chapter 13

After the second day of the new year, the capital entered its liveliest stretch. From morning till night, every household was hosting banquets.

Once news spread that the Count’s Mansion had scheduled their family feast for the fourth day, the Marquis Mansion deliberately set ours for the third.

Zhen Yuting was a superb cook. I had gritted my teeth and studied for quite some time, but in the end only mastered two signature dishes-still, that was enough.

I personally oversaw this family banquet. Daughters of official families were usually expected to be reserved, and rarely showed off their skill at running a household. The guests were all surprised that an unmarried girl like me would be in charge of the arrangements, but everything was properly seen to, and the roast lamb I served was even better than what the restaurants made. One by one, they were won over.

The next day, at the Count’s Mansion’s family banquet, Zhen Yuting also personally took charge, and every dish at the main table was cooked by her own hands. But she had still missed the first opportunity.

So people throughout the capital started saying that after seeing me earn such praise, Zhen Yuting had panicked and hurried to imitate me.

“But how could she compare? Hanyu is the legitimate daughter of the Marquis Mansion. Their rank isn’t even in the same league.”

See how quickly public opinion shifts-in just a year’s time, in idle gossip I had gone from being a stand‑in to the original who was being copied.

After the new year, with the roster for the palace selection about to be finalized, everyone grew cautious and declined invitations to go out.

I brought chestnut cakes I had made myself to pay my New Year’s respects to the Empress.

“Your Majesty, Hanyu did hesitate before coming to the palace, fearing ill‑intentioned people would assume I came to curry favor. But I feel that no matter what identity I might have in the future, I will always look up to Your Majesty. So long as Your Majesty is here, we should remember the rules our ancestors set and come to offer New Year’s greetings.”

After hearing this, the Empress took my hand and sighed. “All the girls are wound tight, thinking only of becoming Crown Princess. Only you are sensible enough not to forget proper conduct.”

I chatted with the Empress for quite a while. When she grew tired, she said, “Go, send for the Crown Prince. Let him personally escort Hanyu home.”

Although it was the Crown Prince choosing a consort, the final decision still lay with the Emperor and Empress, who would select someone from among those the Crown Prince favored.

“Your Highness, Hanyu is also on the selection roster,” I said first, once we were seated in the carriage.

The Crown Prince didn’t reply. He gave me a glance, signaling for me to go on.

I smiled. “Back then, Your Highness said my elder sister avoided you. Hanyu thought, since I resemble my sister, if I could ease Your Highness’s heart even a little, that would be my blessing. So even though I knew those magnolia earrings were made for my sister, I still wore them, thinking that even if Your Highness treated me as her stand‑in, it wouldn’t matter, so long as it brought Your Highness some comfort.”

I finished and let out a sigh. “Now that the knot between Your Highness and my sister has been untangled, Hanyu naturally no longer needs to stay at Your Highness’s side. Otherwise, my sister might see it and be displeased.”

“She taught you to say all this?” the Crown Prince asked coldly.

I hurriedly knelt. “These are Hanyu’s own thoughts. I only thought that, as a stand‑in, I could at least receive a bit of Your Highness’s attention. But now the true one is here…”

“If I do not treat you as her,” the Crown Prince reached out to help me up as he asked, “would you be willing to stay?”

The tears I had been holding back burst free at once. “Hanyu never dared hope such a day would come.”

To say I never dared hope meant… I had once wished for it.