Story of Yanxi Palace, Chapter 154: The Silkworm-Rearing Ceremony

   “Your Ladyship.” Zhener came in to report, “His Majesty has already left.”

It was already noon, yet the Step Empress still had not risen. She remained reclining on the couch. Upon hearing Zhener’s report, she nodded slightly and continued reading the book in her hand.

Zhener hesitated for a moment before asking, “Your Ladyship, His Majesty did not pursue your discourtesy. Why are you still so stiff?”

The Step Empress slowly turned a page, replying indifferently, “Don’t worry. His Majesty will not blame me.”

Zhener: “Why not?”

The Step Empress gave a soft, cold laugh and turned her head to look at her. “Because he feels guilty.”

Zhener was startled. “Niangniang!”

“Do you think I’ve truly gone mad? The whole world may be mad, but I am perfectly clear-headed!” The Step Empress’s gaze was terrifyingly calm—completely unlike the rumors outside that she had changed temperament drastically after her father’s death and now refused even to acknowledge the Emperor. “If my own father died and I acted as though nothing had happened, that would truly be inhuman!”

Only then did Zhener grasp the deeper meaning. “You mean…”

The Step Empress gave a cold smile. “A person who has always followed every rule, the moment she steps out of line even once, is when the Emperor will truly take notice! Only by making His Majesty remember my grievance, my anger, will the entire six palaces remember it too!”

Everything went exactly as she had planned, exactly as she had predicted.

Before the afternoon was over, Hongli ordered someone to deliver an old fur cloak.

There was precedent for this.

When Emperor Chongzhen and Empress Zhou were estranged, and Empress Zhou went on a hunger strike in protest, Chongzhen sent her an old fur mattress, and the couple reconciled as before.

Now he was imitating the ancients, sending an old garment—his meaning was obvious.

“The Emperor still remembers the grievances of the former Empress and still cherishes the old affection between the two of them.” — This message was not only conveyed to the new Empress, but to the entire harem.

Some people were delighted by this, some felt uneasy, and some… began to take action because of it.

Shoukang Palace.

   “This year there has been severe drought in eastern Zhejiang and locust plagues in Shandong,” the Empress Dowager said lightly while gently stirring the tea lid, “so let’s dispense with the Silkworm Ceremony this year.”

The ceremony in which the Empress personally offers sacrifices to the First Silkworm and encourages mulberry cultivation and sericulture is an ancient tradition. Moreover, the Imperial Household Department had already prepared everything and was only waiting for the Empress Dowager’s approval to proceed according to precedent. How could it suddenly be canceled?

“Empress Dowager,” the current Empress spoke carefully, “precisely because disasters are occurring in various regions and the people are restless, I wished to personally pick mulberry leaves and raise silkworms, to encourage sericulture among the common people and pray for favorable weather next year. In previous years, this has always been done…”

“Empress,” the Empress Dowager interrupted, “when Rongyin was still here, the Silkworm Ceremony was held every year without fail. But since you succeeded as Empress, such a grand event has never again been organized. I understand the grievance in your heart. However, this year there are natural disasters everywhere. The ceremony is extremely costly and requires mobilizing a great number of people — it is truly inappropriate. If you truly have the heart for it, there is no harm in holding it next year.”

How could such a matter be deferred?

The Empress gritted her teeth and said, “Empress Dowager, the Silkworm Altar and the mulberry-picking grounds have already been fully prepared. The consorts, princesses, and titled ladies are all aware of this matter. To suddenly cancel it would invite discussion and criticism both inside and outside the court. I venture to earnestly request that this year’s Silkworm Ceremony be held as usual.”

Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager’s expression suddenly darkened. “You say you came to ask for my decision, yet you have already instructed the Imperial Household Department to make all preparations — and still you want me to decide something? Empress, aren’t you being far too presumptuous?”

“Far too presumptuous.”

   She used such heavy words, and said them in front of so many people — what else could the Empress do? She immediately knelt down.

“Empress Dowager, I was merely following precedent in making preparations and failed to consider things as thoroughly as Your Majesty. Since it displeases you, I will immediately order them to stop all preparations. I only beg Your Majesty to calm your anger.”

The Empress Dowager said coldly, “I am tired. You may withdraw.”

With that, without waiting for the Empress to reply, she rose first, supported by Aunt Liu’s hand, and left.

Back at Chengqian Palace, the Empress’s face was grim. She dismissed everyone except Zhener, then instructed her:

“I want you to go find someone…”

At this moment, who else could make the Empress Dowager change her mind?

Or rather — who would dare to speak up for the current Empress in front of the Empress Dowager?

“…Prince He?” Zhener asked tentatively.

The Empress nodded with a smile. “Yes, exactly him.”

In the eyes of others, Hongzhou was a dissolute, good-for-nothing playboy prince. But in her eyes, every person is useful — it only depends on the timing.

Right now, no one else was suitable to persuade the Empress Dowager, but a prince could.

Moreover, if he weren’t useful, the Empress would not have deliberately gone to the watchtower that night, nor specifically arranged for Zhener to fetch him. Though she nearly froze to death on that tower, the outcome had been quite satisfactory…

“…Didn’t he say he would do anything for me?” The Empress smiled charmingly, just as she had that night when she turned to look back at him on the watchtower. “Then let him know what happened today — and let him go convince the Empress Dowager on my behalf.”

The Empress was skilled at reading people — and even more skilled at using them.

A few days later, the Empress Dowager indeed changed her mind and approved the Silkworm Ceremony.

The Empress had just breathed a sigh of relief when Wu Shulai reported:

“Your Majesty, as per your instructions, all the tools to be used by the various ladies, consorts, princesses, and titled women for picking mulberry leaves on the day of the ceremony have been fully prepared. Please review them.”

The Empress nodded. A group of young eunuchs then carried the tools into Jiaotai Hall:

For the Empress — a golden hook and yellow basket;

For the Noble Consort — a silver hook and zhe-yellow basket;

For the other consorts and concubines — copper hooks and zhe-yellow baskets;

For the princesses and titled ladies — iron hooks and vermilion baskets.

As she passed by one basket after another, one hook after another, the Step Empress suddenly stopped in front of a citron-yellow basket. The smile on her face slowly faded: “This is……”

Wu Shulai lowered his head and replied, “These are the silver hook and citron-yellow basket prepared for Her Ladyship Consort-Ling to pick mulberry leaves.”

The Step Empress immediately changed color. Behind her, Zhener rebuked sharply: “Wu Shulai, the Empress uses a gold hook, the Noble Consort uses a silver hook, ordinary concubines use copper hooks. Consort-Ling is merely of consort rank—how dare she overstep and use a silver hook? Do you not want to live anymore?”

Wu Shulai hurriedly knelt and said, “I beg the Empress’s forgiveness. This was by the Empress Dowager’s explicit decree. The Imperial Household Department reported it to the Emperor, and the Emperor also gave his approval.”

Zhener was struck speechless and quickly turned to look at the Step Empress’s expression.

By this time the Step Empress had already concealed the gloom on her face and was smiling with her usual dignified and virtuous demeanor: “Since both the Empress Dowager and the Emperor have issued clear instructions, everything should be carried out according to their wishes.”

After the inspection was finished and they returned to Chengqian Palace, Zhener asked uneasily, “Your Ladyship, according to Consort-Ling’s rank, she is not qualified to use a silver hook at all. What exactly is the intention behind the Empress Dowager and the Emperor allowing this?”

While trimming a potted plant, the Step Empress replied calmly and composedly, “Naturally, they intend to elevate Consort-Ling and help her advance further.”

“This……” Zhener said angrily, “The Emperor may favor that person in Yanxi Palace, fine—but how could even the Empress Dowager……”

The Step Empress scoffed with a sneer and said icily, “Ever since the incident with my father, the Empress Dowager has already been angry with me. Now that I am using Prince He to hold a grand, magnificent Silkworm Ceremony, the Empress Dowager is even more displeased. That is why she deliberately elevates Consort-Ling—to make things difficult for me on purpose.”

Things were getting harder and harder. Zhener gradually began to feel like giving up, so she advised, “Your Ladyship, the Empress Dowager’s position is extremely exalted, and the Emperor is deeply filial to his mother. Why must you insist on holding the personal sericulture ceremony?”

The Step Empress slowly shook her head: “After what happened to my father, everyone in the Ulanara clan is fearful and on edge. By holding a grand, glorious Silkworm Ceremony, I want to make it unmistakably clear to the court and the realm that the position of Great Qing’s Empress remains as unshakable as ever. Only in this way will no one dare look down on me.”

“This servant is only afraid……” Zhener said anxiously, “afraid that from now on the Empress Dowager will keep targeting you.”

“Then endure,” the Step Empress said lightly, still holding the golden shears. “Endure until the day we rise above it all……”

Snap—

With a crisp sound like a beheading, she snipped off a red flower.

In contrast to the heavy atmosphere in Chengqian Palace, the mood inside Yanxi Palace was exceptionally relaxed and cheerful. On the table, a music box played a light Western waltz; the cheerful melody melted into the air and into everyone’s ears.

The news that Consort-Ling would be using a silver hook had already reached Yanxi Palace. Everyone took it as a clear signal that Consort-Ling was about to be promoted, so every face was lit with joy.

Wei Yingluo herself, upon hearing the news, merely smiled faintly and didn’t take it too seriously. She continued to guide Ming Yu: “Hailancha already has one pouch you made. Sending him another would be meaningless.”

Ming Yu had already been embroidering the same pouch for three days; her fingers were pricked full of holes like a beehive. Just as she was at her wits’ end, she heard this remark and reflexively replied, “How did you know I was going to give it to Hailancha?”

Wei Yingluo didn’t answer, only stood with her hands behind her back, looking at her and smiling.

Ming Yu blushed bright red under her gaze and said softly, “Alright…… I know what you’re going to say. It’s written all over my face, isn’t it?”

Wei Yingluo burst out laughing, sat down beside her and said, “Hailancha lost his father when he was young and was raised single-handedly by his widowed mother. Men who grow up in such families are either strong mother–weak son, or weak mother–strong son. Judging from Hailancha’s resolute and tough temperament, his mother must be a gentle and virtuous woman. If you want to win his heart, you must first win hers.”

Ming Yu’s eyes lit up: “You mean……”

“Making a pair of shoes for his mother would be far better than giving him another scented sachet,” Wei Yingluo advised. “Don’t forget—he will eventually go to the battlefield. What he needs even more is a wise wife and good mother, not a frivolous little girl who only knows romance and flowers.”

Ming Yu nodded, then shook her head: “But I don’t know how to make shoes, and I don’t even know her foot size.”

Wei Yingluo tapped her forehead in exasperation: “I’m not telling you to make them right now! For this time, just make her a forehead band instead!”

Anyway, whether it’s shoes, a headband, or a pouch, Hailancha would happily accept them all, because they all represent a piece of Ming Yu’s sincere affection.

At that moment, Yuan Chunwang walked in, holding a bowl of brownish medicinal soup in his hands:

“It’s time to take your medicine.”

Every month at this time, Wei Yingluo had to drink a bowl of this medicine, and Ming Yu was already accustomed to it. She took the bowl from him, blew on it lightly to cool it a little, and was about to feed it to her — when suddenly a loud shout came from beside her:

“There’s poison in the medicine!”

Ming Yu was startled. Wei Yingluo also turned her head to look.

They saw Xiaoquanzi rushing in panting for breath. He dropped to his knees with a thud in front of Wei Yingluo, his peripheral vision darting toward Yuan Chunwang:

“Master, this servant saw it with my own eyes — Yuan Chunwang put a packet of medicine into the tonic that Master drinks every day.”

Ming Yu was shocked:

“Xiaoquanzi, you can’t just say things like that!”

Xiaoquanzi:

“This servant is willing to swear to the heavens — if even half a sentence is false, may I be struck by lightning!”

The room fell deathly silent. Everyone’s eyes were fixed on Wei Yingluo.

Wei Yingluo smiled slightly, suddenly lifted the medicine bowl, and drank it all in one go.

After setting the bowl down, she spoke calmly as if nothing had happened:

“Ming Yu, Xiaoquanzi’s words and actions were improper. Deduct one month of his salary. Take him away and make sure he recites the palace rules once from beginning to end.”

Xiaoquanzi’s face crumpled:

“But… but Master…”

“Enough!” Ming Yu came over and twisted his ear.

“Get over here already!”

After the two of them left, Wei Yingluo turned to look at Yuan Chunwang:

“You deliberately let him see it?”

Xiaoquanzi had always been somewhat jealous of Yuan Chunwang.

He seemed to feel that if Yuan Chunwang hadn’t interfered, the position of chief steward of Yanxi Palace would have belonged to him, and Wei Yingluo’s right-hand and left-hand assistants should have been him and Ming Yu.

So whether there was something to complain about or not, Xiaoquanzi loved finding fault with Yuan Chunwang and frequently badmouthed him in front of Wei Yingluo. Given how cautious and careful Yuan Chunwang usually was, how could he possibly have let himself be caught with such a huge piece of evidence?

“Yes, I did it on purpose.” Sure enough, Yuan Chunwang smiled slightly.

“I wanted him to know just how much you trust me — so he stops provoking me again and again.”

Wei Yingluo shook her head helplessly.

“…Yingluo.” Yuan Chunwang hesitated for a moment before asking,

“Are you still going to keep drinking this medicinal soup?”

“Yes.” Wei Yingluo answered without the slightest hesitation, her voice calm.

“Why wouldn’t I? This is exactly the medicine I need.”

Knock knock knock. Li Yu’s voice came from outside the door:

“Your Ladyship.”

Wei Yingluo and Yuan Chunwang exchanged a glance. Yuan Chunwang quickly hid the medicine bowl away.

The door opened. Wei Yingluo asked in an unruffled tone:

“Chief Steward Li, is something the matter?”

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