Chapter 2 The Landscape Has Changed

"Oh." An Yi raised her eyebrows. It was definitely Cheng Shuangshuang who had said something nonsense in front of the eldest Miss Li, prompting her to come over and assert her dominance.

"Sister, don't be sad."

"I am not sad at all!" An Yi suddenly realized how wrong that sounded. Why would she be sad about Han Songyan getting engaged? "Big Brother, why would you think I am sad?"

An Kang hesitated for a moment before saying, "Father and Mother once thought of betrothing you to Brother Songyan."

"Ah! When did this happen? How come I had no idea?" An Yi was startled. She had never imagined her parents would harbor such an idea, and she felt immensely grateful that Han Songyan was already engaged. Otherwise, her marriage might have been arranged by her parents behind her back without her knowledge.

"It was just over a month ago. Mother said you were nearing the age of guanli and worried about your future, so she discussed finding a suitor with Father, and Brother Songyan came to mind."

An Yi was left speechless, amused and exasperated. How could they engage in such random matchmaking?

"Brother Songyan is a good man, and marrying you to him would have given Father and Mother peace of mind. We simply didn't expect the Han family to suddenly arrange an engagement for him. When the Seventh Young Master mentioned it, I was quite startled myself." An Kang hadn't seen Han Songyan in a long time and was unaware of his recent circumstances. Learning about the engagement from Bai Wuming, he had hesitated over whether to tell An Yi. Now, seeing that An Yi felt no sorrow over Han Songyan's engagement, he knew she held no romantic feelings for him and finally felt at ease.

Just as An Yi was about to speak, Xiangqin reported from outside, "Eldest Young Master, a guest has arrived to see you."

An Kang stood up and said, "Sister, I am going to receive a guest. Take good care of your injuries."

"Big Brother, next time Father and Mother take a fancy to someone, you must tell me. I don't want to be married off without knowing anything," An Yi said, pouting.

An Kang smiled and patted her head. "Understood."

After An Kang left, An Yi let out a long sigh. An Qinghe and Madam Luo had already begun searching for a husband for her. Persuading them otherwise would be no easy task.

"Mistress," Fang Rong walked in, "Xiao Lan from Brocade Pavilion just came by to say that Aunt Huang woke up earlier and announced that since tomorrow is her nephew's first birthday, she wishes to return home for a visit."

Aunt Huang had taken her medicine too many times, developing a certain drug resistance. Each dose now resulted in a shorter period of deep sleep, half an hour less than before.

An Yi's gaze darkened slightly, and she coldly said, "Go tell her that if she insists on returning to the Huang family to celebrate her nephew's birthday, she need not bother returning to the An family ever again."

"This servant understands." Fang Rong smiled and turned to leave.

"Wait," An Yi called out.

Fang Rong turned back to look at her.

"If she chooses to go, knock her unconscious." An Yi had no intention of giving Aunt Huang any opportunity to step outside. Until the Huang family fell from power, Aunt Huang had to remain confined to Brocade Pavilion. Whether this could completely sever ties with the Huang family or not, it at least demonstrated the An family's reluctance to associate with them and their desire to draw a clear line.

"This servant understands." Fang Rong headed out toward Brocade Pavilion.

Aunt Huang was extremely displeased with this reply and shrieked, "Why am I forbidden from visiting my maternal family? Why?"

"My mistress did not forbid Aunt from visiting her maternal family," Fang Rong said indifferently, looking at Aunt Huang, who had gained a substantial amount of weight from alternating between eating and sleeping constantly.

"She permits me to go, yet forbids me to return? What does that mean? What right does she have to forbid me from returning? I am the Master's sec—" Under Fang Rong's cold gaze, Aunt Huang abruptly corrected herself, "I am the Master's concubine, and this is my home. What right do I have not to be allowed back?"

"If my mistress says you cannot return, then you cannot return," Fang Rong stated firmly.

Aunt Huang's chest heaved with anger. "I want to see her! Tell her to come over here. I refuse to speak with a dead girl like you!"

"This servant has no desire to speak with Aunt either. You had better go back to sleep, Aunt." With a single chop of her hand, Fang Rong struck Aunt Huang unconscious and tossed her onto the bed.

Lü Yao and the others shrank their necks and stood quietly to the side.

"Who told Aunt the date?" Fang Rong asked in a deep voice.

Lü Yao knelt on the floor and kowtowed, saying, "This servant did not mean to let it slip. Today is this servant's birthday, and the other girls gave me gifts. Aunt heard it when she woke up."

"Very well. Be more careful with your words next time," Fang Rong said, helping her up. "Take good care of Aunt."

"This servant will take good care of Aunt," Lü Yao replied.

Confined to Brocade Pavilion by An Yi, Aunt Huang remained completely unaware that the situation of the Huang family had deteriorated drastically, and her family members currently had no inclination whatsoever to host a first-birthday banquet for her nephew.

The next day, the An family received three invitations: one for the sixteenth of the twelfth lunar month, when the Capital Garrison Commander's household would host a full-month banquet; another for the seventeenth, when the Prince of Nanxiang would marry off his daughter; and a third for the eighteenth, when the Right Vice Minister of Rites would welcome a daughter-in-law.

Entering the final month of the year, banquets across the capital households multiplied. Since the mother and daughter of the An family were attending, they could not wear the same outfits or the same sets of jewelry—especially since these three banquets fell on three consecutive days. Repetition was strictly prohibited; new clothes and fresh jewelry had to be made.

Watching silver notes vanish one by one, An Yi had no choice but to send Fang Rong to the money shop to withdraw another five thousand taels of silver. Making money was arduous, but spending it was effortless.

An Yi's hands were not yet fully healed, but on the second day of the twelfth month, she fulfilled her promise and proceeded to the Lanying Princess's Mansion.

"What happened to your hands?" Princess Lanying asked, frowning as she looked at An Yi's cloth-wrapped hands.

"On the way back from Cold Guest Manor, an accident occurred. A horse was startled, and in trying to pull it to a stop, this maiden injured her hands," An Yi stated the facts calmly.

"I heard that an accident also occurred at Cold Guest Manor, and that you neither showcased any talent nor left early, is that correct?" Princess Lanying stared at An Yi and asked.

"Miss Zhuang fell into the water and lost consciousness. I was delayed because I stayed to revive her."

"Why did you leave early?"

"For no particular reason. The Flower Appreciation Assembly simply wasn't very interesting, so I left," An Yi lowered her eyelids and said.

Princess Lanying paused, surprised that An Yi would so bluntly state that the assembly was uninteresting. "What did Madam Min say to you?"

Annoyed inwardly by Princess Lanying's interrogation while maintaining a calm expression, An Yi replied indifferently, "She didn't say anything."

"The day after the assembly, Madam Min closed her doors to guests and announced she would no longer take on disciples."

An Yi raised her eyes to look at Princess Lanying. "Does Your Highness believe this has something to do with this maiden?"

"Does it not?" Princess Lanying asked, narrowing her eyes.

An Yi curved her lips into a smile and said, "This maiden does not possess such immense influence to compel Madam Min to close her doors and cease taking disciples. If Madam Min made such a decision, she must have had her own reasons."

"Yet some say it was because you refused to take Madam Min as your master and uttered certain remarks that led her to make such a decision."

"Since Your Highness does not believe this maiden's words, you might as well invite Madam Min and that person over so the three of us can confront each other face-to-face. The truth will naturally come to light." With a cold glint in her eyes, An Yi grew increasingly weary of dealing with Princess Lanying.

A cold light flashed in Princess Lanying's eyes as she shifted the topic. "You and Hu Qingyue are martial sisters. Who is your master?"

"My master gave strict orders forbidding the mention of her name to outsiders, and this maiden dares not violate my master's orders." An Yi was certain there were spies of Princess Lanying hidden within the Flower Appreciation Assembly.

"Whose medical skills are superior, yours or Hu Qingyue's?"

"Senior Sister does not know medicine; what we learned is different."

"What did she learn? And what did you learn?"

"Senior Sister learned culinary arts, while this maiden learned medicine."

"Since your medical skills are so brilliant, I suppose Hu Qingyue's culinary skills must also have unique merits. To be able to teach two such different disciples, your master must truly be extraordinary. This Palace finds herself growing all the more curious about her," Princess Lanying said with a smile.

"Both medicine and cooking are means of earning a livelihood; my master does not know much else." An Yi had no wish to drag Ji Fanyi into this.

"Hu Qingyue is the daughter of an official; she has no need to rely on cooking for a living."

"What a woman seeks throughout her life is merely to marry a cherished husband. Only by knowing how to cook can one brew soup for her spouse with washed hands. If one wishes to capture a man, one must first capture his stomach."

"Did your master say that?"

"Yes."

"There is some truth to those words." Princess Lanying picked up her teacup and took a small sip. "How many more days until your injuries heal?"

"The reins strained my hand tendons; it will take some time yet to recover," An Yi deliberately exaggerated the severity of the injury.

Princess Lanying frowned. "How could you be injured so severely?"

An Yi lowered her head and pressed her lips together in silence.

After a moment of silence, Princess Lanying said, "You—"

"Your Highness, Official Fang has arrived and requests an audience," Shaoyao reported from outside.

"Invite Official Fang in. You may return and properly tend to your injuries," Princess Lanying said, addressing Shaoyao first and An Yi second.

An Yi stood up, curtsied, and withdrew. At the doorway, she brushed past a middle-aged woman.

That evening, An Kang brought back a shocking piece of news: "During this morning's grand court session, the Emperor recognized an imperial prince. This prince is the Emperor's eldest son, and the birth order of all princes in the palace has been rearranged."

"Could that prince be Young Master Gong?" An Yi asked.

"It should be. He stated his birth mother's surname is Gong, and that he had been cast out among the common people before being taken in by the Dowager Princess Dun. This morning, the Dowager Princess Dun personally escorted him into the palace. Upon seeing him, His Majesty immediately recognized him, bestowed a name upon him on the spot, entered him into the imperial genealogy, and issued an edict granting a three-day amnesty across the realm."

A flicker of mixed emotion crossed An Yi's eyes. In the end, he had acknowledged the Emperor as his father. "What name did His Majesty bestow upon him?"

"Qin Yue. *Yue*, meaning a divine pearl."

"A divine pearl?" An Yi smiled. "He is a lost pearl of the vast sea; that name suits him very well."

"This character has another layer of meaning," An Kang said, his brows furrowed deeply. "Legend has it that when Shaohao, one of the Five Emperors, was born, five-colored phoenixes led a hundred birds to gather in the courtyard. A phoenix dropped a fruit kernel from its beak into Shaohao's hand. Suddenly, the earth shook, Qiongsang collapsed, the kernel split open, and a brilliant, multicolored divine pearl appeared. Everyone rejoiced, viewing it as an auspicious omen. Seeing that the divine pearl shone as bright as the moon—a treasure bestowed by Heaven upon a monarch—they named the divine pearl *Yue*."

An Yi's gaze shifted slightly. "You mean His Majesty intends to appoint him as Crown Prince?"

"It is not merely my meaning; all the civil and military officials believe His Majesty has this intention."

An Yi let out a cold snort. This Emperor was far too ruthless. On the surface, he appeared to dote on this son, but in reality, he was driving him toward a death trap. Was the position of Crown Prince something so easily secured? Without the slightest foundation at court, could Young Master Gong possibly maintain such a position? In the end, he would likely die without a burial place!

This book is first published on Xiaoxiang Bookstore; unauthorized reproduction is prohibited!