from being caught off guard.

At that moment, Xiao Yunshu was away, having returned to her private chambers to fetch some gifts for Wen Qiao.

She was generous by nature and deeply beloved by the Emperor and Empress Dowager, so she had no shortage of fine things.

Although she often brought Wen Qiao small trinkets for school, those had been casual gifts. This time, with Wen Qiao visiting Chengfu Palace for the first time, it would be improper to send her away empty-handed. She planned to find something special to present.

In other words, Consort Cheng was unaware of the conversation just held between her and Wen Qiao.

When Xiao Yunshu returned, the atmosphere was harmonious once more, as if nothing had been said.

“Big Sister Qiao, I’ve long wanted to give you these gifts but never had the chance. The Head of the Secretariat’s office is very strict. If I took these trinkets out, Master would scold me for wasting time on toys, and Father might reprimand me again. So I never dared bring them earlier. Now that you’re here, I’m giving them all to you. When you return home, you can play with them at your leisure. Especially this little glass piggy—it's my favorite. I always keep an eye on it to feel at ease. Now I give it to you, Sister. When you come back to the palace after some time, don’t forget I’m here waiting to play with you! I hope this piggy, like me, will keep you company.”

Consort Cheng watched quietly, smiling but saying nothing, which made Xiao Yunshu a bit embarrassed as she scratched her head.

Although she had never hesitated to show her feelings before Consort Cheng, this sudden attention made her somewhat shy.

“Oh, that glass piggy looks familiar. Didn’t your Eighth Sister ask for it last time, and you refused? She cried and made a fuss then, and now you’re giving it to Wen Qiao. Aren’t you afraid Eighth Sister will be angry if she finds out?”

Consort Cheng teased lightly.

Hearing this, Xiao Yunshu pouted and ran over, tugging on Consort Cheng’s arm, fully embodying the spoiled youngest daughter.

“That was always my toy. I hadn’t decided to give it away then. Besides, Eighth Sister has her own favorite things, so I never asked her for hers. When she asked me, I naturally said no. But Sister Qiao is different—she’s beautiful and kindhearted. Giving these to her makes me happy. Even if Eighth Sister asks, I’m not afraid. She’s just a crybaby who only knows how to cry.”

Xiao Yunshu had evidently been well taught by Consort Cheng; unlike many spoiled princes and princesses, she cared little for others’ opinions. If she liked something, she demanded it outright, or else took it without concern for the original owner’s feelings.

Princesses like Xiao Yunshu were truly rare.

For example, the Eighth Princess had wanted that glass piggy. If the Sixth Princess had not been more favored by the Emperor and Consort Cheng more beloved than her mother, the Eighth Princess might have just snatched it.

Even though she did not get the piggy, her subsequent crying and fussing were attempts to coerce Xiao Yunshu into giving it up.

But Xiao Yunshu’s temper was firm—she neither yielded nor indulged her, nor feared an appeal to the Emperor.

If the Eighth Princess ever learned that Xiao Yunshu gave the piggy to Wen Qiao, she would likely sulk for days.

Wen Qiao recalled that, in her previous life, the Eighth Princess had not fared well. She had been sent away to marry on behalf of the crown prince and died in a foreign land, never again seeing the capital.

Such was the fate of princesses married off to foreign tribes: once they crossed the borders, they could not return at will.

“The Sixth Princess is straightforward. I imagine the Eighth Princess has many fine things and surely wouldn’t quarrel with the princess over such trivial matters. Fortunately, the princess is well-raised by Your Highness and does not cry and fuss like the Eighth Princess, or I would have my hands full.”

Though it was improper for anyone to gossip about the princess in private, Consort Cheng found Wen Qiao’s words reasonable and did not reprimand her.

Indeed, she took pride in raising such sensible children who would never bully others.

If Xiao Yunshu were unaware of Consort Cheng’s thoughts, she might already feel a bit guilty.

Wen Qi’s behavior was an unexpected complication; she had been far too obvious in her scheming, wearing the guise of a sweet and innocent girl, which made anyone witness her antics want to say a few words.

Consort Cheng did not yet know what kind of person Wen Qi truly was; if she did, she would surely show her a cold face.

Consort Cheng had heard of the incident that morning at the Secretariat’s office. All consorts with children sent them there for schooling. To keep tabs on any disturbances, consorts placed their own people there. Even those without children arranged beforehand so their people could be stationed and their children inserted when born, sparing the trouble of excuses later.

The princes and princesses started learning early—at four, beginning to recognize simple characters, and at five, moving into the princes’ quarters. From then on, they rose at five each morning to study at the Secretariat’s office. This was an ancestral rule to prevent the children from becoming overly dependent on their mothers and unable to live independently.

“I heard the Sixth Miss’s younger sister was late to school at the Secretariat’s office today. I don’t know the details; the rumors are vague. I’d like to hear what actually happened. If it’s convenient, please tell me—I’ll take it as entertainment.”

Since Consort Cheng asked, there was no reason not to tell her, as it was no secret.

“This matter is partly my fault for not explaining clearly to Seventh Sister. She got up early this morning and waited in my courtyard, hoping to enter the palace with me. I had just risen and told her to wait a bit longer. When we were about to leave, Third Brother said she had no attendant and worried she wouldn’t be cared for, insisting we summon her two personal maids. Time was pressing, so I told them to hurry. But Third Brother misunderstood me, thinking I meant Seventh Sister couldn’t ride with me in my carriage. He is very fond of her and insisted she ride in his carriage instead. We were already delayed, and the court officials were preparing for assembly. If we delayed further, I too would be late. So I told Third Brother and Seventh Sister. However, Third Brother ignored my words, suspecting I was trying to deceive them and refused to let Seventh Sister ride with me. Left with no choice, I took my two maids into the palace, which led to what happened afterward. It’s not Seventh Sister’s fault; it was her first day at the Secretariat’s school, and she was unaware of palace rules. I thought, after so many days of learning etiquette at home, the wet nurses would have informed her of the school schedule. This was my oversight, whether due to the nurses or her own inattention, I cannot say.”

Feigning innocence was not Wen Qi’s exclusive tactic; Wen Qiao could adopt it as well. Since Consort Cheng asked, she lowered herself accordingly.