The noble girl is beautiful. - Chapter 54

After a night of disturbances, Shen Yourong slept in a bit later than usual this morning. Fortunately, without the constraints of formal morning rituals, she didn’t have to rush.

She emerged from behind the screen, dressed in a simple lake-green silk robe with large sleeves, looking particularly serene.

Ji Zhuo had already finished his morning routine but hadn’t left. He stayed in the outer chamber, flipping through the notes Shen Yourong had made yesterday. She had jotted down some household matters and points that needed special attention. He found it quite interesting to see things from her perspective, which differed from his own.

In the inner room, Shen Yourong sat in front of the vanity mirror as Du Juan combed her hair. The aroma of pine branches filled the air from a jar of scented water. Hua Mei opened a box of makeup and presented several white jade boxes filled with fragrant ointments for Shen Yourong to apply on her face.

She applied the ointment to her face and then used a different one for her hands.

“This ointment is better than the previous one; the fragrance is milder,” she remarked.

Hua Mei picked up the ointment and sniffed it, saying, “Indeed. I said before that the last one wasn’t good quality.”

Du Juan was arranging Shen Yourong’s hair, trying out a couple of hairpins. At that moment, a maid entered with some fresh cut flowers. Ji Zhuo followed her into the room and chose a pink and white flower to pin into Shen Yourong’s hair.

“How does it look?” he asked, looking at her in the mirror.

Shen Yourong looked around and said, “It’s not bad.”

He smiled with satisfaction.

A maid then brought in a bowl of milk tea. Shen Yourong took it and used a small silver spoon to taste it. Ji Zhuo stood beside her and said, “Let me have a taste as well.”

Shen Yourong laughed, “You’re trying to steal some of my little treat.”

He calmly took the spoon from her and sampled a spoonful himself. Since they were using the same spoon, Shen Yourong felt a bit embarrassed and turned to look at the mirror.

“It’s sweet but a bit cold,” he commented after a moment. “The main courtyard is missing a small kitchen, and I forgot about this. The food brought from the large kitchen gets cold in winter.”

He pondered for a moment, thinking of all the details, and decided to ask Changming to arrange it later.

While enjoying her milk tea, Shen Yourong said, “With only the two of us in the household, setting up a small kitchen in the main courtyard for just us doesn’t seem worth the trouble.”

“There’s naturally a need,” Ji Zhuo said as he adjusted her hair from behind. “Having a small kitchen in your courtyard means you can eat whatever you want without having to follow the rules of the large kitchen. Eating well is important.”

He suddenly smiled, “It seems there are benefits to not being an emperor. At least not everyone is watching every detail.”

Shen Yourong was puzzled, so he explained, “In the palace, when the Emperor built a palace for Concubine Hui, the censors were unhappy and petitioned against it. There’s been a lot of fuss about it recently.”

“Concubine Hui?” She asked, “Who is she? I don’t know her.”

Ji Zhuo paused and said, “She’s the daughter of your aunt’s family, Guo Chunzhu.”

Shen Yourong frowned, “Isn’t she already married? To a Hanlin Academy compiler, no less.”

Ji Zhuo spoke casually, “If the Emperor wants someone, he doesn’t care if they’re married or not.”

Shen Yourong was momentarily speechless. Du Juan took away the milk tea and brought in a freshly brewed cup of tea, softly reminding her, “Tomorrow is the return visit. We should prepare the gifts today.”

Shen Yourong came back to her senses and said, “We need to prepare them.” She looked at Ji Zhuo in the mirror and asked, “Will you be free tomorrow for my return visit?”

“Of course,” he smiled, “If I’m not by your side on the day of the return visit, your brother might keep you and not let you return.”

Shen Yourong thought that was probably true and smiled embarrassedly.

He said warmly, “I’ll have Changming bring you the key to my private treasury later. You can choose the return visit gifts as you like. Don’t hold back—take whatever you want.”

Shen Yourong glanced at him, “Aren’t you afraid I’ll empty it?”

“Even if you do, it’s fine,” he laughed, “As long as the Princess Consort is happy, I don’t mind.”

Shen Yourong chuckled.

On the day of the return visit, she wore a red floral silk coat with a high collar and a lake-colored skirt adorned with floral embroidery. Her hair was styled high, and she was decorated with pearls and jewels. Ji Zhuo stood beside her, tall and handsome, exuding an imposing grace even without speaking. Together, they appeared both noble and dignified, commanding respect from all.

In the front hall, Shen Ying, along with Shen Shuo and Shen Qingfeng, waited for them. Shen Yourong and Ji Zhuo greeted Shen Ying, and the hall was quiet, with everyone behaving properly.

Shen Ying looked at the Regent with a complicated expression. Seated in the upper seat, he received Ji Zhuo’s courtesy, feeling somewhat uneasy.

After greeting her father and brothers, Shen Yourong was about to separate from Ji Zhuo to visit the old lady and others. She looked at Ji Zhuo, who adjusted her cloak and instructed the maidservants to take good care of her.

Shen Shuo was displeased with Ji Zhuo’s demeanor, feeling as if Shen Yourong might be mistreated in her own home. Ji Zhuo, however, remained composed and showed no sign of unease or hesitation in front of Shen’s family. Having waited so long to bring Shen Yourong into his household, he now stood proudly before her family.

In the old lady’s room, as soon as Shen Yourong entered, Shen Qinghan and Shen Sihui approached her, calling out, “Eldest Sister.”

Lady Yang, who was present, said, “At this time, you should address her as Princess Consort.”

Shen Qinghan and Shen Sihui quickly corrected themselves, “Yes, we greet the Princess Consort.”

Shen Yourong helped them up and smiled, “We are sisters; there’s no need for such formality.”

She moved forward and greeted the old Lady, Lady Yang, and Lady Li, who were all seated. The room was filled with warmth and bustling conversation.

The old lady asked her about daily life, how she was getting along with Ji Zhuo, and if anyone in the household was giving her trouble. She answered all questions, but the old Lady did not press further, as too many questions might seem like probing.

The conversation shifted to mundane family matters, eventually touching on Concubine Hui. The old lady’s expression was indifferent as she commented, “It’s unbecoming.”

Lady Yang added, “I had already said that the two sisters from that family are too frivolous. Now they’ve caused such a stir, but that family still thinks it’s a great achievement.”
Lady Li bluntly said, “In my opinion, it’s better not to acknowledge these relatives at all. It’s only going to make people laugh.”

Shen Yourong listened quietly, finding their discussion far more detailed than Ji Zhuo’s brief comments. They talked vividly about how Concubine Hui met the Emperor, how the Hanlin Academy compiler was promoted, and how the family of Shen Yourong’s aunt was frivolous, as if they had witnessed it all firsthand.

She ate fresh dates with great interest, enjoying the conversation.

After discussing this matter, the old Lady suddenly brought up Empress Dowager Shu, saying, “The Emperor doesn’t seem to know what he’s thinking. Nearly a year after ascending the throne, he still refuses to confer the title of Empress Dowager upon Empress Dowager Shu.”

Shen Yourong asked, “Wasn’t it said that she would be honored after the Mid-Autumn Festival?”

“Now he refuses again,” Lady Yang replied. “The Emperor won’t budge, and even the petitions from the Duke of Qi have been left unanswered.”

Shen Yourong pondered for a moment and said, “In our family, we already have a concubine and I’ve married into Prince Duan’s household. It’s quite conspicuous. Whether it’s good or bad to request the Emperor to honor Empress Dowager Shu at this time is uncertain.”

The old Lady hesitated, recognizing the point. The Duke of Qi’s family had previously supported the Emperor but now sided with Prince Duan. It would be wise to distance themselves from the current situation.

A maidservant brought in tea, and the old Lady waved for her to leave. Turning to Shen Yourong, she said, “You should also ask him about his opinion on this matter. Empress Dowager Shu is already the highest-ranking elder in the palace; whether she is titled Empress Dowager or not is not crucial.”

What is crucial is Shen Yourong herself—being the Princess Consort of the Regent is far more significant than being an Empress Dowager.

Shen Yourong smiled and nodded in agreement.

After a while, someone outside announced that His Highness Prince Duan had arrived to take Shen Yourong to the ancestral hall to pay respects to the late lady.

“Go ahead,” the old Lady said. “Invite His Highness to rest in your courtyard afterward, and we’ll have a simple meal later.”

Shen Yourong agreed and went outside with Ji Zhuo to the ancestral hall, and then to her own courtyard.

The courtyard gate still bore the inscription written by Ji Zhuo.

“You really did put it up,” he said, looking at the inscription on the gate.

“If you went through the trouble of writing it, it would be a shame not to display it,” Shen Yourong replied.

He smiled at her, “Since you spend every day in this courtyard, do you ever think of me when you pass under this inscription?”

Not just sometimes—she sometimes felt as if he himself was standing at the gate.

“Certainly not,” she teased. “I almost forgot who wrote it.”

Ji Zhuo laughed heartily, his laughter bright and clear. He accompanied her into the courtyard, which was meticulously clean and orderly. A sophora tree stood in the courtyard, with a swing beneath it.

“This sophora tree was planted in the same year as the one in the East Study, so it’s been around for over a hundred years now,” Shen Yourong said.

Ji Zhuo responded, “This is our destiny, set long ago.”

Before entering the house, Shen Yourong sat on the swing outside and gently rocked back and forth. Despite her elaborate jewelry and elegant clothes, she could not hide the playful demeanor of a young girl.

Ji Zhuo watched her, almost able to see her carefree youth.

“Do you like swings?” he asked, standing behind her, pushing the swing with one hand and supporting her back with the other.

She nodded.

“In that case, I’ll have one set up in the main courtyard for you,” he suggested.

She gave him a playful look, “The main courtyard is always bustling with people. Who would have the leisure to use a swing there?”

“Then we’ll place it in the back garden,” Ji Zhuo said. “The garden in the Duke’s residence has a nice view as well.”

Shen Yourong laughed and got off the swing. “Let’s go inside. It’s a bit chilly outside.”

Inside, the room remained just as it was when she left. The furniture and decorations were untouched. Ji Zhuo wandered around the room, noticing the unique touches of her personal space. In the main room, there were four scrolls depicting “Wind, Clear, Rain, and Snow,” a collection of small woven flower baskets on the antique shelf, a silk fan with ivory borders, gilded small cranes, and white jade rabbits with red eyes, among many other trinkets.

Moving further in, there was a bedchamber with a rosewood bed, adorned with three peony flower pillows. On the side tables were incense burners and vases. On the window sill, there was a row of colorful glass figurines that sparkled in the sunlight. The wall featured a kite in the shape of a swallow, and there were strings of maple leaves hanging by the window.

Ji Zhuo found a sandalwood box and opened it to find numerous scrolls of Shen Yourong’s calligraphy, all neatly rolled up and almost overflowing from the box.

He suddenly looked at her and said, “I still remember when you used to paint your nails with ochre-red lacquer, which made your fingers look slender and delicate. It was very beautiful.”