Story of Yanxi Palace, Chapter 69: Warning

   As the weather grew hotter, inside Shoukang Palace several palace maids stood by the Empress Dowager’s side fanning her. Though a cool breeze was blowing, the Empress Dowager still felt stifled by the heat. She gave a few instructions to the maid beside her, who soon returned carrying a beautifully crafted box.

“What is this?” the Empress Dowager asked.

The maid replied, “His Majesty, in his filial piety, specially ordered the Imperial Household Department to make this ice box and send it here. It is truly very convenient.”

When the box was opened, it revealed a layer of ice blocks topped with clusters of iced grapes. The deep purple grape skins were frosted with a layer of fine ice crystals.

The Empress Dowager picked up one grape and ate it. Instantly she felt every pore in her body relax, and a faint smile appeared on her face. “The weather really gets hotter day by day. Are you still unwilling to go to Changchun Garden to escape the summer heat with me?”

Dowager Consort Yu let out a soft sigh. “They say illness comes like a landslide but leaves like silk being drawn out. This serious illness nearly took half of Hongzhou’s life. I am truly worried, so I’d rather stay here to accompany him while he recovers.”

The Empress Dowager nodded. “Your motherly heart is truly touching. I only hope Hongzhou will remember it well.”

“Empress Dowager,” Dowager Consort Yu said meaningfully, “Hongzhou deeply regrets everything he has done. If he were able to get up, he would have long since come to the palace to plead guilty!”

This time, however, the Empress Dowager did not nod. Instead, she gave Dowager Consort Yu a deep, meaningful look and gently shook her head. “The Emperor, out of brotherly affection, has fully protected Hongzhou and has fallen into serious discord with the imperial clan. The storm has not yet passed. Tell Hongzhou to remain quietly in his residence to recuperate and not enter the palace lightly for the time being.”

“But…” Dowager Consort Yu wanted to press the matter further, but the Empress Dowager’s expression immediately turned cold. She said indifferently, “I am tired. You may go back now.”

Dowager Consort Yu hesitated, wanting to speak but ultimately not daring to say more. She curtsied and withdrew.

Once she left Shoukang Palace, the anger she had been suppressing finally surged to her face.

“It’s all because of that lowly woman!” Dowager Consort Yu said, twisting the handkerchief in her hands. “She caused Hongzhou to fall gravely ill and even made the Empress Dowager grow tired of him!”

The palace maid beside her also fanned the flames:

“Dowager Consort, Wei Yingluo is extremely skilled at flattery. She coaxed the Empress into complete submission and even personally vouched for her in front of the Emperor. I heard that this icebox was something she came up with to please her master, and now it has become fashionable throughout the Forbidden City. All the palaces are now urgently ordering the Imperial Household Department to produce more of them!”

“Oh, she really is clever and quick-witted!”

Dowager Consort Yu paused in her steps upon hearing this, then gave a sinister smile.

“Bailing, go to Changchun Palace at once!”

Bailing: “What does Dowager Consort mean?”

“To borrow someone?”

Inside Changchun Palace, the Empress was surprised.

“Yes.” Erqing said, “Dowager Consort Yu sent someone over and specifically named Yingluo — she wants to borrow her.”

The Empress shook her head.

“Are you planning to refuse them, Your Ladyship?” Erqing asked. “This servant feels that would not be wise.”

“What’s unwise about it?” The Empress said with displeasure. “You know perfectly well that Dowager Consort Yu blames Yingluo because of the Prince He matter, and you still want to send her there?”

“But, Your Majesty,” Erqing explained, “Dowager Consort Yu has openly stated that she wants Yingluo to go and instruct the palace maids on how to use the icebox. The request is perfectly reasonable — how could this servant refuse?”

“Then just say Yingluo is ill. To avoid passing on the sickness to the noble ladies, the matter should be excused for now,” the Empress thought for a moment and said.

“But she will recover eventually,” Erqing replied. “And if she’s sick this time, will she be sick again next time? Wouldn’t that be openly mocking Dowager Consort Yu? Your Ladyship, Dowager Consort Yu has lived with the Empress Dowager in Shoukang Palace for many years and is the birth mother of Prince He. She enjoys considerable respect in the palace. If you openly humiliate her, how could she possibly swallow her pride? I’m afraid that what began as merely wanting to vent her anger might end up…”

She didn’t finish the sentence, but the Empress could guess what she meant.

For many high-ranking women in the palace, face mattered more than substance.

Sometimes, just to regain face, they would rather be punished than refrain from killing one or two people.

“Sigh.” The Empress felt quite helpless and could only say:

“Call Yingluo here. I will give her a few words of instruction.”

Although she received quite a bit of guidance from the Empress, the path ahead still had to be walked by Wei Yingluo herself — like walking across floating ice, with an abyss of ten thousand feet beneath. She had to be extremely cautious and carefully choose where to place her next step.

“Here.”

In a side hall of Shoukang Palace, Wei Yingluo pointed to the bottom of the icebox and said:

“Leave a small hole here so that the melted ice water can flow out smoothly. Then place a small basin underneath. The cold water will help lower the temperature of the entire room.”

Dowager Consort Yu laughed.

“To please your master, you really have put a lot of thought into this!”

Her words dripped with blatant mockery and undisguised malice.

Wei Yingluo had no desire to argue with her, nor did she wish to stay here any longer. Pretending she hadn’t heard the previous remark, she said:

“Dowager Consort Yu, I have finished explaining how to use the icebox. This servant asks permission to withdraw.”

But then there was a loud bang.

Looking toward the sound, she saw two eunuchs walk in and then slam the door shut behind them.

Wei Yingluo slowly turned her head:

“Dowager Consort Yu, what exactly do you intend to do?”

Dowager Consort Yu narrowed her eyes dangerously and suddenly barked:

“I should be the one asking you — what does sending a human head mean?!”

She wanted to strike first and accuse, but Wei Yingluo was not intimidated.

She carefully looked Dowager Consort Yu up and down, then suddenly smiled:

“Everyone knows that you; Dowager Consort Yu is deeply devout and observes Buddhism. In summer you won’t even step into the garden for fear of crushing an ant. Yet who would have thought that beneath your merciful appearance hides the heart of a jackal and a wolf? Not only did you kill my sister, but now you want to kill me to vent your anger!”

Seeing how easily Wei Yingluo had guessed what was in her heart, Dowager Consort Yu actually gained a little more respect for her.

But some things, even when pointed out, Dowager Consort Yu would never admit. She immediately sneered:

“You say I killed your sister? Do you understand what crime it is to slander a Dowager Consort?”

“Is it slander? You; Dowager Consort knows better than anyone in her heart.” Wei Yingluo said fearlessly, “That day, the Dowager Consort said she had visited Prince He’s residence and understood the whole sequence of events. But at that time, Hongzhou was unconscious and unresponsive—so who exactly told you the truth? There’s only one possibility: the person who killed my sister was you… Ah!”

A hand suddenly pressed against the back of Wei Yingluo’s head and forcefully shoved her face into the ice chest in front of her.

“Mmph—!”

Shards of ice jabbed into her face. As she struggled, grapes were crushed one by one, turning into red juice that stained the entire ice chest—and Wei Yingluo’s whole face—a vivid blood-red.

Seeing Wei Yingluo’s struggles growing weaker and weaker, the hand finally released the pressure on the back of her head.

“Huff… huff…” Wei Yingluo slowly lifted her head. Crimson juice, like blood, dripped continuously from her chin. She looked somewhat disheveled as she stared at Dowager Consort Yu standing opposite her.

“You’re right,” Dowager Consort Yu said, gently fanning herself with a satisfied smile. “I was indeed the one who killed your sister.”

The moment Wei Yingluo heard this, she reflexively lunged forward—but the two eunuchs behind her clamped down hard on her shoulders, pinning her in place like a fish on a chopping board. She couldn’t move an inch.

“Do you know why I killed her?” Dowager Consort Yu slowly walked up to her. “Because she seduced Hongzhou—she was a born slut!”

“Shut your mouth!” Wei Yingluo snapped. “It was clearly Hongzhou who was overcome by lust, yet you blame my sister. You’re the one twisting black and white!”

“There are far too many women who dream of climbing onto a high branch to become a phoenix. Should we blame the parasol tree for growing too tall?” Dowager Consort Yu sneered. “If it weren’t for you low-born bondservant sluts crawling into beds, Hongzhou would never have fallen so low! I called you here today only to tell you one thing—so listen carefully!”

One of the eunuchs grabbed Wei Yingluo by the hair, yanking her head up as though displaying a fish for sale, forcing her furious and unwilling face directly toward Dowager Consort Yu.

“You’re a favorite around the Empress, and you’re also the loyal servant who fell ill while attending His Majesty. I cannot kill you openly. But don’t forget—” Dowager Consort Yu tapped Wei Yingluo’s cheek lightly with her fan and smiled. “—your father is still serving honorably as the Inner Steward. With just one word from me, his fate will not be much better than your sister’s.”

“You…” Wei Yingluo hadn’t even finished the word when the eunuch behind her gave a sharp yank and slammed her to the ground.

Her whole body ached so badly that for a long moment she couldn’t even crawl back up.

“From now on, keep your tail between your legs and behave. If you ever cross me again, I won’t just take your head—I’ll make the entire Wei clan accompany you in death.” Dowager Consort Yu’s voice drifted lightly down from above her. The last thing to fall was the palace fan that had just struck her cheek.

Dowager Consort Yu despised her sister, despised her, and even felt the fan that had touched her face was now filthy.

She accepted a handkerchief from a palace maid, slowly and deliberately wiped her hands, then glanced down at Wei Yingluo on the floor without any warmth and uttered two indifferent words:

“Get lost.”

Wei Yingluo returned to Changchun Palace in a daze. The moment she stepped into the inner courtyard, she heard voices and laughter inside.

The scene was vibrant with blooming flowers like brocade. Beneath the falling petals stood a long tea table, on which rested more than a dozen small porcelain bowls—some white, some green, some plain, some brightly colored. A few flower petals floated on the surface of the water in each bowl. More than a dozen young palace maids were gathered around the bowls, playing the needle-dropping game.

Although she had hastily tidied herself up, Wei Yingluo still looked utterly exhausted and haggard. She raised her hand to wipe her face, feeling that her sleeve still carried the smell of grape juice mixed with humiliation. She tried to slip quietly toward the west ear chamber without drawing attention—when suddenly Erqing called out:

“Yingluo, you’re back! Come here, come here!”

Several familiar young maids even ran over, one tugging her left sleeve, another her right, and together they pulled her into the middle of the crowd.

Wei Yingluo had no choice: “What are you all playing?”

“You really are forgetful, Noble Lady,” Erqing laughed. “Today is the seventh day of the seventh month—the Qixi Festival, the Festival of the Weaver Girl. We’re all begging for skillful hands!”

Wei Yingluo glanced at the tea table and understood at once.

If you place a needle pointing north-south on the surface of the water, and sunlight passes through the eye of the needle, the Weaver Girl will bless the person with dexterous hands.

Several of the young maids had already tried, one after another. Without exception, every needle sank straight to the bottom of the bowl.

“Yingluo, you try it,” Erqing said, handing her a needle. “Your hands are the cleverest of all—you’re sure to succeed.”

Wei Yingluo had no interest whatsoever in the Qiqiao needle-threading game, but under the urging and encouragement of the crowd, she reluctantly took the needle. The moment the needle tip touched the surface of the water, ripples spread outward, and floating up on the water’s surface was the face of Dowager Consort Yu.

“Your sister really was killed by me.” She smiled. “Do you know why I killed her? Because she seduced Hongzhou—she was a born lowly wretch!”

   Wei Yingluo’s hand trembled; the silver needle immediately sank to the bottom.

A brief silence fell over the surroundings. Finally, Wei Yingluo was the first to break it. With a calm expression she said, “I’ll try again.”

The needle touched the water once more, and Dowager Consort Yu’s face reappeared on the surface.

“Your father is still living quite comfortably as the Inner Steward. But with just one word from me—his end won’t be any better than your sister’s.”

   Wei Yingluo’s hand shook again; the needle’s shadow tilted once more.

Erqing, sharp-eyed and attentive, frowned slightly and asked, “Yingluo, are you all right? Why is your hand shaking so much?”

Wei Yingluo lowered her gaze and only then noticed that her right hand was trembling uncontrollably. She grasped her own right hand tightly, expressionless, and said, “I’m fine. Let me try again.”

The needle sank once more.

“I’ll try again.”

The same thing happened.

“I’ll try again.”

…

The moon cast long shadows across the courtyard; insects chirped all around. Unnoticed, everyone else had already left the yard. Only Wei Yingluo remained standing beside the tea table, stubbornly dropping silver needle after silver needle into the water.

“I’ll try one more time,” Wei Yingluo murmured to herself.

No one answered beside her. The only response was that ugly, hateful face rising to the surface of the water again.

“From now on, keep your tail between your legs and behave. If you ever fall into my hands again, I won’t just take your head—I’ll make the entire Wei clan accompany you in death.” Through the water’s surface, Dowager Consort Yu smiled at her mockingly, tauntingly. “Get lost.”

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