TPNCQ CHAPTER 49
A thorn in the flesh
"Niangniang, my good niangniang, please don't worry about her. She's the flesh that fell from the Empress's body, not yours. Naturally, you don't need to worry about her. It's just that the Emperor has always loved her dearly. He stayed up countless nights thinking about how to avoid marrying her off to the Khorchin tribe. There was no other way but to reluctantly give her up. These past few days, the Emperor has been feeling extremely guilty towards her, and he has found countless precious items to include in her dowry as a way to make amends and repair their father-daughter relationship. At this juncture, if niangniang can understand the Emperor's love for his daughter and show the same loving care towards Princess Hejing, the Emperor will surely appreciate niangniang's kindness. By then..." Lamei accompanied her with a smile, reminding her cautiously.
"Yes, how could I have forgotten? The Emperor has always
valued loyalty and righteousness. This is a feasible plan. It won't hurt to
spend a little more to make the Emperor remember my kindness. Lamei, you truly
are my right-hand woman." Upon hearing this, Jia fei's anger
instantly subsided, "In this month, I'll put more effort into this
matter, and when the Emperor returns, I'll show him the results."
"Exactly, with this two-pronged approach, there will be no
more problems. Niangniang is wise." Lamei flattered.
For several days, Jia fei had Lamei bring people to
inventory her small treasury. She selected five sets of the finest headpieces,
each one glittering with gold and full of exquisite details. She also took out
the red gold-inlaid sapphire-blue collar that the Emperor had specially ordered
the Imperial Household Department to create for three months when she was first
made a consort. After much thought, she still felt it was insufficient.
"These are all top-notch items, but they were all bestowed by
the Emperor. Even if I gave them all to Princess Hejing, it would be like
taking wool from a sheep and wouldn't reflect my sincerity. It would be better
if I could personally procure one or two other items. But Princess Hejing is,
after all, the legitimate daughter of the Emperor,
arrogant and haughty. She might not appreciate ordinary objects. I need to send
her something unique." Jia fei paced back and forth in the hall,
momentarily lost in thought.
"I have an idea. The Princess will be far away from home, and
she will surely miss her homeland. It would be great if there was something she
could look at to ease her homesickness. For example, we could make a scale
model of the Princess's palace and let her take it with her. When she misses
home in the grasslands, she can take it out and look at her own sleeping
quarters. Wouldn't that help alleviate her homesickness? Moreover, this method
is inexpensive and doesn't require much effort. We could just take the
blueprints, create a scale model, and rush the construction. With a little
push, it could be completed before the Emperor's carriage returns to the
capital." Lamei accompanied her with a smile, suggesting.
"Your suggestion is indeed good. I remember she always liked
the scenery of the Azure Imperial Lake. Let's create a scale model of the
Imperial Lake next to the palace model. You personally oversee this matter. I
don't trust anyone else to do it. Don't be careless and mess things up." Jia
fei said, her red gold armor tapping rhythmically on the table as
she pondered for a moment. A hint of calculation flashed in her eyes.
"Niangniang, rest assured. I will definitely handle this
well and will not make a single mistake." Lamei promised solemnly.
*
As the Empress and the Emperor were not in the palace, the monthly
palace gathering on the first day of the third lunar month was exempted. The
Empress Dowager had also waived her own. Therefore, after finishing her morning
meal, Su Limo began to prepare pastries. For the past month or so, she had
selected five or six easy-to-make pastries and practiced them daily, and her
skills had improved significantly. Of course, she couldn't compare to Song mama, who had been making pastries for twenty years, but she was already quite
good.
The Sixth Prince, Yongrong, had officially started his formal
education on the first day of the second lunar month, and it had been a full
month now. According to his tutor, he was still a bit restless and couldn't sit
still, so his progress was slower.
Su Limo didn't like hearing these words. Yongrong was only three
years old, and it was normal for him to be lively and active. Sitting down
every day to learn characters was boring, so it was understandable that he
couldn't sit still. How could he be called restless? If a three-year-old could
sit still so easily, she would be shocked. She even doubted if there was
something wrong with his development.
In the evening, Su Limo went to the Prince's Residence with
Shuangjiang.
Yongrong had come in and out several times, wondering why his
mother hadn't come yet. On his sixth trip, when he saw the familiar figure, he
ran towards Su Limo and threw himself into Su Limo's arms, shouting happily, "E'niang, you're finally here.
Yongrong has been waiting so long that the flowers are about to wither."
"E'niang is looking, these plum blossoms didn't wither on their
own. They were picked by someone's cruel hands, and now they're lying on the ground, turning
into dust," Su Limo looked at the old plum tree in the courtyard, where
most of the flowers had fallen to the ground. Some had been there for many days
and were already dry, while others were still fresh as if they had just fallen.
She shook her head and smiled.
Being exposed, Yongrong stuck out his tongue in embarrassment and held Su
Limo's hand, giggling. "E'niang, what kind of delicious pastries did you
bring today? Is it the lotus seed paste and jade roll that you gave Yongrong
last time? The Fourth Brother also said that the pastries you made were
delicious. If you brought them today, please leave a few pieces for him to
satisfy his craving."
"I did, I did. Besides the lotus seed paste and jade roll, I
also brought your favorite osmanthus cake, all made by E'niang herself," Su
Limo said as she entered the hall, took a handkerchief and personally wiped
Yongrong's hands clean. She placed the pastries on the table and asked,
"Where's Yongqi? Was he kept after class by his tutor?"
"No, the Fifth Brother said he hadn't memorized a certain
book and said he wouldn't go to sleep until he did. I went to call him just
now, but he wouldn't come out. He just buried himself in his books. E'niang,
what's so good about reading and writing? I find it very boring." As
Yongrong spoke, he used his small hands to divide the pastries on the plate
into four portions. He wrapped two portions in a handkerchief, and the
remaining portion was for him and his brother Yongzhang.
"If you can recognize all the characters, then you'll know
how to write and make osmanthus cake, and how to write and make lotus seed
paste and jade rolls. When E'niang gets old and can't make pastries anymore and wants to eat osmanthus cake, Yongrong can make it for E'niang according to
the recipe, wouldn't that be great?" Su Limo said softly.
"Just like E'niang makes it for Yongrong? Then if your son
doesn't know how to read, he can't make pastries for E'niang, right? That won't
do. Yongrong must learn to recognize all the characters so that he can make
pastries for E'niang, Father Emperor, and Empress Dowager in the future."
Yongrong thought for a moment before replying. He liked eating pastries, and
his E'niang, Father Emperor, and Empress Dowager must also like eating pastries.
If he couldn't even read, how could he make pastries in the future.
The third prince, Yongzhang, returned while they were talking. After washing up and changing into clean clothes, he sat down at the round table.
Su Limo brought out two bowls of chicken soup from the food box,
handing one to Yongzhang and the other to Yongrong.
"So if I learn all the characters, can I also make chicken
soup?" Yongrong took a sip of the soup and smacked his lips. The chicken
soup, with the oil skimmed off, was fresh and delicious without being greasy.
It was so good.
"That's right, not only chicken soup, but also your favorite
fish soup, pickled radish wild duck soup, and pigeon soup. You can have as much
as you want," Su Limo said softly, without changing her expression.
Hearing this, Yongzhang almost spat out the chicken soup he was
drinking. He managed to hold back his laughter, but when he saw his mother
glancing at him, he quickly held it in and focused on drinking the soup. After
finishing and wiping his hands, he spoke up, "E'niang, my archery
was pretty good today. Seven out of ten arrows hit the target, and two grazed
the bullseye."
"Not bad, you've improved compared to last month. Keep
practicing like this. Your Imperial Father has been busy with ancestral
sacrifices these past few months, and at the end of the month, there's the
matter of Princess Hejing's marriage. I suppose he won't have time to check on
your brothers' studies for the time being. You should practice diligently and
you'll be able to choose a foal from the Imperial Stable sooner or later. Don't
be too eager about riding and shooting. Think about it, if you practice ground
archery well and have a solid foundation, won't it be easier to learn riding
and shooting later? It's only a matter of time. Why not concentrate on what
you're doing now? You'll have hundreds of years to ride horses and shoot
arrows. Are you afraid you won't have a chance to gallop across the
grasslands?" Su Limo smiled warmly at Yongzhang.
She didn't blame him for being impatient. He was older than the
fourth prince, Yongcheng, but had been surpassed by his younger brother. Seeing
Yongcheng practice in the martial arts field every day, from leading a horse to
galloping on his own, he couldn't help but feel anxious.
"I understand, E'niang," Yongzhang nodded heavily.
Just as Su Limo was about to say something else, she heard a
commotion outside and gestured for Shuangjiang to bring someone in.
"Niangniang, this servant is guilty. I should not have
disturbed you, but my grandson has caught a cold, and my daughter-in-law wrote
to me saying that he might be seriously ill. I've been very worried for many
days, so I have dared to come and beg niangniang. Could you please allow me
to leave the palace to visit him? I... I won't be gone for long, just one day,
I will definitely return. I will never delay the matters of the Sixth
Prince. I beg niangniang to pity me, as I only have one
grandson, and he is not yet four years old." Zhang mama knelt down and
wept.
"Get up. Although spring has arrived, the weather is still
chilly. It's easy for young children to catch a cold if they're not properly
cared for. Since this is the case, go to the Yikun Palace later and say that
it's my intention. Take the token and leave the palace immediately. If it's nothing
serious, that's fine. But if it's bad, go to Imperial physician Luo in East City and ask
him to take a look. Just make sure to return before the palace gates close the
night after tomorrow." Su Limo gestured to Shuangjiang, who took two taels
of silver from her money pouch and handed it to Zhang mama.
"This servant is deeply grateful for niangniang's
kindness," Zhang mama said, took the silver, turned around, and left the
Prince's Residence to go to the Yikun Palace to get the token and leave the
palace.
*
On the eighth day of the third lunar month, the imperial
procession returned to the palace. Xian guifei led the other concubines
to greet the Emperor and Empress. Seeing Ling pin beside the Emperor and the Empress, Jia
fei's eyes nearly popped out of her sockets. She barely managed to
suppress her anger.
As they entered the palace, Jia fei said with sarcasm, her
voice barely audible to only Ling pin, "I haven't seen you in over
a month, Ling pin. You seem to have become even more graceful. It seems
that Mount Pan really good for your health. Perhaps I should also go there someday
and bask in that divine light." In such a setting, she naturally couldn't
let the Emperor know of her resentment. However, seeing this thorn in her side,
she couldn't help but feel a burning desire to remove her.
"Jia fei niangniang, greetings. You have no idea how beautiful Mount Pan is. Thanks to the Emperor and Empress's grace, I was fortunate enough to go there. We visited Guanghua Temple, Tiancheng Temple, Wansong Temple, Pangu Temple, Dongzhu Temple, and Yunzhao Temple on the fifteenth day of the second lunar month. They were truly magnificent. On the sixteenth, we went to Qianxiang Temple and Guzhongpan. I've never seen such a beautiful sight. If Jia fei niangniang has the opportunity in the future, you must visit Qianxiang Temple. It's ancient and solemn. You won't get tired of listening to the sutras there for a whole day. Oh, and the vegetarian food there is also delicious, especially the mixed mushroom noodles. Even the Emperor praised it highly and immediately donated two hundred taels of sesame oil money." Ling pin lowered her voice and shared her experiences on Mount Pan with Jia fei, her eyes filled with unconcealed joy.
"..." Jia fei's anger flared up at these words.
She glared at Ling pin and said harshly, "Don't be too smug. We'll
see."
"How dare I be smug in front of Jia fei niangniang? It's just
that the Emperor feels sorry for me because he thinks I haven't seen much of
the world. And the Empress is always kind and compassionate. Knowing that I
went to pray for the Seventh Prince, she granted all my requests." Ling pin smiled
even more calmly.
She enjoyed seeing Jia fei unable to tolerate her but unable to do anything about it.
What was the point of being a fei? Who
knew, perhaps she would one day have the honor of being a fei, or
even a gufei?
"You..." How dare she mock her for being
unsophisticated? Jia fei was so furious that she almost couldn't catch
her breath. In the past, only the Emperor and Empress would participate in the
ancestral sacrifices, and other concubines did not have this privilege. Now
that Ling pin, this vixen, had risen to power, her petty behavior made Jia
fei so enraged that she almost couldn't stand. If not for Lamei
supporting her, she didn't know how much of a scene she would have made.
Seeing this, Ling pin took a few steps back and walked behind Jia fei, following the procession back to the palace.
*
During the month-long tour of Mount Pan to worship ancestors, there were fewer
disturbances outside the palace. Back in the palace, there were countless
matters that could not be avoided, especially since Princess Hejing went to
greet the Qianlong Emperor and Empress Fucha every day. Seeing Princess
Hejing's swollen eyes, the Qianlong Emperor and Empress Fucha were heartbroken.
Although the Emperor was wealthy, he was also bound by the constraints of the
empire, and there were many things he was helpless about.
The Qianlong found many precious objects, such as a
half-meter-tall coral and a night pearl the size of a bowl, hoping to
cheer his daughter up. However, no matter what he did, Princess Hejing did not
show even a hint of a smile, and the Qianlong was both anxious and
angry.
The tension between father and daughter had reached its peak. Seeing that the situation was ripe, Jia fei had people bring the palace model and headpieces that had been prepared half a month ago to the Yangxin Palace.
"This is a little token of my affection for Princess Hejing.
I've brought it here for Your Majesty to examine first. If it's suitable,
please personally send it to the princess as a wedding gift," Jia fei
said cautiously after paying her respects. In recent days, the Emperor's temper
had been quite volatile due to the matter of Princess Hejing, and this was
known throughout the palace.
"Hmm," the Qianlong Emperor leaned back on his couch and
waved his hand impatiently without even looking. "Send it over."
"Your Majesty, I personally selected all these items. If they
don't meet Your Majesty's approval, I wouldn't dare to send them to Princess
Hejing, lest it upset her even more. Please take a look for me, just one
look," Jia fei took a step forward and coquettishly pleaded.
Hearing Jia fei's words, although the Qianlong Emperor was
impatient, he still stood up and walked over. Looking at the five sets of
headpieces and the red gold collar, he remained emotionless and said
indifferently, "You've put a lot of thought into this. These headpieces
and collars are all good things, there's nothing wrong with them."
"Those are secondary. I've prepared something else. I hope
Your Majesty will take another look, just one look," Jia fei said,
pulling the Emperor's hand and leading him to the back.
Looking at the four palace maids carrying an object covered with
red cloth, the Qianlong Emperor frowned slightly, "What is this?"
"Your Majesty, please open it. This is also something I
prepared for Princess Hejing," Jia fei said, handing one end of the
red cloth to the Qianlong Emperor.
The Qianlong Emperor casually lifted the cloth, and his pupils
widened in surprise, "Isn't this the Mingyue Palace?"
"Yes, I had people make a scale model of the Mingyue Palace
where Princess Hejing lives, and I also replicated the scenery of the Azure
Imperial Lake that the princess loves the most. Look, Your Majesty, the soil
beside the model of the Imperial Lake is the soil I personally collected from
the shores of the Imperial Lake, one handful at a time. If the princess misses
home, she can touch the soil of her homeland and look at this Mingyue Palace to
alleviate her homesickness," Jia fei explained.
Hearing this, the Qianlong Emperor sighed deeply, took Jia fei's
hand, and his voice softened, "You've put a lot of thought into this, Jia fei."
"I know that Your Majesty has been unable to sleep well
because of the princess's matter, and you've found many precious objects. I
also want to do my part to help Your Majesty relieve your worries and make the
princess feel better," Jia fei held the Emperor's hand tightly and
leaned against his chest, continuing, "I have a quick temper and am often
willful, and I often upset Your Majesty. But I always regard Your Majesty as my
heaven and earth, as the only support in my life. As long as I can relieve Your
Majesty's worries, I would gladly sacrifice my life."
"My dear concubine..."
*
The next day, the news of Jia fei presenting the Mingyue
Palace model and pleasing the Emperor spread quickly. Ling pin was also
summoned to the Cining Palace for questioning. She knelt in the courtyard for
nearly an hour before the Empress Dowager woke up from her nap and had her
summoned.
In the Jingren Palace, where pear blossoms were in full bloom,
Su Limo sat in the courtyard, sipping tea and enjoying some
snacks. Watching Shuangjiang, Bailu, and Xiaoman and three young palace maids,
playing with rouge and powder, she listened to the news that Dongxue had heard
and moved her lips slightly. "Jia fei's move is ostensibly to show
concern for the princess's homesickness and to please the Emperor, but in
reality, she's trying to destroy her from within. By taking this palace model
with her, it won't ease her homesickness, but it will only make her more
resentful. Princess Hejing has always been arrogant and has enjoyed a
privileged upbringing as a legitimate daughter of the Emperor. She's never faced
any hardships in her life. Now, she's been forced to marry far away to the
Korchin tribe. Seeing this model every day will remind her of her previous happy
and carefree life. Compared to the life she's living on the grassland..."
"Then why didn't anyone remind the Emperor that this was
inappropriate?" Dongxue asked in confusion.
"Didn't you see how, after Jia fei presented the gift,
the Emperor treated it like a treasure and immediately ordered it to be sent to
the Ministry of Rites to be included in the princess's dowry? Even if someone
had noticed, they wouldn't dare to say anything," Su Limo took a sip of
tea and continued lazily, "With such a beautiful spring, who would dare to
cause trouble?"
"Jia fei is so vicious. Isn't she afraid that the
Emperor will expose her on the spot and she'll face consequences?" Dongxue
took a fan, sat on a small stool, and fanned the small stove while continuing
to brew tea.
"The Emperor is so heartbroken over the princess's matter
that he can't think about these things. He just wants to find something to
slightly alleviate his guilt..." Su Limo's voice trailed off.
"Princess Hejing is also at fault. She always gives people a
hard time because of her status. Even if someone had noticed this time, they
wouldn't have exposed it. It shows that karma is a real thing. Some things will
eventually come back to bite you. It's clear that one shouldn't be so arrogant
and unruly. If one day everyone turns against you..." Dongxue shook her
head.
"This girl has gone mad, daring to talk about the princess
behind her back and gossip about her master. Shut your mouth," Shuangjiang
interrupted her, feeling that Dongxue was becoming too casual.
"Fine, fine, I won't say it anymore. I was just saying it
here in our own palace, and I didn't say it loudly. I was just
whispering..." Dongxue stuck out her tongue.
"You have a quick tongue. It's fine to say a few words in
front of this concubine, but you must not make any mistakes in front of other
people or in other places, otherwise, even this concubine won't be able to
protect you," Su Limo said softly.
"I know, I only say these things in front of niangniang.
In front of other people, I'm always the most obedient. I will never cause
trouble for niangniang. My life is precious, otherwise, how could I go out
and gather information for niangniang every day?" Dongxue laughed
playfully.
"However, niangniang, seeing Princess Hejing's marriage
has made me very nervous. What if one day there's another marriage alliance?
Won't it be the Fourth Princess's turn?" Dongxue asked worriedly.
"No, I won't let that happen," Su Limo sighed. Seeing Empress Fucha and Princess Hejing so heartbroken in recent days, Su Limo felt a deep sense of empathy. Although she knew that Jingshun's future consort would be Fucha Fu Heng's second son, she dared not and could not be careless until everything was settled. Fortunately, Jingshun was only two years old now, and it would be at least ten years before this happened. She still had time to pave a smoother path and avoid any accidents.
As for Ling pin... she had been too arrogant recently,
accompanying the Emperor on his trip to Mount Pan. It was only natural for her
to face the Empress Dowager's scrutiny upon her return.
A garden with a variety of flowers is beautiful, but a garden with
only one type of flower is not a good sign. The Empress Dowager, who was a
master at maintaining balance, would never allow anyone to monopolize the
limelight.
Ling pin would have a difficult time for a while, but Su
Limo believed that it wouldn't be long before Ling pin found a way to
extricate herself from the situation.
Favor was often gained through taking risks, and perhaps Ling pin had already anticipated her current predicament before taking this step.
*
On the twenty-seventh day of the third lunar month, Princess
Hejing married according to the customs for a princess of her rank. The Emperor
and Empress personally sent her off, accompanied by the other concubines.
Princess Hejing was heartbroken and cried several times in front
of the Emperor and Empress, her eyes red and swollen. Empress Fucha felt as if
her heart was being torn apart. She secretly shed tears several times but had
to wipe them away discreetly due to the rules of etiquette. She couldn't be
seen crying. After watching the wedding procession leave the palace gate, she
could only lean on the Emperor's arm and return to the palace.
The Emperor and Empress were both in low spirits, and no one dared
to say anything. Everyone dispersed.
That night, Empress Fucha developed a high fever, and the imperial
physicians were summoned to Changchun Palace. The Qianlong Emperor asked all
the concubines to attend to her.
Upon receiving the news, Xian guifei was the first to arrive at Changchun Palace,
followed by Ling pin.
Su Limo, who had been asleep, was suddenly awakened. Upon hearing
that the Empress was ill and that she needed to attend to her in the Middle
Palace, she quickly got up, simply combed her hair, put on her clothes, and
rushed to Changchun Palace. When she arrived, there were already five or six
people waiting in the courtyard, and Su Limo quickly joined them.