Zhong Zheng Ying looked sharply at Concubine Shu and He Lian-shi’s back, her eyes dark. She underestimated Zhong Zheng Lin’s Principal Consort! She never thought about getting burned.
“Her Royal Highness, bengong has heard that the Imperial Garden has planted new types of flowers. Fu Zhaoyi and bengong are about to go to see it, and we will have dinner afterward. Wonder if the Princess is interested in going together?”
Consort Qi’s sedan chair stopped in front of Zong Zheng Ying, opened the curtain, and her well-maintained face was full of smiles. Behind her was a gorgeous sedan chair, and through the lowered bead curtain, a beautiful concubine could be seen sitting in it. Facing Zhong Zheng Ying, she only nodded slightly, without saying a word of greeting.
Zhong Zheng Ying looked at Fu Zhaoyi, who had been extremely favored recently, and saw that she was dressed in a noble manner. Thus, the only pearl Buyao on her head was very eye-catching. When she took a closer look, she suddenly found that this rare and precious accessory… wasn’t it the pair of the one that Emperor Yuancheng rewarded Concubine Shu? No wonder Concubine Shu had an unfathomable expression on her face when she saw this new favorite.
“Since Consort Qi had extended an invitation, bengong is naturally happy to go.” Zhong Zheng Ying rolled her whip and turned around to ride the princess’s lift. She didn’t chat with Consort Qi but quietly admired the frosty woman in the sedan chair behind.
With such a cold temper, did she act the same way in front of Emperor Yuancheng?
***
“Mistress, Lord He Lian has gone to two places to socialize privately in the past two days. The people who met him were Fu Zuoyi, the Commander of the Infantry, and Wang Rui, Deputy Chief Eunuch of the Imperial Household, respectively. In addition, Lord He Lian’s second wife [1] has a very close relationship with Madam Anguo, who was recently sealed as an honored lady.”
[1] 平妻 píngqī. A very rare case in ancient China where a man had another equal wife. Different from the first wife, who has the highest status, the flat wife/equal wife is a second wife, higher than a common concubine, and lower than the first wife. (Don’t cite me on this, this is also the first time I’m encountering this, lolol, many sites also say that this was a concubine and not a wife, but Wikipedia said otherwise).
Wei Zhen explained all the news that the dark guard had received, and waited for Mistress Yao to speak.
He Lian Zhang was so courageous that he dared to contact the Anguo Mansion in disguise. A few months ago, the old Duke of Anguo finally couldn’t hold on anymore, and Emperor Yuancheng coldly asked people to go to prepare his funeral rites. Then, with a stroke of his pen, the eldest son of the Duke’s Mansion was promoted as usual. This talent, who had just been promoted to office, was the eldest uncle of the first prince Zhong Zheng Chun, who was now in the Yuye Palace as well as the elder brother of Noble Consort [2] Li, who was sent to “recuperate” by Mu Xi Yao.
[2] 贵妃 guìfēi - Noble Consort. High-ranking concubine, lower only to the Empress and the Imperial Noble Consort.
Behind Zhong Zheng Lin’s back, the He Lian family used the path of the wife’s diplomacy [3] and had secret contact with the eldest prince. Mu Xi Yao guessed that the two sides must have some ulterior motive. As the sixth highness’ in-laws, He Lian Zhang should’ve imagined that this would cause displeasure to Zhong Zheng Lin. Since he committed this crime, there must be a way to change the wind and let him go back. What was the old fox going to use to calm Zhong Zheng Lin’s anger?
[3] This refers to when families establish a friendly political relationship with their wifes opening up their talks and later serving as an enhancement to avoid friction. This is something that tends to happen behind the scenes.
“Fu Zuoyi, the commander of the infantry?” Mu Xi Yao was not familiar with this person. Instead, she had heard from his superior, Huo Shaoguang, the admiral of the Nine Gates from Zhong Zheng Lin several times.
“This person forms part of the newly promoted group of important ministers. His third daughter was chosen by the emperor in the draft. In just a few months, she has been promoted to a second-ranking Zhaoyi and enjoys the benefits of being an imperial concubine. Now that she is in her prime, no one in the palace can beat her except for Concubine Shu.”
Mu Xi Yao nodded. Emperor Yuancheng’s hands and feet were fast. Fu Zhaoyi? The next time she entered the palace for greetings, she had to take a good look at her.
So, the He Lian family wanted to use the connections in the harem to bring He Lian Wei Rui into Zhong Zheng Lin’s backyard? Wasn’t this abacus played too well?
How were they going to explain this? Moreover, how will they send their daughter to the sixth prince’s mansion when the Imperial Noble Consort was choosing a concubine for the eighth prince? This obviously had the meaning of choosing a prince’s faction, how could He Lian Zhang, who was known to be of the Emperor’s clique, keep the high hat of being a clean and loyal official?
“Alright. Since He Lian Zhang has already started the game, this game of chess is not without clues.” Mu Xi Yao calmed down and started writing again. “Mister Wei doesn’t have to worry about staring over there anymore. He Lian’s mansion only needs one or two secret guards to be on call at any time, and the rest can be withdrawn. What we have to wait for now is the news from the palace.” The battlefield changed to the harem, and the dark guards had little effect. Instead of risking exposure, it was better to be discreet.
Mu Xi Yao dismissed the servants, sitting alone in front of the bookcase to complete the daily homework assigned by the boss. On one hand, she wrote corny [4] lines to please the boss, while interjecting an occasional sigh about this and that situation that made her anxious.
[4] 肉麻 ròumá - sickening/corny/sappy/maudlin/fulsome (of praise).
If it goes on like this, wouldn’t she be involved in a palace fight again? And it was not the right time. And this fight will be with no more than with her father-in-law’s wifey, wasn’t this too much?
Shouldn’t this palace fight drama be with Emperor Jian’An’s harem? At this time, the big boss has not yet ascended the throne, but his favorite concubine has frequently appeared... This thing can’t be done, it was no different from stealing the spotlight. Mu Xi Yao pouted, if this was filming, it would definitely be considered overtime, she was very unhappy.
He Lian’s family had a good life, but their tricks [5] had to be counted!
[5] 搞风搞雨 gǎofēng gǎo yǔ. Ply tricks behind others’ backs. Treacherous.
In his letter to his sixth Highness, Mu Xi Yao emphasized how hard she had managed the housework and endured humiliation and burdens for his sixth Highness. The writing was touching and affectionate. In the end, she did not forget to let Zhong Zheng Lin remember to find a famous chef in Shu for her. It would be better if it could be sent to Shengjing earlier. The excuse was that the one in her belly had been very picky about dishes recently.
Three days later, news came out of the palace.
The Imperial Noble Consort had been recuperating in the palace for a long time now, and finally got the imperial doctor’s nod. Emperor Yuancheng went there in person, and then everything went as before.
In the morning, the concubines went to greet the Imperial Noble Consort and saw the Imperial Noble Consort who they haven’t seen for a while. Before the Duke’s death she used to be arrogant from head to toe, both in words and actions. Now, she was dressed elegantly with only a wooden hairpin on her head. She spoke more politely than before, and she became estranged from others.
When their greetings were over, for the first time, the concubines gave a full salute in front of the Imperial Noble Consort time and then left in silence. In the whole process, there was no gossip, so the Imperial Noble Consort just sat coldly for half a quarter of an hour. She didn’t have the smiling face from before, and she didn’t even fake a word of greeting.
“The Imperial Noble Consort has recovered?” Mu Xi Yao looked at Wei Zhen in surprise and asked the momo to bring Cheng Qing aside to play.
Although she knew for a long time that Concubine Liu’s case alone could not completely knock down the Imperial Noble Consort, she did not expect that Emperor Yuancheng would lift the ban so quickly. The old Duke passed away, and the hatred in the heart of the Imperial Noble Consort must be a hundred times stronger than before. Mu Xi Yao had never seen this woman’s ability with her eyes but she still secretly guarded against her. Maybe one day she would be provoked and take drastic measures. Fighting with a crazy person, one couldn’t have enough precautions.
“Fu Zhaoyi has been in contact with the Imperial Noble Consort for the past three days?” Being able to intercede in front of Emperor Yuancheng for Li-shi, the only variable in the palace, apart from Fu Zuoyi’s daughter, she couldn’t think of anyone else. Lord He Lian’s move was immediate and effective.
“When Fu Zhaoyi fell into the water, it was the Imperial Noble Consort’s prompt reaction that saved her life.” Wei Zhen didn’t dare to underestimate the means of the He Lian family. They even dared to design a water accident in the harem, they definitely used some secret chess pieces.
“She’s actually fast, huh.” Mu Xi Yao was amused.
Although Fu Zhaoyi and the Imperial Noble Consort lived in the same Six Palaces in the East, they were still separated by Consort Qi. Did this mean that the Imperial Noble Consort was able to handle things effectively, or was Consort Qi deaf and blind?
“Is the one in the middle a dead person? And how can this trick be hidden from the Emperor’s eyes?” Mu Xi Yao rolled her eyes.
Wei Zhen has gradually been able to adapt to Mistress Yao speaking casually in private. The rules in the palace were much more than the rules in their mansion. The Mistress was not willing to follow them, and His Highness was reluctant to discipline her, and he had no room to talk.
“Consort Qi took someone to eat in the Imperial Garden, she was not there when it happened.” Wei Zhen reported truthfully.
“That’s right. Consort Qi should have eaten her “Prosperous Garden” [6] for dinner. It must’ve been really hard for her to digest food at 7-9 pm.” Mu Xi Yao shook her head, showing no manners.
[6] ‘富贵满园’ fùguì mǎn yuán: A garden filled with riches an honor/The garden is full of wealth. (To shorten it I just called it “Prosperous Garden”.)
Wei Zhen’s face twitched. Mistress Yao dared to mock people even when she was in the wrong. “Prosperous Garden” was not a palace dish, but a grand banquet that was rarely served in Shengjing. The most recent one was to congratulate the Crown Prince on his wedding more than ten years ago, and there were nearly a thousand dishes. One table was enough for hundreds of strong men to eat.
Emperor Yuancheng did not have it easy. Mu Xi Yao sighed. An emperor has to turn a blind eye to these women’s clumsy methods, she felt that such patience was beyond her reach.
The biggest boss in Shengjing probably felt he owed a debt since when Duke Anguo died he didn’t allow the Imperial Noble Consort to leave the palace to pay homage. Now the old thief who was not pleasing to his eyes had kicked the bucket, so these little tricks were insignificant for him, and couldn’t care less.
The emperor was a thief [7], and all of them were the big shots in the movie industry!
[7] 贼 Zéi - thief / traitor / wily / deceitful / evil / extremely.
The Imperial Noble Consort, Consort Qi, and Fu Zhaoyi. These three women mixed together were too annoying. Consort Shu was still too popular, and people’s jealousy of her should be quite high. As a member of the Sixth Royal Highness’s Mansion, Mu Xi Yao could only suffer.
However, He Lian Zhang was worthy of his reputation as the emperor’s confidant, he really understood Emperor Yuancheng’s thoughts.
“Come back when there is news. This scene has just started, so let’s watch it slowly.” Mu Xi Yao was calm, she had guessed He Lian Zhang’s next move.
Sure enough, in the next few days, Emperor Yuancheng flipped the Imperial Noble Consort’s brand twice, and then Fu Zhaoyi’s. In the middle of this, Consort Shu, who was always stable no matter how many women there were in the emperor’s harem, had the Emperor Yuancheng going to her palace for a few days as well. This made the women in the harem see clearly that Concubine Shu seemed to be very stable, ah...
Fu Zhaoyi rarely smiled in front of the emperor. The cold beauty occasionally smiled charmingly, awkwardly begged for love, and said a few nice-sounding words, Emperor Yuancheng liked this act very much. Now, in order to repay her life-saving grace, Fu Zhaoyi repeatedly tried, and finally persuaded the emperor to go to the Imperial Noble Consort.
With such comings and goings, the two of them got closer and closer, and they talked more and more with each other.
On this day, He Lian Min Min went to Empress Dowager’s palace to give her greetings but it was not Zhong Zheng Ying who she met, but the “He Lian Party” led by the Imperial Noble Consort.
Ironically, He Lian Min Min was going to confront the forces that had been bribed by her family head-on. Mu Xi Yao was amazed after hearing about this scene.
The Feng’An Palace was very lively. Both concubines and princesses flattered the Empress Dowager Jin with a smile on their faces.
“It is said that the most talented woman in Shengjing is Yu Hong Ying, the second young lady of the Grand Master’s [8] Mansion. Back then, she wrote the poem “Singing catkins” [9]. The Poetry Club was startled and very envious of her talent.”
[8] 太师 Tàishī - imperial tutor. The scholar who taugh the princes. Baidu says: “In ancient times, Taishi, Taifu, and Taibao were called "Three Dukes", and later they were added to the titles of high officials, expressing grace but no real position”.
[9] 咏絮 yǒngxù - the talent of singing catkins. According to Baidu, this is a word used to describe eloquent, smart, talented women. It comes from an ancient story. You can read the story in the footnotes below.
 |
| Catkins in China. |
Gossip went back and forth. First they discussed the first beauty in Shengjing and now they talked about the enviable talented woman in Shengjing.
Zhong Zheng Ying frowned, “Yu Hong Ying has no good works since «Singing catkins». In Shengjing, Zhuge Li’s poems are the best, and no one can match them.”
Zhuge Li was the pearl in the palm of Lord Zhuge, the Head of the Imperial Guards. Zhuge Li not only wrote beautifully, but she herself was also quite beautiful.
Zhong Zheng Ying’s words were immediately approved by everyone. Zhuge Li’s poems and essays were almost selected as one of the top three “Great Collected Works”. Zhuge Li’s fame amongst women was quite good.
“This statement is biassed. Chenqie [10] knows that there are at least two women who are as good as Zhuge Li, not only in poetry but also in good loks” Fu Zhaoyi¡s cold voice instantly attracted everyone’s attention, and even the Empress Dowager Jin was curious.
[10] 臣妾 Chénqiè - (literary) I, your servant (self-appellation of a lower-rank female) / (archaic) male and female slaves / subjects (of a ruler).
Were there people who could keep pace with Zhuge Li? And she said there was two. If so, sho were them?
***
Relationship Diagram (by Sith Kazar)
▲ Footnotes
[1] 平妻 píngqī. A very rare case in ancient China where a man had another equal wife. Different from the first wife, who has the highest status, the flat wife/equal wife is a second wife, higher than a common concubine, and lower than the first wife. (Don’t cite me on this, this is also the first time I’m encountering this, lolol, many sites also say that this was a concubine and not a wife, but Wikipedia said otherwise).
[2] 贵妃 guìfēi - Noble Consort. High-ranking concubine, lower only to the Empress and the Imperial Noble Consort.
[3] This refers to when families establish a friendly political relationship with their wifes opening up their talks and later serving as an enhancement to avoid friction. This is something that tends to happen behind the scenes.
[4] 肉麻 ròumá - sickening/corny/sappy/maudlin/fulsome (of praise).
[5] 搞风搞雨 gǎofēng gǎo yǔ. Ply tricks behind others’ backs. Treacherous.
[6] ‘富贵满园’ fùguì mǎn yuán: A garden filled with riches an honor/The garden is full of wealth. (To shorten it I just called it “Prosperous Garden”.)
[7] 贼 Zéi - thief / traitor / wily / deceitful / evil / extremely.
[8] 太师 Tàishī - imperial tutor. The scholar who taugh the princes. Baidu says: “In ancient times, Taishi, Taifu, and Taibao were called "Three Dukes", and later they were added to the titles of high officials, expressing grace but no real position”.
[9] 咏絮 yǒngxù. (Also found to be 咏絮之才 yǒngxù zhī cái). According to Baidu, this is a word used to describe eloquent, smart women. It comes from an ancient story.
This is an idiom allusion, from the Song Dynasty in the Northern and Southern Dynasties, Liu Yiqing’s “The World Says New Language”. It tells the story of Xie Daoyun, a female poet of the Eastern Jin Dynasty and a famous talented woman.
The gist of the story: On a cold snowy day, Mr. Xie held a family gathering and explained poetry to his children and nephews. After a while, the snow outside became heavier. Mr. Xie, on a whim, asked: “What does the snow look like?” (What does the heavy snow look like?). The grandson of the grandfather, Xie Lang, replied, “Salt in the sky can be compared.” (It is almost similar to throwing salt in the air). At this time, Xie Daoyun, the daughter of the eldest grandfather, continued: “It looks like catkins moved by the wind”. (It might as well be compared to catkins flying in the air/未若柳絮因风起.) When Mr. Xie heard this, he immediately burst into laughter.
This story has been passed down, and people praised Xie Daoyun as a brilliant and talented woman. Talented women are praised as 咏絮之才 yǒngxù zhī cái which translated as “the talent of singing catkins”.
[10] 臣妾 Chénqiè - (literary) I, your servant (self-appellation of a lower-rank female) / (archaic) male and female slaves / subjects (of a ruler)
Zhong Zheng Ying looked sharply at Concubine Shu and He Lian-shi’s back, her eyes dark. She underestimated Zhong Zheng Lin’s Principal Consort! She never thought about getting burned.
“Her Royal Highness, bengong has heard that the Imperial Garden has planted new types of flowers. Fu Zhaoyi and bengong are about to go to see it, and we will have dinner afterward. Wonder if the Princess is interested in going together?”
Consort Qi’s sedan chair stopped in front of Zong Zheng Ying, opened the curtain, and her well-maintained face was full of smiles. Behind her was a gorgeous sedan chair, and through the lowered bead curtain, a beautiful concubine could be seen sitting in it. Facing Zhong Zheng Ying, she only nodded slightly, without saying a word of greeting.
Zhong Zheng Ying looked at Fu Zhaoyi, who had been extremely favored recently, and saw that she was dressed in a noble manner. Thus, the only pearl Buyao on her head was very eye-catching. When she took a closer look, she suddenly found that this rare and precious accessory… wasn’t it the pair of the one that Emperor Yuancheng rewarded Concubine Shu? No wonder Concubine Shu had an unfathomable expression on her face when she saw this new favorite.
“Since Consort Qi had extended an invitation, bengong is naturally happy to go.” Zhong Zheng Ying rolled her whip and turned around to ride the princess’s lift. She didn’t chat with Consort Qi but quietly admired the frosty woman in the sedan chair behind.
With such a cold temper, did she act the same way in front of Emperor Yuancheng?
***
“Mistress, Lord He Lian has gone to two places to socialize privately in the past two days. The people who met him were Fu Zuoyi, the Commander of the Infantry, and Wang Rui, Deputy Chief Eunuch of the Imperial Household, respectively. In addition, Lord He Lian’s second wife [1] has a very close relationship with Madam Anguo, who was recently sealed as an honored lady.”
[1] 平妻 píngqī. A very rare case in ancient China where a man had another equal wife. Different from the first wife, who has the highest status, the flat wife/equal wife is a second wife, higher than a common concubine, and lower than the first wife. (Don’t cite me on this, this is also the first time I’m encountering this, lolol, many sites also say that this was a concubine and not a wife, but Wikipedia said otherwise).
Wei Zhen explained all the news that the dark guard had received, and waited for Mistress Yao to speak.
He Lian Zhang was so courageous that he dared to contact the Anguo Mansion in disguise. A few months ago, the old Duke of Anguo finally couldn’t hold on anymore, and Emperor Yuancheng coldly asked people to go to prepare his funeral rites. Then, with a stroke of his pen, the eldest son of the Duke’s Mansion was promoted as usual. This talent, who had just been promoted to office, was the eldest uncle of the first prince Zhong Zheng Chun, who was now in the Yuye Palace as well as the elder brother of Noble Consort [2] Li, who was sent to “recuperate” by Mu Xi Yao.
[2] 贵妃 guìfēi - Noble Consort. High-ranking concubine, lower only to the Empress and the Imperial Noble Consort.
Behind Zhong Zheng Lin’s back, the He Lian family used the path of the wife’s diplomacy [3] and had secret contact with the eldest prince. Mu Xi Yao guessed that the two sides must have some ulterior motive. As the sixth highness’ in-laws, He Lian Zhang should’ve imagined that this would cause displeasure to Zhong Zheng Lin. Since he committed this crime, there must be a way to change the wind and let him go back. What was the old fox going to use to calm Zhong Zheng Lin’s anger?
[3] This refers to when families establish a friendly political relationship with their wifes opening up their talks and later serving as an enhancement to avoid friction. This is something that tends to happen behind the scenes.
“Fu Zuoyi, the commander of the infantry?” Mu Xi Yao was not familiar with this person. Instead, she had heard from his superior, Huo Shaoguang, the admiral of the Nine Gates from Zhong Zheng Lin several times.
“This person forms part of the newly promoted group of important ministers. His third daughter was chosen by the emperor in the draft. In just a few months, she has been promoted to a second-ranking Zhaoyi and enjoys the benefits of being an imperial concubine. Now that she is in her prime, no one in the palace can beat her except for Concubine Shu.”
Mu Xi Yao nodded. Emperor Yuancheng’s hands and feet were fast. Fu Zhaoyi? The next time she entered the palace for greetings, she had to take a good look at her.
So, the He Lian family wanted to use the connections in the harem to bring He Lian Wei Rui into Zhong Zheng Lin’s backyard? Wasn’t this abacus played too well?
How were they going to explain this? Moreover, how will they send their daughter to the sixth prince’s mansion when the Imperial Noble Consort was choosing a concubine for the eighth prince? This obviously had the meaning of choosing a prince’s faction, how could He Lian Zhang, who was known to be of the Emperor’s clique, keep the high hat of being a clean and loyal official?
“Alright. Since He Lian Zhang has already started the game, this game of chess is not without clues.” Mu Xi Yao calmed down and started writing again. “Mister Wei doesn’t have to worry about staring over there anymore. He Lian’s mansion only needs one or two secret guards to be on call at any time, and the rest can be withdrawn. What we have to wait for now is the news from the palace.” The battlefield changed to the harem, and the dark guards had little effect. Instead of risking exposure, it was better to be discreet.
Mu Xi Yao dismissed the servants, sitting alone in front of the bookcase to complete the daily homework assigned by the boss. On one hand, she wrote corny [4] lines to please the boss, while interjecting an occasional sigh about this and that situation that made her anxious.
[4] 肉麻 ròumá - sickening/corny/sappy/maudlin/fulsome (of praise).
If it goes on like this, wouldn’t she be involved in a palace fight again? And it was not the right time. And this fight will be with no more than with her father-in-law’s wifey, wasn’t this too much?
Shouldn’t this palace fight drama be with Emperor Jian’An’s harem? At this time, the big boss has not yet ascended the throne, but his favorite concubine has frequently appeared... This thing can’t be done, it was no different from stealing the spotlight. Mu Xi Yao pouted, if this was filming, it would definitely be considered overtime, she was very unhappy.
He Lian’s family had a good life, but their tricks [5] had to be counted!
[5] 搞风搞雨 gǎofēng gǎo yǔ. Ply tricks behind others’ backs. Treacherous.
In his letter to his sixth Highness, Mu Xi Yao emphasized how hard she had managed the housework and endured humiliation and burdens for his sixth Highness. The writing was touching and affectionate. In the end, she did not forget to let Zhong Zheng Lin remember to find a famous chef in Shu for her. It would be better if it could be sent to Shengjing earlier. The excuse was that the one in her belly had been very picky about dishes recently.
Three days later, news came out of the palace.
The Imperial Noble Consort had been recuperating in the palace for a long time now, and finally got the imperial doctor’s nod. Emperor Yuancheng went there in person, and then everything went as before.
In the morning, the concubines went to greet the Imperial Noble Consort and saw the Imperial Noble Consort who they haven’t seen for a while. Before the Duke’s death she used to be arrogant from head to toe, both in words and actions. Now, she was dressed elegantly with only a wooden hairpin on her head. She spoke more politely than before, and she became estranged from others.
When their greetings were over, for the first time, the concubines gave a full salute in front of the Imperial Noble Consort time and then left in silence. In the whole process, there was no gossip, so the Imperial Noble Consort just sat coldly for half a quarter of an hour. She didn’t have the smiling face from before, and she didn’t even fake a word of greeting.
“The Imperial Noble Consort has recovered?” Mu Xi Yao looked at Wei Zhen in surprise and asked the momo to bring Cheng Qing aside to play.
Although she knew for a long time that Concubine Liu’s case alone could not completely knock down the Imperial Noble Consort, she did not expect that Emperor Yuancheng would lift the ban so quickly. The old Duke passed away, and the hatred in the heart of the Imperial Noble Consort must be a hundred times stronger than before. Mu Xi Yao had never seen this woman’s ability with her eyes but she still secretly guarded against her. Maybe one day she would be provoked and take drastic measures. Fighting with a crazy person, one couldn’t have enough precautions.
“Fu Zhaoyi has been in contact with the Imperial Noble Consort for the past three days?” Being able to intercede in front of Emperor Yuancheng for Li-shi, the only variable in the palace, apart from Fu Zuoyi’s daughter, she couldn’t think of anyone else. Lord He Lian’s move was immediate and effective.
“When Fu Zhaoyi fell into the water, it was the Imperial Noble Consort’s prompt reaction that saved her life.” Wei Zhen didn’t dare to underestimate the means of the He Lian family. They even dared to design a water accident in the harem, they definitely used some secret chess pieces.
“She’s actually fast, huh.” Mu Xi Yao was amused.
Although Fu Zhaoyi and the Imperial Noble Consort lived in the same Six Palaces in the East, they were still separated by Consort Qi. Did this mean that the Imperial Noble Consort was able to handle things effectively, or was Consort Qi deaf and blind?
“Is the one in the middle a dead person? And how can this trick be hidden from the Emperor’s eyes?” Mu Xi Yao rolled her eyes.
Wei Zhen has gradually been able to adapt to Mistress Yao speaking casually in private. The rules in the palace were much more than the rules in their mansion. The Mistress was not willing to follow them, and His Highness was reluctant to discipline her, and he had no room to talk.
“Consort Qi took someone to eat in the Imperial Garden, she was not there when it happened.” Wei Zhen reported truthfully.
“That’s right. Consort Qi should have eaten her “Prosperous Garden” [6] for dinner. It must’ve been really hard for her to digest food at 7-9 pm.” Mu Xi Yao shook her head, showing no manners.
[6] ‘富贵满园’ fùguì mǎn yuán: A garden filled with riches an honor/The garden is full of wealth. (To shorten it I just called it “Prosperous Garden”.)
Wei Zhen’s face twitched. Mistress Yao dared to mock people even when she was in the wrong. “Prosperous Garden” was not a palace dish, but a grand banquet that was rarely served in Shengjing. The most recent one was to congratulate the Crown Prince on his wedding more than ten years ago, and there were nearly a thousand dishes. One table was enough for hundreds of strong men to eat.
Emperor Yuancheng did not have it easy. Mu Xi Yao sighed. An emperor has to turn a blind eye to these women’s clumsy methods, she felt that such patience was beyond her reach.
The biggest boss in Shengjing probably felt he owed a debt since when Duke Anguo died he didn’t allow the Imperial Noble Consort to leave the palace to pay homage. Now the old thief who was not pleasing to his eyes had kicked the bucket, so these little tricks were insignificant for him, and couldn’t care less.
The emperor was a thief [7], and all of them were the big shots in the movie industry!
[7] 贼 Zéi - thief / traitor / wily / deceitful / evil / extremely.
The Imperial Noble Consort, Consort Qi, and Fu Zhaoyi. These three women mixed together were too annoying. Consort Shu was still too popular, and people’s jealousy of her should be quite high. As a member of the Sixth Royal Highness’s Mansion, Mu Xi Yao could only suffer.
However, He Lian Zhang was worthy of his reputation as the emperor’s confidant, he really understood Emperor Yuancheng’s thoughts.
“Come back when there is news. This scene has just started, so let’s watch it slowly.” Mu Xi Yao was calm, she had guessed He Lian Zhang’s next move.
Sure enough, in the next few days, Emperor Yuancheng flipped the Imperial Noble Consort’s brand twice, and then Fu Zhaoyi’s. In the middle of this, Consort Shu, who was always stable no matter how many women there were in the emperor’s harem, had the Emperor Yuancheng going to her palace for a few days as well. This made the women in the harem see clearly that Concubine Shu seemed to be very stable, ah...
Fu Zhaoyi rarely smiled in front of the emperor. The cold beauty occasionally smiled charmingly, awkwardly begged for love, and said a few nice-sounding words, Emperor Yuancheng liked this act very much. Now, in order to repay her life-saving grace, Fu Zhaoyi repeatedly tried, and finally persuaded the emperor to go to the Imperial Noble Consort.
With such comings and goings, the two of them got closer and closer, and they talked more and more with each other.
On this day, He Lian Min Min went to Empress Dowager’s palace to give her greetings but it was not Zhong Zheng Ying who she met, but the “He Lian Party” led by the Imperial Noble Consort.
Ironically, He Lian Min Min was going to confront the forces that had been bribed by her family head-on. Mu Xi Yao was amazed after hearing about this scene.
The Feng’An Palace was very lively. Both concubines and princesses flattered the Empress Dowager Jin with a smile on their faces.
“It is said that the most talented woman in Shengjing is Yu Hong Ying, the second young lady of the Grand Master’s [8] Mansion. Back then, she wrote the poem “Singing catkins” [9]. The Poetry Club was startled and very envious of her talent.”
[8] 太师 Tàishī - imperial tutor. The scholar who taugh the princes. Baidu says: “In ancient times, Taishi, Taifu, and Taibao were called "Three Dukes", and later they were added to the titles of high officials, expressing grace but no real position”.
[9] 咏絮 yǒngxù - the talent of singing catkins. According to Baidu, this is a word used to describe eloquent, smart, talented women. It comes from an ancient story. You can read the story in the footnotes below.
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| Catkins in China. |
Gossip went back and forth. First they discussed the first beauty in Shengjing and now they talked about the enviable talented woman in Shengjing.
Zhong Zheng Ying frowned, “Yu Hong Ying has no good works since «Singing catkins». In Shengjing, Zhuge Li’s poems are the best, and no one can match them.”
Zhuge Li was the pearl in the palm of Lord Zhuge, the Head of the Imperial Guards. Zhuge Li not only wrote beautifully, but she herself was also quite beautiful.
Zhong Zheng Ying’s words were immediately approved by everyone. Zhuge Li’s poems and essays were almost selected as one of the top three “Great Collected Works”. Zhuge Li’s fame amongst women was quite good.
“This statement is biassed. Chenqie [10] knows that there are at least two women who are as good as Zhuge Li, not only in poetry but also in good loks” Fu Zhaoyi¡s cold voice instantly attracted everyone’s attention, and even the Empress Dowager Jin was curious.
[10] 臣妾 Chénqiè - (literary) I, your servant (self-appellation of a lower-rank female) / (archaic) male and female slaves / subjects (of a ruler).
Were there people who could keep pace with Zhuge Li? And she said there was two. If so, sho were them?
***
Relationship Diagram (by Sith Kazar)
▲ Footnotes
[1] 平妻 píngqī. A very rare case in ancient China where a man had another equal wife. Different from the first wife, who has the highest status, the flat wife/equal wife is a second wife, higher than a common concubine, and lower than the first wife. (Don’t cite me on this, this is also the first time I’m encountering this, lolol, many sites also say that this was a concubine and not a wife, but Wikipedia said otherwise).
[2] 贵妃 guìfēi - Noble Consort. High-ranking concubine, lower only to the Empress and the Imperial Noble Consort.
[3] This refers to when families establish a friendly political relationship with their wifes opening up their talks and later serving as an enhancement to avoid friction. This is something that tends to happen behind the scenes.
[4] 肉麻 ròumá - sickening/corny/sappy/maudlin/fulsome (of praise).
[5] 搞风搞雨 gǎofēng gǎo yǔ. Ply tricks behind others’ backs. Treacherous.
[6] ‘富贵满园’ fùguì mǎn yuán: A garden filled with riches an honor/The garden is full of wealth. (To shorten it I just called it “Prosperous Garden”.)
[7] 贼 Zéi - thief / traitor / wily / deceitful / evil / extremely.
[8] 太师 Tàishī - imperial tutor. The scholar who taugh the princes. Baidu says: “In ancient times, Taishi, Taifu, and Taibao were called "Three Dukes", and later they were added to the titles of high officials, expressing grace but no real position”.
[9] 咏絮 yǒngxù. (Also found to be 咏絮之才 yǒngxù zhī cái). According to Baidu, this is a word used to describe eloquent, smart women. It comes from an ancient story.
This is an idiom allusion, from the Song Dynasty in the Northern and Southern Dynasties, Liu Yiqing’s “The World Says New Language”. It tells the story of Xie Daoyun, a female poet of the Eastern Jin Dynasty and a famous talented woman.
The gist of the story: On a cold snowy day, Mr. Xie held a family gathering and explained poetry to his children and nephews. After a while, the snow outside became heavier. Mr. Xie, on a whim, asked: “What does the snow look like?” (What does the heavy snow look like?). The grandson of the grandfather, Xie Lang, replied, “Salt in the sky can be compared.” (It is almost similar to throwing salt in the air). At this time, Xie Daoyun, the daughter of the eldest grandfather, continued: “It looks like catkins moved by the wind”. (It might as well be compared to catkins flying in the air/未若柳絮因风起.) When Mr. Xie heard this, he immediately burst into laughter.
This story has been passed down, and people praised Xie Daoyun as a brilliant and talented woman. Talented women are praised as 咏絮之才 yǒngxù zhī cái which translated as “the talent of singing catkins”.
[10] 臣妾 Chénqiè - (literary) I, your servant (self-appellation of a lower-rank female) / (archaic) male and female slaves / subjects (of a ruler)
