Chapter 166
**Chapter 166: Returning Home to Complain**
The princess left the Yan Wang residence with her head held high, taking a carriage to the Dantai family in Yanjing. Today was her mother’s birthday, and the atmosphere was bustling with excitement as guests arrived one after another, bringing gifts and well-wishes.
As she gazed at the resplendent entrance, a swell of pride surged within her. The Dantai family, a century-old lineage, represented heights that the humble Shen family could never hope to reach.
Supporting the elderly Liu Mama, the princess stepped down from the carriage with an air of superiority. The servants at the door hurriedly bowed in respect, joyfully welcoming her inside.
The birthday banquet had yet to begin.
First, the princess went to pay her respects to her biological mother—the matriarch of the Dantai family. Guided by a maid, she made her way to her mother’s quarters in the back hall. The entrance was adorned with colorful decorations, radiating joy. The silver-haired matriarch was in the courtyard, holding the hand of her little granddaughter, Yuan’er, while chatting with her eldest daughter’s family.
The matriarch had four children—two daughters and two sons. The princess, Dantai Shuya, was the youngest. When the matriarch married into the Dantai family, she bore a daughter and two sons, and then, after a full decade, she unexpectedly became pregnant again at the age of thirty-four, giving birth to her youngest daughter, Dantai Shuya.
Having a daughter in her middle age, the family had always doted on Dantai Shuya.
“Mother,” the princess called out joyfully as she approached.
The matriarch paused for a moment, then happily grasped the princess’s hand. “Shuya, my dear, you’ve come so early! Come in and sit down.”
The princess smiled, casting a haughty glance at her elder sister, Dantai Shuqin. Dantai Shuqin, the matriarch’s eldest daughter, was significantly older than the princess, by more than a decade.
Dantai Shuqin had married the top scholar of the current dynasty and had only one daughter. The princess often secretly looked down on her elder sister, who had a reputation for being virtuous, but unfortunately lacked the fortune of bearing a son.
Once inside the main hall, the maids served precious Qingxin tea from Jiangnan.
The matriarch continued to hold the princess’s hand, smiling warmly and inquiring about her well-being, her eyes brimming with maternal affection.
“And who is this?” Dantai Shuya asked, noticing a young man she didn’t recognize in the room. He was in his early twenties, handsome and refined, exuding an air of scholarly elegance.
The young man clasped his hands together and replied, “Your Highness, I am Zhang Fenghua, a compiler at the Hanlin Academy.”
The princess, not well-versed in court affairs, didn’t know this rising star but found the name somewhat familiar.
The matriarch smiled and said, “Zhang Fenghua was the top scholar in last year’s imperial examination, hailing from the Zhang family in Yanjing. He is the second top scholar from the Zhang family since the establishment of the Daqing dynasty. I plan to betroth Yuan’er to him.”
Yuan’er was Dantai Shuqin’s only daughter, already of marriageable age and waiting in the inner chambers. The matriarch and Dantai Shuqin’s family had chosen the talented Zhang Fenghua as a suitable match.
Yuan’er resembled her mother, possessing a beauty that could rival the moon. Her cheeks flushed as she shyly glanced at the handsome Zhang Fenghua, quickly lowering her head.
It was then that the princess recalled Zhang Fenghua’s name. Last year, he had been the top scholar, while Shen’s brother had been the second.
The princess had some understanding of the Zhang family in Yanjing. Their ancestor held a position in the court as the Director of the Astronomical Bureau, a role of moderate importance, overseeing celestial observations and divinations. Later, the Zhang family’s fortunes changed when a top scholar emerged from their lineage. Zhang Fenghua’s ancestor became a prosperous prime minister at a young age, elevating the family’s status.
Unfortunately, the Zhang family’s luck turned sour when the prime minister was forced to escort Princess Taihua for marriage and was never able to return to Daqing, leading to the family’s decline.
A family on the brink of decline, Yuan’er marrying into it would only bring hardship. The princess looked at Zhang Fenghua and teased, “So you’re from the Zhang family of Yanjing. It’s quite rare to see such talent emerge from a family that has been around for a century.”
Zhang Fenghua clasped his hands politely and replied, “The glory of my ancestors is something I cannot surpass; I can only strive to move forward.”
The princess had no interest in chatting with Zhang Fenghua. She hadn’t forgotten her original intention for returning home today—to ask her mother to intervene and reclaim her rightful authority over the household.
Before making her request, she knew she had to ingratiate herself first. The princess smiled and said, “Mother, on this special day, I’ve brought you a jade Bodhisattva as a birthday gift. Liu Mama, please bring it out.”
Liu Mama presented a beautifully crafted box, opening it to reveal a meticulously carved white jade Bodhisattva.
The Bodhisattva had a kind expression, with a ruby embedded in its forehead, exquisitely detailed.
Upon seeing the jade Bodhisattva, the matriarch’s expression momentarily froze, but she quickly masked it well.
Dantai Shuqin, standing nearby, showed a hint of surprise at the sight of the jade Bodhisattva.
The matriarch put on a smile, her face still kind. “This gift is quite nice.”
After sipping some tea, the matriarch shifted the conversation, asking the princess, “Why hasn’t the Yan Wang come today?”
The princess felt a pang of embarrassment.
She and the Yan Wang had long since drifted apart. In previous years, the Yan Wang would occasionally visit to pay his respects on the matriarch’s birthday. In recent years, however, he had hardly set foot in the Dantai family’s door, only sending valuable gifts.
This year, the Yan Wang hadn’t even sent a birthday gift.
But the troubles of her family were not something she wanted to make public, especially not to her sister. In the eyes of the world, she was the esteemed Yan Wangfei, with a daughter and two sons by her side, her status unshakeable.
Maintaining her composure, the princess replied smoothly, “Mother, the Wang is currently busy with state affairs and truly has no time to spare.”
The matriarch saw through the facade but chose not to speak of it, lowering her head to sip her tea, concealing her disappointment.
As noon approached, most of the guests had arrived. The steward came to invite the matriarch to the front hall to receive the guests’ congratulations.
The princess sat at the table, patiently waiting for the banquet to conclude.
As soon as the birthday banquet ended, the princess hurried back to the matriarch’s inner chamber. The matriarch had always been in poor health, and a maid brought in a pot of ginseng soup.
“Give me the soup; you all can leave for now.” The princess took the soup and sent the maids out.
Holding the bowl of ginseng soup, she personally served her mother. Seizing the moment, she quietly made her request: “Mother... the Wang has been completely captivated by that vixen Shen over the past year. She’s so cunning, using the Wang to take away my authority over the household. I can barely see my sons more than twice a month...”
The princess went on, lamenting her pitiful situation.
The matriarch listened patiently, her expression unchanged as she let the princess finish her tale of woe.
After the bowl of ginseng soup was finished, the princess placed the bowl on the rosewood table, tears of grievance welling in her eyes. She pleaded, “Mother, I beg you to help me.”
The matriarch, now elderly, was growing weaker by the day, the wrinkles on her face clearly visible. She raised her cloudy eyes, studying her youngest daughter. “Shuya, do you remember when you were still unmarried, I taught you how to manage the household accounts?”
The princess nodded. “Of course, I remember.”
The matriarch sighed. “When you married the Yan Wang, I worried you might not be able to handle the concubines, so I selected eight capable maids to assist you with the household affairs. Where have those eight maids gone now?”
The princess felt a flush of shame rise to her cheeks.
She feared that the Yan Wang’s heart would be stolen by the maids. She had sent all eight of them away for various reasons.
“I was wrong,” the princess admitted, taking the initiative to acknowledge her mistake. “Mother, please help me once more.”
Table of Contents
