A Concubine's Competitive Life in the Prince's Household-Chapter 156

Shen Wei looked at the staff of the Glazed Pavilion with a smile and said, "You’ll have to work harder these next few days—help me sort through the old accounts and draft new rules."

"If you run into any difficulties I can’t resolve, go consult Steward Fugui. Remember to be humble and polite when asking for advice."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Especially Cai Lian and Cai Ping, whose eyes burned with ambition. Previously, the servants of the Glazed Pavilion had held low status. But now, by diligently following Shen Wei, they were climbing the ranks step by step, inching closer to the pinnacle of power within the prince’s household.

How could they not be thrilled?

How could they not feel accomplished?

In the days that followed, Shen Wei began taking full charge of managing the prince’s household. Overall, things went smoothly.

Five or six days later, the imperial court was on break, and Prince Yan stayed home. On a bright afternoon, he leisurely reviewed military reports from the border in his study.

Guards stood watch at the door.

As Prince Yan focused on the documents, he suddenly heard faint footsteps outside, accompanied by a delicate floral fragrance. Without even guessing, he knew it was Shen Wei.

His eyes still on the papers, Prince Yan pricked up his ears, waiting for her to enter.

But after a long pause, the footsteps stopped near the curio shelf, and there was no further movement. Curious, he looked up and saw Shen Wei hiding like a cat, her slender figure casting a shadow beyond the bookshelf.

"What are you hiding for?" Prince Yan set down the documents, his lips curling into a doting smile.

Shen Wei peeked out from behind the shelf, her almond-shaped eyes meeting his, her face tinged with chagrin. "How did Your Highness know I was hiding? I didn’t even have the guards announce me."

Prince Yan thought it was obvious.

Among the wives and concubines in his household, only Shen Wei dared to play "hide-and-seek" with him. He found it refreshing—every interaction with her brought new layers of amusement.

So he occasionally indulged her playfulness.

Sheepishly, Shen Wei stepped into view. Today, she wore a deep purple gown embroidered with gold, her hair adorned with a hairpin gifted by Prince Yan. With rosy lips and pearly teeth, she stood gracefully by the shelf.

After stealing a quick glance at Prince Yan, she walked past the rows of bookshelves like a child caught misbehaving and settled onto the gold-embroidered divan beside him.

On the desk lay a plate of half-eaten cloud-slice cakes. Shen Wei instinctively picked one up to taste. "I just wanted to sneak in and see if Your Highness was busy. If you were, I’d have left quietly."

As it happened, Prince Yan had no pressing matters today.

His lips quirked as he gazed at her. "No one visits without a reason. What brings you here, sneaking around like this?"

Shen Wei scratched her head sheepishly. "Well, managing the household has hit a snag..." Her eyes flickered up to Prince Yan briefly.

In good spirits, Prince Yan said, "Go on. Let me hear it."

Shen Wei launched into her complaints. "Your Highness, managing a household is no easy task. With Nanny Rong’s help, things have been mostly smooth. But recently, I’ve run into trouble—two manors in the eastern suburbs have falsified accounts. I sent people to investigate, but the stewards refuse to admit it. I’m at a loss for how to handle this."

Pausing, she looked at Prince Yan with hopeful eyes. "I heard that when Your Highness managed military affairs in the south, you commanded tens of thousands of soldiers with flawless order. Running a household must be similar. I came to seek your wisdom—please guide me."

As she spoke, she tugged lightly at Prince Yan’s brocade sleeve, her tone both coaxing and reliant.

Prince Yan chuckled.

He had thought it was something serious, but it was just an unruly steward.

Still, he considered that Shen Wei came from humble origins and lacked experience in household management. It was understandable that she saw such a minor issue as significant.

With a little guidance, given her intelligence, she’d surely grasp the solution quickly.

Prince Yan took out a brush and paper, writing down four characters: "Carrot and Stick." Like a scholarly tutor, he patiently explained, "When subordinates defy orders and stir trouble, use both reward and punishment. Intimidate them with authority, then tempt them with small favors..."

Incense smoke curled from the sandalwood burner.

Using military affairs as an example, Prince Yan taught Shen Wei the art of management.

She listened attentively, nodding frequently. Whenever she didn’t understand, she asked questions. By the end, her eyes shone with admiration. "Your Highness is truly remarkable!"

After an incense stick’s worth of time, Shen Wei could no longer contain her admiration. She stood up cheerfully. "I understand now! I’ll go apply Your Highness’s method right away."

With a delighted curtsy, she lifted her skirts and left the study. Prince Yan watched her slender figure retreat like a fluttering purple butterfly, his eyes brimming with affection.

After leaving Prince Yan’s study, Shen Wei returned to the Glazed Pavilion with Cai Ping.

Summer was approaching, and the weather was growing warmer. Fanning herself with a silk fan, Shen Wei said, "Cai Ping, go tell Nanny Rong to take ten guards to the suburban manors. Today, those old foxes must hand over the real account books."

Cai Ping followed behind, puzzled. "My lady, if you already knew how to solve the problem, why did you still seek Prince Yan’s advice?"

Since gaining authority over the household, Cai Ping had noticed that her seemingly delicate mistress had a well-thought-out system for managing the estate.

Shen Wei excelled at utilizing talent and resolving conflicts.

She could have managed the household perfectly without Prince Yan’s guidance—yet she still sought his counsel...

Shen Wei paused and glanced at Cai Ping. "People must learn to play dumb sometimes. Even geniuses need a growth process."

In Prince Yan’s eyes, Shen Wei was lovely and charming. That he allowed her to manage the household was largely due to the empress’s strong recommendation.

Deep down, Prince Yan didn’t believe Shen Wei was capable.

If she had taken over the household affairs flawlessly from the start, without a single misstep, what would Prince Yan think?

A peasant girl mastering household management in just a few days? Unthinkable. He’d suspect her identity—even wonder if she had ulterior motives from the beginning.

So Shen Wei couldn’t reveal her competence immediately. She had to feign ignorance, make a few deliberate mistakes, and pretend to struggle.

When she encountered difficulties, she would turn to Prince Yan—the only one she "trusted." With his "brilliant guidance," she could then resolve the issues.

This gave Prince Yan the illusion that, under his patient tutelage, this novice had gradually learned the ropes of household management.

What was this called?

It ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‍was called the art of cultivation.

...

At dusk, Prince Yan arrived at the Glazed Pavilion under the setting sun. Little Leyou, now able to crawl, wriggled around in her pink infant gown on the cool mat.

Recognizing Prince Yan’s scent, the baby clumsily turned and crawled toward him, babbling excitedly.

"My sweet girl, come to your father." Prince Yan picked up his clingy daughter, his heart swelling with joy.

Little Leyou didn't get her milk, so she wrapped her tiny arms around Prince Yan's neck and pressed her face against his, searching for milk. With no teeth yet, she only left a trail of wet, drooly kisses.

Prince Yan didn't mind at all—in fact, he was overjoyed.

His daughter had kissed him!