The noble girl is beautiful.

The countryside residence was peaceful, and at night, only the sound of autumn leaves rustling in the wind and birds migrating south could be heard. Early in the morning, before dressing up, Shen Yourong casually threw on a cloak and walked out to the courtyard.

The weather was cold, and her breath turned to mist in the air. The entire courtyard was covered in a layer of white frost on the overgrown grass. Some of the grass hadn’t completely withered yet, with shimmering green hues wrapped in frost. Most of the plants had already decayed, with the frost spreading out like mist, soft and white, resembling the gradation of ink wash paintings.

Shen Yourong tightened her cloak and stepped down the stairs. Her shoes crunched on the frosted grass, making a crackling sound as the frost broke underfoot. The sky was clear beyond measure, with the crisp autumn air making the sky appear deeper the higher it went. The plants in the courtyard seemed to stretch towards the heavens, and Shen Yourong felt as if she was walking not just in this courtyard but into the boundless sky.

“Looks like the night wasn’t wasted after all,” a familiar voice came from nearby. She looked over and saw Ji Zhuo walking up the steps.

Standing in the courtyard, she subconsciously touched her hair. She hadn’t even had the chance to tidy up yet, with her smooth long hair still cascading down her back.

“I wanted to see the sight of frost-covered grass and trees,” she said, “but I wasn’t particularly interested in seeing you.”

She had been feeling uneasy due to Shen Qingyan’s marriage, which was why she came here—not specifically to meet Ji Zhuo.

He smiled indifferently. “If it weren’t for wanting to see you, I wouldn’t find this scene all that interesting.”

He had guessed that she would be in low spirits and would want some time away, which was why he invited her to the countryside residence.

Shen Yourong smiled. At this moment, there was much more calmness between the two of them—there were no longer expectations, so there was less resentment and disappointment. Looking at the frosted plants in the courtyard, she even felt that having someone like Ji Zhuo as an elder or a friend was not so bad.

She walked slowly up the steps, with the fur trim of her cloak framing her face, making her look like a delicate and beautiful lady.

“Recently, when His Majesty was gravely ill, I thought you might…” she glanced at him and then withdrew her gaze.

He stood with his hands behind his back and said, “It’s not time yet.”

She paused and asked, “Was His Majesty really ill?”

He raised an eyebrow and looked at her with interest. “Why do you ask?”

She replied, “When His Majesty fell ill, the physician summoned from outside the palace was an expert in pediatrics. Doesn’t that make people suspicious?”

He smiled and said, “You’re quite perceptive.”

“So, what’s the real story?” she looked at him.

“The one who was sick wasn’t His Majesty, but the Seventh Prince. He didn’t trust the palace doctors, so he ordered someone to seek help outside.” he explained, “The doctor your brother found was someone rejected by Censor Zheng. Zheng is His Majesty’s confidant, so it was likely His Majesty who instructed him to find a pediatric expert. Your brother could have easily figured out what was going on in the palace just by asking the doctor what his specialty was.”

Shen Yourong pondered for a moment. “The Seventh Prince fell ill, and afterward, His Majesty appointed the Crown Prince.”

He looked at her with approval. “For years, His Majesty has hesitated to appoint the Fourth Prince as Crown Prince. The reason is simply his fondness for his youngest son—he wanted to gamble on whether he could live long enough for his youngest son to come of age.”

“But then the Seventh Prince suddenly fell gravely ill, almost to the point of no return. This made His Majesty too afraid to gamble anymore, leaving him no choice but to appoint Ji Chengyao as Crown Prince. First, he had no other option; second, it was also to save the Seventh Prince’s life.”

“To save the Seventh Prince’s life?” Shen Yourong frowned. “Are you saying the Crown Prince orchestrated this to force His Majesty’s hand?”

“If the Seventh Prince died, His Majesty would have no room for hesitation.” Ji Zhuo’s tone was casual.

Shen Yourong suddenly felt a chill down her spine. She finally realized that Ji Chengyao wasn’t just a classmate who joked and played around with them—he was also a prince of the imperial family.

Seeing her expression, he suddenly asked, “Do you think Ji Chengyao’s methods are ruthless?”

Shen Yourong’s emotions were complex. “I just feel that the phrase ‘the imperial family is heartless’ is no exaggeration.”

He gave her a meaningful look but didn’t say anything more.

She replayed the entire situation in her mind, then suddenly thought of something and looked at him.

“So, who was His Majesty testing when he claimed to be gravely ill?”

Ji Zhuo smiled, his eyes clear. She suddenly felt a bit frightened. If he hadn’t kept his composure and made any move, he might not be standing here leisurely watching the frost-covered plants with her.

One wrong step would have led to a bottomless abyss.

With a heavy heart, she said, “It’s fortunate you have such patience.”

He chuckled. “Yes, I’ve always been very patient.”

He continued in a soft voice, “I waited all summer to see the frost on the plants. I waited twenty years to grow up and leave the palace. I’ve patiently waited until the emperor is old and his power is weakening. But some things can be waited for, while others cannot.” he looked at her, “Some things, if you wait too long, you’ll miss them.”

Shen Yourong’s breath caught in her throat, and she hastily avoided his gaze.

A few days later, it was time for Shen Qingyan’s return visit after her wedding. The household had been preparing since early morning. The servants woke up at dawn, busy sweeping the rooms and cleaning the courtyard. The kitchen had been bustling since early morning, preparing meals for the entire day. Maids and older female servants hurried through the corridors, exuding a sense of urgency.

Shen Yourong and Shen Qinghan got up early and went to pay their respects to the old lady. The old lady, along with Lady Yang and Lady Li, were all dressed according to their ranks and sat in the main hall, waiting for the Crown Prince and his consort.

But the wait dragged on for quite some time, and Shen Qinghan started to get restless. She whispered, “Sister, why aren’t they here yet?”

Shen Yourong sent someone to inquire, and the person returned with the news that the Crown Prince was first going to visit the Anguo Duke’s residence with the Crown Princess and would come to the Duke Qi’s residence afterward.

Shen Qinghan snorted softly, muttering, “He’s really busy.”

It was only in the afternoon that the Crown Prince finally arrived. Shen Ying and the men of the family greeted him, while the old Lady led the women to meet Shen Qingyan.

When everyone saw her, they noticed she was dressed in a royal blue palace robe, wearing a phoenix hairpin inlaid with pearls, and flanked by two bejeweled flower pins on either side. Around her neck was a gold necklace adorned with jewels, and her hands bore two double-happiness rings. She was resplendently adorned. Behind her were two rows of palace maids, all fully outfitted, filling the entire courtyard.

After greeting the old lady and the others, Shen Qingyan finally had a moment to speak with Shen Yourong and Shen Qinghan.

The moment she saw her sisters, Shen Qingyan’s smile became somewhat forced. Shen Yourong and Shen Qinghan were about to bow to her, but she quickly said, “No need for that. There are no outsiders here, so please don’t do this.”

She took her sisters’ hands and led them away. After skillfully dismissing the older palace servants who had come with her, she finally let out a long sigh of relief.

Shen Yourong asked, “You don’t look well. Is your health not fully recovered?”

“It’s not about recovery—it’s because I’ve been completely worn out these past few days!” As soon as the outsiders were gone, she started complaining, “On the wedding day, I was up before dawn and busy until midnight. The next morning, I had to get up and pay respects to the emperor and empress, visiting every corner of the palace. After that, it was dealing with everyone in the Eastern Palace. Sister, you have no idea how difficult those people are!”
Shen Qinghan quickly asked, “Putting all that aside, how is the Crown Prince treating you?”

Shen Qingyan fell silent for a moment before saying, “Good or bad, it’s all the same. Right now, he’s still putting on an affectionate act, and I don’t have the time or energy to argue with him.”

From her expression, it was clear that she wasn’t too heartbroken but was mostly angry.

The sisters chatted about various things until a nanny came in, politely saying, “Your Highness, it’s time to prepare to leave.”

Shen Qingyan’s brows furrowed. Her chest heaved slightly, but in the end, she said nothing.

They had arrived late and needed to return before nightfall. Now that Ji Chengyao was the Crown Prince, his elevated status meant he couldn’t stay away from the palace for too long.

She reluctantly departed. The household had spent the whole day busy preparing but only got a brief visit. In private, Lady Yang complained to Shen Qinghan, saying it was a pity they had gone through all that trouble for nothing.

Two months passed quickly, with several heavy snowfalls. By then, the earlier events had become a distant memory. Just as things were settling down, news came from the Eastern Palace: the Crown Princess was pregnant.

Shen Yourong and Shen Qinghan exchanged a glance, neither saying a word. The old Lady sighed, remarking on Shen Qingyan’s good fortune.

The day before the Festival, newly married daughters traditionally returned to their parental homes. This time, Shen Qingyan came back alone, so there was less formality, and the household treated it more like receiving an honored guest.

The old Lady, Lady Yang, and Lady Li pulled her aside for some private words, mainly focused on the topic of having children. The old Lady even brought out an old remedy from her collection, instructing her to follow it.

Shen Qingyan listened politely but didn’t take it to heart. She patiently waited for the conversation to end so she could go find Shen Yourong and Shen Qinghan.

They met in Shen Qingyan’s courtyard, where the atmosphere was more relaxed and informal.

“Look at what I brought for you!” She exclaimed as soon as she sat down, eagerly having gifts brought out.

For Shen Yourong and Shen Qinghan, there were complete sets of finely crafted hair ornaments and a box of golden hairpins. Even the maids, Du Juan and Hua Mei, received small gifts.

She then pulled out some fine silks, prompting Shen Yourong to intervene, saying, “That’s enough; you don’t need to fuss over us so much.”

Only then did she stop, saying, “I didn’t have anything good to give before, but now that I do, why shouldn’t everyone share in the joy?”

Shen Yourong laughed, saying, “We’re more than happy to soak up some of your good fortune.”

She carefully observed Shen Qingyan’s complexion and saw that she looked much better than during her last visit. Smiling, she asked, “Have you settled in at the Eastern Palace?”

Shen Qingyan’s expression turned a bit cooler. “It’s not about settling in or not. The Crown Princess is a kind person and hasn’t deliberately made things difficult for me. As for the palace maids and nannies, I ignore them, and they have no reason to trouble me. I just focus on managing my own affairs, making sure no one bullies me, and I don’t bully others either. That’s enough.”

Shen Qinghan quietly asked, “And what about the Crown Prince?”

“Him?” Shen Qingyan took a sip of tea before replying, “He’s not bad to me, but who knows how much of it is real and how much is an act? I don’t bother guessing his thoughts, yet he has the nerve to complain that I’m cold toward him.”

She sneered, “As if I’m not already giving him face by not exposing the truth.”

Shen Qinghan advised, “You can’t just ignore him forever, you know?”

“Why not?” Shen Qingyan retorted. “I’m now the Crown Prince’s consort, backed by a strong family and with plenty of wealth. I’ll focus on my own life and won’t lower myself to please anyone.”

She was always like this—loving fiercely when she cared and letting go decisively when she didn’t.

“By the way, the soap business has been doing quite well,” she said, her mood brightening. “In just two months, it’s brought in more than three thousand taels of silver. It may not be as lucrative as the glass business, but it’s a consumable item, unlike glass, which lasts longer.”

Shen Qinghan was surprised. “That much?”

“Of course! And it’s just the beginning. As the business grows, the profits will only increase,” Shen Qingyan said with a smile. “Second Sister, we weren’t lying to you. You can use this to save up some dowry money.”

Shen Qinghan blushed and said, “You’re talking nonsense.”

“I’m not,” She continued. “I’ve heard that both the son of the Minister of Rites and the young heir of the Marquis of Wu’an have proposed to you. What do Father and Mother say?”

Shen Qinghan sighed, “Father and Mother favor the Minister’s son. They say he’s well-read, gentle, and refined—qualities they think suit my temperament.”

Shen Qingyan studied her expression. “You don’t seem to like him.”

“It’s not that he’s bad, just that…” she trailed off, leaving her thoughts unspoken.

Shen Qingyan looked to Shen Yourong for an explanation. Shen Yourong said, “Two years ago, when our mother took her back to her family’s home, she met the young heir of the Marquis of Wu’an. He even gave her a slingshot.”

Shen Qingyan suddenly understood. “So you like the young heir?”

“It’s not like that! Don’t say such things,” Shen Qinghan replied, her face flushed.

Shen Qingyan laughed. “If that’s not liking him, then what is? Does he like you?”

Blushing even more, Shen Qinghan nodded. “We’ve met in secret. He’s quite bold—he gave me his family’s seal and immediately proposed the next day, without even giving me time to think.”

Shen Yourong was surprised. It seemed that the seemingly well-behaved Shen sisters were quite daring behind closed doors.

Shen Qinghan asked them, “What should I do?”

Shen Yourong, while nibbling on a snack, looked to Shen Qingyan.

“I say you should choose the one you’re mutually fond of.”

Shen Yourong was taken aback. She had thought her attitude toward marriage would change after her own experience.

Shen Qingyan explained, “People should spend their lives with those they love—there’s no debate about that. If you like me and I like you, that’s the best thing in the world. Just make sure he’s a good person, responsible and dependable, and that’s enough. As for family status, wealth, and political factions, I couldn’t care less.”

She smiled. “It may be pointless for me to say all this now, but you still have a chance. There are plenty of good people in the world—why shouldn’t we find them?”

Shen Yourong was stunned. Despite what Shen Qingyan had gone through, she hadn’t lost her hope for love. She still believed in the possibility of mutual affection and a lifelong partnership.

Amid the laughter of the young women, she felt a wave of deep emotion. She realized just how timid she had been in her own heart.