Volume One, Chapter 19: The Male Companion

Early the next morning, the Yongning Palace buzzed with activity. Hearing that the Eldest Princess was looking to select handsome men, many court officials vied to present the most attractive youths from their own households.

Ning Yunshu reclined on a chaise longue in the courtyard, while Nanny Gui read from a scroll. The scroll detailed the origins, names, ages, and special talents of each man, and those whose names were called stepped forward for Ning Yunshu to personally inspect.

"Presented by the Ministry of Justice, named Chang Ge, age sixteen, skilled in sword dancing! Presented by the Grand Secretariat's mansion, named Wei Qing, age twenty, skilled in painting! Presented by the Metropolitan Commandery, named Zi Xuan, skilled in the flute!"

Ning Yunshu lifted her eyes to scan the new group before her. They were all dashing, graceful young men, a sight dazzling enough to overwhelm her senses. However, a man clad in striking red robes caught her attention instantly.

"You are called Chang Ge?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I am," he replied, keeping his gaze lowered, his expression tinged with aloofness.

Ning Yunshu examined him closely. He wore a flamboyant red robe, and his round eyes seemed to hold the depth of autumn waters. With his delicate nose and full lips, he possessed a feminine beauty that made him appear quite effeminate.

"Dance for me," she said, shifting into a languid, soft posture.

"As you command."

After acknowledging, Chang Ge swept his gaze across the surroundings, his eyes settling precisely on the sword at the waist of a nearby guard. In a flash, he leapt forward; before the guard could react, the sword was already in Chang Ge's hand.

The guard was about to shout for the imperial guards, but a wave of Ning Yunshu’s hand stopped him. A look of pleasant surprise crossed her face; she had not expected to find someone with such skill among those sent today.

Chang Ge wielded the long sword, spinning into a dance. Each movement appeared soft and graceful, yet the blade sliced through the wind with a whistling sound. The crimson robes fluttered in the courtyard like the blooming petals of a manjusaka on the banks of the underworld.

A smile deepened on Ning Yunshu’s lips. The man sent by the Ministry of Justice—this was interesting.

Everyone was stunned by his performance, but in the next second, the long sword pointed directly at Ning Yunshu.

"Princess!" Nanny Gui cried out, rushing to shield her. But the sword merely hovered in the air, having cleanly pierced a leaf falling from above.

Chang Ge performed a flourish with the sword and knelt on one knee, his voice incredibly gentle. "Princess, this servant has made a fool of himself."

Nanny Gui moved aside, her heart still fluttering, but Ning Yunshu remained calm. She knew the Ministry of Justice had no enmity with her. While they certainly had motives for sending men, they would never be so brazen as to attempt an assassination. The sword strike was simply the young man’s mischievous nature.

"Nanny, bestow the token," Ning Yunshu said, satisfied.

Nanny Gui let out a long sigh of relief, glared at the kneeling man, and reluctantly produced a token. "Granted, stay at the Weiyu Pavilion."

Weiyu Pavilion was located by the lake on the south side of the Yongning Palace, offering privacy while maintaining distance from the main hall. Ning Yunshu had arranged for all the male favorites selected to stay there. The token, carved with an apricot blossom, served as a pass for the Yongning Palace; without it, one would be treated as an unauthorized intruder and executed.

"Many thanks, Princess!"

Though he kept his head low, Ning Yunshu caught a flicker of reluctance on his face. She curled her lips, feeling quite satisfied with his reaction. After all, if someone had been all too eager to stay, she would have been more concerned.

***

When Ning Yu and Ning Moxue arrived, the courtyard was in full revelry. A handsome man in light attire was dancing, while others played the zither or struck chimes. Many more waited outside the gates, all of them possessing extraordinary looks. Ning Yunshu sat on a swing under a ginkgo tree, waving a round fan in a leisurely manner.

"Sister..." Ning Moxue’s eyes widened like copper bells. Looking around at the courtyard full of men, she was struck by an indescribable shock. At this rate, even if she summoned one each night, it would take half a year before she even repeated a face.

Ning Yu, furious, strode forward and kicked the dancing man several paces away. Everyone was startled; upon recognizing the intruder, they knelt in silence, not daring to draw a breath. The lively courtyard fell so still that the grinding of Ning Yu's knuckles could be heard.

He stopped before Ning Yunshu and hauled her up by the arm. "Utterly absurd! Do you have any shred of dignity left as a princess?"

Ning Yunshu brushed his hand away and took a half-step back, a mocking smile on her lips. "Why is the Crown Prince so angry? I am merely bored in the palace and looking for some entertainment."

"Debauchery and corruption of the inner court—that is what you call entertainment!"

"If you are determined to convict, you will always find a pretext," Ning Yunshu countered.

Ning Moxue hurried forward, frowning. "Sister, the Crown Prince is only concerned for you. If Father hears of this, he will surely be enraged. You should send these people out of the palace immediately."

Ning Yunshu covered her mouth and chuckled, looking at Ning Moxue. "Little sister, look at them. They are skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, and singing. When you are bored in the palace in the future, you can come to me for some amusement. Is that not wonderful?"

Ning Moxue was horrified. What outrageous talk was this? As the noble Princess Mingzhu, how could she engage in such scandalous behavior as a princess who had been sent away for a marriage alliance?

"Enough! Xue'er is pure-hearted and would never wallow in the mire with you!" Ning Yu roared.

Ning Yunshu sighed softly and turned toward the male favorites kneeling on the ground. "Does the Crown Prince know that during my years among the Xiongnu, I was like them? I knelt on the ground to provide amusement for others. Now that I have returned to the capital, I simply wish to experience the same pleasure. What is wrong with that?"

Ning Yu looked at the kneeling men; they were shivering, dressed in gaudy robes, as lowly as mud. He could hardly imagine that his sister, whom he had cherished like a treasure since childhood, had been treated like a plaything just like these base servants.

"Impossible! You are a princess of the Great Su! Did the Xiongnu have the guts to treat you this way?" Ning Yu’s eyes were bloodshot, convinced this was yet another lie she had concocted to achieve her goals.

Ning Yunshu chuckled as she looked at him. "Does the Crown Prince not remember? The old Chanyu passed away just three months after my arrival. After Huhanje succeeded him, he disregarded our peace treaty as if it were nothing. He did not even hold the Xuanwu Army in high regard—would he treat a princess of a marriage alliance as an honored guest?"

Ning Yu froze. The smile at the corner of her lips was incredibly desolate, and her once-proud eyes were filled with deep hatred. Perhaps this time, she was not lying. But how dared Huhanje! This was his sister, the princess of the Great Su! He had actually dared to make her kneel like these entertainers to please others!

Ning Yu’s fists tightened. "Utterly rampant! I will destroy them all sooner or later!"

Ning Moxue also bit her lip, her eyes welling with tears. "Sister, rest assured, Brother Yan will certainly not let the Hu go unpunished!"

"If that is the case, why has General Shen not yet marched to battle?" Ning Yunshu asked, amused.

Both of them were speechless.

Why? Because the Xiongnu were resting and building their strength, while the imperial court was unwilling to allocate grain and supplies for the Xuanwu Army to pursue their victory. They claimed the treasury was empty and increased taxes year after year, yet the palace was filled with extravagant construction and nightly feasts, while the wealthy and powerful lived in opulent luxury.

"Father has his own plans; you are a woman of the inner palace, so do not ask!" Ning Yu waved his hand, turning the topic back. "Send these people out of the palace immediately, or else I..."

"Great... Great Prince?"

Hearing the voice, Ning Yu looked over. Li Jun was approaching from the hall, carrying a plate of crystal-clear peeled grapes.

"Why are you here?!" Ning Yu asked, his brow furrowing.

Li Jun wore a look of triumph and glanced at Ning Yunshu. "Your Highness, thanks to the kindness of the Eldest Princess, I shall be staying at the Weiyu Pavilion of the Yongning Palace starting today, responsible for serving the Eldest Princess."

Ning Yu was dumbfounded, watching as Li Jun fawningly presented the grapes to Ning Yunshu.

Ning Yunshu picked up a grape and said with a sigh, "Crown Prince, these people are quite to my liking. If I sent them away, I would truly be reluctant."

Ning Yu’s momentum instantly dissipated as he began to ponder. He had been wondering how to bring Li Jun and her together. He hadn't expected Li Jun to be so sharp; he must have heard the news about her selecting male favorites in advance and lowered his status to enter the palace as one of them.

Such devotion and the ability to bend and stretch certainly made him worthy of being her consort! Wasn't this the perfect opportunity? His judgment was indeed correct! The person he chose for her was a perfect match! Although keeping male favorites was a bit scandalous, her status was different now, and no one dared to criticize her.

Ning Moxue, aware of Ning Yu’s plan, understood what he was thinking as soon as she saw Li Jun. In that case, why not lend a hand? If Li Jun could truly become her consort, Ning Yunshu would no longer be obsessed with Brother Yan!

"Brother," Ning Moxue stepped forward, blinking her eyes and speaking softly. "Do not blame sister. These entertainers are, after all, just servants. It is not unreasonable for sister to use them for amusement."

Ning Yu pretended to be reluctant and glanced sideways at Ning Yunshu. "Since Xue'er has said so... fine! You have grown wings, and I can no longer control you!"

Ning Yunshu swept her gaze over the two of them, smiling without a word. The two of them were singing the same tune, but their acting was truly clumsy! However, this fellow who loved peeling grapes was not entirely useless; at least he had been able to shut Ning Yu’s mouth for the moment!

"Eldest Princess, Noble Consort Xiao is here!"

As soon as the servant finished the announcement, Noble Consort Xiao rushed in without waiting to be stopped. However, upon seeing the lively scene in the courtyard, she stood frozen, the tears she had been preparing to shed forgotten.

Ning Yunshu raised an eyebrow slightly. Her Yongning Palace had not been this bustling for a long time! Noble Consort Xiao certainly had a knack for appearing at just the right time.