Chapter 4 Composing Poetry Late at Night  

The outer robe, damp with evening frost, carried a sweet, cloying fragrance. Lowering his gaze, Fourth Master saw Nian Jiao’s lashes fluttering lightly, like tiny brushes. Her snow-white wrist clung tightly to his waist, her voice brimming with both dissatisfaction and grievance.  

Fourth Master stiffened abruptly, turning slightly, his chest taut.  

He wanted to scold her sternly—”What impropriety is this?”—only to suddenly remember he had already reprimanded her once this morning. Yet here she was, pushing her luck even further.  

Without even looking, he knew exactly what Su Peisheng and Mama Qiu were thinking. Fourth Master averted his eyes and said coldly, “There were matters to attend to in the study… I was delayed and couldn’t make it for the meal.”  

Su Peisheng was utterly dumbfounded, his mind blank. Was His Highness… explaining himself? To Consort Nian??  

Nian Jiao let out a soft “Ah,” releasing her grip, her eyes sparkling as she said, “So that’s why. Your Highness is burdened with endless state affairs, working tirelessly day and night.”  

Then she added, “But no matter how busy you are, you mustn’t forget to eat. Your Highness holds such a lofty position, toiling from dawn till dusk with endless duties. What good would it do to ruin your health…”  

As the sweet fragrance faded from his nose, Fourth Master paused slightly, his thumb brushing against his thumb ring. He took a few steps and sat down at the dining table.  

Nian Jiao continued chattering softly, her words carrying a hint of complaint. Yet upon closer listening, they didn’t seem like anything one would dare say aloud.  

Unable to resist, he glanced at the dishes, picked up his silver chopsticks, and placed a piece of greens into her bowl to silence her: “Eat.”  

Nian Jiao fell quiet.  

She sat down happily, remembering the rule of “no talking during meals or before sleep.” Recalling her second brother’s teachings, she straightened her posture, sitting gracefully with one goal in mind: to eat like a lady, with restraint, and leave a lasting good impression on her “employer.”  

Whenever Fourth Master glanced her way, Nian Jiao redoubled her efforts.  

Noticing the unusual silence in the room, the man peeked at the bottom of her bowl and saw only a shallow layer of food. His brow unconsciously furrowed.  

Fourth Master spoke calmly, “In half a month, I’ll permit your mother and sister-in-law to visit the Royal Residence. Nian Gengyao is currently in Sichuan, but if he’s fortunate enough to return to the capital, I’ll have him come see you as well.”  

Nian Jiao’s hand trembled as she held her chopsticks. She looked up, her beautiful eyes suddenly shining with delight.  

Forgetting all about decorum, she nodded vigorously. “Mhm, mhm!”  

Her delicate face blossoming into a radiant smile, she tugged at Fourth Master’s sleeve, abandoning the formal “Your Highness” for the more intimate “Master”: “Master is so kind! I always knew Master was the finest man in the world, more dashing and charming than even the gods!”  

Su Peisheng was stunned speechless, while Mama Qiu’s briefly pleased expression turned purple with shock.  

Perhaps because he had anticipated this, Fourth Master’s expression remained unchanged. He simply looked at her hand and said, “Eat.”  

Yet the furrow in his brow smoothed away.  

Nian Jiao withdrew her hand and obediently picked up her bowl and chopsticks. Even the way she served herself radiated joy, her lips reddening as she ate. The earlier silence was nowhere to be found.  

—  

Meanwhile, Ulanara, the principal wife, had finished her meal and was strolling along the stone path to aid digestion.  

Her wet nurse, Fang, supported her. “Consort Nian… is far too beautiful. And with the Nian family backing her…” Worry crept onto Mama Fang’s face. “Shouldn’t you be cautious, my lady?”  

Ulanara shook her head. “The imperial decree came too suddenly. The Thirteenth Prince’s wife shared some rumors with me—before the selection, the Nian family had secretly arranged a match for her. They likely never expected His Majesty would actually assign her to His Highness.”

She then smiled and said, “You were there for the morning tea ceremony. Still just a young girl.”

Mama Fang pondered her words, recalling Nian Shi’s unusually deferential attitude toward her mistress, and some of her worries eased.

She sighed, knowing full well that the First Wife didn’t care whom the prince favored—no matter who it was, none could surpass her status as the First Wife.

Dropping the topic of Nian Jiao, Mama Fang lowered her voice and said, “As for the Fourth Prince…”

The First Wife remained silent. After a long pause, her expression turned cold. “Apart from my Honghui, I don’t care for anyone else’s sons. Never mention adoption again!”

Mama Fang pursed her lips, her expression turning bitter. “Yes.”

If the eldest son were still alive—the legitimate heir—she wouldn’t have to worry about the First Wife’s future.

…

In the eastern courtyard, Princess Geng had just lulled the Fifth Prince to sleep and went to visit Princess Niuhulu.

Princess Geng’s eyes sparkled as she fiddled with the Red Gold Lock. “They say the Nian family is wealthy…” She leaned in and whispered to Niuhulu, “Even more so than the First Wife’s family. Look at this lock—exquisite craftsmanship, fine materials, and solid gold.”

Princess Niuhulu seemed distracted.

Nian Jiao’s behavior this morning had unsettled her slightly, but what was even more unsettling was Nian Shi’s beauty. She nodded and said, “Consort Nian’s dowry must be one of a kind.”

Princess Geng paused, suddenly feeling a pang of bitterness.

Back then, she had entered the mansion in a modest sedan chair, without a wedding banquet, and with barely any silver to her name. Truly, fate was unfair. And now, her looks paled in comparison.

With Consort Nian here, where would they stand?

Princess Niuhulu noticed her mood and gently reassured her, “You have the Fifth Prince—that’s your lifelong security. The prince won’t forget about him.”

“…You’re right, sister,” Princess Geng forced a smile. “As for who’s most threatened, it’s surely the one in the eastern courtyard. I wonder what tricks she’ll pull?”

Princess Niuhulu thought for a moment. “Hard to say.”

.

Nian Jiao, intoxicated by the prince’s earlier promise, had nearly forgotten something. It wasn’t until the dining table was cleared that she noticed Fourth Master was still there. She blinked slowly.

The servants had all withdrawn. What was she supposed to do in this situation?

Nian Jiao carefully recalled her “cling to the powerful” plan, but the mere thought of “three days of rest” made her legs feel weak on their own, warring with her mind.

Then Fourth Master’s voice came: “Change clothes. Bathe.”

Oh.

Nian Jiao pressed her lips into a smile and quickly called out, “Both His Highness and I need to bathe. Wen Chun, prepare the water at once.”

Fourth Master: “…”

He stared at the beauty under the lamplight and finally understood—he couldn’t expect Nian Shi to help him change clothes or prepare his bath.

His expression darkened. “Su Peisheng.”

Su Peisheng entered, barely suppressing a laugh, and said he would prepare the water immediately, guiding his master into the inner chamber.

The inner chamber was divided into two rooms. Nian Jiao went to the other one, where she saw Mama Qiu looking weary. She asked softly, “Who upset you?”

Mama Qiu silently dried her hair and body, her heart heavy.

Wen Chun had just said that the prince was tacitly allowing the princess’s behavior and advised her not to worry. Mama Qiu thought it made sense. But… it hadn’t even been two days yet…

When Nian Jiao got no answer, she stopped asking. Nervously, she stepped around the screen and saw the man in his inner robes, leaning against the bed with a book in hand.

Not at all like he was planning to do *that*.

Nian Jiao suddenly felt at ease. The little figure in her heart jumped with joy, thinking she could proceed as planned to deepen the prince’s favorable impression of her. Her eyelashes fluttered lightly as she stepped forward with a buoyant gait.

Without looking up, Fourth Master said, “If you’re tired, rest first. Remember to sleep in your own bedding…”

Before he could finish, he glanced at Nian Jiao and then froze slightly.

She had just bathed, her snow-white arms exposed, the red marks fading unusually fast. Had he not known better, he might have thought last night was just a dream.

But that wasn’t all.

She stopped right before him, leaning over his lap and tilting her head up to look at him.

A sweet, overpowering fragrance rushed into his senses, dominating every thought. Fourth Master watched this scene calmly, setting down his book. He no longer felt the need to ask what Nian Shi was doing.

Considering last night’s excesses, he had no intention of tormenting her further. Yet, there were always those who willingly sought hardship.

The next moment, Nian Jiao volunteered, “It’s late. How about I compose a poem for you, Master?”

Fourth Master: “………………”

The master remained silent for a long while. Nian Jiao held her breath, her heart growing uneasy.

This wasn’t right. She had memorized so many of her elder brother’s ghostwritten poems, including those praising Fourth Master’s fairness and concern for the people. Why wasn’t his reaction what she had expected?

If this plan failed, she’d try another. Nian Jiao decided to stand up first. She braced against the man’s knees and pushed—

But she didn’t budge an inch.

Fourth Master held her down, his jaw tightening as he smiled—though to Nian Jiao, it looked more like a cold smirk. “One poem isn’t enough. You’ll need at least eight or ten. But save them for later, so you don’t run out of energy.”

Nian Jiao let out a strained sound from deep in her throat: “Huh?”

What did that mean?

She soon found out. Her cheeks were pinched and squeezed again, and she nearly cried, her arms weakly encircling the man’s waist. “Could you… be gentler…?”

Her carefully nurtured, beautiful petals!!

……

The next day, Nian Jiao couldn’t get out of bed.

The moment Fourth Master opened his eyes, he felt a weight on his waist. He already knew what it was, and when he tucked Nian Jiao’s ankles back under the blanket, he wasn’t even surprised.

Calmly dressing and washing up, he stepped out of the room. Su Peisheng noticed the prince’s lips were noticeably redder than yesterday and was instantly horrified.

Fourth Master shot him a cold glance, and Su Peisheng lowered his head like a quail.

On the evening of the third day, Nian Jiao reflected on her suffering and resolved to temporarily abandon poetry as a means to boost favorability. When Fourth Master arrived, she sat properly at the table.

After the meal, she asked shyly, “Master, would you like to bathe?”

Thinking she had finally caught on, Fourth Master looked back at her, waiting for her to continue.

Nian Jiao said, “I had Wen Chun gather some peach blossom petals. Later, I’ll ask Chief Steward Su to scatter them in the water to help you relax.”

Better to torment other petals than her. Nian Jiao racked her brains for this new plan, feeling quite clever.

Fourth Master: “……”

Nian Jiao repeated her mistake and spent half the night unable to sleep.

On the fourth day, as Nian Jiao groaned in relief that the three-night stay was finally over, the chief steward of the front courtyard, Zhang Qilin, found an excuse to speak to Su Peisheng. “Brother Su, about that one…”

He gestured toward the west. “How should we treat her?”

Remembering the petal bath Nian Jiao had suggested for Fourth Master, Su Peisheng fell silent for a moment before replying gloomily, “She’s another ancestor to serve.”

Serving Consort Nian required a good mindset and an even stronger heart, but there was no need to mention this to young Zhang.  

Zhang Qilin was greatly startled. Before long, Su Peisheng arrived at the Dwelling of Peach Blossoms with his apprentice—the little eunuch now renamed Dongxi—claiming he was there to run errands for the Consort.  

Initially, Mama Qiu had been pondering how everything in the courtyard was ready except for a clever and reliable person to deliver messages. Seeing this, she secretly rejoiced, sensing a glimpse of the attitude of the Prince’s personal chief steward.  

She gladly accepted the arrangement, but then her heart tightened as she glanced at the Princess, who was sound asleep behind the hazy bed curtains, snoring softly.  

The Fu Jin had already sent word—tomorrow was the day to enter the palace and meet Consort De. The palace was not like the Royal Residence, and she could only hope the Princess would get through it smoothly.  

That evening, the Fourth Master rested in his study and did not come over.  

The entire rear courtyard breathed a sigh of relief, but the servants of the Dwelling of Peach Blossoms grew uneasy. Wen Chun cautiously glanced at the Princess, only to detect a mix of happiness and disappointment on Nian Jiao’s face.  

For a moment, Wen Chun couldn’t decipher it: “?”  

Nian Jiao hugged the brocade quilt and nuzzled against it, thinking to herself—*At least my face is safe now.*  

But with that came a pause in her progress of clinging to the Prince’s favor. She pursed her lips in dissatisfaction. Couldn’t the Prince just come to the Dwelling of Peach Blossoms and sleep on the floor for one night? It would serve two purposes at once, and she wouldn’t have to worry anymore!