Ironically, Cui Xi discovered that the Fifth Princess Consort Feng Ming Yen was adorable.
They were standing in front of the main temple and the Princess Consort was chatting her ear off.
“I loved the hair wash!” she gushed. “I already told the Empress Dowager and bought a bunch of your products for her. Did you not receive a large order from the palace purveyor?”
Cui Xi blinked.
“That was some months ago…it was your Highness that gave the recommendation? Why would you do that for me?” she asked, taken aback.
“Well, Feng Biao was very impressed with you, and of course Zhao Yu, as one of the Five Young Talents, is an old friend of the family. But it’s mostly curiosity that made me want to meet you. The women in the Imperial harem are the worst gossips and it’s said that you’ve captured the heart of the Seventh Prince, Tiansheng’s God of War. Only a special person could conquer the Iron Spear Prince!”
Ah! So that was it: Zhao Yu had once against exerted his influence…or was it that unmentionable third party?
“Oh…the Seventh Prince? We only have a business relationship, Your Highness,” she said, slightly embarrassed.
The petite woman smiled sweetly at her, but her eyes were curious.
Cui Xi was about to say something else, but was interrupted by a shriek.
“Goddess Jie Jie is here!!!” squealed one of her urchins, which was quickly followed by a surge of little bodies pressing against her. The Fifth Princess Consort giggled.
“Oooooh so many!”
“Hey, hey!” Cui Xi laughed. “Kids, back off! Properly give your greeting to the Fifth Princess who is this temple’s benefactor. You get to eat because of her!”
“Your Highness! We humble children give our greeting and thanks for the many blessings!” they giggled obediently.
“OH! How charming! Did you teach them that?” the Fifth Princess Consort asked. “And you don’t have to be so formal, Miss Wu. You can call me Ming Yen…Can I call you Cui Xi?”
“Sure, Your Highness,” Cui Xi responded.
The Fifth Princess Consort laughed again and gestured for her servants to hand her a bundle.
“Well children, I’ve got some new clothes for you. Summer will be over soon, and you’ll need warmer clothes for autumn. Everyone gets one set. Cui Xi, you’ll help me distribute?”
“Of course, Your Highness!”
At that point, the abbot, whom Cui Xi secretly called ‘Master Eyebrow Wings’ came by:
“Amitabha!” he said. “Benefactor, we are thankful for your donations. The children will be comforted.”
“Oh, Abbot. Here are the usual items from Xiao Yu…” Cui Xi untied the packets at her waist and handed them over.
“Ahhh! Miss Wu, Brother Pei will be very pleased to receive this medicine! With the change in the weather coming there will be more fever. This will be very useful. Thank you!”
“It’s just something small,” Cui Xi smiled.
“Ahhh, so you come here often,” observed Feng Ming Yen, as they walked together, distributing clothes.
“Some of the children are here because I discovered them living on the street. In return for running my errands and for the work they do around the temple, they are housed and fed here and of course I make donations to ensure that they remain that way,” she shrugged.
“Hmmmn. Sharp merchants shouldn’t have soft hearts.”
“I can afford to,” Cui Xi smiled, taking another set of clothes and handing it to a little girl.
“Even with the Seventh Prince taking his percentage?” Feng Ming Yen asked with a smile playing about her lips.
So, she’s not swallowing without tasting!
“Even then,” she said, turning and running face first into a wall of flesh. “Oomph!”
Cui Xi blinked stumbling backwards.
“Miss Wu…I was inattentive, please forgive this Prince,” said the Seventh Prince with some awkwardness, gently steadying her so she didn’t fall.
She stared up at him in shock, noticing how carefully he held her.
“Your Highness! W-What are you doing here?” she gaped up at him.
“I…Ah…” he began a little sheepishly.
“Your Highness, how pleasant to see you!” Feng Ming Yen immediately greeted, curtsying and then dipping her head.
The Seventh Prince, Zhao Ling Xian, smiled in a way that Cui Xi had never seen before and released her before bowing formally to his sister-in-law. However, his greeting was casual.
“Fifth Sister in Law,” he greeted, nodding.
“A’Xian, you’re here to make your annual visit?” Feng Ming Yen smiled.
“Indeed,” he said courteously. “Imperial Consort Mother has been inquiring about it, and I must make my report to her. Shall I help you with the distribution? I have some men here with other supplies. It would be no trouble.”
“Oh A’Xian! That would be great!” Feng Ming Yen responded, seeming to sparkle.
Cui Xi was shocked into silence watching them.
The crazy person that she knew could not be compared to the person who was having a genial chat with the Fifth Princess Consort. He was even laughing at something that she was saying to him, and then she poked him in the chest with a finger as if admonishing him.
Cui Xi felt a strange tightness in her throat and chest that she could not explain. Turning her face away, she tried not to feel angry at their easy familiarity.
Why does it matter if he’s nice to someone else and treats me like garbage…? But then why had he apologized for bumping into her, when she had clearly been the one at fault.
“Goddess Jie Jie!! Goddess Jie Jie!”
It took Cui Xi a moment to shake herself off mentally and realise that someone was tugging on her sleeve.
“Xiao Chuan!” she said with a grin, recovering. “You’ve grown again!”
The leader of her gang of messenger urchins grinned back at her.
“Come Mistress! I’ve been practicing the sword! Come watch!” he said tugging at her.
Cui Xi made a helpless face as Xiao Chuan started to drag her away. Feng Ming Yen simply waved at her.
“Go on Cui Xi. Don’t worry: I have A’Xian to help, so I’ll come find you later,” she laughed.
Zhao Ling Xian watched her go with a wistful look on his face.
Feng Ming Yen didn’t miss it.
Although she knew that her husband was not close to his younger brother, Feng Ming Yen’s grandfather, and then uncle, had tutored both Princes. She had grown up with them frequenting the manor, and in fact she could be considered a childhood friend to both. She had always felt grateful that A’Xian had not held it against her when she married into the Fifth Prince’s house as his Princess Consort, although by then the relationship between the brothers had already deteriorated.
“You like her A’Xian. Just admit it…Now that I’ve met her, I think it a good match.”
“Don’t meddle Yen’er. It’s best if you stay out of my affairs,” he said, a little more sharply than he had intended.
“As you wish,” was all she said, but she smiled to herself noticing that he was still gazing in the direction that Cui Xi had taken.
Cui Xi allowed Xiao Chuan to take her behind the temple into an inner courtyard and she watched with pleasure as he demonstrated the basic moves that he had learned with his small wooden sword. She knew nothing about martial arts, but the confidence with which he displayed the moves delighted her.
“Wow! So good! May I try too? Show me again,” she grinned, picking up a stick.
She was a quick study and was soon flowing to the moves with the innate grace of a dancer.
Xiao Chuan giggled as they did the moves together. Their laughter broke clearly into the crispness of the morning. Neither of them noticed that the Abbot came to stand with the Seventh Prince, both watching intently from the gate.
“Hmmmn. It looks like she may have some affinity with the sword. It’s a shame that she’s a complete cultivation waste,” remarked the Seventh Prince.
“No…that’s not quite it, A’Xian,” responded the Abbot. “When perceiving a person’s spiritual flow, it can be either weak or strong depending on the skill level, but there are exceptions. In my time, I’ve come across three cases where the spiritual flow appeared to be a blank: the first was sealed, and when his inner eye was opened all the meridians followed; the second was born that way; the third had a spiritual flow that simply did not resonate on this plane of existence, and thus it was impossible to perceive.”
“Master, you are saying she is similar to the third case?” the Prince asked with raised eyebrows. The implications of that scenario could only be incredible.
“Yes, either that or she is sealed,” the old Abbot nodded.
“Master, are you saying that she’s something other than human?”
The Abbot chuckled and patted his disciple on the shoulder.
“I don’t know about that, my dear boy. However, I don’t sense anything evil about her. So, I don’t think you have to be on guard against her.”
“Alright Master. I’ll keep that in mind,” the Seventh Prince nodded, pushing away from the wall and bowing deeply before leaving.
The Abbot turned a thoughtful glance to the girl in the courtyard and then chuckled to himself. In truth, the Fifth Princess Consort was not the only person who was interested in meddling in the Seventh Prince’s life, but the Abbot had a different direction in mind.
In the courtyard, Xiao Chuan gave her a hug.
“Alright Xiao Chuan…Oh! I almost forgot…” Cui Xi smiled, rummaging around in her sleeve.
What I wouldn’t give for a qiankun* pouch…too bad they don’t exist…
“Here,” she said, dropping the loop of thread over his neck. She had made one for each of her urchins. Only Xiao Chun had not yet received his.
“Is that for me?” the boy asked, curiously twirling the little knot with its bead in his fingers.
“Yes, for luck, Xiao Chuan. Wear it for me ok?” she asked.
He smiled and nodded. Cui Xi patted his cheek and reluctantly stepped toward the gate, casting a glance behind her. She knew that he was being well cared for by the monks and that they would keep him out of trouble, but somehow, she still worried. She would have to come see him more often.
Don’t think you’ll be forgiven for abandoning your own children…a thin dark voice whispered in the back of her head.
“I didn’t ask for this!” she hissed aloud. Dammit!
When Cui Xi exited the temple entrance and got into her carriage, Su Qing could tell that her Mistress was distracted. She stared out the window back at the gate for a long time before scrunching up her face and pounding her fists on the seat in frustration.
Su Qing blinked, and decided that the Mistress looked lonely.
I can’t understand you at all, Zhao Ling Xian, Cui Xi thought resentfully.
* 乾坤袋 – a ‘universe pouch’. Xixi is making a Xianxia, Chinese cultivation novel reference, where magical pouches exists that can carry a gazillion things by compressing them inside a magic space.
