Story of Yanxi Palace, Chapter 79: Disturbance at the Birthday Banquet

   The Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet was very far from Wei Yingluo, but the unfortunate people brought into being because of that longevity were very close to her.

“Who is that?” On the way back pushing the night-soil cart, Wei Yingluo stopped in her tracks, looking at a boy crying against the wall not far away. A trace of doubt flashed through her eyes.

Judging from his clothes, he was neither a master nor a servant—more like an ordinary commoner. But this was the Forbidden City; not a single brick or tile here could be stepped on or touched by ordinary people.

Yuan Chunwang glanced at the boy and said indifferently, “They’re performers Noble Consort recruited from outside the palace to prepare for the Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet. I heard they perform something called…”

“Ten Thousand Purples and Reds.”

The two turned around and saw an old man approaching with a hunched back, holding a snow-white steamed bun in his hand.

“Grandfather!” The boy in the corner threw himself into his arms and cried even harder.

Only then did Wei Yingluo notice that the child was badly injured. The arm exposed from his sleeve was covered in burn scars from molten iron.

“The so-called ‘Ten Thousand Purples and Reds’ involves splashing molten iron onto a brick wall, making it look like ten thousand flowers in full bloom—truly marvelous,” the old man said with a sigh. He broke the steamed bun into pieces and fed them bit by bit to his grandson. “When the Tianjin garrison commander Gao Heng heard about it, he forcibly abducted us into the palace under the pretext of celebrating the birthday. He even forced some villagers—and my grandson—to learn it together. But the performance requires arm strength. He’s still just a child—how could he not get hurt?”

Perhaps because he saw the two of them pushing a manure cart and dressed as low-ranking palace servants, the old man spoke a few extra sentences to them. But the moment a slightly better-dressed and more ornately attired palace person passed by, he immediately shut his mouth, took his grandson’s hand, and left.

After he left, Wei Yingluo and the other continued pushing the manure cart toward the Yong Alley.

“This is what it means to be a slave,” Yuan Chunwang suddenly spoke up. “Forget about peerless skills like ‘Ten Thousand Purples and Reds’—just take the embroiderers in the Embroidery Workshop. If they stayed among the common people, they could work happily at their own pace. But once they enter the palace, they have to toil day and night without rest, so busy they can’t even lift their heads. How many of them go blind or develop trembling hands before they even reach thirty and become useless cripples? This is what it means to be a slave. This is what it means to be ruled by the powerful.”

Wei Yingluo looked at him, wanting to argue back, but no words of rebuttal came to her lips.

“…This is the Forbidden City,” Yuan Chunwang said, staring straight into her eyes. It sounded like both advice and a warning. “Unless you climb to a high position and gain the power to decide other people’s fates, you’d better close your eyes and pretend not to see anything!”

Inside the Imperial View Pavilion, cornus branches were inserted everywhere. Palace maids streamed back and forth, each wearing a chrysanthemum sachet at her waist, delivering bottles of chrysanthemum wine and plates of Double Ninth Festival cakes to the stone tables.

The Empress Dowager and the Empress sat side by side. The Empress Dowager patted the Empress’s hand with evident concern. “Empress, ascending to the Imperial View Pavilion is inconvenient. I told you to rest properly in Changchun Palace—why did you still come?”

The Empress smiled. “It is rare for the Empress Dowager to be in such high spirits; this humble consort should naturally attend upon you. Besides, though my body is healthy, because I am with child, His Majesty has ordered me to lie down in Changchun Palace every day. I truly can’t bear to stay in bed any longer. Being able to come out for some fresh air during this small Double Ninth banquet feels like an act of grace from the Empress Dowager!”

The Empress Dowager also laughed. “You—still, you must take good care of yourself. Don’t push yourself too hard in everything.”

The Empress assented softly. Taking advantage of the Empress Dowager’s good mood, she delivered the words she had prepared long in advance: “Palace affairs are numerous and complicated; this humble consort truly feels overwhelmed and unable to cope. I beg the Empress Dowager’s kindness to allow me to lay down this heavy burden and focus peacefully on nurturing the pregnancy.”

The Empress Dowager pondered for a moment. “Whom does the Empress recommend to take over the management of palace affairs?”

The movements in the pavilion could not escape the notice of those around them. In an instant, every gaze fixed on the Empress’s lips, eagerly awaiting whose name would emerge.

“This humble consort believes that Consort Chun is meticulous and thorough in all things, considerate in every detail; while Consort Xian is of noble character and widely respected throughout the six palaces,” the Empress said. “If the two of them work together, they will surely manage the rear palace in perfect order, allowing His Majesty to have no further worries.”

“I also very much approve of the candidates the Empress has recommended. Consort Chun, Consort Xian—” The Empress Dowager turned her gaze toward the two women. “From this day forward, the two of you will jointly assist in managing palace affairs. Do not disappoint the Empress’s expectations.”

The two exchanged a glance, then quickly rose to curtsy. “This humble consort will certainly do her utmost to share the Empress’s burdens and relieve her labors.”

The Empress Dowager smiled with satisfaction. “Sit down. Today is a family banquet—no need to stand on such ceremony.”

After the two sat, people around them began offering congratulations one after another—but not everyone was willing to raise a cup to them.

For example, Noble Consort Hui sat alone at her seat, idly twirling the wine cup in her hand with an air of perfect composure.

Only when the Imperial Tea and Meal Office brought out the tin hot pot, followed by plates of ingredients for dipping, and finally a large basin of deer blood, did the hand twirling the cup suddenly stop.

Noble Consort Hui leaned back against the armrest of her chair. Naran Chuxue, standing behind her, bent down and whispered in her ear: “Your Ladyship, everything has been prepared properly.”

The corner of Noble Consort Hui’s lips curved upward.

“Ugh—” On the other side, the moment the Empress saw the basin of deer blood, her expression changed. She covered her mouth with her sleeve and let out a series of dry heaves.

Ming Yu’s face paled. “Although deer blood is greatly nourishing in clumps, fresh deer blood is a blood-activating substance. The Empress cannot touch it at this time!”

The Empress Dowager quickly ordered, “Take it away at once!”

The palace maids rushed forward. One of them, halfway there, suddenly cried out “Ai yo!” and pitched forward. By cruel coincidence, she fell right beside the table holding the deer blood. The table shook violently, and the entire basin of deer blood splashed out, staining the ground a vivid, reeking red.

The senior palace maid in charge snapped, “How do you even do your job? Hurry up and clean it—don’t ruin the mistresses’ enjoyment!”

The maids immediately swarmed to clean up, but deer blood is extremely pungent; it could not be dealt with quickly. Before long, the entire pavilion reeked unbearably.

“…Hm?” Consort Xian suddenly let out a soft sound of surprise. “Listen—do you hear something?”

The Empress: “A sound?”

Flap, flap— like the sound of birds beating their wings. It grew louder and louder, closer and closer.

“Look!” Noble Consort Xian suddenly turned her head, her voice carrying a trace of terror. “What is that?”

On the far side of Xiushan, beneath the palace wall, the trees shook violently. Moments later, countless black bats poured out from behind the leaves, blotting out the sky in an instant and surging straight toward Yujing Pavilion.

Consort Xian let out a sharp cry and threw herself toward the Empress Dowager: “Empress Dowager, be careful!”

She knocked the Empress Dowager to the ground, then swiftly tore off her own qipao and draped it over the Empress Dowager’s head and face to shield her from the constantly swooping bats. At the same time she shouted sternly, “What are you panicking for? You—”

Consort Xian pointed at one of the palace maids. “You—go call the guards! Everyone else, come here! Help me protect the Empress Dowager. Anyone who dares to run around screaming will be punished according to palace regulations!”

The eunuchs and maids were completely flustered, but their ingrained servility remained. Now that they had clear orders from their master, they snapped back to their senses, formed a protective circle around the Empress Dowager, and began using their outer robes to swat at the bats. The Empress Dowager stared at the calm and composed Consort Xian, momentarily stunned.

Consort Xian moved with swift precision, issuing a series of accurate commands as though she had prepared for this long in advance. No one else reacted as quickly as she did.

The Empress stood frozen, staring upward. It felt as though a splash of black ink was rushing toward her face. In the blink of an eye the entire world was dyed pitch black—utter darkness where one could not see one’s own hand in front of one’s face. Only sounds remained: now the crash of palace lanterns falling, now the clatter of cups and plates being knocked over, but most of all the panicked screams for help and the chaotic stampede of footsteps.

“Get away, get away!” Ming Yu’s voice rang in her ear, accompanied by the sound of flailing arms. “Your Majesty, watch out!”

Watch out for what? The bats… or the people?

   One bat after another dove toward the deer blood on the ground. Countless wings scraped across the Empress’s cheeks. Countless bodies surged past her, turning into an unstoppable current that carried her forward until, without realizing it, she found herself at the very edge of Yujing Pavilion.

   “Empress! Empress!” Ming Yu’s voice came from behind her, growing more urgent and more distant. “Where are you?”

“I am here!” The Empress had just shouted when she felt a pair of hands appear behind her and shove hard against her back.

The Empress’s foot slipped. If she hadn’t grabbed the railing on the steps in time, she would have tumbled straight down.

“Careful.” A hand suddenly reached out from the side and steadied her teetering body.

The Empress turned her head, about to offer thanks—only for the words to freeze on her tongue the moment she saw the other person’s face.

Noble Consort Hui gave the Empress a charming smile, her beauty as bewitching and blood-red as a peony in full bloom. Then she cried out loudly: “Empress, careful!”

With that, she abruptly let go!

The Empress fell like a kite with its string cut, tumbling down the steps from between Noble Consort Hui’s fingers.

Noble Consort Hui watched the scene from above with the air of a discerning spectator who had just witnessed a perfectly satisfying performance. A satisfied smile slowly spread across her face.

The smile bloomed like a peony at its most extravagant peak, then vanished in an instant. She suddenly withdrew her expression and wailed in distress: “My hand hurts so much! Someone—come quickly! The Empress has fallen from the steps!”

Everyone was shocked. Moments later, Ming Yu forced her way through the crowd and rushed toward the scene like a madwoman. She practically rolled and crawled down the steps before throwing herself beside the Empress.

“Empress! Wake up, Empress!” Her voice cracked with sobs as she cried out desperately, “Help! Save the Empress! Someone, come quickly—save Her Majesty!”

Below Yujing Pavilion, guards hurried over carrying torches. One torch after another gathered around Ming Yu. The torchlight illuminated the unconscious Empress lying on the ground—and also revealed… the large pool of fresh blood spreading from beneath her skirt.

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