Hua Yan's words were laden with deep meaning, and Butler Fu could not fathom their implications, finding them unfathomably profound. But a smile from her was invariably a good sign.
As the tempest abated, clear skies ensued.
Hua Yan, who was standing up straight, suddenly leaned lazily against the doorframe, waved her hand at Butler Fu, and said with a smile, "Go and tell the Crown Prince that I have no skill in managing the household. Ever since I was little, the elders of the Hua Family have spoiled me, and all I've ever learned was how to enjoy myself. Aside from having fun, there's nothing else I can do," she finished, then added, "And I can't learn it either."
Butler Fu's forehead began to sweat again, his shirt damp with multiple layers of perspiration on his back. He raised his head and looked at the languidly radiant smile on Hua Yan's face, momentarily at a loss for words, for she had effectively cut off all possible responses.
Not skilled in running a household, and unable to learn. Then... what about all these people, these accounts, and the instructions from the Crown Prince?
Gathering his courage, he ventured, "The Crown Prince... he went to attend the court and has not returned."
Hua Yan scoffed silently; she didn't care and merely smiled at Butler Fu, "Then tell him the same when he returns."
Butler Fu took a breath, tormented by how to explain the unfulfilled task to the Crown Prince when a sudden recollection of another matter entrusted by the Crown Prince the day before struck him. He hastily said, "Also, His Highness mentioned yesterday that Prime Minister Zhao's birthday is approaching, and we have yet to prepare a birthday gift in the Noble Residence. His Highness asked you to arrange it, saying the gift shouldn't be taken lightly nor should it be too extravagant."
He finished in one breath, feeling a sore throat developing.
"Oh?" Hua Yan thought for a moment. Unlike before, she wasn't as annoyed but instead raised an eyebrow, "A birthday gift for Prime Minister Zhao?"
Seeing she didn't refuse immediately, the butler rejoiced and hurriedly confirmed, "Precisely."
Hua Yan eyed him and pondered Prime Minister Zhao's life as well as his renowned daughter, saying with an ambiguous smile, "Speaking of this, it has really intrigued me; Prime Minister Zhao is practically half a mentor to you all at the Eastern Palace, and he and Miss Zhao should have known each other since childhood, childhood sweethearts. Why didn't he choose her to be the Crown Princess Consort?"
Butler Fu gasped, deeming the audacity of the Crown Princess Consort's statement unparalleled, yet recalling her near-murderous aura that almost decimated everyone in the Eastern Palace not long ago, he realized this was a minor issue by comparison.
This question had been secretly pondered and quietly discussed by many throughout the world a year ago; it's just that no one had ever dared to voice it so openly until now.
He coughed once, again struggling to speak.
Hua Yan looked at Butler Fu, her smile deepening, "You don't know either? Or you know but won't say it?"
Butler Fu felt as if he'd been drenched in cold water twice over, drooping his head and saying with a pained expression, "This... this old servant truly doesn't know."
Hua Yan didn't make it hard for him, and surveyed the still quiet people in the courtyard, switching the subject to chat casually, "Today, all the people of the Eastern Palace, are they here? Has everyone come? Or is it just the servants? The masters won't be counted."
Butler Fu inwardly breathed a sigh of relief and quickly responded, "Apart from His Highness the Crown Prince, everyone from the Eastern Palace has arrived. All here, including the guards at the gates."
Hua Yan was taken aback, then scanned the crowd again, suddenly feeling something was amiss, and sharply asked, "Where have the Eastern Palace's Consorts, Imperial Concubines, Attendants, Concubines, and all of those sorts gone to?"
Butler Fu was startled.
Hua Yan looked at him, speculating, "It couldn't be that once I arrived, the Crown Prince moved everyone elsewhere?" Although such a statement flattered herself, she truly couldn't destabilize her position as the Crown Princess Consort, leaving her no choice but to aggrandize herself.
Regaining his senses, Butler Fu promptly said, "To answer the Crown Princess Consort, there are no such people in the Eastern Palace."
Hua Yan was puzzled, "What do you mean? Explain it clearly."
Butler Fu replied, "It means there are no Consorts, Imperial Concubines, Attendants, Concubines, or any of that sort."
Now it was Hua Yan's turn to be stunned. After a moment, she blurted out, "Your Crown Prince doesn't have some sort of issue, does he?"
Butler Fu's face twitched violently, understanding what Hua Yan was insinuating, and immediately shook his head, "Not at all."
Hua Yan was astonished, "He's twenty this year, right? As far as I know, the princes and young masters of Noble Residence often have attendants at fourteen or fifteen, and some start receiving enlightenment at thirteen. What sort of performance is this?"
She had come for the delicate and tender beauties, but without beauties in the Eastern Palace, how could she enjoy her days to the fullest?
The butler looked at the genuine surprise on her face, as well as the disbelief and disappointment that were unmistakably there. The confluence of emotions made him feel, for a moment, that this was an unforgivable situation.
He collected himself and said cautiously, "His Highness dedicated himself to his studies until the age of fifteen and took on government affairs after that, leaving no time for the company of women, hence the Eastern Palace is empty."
Upon hearing this, Hua Yan looked up at the sky.
The butler couldn't quite discern her thoughts and didn't know what else to say. Afraid that speaking might lead to error, he kept silent as long as she did not ask further questions.
Qiuyue was also astonished. She had not expected the vast Eastern Palace to be without a single woman to serve the Crown Prince. She fell silent for a moment, then looked at Hua Yan and saw her appearance, as if she had been greatly wronged by the Eastern Palace, which made her eyelids twitch.
After a long while, Hua Yan collected her gaze from the sky and waved weakly at the butler, "I also don't know what to give for Prime Minister Zhao's birthday present. Tell the Crown Prince about this together with the previous matter, and say that I don't want to be bothered with such things."
The butler felt immediately disheartened.
Hua Yan turned her back on her, returning to her room, and tossed out another sentence, "Let these people all leave. They should do whatever they need to do."
After speaking, she had already entered the room, and the bead curtain jingled crisply.
The butler, drooping like a frostbitten eggplant, realized he had not managed to complete either of the two tasks entrusted to him by the Crown Prince the previous day. He could only wait for His Highness to return and report. With a wave of his hand, he led the others out of the courtyard.
The servants of the Eastern Palace had arrived without causing a disturbance and left in an orderly manner with little noise.
Back in her room, Hua Yan felt suffocated and wondered if Yun Chi was unable to find a wife or if no woman was willing to be with him. Was that why he clung to her and refused to let go? How did she end up the unlucky one?
Qiuyue watched Hua Yan, feeling perplexed by the events of the day.
The maid had earlier been scared enough by Hua Yan; now that the Chief Steward had taken his leave with the others, she still had to wait on her mistress. Gathering her composure and putting in twice as much effort as the previous day, she walked into the room and asked softly, "Crown Princess Consort, it's getting late, and you haven't had breakfast yet. Shall we have it now?"
Hua Yan looked up at her and said with a smile, "Yes, bring it in."
The maid secretly breathed a sigh of relief and quickly instructed someone to get it.
Soon, breakfast was served. Although there were few dishes, each was extremely delicate and refined, and they were all dishes Hua Yan regularly had for breakfast.
She asked, "Yesterday's lunch was the food I usually eat, and today's breakfast too. How is it that the chefs of the Eastern Palace can so coincidentally cater to my tastes? As far as I know, Capital City and Lin'an differ by a thousand miles, and there ought to be some differences."
The maid immediately replied with a smile, "Two months ago, His Highness ordered the recruitment of a cook from Lin'an. She prepared both yesterday's lunch and today's breakfast."
"Oh?" Hua Yan sneered, "The Crown Prince really is considerate."
Seeing her expression was hard to read, the maid said with a smile, "The Eastern Palace has a total of six cooks. Thinking of the Crown Princess Consort's recent arrival and fearing that the journey might have worn you out and the change in diet might affect your health, the cook from Lin'an was asked to prepare these two meals. After you rest for a couple more days, we can have the other cooks prepare some famous dishes from Capital City and other places for you to try."
Hua Yan nodded and smiled, "Thank you for your thoughtful arrangements."
The maid revealed a relieved smile.
After breakfast, Hua Yan glanced at the sky and patted Qiuyue on the shoulder, "Come on, let's go out and have some fun."