Spring in the Hall of Paintings

The young man was not overly sentimental, and the young woman was not naive. Yun Lan and Yinzhen were ordinary people, coincidentally at a youthful and flourishing age. It was easier for young men and women to develop feelings. Yun Lan excelled at creating an atmosphere and knew everything about Yinzhen, while he was captivated by Yun Lan, who was unlike the other Eight Banners ladies. His heart, which had been encased in ice, softened a little, and his features became gentler than usual.

Yun Lan focused all her energy on the music. Even though she wanted to see Yinzhen’s infatuated expression, she dared not look up. Moving him with music was her only hope; showing any unusual feelings would alert the sensitive and suspicious Yinzhen.

Yun Lan secretly thanked the heavens for their kindness, allowing her to encounter Yinzhen unexpectedly at this moment. In a few years, after Yinzhen had experienced more, she wouldn’t be as confident about stirring his heart. The young Yinzhen was undoubtedly easier to influence than the adult Fourth Master.

After striking the last note, Yun Lan looked up at Yinzhen, her smile radiant as she gazed into the depths of his dark, ink-like eyes. A sweet smile curled at the corners of her cherry lips, appearing shy, joyful, melancholic, and charming all at once. The hand hidden in Yinzhen’s sleeve tightened. Even though he knew it was inappropriate, he couldn’t look away.

At that moment, silence spoke volumes. Yun Lan understood this principle well, but then Lan Lin’er leaped to her side and exclaimed with admiration, “Sister Tongjia, you’re amazing! You play even better than the Westerners in the palace. Sister Tongjia, will you teach me? Please, pretty please!”

Yun Lan shifted her gaze, licked her lips, her cheeks glowing like rosy clouds, exuding a mature and enticing charm. She was slightly taller and more developed than her peer, Yun Wei, displaying a mature allure beyond her ten years.

Yun Lan smiled and nodded, softly saying, “As long as you don’t mind.”

“Not at all, not at all,” Lan Lin’er said without any awareness. Yun Lan smiled softly and said, “Your Highness the Princess?”

“Ah… how did you know?”

Yun Lan closed the piano and let her fingers linger on the lid, saying, “Didn’t you just tell me?”

Lan Lin’er frowned, and Yun Lan explained, “The only ones who can hear the Westerners playing music in the palace are the imperial consorts or the princesses.”

A hint of appreciation appeared in Yinzhen’s eyes; she was attentive and a clever girl.

“Maybe it was a maid,” Lan Lin’er continued to ask persistently. Yun Lan shook her head resolutely, “No, the princess has a demeanor that no maid can possess, and your attire is certainly not ordinary. The princess’s clothes are not something a maid could afford.”

Suddenly, Lan Lin’er said excitedly, “Princess, princess, what’s so great about being the daughter of the emperor?” Grabbing Yun Lan’s arm, she continued, “I would rather not be a princess… I…”

“Lan Lin’er, don’t talk nonsense.”

Yinzhen coldly admonished his younger sister, glancing around. Boss Qin was wiping cold sweat, his legs shaking, and he fell to his knees, trembling, “Your Highness… Your Highness, I pay my respects to the prince.”

The housekeeper of the Prince Kang’s residence did not dare to approach and whispered, “Greetings, Fourth Master.”

Yinzhen squinted his slender eyes and elongated his voice, “What the princess just said…”

“I didn’t hear anything, I didn’t hear anything,” came the hurried response.

The pressure increased, and the atmosphere became tense. Yun Wei took two steps back and bumped into the bookshelf behind her, realizing that he was the Fourth Prince.

“Who? Who’s there?” Yinzhen moved forward, but Yun Lan stepped in front of him and softly said, “Fourth Master, you’ve met her before; she is my younger sister.”

The fragrance of the young girl diluted the coldness that Yinzhen exuded, and he felt quite pleased with the realization that the girl before him was not afraid of him.

“Please rest assured, she won’t say anything inappropriate.”

Yun Lan’s intention to protect Yun Wei was obvious, and Yinzhen sighed, “You are a good sister.”

Yun Lan smiled faintly, looked up at Yin zhen, and softly said without regret, “She is my sister. I have said that I will always protect her. Although we come from humble beginnings, the bond between our cousins is not inferior to that of the esteemed Fourth Master and the princess.”

Yinzhen’s heart fluttered. On the surface, he and his brothers got along well, but in reality, the Crown Prince probably did not see him as a brother. There was no shortage of intrigue and rivalry behind the scenes; it was merely about seeking a few more praises from their father, the Emperor.

Yun Lan turned to the steward of the Prince Kang’s residence and said, “There’s no problem with the tuning of the Western piano. You can go and collect it and settle the payment. The Western piano is a rare item, so be careful when moving it.”

“Thank you, miss,” the steward replied gratefully, clasping his hands in thanks, and had his subordinates carry the piano away, not wanting to face the Fourth Master any longer.

“Do you like the Western piano?”

“I like many things, but that doesn’t mean I want to own them all,” Yun Lan tilted her head and smiled even more brightly. “Contentment brings happiness, after all.”

Yinzhen’s eyes lifted slightly, his demeanor softening a great deal. Lan Lin’er admired Yun Lan immensely; not everyone could face the cold anger of the Fourth Brother without fear.

“Fourth Brother, I… I… I didn’t mean it that way.” Lan Lin’er lowered her head and said with a hint of sorrow, “Seeing my sister married off to Mongolia, I don’t want to be a princess. Father doesn’t care for his daughters at all.”

Yun Lan picked up a silk handkerchief and gently wiped Lan Lin’er’s tears, embracing her shoulders like a caring older sister, and softly said, “Don’t cry; it’ll hurt your eyes.”

“Elder sister Tongjia.” The more Yun Lan comforted her, the more tears flowed from Lan Lin’er.

“Meeting is fate; since you don’t dislike me and still call me elder sister, I’ll say a little more,” Yun Lan’s movements to wipe Lan Lin’er’s tears became gentler. When she spoke of meeting as fate, Yun Wei could clearly feel Yinzhen’s body tremble slightly. She sighed inwardly; the Fourth Brother had already married his legitimate wife, so would the proud Fourth Sister really lower herself for a side consort?

“The current emperor is a sage ruler who loves his people like his own children, especially a thoughtful daughter like the princess.”

“Why does Father have to marry us off to Mongolia?”

Yun Lan glanced at Yinzhen, then said softly, “The marriage alliance with the Manchus and Mongols is a national policy of the Qing dynasty. The emperor feels for the princess, but for the stability of the realm and the unity of the Manchus and Han people, he has no choice but to do so. His love knows no bounds; he holds the world in his heart.”

“Does that mean we have to sacrifice ourselves? How many princesses in Mongolia can survive?”

Yun Lan’s gaze was filled with sorrow as she pulled Lan Lin’er closer and said, “You are of noble birth; from the day you were born, you have been a princess, enjoying wealth and the honor of being a princess. You must fulfill the responsibilities that come with it.”

“Enjoyment? Responsibilities?” Lan Lin’er replied with a bitter smile. “Yes, I cannot only enjoy the glory of being a princess without being willing to bear the responsibilities that come with it.”

“Tongjia, you have expressed that very well.”

Yinzhen praised her, his gaze firming up. If the responsibility of a princess was to oversee the Mongols, then what was the responsibility of a prince? It was to stabilize the hearts of the people, to assist the emperor in becoming a sage ruler, and to support the crown prince. Assisting the virtuous king at that time was his lifelong responsibility.

“Let’s go back to the palace.” Yinzhen took Lan Lin’er’s hand and began to walk out. Lan Lin’er looked back, tears in her eyes, reluctant to part. “Elder sister Tongjia, we will meet again.”

Yinzhen caught a glimpse of the girl who bowed before him. What was her name? Tongjia? Clearly, she was not from the imperial family of the empress.

“Fourth Sister.”

Once the Fourth Prince and his companions had left, Yun Wei stepped out from behind the bookshelf and said lightly, “Sister, do you think the disgrace of the Western Han Dynasty was due to marriage alliances?”