Chapter 14: The Riverways Office’s Lucrative Post Draws Envious Eyes

Soon, the three of them took their seats. Princess Qinghuan sat in the middle, with Jiang Shiyuan and General Pei Zisu on either side of her. The maids filed in one after another, carrying lacquer trays with three identical servings of dishes. Before long, the table was fully laid out.

Looking at the dishes before her, Princess Qinghuan remarked, “Anian, you love river delicacies, don’t you? You must try the Bi Luo shrimp in front of you. If you like it, one day I’ll have the kitchen maid prepare it with Meishan Mist Tea for you. I think you’ll enjoy it even more.”

The princess’s residence was lavish; even a few taels of precious Meishan Mist Tea could be used as a cooking ingredient. Princess Qinghuan’s suggestion was entirely feasible for the kitchen staff, though Jiang Shiyuan thought it a little extravagant and smiled in response.

“That sounds novel. I shall try it first,” she said.

She picked up a bit with her chopsticks and tasted it. Her expression showed a hint of pleasant surprise, which satisfied Princess Qinghuan, who quickly asked, “How is it?”

“Indeed delicious,” Jiang Shiyuan replied.

“If you like it, try the other dishes as well. I think you’ll also enjoy the braised river eel,” the princess said.

The kitchen staff knew Jiang Shiyuan’s taste well, so her dishes were lightly seasoned, emphasizing freshness even in the braised dishes. She ate quietly, savoring each bite.

Seeing her eat attentively, even Pei Zisu, who hadn’t touched his chopsticks yet, felt the meal seemed more appetizing. Princess Qinghuan noticed he hadn’t started and teased, “What’s the matter? Without wine on your table, does the food become hard to swallow, General Pei?”

“Your Highness, you misunderstand. I was just contemplating which dish to try first,” Pei Zisu replied.

Princess Qinghuan glanced at his expression, then told a nearby maid, “Go fetch my treasured Hehuan Wine. This occasion calls for it. Today, Anian must not refuse; she will drink a few cups with me, how about that?”

Hehuan Wine, as the name implies, was brewed by infusing the flowers of the Hehuan tree into the liquor. This time, it came not in the usual celadon Ru kiln bottle but in a transparent crystal bottle, accompanied by three matching cups shaped like banana leaves—quite whimsical.

The bottle was filled to the brim, and with the crystal base, the Hehuan Wine’s naturally pinkish hue was enchanting and intoxicating at a glance. The aroma was rich. Jiang Shiyuan leaned closer, inhaled deeply, and confidently said, “Princess, this is last year’s new wine, isn’t it?”

“Indeed, my wine companion, you recognized it at once. Brewed before the twelfth lunar month, it’s only half a year old—fresh and crisp on the palate,” Princess Qinghuan said proudly.

Though aged wine was better, the two were not connoisseurs; a few sips of strong drink would quickly get them drunk. So at gatherings, they preferred new wine, drinking lightly for pleasure.

“What does General Pei think?” the princess asked.

“I’m used to strong military liquors. This Hehuan Wine’s flavor is somewhat lacking,” Pei Zisu said bluntly.

He was straightforward. Princess Qinghuan raised her brows and glanced around before teasing, “In all my years, only you two dare speak frankly—one dislikes it, the other finds it lacking. If others heard this, they’d think I’m afraid of you both.”

Jiang Shiyuan half-sat on her embroidered stool, smiling at the princess but refrained from teasing further out of respect for Pei Zisu. The princess, however, was in high spirits and revealed the purpose of the visit by the Chun Princess Consort and the Crown Princess today.

“Honestly, I think it’s better you haven’t married into that family yet. When I first heard the Wen Yuan Marquis’s household arranged this marriage for you, I felt uneasy. You seemed to have your own plans, so I didn’t intervene. Now, it seems evil meets its match; your second younger sister’s days under your aunt’s care are far from easy.”

“How so?” Jiang Shiyuan asked.

“Guess why they came to see me today,” the princess said.

Jiang Shiyuan recalled her previous life. Soon after marrying in, the Chun Princess Consort had visited the princess’s residence with the Crown Princess and then dined at the Wen Yuan Marquis’s household. She was skilled at maneuvering but not toward Jiang Shiyuan.

“The only thing to make both the Princess Consort and Crown Princess so urgent must be the Crown Prince alone. But at home, I haven’t heard anything amiss about him, so I suppose it’s related to his official duties,” Jiang Shiyuan surmised.

Princess Qinghuan’s eyes brightened, showing a look of admiration. “You guessed right. The Crown Prince’s previous appointment was ruined by me. Now your aunt comes with the Crown Princess to make peace, hinting at an interest in the River Authority post. That’s a lucrative position coveted by many powerful families, including your aunt.”

At the mention of the River Authority, Pei Zisu’s hand holding the wine cup paused. That case involved the iron ingot scandal in Luzhou. If the Chun Mansion was trying to intervene now, could they know something?

He feigned nonchalance but listened intently.

“River Authority? Does the Chun Princess Consort want the Crown Prince to go south?” he asked.

“Probably Xun’s secondary consort is scheming behind the scenes again. The Chun Mansion is full of holes like a sieve. The aunt isn’t favored by Lord Wang, and the Crown Prince isn’t much better off. Meanwhile, Xun’s secondary consort’s son, Song Shiyun, has secured a temple official position in the Armory Department. That’s quite a feat,” Princess Qinghuan explained.

The Weiwei Temple in Xijing City was responsible for guarding the palace gates and city gates, divided into two departments: the Armory Department and the Palace Guard Department. Their second cousin, Wang Kuan, also served there. With a strong background and ability, he rose to the deputy director position within two years—a rank of the eighth grade official.

But Song Shiyun had become a temple director—ranked sixth grade. Jiang Shiyuan pondered that he was the Crown Prince’s elder half-brother, in his prime, and it was no wonder the Chun Princess Consort was busy scheming on the Crown Prince’s behalf.

“What will the princess do about this?” Pei Zisu asked, looking up.

Princess Qinghuan met his gaze with firm resolve. “Of course, I won’t let your aunt succeed. Regardless of what they’ve done to you, even the Crown Prince himself is useless. I’ve never gotten along with him; spoiled by your aunt, he can’t endure hardship. Such a man in the River Authority is just a setup to profit. I’m no fool to beg the emperor for him.”

Her words were blunt and succinct, demeaning Crown Prince Song Shiyun utterly. Jiang Shiyuan raised the Hehuan Wine glass and took a sip, feeling that in her previous life, she had been blinded by foolish affection for such a man. Ridiculous.

Seeing the self-mockery flicker in her eyes, Pei Zisu felt an indescribable pang of sympathy. His grip tightened unknowingly on the banana leaf-shaped crystal cup, and with some force, the cup cracked.

Princess Qinghuan looked surprised and turned to him. “General Pei, even if you dislike this wine, there’s no need to vent your anger on my crystal cup. It’s a rare treasure, specially sought out by my father. There are only four in total, and you’ve just broken one.”

Only then did Pei Zisu realize what he had done.