Her attitude was respectful, but her tone was stiff. The message was clear: do not disturb.
Mu Yuanzhi had indeed never come here to pay her respects, as the Grand Empress Dowager rarely saw anyone. Her abrupt arrival was, therefore, quite strange.
Mu Yuanzhi sighed softly and began to speak with measured grace. "To tell you the truth, I had a dream last night. In it, Great-Grandmother was coughing incessantly and could not find rest. I woke up feeling increasingly worried, so I thought I would bring her a bottle of Qingke Ointment, which I prepared myself, to nourish her lungs and soothe her throat."
"The Princess is very kind, but it was only a dream. The Grand Empress Dowager is not coughing, and she is resting for her afternoon nap. It would be best if the Princess returned to pay her respects another day." The old nurse standing before Mu Yuanzhi remained unmoved.
Mu Yuanzhi did not press the matter. There would be plenty of time in the future, and she would eventually find a way to see the Grand Empress Dowager. She smiled and nodded. "That is good to hear; I am relieved. Still, I would like to trouble you, Nanny, to take this bottle of Qingke Ointment to Great-Grandmother. Just in case it is needed."
This time, the old nurse did not refuse. She reached out and took it. "This old servant understands. I will certainly relay this to the Princess."
She clutched the bottle of ointment and, only after Mu Yuanzhi had left, returned inside Dayue Palace to report the incident to the Grand Empress Dowager.
The Grand Empress Dowager finished counting her prayer beads, and a maid stepped forward to help her up. "They say Princess Yuanzhi is peerless in medicine and poison. This Qingke Ointment must be excellent."
The Grand Empress Dowager glanced at the bottle in the nurse’s hand and scoffed. "What fine medicine is there that the Imperial Hospital lacks? She is simply finding an excuse to cozy up to an old woman like me."
The maid pursed her lips and dared not speak again.
The old nurse nodded in firm agreement. "The one in Changle Palace has been pampered her whole life. She must feel her status threatened now that the true princess has returned, which is why she finally remembered you, Grand Empress Dowager."
"Does Nanny not know? Princess Yuanzhi no longer lives in Changle Palace; she now resides in Weiyang Palace," the maid said, helping the Grand Empress Dowager to her seat.
The Grand Empress Dowager asked with little interest, "When did another Weiyang Palace appear in the palace? Has the Emperor been renovating again?"
She had never liked the construction of Changle Palace—it was far too extravagant, and the common people would only see it as a waste of wealth and labor.
The maid answered truthfully, "No, Grand Empress Dowager. It is an old palace—the only vacant one within these walls."
At these words, the Grand Empress Dowager’s expression shifted. Her gaze grew deep and distant, as if she were remembering something from long ago.
Seeing the Grand Empress Dowager’s face darken, the old nurse shot the maid a reprimanding look for her tactlessness, as she had needlessly caused her mistress to recall unpleasant memories. The maid, not knowing what she had done wrong, lowered her head and kept her mouth tightly shut.
After a long time, the Grand Empress Dowager came back to herself and said to the old nurse, "Bring me the medicine bottle."
The old nurse was surprised by this request; she hesitated for a moment before handing over the small white jar.
The Grand Empress Dowager opened the jar and sniffed it. A hint of a smile appeared on her face. "This Qingke Ointment is indeed quite good. Keep it."
The old nurse nodded. The Grand Empress Dowager paused, then added, "There is much happening in the palace lately. Go and see what rumors are flying about."
That the Grand Empress Dowager would care about the outside world’s trivialities surprised the nurse, who replied after a brief pause, "This old servant will go at once."
***
At the Imperial Household Department, the supervisor walked in to see the others busy packing up daily supplies from the inventory. He asked, "Which palace are these being sent to?"
"Brother Li, they’re for Weiyang Palace. Hongdou has been urging us for them over and over."
"Don't be so hasty. Don't you know? The Grand Empress Dowager's personal nurse has been asking around about Princess Yuanzhi all day. She must know that the Princess injured the little princess! Who knows what kind of trouble will befall Weiyang Palace next?"
"Ah? This... but if we keep delaying, aren't you afraid the Emperor will blame us?"
"Times have changed. The little princess is the apple of the Emperor's eye. Even the Grand Empress Dowager, who never concerns herself with worldly affairs, is coming forward to back her. If we aren't clever enough to stay out of the way, getting caught in the crossfire would be no small matter!"
Everyone nodded in succession and moved the subpar items—leftovers from other palaces—back into the storeroom.
Hongdou had heard the entire conversation without even entering. Infuriated, she returned to Weiyang Palace.
"Princess, they have gone too far! Shall we report this to the Emperor?" After the last two days, her eyes had been opened; how could they bully someone so heartlessly?
Mu Yuanzhi, having finished her bitter medicinal soup, did not even frown. Whether it was the bitterness of the medicine or the hardships of life, she was used to it all.
With only one basin of charcoal, she wrapped herself in more quilts. Old clothes were still wearable. Since the Imperial Kitchen only sent leftover vegetable dishes, she simply went to the Back Mountain to hunt for wild rabbits and dogs. Things could always be managed if one put their mind to it.
"His Majesty has no time to see me right now." Mu Yuanzhi had finally finished cobbling together a set of soft armor and was preparing to head to the nearby Back Mountain for game. "I am going to the Back Mountain. You don't need to follow."
Hongdou swallowed the mountain of complaints she had intended to voice. "Yes, Princess."
It had been a long time since she had hunted, and Mu Yuanzhi was genuinely looking forward to it. However, as she stepped out of Weiyang Palace, her smile vanished the moment she saw a tall figure standing in the shade of a willow tree.
"Sister Zhi." Pei Shangyan stepped out from the shadows, the sun shining on his warm, gentle face.
"Crown Prince," Mu Yuanzhi called out perfunctorily.
"Why are you dressed like this?" Pei Shangyan frowned.
"Going hunting in the Back Mountain." Mu Yuanzhi started to walk past him.
Pei Shangyan moved to block her path. "Whatever for? Why the sudden whim to go hunting? It's almost dark; go tomorrow instead."
If she didn't hunt for herself, she would be reduced to eating like a nun! She, of course, couldn't be bothered to say that.
"I’m going because I want to."
Finally picking up on her dismissiveness, Pei Shangyan grew angry. "Yuanzhi! I thought your punishment in Yongxiang would have made you more sensible. How are you still as willful and reckless as before? Can’t you learn from your little sister and be more obedient?!"
The same tired script.
Mu Yuanzhi could recite it by heart. Ever since Pei Yunxi returned, she had heard nothing but disparaging comparisons from her brothers. For a long time, she had been so cautious with even the simplest greetings, terrified of making a mistake, not daring to speak loudly for fear of their reprimands. Looking back, it was laughable. Even if she had kowtowed to them every single day, they would never have been satisfied. Simply because she was not their beloved little sister, her very existence was an error.
"The Crown Prince's lecture is spot on. Little Sister is naturally gifted and intelligent; she is certainly not someone a mediocre person like me can compare to."
Pei Shangyan’s expression went blank for a moment. What was Sister Zhi saying?
He looked her over again, as if seeing her for the first time, his gaze scrutinizing her inch by inch.