Chapter 57: This is a bad thing!

The next day, Cheng Ru'an prepared several pieces of jewelry, brought Tuan Tuan, and entered the inner hall of Chenghui Palace.

The light inside the hall was soft, and the incense curled gently.

Cheng Ru'an and Tuan Tuan performed a deep bow to the Eldest Princess: "Eldest Princess, greetings; thank you for your generous gift, Eldest Princess."

The Eldest Princess smiled, like a spring breeze: "Today we only discuss seniority and kinship, not court rank. Please rise quickly, be seated, and have tea."

Cheng Ru'an sat upright, and Tuan Tuan snuggled obediently beside her mother, her big eyes blinking as she looked at the Eldest Princess.

The Eldest Princess beckoned her: "Tuan Tuan, come, come to Imperial Aunt's side."

Tuan Tuan toddled over, her small voice crisp: "Imperial Aunt!"

"Eh!" The Eldest Princess reached out and pulled her into her embrace: "Did they scare you yesterday? Imperial Aunt heard that the Lu siblings were quite fierce toward you."

Tuan Tuan shook her head, puffing out her little chest: "No! I'm fiercer than they are!"

The Eldest Princess blinked, looked at Cheng Ru'an, and smiled faintly: "This child really has guts."

Cheng Ru'an quickly said: "As the saying goes, a newborn calf fears no tiger. The younger the child, the less they know fear, and they often lack a sense of proportion."

"It's fine, Princess Consort need not worry." The Eldest Princess shook her head, turning her gaze to Tuan Tuan: "Did you try the snack Imperial Aunt gave you yesterday? Do you still like it?"

Tuan Tuan leaned against her, playing with the edge of her robe: "I like it! It's all delicious! Thank you, Imperial Aunt!"

At that moment, a eunuch's voice came from outside the door: "Miss Huo Wenxuan requests an audience."

The Eldest Princess didn't even lift her head, lightly ordering: "Let her in."

Huo Wenxuan entered, bowed to the Eldest Princess and to Cheng Ru'an: "I pay my respects to the Eldest Princess and to Princess Consort Ning."

Cheng Ru'an smiled and nodded: "Miss Huo, please rise, no need for formalities."

"You're so young; you must have been frightened yesterday as well. I brought some jewelry, rather delicate; wearing it to play can also help calm your nerves." Having said that, she placed the small brocade boxes she had brought onto the table.

Huo Wenxuan made a deep curtsy: "Miss Huo thanks the Princess Consort for the gift." Her eyes, however, drifted to Tuan Tuan nestled in the Eldest Princess's arms, and her heart instantly flared with rage—she could actually be so intimate with her aunt!

That's my place! Only mine! How dare she steal my position!

The Eldest Princess raised her head and looked at her: "I called you over to make amends to Princess Consort Ning and her daughter, yet you've already accepted their gift?"

Huo Wenxuan's body stiffened, her face turning slightly pale, but under the Eldest Princess's calm yet pressing gaze, she had no choice but to lower her head and perform another deep bow to Cheng Ru'an:

"Yesterday, Miss Huo's words and deeds were improper; she offended the Princess Consort and Princess Jiayou, and she begs the Princess Consort and Princess Jiayou not to take it to heart." Her voice was weak, her lowered eyelids barely able to conceal the resentment surging within.

Cheng Ru'an accepted her bow with a calm expression: "Miss Huo, you're being too formal; it was just child's play among the younger generation, so let it go."

Tuan Tuan acted as if she hadn't heard, not even glancing at her, and began playing with the silk tassel on the Eldest Princess's waist jade pendant.

The Eldest Princess, being who she is, saw through her at a glance, feeling even more disappointed, and only said lightly: "Since you know your mistake, go back and continue copying your Classic of Tranquil Heart."

"Yes." Huo Wenxuan's face flushed and paled, and she almost staggered as she retreated.

The hall fell silent for a moment.

The Eldest Princess let out a soft sigh, looking at Cheng Ru'an: "Children's affairs are the most worrisome. I've also heard about the matter of the eldest son in your household."

"That Lady Lin's heart is not upright; ending up like this is entirely her own doing. It's just that the children suffer."

Cheng Ru'an nodded: "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. Fortunately, heaven blessed us—yesterday Tuan Tuan won a bet with the Lu family and obtained that stalk of snow ginseng. Guo Taiyi said it is very suitable; once Yuan'er takes it, he should wake up in a few days."

"Oh? Really?" The Eldest Princess's eyes flickered.

"Exactly." Cheng Ru'an nodded with a smile, gazing tenderly at Tuan Tuan: "This child, knowing her older brother is seriously ill, has constantly wished only for his recovery."

The Eldest Princess, moved, looked at Tuan Tuan in her arms: "Little Tuan Tuan, did you take on the bet just to obtain that snow ginseng?"

Tuan Tuan lifted her little head to meet her gaze: "Yes! Imperial Aunt!"

Cheng Ru'an said: "Yesterday, in the observatory, as soon as this child heard the Lu family's young master mention it, she insisted on winning it for her brother without hesitation. It was also a fluke that she actually succeeded."

The Eldest Princess took one of Tuan Tuan's small hands and sighed: "Good child, truly a pure and filial good child. To embark on such a perilous wager to save your brother, with such sincere heart—no wonder heaven favored you and your wishes came true."

She raised her head and spoke solemnly: "We often say children can be indulged, but their nature must be upright."

"Looking now, the Princess Consort has raised the Princess extremely well. I myself was overly indulgent; if Huo Wenxuan had even half her sense, I would be content."

Cheng Ru'an hurriedly said: "Your Highness overpraises her; Tuan Tuan is still young and does not deserve such praise." Though her words were modest, her eyes were full of a mother's pride.

At that moment, Huo Wenxuan did not go far, but hid behind a pillar outside the hall, secretly listening to the movements within.

The Eldest Princess's unrestrained praise of Tuan Tuan, each word like a red-hot needle, fiercely pierced her heart.

She recalled her aunt's recent coldness and reprimand, and tears instantly welled up.

How could a country-bred wild girl receive such open affection and praise from her aunt?

After all these years of painstakingly currying favor, just because this wild girl appeared, her aunt utterly rejected her?

She clenched her fists tightly, tears blurring her vision, resentment and jealousy filling her chest, about to burst forth.

She gritted her teeth: "Princess Jiayou!" and stormed off angrily.

Cheng Ru'an and the Eldest Princess chatted a bit more about family matters, then took their leave, boarding the carriage back to the mansion with Tuan Tuan.

Having gone only halfway, Tuan Tuan suddenly exclaimed: "Mother! Shall we go to Delicate Pastry Pavilion to buy some snacks?"

"Didn't the Eldest Princess just bestow many sweets upon you yesterday?"

Tuan Tuan clung to her mother's neck: "But we haven't been to Delicate Pastry Pavilion in days! I want to see what new treats they have."

Cheng Ru'an laughed: "All right! Let's go take a look!"

Tuan Tuan rubbed against her neck: "Mother is wonderful! Mother treats Tuan Tuan the best!"

Soon the carriage stopped outside Delicate Pastry Pavilion.

The shop's assistants, seeing the Ning Prince's mansion insignia on the carriage, one ran out to greet them, while another hurried inside to inform the proprietor.

As Cheng Ru'an led Tuan Tuan inside, a woman about twenty-five or twenty-six, dressed in indigo-blue attire, walked toward them.

She lowered her head and bowed respectfully to Cheng Ru'an: "Commoner Lady Xie Yunshu, proprietor of this Delicate Pastry Pavilion. I did not expect the Princess Consort's visit, so I failed to greet you properly; please forgive me."

Cheng Ru'an was slightly surprised: "I never imagined that the famed Delicate Pastry Pavilion in the capital was run by a woman proprietor—my apologies, my apologies."

"Boss Xie, this is my daughter, Princess Jiayou, who usually loves your pastries greatly; today she came to see if you have any new offerings."

Xie Yunshu hurriedly returned the bow to Tuan Tuan: "Ah, it's Princess Jiayou. For this humble shop's modest skills to earn the Princess's favor is truly an honor."

"Today we happen to have a newly released jujube pastry; I wonder whether Princess (Commandery) likes snacks made from jujubes?"

Cheng Ru'an, leading Tuan Tuan, just wanted to go inside, but Tuan Tuan stopped on the spot and didn't move.

Both adults were puzzled; weren't they here to buy snacks?

Cheng Ru'an bent down and said, "What's wrong, Tuan Tuan? Don't you like snacks made from jujubes?"

Tuan Tuan's little face frowned, and she pointed a tiny finger at Xie Yunshu's head: "Mother! This is a bad thing!"