My Cold-Hearted Wife Chapter 101

In the morning, Han Xu had sent her a kite. That afternoon, he brought her something new.

A sheet of music titled Yu Lun Pao.

Long ago, Wang Wei had won the favor of Princess Yuzhen by performing this very piece.

Princess Rong’an was both annoyed and curious. She complained to her wet nurse, “This man really doesn’t know when to give up. He’s so irritating!”

But the wet nurse replied, “Several times a day, he comes to ask after you. Even when the palace attendants tell him that Your Highness has not once spared him a glance, he still refuses to change his mind. Whatever his other faults may be, he is sincere in his feelings for Your Highness.”

Any young woman, when pursued by a suitor who was reasonably well-qualified, would find it difficult to feel too much resentment towards him.

Although Princess Rong’an still believed that Han Xu was merely currying favor with the powerful, she no longer detested him as much as she had at first.

Seizing the opportunity, the wet nurse handed her a bowl of rice porridge. There was no chicken soup this time, nor any meat sauce.

“This is my own ration. I’m afraid Your Highness will have to make do.”

After going hungry for so long, Princess Rong’an did not complain about the food. She hurriedly drank the porridge, yet still felt unsatisfied. “Is there any more?”

The wet nurse smiled wryly. “I can hardly hide any more than this. Why not swallow your pride and give in, Your Highness?”

“No.” Having finally eaten something, Princess Rong’an felt she could hold out for another few days.

Towards dusk, a sudden commotion broke out at Xiefang Palace.

“How noisy!” Princess Rong’an, her head spinning and her vision swimming, lay slumped against her pillow, her temper flaring. “Go and see who’s making all that racket. Give them a slap across the face!”

A palace attendant went out to make inquiries. A short while later, she returned to report, “It’s Commandery Princess Jianning. She’s back.”

A shadow passed over Princess Rong’an’s brow.

She had inherited her mother’s looks: delicate and pretty, but lacking a certain dazzling brilliance. Standing beside Commandery Princess Jianning, she inevitably resembled a white peony beside a red one, a little less striking by comparison.

That much she could accept. She was not so petty as to begrudge even a cousin who was prettier than herself.

But on that day, while searching for the snow lion that had gone into hiding, she had accidentally overheard Princess Jianning’s old wet nurse speaking to someone.

They had said, “Since the commandery princess is to be married off in a political alliance, the best choice would be the Marquis of Jinghai’s family. First Master Xie and Second Master Xie are both already married. I’ve heard that Third Young Master Xie is still unmarried and has an excellent reputation. He would be the most suitable match.”

Princess Rong’an ground her teeth in bitter resentment.

Her cousin was like a juicy piece of fresh meat, and every woman wanted to take a bite.

She had only just managed to get rid of Xu Yi-niang, and now there was Commandery Princess Jianning… She would not allow this, either. What did it matter that Jianning was her cousin? They had never even met before, not since the day they were born. Why should she care about her?

Besides, Princess Rong’an was not as ignorant about adoption as people might think. She knew that since her father had no sons, he might well adopt one of her uncles’ sons as his heir. And when that happened… Jianning would become a princess, too.

It was something Princess Rong’an found deeply abhorrent, though she had yet to recognize that her aversion stemmed from fear.

What a pity. The wet nurse had clearly told her that the snow lion was ill, and that if it bit Huang’er, Huang’er would go mad.

Why hadn’t it bitten her to death?!

Jianning had been going out so frequently. Could she have been meeting with her cousin…

“Go and find out,” Princess Rong’an said, moistening her dry lips with her tongue. “Why did Jianning return so late? Did she go to see Father Emperor?”

At that thought, Princess Rong’an felt a twinge of regret.

If only she had not argued with her father. What if, in an attempt to make her give up and marry Han Xu, he arranged for her cousin to marry Jianning instead?

The palace attendant acknowledged the order.

She was gone for a long time. Princess Rong’an was almost drifting off to sleep when she finally returned with her report.

“People on the princess’s side say that the carriage axle broke, which delayed her until nightfall. Fortunately, someone helped repair it. But as for who that person was, this servant truly couldn’t find out. They’re being very secretive about it.”

Deliberately keeping it secret only made it more suspicious.

Princess Rong’an bit her lip, rapidly calculating what she could do.

She came up with nothing.

Her stomach was gnawing with hunger, and whenever she stood up too quickly, her vision swam. It was simply too difficult to concentrate.

“Fetch the wet nurse,” she ordered.

The wet nurse arrived soon after and secretly slipped her a bowl of rice porridge sweetened with white sugar.

Princess Rong’an hurriedly ate it before explaining the situation, her heart filled with anxiety and dread. “Jianning must have gone to seduce my cousin! Nanny, surely Father Emperor won’t really arrange a marriage for her, will he?”

“It’s not that simple,” the wet nurse replied. “Although His Majesty did say he would arrange marriages for both princesses, Young Master Xie… is unlikely to be a match.”

“Why not?”

The wet nurse racked her brains for an answer. “I’m afraid Young Master Xie simply wouldn’t consider a commandery princess like her a suitable match.”

Princess Rong’an fell silent. After a long while, she murmured, “My cousin wasn’t interested in Xu Yi-niang either, yet their marriage almost went ahead, didn’t it?”

The wet nurse tried to persuade her. “Your Highness, there’s no denying that Young Master Xie is handsome and distinguished. But ever since he came of age and left the palace, has he truly shown much concern for you? When you were seriously ill this time, Young Master Han repeatedly made inquiries on your behalf. He spent a considerable amount of money before he could get even a little information out of those eunuchs. But Young Master Xie… never once asked after you.”

Princess Rong’an stubbornly refused to accept it. “My cousin simply doesn’t know.”

“Ah…” The wet nurse sighed deeply. “Your Highness, I’m an old woman who has seen her share of life. A handsome face can’t put food on the table. If your husband treats you with tenderness and keeps you in his heart, married life will be sweeter than cherries. But if he doesn’t care for you, then even if he spends his days enjoying himself, or devotes every waking moment to building a distinguished career, life with him will still be more bitter than huanglian.”

Princess Rong’an retorted, “My cousin and I grew up together. We’ve known each other since childhood. He wouldn’t treat me that way. Besides, he didn’t blame me last time.”

“Last time was last time, Your Highness. If you break off your engagement for Young Master Xie’s sake, those court censors will be merciless with their pens. They could ruin Young Master Xie’s future in the process. And when that happens… will you truly bear him no resentment?”

The wet nurse asked the question with deep concern.

Princess Rong’an was at a loss for words.

The wet nurse had struck at the very fear buried deep in her heart. Even if she succeeded this time and avoided marrying Han Xu, getting her cousin to marry her would still be an almost impossible task. And even if she sacrificed everything and finally got her wish, what would her cousin think of her?

Not every princess of the imperial family had a happy life.

Some were neglected by their consorts; others were mistreated by their mothers-in-law. If her cousin were to neglect her, refusing to set foot in the Princess’s Residence for the rest of his life, what could she do about it?

Her father had already lost faith in her. He would not help her again.

“I can’t accept this.” Tears welled in her eyes. “I like him so much…”

“Your Highness, forget him.” The wet nurse’s own eyes reddened, and her voice grew thick with emotion. “If Young Master Xie won’t treat you well, why should you, a princess, have to endure such humiliation? However flawed Young Master Han may be, at least you are the one in his heart.”

Princess Rong’an did not answer. She buried her face in her arms and sobbed bitterly, yet no tears would come.

She was so tired, so thirsty. It felt as though she were about to die.

Another day passed.

That morning, when the palace attendants brought in the usual thin rice porridge and simple side dishes, Princess Rong’an finally could no longer bear the hunger and thirst. She picked up her chopsticks.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, their faces brightening with joy. But when they brought her stomach-soothing pills and asked her to take them, she refused once more.

As the sun climbed higher in the sky, the wet nurse lifted the curtain and entered. “Your Highness, Young Master Han has sent something again.”

Princess Rong’an cast a listless glance in its direction, showing no interest.

“He told me that he hopes Your Highness will take a look at this painting.” The wet nurse’s expression was rather peculiar. “He said that if, after seeing the painting, Your Highness still doesn’t wish to see him, he will stop disturbing you while you recover.”

She urged gently, “It’s already the third day, Your Highness. What harm would there be in taking a look?”

Princess Rong’an was in a state of confusion, caught between unwillingness to give up and the inability to see any hope. Her thoughts lingered on Xie Xuanying, and she desperately longed for some miracle, sustaining herself with fanciful hopes and illusions.

Yet no matter how hard she tried to convince herself otherwise, negative thoughts kept welling up from the depths of her heart.

I’ve made such a fuss so many times, yet Father Emperor still refuses to relent. There’s really no hope left.

My cousin doesn’t like me at all. If only he would ask Father Emperor for an imperial decree granting him my hand in marriage.

Am I really going to have to marry Han Xu?

I can’t accept it. I just can’t. I like my cousin so much…

Does Father Emperor no longer want me?

Countless tangled thoughts flooded her mind. Almost as if possessed, she found herself asking, “What is it?”

The wet nurse instructed a palace attendant to bring over a long painting pole, then slowly unfurled the scroll.

The first thing to appear was the roofline and bracketed eaves of a palace building. Next came an enormous ao-shaped lantern, like a celestial mountain rising from the sea. Further down, a city gate hung with countless lanterns came into view, followed by a procession of women dressed in sumptuous silks and finery.

Princess Rong’an found the scene strangely familiar, yet puzzling.

Why does this look like something I’ve seen before?

The answer soon revealed itself.

Further down, at the very center of the painting, appeared a delicate, beautiful face. Her eyes were lowered, the corners of her lips gently curved upwards. She wore a bright red jacket embroidered with gold, a green sleeveless vest patterned with gold across its entirety, and a blue satin skirt. On her head sat a crown of emerald leaves crafted from pure gold. She was unmistakably dressed as an imperial princess.

“This… this is Your Highness.” The wet nurse smiled. “He really has captured your likeness.”

Anyone who had seen Princess Rong’an would recognize her at a glance. The expression in her eyes and the subtle movements of her features were uncannily similar to the real person. Someone who had never met her could hardly have painted her so accurately.

At the end of the scroll, lanterns and candles blazed in a scene of dazzling splendor and lively celebration. Yet every figure’s face was turned to the side, just like those of the imperial consorts in the upper half of the painting. Not a single person showed their face directly.

The only figure shown from behind was a man dressed in Daoist robes. He gazed towards the young woman admiring the lanterns atop the city gate. Everything else in the world seemed to escape his notice.

“Didn’t Young Master Han only arrive in the capital this summer?” The wet nurse quickly caught on. “Oh, then this must be from last year?”

A palace attendant beside them studied the painting carefully for a moment before confirming, “Yes. The ao lantern is the same as last year’s. This year, they used pines, cypresses, and cranes instead of peach trees.”

Princess Rong’an’s gaze drifted towards the poem inscribed beside the painting.

Thoughts on Meeting a Fair Lady While Admiring the Lanterns at the Lantern Festival

In jade palaces high, I glimpse a beauty fair,
Her jeweled coiffure and silken robes beside the railing there.
Your heart shines on the moon, yet knows not mine,
I dream of her lovely brows as the night watch sounds decline.

Next year, a bluebird shall journey south to Jiangnan,
A daughter of the imperial house shall descend to the mortal realm.
Across a thousand miles of river waves, borne upon the breeze,
A single peony shall bow before the golden palace.

It had to be said that, at last, a tiny crack had appeared in Princess Rong’an’s formidable emotional defenses.

She had always believed that Han Xu had put himself forward as a potential consort solely because he coveted the position of a princess’s husband, seeking nothing more than wealth and status. But now, he was telling her that he had seen her long before the selection process for her consort had even begun.

Last year’s Lantern Festival, she had been miserable over her cousin’s impending marriage to Xu Yi-niang. She had paid no attention to the fact that, beneath the city gate, someone had been watching her all along.

“This…” Princess Rong’an hesitated for a moment before asking, “Isn’t this just a load of nonsense?”

The wet nurse immediately replied, “We need only send someone to investigate.”

Princess Rong’an said, “It happened last year. Who could possibly find out now?”

“What would be so difficult about that? The Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard – are any of them just sitting around doing nothing?” The wet nurse smiled. “Don’t worry, Your Highness.”

Had Han Xu really seen Princess Rong’an last year?

Yes, he certainly had. Cheng Danruo was absolutely sure of it.

She had personally gone to the South Third Compound to meet Han Xu and ask him when he had first seen Princess Rong’an.

As luck would have it, Han Xu said that he had indeed visited the capital the previous year, leaving only after January had passed. During the Lantern Festival, he had admired the lanterns near the city gate and caught sight of Princess Rong’an once.

Of course, at the time, he had no idea he would be selected as a potential imperial son-in-law, nor had he paid her much attention. He remembered only the magnificent, dazzling ao-shaped lantern, which had left a deep impression on him.

As long as the encounter itself had genuinely happened, what did it matter if he could not remember every detail?

The palace attendants who served Princess Rong’an remembered everything perfectly clearly.

Cheng Danruo had merely dropped a few hints, and one of them had recounted the entire incident in detail. After all, no one who served a princess was a fool. The death of Cui Jing had frightened them into realizing that they, too, might become the next sacrificial victims. When one person falls, the others cannot help but fear for themselves.

Thus, this was artistic embellishment, not the fabrication of facts.

Even if the emperor investigated the matter himself, he would reach the same conclusion.

But this still wasn’t enough.

Cheng Danruo picked up the copper kettle from the tea stove, poured herself a cup of tea, and waited for it to cool.

Before long, Wang Yongxu arrived with a copy of the Classic of Filial Piety.

Standing outside the curtain, she stiffly recited the day’s allotted lecture. Only after finishing did she turn to Cheng Danruo, her voice hoarse, and demand some water. “Tea!”

Cheng Danruo pointed to the tea she had left to cool.

Wang Yongxu took several small sips. At last, her throat no longer felt as though it were on fire, and she had enough energy to complain.

“Sister, you’re really not very good at making tea.”

“What can I do? The person who used to make it so well is already dead,” Cheng Danruo replied.

Wang Yongxu was speechless.

During her time serving at Xiefang Palace, she had got along very well with Cui Jing, a palace maid who excelled at making tea. Cui Jing’s tea-making skills were no worse than those of a noble young lady, and Wang Yongxu had always been particularly fond of her tea.

And yet…

“Alas.” Wang Yongxu had not experienced much of the world. The kindness in her nature still remained, and she murmured her sense of injustice almost inaudibly. “She really was unlucky.”

Cheng Danruo smiled faintly.

“Let’s not talk about that anymore,” she said. “Commandery Princess Jianning has returned. I hear she often seeks you out for a chat?”

Wang Yongxu gave a reserved nod. “The commandery princess is rather fond of poetry and literature.”

“In that case, could you do me a favor?” Cheng Danruo asked.

Wang Yongxu looked curious. “What favor?”

“There’s a cat belonging to the princess called Snow Lion. Do you know of it?”

“I do. It’s quite a timid little thing.” Wang Yongxu looked puzzled. “Why do you ask?”

Cheng Danruo explained, “I’d like you to say something to Commandery Princess Jianning for me. Just ask her, ‘Do you know that the princess has a cat called Snow Lion?’ That’s all.”