The Prince's Beloved Little Wife

The next morning, after finishing his court duties, Ouyang Han went to Meilan Garden to see if Chen Mengyao was awake. When he entered, he saw Chen Mengyao making some strange movements, with music playing from a speaker nearby. He quickly went up to her and asked, "Yaoyao, what are you doing? Your movements are so strange." Chen Mengyao smiled and replied, "Oh, that's just the calisthenics I used to do when I was in school! It's very helpful for exercising." As she spoke, she gently stretched her arms and legs, as if she had returned to her energetic student days. Then, she looked at Ouyang Han expectantly and asked enthusiastically, "How about it? Would you like to try it too? I believe it will make you feel refreshed!"

Ouyang Han had been standing quietly to the side watching, but when he heard Chen Mengyao enthusiastically invite him to do the radio calisthenics together, a sense of curiosity and interest welled up inside him. He nodded slightly and walked briskly to Chen Mengyao's side.

As the music started, Chen Mengyao skillfully stretched out her arms and began the first exercise. Ouyang Han was a little clumsy, but he still tried his best to keep up with her rhythm. He carefully observed Chen Mengyao's movements, imitating her posture, sometimes raising his hands, sometimes kicking his legs.

Although he was a bit flustered at first, Ouyang Han didn't give up. He focused intently on it, constantly adjusting his movements, and gradually found his rhythm. Before long, sweat had soaked his forehead, but he persisted and completed the entire set of radio calisthenics with Chen Mengyao.

After resting for a while, Chen Mengyao took out some breakfast she had stockpiled from her spatial storage—things like steamed buns, soy milk, fried dough sticks, and rice noodle rolls—and said to Ouyang Han, "Come on, try my breakfast." It was Ouyang Han's first time eating Chen Mengyao's breakfast, and he found it very novel, especially the fried dough sticks and soy milk, which he had never seen before. While he was thinking, he inadvertently glanced at Chen Mengyao, who was enjoying her meal. She held a golden, crispy fried dough stick in her left hand and a steaming cup of soy milk in her right, eating with great relish. Her satisfied expression made one feel envious.

Inspired by Chen Mengyao, he couldn't help but pick up the fried dough sticks and soy milk in front of him, imitating her by taking a big bite of the fried dough stick, feeling the "crunch" in his mouth and the rich aroma that followed; then he took a big gulp of sweet soy milk, letting the mellow flavor slowly spread on his tongue. This seemingly simple combination brought him an unexpectedly delicious experience.

Next, Chen Mengyao happily savored the steaming, translucent rice noodle roll. She gently picked up a piece of rice noodle with her chopsticks and chewed it slowly. The smooth, chewy texture and delicious flavor of the rice noodle roll instantly filled her mouth, making her eyes slightly narrow and a satisfied smile spread across her face.

Meanwhile, seeing Chen Mengyao eating with such relish, Ouyang Han, sitting beside her, couldn't resist picking up his own chopsticks and carefully choosing a piece of rice noodle roll. He put it in his mouth, savoring its unique flavor. With each chew, the aroma of the rice noodle roll grew stronger, greatly increasing his appetite.

Both Ouyang Han and Chen Mengyao thoroughly enjoyed their breakfast. Ouyang Han thought it was the best breakfast he had ever had, perhaps because he was eating with her, or perhaps because it was a completely new and exciting breakfast he had never tried before.

After breakfast, Chen Mengyao went back to change her clothes and then went to the East Palace with Ouyang Han. Several maids and guards followed behind, each carrying a considerable amount of goods. Chen Mengyao asked them to put the items on the carriage first before they boarded. Because they had so much stuff, they had to use two carriages. Chen Mengyao, her maids, and Ouyang Han rode in one carriage, while the other carriage carried two guards and a pile of gifts.

They arrived at the East Palace quickly. After alighting from their carriages, the servants and guards at the gate, seeing Prince Jing arrive, hurriedly stepped forward to pay their respects. Some went inside to inform the steward, while others helped them arrange the carriages and unload their belongings. The steward quickly returned and led them inside. Inside, three beautiful women and a handsome man were already seated, their husbands and the eldest princess seated on the other side. Seated at the head of the table was the Crown Princess, wearing a long, bright red brocade dress embroidered with exquisite gold phoenix patterns, their wings outstretched as if about to soar into the clouds. Her black hair was styled in a magnificent phoenix bun, adorned with sparkling pearls and jade, the hairpins swaying gently with her movements, making a crisp sound. Her face was as white as snow, her eyes bright and deep like stars, radiating innate nobility and dignity.

Princess Wen wore a lake-blue silk robe, with delicate cloud patterns outlined in silver thread on the cuffs and collar. A light blue ribbon was tied around her waist into a pretty bow that hung to one side. She had an oval face, with crescent-shaped eyebrows and eyes, and two shallow dimples at the corners of her mouth when she smiled, making her look very sweet.

Looking again at Princess Duan, she wore a light purple gauze robe draped over her shoulders, over which she wore a white brocade strapless long dress. The light gauze moved in the wind, making her look like a fairy descending to earth. Her hair was loosely tied up, adorned only with a single mutton-fat jade hairpin, and she wore a pair of teardrop-shaped sapphire earrings. Her appearance was cool and beautiful, as pure and aloof as a plum blossom in the dead of winter.

The eldest princess's husband wore a black brocade robe embroidered with dark dragon patterns, exuding an aura of majesty. He had sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, a tall and upright figure, and every gesture he made revealed his heroic spirit and boldness.

From afar, the Crown Princess spotted Ouyang Han walking gracefully towards her, his hand linked with that of a woman! The woman was elegant and graceful, her clothes fluttering in the breeze, like a fairy descended from heaven. As they drew closer, the Crown Princess was able to examine the woman, named Chen Mengyao, more closely. She had a face like a peach blossom, eyebrows like distant mountains, and eyes like deep, clear lakes, captivating and alluring; a straight nose, and naturally red lips. Her slightly upturned eyes were as clear and captivating as a deep lake.

She wore a moon-white flowing fairy dress, the skirt layered like blooming white lotuses, each layer embroidered with delicate silver patterns, shimmering like ripples of moonlight as she moved. Over this dress was a gossamer-thin veil, embroidered with fluttering butterflies in the finest silk threads; a gentle breeze would make the butterflies seem ready to take flight.

A pale pink shawl draped over her shoulders, its ends swaying gently with her steps. Her hair, like a cloud, was partly styled into a simple yet elegant bun, adorned with a white jade carving, while the rest flowed naturally down her back. On her wrist hung a string of sparkling crystal bracelets, refracting iridescent light in the sunlight, perfectly complementing her refined气质 (qi zhi - inherent quality/temperament), making her captivating.

After seeing such a beautiful and charming woman, the Crown Princess and the other princesses understood why their third brother/brother was so infatuated with her. Not only was she stunningly beautiful, but she was also incredibly kind and compassionate. They had all learned about the extraordinary woman's deeds from their husbands, and they all admired her greatly.

The Crown Princess stepped forward, took Chen Mengyao's hand, and sat her down, saying warmly, "You must be Chen Mengyao, Han'er's fiancée? You're so beautiful. We've all tried the things you asked them to bring us; they're delicious! We never imagined you, sister-in-law, would have such wonderful food." Chen Mengyao humbly replied, "Thank you for the compliment, sister-in-law. I obtained them by chance from a traveling merchant. I'm glad you like them. I also brought you a gift today."

After speaking, she instructed the servants to bring up the boxes of gifts. She then told the Crown Princess and the two princesses that there were some women's items inside, and they could ask the eldest princess how to use them. She also told the驸马 (the prince consort) that his gifts included writing brushes, ink, paper, inkstones, poems, and songs. Everyone was delighted to hear this. They hadn't expected their sister-in-law/third sister-in-law to bring them gifts so specially, and they liked her even more.

The princesses had come meticulously prepared. They not only dressed themselves exquisitely but also brought valuable items of considerable worth. Just then, the elegant and graceful Crown Princess slowly rose to her feet. Her gaze, gentle and kind, fell upon Chen Mengyao, a faint smile playing on her lips. She then lightly gestured to her maid, who quickly stepped forward and respectfully presented Chen Mengyao with an exquisitely crafted sandalwood box.

The Crown Princess gracefully opened the box, and in an instant, a dazzling light emanated from it. Everyone looked closely and saw that it was a necklace made of top-quality rubies. Each gemstone was round and smooth, with a vivid, blood-red color, shimmering with a captivating luster, as if it contained endless mysterious power.

Following suit, the other princesses also presented their carefully prepared gifts. Some offered a pair of earrings carved from jade, their vibrant green color resembling newly sprouted leaves in spring; others presented a hairpin inlaid with diamonds and pearls, its exquisite craftsmanship breathtaking; still others presented a bracelet woven from silver wire, adorned with delicate sapphires, dazzling like stars twinkling in the night sky…

The prince consort, naturally unwilling to be outdone, smiled calmly and leisurely pulled an exquisitely crafted brocade box from his robes. The box was intricately carved with delicate patterns and emitted a faint fragrance. As he gently opened the box, a dazzling light burst forth, illuminating the entire room. Inside lay a breathtaking piece of jewelry! Crafted from rare treasures, its artistry was beyond imagination. Each gemstone was perfectly set, shimmering with captivating brilliance; every detail was exquisitely crafted, as if by nature's own hand. Everyone stared wide-eyed, involuntarily uttering exclamations of admiration.

These gifts were all exquisite and priceless treasures, displayed together to create a dazzling and colorful spectacle. Seeing such beautiful and valuable gifts, Chen Mengyao felt a little embarrassed to accept them, sitting there awkwardly, hesitant to move. The things she had given them weren't very valuable, yet they had given her such precious items. Just as she was about to refuse, the Crown Princess and several princesses insisted on pressing the gifts into her arms. The Prince Consort approached Chen Mengyao and personally placed the box in her hands, because he had just seen the gifts she had given him and found them very appealing—not only were there many writing brushes, inkstones, and paper, but also many precious books; the paper was of truly exceptional quality.

This scene immediately moved her to tears. Through her teary eyes, she said to them, "Thank you, elder sister-in-law, second sister-in-law, fourth sister-in-law, and elder brother-in-law. You are all so kind to me. Your gifts are too precious; I'm embarrassed to accept them." The Crown Princess quickly stepped forward to comfort her, saying, "Yao'er, don't be so embarrassed. I heard about what happened to you, and we all feel sorry for you. From now on, you're family with us; don't be so polite." The others echoed, "Yes. Just accept them. What you gave us is much better than these. We heard from our elder sister about the many benefits she experienced after using your women's products; what we have is nothing." The Prince Consort also said, "They're all right. From now on, we're family; there's no need to be so polite. The books, writing materials, and paper you gave me are far better than what I have now."

Chen Mengyao felt a warmth in her heart from their comforting words. She took out a handkerchief to wipe away her tears and said to them, "I'm glad you like my gift. I'll be selling these kinds of items in my future general store, and I'll give them to you whenever you come. Or, if you run out and it's inconvenient for you to leave the palace to buy more, just have someone come and ask me for them. You can have as many of these daily necessities as you want. I also have some other better things that I didn't bring. Come to the Prince's residence to find me another day, and I'll show them to you." "Then we won't stand on ceremony with you," the others said in unison.

And so, the group of women gathered together, chatting happily. The Crown Prince, several princes, and the Prince Consort sat on the other side, watching their radiant smiles, feeling joy and contentment. A family should be happy, united, and loving like this, not constantly scheming and hurting each other. They remembered this harmonious and joyful scene for many years to come.