Chapter 19: Operation Capture-the-Heart
The early autumn night air seemed to carry the scent of the harvest. Mo Shuihan startled awake from a nightmare yet again. He habitually wiped the sweat from his brow, got out of bed, and poured himself a glass of cold tea, downing it in one gulp to suppress the hatred that threatened to boil over within him.
He pushed open the window and looked up at the bright moon. From the grass below, the chirping of insects created a clear, crisp chorus. A gust of autumn wind made him shiver, but he remained standing by the window. He sighed deeply, his thoughts turning to the guard, An Feng, whom he had seen that afternoon. From there, his mind drifted, somehow, to the Ninth Princess. When the truth of everything was finally revealed, would she be hurt? And would she hate him for his deception?
He shook his head, trying to clear it of such distracting thoughts. Ten years ago, my path was set. I had no choice. As for the Ninth Princess… I must make a clean break. I can’t let this entanglement continue.
The next morning, Mo Shuihan opened his door to a familiar scene. Chunlan and Qiu Ju were once again blocking his path with two large, spiked clubs.
“What is it today?” he asked, his face expressionless. “Be quick, I have matters to attend to.”
The princess could sense a change in him; he seemed to have reverted to the cold, distant person he was when they first met. She asked cautiously, “Prince Consort, what’s wrong?”
Mo Shuihan didn’t answer. Instead, he glanced at the bowl of medicine in a maid’s hands. “Is it the medicine again?”
Before the princess could speak, he took the bowl, drained it, and showed her the empty bottom. “May I go now?” he asked coolly.
The princess lowered the hand she had raised to stop him. Mo Shuihan gestured for Shi Yu and Shi Yue to push past the maids blocking his way. He gave the princess a formal bow and left. She stared after his retreating figure, completely at a loss.
Shi Yu, unable to bear seeing her so dejected, offered a quiet word of comfort. “Please don’t be sad, Princess. The Young Master must have had another nightmare last night. He is always in a bad mood for a while after one.”
The princess turned to her. “Do you know why he always has nightmares?”
Shi Yu shook her head. “The Young Master never speaks of his troubles to anyone. I don’t know either.”
Feeling dejected, the princess listlessly made her way back inside. She picked at her food, her mind elsewhere. Nanny Shen watched her and sighed. “To capture a husband’s heart, you must first cater to his interests and cultivate shared hobbies. That is how you’ll get his attention. The way you are now, always tormenting him, he can’t wait to get away from you. How could he ever open his heart to you?”
The princess looked at her, desperate for help. “Then how do I cater to the Prince Consort’s interests?”
Nanny Shen thought for a moment. “I’ve got it! Didn’t the Prince Consort mention his love for music? Why don’t you learn to play a piece for him, Princess? You must know, what men find most irresistible is a well-read, gentle, and graceful woman. A man like the Prince Consort is sure to appreciate that even more. If you can show him that side of you, his heart will surely be moved.”
The princess’s eyes lit up. She stood and slapped the table. “Alright! For the Prince Consort, I will give it my all!”
In her quest to master the qin, the princess didn’t bother Mo Shuihan for three whole days. Mo Shuihan, while relieved, found the peace somewhat unbelievable. His suspicions were confirmed three days later when, upon entering the residence, he found Chunlan standing in a familiar spot, with a familiar smile, making a familiar gesture. “Prince Consort, the Princess requests your presence.”
He knew it!
Mo Shuihan followed Chunlan to a small bridge in the rear garden. He saw the Ninth Princess sitting under a tree by the lake, her fingers plucking at the strings of a qin. He raised an eyebrow. So… she’s changed her tactics?
The moment she saw him, she immediately adopted a gentle and elegant posture. A series of notes flowed from the strings. Mo Shuihan stopped and listened until she finished. The princess then stood up proudly and walked over to him. “Prince Consort, how was my playing?”
Mo Shuihan nodded. “Very special.” He wasn’t sure how she’d managed it, but not a single note had been in tune.
She lifted her chin. “I practiced this for a very long time. Back in the day, among all my sisters in the palace, I was the best player!”
She then theatrically rubbed her wrist and sighed. “Ah, it’s been so long since I’ve played. I’ve gotten a bit rusty.”
Mo Shuihan bit his lower lip. “I can tell. Very rusty indeed.”
Noticing his strange expression, the princess glanced back at Nanny Shen and the maids. She saw them biting their lips, their faces red from holding back laughter. Nanny Shen was frantically waving her hands, mouthing: You’re overdoing it!
She turned back to Mo Shuihan and put on the air of a noble lady. “Doesn’t the Prince Consort enjoy music? Might I ask what your favorite composition is?”
“High Mountains, Flowing Water,” he replied.
The princess clapped her hands together, as if she’d found a kindred spirit. “Oh, what a coincidence! The very first piece I learned as a child was ‘High Mountains, Flowing Water.’ It took me over a month to master it. To reward me, Father Emperor gifted me this very qin. I even used this qin to play it for him at his birthday banquet. He praised me for it!”
“Ah?” Mo Shuihan turned stiffly to look at the instrument. It was indeed a fine qin, but a qin nonetheless. If he remembered correctly, wasn’t “High Mountains, Flowing Water” a piece for the guzheng?
The princess continued to sing her own praises while Mo Shuihan offered a strained, polite smile. “To learn ‘High Mountains, Flowing Water’ in just a month, you are truly gifted.”
This made her even prouder. “Shall I play it for you someday, Prince Consort?”
Mo Shuihan pressed his lips together. “On this same qin?”
The princess nodded. “Of course.”
He gave her a thumbs-up. “I look forward to your performance. However, I have something to attend to right now, so I must take my leave.”
The maids were nearly bursting from holding in their laughter. The moment Mo Shuihan was gone, they all ducked their heads and let out muffled giggles. Nanny Shen and Xia He went to the princess, who was still basking in her own glory. “Princess, you were exaggerating a bit too much. And that piece you played… not a single note was in tune from beginning to end. It was all wrong!”
“What?” The princess’s eyes widened. “Really?”
They both nodded. “It is a testament to the Prince Consort’s good manners that he managed to listen to the entire thing. We could hardly bear it! And then you went on to boast even more, saying you learned ‘High Mountains, Flowing Water’ in a month. For heaven’s sake, you learned music as a child. How could you not know the difference between a qin and a guzheng?”
The princess was thoroughly confused. “The qin and the guzheng… is there a difference?”
Xia He sighed in despair. “Princess, what are you going to do when the Prince Consort asks you to make good on your promise and play ‘High Mountains, Flowing Water’ for him?”
The princess scratched her head, looking guilty. “So this method failed. Why don’t we… try something else? Of the four arts—music, chess, calligraphy, and painting—there are still three left to try, right? I remember the Prince Consort is also skilled at painting. Perhaps I should learn to paint?”
Xia He sucked in a breath. “You… you really intend to learn painting?”
The princess nodded righteously. “Of course. It has to be easier than playing the qin, right?”
“Let’s hope you last a day,” Xia He muttered under her breath.
As predicted, the princess gave up after half a day. Staring at the dishes on the dinner table, she announced another change of plans. “Since the four arts won’t work, why don’t we… start with being a virtuous wife and good mother? I’ll cook a meal for the Prince Consort!”
Her maids waved their hands in alarm. “Princess, bad music can be tolerated, but a bad stomach is a serious problem.”
The princess wouldn’t listen. On a whim, she dragged the head chef into the kitchens to teach her how to cook. When Mo Shuihan returned home, he was greeted by a table of colorful, bizarre dishes, most of which were completely unrecognizable.
He took a deep breath. “Is this… for me?”
The princess, busy setting out chopsticks, nodded enthusiastically. “Yes! I was busy all afternoon. Quick, try some!”
Mo Shuihan shook his head without a second thought. “I’ve already eaten out.” My great revenge is not yet complete. I can’t die from some strange poison.
The princess tugged at his sleeve, whining, “Prince Consort, just have one bite. I worked on this for so long. At least give me some face.”
Resigned, Mo Shuihan picked up his chopsticks. He hesitated for a long time before finally finding a dish that looked slightly less strange. He took a tiny piece, swallowed it whole without chewing, and hastily said, “It’s good. Thank you for your hard work, Princess.” Then he beat a hasty retreat.
The princess failed to stop him and stomped her foot in frustration. “What ‘good’? He was just being perfunctory! He ate the dried chili I was using for garnish!”
Qiu Ju offered some sympathetic advice. “Princess, let it go. It was already a great feat of courage for the Prince Consort to take even one bite of your cooking. None of us dared to try it.” Poor Prince Consort.
The princess glared at her. “Whose maid are you?”
Then she muttered a vow to herself, “I won’t give up. I will find a way to capture the Prince Consort’s heart.”
