Story of Yanxi Palace, Chapter 123: Tangled and Attached

   By the time Hongli came back to his senses, he was practically spending every night at Yanxi Palace.

Even the Empress Dowager could not help but remind him: “Your Majesty, you should know to let the rain and dew fall evenly.”

Hongli immediately broke out in a cold sweat. Thinking back carefully, he realized he had neglected the rear palace for so many days. What kind of bewitchment had that Wei Yingluo cast on him?

“It’s just a woman, nothing more.” He pressed his brow and closed his eyes. “Just a woman, nothing more…”

Just a woman, nothing more… Yet the moment he closed his eyes, her shadow filled his mind—there was no one else!

“Your Majesty!” A soft body suddenly threw itself into his arms, sobbing so hard she could barely breathe. “This concubine has been in the palace for so long and has never suffered such humiliation!”

Hongli opened his eyes and looked at Concubine Xiaojia in his embrace.

He already had a head full of his own troubles—how could he have the patience to listen to hers? It was bound to be the usual drama of concubines vying for favor and slandering each other. His tone carried a trace of impatience: “Who has offended you?”

“Who else but that Noble Lady Wei!” Concubine Xiaojia said while wiping her tears. “Ever since she gained your favor, she has become insufferably arrogant. This concubine fell ill and sent Lan’er to fetch medicine. On the way, she ran into her—and she actually slapped the medicine bowl right out of Lan’er’s hands!”

Hongli listened expressionlessly until she finished, then turned his head and asked Li Yu: “Was Noble Lady Wei really so overbearing?”

Li Yu gave an apologetic smile. “This… this servant did not witness it personally, so I cannot say whether it is true or false.”

Hongli said coldly: “It seems to me she is in need of discipline. Back in Changchun Palace she already dared to defy me. Now that she has my favor, she has become utterly outrageous!”

Li Yu: “Then what does Your Majesty intend…?”

Hongli: “Immediately remove her name tablet!”

Li Yu: “As you command.”

Concubine Xiaojia left looking very satisfied, but Hongli felt some regret. He wasn’t regretting it for Concubine Xiaojia’s sake—he was angry at himself. He resented her for making him neglect court affairs, for making his moods so unpredictable.

But the words had already left his lips. How could he immediately retract an order he had just given? He had no choice but to let it stand. For the next several days, he did not go to Wei Yingluo’s palace.

He had intended to return to his old routine of spreading his favor evenly, but for some reason, every other place felt lacking compared to Yanxi Palace. Either the food tasted wrong, or the wine was particularly hard to drink…

“Your Majesty.” Today Hongli had chosen Concubine Xiaojia’s tablet. She sang and danced for him. Though her singing and dancing were quite ordinary, she was young and full of youthful charm. After the dance, she came over holding a cup, leaned into Hongli’s arms, and said with a touch of loneliness: “Back when there was no Noble Lady Wei, you were so good to me. But ever since Noble Lady Wei entered the palace, you haven’t come in such a long time…”

Hongli smiled at her, his gaze on her body, but his heart was elsewhere.

“Come, Your Majesty, this concubine toasts you.” Concubine Xiaojia brought the wine to Hongli’s lips.

Hongli lowered his head and drank. The fragrance of the wine filled the air, but in his mouth it tasted like plain water—bland and flavorless.

“Li Yu.” After leaving Chuxiu Palace, Hongli asked Li Yu, “Why does the wine at Chuxiu Palace taste so much worse than at Yanxi Palace?”

Li Yu glanced at him cautiously and said: “Your Majesty, the wine served at Chuxiu Palace and at Yanxi Palace is exactly the same.”

Hongli was stunned.

So the meals and wine supplied to every palace were identical. It wasn’t the food that tasted wrong, nor the wine—it was the person who was wrong…

Back at Yangxin Hall, Ye Tianshi was already waiting outside the door. Hongli sat down in a chair. Ye Tianshi came over of his own accord, placed his fingers on Hongli’s wrist, and quietly took his pulse for a health reading.

Hongli was in a foul mood and only wanted to be left alone. After a short while, he said, “I’m fine. You may go.”

But Ye Tianshi did not leave. Still fulfilling his duty as a physician, he continued taking the Emperor’s pulse while saying, “It is unwise to conceal illness and avoid treatment. Noble Lady Wei delayed seeking medical care for so long that her knees became bruised and purple, nearly affecting her future mobility. Your Majesty should still allow this humble servant to examine you…”

Hongli was taken aback. “What did you just say?”

Ye Tianshi looked surprised. “This humble servant was saying that a peace pulse should still be taken; it cannot be delayed…”

Hongli interrupted him impatiently. “What did you say about Noble Lady Wei’s legs?”

“I heard that a few days ago, in the Imperial Garden, she accidentally bumped into Concubine Xiaojia’s maid and knocked over the medicine intended for Concubine Xiaojia,” Ye Tianshi replied respectfully. “Concubine Xiaojia punished Noble Lady by making her kneel for two full hours. Her knees were injured from the kneeling and took a long time to heal. Only in the past couple of days has there been noticeable improvement… Eh? Your Majesty, where are you going?”

Hongli had already strode to the doorway. Suddenly remembering the order he had previously issued, he paused, turned back, and paced back and forth in Yangxin Hall for a long time—long enough to make Ye Tianshi’s eyes spin—before finally stopping and saying abruptly, “Li Yu!”

“This slave is here!”

That very night, a stream of gifts was carried into Yanxi Palace.

Jewelry, paintings, calligraphy, rare antiques, curios—the majority, however, consisted of various tonics and medicinal herbs. The sheer quantity and superb quality were enough to bring a dead person back to life.

Li Yu approached Wei Yingluo holding a scroll painting. “Noble Lady Wei, these are all His Majesty’s bestowals. Please take a look—this painting is Zhao Mengfu’s ‘Autumn Colors on the Que and Hua Mountains.’ When Noble Consort Chun once begged His Majesty for it, he was unwilling to part with it. Yet now he has eagerly sent it straight to you.”

As he spoke, he carefully observed Wei Yingluo on the bed.

Sure enough, she appeared as though she had just recovered from a serious illness. She couldn’t even get out of bed by herself and had to be supported by Ming Yu to come forward and express gratitude. After being granted a seat, she smiled and said, “Is that so? Unfortunately, I have no knowledge of literature or painting. His Majesty sending me such a treasure is truly a waste. Besides, this painting is far too precious—I dare not accept it. You had better take it back.”

“Noble Lady,” Li Yu said with a smile, “to be honest with you, His Majesty has already severely punished Concubine Xiaojia. Please accept the painting and go to Yangxin Hall to offer thanks.”

Wei Yingluo let out a soft “aiya,” her right hand gently stroking her knee.

In truth, her injury was not severe. With Ye Tianshi’s care, the wound on her knee had already healed almost completely. The bandages and medicinal paste were deliberately left in place—for outsiders to see, and especially for Hongli to see.

Even on that day in the Imperial Garden when she encountered Concubine Xiaojia, she had knelt without the slightest resistance.

Since Concubine Xiaojia had been foolish enough to harm her in front of everyone, she could hardly blame Wei Yingluo for seizing the opportunity to make use of it.

Li Yu looked at her knee. In reality, Hongli had already questioned Ye Tianshi repeatedly and knew that her injury had improved significantly. But while physical wounds could be healed, wounds of the heart were far harder to mend. Thinking of how he had removed Wei Yingluo’s green-headed tablet from the duty roster merely because of a few words from Concubine Xiaojia, Hongli felt deep guilt and believed he owed her.

Yet for an emperor to bow his head and admit fault was easier said than done.

Thus he had sent Li Yu in his stead to soften the approach: “Noble Lady, this slave has served His Majesty for so long and has never seen him care so much about anyone! Very well—even if you do not wish to appear in person, this slave can have the Respect Affairs Office send up your green-headed slip. That should suffice, yes?”

“I’m afraid not,” Wei Yingluo sighed, her fingers still resting on her injured knee. “Right now I can barely walk—how could I serve His Majesty? Moreover… cough cough… these past few days my throat has been rather uncomfortable. I’m afraid of passing something on to His Majesty. It would be better to wait until my health improves before going.”

Li Yu could not persuade her, and he certainly could not force her to be carried to Yangxin Hall. This errand had become impossible—whatever he did, he would displease someone. Trembling with anxiety, he returned to report the news to Yangxin Hall.

As expected, Hongli flew into a rage and swept all the green-headed tablets off the table in one furious motion.

Li Yu: “Your Majesty, please calm your anger!”

Hongli: “Since she is unwilling, then let her never serve in the bedchamber for the rest of her life!”

Li Yu: “This… Yes, Your Majesty!”

The golden mouth opened, and the order was passed down. Hongli… regretted it again. Thus, for several consecutive days, he found fault with Li Yu, resenting him for acting too quickly—before he could even take back his words, Li Yu had already treated them as an imperial decree and sent them out.

Li Yu was inwardly complaining even more. Today the Emperor complained that the tea he brought was too hot, tomorrow he complained that his voice was too shrill. Left and right, nothing about him pleased the Emperor. This couldn’t go on forever. Unlike ordinary people, a eunuch’s entire honor and favor depended on his master. After much thought, Li Yu sought out Wei Yingluo again and hinted: “It’s rare for His Majesty to change his mind—why not take the chance to step down gracefully? Angering the Emperor now would surely bring more loss than gain.”

Wei Yingluo smiled but said nothing, still unwilling to yield.

Li Yu left Yanxi Palace dejectedly. Spies from various palaces reported the news back. One of them slipped silently into Zhongcui Palace and whispered a few words into Consort Chun’s ear.

In front of Noble Consort Chun lay a white jade chessboard. She held a chess piece in her hand but didn’t place it for a long time.

“What exactly is this Wei Yingluo thinking?” Her opponent was Naran Chuxue, who was also well-informed. She knew about Wei Yingluo’s affairs but not her intentions. “Isn’t she afraid of angering the Emperor and losing favor completely?”

Snap—a black piece was placed. Noble Consort Chun said calmly: “Every woman in the world thinks she is special—especially those who have just received imperial favor. But after a while, they realize that in His Majesty’s heart, there is no such thing as ‘special.’”

Naran Chuxue thought about it and felt she had a point. Raising a white piece, she said: “Your Ladyship is right. This Wei Yingluo probably wants to stand out and make His Majesty worry about her day and night. But does she not realize who His Majesty is? Is he some ordinary commoner from the countryside? The Son of Heaven—how could he, like an ordinary man, be so hung up on a mere woman?”

Yet the Son of Heaven was still a man.

No matter how lofty a man might be, once he becomes hung up on a woman, he falls from the heavens and becomes an ordinary mortal man.

Li Yu returned to Yangxin Hall and relayed Wei Yingluo’s response to Hongli. Then he cautiously raised his eyes to look at the other man’s back.

Hongli stood with his hands behind his back, facing away from him, gazing out the window.

Li Yu had thought he would be furious—perhaps even punish Wei Yingluo again in a fit of anger. But after waiting a long time, all he heard was a sigh.

“Does she… not like the ‘Autumn Colors on the Que and Hua Mountains’ painting?” Hongli hesitated for a moment before asking, “What do you think she likes?”

Li Yu: “…”

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   Story of Yanxi Palace, Chapter 122: Neither Approaching Nor Departing

   The mountain rain is about to fall, the wind fills the tower—this was already the third consecutive day Hongli had spent the night in Yanxi Palace.

Hongli had always been quite restrained when it came to women. Even when favoring the harem, he had never stayed with the same person night after night like this. Naturally, it made others restless and uneasy.

“Empress!” In Chengqian Palace, Naran Chuxue was the first to speak up. “That Wei Yingluo has served in the bedchamber for three consecutive days now, and her eyes have already grown on top of her head. What time is it already, and she still hasn’t come to pay her respects to you!”

The other concubines chimed in one after another, each adding their own criticisms of Wei Yingluo.

Only Lu Wanwan spoke softly: “Perhaps Noble Lady Wei was delayed by something!”

Naran Chuxue scoffed with icy disdain. “Delayed by what? It’s clearly arrogance born of favor! She’s just a former palace maid at heart—no sense of propriety at all. In this concubine’s opinion, Your Ladyship should send a senior nanny over to properly discipline her, so she doesn’t cause trouble later.”

How could the Step Empress let herself be used as a tool? She immediately smiled and said: “Concubine Shu, whom His Majesty chooses to favor is entirely His Majesty’s will. We concubines have no choice but to obey. If you were favored today and tomorrow I sent someone to reprimand you, what kind of person would that make me?”

Consort Ying: “Empress, that’s not how it should be said. When it comes to virtue, speech, appearance, and accomplishments, virtue ranks first. A woman who disregards rules and ignores propriety, lingering by His Majesty’s side, will sooner or later bring disaster. Your Ladyship manages the Six Palaces—you cannot be soft-hearted.”

Concubine Xiaojia: “The Empress is benevolent and naturally wouldn’t stoop to argue with a mere little Noble Lady. But if she takes an inch and wants a mile, using the opportunity to stir up trouble, that would no longer be a good thing. Your Ladyship should take precautions in advance!”

The discussion continued until noon before everyone finally fell silent and took their leave one by one.

“Empress, just listen to the nonsense they were spouting earlier—truly unbecoming!” Zhener came in carrying a plate of freshly washed grapes.

“Indeed.” The Step Empress picked up a deep-purple grape and glanced in the direction the others had left. “His Majesty merely summoned her a couple more times, and they all turned into black-eyed chickens, revealing their ugly sides.”

“But then again, His Majesty has never consecutively summoned the same concubine to serve him before, so it’s no wonder they’re all restless. This Wei Yingluo really is formidable.” Zhener peeled a grape for her. “Empress, should we…?”

The Step Empress shook her head: “Even the most beautiful flower will eventually grow tiresome. His Majesty has seen countless women—how long can Wei Yingluo possibly hold his attention, no matter how special she is? Only these shallow women jump three feet high at the slightest thing.”

“True.” Zhener smiled. “No matter how they fight among themselves, Your Ladyship sits firmly on the fish platform. Let them fight—the fiercer the better!”

The Step Empress ate the grape she offered, lazily saying: “Since there’s nothing else to do, why don’t we make a guess: who will make the first move—Noble Consort Chun, or Concubine Xiaojia…?”

Noble Consort Chun had long harbored a grudge against Wei Yingluo and was, among all the concubines, the one who most wished her dead.

As for Concubine Xiaojia, she and Wei Yingluo were both newly favored concubines. One mountain cannot hold two tigers—especially when both relied on their beauty to serve the Emperor. Naturally, neither could tolerate the other.

Zhener thought for a moment: “This servant guesses it will be Noble Consort Chun.”

“Then I’ll bet on Concubine Xiaojia.” The Step Empress gave a meaningful smile.

The older the ginger, the spicier it is. In the end, it was the newcomer Concubine Xiaojia who couldn’t hold her temper. After smashing a jade pendant in the palace, she said to the maid beside her: “Lan’er, go to Yangxin Hall and tell Chief Steward Li that I am ill—very seriously ill. If I don’t see His Majesty soon, I’m going to die!”

Lan’er was shocked: “Mistress, I’m afraid that wouldn’t be proper!”

Concubine Xiaojia waved her hand impatiently: “What’s improper about it? Didn’t that lowly woman trick His Majesty the same way? If she can do it, why can’t I? Go quickly, or I’ll whip you!”

The message soon reached Yangxin Hall. Upon hearing that Concubine Xiaojia was also “ill,” Hongli laughed.

“Why are they all imitating her now?” Hongli shook his head, looking as though he saw right through it, and chuckled. “What is there to learn from someone as mischievous as her?”

Li Yu watched coldly from the side, thinking to himself: It’s only because Your Majesty likes it. The King of Chu loved slender waists, and so the palace filled with starving women.

After finishing the day’s affairs of state, Hongli set down his brush: “Let’s go.”

Li Yu knowingly asked: “Where to?”

Hongli glared at him, reluctantly spitting out three words through gritted teeth: “Yanxi Palace.”

He felt he had already given Wei Yingluo plenty of face. When other consorts fell ill, he had never gone to visit them personally—yet here he was, coming especially for her. Who could have known he would arrive to find her absent? Zhenzhu approached with a face full of trepidation: “Your Majesty, Noble Lady Wei is not in the hall.”

Hongli was stunned. “Where did she go?”

Zhenzhu found it extremely difficult to say: “Noble Lady Wei said the weather was too hot, so she went out for a stroll.”

Hongli was practically speechless. Was she some seventy- or eighty-year-old grandmother? Finishing a meal and then going out for a walk to “preserve her health”? Behind him, Li Yu was struggling to hold back his laughter: “Your Majesty, where to now?”

Hongli shot him a glare, then gritted his teeth and said, “Go inside and sit.”

And so he sat—until nightfall.

Zhenzhu was already sweating profusely; the handkerchief in her hand was wiped and wiped again, but the sweat only increased, never lessened.

Hongli’s face had grown as black as the bottom of a pot. Li Yu, watching his expression closely, couldn’t resist scolding Zhenzhu for what felt like the umpteenth time: “Where is she? Why hasn’t she returned yet? It’s always others who wait upon the Emperor—yet your mistress has the nerve to turn everything upside down. Does she have any sense of propriety at all!”

Just as Zhenzhu was on the verge of tears from anxiety, footsteps suddenly sounded from outside. The door opened, and Ming Yu walked in. She respectfully kowtowed to Hongli: “Your Majesty, please forgive us. Today Noble Lady Wei personally prepared an ice bowl and sent it to Shoukang Palace. She is currently accompanying the Empress Dowager and chatting with her.”

Hongli: “All the way until now?”

Ming Yu: “The Empress Dowager is in an exceptionally good mood today. She began talking about the time she accompanied the late Emperor on his private inspection tour of Jiangnan, which left Noble Lady Wei full of admiration and envy. I’m afraid she won’t be able to return anytime soon!”

Hongli gave a snort. “So she’s just leaving me here to wait?”

Ming Yu offered an apologetic smile: “Your Majesty, Noble Lady is keeping the Empress Dowager company out of pure filial devotion. Otherwise… perhaps Your Majesty could go elsewhere.”

Li Yu snapped furiously: “You’ve lost your mind! How dare you speak like that!”

Ming Yu immediately kowtowed again, sounding aggrieved: “Your Majesty, you cannot blame Noble Lady Wei for this. It is the Empress Dowager who is keeping her—the mistress truly cannot leave. Filial piety is greater than Heaven itself; how could she possibly abandon the Empress Dowager?”

Hongli let out a cold humph, stood up, and strode out.

Li Yu pointed at Ming Yu: “Fine, fine—just you wait. Everyone’s learning from your mistress now. One day we’ll deal with you too!”

Hongli stormed off in a rage. Little did he know that the moment he left, Wei Yingluo walked back into the palace.

“What happened?” Wei Yingluo took the hot towel Ming Yu handed her and wiped the sweat from her face and neck.

Ming Yu hesitated for a long while before finally blurting out: “Yingluo, why did you deliberately avoid the Emperor?”

“Even the most delicious thing in the world, if you eat it three or four days in a row, will start to feel cloying.” Wei Yingluo winked her right eye at her with an extremely cunning smile. “Do you believe me when I say he’ll come back tonight?”

What is the most delicious thing in the world?

   The thing you can’t have.

   What kind of woman makes a man most restless and unable to let go?

   The woman he cannot see.

   Ming Yu blew out the candle. Wei Yingluo climbed into bed. Half-asleep and half-awake, she suddenly felt a weight settle over her body. She opened her eyes, feigning surprise: “Your Majesty… didn’t you leave?”

Hongli had indeed returned. He straddled her—not so much like a man coming to see his lover as like one coming to confront an enemy. His hands clamped around her throat as he ground out through clenched teeth: “What? You don’t want to see me?”

“Your Majesty…” Wei Yingluo smiled. In a sudden movement she flipped over, pinning Hongli beneath her instead. Her long, cascading hair poured over him like a waterfall. She lowered her head and smiled down at him—a smile that carried an aggressiveness unlike that of any other consort. “You’re hurting your concubine.”

With that, her own hands closed around his throat. The moment a look of offense flashed across Hongli’s face, she leaned down and gently bit his lip.

Compared to the soft, yielding kisses of other beauties, her wild, untamed way of kissing brought Hongli a completely different kind of stimulation.

Hongli was kissed by her like this for a while, and the anger on his face gradually melted away. Suddenly he laughed, pinned her down onto the bed in one motion, then pressed himself against her back. While undoing his own belt, he suppressed a low gasp and said, “A wild, untamed woman like you—I’m going to punish you.”

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   Story of Yanxi Palace, Chapter 121: Under the Gardenia Flowers

   Wei Yingluo spat out the medicine in one mouthful: “Too hot.”

With a loud clatter, Hupo simply set the medicine bowl down on the table—making a great noise and showing great attitude: “Noble Lady Wei, you really are delicate. It’s hot—so blow on it a little, and it’ll be fine, won’t it?”

This was no longer treating herself as a servant; she was already acting like the master. Wei Yingluo looked at her with a half-smile: “Hupo, as a palace servant of Yanxi Palace, is this how you serve me?”

“We’re both servants who came from Changchun Palace—what’s the point of saying that?” Hupo sat down beside the table without ceremony. On it were many snacks and delicacies that the Empress Dowager had sent over after hearing Wei Yingluo was ill. She didn’t stand on ceremony, casually picking things up to eat. Seeds and shells soon littered the floor as she complained: “Since you’re not some lofty Noble Lady, don’t complain about my poor service.”

“The past is the past; the present is the present.” Wei Yingluo covered her lips and coughed. “Now, after all, I am a Noble Lady…”

Hupo spat out a melon seed shell and impatiently interrupted her: “Yes, yes, yes—you’re the noble mistress, and I’m the lowly slave. Naturally I must obey every word! Since you don’t want to drink it, then don’t drink it. This slave will go pour it out right now!”

Amid the snickering of the other palace maids, she picked up the medicine bowl from the table and poured it straight into the nearby potted plant.

“Good servant, indeed!”

A cold voice suddenly rang out behind her. Hupo was startled, turned around, and in her shock, couldn’t hold onto the medicine bowl—it fell to the ground with a clatter.

“This… this servant greets the Emperor!” She hurriedly knelt before him.

Hongli looked down at her from above. The more he looked, the more displeasing she became to him; the more he looked, the more his anger flared.

“Noble Lady Wei may have come from a palace maid background, but once she became my noble lady, no servant is allowed to disrespect her!” he said coldly. “Drag her out, give her eighty strokes of the cane, and send her to the Cleansing Division.”

“Emperor! Emperor, this servant knows her mistake—please forgive this servant!” Amber hurriedly begged for mercy.

From the bed, Wei Yingluo covered her mouth and let out a light cough. Hongli caught it from the corner of his eye. For some inexplicable reason, he added, almost as if compelled by an unseen force: “…Do it in the courtyard outside. Let everyone see!”

The eunuchs immediately gagged Hupo and dragged her away.

Soon afterward, the sharp, rhythmic sound of caning—crack, crack—came from outside the door, accompanied by Amber’s increasingly feeble and anguished cries.

“…When did you become so weak that you would allow a mere servant to climb over your head?” Hongli slowly walked to the bedside.

Wei Yingluo lowered the hand covering her mouth and replied calmly, “Your Majesty, she was a servant of the late Empress. She was once my colleague.”

Hongli said coldly, “In the past you were a servant, but now you are my Noble Lady! Remember this firmly, and do not disgrace my face!”

Yingluo lowered her head, the corners of her lips curving slightly. “Yes.”

The more he saw her acting meek and obedient, the angrier he became. With a cold snort, he turned and left.

The others thought he was genuinely furious and didn’t dare breathe loudly. Only Li Yu, who knew his temperament well, lagged a step behind. He smiled softly at Wei Yingluo and said, “Noble Lady Wei, congratulations!”

Regardless of anything else, after the eighty strokes were finished, Amber was dragged away. Ming Yu pointed at the bloodstains still visible in the courtyard and declared, “Did everyone see that clearly? This is the consequence of neglecting one’s master. Whoever dares to disrespect their superior again will be the next Hupo!”

From that moment, the atmosphere in Yanxi Palace was thoroughly cleansed. At least for the foreseeable future, no one would dare cause trouble again, lest they meet the same fate as Hupo.

Meanwhile, over at Yangxin Hall, after several consecutive days without seeing Wei Yingluo’s green name tablet appear, Hongli finally set aside his pride and took the initiative to ask:

“…Is Noble Lady Wei still ill?”

Li Yu: “Yes.”

Hongli: “Have Ye Tianshi go and examine her.”

Li Yu: “Yes! Actually… even if Your Majesty hadn’t said anything, the Imperial Medical Bureau would still do their utmost to treat Noble Lady Wei!”

After cautiously glancing at him, Li Yu added, “If you are truly so concerned about Noble Lady Wei, why not go and see her yourself? Seeing Your Majesty would surely bring joy to Noble Lady Wei’s heart, and her illness would improve much faster.”

“Mind your own business,” Hongli said coldly, giving him a glance before standing up and heading outside.

“Yes, this servant spoke out of turn.” Li Yu hurriedly slapped his own face.

“What are you still standing there for?” Hongli’s voice drifted back from a distance. “Go to Yanxi Palace.”

Li Yu: “…”

As soon as Hongli stepped into Yanxi Palace, he wrinkled his nose slightly. “This is—the fragrance of gardenia flowers?”

In the sweltering heat of summer, even standing in the sun for a short while would soak one’s clothes with sweat. The perfumed scents worn by the palace consorts became cloying and heavy in the heat, making the head dizzy after prolonged exposure. But this natural floral fragrance brought a refreshing clarity, instantly lifting the spirit and easing the summer heat.

“Greetings, Your Majesty.” Ming Yu came out from the inner chamber and said softly, “Noble Lady has just taken her medicine and is resting behind the bed curtains. This servant will go wake her at once.”

“Why aren’t you sleeping inside the room?” Hongli frowned as he looked at the canopy tent set up in the garden. “Truly absurd. Doesn’t she know how to take care of her own body?”

He strode straight into the garden, brushing aside flowers and willows along the way until he reached the side of the canopy. Through the light gauze and soft curtains, the faint silhouette of a woman could be seen inside. Because it was half-hidden and half-revealed, it appeared all the more enticing.

Hongli lightened his steps. Behind him, Li Yu and Ming Yu exchanged a glance and quietly withdrew.

In the garden, only Hongli and Wei Yingluo remained.

He gently lifted the curtain. A clear tinkling sound rang out—the wind chime hanging at one corner of the canopy chimed crisply, its tone sweet and melodic, like a summer daydream.

From inside came a soft murmur. Wei Yingluo turned over, her eyes still heavy with sleep, her clothing half-slipped off. Perhaps because of the intense heat, she was wearing very little—just a thin robe the color of gardenia flowers, soft as a layer of petals wrapped around her body.

Gazing at her face, flushed and lovely like a sleeping crabapple in spring, Hongli felt his heart stir. He reached out to stroke her slightly reddened cheek. His fingers were cool; she let out a small whimper and rubbed her face against his fingertips.

This was the first time Hongli had ever seen her like this.

In the past she had either ignored him completely or mocked him coldly. On the rare occasions she showed him any warmth, it was always superficial, with hidden defiance. Such innocent, unguarded closeness was extremely rare. It made Hongli freeze in place, almost wishing she would never wake up and that things could stay like this forever.

But soon his fingers were warmed by her cheek. Wei Yingluo murmured “so hot” in a drowsy voice, then slowly opened her eyes. She blinked several times in surprise before looking at him. “Your Majesty… why are you here?”

Hongli’s heart itched unbearably from her unconscious allure. Before she could sit up, he had already reached out and pressed her back down inside the canopy.

Her long hair spilled like ink across the snow-white bed curtains. Wei Yingluo lay pillowed on clouds of hair, returning to her usual demeanor—neither afraid of him nor attached to him, neither drawing close nor pushing him away. Like a cloud drifting on the horizon, she gave him a half-smile and said, “This is the garden… Your Majesty, this really isn’t proper.”

Hongli reached out to capture that drifting cloud. He leaned down and kissed her neck, like a beast seizing its prey. He bit lightly—not too hard—on her throat and said in a muffled voice, “Shut up… I am your proper!”

When he found her pleasing, everything about her was pleasing—even her small struggles at this moment became a kind of delight. Just like the thorns on a flower: when someone loves the bloom too much, they no longer mind being pricked.

Hongli closed his eyes and gently kissed the flower beneath his lips. He still didn’t realize how much he liked this flower—or rather, even if he did like her… he would absolutely never admit it.

Her sleeping chignon had come loose; her spring brows seemed to grow even longer. The gardenia hairpin weighed heavy; faint wine-scented chrysanthemum fragrance lingered.

Embroidered quilts dimmed to golden hues; silk crumpled and lost its sheen. Sometimes in idle moments she toyed with a brush, painting pairs of mandarin ducks.

Ming Yu left the courtyard but did not linger beside Li Yu. Afraid that if she stayed too long he would notice something unusual about her, she hurriedly made an excuse and left. Finally, unable to hold back any longer, she collapsed onto the grass, buried her face deep in her knees, and her shoulders began to tremble slightly.

After some unknown stretch of time, a man’s hand rested gently on her shoulder.

Ming Yu started in fright and dared not lift her head.

“Why won’t you turn around and look at me?” the man said with a laugh. His voice carried a natural, free-spirited gallantry, like that of a wandering swordsman.

Ming Yu recognized the voice. She turned her head. Their eyes met. Hailancha was stunned. “Ming Yu… why are you crying?”

Ming Yu did not answer. She simply looked at him and let the tears fall silently.

Hailancha was on duty that night and was not supposed to leave his post. But seeing the girl he loved crying like this, he thought for a moment, then ran to a fellow guard he was on good terms with, quietly asked him to cover the shift, and slipped away.

With no further worries, he hurried back, sat down beside Ming Yu, and looked at her with utmost seriousness. “What exactly happened?”

Ming Yu gave a choked sob, her voice hoarse. “I think I’ve made a mistake.”

Hailancha smiled. “Who in this world doesn’t make mistakes?”

Ming Yu: “No, you don’t understand.”

Hailancha: “I don’t understand. You can tell me.”

Ming Yu choked with sobs: “If I hadn’t said anything, when Yingluo turned twenty-five, she could have smoothly left the palace. Someone like her could have lived happily anywhere she went. It was me—I personally destroyed her happiness. I’ve trapped her in the Forbidden City for the rest of her life. It’s my fault! All my fault!”

Hailancha: “Ming Yu, you didn’t mean to…”

Ming Yu suddenly lifted her face: “No, I did it on purpose! Noble Consort Chun bullied me at every turn, and I couldn’t accept it. I wanted to get justice, so I dragged Yingluo into it with me. I’m so despicable. I’m a truly vicious person!”

Hailancha: “Ming Yu! Ming Yu! Stop crying, don’t cry anymore! You’re not that kind of person. Don’t blame yourself…”

Ming Yu threw herself into his arms, clinging to him and crying heartbrokenly.

Hailancha knew how to defeat enemies and take lives, but he had no idea how to stop her tears. After a moment of helpless floundering, he finally sighed, wrapped his arms tightly around her, and said in a low, grave voice: “I don’t know what Noble Consort Chun did to drive you to such desperation, but as long as you tell me… I will definitely help you.”

“Really?” Ming Yu murmured. “You’ll really help me?”

“Yes.” Hailancha nodded. “I swear it!”

“Thank you…” Ming Yu sighed, lifting her head from his embrace. Her lips gently pressed against his cheek.

The skin beneath her lips gradually grew hot, just like Hailancha’s heart.

“Set off—return to the palace!”

The moment Hongli left, a flood of precious gifts arrived right after, as if he were afraid no one would realize how much he favored Wei Yingluo.

When Ming Yu returned, she found the entire palace staff beaming with joy, crowding around Wei Yingluo: “Congratulations, Noble Lady Wei! Congratulations, Noble Lady Wei!”

Wei Yingluo waved her hand, signaling them to withdraw.

“Where did you go?” Wei Yingluo beckoned Ming Yu closer, reached out, and gently wiped the tears from her cheek. “Why were you crying?”

“I’m fine.” Ming Yu smiled through her tears. “What about you? Are you all right?”

“I’m very well—extremely well.” Not a single tear stained Wei Yingluo’s face. She touched the lingering kiss marks on her neck with an indifferent smile. “One step closer to my goal. I’m very happy.”

Ming Yu’s heart ached. She took her hand and said earnestly: “Yingluo, don’t worry. You’re working hard, and so will I.”

Yingluo: “Ming Yu, what have you done?”

Ming Yu smiled and gently rested her head on Yingluo’s knee: “I’ll grow stronger bit by bit and become your support. As long as it helps you, I’m willing to do anything! You’re truly amazing. You said you wanted to win the Emperor’s favor, and now you’ve done it…”

Yingluo suddenly burst out laughing.

Ming Yu looked up in surprise: “Did I say something wrong?”

Yingluo: “Do you think that just because I successfully served him in bed, I’ve won the Emperor’s favor?”

Ming Yu: “But…”

Yingluo smiled slightly: “Right now the Emperor only sees me as a new toy. In a little while he’ll forget all about me. Unless I can enter his heart, defeating Noble Consort Chun is still a very long way off.”

STORY OF YANXI PALACE CHAPTERS HOME

  

   Story of Yanxi Palace, Chapter 120: Turning a Blind Eye

   What Hupo said turned out to be prophetic.

   Yanxi Palace truly was the most isolated and forgotten palace. Several months after Wei Yingluo moved in, Hongli had still not set foot there even once.

   Gradually the palace servants began to grow restless. One day Ming Yu called out to Hupo: “Hupo, go to the Imperial Household Department and collect this month’s stipend.”

In the past Hupo might have dawdled for a while, but now she simply refused to move. She stayed seated at the table, cracking and eating her melon seeds: “Sister Ming Yu, I’m not going to suffer that kind of hardship.”

Ming Yu was stunned. “What did you say?”

“The mistress has been in the palace for quite some time now, yet His Majesty has still not summoned her to his bed. Rumors are flying everywhere in the palace that His Majesty doesn’t look upon her with favor at all—he only kept her here reluctantly because of the Empress Dowager.” Hupo spat out a melon-seed shell. “The people in the Imperial Household Department only serve those who have influence. If I go, I’ll just be asking for humiliation.”

Ming Yu’s face turned livid with anger. She shouted and cursed, but she could not make a single one of these lazy good-for-nothings budge.

“I’m truly going to die of rage!”

In the bedchamber, Wei Yingluo was seated before the mirror doing her hair. From the reflection, she caught sight of Ming Yu entering with an angry expression on her face. Puzzled, she turned her head: “What’s wrong?”

“The palace leaks wind and rain, and the meals delivered every day are always cold—I could put up with that.” Ming Yu paced back and forth in the room, each step making the floor thud loudly. “But what’s absolutely intolerable is that group of maids…”

“You mean… Hupo?” Wei Yingluo continued combing her hair without rising from the chair. In just one month, she had gone from being seen by others as a fortunate one to a shrinking turtle—spending her days holed up in Yanxi Palace, holed up in a small room, neither causing trouble nor doing anything.

“It’s exactly her!” Ming Yu fumed. “She came from Changchun Palace just like us—how dare she treat you with such disrespect!”

Wei Yingluo smiled a little. “Precisely because she came from Changchun Palace with us is why she treats me this way.”

Her former colleagues had not become allies in her present situation; instead, they had turned into major obstacles.

The biggest obstacle was Hupo. Not only could Ming Yu not command her— even Wei Yingluo, her mistress, could not make her obey. Lately, Hupo had grown even more arrogant, faintly threatening to climb over Wei Yingluo’s head.

“Hupo is an old servant from Changchun Palace. Back then we were equals. Now that I’ve become a Noble Lady, she’s been reassigned to serve me—how could she willingly accept it?” Wei Yingluo said calmly. “And I… cannot punish her.”

Ming Yu was stunned. “Why not?”

“Because she was a palace maid by my former mistress’s side. If I were to punish her, I would be branded as ungrateful and disloyal.” Wei Yingluo spoke with extreme composure. She had long anticipated that the road ahead would be difficult. Her means of rising were improper, so she was bound to endure much hardship. But enough days had passed—it was time to change her current circumstances.

Excessive low profile would only make others mistake her for weak and easily bullied.

“Let’s go.” Wei Yingluo suddenly stood up.

Ming Yu was startled. “Where to?”

Wei Yingluo narrowed her eyes and smiled. “If not for the Empress Dowager’s bestowals, I; Noble Lady Wei would have starved to death long ago. Shouldn’t we hurry to express our gratitude?”

Hongli turned a blind eye to Wei Yingluo, but the Empress Dowager had not forgotten this “auspicious omen” from the release-of-life banquet. Sometimes it was pastries and delicacies, sometimes a few newly tailored garments. Even if it was merely a passing whim of the Empress Dowager, the presence of these gifts ensured that no one in the palace dared treat her too harshly—fearing that one day the Empress Dowager might suddenly remember her and summon her.

Hongli harbored the same worry in his heart.

He could not say exactly what was wrong with Wei Yingluo, yet he also could not say what was right about her. There was an indescribable feeling—he simply did not want others to see her.

After all, this woman was growing more and more bewitching by the day; whoever laid eyes on her would likely be captivated by her appearance.

Suddenly his steps halted. Hongli looked toward Shoukang Palace not far away. The sound of singing drifted closer, reaching his ears. The lyrics came from Dream of the Red Chamber: “This younger sister—I have seen her before.”

The melody was excellent, yet it sounded somewhat unfamiliar—not from any of the palace’s resident performers. Could it be a new opera troupe invited from outside the palace? Hongli waved his hand, silencing the eunuch who was about to announce him, so as not to disturb the Empress Dowager’s enjoyment. He slipped quietly through the palace gate, then abruptly stopped, gazing from afar at the young gentleman opposite.

A temporary stage had been set up in Shoukang Palace. The Empress Dowager sat below, watching with relish. On stage, a young man had his back to Hongli, playing two roles at once. First he assumed the manner of Grandmother Jia: “Nonsense again! When have you ever seen him?”

Then he instantly transformed into Jia Baoyu’s gentle, affectionate demeanor: “Though I have never seen him, his face seems familiar to me, as if we were old acquaintances. To meet again today after a long parting would not be unreasonable!”

The young man turned gracefully. He wore a purple-gold crown studded with gems to bind his hair, a golden forehead band with two dragons vying for a pearl across his brow, and a bright-red arrow-sleeve robe embroidered with hundred butterflies in two-tone gold threading through flowers. He looked exactly like Jia Baoyu stepping out from the pages of the book. With a snap, he opened his folding fan—scholars and beauties depicted upon it—and flashed a dashing smile toward Hongli: “Your humble concubine respectfully greets Your Majesty. May Your Majesty be at peace.”

It was Wei Yingluo.

It took Hongli a long while before he finally looked away. “What sort of vulgar street book is this, daring to be performed before the Empress Dowager? Look at the state of your attire—what do you think you look like!”

But the Empress Dowager laughed. “Don’t blame her. I was bored and asked her to come keep me company and chat. Just talking was dull, so she dressed up for the part. It was quite an effort on her part, all to amuse me. Still, this story is truly interesting. Your Majesty should listen to it sometime when you have a moment.”

Hongli refused to admit that he couldn’t tear his eyes away. He spoke stiffly: “This is improper—get out!”

“Yes.” Wei Yingluo mischievously winked at the Empress Dowager before withdrawing.

The Empress Dowager found her charming and adorable. After she left, she spoke up on her behalf to Hongli: “I’ve been in the palace for so many years and have seen plenty of filial and virtuous concubines, but this is the first time I’ve met someone so clever and mischievous. She has a hundred different ways to make me happy every day—it’s truly amusing.”

Hongli’s face remained cold: “Empress Dowager, that girl gets carried away easily. It’s better not to indulge her too much, or she’ll become spoiled from favor!”

After returning from Shoukang Palace, Hongli held the memorial in his hand but couldn’t concentrate at all.

That night, Li Yu brought in the green-headed nameplates. Hongli casually glanced over them, and his gaze landed on Wei Yingluo’s plate.

He had thought he had already forgotten her. He had thought he no longer cared. Yet after merely seeing her once again, his mind was filled with nothing but her.

He shook his head forcefully, trying to drive her image out of his thoughts, and picked up Noble Consort Chun’s plate instead.

He chose to ignore her.

This continued day after day for several days. Inside Yanxi Palace, Ming Yu was helping Wei Yingluo remove her hair accessories. She hesitated for a long time before finally speaking: “Yingluo, you go to Shoukang Palace every day, yet the Emperor keeps ignoring you completely…”

Wei Yingluo smiled: “How many days has it been?”

Ming Yu counted: “This… more than a month. Every single time you go, but the Emperor won’t say even half a word to you!”

Wei Yingluo gave an “oh” and said: “More than a month? Then tomorrow I won’t go.”

Ming Yu: “Why not?”

Yingluo pretended to cough lightly a couple of times: “I’ve caught a chill and have a sore throat. I can’t tell stories like this. I’ll ask the Empress Dowager for a leave of absence first.”

Though puzzled, Ming Yu believed Wei Yingluo never acted without reason, so she did as instructed.

Thus, the next night, Hongli stared at the tray for a long time but couldn’t find Wei Yingluo’s plate.

Li Yu was skilled at reading expressions. Seeing the Emperor frowning and unable to pick a single plate while refusing to let him leave, he roughly guessed whose absence mattered. Putting on a wide smile, he said: “Noble Lady Wei submitted her plate today, saying she is unwell.”

“Unwell?” Hongli was momentarily stunned, then said with a straight face, “Did I ask about her?”

Li Yu lightly slapped his own mouth: “This servant spoke out of turn!”

Hongli scoffed with a sneer and continued reading his book. But the words on the page turned into tiny buzzing mosquitoes swarming in his mind. After a moment, growing more and more irritated, he slammed the book face-down on the table, stood up with a cold expression, and said: “I’m going out for a walk.”

STORY OF YANXI PALACE CHAPTERS HOME

  

   Story of Yanxi Palace, Chapter 119: Yanxi Palace

   After the release-of-life banquet ended, the noble ladies gradually returned to their palaces.

“Your ladyship, last night His Majesty summoned Wei Yingluo to serve in the bedchamber.” On the way back to the palace, Zhener reported the news she had just gathered to the Step Empress. “That woman really is restless!”

Noble Consort Xian… that is, the current Step Empress, curved her lips into a smile. “Isn’t that quite interesting?”

She shifted into a more comfortable leaning position. The sedan curtain was lifted by a gust of wind, revealing several palace maids passing by her sedan, each holding a jade tray. On the trays were fresh lychees, plump and perfect, still glistening with a few drops of dew.

Noble Consort Chun loved lychees the most. Because of the heat, she insisted on lychees washed with spring water. These lychees were already impressive, but the spring water used to wash them had been specially fetched at full gallop from the palace’s own spring — a whole group of people working themselves to exhaustion just so she could eat one chilled fruit.

This display, this level of imperial favor, faintly reminded people of the Noble Consort Hui of years past…

“Noble Consort Chun has been prideful for too long,” the Empress said lightly. “It’s about time she had an opponent, don’t you think?”

Zhener was taken aback for a moment before venturing a guess: “Does Your Ladyship mean… to support Wei Yingluo and use her to deal with Noble Consort Chun?”

“I have no spare time to prop anyone up,” the Empress replied with a faint smile. “Whether she can win the Emperor’s favor and suppress Noble Consort Chun depends entirely on her own ability.”

Zhener glanced around cautiously, then lowered her voice: “No one else will do? It has to be her? Aren’t you worried that once she learns the truth…”

“What is there to worry about?” The Empress laughed softly. “From beginning to end, my hands have remained perfectly clean. If anyone should be afraid right now, it’s Noble Consort Chun!”

Zhener thought it over carefully and realized it was indeed the case.

   It was Noble Consort Chun who bribed the chief steward of the Fire Department.

   It was Noble Consort Chun who orchestrated the tragedy at Changchun Palace.

   And even afterward, when she tried to silence witnesses by killing Ming Yu and Wei Yingluo to cover her tracks—it was still Noble Consort Chun.

   What did any of it have to do with the Empress? Throughout the entire affair, the Empress had merely offered Noble Consort Chun a few subtle hints at the critical moments…

   “Your Ladyship is truly wise,” Zhener said with a relieved smile once she understood. “Then where should we arrange for Wei Yingluo to be placed? In my humble opinion, why not simply put her in Zhongcui Palace? That would surely make things very lively!”

“You,” the Empress chided with amusement, “how can you be so deliberately obvious!” She pondered for a moment, then opened her eyes with a smile. “Let her go to Yanxi Palace.”

Yanxi Palace.

   Wei Yingluo looked around at the new residence where she would soon be living.

It appeared to have been uninhabited for a very long time. The palace hall was dilapidated: the red lacquer on the pillars had peeled away, thick cobwebs hung in the corners, and fine dust filled the air, making Ming Yu cough repeatedly.

“Noble Lady Wei,” Wu Shulai said, “this is Yanxi Palace. From now on, this will be your residence.”

“Chief Steward Wu, thank you,” Wei Yingluo replied, showing no trace of dissatisfaction on her face. She called out, “Ming Yu.”

Ming Yu reluctantly produced a red envelope and handed it over. Wu Shulai smiled and tried to decline: “Noble Lady Wei is too courteous.”

Wei Yingluo insisted: “This is proper etiquette. Chief Steward Wu need not refuse.”

Only then did Wu Shulai accept the red envelope. “In the future, if Noble Lady has any instructions, just call for this servant. I will do my utmost to assist.”

Wei Yingluo: “Thank you.”

After seeing Wu Shulai off, Ming Yu closed the door and said worriedly, “I’ve inquired about it. Among the six eastern and six western palaces, Yanxi Palace is the most remote and isolated—practically a cold palace. What are we going to do?”

Wei Yingluo gave an indifferent smile, brushed the dust off a chair, and sat down. “Don’t be impatient. Just endure for now.”

She knew her own situation clearly. Entering the palace this time through irregular means meant she was destined to suffer at the beginning. She simply didn’t know what other hardships Hongli still had in store for her beyond this rundown palace.

Less than half an hour later, Wu Shulai returned, bringing with him a group of palace maids.

Every single one of them was a familiar face.

Zhenzhu, Hupo, and the other former servants of Changchun Palace all knelt and greeted her in unison: “This servant pays respects to Noble Lady.”

“Rise,” Wei Yingluo said.

The moment she finished speaking, the group quickly stood up. Amber stepped forward with a cheerful giggle: “It’s been so long, Yingluo…”

Wei Yingluo was momentarily stunned. Before she could respond, Ming Yu beside her reacted first: “Hupo, who gave you permission to address the Noble Lady that way? Can’t you distinguish between high and low?”

Amber pouted. “We used to serve Her Majesty the Empress together. Has Noble Lady really forgotten all of us?”

Wei Yingluo’s expression darkened.

Privately, of course, they could be casual and informal with her, reminiscing together about the days in Changchun Palace. The problem was that Wu Shulai had not yet left; he was still watching with great interest from the side. How could they, at such a moment, keep calling her “Yingluo” one after another, as if she were not their master but merely a servant of roughly the same status as themselves?

In the palace, hierarchy and respect for superiors were taken most seriously. If word of this got out, no one would think she was kindly and approachable toward her servants. Instead, they would say she still had the servile nature of old, with not the slightest trace of a mistress’s dignity—she was an utterly hopeless “Ah Dou” who could not be propped up.

Over time, who would still regard her with proper respect? How could she possibly hold her ground in the rear palace?

But losing her temper with them right then and there was not a good option either, so she could only give a faint smile: “Ming Yu, I’m tired. I’ll go inside to rest first.”

This was not entirely an excuse. After traveling dusty roads and moving from the Yuanmingyuan into Yanxi Palace, she really was exhausted. It was time to conserve her energy and then figure out how to deal with them properly.

Ming Yu, however, did not have that kind of patience. After seeing Wu Shulai off, she immediately turned her anger on Hupo and the others: “Hupo, what was that just now?”

“Ming Yu, what’s wrong with you?” Hupo asked, feigning innocence. “After the late Empress passed away, the few of us were scattered in different places. Now that we’ve finally managed to reunite, aren’t you happy?”

“Happy?” Ming Yu almost wanted to spit in her face. “This is Yanxi Palace. Noble Lady Wei is now our master. You openly called her by name in front of everyone—that is blatant insubordination. The fact that she didn’t severely punish you was already showing extraordinary mercy, yet you still refuse to repent!”

“How would she dare?” Hupo replied with a charming smile, sounding almost smug and fearless. “Noble Lady Wei has only just entered the palace. Naturally she has to build a reputation for benevolence and virtue. If she openly punished former colleagues from Changchun Palace, people would only say she forgets her roots.”

Hearing this, Ming Yu nearly exploded with rage, feeling as though her soul was about to leave her body: “Hupo, don’t go too far!”

A group of palace maids leaned together, giggling and watching her with amusement. Clearly they had already formed a tight little clique, united in their scheme to manipulate Wei Yingluo.

The phenomenon of strong servants oppressing a weak master was not at all rare in the palace.

Some masters who had neither powerful birth nor any backing often lived worse than the servants around them. Every bolt of fabric or monthly stipend issued to them would be entirely skimmed off by the servants at their side. The most miserable ones couldn’t even get a hot meal and had to eat the cold leftovers their servants had discarded.

Ming Yu didn’t know whether Hupo had similar intentions, but she saw Hupo’s eyes flicker. Suddenly Hupo smiled at her with exaggerated warmth: “Ming Yu, you have far more seniority than Wei Yingluo, and you’re much prettier. Isn’t it a pity to be nothing but her yes-woman? She can become a Noble Lady—why can’t you?”

This cheap wench! She was actually trying to drive a wedge and pull her into their little gang too!

   Ming Yu trembled with fury and said coldly: “Hupo, you know Noble Lady Wei’s temperament better than I do. I advise you not to stir up trouble. Otherwise, no one will be able to save you!”

Hupo’s smile froze. It seemed she had suddenly remembered the ruthless methods Wei Yingluo had employed back in the day.

Ginger only gets spicier with age; ruthlessness only grows sharper.

   In the end Hupo no longer sounded so confident. She only dared mutter a few words under her breath: “The Emperor sent her to Yanxi Palace, the most remote and desolate hall in the whole complex. Ten years could pass without His Majesty ever setting foot here. What is there to be afraid of in a person like that…”

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   Story of Yanxi Palace, Chapter 118: Clothes Within Clothes

   A blessing?

   Wei Yingluo looked at herself in the mirror, her expression extremely grave.

Ming Yu stood behind her, combing her hair while anxiously saying: “Yingluo, is there really no way to avoid it tonight?”

Wei Yingluo smiled a little: “When the Emperor summons a newly promoted Noble Lady to serve him, it is only proper. How could one avoid it?”

“If His Majesty truly wanted to summon someone for the night, he would arrange it at Jiuzhou Qingyan Hall—that’s where he usually stays in the Yuanmingyuan. Why would it be at Changchun Xianguan? That was the residence of the late Empress.” Ming Yu’s worry deepened. “I’m afraid… I’m afraid…”

“Afraid of what? Afraid he’ll make things difficult for me, or afraid the Empress will somehow come back to life in anger?” Wei Yingluo turned, took her hand, and soothed her: “No matter what, I have to go. Otherwise it would be defying an imperial decree.”

The more reasonably she spoke, the sadder Ming Yu became: “It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t said anything, you could have lived peacefully in the Yuanmingyuan.”

“What’s the point of bringing up the past now that things have come to this?” Wei Yingluo acted completely unconcerned. She tapped her own lips with a finger. “You might as well help me with my makeup instead. What color do you think would suit me?”

Ming Yu sighed, opened a box of gardenia rouge, scooped a bit onto her fingertip, mixed it with dewdrops in her palm to dissolve it, and then evenly applied it to Wei Yingluo’s lips. Instantly, her mouth became fragrant and alluring, brimming with seductive charm.

Half an hour later, Li Yu knocked on the door. The moment he saw the person inside, even he—a eunuch incapable of such things—couldn’t help but feel his eyes brighten.

Ordinary beauties might be lovable when they smile, or moving when they cry; each has her strong points and her flaws. But upon seeing this woman in vivid red, one felt she was perfect in joy or sorrow, in a frown or a smile—truly, every aspect of her was flawless.

Li Yu couldn’t help but click his tongue inwardly, thinking: Could it be that the feng shui of Yuanmingyuan really nourishes beauty? In the past, Wei Yingluo was considered a beauty, yet never to the point of being able to rival Noble Consort Chun. Now, looking at her, she seemed to possess the momentum to stand shoulder to shoulder with her.

No wonder the Emperor couldn’t wait to take her and even summoned her overnight for service in the bedchamber.

At this thought, his voice softened considerably, adopting the same respectful demeanor he used toward Noble Consort Chun:

“Noble Lady Wei, this way, please.”

In the bedchamber of Changchun Xianguan.

Wei Yingluo entered gracefully, curtsied, and said:

“Your humble concubine respectfully greets Your Majesty. May Your Majesty be at peace.”

Hongli waved his hand. One after another, the eunuchs and palace maids filed past Wei Yingluo. Finally, with a creak, the door closed, leaving only the two of them in the room.

For a long while, no one spoke. Only the quiet burning of the candles could be heard.

“Wei Yingluo,” Hongli said, standing with his hands behind his back, his back to her. “Do you know where this is?”

“It is the residence of the late Empress here in Yuanmingyuan,” Wei Yingluo replied calmly.

Hongli: “Tell me, why do you think I summoned you here?”

Wei Yingluo’s voice remained just as calm: “Your Majesty wishes to humiliate me.”

“No.” Hongli suddenly strode toward her, one hand seizing her chin and forcing her to lift her face. He looked down at her with mocking contempt. “I want the late Empress to see—see the person she once trusted so deeply, how she has now, for fame and fortune, shamelessly betrayed her!”

That beauty which could move even a eunuch seemed to mean nothing in his eyes. Her face was distorted under his grip.

Enduring the pain he inflicted, Wei Yingluo said quietly: “Since Your Majesty has no intention of summoning me to the bed, I shall take her leave.”

Hongli stared at her for a moment, then suddenly laughed.

One hand still gripped her chin, while the other slowly moved downward—from her collarbone, sliding lower, finally coming to rest on her waist sash.

With a light, teasing motion, he undid the golden sash. Wei Yingluo took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

Yet the next move never came.

She opened her eyes and saw Hongli standing three paces away, arms crossed, looking like the world’s most insolent guest. He lifted his chin toward her and sneered:

“What? Do you expect me to undress you? Do it yourself!”

Wei Yingluo stared at him for a moment, then slowly placed both hands on her waist.

The golden sash slid slowly to the floor.

That mocking look in Hongli’s eyes gradually deepened because of her action.

An embroidered outer cloak fell to the ground.

He glanced away for a moment, then quickly looked back, unwilling to yield.

A crimson outer robe dropped.

Hongli’s gaze fixed on her. The sarcasm, the ridicule, and the almost imperceptible stir of emotion all receded like waves, leaving only shock behind.

Wei Yingluo stood before him, dressed entirely in white from head to toe—a snow-white mourning garment!

“Your Majesty.” Wei Yingluo slowly knelt before him. Her black hair hung low, forming a stark contrast with the mourning clothes she wore — the black even blacker, the white even whiter. “To Your Majesty, the former Empress is already someone who has passed away. But in my eyes, she was not only my mistress, but also my sister and my teacher. Therefore, this servant must observe mourning for her for twenty-seven months. The mourning period is not yet over, so even if it is Your Majesty’s command, this concubine absolutely dares not serve in the bedchamber.”

Hongli looked at her with a complicated expression. “…Since you are observing mourning, why did you still come?”

“The imperial decree is hard to disobey, so this concubine could only come.” Wei Yingluo said calmly, “I came to plead guilty, not to serve in the bedchamber… I beg Your Majesty to punish me.”

Punish?

   Hongli couldn’t help turning his head to glance at the memorial portrait on the altar, thinking to himself: Empress, how do you expect me to punish her?

In the end, Hongli neither punished her nor demanded that she serve him. He simply waved his hand, looking weary, and let her withdraw.

Under the strange gazes of the palace servants, Wei Yingluo returned to her residence.

Ming Yu had been too worried to sleep, pacing back and forth in the room. When she heard movement outside, she hurriedly rushed to open the door. Seeing that Wei Yingluo had returned completely unharmed, she let out a long breath of relief. “How did it go?”

Wei Yingluo briefly recounted what had happened earlier. Ming Yu listened with her heart pounding in fear, stamping her foot and exclaiming, “You really are too bold — how dare you treat the Emperor like that!”

“Otherwise what?” Wei Yingluo gently smoothed the mourning clothes she wore and said coolly, “If I had truly served him in bed tonight, it would be equivalent to telling the Emperor that I am an ungrateful woman — one who would shamelessly climb onto the dragon bed in the very chambers where my mistress once lived while she was alive. If I really did that, I would surely be despised by the Emperor for the rest of my life and never rise again. Therefore, even if it means angering His Majesty, I absolutely cannot serve him… at least not tonight!”

“Yingluo…” Ming Yu opened her mouth, then stopped, and unconsciously a tear rolled down her cheek. “You didn’t have to do this. You could have married a good man, and not… not…”

Wei Yingluo raised one hand; the finger painted with nail polish gently pressed against Ming Yu’s lips, stopping the words that were about to come out.

If she had only cared about herself back then, she would not have entered the palace. She would have obeyed her father and married someone else. By now… she might already have children running around her.

“Stop.” Wei Yingluo smiled. There was not the slightest self-pity in her eyes — only firm determination to avenge the Empress and Ming Yu. “I am already a Noble Lady now, but this is only the beginning. To avenge the Empress, I must climb higher… I have to keep climbing up, no matter what it takes, until I stand on equal footing with Noble Consort Chun.”

That also meant that Wei Yingluo would have to join the other palace women in competing for Hongli’s favor. And unlike the others, she came from a lower background and had fewer connections — she would need even more imperial favor. Only the favor that came directly from Hongli could lift her straight up to the clouds.

“But…” Ming Yu understood this point very well, yet she was full of worry. “The Emperor already has so many misunderstandings about you. Is it really possible to make him come to like you?”

“It depends on human effort.” Wei Yingluo said with firm resolve, “Nothing is impossible.”

A meal must be eaten one bite at a time; a road must be walked step by step. Although she had no feelings for him, for the sake of the Empress, she would use every trick she had to seize even a sliver of his true heart! From tonight onward, she would begin to scheme, to plan every step carefully.

At the very least, the first step had succeeded.

He had not kept her to serve him, but he would certainly remember the mourning clothes she wore.

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   Story of Yanxi Palace, Chapter 117: Falling Out

   “Brother…” Wei Yingluo began, then faltered.

Yuan Chunwang strode forward quickly, placed both hands on her shoulders, and demanded: “You clearly promised me you would stay in Yuanmingyuan with me for the rest of your life. And now you’re abandoning me to become the Emperor’s woman!”

“Brother, haven’t you always wanted to become someone above others?” Wei Yingluo was silent for a long moment before forcing a smile at him. “From now on, we no longer have to suffer and endure hardship in the Yuanming Garden. We can return to the Forbidden City, become noble, and live as people above others. Isn’t that good? Besides, I originally only wanted to please the Empress Dowager. I never intended to become the Emperor’s woman—this was just an accident!”

Yuan Chunwang scoffed with icy disdain. “You can fool the whole world, but you can’t fool me! The Emperor is full of misunderstandings about you; he’s convinced you harbor ulterior motives. Do you think he would allow you to stay by the Empress Dowager’s side? But since you’ve won the Empress Dowager’s favor, and the Emperor has always valued filial piety and never defies her wishes, the most legitimate and proper way to stop you is to keep you by his own side! Wei Yingluo, you had this all calculated from the beginning!”

In this world, the person who perhaps truly understood her best… might really be the man standing before her.

   Even Fuheng only loved her—he did not truly understand her. Otherwise, he would never have married Erqing, causing their bond to break and turning them into strangers forever.

   “I really did intend to please the Empress Dowager at first…” Wei Yingluo murmured. But after repeated consideration, she ultimately gave up on that plan. Although the Empress Dowager could serve as a backer, she could only ensure her safety—she could not help her take revenge. In the Empress Dowager’s eyes, all women of the harem belonged to the Emperor; they existed to bear his children and continue the imperial line. To her, they were fundamentally no different from one another. She would not favor Wei Yingluo just because she liked her, nor would she help her go against the Emperor’s women… especially one who already had a child.

So her only choice was the Emperor. It could only be Hongli!

“No matter who you want to marry, I won’t object. I’ll even personally escort you to the wedding—except for Aisin Gioro Hongli! Him, never!” Yuan Chunwang gripped Wei Yingluo’s arm, his eyes faintly red. “Only he is not allowed!”

Just as Yuan Chunwang was the person in this world who understood Wei Yingluo the most, Wei Yingluo was likewise the one who understood him best.

“You two are brothers of the same father but different mothers. He has everything, while you have nothing.” Wei Yingluo looked at him, her heart aching. “And now even I am about to leave you behind…”

If even Wei Yingluo was to abandon him, then in this world, Yuan Chunwang would truly have nothing left.

“Come with me,” Yuan Chunwang said, a trace of pleading even appearing in his eyes. “Every morning at dawn, the water carts from Yuquan Mountain enter the Yuanming Garden. If we plan it carefully, we can escape far away and leave this place forever! I don’t want anything anymore. Let’s go together, all right?”

Wei Yingluo’s heart struggled violently. One moment she saw the gentle face and voice of the Empress; the next, the tenderness with which he fed her medicine; then the image of the Empress leaping from the corner tower; and then the oil-paper umbrella he tilted toward her in the snow.

In this world, there is no way to have it all—neither betraying the Buddha nor wronging one’s beloved.

“…I’m sorry.” Wei Yingluo closed her eyes in pain, tears streaming down her face. “Brother, I’m sorry…”

Yuan Chunwang slowly released his grip. The foster father who had abandoned him and his adoptive mother, the eighth uncle who sent him to be castrated, the biological father who had ignored him, the younger brother who once rode him like a horse… these people, these memories, flashed before his eyes one by one. His gaze became dazed for a moment, then finally settled on Wei Yingluo’s face.

The sorrow and despair gradually faded from his expression, leaving behind only a desolate emptiness like grass and trees reduced to ash. Yuan Chunwang said woodenly, “Wei Yingluo… you have betrayed me too.”

“Brother!” Watching his resolute departing figure, tears filled Wei Yingluo’s eyes. She hurried after him a few steps, but ultimately stopped, closing her eyes and standing alone in miserable solitude, weeping.

This path was the one she had chosen herself, and she alone must walk it to the end.

If she could reach the very end, then she would come back to find him, apologize to him—once if not enough, then twice; if twice not enough, then two hundred times… She would keep coming until he forgave her.

And if she could not reach the end… then on the road to the Yellow Springs, she would walk alone, with no need for him to see her off.

That night, inside the Immortal Pavilion of Changchun Palace.

The one standing alone and forlorn was not only Wei Yingluo—Hongli, too, could not sleep. He stood solitary in the Immortal Pavilion, quietly gazing at the memorial portrait of the Empress before him until night fell deeply. Only then did Li Yu arrive with a lamp, its light dispersing the darkness around him.

“Li Yu,” Hongli slowly closed his eyes. “Summon Hailancha to come here.”

Hailancha hurried over at once and knelt on the ground.

“Speak,” Hongli said, standing with his hands behind his back, his back turned to him. “What exactly happened?”

He had originally thought he would still need to threaten or intimidate him for a while, but unexpectedly, as soon as he opened his mouth, Hailancha simply replied: “Yes.”

Hongli turned around quickly, looking at him with some surprise: “…You’re willing to tell me?”

“Yes.” Hailancha answered with complete frankness. “Your Majesty, Yingluo never intended to hide it in the first place. She said that with Your Majesty’s piercing eyes and acute discernment, you would surely figure out the truth. So if Your Majesty asked, she instructed this servant to tell the truth plainly.”

Hongli scoffed with icy disdain. “Don’t try to flatter me. Speak—what about the fish? Birds can be trained, but how exactly did you train the fish?”

Following the explanation Wei Yingluo had prepared earlier, Hailancha answered truthfully:

“Yingluo asked this servant for help and prepared forty gauze bags filled with fish insects. Each bag had very fine mesh. They were tied to bamboo poles and inserted into a row of stone crevices just below the water surface. After some time, the fish insects would swim out of the bags little by little. All the koi would be attracted over to feed, forming a neat line. With their mouths opening and closing along the ripples, it looked exactly like they were kowtowing…”

After hearing it, Hongli said viciously: “What a cunning mind!”

Carefully glancing at him, Hailancha subtly spoke up for Wei Yingluo: “Yingluo said that Your Majesty went to great lengths to prepare the Ten Thousand Years Festival just to make the Empress Dowager happy. Her goal was the same—anything that makes the Empress Dowager happy is worth doing!”

Hongli fell silent.

The harsh words he had spoken earlier weren’t truly meant to blame her.

No matter how clever the method, carrying it out was extremely troublesome. Among all the concubines in the rear palace, how many would really be willing to put in that kind of effort? Most would simply pass the task to their servants even if they knew the trick.

“Leave.” After a long pause, Hongli suddenly spoke in a listless tone.

“Yes.” Hailancha withdrew. Just as he was about to close the door, Hongli suddenly spoke again: “From now on, remember firmly—she is my Noble Lady Wei. Do not address her incorrectly!”

Hailancha froze for a moment, then bowed his head deeply: “Yes.”

Once outside the door, looking up at the crescent moon like a hook in the sky, Hailancha couldn’t help murmuring to himself: “Fuheng… was what I did right or wrong… I helped bring them together, but what about you?”

Inside the room, Hongli remained motionless in front of the ancestral tablet, murmuring in his heart: “Empress… is Wei Yingluo loyal or treacherous… let me see clearly on your behalf.”

Half a shichen (about one hour) later, the door to the palace maids’ quarters was pushed open. The bedding on the bed had only been half tidied. When Wei Yingluo and Ming Yu turned and saw who it was, they quickly curtsied: “Greetings to Chief Steward Li.”

Li Yu held his whisk, smiling amiably at Wei Yingluo: “Noble Lady Wei, His Majesty is summoning you to serve in the imperial bedchamber tonight. A tremendous blessing—prepare yourself well.”

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   Story of Yanxi Palace, Chapter 116: The Release Banquet

Not long after, the Ten Thousand Years of Longevity celebration officially began.

At the Rear Lake of the Yuanmingyuan, the clear blue water was like a flawless piece of emerald. The reflections of mountains and sky shimmered upon its surface, resembling patterns embedded within the gem. Hongli stood in a small pavilion by the lakeside. With a wave of his hand, several eunuchs carried over two large iron cages filled with all kinds of birds—some preening their feathers, others singing loudly.

Hongli said, “Please, Empress Dowager, release them.”

The Empress Dowager smiled and stepped forward. She lightly brushed her hand over the iron cages and said one word: “Release.”

The eunuchs opened the cages. All the birds fluttered their wings at once and soared into the sky, momentarily blotting out the sun.

Everyone let out a collective sound of surprise.

The release ceremony happened every year, but unlike previous occasions, countless pairs of wings descended from above—the flock of liberated birds had turned back and were returning, landing once again inside the iron cages.

The consorts and concubines immediately began whispering among themselves.

“What’s wrong with these birds? Why did they all fly back for no reason?”

“In all the previous release ceremonies, nothing like this has ever happened!”

“How strange and bizarre.”

Several eunuchs stepped forward and shouted to drive them away, but after shouting for a long time, the birds refused to leave. Half of them circled around the cages in flight, while the other half actually crawled back inside.

The Empress Dowager, experienced and knowledgeable, was seeing such a peculiar sight for the first time. Supported by a palace maid’s arm, she walked closer and circled the birds in the cage several times. With curiosity, she asked, “Who is in charge of raising these birds?”

The crowd parted, and Wei Yingluo stepped out from within. She curtsied and said, “This humble servant pays respects to the Empress Dowager, the Emperor, the Empress, and all the mistresses.”

The Empress Dowager: “Tell me, these birds were supposed to be set free to soar into the sky. Why did they suddenly turn back and refuse to leave?”

Wei Yingluo replied calmly and methodically: “On the day of the Empress Dowager’s birthday, the custom of releasing living creatures is observed. Heaven possesses a heart that cherishes life. Though animals are mere beasts, they too understand gratitude and repay kindness. The Empress Dowager’s compassionate heart has moved them; that is why the birds circle repeatedly, reluctant to depart. This must surely be Heaven’s reward for Your Ladyship’s benevolence, and an auspicious omen for your birthday celebration.”

The Empress Dowager burst out laughing with a “pfft,” and the others followed suit. Whether it was true or not, everyone loved hearing such auspicious and flattering words. Since the Empress Dowager was laughing, how could anyone else not join in?

Amid the wave of laughter, the sigh from Noble Consort Chun stood out particularly jarringly.

“Empress, you are merciful and forgiving toward everyone. Yet this palace maid, in order to win a reward, has fabricated an absurd excuse right before everyone’s eyes, deliberately making a fool of the Empress Dowager. This is nothing but sycophantic flattery.” Noble Consort Chun, supported by Yuhu’s arm, stepped forward and sighed. “If everyone in the palace imitates her, won’t it lead to utter chaos?”

Wei Yingluo turned to look at her: “This servant does not understand the Noble Consort’s meaning.”

“Empress Dowager.” Noble Consort Chun didn’t even glance at her, only smiled at the Empress Dowager. “Everyone says that trained birds will fly when told to fly and stop when told to stop—isn’t that the same principle as training horses? This palace maid must have secretly purchased a batch of carefully trained birds in advance, deliberately making them return after being released, all to please you and rush to claim her reward!”

Yuhu chimed in from the side: “Wei Yingluo, you have such audacity! You dared to falsely claim that the birds understand gratitude, deliberately deceiving the Empress Dowager and the Emperor. Do you not know that this is the crime of deceiving the sovereign?!”

The Empress Dowager smiled without speaking—neither agreeing nor disagreeing. She merely cast a faint glance at Hongli, clearly leaving the decision to him.

Though they had not seen each other for years, it did not mean Hongli had forgotten Wei Yingluo. On the contrary, he recognized this damned palace maid at a single glance. The relationship between the two of them was peculiar: Hongli was usually a monarch who showed neither joy nor anger on his face, yet in front of her, for some reason, he was easily ignited… even without a spark, he would burn! His expression immediately darkened: “Drag Wei… drag this palace maid away!”

Wei Yingluo secretly shot him a glare, then quickly knelt down: “I beg the Empress Dowager to allow this servant to finish speaking!”

Two eunuchs had already stepped forward, one on each side, seizing her arms, but they made no further move—because the Empress Dowager suddenly spoke: “They all say you deliberately fooled me. How do you explain yourself?”

Wei Yingluo, still kneeling on the ground, slowly raised her head to look at her: “Empress Dowager, this servant has a way to prove my innocence.”

Noble Consort Chun smiled slightly: “Are you going to bring out more trained animals to release?”

Another consort spoke up—this time it was Naran Chuxue, who had formerly aligned herself with Noble Consort Hui: “Empress Dowager, please do not fall for her trick again. So many people being fooled by a mere palace maid—wouldn’t that be the greatest joke under Heaven? In my humble opinion, drag her out at once and give her eighty heavy strokes. Let’s see if she’ll tell the truth then!”

Wei Yingluo glanced at her. From the timing of her words and what she said, it was easy to guess that this one had likely switched allegiance to a new master—and that new master was none other than the seemingly otherworldly and ethereal Noble Consort Chun standing right there.

The other consorts either stayed aloof as the matter didn’t concern them, or gave face to Noble Consort Chun and joined in criticizing Wei Yingluo. Among so many people, only Lu Wanwan showed the slightest conscience and spoke up for her: “Empress Dowager, this palace maid only wanted to make you happy. This concubine boldly begs for leniency.”

Her temperament remained the same as back then. In those days, when she and Naran Chuxue had entered the palace together as selected maidens, they encountered an arrogant candidate bullying a newly arrived palace maid. Naran Chuxue had stood by and done nothing, while Lu Wanwan, unable to bear it, had stepped forward to say a word.

The outcome, too, was the same as back then: her disposition was weak, her status low, and the words she spoke sank without a trace, like a stone dropped into the sea.

Through the exchanges among the crowd, Wei Yingluo quietly took the pulse of the harem’s alliances. Only then did she speak: “This servant dares to ask one question: people often speak of training birds—but has anyone ever mentioned training fish?”

The crowd’s chatter paused. They looked at one another, and finally the Empress Dowager laughed: “I have lived so many years, and I have never heard of such a thing as training fish. Why do you ask?”

“There are many koi in the golden fish pond of the Yuanmingyuan. This servant boldly requests that the Empress Dowager use these koi to conduct a test.” Wei Yingluo said respectfully, “Let us see whether it is truly Heaven’s will, or whether this servant is lying.”

“Emperor.” The Empress Dowager was intrigued by her words and turned to Hongli. “This is the first time on my birthday that I’ve encountered such an amusing situation. I would like to try it. Let us see whether it is my benevolence that has moved Heaven, or whether this palace maid is deliberately deceiving me to obtain a reward.”

Hongli, however, did not immediately agree. He simply kept staring intently at Wei Yingluo.

“Wei Yingluo,” he suddenly called out. “Do you… truly have confidence?”

Earlier he had called her “this palace maid”; now he was addressing her as Wei Yingluo.

Wei Yingluo gave him a strange look. She found this man increasingly hard to understand. At times he seemed unusually resistant toward her, at other times worried about her—why such contradictions?

She shook her head inwardly, thinking she was still too young and simply didn’t understand the way men thought.

“Every word I has spoken is the truth. I would not dare deceive anyone.” Wei Yingluo bowed her head. “If there is even half a sentence of falsehood, I am willing to be thrown into the lake to feed the fish.”

She had nothing else to offer—she could only stake her own life.

From the corner of her eye, she glanced at Noble Consort Chun’s face and saw a flicker of eagerness. Wei Yingluo sneered coldly inside. She knew the consort wanted her dead, so she would no longer speak up to stop this.

But soon her peripheral vision shifted to Hongli’s face… Why did he look like that? Was he actually thinking of intervening?

“If Your Majesty truly wishes to test this, then treat it as a bit of amusement. However…” Noble Consort Chun thought it over and finally spoke. “However, the koi must not be chosen by her. Let me have someone select them instead. That way, it will be fair and just.”

Determined to take Wei Yingluo’s life, she personally selected a bucket of koi, which several eunuchs carried together back to the small pavilion.

The Empress Dowager walked to the edge of the wooden bucket, ran her hand along the rim as usual, and then said, “Release them!”

Splash after splash—thousands of koi poured over the rim into the lake, instantly dyeing the water in a riot of colors.

Everyone gathered at the lakeside, holding their breath, staring fixedly at the koi in the water.

Noble Consort Chun suddenly laughed. “They’ve all scattered.”

The koi swam off in every direction, and the multicolored lake gradually returned to its usual green-blue. Noble Consort Chun turned her head and said, “To think there are still people in this world bold enough to openly fool the Empress Dowager—not once, but twice! This is truly audacious and reckless. Your Majesty, such behavior must be severely punished. We cannot allow the practice of flattery to take root!”

Hongli furrowed his brows tightly and looked at Yingluo without saying a word.

Yingluo, however, kept her eyes fixed on the gradually calming ripples on the lake surface, completely focused and deaf to everything else.

Afraid Hongli might change his mind again, Noble Consort Chun quickly called out, “Come!”

Guards stepped forward and were about to take Wei Yingluo away when the Empress Dowager suddenly raised a finger from afar. “Wait… look.”

A rushing sound of water came closer and closer. From every direction, streaks of five-colored silk seemed to converge toward the small pavilion. Upon closer inspection, it wasn’t silk at all—it was five-colored koi.

Amid the crowd’s gasps of astonishment, the koi suddenly aligned themselves neatly in a row and began repeatedly nodding their heads toward the pavilion, just like ministers kowtowing in gratitude to the Empress Dowager.

If the sight of a hundred birds paying homage was something unseen in a previous life, then a thousand fish bowing their heads was surely something one might never witness again in this lifetime.

Yingluo suddenly knelt down and proclaimed loudly, “On the day of Her Majesty the Empress Dowager’s Longevity Festival, the release of life has moved Heaven itself, causing birds to circle and fish to kowtow in this miraculous spectacle! This is Heaven’s reward for the Empress Dowager’s benevolent heart—a most auspicious omen on this day of longevity! The Empress Dowager is protected by Heaven and will surely enjoy immortal longevity and boundless blessings!”

Everyone’s attention was drawn to her and to the koi in the lake. No one noticed Hongli.

Hongli suddenly gave a subtle glance to Li Yu beside him. Understanding immediately, Li Yu signaled the nearby eunuchs and palace maids. In unison, the group knelt toward the Empress Dowager: “Auspicious signs descend from Heaven! Congratulations to the Empress Dowager! Felicitations to the Empress Dowager! Congratulations! Felicitations!”

In an instant, the garden was filled with cheers and congratulations.

The Empress Dowager couldn’t help but burst into hearty laughter. “Good, good, good! On the day of my longevity celebration, Heaven sends down auspicious signs—proof that my years of devotion to Buddhism and accumulation of merit have not been in vain! You are a good child. What reward would you like?”

Wei Yingluo stammered for a long while before finally saying, “Empress Dowager, this servant greatly misses the Forbidden City… and wishes to return there…”

The Empress Dowager had assumed she would ask for something extraordinary after thinking for so long. Hearing it was such a small request, she was momentarily stunned. “Just… that?”

Wei Yingluo cautiously glanced at her: “By the Empress Dowager’s grace, which has moved Heaven itself, this humble servant is so bold as to request to go and serve you, Empress Dowager…”

Before she could finish, Hongli cut in decisively: “No!”

The Empress Dowager turned to Hongli: “This girl is clever and quick-witted. I like her very much and wish to have her serve here in Shoukang Palace. Why not?”

Hongli shot an angry glare at Wei Yingluo, suspecting she had cunningly devised a scheme to climb up by using the Empress Dowager: “Empress Dowager, this girl has a glib tongue and is extremely cunning.”

The Empress Dowager gave him a sidelong glance: “She’s coming to serve me, not you. Being eloquent and good at amusing people is exactly what I need—I find the days here far too dull!”

“I thank you; Empress Dowager for her grace…” Seeing that Wei Yingluo was about to kowtow in gratitude, Hongli felt a surge of anxiety.

Rather than letting this troublemaker stay by the Empress Dowager’s side, it would be better to keep her where he could watch her. Making up his mind in an instant, Hongli hurriedly spoke before she could: “Empress Dowager, it is not that I am unwilling, but… I intend to confer upon her the title of Attendant!”

The Empress Dowager: “Attendant?”

Hongli gritted his teeth: “Yes. She, Wei Yingluo, is merely a palace maid, a servant of the Internal Affairs Department by origin. To confer upon her the rank of Attendant is already an extraordinary elevation.”

The Empress Dowager looked at Hongli, then at Yingluo, and seemed to catch the undercurrent between them. Holding back a smile, she said: “This child went to such lengths during the Longevity Festival to please me—it came from true filial piety. In my opinion, conferring the title of Noble Lady would be just right!”

Before Hongli could speak, Yingluo had already kowtowed: “This servant thanks the Empress Dowager for her grace!”

Hongli ground his teeth as he watched Yingluo smoothly take advantage of the situation.

The Empress Dowager: “Noble Lady Wei, come here!”

Yingluo stepped forward. The Empress Dowager took her hand and, in one smooth motion, slipped the Buddhist prayer beads from her own wrist onto Yingluo’s: “You are a clever and capable child. In time, you will receive your blessings!”

Yingluo: “Yingluo ventures to make one more request.”

Hongli: “Wei Yingluo, don’t push your luck!”

Yingluo said nothing. Seeing her anxious and cautious expression, the Empress Dowager laughed softly: “No harm. Let her speak.”

Yingluo turned and bowed to Noble Consort Chun: “Your Ladyship Noble Consort, this servant and Ming Yu served together in Changchun Palace. Our bond is deep, and it is hard to part. I beg Your Ladyship Noble Consort’s kindness to allow Ming Yu to come and accompany me!”

Hongli, fearing she would make further demands, quickly spoke up: “She’s only a palace maid. If she wants her, give her to her!”

Though Noble Consort Chun was unwilling, with Hongli’s word spoken, she could only frown and say: “Very well.”

Yingluo smiled brightly: “This servant—no, this concubine thanks His Majesty for his grace.”

The celebration ended, and the crowd dispersed in high spirits. So many things had happened during the event that they would serve as gossip fodder for ten days or even months. Everyone hurried back to share the news with friends and family, and Yuanmingyuan quickly grew quiet and empty once more.

In the palace servants’ quarters, Ming Yu had already been reassigned as Wei Yingluo’s personal maid and naturally remained behind to help her pack.

“Yingluo,” she began hesitantly, “did you… do all this for me…”

Before she could finish, the door suddenly opened. A storm seemed to gather at the threshold as Yuan Chunwang stood there, his face dark and thunderous, like a raincloud sweeping into the room. He turned abruptly to Ming Yu: “Get out.”

Ming Yu glanced at Wei Yingluo. Wei Yingluo said, “Ming Yu, go outside for now.”

Looking from one to the other, Ming Yu set down the half-folded clothes in her hands, pushed open the door, stepped out, and gently closed it behind her.

The two stared at each other in silence for a long moment. Then Yuan Chunwang spoke, each word deliberate and accusatory: “Why?”

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   Story of Yanxi Palace, Chapter 115: Go Do It

   Ming Yu kept asking who this backer was, but Wei Yingluo clenched her teeth and refused to say. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to tell her—it was that the matter carried great risk. If it succeeded, both of them would benefit. If it failed…

“Let me bear the consequences alone,” Wei Yingluo thought silently.

“How’s it going?” Three light knocks sounded at the door, then Li Yu poked his head in. “Is the sticky-rice New Year cake ready yet?”

“Almost, almost.” Wei Yingluo quickly replied, temporarily setting the matter aside. Turning to Ming Yu, she said, “Let’s not talk about this for now. It’s getting late—hurry and finish making the sticky-rice cake. Don’t keep His Majesty… don’t keep the consort waiting too long.”

Ming Yu had no choice but to roll up her sleeves, wash her hands, and get to work on the New Year cake.

Wei Yingluo did not stay with her. After lingering for a moment, she quietly slipped out of the room and headed straight into the depths of Yuanmingyuan.

“Draw the bow… release!”

In the temporarily set-up archery range, Hailancha was instructing a group of guards in archery practice.

“Who’s there?” One of the guards, sharp-eyed and quick-handed, suddenly turned his bow and arrow toward a banana tree.

From behind the tree came a faint rustling, and a young woman in green emerged. Her figure was graceful, her features clear and lovely—at first glance, one might almost think the ancient banana tree had cultivated itself into human form after years of growth.

The guard was just about to demand who she was when he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder. Hailancha pressed down firmly, signaling him to lower the bow. “I’ll be right back. Don’t slack off.”

Watching him walk away, the guard quietly asked his nearby comrade, “Who’s that girl? She’s pretty good-looking. Is she Lord Suolun’s sweetheart?”

“What nonsense are you spouting? Lord Suolun’s sweetheart is clearly in Zhongcui Palace…”

Hailancha and Wei Yingluo walked one behind the other, avoiding the crowd until they reached a secluded part of the garden.

Wei Yingluo: “Guard Soulun …”

Hailancha smiled. “Yingluo, just call me Hailancha.”

Wei Yingluo: “The truth is, I came today because there’s something I need to ask for your help with…”

Hailancha answered without the slightest hesitation: “Alright!”

Wei Yingluo was slightly surprised. She looked him up and down. “I haven’t even said what it is yet. You’re willing to agree so readily without knowing what I’m going to ask?”

The reason she had sought out Hailancha was because of Ming Yu.

The two women kept up a steady correspondence, and Ming Yu told Wei Yingluo everything. The person she mentioned most often was none other than the man standing before her now. Although her letters were full of complaints about him—calling him chauvinistic, unromantic, saying that while others sent rouge and handkerchiefs, he sent her a dagger “for self-defense” …

But if she didn’t care about him, why would she mention him so constantly?

That was why Wei Yingluo had come to him for help, hoping that for Ming Yu’s sake, he would lend her a hand.

Yet seeing how readily he agreed, Wei Yingluo couldn’t help but feel a flicker of suspicion. Why would he help her out of the blue, for no reason at all…?

To her surprise, Hailancha laughed heartily. “When Fuheng left, he specially instructed me: no matter what you need, I must help you!”

Of all the possibilities she had calculated, this was the one she hadn’t anticipated. Wei Yingluo froze on the spot.

“Fuheng was my closest brother. The people he trusted, I trust too,” Hailancha said gravely. “So tell me—what exactly is the matter?”

Wei Yingluo looked at him with a complicated expression for a long while. Finally, she stepped closer, stood on tiptoe, covered her lips with her sleeve, and whispered her plan into his ear.

The soft murmur of orioles and swallows, the fragrance of flowers and birdsong—this plan was known only to the two of them, to heaven and earth, and to no third person.

Half an hour later, the two parted ways. Hailancha returned to the archery range, while Wei Yingluo went to the canteen to collect a food box and then made her way to the lakeside.

The lake and sky blended into one color. In the middle of the lake stood a pavilion where several noble ladies were either standing or seated, admiring the scenery and composing poetry.

By the lakeshore, however, Yuan Chunwang had no such leisure. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, his feet bare in the water as he bent down to clear debris from the lake. Hearing footsteps behind him, he didn’t even turn his head. “What’s for lunch today?”

“Baby bok choy, polished rice, and a bowl of stir-fried pork with chili.” As she spoke, Wei Yingluo opened the food box and laid out the dishes one by one on the grass beside her.

“Oh, meat today, huh?” Yuan Chunwang turned around but didn’t take the chopsticks she offered. Instead, he lifted his mud-covered hands for her to see and grinned. “Feed me.”

Wei Yingluo rolled her eyes. “Eat it yourself!”

“Ah, wait, let me wash my hands.” Yuan Chunwang walked to the lakeside, plunged both hands into the lake, scrubbed them vigorously up and down, then scooped up water to splash his face. He returned to Wei Yingluo’s side with his entire face dripping wet, took the chopsticks, and began eating heartily.

Wei Yingluo noticed his hair was soaked, with quite a few water droplets falling from the strands and dripping into the food. Unable to hold back, she rolled her eyes again, pulled out a handkerchief, and wiped his face for him.

Yuan Chunwang was usually proud and untamed, yet in front of her he was like a wild beast that had been tamed—obediently letting her clean him. Then he smiled and said, “Normally it’s me bringing food to you. How come the roles are reversed today… Don’t tell me you’ve done something guilty?”

Wei Yingluo’s heart skipped a beat. She put down the handkerchief and said softly, “Brother, all these years, everything you’ve done for me—I’ve kept it all in my heart…”

“I’m so good, yet I’ve never seen you feed me.” Yuan Chunwang remarked.

Wei Yingluo glared at him, then suddenly reached out. “Give it here!”

Yuan Chunwang was stunned. The next second, Wei Yingluo snatched the chopsticks from his hand, fiercely picked up a huge clump of chili peppers, and stuffed them into his mouth.

In truth, Yuan Chunwang wasn’t very good at handling spice. His face immediately turned red from the heat. He was already strikingly handsome, but his eccentric and aloof personality usually made people keep their distance. Now, with this faint blush, the cold detachment around him softened, adding a subtle touch of human warmth.

He stuck out his tongue and lightly licked his chili-reddened lips.

Those lips, bright red and glistening, wore no rouge yet were more alluring and fragrant than any cosmetic in the world. Anyone who saw them couldn’t help but feel the urge to taste them.

The corner of his mouth suddenly curved upward. With a faintly seductive smile, Yuan Chunwang said, “Yingluo.”

“What?” Wei Yingluo had been staring at his lips for a long while. Only when he called her did she snap back to reality.

Yuan Chunwang said nothing, simply gazing at her intently—until Wei Yingluo felt uncomfortable all over and muttered softly, “Is there something on my face?”

She was just about to wipe her face with her sleeve when a hand reached across from the opposite side. Yuan Chunwang’s ice-cold fingers brushed her cheek as he said meaningfully, “Yingluo, no matter what happens in the outside world, we’ll stay in the Yuanmingyuan forever—just you and me. This is what you personally promised me. A million times over… don’t forget.”

The sentence sounded half like a reminder, half like a warning. Wei Yingluo felt a sudden chill run through her; for no apparent reason, a layer of cold sweat broke out on her back.

Yuan Chunwang smiled at her once more, then opened his mouth with an “ah.”

Wei Yingluo looked at him with complicated emotions, picked up a clump of rice, and fed it to him. Yet in her heart she quietly said one sentence: I’m sorry. There are some things I have no choice but to do… because if I don’t, no one else will.

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   Story of Yanxi Palace, Chapter 114: A New Backer

Deep into the night, two eunuchs pried open the door and quietly slipped into Yingluo’s room.

On the bed was a human-shaped bulge, as though a woman were wrapped in the bedding, sleeping on her side.

One stood watch while the other approached the bed. After waiting a moment and seeing no movement beneath the covers, he drew a dagger and stabbed down hard.

The blade sank into the bedding, but the sensation felt extremely odd.

The eunuch froze, lifted the covers—and his expression instantly changed. “Something’s wrong!”

There was no person inside at all—just two pillows stuffed under the quilt!

“Help! Intruders!” The cry came suddenly. Realizing they had fallen into a trap, the two eunuchs turned to flee, but from outside the door erupted a loud shout: “Assassins! Catch the assassins!”

Palace maids and eunuchs sleep lightly. That sharp scream exploded like thunder from a clear sky, bursting open countless doors. Maids and eunuchs poured out in a rush. The fastest runners collided head-on with the two fleeing eunuchs.

“It’s them!” Wei Yingluo stepped out from behind Chief Steward Zhang and pointed at the pair. “Look! The murder weapon is still in their hands!”

The two eunuchs inwardly cursed their carelessness—why hadn’t they just left the dagger in the room? Why bring it out?

There was no way back now. At Chief Steward Zhang’s command to seize them, the two waved their daggers and tried to flee in different directions. But they were hopelessly outnumbered and were quickly subdued.

Looking at the two kneeling on the ground, Chief Steward Zhang said coldly, “Who are you? How dare you cause trouble in the Yuanmingyuan!”

Yuan Chunwang stepped up beside him. “Chief Steward Zhang, with His Majesty currently in residence, these two clearly came here to assassinate someone. They must have lost their way and wandered in by mistake.”

The crime of regicide—even the mere intention—was enough to exterminate nine generations of their clan. The two men looked at Yuan Chunwang in terror, unable to understand why this stranger, with whom they had no enmity, would strike such a vicious blow. They hurriedly protested, “No! We only wanted to steal things! We never intended to assassinate anyone!”

Yuan Chunwang scoffed with icy disdain. Though he didn’t even recognize these two men, since they had dared to lay a murderous hand on Wei Yingluo, they could not blame him for being ruthless. He immediately drove the nail deeper: “Stealing things? Then why carry daggers? Do you take us for fools?”

Hearing this, Chief Steward Zhang no longer hesitated. He coldly ordered, “These two wretches deserve to be sliced a thousand times—take them away!”

The next day.

   “I heard there was an assassin in your place last night?” Inside Changchun Immortal Pavilion, Hongli stood with his hands behind his back, facing away from Wei Yingluo as he spoke.

“Yes,” Wei Yingluo replied.

Hongli gave a soft “mm” and fell silent again, continuing to stare blankly at the memorial portrait of Empress Fucha.

The immortal hall had been built in the Empress’s honor, and the memorial statue was crafted in her likeness. The artisans of the Imperial Workshops were exceptionally skilled; the statue looked almost exactly like the living person. Gazing at it for too long, one could almost feel as though they had crossed into the netherworld, staring across the yellow springs at the Empress herself.

Hongli stared at it intently for a long time before lowering his gaze to the flowers and pastries on the offering table.

Hongli: “I remember, when the Empress was alive, she loved eating these pastries… Wait, why do the colors look so strange?”

Li Yu, fearing that the Emperor might think his servants had been negligent, hurriedly said, “Your Majesty, these are freshly made every day. Look, they’re still steaming hot!”

The more Hongli looked, the stranger it seemed. He casually picked up a piece of pastry, took a bite, and immediately spat it out, roaring in fury: “What is this?! Who made it!”

Changchun Pavilion had always been managed by Wei Yingluo. When Hongli arrived, she was attending nearby. The moment he asked, she naturally stepped forward: “In reply to Your Majesty, this servant made it.”

Hongli laughed in anger: “Wei Yingluo, is this supposed to be sticky rice cake or a lump of mud?!”

Yingluo: “In reply to Your Majesty, last night this servant dreamed of the Empress. For the first time in two years, my mistress appeared to me in a dream. She said she missed this dish of sticky rice cake! Unfortunately, the cooks in the Yuanmingyuan do not know Her Ladyship’s preferences, so this servant boldly took it upon herself to make it!”

Hongli: “You made it yourself, and this is the monstrous result?”

Yingluo looked aggrieved: “In the past, when the Empress wanted snacks, she always specified that Ming Yu should make them. This servant merely assisted. I beg Your Majesty’s forgiveness!”

Li Yu scolded: “Sly and glib!”

Yingluo’s eyes reddened: “Your Majesty, this servant only wanted to fulfill my mistress’s wish. Unfortunately, I am incompetent and have let Her Ladyship down!”

Hongli froze. After a moment, he suddenly turned and asked Li Yu: “That Ming Yu… where is she now?”

In the palace, transferring a single servant could be both easy and difficult depending on the circumstances. But with Hongli’s word, in less than half an hour, Ming Yu was brought to the small kitchen.

This was originally a place where Yuanmingyuan palace servants prepared meals; now it had been temporarily borrowed for this purpose. Li Yu pointed to the fully stocked ingredients inside and said: “Right here—make some proper pastries!”

As soon as he left, Wei Yingluo hurried forward, took Ming Yu’s hands, and asked with concern: “Ming Yu, I lied to the Emperor and said I needed to prepare a full set of offerings for the Empress in order to have you transferred here… Don’t waste time—quickly tell me where you’ve been injured.”

“I… I…” Ming Yu instinctively hugged her own elbow.

Wei Yingluo sensed something. She rushed over, lifted Ming Yu’s sleeve, and carefully examined her elbow. It still looked clean and smooth… No, wait! Suddenly Wei Yingluo squeezed hard. Amid Ming Yu’s pained cry, a needle as fine as an ox hair emerged from the elbow.

“How dare she do this!” Wei Yingluo gasped in shock. She grabbed Ming Yu and said, “Come, I’m taking you to see the Emperor right now!”

“No—no, you can’t!” Ming Yu hurriedly pulled her back, hesitating as though she had something she could not say.

She used to be so lively, like a chattering little bird, but now she was pale and silent, like a bird with a broken neck. Wei Yingluo’s heart ached with pity. She softened her voice: “At the very least, let me help you pull out all the needles in your body first. There must be more than one, right?”

“I secretly went to see a doctor. The doctor said he could only find eight. The rest have already entered my lungs and internal organs… Besides… if they’re removed today, new ones will appear tomorrow.” Ming Yu shook her head. After hesitating a moment longer, she finally made up her mind. She grasped Wei Yingluo’s hand and said very seriously, “Yingluo, I think I may have found the culprit who killed the Seventh Prince!”

It was as if a bolt of lightning had struck Wei Yingluo’s heart—her eyes immediately turned red.

The death of the Seventh Prince had directly led to the Empress’s suicide. This was the absolute reverse scale in her heart. Wei Yingluo gripped Ming Yu’s hand tightly: “What did you say? Explain clearly!”

“Fate works in mysterious ways. After the Empress passed away, I was assigned to the Zhongcui Palace. At first, Noble Consort Chun treated me fairly well—until one day, I unintentionally discovered that a certain steward named Wang Zhong, who had been on duty at the fire-heating post back then, was actually in a secret ‘pair-food’ relationship with Yuhu…” Ming Yu spoke with a grave expression.

As she slowly recounted the story, a long-buried truth gradually unfolded before Wei Yingluo.

To this day, the fire on New Year’s Eve remains an unsolved case.

All fourteen eunuchs involved were sentenced to strangulation by Hongli.

That was the official disposition on the surface, but many things remained unclear and unresolved. For example, the brazier clearly had a mesh cover—how could it still catch fire? Afterward, it was discovered that the brazier had been filled with highly flammable chrysanthemum charcoal. How could such dangerously flammable charcoal have been supplied to Changchun Palace?

The single most crucial point—eunuchs from the Fire-Watching Office were supposed to light black charcoal under the water vats at the first sign of ice forming, melting it promptly. So why, on the night of the fire, was the water in every single one of Jixiang’s vats frozen solid? There was no water to fight the flames, and Seventh Prince perished in the inferno.

Clearly, this was no simple accident. There had to be foul play behind it. The true culprit was cunning, and Hongli acted far too hastily—fourteen eunuchs sent away in one stroke amounted to silencing witnesses forever. No useful clues could ever be found again.

That is… until Ming Yu arrived at Zhongcui Palace.

“On the day Seventh Prince met with disaster, Wang Zhong was off duty that night and thus escaped the fate of the others.” Wei Yingluo finally remembered this person; her expression darkened. “I always wondered why his luck was so good. Everyone else died, yet not only did he survive, he even got promoted afterward…”

“I didn’t think too deeply about it at first. Eunuchs and palace maids forming ‘paired-food’ relationships is quite common in the palace—I just assumed it was ordinary.” Ming Yu shook her head. “But it was Yuhu herself who got guilty and immediately reported the matter to Noble Consort Chun. From that day on, they started treating me completely differently…”

In the palace, making someone disappear quietly through death is far easier than letting them live quietly.

Noble Consort Chun began finding every excuse to punish Ming Yu—first accusing her of having unclean hands, then saying the tea she brewed was too hot—petty faults, big and small. But they all led to the same punishment: Noble Consort Chun ordered needles to be driven into her body.

One after another, deeply piercing flesh, sinking into her lungs and vital organs.

Today they would pull one out; tomorrow they would drive in two more.

Sooner or later, the needles accumulating inside her would cause her to die silently and without trace.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Wei Yingluo’s heart shattered as she listened. “If you had told me earlier, I…”

“She didn’t kill me immediately because the Forbidden City is full of people and gossip. If I died suddenly, it would arouse suspicion.” Ming Yu gave a bitterly pained smile. “But once she decided to kill me, what difference does it make whether she kills one more or one less? Yingluo, how could I bear to drag you down with me…”

She paused, then closed her eyes weakly. “Besides… they have my parents and family in their grip. If I die alone, I can at least exchange for all of them living…”

Wei Yingluo had already watched helplessly as her sister—the Empress—died. That powerless agony tormented her day and night, like countless fine needles driven deep into her bone marrow. At first it was only a faint pain, but over time it accumulated until it could kill her.

She reached out and gently stroked Ming Yu’s cheek. Pale, yes—but still warm. Still alive. Not yet reduced to a cold, lifeless statue on display.

How could Wei Yingluo stand by and watch her die too?

Rather than avenging her after the fact, she would rather pay any price right now to keep her alive!

“Right now Noble Consort Chun is the most favored consort in the Forbidden City, the Emperor’s favorite. If we have no solid evidence and only our word against her, the only outcome will be both of us losing our lives.” Wei Yingluo spoke gravely. “Let me think… let me think of a way to deal with her…”

Ming Yu was shocked. She grabbed Wei Yingluo’s hand tightly. “You’re already bearing a crime—how dare you go against Noble Consort Chun? No, absolutely not! This isn’t like before. If you offend her now, you’ll be destroyed, body and bones… The Empress is gone. No one can protect you anymore—or me!”

Wei Yingluo was silent for a long time before she slowly said, “Yes… the Empress is gone. That’s why—for your sake, and for mine… we need a new backer. Someone who can firmly suppress Noble Consort Chun.”

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