chapter 4

“I volunteer to accompany Your Highness to Dingbei and serve at your command.”

I sprayed out the tea I had just drunk. “What did you say?”

Wang Yu smiled and repeated himself. “A worthy sovereign is hard to find. I wish to follow wherever Your Highness leads.”

I rose, suddenly serious. “Do you mean that, Zihui?”

He straightened his robes and bowed in return. “A true scholar will die for the one who understands him.”

News that Wang Yu would accompany me spread the next day. As head of the Wang clan, he could hardly slip away unnoticed.

Father was greatly troubled. He truly did not want the Wang clan falling into my hands. After failing to persuade Wang Yu, he somehow decided to hold a farewell banquet for me, attended by the imperial family and all the senior ministers.

Wanbao delivered the invitation himself, his round pale face smiling like a chrysanthemum.

“His Majesty cannot bear to see Your Highness leave, so he has arranged a farewell feast.”

“Then everyone is coming to see me off?”

“Indeed. The Third Princess is already seventeen, and His Majesty is also thinking of choosing her a prince consort today.” Wanbao slapped his own mouth. “This slave has overstepped. Please forgive me.”

“Someone reward him!”

Wanbao thanked me profusely and returned to the palace. I laughed inwardly. Who had taught Father these back-courtyard schemes? A supposedly sage emperor applying harem tricks to state affairs was a disgrace to his people.

Banquets usually began at dusk. By the time Mother and I entered the hall, every seat was occupied except ours.

“The entire court has waited to bid Princess Anning farewell,” said Lin Sanniang, newly promoted to Noble Consort. “Since Your Highness is late, you must drink three cups as punishment.”

Her chief maid Rusang approached with a wine pot and bent to fill my cup. I blocked it.

“What a blind servant. Her Highness said Princess Anning. Why are you pouring wine for me?”

Rusang looked helplessly at her mistress. Lin Sanniang forced a smile. “I forgot that the princess disliked her title and had it changed.”

I shook my head. “If disliking something were enough to make it disappear, you would not be at this banquet. I dislike you far more than I ever disliked a title.”

“Ye Xiguang! Insolence!”

“It was only a joke. Why take it seriously? Father changed my title himself. If you object, speak to him.”

“Enough!” Father seemed like a deaf man newly cured, able to hear only when his favorite suffered. “Must you quarrel whenever you meet?”

Mother spoke lazily. “Xiguang, this feast is in your honor. Do not waste your time on irrelevant people.”

Lin Sanniang’s powdered face flushed scarlet. Father sighed almost inaudibly, yet swallowed his anger. Neither of Lin Sanniang’s children dared speak. A rare sight indeed.

The banquet continued with music and dancing. Officials and noblewomen smiled so brightly that an ignorant observer might have mistaken it for my betrothal feast.

After several rounds of wine, Lin Sanniang began another performance. She toasted Father, then lowered her head as tears gathered in her eyes.

“Look at me. I have lost control of myself.” Though past thirty, she still behaved like a maiden. No wonder Father adored her.

“I was only thinking that the Eldest Princess is already leaving for her fief, while the daughter I share with Your Majesty is seventeen. Time passes so quickly.”

Father soothed her, then looked at my third sister, Ye Liuwei. “Liuwei is grown. Since your elder siblings have settled their futures, I should grant you a title today. Changle is auspicious. Wanbao will prepare the decree tomorrow.”

Ye Liuwei bowed at once, then hid a proud arch of her brow behind her sleeve.

Lin Sanniang had not staged all this merely to obtain a title. Wanbao’s hint made her purpose obvious: she wanted a son-in-law too.

And the candidate? Father had not arranged this hasty farewell because he loved me. He could not bear to lose Wang Yu and hoped to tie him to his precious daughter instead.

Sure enough, Father and Lin Sanniang soon turned the conversation toward him.

“I hear Zihui is not yet betrothed?” Father asked.

Wang Yu nodded. “I am not, Your Majesty. I defer entirely to my parents.”

I stared at him in shock. That was not what we had agreed!

Father smiled kindly. “I happen to know an excellent match.”

He exchanged a smile with Lin Sanniang. “Do you think Wang Yu and our daughter suit each other?”