Story of Yanxi Palace, Chapter 143: Seeing Off

Where there is a policy from above, there is a countermeasure from below.

On the surface, Erqing agreed to Fuheng’s words and moved to the family temple—yet she used the excuse that she was seriously injured and stubbornly refused to actually leave the Fucha residence.

Whenever Fuheng tried to urge her, she would clutch her forehead and wail dramatically, as if trying to summon every single person in the household to witness her misery—and his cruelty.

The Old Madam, Fuqian, Fukang’an… almost everyone stood on Erqing’s side.

It made Fuheng seem like the outsider.

Living in such a home had become unbearable. Since she refused to leave, it was Fuheng who began to feel estranged.

That day at court, Hongli looked around and said calmly:

“The Dzungar rebellion of the Greater and Lesser Khoja brothers—Afeng was sent to pacify them and was killed, an entire thousand-man Green Standard battalion was wiped out, General Zhaohui of the Border-Settling Army is trapped at Heishui Camp… Who is willing to go to the rescue?”

The entire court of civil and military officials remained silent; no one dared respond.

Only Fuheng stepped forward from the crowd, clasped his hands, and said:

“Your humble servant is willing to go!”

Brave in battle, fearless of death—by any measure, Fuheng was an excellent candidate. Yet precisely because of that, Hongli hesitated.

During the Jinchuan campaign, he had issued several urgent edicts but still could not summon him back from the battlefield.

In the end, he had survived.

But what about the next time? Would he return whole and intact?

If he did not return, how could Hongli face the late Empress beneath the Nine Springs…

   “This matter…” Hongli hesitated for a moment before finally rejecting the request. “We will discuss it again tomorrow.”

Unexpectedly, the situation took a turn the very next day at court—Hongli suddenly changed his mind:

   “Fuheng, the campaign against the Dzungars is entrusted to you!”

No one changes their mind so suddenly without reason.

Who had persuaded him?

Hailancha and Fuheng were the closest of friends, and he was also the most worried about his safety. On the way out after morning court, walking side by side, he rubbed his chin with his right hand and said:

“Fuheng, because of the battle in the Muslim regions, General Yarhashan of Jing-sui was dismissed from office, Commander Shun-de-na and Commander Ma Desheng were beheaded on the spot, and now even the brave and skilled General Zhaohui is trapped in the Black Water Camp. This time you’re heading far away to the Muslim regions—you absolutely must be careful.”

Fuheng: “I understand. Don’t worry.”

“How can I not worry!” Hailancha widened his eyes, curiosity filling them. “The Emperor clearly rejected your request—how did he change his mind overnight?”

Fuheng suddenly stopped walking, cupped his hands in salute, and stepped to the side of the path.

Hailancha turned to look and quickly followed him aside, also performing a cupped-hand salute.

Along the long corridor, Wei Yingluo’s ceremonial palanquin slowly passed by.

As they brushed past each other, she suddenly turned her head and gave Fuheng a mysterious smile.

To Hailancha’s surprise, Fuheng actually returned the smile.

Hailancha glanced at Wei Yingluo, then at him. Once the palanquin had passed, he immediately pulled Fuheng to one side, his expression grave:

“Brother, you cannot go astray! Think of your parents at home, think of your wife and children…”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Fuheng said calmly.

There was definitely something between these two! But Fuheng’s mouth was sealed too tightly, and it was impossible to go to Yanxi Palace and question the now-rising Consort Ling. What could he do?

   “I’ve got it!” Hailancha suddenly slapped his thigh. “I’ll go find Ming Yu!”

Compared to Wei Yingluo and Fuheng, Ming Yu was naturally much easier to deal with.

Or rather, between this pair of young lovers in the heat of passion, there were very few secrets. Most of the time, they were accustomed to sharing everything.

Sharing delicious food, sharing fine drinks, sharing each other’s worries, and sharing each other’s joys.

In the Imperial Guard station, Hailancha brought out a plate of fruit pastries to treat her, and casually asked:

“How has Her Ladyship been lately?”

“Very well!” Ming Yu popped a piece of candied fruit into her mouth and boasted with delight, eyebrows dancing. “Today at noon, the Emperor summoned our Ladyship to eat with him again.”

“Hey, what’s so special about that?” Hailancha pretended to pick a fight. “Which consort in the harem hasn’t eaten one or two meals with the Emperor?”

“It’s different,” Ming Yu shook her head. “When Her Ladyship came back, she brought the chef who prepared the meal along with her.”

“Ah?” This was completely unexpected to Hailancha.

“Not just the chef.” Ming Yu counted on her fingers for him. “Last month she took a brush washer, the day before yesterday a pocket watch, and yesterday she saw a jade bowl she liked and just took it away. In the entire Forbidden City, who else can do what our ladyship does? Whatever she wants, the Emperor gives it to her?”

Truly one of a kind, no one else like her.

“Consort Ling is truly something,” Hailancha couldn’t help but give a thumbs-up, then sighed. “Speaking of which, yesterday the Emperor clearly rejected Fuheng’s request to join the campaign, but today he suddenly changed his mind and agreed to let him go to war…”

Ming Yu blinked, then suddenly pushed his chest with her hand. “Aha! So after all this, you were just trying to get information out of me!”

Hailancha chuckled sheepishly but didn’t press her. If she wanted to answer, she would; if not, he wouldn’t force her.

He was only a little curious, after all!

   Ming Yu hesitated for a moment, then finally gave him an ambiguous reply:

“Our Ladyship is someone who repays kindness with kindness and enmity with enmity. Lord Fucha helped Her Ladyship fulfill a wish of hers, so… you understand, right?”

Hailancha was no fool. With the conversation brought this far, how could he not understand?

It was Fuheng who had helped Wei Yingluo fulfill her wish, and therefore Wei Yingluo was returning the favor by helping him fulfill his.

“Of all the women in the world, he had to fall for this one.” Hailancha thought to himself, “Fuheng, I really don’t know whether to call you fortunate or unfortunate…”

A beauty is easy to find; a true confidante is hard to come by.

   To find someone who is both a beauty and a confidante — that is a stroke of three-lives’ worth of luck, to meet such a person in this lifetime.

   “Huh? Now that I think about it, Yanxi Palace is in a completely different direction — it’s not even on the way. How could we have run into her by chance?” Hailancha suddenly realized something else and sighed inwardly. “So this meeting today wasn’t accidental at all. She deliberately came to see you off, Fuheng… You really are an unfortunate fellow!”

Three-lives’ fortune — to have won you alone.

   Yet in the end, one turned left and one turned right, walking in opposite directions. If they must part, why meet at all? If there is no fate between them, why make vows?

“You’re back?”

Inside Yanxi Palace, Wei Yingluo was arranging flowers in a basin.

“I’m back.” Ming Yu closed the door behind her, walked over, and casually handed her a sprig of jasmine.

Wei Yingluo reached out to take it, trying first one angle, then another, before finally tucking the jasmine at her chest. She sighed: “I used to watch the Empress arrange flowers and found it so pleasing to the eye no matter what she did. But the flowers I arrange myself — they really are ugly!”

Ming Yu burst out laughing: “That’s exactly why the Emperor calls you vulgar!”

Wei Yingluo smiled: “Calligraphy, painting, qin music — all of those can be improved through practice later in life. But taste and bearing… those take years of immersion from birth in a great household. I grew up in the marketplace, so naturally I can’t compare.”

Ming Yu: “Then why are you still practicing?”

After studying the flower basin carefully for a moment, Wei Yingluo finally chose a spot and inserted the jasmine there: “If I can’t match her in one day, then I’ll try for a year. If not a year, then ten. Even if I lack natural talent, diligence can make up for clumsiness. I don’t need to master qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting to perfection — but when the Emperor asks about them, I can’t just stand there like a blind fool!”

Noble Consort Chun would never — and would never want to — learn her kind of vulgarity. But she herself could learn the other’s elegance. Elegance sets the bar too high, vulgarity too low. Only a balance of elegance and vulgarity together is truly the most appealing to people.

“Master.” Xiaoquanzi’s voice suddenly came from behind her. “It’s been taken care of.”

Wei Yingluo was startled at the words. She turned quickly, unable to hide the delighted surprise in her eyes: “Brother!”

A stunningly beautiful eunuch stood behind her. When he smiled, it was as if the heavens and earth lost their color.

It was Yuan Chunwang!

“Brother!” Wei Yingluo hurried forward to meet him, running so fast she nearly lost a shoe. “I thought you wouldn’t come…”

Yuan Chunwang flicked her lightly on the forehead with his finger — an intimate gesture as though they had never fallen out: “If I don’t come, who will? Even from as far away as the Yuanmingyuan, I heard you got into trouble. Your brother had no choice but to come and clean up after you.”

Wei Yingluo rubbed her forehead, warmth flooding her heart. Earlier, when Hongli had neglected her, most of the palace servants in Yanxi Palace had scattered to seek better prospects. Only Ming Yu and Xiaoquanzi had stayed. Now that she had regained favor and been promoted to Consort Ling, she had no interest in those fair-weather servants. Hongli had given her permission to select new people from anywhere in the palace. The very first person she thought of was Yuan Chunwang.

With her current favor and status, transferring someone from the Yuanmingyuan was extremely easy.

The only fear had been that he might refuse to come.

She had tried with a heart full of apprehension — and unexpectedly received such a wonderful outcome.

“Master!” Xiaoquanzi shot a wary glance at Yuan Chunwang and quickly tried to vie for attention: “The Emperor sent someone to deliver a set of riding attire. He says tomorrow he will personally take you riding!”

“Riding?” Wei Yingluo’s attention shifted to him.

Xiaoquanzi beamed with pride: “Yes! In the future the Emperor wants to bring Master to participate in the Mulan Autumn Hunt — naturally she has to learn to ride a horse first!”

“Riding… riding a horse…” Yingluo savored the words slowly, then suddenly smiled. “Xiaoquanzi — spread the word that tomorrow the Emperor will personally teach me how to ride!”

Xiaoquanzi was stunned. Beside him, Ming Yu quickly stopped her: “That wouldn’t be good, would it? Right now you’re so favored in the palace—the consorts all hate you to the bone. If this news spreads further, won’t it be like pouring oil on the fire?”

Wei Yingluo let out a short laugh, half-smiling, half-sneering: “I just love watching them turn green with envy, stamping their feet in fury, yet completely powerless to do anything about it… Go. Do exactly as I said.”

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