The most dissolute couple in the capital

The imperial edict arrived even faster than Cui Qingyi had anticipated.

On May 12th, the sun shone brightly. When the palace eunuchs carrying bright yellow silk entered the Cui residence, the entire Cui family had already changed into new clothes, and the incense table was set up, with the entire courtyard filled with kneeling figures.

Cui Zhiyuan knelt at the very front, his back ramrod straight, his face displaying a perfect balance of fear and honor. Li Shi knelt half a step behind him, her eyes lowered, her lips slightly pursed.

Cui Qingyi knelt beside Li Shi. To Cui Qingyi, the lengthy and ornate words automatically translated into four large characters: "Lying down is hopeful."

"...Cui Qingyi, daughter of Cui Zhiyuan, is virtuous, diligent, and gentle. She is hereby appointed as the principal wife of the Prince of Liang, and an auspicious day shall be chosen for the wedding. This is the imperial decree."

"Your subject, Cui Zhiyuan, kowtows in gratitude for Your Majesty's grace!"

Cui Zhiyuan's voice trembled slightly, whether from excitement or something else, it was hard to tell.

Cui Qingyi kowtowed as well, her forehead touching the cool blue bricks, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up slightly.

After the eunuch finished announcing the decree, he smiled and said a few auspicious words. Cui Zhiyuan personally escorted the person out of the mansion and stuffed a bulging purse into his hand.

Li stood up, patted non-existent dust off her knees, turned to look at Cui Qingyi, her expression complex: "Qingyi, congratulations."

Cui Qingyi lowered her eyes and smiled gently, saying, "Thank you, Mother."

Li nodded, said nothing more, and turned to return to the main courtyard.

Cui Qingyi watched her figure disappear at the end of the corridor, knowing very well that Li Shi was not a bad person, but she was certainly not a good one either. She was a decent stepmother, outwardly flawless, but inwardly... so-so.

But it doesn't matter anymore.

In a few months, she will be a member of the Liang Prince's Mansion. The Cui family's affairs will no longer concern her.

Su Xin leaned closer, lowered her voice, and said with bright, sparkling eyes, "Miss, the imperial decree has been issued! We're really going to be princesses!"

Cui Qingyi glanced at her: "What do you mean 'we'? My name is on the imperial edict."

Su Xin chuckled: "Wherever Miss goes, this servant will go. Isn't that 'us'?"

Cui Qingyi couldn't help but laugh, and walked towards her own courtyard: "Alright, go back and tidy up, you'll be busy from now on."

Su Xin was taken aback: "What are you so busy with? Didn't Miss say she needed to rest more?"

Cui Qingyi paused in her steps.

That's right.

She was almost carried away by the inertia of her past life.

"It's nothing," she coughed lightly, "Go back to sleep."

-

On the third day after the imperial edict was issued, people came to the palace again.

The old woman was in her early forties, dressed in a dark blue long dress typical of palace ladies-in-waiting, with a peaceful face and clear eyes.

"This servant, He, greets Lord Cui." She curtsied, neither servile nor arrogant. "I have come by the Empress Dowager's decree to serve the future Princess Consort of Liang."

Madam Li quickly invited her into the main hall and served her tea, speaking with great courtesy. She then sent someone to call Cui Qingyi over.

Cui Qingyi bowed upon entering; she had never met this Granny He in her previous life.

Nonsense, in her previous life she married into the Zheng family, so the Empress Dowager had no reason to send people to her.

Granny He did not refuse and went straight to the point: "Her Majesty the Empress Dowager said that although Princess Liang comes from a prestigious family, the royal rules are different from those of ordinary noble families. I am here for two reasons: first, to teach her some palace etiquette, and second, to help her become familiar with the people and things in the palace, so that she will not be flustered when she goes to the palace to pay her respects in the future."

Cui Qingyi nodded, her face showing a humble and receptive expression.

"Granny, please teach me as you see fit. I will definitely study hard."

Granny He looked at the future Princess Consort of Liang and nodded slightly.

Before the Empress Dowager sent her, she had said that this eldest daughter of the Cui family, though gentle, was actually quite opinionated. She was to be carefully observed; if she was a good person, she should be taught more; if not…

Granny He sighed inwardly.

The Empress Dowager was truly heartbroken over the Prince of Liang.

-

The day after Granny He moved into the Cui residence, Madam Li brought Cui Qinghui with her.

"Granny He," Madam Li said with a polite and considerate smile, "my youngest daughter, Qinghui, is still young, but it's time for her to learn manners. I always worry that she won't bring shame to the Cui family when she goes out in the future. Granny He comes from the palace and has extraordinary knowledge. I wonder if it would be possible for her to sit in on some lessons? It's always good for her to learn more."

Granny He glanced at Cui Qinghui behind Madam Li.

The eleven or twelve-year-old girl had delicate features and wore a pale yellow ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress). Her chin was slightly tucked in.

Granny He knew what was going on.

She knew perfectly well what Madam Cui was up to. She simply wanted her own daughter to benefit from it, giving her more leverage when it came time to arrange a marriage.

But she couldn't very well refuse outright.

Granny He turned to look at Cui Qingyi.

"It's a good thing that my sister is willing to improve herself, so I naturally have no objection," Cui Qingyi said casually. "It'll be more lively with more people around."

It doesn't matter. Basic etiquette lessons aren't exactly a secret, so let her listen if she wants.

Seeing that Cui Qingyi had agreed, Granny He nodded in agreement: "In that case, Second Miss, please come first thing tomorrow morning."

Li smiled with satisfaction, bowed to Cui Qinghui, and left with her daughter.

As Cui Qinghui walked out of the courtyard gate, he glanced back at Cui Qingyi's courtyard and slightly pursed his lips.

-

For the next few days, Granny He taught the two young ladies palace etiquette every morning.

The angle of bowing, the tact of speaking, how to address people of different ranks, the seating arrangements at palace banquets... everything was explained in great detail.

Cui Qingyi learned very quickly, so quickly that even Granny He was somewhat surprised.

"Your Highness's manners are excellent. This old servant has been teaching you for so many years, and this is the first time I've seen you learn so quickly."

Cui Qingyi smiled and said, "You taught her well, Granny."

Nonsense, there are at least eight hundred to a thousand banquets and social engagements.

These things are as natural to her as breathing.

But she couldn't overdo it, otherwise how could the daughter of a sixth-rank secretary have such a deep understanding of court etiquette?

So she deliberately "made mistakes" in some details, and then had Granny He correct her, making it seem like she "suddenly realized something".

Granny He saw this and nodded inwardly.

This future Princess Consort of Liang is truly intelligent and composed. If the Empress Dowager knew this, she would surely be much more at ease.

Cui Qinghui's journey was not so smooth.

She was raised by the Li family from a young age, so she naturally knew the rules, but the rules in the palace were more complicated and stricter than those in aristocratic families.

Granny He corrected her bowing angle several times, and although she responded on the surface, a hint of impatience flashed in her eyes.

On the fifth day, as usual, after teaching basic etiquette in the morning, Granny He kept Cui Qingyi behind.

"Your Highness, what this old servant is about to tell you is the temperament and preferences of the various noble ladies in the palace, as well as some... personal relationships that are not convenient to be disclosed." Granny He lowered her voice, "These things can only be known to Your Highness alone."

Cui Qingyi nodded: "I understand."

Granny He then began to explain in detail—

The Empress Dowager prefers quiet and dislikes people vying for favor and credit in her presence; she is most annoyed by weeping and wailing. The Empress comes from a prestigious family and is of dignified character, but in recent years she has hardly interfered in the affairs of the inner palace. The birth mothers of the princes each have their own temperaments…

Cui Qingyi listened attentively, nodding occasionally and asking a question or two now and then.

She knew some of this information in her previous life, but back then she was a lady-in-waiting and had limited contact with it. Now, hearing it from Granny He, many details matched up, and there were many things she didn't know in her previous life.

For example, the Empress Dowager actually disliked stupidity.

Therefore, when Prince Liang was a child, he was severely disliked by the Empress Dowager because he couldn't recite his lessons.

For example, the emperor's favoritism towards the Prince of Liang was based on this, perhaps because he had been severely reprimanded by the Empress Dowager when he was young.

Cui Qingyi just smiled and said that it's normal for young children to progress slowly when they start reading.

Granny He explained that when His Majesty was young, he could memorize a book after reading it two or three times.

So he got caught in the crossfire. I feel sorry for Prince Liang for a second.

No wonder the emperor favored his younger brother; perhaps he felt guilty.