Story of Yanxi Palace, Chapter 123: Tangled and Attached

   By the time Hongli came back to his senses, he was practically spending every night at Yanxi Palace.

Even the Empress Dowager could not help but remind him: “Your Majesty, you should know to let the rain and dew fall evenly.”

Hongli immediately broke out in a cold sweat. Thinking back carefully, he realized he had neglected the rear palace for so many days. What kind of bewitchment had that Wei Yingluo cast on him?

“It’s just a woman, nothing more.” He pressed his brow and closed his eyes. “Just a woman, nothing more…”

Just a woman, nothing more… Yet the moment he closed his eyes, her shadow filled his mind—there was no one else!

“Your Majesty!” A soft body suddenly threw itself into his arms, sobbing so hard she could barely breathe. “This concubine has been in the palace for so long and has never suffered such humiliation!”

Hongli opened his eyes and looked at Concubine Xiaojia in his embrace.

He already had a head full of his own troubles—how could he have the patience to listen to hers? It was bound to be the usual drama of concubines vying for favor and slandering each other. His tone carried a trace of impatience: “Who has offended you?”

“Who else but that Noble Lady Wei!” Concubine Xiaojia said while wiping her tears. “Ever since she gained your favor, she has become insufferably arrogant. This concubine fell ill and sent Lan’er to fetch medicine. On the way, she ran into her—and she actually slapped the medicine bowl right out of Lan’er’s hands!”

Hongli listened expressionlessly until she finished, then turned his head and asked Li Yu: “Was Noble Lady Wei really so overbearing?”

Li Yu gave an apologetic smile. “This… this servant did not witness it personally, so I cannot say whether it is true or false.”

Hongli said coldly: “It seems to me she is in need of discipline. Back in Changchun Palace she already dared to defy me. Now that she has my favor, she has become utterly outrageous!”

Li Yu: “Then what does Your Majesty intend…?”

Hongli: “Immediately remove her name tablet!”

Li Yu: “As you command.”

Concubine Xiaojia left looking very satisfied, but Hongli felt some regret. He wasn’t regretting it for Concubine Xiaojia’s sake—he was angry at himself. He resented her for making him neglect court affairs, for making his moods so unpredictable.

But the words had already left his lips. How could he immediately retract an order he had just given? He had no choice but to let it stand. For the next several days, he did not go to Wei Yingluo’s palace.

He had intended to return to his old routine of spreading his favor evenly, but for some reason, every other place felt lacking compared to Yanxi Palace. Either the food tasted wrong, or the wine was particularly hard to drink…

“Your Majesty.” Today Hongli had chosen Concubine Xiaojia’s tablet. She sang and danced for him. Though her singing and dancing were quite ordinary, she was young and full of youthful charm. After the dance, she came over holding a cup, leaned into Hongli’s arms, and said with a touch of loneliness: “Back when there was no Noble Lady Wei, you were so good to me. But ever since Noble Lady Wei entered the palace, you haven’t come in such a long time…”

Hongli smiled at her, his gaze on her body, but his heart was elsewhere.

“Come, Your Majesty, this concubine toasts you.” Concubine Xiaojia brought the wine to Hongli’s lips.

Hongli lowered his head and drank. The fragrance of the wine filled the air, but in his mouth it tasted like plain water—bland and flavorless.

“Li Yu.” After leaving Chuxiu Palace, Hongli asked Li Yu, “Why does the wine at Chuxiu Palace taste so much worse than at Yanxi Palace?”

Li Yu glanced at him cautiously and said: “Your Majesty, the wine served at Chuxiu Palace and at Yanxi Palace is exactly the same.”

Hongli was stunned.

So the meals and wine supplied to every palace were identical. It wasn’t the food that tasted wrong, nor the wine—it was the person who was wrong…

Back at Yangxin Hall, Ye Tianshi was already waiting outside the door. Hongli sat down in a chair. Ye Tianshi came over of his own accord, placed his fingers on Hongli’s wrist, and quietly took his pulse for a health reading.

Hongli was in a foul mood and only wanted to be left alone. After a short while, he said, “I’m fine. You may go.”

But Ye Tianshi did not leave. Still fulfilling his duty as a physician, he continued taking the Emperor’s pulse while saying, “It is unwise to conceal illness and avoid treatment. Noble Lady Wei delayed seeking medical care for so long that her knees became bruised and purple, nearly affecting her future mobility. Your Majesty should still allow this humble servant to examine you…”

Hongli was taken aback. “What did you just say?”

Ye Tianshi looked surprised. “This humble servant was saying that a peace pulse should still be taken; it cannot be delayed…”

Hongli interrupted him impatiently. “What did you say about Noble Lady Wei’s legs?”

“I heard that a few days ago, in the Imperial Garden, she accidentally bumped into Concubine Xiaojia’s maid and knocked over the medicine intended for Concubine Xiaojia,” Ye Tianshi replied respectfully. “Concubine Xiaojia punished Noble Lady by making her kneel for two full hours. Her knees were injured from the kneeling and took a long time to heal. Only in the past couple of days has there been noticeable improvement… Eh? Your Majesty, where are you going?”

Hongli had already strode to the doorway. Suddenly remembering the order he had previously issued, he paused, turned back, and paced back and forth in Yangxin Hall for a long time—long enough to make Ye Tianshi’s eyes spin—before finally stopping and saying abruptly, “Li Yu!”

“This slave is here!”

That very night, a stream of gifts was carried into Yanxi Palace.

Jewelry, paintings, calligraphy, rare antiques, curios—the majority, however, consisted of various tonics and medicinal herbs. The sheer quantity and superb quality were enough to bring a dead person back to life.

Li Yu approached Wei Yingluo holding a scroll painting. “Noble Lady Wei, these are all His Majesty’s bestowals. Please take a look—this painting is Zhao Mengfu’s ‘Autumn Colors on the Que and Hua Mountains.’ When Noble Consort Chun once begged His Majesty for it, he was unwilling to part with it. Yet now he has eagerly sent it straight to you.”

As he spoke, he carefully observed Wei Yingluo on the bed.

Sure enough, she appeared as though she had just recovered from a serious illness. She couldn’t even get out of bed by herself and had to be supported by Ming Yu to come forward and express gratitude. After being granted a seat, she smiled and said, “Is that so? Unfortunately, I have no knowledge of literature or painting. His Majesty sending me such a treasure is truly a waste. Besides, this painting is far too precious—I dare not accept it. You had better take it back.”

“Noble Lady,” Li Yu said with a smile, “to be honest with you, His Majesty has already severely punished Concubine Xiaojia. Please accept the painting and go to Yangxin Hall to offer thanks.”

Wei Yingluo let out a soft “aiya,” her right hand gently stroking her knee.

In truth, her injury was not severe. With Ye Tianshi’s care, the wound on her knee had already healed almost completely. The bandages and medicinal paste were deliberately left in place—for outsiders to see, and especially for Hongli to see.

Even on that day in the Imperial Garden when she encountered Concubine Xiaojia, she had knelt without the slightest resistance.

Since Concubine Xiaojia had been foolish enough to harm her in front of everyone, she could hardly blame Wei Yingluo for seizing the opportunity to make use of it.

Li Yu looked at her knee. In reality, Hongli had already questioned Ye Tianshi repeatedly and knew that her injury had improved significantly. But while physical wounds could be healed, wounds of the heart were far harder to mend. Thinking of how he had removed Wei Yingluo’s green-headed tablet from the duty roster merely because of a few words from Concubine Xiaojia, Hongli felt deep guilt and believed he owed her.

Yet for an emperor to bow his head and admit fault was easier said than done.

Thus he had sent Li Yu in his stead to soften the approach: “Noble Lady, this slave has served His Majesty for so long and has never seen him care so much about anyone! Very well—even if you do not wish to appear in person, this slave can have the Respect Affairs Office send up your green-headed slip. That should suffice, yes?”

“I’m afraid not,” Wei Yingluo sighed, her fingers still resting on her injured knee. “Right now I can barely walk—how could I serve His Majesty? Moreover… cough cough… these past few days my throat has been rather uncomfortable. I’m afraid of passing something on to His Majesty. It would be better to wait until my health improves before going.”

Li Yu could not persuade her, and he certainly could not force her to be carried to Yangxin Hall. This errand had become impossible—whatever he did, he would displease someone. Trembling with anxiety, he returned to report the news to Yangxin Hall.

As expected, Hongli flew into a rage and swept all the green-headed tablets off the table in one furious motion.

Li Yu: “Your Majesty, please calm your anger!”

Hongli: “Since she is unwilling, then let her never serve in the bedchamber for the rest of her life!”

Li Yu: “This… Yes, Your Majesty!”

The golden mouth opened, and the order was passed down. Hongli… regretted it again. Thus, for several consecutive days, he found fault with Li Yu, resenting him for acting too quickly—before he could even take back his words, Li Yu had already treated them as an imperial decree and sent them out.

Li Yu was inwardly complaining even more. Today the Emperor complained that the tea he brought was too hot, tomorrow he complained that his voice was too shrill. Left and right, nothing about him pleased the Emperor. This couldn’t go on forever. Unlike ordinary people, a eunuch’s entire honor and favor depended on his master. After much thought, Li Yu sought out Wei Yingluo again and hinted: “It’s rare for His Majesty to change his mind—why not take the chance to step down gracefully? Angering the Emperor now would surely bring more loss than gain.”

Wei Yingluo smiled but said nothing, still unwilling to yield.

Li Yu left Yanxi Palace dejectedly. Spies from various palaces reported the news back. One of them slipped silently into Zhongcui Palace and whispered a few words into Consort Chun’s ear.

In front of Noble Consort Chun lay a white jade chessboard. She held a chess piece in her hand but didn’t place it for a long time.

“What exactly is this Wei Yingluo thinking?” Her opponent was Naran Chuxue, who was also well-informed. She knew about Wei Yingluo’s affairs but not her intentions. “Isn’t she afraid of angering the Emperor and losing favor completely?”

Snap—a black piece was placed. Noble Consort Chun said calmly: “Every woman in the world thinks she is special—especially those who have just received imperial favor. But after a while, they realize that in His Majesty’s heart, there is no such thing as ‘special.’”

Naran Chuxue thought about it and felt she had a point. Raising a white piece, she said: “Your Ladyship is right. This Wei Yingluo probably wants to stand out and make His Majesty worry about her day and night. But does she not realize who His Majesty is? Is he some ordinary commoner from the countryside? The Son of Heaven—how could he, like an ordinary man, be so hung up on a mere woman?”

Yet the Son of Heaven was still a man.

No matter how lofty a man might be, once he becomes hung up on a woman, he falls from the heavens and becomes an ordinary mortal man.

Li Yu returned to Yangxin Hall and relayed Wei Yingluo’s response to Hongli. Then he cautiously raised his eyes to look at the other man’s back.

Hongli stood with his hands behind his back, facing away from him, gazing out the window.

Li Yu had thought he would be furious—perhaps even punish Wei Yingluo again in a fit of anger. But after waiting a long time, all he heard was a sigh.

“Does she… not like the ‘Autumn Colors on the Que and Hua Mountains’ painting?” Hongli hesitated for a moment before asking, “What do you think she likes?”

Li Yu: “…”

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