Finished speaking, Lin Feilu carefully raised her head and looked at Lin Jingyuan's expression. She stretched out two soft fingers and grabbed the corner of his sleeves. She tugged it gently and asked in a small voice, "Brother Jingyuan, do you also hate my brother like others do?"
Lin Jingyuan immediately replied in a loud voice, "Of course not! He is not only your brother but mine as well. How old is he?"
Lin Feilu's sweet smile reappeared on her face: "My brother is seven years old this year."
Lin Jingyuan proudly raised his chin as he said, "I am one year older than him, so I will be his big brother. He is my Sixth Younger Brother. Why would I hate him?"
Lin Feilu's eyes immediately brightened and her hand was still tugging the corner of his sleeve. She said in a soft and melodious voice, "Brother Jingyuan is so nice. You're the best person I have ever met!"
Lin Jingyuan was so euphoric that he felt as if he had almost ascended to heaven.
The three of them then walked to the side residence together and the young eunuch who was following behind sullenly spoke, "Your Highness…"
Lin Jingyuan turned around and glared at him, "You are not allowed to follow me inside!"
In the internal courtyard of the side residence, Xiao Lan was still doing needlework with Yunyan. When she suddenly saw her daughter walking hand in hand with the Fourth Prince, everyone in the courtyard was frightened. Lin Feilu said calmly: "Mother, Forth Elder Brother has come to play with me."
Lin Jingyuan waved his small hand, "Continue your work, there's no need to pay attention to me."
The group of women looked at each other in dismay and decidedly sat back down. They watched on as the three children merrily ran around all over the house.
Lin Jingyuan unhappily asked as soon as he entered the house, "Why didn't you call me like you did before?"
Lin Feilu sweetly smiled and stood on her tiptoes. She slowly got closer to his ear and whispered in a hushed tone, "That's our secret."
Lin Jingyuan internally screamed: Ah! My heart is going to melt!
The small room that Lin Feilu lived in was very simple, there were not any extravagant decorations. Compared with Changming Hall where he resided, this room was almost comparable to the slums. However, it was a tidy dwelling. The room also had a unique fragrance that belonged to a little girl's, which was not greasy but refreshingly sweet.
While he was busy looking around, Lin Feilu whispered again to Lin Zhanyuan, "Brother, please go get some persimmons."
Although Lin Zhanyuan was quite reluctant to leave them, he still obeyed his sister's words and immediately ran out to get the persimmons. Lin Feilu went to the bookshelf, climbed up on a stool, then picked out a book.
These books were brought in by Xiao Lan when she entered the Imperial Harem. She was quite a talented woman at that time but it was a pity that she ended up in such a desolate place. These books had accumulated quite a bit of dust.
She picked up a copy of "The Analects" written by Confucius. After she got down, she took the Asiatic apple flower and put it in the pages of the book. She then closed the book.
Lin Jingyuan asked with curiosity: "What are you trying to do?"
Lin Feilu gave him the book, "Brother should use this apple flower as a bookmark. Even if it withers, the luck within it will be sealed inside it forever."
It was the first time that Lin Jingyuan heard of the word "bookmark". He felt that his Fifth Sister was really something special!
He had always hated reading. He always had a headache whenever he read books. For this reason, he was often reprimanded by his both father and mother. However, at this moment he could not wait to open "The Analects" and flip to the page where the apple flower was placed and smell it. He could barely keep his hands off the book as he reluctantly put it away into his robes.
Not long after, Lin Zhanyuan came running with persimmons stuffed in his blouse. With quick, loud footsteps, he ran towards his younger sister, "Persimmons!"
Lin Feilu selected the largest and reddest one, then handed it over to Lin Jingyuan, "Brother Jingyuan, have some persimmons."
Lin Jingyuan glanced over and asked with a frown, "Are these the persimmons that I gave you the other day? It's been so long. Why do you still keep them?"
Lin Feilu responded in an unhurried tone: "They can be eaten for a long time."
Lin Jingyuan saw his sixth brother standing by, staring at the persimmons and swallowing his saliva.
A few days ago, he inquired about his fifth sister from his palace maids and eunuchs. He learned that both she and her mother were not favored. She was an imperial princess whose existence carried no significance within the Imperial Palace. However, he did not expect her to live in such poverty that she even had to be frugal with persimmons, even though the entire garden was brimming full of them.
He looked at his fragile looking fifth sister, then took a good look at this shabby room. Suddenly, the desire to protect her welled up in his heart.
Instead of taking the persimmons for himself, he handed it over to Lin Zhanyuan: "Here, eat this, Sixth Brother."
Lin Zhanyuan was not happy but he still took the fruit and nibbled. Lin Jingyuan went out of the door and called the eunuch outside, "Kang-an, come here."
Kang-an was anxiously pacing back and forth outside. Hearing his master's call, he immediately entered inside. Lin Jingyuan's small face became a little serious and he whispered to him in a low voice. After hearing his words, Kang-an replied, "I will do it right now. Your Highness, you should also come with me."
Lin Jingyuan arrogantly stuck his chin out, "Go by yourself, this Prince will take his Fifth Sister to the lake for a fishing trip!"
Since his master had already commanded, Kang-an had no choice but to go on ahead. Hearing that the two children were going out to play, Xiao Lan was not at ease. Originally, she wanted to let Qingyan follow them, but Lin Jingyuan did not even let his own servant follow them, how could he let Qingyan follow along? At this time, a willful and arrogant voice cut off her thoughts, "No one is allowed to follow us!"
Just as Xiao Lan wanted to say something, Lin Feilu interrupted her, "Mother, with Fourth Brother around, everything will be alright."
AD
Xiao Lan could only watch them depart with a worried expression on her face.
Qingyan comforted her with words, "Although no one is following them, everyone in the palace knows the Fourth Prince. He is kind to the princess and will not let others bully her."
In contrast to the worrisome thoughts of an adult, Lin Feilu's inner thoughts were very simple.
Follow the character to unlock new questlines.
Lin Jingyuan was an imperial noble of high prestige. With him around, the probability of meeting new characters would greatly increase. She could feel that her efforts to raise her favorability with Lin Jingyuan so far had been very successful and was easily nearing 70.0%. The time was ripe to find the next target.
The poor fourth prince was oblivious to the fact that he was just an NPC in the eyes of his little fairy sister. He was just happy to bring her along with him. On the way, the palace maids and guards who met them saluted him respectfully as they discreetly glanced at Lin Feilu.
Isn't this the unfavored Fifth Princess? When did she have such a good relationship with the Fourth Prince?
To survive in the Imperial Palace, one must learn to take cues from changing circumstances. These two people were so close that they seemed to be glued together. It was apparent that the undistinguished fifth princess was hugging the fourth prince's big thighs. In the future, no one could afford to look down on her as they had before.
(T/N: "To hug (someone's) big thighs" means to curry favor with someone.)
Lin Feilu kept quiet the entire time she was following Lin Jingyuan. She could tell what these people were thinking from just a glance. However, she was not bothered by them. She continued to act the part of a delicate, obedient and shy character.
The fishing pool was very far to the west, they had to walk through almost half the length of the entire Imperial Harem. The further they walked westwards, the more tranquil their surroundings became. The passing scenery gradually became uninhabited. As they passed through a palace hidden within a bamboo forest, a faint voice was heard not far away ahead of them.
When they got closer to the source, they could hear a girlish voice lashing out, "Song Jinglan, I came to look for you as soon as I got better. I invited you to go rowing in the lake with me, but you surely don't know how to appreciate favors!"
Lin Feilu looked at her and thought to herself, Isn't this Third Princess Lin Xi, the one who fainted in the previous evil spirit incident?
Three steps away from her stood a young boy. The back of his silhouette felt faint, yet his posture was very elegant. Surrounded by a sea of bamboo, he seemed to be enveloped by an extraordinarily dignified aura. Another young boy who looked like a servant was standing beside him, pleading in a low voice, "Third Princess, His Highness still has a fever."
Lin Xi was not willing to let this matter slide, "So what? Even if the heavens crumble today, he has to accompany this princess to the lake!"
Lin Feilu thought to herself, Why does this princess act like a street thug who's robbing candies from a helpless little kid?
As she walked closer and closer, she finally saw the appearance of this 'helpless little kid' whom this thuggish princess was harassing.
What the hell?
Where did this handsome little brother come from? How can you look this handsome without angering both gods and demons!
Lin Feilu felt the urge to harass him too.
Lin Feilu had seen countless beauties over the years. If she only counted the ones she had met since arriving in this world, even mere palace maids were easy on the eyes, thus it was logical that the esteemed concubines and princes would be even more beautiful.
As someone who attached great value to good looks, she was not so easily amazed by just anyone. However, this little boy who looks to be around 11-12 years old had managed to mesmerize her.
When Goddess Nüwa created mankind, everyone else must have been mass-produced, while this boy was personally sculpted with her hands. The contours of his visage was meticulously precise: each stroke was neither too thin nor heavy. He was beautiful without being effeminate, and gentle without forgoing dignity.
(T/N: Goddess Nüwa is the mother goddess of Chinese mythology. It was said that she molded figures made from yellow earth and brought them to life, thus she is credited as the creator of mankind. You can read more here.)
Shadows cast by the bamboo leaves were intermingling with rays of sunlight, producing flickering specks of light that danced on the young boy's figure. His appearance was ethereal, as if he was not of this world.
She once read a poem of Su Shi:
A man as handsome as you should only appear in paintings,
All I know at the sight of you is to be mesmerised.
I write and think of you till the rivers ran dry,
Only then did I know you were no mere man.
At this moment, she felt that every word of this poem was appropriate to describe this encounter.
He already had this kind of appearance at such a young age. If he grew up and developed his features a little more, he could potentially become the source of great turmoil in the hearts of all girls under the heavens!
Clearly, Third Princess Lin Xi had been bewitched.
Despite facing Lin Xi's overbearing attitude, the young boy did not lose his composure. He was neither angry nor annoyed. On the contrary, there was a smile on his face, showing that he had calmness far beyond his peers. He said mildly, "It's a small matter for me to accompany you to the lake, but I haven't recovered from my cold yet. I am just worried that my illness will spread to the Third Princess. You're finally in good health now, so you mustn't torment yourself again."
What he said was obviously a refusal, but his words showed his care and consideration for her. As expected, Lin Xi suddenly restrained her temper and asked somewhat happily, "You were concerned for me?"
Song Jinglan smiled slightly: "Naturally, I do care about you. The bamboo forest is very windy, so the princess should not stand out here in the open. Let's head back first."
Lin Xi was cajoled into obedience with just two to three sentences from him. She summoned her palace maids and turned to leave. She happened to see Lin Feilu who was looking back at her. Thinking of her previous predicament, she immediately said in an arrogant tone, "My luck must be foul. I keep running into this pesky little imp wherever I go."
Lin Feilu retracted her gaze. Immediately, she fearfully hid behind Lin Jingyuan, clutching the corner of his clothes tightly and did not dare to look up.
Upon seeing this, Lin Jingyuan became angry as he pointed at Lin Xi and scolded, "How dare you act so conceited before me! Eldest Imperial Sister has tolerated your arrogance for far too long! If I hear you spout any of that nonsense one more time, you won't get off the hook so easily!"
Lin Xi was not expecting Lin Jingyuan to defend Lin Feilu. Although she was usually arrogant, her standing still paled in significance by comparison to Lin Jingyuan. In the first place, her fourth elder brother had never really interacted with her, yet now he was even scolding her. She felt so wronged that she ran away crying.
Lin Jingyuan let out a loud snort. He turned around and gently patted Lin Feilu's head, "Don't be afraid."
Lin Feilu raised her small face and blinked her eyes. Her eyes seemed to be filled with outspoken trust and respect for him.
Seeing this, Lin Jingyuan felt like he was on cloud nine. He clenched his fists and swore in his heart, I will always protect Little Sister Feilu!
When the commotion ended, Song Jinglan planned to return to Cuizhu Villa with his servant boy. He gently smiled at the two, giving a slight nod before he walked away at a leisurely pace. Dancing shadows from the bamboo canopy fell on his back, painting a peaceful scene.
Lin Feilu whispered, "Brother Jingyuan, who is he?"
Lin Jingyuan casually answered as they walked forward, "You don't recognize him? He's the prince that was sent by the Song Kingdom to be held here as a hostage five years ago. His name is Song Jinglan."
Lin Feilu's current understanding of this era was limited to the Great Lin Empire. This was a good opportunity to find out more things. After listening to him, she pretended not to understand anything and asked, "What is a hostage?"
For the first time, the fourth prince found a sense of accomplishment for knowing things and happily explained to his younger sister.
She found out that in addition to the Great Lin Empire which was located in the north, there was also the Song Empire located in the south and the Yong Kingdom which mainly consisted of nomads. In total, there were three nations that ruled this continent.
At first, the Song Empire was the strongest because the southern land was fertile and rich in resources. Compared to the barren northlands of Lin and the endless prairies of Yong, Song had inherited a natural advantage.
However, their abundance led to negligence. The emperors of the Song Kingdom became worse with each generation. Gradually, they dug into the national treasury to fill the royal family's coffers and sunk deeper into their indulgences. The current emperor of Song was a lustful man who coveted all beautiful women. His lechery was renowned across the lands, as he liked to collect beautiful women from all over the world.
A few years ago, in order to combat the growing militaristic strength of the Great Lin Empire, the rulers of the Song Empire and the Yong Kingdom proposed an alliance through a marriage of state. However, when the Great Lin Empire unexpectedly caught wind of this matter, it enraged Emperor Lin.
The Great Lin Empire had always coveted the fertile lands of the Song Kingdom, but could never find an ethical reason to invade its borders. Moreover, there was a natural moat between the two states — the Huaihe River. Emperor Lin was also worried that a war of attrition with the Song Empire would not be easy. The Song Empire was known for their abundance in wealth and resources, thus he could not be rash with plans of conquest.
The emperor of the Song Kingdom knew this as well. Regardless, Emperor Song was fearful of the very thought of an enraged Emperor Lin attacking the Song Empire. He immediately rejected the alliance with the Yong Kingdom, and sent an emissary to convey his message to Emperor Lin. As a demonstration of sincerity, he even sent one of his imperial sons to live in the Great Lin Empire.
That prince was Song Jinglan.
According to Lin Jingyuan, when he arrived at Great Lin Empire, he was only seven years old and was only accompanied by a young servant boy. Although he was a prince, he was also a hostage. His life in this Imperial Harem was not pitifully difficult, but it was not an easy one either. Lin Jingyuan did not dare to confess to his little sister that he had also bullied Song Jinglan on several occasions in the past.
When Lin Jingyuan was studying in the Imperial School, Song Jinglan was always praised by the teachers. Lin Jingyuan was the least fond of studying, so naturally he did not like Song Jinglan. He used to splash ink on his clothes and tease him with the other princes.
However, Song Jinglan was never annoyed. He always seemed to be smiling, treating everyone in a gentle and humble manner. Eventually, Lin Jingyuan became bored of his reactions and rarely provoked him ever since then.
After hearing this, Lin Feilu felt that this handsome little brother was a little pitiful.
As expected, God was fair. If someone was bestowed with an appearance that was in defiance of the natural order, God would accordingly take something else away from that person. In any case, Destiny did not allow him to lead a smooth sailing life.
It's really true that fellow sufferers can empathize with each other.
Hypothetically speaking, if the Song Empire was the stronger state, the Great Lin Empire would need to give away an imperial princess under the pretext of diplomatic marriage. Undoubtedly, the candidate for such a role would definitely be herself.
The abandoned one.
She was feeling a little depressed from all these thoughts. However, she was careful to not let Lin Jingyuan know, as she happily spent a fishing session with him all afternoon. The eunuch in charge of the lake also took good care in serving them. Finally, they handed over the fishes they caught to the eunuch and instructed him to send the fishes to their respective palaces.
Lin Jingyuan originally wanted to escort her back to her palace. However, as they were halfway there, Consort Xian had sent a messenger to Lin Jingyuan. The Emperor was on his way to Changming Palace to check on his studies, so he must return at haste. Hearing this, Lin Jingyuan became so scared that he ran off immediately.
Lin Feilu was slowly trailing behind the eunuch who was leading the way back to her palace.
As they passed by Cuizhu Villa; wind was rustling through the bamboo forest, as the golden rays of the setting sun draped the silhouette of the building — creating a scenic impression. She thought to herself for a while, then she lifted two fishes from the bucket and said to the eunuch, "Wait for me here."
The eunuch bowed and Lin Feilu walked up to Cuizhu Villa with two fishes in her hands.
Thinking back, she knew that her Mingyue Palace was considerably remote and deserted. She did not expect that this Cuizhu Villa would be even more desolate than Mingyue Palace. When she pushed past the front gates, paint was peeling off from the wooden door as it opened with a loud creak. This was a clear sign of neglect.
Inside, Song Jinglan's servant boy was crouched down while brewing medicine. Seeing someone had come in, he began to look flustered as his stern face turned wary.
He had seen this little girl tag alongside the fourth prince just this afternoon. The fourth prince used to bully his master, so he concluded that this little girl was just as bad of a person.
Unexpectedly, she just walked up to him with a pleasant smile on her face. She handed over the fish and said in a clear voice, "This is for you."
The little servant boy was stunned. He did not dare to respond.
Lin Feilu said again, "I heard that His Highness was sick? With this, you can make fish soup for him, it's very nourishing."
The boy looked at the fish, then looked back at the harmless little girl. In the end, he thought to himself, Is this fish poisoned?
Lin Feilu knew exactly what he was thinking. She chuckled and said jokingly: "You don't want it?"
The little servant boy was at a loss. A door that was obscured behind him was pushing open. Song Jinglan was standing at the door, draping a cloak over his body. He spoke gently, "Tiandong, just accept it." Then he turned to Lin Feilu, "You have my thanks, Fifth Princess."
Lin Feilu was a little surprised, "How did you recognize me?"
He nodded with a smile, "I've heard many things about the Fifth Princess."
He seemed to have just gotten up from his bed, as his hair was looking a little messy. He looked pale and weak, but his manners were impeccably on point. The longer she looked at him, the more pleasing he was to look at. Lin Feilu was feeling satisfied just from appreciating his beautiful visage. Once she had finished her objective of delivering the fish, she walked away with a skip in her step.
She even tenderly closed the gates behind her as she left.
As soon as she had left, Tiandong immediately said, "Your Highness, I will go and bury this fish right now."
Song Jinglan weakly waved his hand, "No need to do that. Just cook and eat it."
Tiandong hesitated, "But, what if it's poisoned…"
He smiled, "The princess has personally delivered it to us by hand. No one would be as bold and reckless to do that. Be at ease."
After giving away the fishes, Lin Feilu continued to walk back to her palace. As she was approaching closer to the front gates, she saw from afar that Xiao Lan was already waiting outside. Seeing her daughter had come home, Xiao Lan walked up to her and said in an anxious tone, "You've finally returned."
Lin Feilu noticed that something else was bothering her. When the eunuch who carried her fishes for her had left, she asked, "Mother, what's the matter?"
Xiao Lan looked on with worry as she led her inside, "After you left this afternoon, the Fourth Prince's servants had sent many things to our palace."
That was when Lin Feilu saw that their house was filled with wooden chests and boxes. There were food, brocades, jewelry, and all sorts of things that she had never seen before. There were so many gifts that it had occupied the entire floor area of their home.
Lin Jingyuan, that little brat, can be quite considerate too.
Lin Feilu liked gifts, naturally she was happy to receive them. However, Xiao Lan was worried, "I worry what will happen if Consort Xian finds out about this."
Lin Feilu had gotten used to her overcautious tendencies, so she did not respond to her and happily ran over to open the gifts. Today, Lin Feilu had caught so many fishes that there were still some left after dinner. Yunyou kept the remaining fishes in a small waterhole in the courtyard, which Lin Zhanyuan had a great time playing with.
Compared to Mingyue Palace, the air was tense in Changming Palace.
By the time Lin Jingyuan had arrived, Emperor Lin was already inside. He was drinking tea with Consort Xian, when he saw Lin Jingyuan come running in, sweating profusely and heavily panting. The emperor's face darkened, displaying his annoyance. Consort Xian was angry when she saw Lin Jingyuan present himself with such disgrace. She was even more angry when she recalled the report she received this afternoon from her palace maids. They said he had sent many things to Mingyue Palace for some inexplicable reason.
Lin Jingyuan knelt down and kowtowed.
Emperor Lin coldly said, "You went out to play again?"
Lin Jingyuan replied honestly, "I went fishing."
Emperor Lin scoffed, "You idle away and neglect your studies. I see you seem to have more interest in fooling around for your trivial hobbies!"
Consort Xian attempted to placate his anger, "Your Majesty, please calm down. Jingyuan is still young. He just wants to have a little fun. Wait for him…"
Annoyed, Emperor Lin interrupted her and retorted, "That's what you think! Eight years old is not a young age. When I was his age, I was able to compose three papers worth of National Tax Laws!"
Consort Xian replied, "Your Majesty is gifted with tactical acumen and knowledgeable in civil affairs. How can Jingyuan compare with Your Majesty?"
Emperor Lin took another sip of tea to suppress his anger. His eyes inadvertently fell on Lin Jingyuan's bulging chest. He asked with a frown, "What are you carrying in your bosom?"
In the past, this little rascal would tuck dead birds inside his chest when he went to Imperial School to frighten the teachers. When Emperor Lin thought of his previous actions, he could not help but to suspect that this time he was carrying a dead fish inside his chest to re-enact a similar prank.
Consort Xian was angry and anxious at the same time. However, she could not say anything more. She watched as her son raised his hand, rummaged inside his chest, then took out a copy of "The Analects of Confucius".
What?
The Analects of Confucius?!
Is this not the same son who gets dizzy and has a headache whenever he reads books?
At first, Emperor Lin thought perhaps this book of "The Analects" was a fake and its pages may be containing something unspeakably shameful. After all, the fourth prince was his own flesh and blood; of course he knew what his son's character was like. Asking him to study was the same as asking for his life. Once, he even pretended to faint just for the sake of avoiding attending school.
He reached out and took the book from his son. He opened it and flipped through several pages. It was actually a genuine copy!
The book was a little worn out. The corners of its pages had traces of being folded, indicating the frequent turning of pages. The only abnormality was that there was a withered Asiastic apple flower in the book. Emperor Lin queried, "What is this?"
"This is called a bookmark," Lin Jingyuan replied honestly.
Emperor Lin asked again, "What is it for?"
Lin Jingyuan tilted his head. As he rolled his eyes, a brilliant idea struck him, "I use it to record my reading progress to avoid folding the corners of the book."
When Emperor Lin heard this statement, he raised his eyebrows. He was not sure if he should praise him or reprimand him. "I've never pegged you as a book lover. This Asiatic apple flower was placed on this page — I assume that means you've already read up to this page?"
"Yes," Lin Jingyuan replied.
Emperor Lin said with a smile, "Then, let me hear you recite a paragraph."
Lin Jingyuan: "…" He lowered his head as he said, "I have not memorized it yet. I planned to read the entire book once first before I start to memorize it from the beginning."
Consort Xian immediately interjected on behalf of her son, "This child has never liked reading, but now he has started to read. As you have seen, he even carries this book with him. It is clear that he is putting his heart into it. May Your Imperial Majesty grant him a little more time."
The annoyance on Emperor Lin's face immediately faded away. He had always adored the fourth prince. He was satisfied to see that his son was so eager to learn now. He returned "The Analects of Confucius" to him and said, "I haven't seen you for just a few days, but now I see you have changed for the better. You've done well."
He was so pleased, he even had dinner at Changming Palace. Emperor Lin loved young and beautiful concubines. Consort Xian was getting on in years, thus she was no longer as favored by the emperor as she had before. If it was not for her son, whom the emperor adored, she would have completely fallen out of favor.
However, her son failed to live up to her expectations as he was only interested in fooling around. Now her son was still young, it was natural for Emperor Lin to be more forgiving. However, if he still remained ignorant and incompetent in the future, she was afraid that he would completely lose his father's favor.
Today, just a copy of "The Analects of Confucius" alone was enough to satisfy Emperor Lin. He even praised her for being a good mother and rewarded her with many things. Consort Xian was very happy; but she, too, understood her son's character very well. After Emperor Lin left, she immediately called Lin Jingyuan over and asked, "Where did this book come from?"
Lin Jingyuan was more honest in front of his own mother, "It was Fifth Imperial Sister who gave me this." He seemed to have recalled something, as his eyes burned with brilliance, "Fifth Imperial Sister sealed good fortune inside this book for me. It really worked, didn't it, Mother? Father didn't even scold me!"
Consort Xian was reminded of the report of her son sending things to Mingyue Palace this afternoon.
At first, this made her angry. She had planned to summon Honorable Lady Xiao Lan the next morning to admonish her. But now, she was no longer angry. Instead, she gave Lin Jingyuan an earful and told him to be more studious from now on. When Lin Jingyuan left, she passed her orders to Suiyu, her personal maid-in-waiting, "You don't need to bring Honorable Lady Lan tomorrow morning. Bring the Fifth Princess instead."
So the next morning, the chief eunuch of Changming Palace came to Mingyue Palace to deliver her message.
When Xiao Lan heard that Consort Xian wanted to meet with the fifth princess, her face turned pale. She held onto Yunyou's hand as she anxiously said, "What should we do? The consort must be infuriated with what happened yesterday. Qingyan, quickly help me get dressed. I'll accompany Feilu to beg the consort for forgiveness."
Lin Feilu felt that Xiao Lan's sickly disposition was likely a result from living her life so fearfully in this Imperial Harem.
Seeing Xiao Lan, the eunuch said with a smile: "Honorable Lady Xiao Lan, My Lady only wishes to meet the Fifth Princess."
Xiao Lan was caught in a dilemma. She took off the jade bracelet on her wrist which was given by her mother when she entered the palace. It was also the only jewelry she had. She handed it to the eunuch and whispered, "Did the Princess do something to anger the Consort?"
The eunuch continued to smile as he accepted the bracelet, "Be at ease, Honorable Lady. My Lady is in a good mood. The Princess is a fortuitous person. Nothing bad will happen to her."
Xiao Lan breathed a sigh of relief when she heard this. However, she was still worried, so she gave Lin Feilu a few more words of advice before watching her leave with the eunuch.
It was still early in the morning as an autumnal breeze swept through the air. At this time, Lin Jingyuan had already departed for the Imperial School. When Lin Feilu followed the eunuch into Changming Palace, Consort Xian was sitting on her daybed, sipping on a bowl of snow lotus porridge.
The room was decorated with pearls and a mild fragrance wafted in the air. It was more luxurious than Imperial Concubine Jing's Zhaoyang Palace. It was apparent the quality of one's life in the Imperial Harem was bound to one's rank and title. Lin Feilu only looked around once and did not ogle any further. She lowered her head as walked up to Consort Xian and greeted her, "Little Lu pays respect to Consort Xian."
Consort Xian knew about the fifth princess, but this was her first time meeting her in person.
The little girl was dressed plainly and had a delicate appearance. There were two small buns on the top of her head. She still exuded an air of child-like innocence, but her facial features were exquisite and she looked extremely adorable. Her eyes were especially radiant, like pearls that glitter in the dark night.
She looked a little nervous, but her etiquette was immaculate. At first glance, one could tell she was just a simple and obedient little girl.
Consort Xian said with warmth and affection in her voice, "Get up quickly." She turned her head and smiled at Suiyu, "She's just like her mother. This one will grow up beautifully."
Suiyu also smiled and nodded: "As you say, My Lady."
Consort Xian personally took Lin Feilu's hand and made her sit on the daybed. She asked, "Have you already had breakfast?"
Lin Feilu lowered her eyes and shook her head gently, "Not yet."
Consort Xian instructed Suiyu to serve another bowl of snow lotus porridge for her, then said with a smile, "Quickly try this porridge."
Lin Feilu bit her lower lip, looked at Consort Xian, and said, "Thank you, Consort Xian." She slowly picked up the spoon and lowered her head to eat.
She was also very courteous in eating. She chewed and swallowed slowly without making any sounds. It seemed that she had never eaten such delicious porridge before as her eyes were literally twinkling. Children never hide their emotions as their emotions are always on full display on their faces.
After she finished the porridge, Consort Xian asked someone to make butter tea with desserts from the Imperial Kitchen. Lin Feilu liked to eat sweets, but in her past life, she had a strict diet to maintain her figure and skin complexion. After her transmigration, she could not even eat sponge cakes or milk tea as they do not exist in this life. Moreover, Xiao Lan also could not afford any sweets. Today, she was finally able to treat her tastebuds to a feast.
She did not hesitate out of politeness and stuffed her cheeks full with snacks, fully displaying a child-like naivete.
Consort Xian discreetly observed Lin Feilu for a long time and finally concluded that this was indeed an innocent child. The caution in her eyes was extinguished. After she finished her snacks, Consort Xian smiled and asked, "Fifth Princess, how old are you this year?"
Lin Feilu licked the corners of her mouth and politely replied, "Milady, I am five years old."
Consort Xian smiled and said to Suiyu, "Apart from Imperial Concubines Su's daughter, Fifth Princess is the youngest child in the Imperial Harem. Moreover, she is so well-behaved. No wonder Jingyuan talks about his fifth younger sister every day." She looked at Lin Feilu and asked, "I heard that you gave Jingyuan a copy of 'The Analects of Confucius' yesterday?"
Lin Feilu nodded gingerly, "Yes."
Consort Xian asked again, "Why did you give him 'The Analects'?"
Lin Feilu said in a childish voice, "Since Fourth Brother gave me many gifts yesterday, I thought I should also give him something in return but…" She lowered her head in a bit of annoyance and the two small buns on her head also bobbled. Her voice also became lowered and muffled, "Fourth Brother doesn't lack anything and I also don't have anything to give him. Later, I recalled my mother once told me that knowledge is very important for succeeding in life, so I gave him 'The Analects of Confucius'."
Hearing what she said, the smile on Consort Xian's face became even brighter and she could not help but see Lin Feilu in a better light, "I did not expect Fifth Princess to be so well behaved and studious at such a young age. If only Jingyuan was as sensible as you, I would be much more at ease."
Lin Feilu looked at her with a serious expression, "Fourth brother is very nice. He is really, very nice."
Consort Xian was amused by her words, "You are the first person to praise him like this."
In her eyes, the fifth princess was straightforward, innocent, well-behaved and polite. Compared to the Eldest Princess Lin Nianzhi and the Third Princess Lin Xi, this girl was far more likeable. As Consort Xian conversed with her for almost two hours, she began to like this little girl more and more inside her heart.
Of course, she did not like the eldest princess because of her birth mother Consort Hui. They never got along with each other ever since that time when they both lived in the Eastern Palaces. The two consorts had fought openly and covertly among themselves for many years, and they regarded each other as a thorn in their eyes.
(T/N: The Eastern Palaces are a region of the Imperial Harem that houses 6 palaces of the same style, and are reserved as living quarters for the emperor's concubines. Historically, the harem palaces in both Forbidden Cities of Nanjing and Beijing are sectioned into several regions that are named after general directions.)
However, Lin Feilu was different. Her mother was just an Honorable Lady. Not only was she not favored by His Imperial Majesty, but she was even despised by him because she gave birth to a fool. This Honorable Lady was not a threat to her in any case.
Consort Xian knew her son very well. He was a spoiled young rascal that detested studying. Any words of admonishment from her or His Imperial Majesty would go in through one ear and out from the other. He was charging full steam ahead on the downward path to becoming a wayward prince.
But now, Lin Jingyuan was willing to accept a book that Lin Feilu gave to him. He even cherished it very much. It was clear that he truly adored this little sister. Moreover, this little sister was neither a spoiled child nor a cunning one. Consort Xian was no longer worried about their relationship anymore. She even hoped to ask Lin Feilu to persuade her son to study hard.
She confessed, "Jingyuan is very playful, and he is not as intelligent as Feilu. Since he is willing to listen to you, try to persuade him to study instead. You don't have to do much. It's good enough if you just make him memorize 'The Analects of Confucius' as soon as possible. That is also how he can show his gratitude for your gift."
Lin Feilu nodded and obediently replied, "Feilu will do as Milady asks."
Consort Xian was very satisfied. She gave her many things before Lin Feilu left. Among the gifts, there were several boxes of snacks as well. She instructed Suiyu to lead several palace maids and eunuchs to personally escort her back to Mingyue Palace. This perplexed Xiao Lan.
Suiyu said with a smile, "My Lady has a message: If Honorable Lady Xiao Lan is not busy, you should visit Changming Palace often. My Lady loves the Fifth Princess and treats her as her own daughter."
Xiao Lan was simply overwhelmed by the favor she received.
After the servants had left, everyone looked at the gifts that had filled the entire courtyard, then looked at each other in dismay. Finally, it was Qingyan who happily exclaimed, "Our princess must be a blessed child — everyone loves our princess!"
The movements of the Changming Palace in the past two days were also observed by the other palaces. Everyone was confused and did not understand why Consort Xian suddenly wanted to win over an Honorable Lady who had fallen out of favor for many years. Not to mention the fact that Mingyue Palace itself recently became an ominous place.
After they listened to reports of the palace servants' gossips, they found that the root cause was the close relationship between the fourth prince and the fifth princess. The fourth prince had always been a troublemaker, causing uproar in the Imperial Palace almost once every 2 or 3 days. Everyone was used to this. Nowadays, they rarely hear of his mischiefs. Some eunuchs had even swore that they had seen him fishing in Lake Pavilion while reciting "the Analects".
Everyone found it strange at first, but they finally connected the dots and understood.
It was no wonder why Consort Xian took a liking to the fifth princess. She was capable of getting the fourth prince to listen to her, which was not something any ordinary people could do.
Everyone expressed their curiosity about the fifth princess. They didn't pay much attention to her before. Now that they have started to pay more attention, they could often see her in places like the Royal Flower Garden and the Royal Viewing Terrace.
Apart from her good manners, cute looks and quick wit; it seemed that there was nothing extraordinarily special about her.
Then why was the fourth prince so obedient to her?
This eventually remained an unsolved mystery in the Imperial Harem.