The two of them showed off their deep father-daughter affection for most of the day.
Not until evening did they send off Prince Jin with a carriage.
Returning to the main courtyard.
Princess Hai Feng patted her stiff cheeks from smiling all day and finally let out a long sigh.
"At last..." she received the information from her father.
She soaked herself in the tub, holding the letter from her father in her hand.
Squinting her eyes, she read it word by word.
At the end of the letter, she tore it into shreds, added some water, and stirred it into pulp.
Her face beamed with a smile, and her heart felt confident and pleased.
’All these years’
’I’ve been quietly planning all these years just to assist my father.’
’And my father didn’t let me down; his power in Western Xia has been growing steadily. Once the time is right, that position... will surely be my father’s!’
’Then, I will become a princess!’
’And standing behind me will be the entire Western Xia!’
The more Princess Hai Feng thought, the more satisfied she felt.
’With my father’s support, plus my own schemes, even the Great Chu Dynasty...’
"Hahaha..."
Hai Feng couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
Yingge, serving nearby, saw the commandery princess so happy and laughed as well.
"Master, did the prince..."
Princess Hai Feng nodded with a wide smile, lowered her voice, and said.
"It’s about time!"
Yingge was a maid from Western Xia and a close confidante to her.
Skilled in both literature and martial arts, she’s been with her all along, utterly loyal.
Some matters unsuitable for Hai Feng to handle personally were all managed by Yingge, so Hai Feng relied heavily on her.
"That’s really good news, congratulations to the commandery princess, congratulations to the prince!" Yingge exclaimed joyfully.
Princess Hai Feng laughed too.
"You’ve become sweeter with your words over these years. I remember back in Western Xia, you weren’t this talkative!"
Yingge laughed and said.
"The commandery princess has changed too!"
"Back in Western Xia, when did the commandery princess ever bend to accommodate anyone?"
Back then, Hai Feng was the royal family’s only daughter, and since the King Western Xia missed his daughter dearly, he transferred all his affection to her.
She truly enjoyed endless pampering.
Anyone who displeased her need not even be spoken to; someone would naturally handle it for her.
Whatever she desired, even if it were the stars from the sky, there were plenty willing to fetch them for her!
She indeed got whatever she wanted.
But now...
The commandery princess must deal with the Emperor and the Imperial Noble Consort from above, handle the Fifth Prince and the little prince in the middle, and manage the whole household, including the consorts and concubines below.
On the surface, the commandery princess appears grand and prestigious, but behind the scenes, she is exhausted.
Yingge’s heart ached more and more as she thought.
Princess Hai Feng also fell silent.
After a while, she gave a bitter smile.
"Yes! I have changed too!"
"How I miss the old days!"
"It’s a pity that no matter how good those times were, they can’t return!"
Back then, her Imperial Uncle doted on her the most, offering her the best food and fun, even pushing the Crown Prince aside.
That deepest love that came from the heart, even her father couldn’t compare.
But now...
Her Imperial Uncle found his biological daughter and no longer cherished her.
At least, ever since she married into the Great Chu, her Imperial Uncle hadn’t sent her a single letter.
The one who cared for her the most was still her father.
Haha... turns out, she was just a substitute!
Imperial Uncle, let your kindness remain in memory!
The water in the tub gradually turned cold.
Yingge reminded her.
"Commandery princess, the water is cold, hurry and change your clothes to get out!"
Princess Hai Feng snapped back to reality, the bitter smile still lingering at her lips.
"Hmm!"
She rose, wrapped herself in soft cotton, and left the bathroom.
...
In the depths of winter.
After a few heavy snowfalls, the air in the capital city turned ice cold.
Even the surface of the Taiye Pool in the Imperial Garden had a thin layer of broken ice.
The palace consorts, afraid of the cold, were unwilling to leave the palace gates.
They gathered in groups, drinking tea, playing chess, playing the zither, or writing poetry, all behaving well.
Even the newly arrived ones behaved.
Everyone was smart, and within a few months, they understood the ways of the palace.
Ma Liyi caused a few disturbances.
Not only did she gain nothing, but she was also cold-shouldered by the Emperor and punished by Consort Zheng to copy books and stay grounded.
Looking at the attitudes of the other consorts.
The Emperor and the Empress had a deep, affectionate bond; no one dared to disturb them.
Everyone behaved properly, and their days went well.
People gradually realized.
That being obedient and peaceful was the key to keeping things calm.
Causing trouble would only lead to...
Ahem, perhaps they should stop being restless!
The harem was peaceful.
There was still some time until the New Year, so there was no hurry to prepare.
Xia Ruqing’s days became much more leisurely.
She indulged in a good sleep each morning, then enjoyed a nice breakfast.
After that, she took Yue Er to the Imperial Garden to view the red plum blossoms and snow, returning at noon to dine with Zhao Junyao.