The newcomer wore the attire of a young servant boy. When he raised his head, his round little green bean eyes sparkled with shrewd intelligence.
“This slave Liuzi pays his respects to the Prince Consort!”
Liuzi immediately kowtowed with a resounding thud. When he straightened up, his face beamed with festive joy.
“It was the Princess who instructed this slave to come serve the Prince Consort. From now on, if you have any needs, just give the orders. This slave will exert every effort to meet every requirement in the estate.”
Tao Chuyi glanced left and right before darting over to Liuzi and circling him once, her face full of bewilderment.
Liuzi kept up his ingratiating smile until his cheeks nearly cramped.
“Why isn’t he called One-zi or Two-zi or Three-zi? Liuzi, six…”
Tao Chuyi began counting on her fingers, unsure what number six even was.
Xichan hurried over to smooth things over. “Liuzi is just his name—it’s not a number.”
Tao Chuyi nodded in abrupt realization. Recalling the bandit kings from the storybooks, she leaped onto the table, pointed at the sky, and swore a solemn oath.
“Very well, Liuzi. From this day forward, you follow me. Be it scaling a mountain of blades or plunging into a sea of fire, I won’t hesitate!”
Liuzi’s smile soured into a grimace. Who could have imagined that landing a job would mean facing blade mountains and fiery seas?
“This slave obeys the command!”
With Xichan’s coaxing, Tao Chuyi finally hopped down from the table.
“Go dig up some dirt from the courtyard. I want to play with mud.”
Liuzi froze for only an instant before rising and heading to the garden to dig.
In other households, menservants handled their masters’ food, clothing, shelter, and transportation. But as the Prince Consort’s servant, Liuzi’s daily chores involved digging dirt, weaving grasshoppers from straw, and trailing after the Prince Consort to keep her from climbing trees. Still, Liuzi counted himself lucky—at least he wasn’t risking his neck.
Over the next two days, Tao Chuyi didn’t catch sight of Nangong Yunshang during the daytime. Nangong Yunshang turned in early each night, leaving her to sleep alone on the outer daybed. Even if Nangong Yunshang slipped back in later, she remained oblivious.
Hiding like this wouldn’t do. Tomorrow was their wedding return to the palace.
Nangong Yunshang had no choice but to make temporary peace with her. But when she called her over, she refused to come. When Nangong Yunshang went to her instead, she was already fast asleep. There was simply no time for a proper talk.
Liuzi received his orders and specially prepared a chest of sandalwood dolls to keep her entertained into the wee hours.
Tao Chuyi was lost in arranging her dolls inside the room when Nangong Yunshang seized the moment to return. The moment she entered, Liuzi came forward to pay his respects.
“Any odd behavior from the Prince Consort?”
Liuzi replied in a hushed tone. “This slave hasn’t spotted anything unusual for now. He either plays in the mud or climbs trees—today’s the only day he hasn’t gone dashing about everywhere.”
Nangong Yunshang gazed at the figure happily engrossed in his own little world and thought to herself, so he truly is a simpleton.
“Very well. You’re dismissed.”
“Yes, milady.”
The door clicked shut softly behind him. Nangong Yunshang approached with unhurried steps. Tao Chuyi hadn’t noticed her amid her doll obsession until a shadow flickered across the candlelight. Only then did she realize someone new occupied the room.
Fairy Sister?
Tao Chuyi started to lunge forward but recalled Nangong Yunshang’s fierce glare and froze. Far from advancing, she shrank backward, huddling into a tight ball in the corner.
Nangong Yunshang: “…” Was she truly that frightening?
“You. Come here.”
Tao Chuyi shook her head vigorously from her corner. “Chuyi won’t go. Won’t go.”
Helpless, Nangong Yunshang summoned the servants to fetch pastries and candies, using them as bait.
Sure enough, Tao Chuyi followed the aroma right over. She clutched the plate to her chest and grinned from ear to ear.
“Chuyi, what are you supposed to call me?”
Tao Chuyi looked up from the plate, her mouth smeared with crumbs.
“Princess! Your Highness!”
Nangong Yunshang’s lips curved. So easy to placate—a single plate of pastries and a handful of candies had reeled her in.
“Tomorrow we’re going somewhere. You must obey, follow my lead in the courtesies, greet people properly, and above all, don’t go running off.”
Tao Chuyi nodded in innocent confusion. A moment later, she piped up again. “Will there be tasty treats?”
“Of course. Even more and better than here.”
Fairy Sister’s voice sounded so lovely today, laced with unaccustomed gentleness instead of scowls.
Tao Chuyi dropped her guard at once. She’d do whatever Fairy Sister said—even if it meant getting sold off and cheerfully counting out the silver for her seller.
The following afternoon, Tao Chuyi rode in the Third Princess’s carriage into the palace, mute as a post the entire way. She sported a jade crown and formal crimson robes, trailing languidly behind Nangong Yunshang.
Her eyes darted every which way, but she didn’t dare bolt, contenting herself with stares. Inside the palace hall, she mimicked Nangong Yunshang’s every move: curtsying when she curtsied, calling out “Father Emperor” when she did.
The Emperor had arranged a private family banquet, no outsiders present—just the imperial clan. As newlyweds on their return visit, Tao Chuyi and Nangong Yunshang naturally took seats at the table.
No dancers performed; musicians merely plucked at their strings, playing simple melodies. The Emperor clustered with his sons and daughters, laughing over cups of wine.
“Marriage makes you a full adult, Yunshang. Be even more sensible going forward.”
Nangong Yunshang inclined her head. “This daughter will heed Father Emperor’s teachings.”
While they traded pleasantries, Tao Chuyi stretched for the sesame taro cakes farther down the table. Nangong Yunshang’s phoenix eyes flashed a warning, and she yanked her hand back at once, hunching over to poke at the dishes in front of her.
“The Third Sister’s Husband certainly cuts a fine figure.”
The Second Princess tittered behind her sleeve. “No doubt brimming with talent and erudition.”
Everyone knew the Third Princess Consort was a fool; her words dripped with sarcasm. The others got the jab but merely smiled in silence, letting her bask in her own cleverness.
“We shouldn’t put it quite like that. Third Imperial Sister ties the knot and scores the plum posting at Dali Temple? Every loss brings a gain, doesn’t it, Third Imperial Sister?”
The Third Prince lifted his cup toward Tao Chuyi with a grin. “Third Brother-in-Law, allow your imperial younger brother to toast you.”
Tao Chuyi eyed him, then the round cup before her, reaching for it—only for Nangong Yunshang to clamp down on her wrist.
“The Prince Consort doesn’t drink. He might err in His Majesty’s presence. Don’t trouble him, brother.”
Nangong Yunshang smiled faintly, deftly deflecting the moment.
The Third Prince tutted in amazement. “No wonder they say a married daughter’s like water under the bridge. Already shielding him, big sister? A fool worthy of the Third Imperial Sister’s protection?”
“Enough. It’s a rare family gathering—keep it cheerful.”
The Emperor massaged his temples and raised his cup once more.
His children fell silent on the matter and lifted their own cups to join him.
The feast hadn’t concluded when Tao Chuyi slipped away early to relieve herself. Once outside, however, she had no desire to return.
She disliked that place intensely, good food or no.
Tao Chuyi circled a tree trunk—and suddenly a hand seized the scruff of her neck.
“Third Brother-in-Law, not sated with the feast?”
Tao Chuyi whipped around. The irritant was none other than the Third Prince, who’d been goading her into drinking earlier.
He released her with a “benevolent” smile. A handful of eunuchs and guards trailed him.
Without explanation, they hauled her off to the Martial Field. The Third Prince flung her into the archery range.
“Third Imperial Sister’s Husband, this Highness wishes to practice archery today. Be a good target for me.”
Even as he spoke, two guards hefted a round straw target and moved to bind it to her back.
