The Crown Prince took a delighted bite, savoring it carefully. Aside from its crisp texture, there didn’t seem to be anything particularly special about it. He had initially intended to make a casual remark, but upon seeing the eager anticipation on her face, he suddenly hesitated. He couldn’t just say that melon rind was simply melon rind to him, chewing it felt no different from chewing on radish strips.
“How is it?” she asked expectantly. “Think carefully before you answer.”
The Crown Prince let out a thoughtful hum. “This taste… it’s like standing atop a mountain peak, watching the sea of clouds surge and the rivers converge into one.”
Such high praise indeed, he was the Crown Prince. Even a palate accustomed to the finest delicacies could unearth boundless beauty in the simplest of things.
Su Xinghe chuckled softly and, in a quiet voice, said, “Seeing this reminds me of my grandfather. When I was little, during the summers, we’d set up a canopy in the courtyard. Beneath it, there was a well where we would chill the melons we bought. When we took them out and sliced them open, the flesh inside was so cold it made our teeth ache. None of us ate the melons because we were thirsty. We ate with all our might, just so we could gather up the rinds afterward to pickle for salted vegetables.”
The Crown Prince understood then what she was truly savoring wasn’t the melon rind, but the memories of times past.
The incident with Su Xinghai had been like a ruthless poison cutting through their very core, forcing the Su family to realize that, if they wanted to protect themselves, they needed power in their hands. When the old man had met his downfall, Su Xinghe had likely already returned to the capital, caught in the chaos of war and upheaval. Even as a young lady, she had thrown herself into the relentless pursuit of opportunity. Could she be blamed? Of course not. The true culprit was the imperial court.
But just as a small household has its own struggles to escape hardship, a great family has its own entanglements it cannot easily untangle. The imperial court had always followed the principle of sacrificing pawns to protect the greater cause. And so, they refused to be pawns any longer they wanted to be generals.
Was that wrong? No, it wasn’t.
But if they pushed too far, beyond what he could tolerate then that would be a problem.
He lowered his head and took another bite. This time, he tasted a hint of summer, a crisp and refreshing flavor, subtly sweet, flowing from the tip of his tongue all the way into his nasal cavity.
“You come from a distinguished family. Why live so frugally?”
He didn’t understand. It wasn’t about frugality, it was simply a way of life, a small pleasure in itself. Many households in Jiangnan had this habit. Besides, thrift and diligence in managing a household had always been part of their family’s teachings.
Su Xinghe reminisced about the past. Standing here, her mind drifted back to her childhood. The Crown Prince set down his chopsticks and asked, “The things you brought back from the Northern Army camp you’ve got quite the nerve to hand them to me.”
She replied, “I carried them back myself, kept them close to my chest. No one else touched them.” Then, she glanced at him sideways. “Are you afraid? If you think it might be poisoned, why are you still eating it?”
He clasped his hands behind his back and sighed. “For the effort you made, traveling all that way to bring this back even if it were poisoned, I’d eat it to the last bite.”
Who would dare poison the Crown Prince’s food? That would be a death sentence for their entire family. He knew she was even more cautious than he was, which was probably why he trusted her so much. But his words were unexpectedly smooth and tactful if only he were this diplomatic more often, perhaps they wouldn’t always be at odds.
His earlier displeasure had long melted away in the warmth of her gesture. And when he thought about how this melon rind had been pressed against her chest as she carried it back, he felt his blood surge with heat.
It was probably the heat from the fire dragon brazier. He pushed open the eastern lattice window, and outside the vermillion-red window frame hung a massive, luminous moon. The sight startled him. It had snowed endlessly without clearing, yet in the blink of an eye, the sixteenth had arrived. He murmured, “In just half a month, it’ll be the New Year.”
Su Xinghe responded with a simple acknowledgment. “Time passes so quickly another year has gone by just like that.”
The Crown Prince, however, was lost in his own thoughts. “After the New Year, I’ll be twenty-three…” If things dragged on any longer, it wouldn’t just be the Emperor who ran out of patience he himself would find it hard to justify.
He turned back to glance at Su Xinghe. She was standing right behind him, head tilted upward, also gazing at the moon. The moonlight reflected in her brilliant eyes, casting a silvery glow. A woman who handled matters with such ruthless decisiveness why did she have eyes like that?
The words escaped his lips before he could stop them. “Su Xinghe, have you ever thought about the future?”
The future was too far away who could say? She shook her head without answering, her gaze never leaving the bright moon.
The Crown Prince realized this couldn’t continue. If he kept his mouth shut for a hundred years, she would pretend to be oblivious for a hundred years. She probably wasn’t unaware of his feelings; she just had the weight of the entire Su family behind her. It wasn’t that she didn’t love; it was that she couldn’t afford to.
Either way, the year was coming to an end. During the New Year festivities, people’s guards would be down, and spirits would be relaxed. He might as well find a way to lay things bare.
Thinking of this, the Crown Prince sighed inwardly. If he wanted to solidify things, what better place to start than by speaking with his future father-in-law? After all, Su Yujin appeared in court nearly every day. But Su’s family, the Grand Academician, was a man with a rebellious streak. He supported Huo Qingluan and Huo Qingshao, and he had always paid him lip service while secretly opposing him.
Su wasn’t a fool; he knew that if he fell into the Crown Prince’s hands, there would be no way out. And the Crown Prince, in turn, had little fondness for that family. A powerful and ambitious in-law was a dangerous liability. Even if the current dynasty tolerated them, once his son ascended the throne, the Su family would inevitably become a threat to the empire.
If he wanted to keep Su Xinghe but suppress the Su family, it would be tricky but not impossible.
It was probably the heat from the fire dragon brazier. He pushed open the eastern lattice window, and outside the vermillion-red window frame hung a massive, luminous moon. The sight startled him. It had snowed endlessly without clearing, yet in the blink of an eye, the sixteenth had arrived. He murmured, “In just half a month, it’ll be the New Year.”
Su Xinghe responded with a simple acknowledgment. “Time passes so quickly another year has gone by just like that.”
The Crown Prince, however, was lost in his own thoughts. “After the New Year, I’ll be twenty-three…” If things dragged on any longer, it wouldn’t just be the Emperor who ran out of patience he himself would find it hard to justify.
He turned back to glance at Su Xinghe. She was standing right behind him, head tilted upward, also gazing at the moon. The moonlight reflected in her brilliant eyes, casting a silvery glow. A woman who handled matters with such ruthless decisiveness why did she have eyes like that?
The words escaped his lips before he could stop them. “Su Xinghe, have you ever thought about the future?”
The future was too far away who could say? She shook her head without answering, her gaze never leaving the bright moon.
The Crown Prince realized this couldn’t continue. If he kept his mouth shut for a hundred years, she would pretend to be oblivious for a hundred years. She probably wasn’t unaware of his feelings; she just had the weight of the entire Su family behind her. It wasn’t that she didn’t love; it was that she couldn’t afford to.
Either way, the year was coming to an end. During the New Year festivities, people’s guards would be down, and spirits would be relaxed. He might as well find a way to lay things bare.
If he could just say it out loud that he was afraid Huo Yan would deceive her, afraid that she might fall for him, perhaps many things would be resolved. But he couldn’t. Until the issue of the Su family was dealt with, any words he spoke would be meaningless. With her temperament, she would choose the Su family without hesitation. His life or death was nothing compared to the rise and fall of her family.
The Crown Prince gave a knowing smile. “After all, he is family. The three armies of Great Yin look up to him as a model. I wouldn’t want him to lose his good name in his later years. Imagine if, during official discussions, he suddenly starts laughing, what a disgrace that would be…”
But in truth, the one who had already disgraced himself was him. He had once foolishly smiled in front of the Emperor and his ministers during a court session in the Hall of Two Rites. Fortunately, the older officials, having seen much in their time, understood without needing explanations. That was why the Emperor never doubted that he and she were a pair so much so that he urged them to have children, with only her as the intended match.
Unfortunately, she knew none of this. She showed enthusiasm toward every man except him. To her, he was like a delicacy eaten too often tasteless and dull. He knew that unless they shared a bed, she would never truly feel bound to him. But sleeping together couldn’t be for nothing. Though he longed for her, he would never behave like some shameless rogue. He was the heir to the empire; he had his principles and dignity.
The two of them stood in silence for a long time. The evening breeze brushed against their faces, the chill lingering in the air. His heated mind needed cooling, and at that moment, he was quite willing to discuss the state of court affairs with her.
“I’ve never personally overseen the imperial treasury,” he said. “I had assumed that, with years of good harvests, the national reserves would be full. But once the wars in the north and south began, I realized it had all been an illusion. We’ve been borrowing from the future, depleting our resources faster and faster.
“Now that war is imminent, the Third Brother has been tasked with procuring provisions. I don’t know whether those who recommended him did so to support him or to set him up for failure. If he succeeds, he gains merit. But if he fails, it will be seen as negligence in wartime, and he won’t escape punishment. He’s been away for seven or eight days now. Today, I received his report after all his efforts, he’s only managed to secure thirty thousand shi of grain.”
Thirty thousand shi of grain was indeed a drop in the ocean. His words, full of implications, were not exactly pleasant to hear. After all, it was her father who had facilitated the cabinet’s recommendation of Prince Minxing. But Prince Minxing lacked the necessary skill if he failed, it was simply due to his own incompetence.
Forget about far-off regions just within Chengde and Huailai alone, there were countless tenant farmers and wealthy households. Even a stone could be squeezed for a few drops of oil, yet he couldn’t manage to extract anything. Who else could he blame?
Su Xinghe kept her head down, skirting around the issue of grain procurement. Instead, she simply said, “Since the military supplies are insufficient, the troops already being drafted in the south can’t be halted. The northern front hasn’t seen combat yet. If there’s really no way out, why not find an alternative solution?”
He gazed at the bright moon and nodded. “An alternative solution… Let’s hear your ideas.”
Su Xinghe flashed him a smile. “My idea is excellent, but I’m afraid His Majesty might curse me for it.”
The Crown Prince was intrigued. “You’ve probably come up with another wicked scheme, haven’t you?”
Wicked? If it could solve the court’s urgent crisis, then it was a good plan. “My idea is to kill two birds with one stone. Didn’t the Uda Khan recently request to marry a certain princess? Well, there happens to be a newly widowed princess. If the Khan doesn’t mind, he could take her to the grasslands as his wife. That way, we wouldn’t have to deal with her stirring up trouble in Su Xinghai anymore.”
The Crown Prince let out a long “ohhh.” “So you’re talking about Princess Xialing. I’ve heard about her setting her sights on your brother. Honestly, a princess lowering herself like that is truly improper. But love is the hardest thing to sever. If she’s willing to become your brother’s concubine, it would actually bring honor to your family…”
As he spoke, he chuckled. “What can I say? The sons and daughters of the Su family are like enchantresses irresistibly captivating.”
Su Xinghe pouted in frustration. “Is this really the time to be joking? Su Xinghai talked to me about this last time he looked absolutely miserable. The princess is practically clinging to our family, and my father doesn’t even dare report it to His Majesty, afraid that the Emperor might just go ahead and grant the match. If that happens, our household will be in complete chaos.”
The Crown Prince, however, seemed to be enjoying the spectacle. Back then, hadn’t they been on good terms with Prince Jianping’s faction? Now Princess Xialing was delivering a fine lesson, letting them experience what it felt like to hoist a rock only to drop it on their own feet. If she set her sights on someone, there was no escaping her grasp. Though the Emperor disapproved of her behavior after her fall in status, he had doted on her since birth. No matter how outrageous she became, when push came to shove, he would never truly abandon her.
Su Xinghe was still waiting for his response. “So, do you think my idea will work? I think it’s a great plan.”
“What’s so great about it? Sending Princess Xialing off to the grasslands to marry some half-civilized barbarians? The Emperor would never agree to that.” He turned to glance at her. “Besides, I don’t hold the regency right now, so your underhanded schemes can’t pass unchecked. You’ll have to wait. One day, when I have full authority, anyone who displeases you can be sent to the frontier. How about that?”
There was no point in arguing further. If Su Xinghai had gotten himself into this mess, he would have to find his own way out. Su Xinghe let out a resigned sigh before circling back to the real issue. “So what about Prince Minxing’s grain procurement? If he’s incapable, we should assign someone more competent. We can’t afford to waste any more time.”
The Crown Prince, however, was quite certain. “Third Brother is an honest man. He doesn’t know how to use his brain when handling things. I’ve come up with a solution for him, at least enough to deal with the immediate crisis.”
Would he really be so kind? These brothers were always at each other’s throats like fighting cocks. Prince Minxing had been following Prince Jianping around for years, and the Crown Prince had long been at odds with those two. It would be surprising enough if he didn’t take this chance to trip him up.
Su Xinghe wanted to ask what solution he had come up with but held back, afraid of arousing his suspicion. Looking at the box of watermelon rinds, it was clear he didn’t care for them. Of course people of his status only tasted such things out of curiosity. Compared to sea cucumbers and fish maw, these were hardly a delicacy. She stepped forward to tidy up, carefully covering the box, planning to take it back with her. Just as she was about to leave, he called out to stop her.
“What are you doing? Put it down.”
Su Xinghe hesitated. “If I leave it here, it’ll just go to waste. Might as well let me take it.”
“Once you’ve given something away, do you really think you can take it back?” He pointed to the table by the heated brick bed. “Leave it there. Have them bring me a bowl of congee at midnight. I’ll eat it with that.”
At least he appreciated it. Her effort of bringing it all the way back from the northern military camp hadn’t been in vain. Feeling slightly embarrassed, she placed it back down. But when she heard him mention eating at midnight, she was puzzled. “Your Highness is staying up all night again? That’s going to wear you out. You should rest.”
He shook his head, his furrowed brows sharp as a blade, carrying the weight of responsibility. Letting out a long sigh, he said, “I only came back to change clothes. In a while, I have to head back to Jiade Hall. The year’s end is approaching and there’s a mountain of work to be done.”
Being the Crown Prince was no easy task. The duties he handled now were just routine affairs, but if the day came when he took over as regent, the sheer volume of memorials and reports would be like an unscalable mountain. Su Xinghe knew how overwhelming official duties could be. Unlike other women who simply urged him to take care of his health without offering any practical help, she thought things through.
“You stayed up all night the other day, but you should have gotten a full night’s sleep yesterday. Alright then, go ahead. I’ll make sure the imperial kitchen sends over millet congee and melon strips later,” she said.
The Crown Prince didn’t bother correcting her. He hadn’t actually slept last night either; he had spent the whole time trying to figure out what she was up to. Just when he was about to drift off, he heard the roosters crowing from the northern kitchen’s chicken coop. That meant he had to force himself up to prepare for the imperial lectures that happened every few days.
Being the Crown Prince was an exhausting job. Take his morning studies, for example he had to first ascend to his seat in Zhaode Hall, recite the Four Books along with a group of scholar-officials, then listen to the lecturers explain the texts that the Grand Secretariat had repeatedly revised. After that came endless calligraphy practice. His entire day was a relentless grind, and only at night did he have a bit of leisure to tease her. But even that wasn’t just simple teasing it was a game of wits, a constant battle of maneuvering. He had no idea when it would ever end.
And yet, she still had the nerve to provoke him. As she called for servants to come and help him change, she shamelessly asked, “Does what you said earlier still count?”
His mind was preoccupied with official matters. Without thinking, he asked, “What did I say?”
“You know the part about marrying me off to Huo Yan.” She grinned mischievously. “You changed your tune halfway through, saying he was too old. Why do you keep going back and forth?”
The Crown Prince was usually as steady as a mountain when handling state affairs. His father had drilled into him the principle that an emperor must not reveal his emotions. In court, he always upheld that rule, never showing joy or anger.
But when it came to her, she had a way of making his liver ache and his lungs burn with frustration.
Wasn’t everything he had said before just a deliberate test? It would be a miracle if she actually agreed. Someone as sharp as her, how could she not understand the deeper meaning behind his words?
The Crown Prince glanced at her still mulling it over and said, “I just said it in passing, and you actually took it seriously? If that’s not foolish, what is? You still want to get married? With me here, do you think you can?”
Su Xinghe felt her blood rushing to her head. “What kind of childhood friend are you? You don’t wish me well at all! Do you expect me to stay by your side forever?”
He answered matter-of-factly, “That’s right. Others might not be able to do it, but I can. Since we grew up together, we should always be together, never apart. How can someone you meet halfway through life compare to an old flame? So just give up on the idea. Forget Huo Yan whether it’s an icicle or a popsicle, you’re not marrying anyone.” He turned around, unfastening the golden clasp on his collar, muttering, “One moment it’s ‘Your Highness’ this, ‘Your Highness’ that, and the next moment, you walk out of my Eastern Palace and want to act like my elder? What exactly are you thinking?”
And just like that, the Crown Prince secured another victory. He was quite satisfied with himself. He had made his intentions perfectly clear if she had any sense at all, she would stay put and not cause trouble. Watching Su Xinghe leave the room, crestfallen, he thought that budding love should be snuffed out ruthlessly like this. As long as Su Xinghe stood firm and didn’t waver, Huo Yan’s old flame, no matter how much he wanted it to reignite, wouldn’t catch fire on its own.
Feeling triumphant, the Crown Prince changed into a deep blue robe embroidered with cloud patterns and round floral motifs. With his beloved candied melon strips in hand, he swayed his sleeves and made his way to the Jiade Hall. By the time discussions with the Chancellor’s Office wrapped up, it was already midnight.
The imperial kitchen brought over congee, along with an assortment of pickled vegetables and delicate pastries. But he ignored them all, stubbornly chewing on his melon strips as if waging a battle of willpower against them.
The Privy Council, curious, leaned over and took a peek. “Your Highness, what are you eating?”
This Privy Council was about the same age as the Crown Prince. He had once been a scholar attendant, later promoted to an official position in the Chancellor’s Office, and they had some acquaintance. This man had a particular interest in food; he would even carry a couple of sorghum stalks in his sash when on duty in the palace. During breaks between lectures, he would sneak behind the rock garden and munch away, leaving crumbs all over the ground.
Today, spotting the small food box in the Crown Prince’s hands, he slapped his thigh in excitement. “Watermelon rind!”
The Crown Prince nearly jumped in shock, fearing that his exclamation would draw unwanted attention. He quickly gestured for him to keep quiet. To shut him up, albeit reluctantly, he rummaged through the box, picking and pushing the pieces around with his chopsticks before finally selecting the smallest one and placing it in the Privy Council’s bowl.
The man, oblivious to the rare privilege, wolfed it down in one bite. The Crown Prince stared at him expectantly, as if he had just wasted a treasure, and even asked, “Is it good?”
The Assistant Chancellor shrugged. “Tastes like what it is. Why did Your Highness decide to eat this? This isn’t exactly a high-class dish.”
The Crown Prince, of course, assumed an air of righteousness. “With the war pressing and the national treasury running low, how could I, as the heir to the throne, indulge in lavish feasts? Eating watermelon rind is a way to remember the hardships of the past. The ministers, too, should place the country’s rise and fall as their top priority. Good days are meant to be enjoyed, but we must not be extravagant. Frugality should always come first.”
These words were spoken with such sincerity that they revealed the Crown Prince’s deep commitment to ruling wisely and his determination to bring about a prosperous era when he ascended the throne.
The next day, word of this reached the Emperor, who praised the Crown Prince highly and issued an official commendation across the entire court for his self-discipline. What happened next, however, was rather unexpected: eating watermelon rind suddenly became a trend among officials and commoners alike. Since it was the middle of winter and there were no fresh melons available for pickling, people began purchasing them from rural areas. Soon, it became customary for high-ranking officials to have a watermelon rind on their dining tables as a symbol of frugality and integrity. Even restaurants started serving it, giving the dish a refined name Two Sleeves of Pure Breeze. “Have you chewed yours today?” became the go-to greeting among the people of the capital.
When this news reached the Crown Prince, he sat alone in Lizheng Hall, laughing uncontrollably. What had originally been a private joke between him and his little sweetheart had somehow turned into a full-blown societal movement.
Even Dequan, the head eunuch of the Eastern Palace, asked Su Xinghe when he saw her, “Do you still have any watermelon rind left?”
Su Xinghe was puzzled. “What for?”
Dequan clicked his tongue. “Isn’t this all the rage now? As the Grand Steward of the Eastern Palace, I can’t be the only one who hasn’t tried it. That wouldn’t be right, would it?”
But instead of finding it amusing, Su Xinghe felt a tinge of sadness. When she had first brought the watermelon rind back, Huo Yan had known about it. Now that it had been given to the Crown Prince, Huo Yan must have realized it too. The relationship between the two men had always been ambiguous and tense. If they were truly strangers, who would ever think to offer something as trivial as watermelon rind as a tribute to the Crown Prince? Now that he had flaunted it at Jiade Hall, making it known throughout the empire, how could she ever face Huo Yan again? The Crown Prince had completely ruined her chances.
