Chapter 7

Cloud Miao Somehow Became the Future Third Prince’s Consort

Perhaps it was because the midsummer night’s stars were too numerous, the flowers’ fragrance too intoxicating, the music in the wind too melodious, and the gaze of the boy beside her too sincere. Before she knew it, she nodded.

The boy beside her tilted his head, revealing a mischievous smile, like a cunning child who had just snagged his favorite toy.

In the cool night air, he bent slightly toward her. His crimson robes fluttered in the breeze as he gently tapped her forehead with a knuckle and said, “No take-backs once you’ve agreed.”

“Alright,” Cloud Miao nodded. “Then let’s make a pinky promise.”

“A pinky promise?” Xie Zhiyuan tilted his head curiously.

“A pinky promise means making a vow.”

Cloud Miao extended her delicate hand, her tiny pinky hooking onto Xie Zhiyuan’s. He stared at her, puzzled, as her finger intertwined with his.

“Pinky promise, no backing out for a hundred years,” she said with a bright, clear voice as she gently shook his hand. “Anyone who lies is a little dog!”

He blinked softly.

The midsummer night’s breeze flowed like water, rippling gently above their heads. In his palm was the warmth of the girl’s touch. For the first time in his life, he tightly grasped someone’s hand.

---

“…Ah Miao? Ah Miao?”

Outside the lady’s chambers in the Cloud Residence, Madam Mu’s gentle voice sounded.

“Are you awake yet?”

Her knuckles lightly tapped on the window lattice. “The carriage heading to the palace is already waiting outside.”

“I’m up!” Cloud Miao called out quickly. She rushed to tidy her clothes and sat before the bronze mirror at the dressing table. Madam Mu entered with two young maidservants, helping her with her hair and attire.

“You mustn’t be late today when meeting Noble Consort Shu,” Madam Mu reminded her.

Cloud Miao nodded earnestly, lowering her head obediently as her mother arranged her hair.

Her slender wrist bore a jade bracelet of white lamb-fat jade, secured with a thin red silk cord. The jade was carved into a small peach blossom, its petals shimmering faintly with a blush-like glow, reminiscent of peach blossoms blooming deep in the mountains.

This was a gift from Xie Zhiyuan. Ever since he tied it to her wrist, she had never taken it off, wearing it while eating, sleeping, and even bathing, allowing the clear water to run over it. The jade became luminous and glistening, softly radiating light.

The morning after Cloud Miao agreed to marry him, Xie Zhiyuan personally came to the Cloud Residence to propose, bringing a pair of wild geese and carriages loaded with gifts for the engagement.

That day, the youth in crimson robes alighted from the carriage, radiating an elegance like jade from Kunshan. At the mansion’s entrance, he clasped his hands and bowed with refined manners. Cloud Shangshu (the Minister of Revenue) and Madam Mu were impressed with him and readily accepted his proposal.

According to custom, since the Crown Prince had not yet married, the Third Prince’s wedding date had to be postponed. Thus, the exact wedding day was not yet decided.

However, the news spread quickly throughout the capital, and all of Chang’an knew that the only daughter of the Cloud Family in Yin Chuan was to wed the young Third Prince. Congratulations poured into the Cloud Residence, with letters of felicitation piling up by the front door.

On this early summer day, Cloud Miao was to take a carriage to the palace to pay her respects to Noble Consort Shu, Xie Zhiyuan’s mother.

As was customary, a future royal bride needed to bring a gift prepared by her family as a token of respect when meeting her future mother-in-law.

Cloud Miao rarely visited the palace and had only done so before under Madam Mu’s guidance to attend banquets. She had seen the elegant consorts of the harem only from a distance.

The Empress had passed away years ago, leaving the position of Empress vacant. The four noble consorts held the highest status in the palace.

Noble Consort Xian, the Crown Prince Xie Kang’s birth mother, was the most active among the noble families.

Noble Consort Gui, from the esteemed Jiang General’s Household, was favored by the emperor but childless and known for her warmth toward younger royals.

Consort De, who raised the Crown Prince, was deeply devoted to Buddhism and rarely left her quarters in Cheng’an Palace.

Noble Consort Shu, Xie Zhiyuan’s birth mother, was known for her serene nature and love for gardening, and she seldom engaged in court affairs.

Cloud Miao had seen Noble Consort Shu from afar only once, catching a glimpse of a graceful figure. The woman, adorned in regal garments, exuded elegance like autumn water.

Now, as she prepared to meet her future mother-in-law, Cloud Miao couldn’t help feeling a bit nervous.

“Madam Shangshu, Miss,” a voice called from outside the carriage.

An elderly eunuch, who had been waiting for some time, greeted them warmly with a slight bow. The violet satin robe he wore was embroidered with silver-threaded dragon patterns, glinting under the light.

“Why has Eunuch Yu come in person?” Madam Mu returned the gesture with a smile. “Such a trivial matter—no need to trouble you.”

“You’re too kind, Madam,” Eunuch Yu replied, his smile unchanged. “For the daughter of Minister Shangshu, it’s only proper for me to escort her personally.”

Standing behind Madam Mu, Cloud Miao remained alert as the two exchanged pleasantries, discreetly observing the old eunuch. He seemed to exude kindness, like a benevolent elder, yet she couldn’t ignore her unease.

Before being transported to this world, she had read about this character in the original book.

This man was the head of the eunuch faction in the palace, holding the rank of Jinwu Wei General—a eunuch bestowed with the emperor’s surname, Yu Zhao’en, whose power rivaled that of nobility.

The novel described him in detail, suggesting he played a significant role in the story.

Moreover, he was… quite old, with striking white hair.

He perfectly fit the image of the major antagonist “White-haired Old Man”!

And adding to the trope, his identity as a eunuch was a hallmark of many literary and cinematic villains!

As a seasoned reader with ten years of web novel experience, Cloud Miao was convinced: This man must be the villain!

Yet, when she tried summoning her system to report her discovery, it remained unresponsive, as if dormant.

…Could it be that the system required a specific trigger to activate?

Pondering this, Cloud Miao climbed into the carriage, staying cautious around the elderly eunuch.

The sound of horse hooves echoed steadily, and they soon arrived at Noble Consort Shu’s Rouyi Palace, flanked by avenues of green pines and cypresses.

The palace gardens were filled with rare flora. In front of the hall stood a blooming snow-white qiong flower tree, surrounded by clumps of snowy white and pale-yellow blooms, while a pond shaded by willows cradled lotus buds about to bloom.

“Greetings to Noble Consort Shu,” Cloud Miao said sweetly as she bowed outside the palace hall.

“Are you the little lady of the Cloud family?” A soft and melodious voice rang out. A corner of an embroidered palace skirt swayed into view as the consort emerged.

Carrying a lotus lantern, Noble Consort Shu leaned on a maidservant’s arm, stepping gracefully into view. She gently helped the bowing Cloud Miao to her feet.

“No need for such formality,” Noble Consort Shu said with a warm smile. “You may call me Mother Consort, just as Zhiyuan does.”

“Mother Consort,” Cloud Miao responded sweetly, her voice tinged with warmth. “You may call me Ah Miao.”

The beautiful woman in front of her smiled, faint wrinkles at the corners of her eyes hinting at her age. Yet her gaze remained soft, like autumn water. One could imagine how stunning she must have been in her youth—radiant, like a painting of an elegant lady. Time had added a touch of sorrow to her features, further deepening her beauty.

“I love making fragrances. Everyone in the palace knows this,” Lady Shu said, gently holding Yun Miao’s hand as they walked into a side chamber of the main hall. She led her to sit in front of a lotus-patterned desk, picked up a fragrance spoon, and turned her head to ask, “Ah Miao, do you like fragrances?”

“I do!” Yun Miao nodded earnestly.

The Rouyi Hall was filled with rich and layered scents: the sweet freshness of gardenias, the luxuriousness of roses, and the crispness of lotus. It was as if an entire springtime had been moved indoors.

“I’m glad you like it.” Lady Shu smiled, holding a porcelain bottle and blending a fragrance. She handed it to Yun Miao. “Would you like to try this?”

Yun Miao took the bottle, leaned close to sniff it, and smiled with delight. “It smells wonderful.”

“I’m glad you like it.” Lady Shu’s smile deepened. “I come from Jiangnan and grew up by the water. Even after entering the palace, I’ve always preferred tending to flowers from the south. This fragrance uses a single petal of Jiangnan peony, nourished in mountain spring water. It carries a delicate elegance within its richness.”

“It was during the peony season when I met the emperor for the first time.” She spoke wistfully, her eyes reflecting a faintly nostalgic light. “At that time, I was just an ordinary girl and didn’t know he was the high and mighty sovereign…”

The gilded hall, adorned with flowing fragrances, seemed to melt away as the two of them chatted. Lady Shu was gentle, speaking with the kind of soft refinement unique to people from the water towns of Jiangnan. Her gaze sparkled, her lips curving in a subtle, almost perpetual smile.

“I come from humble origins. Ah Zhen is my child, but he has no maternal family to support him,” Lady Shu eventually steered the conversation elsewhere. “Marrying the daughter of the Yun family is a blessing for him. His nature is a bit simple, so I’ll have to rely on you to take good care of him.”

She sighed lightly, as if in helplessness. “These days, he seems to be up to something again, running off from the palace to play. I rarely get to see him.”

After a pause, she turned to look at Yun Miao. “Ah Miao, do you know what he’s been doing outside the palace?”

Yun Miao blinked; her expression slightly puzzled.

… It seemed Lady Shu truly didn’t know what Xie Zhiyuan had been up to outside.

“I haven’t seen him in many days either,” Yun Miao shook her head.

“Such a disobedient child.”

Lady Shu smiled softly; her tone gentle yet resigned. “Disobedient children need to be taught.”

The morning hours passed swiftly. By the time Lady Shu had Yun Miao stay for both lunch and dinner in the Rouyi Hall, it was already time to see her off. She personally escorted Yun Miao to the carriage that would take her back to the Yun residence.

As the carriage wheels rolled away and disappeared into the distance, Lady Shu carried a lotus lantern and returned to her chambers.

But instead of entering, she turned and pushed open the door to a hidden chamber. Lifting her skirts slightly, she descended along a stone path.

The flickering light of the lantern gradually illuminated the stone walls, revealing the dark and mysterious chamber ahead.

In the center of the room, a figure slowly turned around, the silver embroidery on his purple robe reflecting the dim, dancing light.

“Greetings to Your Ladyship,” the elderly eunuch bowed deeply.

“Yu Zhao’en,” Lady Shu glanced at him. “I told you, don’t come to see me without a good reason.”

“How could asking after your well-being not be a good reason?” The eunuch replied with a soft chuckle, folding his hands into his sleeves. “How was the Yun family’s young lady?”

“An interesting child,” Lady Shu remarked faintly. “I only hope she doesn’t interfere with Ah Zhen.”

“Speaking of Ah Zhen…”

She raised her eyes to look at the eunuch. “I haven’t seen him in days. What has he been up to?”

“Your Ladyship, you know very well that even I don’t know the specifics of the Third Prince’s movements,” the eunuch shook his head with a faint smile, adjusting his wide sleeves. “But why should you worry?”

“True.”

Lady Shu used a chopstick to adjust the wick of her lotus lantern. “He cannot leave this place.”

The wick flickered softly as it was prodded, sending a spark into the air. Her voice, as gentle as a whisper, reverberated in the chamber, low and murmuring.

“Never… never ever.”

---

By the time Yun Miao returned from the palace, the night sky was already filled with glittering stars.

She removed the intricate gold, silver, and jade hairpins from her hair, took off her elaborate court robes, and changed into a simple smoky-blue silk gown. Barefoot, she leaned on the windowsill, her chin resting on her hand as she gazed out at the peach blossom tree by the water.

Her thoughts were a tangled mess.

The relationships in the palace were far more intricate than she had imagined.

The Yun family was a prominent household, and her marriage didn’t just concern herself and Xie Zhiyuan; it involved court politics and could potentially impact the power struggle between the southern and northern factions.

After her conversation with Lady Shu, Yun Miao realized that although Lady Shu seemed as indifferent to court affairs as rumors suggested, her words subtly probed into the situation of the Yun family.

Almost instinctively, Yun Miao found herself disliking the woman. Her soft, melodious voice and elegant smile carried a faint chill that Yun Miao couldn’t ignore.

Most strangely, Lady Shu didn’t seem to truly understand her own son.

In her eyes, Xie Zhiyuan was a quiet, obedient child, best suited to staying in the palace all day—needing neither companions nor friends.

But the Xie Zhiyuan Yun Miao knew was a cunning youth.

On the surface, he was bright and well-mannered, a refined and gentle aristocrat. But beneath that facade, he was ruthless, decisive, and deadly. Yet he also possessed an odd kind of innocence and sincerity, particularly in his treatment of her.

For now, at least, he seemed dangerous but not malicious.

She didn’t mind being his friend.

As her thoughts drifted, a sudden “thud” interrupted her reverie. The peach tree outside shook violently, and a gust of wind-swept blossoms into her room.

Before she could react, she was shoved forcefully, falling backward onto the floor. But just as her head was about to hit the ground, something caught it gently.

She instinctively opened her mouth to scream, only for a hand to cover her eyes firmly. A cool palm pressed against her eyelids.

“It’s me.”

A boy’s low voice murmured close to her ear, so soft it was almost inaudible.

“Xie Zhiyuan?”

Yun Miao, pinned beneath him, caught the heavy scent of blood. “What happened to you?”

There was no reply.

The hand covering her eyes suddenly loosened.

The wounded boy fell limp against her body, collapsing silently into unconsciousness.