Story of Yanxi Palace, Chapter 18: the Guard

Wei Yingluo spent the next few days in fear and trepidation. Whether she was working or resting, her eyes would unconsciously drift toward the main gate.

She was terrified that at any moment someone would push the door open and shout: “Wei Yingluo! You’ve been exposed—come with us!”

Suddenly a hand clapped her shoulder. Wei Yingluo nearly jumped out of her skin. “What? What is it?”

“What do you mean ‘what’?” Jixiang gave her a strange look. “Sister Yingluo, look over there.”

Wei Yingluo followed her gaze. Several imperial guards were walking down the corridor—six in total, all tall and upright, handsome in appearance. Dressed in martial uniforms and wearing swords at their waists, they exuded the utmost masculine valor.

“Look at that one—the last one in line,” Jixiang said in a nostalgic tone. “He looks so much like my older brother.”

“Oh please,” Jinxiu burst out laughing. “Stop putting gold on your brother’s face.”

Jixiang glared at her. “What kind of way is that to talk!”

“I’m not wrong.” Jinxiu waved her fingernails, which she had secretly dyed red with garden balsam juice. “Do you think the guards inside the Forbidden City are just ordinary people? This red wall of the Forbidden City is the dividing line between different kinds of guards!”

Jixiang didn’t understand the meaning behind her words and was unwilling to ask her for clarification, so she turned instead to Wei Yingluo. “Sister Yingluo, can you explain it to me? What does ‘the dividing line for guards’ mean?”

Wei Yingluo sighed and explained as concisely as she could: “The guards outside the red wall belong to the Lower Five Banners, while the guards inside the red wall are all from the Upper Three Banners—imperial relatives and noble descendants.”

Jixiang nodded half-understandingly, then shook her head. “I still don’t get it. Does that mean Noble Ladies have to become guards too?”

“Of course not!” Jinxiu jumped in eagerly. She loved to show off and loved even more to appear more knowledgeable than others. “Let alone the highest rank—the Imperial Bodyguards—even the Qianqing Gate Guards have an extremely high chance of rising to become generals or grand ministers in the future, achieving extraordinary things! Don’t forget: the ones who stay closest to the Emperor at all times are naturally the ones who rise step by step!”

The other palace maids also began chattering all at once, pointing and commenting on the six guards.

“I heard that every year, the noble sons of the Upper Three Banners have to compete in martial contests just to fight for a guard position inside the Forbidden City.”

“It’s not enough to have high birth—you also need truly outstanding martial skills.”

“The most exceptional among the guards is said to be Her Majesty’s younger brother, Lord Fucha. A true master of both civil and military arts, genuine imperial kin!”

“Which one is he? Is he in there?”

“The one leading them—the tallest one!”

Jinxiu’s expression flickered. Suddenly she shoved the tray in her hands into Jixiang’s arms, then clutched her stomach and said, “I have an urgent need—I’ve got to find a place to relieve myself. Jixiang, do me a favor and take these things to the embroidery workshop for me. Ai yo, ai yo, I’m going first!”

“What kind of person is she? Always so much trouble.” Jixiang muttered discontentedly, but didn’t think much more of it.

Beside her, Wei Yingluo watched the direction in which the other girl had disappeared, deep in thought.

She had been in the palace for some time now. If nothing else, her sense of direction had certainly improved—otherwise, wandering into a place she wasn’t supposed to enter would earn her a beating at the very least.

The direction the guards were heading was toward the Imperial Garden, which was also the route to Changchun Palace. If the six guards were to split up here, then in all likelihood Fucha Fuheng was going to Changchun Palace to visit his older sister.

Jinxiu hid behind a rockery, her face flushed, her heart pounding wildly. She kept craning her neck to peek out. Her persistence paid off—she finally caught sight of a lone figure approaching. Gritting her teeth, she picked up a stone and smashed it hard against her own foot.

It hurt!

Fortunately she had already stuffed a handkerchief into her mouth beforehand, so she didn’t cry out in pain.

Supporting herself against the rockery with one hand, Jinxiu staggered to her feet. Judging that the person was now on the other side of the rockery, she used her other hand to smooth the hair at her temple and adjust her facial expression, making herself look even more pitiful and fragile, like a willow swaying in the wind.

Everything was ready. Jinxiu rushed out!

But an arm suddenly reached out from the side and yanked her back behind the rockery.

Outside the rockery, Fucha Fuheng walked past.

Behind the rockery, Jinxiu violently tore away the hand covering her mouth and hissed in fury, “Wei Yingluo! What are you doing!”

“I’ll return that question to you.” Yingluo stared at her. “Jinxiu, what are you trying to do?”

“Every woman wants to secure a good future for herself—what did I do wrong?” Jinxiu suddenly looked Wei Yingluo up and down, suspicion dawning in her eyes. “Don’t tell me… you’ve also set your sights on this tall branch?”

“I wouldn’t dare.” Wei Yingluo gave a mocking laugh, then let the smile fade and spoke coldly: “You and I are both bond servants from the Upper Three Banners. Back when you were still at home, did any sons of dutong or canling ever come to propose to you? Forget dutong or canling—even the son of a banner captain probably never gave you a proper look! If even those families treated you that way, how much more so these true high nobles?”

Her warning was met only with Jinxiu’s dismissive scoff: “As long as you’re beautiful enough, how do you know I can’t climb that high?”

Wei Yingluo paused, stunned for a moment, then frowned at her. “You mean… become his concubine?”

Jinxiu nodded firmly and without hesitation. “Better to be a concubine to a powerful man than a wife to a poor one!”

Everyone has their own ambitions; one cannot force them.

Wei Yingluo shook her head, inwardly concluding that this woman possessed a lovely outer shell but was stuffed full of vanity, unrealistic desires, and extreme selfishness.

“What you think is your own business,” she said coldly, “but remember one thing: this is the Forbidden City. If a guard and a palace maid are caught in an illicit affair and word gets out, he—who comes from noble imperial blood—can have it quietly brushed aside. But you? You’ll be finished. Dead end.” Her expression hardened. “You and I came here together, and we live in the same quarters. If you cause such a scandal, the rest of us will be dragged down and gossiped about along with you.”

Jinxiu gave a mocking laugh. “So it turns out this is all for your own sake.”

“Yes—and it’s also for your own sake.” Wei Yingluo returned a faint smile. “If you don’t want me to tell Aunt Fang what happened today, then come back with me right now.”

Seeing her use Aunt Fang to pressure her again, Jinxiu laughed in furious exasperation and was about to retort sharply when a rich, mellow male voice suddenly came from the other side of the rockery:

“I think this young lady is quite right.”

Immediately afterward, a man in guard’s uniform appeared, arms crossed, stepping around the rockery with a smile directed at them. “You two really should be heading back.”

“Lord Fucha…” Both girls turned at once to look at him.

Some people could wear the dragon robe and still not look like an emperor; others could wear a guard’s uniform and still not look like a mere guard.

Fucha Fuheng was precisely that sort of person.

His bearing was far too noble and refined. Even standing there casually, he resembled a phoenix alighting on a parasol tree, feathers gently unfurling. On anyone else, the simple guard’s attire would signify status; on him, it felt like a deliberate lowering of rank.

His long, narrow phoenix eyes swept across Wei Yingluo’s face. Beneath the outer corner of his right eye lay a single tear mole, adding an indescribable layer of ambiguity and sensuality to his already regal elegance.

“Wei Yingluo,” he called, his voice like fine wine that had been cellared for years—uncorked, it intoxicated before even touching the lips.

Wei Yingluo resorted to her usual tactic, deliberately bowing her head deeply to keep him from fixating on her appearance. “…Lord Fucha, do you have any further instructions?”

“Lift your head and look at me,” Fucha Fuheng said.

With no choice, Wei Yingluo slowly raised her eyes to meet his.

No wonder Jinxiu had declared she wanted to become his concubine.

Those phoenix eyes before her were at once ruthless and yet seemed full of feeling. He didn’t need to speak a single word; merely looking at you with those eyes was enough to fill your heart with a flood of tender affection.

“You have a very clear sense of your own position—that’s good. But you’ve still overlooked one thing.” Fucha Fuheng casually patted the saber at his waist. “The palace guards are all first-rate Baturu (warrior)—including me. Any one of us… would immediately notice someone hiding behind a rockery.”

In other words, Jinxiu’s little scheme had been doomed from the very beginning.

And even if it had somehow succeeded, it would only be because the guard had deliberately allowed himself to be “tricked”—so he could toy with the beauty who had thrown herself into his hands.

Jinxiu bowed her head in shame. Beside her, Wei Yingluo also lowered hers. “Yes… I have learned my lesson.”

“Very well. You should go now.” Fucha Fuheng nodded slightly toward Jinxiu beside her. “Help her back. Discipline her properly when the time calls for it, so she doesn’t cause serious trouble later.”

Wei Yingluo hurriedly supported Jinxiu and led her away. All along the way, Jinxiu’s expression remained sullen—whether from the pain in her foot or from Fucha Fuheng’s words, no one could tell.

“Did you hear that? There are no fools in this palace. Don’t be foolish again,” Wei Yingluo advised one last time.

As expected, the only response was a cold, jealous laugh. Jinxiu shoved her away, limping off alone toward the maids’ quarters. Her voice carried a trace of agitation:

“You used me as a stepping stone again! Lord Fucha remembered your name—but not mine!”

Wei Yingluo shook her head.

This would be the last time. From now on, she would never advise Jinxiu again. Whatever trouble Jinxiu got herself into in the future would have nothing to do with her—she could take responsibility for herself.

Thud.

A small pebble rolled to a stop at Wei Yingluo’s feet. She looked in the direction from which it had been thrown, frowned, and suddenly spoke:

“Are you sure you want to walk back by yourself? You don’t want me to help you?”

“Nonsense!” Jinxiu, hearing this from ahead, immediately quickened her pace. “Who needs your fake kindness? I can walk on my own!”

Enduring the pain in her foot, Jinxiu made her way all the way back to the palace maids’ quarters. The moment she saw the bed, she threw herself onto it, collapsing completely. The sweat from her body left a perfect human-shaped imprint on the bedding.

“Aiyo, what happened to you? You look absolutely wrecked,” said Jixiang as she passed by, a piece of pastry still stuffed in her mouth.

“Eat, eat, eat—that’s all you know how to do. You finish your own share and then go after Wei Yingluo’s too. Do you think she’s being nice to you? She just wants to fatten you up so that standing next to you makes her look even slimmer… Wait!” Having reflexively started sowing discord, Jinxiu suddenly looked around left and right. “Where’s Wei Yingluo?”

“Didn’t she go chasing after you?” Jixiang stuffed another piece of pastry into her mouth. “What, she didn’t catch up?”

Jinxiu froze for a moment, then lowered her head and carefully recalled what had just happened.

In the direction the pebble had come from—what was there?

A lush, verdant wisteria trellis, its dense leaves concealing singing birds, its fragrant breeze lingering around a beauty.

Indeed, a beauty.

A guard whose mere profile already conveyed an upright, slender figure and strikingly handsome features.

Jinxiu abruptly sat up on the bed, her eyes blazing like twin flames.

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