Song Ning is standing in the room where she last put up the painting to dry in the Prince mansion. She decided to complete the painting. After the final touch up, the ladies are delighted to see the entire painting. It is a landscape with all the details paint in. Unlike the usual Chinese paint, it is painted in Chinese color ink. They ask the butler to arrange and have it hang up in the hall where they receive guest. The old butter smile broadly as he is handed over the painting. He look at it and said.
"Ah it would be better if the Prince is painted in as well!"
"Oh did we forget him?!"
"… shall we hang it somewhere else?"
"No just hang it in the hall. We will replace it with another."
"It is so pretty! Unlike the usual one person stiff sitting position. I like this better! It's a happy family! Only the Prince is missing it in!"
They all laugh and walk towards a smaller hall with refreshments waiting for them.
While having tea, the wives of the prince talk about their past. Song Ning then understand why he marry them. Each of them have their own stories to tell.
Concubine Chen Huan Xing is born the fourth daughter to a county magistrate. She is tall, slim and have a child-like face. Her character is that she says whatever that is in her mind. She seldom lie about what she said. When she was ten, she and her sisters are bought to live in the capital. At that time, she got to know a princess and together they cause chaos in the capital. They become small bullies by taking advantage of the princess title and status. At that time in the young age of twelve, a marquise introduce to them some drugs that they can smoke. The group of boys and girls together with the princess smoke day and night. Till concubine Chen reach the age of thirteen, she becomes unstable and talk nonsense all the time. Her family confine her in her room where she becomes violent. Without a choice, the family wrote to her father and he comes to the capital. Magistrate Chen used the whip on her to discipline. In the middle of whipping, she break free and run frantically in the night for her life with her father and servants chasing her. In her hurry, she was nearly knock down by a carriage. At that time, the prince was only seven. He saw a girl being chased. The father of concubine Chen understand from the carriage design, it belongs to the royalty. Even not knowing who it is, he bow and announce his official position in court. While concubine Chen struggle to get up and she hop up onto the carriage and repeatedly hit the door asking for help. Li Tan Ye who is inside asked his guard to let her in. She scramble in and plead for help not to be whipped. The Third Prince, inside his carriage inform magistrate Chen that he will put up the girl till she is clear in her mind. The carriage move off with the magistrate feeling frustrated. While concubine Chen who is shaking non stop is given a cup of tea. She look at the prince with the dark eye circles that form at her eyes over the years. He look at her untie hair and her dress which have some blood stains on it. From the moment they met, they strike a friendship. She stayed in his mansion and never venture outside without him. Even she is older, he seems to be wiser. She start learning how to read and write with the teacher that is employed to teach The Third Prince. Together they become friends that no one can understand besides their own. At the age of fourteen, her family request that she return home. She protest and in the end, The Third Prince proposed that he marry her as a concubine so that she can stay in his mansion. In addition, if she find someone that she loves and want to marry, she is free to do so. Thus, she married into the royalty. Her father is both anxious and excited to be related to the royal family. Their family over night become somehow important in court. While concubine Chen from onwards never create problems for her family and the Third Prince. She remain quiet and the same as years pass by. She is contented to what she have now. As long as she have a roof over her head, nothing else matters. The slashes behind her back have heal long ago but her heart never heal from the whipping that her father given to her. She never contact the Chen family after her marriage. She never send them any gifts on the Luar New Year. When they send gifts, they are rejected year after year. Finally, they stop sending. Her father and brothers continue to have a good relationship in court and The Third Prince. In secret, her brothers are the scholars who are helping the Third Prince to fan the problems in court quietly. In return, The Third Prince protect the Chen family quietly in his own way. He make sure that no one will think of removing the Ling family in court. They steadfast with a common goal with the Third Prince. This is to ensure that the Chen family will stay long in this dynasty.
She look at Song Ning with her hooded eyes and smile.
"Your eyes are big unlike mine but you have that kind of look at men like and want to keep with them."
"AH no concubine Chen. I can never compare to the ladies. Especially the ones who are here. Each of you are more elegant than …"
"That is enough of compliant from you. I see why The Third Prince likes you."
"She is pretty enough and seems smart with an unusual talent. If you join us in this family, i think will be … fun."
"Yes especially… when he needs to have children soon."
"Children?"
"Yes children. I don't mind and i can take care of all the children he might have.Even though they are ... troublesome."
"Consort Ling have reach the age when she cannot have children. Besides that… we are all wives of The Third Prince in paper. In reality, we are just his sisters that living with him in this grand mansion. Whatever he does outside is what he needs to do. We will never stop him but what we can do, we will assist him."
"Song Ning, why we are telling you this… because in future there are things that you cannot understand. We just need you to understand and be patient. He have his own reasons for doing things that you cannot understand."
Song Ning keep quiet and look at the three ladies. She wonder why are they telling her all these. She take another sip of her tea and look at the sky. Before she say anything. Consort Ling ask her to stay for a meal.
"You brother and Tan Ye is still playing their chessboard. So stay here and wait for them to finish the game."