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The Ninth Prince smiled and held the hand of the Sixth Princess as they entered the main hall, asking, “Where is Mother?”
“Mother is offering prayers at the Little Buddha Hall.” the Sixth Princess replied in a soft voice.
Consort Shan was indeed praying at the Little Buddha Hall. Though her son had only been away for a few days, it felt like an eternity to her. She wondered if his hidden ailment had been cured and whether he had seen his youngest son.
Suppressing her anxious feelings, Consort Shan calmly entered the main hall.
Having spent a long time in prayer, there was a strong scent of sandalwood surrounding Consort Shan. While she appeared calm and serene, there was a hint of uncertainty in her eyes. Despite being in middle age, her fair complexion, delicate features, and youthful charm were still apparent.
She wore a partially old dark green jacket over a moon-white scattered flower skirt, adorned with a pearl hairpin, with minimal makeup applied. Unlike the ostentatious concubines in the palace, she resembled an ordinary woman from the common folk.
The Ninth Prince paid his respects to her, then spoke about his experiences at the temple. He presented Consort Shang with a string of prayer beads blessed by the Lingyin Temple’s monk and gifted her a few grasshopper-shaped woven toys and a small basket bought for the Sixth Princess.
After a brief conversation, the nursemaid took the Sixth Princess outside to play, leaving them alone in the room. The Ninth Prince then whispered to Consort Shan, “Mother, this time I saw Little Eleven clearly, heard him speak, and even compose poetry. He resembles you greatly, more so than me, and is incredibly talented. He writes and composes poetry well and seems very happy… I feel that even if he grew up in the palace, he wouldn’t be as joyful and content…”
Listening to this, Consort Shan teared up, eventually covering her mouth with a handkerchief to muffle her sobs.
Consort Shan was forty years old. She had lived with the Yuan family until the age of twelve when a calamity struck. Apart from being rescued, everyone else perished, including a newborn infant.
She spent three years living in Lingnan. She was fostered by a small merchant family in a town, posing as a distant relative. She claimed that her family had perished in a plague, leaving her alone to seek refuge with distant relatives.
From the fear of impending execution to the relief of being saved, from the grief of losing her loved ones to gaining the strength to carry on, and finally accepting her new identity and finding affection with the family’s son, it took her a full three years.
Three years may not seem long, but she underwent all the transformations. She believed she would establish roots there, living peacefully and happily with the robust young man, raising children, and allowing the Yuan family’s legacy to continue in a different manner.
Just as she was filled with boundless hope for the future, she was suddenly brought back to the capital.
She learned that her only blood relative, the Crown Prince, had been killed. The Emperor wanted her to bear him a son, to have someone with Yuan bloodline inherit the throne.
The Emperor intended her to be a tool for his “atonement”, perhaps a living dead person.
She despised the late Emperor who had destroyed her entire family, but he was already dead. Although the current Emperor sought revenge for her family and had saved her before, she still harbored hatred. If he hadn’t obstinately married her cousin back then, her family wouldn’t have faced such calamity.
She knew she had no power to choose, only to comply.
From then on, she not only lost her status and identity but also her sense of self and aspirations. The grand cage not only confined her physically but also caged her heart.
Fortunately, fate intervened. She was favored by the Emperor only twice and successfully bore a son.
Since giving birth, she hadn’t seen the Emperor until her son turned sixteen.
Mother and son lived tranquilly in the Falling Sunset Palace, disregarded and mistreated, yet they remained indifferent.
As her son grew older, he became increasingly affectionate towards her. At six, the Emperor assigned Marquis (General at that time) Chu’s son as his study companion. She knew the Chu General was someone favored by the Emperor, having been rescued from the dungeon. Witnessing the rise of the Chu family and her son’s intelligence, she began to yearn for a better life.
If that man were to die and her son became Emperor, that wouldn’t be a bad outcome.
Unexpectedly, when her son was thirteen, he was cruelly injured. The Chu General was falsely accused and stripped of his career as a result.
She was heartbroken. Over time, she came to terms with her son’s disability, realizing they didn’t need to vie for the throne, perhaps they could live peacefully. The mother and son relied on each other, no longer living in fear, which was a relief.
Later on, she learned that the Emperor and the Chu family were searching everywhere for miracle healers and remedies to cure her son, igniting a glimmer of hope within her. However, repeated disappointments left her mentally and emotionally exhausted.
When her son turned sixteen, he married a Princess and a Concubine. It was then she discovered that her son not only had a crippled leg but also a more fundamental injury.
That year, the Emperor appeared before her once again and favored her.
At the age of thirty-three, she unexpectedly conceived again. To avoid complications, she was sent to a monastery under the pretense of praying for the ailing Empress Dowager. When she gave birth once more, upon waking up they said it is a stillborn child.
Her heart felt dead, and even though the Emperor entrusted the Sixth Princess to her care, she remained emotionally detached. If not for her eldest son, she would have considered becoming a nun.
At that time, she felt that not having any more children would spare her from such agony. She believed she was like a living dead person and didn’t deserve the luxury of yearning.
However, last year, two significant moments of happiness unfolded for her, feeling like a dream. First, she learned that Master Wuzhi was willing to treat her son and found a miraculous remedy. Later, she discovered that the stillborn child was actually alive…
After crying for a while, she asked, “You talked only about Little Eleven, what about yourself? How are you, has the illness been cured?”
A faint blush appeared on the Ninth Prince’s face as he replied with a smile, “It should be cured.”
Overwhelmed with joy, Consort Shan cried again. After composing herself, she clasped her hands in gratitude, “Amitabha, your illness has been cured. This is truly wonderful.” Hastily adding, “Hurry back, I want to hold my grandchild next year.”
Before leaving, the Ninth Prince handed Consort Shan a small pouch containing a lock of Dabao’s hair.
As Consort Shan lay in bed, she repeatedly smelled the lock of hair, eventually placing it on her chest before drifting off to sleep.
The next day, upon waking up, she secured the lock of hair in the pouch, placed it close to her heart, and held her precious keepsake against her chest.
Meanwhile, Chen Dabao was playfully interacting with Chen Feng in the main hall. As he enjoyed his meal, Chen Feng felt discomfort from the movements of the two little ones in her belly.
Upon hearing that his sibling was active in their mother’s belly, Dabao placed his hand on her stomach, feeling the movements and delighting in the experience.