The Valued Lady is Truly Dominant

In the twenty-ninth year of Shengping, on April 23rd, Prince Min Chu Ze passed away and was buried in the Imperial Mausoleum. The Emperor cherished the brotherly rapport and posthumously elevated Prince Min to the rank of Prince, granting the Prince Min Mansion the status of Prince Mansion, elevating Princess Consort Min to Princess Consort, and bestowing his daughter Chu Hua with the title of Commandery Princess Changning, entitled to a Princess’s fief.

Even in death, he was honored.

This was the Emperor’s decree.

An astute official composed a long encomium, extolling Emperor Chu’s benevolence and compassion. In Song Ci’s words, it was almost like praising him to heaven.

”Posthumous honor, this Prince Min must have offered the Emperor quite a sweet favor in exchange,” Song Ci remarked while taking a leisurely stroll in the courtyard’s company, addressing Nanny who accompanied her.

Nanny retorted, ”Only you would dare say such a thing.”

She glanced back. The other maidservants trailed behind, standing quietly with lowered heads, positioned far enough not to overhear their conversation.

Song Ci chuckled twice and said, ”Parents always wish to bestow their hearts upon their children. Prince Min is no exception in this respect; all he did was for his only daughter.”

”If the Emperor protects her, Commandery Princess Changning will likely become the most cherished of all the Commandery Princesses within the Royal Family.”

Song Ci was not entirely convinced, ”Being cherished is secondary. What matters is whether she can break free from the constraints imposed by her parents’ status. If she cannot, then being cherished is all in vain.”

One’s primary concern is still whether they live happily and freely. If she confines herself within these constraints, can she truly be happy, despite being cherished?

Moreover, if some forms of affection are merely superficial, it would be better to forgo them, lest they become a thorn in the eyes of envious others.

Regardless of the circumstances, that little Commandery Princess and her parents are all people of misfortune. Let’s hope the heavens show her some favor.

Nanny said, ”It is said, after Prince Min’s death, that woman named Shang Meiniang also followed him, and Princess Consort Min decided to bury her on a hill not far from the Imperial Mausoleum.”

Song Ci was surprised, ”Did Shang Meiniang not leave after all?”

She had heard some gossip that the fact Prince Min and Princess Consort Min succeeded in giving birth to a daughter had Shang Meiniang’s contributions in the mix. Yet precisely because of this, Prince Min grew weary of her and no longer allowed her to attend to him.

Yet even so, Shang Meiniang did not leave and chose to follow in death.

Reflecting upon this, Song Ci sighed, ”Such unrequited affection met with indifference.”

She then turned to Nanny with a serious expression, ”Nanny, you must remember, if I pass away, you must not perform such acts of following in death.”

”Madam!”

Here we go again; she mentioned life and death once more.

”I mean it seriously. While following in death seems loyal, I have no need for such loyalty. What I need is when I am gone, for you to do your best to care for those I couldn’t bear to leave behind,” Song Ci said, smiling at both, ”Moreover, following in death is just suicide, King Yan would probably disdain such an act, denying a good rebirth in the next life. Dying of old age would be best.”

Nanny and Nan Shan exchanged a glance and said, ”We understand, and only wish for you not to speak of such things again. Even Princess Consort Ji nearly passed due to losing her son in old age, yet Princess Consort Min managed to awaken her. Are you not as strong?”

”Oh? What did she say?”

”Princess Consort Min said that her status, ultimately, is not befitting. Now that Prince Min is gone and her daughter is young, outsiders will surely point fingers at her. If Princess Consort Ji does not step in to protect her, the little Commandery Princess’s situation will worsen. It was this realization that reactivated Princess Consort Ji’s protective instincts.”

Song Ci sighed at these words, ”Indeed, she is the late Emperor’s consort; who would dare be disrespectful?”

Under such circumstances, Prince Min Mansion, despite coming to an end, will likely enjoy more freedom than before.