Pei Luan, who had rushed home from the government office, alighted from his sedan chair at the gate, breaking out in a sweat despite the deep winter. The steward, Pei An, had already paced back and forth ten thousand times. Seeing the official sedan land, he hurried forward in a flurry to support him, reporting the details as they walked, “Two quarters of an hour ago, Eunuch Liang from the Palace Domestic Service came to our door with people from the Department of the Imperial Household. He said it was on Your Majesty’s orders, to have portraits painted of the eligible sons of high officials and nobles, in preparation for Princess Chiming to choose a husband. The master wasn’t home, so the Eldest Young Master sent someone to the government office to inform you, while he himself entertained the guests in the front hall...”

Pei Luan’s heart sank. The ominous premonition grew stronger, and he quickened his pace, almost sweeping into the main hall like a gust of wind—

He saw Liang Jiang and Pei Rusong chatting and laughing cheerfully inside the room. The servants of the Pei Manor all held their breath, standing silently outside the hall with their hands lowered. Beside them, an artist from the Department of the Imperial Household had an easel set up, his brush moving swiftly. The figure on the paper was already taking shape, and it was none other than his graceful and noble eldest legitimate son, Pei Rusong.

Pei Luan’s vision went black.

Hearing his footsteps, the two in the room turned to look at the same time and rose to greet him. Pei Rusong called out, “Father,” receiving a look full of regret in return. Pei Rusong pretended not to understand and said warmly, “This is Eunuch Liang from the Palace Domestic Service, here on Your Majesty’s orders. Father was not here just now, so in my haste, I could only entertain him myself. I apologize for any lack of courtesy, and I ask for Eunuch Liang’s forbearance.”

“Not at all.” Liang Jiang said with a flattering, beaming smile, “Young Master Pei is as handsome as a jade tree in the wind, gentle and refined, truly a man of outstanding appearance. It was not in vain that Your Majesty specially ordered this old slave to pay a visit. Lord Pei has raised his son well. With your son’s appearance and talent, he is a worthy match for one of golden branches and jade leaves.”

Something that was not yet settled sounded as if it were a sure thing coming from his mouth. Pei Rusong had just met the princess yesterday, which had put a great weight off his mind. He was just thinking about how to break off his engagement with the Su Clan, but he hadn’t expected the princess to send the Department of the Imperial Household straight to the Pei Family today. This was her usual decisive and unquestionable style.

Visible action was more powerful than any promise or oath. Young Master Pei experienced the feeling of being protected by someone for the first time in a long while. He was simply glowing with delight, the smile never leaving the corners of his eyes. It was so dazzling that even the artist was captivated, feeling that his brushstrokes were thirty percent stronger than usual, and he had a premonition that he would be able to paint a portrait of a handsome man that would win the princess’s favor today.

Pei Luan quickly said he was overpraising them and invited Liang Jiang to take the main seat. He took the handkerchief from the steward, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and forced a smile. “I’ve troubled you to make a trip in person, Eunuch. From what you just said, you’ve come to select a husband for the noble lady. I wonder why Your Majesty suddenly thought of my humble son. Is there any particular reason for this? I ask that you enlighten me, Eunuch.”

Liang Jiang was an expert at discerning people's thoughts. Having met Pei Rusong first, he was already fifty percent certain and could see that he was an intelligent man. Fearing that speaking about the princess in his presence might cause him to feel resentment, which would be detrimental to their future relationship, he cast a meaningful glance at Pei Rusong. Pei Rusong immediately understood and tactfully said, “Please, take your time chatting. This junior will take his leave.”

He withdrew from the main hall, and the artist from the Department of the Imperial Household left with him, leaving only Pei Luan and Liang Jiang in the hall. Liang Jiang then recounted the events in the palace in detail, adding a warning at the end: “Both His Majesty and the Princess are perceptive and hate deception and trickery the most. If not for the Princess speaking up for you before His Majesty this time, I’m afraid His Majesty’s thunderous wrath would have already fallen upon you, my lord. Although Lord Pei cherishes his son, he must ultimately consider the future of the Pei Clan. Do not lose the greater for the lesser.”

What Pei Luan regretted most now was not returning earlier, allowing Pei Rusong to be seen by Liang Jiang. If Your Majesty had only required a son from the Pei Family to be a candidate, he could have used Pei Rusong's existing engagement as an excuse and put forward nephews from the second and third branches of the family to vie for this honor. But Liang Jiang had taken a liking to Pei Rusong first, and even the portrait was almost finished. Could he rush out and tear up the painting now?

He took a deep breath and said earnestly, “There is something you may not know, Eunuch Liang. The Pei Clan and the Su Clan have been on good terms for generations. My humble wife and the wife of Su Xie, the Prefect of Yuzhou, are sisters by the same mother. The two families arranged their marriage before they were born and have exchanged betrothal cards. My humble son is truly unworthy of the noble lady...”

Liang Jiang let out a sigh, his tone tinged with impatience. “Lord Pei, did you not hear a single word this old slave just said? The high officials and nobles who wish to marry the princess could form a line all the way to Yongning Gate. Why has His Majesty singled out the Pei Family? Whether your son can catch the princess’s eye, no one can say for sure. But even if your son is not chosen in the end, His Majesty will have seen the Pei Family’s loyalty.”

“Or is it that you, my lord, insist on wrestling with His Majesty, risking the future of your entire clan just to uphold this engagement?”

Pei Luan was silent for a long time. Finally, he let out a long sigh, cupped his hands towards Liang Jiang, and said, “I understand now. Thank you for your guidance, Eunuch.”

Liang Jiang gave a reserved nod, his face still holding its unwavering, faint smile. “Lord Pei has always been a man of clarity. It is best that you have thought it through. In that case, this old slave can return to the palace and report to His Majesty.”

After seeing off Liang Jiang and his party, Pei Luan summoned Pei Rusong to the study. He collapsed into an armchair and announced the news to him: “It seems His Majesty intends to form a marriage alliance with the Pei Clan. Your engagement with the Su Clan of Zhongzhou, it seems, must be broken.”

“His Majesty dotes on Princess Chiming, and she has performed great service in Songyang. To reward her, her marriage will certainly be as she wishes. Your talent, appearance, and birth are all first-rate. Unless the princess has peculiar taste, there is no way she wouldn’t take a liking to you... What are you smiling about?”

Pei Rusong barely managed to suppress his inner joy and offered some comfort, “Father, you need not think the worst of it. Whether by hereditary privilege or by marrying the princess, it is all a way to enter officialdom. There is no difference. How far one can ultimately go still depends on one’s own ability.”

That he could say such words to proactively ease his worries brought some comfort to Pei Luan’s heart. However, he had high hopes for Pei Rusong, originally expecting him to become a prime minister or a marquis, a famous official of his generation. But now the princess had interfered, diverting him onto the path of an imperial relative, and he felt deeply unwilling. “Do you know what kind of temperament Princess Chiming has? She was the one who personally beheaded the Fu brothers in Songyang! This woman is no simple character. She has the mouth of a Buddha but the heart of a snake—violent, cruel, and tyrannical. She is not an easy person to get along with.”

Regarding the evaluations of Princess Chiming, Pei Rusong had heard far too many in his past life, countless insults worse than this. It was as if Wen Chan was born without the string of ‘fragility’; she never cared about this mosquito-like buzzing. And Pei Rusong had doubted, hesitated, and argued, but in the end, the person had already turned to ashes. To argue about right and wrong, good and evil, was already meaningless.

Reborn, he ought to be more open-minded. Reputation was an external thing. As long as he could return to her side, Pei Rusong didn't care what kind of person she was. But at this moment, Pei Luan’s words were like a poisonous thorn stabbing into his palm, causing an irrepressible anger to rise within him.

“The evil deeds and ill repute of the Fu brothers—did Father only learn of them when the Imperial Guard at the temporary palace mutinied?”

Pei Luan said, “It has long been rumored in the court that the Fu Clan was greedy and cruel. I just never thought they would be so depraved as to reach such a state, catching people off guard.”

“Hundreds of officials in the court knew, but because the Noble Consort was deeply favored by His Majesty, they all kept silent, ultimately allowing two buffoons to cause a great disaster.” Pei Rusong asked softly, “Those in power stood by with their arms folded. The Princess only did what a subject ought to do. Why should she be called ‘violent in temperament’?”

“What did she do wrong? Was her mistake not cowering behind the Emperor, waiting for reinforcements from who-knows-where to come and save her?”

Pei Luan: “...”

He didn't understand why Pei Rusong reacted so strongly to his casual remark. On second thought, what Pei Rusong said was not entirely without reason, but since ancient times, things that men could do were considered overstepping one's bounds when done by women. Pei Luan wanted to reprimand him, but then he considered that if Pei Rusong really became the Prince Consort, it wouldn't be a bad thing for him to be respectful towards the princess. So he cleared his throat calmly and said coolly, “Fine. That you can think of the princess in this way already puts you a step ahead of others. If you truly do marry the princess in the future, you must treat her with the same reverence. Do not harbor resentment, lest you bring disaster upon the Pei Clan.”

Pei Rusong bowed to him indifferently and withdrew from the study.

Great families had always been like this. Every person was an ant in a giant nest, their life's mission to maintain the family's prestige. Whether it was Pei Luan or Pei Rusong, willing or not, as long as they bore this surname, they were fated to share in the honor and disgrace of this behemoth, to live and breathe with it.

In Roufu Palace.

Wen Chan took the scroll presented by the Department of the Imperial Household from a palace maid and slowly unfurled it on the long table, revealing the peerlessly handsome face of Young Master Pei.

The person in the painting gazed out tenderly, perhaps with anticipation in his heart. His eyes and brows appeared especially gentle, as if he were looking at her affectionately through the paper.

It was hard to say what crucial moment this was, but everyone in the hall held their breath in unison, not looking at the painting, but at Wen Chan, as if they were all nervously waiting for her to reveal some answer.

The Princess lowered her eyes to the scroll, her expression as calm as ever, showing neither satisfaction nor amazement. It was quiet like this for a moment, and the servants in the hall held their breath so long they almost fainted. Suddenly, they saw her give a soft smile.

It seemed a little helpless, but it was by no means a forced compromise. Instead, it was as if there was someone she simply couldn't do anything about.

Wen Chan ordered the palace maid to roll up the scroll and, along with the two previously prepared scrolls, handed them to Liang Jiang. “I'll trouble Eunuch Liang to pass these to my Imperial Father for his review.”

A smile hung on Liang Jiang’s brow as he replied in a soft voice, “This old slave will now go back and report to Your Majesty.”

Wen Chan offered not a single word of comment on the newly delivered scroll, and no one else dared to ask. Only later that evening, when the palace attendants came in to help her wash up, she suddenly asked a maid in the distance who was holding a bronze kettle, “I remember you're from the new batch that was assigned here. Your name is... Baixue, is it?”

The maid hurried forward to answer, “Replying to Your Highness, this servant is indeed called Baixue.”

Of the new maids sent to Roufu Palace, after a round of selection by Di Min, four were ultimately chosen to serve her closely. They were named Qingshuang, Baixue, Zixia, and Hongni respectively. Wen Chan did not use many servants and was used to having Xianyun and Feixing around on a daily basis. For the others, she only remembered their names vaguely and couldn't yet match them to their faces.

“Later, remember to tell Palace Manager Di,” Wen Chan ordered casually, “to change your name to Yulu. The name Baixue... don’t use it anymore.”