Story of Yanxi Palace, Chapter 173: Reincarnation

   Hongli released her, leaned back into his chair, and let out a laughing sigh. “As expected.”

Chenbi tilted her head, studying his expression. “Your Majesty already guessed?”

“Yingluo has always stayed by the Empress Dowager’s side and is intimately familiar with everything about her. If she wanted to drive a wedge between you, your little head—” Hongli tapped her forehead lightly with one finger and smiled, “—would have already rolled off your neck long ago!”

Chenbi became angry, but not for herself. “Then why do you still turn a blind eye to her?”

Hongli was silent for a moment. “I’m happy about it.”

“No, Your Majesty is not happy! And Yingluo is not happy either!” Chenbi studied him a little longer, then suddenly burst into laughter. “I understand now—you’re deliberately using me to provoke her!”

Hongli: “Nonsense!”

His affected denial couldn’t even fool himself—how could it possibly fool Chenbi?

“Your Majesty, I have eyes and a heart. I can see and judge for myself. You treat me very, very well, but in your heart, another woman has long since taken up residence.” Chenbi suddenly knelt at his knees, gazing up at him with devotion, like a kalavinka bird regarding the Buddha it serves. “Your Majesty, I; Chenbi is willing to help you test Yingluo’s true feelings!”

Hongli froze.

Chenbi continued: “In Your Majesty’s heart, it’s perfectly normal for the women of the harem to be jealous and scheme against one another. But among the Huolan clan, wives can live together in harmony.”

Hongli: “Chenbi, you…”

Chenbi took hold of Hongli’s hand and said earnestly, “Your Majesty, you’ve gone to such lengths to provoke Yingluo because you want to know whether she truly cares about you! As long as I cooperates well, you will surely be able to find out her true feelings—I guarantee it!”

Hongli laughed despite himself. “I used you. You really aren’t angry?”

Chenbi: “You have given me far more. You respect my customs, you sympathize with my homesickness. A man like you are worth my devoting everything to love.”

Hongli: “Chenbi, I absolutely never imagined you would say such words.”

Chenbi gently pressed her cheek against the back of Hongli’s hand and said softly, “Your Majesty, Chenbi is willing to give you the very best things in the world.”

While the two gazed at each other with tender affection, Ming Yu was inside Yanxi Palace, sighing heavily.

“What exactly are you trying to achieve?” She was practically furious with disappointment. “You gave her a brilliant future, and now you’re caught in the middle with the Empress—neither side happy with you!”

“Do you really think the Empress is one of us?” By now Wei Yingluo had thought it through clearly. She smiled a little. “She specializes in killing with a borrowed knife. This time is probably no different. If the Empress Dowager, in a moment of rage, kills Concubine Rong, it will surely provoke His Majesty’s fury. His Majesty is extremely filial to his mother—he could never blame the Empress Dowager over a woman. So whom would he direct his anger toward? The Empress? Consort Shu? Consort Jia? No. The first person he would blame is me—because I stay by the Empress Dowager’s side, I am her confidante…”

She paused, then let out a soft sound. “…and therefore the most likely person to have sown discord.”

If she were seen as the true culprit behind Concubine Rong’s death, who would ultimately benefit? None other than the Step-Empress.

Ming Yu stared at her for a long time before sighing. “Why say so much? In the end, you just can’t bear to do it.”

Wei Yingluo was stunned for a moment, then gave a helpless, bitter smile. “Yes… Although Concubine Rong and I are romantic rivals, her crime does not deserve death.”

After the incident, Concubine Rong returned to her carefree life—riding horses and shooting arrows every day, or dancing gracefully in the Baoyue Tower. Her days passed in great happiness. But Wei Yingluo did not dare relax her vigilance. She knew very well that the Empress would never let Concubine Rong go just like that. On the contrary, the more favored Concubine Rong became, the more determined the Empress would be to strike her down.

Wei Yingluo waited quietly until, seven days later, she received a summons from the Empress Dowager.

“This servant respectfully greets the Empress Dowager and wishes Her Majesty eternal peace and health.” She knelt and performed the greeting, glancing sideways at the Empress Dowager from the corner of her eye.

The Empress Dowager seemed somewhat restless; she held her teacup for a long time without drinking. “Yingluo, Master Guangji said that a reunion in reincarnation happens to only one or two people in a thousand. I’ve turned it over and over in my mind for a very long time, and the more I think, the more something feels wrong. Tell me honestly: is the mark on Concubine Rong’s face somehow related to you?”

The moment Wei Yingluo heard this, she immediately understood.

Not long ago, not only had the Step-Empress sent people to re-gild the Buddha statue, she had also donated rice, grain, and silver to help Wanshou Temple comfort the displaced people. She had done so much, and done it so well, that even if Master Guangji of Wanshou Temple was a high monk who would never bend for five pecks of rice, he would now have to speak a few “fair words” on her behalf.

Her mind raced. On the surface, Wei Yingluo defended herself: “His Majesty favors Concubine Rong so deeply. Even if I bear no grudge against her, I would never deliberately deceive the Empress Dowager just to help her.”

But the Empress Dowager was not convinced by a single sentence. “Yingluo, you have been by my side for three years. I understand you better than anyone. You, little girl, are covered in thorns yet full of cunning. Who knows whether you might lie to save Concubine Rong.”

Just as Wei Yingluo was about to argue further, Aunt Liu suddenly said, “Empress Dowager, Concubine Rong has arrived.”

The Empress Dowager nodded. “Since you refuse to tell the truth, I have no choice but to let you confront Concubine Rong face to face! Let her in!”

Chenbi walked in from outside, once again dressed in Manchu qizhuang. She was naturally beautiful, so she looked stunning in anything—even an ordinary set of flag dress on her became as exquisite as a seamless celestial robe woven from colored clouds.

“This concubine respectfully greets the Empress Dowager and wishes Her Majesty eternal peace and health.” She performed the proper greeting toward the Empress Dowager, yet her eyes kept darting toward Wei Yingluo, making Wei Yingluo’s eye twitch. She wished she could immediately distance herself from her.

Seeing her behave this way, the Empress Dowager grew even more suspicious. Her face grimed as she said, “Concubine Rong, was everything you said last time the truth?”

Chenbi glanced at Wei Yingluo again. Seeing how stubbornly she refused to play along, sweat broke out on Wei Yingluo’s forehead. She thought desperately: This little ancestor—how can she be so clueless? Doesn’t she know that right now she should pretend she doesn’t know me… or better yet, pretend we’re enemies?

What made Wei Yingluo’s insides burn with anxiety even more was that, after a moment’s hesitation, Chenbi suddenly knelt before the Empress Dowager: “I beg the Empress Dowager’s forgiveness—I did not tell the truth.”

Everyone was shocked.

Wei Yingluo was just about to speak when the Empress Dowager shot her a fierce glare, forcing the words back down her throat. Then, in a grave voice, she said:

“Concubine Rong, explain yourself clearly. If anyone instigated you to lie, I will never forgive them!”

Chenbi hesitated again for a moment, then finally gritted her teeth:

“Empress Dowager, I have deceived you. They were right—I really am a demonic evil.”

The Empress Dowager had been furious beyond measure, ready to harshly punish both her and Wei Yingluo once the matter was explained clearly. But now she was somewhat stunned:

“What exactly are you talking about?”

“When I was first born, everything was normal. But by the age of three, I kept falling ill nonstop. I kept saying that I lived in a crystal house, and every day I cried for Wen Mama and for little dancing figures. It frightened everyone.” Chenbi closed her eyes, as though throwing caution to the wind. “Later, a wandering lama passed by and performed a ritual on me. Only then did I return to normal. He said this was called ‘seizing the womb.’ Fortunately it was discovered early, otherwise my life could not have been saved!”

She didn’t open her eyes, so she couldn’t see the expressions in the room. Aunt Liu was horrified, the Empress Dowager was overjoyed, and as for Wei Yingluo… she was full of suspicion.

After rambling on and recounting her entire background, Chenbi kowtowed hard against the floor:

“Empress Dowager, I know that concealing this is the same as deception. If you wish to punish me, then punish me!”

There was a sharp clink—the sound of a teacup falling to the ground. The Empress Dowager had already lost her composure. She pushed away Aunt Liu’s supporting hand, walked over to Chenbi herself, and personally helped her up. She tried hard to suppress the joy surging in her heart, but her voice still trembled:

“Good child, to have encountered such a fate is a blessing bestowed by Heaven. How could I possibly blame you? It’s all right now. Don’t be afraid, okay?”

Chenbi slowly raised her head to look at her. The smile on her face was gentle and docile—the exact kind the Empress Dowager loved most. But… it was far too different from her usual innocent and naive appearance.

Wei Yingluo’s heart gave a sudden chill.

When the two of them finally left Shoukang Palace, both breathed a sigh of relief. No matter what, they had managed to get through this crisis.

“That speech just now—even I didn’t know about it. Who taught you?” Wei Yingluo asked, already knowing the answer.

Whether Chenbi was truly the reincarnation of Princess He’an, she herself knew better than anyone. At most she could add two tiny moles under the other woman’s lips to fool the Empress Dowager for a short time—but the story she had just told might actually be able to deceive the Empress Dowager for a lifetime…

Sure enough, Chenbi replied without the slightest guard:

“The Emperor, of course!”

Wei Yingluo’s heart sank. As expected…

“The Emperor was afraid it would be exposed, so he specially told me!” As if completely unaware of Wei Yingluo’s disappointment, Chenbi imitated Hongli’s serious manner and continued: “Chenbi, remember this—when little He’an took medicine as a child, she would wail and cry loudly. The Empress Dowager had many exquisite glazed objects placed in the room, using their clear, crisp clinking sounds to distract her, just like a crystal house. She was very dependent on her wet nurse Momo Wen. Every dusk she would start looking for her, and no one could comfort her. Oh, and the Empress Dowager even specially had a string-pulled little wooden puppet made just to cheer her up…”

Wei Yingluo replied expressionlessly:

“The Emperor really treats you well.”

“You treat me well too.” Chenbi suddenly turned her head to look at her, her gaze sincere and almost devout, like a devout believer before the Buddha. “You told a monstrous lie for my sake—how could I possibly expose it? You protect me, and I want to protect you too. Don’t worry, I will act very well. I will definitely repay you!”

Wei Yingluo gave a few casual hums, not taking her words to heart at all, and certainly never imagining that one day she would repay her in exactly that way.

STORY OF YANXI PALACE CHAPTERS HOME

  

   Story of Yanxi Palace, Chapter 172: Demon and Evil

   The fifteenth day of the fifth month—the anniversary of Princess He’an’s death.

Before the offering table, the shamaness presented wine; the sacred knife-wielding shaman kowtowed and prayed three times.

Inside Shoukang Palace, all was solemn. Everyone joined the Empress Dowager in reciting the rebirth mantra: “Namo Amitabhaya tathagataya, tadyatha amṛtod bhave…”

The shaman drum began to beat. The shamaness chanted a divine song and danced to the rhythm; the string of bells tied around her waist jingled with every movement.

While the Empress Dowager was reciting sutras, Chenbi approached, paid her respects, and then respectfully presented a volume of scripture: “This concubine respectfully wishes the Empress Dowager eternal health and peace. This is the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva Pūrvapraṇidhāna Sūtra that I copied for the princess. May the princess be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.”

The Empress Dowager nodded slightly.

Chenbi walked toward the offering table and was just about to place the Buddhist scripture down when suddenly there was a “pa-ta” sound. She looked up and saw that the small offering flowers on the altar had spontaneously ignited without any flame. In an instant, the fire spread like a greedy tongue, licking from the flowers all the way up to the portrait.

The portrait depicted a chubby, adorable little girl. Though still young, her features were delicate and well-formed—a true little beauty in the making. Most distinctive were the two small moles on her chin.

“He’an! He’an!” The Empress Dowager’s face changed dramatically. She threw herself toward the portrait without regard for anything. The Empress Dowager’s successor quickly held her back and shouted loudly: “Someone! Put out the fire!”

Unfortunately, only women were inside the hall at the time. One after another they screamed and fled, paying no attention to the portrait. The guards outside could not enter so quickly. In the end, it was Wei Yingluo who rushed forward in a few strides, snatched the portrait down, burning half her sleeve and blackening one side of her face in the process.

“Empress Dowager.” She handed over the portrait.

The Empress Dowager hurriedly took it and held it in her arms like a child, her eyes red-rimmed: “He’an! Oh, He’an!”

At that moment, Prince Yuan Chunwang finally arrived belatedly. He directed a group of eunuchs and guards to extinguish the fire on the offering table.

Looking at the messy, ruined altar, the Empress Dowager frowned and raised her head toward the shaman standing solemnly to the side:

“Madame Shaman, something went wrong with the ceremony. Will this affect An’er?”

The shaman slightly lifted her eyelids:

“The princess died in childhood because her front yin had already ended while her back yin had not yet arrived—she originally had no fortune to depart to the west. For the sake of allowing the princess to be reborn in ultimate bliss, Your Majesty has spent a lifetime doing good deeds and accumulating vast merit. In another two years, great accomplishment would have been achieved. Unfortunately, all those years of effort have been destroyed today by a single demonic evil!”

Everyone was shocked.

The Step Empress: “What demonic evil?”

The shaman’s turbid eyes fixed on Chenbi. She raised her hand and pointed directly:

“The moment she appeared, the Buddhist flowers spontaneously combusted and all the offerings were ruined—she must be that demonic evil! Empress Dowager, kill her. Use her fresh blood as a sacrifice to appease the anger of the spirits!”

Chenbi: “What demonic evil? You’re talking nonsense—I haven’t done anything!”

The Empress: “Concubine Rong, you must not be disrespectful to the shaman. Madame Shaman, are you absolutely certain of what you’re saying?”

The shaman scoffed with icy disdain:

“You people actually dare to doubt me?”

Even though they didn’t truly believe it in their hearts, the various concubines and consorts still agreed verbally and began to chime in one after another.

“Empress, I know Your Ladyship has always been merciful, but Concubine Rong is excessively beautiful and has bewitched His Majesty—how can we be sure she isn’t some demonic creature?”

“Exactly! Madame Shaman is the intermediary between humans, ghosts, and the divine—she transmits messages across the three realms. How could we possibly doubt her words?”

“Empress Dowager, thirty years of accumulated merit, all lost today! Because of this demonic evil, the princess’s chance to reach ultimate bliss has turned into bubbles. If you continue to indulge her, who knows how many more people will be implicated!”

At other times the Empress Dowager might have shown mercy, but when it concerned her most beloved deceased daughter, and with everyone piling on accusations, she finally darkened her face and said:

“Seize Concubine Rong!”

Yuan Chunwang had been waiting for this command for a long time. With a wave of his hand, the eunuchs immediately rushed forward to capture Chenbi.

Chenbi swiftly threw herself at the Empress Dowager’s feet, clutching her skirt hem tightly and crying miserably:

“Empress Dowager, this is someone framing me! I don’t know what happened at all!”

The Empress Dowager looked down from above:

“Framing you?”

Chenbi: “It is a frame-up! Someone must have bribed Madame Shaman, and the altar itself was tampered with! Now that everything has been burned to ashes, I have no evidence to show—but if you interrogate Madame Shaman, the truth will come out!”

“Insolent!” the Empress snapped. “What kind of person is Madame Shaman? Even the Empress Dowager treats her with courtesy—how dare you slander her!”

The Empress sighed:

“Take her away!”

Chenbi refused to let go of the Empress Dowager’s skirt, clinging to it like a lifeline:

“Empress Dowager, please look carefully at your servant—I have flesh and blood, I am a living person!”

Originally the Empress Dowager had been completely focused on the altar and hadn’t truly looked at her. Only now, hearing her wretched cries, did she finally turn her gaze toward her. But the moment she looked properly, her eyes froze. She suddenly reached out, gripped Chenbi’s chin, and her voice trembled slightly:

“You—”

Although no one knew exactly what was happening, judging from the Empress Dowager’s expression, the situation had clearly changed. The Empress frowned and gave the order:

“Take her!”

Chenbi simply threw herself into the Empress Dowager’s arms like a frightened child:

“No, Empress Dowager, no!”

To everyone’s astonishment, the Empress Dowager actually shielded her the way one would protect a child, placing one hand on her back:

“Stop!”

The whole room was stunned. Countless eyes fixed on the arm with which the Empress Dowager was protecting her.

The Empress Dowager took a deep breath, stared at Chenbi, and said word by word:

“You. Come with me.”

With that, she actually left everyone in the room behind, turned, and walked into the inner chamber. Chenbi glanced back once at Wei Yingluo, then got up and hurried after her.

The Empress had kept her attention on Chenbi the entire time and naturally did not miss that glance. She slowly turned her head, her gaze locking onto Wei Yingluo’s face, and gave a cold smile.

Wei Yingluo lowered her head and said nothing, but in her heart she understood: from this moment onward, she and the Empress were no longer on the same side.

Inside the inner chamber.

   The Empress Dowager dismissed everyone else, leaving only Aunt Liu and Chenbi in the room.

Chenbi knelt before the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager lifted her chin and studied her carefully for a long time. Her gaze grew stranger and stranger until she suddenly asked, “When is your birthday?”

Chenbi was startled.

The Empress Dowager: “Answer me.”

“September fifteenth, at the hour of Zi.” Chenbi quickly replied, then cautiously looked at her. “Your Majesty, why do you ask this?”

The Empress Dowager murmured to herself, “September fifteenth, at the hour of Zi…”

After a long silence, she waved her hand. “Take her away.”

Chenbi opened her mouth, about to explain further, but Aunt Liu spoke first to cut her off: “Concubine Rong, the Empress Dowager understands your grievances. Please follow this servant for now.”

Chenbi had no choice but to follow her out. Not long after the two left, the door opened again. Wei Yingluo stepped over the threshold. “Your Majesty, you summoned me?”

The Empress Dowager sat in her chair, the portrait of Princess He’an laid across her knees. She slowly stroked the image of the little girl in the painting, her expression complex. After a long while, she finally spoke slowly: “I know the Empress intends to kill with a borrowed knife. But someone must be held accountable for ruining the memorial ceremony—for my He’an! The shaman lady is a divine messenger; her words are the will of the gods. That is why I resolved to punish Concubine Rong! But I never expected…”

Wei Yingluo: “What is it?”

The Empress Dowager hesitated for a long moment before finally saying, “Do you remember when I told you that, the year He’an fell gravely ill, I visited every temple, kowtowed and burned incense before every Buddha, begging to trade ten years of my life for hers?”

Wei Yingluo nodded.

“At that time, a high monk told me that if I left a mark on the princess, even if I could not keep her in this life, there might be a chance to reunite in the next. I steeled myself and lightly pierced two small dots under He’an’s chin—like this.” The Empress Dowager pointed to the spot just below her own lips. “Just now, the moment Concubine Rong rushed forward, I personally saw that she also has…”

Wei Yingluo: “Your Majesty, the idea of reincarnation is truly absurd. You should not believe such things.”

The Empress Dowager grew agitated: “But she was also born on September fifteenth at the hour of Zi—the exact same time, the exact same mark. Isn’t that too much of a coincidence?”

Wei Yingluo: “You are simply missing the princess too much. But Concubine Rong comes from the Huolan tribe—how could she possibly be the princess reincarnated?”

The Empress Dowager: “There have already been cases of reincarnated spirit children. In the folk tales, many babies are born with strange marks, and everyone says these are bonds left by parents from a previous life!”

Wei Yingluo: “Your Majesty!”

The Empress Dowager: “Perhaps you are right. But what if? What if she truly is—”

The heart of parents under heaven is pitiful; as long as there is even the slightest possibility, they will cling to it desperately. The Empress Dowager said no more. She only lowered her head to gaze at the portrait on her lap, staring at the two tiny moles beneath the little girl’s chin.

Suddenly the door opened. Hongli’s voice broke the stillness of the room. He sounded slightly out of breath: “This son respectfully greets the Empress Dowager’s benevolent peace!”

Wei Yingluo turned and curtsied to him. “This servant respectfully greets Your Majesty’s peace.”

Hongli didn’t even glance at her. “Empress Dowager, where is Concubine Rong?”

Seeing that she did not answer, he grew anxious. “Empress Dowager, the shaman lady’s words cannot be trusted. Chenbi is absolutely not some demonic creature!”

Only then did the Empress Dowager slowly raise her head. “You granted the shaman lady honor and respect, yet you forbid me to believe her words. Is that not contradictory?”

Hongli scoffed with icy disdain. “Empress Dowager, I granted the shaman lady status and reverence so that she may perform her role in the morning and evening sacrifices, in order to preserve the old customs of our ancestors and remind all of Great Qing that this realm was not easily won. It was never my intention to let her dominate your thoughts or dictate your decisions. Please trust me—Chenbi is merely an ordinary beauty. She is absolutely not some evil spirit!”

“Your Majesty!”

Hongli suddenly turned around and saw Aunt Liu pushing the door open, with Chenbi standing unharmed behind her. His face immediately lit up with joy as he reached out and said, “Chenbi, come here!”

To avoid seeing their hands clasped together, Wei Yingluo quickly lowered her head—only to see the feet of the two of them walking past her side by side.

“Wait!” the Empress Dowager suddenly called out.

Hongli abruptly tightened his grip on Chenbi’s hand. “Empress Dowager, do you have any further instructions?”

The Empress Dowager smiled. “No need to be nervous. I won’t harm the one you love. I simply felt an instant affinity with Concubine Rong. If she is willing in the future, she may come often to Shoukang Palace to keep me company and chat.”

Hongli was stunned.

After returning to Yangxin Hall, his brows remained furrowed. He dismissed everyone around them, pulled Chenbi to sit beside him, and said, “Tell me—what exactly happened?”

Chenbi answered honestly: “Today, this concubine attended the princess’s memorial ceremony, hoping to win the Empress Dowager’s favor. Who would have thought the offerings would suddenly catch fire? The shamaness pointed at me and called me a demon, insisting that the Empress Dowager deal with me!”

She vividly recounted everything that had happened that day. When she reached the most thrilling parts, even Hongli wiped a cold sweat for her. Yet his doubts only deepened. “How did you escape this disaster?”

Chenbi rolled her eyes. “This concubine doesn’t know either. The Empress Dowager was about to have me killed, then suddenly changed her mind.”

Hongli seized her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze, and said gravely, “Chenbi, I want the truth.”

If Wei Yingluo had seen the look in his eyes at that moment, she would have known that Hongli did not love Chenbi. Love is a poison that makes people foolish, biased, and gullible—yet right now his gaze was terrifyingly calm, sharp as a sword piercing straight into the heart.

After merely meeting his eyes for a moment, Chenbi lowered her head and sighed. “Consort-Ling saved me.”

STORY OF YANXI PALACE CHAPTERS HOME

  

   Story of Yanxi Palace, Chapter 171: Unwilling to Change

   The strings and drums struck together as sleeves rose; like whirling snowflakes and tumbling tumbleweeds, Chenbi danced gracefully in the center of the floor. Hongli reclined on the couch, watching her swirl and spin.

Palace gossip never escaped him. Lately there had been talk that Chenbi wanted to be friends with Consort Ling and was constantly going to her.

Beside him, Li Yu reported, “Your Majesty, on Her Ladyship Consort Ling’s instructions, the Imperial Household Department is currently cleaning Shoukang Palace.”

At the mention of Consort Ling’s name, Chenbi’s dancing toes missed a beat.

…It seemed the rumor was not baseless. Hongli asked, “Is the Empress Dowager returning?”

Li Yu answered, “This servant inquired. Her Ladyship Consort Ling only said that today is the tenth day of the fifth lunar month, and that if this is told to Your Majesty, you will understand.”

“The tenth of the fifth month?” Hongli repeated it silently, then suddenly realized. “No wonder…”

Li Yu: “Your Majesty?”

Hongli: “Do everything exactly as Consort Ling instructed. Make sure everything is perfectly arranged before the Empress Dowager returns.”

Li Yu: “Yes, Your Majesty.”

Once Li Yu had left, Chenbi planted her toes on the ground, spun once in mid-air with a cascade of bell-like chimes ringing from her costume, and leapt straight into Hongli’s arms. She settled onto his lap, tilted her head back, and looked up at him. “Your Majesty, what’s so special about the tenth of the fifth month?”

Hongli replied, “Every year on the fifteenth of the fifth lunar month is the anniversary of He’an’s death. The past two years the memorial rites were held at the Yuanmingyuan. This year, it seems they will be held back in the Forbidden City.”

Chenbi: “He’an?”

Hongli stroked her hair gently. “My own younger sister—the only pearl in the Empress Dowager’s palm.”

Knowing the Empress Dowager had always disliked women who were too flirtatious or overly bold, Hongli patiently explained to her how she should behave in the Empress Dowager’s presence.

But halfway through, Chenbi grew impatient. “Enough, enough—I understand. I’m going to find Yingluo now. Today we’re still practicing how to walk.”

When it came to the ways of being a consort, Chenbi was like a child who had to start learning even how to walk from the beginning. Yet Hongli knew she was not someone who liked to follow rules. He shook his head and asked, “What are you planning to give her today?”

Chenbi’s eyes lit up. She quietly pulled out a small box and opened it to reveal a necklace of pearls inside—large, perfectly round beads that shimmered with a soft, lustrous glow. “This is the gift I’m giving her. Do you think she’ll like it?”

“I’m guessing no,” Hongli said with a smile.

The gift sent by a rival in love, no matter how precious or beautiful, Wei Yingluo presumably would not like it at all.

Chenbi disappointedly set down the box. “Then what does she like? As long as I have it, I’ll give it to her.”

Hongli was silent for a moment before saying, “Then send her a pot of mutton soup.”

Chenbi tilted her head, looking at him in confusion. “But Yingluo said she doesn’t like to eat that.”

“But mutton soup is good for her stomach.” The words slipped out of Hongli’s mouth before he realized he had spoken too freely.

He wasn’t indifferent to her tastes; rather, he cared more about her stomach than her preferences. That was why, the last time Wei Yingluo came to Baoyue Tower, he had insisted she take an entire jar of mutton soup back with her.

The lost look in Wei Yingluo’s eyes was still vivid in his mind. He felt a mix of regret and secret delight. He simply… wanted to see more of her jealous expression, just as he was always jealous of Fuheng.

“Your Majesty, you treat Yingluo differently from everyone else.” Chenbi gazed at him and suddenly said this. Before Hongli could respond, she smiled brightly and continued, “Fine then, mutton soup is good for the stomach. I’ll send her a jar right away.”

At that moment, Wei Yingluo was not in Yanxi Palace. She was at Shoukang Palace.

Eunuchs and palace maids came and went, constantly cleaning the hall. the current Empress took her by the arm and said, “The Empress Dowager personally appointed you to organize the memorial ceremony. It has truly been hard on you. I just took a look, and everything is arranged perfectly. It’s only thanks to you understanding the Empress Dowager’s wishes so well that it could be done so beautifully.”

Wei Yingluo replied, “Your Majesty flatters me. I merely did my utmost to prepare. Since Your Majesty has seen it, would you kindly offer some guidance?”

“There is actually nothing else improper.” The Empress’s gaze swept across the offering table. “The only thing missing is a small Buddha flower. If it is burned in front of the offering table, the Empress Dowager will be even more pleased.”

Wei Yingluo: “A small Buddha flower?”

The Empress nodded. “Every year at the end-of-year anniversary of death, only then is the small Buddha flower used. When the Empress Dowager personally sees how much importance the Emperor attaches to Princess He’an’s death anniversary, mother and son will surely be reconciled as before.”

Wei Yingluo: “Thank you for the reminder, Your Majesty. I will remember.”

The Empress gave a meaningful smile. “The Empress Dowager has not yet met Concubine Rong. On that day, I will have to trouble you; Consort Ling to personally make the introduction.”

Wei Yingluo froze for a moment and instinctively looked toward the Empress, only to see the smile on the other woman’s face deepen. A chill ran through her heart.

After making a few more arrangements, it was time for dinner. Wei Yingluo excused herself first. The moment she stepped out of Shoukang Palace, her expression immediately darkened. Ming Yu, who was beside her, couldn’t help but ask, “Yingluo, what’s wrong?”

Wei Yingluo: “The Empress is about to make her move.”

Ming Yu: “Make her move?”

Wei Yingluo nodded. “Concubine Rong—she is in great danger.”

There were too many eyes and ears around, so Ming Yu didn’t ask further. She planned to wait until they returned to Yanxi Palace to ask in detail. But just as they stepped through the main gate of Yanxi Palace, the clear tinkling sound of anklet bells rang out. No need to guess who it was.

Wei Yingluo’s footsteps paused. “…Why are you here again?”

“You’re finally back!” Chenbi came over with a beaming smile and grabbed her hand. “I brought mutton soup. It’s very good for your stomach. It’s already cooled down, but I’ve asked the kitchen to heat it up for you!”

On the table was not only the mutton soup, but also a box of pearls—each one valuable enough to buy an entire courtyard in Jiangnan. Similar treasures had been arriving at Yanxi Palace for some time, all sent by her. Yet Wei Yingluo felt no joy at all, because every one of those rare and precious items had been bestowed upon her by Hongli. Each piece served as a reminder of how deeply he favored her.

“I don’t want to drink it.” Wei Yingluo shook her head. “In the future, stop sending things here. What will people say when they see this?”

Chenbi didn’t care in the slightest. “What others say has nothing to do with me. Sending gifts to a good friend is only natural.”

Wei Yingluo: “You and I are not friends.”

Chenbi said with great confidence: “It definitely will be from now on.”

This person was like a piece of sticky toffee; Wei Yingluo really couldn’t win against her persistence, so she had no choice but to reluctantly drink that jar of mutton soup together with her. At first it tasted unpleasant, with a strong gamey smell the moment it entered her mouth, but after the soup went down, a warm feeling gradually spread through her body. The stomach that always ached faintly actually felt much more comfortable because of it.

Chenbi kept serving her dishes and ladling soup for her, busily and happily. In a moment of carelessness, the jade plaque tied to her wrist slipped off and fell with a plop into the jar of mutton soup. When Chenbi lifted her hand, the jade plaque rose along with the red string on her wrist, dripping soup with pattering sounds.

“Ming Yu, bring a clean handkerchief,” Wei Yingluo instructed.

Ming Yu fetched a handkerchief, and Wei Yingluo wiped the jade plaque clean. From the corner of her eye she caught a glimpse of the characters engraved on it and suddenly froze.

Jingying Chenbi.

“What’s wrong?” Chenbi noticed where her gaze had landed. She untied the red string and handed the jade plaque to her. “This was given to me by the Emperor, but I don’t really understand Han poetry. I can’t read what’s written on it.”

A sour feeling welled up in Wei Yingluo’s heart, yet her expression remained cold and distant. “The Emperor is praising you. ‘Like flawless jade in still water, perfect and unblemished.’”

The mutton soup in her mouth instantly became tasteless. Wei Yingluo pushed the jade plaque back. “I’m tired. I won’t teach you etiquette today. Ming Yu, see the guest out.”

Chenbi was stunned. “Yingluo, why are you suddenly angry? Is it because of this jade plaque? If you don’t like it, I’ll never wear it again!”

Her voice made Wei Yingluo feel irritated and restless. After Ming Yu escorted her away, she lost all interest in eating. Dragging a body that felt completely drained of strength, she stumbled back to her bedroom and collapsed onto the bed, staring blankly.

After seeing Chenbi off, Ming Yu returned to her side, hesitating to speak.

“Ming Yu,” Wei Yingluo murmured while staring at the ceiling, “do you know what Baoyue Tower is?”

Ming Yu shook her head. She sat beside her, holding her ice-cold hand, listening attentively like the most loyal confidante.

“During the Yongzheng era, when the current Empress Dowager was still Consort Xi, she gave birth to the Eleventh Princess. But the princess had been frail and sickly since childhood. At that time, the shamaness selected Baoyue Tower, saying its feng shui was excellent. To help her daughter, Consort Xi did everything she could to persuade the previous Emperor to renovate Baoyue Tower so she could move in with the child. The construction was about to begin when Empress Xiaojingxian resolutely opposed it, saying there had never been such a precedent in the Great Qing.” Wei Yingluo sighed. “In the end, the little princess died just after her first birthday. All these years, the Empress Dowager has never let go of that regret.”

Ming Yu suddenly understood. “So you’re saying the Empress wants to make use of the Empress Dowager? But the Empress Dowager has always been at odds with her…”

“If she can use me, why can’t she use the Empress Dowager? In this harem, there are only permanent interests, never permanent friends.” At the word “friends,” Chenbi’s face floated into her mind again. Wei Yingluo sat up irritably and said coldly, “The Emperor is a man and careless in these matters. The Empress Dowager might not have minded before, but with the Empress pushing, she will soon feel… that Concubine Rong moving into Baoyue Tower is like a dove occupying a magpie’s nest!”

Ming Yu was silent for a moment, then softly said, “…Wouldn’t that actually be good? If the Empress’s plan succeeds, it removes a thorn in your side. In my opinion, why don’t you just pretend you know nothing and let things play out?”

Wei Yingluo was stunned by her words.

Just as Ming Yu said, all she had to do was close her eyes, pretend she saw nothing, and sit back while everything unfolded—she could reap the benefits without lifting a finger. If the Empress succeeded, she would lose one thorn in her side; if the Empress failed, she would lose nothing.

But… could she really do that?

Days passed like autumn leaves falling one by one. Chenbi still came to play with her every day, and never empty-handed: sometimes a box of precious stones, sometimes an unusually beautiful fallen leaf, sometimes a string of exotic waist bells full of foreign charm. Chenbi offered everything she had to please her.

Each gift was different, but one thing remained unchanging—every single day, one jar of mutton soup.

Looking at her innocent, guileless smile, Wei Yingluo grew increasingly silent and withdrawn.

Until the fifteenth day of the fifth month.

For once, Chenbi had changed out of her dance skirt and into extremely formal Manchu attire. She awkwardly stepped into a pair of flower-pot platform shoes, pushed the maids aside, and took a few steps on her own. After great effort she finally found her balance, then immediately broke into a delighted smile:

“Yingluo, I can walk by myself now.”

Her maid glanced at Wei Yingluo, gave a light snort, and said, “You can’t even walk properly in those flower-pot-bottom shoes. What if you fall? Wouldn’t that be utterly embarrassing? Consort Ling Your Ladyship, look—you’ve taught her for so long, and our mistress still doesn’t know how to walk.”

Hearing the sarcasm in her words, before Wei Yingluo could even speak, Chenbi had already rebuked her first: “This has nothing to do with Consort Ling. It’s all because I’m not used to them! From now on, you are not allowed to speak ill of her again! Withdraw!”

The maid shut her mouth aggrievedly. Chenbi walked a few more crooked steps, then her ankle twisted and she nearly fell to the ground. Wei Yingluo hurriedly reached out to steady her. Seeing her drenched in sweat, she couldn’t help but say, “You don’t have to change the qipao, but at least change back into the shoes you’re used to wearing.”

Chenbi wouldn’t listen to her maid, but she was willing to listen to her. She gave a sweet smile: “Okay.”

She changed back into her familiar shoes, took a few light steps, and moved gracefully like a little deer hopping by the water’s edge.

“Your Ladyship, it’s time for us to go,” the maid reminded her. “This is the first time the Empress Dowager has summoned you to Shoukang Palace. You must not be late.”

Chenbi nodded, then turned back to Wei Yingluo and said, “I’ll go ahead now. I’ll come find you to play later. You have to wait for me—don’t eat too much. I’ll bring mutton soup and we can eat it together.”

She left with a smile, unaware that she might never return, and would never taste that last mouthful of mutton soup.

“Yingluo…” Ming Yu looked at Wei Yingluo with worry.

“Ming Yu, I’m sorry.” Wei Yingluo raised her hand and touched the tears on her own cheek. “I… don’t want to become the kind of person I hate the most.”

Chenbi had already reached the entrance of Shoukang Palace.

Just as she was about to go in, hurried footsteps suddenly came from behind.

A hand reached out abruptly from behind her, grabbed her, and pulled her away.

“Yingluo?” Chenbi stumbled along, looking at the person in surprise. “What are you doing?”

Wei Yingluo said in a low, grave voice: “Saving your life.”

STORY OF YANXI PALACE CHAPTERS HOME

  

   Story of Yanxi Palace, Chapter 170: Friends

   As the years passed, Yongrong’s appearance grew more and more like his mother, Noble Consort Chun—delicate and refined, like the small bridges and flowing streams of Jiangnan. Though beautiful, he was excessively frail, so much so that when his brothers hung him from a tree, he had no strength to resist.

“Who gave you the nerve to badmouth me behind my back?” Yongcheng said, then lashed him with the horsewhip—again and again. Seeing Yongrong’s cries grow louder, he ordered the companions beside him: “Stuff his mouth!”

The two study companions had no choice but to step forward and gag Yongrong. One of them hesitated for a moment and said, “Fourth Prince, perhaps we shouldn’t make this too big. If anyone finds out…”

Yongcheng cut him off impatiently: “His mother, Noble Consort Chun, is a convicted criminal! Imperial Father doesn’t even glance at him—what are you afraid of!”

With that, the whip fell like rain. He paid no heed to the fact that the same blood ran in their veins; he beat the other boy as though he were no more than livestock.

No matter how unfavored Yongrong was, he was still a prince who had grown up pampered and sheltered. How could he endure such treatment? After one more lash, he fainted.

“You can’t bully people like this, you know!”

Yongcheng was just about to order the companions to fetch water and splash the boy awake when a voice suddenly rang out from behind, startling him badly. When he turned and saw who it was, his face changed color.

It was Concubine Rong!

Yongcheng felt a surge of annoyance—why did it have to be this woman who saw? Afraid she would report him to Hongli, he quickly set down the whip and forced a smile: “Concubine Rong, I was just joking around with Sixth Brother.”

Chenbi walked toward him, her waist chain and ankle bells chiming softly with each step. “You two are blood brothers—you should love and care for each other. You can’t do this. Hurry and let him down!”

The two companions looked toward Yongcheng. He barked: “Didn’t you hear what Concubine Rong said? Let him go!”

Only then did the two of them hurriedly and clumsily set Yongrong down. Yongcheng had no desire to linger any longer. Everyone in the palace knew how favored Concubine Rong was—Hongli could hardly bear to be apart from her for a moment. If he stayed any longer, Hongli might very well show up right behind him. So he said:

“Concubine Rong, Your Ladyship, today was merely some playful sparring between us brothers. There’s no need to take it to heart. Since everything is fine now, I won’t disturb your enjoyment of the scenery any further. I’ll take my leave.”

He turned to go, but he had only taken a few steps when something shot toward him from behind like a snake, wrapping tightly around his ankle. Yongcheng let out a miserable scream. In the next instant, he was flipped upside down and hoisted into the air, dangling from a tree.

Staring at the culprit, Yongcheng cried out in shock:

“You—what are you doing?!”

Chenbi dusted off her hands:

“I’m used to lassoing lambs back home, so I always carry a rope snare with me. I never thought I’d actually get to use it one day!”

Yongcheng: “Let me down! Let me down right now! Concubine Rong, I am the Empress’s son! How dare you treat me this way—release me at once!”

The innocent expression on Chenbi’s face instantly darkened:

“Shut your mouth!”

Yongcheng froze.

Chenbi, who always wore an innocent, pure expression as radiant and beautiful as a celestial maiden, now looked faintly sinister:

“You’re already sixteen. In our tribe, boys your age have long since gone to the battlefield, wielding weapons and fighting enemies to the death. Yet here you are, acting like a spoiled child—only knowing how to bully your own brothers—and still putting on an act in front of me! If His Majesty finds out what you did today, do you know what will happen?”

Yongcheng tried to muster his courage:

“I—I am the Empress’s…”

Chenbi scoffed with a sneer:

“Even someone like me, who has only recently entered the palace, knows that the Empress now has the Twelfth Prince and Thirteenth Prince. A foster son like you has long been useless. Yet you’re still daydreaming!”

Yongcheng: “You’re lying! You’re trying to drive a wedge between me and my mother!”

Chenbi: “Dear sweet Fourth Prince, how is it that you’ve only grown taller and not smarter? Your kind, benevolent Royal Mother would love nothing more than for you to keep making mistakes—the more mistakes, the better! With the Eldest Prince out of favor, and you constantly getting into trouble, the throne will eventually fall to her own flesh-and-blood son!”

Yongcheng was stunned:

“No… that’s impossible… impossible…”

Chenbi circled around him. With every sentence, she gave him a push, making him sway dizzily:

“Look at that pitiful, abandoned-puppy expression on your face. Tsk, how sad. Didn’t your Royal Mother always tell you: ‘It doesn’t matter if our Yongcheng doesn’t like to study—Manchus rule the world through riding and archery!’ ‘It doesn’t matter if your study companions don’t obey—Mother will find you clever, quick-witted ones!’ ‘It doesn’t matter if your teachers dislike you—they’re the ones without insight!’ She gave you whatever you wanted, never blamed you, always cared for you, always protected you in every way. Fool—she dotes on you to death. She spoils you until you become a complete idiot!”

Yongcheng was deeply shaken. Tears streamed down his face as he listened:

“No… it’s not like that… you’re lying to me… Royal Mother isn’t that kind of person…”

Chenbi: “The Sixth Prince has no birth mother—truly pitiful. But you? You have a venomous-hearted foster mother sitting in a high position. Your situation is a hundred times, a thousand times worse than his—and yet you still don’t know how to restrain yourself!”

Yongcheng struggled while shouting:

“I’m going to ask Royal Mother!”

Chenbi giggled:

“Go ahead! If you dare breathe even half a sentence of what I said today to her, that Royal Mother of yours will make sure you ‘die of illness’ without anyone ever suspecting a thing. Understand?”

Yongcheng was so terrified he couldn’t speak.

Chenbi gently stroked his cheek:

“Go straight back to the Prince Residence and bury yourself away. If you ever dare bully the weak again, next time I’ll pierce a hole through your tongue and hang you up by it. Got it?”

Yongcheng trembled as he nodded.

“So cute. Good boy.” Chenbi praised him, then released the rope. Yongcheng fell to the ground with a heavy thud, dazed and disoriented. He didn’t dare utter a single complaint. After one frightened glance at her, he fled as if he had seen a ghost.

Chenbi no longer bothered with him. She returned to the still-unconscious Yongrong, gazing at him tenderly for a long moment before gently shaking him awake.

The instant Yongrong woke, he curled up like a small animal caught in a trap—panicked, clutching himself tightly, his wide, terrified eyes darting everywhere.

“Don’t be afraid,” Chenbi said softly. “I’ve already chased your Fourth Brother away.”

Only then did Yongrong realize she was beside him. When he heard her words, his delicate, scholarly face immediately flushed bright red. He stammered:

“Concubine Rong, Your Ladyship… I’m sorry… I caused trouble for you.”

“Sixth Brother, you didn’t do anything wrong. There’s no need to apologize.” Chenbi sat beside him. A gentle breeze lifted her long hair, and the tiny bells tied in it chimed softly like a song. “Wolves chasing sheep is a common sight on the grassland—no one finds it strange. But the children of the grassland never bully one another because of differences in strength. They rely on each other and stand together against enemies. So Yongrong, you are not at fault.”

No one had ever spoken such words to him before. Yongrong felt both moved and ashamed. He lowered his head to look at himself—if he had merely fainted, that would have been one thing, but he had actually been so frightened by Yongcheng that he wet his pants. Why did it have to happen now, of all times, and right in front of her?

Chenbi seemed not to notice the damp patch on his trousers at all. She simply smiled and said, “What happened today—I’ll keep it a secret for you. But in return, you have to promise me one thing, all right?”

Yongrong lifted his head and looked at Chenbi. In that moment, he felt he would agree to anything she asked.

Chenbi continued: “I know that the Manchu princes study in the morning and practice riding and archery in the afternoon. You must promise me that you will train hard at your martial skills, become strong as soon as possible. If he gives you one punch, you give him two in return.”

Yongrong was stunned. “But he’ll bring people to beat me together.”

Chenbi replied calmly: “No matter how many people come at you, you only hit him—one person. Hit him until he’s afraid of you.”

Yongrong was dumbfounded.

“The Fourth Brother bullies you because the difference in strength between you is too great. But once you grow strong enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with him—no, once you become even stronger than he is—you’ll be able to conquer your own fear. Don’t be afraid.” Suddenly Chenbi gave him a mischievous wink. “Besides, if you really can’t win the fight, the worst you can do is show your wounds to your Imperial Father. No matter how much he dislikes you, he won’t tolerate brothers harming each other.”

Yongrong’s face turned even redder. He nodded repeatedly, then ran off. After going quite a distance, he still turned back and called: “Thank you!”

Chenbi watched him leave with a smile, then prepared to turn and go herself.

Wei Yingluo stepped out from her hiding place. Behind her, Ming Yu stood gaping in astonishment.

“Oh dear, I accidentally revealed my true nature!” Concubine Rong grinned playfully, then sighed. “Will you tell the Emperor?”

Wei Yingluo: “Tell him what?”

Chenbi blinked. “Tell him that I’m a two-faced person who can change faces?”

Wei Yingluo laughed.

She had come at Yongqi’s request to help Yongrong. How could she have known she would witness such a wonderful scene?

Chenbi sighed again, came over, and took Wei Yingluo’s hand. “I want to beg you not to do it. He might very well send me back to the tribe. Although my brother has become the leader, he’s an arrogant and conceited fellow—he would definitely mock me as a ‘returned gift.’ My days would become unbearable! Will you tell him?”

Wei Yingluo looked down at their joined hands. “What do you think?”

Chenbi hung her head dejectedly. Then suddenly she threw it back, lay down on the grass in a fit of self-abandonment, and said: “I don’t like the Forbidden City—not one bit. If you want to tell the Emperor, go ahead. Let him send me back soon so I can still make it to the grand tribal celebration.”

Wei Yingluo: “What is your celebration like?”

Chenbi sat bolt upright from the grass, suddenly full of childlike excitement: “We roast whole sheep in front of the tents—crispy and charred on the outside, the fragrance drifting for miles! The children run around happily, just as excited as when you people celebrate the New Year! Travelers passing by often stop; the bolder ones even try to buy some roast mutton! And then I shout at them—’No sale! No matter how much silver you offer, we won’t sell!’”

At this point she burst into proud, hearty laughter. Her carefree, unselfconscious manner left Wei Yingluo both surprised and… a little envious.

Chenbi went on: “When they’re drooling with hunger, I give them a whole roasted sheep leg. Watching their stunned, dumbfounded faces—I can laugh about it for a whole year! How could guests from far away go home empty-handed? We have plenty of meat, specially prepared for them!”

Wei Yingluo: “The Forbidden City’s celebrations also have roast mutton.”

“Not the same—not the same at all!” The pride slowly faded from Chenbi’s face. She spoke with a touch of melancholy: “Just like the sunsets in the Forbidden City—beautiful, yes, but they don’t taste the same—”

Wei Yingluo looked at her the way one might look at a gust of wind locked inside a cage.

“Consort Ling, you’re not like those other consorts either,” Chenbi suddenly said, lifting her head to gaze at her. “I like you.”

Wei Yingluo was momentarily stunned, caught off guard by how abruptly the topic had shifted, but she soon laughed softly. “You and I are both His Majesty’s consorts. We’re hardly in a position to simply admire each other.”

Chenbi looked puzzled. “Why not? My father has many wives, and they all get along peacefully.”

Wei Yingluo echoed, “Peacefully?”

Chenbi nodded. “Yes! Father treats everyone equally. The gold bracelets he bought for my mother, he bought one for every concubine too! He takes turns spending the night in their tents, never favoring one over the others. All the concubines have very good relationships with each other!”

Wei Yingluo listened without comment. Whether it was truly good or not, outsiders could never tell. On the surface, the consorts of the rear palace could appear harmonious and joyful, but behind closed doors it was an entirely different story.

Chenbi continued, “Since I came to the Forbidden City, no one likes me except His Majesty. I’m just an outsider here. But now I’ve met you—and they don’t like you either, do they?”

Before Wei Yingluo could answer, Chenbi took hold of her hand. “You keep my secret for me, and I’ll be your friend—okay?”

Wei Yingluo replied, “I don’t need friends.”

But Chenbi laughed, a smile that was both mischievous and strangely perceptive. She reached up and pinched Wei Yingluo’s cheek, her voice sweet and childlike: “Your face is clearly written all over with ‘I’m very lonely, I need Chenbi to be my friend.’”

STORY OF YANXI PALACE CHAPTERS HOME

  

 

   Story of Yanxi Palace, Chapter 169: Former Enemy, Now Friend

The next day, Hongli came to Chengqian Palace to visit Yongjing.

Yongjing was a chubby, tiger-headed little boy, with brows and eyes that strongly resembled Hongli’s. Lying in his swaddling clothes, he babbled happily and kept reaching out his small, plump hands toward Hongli. Hongli adored him. He personally picked the child up, held a rattle drum, and played with him until Yongjing grew tired and began to doze off. Only then did he carefully place him back into the cradle.

Yongjing rolled over, hugged a finely crafted cloth tiger, and fell asleep.

“This cloth tiger was the Dragon Boat Festival gift Consort Ling sent to Yongjing,” the Step Empress’s voice sounded beside his ear. “Everyone else sends gold and silver ingots, bracelets, and longevity locks. Hers is actually much more thoughtful.”

Hongli glanced at her but pretended not to hear.

The Step Empress didn’t seem to care much. She simply instructed Court Physician Zhang, who stood nearby: “Court Physician Zhang, later go to Yanxi Palace and take Consort Ling’s peaceful pulse. She has been looking after the Empress Dowager at the Yuanmingyuan all this time, paying no attention to her own illness. Since she suffers from sleepless nights and has little appetite, we must have the imperial physician properly regulate her condition.”

Hongli continued to act as though he hadn’t heard or seen anything.

Following the Step Empress’s orders, Court Physician Zhang left Chengqian Palace and went straight to Yanxi Palace. After diagnosing Consort Ling and leaving a medical prescription, he had barely taken two steps out of the palace gates when someone suddenly grabbed his arm.

Who is this? So rude and lacking in manners! Court Physician Zhang was just about to scold the person when he turned his head—and his face instantly paled. “Y-Your Majesty?”

“How is Consort Ling’s condition?” Hongli asked coldly.

Court Physician Zhang hurriedly replied: “Your Majesty, aside from insomnia, Consort Ling also suffers from disharmony of the liver and stomach. This minister has prescribed the Xiangsu Hewei Decoction to slowly regulate her condition for Her Ladyship.”

Hongli frowned. “Disharmony of the liver and stomach?”

“Her Ladyship’s irregular eating habits have caused pain in the stomach region…” Court Physician Zhang hesitated for a moment before continuing, “Moreover, this minister has heard that Consort Ling has been copying the Avatamsaka Sutra in her own blood. Even after going to the Yuanmingyuan, she has not stopped for a single day. Over time, this has led to a depletion of qi and blood, resulting in food damage syndrome, which in turn has caused the stomach to lose its nourishment…”

Hongli’s expression changed dramatically. Without another word, he turned and strode toward Yanxi Palace.

The eunuch at the entrance was about to announce him, but Hongli raised a hand to stop him. He walked straight into the bedchamber and then stood silently, gazing at the person on the bed.

It felt as though they hadn’t seen each other for years, yet also as though they had parted only yesterday. The long separation had not created any real distance between them. On the contrary, all those memories he had deliberately tried to forget surged back like the rising tide, crashing against his heart again and again.

“Ming Yu?” Even though it was broad daylight, Wei Yingluo looked utterly exhausted. She lay reclining on the couch with her eyes closed, her left hand propping up her temple as she instructed: “Sort the twenty scrolls and have someone send them to the Yuanmingyuan.”

There was no response for a long time.

Only then did Wei Yingluo slowly open her eyes. When she saw Hongli, she started and sat up abruptly. “Why has Your Majesty come here!”

But Hongli’s gaze was fixed on her left wrist.

She had been supporting her head with her left hand; her sleeve had naturally slipped down halfway, revealing a strip of white cloth wrapped around her wrist. Fresh blood had seeped through, staining the white fabric half red, half white.

Hongli tried to pretend he didn’t care, but in the end he couldn’t hold back. He seized her hand. “What is this?”

Wei Yingluo hurriedly pulled her hand back, lowered her sleeve, and said calmly as if nothing were wrong: “It’s nothing—just the wound from bloodletting.”

Hongli was furious. “Are you trying to throw your life away? I order you: you are not allowed to continue writing!”

Wei Yingluo: “Your Majesty, please forgive me, but I cannot obey.”

Hongli’s anger flared. “You—”

Wei Yingluo: “Since I promised the Empress Dowager to complete all eighty-one scrolls, I cannot stop halfway. I beg Your Majesty’s forgiveness.”

Hongli was speechless. After a long silence, he swallowed his anger and sat down to one side. “I originally intended to let you fend for yourself. Only because you have carefully served the Empress Dowager did I come to warn you. If you insist on refusing to listen, there is nothing more I can do. But whatever consequences come, you must bear them yourself. If in the future the Empress Dowager blames anyone, it will have nothing to do with others.”

Wei Yingluo: “I understand.”

The more Hongli looked at her, the angrier he became. He stood up and headed for the door.

“Does Your Majesty still remember the promise you made to me?” Wei Yingluo suddenly called out from behind him.

Hongli’s footsteps halted.

“Your Majesty once said you would not allow anyone to bully me.” Wei Yingluo sighed. “Tonight Your Majesty came to Yanxi Palace—everyone in the rear palace has seen it. If you simply turn and leave now, how can I possibly hold my ground in the harem? I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to stay in this Forbidden City for even a single day.”

Hongli: “Tonight I will stay overnight at Yanxi Palace and preserve your face in full. As for anything else—don’t even think about it!”

Having said that, he instructed Li Yu to tidy up the side hall. He would rather sleep alone in the side hall than share a bed with Wei Yingluo. Li Yu worked efficiently and soon had the side hall spotless. After helping Hongli settle in for the night, he stood guard alone at the door.

In the middle of the night, Hongli tossed and turned, unable to sleep—not because he was unaccustomed to sleeping alone, but because the moment he closed his eyes, he saw the wound on Wei Yingluo’s wrist.

He turned over again, then suddenly opened his eyes. The room was unlit, pitch dark, impossible to see even a hand in front of one’s face, let alone discern the face of the person before him. Yet he still recognized her—by her breathing, by the warmth of her skin, by the fragrance in her hair.

Hongli said coldly, “Get out.”

Wei Yingluo, who had somehow slipped into bed beside him at some unknown moment, shook her head and said pitifully, “Your Majesty, there are rats in my sleeping chamber. I’m afraid.”

It was truly a laughable excuse. Hongli repeated, “Get out!”

“Your Majesty, when I came over, I forgot to put on my shoes,” she tried another excuse. “The floor is so cold—I can’t walk back.”

Hongli still refused to accept it and barked sharply, “Get out!”

After a long silence, Wei Yingluo suddenly sighed softly and said in a gentle voice, “Your Majesty, I took the contraceptive medicine… because I was afraid!”

The words “get out” had already reached Hongli’s lips, but what finally came out was: “…What are you afraid of?”

“Afraid of losing you.” Wei Yingluo gave a bitter smile. “Once I become pregnant, I’ll turn into a big, fat woman. I’ll become uglier and uglier, and my body will start to smell strange. You’ll quickly grow tired of me and go to other women.”

Hongli listened seriously and said, “…I am not that kind of person.”

“And also… I’m very afraid of dying.” Wei Yingluo pressed her forehead against his chest, her voice trembling with lingering fear. “When the Empress had a difficult labor, I was right by her side the whole time. Giving birth is like passing through the gates of hell. I don’t have her kind of courage. I’m sorry… I’m sorry…”

Hearing her repeat “I’m sorry” over and over, Hongli remained silent for a long time before finally saying softly, “Stop talking. I don’t blame you.”

“Really?” Wei Yingluo raised her hand to caress his cheek, her eyes wet as she looked at him.

Hongli’s body stiffened for a moment, but in the end he did not push her away, nor did he shout at her to leave.

His silent permission emboldened her. She cautiously leaned closer, tentatively brushing her lips against his in a light peck—like a little bird stealing a grain of millet—then quickly pulling back. After a moment, seeing no resistance, she pecked again… and again…

Suddenly, Hongli’s large hand pressed against the back of her head, deepening the kiss.

The hibiscus curtains warmed the spring night. Within the translucent canopy, two bodies entwined until Wei Yingluo, exhausted, fell into a faint. A pair of strong arms wrapped around her from behind. She heard Hongli whisper gently in her ear, “You should have told me earlier… As long as you don’t want to, I will never force you.”

The corners of Wei Yingluo’s lips had just begun to lift when tears slipped from the corners of her eyes.

Night passed, dawn arrived. The person was gone, the pillow empty.

In the warm bed, Wei Yingluo slowly woke. She reached out—empty. The bedding had long since turned cold.

“Your Ladyship, you’re awake.” Ming Yu came in carrying a basin of water, ready to help her wash.

“It’s still not the same after all,” Wei Yingluo murmured, staring at the ceiling. “In the past, he would always wait for me to wake up. We’d get up together, eat together… Now who is he eating with?”

Ming Yu paused in wringing out the towel. After a long moment, she replied, “His Majesty… has gone to Baoyue Tower. He is having breakfast with Her Ladyship Concubine Rong.”

“…Is that so?” A hollow feeling rose in Wei Yingluo’s heart. She said no more, simply staring blankly at the ceiling.

Seeing her like this, Ming Yu’s heart ached. She almost opened her mouth to advise her to let go—but then she thought: let go, and go where? Yingluo was now at the peak of her beauty. Was she supposed to retire to the Yuanmingyuan like the Empress Dowager and grow old there? In the end, she swallowed the words of comfort, stepped forward to help her wash, and dressed her in fresh clothes.

Just as the clothes were put on, Xiaoquanzi came running in with hurried steps. “Your Ladyship! His Majesty summons you to Baoyue Tower to attend him at the meal.”

Baoyue Tower was built overlooking the water. From afar, it resembled the Moon Palace of legend. Across from it stood the Hui Muslim camp and a mosque. When Concubine Rong looked out from the upper floor, it was as if she were seeing the scenery of her homeland.

Upon entering the building, Wei Yingluo discovered that Hongli’s favor toward Concubine Rong went far beyond what she had imagined. The interior was resplendent with gold and splendor; the attending palace servants were all dressed in Hui (Muslim) style, and even the dishes laid out on the table were entirely Hui cuisine—hand-grabbed rice, stir-fried mutton with scallions, and other rich, heavily spiced dishes with an overpowering sandalwood aroma. None of it aligned with Hongli’s usual tastes, yet he ate with great relish.

…Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say: as long as Concubine Rong was happy, he felt happy.

Wei Yingluo stood off to the side for a long while before he finally noticed her. He smiled and said, “You’re here?”

Concubine Rong turned her head to look at her, eyes full of curiosity. “Is she Consort Ling?”

“Yes.” Hongli used his handkerchief to wipe the grease from her face, his tone indulgent. “Didn’t you say the Momo who teaches etiquette is very strict and you don’t like her? When a new consort enters the palace, most of the rules are learned from high-ranking concubines. For example, Consort Ling—she learned her etiquette from the late Empress back then. I was thinking of sending you to Yanxi Palace to study under Consort Ling. Would you be willing?”

Concubine Rong tilted her head and studied Wei Yingluo for a moment, then smiled with innocent delight. “Sure, I like her.”

But Wei Yingluo could not bring herself to like her.

Hongli told her to sit and ordered a portion of food brought for her. He knew full well that her stomach was delicate and she could only handle plain congee and light dishes—yet he still placed a whole pot of mutton soup in front of her. The soup smelled excellent, but she could not swallow a single mouthful.

Steam rose from the pot. Through the haze, she watched the two people opposite her, utterly bewildered. If he didn’t care about her, then the sweet words he had whispered in her ear last night still rang clearly. If he did care, then why torment her like this? Being intimate with another woman was one thing—but deliberately making her watch?

“Once, his heart held only me. Now his heart is split in two… and I occupy only the smaller half.” Wei Yingluo thought to herself. Unable to bear it any longer, she dabbed her mouth with her handkerchief and said, “Your Majesty, I’m full. I’ll take my leave first.”

Hongli waved his hand indifferently, as if he couldn’t care less whether she stayed or left. Halfway to the door, she heard Chenbi call after her:

“Her Ladyship Consort Ling really doesn’t like mutton soup? Actually, just one sip and you’ll know—it’s delicious.”

Hongli immediately ordered: “Li Yu, take this pot of mutton soup back to Consort Ling. Stand there and make sure she finishes it.”

Wei Yingluo’s heart felt even heavier; her eyes stung with unshed tears. Afraid she would lose composure in front of Concubine Rong, she quickened her steps and left Baoyue Tower. When she returned to Yanxi Palace, she found Yongqi waiting for her. The moment he saw her, he hurried over: “Mother Consort Ling, please save Sixth Brother!”

STORY OF YANXI PALACE CHAPTERS HOME

  

   Story of Yanxi Palace, Chapter 168: Heavenly Maiden

   “In the Great Qing, girls reach hairpin maturity at fifteen. A woman of twenty-seven is long since surrounded by children. Yet such an ‘aged beauty’ has become the woman most favored by His Majesty. Wei Yingluo, are you truly not worried?” The Empress answered for her. “If you were not afraid, you would not have returned to the Forbidden City! In the Forbidden City, there are only eternal interests—never eternal enemies. Only if you and I cooperate can we deal with Concubine Rong. Otherwise, you will ultimately have to return to the Yuanmingyuan! Think carefully. I await your reply!”

Wei Yingluo was silent for a long moment before she resumed walking.

Seeing that despite everything she had said, Wei Yingluo still left in the end, the Empress frowned. She tossed the wisteria flower in her hand to the ground and spoke coldly:

“Yuan Chunwang, will Consort Ling truly agree to cooperate with me?”

As the most patient hunter in the Forbidden City, a trace of impatience actually crept into her voice—proof of just how formidable her opponent was, far beyond what Wei Yingluo had imagined.

“She will.” Yuan Chunwang calmly watched the direction in which Wei Yingluo had departed. “Hearing is false; seeing is believing. As soon as she catches one glimpse of Chenbi, she will obediently come begging you.”

On the way back to Yanxi Palace, Wei Yingluo was weighed down with heavy thoughts. Ming Yu glanced at her several times, wanting to speak but hesitating. The two walked in silence for a stretch until Wei Yingluo suddenly stopped, let out a soft scoff, and said:

“I still fell for his trick after all.”

Yuan Chunwang had not invited her to attend a welcoming banquet—he had invited her to catch a single glimpse of someone.

That was why the reception banquet was held in the Imperial Garden: because Hongli and a certain someone was also there in the Imperial Garden.

Not far ahead, a crowd of palace maids and eunuchs had gathered beneath a large tree. Hongli was looking up and shouting toward the branches:

“Come down right now!”

The branches swayed. Everyone below immediately raised their hands in unison. The scene was at once comical and solemn, as though thousands upon thousands were welcoming the descent of a heavenly maiden.

Suddenly, a clear chime of silver bells rang out. In the blink of an eye, a woman in white—with silver bells tied around her ankles—descended gracefully from above, ethereal as moonlight among clouds, pristine as snow on the Heavenly Mountains.

She resembled an immortal descending from the heavens and landed steadily in Hongli’s arms.

Hongli caught her firmly, then asked in a low voice:

“What happened?”

A palace maid beside them explained nervously:

“Reporting to Your Majesty: when Her ladyship Concubine Rong passed by, she noticed a fledgling bird had fallen from the tree and wanted to return it to its nest.”

Hongli: “Chenbi!”

“Your Majesty, please don’t be angry,” Chenbi spoke. Her voice was extraordinarily pleasing—each word sounded almost like singing. “It was this concubine’s fault. You have told me many times not to act on whim. Next time something like this happens, I will definitely instruct them to handle it and won’t let you worry anymore, alright?”

Legend said that in the West there was a wondrous bird of exquisite voice called the kalavinka, which served the Buddha with its song. Her voice was exactly like that of a kalavinka—one capable of delighting even the Buddha—and it likewise delighted Hongli. He sighed, took out a handkerchief, and personally wiped the dust from her face.

Chenbi laughed softly, like a kalavinka gently beginning to sing. Halfway through the song, she suddenly turned her head toward the direction where Wei Yingluo stood. Her eyes sparkled with innocence and curiosity.

Wei Yingluo’s entire body stiffened. The instant she saw Chenbi’s face, her mind went blank. No word could describe her appearance; she felt only a profound sense of inferiority and shame.

“What is it?” Hongli followed her gaze but saw nothing—there was no one ahead.

“Someone was standing there just now,” Chenbi said with a smile. “Watching us the whole time. The moment you turned your head, you scared her away.”

Hongli glanced toward Li Yu. Li Yu reminded him quietly:

“Your Majesty, it was Her Ladyship Consort Ling.”

At the mention of that name, Hongli’s face immediately darkened. He took Chenbi’s hand and led her in the opposite direction:

“Come. I’ll take you to the watchtower to watch the sunset.”

The sunset over the Forbidden City was magnificent and grand, like a splendid brocade unfurling from the horizon across the earth. Yet Wei Yingluo had no heart to appreciate it.

Ming Yu: “Yingluo, are you really going to cooperate with the Empress?”

Wei Yingluo: “Why not?”

Ming Yu: “But I don’t understand. You had already refused her. Then, after just one glance at Concubine Rong, you immediately changed your mind. Is she really that special?”

The two of them had already returned to Yanxi Palace. The setting sun streamed in through the window, dyeing the mirror in front of Wei Yingluo a deep red. She pointed at her own reflection in the glass:

“Look at this face.”

Ming Yu followed Yingluo’s gaze and asked curiously, “What’s wrong with it?”

Wei Yingluo’s finger slowly traced across the mirror—over her lips, her nose, and finally her eyes:

“This face isn’t cute at all. It’s like the moment my eyes blink, some wicked scheme is already brewing.”

Ming Yu burst out laughing. “Who talks about themselves like that? So what’s so different about Concubine Rong’s face?”

Recalling that fleeting, breathtaking glimpse of beauty, Wei Yingluo suddenly felt she understood why Hongli had forgotten her—forgotten to reply to her letters.

With a woman like that in the world—one who seemed to gather every beautiful thing between heaven and earth, like a celestial maiden descended—who would still pay attention to ordinary rouge and powder?

“Concubine Rong’s face is exactly the one I’ve always wanted most.” Wei Yingluo stared blankly at her own reflection, unconsciously comparing herself to that other face. “…Pure and flawless, gentle and approachable, the kind that makes people’s hearts fill with tender affection.”

Ming Yu couldn’t help laughing again. “So that’s why you decided to work with the Empress? Just for a face?”

Wei Yingluo shook her head. “It’s not only because of her appearance. It’s also her manner.”

Ming Yu looked puzzled.

“For the sake of a little bird, she climbed up a tree… On anyone else, it would seem ridiculous. But on her, it’s called innocence.” Wei Yingluo closed her eyes and sighed wearily. “A woman who is innocent and untouched by the dust of the world is the most dangerous, because she is the one who most easily wins a man’s heart—especially a complicated man like His Majesty…”

She really wished she could have a face like Concubine Rong’s.

If she too had been born so pure and guileless, making people feel protective and tender at first sight, then her path in the palace would have been so much easier. She wouldn’t have faced so much suspicion from so many people the moment she entered—especially from Hongli. It wouldn’t have taken so much time and so many trials to finally change the way he looked at her.

“That makes sense.” Seeing her mood dip, Ming Yu quickly tried to change the subject with a teasing tone. “If you had a face like that, seducing His Majesty would be twice the result with half the effort!”

Was that really how one should phrase it? Wei Yingluo instantly forgot her melancholy, shot her a glare, and retorted irritably:

“Wrong! With a face like that, how convenient it would be to do bad things!”

“But right now His Majesty clearly likes women like Concubine Rong…” Ming Yu hesitated for a moment, then cautiously suggested, “How about… you try imitating Concubine Rong?”

“I can’t imitate her, and I don’t want to.” Wei Yingluo was silent for a long while before finally smiling. “Wei Yingluo is Wei Yingluo. Why should I turn into someone else? If I want to win someone’s heart, I’ll do it my own way. All right—please make another trip for me. Deliver a message to the Empress. Tell her…”

STORY OF YANXI PALACE CHAPTERS HOME

  

   Story of Yanxi Palace, Chapter 167: Sunken Jade

   Sometimes, Wei Yingluo couldn’t help but think: the older the ginger, the spicier it gets. Even she herself hadn’t clearly seen into her own heart, yet the Empress Dowager had seen it clearly. That was why, under the pretext of an order, she had made her write a letter to Hongli.

But that was all there was to it. Hongli could never forgive her, and she could never forgive herself. The only connection left between them in this lifetime would be entrusted to these family letters.

Yet the Empress Dowager would not let her have her wish.

The month’s end had not yet arrived when the Empress Dowager suddenly summoned her. She lay reclining in a rocking chair with her eyes closed while Aunt Liu knelt to one side, gently pounding her legs. All of a sudden she spoke:

“Consort Ling, how long has it been since the Emperor last replied to your letters?”

Wei Yingluo was taken aback.

The Empress Dowager continued: “Ming Yu, you tell her.”

Ming Yu was an honest person, so she answered straightforwardly:

“Three months ago, Consort Ling sent a family letter into the palace. After that, she never received any reply.”

“Consort Ling, your days have been far too comfortable,” the Empress Dowager said meaningfully. “You should think carefully about why the Emperor no longer writes back to you.”

On the way back from the Empress Dowager’s bedroom, Ming Yu tried to comfort her:

“Don’t worry. It must be because the Emperor has been too busy lately…”

“What am I worried about?” Wei Yingluo said softly. “I already expected this. He won’t wait for me forever. There will surely be someone younger, someone more beautiful, to take my place…”

Even though she said it that way, a sour ache still rose in her heart.

Back in her own residence, she spread out snow-white letter paper on the table. The candle burned down to nothing; night passed into dawn. Finally, Wei Yingluo set aside the brush whose ink had long since dried and said:

“Let’s go.”

Ming Yu, who had stayed up with her the entire night, asked: “Where to?”

“To take my leave of the Empress Dowager.” After a pause, Wei Yingluo turned around, looking at Ming Yu with a complicated expression. “Will you blame me? I promised the Empress that I would never become his consort…”

Ming Yu shook her head and gently took her hand, speaking tenderly:

“I believe in you. If the Empress were still alive, no matter what, you would never have become His Majesty’s consort.”

Wei Yingluo lowered her head; tears fell.

The Empress Dowager, despite her age, rose very early. When Wei Yingluo came to pay morning respects, she was already having breakfast. On the table were bird’s-nest roast duck, braised spring bamboo shoots with fat chicken, a dish of Huizhou tofu, a jar of red-bean congee, and more—fragrant and colorful. Unfortunately, the Empress Dowager seemed to have little appetite today; most of the dishes remained untouched. She merely picked up an orange and ate it slowly.

After listening to Wei Yingluo’s purpose in coming, she said indifferently:

“You should have come sooner. Fortunately, it’s not too late to say it now. You haven’t disappointed me too greatly.”

Wei Yingluo was stunned by the words.

“Consort Ling, you do have some ability—to make the Emperor so worried about you, so unable to forget you.” The Empress Dowager looked at her with eyes that saw clearly through right and wrong. “But starting from today, you must prepare yourself: you are no longer the most special one! For the past three months, the Emperor has not thought of you even once! Perhaps the days at the Yuanmingyuan have been too peaceful, numbing your sharpness. Or perhaps you have been too confident—confident enough to completely forget one saying: there is always someone better, and heavens beyond the heavens!”

Wei Yingluo felt a chill in her heart. She asked gravely:

“Dare I ask Your Majesty, who exactly is this ‘someone better,’ this ‘heavens beyond the heavens’?”

“Iparhan of the Hezhuo clan,” the Empress Dowager said calmly. “The Emperor personally gave her a Han name: Chenbi.”

Long smoke cleared away, bright moon stretching for a thousand miles, floating light leaping like gold, still shadow sunken like jade; fishermen’s songs answering one another—what joy could surpass this?

“Chenbi…” Wei Yingluo slowly repeated the name.

When a man gives a woman such a name, it must mean she truly brought him immense joy—so much so that he… loved her to the utmost.

Thus she spent a sleepless night. At the first pale light of dawn the next day, Wei Yingluo rose, washed and dressed, and set off with Ming Yu back to the Forbidden City.

Fully expecting to spend a full day first tidying up the long-abandoned Yanxi Palace, she was surprised upon entering to find the windows bright, the tables spotless, and everything neatly arranged.

Even the palace maids and eunuchs were the same ones from before. One by one, they respectfully saluted Wei Yingluo, as though she had never left, never fallen from favor, and was still the radiant Consort Ling of those days at the height of her glory.

“Xiaoquanzi, you handled this assignment very well this time.” Ming Yu gave him a pat on the back from behind. “I told you to come back early and make preparations, and you got everything ready so quickly!”

Xiaoquanzi smiled obsequiously. “This humble servant dares not take credit. By the time we returned to Yanxi Palace, they had already prepared everything!”

Wei Yingluo listened and frowned in silence, but Ming Yu could hardly hide her delight. She grabbed her arm and said, “Yingluo, the Emperor really does still care about you. Before you even returned, everything was already arranged perfectly…”

Before she could finish, a clear, cold voice came from outside: “Your Ladyship Consort Ling, are you satisfied with the arrangements in Yanxi Palace?”

Everyone turned toward the sound. Standing at the doorway was a strikingly beautiful eunuch—more beautiful than many of the consorts—with eyes that passed over the crowd to rest on Wei Yingluo. He gave her a slight smile. “This servant greets Your Ladyship Consort Ling.”

It was Yuan Chunwang.

Wei Yingluo returned a smile, equally clear and cold. “Chief Steward Yuan, it has been a long time.”

Yuan Chunwang lowered his head slightly, concealing the complicated look in his eyes, and said respectfully, “The Empress has been waiting for some time. Please, Your Ladyship Consort Ling, come with me.”

In the cool pavilion of the Imperial Garden, old enemies met once again.

Wei Yingluo glanced at the stone table: hibiscus pastries, rose cakes, grape wine, and fresh seasonal fruits—all things she loved. How would the Empress know? She looked at Yuan Chunwang standing behind her. With this man here, of course the Empress knew her tastes like the back of her hand.

The Empress smiled. “The moment I heard you were returning to the palace, I immediately sent people to prepare everything. I only hope you like it. If there is anything else you need, just give the order to Chief Steward Yuan.”

Wei Yingluo looked at the Empress with a strange gaze.

She had originally thought that after she left, Yanxi Palace would stand empty and soon fall into ruin. Yet upon her return, there was not a speck of dust inside the rooms, not a single weed in the courtyard—it was clear someone had been specially maintaining it. But why?

“What’s wrong?” the Empress asked with a smile. “Are you dissatisfied with my arrangements?”

Wei Yingluo shook her head and said, “No. I was just thinking: as the mistress of the Six Palaces, you gave birth to the Twelfth Prince in the seventeenth year of Qianlong’s reign, and this year you added the Thirteenth Prince. The entire rear palace is under your control. What kind of woman could it be that, within just three months of entering the palace, made even you, Her Ladyship Empress, unable to sit still?”

The Empress was momentarily stunned, then laughed softly. She lifted a cup of grape wine, took a sip, and said meaningfully, “If you met her, you would feel the same wariness I do. No—not wariness. Fear.”

These words surprised Wei Yingluo slightly. The Empress was the most terrifying hunter she had ever encountered. What kind of opponent could make even her feel fear? Unable to hold back, Wei Yingluo asked, “Is there really such a beauty in the world—more so than the late Noble Consort Hui?”

Noble Consort Hui had been renowned as a kingdom-toppling beauty, called the “Peony of National Grace.” Whether before or after her death, Wei Yingluo had never seen anyone whose appearance could compare. Yet the Empress merely gave a light laugh, as if she didn’t take her seriously at all. “True beauty does not lie in outward appearance. The Emperor has seen countless beauties—how could he be captivated by a mere face? In my view, ten Noble Consort Huis could not compare to one Lady Rong.”

Wei Yingluo frowned slightly. “Your Ladyship Empress, even if Lady Rong is an unparalleled beauty and deeply favored by the Emperor, she still cannot threaten your position. I still don’t understand—what reason could there be for you to humble yourself and show goodwill toward me?”

Yuan Chunwang, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke. “Your Ladyship Consort Ling, Lady Rong has now been promoted to Concubine Rong.”

Yingluo froze.

The Empress rose to her feet. Outside the pavilion, flowers bloomed in profusion—clusters and swathes of them—like the beauties filling the rear palace. Especially striking was a wisteria vine, its blossoms blooming all at once in chaotic profusion, thousands of flowers opening together. The Empress reached up, plucked a single wisteria blossom, twirled it between her fingers, and said slowly and deliberately:

“She is the daughter of the Taiji of the Dzungar tribe, Hezha Mai. Her elder brother Tuerdu distinguished himself greatly in quelling the rebellion. To show lasting friendship and alliance, they specially sent his younger sister Iparhan into the palace. The Emperor personally bestowed upon her the name Chenbi—Deep Jade—and favors her profoundly, far more than he ever favored you back then!”

She suddenly turned around, extended the wisteria blossom toward Wei Yingluo, and said gravely:

“That is why—we must join forces against a common enemy!”

Wei Yingluo looked at the flower she was offering, and after a long pause, she shook her head. “Your Ladyship Empress, I have already experienced your good intentions.’ This time, let us skip the cooperation.”

Cooperating with the Empress was no different from bargaining with a tiger for its skin. Even if Wei Yingluo wanted to contend with Chenbi, she would not do so through the Empress’s hand. None of the fruit on the table had been touched. Wei Yingluo gave her farewells and had just turned to leave when she heard the Empress call out loudly from behind her:

“When she entered the palace, she was already twenty-seven years old!”

Wei Yingluo’s footsteps halted.

STORY OF YANXI PALACE CHAPTERS HOME

  

   Story of Yanxi Palace, Chapter 166: Family Letter

   He was the Empress’s most loyal dog, and also the most prominent figure in the rear palace.

Yuan Chunwang pushed open the door and frowned.

There was an extra trunk in his room.

It was half a person tall, made of red sandalwood, with hibiscus flower patterns carved in relief on the surface. Yuan Chunwang stared at the trunk for a moment, then said coolly, “Come out.”

The trunk opened.

A young maiden emerged like a lotus rising from water. Dressed in green, she looked timidly upward at Yuan Chunwang, her eyes rising from below.

“Who permitted you to come in?” Yuan Chunwang’s expression darkened.

The girl quickly lowered her gaze, clearly frightened of him; even her voice stuttered: “I… I… was sent by Steward Liu to serve Chief Steward Yuan…”

Before she could finish, a single finger pressed against her chin.

That finger slowly lifted her chin. A pair of phoenix eyes gazed at her from the opposite side.

“At first glance, there is about five parts resemblance.” The phoenix eyes narrowed, growing even more radiant and alluring. “What’s the matter—are you afraid of me?”

After saying this, he leaned in close, his breath warm and mere inches away, as though he were about to kiss her.

Whether from shock or from shyness, the young girl suddenly squeezed her eyes shut.

Slap!

The girl tumbled to the floor, one hand covering her face as she stared up at him in horror. “Yuan… Chief Steward Yuan…”

Screams rang out again and again. The people outside heard them but dared not enter to stop it.

After an unknown stretch of time, the sounds abruptly ceased. The door slid open with a whoosh, and Yuan Chunwang stepped out from within. Calmly he said, “Go inside and clean up. Oh—and by the way, tell Steward Liu that the gift he sent… I am very satisfied with it.”

“Yes!” The two young eunuchs hurriedly responded.

Only after Yuan Chunwang had walked far away did the pair cautiously turn back and peer inside the room.

On the floor lay the corpse of a young woman, her figure graceful and slender, clad in green silk that from a distance resembled a pool of spring water reflecting lotuses. Around her neck was wound a length of white silk ribbon, twisting and coiling like a white snake that had taken her life.

Though terrified, the two young eunuchs did not dare disobey Yuan Chunwang’s command. One took her arms, the other her legs, and together they carried the girl out to the courtyard to bury her.

As one of them swung the hoe, he asked, “Since Chief Steward Yuan said he was satisfied, why did he still kill her?”

The other glanced at him. “Don’t you think she looked a lot like someone?”

At those words, the first eunuch took a closer look at the girl in the pit. Suddenly his face went pale. “She… she looks like… Her Ladyship Consort Ling…”

At first glance, the girl bore at least a five-part resemblance to Consort Ling.

That was precisely why Yuan Chunwang had looked at her a few extra times while inspecting the embroidery workshop.

But he had not expected that every one of his glances would be noticed by others. In order to curry favor with him, Steward Liu of the embroidery workshop could not even wait until the next day—he hurriedly had the girl packed into a box and delivered straight to him.

“Your Ladyship Empress.” Having composed himself, Yuan Chunwang entered the upper floor of Chengqian Hall. He took the comb from a young palace maid’s hand and began gently combing the Empress’s long hair, stroke by stroke. “This servant has something to report.”

“What is it?” In the mirror, the Empress smiled, a trace of mockery in her expression. “If it’s about the women in your quarters, handle it yourself.”

Nothing escaped her notice. She was the cleverest woman in the Forbidden City—and also the most ruthless.

“It concerns the Empress Dowager,” Yuan Chunwang said. “The Empress Dowager has taken Consort Ling and moved into the Yuanmingyuan Gardens. His Majesty has gone there several times but has not been granted an audience. Your Ladyship, do you think His Majesty might…”

“What is there to fear?” The Empress smiled slightly. “That letter was left behind by Lady Wenshu. It was hidden by Dowager Consort Yu and discovered by the Prince of He—from beginning to end, what does any of it have to do with me?”

Yuan Chunwang lowered his gaze. “Your Majesty, if the weed is not pulled up by the roots, it may bring great trouble later.”

The Empress raised an eyebrow and looked at him through the mirror. “Why do I get the feeling that you hate Consort Ling even more than I do?”

Yuan Chunwang merely smiled and said nothing.

His smile was truly beautiful, like a flower in springtime. Merely looking at it brought a sense of peace to the heart.

That Wei Yingluo really was useless. To have such a capable man—one with a beautiful smile and exceptional skills—slip through her fingers and end up serving her rival instead… The Empress adjusted her hair ornament. Yuan Chunwang’s combing technique was superb; the hairstyle he created made her appear several years younger.

“His Majesty knows the Empress Dowager has gone to the Yuanmingyuan to recuperate from illness and immediately sent a large number of servants to accompany and attend her—clear proof of how concerned he is for her. To act against her at such a moment would only invite disaster upon ourselves, wouldn’t it?” The Empress laughed. “Moreover, I am now firmly seated on the fish platform. Even if Consort Ling has won the favor of that old fox by following the Empress Dowager, she has lost any chance to compete for His Majesty’s affections. By the time she returns—if she returns—the Forbidden City will already belong to a new master!”

In spring one views flowers, in summer gathers lotuses, in autumn welcomes maples, in winter admires snow. Compared to the Forbidden City, life in the Yuanmingyuan was carefree and joyful.

Freed from the confines of the palace, Wei Yingluo began to live like one of the secluded young ladies in Dream of the Red Chamber: practicing calligraphy every day, burying fallen flowers, and paying no attention to worldly affairs.

Only at the end of each month, forced by the Empress Dowager, did she write a letter to Hongli—one family letter after another, all in an attempt to slowly win back his heart.

At first, Wei Yingluo was unwilling to write, and Hongli was unwilling to reply. It was only after three or four months that, for the Empress Dowager’s sake, he reluctantly sent back one or two words—such as “Noted” or “Understood.”

Wei Yingluo, however, remained tirelessly diligent. She wrote that a particularly beautiful peony had bloomed in the Yuanming Garden; she wrote that the Empress Dowager had recently been feeling drowsy all the time. She wrote in fine, trifling detail, chattering on and on, until unconsciously the family letter stretched to several long pages.

He still replied. At first it was just one or two characters, but gradually the number of words increased. With every additional word, Wei Yingluo would feel happy for a very long time. Then, coming back to her senses, she would feel both ridiculous and pathetic, swearing to herself that she would never do such a foolish thing again—only to immediately spread out fresh letter paper once more.

“Who sends brocade letters from the clouds? When the wild geese return in formation, the moon fills the west tower.”

“This feeling has no remedy to dispel; just as it leaves my brow, it rises again in my heart.” Looking at the line of poetry she had unconsciously let fall onto the paper, Wei Yingluo sighed and crumpled the letter into a ball.

Forbidden City.

   “Your Majesty.” Li Yu presented the letter. “A family letter from the Empress Dowager.”

“Set it down.” Hongli spoke as though he didn’t care.

Li Yu placed the letter down. He had barely taken a step out of the main door of Yangxin Hall when he heard Hongli call from inside:

“Li Yu!”

“This servant is here.” Li Yu hurriedly turned back.

The letter had already been opened. He had acted as if he didn’t care, yet the moment no one was nearby, he had eagerly torn it open to read.

In fact, the instant he picked up the envelope, Hongli had already sensed something was wrong.

—It was too light.

Compared to the previous family letters that often contained several pages, this one felt far too thin. When he opened it, sure enough, there was only a single sheet.

And on that single sheet was just one character: 安 (Peace/Safety).

The handwriting was unfamiliar—even this single character had not been written by Wei Yingluo. Hongli frowned at it for a long while before finally raising his head to ask Li Yu:

“Go and find out what has happened at the Yuanming Garden.”

Seeing the grave expression on his face, Li Yu also grew tense. He quickly withdrew to make inquiries. Not long afterward, he returned to report:

“Your Majesty, Your Majesty… a while ago the Empress Dowager caught a minor cold and was bedridden for three days. Fortunately, the imperial physicians treated her promptly and she was well cared for. She has now fully recovered.”

Hongli was stunned. “The Empress Dowager was ill?”

Li Yu: “Her Ladyship Consort Ling, attended to her during the illness and also fell ill.”

Hongli’s expression changed dramatically. He rose abruptly to his feet. “She also fell ill?”

Li Yu: “Please do not be anxious, Your Majesty. When this servant made inquiries, Consort Ling’s condition had already greatly improved. Yesterday she was already able to get out of bed. It was only because of this that the family letter was written by a palace maid on her behalf…”

Hongli let out a breath of relief, then suddenly felt somewhat embarrassed.

He kept insisting that he didn’t care about her, yet the moment he heard something had happened to her, his face changed color, his hands and feet grew flustered. And he still claimed he didn’t care? Even he himself could no longer believe those words…

Fortunately, at that moment Hailancha arrived, sparing him from further awkwardness.

“Your Majesty!” Hailancha’s face was full of joy. “A great victory for our army in the Battle of Altishur! The elder and younger Khoja brothers fled in panic to Badakhshan with only three hundred men, but were finally captured by the pursuing troops. The great army will soon return in triumph to the capital!”

Hongli’s face lit up with delight—both at the complete victory and at the perfect timing of Hailancha’s arrival, which saved him from further embarrassment.

“Excellent! Immediately issue orders to prepare for the triumphant return of the western expedition generals and soldiers to the capital. I will personally welcome them and hold a banquet in their honor!”

Hailancha: “Your Majesty, General Zhaohui also said he will bring back a gift.”

Hongli was taken aback. “A gift?”

Whether it was an illusion or not, he always felt that Hailancha’s current expression was somewhat strange.

“It’s…” Hailancha said with a complicated look on his face, “the Tuerdu Taiji of the Dzungar tribe intends to present to His Majesty the Emperor of Great Qing a… beautiful gift.”

STORY OF YANXI PALACE CHAPTERS HOME

  

   Story of Yanxi Palace, Chapter 165: Departure

The guard whom the Empress Dowager had summoned was named Wang Tianyi.

Upon entering Yangxin Hall, he immediately tried to kneel and pay respects, but his knees simply wouldn’t bend. Sweat broke out on his forehead as he grimaced in pain.

Hongli frowned deeply at the sight until Li Yu leaned close to his ear and murmured softly:

“Your Majesty, Lord Wang once took a firearm shot to the knee while protecting the late Emperor. In his old age, the old injury flares up repeatedly…”

Looking at the elderly man with graying temples below, Hongli sighed inwardly and said:

“Grant him a seat.”

Li Yu personally brought over a chair. Wang Tianyi sat down very carefully, occupying only the edge of the seat, ready at any moment to rise and kneel again.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“…You once personally taught me riding and archery. You can be considered my teacher. Whatever I ask you now, you must answer truthfully.” Hongli had already investigated the man’s background and was surprised to discover they shared a past connection. “Back then, when the late Emperor made a private visit to Shanxi, Lady Qian accompanied him. Are you aware of this matter?”

Wang Tianyi hesitated for a moment before replying:

“Yes, Your Majesty, that did happen.”

Hongli couldn’t help clenching his fingers:

“When you went to greet him, did the late Emperor return together with Lady Qian?”

Wang Tianyi: “Yes.”

Hongli exploded in fury and slammed his palm on the desk:

“The Empress Dowager actually dared to deceive me!”

Wang Tianyi dropped to his knees with a thud. The sudden movement caused a sharp crack from his knee. He clutched his right knee in agony, sweat dripping to the floor. It took him a long while to find his voice again. Hoarsely, he pleaded:

“Your Majesty, please calm your anger…”

By this time Hongli had already stepped out from behind the desk and hurried to his side. He personally helped the old man up, his gaze earnest:

“Wang Anda, you followed the late Emperor for decades. When I was small, you carried me around the courtyard on your back… For the sake of our past bond…”

He paused, and a thread of chilling coldness suddenly entered his voice:

“Tell me… was Lady Qian killed by the Empress Dowager?”

Wang Tianyi froze for a second. He had only just stood up before dropping to his knees once more.

Hongli said nothing. Li Yu said nothing. Everyone waited for Wang Tianyi to speak.

One could say that in this moment, this elderly man with inconvenient legs and graying temples held the power to decide life and death. A single sentence from him could determine the fate of the Empress Dowager—and the fates of many others…

“Your Majesty…” Wang Tianyi said through tears, “Lady Qian, in order to save the late Emperor, submitted her body to the Ming bandits, causing the late Emperor to lose all face. She… was granted death by the late Emperor himself!”

Hongli went rigid at the words.

A buzzing filled his ears. Whatever Wang Tianyi said afterward, he barely heard any of it.

In truth, when he first heard Lu Wanwan tell that story of chastity and righteousness, a vague answer had already formed in his heart. But because of Qian Zhengyuan’s death, and because of the new Empress’s deliberate interference, his preconceptions had deepened, causing him to place suspicion on the Empress Dowager first.

Yet once he brushed aside those prejudices, wasn’t the answer… quite obvious?

A woman who had lost her chastity—how could she possibly continue to live in the rear palace, under the endless gossip and condemnation of the world?

If she were allowed to live, how could she possibly go on living in the days to come? And what would become of her child?

Hongli could not help but recall the words the Empress Dowager had once spoken: “Right up until the moment of death, she held my hand tightly, refusing to close her eyes until I promised her that I would treat you as my own son. Only then did she finally close them.”

   …Yes. Apart from death, what other path was left for Lady Qian?

Apart from entrusting her son to the Empress Dowager, what other path did she have?

   “…Empress Dowager.” Hongli suddenly murmured the words and rushed out the door.

Guilt weighed heavily on his heart; he wished he could immediately kneel before the Empress Dowager and beg forgiveness. Yet when he reached Shoukang Palace, it was completely empty. Hongli stared at the deserted palace, at the vacant carved windows, then slowly turned around and demanded of the rows of kneeling palace maids and eunuchs:

“Where is the Empress Dowager?”

A palace maid answered tremblingly: “The Empress Dowager… the Empress Dowager has taken Consort Ling and left the palace to recuperate from illness.”

“What did you say?” Hongli exclaimed in shock. Then, already striding hurriedly outward, he shouted: “Prepare the horses! Prepare the horses at once!!”

He galloped out of the palace gates, Hongli at the very front, a group of guards trailing behind. Seeing him whip his horse as if his life depended on it, the guards grew tense and closed ranks tightly around him, afraid he might fall if he lost control for even a moment.

“Whoa!” Suddenly Hongli reined in hard. The horse reared, hooves kicking up dust, then settled into restless small steps. From atop the saddle, Hongli looked at the person blocking the road.

“…Noble Lady Qing, what are you doing?”

Lu Wanwan, her face deathly pale, gave him a respectful curtsy: “Your Majesty, this concubine has been ordered by the Empress Dowager to wait here and convey several urgent words to Your Majesty. I beg Your Majesty to dismiss your attendants.”

Hongli waved his hand. The guards immediately turned their horses and withdrew. He dismounted, walked up to Lu Wanwan, and asked: “What did the Empress Dowager say?”

“The Empress Dowager instructed this concubine to tell Your Majesty: The late Emperor reigned for thirteen years and rested only on the day of his birthday. He never once went on the Mulan autumn hunt, nor indulged in pleasure excursions. He governed with utmost diligence, all because he wished to be a good emperor. The late Emperor once said that in this life he bore the infamous reputation of plotting against his father, forcing his mother, killing his brother, and slaughtering his younger brothers—like carrying a towering mountain on his back while walking against the wind. He knew full well how crucial it was, for any heir, to have a legitimate and unsullied name!”

Lu Wanwan sighed. “He did not lack pity for Lady Qian—he simply could not bear to let Your Majesty be stained by shame!”

Hongli listened in silence.

“That day, when the Empress Dowager was ordered to bring the poisoned wine to see the Lady, the Lady said not a single word. She merely bowed three times to the Empress Dowager, then calmly drank the poison and died.” At this point Lu Wanwan’s own eyes filled with tears, as though she felt the pain herself. “The Empress Dowager said that since she had accepted those three bows, she had taken on a thousand-boulders burden. She would care for Your Majesty her whole life as though You were her own flesh and blood…”

Hongli let out a long sigh. He lifted his head high; tears glistened at the corners of his eyes.

After finally forcing the tears back, he abruptly remounted and galloped off in the direction the Empress Dowager had gone. Behind him, Lu Wanwan called out urgently: “Your Majesty! Your Majesty! The Empress Dowager said the Forbidden City is no longer peaceful. She is going to the Yuanmingyuan to recuperate. Consort Ling will take good care of her. She asks that Your Majesty not pursue her…”

But how could Hongli listen? Again and again he lashed the horse; hooves thundered, raising clouds of dust as he chased after the Empress Dowager’s carriage.

   Yet when someone has already resolved to leave, how can they ever be chased back?

   Clop-clop-clop. On the road to the Yuanmingyuan, the Empress Dowager reclined against a welcoming pillow, sipping the tea Aunt Liu offered her. She looked perfectly at ease, calm and composed—not at all like someone who was ill.

“What is it?” She set down the teacup and smiled at Wei Yingluo sitting opposite her. “Do you have something to ask me?”

Wei Yingluo asked curiously: “When did Your Majesty recover?”

The Empress Dowager laughed. “You should be asking when I fell ill.”

Wei Yingluo was somewhat puzzled. Aunt Liu gave a gentle smile and offered her a hint: “Consort Ling, if the Empress Dowager had not fallen ill, how could she have made the Empress lower her guard?”

It was more than just making the Empress lower her guard…

   This illness of the Empress Dowager’s had come at exactly the right moment. Not only did it cause the Empress to relax her vigilance, it also won Hongli’s pity—buying precious breathing room for the decisive counterstrike that would come later.

   When something happens with such perfect timing, nine times out of ten someone is pulling strings behind the scenes.

   Wei Yingluo finally understood. “Your Majesty, how did you manage to deceive the imperial physicians’ eyes?”

Court Physician Zhang might be bribable, but after him, Ye Tianshi also came to take the pulse. If Zhang could be bought off, Ye Tianshi was certainly not someone so easily purchased.

“The Empress thinks herself clever, having bought off Court Physician Zhang—but who would know…” The Empress Dowager turned her head to look at the unremarkable Aunt Liu beside her. “The one by my side, Aunt Liu, happens to be an expert in the use of medicines?”

Aunt Liu smiled. “Her Majesty flatters me. Using golden needles to manipulate things can deceive for a moment, but not forever. That is why Her Majesty must leave the Forbidden City.”

The Empress Dowager had fallen ill at just the right moment, and departed at just the right moment.

Leaving at this precise time was the surest way to make Hongli regret it bitterly. Given that monarch’s temperament, he was probably already galloping on horseback right now, chasing after the carriage.

“Empress Dowager, you are wise,” Wei Yingluo praised.

But the Empress Dowager shook her head, took her hand, and said, “Consort Ling, relying only on a few words from Aunt Liu, you managed to tell the Emperor a fine story. We understood each other at once… but your story is still not complete. I must help you finish it.”

Wei Yingluo was startled upon hearing this.

Was there some flaw in her plan—or in the story she had told?

“Your Ladyship Consort Ling,” Aunt Liu asked with a smile, “do you know why the Empress Dowager is taking you with her when she leaves?”

Wei Yingluo shook her head.

The Empress Dowager looked at her fondly. “Consort Ling, you are very clever, but your methods are still too immature. You have thoroughly offended the Emperor. The more you linger in front of him, the more you will annoy him. You need to make him think of you, miss you—and yet be unable to see you.”

In that instant, one phrase flashed through Wei Yingluo’s mind: The older the ginger, the spicier it gets.

   Aunt Liu seized the moment and said, “Your Ladyship Consort Ling, why don’t you thank the Empress Dowager? She is helping you.”

Wei Yingluo rose from her seat and solemnly bowed to the Empress Dowager. “I thank Her Majesty the Empress Dowager.”

In the past, the Empress Dowager had merely used Wei Yingluo. But after sharing hardship together, genuine affection had begun to grow. She personally helped her up and let her sit close beside her, speaking softly: “In the entire Forbidden City, no one is better at winning people’s hearts than you. I am bringing you to the Yuanmingyuan because I want someone to keep me company.”

Wei Yingluo hesitated for a moment, then finally asked cautiously, “Empress Dowager, there is one thing… I venture to ask.”

The Empress Dowager saw right through her. “You want to ask why Lady Qian really died?”

Hearing it stated so plainly, Wei Yingluo suddenly didn’t dare press further. She only dared to steal glances from the corner of her eye.

   A kindly, benevolent smile gradually appeared on the Empress Dowager’s face. If the current Empress were present, she would surely recognize it—the very same smile the Empress Dowager had worn when she persuaded Hongli to execute her innocent father.

   STORY OF YANXI PALACE CHAPTERS HOME

  

   Story of Yanxi Palace, Chapter 164: Integrity and Righteousness

   Yangxin Hall.

   Hongli was bent over the desk, staring at the scroll of “Spring Radiance” that lay spread out before him.

These past few days he seemed almost possessed, constantly gazing at this painting, as though if he looked long enough, the figure in it would come to life and tell him the truth.

“Your Majesty.” Li Yu hurried in. “A report has come from Shoukang Palace—the Empress Dowager is delirious, convulsions have not stopped, and she can hardly swallow even soup!”

It was a long while before Hongli raised his head, murmuring as if in a dream: “…What did you say?”

Li Yu repeated it. Only then did he startle awake from his daze. He snatched up the “Spring Radiance” scroll from the table, rushed out of Yangxin Hall, and hurried without pause straight to Shoukang Palace.

Aunt Liu came out to greet him. Hongli waved away her formalities and said, “I wish to see the Empress Dowager.”

The bead curtain swayed gently. A hand holding a book reached out from behind it, followed by a serene, lotus-like face—it was Lu Wanwan.

“Your Majesty.” She had come from the direction of the inner chamber. Respectfully, she offered the book in her hands to Hongli. “The Empress Dowager says she understands the purpose of Your Majesty’s visit. If Your Majesty opens this book, everything will become clear.”

Hongli took the blue-bound volume and looked—Notes from Yuewei Cottage.

The notebook was filled with many bizarre and supernatural tales. Hongli had no interest in them. He casually took it, glanced at it without really looking, and tossed it to Li Yu. Then he moved to step past Lu Wanwan and enter the inner chamber.

Lu Wanwan subtly shifted a step, blocking his path. Since he refused to look, she smiled and began telling him the story herself:

“There’s a tale in the book about a beautiful farmer’s wife surnamed Guo in Huai Town. Her husband fled famine to another region and entrusted his aging parents to her care. She kept her doors tightly shut, spinning and weaving day and night to support her in-laws. But her earnings were meager and could not sustain them. In desperation, she turned to her neighbors for help, yet no one could aid her. After a bout of bitter weeping, she had no choice but to stand by the door and sell her smiles (prostitution).”

Hongli grew somewhat impatient. He had not come here to listen to her tell stories. “Lady Qing, step aside.”

But Lu Wanwan did not yield. She continued her tale:

“Lady Guo sold her own body to provide for her parents-in-law. With the money earned from selling herself, she purchased a beautiful young girl and raised her in the household. When her husband finally returned, she said to him: ‘You have returned safely, your parents remain untouched and whole, and this innocent maiden is the new wife I have chosen for you.’ Having spoken these words, she raised a knife and took her own life.”

At this point, she suddenly turned her head and glanced toward the inner hall. It was unclear whom she saw or whose silent approval she received, but only then did she muster the courage to finish the story under Hongli’s furious glare.

“…After her death, her eyes remained open, unclosed. The county magistrate judged her unchaste and ruled that she be buried in the ancestral grave but not interred beside her husband.” Lu Wanwan continued, “Only her parents-in-law wept bitterly for her, saying their son was unfilial for abandoning his parents, and that this frail woman had lost her chastity only to fulfill her duty of supporting them—what fault was there in that? At the time, people argued endlessly: between chastity and righteousness, which truly matters more?”

Even earlier, when she had turned her head, Hongli had followed her gaze. Behind the beaded curtain, a corner of a qipao was visible, with a gardenia flower blooming against the hem of the skirt.

“…Your Majesty! Back in the great drought in Shanxi, Lady Qian accompanied the Emperor Yongzheng on his private inspection tour. Amid the fierce struggle for the throne, they encountered numerous dangers. After becoming separated from their entourage, the Emperor Yongzheng was struck by an arrow and wounded. To evade the assassins, he was forced deep into the mountains—only for misfortune to compound when they encountered bandits hiding in the Taihang Mountains. At the moment of life and death…” Lu Wanwan spoke gravely, “…Lady Qian left the Emperor Yongzheng hidden in a farmhouse, put on his clothes, and went alone to draw away the pursuing rebel troops.”

Hongli had been about to walk toward that gardenia flower when these words made him whip around and stare at her. “What did you say?”

Lu Wanwan shrank back a step under his gaze, lowered her head, and said, “Some say Lady Qian was captured by the bandits. Others say she leaped from the summit of the Taihang Mountains… Whether she truly submitted to the bandits or took her own life to preserve her chastity, either way it was to protect her husband—she acted with both affection and righteousness, truly moving and admirable! But once the story spread, she would suffer the same fate as Lady Guo: having performed an act of supreme righteousness, yet condemned and reviled by all under heaven. Even Your Majesty would not escape the storm of gossip and criticism. This is precisely why the Empress Dowager has guarded the secret so fiercely…”

Hongli stared at her fixedly.

If what she said was true, then it was no wonder this matter had become a closely guarded secret.

   Between chastity and righteousness—which carried more weight? It was hard to say clearly. But if such a thing happened to a consort, everyone would demand that she fulfill both perfectly. The best outcome would be for her to take her own life; if she could not, someone else would help her do so—and that someone might very well be the very person she had sacrificed herself to protect…

   How exactly had Lady Qian died? Had she committed suicide, or had she been granted death? Hongli opened his mouth, but the words would not come out…

   “…Beside the Emperor Yongzheng was a personal bodyguard—the very first person to find him that year. He has now retired to his hometown in Jiaozhou.” Lu Wanwan carefully observed his expression. “The Empress Dowager has already sent people to summon him. He will arrive no later than tomorrow. When the time comes, if you have any questions, you may ask him directly.”

Hongli’s mind was in utter turmoil. His gaze flickered between the Spring Radiance Painting in his hand and the Notes from the Yuewei Cottage now held by Li Yu. For the moment he could not tell whether her words were true or false, nor did he know what to ask next. Very well—since a witness had already been summoned, he might as well start with that witness.

“…If what the Empress Dowager says is true, tomorrow I will personally come to Shoukang Palace and kneel to beg her forgiveness.” In the end, Hongli gave one deep look toward the inner hall, toward the corner of the skirt behind the beaded curtain, then turned and left.

The moment he was gone, Lu Wanwan let out a long breath. Her legs went weak; she nearly collapsed to the floor.

“Careful.” A hand reached out from behind and steadied her. Today Wei Yingluo’s qipao was embroidered with several gardenia flowers. She said to Lu Wanwan, “Lady Qing, you’ve worked hard.”

Lu Wanwan pressed a hand to her chest. She had always been timid as a mouse—especially in front of Hongli, barely daring to breathe. For the most part she had behaved like a delicate doll, allowing him to do as he pleased. It had been a very long time since she had spoken so many words in his presence.

Looking at Wei Yingluo with a complicated expression, she asked, “…Your Ladyship Consort Ling, why didn’t you tell His Majesty these things yourself?”

“His Majesty does not wish to see me. I cannot drag the Empress Dowager down with me.” Wei Yingluo smiled slightly. “Besides, with these words, His Majesty will surely remember you. Isn’t that a good thing?”

This was the method of achieving both goals at once: on one hand, conveying the Empress Dowager’s hardships and to Hongli; on the other, winning favor for Lu Wanwan.

If it weren’t for that, how could Lu Wanwan possibly speak up for her like this?

“Now everyone avoids Shoukang Palace, avoids the Empress Dowager and me. For you to come here at a time like this is both your kindness and your good fortune.” Wei Yingluo patted her hand and said gently, “Good intentions should be rewarded. Let me help you along…”

When it comes to beauty, schemes, or methods, this Lu Wanwan falls short in every way. Yet she appeared in Shoukang Palace at precisely this moment. One can only say that everyone has their own destiny. She is fated to use the Empress Dowager’s misfortune—and through Wei Yingluo’s hand—to gain a great opportunity, a lifetime of glory and splendor.

Who would push away such a chance? Even someone as timid as a mouse like Lu Wanwan still harbors a tiny spark of ambition, a faint glimmer of hope. So after her eyes flickered for a moment, she gripped Wei Yingluo’s hand and asked in a small voice:

“Consort Ling, Niangniang… what should this concubine do next?”

Wei Yingluo thought for a moment, then leaned close to her ear and whispered:

“Next, what you need to do is…”

STORY OF YANXI PALACE CHAPTERS HOME