"I haven't said anything yet," Ying Wang whispered, keeping his voice low so that no one else would hear.
"You don't have to say it. I know what you're thinking," Consort Xian took a deep breath, maintaining a perfect smile even when criticizing her son in front of everyone.
Ying Wang froze, looking at the flawless smile on his mother's face. After a moment of silence, he straightened up and said, "I understand. I'll take my leave."
"Sister, Minghao showed his filial respect to you as soon as he arrived. The first thing he did was to greet you," Consort Rong sighed as she glanced at Ning Wang, who was sitting opposite and eating with his head lowered.
It was her own fault for trying to compete with Consort Xian to give birth to the eldest prince. She had taken labor-inducing medicine before her due date. The child she gave birth to couldn't compare in martial arts with Ying Wang, in literary talents with the Fifth Prince, Ji Yanqiu, let alone with the Crown Prince, who excelled in both literary talents and martial arts.
Upon hearing Consort Rong's words, Consort Xian forced a dry laugh. Deep down, she thought, filial respect my foot!
She turned her head to look at Hua Liuli, who had been accompanied by the Crown Prince to the Empress Dowager's side. Delicate and beautiful, she exuded an innocent charm that came from being spoiled by her family. If she were her own daughter, she might have loved her dearly.
But she wasn't. Such a girl, even without considering her troublesome background, was not suitable to be a Wangfei.
"Empress Dowager, your imperial grandson has brought the little girl you like," the Crown Prince handed Hua Liuli to the Empress Dowager and accompanied her in conversation until Emperor Changlong arrived. Then he got up and bowed to Emperor Changlong.
On occasions like this, the princes would prepare gifts for both the Empress Dowager and the Emperor to show their filial respect. Fortunately, there were no heirs to the princes in the palace; otherwise, they would have had to prepare an extra gift.
The princes were grateful to their imperial father for this.
Of course, they would be even more grateful if their imperial father was willing to let their own mothers become the Empress.
The eldest son, Ying Wang, always gifted items made of gold and jade. He had developed a deep affection for these gifts over the years.
As for the gift from Ning Wang, it was some kind of coral tree, just a fancy item that costs a lot.
The Fourth Prince gave something symbolic of a good harvest of grains, but Hua Liuli doubted it. She heard that the Fourth Prince's maternal family was not very wealthy, so he might be trying to save money.
The Fifth Prince gave a painting he had personally created. Hua Liuli glanced at the courtiers' expressions and they seemed calm, it seems they were already accustomed to the princes' gift-giving style.
"Junzhu," Yuan Yi whispered to Hua Liuli as she squatted down next to her, peeling fruit, "Nubi heard that the Fifth Prince has a hobby."
Hua Liuli raised an eyebrow, gesturing for Yuan Yi to continue.
"The Fifth Prince is particularly fond of painting and is very confident in his skills. It is said that someone criticized his painting last year and he held a grudge for a whole year. In the end, the person cried and praised the Fifth Prince as a once-in-a-millennium painting genius, and only then did the Fifth Prince forgive him."
Hua Liuli looked at the graceful Fifth Prince among the crowd and couldn't believe that he had such a peculiar quirk. Suddenly, she became curious about the painting he had personally created.
The Empress Dowager noticed Hua Liuli staring at the pile of gift boxes in front of her and thought she was curious about them. She waved her hand when Hua Liuli approached.
When Hua Liuli leaned closer, the Empress Dowager whispered, "There's nothing interesting. These things are just the same every year," But what could she do? All the gift-givers were her grandsons, and even if she didn't like them, she was afraid of hurting their feelings. Not only did she have to praise them, but she also had to find a place in the palace to display these items.
Luckily, she only had five grandsons and three granddaughters. If there were a few more, she would worry about finding space in the Shoukang Palace.
"The Crown Prince presents his congratulatory gift."
As the eunuch announced, the Empress Dowager turned her gaze to her favorite grandson standing in front of the Emperor.
The Crown Prince presented various crop seeds that could increase production. The Emperor was so delighted that he drank an extra cup of wine. When he wanted to have a second cup, the Crown Prince stopped him.
The Empress Dowager received various fabrics, and although they were just items on the gift list, the descriptions of the fabrics had already made the Empress Dowager ecstatic.
Looking at the items listed on the gift list, Hua Liuli seemed to understand why the Empress Dowager felt closer to the Crown Prince. For the Empress Dowager, gold, silver, and jade were easy to obtain, but sincere sentiments were hard to come by.
The Crown Prince didn't care how others perceived him when they see that all he presented were fabrics. He only cared what his imperial grandmother liked. The other princes, on the other hand, only want the outsiders to see their filial piety and sincerity.
If she were a grandmother, she would probably also enjoy taking care of her grandchildren who catered to her likes and preferences.
When the other consorts learned that the Crown Prince had presented various fabrics to the Empress Dowager, they felt that he had become somewhat arrogant over the years. It was obvious that he hadn't prepared carefully and had just brought a pile of fabrics as a perfunctory gesture at the last minute.
Could the Empress Dowager ever lack those fabrics?
On the other hand, the various selectively bred crop seeds were interesting. The Crown Prince's residence had many talented people at his beck. The other princes couldn't openly rely on their subordinates to advise them as the Crown Prince could. It seemed that the Crown Prince was taking advantage of the situation.
After the New Year's gifts were presented, it was the process of flattering the princes, which was a routine of elevating the Emperor's status. The officials present were all professionals in this regard, there were even talented individuals who composed poems on the spot. The general meaning of the poem was that Your Majesty, you are like the Divine Purple Star descending to earth. Your brilliance shines upon all your subjects. The princes are more splendid because of you. They are extraordinary because of you. They exist in this world because of you.
Hua Liuli, who had never seen such a scene, was stunned by their words. She listened attentively from beginning to end, not even willing to blink her eyes.
After the flattery process was over, the singing and dancing banquet began. Hua Liuli saw the Empress Dowager preparing to have the female attendants take away the pile of gift boxes on the table, so she quickly spoke up, "Empress Dowager, I have heard that the Fifth Prince excels in painting. His artworks are lifelike. May I have the honor of seeing them?"
Upon hearing this, Hua Liuli felt the Empress Dowager's expression stiffen a bit, and she couldn't help but wonder if she had said something wrong.
"This child, Ji Yanqiu, has indeed liked painting since he was young," the Empress Dowager's expression became somewhat complicated, "But it's just his personal hobby, so you don't have to take it seriously."
Hua Liuli thought that the Empress Dowager was being quite humble when mentioning her own family.
"Never mind, you may take a look if you want," the Empress Dowager placed the scroll containing the painting in Hua Liuli's hands, her expression... complicated.
Hua Liuli carefully opened the scroll and saw the words "Purple Qi Descends" written in the blank space. The handwriting was beautiful and matched the Fifth Prince's temperament quite well.
With such beautiful handwriting, the painting must be stunning.
After fully unfolding the painting, Hua Liuli remained silent for a long time, trembling as she closed the scroll.
It's said that being an elder is not easy. It turns out it's the same for the imperial clan elders. No wonder the Empress Dowager spoke in such a manner. Hua Liuli had thought she was being modest, but it turned out she was being sincere.
"This painting... the elegant calligraphy on the blank space is as graceful as the wind, perfectly complementing the Fifth Prince's demeanor," Hua Liuli returned the gift box to the Empress Dowager's attendant, "The symbolism in the artwork is also auspicious, showing the Fifth Prince's filial piety towards you."
The Empress Dowager looked at Hua Liuli silently, seemingly at a loss for words.
"The Fifth Prince is very filial. He often paints for the Empress Dowager and His Majesty and has never stopped for many years," the attendant who took back the gift box smiled and spoke well of the Fifth Prince.
Hua Liuli suddenly felt sympathy for the Empress Dowager and the Emperor. They received artworks of such caliber for no apparent reason, they even had to rack their brains to find words of praise to encourage the Fifth Prince. It was truly a touching display of the relationship between the family members.
"This year's dance performances seem quite interesting, let's take a look," the Empress Dowager didn't want to discuss the Fifth Prince's painting any further.
"It is indeed intriguing," Hua Liuli nodded and turned her attention to the performance.
Having grown up on the border, although everyone gathered together for festivities at the end of the year, it was always a makeshift stage, quite different from the performances in the palace.
As the palace banquet neared its end, some nobles gracefully danced to the music, creating a lively atmosphere. Whether they were nobles or commoners who entered the imperial court through the civil service examination, they all had to learn the six arts of a gentleman and would occasionally join in the dancing. It was a normal occurrence.
The Empress Dowager, who was getting older, saw everyone enjoying themselves and left early. Before leaving, she didn't forget to leave her female attendant to take care of Hua Liuli.
The respected Empress Dowager was worried that Hua Liuli wouldn't know how to dance the popular noble dances in the capital and would be excluded by the other noble ladies.
"Fushou Junzhu, aren't you going to dance?" the Second Princess approached Hua Liuli, who was sitting idle, and asked her, "Why not join me?"
"Thank you for the kind offer, Second Princess, but this humble servant is weak in health. If this humble servant accidentally falls and gets injured, it will dampen everyone's spirits," Hua Liuli shook her head, "It is better this way."
The Second Princess knew that her health condition was not great, so she didn't insist and turned to dance with several other princesses.
These noble ladies had received the best education since childhood, and their dancing movements were extremely graceful, as if celestial beings were strolling. Hua Liuli supported her chin with one hand and couldn't help but smile as she watched these beautiful and elegant women.
"Junzhu," the gentle and bright Fifth Prince approached Hua Liuli, who was sitting alone at the table, and said, "Your tea has gone cold. Shall Benwang have a palace servant bring you a fresh cup?"
"No need, Your Highness. this humble servant is not fond of tea," Hua Liuli didn't expect the Fifth Prince to come over and talk to her. She let go of her chin and stood up, bowing to the Fifth Prince.
The Fifth Prince returned a slight bow, saying, "Benwang noticed earlier that Junzhu seemed to be appreciating my painting. Benwang wonders if Junzhu has any suggestions or opinions regarding the painting?"
Hua Liuli: "..."
Huh?!
She was just being curious out of boredom, and now the Fifth Prince suddenly asked her this, putting her in a difficult position.
Seeing Hua Liuli remaining silent, the smile on the Fifth Prince's face faded slightly, "Perhaps my painting is not good enough..."
"Your Highness is too modest," Hua Liuli spoke with difficulty, "Your paintings embody a childlike innocence that many other paintings lack."
Without childlike innocence, one cannot persist in a hobby for so many years.
"In today's painting titled 'Purple Qi Descends', the auspicious clouds are vivid and surrounded by an ethereal aura. Though the immortals are not present in the painting, traces of their presence can be felt throughout. The landscape below carries both grandeur and a hint of elegance," Hua Liuli looked at the Fifth Prince, whose smile became warmer, "This humble servant has no talent in painting, so if I have said anything wrong, I beg Your Highness's forgiveness."
"No," the Fifth Prince shook his head slightly. He was handsome, and even the action of shaking his head carried a unique elegance, "Benwang believes Junzhu is someone who understands and appreciates art."
"Understands what?" The Crown Prince walked over and glanced at the smiling Fifth Prince.
The Fifth Prince repeated the words Hua Liuli praised him with.
The Crown Prince raised an eyebrow as he looked at Hua Liuli.
It seemed that the Feng Shui1Feng Shui is a term originating from Chinese culture that refers to the practice of arranging objects and living spaces in a harmonious and balanced way to create a positive flow of energy. The term "Feng Shui" translates to "wind-water" in English, symbolizing the natural elements that are believed to influence the flow of energy. in the capital wasn't working well. How could a good girl like her learn to talk nonsense?
Krish728
Author's Note:
Feng Shui in the Capital: Blaming me?
Dominant. Crown Prince. Male: My surname is Ji, my name is Yuansu. Remember it, all of you!
Translator's Note:
It seems from the last two chapters' Author's Notes, the author has been trying to refresh our memory of the Crown Prince's name. Quite possibly, the author will start to address the Crown Prince as Ji Yuansu more frequently from now on.
"I haven't said anything yet," Ying Wang whispered, keeping his voice low so that no one else would hear.
"You don't have to say it. I know what you're thinking," Consort Xian took a deep breath, maintaining a perfect smile even when criticizing her son in front of everyone.
Ying Wang froze, looking at the flawless smile on his mother's face. After a moment of silence, he straightened up and said, "I understand. I'll take my leave."
"Sister, Minghao showed his filial respect to you as soon as he arrived. The first thing he did was to greet you," Consort Rong sighed as she glanced at Ning Wang, who was sitting opposite and eating with his head lowered.
It was her own fault for trying to compete with Consort Xian to give birth to the eldest prince. She had taken labor-inducing medicine before her due date. The child she gave birth to couldn't compare in martial arts with Ying Wang, in literary talents with the Fifth Prince, Ji Yanqiu, let alone with the Crown Prince, who excelled in both literary talents and martial arts.
Upon hearing Consort Rong's words, Consort Xian forced a dry laugh. Deep down, she thought, filial respect my foot!
She turned her head to look at Hua Liuli, who had been accompanied by the Crown Prince to the Empress Dowager's side. Delicate and beautiful, she exuded an innocent charm that came from being spoiled by her family. If she were her own daughter, she might have loved her dearly.
But she wasn't. Such a girl, even without considering her troublesome background, was not suitable to be a Wangfei.
"Empress Dowager, your imperial grandson has brought the little girl you like," the Crown Prince handed Hua Liuli to the Empress Dowager and accompanied her in conversation until Emperor Changlong arrived. Then he got up and bowed to Emperor Changlong.
On occasions like this, the princes would prepare gifts for both the Empress Dowager and the Emperor to show their filial respect. Fortunately, there were no heirs to the princes in the palace; otherwise, they would have had to prepare an extra gift.
The princes were grateful to their imperial father for this.
Of course, they would be even more grateful if their imperial father was willing to let their own mothers become the Empress.
The eldest son, Ying Wang, always gifted items made of gold and jade. He had developed a deep affection for these gifts over the years.
As for the gift from Ning Wang, it was some kind of coral tree, just a fancy item that costs a lot.
The Fourth Prince gave something symbolic of a good harvest of grains, but Hua Liuli doubted it. She heard that the Fourth Prince's maternal family was not very wealthy, so he might be trying to save money.
The Fifth Prince gave a painting he had personally created. Hua Liuli glanced at the courtiers' expressions and they seemed calm, it seems they were already accustomed to the princes' gift-giving style.
"Junzhu," Yuan Yi whispered to Hua Liuli as she squatted down next to her, peeling fruit, "Nubi heard that the Fifth Prince has a hobby."
Hua Liuli raised an eyebrow, gesturing for Yuan Yi to continue.
"The Fifth Prince is particularly fond of painting and is very confident in his skills. It is said that someone criticized his painting last year and he held a grudge for a whole year. In the end, the person cried and praised the Fifth Prince as a once-in-a-millennium painting genius, and only then did the Fifth Prince forgive him."
Hua Liuli looked at the graceful Fifth Prince among the crowd and couldn't believe that he had such a peculiar quirk. Suddenly, she became curious about the painting he had personally created.
The Empress Dowager noticed Hua Liuli staring at the pile of gift boxes in front of her and thought she was curious about them. She waved her hand when Hua Liuli approached.
When Hua Liuli leaned closer, the Empress Dowager whispered, "There's nothing interesting. These things are just the same every year," But what could she do? All the gift-givers were her grandsons, and even if she didn't like them, she was afraid of hurting their feelings. Not only did she have to praise them, but she also had to find a place in the palace to display these items.
Luckily, she only had five grandsons and three granddaughters. If there were a few more, she would worry about finding space in the Shoukang Palace.
"The Crown Prince presents his congratulatory gift."
As the eunuch announced, the Empress Dowager turned her gaze to her favorite grandson standing in front of the Emperor.
The Crown Prince presented various crop seeds that could increase production. The Emperor was so delighted that he drank an extra cup of wine. When he wanted to have a second cup, the Crown Prince stopped him.
The Empress Dowager received various fabrics, and although they were just items on the gift list, the descriptions of the fabrics had already made the Empress Dowager ecstatic.
Looking at the items listed on the gift list, Hua Liuli seemed to understand why the Empress Dowager felt closer to the Crown Prince. For the Empress Dowager, gold, silver, and jade were easy to obtain, but sincere sentiments were hard to come by.
The Crown Prince didn't care how others perceived him when they see that all he presented were fabrics. He only cared what his imperial grandmother liked. The other princes, on the other hand, only want the outsiders to see their filial piety and sincerity.
If she were a grandmother, she would probably also enjoy taking care of her grandchildren who catered to her likes and preferences.
When the other consorts learned that the Crown Prince had presented various fabrics to the Empress Dowager, they felt that he had become somewhat arrogant over the years. It was obvious that he hadn't prepared carefully and had just brought a pile of fabrics as a perfunctory gesture at the last minute.
Could the Empress Dowager ever lack those fabrics?
On the other hand, the various selectively bred crop seeds were interesting. The Crown Prince's residence had many talented people at his beck. The other princes couldn't openly rely on their subordinates to advise them as the Crown Prince could. It seemed that the Crown Prince was taking advantage of the situation.
After the New Year's gifts were presented, it was the process of flattering the princes, which was a routine of elevating the Emperor's status. The officials present were all professionals in this regard, there were even talented individuals who composed poems on the spot. The general meaning of the poem was that Your Majesty, you are like the Divine Purple Star descending to earth. Your brilliance shines upon all your subjects. The princes are more splendid because of you. They are extraordinary because of you. They exist in this world because of you.
Hua Liuli, who had never seen such a scene, was stunned by their words. She listened attentively from beginning to end, not even willing to blink her eyes.
After the flattery process was over, the singing and dancing banquet began. Hua Liuli saw the Empress Dowager preparing to have the female attendants take away the pile of gift boxes on the table, so she quickly spoke up, "Empress Dowager, I have heard that the Fifth Prince excels in painting. His artworks are lifelike. May I have the honor of seeing them?"
Upon hearing this, Hua Liuli felt the Empress Dowager's expression stiffen a bit, and she couldn't help but wonder if she had said something wrong.
"This child, Ji Yanqiu, has indeed liked painting since he was young," the Empress Dowager's expression became somewhat complicated, "But it's just his personal hobby, so you don't have to take it seriously."
Hua Liuli thought that the Empress Dowager was being quite humble when mentioning her own family.
"Never mind, you may take a look if you want," the Empress Dowager placed the scroll containing the painting in Hua Liuli's hands, her expression... complicated.
Hua Liuli carefully opened the scroll and saw the words "Purple Qi Descends" written in the blank space. The handwriting was beautiful and matched the Fifth Prince's temperament quite well.
With such beautiful handwriting, the painting must be stunning.
After fully unfolding the painting, Hua Liuli remained silent for a long time, trembling as she closed the scroll.
It's said that being an elder is not easy. It turns out it's the same for the imperial clan elders. No wonder the Empress Dowager spoke in such a manner. Hua Liuli had thought she was being modest, but it turned out she was being sincere.
"This painting... the elegant calligraphy on the blank space is as graceful as the wind, perfectly complementing the Fifth Prince's demeanor," Hua Liuli returned the gift box to the Empress Dowager's attendant, "The symbolism in the artwork is also auspicious, showing the Fifth Prince's filial piety towards you."
The Empress Dowager looked at Hua Liuli silently, seemingly at a loss for words.
"The Fifth Prince is very filial. He often paints for the Empress Dowager and His Majesty and has never stopped for many years," the attendant who took back the gift box smiled and spoke well of the Fifth Prince.
Hua Liuli suddenly felt sympathy for the Empress Dowager and the Emperor. They received artworks of such caliber for no apparent reason, they even had to rack their brains to find words of praise to encourage the Fifth Prince. It was truly a touching display of the relationship between the family members.
"This year's dance performances seem quite interesting, let's take a look," the Empress Dowager didn't want to discuss the Fifth Prince's painting any further.
"It is indeed intriguing," Hua Liuli nodded and turned her attention to the performance.
Having grown up on the border, although everyone gathered together for festivities at the end of the year, it was always a makeshift stage, quite different from the performances in the palace.
As the palace banquet neared its end, some nobles gracefully danced to the music, creating a lively atmosphere. Whether they were nobles or commoners who entered the imperial court through the civil service examination, they all had to learn the six arts of a gentleman and would occasionally join in the dancing. It was a normal occurrence.
The Empress Dowager, who was getting older, saw everyone enjoying themselves and left early. Before leaving, she didn't forget to leave her female attendant to take care of Hua Liuli.
The respected Empress Dowager was worried that Hua Liuli wouldn't know how to dance the popular noble dances in the capital and would be excluded by the other noble ladies.
"Fushou Junzhu, aren't you going to dance?" the Second Princess approached Hua Liuli, who was sitting idle, and asked her, "Why not join me?"
"Thank you for the kind offer, Second Princess, but this humble servant is weak in health. If this humble servant accidentally falls and gets injured, it will dampen everyone's spirits," Hua Liuli shook her head, "It is better this way."
The Second Princess knew that her health condition was not great, so she didn't insist and turned to dance with several other princesses.
These noble ladies had received the best education since childhood, and their dancing movements were extremely graceful, as if celestial beings were strolling. Hua Liuli supported her chin with one hand and couldn't help but smile as she watched these beautiful and elegant women.
"Junzhu," the gentle and bright Fifth Prince approached Hua Liuli, who was sitting alone at the table, and said, "Your tea has gone cold. Shall Benwang have a palace servant bring you a fresh cup?"
"No need, Your Highness. this humble servant is not fond of tea," Hua Liuli didn't expect the Fifth Prince to come over and talk to her. She let go of her chin and stood up, bowing to the Fifth Prince.
The Fifth Prince returned a slight bow, saying, "Benwang noticed earlier that Junzhu seemed to be appreciating my painting. Benwang wonders if Junzhu has any suggestions or opinions regarding the painting?"
Hua Liuli: "..."
Huh?!
She was just being curious out of boredom, and now the Fifth Prince suddenly asked her this, putting her in a difficult position.
Seeing Hua Liuli remaining silent, the smile on the Fifth Prince's face faded slightly, "Perhaps my painting is not good enough..."
"Your Highness is too modest," Hua Liuli spoke with difficulty, "Your paintings embody a childlike innocence that many other paintings lack."
Without childlike innocence, one cannot persist in a hobby for so many years.
"In today's painting titled 'Purple Qi Descends', the auspicious clouds are vivid and surrounded by an ethereal aura. Though the immortals are not present in the painting, traces of their presence can be felt throughout. The landscape below carries both grandeur and a hint of elegance," Hua Liuli looked at the Fifth Prince, whose smile became warmer, "This humble servant has no talent in painting, so if I have said anything wrong, I beg Your Highness's forgiveness."
"No," the Fifth Prince shook his head slightly. He was handsome, and even the action of shaking his head carried a unique elegance, "Benwang believes Junzhu is someone who understands and appreciates art."
"Understands what?" The Crown Prince walked over and glanced at the smiling Fifth Prince.
The Fifth Prince repeated the words Hua Liuli praised him with.
The Crown Prince raised an eyebrow as he looked at Hua Liuli.
It seemed that the Feng Shui1Feng Shui is a term originating from Chinese culture that refers to the practice of arranging objects and living spaces in a harmonious and balanced way to create a positive flow of energy. The term "Feng Shui" translates to "wind-water" in English, symbolizing the natural elements that are believed to influence the flow of energy. in the capital wasn't working well. How could a good girl like her learn to talk nonsense?
Krish728
Author's Note:
Feng Shui in the Capital: Blaming me?
Dominant. Crown Prince. Male: My surname is Ji, my name is Yuansu. Remember it, all of you!
Translator's Note:
It seems from the last two chapters' Author's Notes, the author has been trying to refresh our memory of the Crown Prince's name. Quite possibly, the author will start to address the Crown Prince as Ji Yuansu more frequently from now on.
