TGPSAC – Chapter 68

Yu Jiuzhou’s hands tightened on her dress. At this moment, she wasn’t worried about wrinkling the fabric; her eyes were fixed intently on Chi Wan.

In truth, Chi Wan was feeling quite awkward. She couldn’t move her wheelchair while playing the zither—one hand was playing, and the other was injured.

Fortunately, Xia Qu had the presence of mind to push her forward.

But Xia Qu didn’t have that much presence of mind, as she pushed her directly opposite Yu Jiuzhou. And so, there she was, playing the zither right at Yu Jiuzhou.

An absurd idiom popped into Chi Wan’s mind—playing the zither for a cow.

No, she certainly wasn’t calling Yu Jiuzhou a cow, but the situation was just too awkward. She was, after all, making a confession through music.

Despite her thoughts, the haunting melody of the zither never ceased. Her right hand flew across the strings, and to ensure the piece was complete, she even infused it with her internal energy.

When the song ended, Chi Wan looked up, her gaze meeting Yu Jiuzhou’s. She immediately lowered her eyes, feeling a bit embarrassed.

Confessing was indeed quite shy-making, and she felt as if she were truly confessing to Yu Jiuzhou, not just putting on an act.

Chi Wan had poured her emotions into the music, imagining that she genuinely liked Yu Jiuzhou and was playing this piece out of love.

Phoenix Seeking a Mate. Chi Wan seeking Yu Jiuzhou. The Fuma seeking Her Highness the Grand Princess.

It wasn’t just Chi Wan who was lost in the music. The crowd felt it was romantic, heart-stirring. If their own husband could play a piece for them at such a grand banquet to express his feelings, then even if their love faded in the future, they could still live together amicably for the sake of this memory.

While some found it romantic, others naturally found it absurd. The ancients were reserved and expressed their love with subtlety. To play Phoenix Seeking a Mate in public was something some people simply couldn’t accept, which was normal.

Chi Wan had no intention of making others accept it. As long as Yu Jiuzhou accepted it, that was enough. In any case, this performance was mainly for the Emperor’s benefit.

Oh, old Yu, look. Among all these civil and military officials, only your daughter and your son-in-law listen to you. You told us to reconcile, and your son-in-law is working hard to cheer up your aloof daughter.

A small part of Chi Wan’s heart felt a tinge of disappointment. This was just a play she and Yu Jiuzhou were acting out. A thought surfaced: if only this were real.

She quickly pushed the thought away. Reaching out her hand, Xia Qu promptly brought her wine cup.

She raised the cup with a light smile. “Your Highness, let the past go with the wind; let us raise a glass today.”

By asking for reconciliation in front of everyone, as long as Yu Jiuzhou agreed to drink this cup of wine, their relationship would be officially mended on the surface, no matter what it was like in private.

Yu Jiuzhou gave her a deep look, then raised her cup and drank the wine without a word, giving the impression that everything was said in that single gesture.

Ignoring the crowd, the two of them held each other’s gaze for a long time. Yu Jiuzhou found it difficult to describe her current feelings.

The moment she heard the music, her emotions had soared. Her heart pounded like a drum, its rhythm rising and falling with the melody. She felt as if Chi Wan had led her into a brand-new world.

In this world, there was only her and Chi Wan. Chi Wan stood before her, saying something. She couldn’t hear the words clearly, but she could tell what they were from the shape of her lips.

The sunlight was perfect, and Chi Wan was surrounded by splendor. Her eyes were bright and captivating, and the smile on her lips was more dazzling than the sun.

Chi Wan said, “Your Highness, I have admired you for a long time.”

It wasn’t until Chi Wan raised her cup that Yu Jiuzhou returned to her senses. The cool, sweet wine slid down her throat, clearing her head. Her beautiful eyes held a myriad of emotions that were difficult to put into words.

At least, Chi Wan couldn’t fully decipher them. She only saw the gentleness in the other’s eyes, which seemed to carry a hint of tenderness.

Tenderness? Was it for her?

Chi Wan paused, thinking it must be part of the performance for the Emperor.

She pushed her wheelchair to the side of the low table and slowly rose to sit down. The pain in her chest was almost gone, but the tingling in her heart grew more pronounced.

Why on earth was her heart beating so relentlessly?

From a physician’s perspective, was this heart palpitations? No, there was no sense of panic, only excitement and exhilaration.

If she could, she would have liked to pick Yu Jiuzhou up and spin her around a few times.

Chi Wan cleared her throat lightly to get Yu Jiuzhou’s attention, then sought praise. “Your Highness, I played well, didn’t I?”

“It was acceptable,” Yu Jiuzhou said flatly. She brought the cup to her lips, took a sip of sweet wine, and said no more.

“Only acceptable?”

Chi Wan was dissatisfied. She had played with one hand, only to receive a mere “acceptable.” Hmph, she wouldn’t stand for it.

Others couldn’t see her little fit of pique, but just from that “hmph,” Yu Jiuzhou knew she was feigning anger.

“Then what would you have me say?”

“Praise, of course.”

“Very good.”

Hmm… that praise was a bit too simple. Chi Wan thought so, but she couldn’t suppress the smile on her face. She felt incredibly pleased.

It was so difficult to earn a word of praise from Her Highness the Grand Princess, even if it was just a simple phrase.

It was well known that even if Yu Jiuzhou was thoroughly satisfied, she would never say it aloud. When it came to promotions and rewards, she was notoriously tight-lipped.

With that one “very good,” Chi Wan’s tail was already wagging to the heavens.

Just then, Chen Yuan came over to report. “Fuma, the Sixth Miss Dong asks if the Fuma can make decisions on behalf of Her Highness the Grand Princess.”

Chi Wan squinted and smiled. “Her Highness just praised me.”

Chen Yuan said, “…That’s not what I was asking.”

“I know.” Chi Wan chuckled and explained what had just happened to Yu Jiuzhou. Yu Jiuzhou glanced at a young lady hiding not far away, then nodded.

Chi Wan was even happier. “See?”

Chen Yuan walked away, speechless. Nearby, Xia Qu saw the Fuma’s smug expression and couldn’t help but laugh. “Fuma, restrain yourself a little.”

“What?”

“Your smile. It’s rather silly.”

Chi Wan huffed lightly. “Your Highness, Xia Qu is bullying me.”

Xia Qu was baffled. Wait, who bullied you?

Seeing her petulant look, Yu Jiuzhou’s desire to bully her to tears grew even stronger.

Yu Jiuzhou quickly suppressed the thought, raising her wine cup to quell the heat in her heart. Then, her cool voice rang out, “Xia Qu.”

Understanding the Princess’s meaning, Xia Qu was rendered speechless. She really hadn’t bullied the Fuma.

Chi Wan, however, shot her a triumphant smile. See? Her Highness still protects me.

She didn’t know that the Emperor and Empress, seated above, had taken in their every move, but had come to completely different conclusions.

The Empress thought: It seems the Fuma’s Phoenix Seeking a Mate has moved Jiuzhou’s heart after all. I only hope the Fuma can continue to dote on, respect, and love Jiuzhou like this. If not love, then I hope the Fuma will at least always respect her.

In Empress Xu’s view, if love could not last, it was better to have respect and fear, which would prevent betrayal.

Seeing Chi Wan’s performance today and their recent interaction, Empress Xu noticed that although Yu Jiuzhou hadn’t said much, her entire demeanor had softened.

As a mother, she could see her daughter’s attitude toward the Fuma. But precisely because she was a mother, she didn’t want her daughter to fall too deep.

Yet, she recalled how Jiuzhou had come to persuade her to attend the Spring Banquet today, and how her words had revealed one thing: she loved the Emperor.

So she worried. Jiuzhou didn’t know that love could be faked. But from the looks of it, the Fuma hadn’t yet had her epiphany. If Jiuzhou wanted to win the Fuma’s heart, she still had a long road ahead.

What Empress Xu didn’t know was that Yu Jiuzhou probably hadn’t even seen her own heart clearly yet. Perhaps she sensed something, but was unwilling to admit it.

But Empress Xu was already quite perceptive. The Emperor’s view was completely different from hers.

When the Emperor saw their interaction, he had only one thought: The Fuma has been wronged.

In the Emperor’s eyes, Chi Wan was forcing a smile to please Yu Jiuzhou, merely to complete the task he, the Emperor, had given her. What a loyal subject.

However, it seemed Jiuzhou’s heart was softening a little. At least she had said a few words to the Fuma.

Even if it was just a few words, it was better than no communication at all.

The Emperor thought to himself that he hoped they would produce an imperial grandchild soon. When that time came, he would have to reward Chi Wan handsomely.

The rank of a county earl was too low; a marquis would be suitable.

He also lamented that his daughter was just so proud, taking after her mother. Even for him, the mighty Emperor, the Empress would never bow her head first unless he offered an olive branch. And this daughter of his would certainly never be the first to yield either.

Fortunately, the Fuma knew how to yield and get things done. Yu Jiuzhou was finally being moved.

Chi Wan had no idea that people’s perspectives could be so different, that the same event could be interpreted in such vastly different ways.

As for her, she was watching the ladies who came up to perform from time to time. After they finished, the Emperor, Empress, and the crowd would select the Brocade Flower Champion.

Thinking of this, Chi Wan asked in a low voice, “Your Highness, how is His Majesty’s artistic taste?”

It was a strange question, but Yu Jiuzhou understood her meaning. “The Empress Mother will be the judge.”

Understood. The Emperor indeed had no artistic sense, but the Empress was different. The Empress had once been a Brocade Flower Champion herself.

There was only one each year, so in the twenty-eight years of the Shengyuan reign, there had only been twenty-eight champions, making it all the more difficult.

In any case, Chi Wan understood that the Emperor wasn’t up to the task, which meant he hadn’t studied hard as a child, though he still possessed a basic level of appreciation.

Soon, Dong Si came out to perform. His talent was dancing. It was truly the first time Chi Wan had seen a man with such a slender waist.

Dong Si’s dance wasn’t particularly stunning, but it was decent enough.

While others watched with great interest, Chi Wan didn’t like watching male performers and wasn’t very interested in this particular act.

Later, a young lady danced quite well, but it was a solo performance. If several people had stood in a row and danced in perfect unison, that would have been a real treat for the eyes.

Perhaps the way she watched without blinking was too obvious, for Yu Jiuzhou asked in a flat tone, “Is it good to watch?”

“It’s alright. I think the dancers from the Music Academy are better.”

The performers from the Music Academy had already performed at the Spring Banquet today. Their dancing, if nothing else, was superb, and she had enjoyed it very much.

Yu Jiuzhou set down her wine cup with a little more force than necessary, making a soft clink, but it didn’t catch Chi Wan’s attention.

She only glanced over for a moment before turning her head back to watch the dance.

Only after the performance was over did Chi Wan retract her gaze. “Your Highness, with a performance like that, how can Dong Si become Prince Bao’an’s consort? And Dong Zhilan, what do you think she will do?”

She asked a question, but no one answered. She finally turned to look, only to see Yu Jiuzhou staring expressionlessly at the current performer.

Chi Wan looked over in confusion. It was just a very ordinary zither performance, not even as good as hers. What was there to see?

“Your Highness?”

She called out again. Only then did Yu Jiuzhou slowly look over. “You like the dancers from the Music Academy?”

Huh? That wasn’t the question she had asked.

Chi Wan blinked, her eyes full of questions. A sudden flash of insight struck her. “Is Your Highness jealous?”

“No.”

Yu Jiuzhou’s reply was unhesitating. It wasn’t a subconscious reaction; for her, a question like this would never have a second answer.

She would not explain, would not give reasons, and certainly would not be jealous.

Chi Wan believed her. It was unlikely Yu Jiuzhou would get jealous. “So Your Highness was just asking me that question for its own sake?”

“Yes.”

In that case, Chi Wan answered, “Liking something depends on what kind of liking it is. There’s a difference between liking something beautiful and liking someone you admire.”

“When the dancers of the Music Academy perform, I am simply appreciating a beautiful thing. I have no other intentions.”

Even though she was sure Yu Jiuzhou wasn’t jealous, her answer was still cautious.

Chi Wan had witnessed Yu Jiuzhou’s possessiveness before. When out and about, she had to remain as pure as jade. As long as she was the Fuma, all her answers, all her choices, had to be the Grand Princess.

For a question like this, wasn’t it easy for a spouse to answer?

They were legitimate partners, the Grand Princess and Fuma of Great Zhou, a couple in the eyes of the world.

No matter how they interacted in private, this was their public image, so her answer had to be prudent.

Besides, her senses were sharp. She felt a chill from Yu Jiuzhou, a chill that Yu Jiuzhou hadn’t directed at her for some time.

This meant her answer was exceptionally important, so she replied with great seriousness.

Sure enough, as soon as she finished speaking, the cold aura around Yu Jiuzhou dissipated. Her answer had been correct.

Her Highness the Grand Princess’s possessiveness was truly strong. Even in private, Chi Wan’s heart and eyes had to be filled with her and her alone.

It could be said that as long as she was the Fuma, there could be no second person in her options.

Perhaps because her answer was satisfactory, Yu Jiuzhou was pleased and answered her earlier question. “Dong Si’s performance was average; he has no chance of winning the Brocade Flower Champion. If Dong Zhilan doesn’t win first place, she won’t be able to answer to her family.”

The family was certainly aware of Dong Zhilan’s talent. If her performance was mediocre, the Duke of Xin would surely see that she was doing it on purpose. Even if she wasn’t, she would still be in trouble when she returned home.

Chi Wan understood the logic, which was why she was curious about what Dong Zhilan would do.

Yu Jiuzhou glanced at her and smiled faintly. “You want to know?”

“I do.”

Of course she did. Why else would she ask?

Perhaps her thirst for knowledge was too obvious, because the corners of Yu Jiuzhou’s lips curled up before she quickly suppressed the smile. “Dong Zhilan doesn’t want to be a princess consort, but the words His Majesty has spoken cannot be changed. The Duke of Xin’s estate will not agree to her not being the consort. That leaves only one way.”

Chi Wan raised an eyebrow. “Prince Bao’an?”

“Yes.”

That’s right, the solution had to come from Prince Bao’an. The Emperor’s words couldn’t be taken back, and there was no way through the Duke of Xin, which left only Prince Bao’an.

Chi Wan had been thinking that he was the breakthrough point, but she hadn’t figured out a method to make Prince Bao’an take action himself.

Threats and bribes were certainly out of the question, unless Prince Bao’an himself made a mistake.

For the talent competition, Dong Zhilan chose to compose a poem and even set it to music on the zither. She was heard singing: “In the deep boudoir, candle shadows flicker in vain; draped curtains hang low, trapping a sorrowful face.”

“Weary of facing the bronze mirror to paint my brows; tired of coaxing laughter from my lord.”

“I have never ceased my study of the Four Books and Five Classics, yet why can a Kun Ze not enter the court?”

“I would rather transform into a Kun-Peng and soar to the heavens, than be trapped in a cage for all my life.”

It was a rather well-written poem. The beginning described the sorrow of a Kun Ze woman trapped in her boudoir, tired of having to dress up every day and please her husband no matter how exhausted she was. She had clearly studied the Four Books and Five Classics, yet she couldn’t enter the court simply because she was a Kun Ze.

Chi Wan could grasp the general meaning of the poem. She couldn’t comment on its structure or artistic merit, but the message was good, speaking of the confined life of Kun Ze women, unable to use their talents.

She wasn’t sure if her interpretation was correct, but Dong Zhilan’s singing and zither playing lent a unique charm to the poem. To write, compose, and perform her own work—she was truly multi-talented.

But Chi Wan knew that if her understanding was right, many people would be displeased with Dong Zhilan, thinking her rebellious. A Kun Ze should be at home pleasing her husband, how could she have such daydreams?

The crowd broke into murmurs. Some were already saying that the Duke of Xin had been too lenient in raising his daughter. A Kun Ze woman like this, unless she was betrothed by imperial decree to be Prince Bao’an’s consort, would never find anyone to marry her in the future.

But since Dong Zhilan dared to sing this poem, she was prepared to never marry.

The Duke of Xin’s face was ashen. Fortunately, his complexion was dark, so others couldn’t quite tell.

The Emperor, like most Qian Yuan men, found Dong Zhilan’s poem rebellious. But Empress Xu spoke before he could. “A fine poem, a fine song, a fine melody.”

Three consecutive praises completely silenced the Emperor.

Empress Xu paid him no mind and declared directly, “Miss Dong Zhilan shall be the Brocade Flower Champion.”

Just like that? The Emperor wanted to say something, but he couldn’t undermine the Empress. They had to pretend to be harmonious. If he contradicted her right after she spoke, it would surely arouse suspicion.

Thus, the Emperor could only concur. “The Empress is right.”

The Brocade Flower Champion had been decided. It was Dong Zhilan.

Chi Wan’s heart stirred, and she watched Prince Bao’an without blinking. As she expected, Dong Si walked over to Prince Bao’an and took out a square handkerchief.

It wasn’t just ladies who used handkerchiefs; gentlemen did as well.

The texture and pattern of the handkerchief belonged to Prince Bao’an.

Chi Wan had just seen Prince Bao’an take it out. Dong Si bowed to the prince. “Thank you for the handkerchief, Your Highness. It is a pity that fate is not on our side.”

Prince Bao’an was clearly stunned. What was happening? Why did this young man have his handkerchief, and why was he talking about fate not being on their side? Now, wouldn’t everyone think there was something between them?

Just as Prince Bao’an was about to explain, he heard Dong Si whisper, “Does Your Highness truly wish to marry such a rebellious woman?”

Indeed. If a woman with such behavior became his consort, he would likely be criticized for a long time.

He had risked life and limb inspecting the salt administration and had finally earned the approval of the Emperor and the court. He couldn’t let it all go to waste.

“It is my loss that I cannot marry the Fourth Master.”

In any case, they were both children of the Duke of Xin. Marrying either would secure the Duke’s support. It was better to marry a mere ornament than to bring disaster upon himself.

Too many people had witnessed this scene. A flushed and indignant Dong Zhilan stepped forward. “Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Empress, this subject thanks you for your great favor. But a melon forced from the vine is not sweet. I do not wish to compete with my own brother. I implore Your Majesty to grant my marriage to my brother instead.”

The Emperor was furious. This was supposed to be a pleasant Spring Banquet, meant to show the unity of Great Zhou, but one problem after another kept cropping up. It was infuriating.

It was Empress Xu who said, “Miss Dong Zhilan, you should know that if you give this marriage to your fourth brother, you will never be able to marry.”

No one would dare to marry her, and no one would want to.

Dong Zhilan knelt and kowtowed. “Even so, this subject does not wish to compete with her own brother.”

“Good child. What a pity.” Empress Xu looked at the Emperor, as if leaving the final decision to him.

The Emperor nearly choked. She had taken up the conversation but hadn’t resolved anything, leaving him to deal with it. Why had she spoken at all?

But Dong Zhilan’s words were sensible. She was arrogant, yes, but he liked sensible children.

The issue was that the Brocade Flower Champion would not be marrying, and in the future, no one would dare to propose to her. The Emperor hesitated. He wasn’t hesitating for Dong Zhilan’s sake, but to avoid leaving behind any grounds for gossip.

Dong Zhilan’s poem was arrogant, but she had done nothing wrong. She was still the Brocade Flower Champion. To not reward her was one thing, but to condemn her to a life of spinsterhood was another. In the future, whenever a Spring Banquet was held, people would remember this and say that he, the Emperor, was unjust in his rewards and punishments.

Just as the Emperor was frowning, Yu Jiuzhou stood up. “Reporting to Your Majesty, the champions of the other two competitions were awarded official posts. It just so happens that I am in need of a female official. I propose that Miss Dong Zhilan be appointed as the Recorder of the Grand Princess’s Residence.”

Her main duty would be to record the affairs of the Grand Princess’s Residence.

That was right. The female officials in a princess’s residence, like those in the imperial palace, held official ranks. Placing someone in the palace now was not quite appropriate, but Yu Jiuzhou’s side was perfect.

See, this was what a real daughter was like. She always stepped forward when he needed her most.

The Emperor was touched, but his face remained impassive. “Then bestow the marriage upon Prince Bao’an and the Fourth Master Dong. A date for the wedding shall be chosen.”

It was clear he was bestowing this marriage reluctantly.

Originally, the Brocade Flower Champion was to become Prince Bao’an’s consort. Now he had to bestow the marriage on someone else, and this Fourth Master Dong’s dancing had been mediocre at best, not even close to being a contender.

But the Brocade Flower Champion was Dong Zhilan, and the Emperor was not one to settle. His own Empress was a Brocade Flower Champion. To become one, a person had to achieve perfection in one art. One path mastered leads to all paths mastered. For so many years, the harem had never caused him any trouble, which showed how well the Empress managed things.

Throughout history, Brocade Flower Champions had almost always married into high-ranking families and enjoyed excellent reputations. Thus, they were highly sought after by the noble houses of the capital. He felt it was a pity for Prince Bao’an.

No, wait. Prince Bao’an had gotten involved with Dong Si himself. Seeing the two of them acting so familiar, he was clearly blind.

The Emperor had thought that since Prince Bao’an had inspected the salt administration and brought back eight million taels of silver, he must be a clever and capable man. But it turned out his judgment was so poor. Even if Dong Zhilan’s words were somewhat unconventional and extremely arrogant, it was normal for talented people to be arrogant.

Forget it. Since everyone else had already made their arrangements, and Dong Zhilan, the Brocade Flower Champion, had a place to go, he would just go with the flow.

“Miss Dong Zhilan, from now on, you shall serve in the Grand Princess’s Residence.”

“Yes, this subject obeys the decree.”

Chi Wan had seen everything unfold clearly and understood it all. Dong Zhilan had achieved her goal precisely because she saw through people’s hearts.

The key to this matter was her rebelliousness. She gambled that a prince who aspired to the throne would not marry a rebellious consort. So, she sang a poem declaring she was not someone content with the inner quarters, which provoked the disgust of the capital’s high society. The thought of marrying such a consort would surely make Prince Bao’an unwilling.

Prince Bao’an wanted a docile consort who could manage his household, not one whose ambitions were higher than the sky.

At the same time, Dong Zhilan had either persuaded Dong Si or used some scheme to entice him, allowing him to approach Prince Bao’an at the opportune moment. For Prince Bao’an, since he was forming an alliance with the Duke of Xin’s family either way, it was better to choose a gentle and adoring partner over an arrogant and unmanageable one.

Coupled with the assistance from Chi Wan, and most importantly, from Her Highness the Grand Princess, the plan had a high chance of success.

Even if there was only a fifty percent chance, for the sake of her freedom, it was a gamble worth taking.

Chi Wan smiled with satisfaction. “Your Highness, Dong Zhilan is truly intelligent.”

In the future, she might well become a great asset to the Grand Princess’s Residence.

Yu Jiuzhou, however, was thinking about something else. Chi Wan had played Phoenix Seeking a Mate. It was time to choose a moment to summon her for the night. But Chi Wan’s arm…

Would she have to wait another two months?

If she didn’t use her hands… She should have forced herself to finish reading that palace instructional manual, despite the embarrassment. She had already seen the illustrations, but at the time, she thought Chi Wan wouldn’t be able to play Phoenix Seeking a Mate and with her arm injured, they wouldn’t be able to consummate the marriage.

When she saw that page, Yu Jiuzhou had been so mortified that she had closed the booklet. But the image had been deeply seared into her mind.

She knew then that even with an injured arm, she could still summon Chi Wan to her bed.

---

Get instant access to all chapters now.