Wasn't he supposed to be beaten to death? Why did this powerful cousin love him so much?

On New Year's Eve, it was Jiang Sese's first New Year's Eve after being named Princess Chenjia, and according to custom, she had to enter the palace for a banquet.

"Please bear with it, young lady, today is a big day," Hongdou comforted her as she straightened her skirt. "This auspicious robe was personally bestowed by His Majesty; so many people will be envious if you wear it out."

Although Fuyun didn't say anything, she nodded in agreement.

Jiang Sese yawned and mumbled a reply, thinking to herself that throughout history, women have suffered the same hardships for the sake of appearances.

Wearing these six layers of auspicious robes makes one look like a wrapped rice dumpling, but fortunately the colors are indeed beautiful. The pomegranate red base is woven with subtle gold thread patterns, and it shimmers under the light.

The process of entering the palace went very smoothly.

Now that she has the rank of princess, she no longer needs to change sedan chairs and check her waist token as she did the first time she entered the palace.

The imperial guards at the palace gates bowed to her sedan chair, and the eunuchs leading the way were also very enthusiastic.

The New Year's Eve banquet was held in the Wenhua Hall, which was brightly lit with hundreds of candles burning on gilded candlesticks, making the whole hall look magnificent.

Jiang Sese was led to her seat and looked around—to her left were Chen Yi, Chen Pei, and other princesses; to her right was Princess Yunhe, Chen Shixuan. Above them were Consort Zhang, Consort Hui, Consort Liu, and other concubines. The throne at the very head of the table was still empty, as Emperor Jingyuan had not yet arrived.

As soon as Chen Yi saw her, he came over and said in a low voice, "Sese, you've finally arrived! We've been waiting for quite a while. It's New Year's Eve today. Do you think His Majesty will ask you to compose a poem? In previous years, at the New Year's Eve palace banquet, Father would always choose a few people to compose poems on the spot."

Jiang Sese: "...I don't think so?"

Let's spare her.

She secretly prayed that Emperor Jingyuan would not ask her to compose a poem that night.

Although she had practiced calligraphy for a few days after transmigrating here, she was completely clueless about classical poetry, except for a few poems she had memorized in elementary and middle school textbooks.

Chen Shixuan sat quietly next to her, listening to them talk without saying a word.

Today, Chen Shixuan wore a light blue auspicious dress embroidered with silver orchids, and a red gold hairpin with pearls in its hair. The pearls reflected the candlelight, making her look as gentle and refined as jade.

Jiang Sese turned to look at her and saw that she was just smiling with her lips pursed, so she leaned closer and teased in a low voice, "Why isn't Sister Shixuan saying anything? She's just secretly enjoying herself here by herself."

Chen Shixuan smiled slightly and said, "I think it's really nice of you all to do this."

Jiang Sese smiled and moved closer to her, asking, "Speaking of which, I haven't properly asked you yet—how have you been lately? How is your husband treating you? Are you settling in well with your husband's family?"

Chen Shixuan lowered her eyes slightly, a faint smile appearing on her lips, and said, "Everything is fine. He treats me very gently and has never lost his temper with me. I like reading, so he found many rare books for me."

Jiang Sese listened with a smile, and exclaimed, "That's wonderful!"

Chen Shixuan smiled and said, "I used to dread social gatherings during holidays. I didn't know what to say when I saw people, and my smiles felt awkward. I always felt like everyone was staring at me. Now, even though I still have to visit people at my husband's house, he's with me, so I'm not afraid anymore. He walks in front to shield me, and I just follow."

Jiang Sese couldn't help but smile and sigh, "Sister Shixuan speaks with more confidence now than before. It seems that her husband is indeed a good man."

As Chen Shixuan was speaking, she suddenly paused, as if hesitating whether to continue.

Chen Shixuan thought for a moment, then said softly, "There's something I haven't told you yet. Last month, I had the two maids who have served me since I was a child surgically removed and made them his concubines."

Jiang Sese's smile froze slightly. Thinking she had misheard, she asked in astonishment, "You voluntarily arranged for Wen Shiyu to take a concubine?"

"It's not taking a concubine, it's having her face opened." Chen Shixuan nodded, her expression calm and gentle.

"They've served me since they were little, and we're very close. I even have their indentures. I figured it was better to let my own people have it than to let some unknown women take advantage of me. After all, they're under my watchful eye. Besides, if they get what they deserve, they'll naturally appreciate my kindness even more and serve me even better."

Jiang Sese remained silent for a long while before finding her voice: "...Why?"

Chen Shixuan looked at her with some puzzlement, her tone still gentle and soft: "What? What's so strange about that? I... I have times when I'm not feeling well every month, and I can't keep Shi Yuqian waiting. Rather than making him unhappy, I'd rather take the initiative to make arrangements."

Jiang Sese opened her mouth, her mind racing with thoughts, but looking at Chen Shixuan's matter-of-fact face, she swallowed her words. What could she say?

Should men and women be equal?

Unequal.

Jiang Sese remained silent for a long while before finding her voice, "Those two maids...did they want to be like this?"

"Of course I'm willing, I asked them." Chen Shixuan nodded.

"They have served me since they were young, and we have a deep bond. I also have their indentures. If they give birth to any children, I will fight for their right to be recognized and will never mistreat them."

Jiang Sese was completely speechless.

Chen Shixuan spoke these words in such a calm tone that it was as if she were arranging household affairs rather than personally sending her childhood maid to her husband's bed.

Jiang Sese, on the contrary, felt that she was making a fuss over nothing.

Seeing her silence, Chen Shixuan gently squeezed her hand, her tone more comforting, her eyes filled with envy and worry: "I know the Xie family's eldest branch has a rule against taking concubines, something others can only envy. But—the pressure of bearing children in the future will fall entirely on your shoulders."

Most ordinary people couldn't afford to support concubines, but if the first wife had no children, they would have to grit their teeth and take another concubine. No offspring meant the end of the family line.

Jiang Sese suddenly understood why Chen Shixuan had to have the maid's face tattooed.

In this era, the greatest value of a legal wife is bearing a legitimate son.

If she didn't have a concubine to share the burden of childbirth, she would have to give birth one child after another on her own.

Chen Shixuan chose the former; she preferred to send the maid to her husband's bed.

Seeing Jiang Sese's silence, Chen Shixuan realized she had said the wrong thing. It was the New Year, and she really shouldn't have brought it up. If she had said it to the other married girls, perhaps they would have understood.

But Sese wasn't married yet, so she naturally didn't know the hardships of marriage. Her words only added to Sese's worries. Chen Shixuan secretly regretted this and quickly changed the subject, teasingly saying, "On another note, everyone in the capital knows how Lord Xie treats you. What do you have to worry about? Let me tell you, I was so nervous on my wedding day that I couldn't sleep, tossing and turning all night. Later I realized that when the day actually came, it wasn't as scary as I thought. Because the person standing opposite me was someone I was willing to entrust my life to."

Jiang Sese felt her ears burn at her words, pulled her hand over and gently squeezed it, then smiled and said, "Sister Shixuan, you know how to make fun of people now."

Chen Shixuan smiled and replied, "I learned all of this from you guys."

Jiang Sese pretended to tickle her, and Chen Shixuan quickly dodged to the side, and the two of them laughed.

As they were speaking, a long, drawn-out greeting suddenly came from outside the hall—

"His Majesty has arrived!"