Twenty-Four, The Unexpected Surprise (Part 1)

  Since Mei Zhuang became pregnant, the Emperor, except for the 15th of every month when he would accompany the Empress, and occasionally staying a few days in my Yi Fu Hall, almost every night stayed in Mei Zhuang's Yu Rund Hall. For a time, everyone in the harem was envious and resentful of Mei Zhuang's exclusive favor, yet there was nothing they could do about it.

  Meizhuang was indeed favored, but just mentioned it briefly in front of the emperor. With a slight lift of the sedan chair, Lingrong was immediately picked up from Ziao City and sent to Taiping Palace to accompany Meizhuang during her pregnancy.

  It's not that the imperial concubines who have never been favored can't accompany the emperor to Tai Ping Palace to avoid the heat, let alone Ling Rong's low status. I'm afraid she was already left in the Ziyu city with those concubines. As expected, Ling Rong smiled and said: "When Shi Mei Ren found out, she got so angry that her nose was crooked, what a pity for her beautiful nose."

  June 19th is Wen Yi's birthday, the weather was a bit hot, so the banquet was held in Fu Liu Hall. The Fu Liu Hall was built very early, originally it was a small garden where Empress Dowager Zhao Kang spent her later years in Taiping Palace, the hall was made of white marble, with intricate carvings on the railings, crystal clear and translucent. Because it's close to the lake, you can still clearly hear the sound of silk and bamboo music coming from the water pavilion of Fan Yue Lake, the sound is clear and distant, without any noise.

  In the center of the grand hall, a golden dragon-shaped banquet table was set up, facing north and south. The emperor and empress sat side by side, with the empress wearing a deep purple dress and two small jade pendants, her eyebrows and eyes calm and composed as she smiled elegantly beside the emperor. However, today, her smile seemed to hint at a faint, intermittent sorrow. For over a decade since entering the palace, the empress had never received the emperor's exclusive favor, and after the death of the child she bore when she was still a noble consort, she had not given birth to another son or daughter. The palace staff secretly whispered that the empress had lost her ability to bear children again.

  The emperor was polite and respectful to the empress, but ultimately did not have the same affection as he had for Empress Chunyu. The dowager also always treated the empress with indifference, perhaps because she was a concubine's daughter and not born of the legitimate wife like Empress Chunyu.

  I slowly took a sip of "Pear Blossom White", and thought to myself that the Zhu sisters, who had successively held the imperial seal and become the mothers of the world, were actually quite pitiful. Empress Chongyuan died in childbirth, taking with her the high-ranking De Fei and Xian Fei; now this empress too has lost her only child. I shook my head - behind every person's glory in this palace, there may be unknown hardships.

  The tables for the banquet were arranged in a row from north to south, with the emperor's close relatives and nobles seated on the east side and the empresses and concubines on the west. According to palace rules, male members of the imperial family were not allowed to meet or gather with the empresses and concubines except on major festive occasions. Today was Wen Yi's birthday, so a family banquet was being held, and naturally, the rules were relaxed.

  To the left of the empress were the seats for the imperial relatives and wives of high-ranking officials. Below them, in a row, were four large tables made of purple sandalwood, respectively for Qi Mountain King Xuansu, Ru'nan King Xuanji, Qinghe King Xuanqing, and Pingyang King Xuanfan.

  Qishan Wang's face was round and his eyebrows were long, with a pale complexion, exuding an air of wealth and nobility. The queen consort of Qishan Wang was also extremely beautiful, looking much younger than him, probably the original queen had passed away for a long time, this must be the new wife he married later.

  The queen of Ruzhou King Xuanji was the daughter of Shen Yang Hou, He Shi. She didn't look particularly beautiful and seemed gentle and weak, without the arrogance of a noblewoman. She quietly smiled at her husband and didn't speak to others. The king had a strong build, with piercing eyes that shone like an eagle's, and his face always wore a proud and cold expression, making people feel chilled. He lost his mother at a young age and wasn't favored by the emperor, so he was known for being tough and arrogant. However, he was extremely affectionate and doting on this queen, almost to the point of being overly obedient. Because of this, he was secretly ridiculed as a "henpecked husband", making them an astonishing couple. At the banquet, I saw that the emperor was very friendly and courteous to the Ruzhou King and his wife, knowing it was because the war in the southwest was intense, and among the close relatives, only this king could be relied upon for military support.

  The corners of her mouth drew a new moon-like arc, and for this battle, today there will probably be a good show to watch. It's just unknown how she will perform in this "Rebirth" play.

  The King of Qinghe, Xuanqing, and the King of Pingyang, Xuanfan, were both still unmarried, so neither of them had brought their wives. The seat for the King of Qinghe was empty, and even when the banquet began, no one came to fill it. The Emperor merely smiled and said, "This sixth brother of mine must have seen some new toy that he can't tear himself away from." The King of Pingyang, Xuanfan, was only fourteen years old, a young man just coming into his own, with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, full of vigor and spirit.

  On the right side of the first seat sat Mei Zhuang, who had already been promoted to Ronghua, and Cao Qinmo, who had just been appointed as Wei. Today's banquet was not only a celebration of Princess Wen Yi's first birthday but also a congratulatory feast for Mei Zhuang's pregnancy. As Princess Wen Yi was still young, the two of them were the real protagonists today, and even the higher-ranking consorts, Duan Fei and Xian Fei, could only sit in the second seat. The out-of-favor Empress Hua sat with Feng Shuyi in the third seat, and it wasn't until the fourth seat that I and Ling Rong had our places. Because I was afraid that Ling Rong would be timid, I specially pulled her to sit together. As for the other consorts, they were even seated after us.

  Meizhuang wore a crimson embroidered "Apricot Forest Spring Swallow" brocade dress, with apricot-yellow silk threads and gold-embroidered sleeves. The entire outfit was adorned with lotus flowers, double happiness characters, and bats, symbolizing many children and good fortune. On her hairpin, there were two auspicious immortals, representing perfect harmony and prosperity. This was a gift from the Empress Dowager after hearing about Meizhuang's pregnancy, made of pearls, jade, and bright red gold, unmatched in its grandeur. Meizhuang shone brightly, full of energy and vitality. Cao Jieyu wore a foreign lotus purple upper garment, with turquoise blue and green leaves trailing on the ground, her head full of pearls and jade, also stunningly beautiful. Behind them, a large group of palace maids crowded around, constantly refilling their wine cups, the most favored by everyone.

  Huafei hadn't seen Xuanling since the day she entered Taiping Palace and paid her respects with the others. Today, she was just lightly made up and sat quietly. Fortunately, Feng Shuyi was a very gentle and uncompetitive person, and didn't make things difficult for her either.

  Just as the banquet was about to begin, Consort Duan entered, supported by two or three palace maids on either side, and made her way unsteadily to pay her respects. The Emperor hastily rose from his seat to assist her, saying, "It's so hot outside, you didn't have to rush over; it's not as if it were an urgent matter."

  A faint smile floated onto Consort Feng's pale face: "The birthday of Princess Wenyi is a grand occasion, I must come to offer my congratulations. It has been a long time since I last saw Princess Wenyi."

  Cao Jieyu hastily had the wet nurse bring Wen Yi in front of Duan Fei. The weather was hot, and Wen Yi only wore a large red embroidered "Dan Feng Chao Yang" flower patterned five-colored silk bellyband, making her look even more like a ball of powder. Duan Fei looked at Wen Yi with an extremely gentle and kind expression, stretched out her hand to hold her, but for some reason, she restrained herself, gazed at Wen Yi for a long time, and smiled wistfully: "This palace really wants to hold Wen Yi, but is afraid of accidentally dropping her. It's also a case of having the heart but not the strength." She said this while turning to the palace maid supporting her: "Ji Xiang".

  The little palace maid named "Jixiang" hastily presented a golden lock and a golden silk eight-treasured bead necklace to Cao Jieyu's face. The golden lock was nothing special, but the necklace had a thumb-sized emerald embedded in its center, with a bright green color that seemed to drip with water. Anyone who saw it would know that it was an old pit fine jade from the country of Wo Nan, and it must have been Empress Duan's treasured possession for many years.

  The emperor said: "This necklace is indeed familiar, it looks like the dowry you brought with you when you entered the palace." He also said: "She's still a child, how can she be given such a valuable thing?"

  The Empress Consort coughed a few times, her face flushing with an unusual redness, and smiled: "Your Majesty has a good memory. It's just that I've been ill for so long, it would be a pity to waste it. Warm Ceremony is so lovely, give it to her instead."

  Cao Jieyu obviously didn't expect Duan Fei to send such a generous gift, and was both shocked and delighted. She quickly thanked on behalf of Wen Yi: "Thank you so much, Princess Duan."

  Duanyi gently stroked Wenyi's cheek and sighed, "The last time I saw her was when she was full moon, she has grown so big. She looks beautiful with clear eyebrows and bright eyes, she will definitely be a beauty when she grows up."

  Cao Jieyu smiled and said: "Your Majesty is overpraising me, Your Majesty please take a seat at the table."

  The princess stood talking for a while, already panting and sweating profusely. The palace maids hurriedly helped her sit down.

  This is the first time I have seen Consort Duan since entering the palace, the woman who has served the imperial carriage for the longest. Her appearance is not inferior to that of Imperial Noble Consort Huai, but her complexion is as pale as paper, thin and frail, and she can't even sit for half an hour before her body becomes soft and weak, leaning on the maid's shoulder. Even wearing a thin silk dress seems like a burden, let alone the heavy pearl decorations hanging from the golden hairpin on her bun, which presses down so heavily that she can't even lift her head. She doesn't look at all like the daughter of General Huo, a renowned military family.

  Looking at Hua Fei beside her, she was a different story. Both Duan Fei and Hua Fei were from military families, but compared to each other, Hua Fei had the aura of a heroic female general, handling matters with decisiveness and sharpness, intimidating the imperial harem. Even when she fell out of favor, her charm didn't diminish. Duan Fei, on the other hand, was extremely weak, not just in terms of character but also physically frail to the point where she needed someone to support her when moving around, and would be panting after speaking a few sentences.

  The imperial concubine nodded to everyone, glanced at Mei Zhuang a few times, and when she saw me, she was slightly stunned. She immediately smiled meaningfully at me, turned her head, and smiled innocently at the emperor: "Your Majesty has another beauty."

  The emperor didn't say a word and just smiled. The empress, however, smiled and said: "Sister has been out of touch with the world for years, so she still retains her former sharp eyesight."

  This remark was made without rhyme or reason, everyone just chatted and laughed and didn't take it to heart, nor did I.

  Fine wine and delicious dishes are on the table, with fresh vegetables and game meat. The gentle breeze blows through the curtains, and the sound of the guqin is soft and lingering. The music is loud and clear, making people feel carefree and joyful. The "Pear Blossom White" wine has a sweet and refreshing taste, but its aftertaste is strong. After three rounds of drinking, my face feels hot and flushed, and my head starts to spin. Seeing that everyone is in high spirits, I whispered a few words to Ling Rong and quietly pulled her out to change into some fresh clothes and sober up.

  Bianbi had already instructed Jingqing and Peier to prepare a change of clothes in the small pavilion next to Fuli Hall. Although Fuli Hall was cooler than other places, the first birthday ceremony of Princess Wen Yi was an important event, so even though it didn't require formal attire, they still needed to wear clothes that conformed to the rules. With the wine and heat, their undergarments were already soaked with sweat and felt uncomfortable.

  Everything in the small pavilion is complete, and it's specially for the concubines who serve the emperor to change clothes and sober up. Jing Qing and Hei'er saw me coming in and hurriedly came forward to fan and offer water. I took over the wet handkerchief and wiped my face, saying: "This weather is also strange, it's already so hot in June."

  Jing Qing smiled and said: "It's no wonder that the young master is sweating all over his body, having to entertain so many palace ladies and noblewomen."

  I smiled and said, "Where do I need to go to socialize? Today is Shen Ronghua and Cao Jieyu's good day, we just need to sit well, drink and listen to music."

  Jing Qing smiled and said: "I wonder why Master didn't dress up today when he went out."

  I took a sip of tea and said, "Today's grand banquet is all about Shen Ronghua and Cao Jieyu, it's their time to shine. It's not our turn to take the spotlight, we should keep a low profile and avoid trouble. Sometimes, it's better to be still than to make a move."

  Pei'er helped me change clothes while saying: "In this palace, where can you avoid gossip and disputes? What if you can't avoid them?"

  I gave her a sideways glance, but didn't say anything. Xuan Bi continued, "Since we can't avoid it, we should temporarily hold back and wait for an opportunity to make a surprise move, that's the only way to gain the upper hand. Miss, don't you think so?"

  I smiled and said: "After staying with me in the palace for these days, you've made quite some progress."

  "Thank you for your compliment, miss."

  Changing into a light purple palace attire, Huan Bi said: "Miss, would you like to return to your seat immediately?"

  "After some thought, he smiled and said: 'You stay here and watch. It's not easy to escape from the banquet, and next time you go back, you'll have to drink again, and now your heart is stuffy, why not go for a walk to clear your mind?' He said, supporting Liuzhu's hand as they went out."

  Indeed, the air outside is fresher than inside the palace. The imperial garden has many ancient trees with wisteria, flowers and trees are lush, artificial hills are steep, and the dense shade is so lush that it seems to drip. Compared to other places, it has a few more refreshing feelings. At this time of year, the imperial garden is full of greenery, but there are not many flowers. The pomegranate flowers are still bright, while the lilac flowers are in full bloom, gradually showing signs of decline. The deep purple flower core is wrapped around a dense black dot, like a withered heart. Flowing Vermilion accompanied me to slowly admire the flowers and tease the birds, unknowingly walking far away.

  My legs felt slightly sore from walking, when I suddenly saw a clear spring behind the fake mountain, its bottom clearly visible, like jade and emerald. Looking at it made me feel cool. The surroundings were quiet with no one passing by. At that moment, my playful heart was greatly stirred up, so I casually took off the embroidered shoes on my feet and threw them to Flowing Vermilion, lifted the hem of my skirt and stretched out my two feet in the cool spring water to play with the water.

  Several red fish swam in the spring, lightly pecking at my calf, tickling me so much that I couldn't help but burst out laughing.

  Li Zhu snorted and laughed: "Miss is still the same as before, her temper in the mansion hasn't changed a bit."

  I kicked a splash of water, and smiled wryly: "Where is still the temper of the past, changed a lot. Even with this temperament now, it's still unclear how many losses have been suffered in secret." Seeing Hong Zhu's face turn red, I hurriedly laughed and said: "Look at me after drinking a few cups of wine, just joking with you."

  Liuzhu said: "The slaves and servants are all clear about it. From the time she gained favor until now, has Missy ever truly relaxed for a moment?"

  I patted her hand and said, "What's the point of saying such things? Now that Mei Zhuang sister is pregnant, at least I have some support. Let's not say anything more to spoil the mood." I turned my head and smiled, "This water feels refreshing, can you get in?"

  Just as they were talking, a voice was heard in the distance, slowly reciting: "Clouds one whirlpool, jade one shuttle..." I thought to myself, this is Li Houzhu's poem. At that time, Houzhu had just met Da Zhouhou and Houzhu was reciting new poems, while Da Zhouhou played the pipa and danced to the tune of "Rainbow Skirt and Feathered Robe". What a deep and joyful love they shared in those days! Alas, Houzhu was after all an emperor, and his favoritism towards Da Zhouhou also led to the rise of Xiao Zhouhou, with her "hand-held golden thread shoes, teaching her lover to be willful and pampered."

  I shook my head secretly, thinking of that spring day when the apricot blossoms were in full bloom, and Xuan Ling, who had deliberately avoided me for fear of being unfamiliar, smiled and said, "I am Qinghe Wang."

  "Life would be so much better if it were like the first time we met, why does the west wind make me sorrowful and paint a fan? It's easy to change the heart of an old friend, but they say the heart of an old friend is easily changed." That day, Xuan Ling was warm and elegant, but now he would also listen to others' provocation and suspect me. Sighing softly, if only life could always be like the first time we met, how wonderful it would be!

  Lost in thought, she hadn't noticed the sound getting closer and closer. Suddenly, a strong whiff of cold, sweet fragrance wafted up to her nose, the unmistakable scent of "Rose Drunkenness", a fine wine from Western Yuet, but mixed with an unfamiliar man's breath, enveloping her head and face. Her heart skipped a beat as she slipped on the mossy ground and fell towards the spring, Flowing Vermilion barely managed to grab her hand in time, shouting "Miss!"

  Just as I was about to fall, my body spun around and someone grabbed my arm and pulled me up onto the shore. Before I could even react, he chuckled and said, "You're so light!"

  Startled, I felt a surge of shame and anger. Seeing that he was still holding my arm, I used both hands to push him away with great force, causing him to stumble backward. "Who are you?!" I hastily shouted.

  Li Zhu hastily stepped in front of me and scolded, "How dare you! Who is being so rude?"

  He was leaning against a snow-white Taihu stone, wearing a loose white robe with ink-washed cloud patterns, a purple flute slanting across his waist, looking languid and carefree.

  He was pushed by me but didn't get angry, nor did he respond. He just stared blankly, narrowed his eyes slightly, as if suddenly seeing the sunlight and couldn't adapt. He looked at me a few times, his gaze suddenly stopped on the ground, and a faint smile floated at the corner of his mouth: "Li Houzhu had a poem praising a beauty's skin as 'white as jade', what he said is indeed true. It's just that I think using the phrase 'jade-like delicate' would be even better."

  I lowered my head and saw that he was staring directly at my bare feet, only to realize that I had forgotten to wear shoes in my haste. My snow-white bare feet were standing amidst the lush green grass, like a white lotus flower blooming, being scrutinized by him with relish. Feeling both ashamed and anxious, I quickly pulled over the wide hem of my skirt to cover my feet. Since ancient times, a woman's bare feet have been considered most precious, only allowed to be seen by her husband on their wedding night. Now, having been seen by someone else, I felt embarrassed and deeply humiliated. Hearing him speak with such levity, I was already annoyed with him, so I bowed slightly and said sternly: "Your Highness, please restrain yourself."

  Li Zhu looked at me in surprise and whispered: "Miss..."

  I didn't even look at her and calmly said: "Liuzhu, meet King Qinghe."

  Liu Zhu had many doubts in his heart, but he didn't dare disobey me and followed my words, bowing his head to show respect.

  Qinghe Wang smiled slightly, "You haven't seen me before, how did you know I'm Qinghe?"

  Maintaining a faint and distant smile, she asked back: "Apart from Qinghe Wang, who else would always carry a purple flute with him, who can drink the 'Rose Drunkenness' offered by Xiyue, and who can be so unscrupulous in the palace? Otherwise, how can one live up to the two words 'at ease'?"

  He showed a hint of surprise, "Little Wang has lost his manners." Then he looked up at the sky and laughed, "Are you the Emperor's new favorite?"

  Can't help but feel disgusted, being so unrestrained and careless with words.

  Li Zhu saw the awkward situation and hastily said: "This is Zhen Wenyi."

  She slightly nodded, maintaining a superficial courtesy: "The concubine has offended the prince, please don't take offense." After speaking, she didn't want to waste any more words with him and made a curtsy: "The emperor is still waiting for me, I'll take my leave first."

  He saw me leaving and hurriedly exerted himself, but unfortunately he was drunk and his legs were unsteady, staggering a few steps.

  I said to Liu Zhu: "Go and call two eunuchs to help the king go to the nearby Songfeng Pavilion to rest, wake up from his drunkenness."

  Li Zhu immediately called in the inner guards, one on each side supporting him. He waved his hand and his eyes fell on me: "What's your name?"

  I was taken aback, and my heart grew even more ashamed and anxious. I asked for his name, which was a great courtesy from his family. As the emperor's consort, naturally only Xuan Ling could ask for my maiden name. I replied calmly: "My humble name would sully your esteemed ears, Your Highness. You're drunk, please go rest." With that, I turned and left.

  It wasn't until they had walked far away that he solemnly said to Liu Zhu, "No one is allowed to mention today's events, otherwise I will have no place to stand even if I die."

  Li Zhu had never seen me with such an expression before and hastily nodded in agreement.

  Note: (1) "Clouds gather, jade is a shuttle": From Li Houzhu's "Longing for Each Other", the full text is: Clouds gather, jade is a shuttle. Thin silk shirt, thin silk gauze, light eyebrows, double eyebrow pencil. Autumn wind is strong, rain is harmonious. Outside the window, banana leaves are rustling. Long night, what can people do? (2) "Hand-holding golden thread shoes, teaching young master to sympathize": From Li Houzhu's "Bodhisattva Mantra". The full text is: Flowers bloom, moonlight is dim, tonight is a good time to go to the young master's side. Wearing socks and stepping on fragrant stairs, hand-holding golden thread shoes. Seeing each other at the south bank of the painting hall, trembling while leaning against each other. It's hard for me to come out, teaching young master to sympathize. This is a poem written when Li Houzhu secretly met with Xiao Zhouhou.

  (3) Jade-like skin as white as driven snow: describing a woman's smooth and delicate complexion.