Chapter 11: The Courtyard

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Yu Yan obediently lay over the desk reciting her lessons, but her mind was elsewhere—on the soaring kite and the Fifth Princess’s expression earlier today. She hadn’t even noticed when Yinzhen entered the room and took her book away.

“What are you thinking about, E Linzhu?” Yinzhen asked.

“Thinking about Fifth Aunt,” Yu Yan replied.

She was still a child, which had its advantages—Li and the others didn’t suspect her, so she could overhear many palace matters by pretending to be asleep. But if she tried to actively seek information, it was as difficult as climbing a mountain.

Yinzhen raised an eyebrow. “What about Zhalafen?”

Yu Yan scrambled up to his knee and earnestly recounted the day’s events in a child’s tone, omitting the part where the Fifth Princess held her hand to cut the kite’s string. She only said that Aunt looked unhappy and might have something on her mind.

Yinzhen sighed inwardly. Though he didn’t understand the affairs of girls and seldom spoke with Zhalafen, now that Princess Kejing had been married off, perhaps Zhalafen had learned that Khan A’ma was preparing a marriage for her, stirring her emotions.

“Your Fifth Aunt is probably going to be married off, which is why she seemed sad today. She misses Khan A’ma and E’niang, and also the Empress Dowager,” the Fourth Prince said with a smile, turning the question to Yu Yan. “If one day, E Linzhu has to marry, will you miss A’ma and E’niang?”

Yu Yan shook her head vehemently—she had no desire to marry.

She had finally found loving parents, like a rootless floating duckweed discovering a branch to cling to. To leave this warm home and go to a strange place among strangers, with no guarantee of so-called “love”—Yu Yan absolutely refused.

“Is A’ma going to force E Linzhu away?” she wondered, eyes reddening at the thought of parents who had abandoned her before.

Yinzhen chuckled and coaxed her, “A’ma is just joking. Even if you want to stay at home forever, A’ma can support you.”

That was a teasing promise to a child. Even if Yinzhen wanted to support Yu Yan for life, Kangxi might not agree to a princess of the royal household never marrying. But seeing her daughter’s eyes reddened like a rabbit’s, Yinzhen thought that a three- or four-year-old couldn’t truly grasp such matters. When she grew up, she would forget these words. For now, it was best to keep her calm.

He carried Yu Yan and turned toward Lady Li’s room, where Hongxu was stumbling as he learned to walk, Lady Li smiling warmly as she held his little hands to play. Seeing this, Yu Yan’s sadness melted away instantly. Kicking off Yinzhen’s lap, she hurried over to Hongxu.

“Sis!”

Hongxu had only recently learned to speak, uttering words one by one. He couldn’t say “A’ma” or “E’niang” yet, but “sis” was easy and joyful for him. Especially upon seeing Yu Yan, he crawled straight toward her with his tiny hands and feet.

“Let’s see those teeth,” Yu Yan said, pinching Hongxu’s plump face. He obediently opened his mouth, revealing seven or eight small, white baby teeth.

Lady Li beamed. “Since Hongxu could call someone, E Linzhu has been very fond of him. Seems those few calls of ‘sister’ weren’t in vain.”

Yu Yan took out her jade-carved puppy to play with her brother, but her mind was still elsewhere. She kept thinking about what the Fifth Princess said when they released the kite. Yu Yan instinctively felt there was more to it than just being betrothed—certainly other reasons, though no one else seemed to know.

“Khan A’ma has granted titles to our brothers now. By next year or the year after, we’ll likely move out of the palace.”

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Yinzhen sat on the Arhat couch with Lady Li in his arms. Nearby, Su Peisheng handed over a feng shui map delivered by the Imperial Household Department.

“This is the main courtyard of the lady’s residence. You now have two children, and perhaps more in the future. I’ve decided to have you live in the East Wing,” Yinzhen said.

He passed the map to Lady Li, who frowned as she carefully examined it from start to finish. All the rooms looked identical, and she couldn’t make heads or tails of it from the drawing alone. Finally, she looked up at Yinzhen shyly. “I don’t want a big courtyard. I just want to be close to you.”

Yu Yan felt a bit embarrassed, but Yinzhen seemed to appreciate this. He gently stroked Lady Li’s face. “My study is right next to the East Wing, very close.”

Lady Li nodded, half understanding. Yinzhen continued, “Your given name is Yu Ming. We’ll plant several camellia trees in the courtyard. I’ve already reserved spots for them. And here, at this corner of the wall—just like the courtyard’s corners—we’ll plant some cotoneaster. It symbolizes good fortune. Ever since you had this cluster planted, good news has followed one after another.”

“Some of the room’s decorations can’t be taken outside, but that’s not a big deal. Once we leave the mansion, I’ll pick out new ones for you.”

Yu Yan once again updated her understanding of her mother’s favored status. Even the principal wife probably didn’t receive such treatment—everything from what was planted in the courtyard to the arrangement of room decorations was planned by Yinzhen for Lady Li. Seeing Lady Li’s bewildered expression, Yu Yan couldn’t help but feel a bit moved. Could this be what they called “simple folks have simple fortunes”?

Since they were leaving the palace, Yu Yan would naturally go along. Curious about her own room, she ran ahead and shouted, “E Linzhu wants to see it too!”

Lady Li bent down and picked her up. Yu Yan craned her neck to look at the feng shui map.

The East Wing was indeed spacious. Lady Li’s room needed no comment—it looked to be about 150 to 160 square meters, with two small side rooms. The one on the left was larger and marked with “E Linzhu,” presumably prepared for Yu Yan. The other was smaller but fully equipped. To the north of the East Wing was a small garden; to the west, a dedicated kitchen. Yinzhen had arranged everything meticulously.

“Hongxu is a boy; he can’t stay in the rear courtyard forever. When he turns six, he’ll move to the front courtyard with Honghui,” Yinzhen said softly, picking up the wailing Hongxu. “If you have more children and the courtyards aren’t enough, I’ll open a door in the east wall of the East Wing. There’s another courtyard behind.”

Yu Yan shuddered—how many children would they have to fill such a large estate?

Lady Li accepted the plan well and smiled. Bearing children for the master was her blessing. Even the imperial consorts in the palace strove to give birth again and again. Thinking of this, she lowered her head shyly. “Then let’s plant a pomegranate tree in the courtyard.”

Pomegranates symbolize many offspring and blessings. Yinzhen smiled upon hearing this and readily agreed.

After selecting the site, construction began. Many princes leaving the palace to establish their mansions meant manpower was scarce. Yinzhen and the others still had two years in the palace, so though they showed the feng shui maps to each lord in the rear courtyard, it was merely a formality—a distant prospect everyone counted down to.

Yu Yan spent each day running back and forth between Ningshou Palace and the southern quarters, and days passed quickly until early June.

“This necklace is so heavy.”

Lady Li rarely showed displeasure toward Yu Yan but now did so, sounding annoyed. “This was made specially for you by Guo Luomafate after you were born.”

The necklace was solid gold, weighing about five taels. Old sayings claimed gold could “press fate.” When Yu Yan was born, her health was no better than Song’s. She was weak and frail. Hearing this, her father had spent who knows how much silver commissioning the gold necklace to help “press” the child’s fate.

Strangely, ever since the necklace was placed by Yu Yan’s bed, her health improved day by day. Lady Li had grown up following her grandmother, who was straightforward—she couldn’t recognize all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas but worshipped devoutly. Whenever Lady Li asked, the old woman waved her hand, saying the Buddha didn’t fuss over details; sincerity was what mattered.

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Lady Li believed these words. She didn’t recognize any scriptures but had donated generously to temples during Yu Yan’s and Hongxu’s births. Though she couldn’t read a single character, she had copied scriptures by hand.

The Fourth Prince sometimes teased her about her poor handwriting, but Lady Li never minded. “It doesn’t matter if the writing is bad, sincerity is what counts.” As long as she did nothing wrong and worshipped faithfully every day, Yu Yan and Hongxu would grow up safely.

Yu Yan had never heard the idea that gold could “press fate.” Curious, she looked at the gold necklace around her neck and, after some thought, took it off. Before Lady Li could raise an eyebrow or speak, Yu Yan placed the necklace around Hongxu’s neck.

“Give it to little brother; he’s always sick.”

Lady Li’s anger instantly deflated. She looked at the foolish little Hongxu with a pang of sadness. Unlike Yu Yan, Hongxu was nearly a year and a half old but still frail, falling ill every few days despite plenty of milk and medicine.

Hongxu’s health was poor, and even Honghui in the lady’s quarters was not much better. As the weather warmed, they dared not place ice basins in the rooms, relying only on maids with cooling fans to endure the heat.

“We’ve had the wet nurse brew tonic for months, yet the eldest brother shows no improvement,” said Nurse Zhang, the lady’s wet nurse, worried as she watched. The lady’s health was ruined giving birth to the eldest son, so this would be her only child. If something happened, what would they do?

“Honghui has been harmed twice, his constitution is weak. Now all we can do is carefully nurture him,” Lady Li said, stroking Honghui’s pale little face with her slender fingers, feeling a slight ache.

“Old servant heard a folk rumor,” Nurse Zhang hesitated but spoke, “If a child’s health is poor, they can bring home a child with blood ties to ‘press’ their fate.”

“A child with blood ties?” Lady Li chuckled, “Nurse, you must be getting old. Who among Honghui’s relatives isn’t a dragon or phoenix descendant? How could I adopt?”

“Lady, have you forgotten that the Fourth Prince has a child whose mother passed away?” Nurse Zhang smiled. “I believe he’s about the same age as the Second Princess.”

“You mean, elder brother’s only son, Xingde?” Lady Li was surprised.

That child had an unfortunate fate; his mother died a few months after his birth. Her brother was busy serving Khan A’ma and rarely returned home. The second sister-in-law once wrote that the child called the second brother “A’ma” when they met—a charming anecdote.

“Once the eldest brother is established, having the two children together will at least give them a companion for studies.”

The palace had previously taken in children of officials for fostering. Khan A’ma herself was raised in the palace. Bringing Xingde in wouldn’t be unusual, but such matters were never straightforward.

Lady Li pondered deeply but did not immediately agree.