A Precious Pearl in the Imperial City-Chapter 79

Sun Caiyao had that dream again.

The same dream she'd had before her wedding.

Flickering candlelight, the enraged prince, and Ming Jiuzhu idly adjusting the incense burner—everything was exactly as it had been in the dream.

"Was it His Highness who harmed Prince Chen?"

"Who killed Prince Chen?!"

"Was it you? Consort Ning? Or... perhaps Prince Huai, who was already stripped of his title?"

"Do you wish to kill me?"

Startled awake by the nightmare, Sun Caiyao heard the rain outside. She rose on trembling legs, poured herself a cup of cold tea, and gulped it down.

Her hands shook so violently that half the tea spilled.

"Your Highness, what's wrong?" A maidservant, hearing the commotion, hurried in and found Sun Caiyao sitting pale-faced at the table. "Was it a nightmare? This servant will summon His Highness at once."

"Stop." Sun Caiyao's eyes burned as she stared at her. "I'm fine. Do not disturb His Highness."

"But—"

"Are my words meaningless?" Sun Caiyao's shoulders trembled slightly, yet her gaze was unnervingly bright.

The maid, startled by her expression, fetched an outer robe. "Your Highness, it's cold. Please rest in bed."

Ignoring her, Sun Caiyao pushed open the window. The sound of rain did nothing to calm the chaos in her mind.

Was His Highness truly unaware of what happened at the royal hunting grounds? Was it solely the doing of his birth mother?

"Your Highness, shall this servant fetch fresh tea?"

"No need." Sun Caiyao turned with a strained smile. "It was just a bad dream. I'll be fine after resting."

Once the maid left, she forced herself to stay awake, listening to the rain until dawn.

"Your Highness." Bai Shao entered to help her dress, only to find Sun Caiyao already prepared. "This servant overslept. Forgive me."

"You didn't. I woke too early." Sun Caiyao stood. "The rain has left fallen blossoms everywhere. Walk with me."

"At once, Your Highness. Let me fetch an umbrella." Years of service had taught her never to question her mistress's whims.

Sun Caiyao nodded.

Her legs, stiff from sitting, wobbled as she applied rouge to mask her pallor.

Bai Shao followed silently, growing uneasy as they walked. "Your Highness, this path leads to Kirin Palace."

"Does it?" Sun Caiyao smiled faintly. "I heard the apricot grove outside is breathtaking after rain. Having served Consort Ning so long, you must know the palace well."

Bai Shao curtsied. "Your Highness, a lowly maid cannot roam the inner palace without orders."

Passing ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‍artificial hills, they reached the grove. Sun Caiyao gazed at the snow-like petals trampled into mud. "Such beauty, wasted in the mire."

"How wonderful—in months, these trees will bear fruit. I wonder if palace apricots are sweet."

"Your Highness, this servant once sneaked a taste. They're very sweet! When they ripen, we'll pick some for you."

"Hush! Don't let the stewardess hear."

"Fear not. Say I craved them." Ming Jiuzhu laughed, lifting her skirts as she stepped along the stone path, reveling in the floral scent.

Her maids giggled behind her, still dutifully holding her umbrella and train, stifling laughter at the blossoms caught in her hair.

"Your Highness," Chunfen whispered, "someone's ahead."

Jiuzhu paused. Instantly, her attendants straightened, their mirth vanishing as if it had never been.

"Sister-in-law." Sun Caiyao emerged through the blossoms. "It's me."

"Fourth Sister." Jiuzhu curtsied. Sun Caiyao steadied her hand and returned the gesture. "Come to admire the flowers?"

"The palace sisters said the fallen petals were lovely." Jiuzhu noted Sun Caiyao's weariness. "You should rest more."

"Thank you." Sun Caiyao touched her cheek. "Since we've met, walk with me."

Jiuzhu smiled. "After you."

Amidst the petals, tender green shoots pierced the mud, vibrant against the decay.

They walked in silence. Jiuzhu, never one to mind awkwardness, even picked up a discarded branch along the way.

"Sister-in-law," Sun Caiyao stopped, eyeing the withered branch, "you and Prince Chen are so close."

Jiuzhu blinked. "Aren't you and the Fourth Prince?"

"Of course we are." Sun Caiyao's smile didn't reach her eyes.

"Fate grants each their own path. Rather than watching others, tend your own garden." Finally, Jiuzhu understood Sun Caiyao's oddness—she was always watching, with eyes full of unspoken longing.

"Is fate predetermined?" Sun Caiyao pressed. "Can nothing change it?"

"You think it is?" Jiuzhu shook her head. "To me, fate isn't an immovable stone you'll always stumble upon."

"Go east, and you'll find peach blossoms so stunning they steal your breath. Go west, and pear blossoms will awe you just the same. The true fate isn't the flowers—it's that wonder they inspire." Jiuzhu laughed. "But if you stand among pears craving peaches, or among peaches longing for pears, that's not fate—it's greed."

Sun Caiyao stared. "Is Prince Chen your peach or pear?"

"He's every beautiful sight to me." Jiuzhu's eyes sparkled. "Peaches, pears, all seasons' splendor—he is all of them."

Suddenly, Sun Caiyao knew: if Prince Chen's death in her dream was truly her husband's doing, Ming Jiuzhu would kill him without hesitation.

Yet she still couldn't fathom why the dream's Jiuzhu, who'd never met Prince Chen, would cherish him so. Could a woman love a man she'd never known?

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"Sister-in-law," Jiuzhu said gently, "I don't know what burdens you, but let me offer counsel: many sorrows can be eased by making peace with yourself."

"If there were a hairpin, one of a kind, meant for you—but you never knew it existed, so another took it first. Would you resent them?"

"How can I resent what was never mine to begin with?" Jiuzhu chuckled. "Besides, it's just a pin. If not this one, another will suit me better."

"What if it were a person?" Sun Caiyao pressed on, her expression filled with urgency to get an answer. "For example... say, His Highness Prince Chen?"

Ming Jiuzhu froze for a moment. She tilted her head up, gazing at the apricot blossoms on the tree branches as she carefully considered the question. "If it were His Highness... and someone else won his heart, treated him well, and he loved her in return, then I wouldn’t resent it."

Because from the very beginning, she had never expected to have him.

"I see." After a long pause, Sun Caiyao let out a soft sigh. "Ming Jiuzhu, I’m not as good as you."

"What’s wrong, Fourth Sister-in-law?" Jiuzhu grew increasingly concerned by Sun Caiyao’s odd behavior. "Should I call for the imperial physician?"

"It’s nothing." Sun Caiyao forced a smile. "I was just admiring the affection between you and Fifth Brother."

Jiuzhu studied her for a moment before adding quietly, "The scenario you asked about was one where His Highness and someone else were deeply in love. But if it were now, I definitely wouldn’t let anyone take him away from me."

Times change, and so do circumstances.

Flowers branch out, and stories take different turns.

"Who would dare take me away?" Prince Chen strode in from the edge of the grove, bending slightly to take Jiuzhu’s hand. He cast a faintly mocking glance at Sun Caiyao. "Fourth Sister-in-law, if you and Fourth Brother have any disagreements, I suggest you settle them behind closed doors. Don’t trouble my wife with such matters."

"The Jade Six Palace is quite a distance from the Kirin Palace. Walking all this way, you might trip and hurt yourself." He tilted his chin up. "Yang Yiduo, escort the Fourth Prince’s consort back."

Sun Caiyao paled. "Fifth Brother, must you be so harsh? We were merely exchanging a few words as sisters-in-law. There’s no need for such wariness."

Jiuzhu noticed the flicker of guilt in Sun Caiyao’s expression. Unwilling to continue the conversation, she tugged at Prince Chen’s sleeve. "Your Highness, let’s go."

"Fifth Sister-in-law—"

"Fourth Sister-in-law, husband and wife are one." Jiuzhu didn’t bother hiding her stance. "Surely you don’t expect me to side with you in this situation?"

The moment Jiuzhu’s gaze met hers, Sun Caiyao was reminded of the look from her dream—calm, indifferent, leaving no room for negotiation.

Silently, she took a step back, watching helplessly as Prince Chen and Ming Jiuzhu walked away hand in hand.

"My lady." Bai Shao adjusted the umbrella to shield Sun Caiyao from the rain. "It’s pouring. Let’s return."

"Bai Shao," Sun Caiyao asked, "what kind of person do you think Ming Jiuzhu is?"

Bai Shao kept her head bowed. "This servant wouldn’t dare presume."

Sun Caiyao shot her a glance. "You’re pardoned. Speak."

"The Princess Consort is kind-hearted. She seems... a very good person."

"A good person?" Sun Caiyao let out a hollow laugh. "I think someone like her shouldn’t be pushed too far."

Purity in its extreme form is terrifying in itself.

"Your Highness, why didn’t you bring an umbrella?" Jiuzhu shifted her own umbrella to cover half of Prince Chen’s head. "Your hair is soaked."

"It’s fine." Prince Chen wiped his face carelessly with a handkerchief. "Earlier, His Majesty made me bring back a pile of gifts. He said a son-in-law can’t show up empty-handed when escorting his wife back to her family."

"Wait." Jiuzhu took the handkerchief from him and dabbed at his forehead and nose. "There are so many rules for the bridal return?"

"Of course." Prince Chen took the umbrella and steadied it over them. "Tomorrow morning, we’ll leave early and return in the evening."

That way, they could spend more time at the Ming Family residence.

"Ah." Just as dawn broke, Ming Jiyuan leaned over the courtyard wall with a sigh. "By the customs of ordinary families, today should be Jiuzhu’s bridal return day."

"Third Brother." Ming Cunfu nearly burst into tears. "You woke me up at the crack of dawn just to say that?"

Ming Jiyuan ignored him, muttering to himself, "How wonderful it would be if someone told me Jiuzhu was coming home right now."

"Young Master!" The steward came running, shouting, "The young miss has returned!"

"My sister’s back?" Ming Cunfu’s drowsiness vanished instantly. He looked up just in time to see his third cousin sprinting away.

Struggling to climb over the wall, he wobbled as he jumped down. "Third Brother, wait for me!"