Section 3

The two children fell silent immediately upon his reprimand. The Seventh Prince was relatively fine, but the Sixth Prince, lacking in composure, furrowed his brow and opened his mouth, looking as if he was about to cry. The Crown Prince felt a headache coming on; he knew the Sixth Prince well. Once he started to raise his voice, he wouldn't stop for at least two cups of tea, so it was essential to intervene before he broke into a loud wail. He quickly took the initiative and said, "Don't cry just yet, I have two good things for you, which I will give you later."

The tone of the Crown Prince is filled with deep respect for the Emperor, constantly referring to him as "my imperial father." At the age of fifteen or sixteen, a young man is in need of guidance, and the Emperor stands as a benchmark, towering at the pinnacle of the Crown Prince's ideals

As they were speaking, a palace maid lifted the soft curtain, and two children, around ten years old, entered. They were dressed in a two-colored gold butterfly embroidered attire with large red arrow sleeves, wearing warm hats inlaid with jade, and had yellow sashes tied around their waists, appearing to be princes. Jin Shu stepped aside, and the two children bowed to the Crown Prince, saying in unison: "Happy New Year, Your Royal Highness!"

In contrast to the present, there is indeed a vast difference between heaven and earth. Yu Wenlan is a skilled hand at expanding territories; in recent years, he has waged wars in the east and west, instilling fear in smaller nations and compelling them to submit. He has filled his coffers and now sits in the Golden Luan Hall, awaiting tribute from all directions. To be honest, if I were an ordinary commoner, I would likely welcome such an emperor! A unified nation, a grand empire, exuding pride from the very bones, is certainly preferable to being looked down upon for merely trading tea beyond the borders.

Jin Shu murmured softly, then lowered her head to drink tea, her fingers gripping the cup appearing almost translucent under the reflection of the celadon. The Crown Prince leaned over to take a look and asked, "Is your hand injury better now?"

He means well, and Jinshu is grateful to him, but he absolutely does not dare to employ such petty cleverness. If one were to engage in deceit and trickery in front of the Empress Dowager, being discovered would not be something that could be explained away with just a reprimand; it would also implicate Chunrong and Lingzi.

The Crown Prince, brushing off the tea foam, lowered his eyelids and said: "Send someone back to Jingren Palace to fetch the raw skin ointment that Goryeo has presented as tribute."

The prince, feeling lethargic, walked to the desk and sat down, saying: "Isn't there any need for me to serve here? Chunrong knows you are on duty here and won't assign you any tasks."

The prince began to guide gently, "You do not understand, there are gourd shapes that are square, round, and flat, each differing in form. In spring, plant the gourd seeds, and when the small gourds begin to form, place the mold over them; this way, when the gourds mature, they will grow according to the mold. The mold is carved with flowers, taken down, polished, oiled, and painted, which is quite interesting."

Spring Rong smiled and said, "Has the task before the Crown Prince been completed?"

Jin Shu bent her legs and walked out. Turning her back, she took off the bracelet from her wrist and placed it carefully. As she exited the side hall's main door, she unexpectedly ran into Chun Rong.

The Crown Prince recalled the sensation of holding her hand earlier. Jinshu's hands were delicate, with long fingertips, yet her palms were not bony and frail; they were what is commonly referred to as meaty palms, soft and warm to the touch. According to the elders, those with soft palms are blessed with good fortune. The Crown Prince was momentarily lost in thought, gazing at those hands, imagining how stunning and graceful they would appear adorned with enamel armor and silk-wrapped rings.

The Crown Prince held a dragon-patterned cup in his hand, his wrist gently rotating. The thin body of the celadon porcelain, a tribute from the official kiln, reflected rippling water patterns in the light from the window. In his eyes, the brocade letter was as transparent as this cup, both requiring careful protection. He gave her a reassuring glance and said, "Do not worry, I will naturally be cautious in my daily life, but if anything happens, I will certainly do my utmost to protect you."

After all, they had known each other since childhood, and after a few casual conversations, they became quite familiar. Jin Shu also relaxed a bit and said in a leisurely tone: "How did you find the time? Didn't the Emperor summon you today?"

The Seventh Prince is small in stature, yet he is not easily deceived. Upon hearing this, he immediately retorted, "Nonsense! Palace maids are not permitted to read or practice writing. What you are doing is a violation of court regulations, and you should be punished with a beating and expelled."

Jin Shu tugged at the folds of his robe and shook his head, "Not yet, I am still learning. I do not dare to act rashly; I will take on tasks only after I have mastered it thoroughly"

The Sixth Prince lifted his leg and stepped out of the side hall, calling out, "Where has Zhao Yong gone?"

Jin Shu spread open his palm for him to see, where pink new flesh had grown at the cracked area. Since he had started working at the Cining Palace, he no longer had to soak in cold water all day, and the cracked spots had healed significantly, no longer causing pain. At night, touching the quilt would no longer produce a rustling sound.

The term "calling up" refers to the emperor summoning the princes and ministers. The crown prince said, "After the New Year, His Majesty shows consideration for his officials by suspending court for three days." Suddenly recalling something, he called out for Feng Lu. Jin Shu was startled and was about to rise, but the crown prince pressed his hand down and said, "It’s fine, that rascal is one of my people, very discreet, knows what to say and what not to say."

The Seventh Prince is a down-to-earth child, unlike the Sixth Prince, who is oblivious to everything except for playthings. The Seventh Prince does not even understand what a model product is, and he scoffs at the Sixth Prince's interests, saying, "What is so fun about gourds!"

The Crown Prince coughed lightly and said: "I specially prepared this for you, but I forgot to bring it in my haste. This medicine promotes blood circulation and removes stasis, and it can reduce swelling. You will need to serve Yan, and it is inevitable that you will get burned or scalded; this medicine will prevent scarring." Seeing Feng Lu still standing there with eager eyes, he scolded, "What are you standing there for? Can't you see? Hurry up and go!" Feng Lu repeatedly responded with five or six 'yeses', shrinking his neck and bending his back, quickly retreating out.

Her tone was slightly raised, and she blinked her eyes in a teasing manner, causing Jin Shu to inexplicably blush. He hurriedly took the lacquer box from her hand and chuckled awkwardly, saying: "Aunt, please do not make fun of me, where is this box supposed to be sent?"

The letter conveyed good fortune: "Your Highness, please continue your studies, as I must attend to my duties. The Empress and the two young ladies are present, and Lingzi has gone to pay her respects. If Chunrong has any tasks to assign, she may not be able to find anyone available."

Those two small faces, exquisitely carved and pleasing to the eye. Jin Shu smiled and bowed slightly, "I am Jin Shu, here to pay my respects to the two gentlemen! I serve in the palace of the Empress Dowager and was just listening to His Highness the Crown Prince discussing the teachings of Confucius and Mencius!"

Jin Shu knew it was for her and hurriedly said: "No need, it's all about the same now, the Crown Prince should keep it for himself!"

The Crown Prince was greatly troubled by the noise and hurriedly called Feng Lu to help. Upon entering, Feng Lu greeted the two young masters. The Crown Prince said: "Take them to Jingren Palace and give them Fan Hulu. Has the Shengji Ointment not been brought yet"

The brocade letter was delivered to the door, and watching as several young eunuchs draped cloaks over the two of them, they then put on oiled silk raincoats. Once everything was in order, they finally proceeded in a grand procession towards the palace gate.

The Crown Prince let out a sigh, "Finally managed to send off these two troublesome figures, their noise gave me a headache."

Chunrong leaned slightly in the west side hall and whispered, "The virtuous Consort Chen has come to report good news to the Ancestor. She said that early this morning she experienced a sour stomach, and the imperial physician was summoned to take her pulse, which indicated a favorable sign. The Ancestor is pleased, as it is the first day of the New Year and brings a good omen. A peace talisman, blessed by the Bodhisattva, has been requested from the inner chamber to reward Consort Chen."

Jin Shu also thinks that she has no ability to restore the country and seek revenge, and living under a cloud of despair every day is not a solution. In this palace, if one does not allow oneself to live well, who else will feel sorry for you

Feng Luxia said: "Someone has already been sent, and I believe they will arrive soon"

The Sixth Prince echoed, "Hmm, there are no rules!"

The Crown Prince pondered for a moment; after all, it was not as if they would not meet again, so there was no need to rush at this moment. Her attitude had softened, and when they met again, she would surely not be resistant. Allowing her to go would also spare her from feeling awkward, so he said: "Then you can come to me later when you have some free time to take the skin regeneration ointment."

The slightly taller Sixth Prince said: "We came here together with E Nie, as well as the virtuous Empress and the gentle Consort."

The Crown Prince, sensing the situation was not favorable, let out a hum, stood up, swept his gaze over them, and said in a calm voice: "What do you understand! She is a maidservant of the Imperial Secretary in the Empress's palace, unlike those rough-handled maids. If you do not believe it, just go ask the matron. The rest is not much, but I fear the matron may find you troublesome and inform the Empress, and then the Empress will not look kindly upon you." After a pause, he continued, "You have seen it; I treat her differently than I do others. We are friends, and if you make things difficult for her, you are making things difficult for me. If I find out, do not blame me for disregarding our brotherly bond."

Taizi Dao: "The goods I obtained last year will be given to you. When the weather gets warmer, I will have the eunuchs catch crickets or grasshoppers for you to put inside and play with"

I instructed someone yesterday to make you a sheepskin finger cot, a thin layer that matches the color of the skin, so that it cannot be noticed unless one looks closely. The Crown Prince grinned proudly, saying, "When you are on duty, wearing the finger cot to handle the fluff, the Empress Dowager will not be able to detect it."

The Seventh Prince said: "Still here, the Empress said not to disturb your studies, and she won't allow anyone to come find you. We sneaked in here. " As he spoke, his eyes darted around, glancing at Jin Shu and asking, "Who are you? How come you are dining and sitting together with the Crown Prince?"

The Crown Prince asked: "Have you taken on Xiaolingzi's duties?"

Jin Shu glanced at him and said, "You just said to be careful, and now you've forgotten as soon as you turned around? You insist on having me serve you instead of looking for someone else. The last incident has become common knowledge; who doesn't have a clear understanding in their hearts? By keeping me here, you make it even harder for me to act. I am inherently different from them; there are those above who are closely watching me, and being with you for too long could lead to serious consequences."

The Seventh Prince seemed to understand a little, his eyes shining with excitement as he shouted and rushed to the Jingren Palace. Jinshu stood by, vaguely recalling her brothers. The few of them were not too far apart in age, and when gathered together, they had plenty to talk about. In the study, they would engage in lively discussions about raising dogs, encouraging the mother cricket to lay eggs, and buying various types of birds. Their youthful days passed carefree and without worry. Unfortunately, in the end, they all met with unfortunate fates, one by one perishing. Now, thinking back, it would be enough to make her shed a sea of tears.

Jin Shu held the tea and took a sip, saying, "Today is a day of no taboos, so it is still acceptable. If it were any other day, I would likely be accused of a great disrespect."

The Crown Prince usually does not like to associate with these little brats. In his own words, children are inherently different from adults. Dealing with them is quite uninteresting; they can turn their backs and deny everything, so it is best to keep as far away as possible. However, since they have come to pay their respects, it would naturally be inappropriate to treat them too dismissively. Children around ten years old are also quite clever; if they go back to complain to the elder, it could lead to serious trouble, necessitating a lesson in brotherly respect. Thus, he smiled and returned the greeting, saying: "Old Six, Old Seven, Happy New Year to you! Are you the only two who came today?"

The Crown Prince was in high spirits, sharing his experiences from far and wide. He spoke of an envoy sent from a foreign land, who had red eyebrows and green eyes, along with a head full of golden, curly hair that cascaded like waves. There were many tributes, including a self-striking clock and various pieces of jewelry. The most peculiar item was a jewelry box adorned with the image of a plump woman, completely naked, with a pair of fleshy wings sprouting from her back. She was depicted sitting on a rock, which left both civil and military officials astonished, their faces turning red and their necks thickening, wanting to look yet too timid to do so. Ultimately, the Emperor could no longer maintain his composure and ordered for that troublesome item to be moved into the treasury.

Those gold and silver utensils are nothing compared to the latest novelty, a device called a firearm. With a carved handle and a copper barrel the thickness of a thumb, it can fire a projectile by pulling the trigger after loading gunpowder, capable of killing enemies just like a crossbow. However, it is more portable and has a range several times greater, able to knock a person down from twenty zhang away, and so on.

The Sixth Prince closed his mouth and asked, "What is that thing?"

Hearing this, Jin Shu felt a mix of emotions. In the past, Daye was a weak nation, and during her father's reign, there was never such a grand occasion of nations coming to pay tribute. It was always Daye that had to pay tribute to other countries. She still remembers a year when her father negotiated peace with the Tatars, which required ceding land and paying tribute. However, the national treasury was empty, and there was no way out. The concubines in the imperial harem had no choice but to contribute their personal belongings, crying as they poured their jewelry and paintings into the waterwheel with a sawed-off top. How tragic and sorrowful it was at that time, making it unbearable to recall.

The prince hesitated for a moment, "Is Eniya here as well? Is she still around at this time?"

The Sixth Prince exclaimed, his eyes shining, "Is it the Fan Gourd from your palace?"

The Crown Prince invited her to sit down, then went to the rosewood table to pour two cups of tea. He also placed a plate of lotus cake on the low table in front of her, took a seat beside her, and said with boundless joy: "Let us enjoy tea and snacks together just like we did in our childhood."

The Crown Prince waved his hand carelessly, and Feng Lu understood, bending down to the two children and saying: "Sixth Master, Seventh Master, how may this servant assist you both?"

Outside the door, Feng Lu heard the call, stamped his frozen feet, took off his hat to shake off the snowflakes from the tassels, and then hurriedly ran into the hall. Upon entering, he immediately saw the Crown Prince and Jin Shu sitting together drinking tea, which left him momentarily stunned. In an instant, however, he broke into a broad smile, thinking to himself that this Miss Jin Shu was remarkable, as the Crown Prince held her in high regard, and her future prospects were boundless. He stepped forward to bow deeply to the Crown Prince and flattered, "I am your servant, Feng Lu, here to heed your commands."