Chapter 30
**Chapter 30: Moving to a Bigger House, Advancing in Career!**
The Prince of Yan rubbed his temples.
He didn’t believe in ghosts or gods, and inviting a Taoist priest to the royal residence in broad daylight would surely attract criticism from the court. Yet, he was also uneasy about letting Shen Wei continue living in Fangfei Courtyard.
“Your Highness, the Princess has arrived,” a guard reported.
The Princess was dressed in a dark red peony and hibiscus gown, her black hair elegantly styled in a bun. She politely knelt to pay her respects to the Prince of Yan.
Sitting at his desk, the Prince accepted the Bi Luo Chun tea offered by Fu Gui and casually asked, “What’s the matter?”
The Princess was already accustomed to the Prince’s distant demeanor.
Calmly, she replied, “Your Highness, Scholar Zhang has retired to his hometown. I wish to ask you to invite Scholar Sun from the Hanlin Academy to be the children’s tutor. Scholar Sun is well-versed and knowledgeable; if Cheng Ke and Cheng Zhen could receive his guidance, they would surely make rapid progress.”
Cheng Ke and Cheng Zhen were royal children who studied at the Guozijian during the day and returned home for extra lessons from Scholar Zhang at night. However, Scholar Zhang’s abilities were limited, and the two boys had yet to excel at the Guozijian.
The Princess felt disappointed. She hoped her sons would excel and secure the top two spots at the Guozijian. Since Scholar Zhang wasn’t up to the task, it was time to find a more capable tutor. After much thought, she set her sights on the erudite Scholar Sun, hoping the Prince would help bring him in for the children’s lessons.
The Prince set down his celadon teacup, his handsome brows furrowing slightly. “Cheng Ke and Cheng Zhen are already quite busy with their studies at the Guozijian. There’s no need to seek out a private tutor for them.”
Studying all day and then coming home to study again, the boys were only ten years old. They were too young to be buried in books without enough time to rest.
Lack of rest led to frequent illnesses, and their health was deteriorating day by day.
But the Princess was persistent. “Cheng Ke and Cheng Zhen are hardworking and ambitious. Once they achieve success, they can help relieve your burdens.”
The Prince shot her a cold glance, enunciating each word, “Are you doing this for me, or for yourself?”
The Princess felt a chill run down her spine under his piercing gaze. Her lips trembled, and for a moment, she couldn’t utter a single word.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, she wisely closed her mouth.
The Prince took a sip of tea, changing the subject. “There have been frequent ghost sightings at Fangfei Courtyard lately, and Shen Wei is quite disturbed. Are you aware of this?”
The Princess forced a smile. “I’ve heard about it. However, most ghost stories are mere fabrications; they’ll settle down in a few days.”
She knew that Zhang Yue was deliberately targeting Shen Wei, but she had no interest in the petty squabbles between the concubines. Such conflicts would soon die down; there was no need to pay them any mind.
The Prince narrowed his eyes. “As the mistress of the royal residence, it is your duty to manage the inner quarters and ensure their safety. Yet, aside from the children, you seem indifferent to everything else.”
This was the source of the Prince’s greatest disappointment in the Princess.
As the primary consort, her responsibilities included managing the household finances, caring for the concubines, overseeing the servants, and educating the children. Yet, she spent all her time focused on her two sons and daughter, neglecting the other concubines and their children. She didn’t even bother to manage the estate, resulting in significant financial losses for the royal residence each year.
Previously, when the Princess was in charge of organizing the spring banquet, it ended in chaos, and she failed to notice an assassin hiding among the guests.
Being oblivious to everything, merely occupying her position while thinking herself above it all—what kind of mistress was that?
Feeling anxious, the Princess knelt down, her knees buckling. “Your Highness, please forgive me. I have failed in my duties. I will send someone to Fangfei Courtyard to check on things tomorrow.”
Though she knelt quickly, the Prince knew deep down she didn’t truly acknowledge her mistakes.
He sighed. “Very well, you may return.”
The Princess lowered her head and quietly left the Prince’s study. He watched her slightly plump figure depart, trying to recall the days when they were once so loving and happy.
But after a long time, the years had dulled those memories, and he could hardly remember the beauty of their past.
Outside, the night was deepening. The Prince said, “Go to Fangfei Courtyard.”
...
The Princess, supporting Liu Mama, returned to her courtyard, utterly exhausted. As she walked, tears streamed down her face.
She felt wronged.
The mistresses of other prominent families in Yanjing often engaged in fierce rivalries with their concubines, creating turmoil in their households. The Princess saw through the hypocrisy of such infighting and had become as indifferent as a chrysanthemum. Was there anyone in Yanjing more unambitious than her?
Yet the Prince seemed increasingly dissatisfied with her.
Liu Mama gently wiped her tears. “Your Highness, please don’t cry. The Prince doesn’t understand your struggles.”
The Princess wiped her tears and her eyes shone with determination. “Liu Mama, discreetly gather some silver and find Scholar Sun. Cheng Ke and Cheng Zhen must secure the top spots at the Guozijian.”
Her children were her only hope and support.
As for the other concubines in the royal residence, whether they lived or died was of no concern to her.
...
The Prince of Yan walked through the hazy night to Fangfei Courtyard.
Shen Wei had not yet fallen asleep. She was squatting by the vegetable patch with Cai Lian and Cai Ping, looking worriedly at the wilted plants.
Hearing the noise at the courtyard entrance, Shen Wei mustered a weak smile and greeted, “Your Highness, you’re back.”
The Prince noticed her pale, thin face and felt a pang of pity. He took her hand, which was icy cold, like a piece of ice in summer.
Her frail body had grown so weak that even her warm hands felt cold.
“What are you looking at by the vegetable patch, Wei Wei?” the Prince asked gently.
Shen Wei lowered her head, her voice heavy with concern. “Your Highness, the vegetables we planted... I don’t know why they’ve all wilted...”
The Prince was taken aback, his gaze falling on the vegetable patch. What had once been a lush green garden was now a mess, with the seedlings leaning at odd angles, eggplants strewn across the ground, and the newly ripened tomatoes rotting away.
The eggplants, tomatoes, and peppers were all plants he had personally sown.
Now, they were all ruined!
The Prince felt a surge of anger.
Shen Wei furrowed her brows, her voice tinged with a hint of tears. “Your Highness, please forgive me. I’ve taken care of this vegetable patch every day, but I never expected this to happen. And the pavilion by the pond... it inexplicably collapsed this afternoon...”
The tender seedlings had all withered, and the constructed pavilion had fallen.
Shen Wei’s eyes were red-rimmed, her almond-shaped eyes shimmering with unshed tears, looking as pitiful as freshly peeled lychees.
“Your Highness, it’s chilly outside. I made your favorite red date tea,” she said, forcing a smile that masked her worries.
She took the Prince’s hand and, with a heavy heart, led him inside.
That night, they shared the same bed. Outside, the wind rustled softly. What should have been a normal night breeze made Shen Wei flinch like a startled grasshopper, curling up in the Prince’s embrace, her delicate body trembling slightly.
The Prince could tell she was frightened.
But to avoid worrying him, Shen Wei said nothing about the ghostly disturbances at Fangfei Courtyard, silently bearing it all alone.
The Prince sighed inwardly, wrapping his arms around Shen Wei’s slender waist. “I’ve had someone prepare the Liuli Pavilion for you. You’ll move there tomorrow.”
The candlelight in the room was still flickering, and the Prince clearly saw the surprise on Shen Wei’s pretty face. She blinked in disbelief, stammering, “Li, Liuli Pavilion?”
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