43. Plucking plum blossoms, painting them, the pure autumn festival

The winters in Guangling were truly too fond of snow. For Xiyue, who hailed from the south, after catching a severe cold, she had finally grown weary of it.

Because the crown prince was bedridden, the crown princess had a legitimate reason to remain indoors. She spent her days in Yonghui Pavilion, and even when Fu Lanchen was asleep, she would quietly sit by, sometimes for half a day.

At times, she felt she was truly dull. Lu Zhirou was skilled in music, able to play and sing; Cheng Hewei excelled at archery and horsemanship, could dance with a sword, and throw arrows into vases; even the always reserved An Ruosu was adept at traditional painting and chess.

“The crown princess writes beautifully. Your calligraphy has even been praised by the Second Master,” Xiyue believed her mistress possessed every virtue.

“The crown prince’s calligraphy is directly taught by Grand Tutor Cao. In front of him, I’m merely showing off my incompetence,” Xu Guiyi replied, truly ashamed.

Before they knew it, the first month of the year had passed. Xu Guiyi, as usual, went to Yonghui Pavilion to visit Fu Lanchen. Passing by Rong Garden, she noticed a plum tree sprouting a fresh bud at the corner and felt a surge of joy, as if spring were just around the corner.

For the winters in Guangling were indeed too long.

When Xu Guiyi entered Yonghui Pavilion, everyone happened to be there.

Fu Lanchen was seated on a white jade luohan couch. An Ruosu was arranging a chessboard on a coral round table, while Cheng Hewei and Lu Zhirou waited solemnly nearby. Seeing Xu Guiyi, they all stopped what they were doing and hurriedly stood up.

“Your humble wife greets Your Highness,” Xu Guiyi said with a smile, performing a curtsy.

For the past two months, Fu Lanchen had been recuperating in the Eastern Palace. Xu Guiyi noticed that as long as he did not enter the palace to attend to state affairs, his moods were much more stable.

“You may rise,” Fu Lanchen replied calmly, his gaze resting on Xu Guiyi for just a moment before he rose and went into the inner study.

Cheng Hewei explained to Xu Guiyi, “His Highness said he has a set of warm jade chess pieces in his collection. He’s found them today and wants to try how they feel.”

Xu Guiyi gave a soft “oh.” “Will His Highness be playing against Susu today?”

Lu Zhirou waved her hand. “His Highness said he was weary today. It’ll be Sister Cheng and Sister An playing, with us as spectators.”

Cheng Hewei immediately pouted. “How can my chess skills compare to Sister An’s? His Highness is really putting me on the spot.”

Lu Zhirou covered her mouth, laughing. “Then I’m even less adept.”

Beside them, An Ruosu smiled quietly, rarely joining the conversation.

Cheng Hewei pulled Xu Guiyi to sit with her, giving her a once-over. Today, Xu Guiyi wore a long robe of dark blue brocade with auspicious cloud patterns, an inner layer of glimmering white silk embroidered with wide sleeves and diagonal lapels, and a skirt of bean-green silk embroidered with vine motifs. Her hair was styled in a startling partridge bun, adorned with a pair of jade and gold hairpins shaped like blossoms, and her ears were graced with white jade dragon earrings. On her fair, slender wrist hung a dragon-phoenix bangle, a gold-embroidered sachet at her waist, and on her feet, exquisite double-petaled magnolia and lotus boots.

Cheng Hewei’s eyes lit up. “Crown Princess, your new boots are beautiful. The magnolias are so lifelike, and are those double-petaled lotuses below? Truly unique!”

Xu Guiyi glanced at her boots, then replied hesitantly, “These were a gift from Zhirou. I like them very much.”

Cheng Hewei looked up at Lu Zhirou, who smiled awkwardly. “My embroidery is ordinary. I’ve heard Xiyue, your attendant, is unmatched in needlework. That green plum sachet at your waist must be an extraordinary piece.”

Xu Guiyi looked at the sachet again. Xiyue murmured, “This sachet was not made by me—it was embroidered by An Baolin.”

An Ruosu’s jade hand, busy wiping the chessboard, suddenly froze. She said with difficulty, “I’ve also made some with cranes, crabapple blossoms, and magnolias, but they’re not finished yet. Once they’re done, I’ll send them to Sister Cheng and Sister Lu.”

Lu Zhirou quickly replied, “Thank you so much, Sister An.”

Xu Guiyi added, “Susu, you’ve worked hard.”

Only Cheng Hewei muttered, “I’m all thumbs and can only wield swords. In the future, I must learn from both of you…”

The others fell silent.

“The chess pieces are found.” At that moment, Fu Lanchen emerged from the inner study, unaware of what had just transpired, raising the chess set in his hand.

Lu Zhirou made way for Cheng Hewei and stepped beside Xu Guiyi. “Sister Cheng, please.”

Cheng Hewei did not rise. “Your Highness, my chess skills are lacking and no match for Sister An.”

Fu Lanchen paused, clearly confused by Cheng Hewei’s change of heart. “You’re not trying to flee the match, are you?” he asked, frowning.

Cheng Hewei fiddled with her fingers. “I don’t mean to run away, only that I’d like someone to guide me.”

Thinking she meant himself, Fu Lanchen replied calmly, “Wouldn’t that be two against one? That wouldn’t be fair.”

Xu Guiyi looked at Fu Lanchen’s earnest demeanor and thought, It’s just a chess game—why so serious? Can’t you tell Sister Cheng isn’t feeling well?

Before she could speak, Cheng Hewei added, “Then let Your Highness guide Sister An, and the Crown Princess guide me. That would be fair, wouldn’t it?”

“What?” Xu Guiyi’s inclination to speak up for her vanished.

Before she could protest, Fu Lanchen decided, “Very well, let’s do that.”

Xu Guiyi looked helplessly at Lu Zhirou.

Lu Zhirou took two steps back. “I’ll go prepare tea and refreshments for everyone,” she said, quickly making her exit.

Fu Lanchen was already seated beside An Ruosu. After a while, he looked back at Xu Guiyi. “Crown Princess, if you please.”

So, half an hour later, when the Empress entered the Eastern Palace with the Emperor in tow, this was the scene she saw: wives and concubines gathered in harmony, enjoying each other’s company.

“Crown Princess, are we going to lose this game?” Cheng Hewei whispered in Xu Guiyi’s ear.

Xu Guiyi snorted softly. “Not necessarily.”

On the chessboard, black and white stones interlaced, crisscrossing and coiling, locked in a fierce struggle.

Fu Lanchen’s brows were tightly knit, his gaze fixed on the board with a murderous intensity.

Xu Guiyi hadn’t expected the Crown Prince to be so ruthless and unrelenting, even when playing chess with his own concubine.

Fu Lanchen, for his part, was surprised too. He had thought Xu Guiyi’s skills would be about the same as Cheng Hewei’s, but watching her, a woman, press forward relentlessly and decisively, his competitive spirit was thoroughly aroused.

“Your Highness, have we reached a deadlock?” An Ruosu asked tremulously.

Fu Lanchen remained motionless, raising a hand to signal for silence.

Lu Zhirou, though not skilled at chess, watched intently from the side, understanding the tension of the match.

At that moment, five people held their breath, all eyes on the board.

“Excellent! What a game!” Suddenly, the Emperor slipped quietly into the room.

The five were startled, hastily kneeling to pay their respects. “Greetings, Father.”

But the Emperor paid them no heed, focusing solely on the board. After a moment, he called out, “Mingchen, come here and help the Crown Prince and Crown Princess resolve this match!”

They all looked toward the door, where the Empress stood with Marquis Gongmin—Nangong Mingchen—approaching at a measured pace.

The Emperor and Empress had come to the Eastern Palace in plain clothes, bringing along the nephew of the Noble Consort—a member of a noble family, though not of the royal line.

Xu Guiyi did not understand; later, Cheng Hewei and Lu Zhirou confessed that they didn’t understand it either.

“Your humble servant greets Your Highness the Crown Prince and Your Highness the Crown Princess,” Nangong Mingchen said, ever the model of propriety.

Fu Lanchen looked at him coolly. “You may rise.”

Everyone tactfully yielded their seats to the Emperor and Nangong Mingchen, then followed Xu Guiyi to pay respects to the Empress.

The Emperor’s attitude toward this relative by marriage was even more affectionate than toward his own son. “Mingchen, you’re a go master. Take a look. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a deadlocked match.”

Thus, the Emperor, the Crown Prince, and Marquis Gongmin plunged back into the game.

The Empress, accompanied by Xu Guiyi, toured Fu Lanchen’s study.

“It’s been so long since I last came to the Eastern Palace. Today, it was His Majesty who suggested it. But seeing you and your husband in harmony brings me great comfort,” she said.

It was only a chess game—how could that reveal marital harmony? The Empress hadn’t watched the game and had no idea how fiercely they had battled.

Xu Guiyi forced a smile. “His Highness is convalescing in the palace; he needs some amusement.”

The Empress patted her hand, glancing around the study. “The Crown Prince’s study is just as it always was; none of the furnishings have changed.”

How long had it been? As far as Xu Guiyi could recall, since her marriage into the Eastern Palace, this was the Empress’s first visit.

The Empress opened a tall zitan cabinet carved with Eight Immortals and Eight Treasures motifs, revealing a studio behind it. Xu Guiyi was truly astonished.

On the four walls hung plain white silk, covered with paintings of all kinds, dazzling to the eye. Xu Guiyi looked carefully—none were from famous masters, and some were even unfinished. The highest ones on the east wall bore traces of fire.

“What do you think of these paintings, Crown Princess?” The Empress’s eyes held a barely-there smile.

Xu Guiyi started, her fingers trembling slightly. “I didn’t know His Highness was skilled at painting.”

The Empress suddenly laughed heartily. “Lanchen? You think these are his?”

Xu Guiyi bit her lip. “Am I mistaken?”

The Empress’s lips moved, and after a moment, she said, “Now that you know, I may as well tell you. These were all painted by the former heir of Marquis Wujing. Lanchen kept them here. See those scorched ones? That year, there was a fire at Marquis Wujing’s residence—half their library burned. Lanchen braved the flames to rescue these paintings. For that, His Majesty scolded him for a month, but he didn’t care.”

Seeing Xu Guiyi’s face turn pale, the Empress gently took her hand. “I tell you this so you’ll understand—Lanchen is a loyal soul. If you treat him sincerely, he won’t fail you. As for the past, it’s just a dead man—your future together is what matters.”

Just a dead man—your future is what matters.

That phrase again; everyone said the same to her.

Just like that saying: “The dead are gone, the living must carry on. You must learn to forget.”

They themselves could never forget, yet always exhorted others to do so, and never tired of saying it.

How absurd!

Xu Guiyi wiped the tears from her face and smiled. “I will listen to Mother.”

The Empress lovingly stroked Xu Guiyi’s eyes. “Good child, I did not choose wrongly.”

Hand in hand, the two left the studio. Nangong Mingchen and the Emperor were analyzing the chess match, while Fu Lanchen stood behind the Emperor, unmoving.