It was the morning after Xu Junjun learned that Huo Qiming intended to take Chen Yue'er as his concubine. She was focused on her breakfast when Chunlan, the head maid she had recently promoted, leaned in to whisper the latest household scandal: last night, Huo Qiming had emerged from the Old Madam’s courtyard with his head covered in blood.
Xu Junjun let the words go in one ear and out the other. It was only when Chunlan mentioned that Chen Yue'er had stayed at the Tingfeng Courtyard until the small hours of the morning to care for Huo Qiming that she finished the final spoonful of her shredded chicken porridge.
"In the future, there is no need to report anything regarding the Tingfeng Courtyard to me. However, if there is the slightest movement from Grandmother’s side, notify me immediately. Come now, let’s change; I’m going to accompany Grandmother in copying Buddhist scriptures."
Xu Junjun had no patience for listening to how Huo Qiming and Chen Yue'er were playing at being lovebirds. In six months at most, she would be out of this wretched place. By then, even if Huo Qiming and Chen Yue'er were to streak through the entire Capital, it would have nothing to do with her.
Chunlan stared at her mistress, frustrated by her indifference. "Young Madam, the cousin has already gone to care for the Young Master herself; aren't you worried? Why don't you simmer some tonic soup and go pay him a visit?"
As Xu Junjun stepped out of the room, she heard this and let out a mocking laugh. "Huo Qiming drinking soup stewed by my own hands? Does he even deserve it?"
Huo Qiming had been disfigured on his forehead and hadn't gone to the military camp for two days of training. Since he remained in the manor, Chen Yue'er went to the Tingfeng Courtyard daily to play chess and practice swordsmanship with him; their mutual affection was enough to make anyone envious. Xu Junjun remained completely unmoved, continuing her routine of going to the Old Madam’s courtyard to chant scriptures and pay respects to Buddha, maintaining an air of tranquil detachment. Chunlan, however, was so anxious that she developed several fever blisters on her lips.
On the third day of Huo Qiming’s recovery at home, an imperial decree arrived, granting him ten days of rest, after which he was to lead twenty thousand troops to the border to suppress the Xiongnu. Once the decree was issued, the Old Madam had no time to spare for Chen Yue'er. She spent her days anxiously urging Huo Qiming to drill his troops, then knelt in the prayer hall, clutching a peace talisman and chanting scriptures for his protection. Influenced by the Old Madam, Xu Junjun would occasionally join her, idly clutching a peace talisman of her own. However, she was not praying for Huo Qiming’s safety, but for Jiang Wumei’s.
The day before Huo Qiming left the Capital, Jiang Wumei sent Qingzhi to deliver a letter to Xu Junjun. After reading it, Xu Junjun’s pupils constricted slightly, and she sat at her desk to dash off a reply. Once finished, she handed the letter, along with some Health-Preserving Pills and the peace talisman, to Qingzhi to take back to the Crown Prince's Mansion.
When Qingzhi returned, Jiang Wumei had just finished meeting with the various stewards of the Crown Prince's Mansion. She encountered Qingzhi as the stewards were taking their leave from the warm chamber.
"Your Highness, I have delivered the letter to the General's Wife. These are the items she asked me to bring back," Qingzhi whispered as she presented the gifts to Jiang Wumei.
Jiang Wumei gave a soft "mm," burned the letter after reading it, and took out the peace talisman. After stroking it for a moment, she placed it into her personal sachet and instructed Qingzhi to put the Health-Preserving Pills away.
As noon approached, just after finishing her lunch and preparing for a short nap, a report came that the manor’s purchasing steward requested an audience. Qingzhi brought him in, and Jiang Wumei noticed the steward was carrying an exquisite and unusual cage. A beautiful silver lock hung on the door, drawing the eye immediately. When she saw what was inside, her eyes lit up: a fuzzy, whimpering little creature—was that a white tiger cub?
"Greetings, Your Highness. May you be blessed with peace and good health." After kneeling to pay his respects, the steward presented the cage with both hands, his face wrinkled in a broad smile. "Last time, Miss Qingzhi mentioned that Your Highness wished to keep a little pet to pass the time, so I kept an eye out. It just so happened that last month, the white tiger His Highness hunted gave birth to a cub, which seemed perfect. I thought Your Highness might like it, so I brought it for you to see."
"Qingzhi, hurry and bring the little thing here for me to see," Jiang Wumei said, straightening her posture with anticipation. Before she had died in her previous life, she had kept two cats at home; she had no resistance to anything fuzzy. Seeing the adorable white tiger cub, she longed to reach out and dote on it.
The steward opened the cage, and Qingzhi stepped forward, gently lifting the cub and placing it into Jiang Wumei’s hands. The steward had cleaned the cub well before entering the chamber. Jiang Wumei cradled the little creature, breathing in its milky scent. Her eyes sparkled with joy as she stroked its smooth head and tapped its little tiger stripes, unable to put it down.
Perhaps sensing her affection, the cub, which had been lethargic in the cage, turned over, whimpered, and began to nuzzle her fingertip. After sniffing her, it gave her finger a lick with its tiny tongue and let out a soft cry. The sound was so sweet and delicate that it melted everyone’s heart; even the other maids in the room were drawn to the cub, watching with curious, bright eyes.
"You have a thoughtful heart, Steward. I will keep this white tiger cub." After kissing the cub a couple of times, Jiang Wumei turned to Qingzhi and said, "Send two maids to accompany the steward to get the cub's food, and have the mansion's artisans craft a new nest for it."
A real white tiger cub! She had never even touched one in the modern world; she never imagined that after transmigrating into this book, she would actually have the chance to raise one. It was wonderful.
Seeing her mistress so pleased, Qingzhi smiled, curtsied, and led the steward out of the chamber.
That night, when Crown Prince Xiao Tong returned from the palace and stepped into the warm chamber, he found Jiang Wumei standing at the doorway waiting for him, holding a ball of white fluff. He peered closer and realized it was a white tiger cub.
"Where did it come from?" Xiao Tong asked, ever sparing with his words, his expression as cold and stern as always.
Jiang Wumei was already accustomed to his cold demeanor. She smilingly handed the cub to Qingzhi to be fed, then washed her own hands to remove Xiao Tong’s cloak. "The manor steward brought it. He said it was born to the white tiger you hunted last month. I can't leave the mansion, so I thought I’d keep it for amusement."
"Mm. Let’s eat." Xiao Tong gave it no further thought; it was only a beast. He had had a taxing day at court and was exhausted, leaving him no energy to care whether Jiang Wumei was raising a tiger or a dog.
Dinner had just been served—exquisite dishes and various tonics. Jiang Wumei stood by Xiao Tong's side, serving him a bowl of tonic soup before sitting down beside him. "You were busy with official duties all day and must be exhausted. I specifically instructed the kitchen to stew a few tonics for you; do have a taste."
Xiao Tong didn't respond. He had eyes and ears throughout the mansion; he knew perfectly well whether Jiang Wumei had actually ordered the kitchen to cook anything today. Seeing her putting on a charming front, a flicker of disgust crossed his eyes, though it vanished before anyone could catch it.
"Since it is the Concubine's kind intention, I shall certainly taste them." With a calm gaze that swept over her face, Xiao Tong finished the soup in a few gulps and picked up his chopsticks to eat.
Observing his subtle expression, Jiang Wumei’s smile remained, but her inner alarm bells were ringing. Why had this man suddenly become angry?