Chapter 24 (2/2): Wow, You’re So Big!

After a moment, she looked earnestly at Langui Mama:

“In any case, I entrust you with watching over A-Jing and that young lady. They both seem dull-witted; someone must keep prodding them along.”

Langui Mama’s heart was clear; she bowed deeply.

“I understand, Your Majesty. I will not fail your trust.”

At the palace gate, she glanced back once.

Empress Dowager Zhao was gazing absentmindedly at the red plum blossoms outside the window, prayer beads slipping slowly between her fingers.

Her dignified face carried a faint, lingering sorrow.

Langui Mama sighed softly, hoping this visit would quickly bring the young couple together, so the Empress Dowager’s wish could be fulfilled.

***

At the same time, in the Jing Prince’s Manor.

The pale, bland daylight filtered through the carved windows of the bedchamber, casting mottled shadows on the crimson canopy.

Yun Ran woke amid a throbbing pain.

After struggling to open her eyes, she stared at the golden-embroidered canopy above, dazed for a while before realizing where she was.

“How did I end up in the Jing Prince’s Manor?”

She tried to sit up but felt weak and sore all over.

Outside, Qingling, hearing the movement inside, hurried over.

“Young Lady, you’re finally awake?”

“I…”

Rubbing her aching temple, Yun Ran was puzzled.

“I was at the Marquis’s Mansion, right? What time is it now? How did I get back to the Prince’s Manor?”

“You have slept a full day and night.”

Qingling smoothed her disheveled hair and sighed.

“You drank too much with Fourth Brother yesterday. You fell asleep on the carriage on the way back. His Highness personally carried you home.”

“What?”

Yun Ran’s eyes instantly widened as she propped herself up.

“His Highness… carried me back?”

Qingling nodded, “Yes. His Highness carried you into the courtyard and personally laid you on the bed, instructing the servants to take good care of you.”

Yun Ran’s head buzzed as fragmented memories of yesterday flickered through her mind.

After boarding the carriage, she seemed to have said nonsense to Sima Jing, even—

Done strange things to him.

Thinking of the fleeting image of herself clutching Sima Jing’s leg, her eyelids twitched sharply.

This is bad, really bad—drinking caused all this trouble!

She’d be utterly embarrassed.

How could she face Sima Jing afterward?

“Young Lady, are you alright?” Qingling asked worriedly.

“I’m… fine.”

Yun Ran’s eyes glazed over as she silently groaned.

It was Yun Wu who embarrassed herself yesterday, not her, Yun Ran.

After sitting in bed for a long time, she finally got up to wash.

Outside, the dining table was laden with a sumptuous breakfast— steaming eight-treasure lotus seed porridge, crystal shrimp dumplings, assorted buns, a dish of honey-glazed duck, shredded dried tofu mixed with malan greens, and several refreshing side dishes.

Yun Ran picked up her chopsticks and took a shrimp dumpling.

The fresh, fragrant flavor spread instantly across her tongue.

Still groggy from the hangover, she had little appetite.

Just then, Qingling drew the curtain aside, carrying a bowl of sobering soup.

“Last night the wind blew strong, and it’s cooled down this morning. I think it might snow.”

Yun Ran looked out the window.

The sky was gray and heavy with clouds, indeed threatening snow.

“I heard snow falls early in Chang’an, but down south, it only snows in late February.”

She thought a moment, then smiled.

“Snow is good. After it falls, we can pound glutinous rice cakes and steam sticky rice to eat.”

Qingling asked, “You like those?”

“Yes. Eating them in winter is good for the body.”

Yun Ran explained, “Like our liver, heart, spleen, lungs, and kidneys correspond to the five elements— wood, fire, earth, metal, and water— and to spring, summer, long summer, autumn, and winter respectively. This is deep winter, best for nourishing the kidneys. Mutton soup, walnut chicken soup, radish stewed with tofu—these are all excellent.”

Though their temple life was frugal and they couldn’t afford mutton or chicken soup often, they did have nourishing glutinous rice.

“Every year when it snows, my master takes me and the elder disciples to pound rice cakes. The villagers nearby often bring us some. Our rice cakes are delicious—soft, chewy, with a perfect bounce. Dusted with fresh roasted soybean flour, they’re fragrant and sweet; one bite fills your heart with warmth.”

“And sticky rice cooked with preserved meat and mushrooms, steamed in bamboo tubes. The aroma fills the entire temple! When you split the bamboo, the rice inside is translucent, each grain plump. The oil from the meat seeps into every grain, mingling with the mushroom’s scent and the fresh bamboo aroma—”

At the memory, Yun Ran closed her eyes in delight.

“I once ate three bamboo tubes in one go!”

Qingling swallowed hard.

“Please stop, Young Lady; you’re making me hungry.”

Yun Ran opened her eyes and, seeing Qingling’s eager expression, grinned slyly.

“No problem. When it snows, we’ll make some in the kitchen.”

After finishing breakfast and letting the sobering soup cool, Yun Ran drank it in one gulp.

Perhaps the Prince’s Manor’s recipe was superior—soon her headaches eased, her dizziness cleared, and she had the strength to complete her morning exercises.

When she returned to her room to change, the wind picked up again.

She watched the shadows of trees swaying outside the window and suddenly asked:

“What do you think His Highness is doing now?”

Qingling paused in her dressing, pleasantly surprised that the young lady asked about the Prince.

It seemed their relationship had improved after yesterday’s homecoming.

“I don’t know. But the servants say His Highness usually keeps to himself, spending most time in his study or in the Snake Courtyard on the west side.”

Yun Ran stretched her arms, letting Qingling tie the ribbons on her clothes, thinking.

She had troubled Sima Jing a lot in the carriage, yet he personally carried her home…

She couldn’t just let it go without thanking him.

Besides, she hadn’t yet asked about the three conditions she agreed to earlier.

After pondering, she said:

“Mother brought me a lot of pastries yesterday. Pack some of each—we’ll bring them to His Highness later.”

Qingling agreed enthusiastically.

Soon she returned carrying a lacquered box with gold patterns, neatly packed with pastries.

Osmanthus cakes, rose fruit steamed cakes, honeyed preserved fruit with pepper and salt lotus seed cakes—all Yun Ran’s favorites.

Yun Ran weighed the box in her hand, smoothed her collar, and then stepped out with Qingling.

This manor had been granted by Emperor Wenxuan six years ago when Sima Jing returned from the Rongdi.

The residence was spacious and elegant, refined and exquisite, every corner carefully maintained.

But Sima Jing preferred quiet, rarely socializing.

The large estate had only him as master; most other courtyards lay deserted and unused.

Like Zhanlu Hall, where Yun Ran now stayed—it had been empty until the wedding, when the Empress Dowager ordered it tidied up.

Before, Yun Ran was out from early morning to late evening, never paying much attention to the manor.

Now, strolling slowly, she noticed how cold and silent it was.

Only her and Qingling’s footsteps, and the dry rustling of branches in the north wind.

If she didn’t know someone lived here, she might have thought she wandered into a haunted house.

“So quiet.”

She scanned around, frowning.

“Winter is bleak, and everything withers, but there are always some evergreen plants. Plant some here, and it won’t feel so lifeless.”

She really disliked this dead atmosphere—

What a beautiful, grand mansion.

She never dreamed of living in one this big.

Now that she did, and was the lady of the house, how could she bear to let this fine place turn gloomy and eerie?

Besides, she invited her mother and sisters-in-law to visit the manor yesterday.

If they saw it like this, they’d never come again.

“When I see His Highness later, I’ll have to talk to him about this.”

But just as she reached the study’s door, she found it tightly shut.

Only a young servant stood by the small thatched hut nearby.

After asking, she learned Sima Jing was at the Liuxian Court.

Liuxian Court.

The name immediately reminded Yun Ran of that courtyard said to house hundreds of snakes—this must be it.

Qingling’s face went pale at once.

“Y-Young Lady, we’re not going there, are we?”

“Of course we are. We came all this way; it’d be a waste not to go.”

“I-I heard there are many snakes there, and they roam free everywhere…”

“It’s fine. The young master just said the courtyard has walls and gates. The snakes are locked inside and generally don’t come out.”

“Generally don’t come out…”

Qingling looked worse than if she were about to cry.

“That means sometimes they do get out.”

“Hmm…”

Yun Ran stroked her chin thoughtfully.

“That’s true.”

Qingling tried to dissuade her.

“Why don’t we go back first and wait for His Highness to return to the study?”

Yun Ran chuckled.

“But I really want to see how he keeps the snakes! Aren’t you curious?”

Qingling: “…!?”

Who would be curious about that place?

Seeing Qingling’s conflicted face, Yun Ran felt a little embarrassed.

Fine, maybe her curiosity was excessive.

But she really wanted to know how Sima Jing raised snakes!

Still, she didn’t force Qingling.

“No worries. You go back to Zhanlu Hall. I’ll go by myself.”

With that, she took the box of pastries and headed in the direction the servant indicated.

Watching their mistress’s back, Qingling sighed.

It wasn’t that she wanted to be lazy; she truly couldn’t keep up!

***

Fifteen minutes later, Yun Ran arrived at the Liuxian Court on the far west side of the manor.

Then she was turned away at the gate.

“Please forgive me, Princess Consort, but this is a restricted area. His Highness ordered that no one may enter.”

Chang Chun bowed with a forced smile, looking surprised to see the Princess Consort arrive unannounced.

Ordinary people would avoid this place once they heard of the snakes.

But she had come willingly, even looking excited.

“‘No one may enter’? Isn’t he inside?”

She pointed to Chang Chun’s bamboo woven protective suit.

“You’re dressed like that. Don’t you go in? Or does he think you’re closer to him?”

“Ah, no, no! I’m nothing compared to Princess Consort!”

Chang Chun wiped sweat from his brow, thinking the young Princess Consort looked delicate but had quite a fierce mouth.

“I’m allowed inside only to serve His Highness, relay messages, and run errands…”

“That means you’re not that scared inside.”

Yun Ran studied Chang Chun’s outfit and glanced at the closed iron gate and the high surrounding wall more than twice as tall as normal.

Her interest peaked.

“Please do pass along my message to His Highness. Tell him I have business to discuss, and I brought pastries. Ask if he will allow me in.”

Chang Chun hesitated.

“Princess Consort, please don’t make things difficult for me.”

Yun Ran smiled.

“I’m not making it difficult. You haven’t even asked him yet—how do you know he won’t allow it?”

Chang Chun: “…”

He glanced at the expectant young Princess Consort and grumbled inwardly.

Though she was indeed beautiful, and His Highness did accompany her home yesterday, what kind of place is Liuxian Court?

It’s the Prince’s lifeblood—how could he just let anyone enter?

Too young, too confident.

Well, she is the lady of the manor now; he’d better do this errand.

Chang Chun put his bamboo suit back on, unlocked the gate, and entered Liuxian Court.

Yun Ran stood quietly where she was, looking up at the green background plaque with black characters hanging high above the gate.

“Liuxian Court” was written in strong, vigorous strokes—so beautifully done even an unlettered person like her could appreciate it.

She wondered which shop made this sign.

If it wasn’t too expensive, she might order one for her own Zhanlu Hall.

As she mused, Chang Chun came out.

He took off his bamboo cover and said, “Princess Consort, the Prince says he won’t see you.”