Chapter 51: The Pavilion of a Thousand Gold

Shen Tubai called for Chunchan. "Where are those three children?"

"They are studying with the tutor."

Shen Tubai nodded. "Do not let them leave the estate these days... Never mind, just call them over so I can give them a few instructions myself."

"Yes."

Ever since Shen Tubai gave birth and Chunchan returned, Wutong Pavilion had gained a few more maidservants and wet nurses. Chunchan was now the senior maid in Wutong Pavilion, so such errands naturally did not fall to her.

She looked at Shen Tubai, hesitating to speak several times.

Unable to bear her expression, Shen Tubai said, "If you have something to say, spit it out."

"You already know about what is happening outside. Are you not angry with me?" Chunchan asked cautiously.

Shen Tubai sighed and patted her hand. "I had just given birth and my health was poor. It was hard on you during that time."

"What's done is done; dwelling on the past is useless. Go invite the Prince over." Shen Tubai always acted with swift and decisive action.

Chunchan acknowledged the order and hurried off briskly, only to return a short while later looking like a frost-bitten eggplant, her expression deeply troubled.

At that moment, Shen Tubai was comforting the three children. "Your mother was my savior, so you are guests in this prince's mansion. If anyone dares to gossip in your ears, pay them no mind and bring them straight to me, understand?"

The three of them nodded in unison. Fortunately, the maids in the mansion were well-behaved, and so far no one had approached the three young girls to say anything improper.

Shen Tubai asked again, "We have known each other for so long, yet I have never asked your names."

The three of them answered in turn: "My name is Feng Dahniang."

"My name is Feng Erniang."

"My name is Feng Sanniang."

Shen Tubai never expected the Feng family to be so careless with these three girls, not even giving them decent names.

Pondering for a moment, she said earnestly to the three girls, "A woman's given name should indeed not be known by outsiders. You are now learning to read and write with the tutor; if you encounter a name you like, you may choose one for yourselves and then quietly come tell me, all right?"

The eyes of the three lit up, and they nodded heavily.

Still feeling uneasy, Shen Tubai remembered that A-Ning had just been born, and her own life had been utterly chaotic the past few days. She truly had not been paying enough attention to these three children.

Shen Tubai did not have the time to watch over them every moment, yet with the outside world in such turmoil these days, she feared that someone with extreme tendencies might come and trouble the three of them.

After much deliberation, she could only say to the three of them, "The tutor says you study diligently and are remarkably good children. I also want A-Ning to start reading early, but she is far too young. Would you mind coming here every day after class to read aloud to her?"

The three exchanged glances, feeling deep sympathy for the little princess lying in the crib, but they still nodded heavily.

They liked Consort Shen and they liked the little princess. Although it was rather pitiful for the little princess to have to listen to books before she had even learned to roll over, they wanted to spend more time with her.

Dismissing the three Feng sisters, Shen Tubai asked, "Where is the Prince?"

Chunchan cautiously gauged her expression. "The Prince went to the House of a Thousand Golds last night and has yet to return."

Shen Tubai waved her hand dismissively. She should have known that the person most important in the Prince's heart was Cui Xiewen. Now that Cui Xiewen had arrived at the House of a Thousand Golds, how could the Prince not go to see her?

The rumors circulating in the markets concerning Madam Feng were growing increasingly fierce, yet the Empress dowager or Emperor had yet to take any action.

The unease in Shen Tubai's heart grew stronger by the day. She ordered the gates to be tightly guarded, but her authority extended at most to Wutong Pavilion.

In the inner courtyard, the estate manager was Lu Yuanshuang, and she could hardly manage to meddle in the outer courtyard.

For Madam Feng's affairs to be spread so widely throughout Chang'an, someone must have done it on purpose. Still, this was the Prince's mansion after all; surely they would not dare to do anything drastic.

Shen Tubai shook her head, dispelling the chaotic thoughts in her mind.

The scene within the House of a Thousand Golds, however, was not quite what Shen Tubai imagined.

Li Tinghan had spoken with the officials of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, assigning Cui Xiewen to the House of a Thousand Golds. Afterward, harboring the intention of putting everyone in their place and keeping them in check, he had deliberately come to see her.

"How is it? Are you adjusting to life here?" Li Tinghan looked at Cui Xiewen with his customary deep affection.

Cui Xiewen smiled somewhat bitterly. "With Consort Shen looking out for me, the matrons here take good care of me. It's just that the others perhaps caught wind of something, and they all avoid me like the plague. There isn't even anyone to talk to."

Li Tinghan patted her shoulder. "Times are different now; life is bound to be a bit harder."

Cui Xiewen choked inwardly. Her original intention was to imply that the people here were deliberately isolating her at Shen Tubai's instigation.

Unfortunately, whether Li Tinghan was indifferent or simply hadn't considered that possibility, not only did he fail to suspect Shen Tubai, but he even showered her with praise right to Cui Xiewen's face.

Cui Xiewen was fit to burst with frustration, yet she still had to force a smile.

She did not get to accompany him for long before Chu Xiao came and pulled Li Tinghan away.

The official documents for remodeling the House of a Thousand Golds would take some time to be approved. As the House of a Thousand Golds' biggest backer now, Li Tinghan naturally needed to be properly hosted by Chu Xiao, who intended to introduce the business operations and outline future prospects.

As an imperial prince, Li Tinghan had access to all kinds of song and dance within the palace. Holding himself in high regard, he disdained mingling with dissolute youths and had thus never visited such a place before.

Even with Chu Xiao leading the way in person, he still appeared thoroughly uninterested.

"This used to be Tubai's old bedchamber. In a few days, I plan to knock down this wall and turn it into a private dining room..."

"Leave it," Li Tinghan blurted out almost without thinking.

"Has anyone else lived in this room?"

Chu Xiao very much wanted to say no, but facing Li Tinghan's oppressive gaze, she could only speak the truth. "Rooms in the House of a Thousand Golds are tight. After Tubai left, only one person has lived in here, but the layout of the room has not been changed at all."

Pointing to a locked small cabinet, Chu Xiao said, "She left in a hurry, and many of her things were left behind. I didn't let anyone touch them; all her old belongings are in this cabinet."

Li Tinghan stepped inside. The room was very small; stepping past the screen led directly to the bed, and the dressing table was practically wedged against the wall, leaving space for only one person to walk.

Just on this short walk, Li Tinghan did not know how many times he had bumped into things. She had lived in such a cramped room for over a decade.

Li Tinghan finally stopped in front of that cabinet. "The key."

Chu Xiao hesitated slightly, wanting to point out that casually violating someone else's privacy was improper.

However, when Li Tinghan furrowed his brows and looked at her, Chu Xiao quickly handed the key over. The moment she reacted, she wished she could slap herself across the face on the spot.

As a youth who had grown up under the red flag, she had bowed down to the ruling class far too quickly. She should have at least held out for two seconds.

While Chu Xiao was inwardly cursing herself, Li Tinghan had already opened the cabinet.

Shen Tubai's belongings were very few. The most important gold, silver, jewelry, and her pipa had already been brought into the Prince's mansion in batches.

The cabinet simply held a few pipa strings, a few boxes of rather mediocre scented ointment, several handkerchiefs, and a piece of paper covered in names.

This piece of paper was placed very covertly. If Li Tinghan had not accidentally knocked over the box, he would never have found it.