Chapter 62

Under Nangong Yunshang’s coaxing and persuasion, Tao Chuyi only brought a few changes of clothes, while the servants prepared everything else.

As soon as June arrived, the imperial procession set out from the capital city. They traveled by land before switching to water routes, heading straight down to the Jiangnan water towns. About half a month later, with scarcely any prolonged stops along the way, the grand entourage finally reached their destination right on schedule.

For this journey to Jiangnan, the Emperor had brought only the princesses and princes, along with a handful of key ministers. The palace concubines were not included in the tour.

Since the Emperor had ascended the throne, he had made three trips south to Jiangnan, and Nangong Yunshang had accompanied him on two of them. She had missed the one in the middle because she had fallen ill right then; the Emperor could not possibly delay the itinerary for her sake, so she had no choice but to remain alone in the capital city.

The night scene at West Lake in Hangzhou was at its peak splendor. The riverbanks blazed with brilliant lights as pleasure barges floated past one after another, drawing crowds of passersby to pause on the bridges and gaze down. The imperial party had chartered seven pleasure barges along the river, linked end to end as they cruised together, turning into a striking sight on the water.

Ladies and young misses gathered in clusters of three or five, craning their necks to peer down from the bridges.

“I wonder which great household chartered those pleasure barges. They’re so impressive.”

“They don’t look like locals to me. Probably rich merchants from some other province—or maybe officials.”

Everyone eagerly speculated about the identities of those aboard the barges, and the crowd only swelled larger.

The Third Princess’s pleasure barge was the fifth in the line. Zishan and the guards stood watch on the deck. Before long, Tao Chuyi bounced out onto it.

She wore a wide-sleeved robe of gossamer silk gauze, her ponytail swinging left and right with every step. To pass as ordinary commoners, everyone had changed into civilian attire in subdued colors. Yet the refined air of those from the imperial city shone through; no matter how plainly they dressed, they were unmistakably different from everyday folk.

Zishan hurried forward. “Prince Consort, why come out here instead of staying inside with the Princess?”

She had donned her guard uniform again for the outing, making it easier to carry out her duties. Tao Chuyi stared at her blankly for a moment before recognition dawned.

“Sister’s asleep.”

Tao Chuyi hopped to the edge of the deck. “The wind here’s so big!”

Zishan was frightened out of her wits and rushed to pull her back. “Ancestress, don’t stand there! If you fall overboard, I’ll lose my post—and maybe my head too!”

“Oh.”

Tao Chuyi obediently retreated a few steps. She simply found the spot refreshingly cool; the evening river breeze was crisp and delightful, a true rarity amid the summer swelter.

Seeing her safely away from danger, Zishan let out a breath of relief and allowed her to gaze into the distance.

“Prince Consort, what are you looking at?”

Tao Chuyi tilted her head. Lights glittered everywhere her gaze fell.

“It’s so beautiful here. I want to go ashore and take a look.”

“You can go ashore tomorrow.”

They turned at the sound of the voice, and Tao Chuyi ran over happily.

“Sister! You’re awake!”

She looped her arm through Nangong Yunshang’s and hugged her tight.

With her savior arrived, Zishan tactfully withdrew, bowing her head and stepping back. She was finally free from the trials of the little ancestress.

“If I hadn’t woken up soon, I’m afraid someone would have ended up swimming the river.”

Nangong Yunshang pinched her nose, then released it amid the protests.

“Do you remember what I said before you came out?”

The tip of Tao Chuyi’s nose was red, her eyes brimming with grievance.

“No running off. Wherever you go, someone has to be with you. Tell Sister first. Listen to Sister. Otherwise, go back and kneel on the washing board.”

Nangong Yunshang nodded in satisfaction. “Good, you remember.”

The threat of kneeling on the washing board was all bluster. With skin as delicate as Tao Chuyi’s, Nangong Yunshang could never bear to let her actually do it.

A gentle evening breeze wafted by, tangling the loose strands of hair at their temples together until they were impossible to separate.

Nangong Yunshang’s gaze drifted far. “Jiangnan truly is a fine place. Does Chuyi like it here?”

“I like it!”

Tao Chuyi beamed with a silly grin. She liked anywhere with water.

“Will we come here again in the future?”

Nangong Yunshang turned to her, a trace of anticipation in her eyes.

“Of course. If you like it, we can come every year.”

In truth, this was only her second time in Jiangnan. She had visited once as a child and never returned since—and the Xia Family she had encountered back then hailed from this very region.

“Up above is paradise, down below are Su and Hang.” Suzhou and Hangzhou were inseparable. In those days, the Xia Family of Suzhou had been renowned for their generosity and wide circle of benefactors, their wealth unmatched. Xia Qianhua, the cherished young lady doted on by her parents, had been both adorable and clever, destined for a brilliant future. Yet calamity had struck the Xia Mansion out of nowhere, and even now, the perpetrator remained unknown.

Tao Chuyi leaned in curiously and waved a hand in front of her eyes.

“Sister, Sister—what are you thinking about?”

Nangong Yunshang snapped back to the present. “Nothing. Just recalling a friend from childhood.”

Tao Chuyi didn’t grasp the notion of “old” or “new” friends, but the idea of Sister thinking about someone else made her unhappy.

Abruptly, she cupped Nangong Yunshang’s face in both hands and turned it toward her own.

“Sister should think about me. No thinking about others.”

Nangong Yunshang was momentarily stunned, then understood. Her Prince Consort was… jealous?

That this little fool could feel jealousy struck Nangong Yunshang as hilarious. It was too adorable—she even wanted to scoop her up, hold her close, and tease her to tears.

“You… you’re different. She’s a friend, but you…”

Nangong Yunshang paused for a beat, then smiled. “You’re my Prince Consort, the one I want to spend my life with.”

Tao Chuyi looked puzzled. What was the difference between a friend and a Prince Consort?

Seeing she didn’t understand, Nangong Yunshang gently pulled her hands down and explained patiently. “A friend is someone whose safety puts my mind at ease. A Prince Consort is someone who stays by my side forever. I can have many friends, but I have only one Prince Consort—you.”

Tao Chuyi nodded as if she half-understood. At least she was the only one; that made her happy again right away.

Just then, an inner servant arrived with a message: the Princess and Prince Consort were to attend the banquet on the Prime Painting Boat together. The other princesses and princes had already gone.

Nangong Yunshang’s smile vanished in an instant as she resumed her full princessly dignity.

“This Princess understands. We shall come at once.”

Though Tao Chuyi loved to eat, she had no desire to see that pack of bad eggs. She shuffled back two steps, ducking behind Nangong Yunshang.

“Sister, do we have to go?”

Nangong Yunshang clasped her hand firmly, coaxing her. “It’s the Curved Stream Flowing Cup Banquet—your favorite. We’ll go together; it’ll be fine.”

If Sister was going, then she had to go too. She still needed to protect Sister.

No matter how reluctant, Tao Chuyi followed along.

Once seated at the banquet, she focused solely on eating and paid no attention to anyone else.

Nangong Yunshang had little appetite; she was full after two dishes. After that, she spent her time fetching food for Tao Chuyi.

“This one’s good. Try that one too.”

Before long, a dozen empty dishes had piled up beside Tao Chuyi. Others took a single bite from a dish; she polished off entire plates.

The Second Princess sat right next to them. Seeing this, she teased, “Third Sister’s Husband has some appetite—hasn’t Third Imperial Sister been eaten clean out of house and home?”

“I don’t waste food!”

Tao Chuyi shot back at once. She set down her chopsticks and told Nangong Yunshang, “I’m full.”

Nangong Yunshang wiped the corner of her mouth. “Don’t listen to their nonsense. Our Chuyi didn’t eat much at all.”

Exactly!

Tao Chuyi rolled her eyes at the Second Princess. Then she pointed at a dish of braised carp. If this Second Bad Egg slandered her again, she’d dump the whole fish on Second Bad Egg’s head.

The Second Princess fell silent after that, knowing full well this fool might actually do it—and no one could hold it against her. Who bothers arguing with a fool? That would make you the fool.

This time, Nangong Yunshang was the one caught off guard. “Chuyi, what are you pointing at the dish for?”

Tao Chuyi declared proudly, “Sister taught me: subdue with carp.”

Nangong Yunshang: “…”

The others were still leisurely enjoying their meals, but one of them had eaten sparingly and the other voraciously. Now only tea remained.

Under the table, Tao Chuyi sneakily took hold of Nangong Yunshang’s hand, then grinned foolishly to herself.

Nangong Yunshang not only allowed it but laced their fingers together tightly. It was as if they were glued at the hand.

The Second Prince, who had bent down to retrieve a jade pendant, returned to his seat and teased, “Third Imperial Sister and Third Sister’s Husband are glued together like honey and lacquer—not even parting for a meal.”

Nangong Yunshang smiled lightly. “You’ve caught us, Second Imperial Brother. The Prince Consort is rather clingy.”

At those words, the Second Prince seemed overjoyed, as if delighted by his sister’s happy marriage. The Second Princess, meanwhile, rolled her eyes incessantly throughout the banquet. Her eyelids hardly settled, giving the impression that her eyes were nothing but whites.

Returning from the Prime Painting Boat, they felt most at ease on their own barge. Tao Chuyi dashed two laps around the deck before Nangong Yunshang urged her inside. At last, she settled quietly on the couch.

Tao Chuyi sat cross-legged on the couch, swaying side to side and calling out “Sister” without cease.

“What’s the matter?”

Nangong Yunshang was worn down by her persistence but couldn’t bring herself to utter a harsh word. She could only indulge.

Tao Chuyi pounced into her embrace and buried her face there. “I’m so happy!”

Nangong Yunshang stroked her head. “Tomorrow we’ll go ashore to stay at an inn, and then we can wander the streets.”

Tao Chuyi lifted her big head. “What’s good to eat in Hangzhou?”

This one stumped Nangong Yunshang. She had been there once before, but food wasn’t her passion; she could scarcely recall the local specialties.

“For dishes, West Lake Vinegar Fish and Dongpo Pork are the most renowned.”

She thought for a moment. “For pastries, Dingsheng Cake.”

Nothing else came to mind.

Tao Chuyi buried her face again. Those two dishes had been served at the banquet earlier.

“Let’s go buy Dingsheng Cake.”

“Alright.”

Nangong Yunshang kept rubbing her big head. “Whatever you want to buy, we’ll get it all.”

The next morning, before the sun grew too hot, the group disembarked from the boat in grand procession. The inn had already been reserved exclusively for them, awaiting their arrival.

For the sake of convenience, the inn they chose was right by the edge of West Lake. The entire establishment was now in their service, with no other guests allowed.

With such generous payment, the innkeeper and the waiter were grinning from ear to ear. They hurried to serve the finest wine and dishes, not daring to show the slightest neglect.

The Third Princess’s room had been arranged on the third floor, in the first chamber to the right—farthest from the Emperor’s quarters. The ministers and guards were billeted on the second floor.

Tao Chuyi flopped onto the daybed and refused to get up. No matter how Nangong Yunshang called to her, she lay there motionless, merely rolling over now and then to keep sleeping. Each time Nangong Yunshang called her name, she flipped to the left; call again, and she rolled to the right—like a carp flipping over.

At her wits’ end, Nangong Yunshang resorted to her ultimate trump card.

“No more Dingsheng Cake?”

“Buy it!”

Tao Chuyi sprang bolt upright in an instant.

“When do we set off!”