For half a month, communication between the newlyweds was minimal. Besides eating lunch together after court and returning to bathe and sleep at night, they barely interacted.
Xiaoqiu fretted daily about her mistress losing favor. Every morning, seeing the untouched bed and neat clothes, she worried endlessly. Holding Ying calmly ate breakfast while Xiaoqiu wrung her hands anxiously.
One morning, after Cui Yi left, Xiaoqiu continued wringing her hands, hesitating. Finally, Holding Ying couldn't take it anymore. "Xiaoqiu, are you going to let me eat? Why are you so restless every morning? Just say what's on your mind!"
"Miss, how can you be so indifferent?" Xiaoqiu blurted out, tugging her sleeve. "You've been married for half a month. Why aren't you two... intimate?"
Holding Ying nearly spat out her porridge. "Intimate? What do you mean? You're thinking too much, girl!"
Xiaoqiu blushed deeply, shaking her sleeve. "I'm worried for you. Women age quickly. You need to capture a man's heart while young and beautiful. Having children strengthens the bond. How can you not try to secure your future?"
Holding Ying chuckled. "You're thinking too far ahead. I'm only fifteen. Aging isn't immediate. Besides, even if I have children, how does it benefit him? When he marries a principal wife, I'll worry about protecting my children. That's trouble."
Xiaoqiu stared incredulously. "Miss, you need to think of yourself. Children are for you, not him."
"Not entirely," Holding Ying explained. "My family produced a Crown Princess and now a princess consort. My father supports both sides. If I'm not careful, we could lose everything. My priority isn't winning favor but ensuring my father's safety. Understand?"
Xiaoqiu looked even more confused. "No, I don't understand. But Miss—"
"Don't worry. I have my plans," Holding Ying patted her shoulder. "Think clearly."
Xiaoqiu shook her head, utterly baffled. "I don't understand, but Miss—"
"Forget it. Just trust me," Holding Ying pleaded. "I know what I'm doing."
An inch, you don't need to worry for me." Holding Prosperity picked up her chopsticks again to eat breakfast and stopped indulging in Xiaoqiu's obsession with the issue of having children early.
To ensure that her father, General Chang Sun Tai, could straddle two boats without falling into the water, the most crucial point was to keep both boats steady. From the current situation, the boat of the Crown Prince sailed smoothly, cutting through waves effortlessly, while the boat of Cui Yi swayed precariously, at risk of capsizing with any wave. Therefore, what she needed to do now was not to have children quickly for old age security but to help Cui Yi establish his own power base so that the Crown Prince wouldn't dare to make any rash moves. Otherwise, if Cui Yi's boat was sunk by the Crown Prince, no matter how many children she had, they would all end up sinking with it.
Although Cui Jie was a genuine double-dealer, he did an excellent job of winning people's hearts. He respected everyone who worked for him, whether they were brilliant strategists, martial arts experts, or streetwise rogues. His respect and generosity made those who served him willing to give their utmost loyalty and intelligence, ultimately even playing his father, Emperor Jian Yuan, out of the game and securing the throne ahead of time.
As the saying goes, "A fence needs three stakes," Cui Jie's success was inseparable from the strong support of his capable and righteous subordinates. In contrast, aside from Cao Qian, Cui Yi didn't have many reliable pillars, and as a prince who looked down on scholars, he didn't even have a mouthpiece in court. How could she not be worried?
After breakfast, Holding Prosperity decided to go out for a walk to clear her mind and carefully consider how to help Cui Yi recruit talents.
Putting up recruitment posters openly was absolutely out of the question, as it would be tantamount to declaring rebellion against the emperor and the Crown Prince. So should she secretly recruit? Not to mention, she couldn't even get close to those who would play a pivotal role in the coming years, let alone recruit them.
Xiaoqiu followed her around, looking here and there, praising this hairpin and that piece of silk, focusing entirely on helping her "rekindle the prince's love." Holding Prosperity found it hard to appreciate such efforts and could only occasionally respond perfunctorily, her mind far from these matters of clothing and adornment.
Passing Jingtai Street, Holding Prosperity saw several servants roughly pushing a man dressed as a scholar out of a mansion. The man tumbled down the steps.
"Get lost! Our master doesn't want to deal with someone like you!" one servant spat rudely, turning back to continue guarding the door.
The man dressed as a scholar crawled a few steps on the ground, staggered to his feet, his robe covered in dirt and dust. He adjusted his tilted headscarf, reached into his chest, pulled out an envelope, turned it over and over, sighed, crumpled it up, threw it to the ground, brushed off the dirt, and walked away.
Holding Prosperity frowned, feeling vaguely familiar with the man but unsure. She instructed Xiaoqiu, "Go pick up that crumpled paper and bring it to me."
Xiaoqiu complied, retrieving the crumpled envelope. Holding Prosperity flattened it and saw it was addressed to "Attendant Ma Pingchuan." Opening it, she found several sheets filled with text.
It appeared to be a self-recommendation letter. Holding Prosperity skimmed through the contents; it was well-written but somewhat stiff, indicating the writer wasn't used to composing such flowery praises.
Flipping through the four or five sheets, she saw the signature and exclaimed, "Oh no!"
Xiaoqiu immediately became nervous. "What's wrong? Did he write something treasonous?"
Holding Prosperity felt like crying. "No... we missed him! This is bad. I don't know if we can still catch up." She shoved the papers and envelope into Xiaoqiu's hands and ran after the man.
Xiaoqiu took the papers and glanced at the name—Baili Zan from Jiaocheng. "Who's that?" Xiaoqiu didn't recognize the name, but seeing Holding Prosperity running off, she hurriedly followed. "Madam, wait for me!"
Baili Zan was a legend to Holding Prosperity. At fifteen, he passed the provincial exam and was expected to become the top scholar in three years. However, he failed to pass the imperial exams for twelve years, eventually giving up and coming to the capital with dreams. Through some coincidence, he became the sole strategist under Prince Wu, Cui Yi, whose survival during multiple attempts by Cui Jie was attributed to Baili Zan's ingenious strategies. Unfortunately, he died of illness after Cui Yi was exiled to Gan Prefecture. Had he lived, the outcome of the Battle of Bai Longgang might have been different.
Such a crucial figure—how could Holding Prosperity let him slip away?
Baili Zan walked dejectedly through the bustling crowd, his repeated rejections making him look just like any other frustrated scholar.
Holding Prosperity stealthily followed him, observing from a distance. Xiaoqiu caught up, calling out loudly, which led to Holding Prosperity covering her mouth and hiding behind a wall. "Stop yelling! Do you want to be discovered?"
Xiaoqiu wondered, "But weren't you chasing him?"
Holding Prosperity rolled her eyes. "If I just run up and invite him home, won't that seem strange? We need the right opportunity. If you yell like that, others will think we're suspicious."
Xiaoqiu was puzzled. "Invite him home? But didn't General Cao say Prince Wu dislikes scholars? What if he gets upset? Maybe we shouldn't."
Holding Prosperity stood straight. "Whether the prince is happy isn't my guiding principle. As long as it's for his good, I'll do it regardless. Let's hurry before we lose him."
Unable to dissuade her mistress, Xiaoqiu followed reluctantly. She couldn't understand why Holding Prosperity was so interested in this seemingly ordinary scholar.
Neither could Cui Yi understand.
After court, Cui Yi decided to stroll through the streets instead of riding home immediately, intending to buy a gift for his "beloved concubine." To his surprise, he saw "his beloved concubine" and her maid sneaking around, following someone. Following their line of sight, he soon spotted the dispirited Baili Zan. Could they know each other? Impossible, given the strict upbringing of Chang Sun Tai's daughter. And if they knew each other, why follow him secretly? No, they must not know each other. But why follow him then?
Curious, Cui Yi sent his page home and trailed behind Holding Prosperity and Xiaoqiu, wanting to see what this newly married concubine was up to.
Baili Zan entered a teahouse and greeted another shabbily dressed scholar. They sat down to drink tea.
Holding Prosperity and Xiaoqiu entered too, sitting at an empty table nearby, trying to eavesdrop. Cui Yi couldn't enter, so he pretended to buy buns outside.
"You..." the younger scholar looked much younger than Baili Zan, noticing his disheveled appearance.
Baili Zan sighed. "Don't ask. Got kicked out."
The waiter brought tea, and Baili Zan paid, sighing as he weighed his nearly empty money bag. "Looks like my road ends here."
The young scholar encouraged, "Don't lose hope. Try elsewhere. Minister Cheng Hu likes poetry. Why not visit him tomorrow?"
Holding Prosperity paused mid-reach for her teacup. "Cheng Hu?"
Outside, the bun vendor asked, "Sir, buns or steamed buns?"
Cui Yi kept glancing inside, distractedly answering, "Both."
Baili Zan shook his head. "I'm not good at poetry. It's better to return home and teach kids."
The young scholar urged, "There's always a way. Don't give up. You've always wanted to serve the country. Giving up halfway will lead to regret."
At the next table, Xiaoqiu whispered, "Madam?"
Holding Prosperity pondered aloud, "Cheng Hu... If I remember correctly, Cheng Hu has a daughter named Cheng Fengyi."
The vendor packed the buns. "Sir, what flavors?"
Cui Yi absentmindedly answered, "Both."
Baili Zan smiled bitterly. "I can't write fancy poems, hence failing the exams. I thought self-recommendation in the capital would work, but now I realize it was naive."
The vendor handed over the bags. "Here you go, sir."
Cui Yi was startled by the volume. "Too many!" He tried to return the steamed buns, but the vendor protested, "You said both! Can't take it back now!"
The vendor's shouting drew a crowd, surrounding Cui Yi. He struggled to move amidst the throng. Holding Prosperity pushed through, asking people to move aside.
"What's happening?"
"Why are you asking?" Cui Yi retorted angrily.
Holding Prosperity quickly paid the vendor, apologizing profusely. "Misunderstanding, sorry!"
Cui Yi, still furious, was dragged away by Holding Prosperity. Seeing Baili Zan and his friend watching, he shot them a glare.
Baili Zan was bewildered. Who was this angry man?
Seeing Baili Zan, Holding Prosperity sighed. Her careful planning was ruined by the hot-headed prince, leaving a bad first impression. Recruiting Baili Zan would be tough now.
Pushed back to the palace, Cui Yi finally exploded. "Enough!"
Holding Prosperity smiled. "Why didn't you go home or to the barracks but bully a bun vendor?"
Cui Yi fumed. "Ask yourself! That guy you followed. Who is he?"
Holding Prosperity feigned ignorance. "Which guy?"
Cui Yi snapped. "Don't play dumb! The scholar in the teahouse. Why were you following him?"
Holding Prosperity smiled. "How do you know I was following him?"
Cui Yi realized he'd revealed he'd been following them. Embarrassed, he switched topics. "Tell me about him!"
Holding Prosperity relented. "What do you think of him?"
Cui Yi grumbled. "Who is he?"
"He's useful," Holding Prosperity said, leading him inside. "Let's talk inside."
Back in the room, lunch was still some time away. Holding Prosperity distributed the buns among the servants and brought tea for Cui Yi. "Though not good at literature, Baili Zan is a brilliant strategist. Wouldn't you want to talk to him?"
Cui Yi sipped his tea, calming slightly but still gruff. "I hate those pretentious scholars. What's there to talk about?"
Holding Prosperity raised an eyebrow. "My father often mentioned him as loyal and honest, planning to recommend him to the Crown Prince."
Cui Yi frowned. "Is he with the Crown Prince?"
"Not yet, but if you're not interested, he might join him soon," Holding Prosperity baited.
Cui Yi considered, then ordered, "Bring him here."
Holding Prosperity acted surprised. "But you said you weren't interested."
Cui Yi slammed the table. "Doesn't the Wu Palace afford to feed a chicken?"
Relieved, Holding Prosperity knew he wouldn't change his mind easily now. "I'll send someone to invite him."
She planned to arrange a meeting after lunch, but urgent business called Cui Yi away, and a royal messenger summoned her. Busy, she forgot about Baili Zan for three days until she encountered him again.
Baili Zan was feeding a stray cat soup-soaked rice on the corridor steps.
The cat ate fish pieces from his bowl, purring contentedly. Under the warm afternoon sun, the scene was peaceful.
Holding Prosperity was shocked. "Mr. Baili!"
Baili Zan recognized her as the "lady" mentioned by the servants and bowed. "Thank you, Lady, for taking me in."
"Don't mention it," Holding Prosperity felt guilty. "Have you been eating this?"
Baili Zan reassured her. "It's fine. I haven't had much appetite lately."
His humility made her feel worse. "Please tell me if anything troubles you."
Baili Zan was deeply moved. "Your kindness is overwhelming. I will dedicate myself to repay your grace."
Holding Prosperity helped him up. "Just stay and advise the prince."
"How about me?" Cui Yi's icy voice interrupted from the doorway.
Baili Zan recalled the bun incident and felt awkward.
Cui Yi glared. "What about me?"
"Nothing," Holding Prosperity softened her words. "The prince dislikes roundabout talk. Be straightforward."
Cui Yi snorted. "Busy now. Eat first."
Holding Prosperity apologized quietly. "We'll talk later."
Baili Zan nodded understandingly. "Whenever the prince is free."
Cui Yi's jealousy was palpable.
Without needing to hear it from Heng, just by observing Cui Yi's attitude, one could understand that all the talk about how the prince would rely on him in the future was just lip service. In Cui Yi's eyes, he wasn't even worth a strand of hair. The one who truly appreciated him was Heng.
Though he couldn't figure out how this martial prince's concubine knew about him or recognized his talents, he believed in loyalty towards those who understood him. Despite Cui Yi's disdainful attitude, Baili Zan decided to thicken his skin and stay to observe the situation before making any decisions. If Cui Yi truly couldn't tolerate him, he could leave at any time. But even if he left, he would still look for an opportunity to repay the favor bestowed upon him by the princess.
During lunch that day, Cui Yi ate absentmindedly, with his brows furrowed tightly. Seeing this, Heng asked, "Your Highness has something on your mind?"
Cui Yi was taken aback, then put on a stern face as he looked aside, "No." Heng didn't believe him and wanted to ask further, but Cui Yi waved his chopsticks, "It's none of your business, eat."
Since he didn't want to speak, Heng assumed it had something to do with the military camp. Unable to help, she didn't press further.
After lunch, Consort Duan sent someone to invite her again. Upon entering the palace and sitting down for a brief chat, the Empress also arrived. After much hesitation between the two women, Heng quickly sensed their intentions and asked, "His Majesty wishes to arrange a marriage for His Highness?"
Consort Duan felt apologetic and found it extremely difficult to say, "Ah..."