Four Seasons Brocade – CH 137

Chapter 137 ☆、

Empress Tian had gained some weight, and dressed in her ceremonial robes, she looked as plump as a fat chicken. Even so, she still exuded imperial grace, receiving the congratulations of the noblewomen. Ah Wu stood in the cold wind for a while, her nose turning red from the cold. Fortunately, Empress Tian finally ascended her throne, the music stopped, and the ceremony concluded. However, Ah Wu still could not leave the palace with the other noblewomen.

This year, on New Year’s Day, the Longqing Emperor seemed to be in better spirits and wanted to hold a family banquet in the palace. He only had four sons, and he could not very well exclude Chu Mao. Therefore, Ah Wu had to continue suffering in the palace.

Ah Wu wanted to stay with Empress Tian, ​​as the Imperial Princess would be staying there, but Empress Tian clearly had no intention of keeping her. Instead, Consort Xiang of Yonghe Palace extended an invitation to Ah Wu.

When Ah Wu arrived at Yonghe Palace, the Sixth Prince’s wife and his concubine Rong Wan were already serving Consort Xiang; only Lady Xing was missing. After bowing to Consort Xiang, Ah Wu nodded to Rong Wan. The two cousins ​​had not seen each other for some time, and this time, Rong Wan no longer looked haggard; her belly was slightly protruding, clearly indicating she was pregnant.

“Look,” Consort Xiang said with a smile, beckoning to Ah Wu, “it seems all the beauty of the capital has flowed into your Rong family. Each girl you produce is more beautiful than the last. I thought Wan Niang was already stunning, but I did not expect Princess Qi to surpass her. She’s truly more beautiful every time I see her.”

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Ah Wu stepped forward and smiled, saying, “Your Imperial Highness flatters me. Everyone knows that all the beauty of the capital’s daughters resides in Your Imperial Highness.” In reality, Ah Wu was most annoyed by Consort Xiang’s constant praise of her beauty, clearly filled with jealousy yet feigning insincerity. Of course, Consort Xiang was good at putting on a show, and Ah Wu could not be outdone.

“Look at your sweet lips! Prince Qi must be so doting on you,” Consort Xiang said, feigning kindness. “Wan Niang is pregnant now, and you two are cousins, so you should visit each other more often. When you have time, go see the Sixth Prince’s family and talk to her. Pregnant women are most afraid of feeling stifled.”

Ah Wu replied, “Yes,” and then turned to ask about Rong Wan’s health, whether she was experiencing morning sickness, and so on.

Consort Xiang smiled even more broadly. “You have news about your pregnancy? It’s wonderful! Two sisters pregnant at the same time—it will be a beautiful story, and the Emperor will surely be happy to hear it.”

Offspring were probably Chu Mao’s biggest weakness; the Sixth Prince already had three sons and a daughter. However, Ah Wu felt no pressure whatsoever. Her father-in-law did not care, her mother-in-law had passed away, and Prince Qi was completely inactive, so Consort Xiang’s sarcastic words did not affect Ah Wu at all.

Ah Wu playfully retorted, “Your Imperial Highness is truly joking. I’ve only been married into the household for a few months!”

“It was just that I was a little too eager and excited. However, His Majesty loves his grandsons the most. He often has Herui bring Xiang’er into the palace to play, and they stay for ten days to half a month at a time. If you also have one, His Majesty might pay more attention to you both for the sake of his grandson.”

Xiang’er, whom Consort Xiang mentioned, was Herui’s eldest son born to the Sixth Prince. The Longqing Emperor was quite fond of him, and this was indeed true. However, Ah Wu did not understand why Consort Xiang always seemed to be picking on Chu Mao’s sore spots.

Ah Wu could only lower her head shyly, whispering like a mosquito, “This matter cannot be rushed.”

“Why can it not be rushed? Your Prince Qi does not have a child yet, while Herui has only been in the household for a little over a month and is already pregnant. You are sisters-in-law, not outsiders. Communicate more privately; Herui will not keep anything secret. The Emperor only has four Princes now. Let’s not even mention the Seventh Prince; from now on, it all depends on the brothers helping each other. The Sixth Prince is young and sometimes acts rashly; he will rely on his older brother’s guidance.”

Consort Xiang’s words were illogical, but Ah Wu understood. This was a gesture of goodwill, an attempt to win over Prince Qi to support the Sixth Prince. Currently, the Longqing Emperor was unwell, and the Fifth and Sixth Princes were fiercely fighting in court. The court officials were divided into three factions: the Fifth and Sixth Princes, and a neutral faction. They argued in court every day, but everyone was urging the Longqing Emperor to establish a Crown Prince.

The Longqing Emperor was generally agreeable on other matters, but he remained unyielding on the issue of establishing a Crown Prince, causing great anxiety among many. Even Consort Xiang could not sit still and tried to win over Chu Mao.

It was no wonder Consort Xiang dared to be so arrogant. Although Chu Mao was the eldest son of the legitimate wife, he was not favored by the Longqing Emperor. The Fifth and Sixth Princes held positions in the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Revenue, respectively—powerful and lucrative departments. Chu Mao, however, had no fixed post; the Longqing Emperor only occasionally remembered him, assigning him difficult cases—no reward for success, but punishment for failure.

“Your Imperial Highness is right,” Ah Wu nodded. Consort Xiang, seeing that she understood her meaning, smiled even more kindly.

That evening, at a palace banquet, the Longqing Emperor attended, wrapped in a thick sable cloak. His complexion was sallow, but his spirits were relatively good, though he coughed occasionally. His eyes lingered briefly on Chu Mao and Ah Wu, who were bowing to him, before quickly shifting away, never glancing at Chu Mao again.

Ah Wu secretly observed Chu Mao, but he did not even glance at his father.

The coldness between father and son seemed somewhat deliberate; one wondered what grudge lay between them.

The palace dancers were graceful, and the musicians were highly skilled, possessing a level of artistry unmatched outside the palace. However, the spacious halls and the lack of restraint prevented people from being truly at ease. The banquet lacked any festive atmosphere, instead feeling as dull as a family feast at Prince Qi’s mansion.

Ah Wu began to miss the times when she ate with her family at the Rong family home; those meals were filled with liveliness and joy.

Chu Mao continued to down his wine cup after cup, his face growing increasingly pale and jade-like. Ah Wu had only recently discovered that Chu Mao had an exceptionally high tolerance for alcohol; he could practically drink a thousand cups without getting drunk. However, during his reign, Ah Wu had rarely seen him drink. She wondered what kind of sorrow he was so troubled by that required such solace.

Regardless, Ah Wu saw this as an opportunity to show concern. “Your Highness, perhaps you should drink less.” For some reason, since entering the palace, Ah Wu had started addressing Chu Mao as “Your Highness” along with the palace servants. Usually, only those who had served him since childhood addressed him as “Your Highness,” and Ah Wu saw this as a way to build rapport.

Chu Mao turned to look at Ah Wu. “It’s alright; you should have a cup too, to warm yourself up.” He then poured Ah Wu a cup himself.

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Ah Wu’s tolerance for alcohol was not very high; she only took a small sip. Consort Xiang had already snuggled up to the Longqing Emperor, making him beam with joy. The Fifth and Sixth Princes also joined in the fun, and even the Seventh Prince was summoned by the Longqing Emperor for questioning. Only Chu Mao remained silent.

From a distance, the Longqing Emperor’s expression and gaze beneath his crown were not clearly visible, but Ah Wu intuitively felt that he was not as happy as he appeared and was even feigning arrogance. His eyes still frequently glanced in their direction.

However, Ah Wu clearly saw the indifference in Chu Mao’s eyes; he probably did not care for his father, the Emperor, as much as ordinary princes.

The banquet continued until the hour of Hai ^{(9-11 PM)} before ending when the Longqing Emperor could no longer continue.

Carriages were not allowed in the Forbidden City. Except for the main princes, who had palanquins, Chu Mao and Ah Wu had to leave on foot. Stepping out of the warm hall, Ah Wu sneezed as the cold wind blew in. Suddenly, she felt a warmth on her shoulders and back. Turning around, she saw Chu Mao draping his cloak over her shoulders.

“Your Highness, this is not appropriate. You will catch a cold.” Ah Wu made a move to remove the cloak.

Chu Mao, however, placed his hand on the back of hers, stopping her.

Ah Wu’s hands were already icy cold, while Chu Mao’s hands were warm and dry. Although the touch was extremely comfortable, Ah Wu felt a deep-seated aversion to such contact. She knew, however, that Chu Mao was not doing it intentionally; he also disliked touching others.

Ah Wu quickly withdrew her hand. For a fleeting moment, she felt as if Chu Mao’s hand had been about to grab hers, preventing her from letting go. Of course, Ah Wu thought she must have imagined it.

“I am not cold; let’s go.” Chu Mao walked past Ah Wu, leading the way. Ah Wu had no choice but to follow him closely.

The ground was already covered with four or five inches of snow. Ah Wu, wearing suede boots, was not afraid of the snow, but out of boredom and laziness, she diligently followed Chu Mao’s footprints.

Soon, Chu Mao noticed her. He glanced back at Ah Wu, expressionless. As he turned and continued walking, Ah Wu noticed that Chu Mao’s footprints had almost disappeared.

Ah Wu’s eyes widened. Could this be the legendary skill of “walking without leaving a trace in the snow”? Ah Wu never expected to actually see a skill she’d only read about in plays in Chu Mao’s hands.

Now, Chu Mao walked leisurely, while Ah Wu stumbled along, quickly falling behind. Although two palace servants carried lanterns beside her, the vast, dark Forbidden Palace still filled her with a sense of unease, as if she might be left there alone forever at any moment.

Ah Wu could not help but call out, “Your Highness, wait for me!”

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Chu Mao, who was ahead, stopped at the sound of her voice and slowly turned around. Only when Ah Wu approached did he extend his hand to her—a silent invitation.

Ah Wu, however, found herself in a dilemma. This seemed to be Chu Mao’s revenge for her earlier rejection. Ah Wu thought Chu Mao was truly strange; he clearly disliked touching others, yet he could not bear being refused.

The snowy night grew colder. Ah Wu frantically considered whether she should place her hand in Chu Mao’s. This feeling made her uncomfortable, a sense of being forced. But if she refused, she knew she would severely offend Chu Mao, causing him to lose face in front of the palace servants. Moreover, she felt that countless wandering spirits roamed the empty Forbidden Palace, yet they dared not approach Chu Mao. She wondered how she herself had managed to drift within a ten-foot radius of him back then.

However, being near someone with the aura of a true dragon was definitely a sure way to ward off evil.

After much agonizing thought, Ah Wu gritted her teeth and placed her hand in Chu Mao’s palm. She found his hand large and warm; even in the dead of winter, holding it like this was barely acceptable, though she’d have to wash her hands thoroughly when she got back.

The seemingly endless road within the Forbidden City finally came to an end. As Ah Wu sat in the carriage, she felt there was nothing more pleasant in the world than a carriage.

However, to Ah Wu’s surprise, Chu Mao also squeezed in.