Meeting the Prince Consort

But the moment she thought of divining their fortunes, a wave of drowsiness swept over her.

Hearing her daughter's thoughts, Liu Wan looked over, only to find the baby in her swaddling already asleep.

She reached out to check the little one's breathing, then let out a sigh of relief.

Her mind was clear. She knew that no amount of grief would help. She had to stand tall and could not let them bend her to their whims.

She asked Pan Chun to help her sit up, then took up a brush and wrote a letter. "Send this home to my elder brother."

On the second day of the month, Pan Chun came with news that Old Madam Xie had invited several tables of relatives to Charity Hall, saying she had adopted a child.

Pan Chun's eyes reddened as she said to Liu Wan, "Madam, you've been in postpartum confinement all this time, and the heir hasn't come to see you once. Now that Old Madam has announced she's adopted a child, he's running himself ragged over there. How is that fair?"

Liu Wan's expression turned utterly grim. She had already guessed that Old Madam would be busy today. Though it was not a grand affair, she had still invited relatives and clan elders of the Marquis's Residence to attend a Full-Moon Banquet for a mistress's child!

Was this not a public declaration that the child belonged to the marquis's bloodline?

What filthy tricks!

"Pan Chun! Has my elder brother arrived?" Liu Wan asked. Her brother had just been promoted to provincial governor and granted a marriage to the Fifth Princess, making him the future prince consort. The Fifth Princess was the emperor's most beloved daughter. It was said that the largest coral in the world stood in her palace as a wishing tree.

"He just arrived. He's outside," Pan Chun replied.

Liu Wan soothed the child in her arms to sleep, thinking that ending her confinement three days early would do no harm.

She then invited her elder brother, Liu Ye, to accompany her to Charity Hall to pay their respects to Old Madam.

The moment they entered the courtyard, they saw Xie Jin'an bustling about, his face wreathed in smiles as he spoke to the relatives. "My grandmother adores this child, so we invited everyone over to meet him. Rou Rou, bring the child here."

His enthusiasm extinguished the very last spark of hope in Liu Wan's heart.

"Husband, Old Madam, am I late?" Liu Wan approached them with an icy smile.

Old Madam visibly stiffened. "Wan'er, why didn't you have someone announce your arrival? Aren't you still in confinement? You..."

At the sight of her, the smile froze on Xie Jin'an's face.

Liu Wan smiled faintly. "I am the mistress of the Marquis's Residence. Must I give advance notice even to pay my respects to you? Besides, with a happy occasion in the family, wouldn't my absence make us a laughingstock?"

Old Madam fell silent. Xie Jin'an, however, went with the current, taking Liu Wan's hand with a smile. "I'm glad you understand the bigger picture, Wan'er. I've truly been too busy lately. Grandmother put me to work here as soon as I returned. It would be wonderful if you could help. Take a look at this child. Does he appeal to you?"

He asked Xu Rourou to bring the child over for Liu Wan to see.

Xu Rourou nearly ground her teeth to pieces. What was this supposed to mean? Did her own child have to be offered for Liu Wan's approval?

Liu Wan merely cast him an indifferent glance and smiled. "I knew Old Madam wouldn't go out of her way to invite our relatives over for a thing like this."

At those words, the entire gathering fell silent.

"But didn't Old Madam say she'd adopted a child and wanted us to come..." Though the invitation had only been delivered verbally, its meaning had been perfectly clear.

They were here to attend this boy's Full-Moon Banquet.

Had there been some misunderstanding?

Old Madam nudged Liu Wan. "What are you..."

Liu Wan said loudly, "Old Madam learned that my elder brother had been promoted to provincial governor and was marrying into the Imperial Family, so she invited everyone to a banquet to make his acquaintance. Seeing this child was merely incidental."

"Oh my, remembering us when fortune smiles upon you! Old Madam, I never imagined you were so generous. To introduce such a connection to us relatives-our Xie family is truly blessed to have you!" A clan elder suddenly clapped his hands in praise.

"Exactly! I was wondering why keeping a child in the Marquis's Residence warranted all this when you could simply have a servant raise him. So this banquet was really to introduce us relatives to the prince consort."

"Old Madam has such kind intentions. How generous she is!"

Praise rang out incessantly. Some had already picked up their wine cups to toast Liu Wan's brother. After all, Old Madam's relatives came from modest households. Given a chance to meet someone connected to the Imperial Family, naturally they wanted to cling to a higher branch.

Old Madam stood frozen in place, smiling awkwardly. With everyone praising her so lavishly, she had no way to back down.

Xie Jin'an's face turned livid. "Liu Wan, we..."

"Husband, this is a good thing. Why aren't you happy? This child appeals to Old Madam, but surely he doesn't appeal to you too? You haven't seen Wanwan in an entire month. Won't you even visit your own child?"

Liu Wan sneered.

Watching Xie Jin'an's face alternate between green and white, she suddenly felt wonderful. Pointing at Xu Rourou, she asked, "Old Madam, is this the wet nurse you hired for the child? Why choose someone so young?"

Old Madam stepped forward to restrain Xie Jin'an before he erupted, then said with a chuckle, "Yes, she's the wet nurse. Hurry and take the child back to his room! Stop disgracing yourself here!"

The rebuke brought tears to Xu Rourou's eyes. Lowering her head, she swallowed her grievance and choked out, "Yes."

She turned and left.

Xie Jin'an wanted to follow her, but a look from Old Madam stopped him in his tracks.

Old Madam took Liu Wan's hand and asked with concern, "Will leaving confinement three days early affect your health? And Zhaodi? Is Zhaodi well?"

Liu Wan asked in confusion, "Zhaodi? Didn't I already send word that her name was Wanwan? If you wanted to change her name, why didn't you tell me beforehand? Before your Longevity Lock arrived, I'd already written to my brother. The entire Liu Residence knows my daughter's name is Wanwan."

Old Madam paused, her lips moving. "But it's such a good name."

Liu Wan continued, "Since it's such a good name, why not give it to that boy just now? How about Laidi-'bring a younger brother'?"

Old Madam's expression grew even uglier, though she did not let much of it show. "Since everyone already knows, it wouldn't be right to change it. Wanwan it is, then. At her hundred-day celebration, we'll bestow a few more childhood names and let the little one draw one."

Liu Wan nodded to Old Madam. "Very well. When the time comes, I'll ask my brother and sister-in-law to invite Grand Tutor Chen, the Crown Prince's teacher, to write a few auspicious characters for Wanwan."

Old Madam glanced at her, a flicker of disdain in her eyes. "She's only a girl. Why make such a fuss and invite Grand Tutor Chen to write for her? That favor might prove useful later."

Liu Wan smiled. "That favor belongs to my elder brother."

Not to the Marquis's Residence.

Old Madam choked, a breath caught painfully in her chest.

Xie Jin'an thought the arrangement sounded good, and his expression softened a little. "It would be wonderful if Grand Tutor Chen could come write for us. Have him write a few auspicious characters for all the young masters in the household too. That way, the Marquis's Residence can bask in the reflected glory of the Crown Prince's teacher."

The corner of Old Madam's eye twitched, and she looked at Xie Jin'an in displeasure.

Xie Jin'an turned to her. "Isn't that a good idea?"

Old Madam could only say that his idea was excellent.

Now she had to agree, whether she wanted to or not.

Yet she still felt terribly stifled. Without naming the girl Zhaodi-'beckon a younger brother'-how could Liu Wan bear a son? It seemed Liu Wan had no intention of having another child.

How could she not bear a boy? How could the Marquis's Residence have no son born to the lawful wife?

No, she had to find a way to give Huai Shan a proper status so he could count as a legitimate son.

She turned her gaze to Liu Ye nearby. He was indeed handsome, refined and poised, modest and courteous. No wonder the Fifth Princess had chosen him as her consort.

Then she looked at her own grandson. His looks were clearly no worse.

After some thought, she said to Liu Ye, "Governor Liu, you're young and accomplished. Is this welcoming banquet I've arranged for you today to your liking?"

Liu Ye smiled faintly, a flash of distaste vanishing from his eyes. "Such a grand reception leaves me overwhelmed by your favor."

"In a few days, it will be Wan'er's child's Full-Moon Banquet. I hope you'll lend the Marquis's Residence your support, Governor Liu, and give Wanwan a grand celebration. "

Grand-what would make it grand?

The Marquis's Residence could now only associate with modest households, and Xie Jin'an's official rank was low. If someone from the Imperial Family came to lend their support, they would surely be able to forge a connection.

Liu Ye tightened his fingers around his wine cup. Understanding the meaning behind Old Madam's words, he smiled. "Certainly."

He would come with the Fifth Princess and make it a show of support for his niece.

After the banquet ended, Liu Ye received quite a few "bribes." Rather than take them home, however, he gave them to Liu Wan.

Liu Wan returned to her courtyard with a heap of gifts, all the frustration in her heart swept away.

Were these not the one-month gifts the relatives had prepared for that mistress's child? Now they were all in her hands.

Meanwhile, elsewhere.

Xie Jin'an was still agonizing over the matter at Charity Hall. He told his grandmother that Huai Shan must not be wronged.

Old Madam said, "Wan'er's elder brother is engaged to marry into the Imperial Family. You must cultivate a good relationship with him. Look further ahead. What a valuable connection this is! The Fifth Princess is hardly someone you can summon at will."

Xie Jin'an nodded dejectedly and left.

Watching her grandson's handsome retreating figure, a gleam flashed beneath the Old Madam's drooping eyelids. Clearly, she had formed a plan.

She thought to herself that Huai Shan's grievance would only be temporary. He deserved a birth mother of higher standing.

On the fifth day of the month.

It was little Wanwan's Full-Moon Banquet.

Many guests arrived in the front courtyard, including high officials and nobles on friendly terms with the Liu Minister's Residence. Their connections were excellent, and Old Madam's face remained dark.

Only when an imperial carriage arrived at the gate did Old Madam grow excited, putting on a smile and going out to welcome it.

Unexpectedly, the first to alight was Liu Wan's elder brother, Liu Ye. The young provincial governor was graceful and tall, and many women could not tear their eyes from him.

Old Madam watched eagerly, praying that the Fifth Princess had come.

Sure enough, Liu Ye respectfully offered his arm to help the Fifth Princess down from the carriage. With measured courtesy, he first greeted Old Madam Xie, then greeted Liu Wan.

The Fifth Princess felt an immediate warmth toward Liu Wan upon seeing her. As her future sister-in-law, she gave Liu Wan a fine-quality Jade Headdress Set, then presented little Wanwan with a pair of pure-gold bracelets and a pure-gold Longevity Lock.

"These are only first-meeting gifts. There's no need to stand on ceremony with me, little sister." The Fifth Princess held Liu Wan's hand affectionately.

Such a dignified, beautiful woman was about to become her younger sister.

Liu Wan called Xie Zi Mu and Xie Zi Xing over to greet her and pay their respects. Dressed in new moon-white clothes, the two looked truly well-behaved, and the Fifth Princess gave each of them two jin of gold.

She praised them too. "Little sister, you've raised these two children wonderfully. They'll accomplish great things one day."

Indeed, they knew when to step forward and when to hold back, and were filial and courteous. Anyone who met them would like them.

Old Madam's expression soured. Several times she tried to interject, but she could never find a way into the conversation.

Seeing how generous the Fifth Princess was left her feeling stifled.

If only those gifts had been given to Huai Shan.