The Lonely City Closed

Chapter 16

The princess could no longer contain herself and burst into laughter. She finally opened her eyes and looked at the emperor, retorting, "Father's air leaked out when he was a child because he was missing a tooth!"

The emperor smiled and asked her, "Aren't you angry with your father anymore?"

"Hmm..." the princess hesitated before answering, "I need to think about it..."

"Hehe," the Emperor gently stroked the princess's hair and said softly, "Huirou did nothing wrong today. Your father raised his voice a little, but I was definitely not scolding you. Your eighth sister is gone, and Madam Zhang is unhappy and easily takes her anger out on others. She said she doesn't want to see you, so you should go along with her wishes and come back for now. When a person loses a loved one, it's like being seriously ill; they can't bear to see anything unpleasant. At this time, she won't listen to your explanations. Every word you say might make her even more upset, so it's best not to go against her wishes. It's always good to avoid her for a while."

The princess then asked, "Since she doesn't want to see me, why did Father make me wear mourning clothes and go there?"

The Emperor smiled faintly and said, “Being born into the imperial family, every move we make is watched by the people of the world. Ordinary people may keep their joys and sorrows hidden in their hearts when faced with weddings or funerals, but we cannot. We must act according to the wishes of our subjects, expressing our grief and joy, and showing these emotions to the world. Whether Lady Zhang wants you to go or not, you must attend the memorial service and wear the lowest mourning garment, so that the people can see the deep sorrow of the eldest princess for her younger sister. Although Lady Zhang says she doesn't want to see you, if you don't go, she will be even more suspicious of what happened before, saying that you are guilty or arrogant. Besides, you originally wanted to go, didn't you?”

The princess nodded and said sadly, "Yes, I am also very sad that Youwu is gone..." Looking at her father, she reached out to touch his eyebrows and asked, "Father, are you feeling better? Your eyes have been dark these past few days."

The Emperor sighed, “Father is alright. The most heartbroken person is naturally Madam Zhang. She cried so much. I never knew a person's eyes could hold so many tears… So, don’t make her angry lately. Even if she says something hurtful to you, just bear with it for now. If you really can’t stand it, take a deep breath and think about whether you would feel the same way if you were her. If you think like that more often, you won’t get angry.”

The princess agreed, then suddenly asked her father, "Father, those high-ranking officials often criticize you, but you never get angry. Do you also take a deep breath, think about it, and then hold it in?"

The official was taken aback for a moment, then smiled broadly: "Yes, yes, it's often like that... However, sometimes I can't help it and get very angry, wishing I could bang my head against the dragon pillar."

The princess laughed upon hearing this. The emperor playfully pinched her nose and asked, "Are you not angry now?"

The princess smiled and knelt up, hugging her father's neck tightly. She whispered in his ear, "Father, I'm not angry with you anymore. I was just too embarrassed to talk to you earlier... Even if you scold me, it's okay... I will be sad if you scold me, but if it makes you feel better, then I'm willing to be scolded by you... If one of us has to be sad, then let me be sad."

These words deeply moved the Emperor, who embraced the princess tightly and said, "Father will not let Huirou be sad... You are Father's good daughter. Whatever you want, Father will give you, as long as Father can afford it..."

"Then...I want plum wine! Father can certainly afford that." The princess was overjoyed and then made a request, "One dish won't do, at least two dishes!"

The official smiled and immediately ordered me to fetch two dishes.

The princess took a plate of preserved plums from my hand, held them in her arms and ate them one by one, occasionally glancing at her father. Seeing that he was always watching her with a smile, she said, "Father, I would like to ask you to grant me one more request."

"Oh, what?"

"Next time I'm angry, bring me some delicious food. If I ignore you or say I don't want it, don't give up. You have to force it on me."

(to be continued)

The Lonely City Closed (A Princess Who Fell in Love with a Eunuch) Meeting you then, I've already taken notice. 13. Poem Scroll

Chapter word count: 2191 Update time: 08-09-13 15:35

13. Poetry Calligraphy

Every year on the Dragon Boat Festival, just like at the beginning of spring, the civil officials would present newly composed poems for the palace women to paste on the curtains above the emperor and empress's sleeping quarters and the ladies' pavilions. Spring poems were called Imperial Spring Posters or Spring Posters, while Dragon Boat Festival poems were called Dragon Boat Festival Posters.

Three days before the Dragon Boat Festival, Empress Cao displayed the invitations from the officials in the Kunning Palace, summoned the concubines and princesses to view and comment on them, and then distributed them to everyone.

The princess read through them, then smiled and asked the queen, "Whose post do you think is better?"

The Empress lowered her eyelashes slightly, as if her gaze was sighing: "Without Prime Minister Fan and Su Zimei this year, Ouyang Xiu is naturally the only one who stands out."

She was referring to the absence of Fan Zhongyan, the former Vice Chancellor, and Su Shunqin, the former Supervisor of the Imperial Secretariat, Judge of the Court of Judicial Review, and Compiler of the Imperial Academy. Both were renowned poets and writers. During the Qingli era, Fan Zhongyan actively promoted the New Policies, which intensified factional struggles at court. He, along with other ministers who spearheaded the New Policies, such as Du Yan, Han Qi, and Fu Bi, were successively dismissed and sent to remote posts. Su Shunqin, recommended by Fan Zhongyan, was not a high-ranking official, but he was a talented writer from a young age, and his poetry was famous throughout the land. While in charge of the Imperial Secretariat, his opinions sometimes offended powerful figures. Last autumn, the Imperial Secretariat held a temple fair, and Su Shunqin, following precedent, used the money from selling old papers from the Imperial Secretariat to host a banquet for guests. As a result, he was impeached by Wang Gongchen, the Censor-in-Chief, and others for embezzlement, and was ultimately dismissed and suspended from his post.

While the Dragon Boat Festival greetings these days are certainly not lacking in exquisite craftsmanship, the content is mostly flattering praise, lacking the insightful and subtly admonitory poems of figures like Fan Zhongyan and Su Shi. Looking at them one by one, Ouyang Xiu, the Academician of the Dragon Pavilion and Right Remonstrator, is indeed the most outstanding. He is currently ranked alongside Cai Xiang, Yu Jing, and Wang Su, one of the four most trusted remonstrating officials of the current emperor.

“Ouyang Xiu? I remember him.” The princess pointed to one of the invitations and said, “I also recognize his handwriting. Last time at the beginning of spring, my father held a spring invitation and read it over and over again. He liked it very much and asked the people around him who wrote it. When he heard that the author was Ouyang Xiu, my father ordered people to bring over all the invitations that he had written for the various pavilions in the palace. He looked at them one by one and even made me memorize them. He said that every one of them had a purpose and that he never forgot to offer advice when he wrote. He was truly worthy of being a minister who served the emperor.”

The Empress smiled and nodded, gazing at the post the princess pointed to. She then picked it up again to examine it closely, looking quite moved.

I looked up from behind her and saw that the post was written for the Emperor's Pavilion. The poem read: "The State of Chu banished Qu Yuan because of slander, and he never entered the Emperor's gate again. I wish to inquire about the customs of the past through the rice dumplings, so that I may learn from the cunning words of the former kings."

Seeing how much the Queen cared about the poem, the princess couldn't help but ask, "What's so special about this poem?"

"Oh, it's nothing. The calligraphy on this post is very beautiful, so I looked at it for a while." The Empress didn't explain in detail to the princess, gently put down the post, and then asked the princess in a gentle tone, "Huirou, which one do you like?"

"Father will definitely ask me this question when he gets back, so I chose a short one that's easy to memorize first." The princess smiled and pointed to a poem by Ouyang Xiu called "Empress's Pavilion," reciting: "Pepper-stained robes receive abundant gifts, Consort Fan, gentle and refined. Furthermore, she uses silkworm cocoons to weave silk to prolong her life."

After reading it aloud, she took another painting and handed it to Consort Miao, saying, "Sister, do you like this one?"

That poem was written for the Lady's Pavilion: "The celestial plate reflects the cold dew of the Milky Way, the silk fan sways in the breeze of green orchids. The inner palace should be free from the summer heat, the Jade Terrace and Golden Palace are crystal palaces."

Consort Miao also agreed, and said with a smile, "After reading this poem, I really feel refreshed all over, and I don't need to drink ice anymore."

The Empress then bestowed the invitation upon her and continued to distribute invitations to the other concubines. Consort Zhang had been depressed these past few days and hadn't come in person, so the Empress didn't inquire further, but instead selected a few invitations and had them delivered to her.

The last two women to receive their invitations were unfamiliar beauties. Consort Miao didn't recognize them, so she asked the Empress, "Are these two ladies new to the palace?"

The Empress said, "That's right. They were presented by Duke Qi, Wang Deyong, in the hope that they could serve His Majesty for a long time and increase the imperial lineage. His Majesty has already taken them in, but their titles and ranks are still to be decided."

Consort Miao stepped forward, took the hands of the two young ladies, examined them closely, praised them repeatedly, asked their names, and then took off the two five-colored acacia ropes from her wrists for them to wear. The two beauties declined, but Consort Miao smiled and said, "Logically, when I first meet you two sisters, I should prepare a generous gift, but since we met by chance today, I didn't prepare anything special. So I can only give you these acacia ropes for good luck. If you don't accept them, it must be because you don't value my small gift."

The two beauties then accepted the love charm. Seeing this, the other ladies also came over to give them gifts. The two young ladies were somewhat flattered, but their eyes shone with joy.

Just as the sisters were chatting, Wang Zhaoming, a close attendant of the Emperor, rushed over from Chongzheng Hall and reported: "His Majesty just instructed that each of the women Wang Deyong brought in should be paid 300 strings of cash and should leave the palace immediately through the Inner East Gate without delay."

Everyone in the hall was greatly surprised. The Empress was also quite taken aback and asked, "Why did His Majesty issue this imperial edict?"

Wang Zhaoming said, "Wang Su, the Director of the Censorate, learned of Wang Deyong's affair with women. Today, he petitioned the Emperor, insisting that Your Majesty send the young ladies of the Wang family back. The Emperor replied that those women served him and that he had become quite intimate with them. He then probed Wang Su, asking if he could keep them. Wang Su, however, said solemnly, 'It is precisely because I fear Your Majesty's intimacy with them that I must discuss this matter.' The Emperor did not say anything more, but summoned me and ordered me to quickly convey an imperial edict that the two young ladies leave the palace immediately. As soon as he finished speaking, tears streamed down the Emperor's face."

The ladies exchanged glances, all somewhat gloating. The Empress remained silent, revealing no emotion. After a moment, she said, "Your Majesty believes the remonstrating minister's words are reasonable, but there's no need to issue the order so quickly. Why not enter the palace first and slowly send them out?"

Wang Zhaoming replied, "Wang Su also gave the same answer to the Emperor, but the Emperor said that although he is the Emperor, he is no different from the common people in his feelings. If he enters the inner palace first and sees the young ladies crying and unwilling to leave, he might not be able to bear to drive them out."

The Empress smiled slightly and said, "Alright, I understand."

Upon hearing this, the two beauties knew that their path to Zhaoyang Palace was blocked and they were about to be driven out of the palace. They immediately burst into tears and repeatedly kowtowed, begging the Empress to have mercy and let them stay.

Seeing this, Wang Zhaoming urged, "Please ask the Empress to send them out of the palace as soon as possible. His Majesty has Wang Su waiting in Chongzheng Hall for news. I can only go back and report after they have left."