Story of Yanxi Palace, Chapter 39: Confidante

   “You went to sweep snow again.” As soon as Wei Yingluo returned to Changchun Palace, the Empress summoned her close and spoke with motherly affection. “I have already told you—there is no need for you to do such work anymore. Let Zhenzhu and the others handle it. When you have free time, read more books, or come here to help grind ink for me and assist with some of my affairs.”

The Empress clearly intended to groom her as a true confidante. Otherwise, she would have preferred her to remain an ignorant “blind” servant rather than allowing her to read, write, understand matters of importance, and even discuss the disposal of items from the Imperial Household Department’s inventory.

Wei Yingluo felt both alarmed and deeply moved—alarmed that she might be rising too high too quickly, and moved by the genuine trust being placed in her—so she spoke freely and held nothing back.

“I didn’t realize how late it had gotten.” Two hours later, the Empress set down her brush, a trace of weariness appearing on her face.

Wei Yingluo immediately stepped behind her and gently massaged her temples, saying softly, “Your Majesty, please rest for a while. This servant will keep you company and chat.”

“Mm.” The Empress closed her eyes, temporarily setting aside her heavy duties, and chatted idly with her about everyday matters. “Speaking of which, not long ago the imperial physician reported that Noble Lady Yu has recently been waking up startled in the middle of the night. She’s become so gaunt and emaciated that she’s almost unrecognizable. The physician said… it is an illness of the heart.”

“An illness of the heart requires medicine for the heart.” Wei Yingluo spoke carefully. “With Concubine Yi gone, His Majesty is her only medicine.”

The Empress sighed. “But His Majesty is burdened with ten thousand affairs of state—how could he possibly have time for her? It is easy to seek priceless treasures, but hard to find a lover with true affection. Noble Lady Yu is not Consort Dong E—where else could she find another Emperor Shizu…”

Everyone in the world knew that the Shunzhi Emperor had doted solely on Consort Dong E. When she fell ill and died, Emperor Shizu was so grief-stricken that he became seriously ill himself and even shaved his head to become a monk. Even an ordinary man would rarely do so much for his wife—let alone an emperor who ruled all under Heaven.

After a pause, the Empress realized she had spoken too freely and gave a somewhat forlorn smile. “Look at me—I’ve grown muddle-headed. What nonsense am I saying!”

Wei Yingluo understood what was in her heart. Every woman dreams of becoming a Consort Dong E, but when expectations are set too high, disappointment is inevitable.

Wanting to comfort her, Wei Yingluo thought for a moment and said, “Emperor Shizu’s single-minded devotion to Consort Dong E is indeed enviable. But if you look at it from another angle, the feeling is completely different!”

“Oh?” The Empress grew curious. “Go on.”

“Your Majesty, when Consort Dong E passed away, Emperor Shizu was overwhelmed with grief. He suspended court for five days, burned two entire palaces along with countless treasures, and even ordered thirty palace maids and thirty eunuchs to be put to death to accompany her! For Consort Dong E, meeting such a passionately devoted emperor was fortunate. But those sixty innocent palace servants—they too had parents, siblings, and families. They were living, breathing people! Moreover, in order to mourn Consort Dong E, Emperor Shizu disregarded millions of his subjects.” Wei Yingluo sighed softly. “I’m afraid the civil and military officials, the common people, and the other consorts in the harem would all prefer their emperor to be heartless.”

“Insolent!”

A man’s voice suddenly rang out.

Wei Yingluo and the Empress were both so startled that they rose to their feet at once and knelt in the direction of the voice.

A pair of bright yellow boots came to a stop in front of Wei Yingluo.

This was the second time she had seen these boots.

“Who gave you permission to speak so presumptuously about Emperor Shizu? You deserve to die ten thousand deaths!” Hongli’s voice thundered from above her head, filled with boundless fury. “Someone—!”

What should she do!

Wei Yingluo cried out inwardly in distress. She hadn’t expected that an emperor of all people would have a fondness for eavesdropping at walls. Now that she had crashed right into the muzzle of the gun, the only thing left to do was…

Gritting her teeth, Wei Yingluo shouted loudly before the guards could rush in and seize her: “Your Majesty, those words weren’t spoken by me!”

“Oh?” Hongli said coldly. “Then who said them?”

Wei Yingluo: “It was our Ancestral Emperor, Emperor Shizu.”

Hongli was momentarily stunned.

“Your Majesty, the Shizu Emperor once issued an edict of self-reproach in which he mentioned that he had treated Consort Dong E too indulgently, failing to restrain his feelings with proper rites, and he deeply regretted it.” Taking advantage of his momentary lapse, Wei Yingluo hurriedly finished the rest of her explanation. “This servant was merely repeating the words of the Shizu Emperor.”

If he were to punish her for this, wouldn’t that be disrespecting one’s teacher and destroying one’s ancestors?

   Hongli was silent for a moment before slowly saying, “Then what about your accusation that the Shizu Emperor ordered living palace attendants to be buried alive with him? Are you claiming that was also said by the Shizu Emperor himself?”

“That was not,” Wei Yingluo replied.

Hongli immediately scoffed with icy disdain. “Guards—”

Wei Yingluo: “That was said by Emperor Kangxi!”

Hongli: “…”

Wei Yingluo: “Emperor Kangxi long ago issued an order prohibiting the practice of human sacrifice in burials. From that time onward, the rite of burying living people with the deceased has never again occurred!”

Hongli fell silent once more—or rather, he seemed thoroughly stifled.

This emperor, who appeared to be somewhat petty, clearly had no intention of letting her off so easily. After thinking it over for a long while, he finally recalled another point. Grinding his teeth, he said, “Very well. Then let me ask you this: just now you said the common people would rather their emperor be heartless. What exactly did you mean by that?”

Hearing this question, Wei Yingluo actually breathed a sigh of relief.

Because those were more or less all the words she had spoken. Since he was asking about this one, it was clearly the last question.

“In reply to Your Majesty.” Wei Yingluo kowtowed to the ground and spoke slowly. “This servant has heard that Your Majesty rises at the hour of night every day. In summer, when the sky is still bright; in winter, when the fifth watch has barely ended. When military reports arrive from the western frontiers—even in the dead of night—Your Majesty immediately summons the Grand Council ministers for discussion. Those ministers rotate duty every five or six days and already find it extremely exhausting. How much more so for Your Majesty, who does this every single day, year after year? Your diligence in governing is truly admirable! Yet because Your Majesty is so occupied with state affairs and has no time to attend to the inner palace, the consorts and concubines inevitably feel lonely and neglected. It is clear that to be a wise ruler—to have affection for the people and for the realm—one must be heartless toward the consorts and concubines!”

After listening, Hongli opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out for a long time.

“Indeed—great love is heartless. His Majesty is precisely such a diligent and enlightened ruler!” The Empress suddenly stepped forward and waved her hand. “That’s enough. You may leave now. This palace wishes to speak with the Emperor.”

Wei Yingluo’s heart immediately settled. She knew the Empress was taking this opportunity to help her out of the predicament. Once she passed the Emperor’s three questions and stepped out this door, she would be completely safe…

“Wait!” The man’s voice suddenly rang out above her head. “Raise your head!”

Wei Yingluo was greatly startled—and so was the Empress. “Your Majesty?”

“Your tone, your voice… the more I hear it, the more familiar it seems…” Hongli’s voice carried a trace of puzzlement and a trace of scrutiny.

Hearing these words, how could Wei Yingluo possibly dare to lift her head? She remained prostrate on the ground, as motionless as a stone statue that had stood for years.

“I remember now…” Hongli’s voice suddenly turned icy cold. “You are—”

“Leave at once!” The Empress’s voice abruptly cut in. “Don’t upset His Majesty any further. Go kneel outside!”

“Yes, Your Highness!” Wei Yingluo scrambled out in a rush, half crawling and half rolling.

Behind her came the sound of the Emperor and Empress arguing.

“I saw her before—she was nothing but a lowly palace maid. Yet in less than a month, she reached Changchun Palace and gained your deep trust. Clearly, she harbors ulterior motives and is plotting something treacherous! Empress, how can you keep such a person by your side?”

“Emperor, I, as her mistress, know best what kind of character Yingluo has.”

“Empress, excessive leniency may lead to raising a tiger that will devour you!”

“Emperor, when employing people, one should not doubt them; when doubting, one should not employ them. I trust my own eyes—Yingluo is absolutely not the kind of person you describe!”

Wei Yingluo suddenly halted her steps and looked back in a daze.

She wasn’t that kind of person?

No… the Emperor was right. She was exactly the sort of person who harbored dark intentions and plotted no good.

“But I will never betray your trust.” In her heart, Wei Yingluo spoke to the Empress. “I will absolutely never let anyone harm you.”

STORY OF YANXI PALACE CHAPTERS HOME