Story of Yanxi Palace, Chapter 43: Chaos of the Lychees

One after another, dishes made from lychees were carried to the tables like a flowing stream.

There were lychee shrimp balls, deep-fried lychee-stuffed eggs, fresh lychee cold-mixed roast duck, crimson lychee rolls, lychee pork meatballs, and more. The Empress ladled up a spoonful of clear white soup. Floating in the broth was a single snow-white lychee along with a few bright red goji berries—white touched with red, like one or two red plum blossoms drifting through snow. It was utterly charming.

“Empress, this is ‘Snow Amid Red Plum Blossoms,’ specially prepared by the imperial kitchen,” Erqing explained upon noticing her curiosity. “Lychees are prone to causing internal heat, so they were first soaked in warm saltwater, and goji berries were deliberately added to balance it.”

“The Tea and Meal Bureau has truly put thought into this. Just the presentation alone is exceptionally elegant,” the Empress said with a smile. “Your Majesty, please try it.”

Hongli seemed distracted, his gaze wandering around the crowd as though searching for someone among the faces. Only when the “Snow Amid Red Plum Blossoms” was placed before him did he offer the Empress a faint smile. “The Empress has been most considerate.”

A flicker of jealousy passed through Noble Consort Hui’s eyes. Toying with her tortoiseshell nail guard, she smiled and said, “Lychee dishes are quite ordinary—after all, dried lychees are sent as tribute every year. But once seasonings are added, the flavor changes completely! Those who truly know how to enjoy lychees are most interested in fresh ones. Empress, weren’t you going to personally pick the lychees today? Why hasn’t there been any movement yet?”

The Empress also found it strange. By this time, the lychee trees should already have been brought in—yet there was still no sign of them.

“Speaking of which, who exactly is in charge of this matter…?” Noble Consort Hui gave a meaningful smile. “Ah, now I remember—it’s that palace maid named Wei Yingluo, isn’t it?”

Hongli’s hand, which had just picked up a piece of lychee flesh, suddenly paused.

The Empress did not notice. She merely frowned at Noble Consort Hui’s smile. After so many years of rivalry, the Empress could claim to be the person in the world who understood Noble Consort Hui best. That smile clearly carried ill intent. What was she planning? What could she possibly do?

“It’s getting rather late,” Hongli suddenly spoke up. “Have that palace maid… Wei Yingluo bring the lychee trees in.”

The Empress was startled. Though a sense of unease rose in her heart, since the Emperor had already given the order, how could she openly contradict him in public? She could only say, “Where is Yingluo? Have her bring the lychee trees forward.”

The command was passed down, yet no one appeared for a long time.

Gradually, murmurs of discussion began to spread.

“My, my—what nerve that Wei Yingluo has, making so many people and even His Majesty wait for a mere servant,” Noble Consort Hui said, her smile deepening. “Only in the Empress’s palace could such a subordinate be raised. Hehe.”

The Empress’s brows knitted tightly. From what she knew of Wei Yingluo, the girl would never deliberately cause such a scene or show disrespect to so many high-ranking ladies—what benefit could there possibly be for her in that? Something unexpected must have happened.

From the corner of her eye she glanced at Noble Consort Hui and saw the other woman wearing the expression of someone waiting to watch a good show. A chill ran through the Empress’s heart: “I’m afraid this matter has something to do with her…”

The Empress wanted to smooth the situation over somehow, but the arrow was already on the string—it had to be loosed. So many eyes were watching her: the Emperor, Noble Consort Hui, Concubine Jia… all waiting for her response.

How should she reply…?

“Your Highness!” Just as the Empress was at her wits’ end, Erqing’s voice suddenly sounded close to her ear. “It’s Wei Yingluo! She’s here!”

Wei Yingluo had arrived?

Everyone turned to look, all eager to see what this audacious palace maid actually looked like.

At first glance, her clothing and appearance were no different from any other palace maid.

At the second glance, however, she seemed utterly unlike all the others.

That appearance… was simply too striking.

Her breath was fragrant like orchid, her purity like a lotus bud. Not to mention ordinary palace maids—even among the carefully selected consorts, few could compare with her in looks. The Empress must have a truly bold heart to keep such a beauty by her side—did she not fear the Emperor would take notice?

By comparison, the woman supported by Wei Yingluo seemed dimmed and colorless, withered like a flower past its bloom. The only thing that could rival Wei Yingluo was perhaps the robe she wore—the garment of a mistress.

“Noble Lady Yu, why have you come?” the Empress asked in surprise.

The woman being helped forward by Wei Yingluo was none other than Noble Lady Yu, who should have been resting and nurturing her pregnancy in Yonghe Palace.

She smiled at the Empress. “Your Ladyship is hosting a banquet—how could this concubine possibly be absent? Since Your Ladyship is so considerate, this concubine must not be lazy.”

Hongli’s gaze slowly shifted from Wei Yingluo’s face to Noble Lady Yu’s. “Noble Lady Yu, has your illness improved?”

Noble Lady Yu quickly curtsied to him. “Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. This concubine’s spirit has already improved greatly.”

“That’s good. You must take good care of your health and not let the Empress worry and tire herself on your account.” Hongli nodded. “Sit.”

Only then did Noble Lady Yu take her seat. As she sat down, she exchanged a knowing glance with Wei Yingluo.

Almost at the same moment, Noble Consort Hui and Concubine Jia exchanged a similar glance. Concubine Jia spoke up: “Your Ladyship the Empress, when will we begin picking the lychees? This concubine has been craving them and is eagerly waiting to taste the fresh ones—full of color, fragrance, and flavor!”

The Empress was momentarily taken aback. Her worried gaze turned toward Wei Yingluo.

“We have kept the mistresses waiting too long,” Wei Yingluo replied with a reassuring smile, then called out loudly, “Bring it forward!”

As soon as the words left her mouth, two eunuchs together carried in a wooden barrel. A large piece of red silk was draped high over it, covering the lychee tree completely from top to bottom.

“Your Ladyship the Empress.” Wei Yingluo presented a tray on which lay a pair of golden scissors. “Please do the honors of picking them yourself.”

The Empress had already sensed that something unusual was afoot. For a moment she couldn’t think of how to respond, but she trusted Wei Yingluo—she believed the other woman had already devised a way to handle it. So she smiled, accepted the golden scissors, and walked step by step toward the barrel. Then she slowly reached out and lifted the red silk…

“Woof!”

The Empress startled backward a step. When she saw clearly what was beneath, she was left speechless: “This… this is…”

Under the red silk, the lychee tree’s branches and leaves were wilted and sparse; hardly any fruit remained on the branches. Most of the lychees had fallen into the mud in the basin below. On closer inspection, the trunk was covered in deep scratch marks. The culprit was obviously…

Everyone’s eyes turned in unison toward the snowball-like white furball beneath the tree.

As if sensing the unfriendly stares, the furball barked a few more times—” Woof woof!”—then swiftly leaped down from the basin and dashed straight toward Noble Consort Hui.

“Ah!!” Noble Lady Yu suddenly let out a piercing scream. She frantically clung to Wei Yingluo’s arm and shrank behind her. “Don’t come near! Don’t bite me—don’t bite me!”

She cried out so heart-wrenchingly, as though the dog’s teeth had already sunk into her throat and were tearing at her flesh.

Hongli glanced at her. “Someone—catch that dog.”

The eunuchs rushed forward, grabbing and wrestling until they finally secured the little furball. Clearly spoiled and unaccustomed to such rough treatment, it whimpered pitifully a few times, then turned in one direction and barked furiously.

“Be gentler with it…” Noble Consort Hui’s face was unpleasant as she looked toward Hongli. “Your Majesty…”

Before she could plead on behalf of the furball, Noble Lady Yu burst into anguished sobs: “Noble Consort Hui, once was not enough—so you had to do it a second time? Are you truly determined to take this my life?”

Hongli frowned. “What is going on here?”

“Reporting to Your Majesty.” While gently patting Noble Lady Yu on the back, Wei Yingluo replied with perfect deference, “One month ago in the Imperial Garden, this dog named Snowball suddenly rushed out and frightened Noble Lady Yu. Since no one was injured at the time, the Empress, in her magnanimity, did not pursue the matter. But poor Noble Lady Yu has suffered ever since—she could only fall asleep each night after drinking calming soup. Today her spirits had just begun to improve a little, and yet she encountered it again!”

“Insolent slave!” Noble Consort Hui snapped sharply. “What do you mean by saying that? Are you implying that I ordered that beast to frighten someone?”

To protect herself, she no longer called Snowball her “little darling” and had downgraded it to “little beast.”

“This servant would not dare.” Wei Yingluo lowered her head. “This servant is merely speaking the truth.”

Suddenly, Noble Lady Yu broke free from her embrace and threw herself at Hongli’s feet, sobbing, “Your Majesty, save me! Save this concubine, please! If this continues, this concubine will not be able to endure—I will end up with one corpse and two lives lost!”

Hongli lowered his gaze to look at her, like a god or Buddha in a temple hall looking down upon a mortal prostrating on the ground.

“Come, help Noble Lady up,” he said slowly. “Rest assured—this matter, We will decide for you.”

“Your Majesty!” Noble Consort Hui hurriedly interjected. “Surely you do not truly believe her nonsense? Look carefully at that lychee tree—it was clearly scalded to death by boiling water, yet she insists it was scratched to death by a dog…”

Scalded to death by boiling water?

A thought flashed through the Empress’s mind: Oh? You didn’t even examine the lychee tree closely—how do you know it was scalded by boiling water? I’m afraid it was you who secretly ordered someone to do it.

“Noble Consort Hui!” The Empress gave her no chance to explain further and immediately spoke sternly. “You have repeatedly disturbed Noble Lady Yu—was that not enough? Today, at my Lychee Banquet, you deliberately caused trouble and nearly frightened Noble Lady Yu again. What exactly are your intentions?”

“Snowball is usually very well-behaved and has never caused any trouble!” Noble Consort Hui gritted her teeth. “This time, I fear someone deliberately framed me and used it to slander me!”

“Framed?” The Empress shook her head. “That vicious dog attacked Noble Lady Yu in the Imperial Garden last time. Today it didn’t bite anyone—it went straight for the Fujian tribute, the gift His Majesty specially sent to me!”

Noble Consort Hui was rendered speechless.

If not for the prior incident in the Imperial Garden, people might still have believed her.

But with an established history of assault, how could such a vicious dog possibly be as docile and trouble-free as she claimed?

“Noble Consort.” Hongli’s indifferent gaze swept over her. “Do you have anything else to say in your defense?”

In the palace, to survive—and to survive well—one must learn to read people’s expressions, especially the Emperor’s.

Noble Consort Hui dropped to her knees with a thud before Hongli and cried, “It’s all that beast Snowball’s fault—I will surely skin it alive when we return…”

“When tigers and rhinos escape their cages, when tortoise shells and jade are ruined inside their cases—who is to blame?” Hongli suddenly interrupted her.

“When tigers and rhinos escape their cages, when tortoise shells and fine jade are destroyed in their boxes, naturally it is the fault of the one entrusted with their care.” Wei Yingluo suddenly knelt at the side. “Today, while the lychee tree was being transported, Snowball kept darting back and forth underfoot. But because it is Noble Consort Your Highness’s beloved dog, the servants did not dare drive it away. As a result, this incident occurred—it was the servants’ failure to keep proper watch. We are willing to accept punishment! However…”

Her peripheral vision swept across Noble Lady Yu, who was crying like a tear-soaked figure, and she continued in a low voice, “This servant boldly asks one question on Noble Lady Yu’s behalf: the ones who were supposed to guard the lychees have already been punished—so what about the one who destroyed the lychees?”

“Insolent!” Concubine Jia slammed the table and stood up. “This is no place for a mere slave like you to speak!”

“…She is asking for me.” Noble Lady Yu let out a faint, mournful sigh. She lifted her tear-streaked face. While other women grew rounder during pregnancy, she alone had not gained any weight—her cheeks had even sunk inward, making her look almost like a walking skeleton. “This concubine also wants to know—does this palace still have any place left for me?”

For a moment, Concubine Jia was speechless.

“Her Majesty the Empress is merciful, His Majesty is merciful—please forgive this servant’s rudeness!” Wei Yingluo spoke boldly. “Noble Lady Yu carries the imperial heir and holds a precious status; the lychees are annual tribute from Fujian, personally bestowed by the Son of Heaven; Her Majesty the Empress is magnanimous and tolerant, yet her position is supremely honorable and cannot tolerate repeated provocations! Every single incident traces back to Snowball, but after all, that vicious dog is merely an animal—it knows neither etiquette nor rules. If blame must be assigned, blame its owner, who neither disciplines nor restrains it, allowing it to cause trouble again and again! This servant ventures to beg His Majesty to render holy judgment!”

Hongli gazed down at the woman kneeling before him for a long moment, then slowly turned his head. His voice was calm and light, yet carried an lofty, undeniable authority:

“Noble Consort Hui.”

There was no joy in that tone, no anger, no reproach—yet Noble Consort Hui’s body trembled faintly.

“…Yes. Snowball was not properly disciplined,” Noble Consort Hui said, clenching her fists. Suddenly she called out, “Concubine Jia! Come here at once and beg forgiveness from His Majesty!”

Sacrifice the chariot to save the general!

   The same phrase flashed through everyone’s mind.

Including Concubine Jia’s.

She inwardly groaned, knowing there was no escaping this. After all, she had been the one to suggest the plan to Noble Consort Hui—and she was the one who had botched it.

“Your Majesty, it is all my fault,” Concubine Jia rose and knelt before Hongli. “Noble Consort Your Highness was worried that Snowball’s unruly nature might ruin Her Majesty the Empress’s banquet, so she specially instructed this concubine to keep a close watch on it. It was this concubine’s carelessness that led to such an incident—Noble Consort Your Highness bears no responsibility at all! If Your Majesty must punish someone, punish this concubine!”

Hongli tapped his fingers lightly on the table. He didn’t entirely believe Concubine Jia’s words, but Noble Consort Hui had powerful backing; it was impossible to severely punish her over a few trees. Letting the punishment fall on Concubine Jia would satisfy everyone, so he said indifferently:

“The lychee trees are annual tribute from Fujian, transported thousands of miles to the capital. I personally presented them to the Empress so that she might be delighted. Yet because of your negligence, all My effort has gone to waste. Now is not the time to beg My forgiveness—you should be apologizing to the Empress!”

“Yes!” Concubine Jia gritted her teeth, shuffled forward on her knees two steps, and kowtowed heavily to the Empress. “This concubine is incompetent and failed to restrain it properly. I beg Her Majesty the Empress to forgive my crime!”

Having caused such a major disaster, how could a few light words earn forgiveness?

Seeing that the Empress remained silent, Concubine Jia had no choice but to continue kowtowing. For a time the banquet fell utterly quiet, with nothing to be heard except the repeated thud of her forehead striking the floor.

“…Enough.” After dozens of kowtows, the Empress finally spoke. “I have merely lost one banquet, but Noble Lady Yu suffered a severe fright! If things had gone wrong and the imperial heir had been harmed, how would you make amends?”

This was demanding that she not only kowtow to the Empress, but also to Noble Lady Yu and admit fault.

A wave of humiliation surged through Concubine Jia. Kowtowing to the Empress was one thing—after all, she was the mistress of the Inner Palace, and everyone had to bow lower before her. But what was Noble Lady Yu? Did she deserve to have Concubine Jia kneel before her?

   “What?” The Empress said coldly. “Do you harbor resentment in your heart and refuse to admit your wrong?”

“…I dare not.” The situation was stronger than the person. With things having reached this point, Concubine Jia could only grit her teeth and kowtow in Noble Lady Yu’s direction. “Noble Lady Yu, due to a moment’s negligence, I nearly caused a grave disaster. I beg your magnanimity to forgive this older sister this once!”

Once that kowtow landed, it was like spilled water—impossible to take back.

From this day forward, everyone in the palace with even a shred of inside information would know: Concubine Jia had knelt and kowtowed to Noble Lady Yu.

Noble Lady Yu looked at the woman kneeling before her. Her words seemed directed at her, yet also at Noble Consort Hui standing behind her:

“I only hope that you truly repent and will never again indulge a vicious beast in harming others!”

“Woof woof, woof woof!” Snowball seemed to think someone had mentioned it and began barking loudly.

“Enough. I no longer wish to see this dog!” Hongli cast a disgusted glance at it and delivered the final verdict. “Concubine Jia was negligent for a moment and caused a great calamity. She is demoted to Noble Lady and confined to her palace for three months! Noble Consort Hui, as the principal of the Chuxiu Palace, is incapable of managing her people—and equally incapable of managing her dog. She is utterly incompetent. She is fined one year’s stipend and shall reflect properly behind closed doors!”

With that, unwilling to witness any more of the women’s scheming and backstabbing, he flicked his sleeve and departed.

Wei Yingluo couldn’t help but wonder if it was her imagination, but just before he left, Hongli seemed to glance back at her once. That look was exceedingly complex, and Wei Yingluo couldn’t quite decipher its meaning.

Once Hongli departed, the remaining guests also lost interest and began to feel the urge to leave. The Empress saw this and did not insist they stay. After offering a few more cups of wine, she brought the now completely off-topic lychee banquet to an end.

As the music faded and the guests dispersed, Noble Lady Yu stayed behind.

Knowing she had something to say, the Empress arranged a small separate table with a few plates of fruit, snacks, and tea. Smiling, she said to her, “Why did you come today? Weren’t you supposed to be resting and recovering in Yonghe Palace?”

“Resting” was merely an excuse; both women understood the real reason. Noble Lady Yu had been avoiding coming because she feared running into Noble Consort Hui.

“It was Yingluo who persuaded me to come,” Noble Lady Yu said, gently stroking her slightly swollen belly with a smile. “She convinced me that the more I fear Noble Consort Hui, the more she will torment me. Even if not for my own sake, I should at least stand up for Concubine Yi and get some justice for her… Even if my own voice carries little weight, adding this child to it should be just barely enough…”

The two chatted idly about family matters for a while. Perhaps due to her pregnancy, Noble Lady Yu soon showed signs of fatigue on her face. Seeing this, the Empress instructed Erqing to escort her back to her palace to rest. Once she had left, Yingluo suddenly dropped to her knees beside the Empress with a thud.

“This servant acted without authorization. I beg Her Majesty the Empress to forgive my offense.”

Yet the Empress showed no trace of blame. Instead, she reached out affectionately and lightly tapped her forehead with one finger. “You, you… to think you could come up with such an idea. Noble Consort Hui used Snowball to frighten Noble Lady Yu back then. Settling that unsettled debt today isn’t exactly unjust to her.”

Wei Yingluo replied with utmost sincerity, “For this servant to accept punishment is a small matter. But Noble Consort Hui and Concubine Jia’s actions were intended to make Your Highness lose all face—how could I allow them to succeed? It is true that this servant failed in her duty and the lychees were ruined—that is no small offense. But compared to Noble Consort Hui instigating a vicious dog to attack Noble Lady Yu, destroying the annual Fujian tribute, and ruining the Empress’s banquet, it is far less serious.”

The Empress suddenly laughed. “Do you know that His Majesty has already seen through the fact that you were using him?”

Wei Yingluo was greatly startled and almost immediately looked up at the Empress.

Her stunned, foolish expression seemed to amuse the Empress, who chuckled happily. “But you needn’t worry too much. Since His Majesty saw through it and still allowed you to make use of him, it shows that he also feels Noble Consort Hui has gone too far. He was simply taking the opportunity to give her a warning.”

Wei Yingluo let out a breath of relief, though she still felt a slight chill on her back.

“Yingluo,” the Empress suddenly asked her, “what kind of person do you think our Emperor usually is?”

Wei Yingluo didn’t understand why the Empress was asking her this. After a moment’s thought, she gave a safe, conventional answer: “Diligent in governance and loving toward the people.”

The Empress shook her head. “That’s not what this palace means. This palace is asking about his temperament.”

Wei Yingluo offered several words in succession, but the Empress shook her head each time—until she hesitantly ventured one: “Decisive and ruthless in killing?”

“Yes!” The Empress clapped her hands like a child. “Exactly! What kind of person is His Majesty? The Emperor of Great Qing, ruler of all under Heaven. Anyone he finds displeasing—snap! —their head falls to the ground, and that’s the end of it! Why leave someone alive to cause himself trouble later?”

Wei Yingluo felt another chill run down her back. Sweat poured over her like a waterfall. Forcing a smile, she said, “Perhaps… perhaps His Majesty has some reservations?”

“Impossible!” The Empress declared firmly. “What reservations could His Majesty possibly have? Look at E Shan—such great favor, so many officials pleading for mercy, and yet he was killed without the Emperor even blinking!”

“Then… then…” Wei Yingluo’s face crumpled in distress. “Your Highness, is His Majesty really going to settle the account later and take this servant’s head?”

Her pitiful, pleading expression was like that of a cat who had gotten into mischief—ready at any moment to leap onto her mistress’s lap, roll around, meow coquettishly, and beg for protection.

“Rest assured—you will be fine,” the Empress said with a meaningful smile. “You are a young woman… a beautiful young woman.”

Though she said there would be no trouble, after hearing those last words, Wei Yingluo felt not just her back but her entire body turn ice-cold, as though she had fallen into a deep well.

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