Prinzessin Xiangsi

Kapitel 14

You Tong said in a low voice, "Don't talk, just wait patiently." As she spoke, she picked up her teacup, took a sip, and smiled, "This Gu Zhu Zi Sun tea is this year's new tea, it's priceless."

Wen Yan pouted, took a big gulp of the drink with dissatisfaction, frowned, and complained softly, "It's too bitter."

You Tong just smiled and didn't say anything.

After sitting for another quarter of an hour, the lady-in-waiting finally returned, looking apologetic, and said, "Her Majesty the Empress Dowager is unwell and is afraid she will not be able to come today."

Everyone was stunned for a moment, looking at each other, not knowing what to do. You Tong wanted to laugh. For this day, every household would start preparing well in advance, with clothes, jewelry, rules and etiquette, which would take at least several months, or even ten days or half a month. They finally got into the palace, but they didn't even get to see the Empress Dowager. It was really funny.

You Tong wasn't sure what everyone was really thinking, but at least their faces showed worry. The Second Madam and several other ladies inquired about the Empress Dowager's health with concern. The lady-in-waiting answered them all patiently. However, You Tong had studied medicine for a few days, and listening carefully, she noticed some inconsistencies. This wasn't illness at all; something must have happened in the palace that had forced the Empress Dowager to feign illness.

Not wanting to wait long in the palace, the group took their leave. The female official summoned several palace maids to lead the way. You Tong and Wen Yan followed behind the Second Madam as usual, exchanging a few words occasionally. The atmosphere was more relaxed than when they had arrived.

Not long after stepping out of the main hall, she heard someone call "Madam Cui" from behind. The Second Madam paused, and before she could turn around, Wen Yan had already pulled You Tong around. It was a palace maid of about fifteen or sixteen years old, who was quite clever. She ran up to the Second Madam, panting, and said with a smile, "At least we made it in time." After a pause, she bowed to everyone and said solemnly, "Madam Cui, my Dowager Princess requests your presence."

The second lady suddenly realized, and then smiled and said, "You are a palace maid from Luoping Palace?"

The young palace maid replied with a smile, "This servant is He Xiang, and I am a maidservant of Consort Sun."

You Tong finally remembered this Consort Sun. She was the aunt of the young master Sun who was engaged to Wen Yan. She entered the palace many years ago and, although not favored, still became a princess. After the late emperor passed away, she entered Luoping Palace as a consort. Although she was a bit lonely, it was still much better than the other concubines who were sent to temples to become nuns because they had no children.

Since it was Consort Sun who had invited her, the Second Madam naturally did not refuse. After informing the palace maids in the Empress Dowager's palace, she led Wenyan and Youtong to Luoping Palace.

Luoping Palace was not far away. After passing Chonghua Palace, where the Empress Dowager lived, they arrived at the gate. He Xiang did not go to announce their arrival but led the three of them straight in. A female official in her early thirties immediately came out to greet them. She bowed to the Second Madam and said with a smile, "Madam Cui, you've finally arrived. The Dowager Consort has been talking about you."

The second madam was slightly surprised. She had only met Consort Sun once more than twenty years ago, before Consort Sun entered the palace. They were only acquaintances who exchanged a few words. It was hardly worth her going to such lengths to send someone to invite her. She thought one thing, but showed no sign of it on her face. She smiled and replied, "I should have come to pay my respects earlier, but I was afraid that Her Highness was too busy, so I didn't dare to present my nameplate."

The lady-in-waiting smiled and said, "Her Highness the Empress Dowager is usually quite free and just wants to chat with a few close friends. If Madam Cui is free, she can come and chat often. If you are busy at your residence, you can have your two young ladies come over, as we will all be relatives in the future." As she spoke, she glanced at Wen Yan with a smile. Wen Yan understood the implication in her words and blushed slightly, but she still smiled generously without any embarrassment.

As they spoke, the group entered the hall. This Luoping Palace was not as magnificent as the Empress Dowager's Chonghua Palace, but it was elegant and simple. The furnishings in the main hall were also simple. At the entrance, there was a mahogany screen with orchid patterns carved on it. Behind the screen, there was a row of low couches, with two small tables in front of them, on which were two ruyi scepters. On the cabinet in the corner was a vase painted with pheasants and rocks.

Consort Sun sat upright on the couch. When she saw everyone enter, a smile immediately appeared on her face. Before the Second Madam could even bow, she stepped forward and pulled her aside, saying with a smile, "We're all relatives, why bother with these formalities?" As she spoke, she pulled the Second Madam to sit down to the side.

Wen Yan and You Tong still bowed respectfully. When they looked up, they saw that Consort Sun was very young, looking no more than twenty years old. Because of the recent death of the late emperor, she was only dressed in plain clothes, and her hair was casually tied into a bun at the back of her head with a white jade hairpin. She was pure and otherworldly, yet she did not make people feel any sense of distance.

Since it was their first meeting, Consort Sun naturally had to give them gifts. Each of them received a small box, but they didn't know what was inside. After chatting for a while, Consort Sun seemed to have something to say to the Second Madam alone, so she smiled and said to them, "Listening to two old women talk is probably quite boring. Why don't you let Xia Xiang take you for a walk in the Imperial Garden? There are many flowers in bloom in the garden now, and it's the most beautiful time of year."

The two quickly agreed, and a palace maid who was serving them came over to lead them out of the hall.

There are two imperial gardens in the palace, one in front of the main hall and the other behind Chonghua Palace. You Tong and the others naturally went to the closest one.

As expected of the Imperial Garden, its layout was ingenious, with many rare and precious varieties of flowers and plants. Every plant and tree was perfectly placed, and every step revealed a new and beautiful scene—a truly indescribable experience, far surpassing the Sun family's backyard. Even Wen Yan and You Tong, who were quite knowledgeable about the world, were filled with admiration at this sight.

There was a small lake in the garden, and in the middle of the lake was a small hexagonal pavilion with a red-topped vase, which was cute and charming. The pavilion was connected to the lakeside path by a winding bridge. The two of them strolled slowly toward the pavilion while admiring the scenery. When they reached the winding bridge, they saw a palace maid in plain clothes kneeling on the ground and sobbing softly.

The palace maid who was leading the way was also slightly taken aback when she saw this, and stepped forward to ask, "Yunyan, what's wrong with you this time?"

Upon hearing this, the palace maid named Yunyan slowly raised her head. Wenyan and Youtong had just seen her face and almost cried out in surprise. The palace maid's cheeks were swollen, her eyes were red and swollen like peaches, and her face was streaked with tears. She had clearly been punished, but they didn't know what she had done wrong to be beaten like this.

“Xia… Sister Xia Xiang…” Yun Yan sobbed, “I… I accidentally spilled the Third Princess’s tea.”

"Just for this—" Xia Xiang was both angry and helpless. She bit her lip, but dared not say anything bad about her master.

You Tong and Wen Yan exchanged glances, both seeing the anger in each other's eyes. But these were matters of the palace that neither of them could actually interfere with. Xia Xiang only whispered a few words of comfort to Yun Yan before leading You Tong and Wen Yan onto the winding bridge.

Once inside the pavilion and seeing that no one was around, Wen Yan whispered, "That Third Princess is so unreasonable. She only spilled a cup of tea; just make her brew it again. Why did she have to hit her?"

Xia Xiang said helplessly, "The Third Princess has always been hot-tempered. When the late Emperor was on the throne, she was the most favored, and even the Empress Dowager couldn't control her. Since the late Emperor passed away, Consort Mi moved to Fangcui Palace, which is located in a more remote area than Luoping Palace. Because of this, the Third Princess went to the Empress Dowager to make a scene several times. Now that His Majesty is no longer backing her up, the Empress Dowager naturally doesn't give her any face. She has nowhere to vent her anger, so it's a pity for the palace maids in Fangcui Palace."

You Tong and Wen Yan are both intelligent people, and they understand what's going on without Xia Xiang having to spell it out. It seems that the Empress Dowager has long disliked Consort Mi and the Third Princess. Having finally endured until the late Emperor's death, she naturally wants to take action against them. But it's unclear whether the Third Princess is oblivious to the situation or simply lacks common sense, as she is still acting so willfully and recklessly at this critical juncture.

But these things had nothing to do with You Tong. Although Wen Yan felt great sympathy for the palace maid named Yun Yan, she wisely refrained from asking about it again.

A little while later, Consort Sun sent a palace maid to look for them. The two hurried back to Luoping Palace and left the palace with the Second Madam.

Following the same route they had taken to enter the palace, Consort Sun sent two female officials to escort them to the palace gate, where the Cui family's carriage was waiting.

After boarding the carriage, it headed towards the outskirts of the imperial city. They hadn't gone far when the carriage slowly came to a stop. Before the Second Madam could ask anything, the coachman outside replied, "Madam, the guards at the gate are inspecting the carriage."

"What happened?" The second madam frowned, as if talking to herself.

When You Tong heard the words "Gatekeeper," her heart skipped a beat. If she remembered correctly, Xu Wei's current official position was the Left Grand General of the Palace Gate, in charge of palace gate security. She wondered if he was here.

Just as he was thinking, his voice came from outside. Though it was through the carriage wall, it was clear to hear, "This must be the Cui family's carriage."

"Yes, the Second Madam and her two young ladies went to the palace to pay their respects to the Empress Dowager and are on their way back to the mansion."

"It's Brother Xu!" Wen Yan also heard his voice and exclaimed happily, "Mother, it's Brother Xu!"

The second wife gently patted the back of her hand and scolded her in a low voice, "What are you doing, a young lady, making such a fuss? Even your brother Xu shouldn't go out and greet people so openly. There are so many people outside."

Wen Yan pouted unhappily, though somewhat unwilling, she obediently remained silent. You Tong's heart was pounding, her hands trembling slightly. Several times she wanted to lift the curtain to peek at him, but in the end she held back.

Xu Wei outside wasn't much better off. Upon hearing that You Tong was in the car, he wished he could rush over and say a few words to her immediately. However, it was not appropriate to act rashly in public. If he did something reckless, others would gossip, which would ruin his plans.

Xu Wei gave a few instructions to his subordinates, and soon someone led the Cui family's carriage to the side. No one mentioned the inspection, and they went straight out the door.

Unexpected events

The carriage returned to the Cui residence safely. The Second Madam remained silent throughout the journey, and You Tong naturally didn't ask any questions. Wen Yan, however, didn't care about the summons from the Dowager Consort Sun at all. She was only concerned with opening the box that the Dowager Consort had given her as a reward. When she saw a translucent, emerald-green ruyi inside, she couldn't help but marvel at it.

As they entered the Cui residence, the carriage suddenly bumped, and a faint, muffled groan escaped from beneath it. The lady and Wenyan were oblivious, but Youtong frowned, listening intently for a while, her expression growing increasingly grim.

After entering the gate, all three of them got off the carriage. The Second Madam returned to her own courtyard, while Wen Yan, carrying a box in one hand and holding You Tong's hand with the other, wanted to return to Jiangxue Studio. You Tong thought for a moment and smiled, "You should go back first. I've been sitting in the carriage for too long and feel a bit stuffy. Let's take a few laps around the courtyard before going back."

Wen Yan, without suspecting anything, nodded in agreement and went back to her room first.

You Tong suppressed her smile, looked around, and then walked straight toward the carriage house.

There were four carriages in the manor, usually parked in the carriage house on the west side of the courtyard. Apart from the coachman coming and going, no one else moved around. Youtong tiptoed into the courtyard and crouched behind a pillar to observe. The carriage they had been riding in was now parked in the middle of the courtyard. The coachman was nowhere to be seen, and there was no one else in the courtyard.

You Tong thought she would have to wait a while, but the person under the carriage was impatient. Just as You Tong stood still, she heard a rustling sound from the carriage, followed by a "thud" as someone fell heavily to the ground.

You Tong stared intently, and was greatly surprised to find that the boy on the ground, grimacing in pain, was actually an eight or nine-year-old boy with big eyes and fair skin. Although he was dressed in eunuch's clothes, he exuded an air of nobility. You Tong recalled the tense atmosphere in the palace and the fact that the Empress Dowager had been feigning illness and staying home, and her head suddenly felt heavy.

The little boy, completely unaware that his every move was being monitored, nimbly got up from the ground, looked around, and a smug smile immediately spread across his face. Rubbing his hands together, just as he was about to leave, You Tong finally steeled himself and emerged from behind the pillar, saying with a wry smile, "If I were you, I would at least wait until dark before coming out."

The little boy suddenly heard someone speaking and jumped back several steps in fright. When he realized that You Tong was just a girl, he patted his chest, breathed a sigh of relief, and said, "Where did you come from? You almost scared me to death." He then waved his hand dismissively at her and said in a pretentious tone, "Young lady, don't meddle in these things."

You Tong was both amused and exasperated by his words, and shook her head, saying, "If I ignore it, and the Empress Dowager finds out that it was our mansion's carriage that brought you out, it will inevitably implicate the Cui family."

The little boy rolled his eyes and pretended not to understand her words. "What Empress Dowager? I don't understand." He then rolled up his sleeves, looking like a little rascal ready to fight at the slightest provocation, and shouted, "Get out of the way right now, or I won't care if you're a girl or not, I'll beat you up without hesitation."

You Tong smiled and said, "Just go ahead and do it. I only need to call out, and someone will come right away. Others may not recognize you, but my fifth brother will. Oh, right—" She clapped her hands lightly, feigning innocence, "I suppose you don't know where this is. This is the Cui residence. My fifth brother is an imperial guard in the palace, and he was just promoted a few days ago."

The little boy turned pale instantly, but still stubbornly insisted, "You...you dare to do this? I...I'll tell my aunt that you're the one who brought me out. No—" He seemed to realize that others were unlikely to believe his lie, and his eyes darted around as he came up with another mischievous idea. He said smugly, "I'll go tell my aunt that it was General Xu who neglected his duty, only caring about talking to the beauty, that's why he let me out of the palace."

You Tong was no ordinary person; she wouldn't be intimidated by his petty tricks. She smiled and said, "It's alright, it's alright. I'll send someone to invite General Xu back right away so he can atone for his sins and escort Your Majesty back to the palace. The Grand Princess is always magnanimous; even if she does blame you, it will only be a verbal reprimand, which won't be a big deal."

She bluntly revealed the boy's true identity, and the newly enthroned emperor's eyes reddened, his lips trembled, and he could no longer utter a word. He was not the Empress Dowager's biological son, but rather the son of a lowly palace maid. Because the late emperor had died suddenly and the Empress Dowager had no children, the Grand Princess had recommended him for the throne. Having spent many years in the Cold Palace before his ascension, he had not developed an arrogant or domineering personality, nor had he ever considered using his power to oppress others. Because life in the palace was unbearable, he had gone to great lengths to escape and see what was happening, only to be easily discovered by You Tong. Now, he was filled with regret and disappointment, all his sorrow written on his face.

Seeing his pitiful state, You Tong couldn't help but feel a little sympathy for him. However, she also knew that it was no small matter for the emperor to leave the palace without permission. If she softened her heart, the Cui family would be the ones to suffer. She was still a member of the Cui family, and she couldn't bring trouble upon them.

The two were facing off when footsteps suddenly came from the courtyard gate. Both of them changed color at the same time. You Tong was about to pull the little emperor to hide in a corner when the voice of that person floated in, "Ninth sister, ninth sister, what are you doing here?" Before the words were finished, Wen Yan had already skipped and jumped in.

"Huh?" Upon seeing the young emperor, Wen Yan was clearly taken aback and exclaimed in surprise, "Where did this little eunuch come from? He's quite handsome."

"You...you're so shameless." The little emperor seemed unable to withstand the praise, and his face turned red, a rare occurrence for him.

Despite being scolded like that, Wen Yan wasn't angry. She walked step by step to the young emperor and said with a grin, "I was just praising your good looks, how could I be shameless? But even if you're handsome, you're not as good-looking as my fifth brother." After saying that, she asked You Tong, "Ninth sister, do you know him?"

You Tong touched her forehead helplessly and smiled bitterly, "Don't tell anyone about this. Have Huiying invite Brother Xu over. He'll know when he gets here."

Wen Yan became even more puzzled. "What could possibly need to bother Brother Xu? He seemed to be busy when we got back. It doesn't seem right to disturb him like this. Should I go and talk to Mother?"

"No, please don't!" You Tong quickly stopped her. She couldn't explain what was going on either, but she was thinking that the matter of the young emperor leaving the palace should be kept secret as much as possible, and the fewer people who knew, the better. After all, there were still several maids and servants serving the Second Madam, and if anyone leaked the news, it would inevitably cause some trouble.

"Have Huiying tell Brother Xu that the person he's looking for is currently in our residence. He'll understand, of course."

Wen Yan wasn't stupid. Since You Tong had already said so much, she could naturally guess what was going on. Her expression changed slightly, and she awkwardly glanced back at the young emperor. She chuckled dryly, then suddenly pulled You Tong behind a pillar and whispered, "Ninth Sister, this little... no, this person, could it be the one in the palace?" The current emperor is only eight years old, which doesn't quite match the age.

You Tong nodded helplessly. Wen Yan gasped, lightly slapped herself, then thought for a moment and said seriously, "How about we don't even let Huiying know? We can just take the carriage and go find Brother Xu. You take the little... His Majesty and get in the carriage first, I'll go call the driver."

You Tong was surprised that Wen Yan could come up with such a method, and nodded, saying, "That's the best way."

The two divided the tasks. Wen Yan turned around and went out of the courtyard to find a coachman, while You Tong tilted her head and looked up at the little emperor. The little emperor had just perked up his ears and overheard most of their conversation. He knew exactly what the two were planning. Although he was unwilling, he still obediently got into the carriage.

A little while later, Wenyan returned, and after getting into the carriage, the three of them left the mansion again.

They arrived at the imperial city gates without incident, and Wen Yan hurriedly got out of the carriage to find someone. You Tong sat upright in the carriage, her eyes fixed straight ahead, appearing calm, but inwardly she was somewhat nervous. The young emperor sat sullenly at the back of the carriage, gripping the side wall, looking as if he wanted to escape at any moment.

Soon, hurried footsteps were heard, and then the curtain was opened, revealing Xu Wei's serious face. Perhaps Wen Yan hadn't told him beforehand that You Tong was also in the carriage, so when he suddenly saw You Tong, his serious expression instantly turned into ecstatic joy. Just as he was about to speak, You Tong slowly turned to the side, and the little emperor angrily popped out from behind her.

"Your Majesty—" Xu Wei's eyes widened in surprise, and he almost cried out. Fortunately, he reacted in time and swallowed his words before they left his mouth. He hurriedly jumped onto the carriage, squeezed next to You Tong, gave a slight bow to the young emperor, and then asked You Tong, "Why is His Majesty in your carriage?"

As she spoke, Wen Yan boarded the carriage and answered first, "It was hidden under the carriage when we left the palace earlier, but Ninth Sister found it and quickly brought it back."

"Is there anyone else who knows?" Given You Tong's personality, she would never make this public, but just in case, Xu Wei still asked one more question.

You Tong whispered, "Don't worry, apart from Wen Yan and me, even the maids and the coachman don't know."

Xu Wei nodded in satisfaction and said solemnly, "Thank you for your hard work." He then turned to the young emperor and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, please return to the palace with me."

The young emperor glared at him displeasedly, dragging his feet, unwilling to move. Xu Wei didn't dare to pull him, and simply waited by with a smile on his face. In the midst of this stalemate, they suddenly heard someone outside the carriage ask in a sarcastic tone, "Whose carriage is this? Why is it parked here?"

Xu Wei frowned, his expression darkening slightly. You Tong noticed his unusual expression and, sensing something was wrong, asked in a low voice, "What's wrong?"

Xu Wei shook his head and smiled wryly, "It's Young Master Wu." He paused, then added, "It's alright, I'll go down and deal with him." After saying that, he gave her a deep look, a hint of tenderness flashing in his eyes, and then nimbly jumped off the carriage.

"Oh, General Xu?" Young Marquis Wu exclaimed, fanning himself with his folding fan. "Why aren't you at the palace gate on business? How did you sneak into this carriage? Could it be—" His eyes darted around, and a suggestive look appeared on his face. He leaned close to Xu Wei's ear and whispered, "Is there a beauty in the carriage? I wonder which family's daughter she is, to have caught the eye of our esteemed General Xu. Is she perhaps even more beautiful than our Wu family's third young lady?"

The Wu family was the Empress Dowager's maternal family. After Xu Wei returned to the capital, the Empress Dowager, in an effort to win him over, subtly mentioned marrying the third daughter of the Wu family to the Xu family. However, Xu Wei politely declined, which is why the young Marquis Wu made those remarks.

Xu Wei said seriously, "Young Marquis, you jest. How could I be the kind of person who doesn't know what's important?" Before Young Marquis Wu could reply, he continued, "Young Marquis, are you going into the palace or leaving the palace?"

Young Master Wu squinted at the carriage, scrutinizing it for a moment before noticing the Cui family's insignia on the carriage shaft. He said nothing more. Everyone in the capital knew that Xu Wei and the fifth young master of the Cui family were sworn brothers, and that the two families had frequent interactions. Therefore, the young master Wu didn't think much of it, smiled at Xu Wei, and said, "Going to the palace, going to the palace. The Empress Dowager has suddenly summoned me, I'm in a hurry." With that, he politely cupped his hands in farewell to Xu Wei and left.

Xu Wei let out a soft sigh of relief only after watching him walk away.

Little did anyone know how Xu Wei had managed to sneak the young emperor into the palace without their knowledge. Anyway, it was no longer any of You Tong's or Wen Yan's business. Just as they were about to disembark from the carriage, Xu Wei, taking the opportunity to turn around, suddenly grasped You Tong's hand. By the time You Tong realized what was happening, he had already calmly withdrawn it, gracefully alighted from the carriage, and even pretended to bid them farewell before leaving. You Tong was truly both angry and amused.

By the time they returned to the Cui residence, it was already dusk. The two had vanished without a trace, and the mansion was in a state of frantic chaos, searching everywhere for them. Seeing them return unharmed, they breathed a sigh of relief, knowing they would inevitably receive a scolding from the Second Madam. However, Wen Yan kept her mouth shut and didn't reveal the truth, only saying that she and You Tong had wandered around the city. Whether the Second Madam believed her was uncertain, but Cui Weiyuan, however, kept a furrowed brow, his sharp eyes fixed on the two of them.

The matter was considered closed, and no further news came from the palace. However, Xu Wei sent some gifts, mostly fruits and melons, but he also slipped a butterfly-shaped hairpin into You Tong's small purse. Although it was said to be for the summer solstice festival, You Tong and Wen Yan knew the real reason, but the Second Madam was unaware of the story and just kept praising him for his thoughtfulness.

By mid-May, the weather was gradually getting warmer, but the nights were cool, making it a season when it was easy to catch a cold. You Tong was in good health and was fine, but the Second Madam was rather listless. She couldn't eat for several days in a row, and even after taking medicine for a few days, she still didn't get better, and her body even started to feel hot.

Wen Yan couldn't sit still any longer, so she took You Tong to Dongling Temple outside the city to pray for the Second Madam.

Because the second mistress was bedridden and the servants in the mansion were all busy, the two of them only brought two personal maids with them, called a carriage, and headed towards Dongling Temple outside the city.

There is a Guangfu Temple at the foot of the mountain to the east of the city, whose abbot once served as the Imperial Preceptor of the late emperor. Therefore, the temple is extremely popular, and most of the people and officials in the city go to Guangfu Temple to burn incense and worship Buddha. However, Dongling Temple is built halfway up the mountain, and it takes more than a thousand steps to climb to reach it, so there are very few worshippers.

Wen Yan, however, had heard from somewhere that Dongling Temple was even more efficacious than Guangfu Temple, and insisted on dragging You Tong up the mountain. You Tong was a martial artist, so the thousand or so steps were no problem for him, but Wen Yan was so tired that her legs were weak. She finally made it to the temple, but she refused to go down the mountain.

You Tong could only patiently wait for her to rest, while she went to the various halls of the temple to pay her respects.

It was hard to say whether it was a divine intervention or the exceptionally soothing chanting in the temple, but as You Tong entered, she felt a profound peace within, all her restlessness and insecurity vanishing without a trace. She had lived in a nunnery during her childhood, observing vegetarianism and chanting Buddhist scriptures, yet this hadn't diminished her vindictive nature. However, having been influenced by Buddhist scriptures, she possessed a greater degree of piety than most. She earnestly bowed before every hall and every Buddha statue, patiently burning incense, making wishes, and kowtowing, as if all her resentment could gradually dissipate through these simple actions.