Novelas PaiPai - Capítulo 107
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As Jiaqingzi was still a member of the palace, her marriage required prior approval from the palace. Naturally, no one would go against the princess's wishes, and Jiaqingzi's marriage was quickly approved. However, the marriage was arranged hastily, with only a month's grace period. Consort Miao was greatly surprised and summoned me back to the palace to inquire about Cui Bai's background. Only after I explained everything did she feel relieved, saying, "Jiaqingzi is someone I've watched grow up; she's like half a daughter to me. I won't mistreat her this time; I'll prepare a dowry for her, no less than what I gave Yun Guo'er." She then summoned Wang Wuzi and ordered him to bring the palace account books and a list of valuables, so she could choose items to add to Jiaqingzi's dowry.
As she chose, she asked me about Cui Bai's temperament and preferences to decide what gift to prepare. Just as we were chatting, a servant outside announced that Consort Dong had arrived at the pavilion.
We all went out to greet her. Qiuhe still looked unwell, as thin as a paper doll, and her steps were unsteady. As soon as Consort Miao saw Qiuhe, she took her arm and said reproachfully, "Sister, your face is still so pale. Why don't you stay in your chamber and rest properly? If you want to speak with me, you can just send someone to call me over. Why bother coming here in person!"
Qiu smiled and said, "I'm feeling better now. I want to walk around a bit. I'm so bored lying in bed all day."
Consort Miao pretended to cover her mouth, saying repeatedly, "Pah, pah, pah! Don't say such unlucky words!"
Qiuhe just smiled. When she saw me, she happily exchanged pleasantries with me and asked about the princess's recent situation.
After sitting down in the hall, she noticed the account book that Consort Miao hadn't put away earlier, and asked her with a smile why she was doing the accounts herself. Consort Miao then brought up the matter of Jiaqingzi's upcoming marriage. I secretly groaned, worried that it would bring up Cui Bai's name, and indeed, that's exactly what happened.
When Qiuhe asked Jiaqingzi who her future husband was, Consort Miao immediately replied, "He is a famous painter in the capital, from Haoliang. Although he is more than ten years older than Jiaqingzi, he is said to be a good person, with a good appearance and temperament. He is an excellent painter of flowers and birds, and he has already amassed some wealth..."
Qiu He's smile faltered. After listening silently for a long time, she finally asked Consort Miao, "What is the name of this painter?"
“Cui Bai,” Consort Miao replied, then asked her in return, “Have you heard of him?”
Qiu He blinked, and the stiff corners of her lips lifted into a gentle smile: "It sounds familiar, but I can't remember where I've heard it before."
Consort Miao, oblivious to these subtle changes in her expression, smiled and said, "You must have heard the Emperor or the Empress mention it. Cui Bai is so famous, they must have told you about him."
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When Qiuhe left, I took the initiative to see her out and silently walked with her for a while, wanting to explain Cui Bai's marriage. I had barely opened my mouth and managed to utter the word "Cui" when she immediately stopped me from continuing.
“Huaiji, it’s alright, I understand.” She smiled so gently, as if I were the one who needed comforting. “Come back with me and bring a gift for Jiaqingzi… Just put the gift in the dowry that Lady Miao gave her, no need to say it’s from me.”
Upon arriving at her chambers, she dismissed the palace servants and entered her inner room. After searching for a long time, she retrieved a brocade box and handed it to me. I opened it and found a vibrant red jacket, woven with exquisite silk tapestry, its weave so beautiful it seemed as if created by nature itself. The shawl was covered in embroidered auspicious cloud patterns and lotus flowers, the embroidery workmanship superb and dazzling.
That was the style of the wedding dress worn by brides in the capital. The craftsmanship was so exquisite that it was clearly made by Qiu He himself.
“Jiaqingzi is getting married next month, and I suppose she won’t have time to embroider her wedding dress in detail. Why don’t we give this one to her?” Qiuhe said, still smiling slightly, but with her head lowered, I couldn’t see her gaze at that moment. “It’s just that this dress has been made for many years, and I don’t know if the pattern is outdated compared to those in the market.”
The Lonely City Closes (The Princess Who Fell in Love with a Eunuch) Amidst the rubble and the precious pearl, the curtains of love are cast aside.
Chapter word count: 4358 Update time: 09-07-05 10:42
Mandarin Duck Curtain
(3943 words)
When I left the palace, it was already late and the palace gates were about to close. At this time, most officials had already left the palace, and there were few pedestrians on the road. Only a civil official in the fourth-rank robes rode a thin horse and left the palace gate before me.
When officials in the capital returned home after court, their servants would often wait outside the palace gates. Upon seeing their masters emerge, the servants would rush to greet them and then escort them back to their residences. Although a fourth-rank official was not low in rank, the only person waiting to greet the civil official at the gate was a male servant in his fifties. After the official left the palace, the servant would quickly go to lead his master's horse and address him as "Scholar."
Those who hold even a minor official position often prefer to be addressed by their official title, and many will deliberately use a higher-ranking title to address those of higher status in order to please them. However, this old servant referred to his master, a fourth-rank official, as "xiucai" (a scholar who passed the imperial examinations). This not only shows that he had served his master for many years, but also suggests that his master must be humble and without vanity. Therefore, the servant still used the title he had before he took office to address him.
I led my horse behind them, walking a long way along Zhuque Avenue, which gave me ample time to observe his back. He must have lived a simple life and not cared much for pleasure; his horse's tack was old and even damaged, and the horse was old and thin. It was panting heavily even though it was only walking slowly rather than galloping, and finally, it buckled on all fours and knelt on the ground.
The incident happened suddenly; the official on horseback was caught off guard and fell from his horse. The servant was shocked and hurriedly helped him up. I also immediately dismounted and ran over to help the servant, and together we helped the official up.
He was thin and looked to be in his forties. After regaining his balance, he immediately turned around and bowed to me, saying, "Thank you so much!"
Then, he looked up and smiled at me in a friendly manner. In that instant, my gaze fell upon a face etched deep in my memory, and in my shock, I momentarily forgot to return the greeting.
Although more than ten years have passed, and his face bears the marks of time compared to his youth, it did not prevent me from recognizing him as my benefactor in my youth, the scholar-official who later guided the censors to give me severe criticism—Sima Guang.
He didn't seem to recognize me immediately, and was still smiling kindly at me. After all, more than a decade had passed, and I had grown from that thin boy into a thirty-year-old adult.
“I’ve told you so many times, Scholar, that horse has lung disease and should be sold to get a better one, but you wouldn’t listen and kept riding it. Look what’s happened now!” The servant complained, brushing the dust off his clothes. “This horse absolutely cannot be ridden anymore. I’ll go find a horse dealer and sell it. If Scholar still refuses, I’ll tell Madam about what happened today…”
Sima Guang smiled and shook his head, saying, "Alright, I won't stop you from selling the horse. But there's one thing: you must make it clear to the buyer before you sell the horse that it has lung disease."
The servant sighed, "If we told them the truth, who would be willing to buy it?"
Sima Guang said, "If we can't sell it, so be it. We can just keep it at home until it dies of old age. In short, we must always be honest in our dealings with others and never do anything to deceive them."
The servant sighed repeatedly and said nothing more. He patted and pulled the horse until it stood up again. Seeing that the horse was so weak and sick that it was no longer suitable to ride, I led my own horse over and asked him to ride it.
The servant was overjoyed and thanked him immediately, but Sima Guang refused to accept the gift, saying, "The eunuch has just come out of the palace, he must have official business to attend to and be going far away. How can I lend you your horse and make you walk?"
I shook my head and said, "I work in the residence of a nobleman and will not be going out today."
"Where does the nobleman hold his high position? May I ask your honorable name?" Sima Guang asked immediately, and then began to look me up and down with a smile.
I was speechless, unable to answer his question. After my long silence, he also became somewhat puzzled, his smile faded, and he began to frown and observe my face.
"Have we met before?" he asked me, probably sensing something.
I could have had other options, such as telling a lie to get by, but I didn't. I bowed deeply and sincerely greeted him, then said to him, "The jade cup is not raised, though the ceremony is well-known in the past; colorful clouds easily disperse, so please forgive any oversights to the newlyweds."
He stood there holding his breath, and the seemingly frozen air around him made me feel the heat in his eyes dissipate. Finally, he flicked his sleeve heavily, and as the swirling air swept across my cheek like a sharp slap, he suddenly turned around and strode away from the spot.
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That evening, the princess sent someone to summon me to see her, saying that she had some important matters to discuss with me, concerning Jiaqingzi's marriage.
I hesitated for a moment. Although I am with her every day now, I always keep my distance from her. I never stay in her bedroom after dinner, and there has been no more kissing or other physical contact. Whether or not to go now is something I have to think about carefully.
Before today, I would never have accepted such an invitation, but recalling what happened during the day, I suddenly made a new decision, so I accepted the order and got up to keep my appointment with her.
The princess's sleeping quarters in the Prince Consort's Garden were built deep in a bamboo forest, and the main building material was also bamboo. Now that winter has arrived, the interior should be very cold, but because it was built using Cui Bai's design, a stove was dug into the floor of the room, with charcoal buried underneath and a channel to guide the smoke. It was covered with a double layer of marble and rosewood flooring, and a warm pavilion was separated in the room by a plum blossom paper curtain. Therefore, it was warm as spring inside, and there was no smoke from the stove.