09
When I was nine months pregnant, my maid Han Phuc brought me some news: rumors were spreading through the capital that the heir seemed to be involved with the daughter of a fifth-rank official, born to a concubine. The gossip was causing an uproar everywhere.
Thinking back, Huo Yan really had been spending less time at home these past two months. Both the white lotus, Li Quynh Hoa, and the peach blossom, Lăng Nương, had been neglected. Sensing something was amiss, I sent Han Phuc to summon the heir’s personal page and question him.
The page stammered and hemmed and hawed until I threatened to send him to the stables if he didn’t tell the truth. Only then did he answer honestly.
The rumors were all true. Huo Yan had recently become infatuated with the daughter of a secretary in the Ministry of Rites. He had gone with her to pray for blessings at a temple, ridden horses with her in the countryside, and even reserved an entire row of lanterns for her.
I thought, It seems he’s found true love this time.
Before, Huo Yan had been very fond of Li Quynh Hoa too, but his feelings for her were more like affection for a pet. He indulged her because she was obedient and gentle. Later, when he became infatuated with Lăng Nương, it was purely a case of being taken with her looks.
I told the page not to tell Huo Yan I’d questioned him, or I’d have him thrown out of the Duke’s household.
After the page left, Ling Fang asked what I planned to do.
I said I was already nine months pregnant and couldn’t worry about protecting his reputation now. I would quietly look into the matter while pretending I knew nothing.
Right now, my safety and the safety of the child in my womb mattered far more to me than anything concerning Huo Yan.
After ten months of pregnancy, I gave birth to a healthy, fair-skinned baby boy, so adorable that I couldn’t help but love him dearly.
The Grand Princess and the Duke were overjoyed. The Duke’s household now had an heir, and even the palace sent a generous number of gifts.
The Duke personally named the baby Huo Jing, hoping he would be calm and composed while also inheriting his ancestors’ martial prowess. I chose his pet name: Chang’an, in the hope that my child would enjoy a lifetime of peace.
They returned to the Duke’s household and stayed for a whole month, until the baby’s one-month celebration.
The Grand Princess held her grandchild all day and could hardly bear to let him go. She even had someone bring out the jade bracelet she had worn as a child and put it on him.
I hurriedly tried to refuse on my son’s behalf, but the Grand Princess said he was her eldest legitimate grandson and she loved him beyond measure, so she had to do this.
Before they returned to the Grand Princess’s residence, she kissed Chang’an, then said to me, “The heir has certainly been carrying on far too freely outside the household. When you have time, ask him what he intends to do about it. If he truly likes her, have her brought in as a concubine. What sort of behavior is this?”
Holding Chang’an, I nodded in agreement.
10
With Chang’an, Huo Yan was overjoyed too. It was the first time he had become a father, and it meant something special to both him and me.
During the month the Grand Princess and the Duke stayed at the Duke’s household, Huo Yan went nowhere. Each time he finished visiting his parents, he returned to the main courtyard to see his son. He seemed to dote on him.
Still, I could tell that, amid all his happiness, his mind sometimes wandered. Once the lively bustle had died down, he would suddenly go still, lost in his own thoughts.
I decided I had to take the initiative.
That day, Huo Yan and I were both in the main courtyard. Chang’an was asleep, his little face flushed and utterly adorable. After gazing at him for a while, I had the wet nurse carry him to the cradle nearby, then dismissed everyone.
He realized I had something to say and looked at me, waiting for me to speak.
I slowly gathered the toys I’d been using to play with Chang’an and put them in a basket. Then I asked him, “Husband, what do you intend to do about the daughter of the Ministry of Rites secretary? She is still an unmarried young woman, after all, and if things go on like this, her reputation will suffer. If you truly care for her, why not bring her into the household as a secondary wife?”
He froze for a moment. “You already know?”
Then he sighed. “Linh Thu, I know I shouldn’t say this to you, but in this world, you’re the only one who understands me. Who else could understand how I feel? Niệm Niệm and I truly love each other. But she’s a special girl. She absolutely refuses to be a concubine.”
I laughed coldly to myself. If I had any feelings for him, hearing him say he and another woman were “in love with each other” would probably have made me sick with anger.
What did he mean, she “refused to be a concubine”? Was he expecting me to give up my place?
I mocked him inwardly, but kept my expression neutral. “She certainly is a special girl. But if things go on like this, both your reputations will suffer. Judging by the way things stand, it won’t be easy for you and her to part ways. If you don’t mind, I could ask her what she wants.”
He seized my hand, delighted. “Linh Thu, you really are the best wife in the world. Please ask her what she thinks, then.”
11
Three days later, the daughter of the Ministry of Rites secretary, Tần Niệm Niệm, arrived at the Duke’s household as my guest, carrying the invitation I had sent her.
I received her in a small flower pavilion.
Tần Niệm Niệm walked among the flowers, graceful and light-footed, her brows and eyes like a painting, with a distinctive, elegant bearing.
She bowed to me without the slightest hint of embarrassment or nervousness and said, “Greetings, Madam.”
I smiled, told her she could rise and take a seat, then asked a maid to serve tea.
After a few pleasantries, I sent everyone out, gently smoothed back a strand of hair by my ear, and said, “I think you understand why I invited you here today.”
She nodded slightly.
I continued, “Lately, rumors about you and the heir have been spreading everywhere. This will harm the heir’s reputation, and yours will be ruined as well. The heir told me he has feelings for you, but he doesn’t know how to bring it up. So, on his behalf, I’d like to ask: are you willing to enter the Duke’s household?”
She didn’t answer right away. Instead, she asked me, “I’d heard of the heir’s wife before, and now that I’ve met you, I see the praise was well deserved. But you clearly know the heir has feelings for me, yet you’re asking me this on your husband’s behalf. Doesn’t that bother you at all?”
I replied gently, “As long as my husband is happy, I’ll be happy too.”
That was a complete lie.
She paused. A trace of pity flickered in her eyes, along with undisguised contempt, but she still said, “The heir’s wife is truly generous. I’m sure you’ve heard that I don’t want to be a concubine.”
I replied, “Of course I have. But if you don’t want to be a concubine, you’d be better off cutting ties with the heir so you can find someone more suitable.”
I saw her lower her head in silence, her posture defiant. But I wasn’t angry. I merely took a sip of tea and said calmly, “I know this may seem a little cruel to you. But this matter needs a clear resolution. Either you compromise, or the two of you end things. The heir isn’t an ordinary man. Not only is he the heir to the Duke’s household, he’s also the only son of Princess Vinh Duong. My mother won’t tolerate damage to his reputation for much longer. I invited you here today because my husband and I discussed it, and he entrusted me with this task. I hope we can bring this to a happy conclusion for everyone. But if the matter remains unresolved, I’m afraid things may happen that none of us wants to see.”
I stood up. “All right, we’ve been talking for quite a while. I’m afraid Chang’an is probably fussing for me by now. I’ll have a maid escort you home. Please think carefully about what I’ve said, and don’t treat this as a joke. This isn’t only for the heir’s sake, but for your reputation as well.”
With that, I left quietly.
12
Two months later, Tần Niệm Niệm, daughter of the Ministry of Rites vice minister, married into the Duke’s household as the heir’s secondary wife. The heir held an extravagant wedding for her, only a little less lavish than mine.
From then on, there was no longer any distinction between white-lotus and peach-blossom concubines in the heir’s household. Through all four seasons, she alone held his affection.
In spring, the heir picked flowers with her and brewed wine. In summer, he rowed with her on the lake. In autumn, he climbed a tower with her to admire the view. In winter, he drank wine with her and watched the snow.
Clearly, everyone has a tribulation in life. Once you meet it, everything that came before feels like a mere substitute.
The Grand Princess disliked Tần Niệm Niệm, but she couldn’t resist how deeply the heir loved her. And since she already had a grandson by her legitimate line, she let it go, preferring not to see what annoyed her.
Every month, the heir still spent a few days at my residence, but we no longer shared a bed. He only came to play with Chang’an and talk with me about household affairs.
He once told me with helplessness and guilt, “Linh Thu, it wasn’t until I met Niệm Niệm that I learned what it means to pine for someone. Everything before that was just flowers in a mirror, the moon’s reflection in water.”
I showed no reaction, but inside, I felt quite relieved. I no longer had to pretend to be weak and meek in front of him.
How could Li Quynh Hoa and Lăng Nương bear such neglect? One tried to rekindle their old affection, while the other tried to seduce him with her beauty. They kept at it for half a year, but got nowhere.
At first, Huo Yan did visit their rooms a few times. After all, they had once been his favorite concubines. But Tần Niệm Niệm would either find an excuse to summon him away that very night, or appear the next morning with tears in her eyes.
After that, Huo Yan stopped visiting their rooms altogether and truly became “one lifetime, one devoted pair” with Tần Niệm Niệm.
Of course, the two women disliked Tần Niệm Niệm and tried to go after her a few times, but they achieved nothing. Instead, they only made Huo Yan furious.
Lăng Nương was placed under house arrest.
Li Quynh Hoa discovered she was pregnant and escaped punishment. Perhaps the child had been conceived on a night when Tần Niệm Niệm hadn’t summoned him away.
Even so, the heir was still angry. He only stopped by her room briefly, gave her a few instructions, then left, as though he had left everything entirely in my hands.
After that, both of them settled down.
Lăng Nương was forbidden to leave her quarters, while Li Quynh Hoa had also lost heart.
She told me, “I see it clearly now. The heir is a cold, heartless man. All those vows of undying love he made before—now that he has someone new, I doubt he remembers a single one. Now that I’m carrying his child, whether it’s a boy or a girl, at least I have some comfort. From here on, I’ll just carry on like this.”
The Grand Princess took quite an interest in the child Li Quynh Hoa was carrying and gave her several gifts. After all, the more children, the better.