Story of Yanxi Palace, Chapter 146: Fighting with Back to the Water

Idly tapping chess pieces as lamp flowers fall, waiting and waiting — in the end, two visitors arrived as persuaders.

“Yongqi.” Consort Yu said gently, “This is Her Ladyship Consort Ling. Go and pay respects to Her Ladyship.”

The child beside her stepped forward and kowtowed solemnly to Wei Yingluo: “Yongqi pays respects to Mother Consort Ling.”

Wei Yingluo reclined on Noble Consort Chun’s couch, looking at him with some curiosity. The boy was about eight or nine years old, with rosy lips and white teeth, jade-snow skin, and an adorably cherubic appearance — like the golden boy in New Year paintings. Yet his movements were precise and measured, like those of an elderly court minister in his eighties or nineties. It was quite amusing to watch.

Consort Yu said: “Yongqi, when you were born, your whole body was golden yellow. Everyone thought you were some monstrous creature. Only your Mother Consort Ling risked her life to protect you. If not for her, you wouldn’t have grown to this age.”

Yongqi had already stood up, but upon hearing this, he knelt down again and solemnly gave Wei Yingluo a resounding kowtow: “Yongqi thanks Mother Consort Ling for saving my life. When I grow up, I will surely be very filial to you.”

Ming Yu couldn’t stand the sight of this mother and son pair. She scoffed with icy disdain: “In the future, our Ladyship will naturally have princes to be filial to her. There’s no need for the Fifth Prince to trouble himself.”

Yongqi’s small face froze. Consort Yu’s expression changed as she said: “Ming Yu, how old is Yongqi? He spoke with sincere heart. If you won’t accept it, fine — but saying such things is really going too far!”

Ming Yu scoffed, her tone dripping with sarcasm: “Last night I kept hearing strange noises. I was wondering what it was — turns out we haven’t even reached New Year yet, but the weasels are already coming to the door. Master, this servant should go take a look and quickly block up the hole, so they don’t disturb your rest tonight!”

“Ming Yu.” Wei Yingluo gave her a glance, then beckoned to Yongqi. “The little infant from back then has grown so much in the blink of an eye. Come here.”

Yongqi obediently walked over. Suddenly he coughed once, hurriedly raising his slightly chubby little hands to cover his mouth. He looked at Wei Yingluo somewhat bashfully.

“What’s wrong? Is your throat uncomfortable?” Wei Yingluo asked with concern.

“He’s had a bit of a cough lately. The imperial physician already prescribed fritillaria bulb for him to take,” Consort Yu said, gazing at the Fifth Prince with tender affection.

Her look made Wei Yingluo momentarily dazed. Unconsciously, she was reminded of the way the former Empress had held her own child.

After a long moment, she came back to herself. She noticed Yongqi staring fixedly at a plate of hibiscus pastry on the table. When he sensed her gaze, he quickly looked away, adopting the posture of a proper gentleman who would never look askance.

Wei Yingluo pushed the pastries toward him: “If you clearly want to eat the pastry, and it’s right there in front of you, why pretend not to see it?”

Yongqi: “Mother said that taking something without asking is impolite.”

Yingluo laughed. She picked up a piece of hibiscus pastry and handed it to him: “Eat it. I’m giving you permission.”

“Thank you, Mother Consort Ling.” Yongqi bowed properly to her before taking the lotus pastry from her hand. He ate it with perfect manners, catching every single crumb in his hand so none would fall to the ground.

Wei Yingluo herself was nowhere near as proper when she ate, and she couldn’t help but watch him and smile.

“Ahem, ahem.” Yongqi suddenly covered his mouth and coughed twice.

Yingluo: “If you’re coughing, don’t eat too many sweets.”

Yongqi nodded obediently and quietly set down the second piece.

Wei Yingluo liked this child very much, but she did not like his mother.

Children tire easily. After Wei Yingluo exchanged a few meaningless words with Consort Yu, Yongqi began to yawn. Wei Yingluo said: “Ming Yu, take the Fifth Prince to the side hall for his afternoon nap.”

With the innocent child gone, the adults no longer needed to mince words.

“Since you’ve already chosen to stand with Noble Consort Chun, why come back to find me?” Wei Yingluo idly stirred the lid of her teacup; the fragrance of Biluochun tea rose in misty curls.

“Yingluo, not everyone is as fortunate as you—first protected by the Empress, then favored by the Emperor.” Consort Yu looked at her with a complicated expression. “I have nothing. To survive and stand firm in the Forbidden City, besides throwing in my lot with Noble Consort Chun, is there any other path for me?”

Wei Yingluo knew life had been hard for her, but that was no excuse for betraying the Empress.

“Do you know?” Wei Yingluo suddenly slammed the teacup down on the table; a flash of severity passed through her eyes. “Noble Consort Chun is the true murderer of the Seventh Prince—she is the chief culprit who forced the previous Empress to her death!”

Consort Yu gasped sharply.

Wei Yingluo stared at her intently, hoping for anger, hoping for tears. But instead, Consort Yu slowly exhaled that breath and said in a timid, submissive tone: “I don’t know, and I don’t want to know. For someone as lowly as me, the only thing that matters is staying alive so I can protect Yongqi—protect my son! As for other people, other matters, I simply don’t have the ability to interfere.”

Wei Yingluo had never really expected her to be of any help.

Or rather, she had never intended to drag a mother with a child into this affair in the first place.

All she had wanted was a spark of rage, a single tear…

But Consort Yu wouldn’t even give her that!

Wei Yingluo clutched her chest, feeling a sharp, unbearable pain from the old wound; cold sweat broke out on her forehead.

“Enough! What’s the point of talking to someone like her!” Ming Yu stormed in, glaring fiercely at Consort Yu. “Even a dog, when given a piece of meat, knows to guard the house and protect its master. The previous Empress sheltered you again and again, yet you turned around and sided with Noble Consort Chun! Consort Yu, you’re truly worse than a dog!”

When Consort Yu heard this, she gave a bleak, miserable laugh: “A dog? Yes, exactly. In the Forbidden City, an unfavored woman really is worse than a dog, isn’t she?”

She truly was a pitiful woman with neither luck nor ability.

She had watched her closest sister die right in front of her, then had no choice but to bow and scrape before her enemy. After finally outlasting Noble Consort Hui, she still hadn’t managed to rise at all. Even Wei Yingluo—a former lowly palace maid of Changchun Palace—had overtaken her, climbing to a height she could only look up to from afar.

“…Yingluo, have pity on this dog of mine. Just answer me one question.” Consort Yu pleaded pitifully. “Was it you who told the Emperor that the person who caused your fall from the horse was Noble Consort Chun?”

Wei Yingluo’s chest still ached. She rubbed it slowly while staring at her with icy cold eyes.

“Right now I am Noble Consort Chun’s dog. If this matter continues to be investigated, sooner or later she will push me forward to take the blame.” Consort Yu stepped closer, trying to grasp Wei Yingluo’s hand. “It doesn’t matter if I die—but what about Yongqi? Yingluo, back then you went to such lengths to save him from Noble Consort Hui’s hands. Now can you really bear to watch him lose his mother and live alone and miserable?”

“Have you gone mad?” Ming Yu pushed her away forcefully. “You want Yingluo to let Noble Consort Chun go?”

“No, not let her go—turn swords into plowshares.” Consort Yu shook her head, then looked toward Wei Yingluo with a face full of expectation. “Yingluo, stop opposing her. No longer pursuing the cause of the late Empress’s death. Let everything pass, and the two of you can live in peace together—wouldn’t that be good?”

Wei Yingluo just practically spat the four words through gritted teeth: “No longer pursue it?”

Consort Yu nodded with tears in her eyes: “Yes. Now that you enjoy such deep imperial favor and are rising like the sun at noon, why cling so stubbornly to the past? If you reconcile with Noble Consort Chun and bear a son or daughter of your own, who in the palace could possibly contend with you? This is for my sake, for Yongqi whom you personally saved, and most of all—for yourself!”

Wei Yingluo remained silent.

Ming Yu, seeing her utter such shameless words, could no longer hold back. She was about to explode in curses, but the words caught in her throat. The door creaked open just a crack, and Yongqi rubbed his eyes as he slipped in from behind it: “Mother.”

Everyone fell silent at once and stopped discussing the matter.

“…It’s getting late. Ming Yu, prepare a plate of lotus cake for Yongqi to take back and eat.” Wei Yingluo spoke up to send them off.

A plate of lotus cake was quickly prepared and neatly arranged in a brocade box. Yongqi’s face remained calm, but his hands clutched the box tightly—clearly overjoyed inside.

Consort Yu took his hand and led him away. At the door, she suddenly turned back to look at Wei Yingluo with profound meaning: “Yingluo, as long as you are willing to protect Yongqi, I will never let Noble Consort Chun harm you again. I guarantee it.”

Wei Yingluo could not take her words seriously. A woman who could barely protect herself was boasting that she would shield her? In her heart, Wei Yingluo felt both tragic and ridiculous. After a long pause, she finally said: “Consort Yu, do you truly not regret it?”

Abandoning your dignity, abandoning your benefactor, even abandoning your own humanity to become a mere lapdog—do you truly feel no regret?

“For the sake of taking good care of Yongqi, even if the world curses me as a vile villain, even if I must kneel and serve my enemy, I can endure it all.” Consort Yu stroked Yongqi’s head, then smiled at Wei Yingluo. “Once you have a child of your own, you’ll understand how I feel today.”

Wei Yingluo was stunned.

“Your Ladyship, ignore that traitor!” Ming Yu slammed the door shut, locking the mother and son outside. Then, still fuming, she returned to Wei Yingluo’s side and forced a smile onto her face. “Let me tell you some jokes.”

Ming Yu’s jokes were not funny at all. They only made Wei Yingluo drowsier and drowsier until, without realizing it, she fell asleep.

In the days that followed, she spent most of her time in bed. The medicinal decoctions came day after day, and her injuries gradually healed. Finally, she was able to get out of bed and, supported by Ming Yu’s arm, take a slow walk in the courtyard.

As they walked, she suddenly saw someone hurrying toward her.

“Your Ladyship Consort Ling.” It was Li Yu. He held his fly-whisk and stood before Wei Yingluo with a face like frost. “His Majesty requests your presence at Yonghe Palace.”

Wei Yingluo looked at him. Sometimes he was simply an extension of Hongli’s face—whatever expression His Majesty used toward others, Li Yu mirrored it. Seeing his icy expression now, she knew whatever awaited her in Yonghe Palace would not be good.

The reality proved worse than she had imagined.

Waiting for her in Yonghe Palace was Yongqi, lying on the bed barely clinging to life.

“Consort Ling, Yongqi is still so young—how could you lay such a vicious hand on him!” Consort Yu knelt beside the bed, weeping. “Your Majesty, you must seek justice for this mother and son!”

Wei Yingluo was stunned: “Lay a vicious hand? What do you mean!”

“Consort Ling.” Noble Consort Chun stood beside Consort Yu, assuming the posture of someone upholding justice for her. “A few days ago, didn’t the Fifth Prince visit Yanxi Palace?”

Wei Yingluo looked at her. Their gazes met like clashing blades—both understood perfectly. Noble Consort Chun had finally made her move.

   This piece, this battle, was one fought with backs to the water: either you die, or I die.

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