The Emperor of Nanzheng State had become gravely ill ten years ago, repeatedly showing no sign of improvement, and spent eleven months of the year bedridden. The older ministers, exhausted, managed affairs great and small, barely keeping the nation afloat for ten years, the political and administrative systems having been eroded like a sieve.
Zheng Nianru walked down a secluded path, with golden yellow tile eaves on either side cascading over the walls. Moss crept across the blue bricks, spreading its own kind of pattern.
Zheng Nianru would later attribute the inability to revive Nanzheng State to these ten years, but now, the reason that Nanzheng State kept teetering but never fell was because of the existence of Mage Huo Yi. Conceptually, Nanzheng State wasn't governed by power alone, the dominion of religious faith through the mage was also significant.
Zheng Nianru was actually somewhat hesitant, having considered Qiandao Temple very important in Nanzheng State, but when Mage Huo Yi had stopped her from seizing power, Nanyi had made an unusually decisive and ruthless move, slaughtering all the disciples of the temple, which even surprised Zheng Nianru.
Zheng Nianru recalled the memories of her thirteen-year-old self. She had known the Crown Prince for two years, and these two years were her most diligent. Initially, she couldn't even enter the Crown Prince's Mansion; it took her two months to finally seize a chance. Look, the conditions at Qishun Building, providing sustenance and freedom, were even better than those of ordinary concubines in the palace, all thanks to her efforts over the last two years.
She had survived two years ago because Crown Prince Zheng Congyuan saved her, and over these two years, it was also because she had come to know Zheng Congyuan. Nanny Yun wasn't intelligent, but within her limited understanding, she maximized the worldly knowledge from the Art Workshop for their situation, though what she learned was merely techniques to please and seduce others.
Yet it was useful, men liked this approach — Zheng Congyuan was no exception, and neither was Nanyi.
"Squeak—" The rusty secluded door of Qishun Building emitted a piercing creak, startling several sparrows on the branches, shaking loose a shower of fine raindrops.
"These damned beasts—" Nanny Yun deftly swung her handkerchief, chasing away the dust, stepping out ahead through the small door.
"They're here—they're here—" The waiting vehicles grew visibly anxious.
Compared to the anxious vehicles, the two guards waiting by the side door were even more nervous. Hearing the door open, they instinctively stepped back, both of them not bulky, yet skillfully blocking the side door, with tense expressions.
Today, they couldn't allow the Commandery Princess to enter again; otherwise, the entire Crown Prince's Mansion would find no peace.
They couldn't allow the Commandery Princess to make any more unreasonable demands either, as the wounds on Qi Ling's body had not yet fully healed from earlier days.
"Commandery Princess—" The guard on the coach was even more nervous than those standing by the door, Qi Jin and Qi Yu, but still took a step forward quickly to kneel down.
Zheng Nianru nodded, glanced at Qi Jin and Qi Yu by the door, who were so clearly frightened, their expression revealing their fears without need for her speculations.
Originally, Zheng Nianru had first gone to the Crown Prince's Mansion and waited until the Crown Prince's Mansion's chef had freshly made a Blood Glutinous Hibiscus Cake before leaving.
But now, Zheng Nianru suddenly felt differently. Based on her current status and the years of familiarity and understanding of Zheng Congyuan, she could handle such shameless acts much more elegantly and tactically.
Yes, just as Nanyi had said, a gentleman's changes, his transitions must be elegant and pleasing to the eye.
"Let's depart—" Zheng Nianru withdrew her gaze and headed straight for the carriage, stepping onto it first.
Nanny Yun blinked slightly, puzzled; wasn't the Commandery Princess's plan...
Oh dear, why didn't the Commandery Princess wait for me? These two young girls as well.
Qi Jin and Qi Yu had not quite reacted. They looked at each other in doubt. Was that Princess Chao Ren who just came out, are you sure?
But the Commandery Princess didn't come in? She didn't even glance at them?
...
Prince Duan paced back and forth for quite a few trips. His carriage stopped at the fork leading to the outside of the city. Prince Duan was dressed in a grey-blue brocaded long robe with subtle patterns. Although he knew it was still early, he couldn't help but look around.
"Prince, the Commandery Princess's carriage has arrived," Housekeeper He said with some moisture in his eyes. Even though his old and dim eyes could see the Commandery Princess's carriage, the Prince must have seen it too.
"Yes, yes, she's arrived not too late today," Prince Duan nodded in agreement, sharing the sentiments and empathy.
Although over the past two years, he had seen his daughter multiple times, which slightly eased the pain of longing in his heart. He no longer had to eagerly wait for the palace's annual feasts and other essential banquets, which he could only attend a few times a year, and even then, he could only catch a distant glimpse of her.
Zheng Nianru alighted from the carriage, and upon seeing that familiar figure, emotions that had been reborn exploded out in that moment, her movements becoming even more genuine.
"Your child pays respect to Father King," Zheng Nianru's voice choked. Her father, Prince Duan of Nanzheng State, Zheng Boding, had taken a harsh blow. He had become a completely incapable man, constantly drinking and nearly dementia due to the chronic poison administered by her grandmother, the Empress Dowager. It could be said that her father was ruined by her mother. These past years, he had slowly begun to improve, which was indeed thanks to Zheng Congyuan. Despite this, she felt Zheng Congyuan did more for his own sake, not for hers
"It's good that you've come, good that you've come," Prince Duan barely opened his mouth but hurriedly helped Zheng Nianru up from the ground, "Let's get on the carriage first."
"Father, this is a lined jacket I made for you. Although it's early spring, the weather is still somewhat chilly. Father must remember not to get too cold and hurt your body," Nanny Yun handed over a package, and although the lined jacket was crafted by the embroidery girls at the Crown Prince's Mansion, it was surely the Princess's heartfelt gift.
"Good, good, Nian Ru is thoughtful. Is everything well in the palace?" Prince Duan carefully observed his own child. That look more and more resembled Ru's from those days. His heart couldn't help but feel sorrowful, thinking of the unfortunate Ru who couldn't see her daughter before dying. It was all his...
"Everything is fine with your daughter, Father need not worry." Zheng Nianru had not ceased advising her father to take a concubine to at least look after him, but he remained stubborn and never agreed.
The newly crowned Empress Dowager Zheng Nianru had arranged a marriage for her father, a fourth-rank doctor's eldest daughter from the Runan Aristocratic Family, a delicate young woman whose engagement was broken due to upheaval in her fiancé's home, the Longxi Aristocratic Family, and she was delayed to twenty years old because of the Old Lady wearing white mourning clothes.
"If your mother were still here..." Prince Duan diverted his gaze. Had they succeeded back then and fled to live as ordinary civilians elsewhere, it would have been a family reunion, far better than living apart.
"Father, we are finally meeting after so much difficulty; we should be happy," Zheng Nianru tilted her head, revealing a sincere smile. Her thirteen-year-old tender face displayed the smile so purely, like an inexperienced fairy, painted against a backdrop of tender peach blossoms and fluttering butterflies, as if everything had become brilliantly vibrant.
"Yes, yes, our Nian Ru has grown up," Prince Duan nodded, unable to bear looking any longer, he just looked outside the carriage at the buds about to bloom. Ru died in such a blossoming season, in a terrible manner. The poison the Empress Dowager Yan Ping forced on her had not yet taken effect when she was strangled by a rope, cutting off her windpipe brutally.
Zheng Nianru suddenly recalled that today, she had also met another person, whom she had kissed the first time she saw him.
Because Nanny Yun said, to win the Crown Prince's favor, one needs experience, which comes gradually through practice.