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Chapter 10
Yi Xing did not have much interest in her apology; the matter had passed, and she no longer held it to heart.
However, since she had done it, she shouldn't be shedding these tears now, as if the Palace of Prolonging Happiness (Chu Xiu Gong) were a mountain of daggers or a sea of flames. She had enjoyed the fruits of her betrayal, only to start regretting it now.
Yi Xing held the oil-paper tube, stepped aside to give her room, and said, "There is no 'sorry' or 'not sorry' between us. As long as you do well there, then this entire ordeal won't have been in vain." Having said that, she moved to brush past her.
But Ying Tao blocked her path, a tragic smile on her face. "Auntie, I don't have a single person in this palace I can truly talk to. Only you and Sister Yin Zhu were sincerely good to me. I lacked character and did something terrible to you; now my heart is green with regret. Honestly, if it weren't for that incident, how wonderful it would be if we were still together now."
Yi Xing interpreted this as the girl feigning misery after winning the prize, but because there was a little palace maid following Ying Tao closely, never leaving her side, she gave her some face. She simply said, "The road was your own choice. Since you've taken it, don't look back. There isn't much of a future in following us into the Bureau of Ceremonies anyway, doing menial errands every day. Would you really have been willing to do that?"
Ying Tao knew Yi Xing looked down on her. Amidst her shame, she nodded slowly. "You are right. The road was my own choice; I have no reason to cry out my grievances before you." She gave her a bittersweet glance. "Auntie, I owe you. In the next life, I will be a cow or a horse to repay you."
There was nothing more that could be said. Ying Tao curtsied to Yi Xing, then turned and entered the Bureau of Imperial Attire.
Yi Xing felt a wave of melancholy. She stood there for a moment, then opened her umbrella, held the oil-paper roll, and rushed back to the Bureau of Ceremonies through the rain.
Since she had successfully requested the technical sketches this time, there could be no more mistakes. Wu Shangyi pulled out the drawings, spread them on the table, and examined them carefully. The carving craftsmanship was extremely delicate; there was no reason for Concubine Kang to dislike them.
"The struggle for rank among the mistresses in the palace is truly unavoidable. A high rank brings so much advantage. Those at the rank of Concubine (Pin) or above can choose the floral patterns they like, wearing pure gold and kingfisher feathers on their heads. Those below the rank of Concubine do not have such luck; they have to wait for the Emperor's rewards." Wu Shangyi smiled as she finished speaking, then turned her gaze to Yi Xing.
"Young lady, you surely don't know how glorious your family's 'Auntie' was when she was in the palace. People like us didn't even dare to lift our heads when we saw her, for fear of offending her phoenix aura. Who would have thought that after being Empress for only a few years, she would be deposed to the Outer Eight Temples? What a pity, truly a pity."
Wu Shangyi's tone was entirely mocking. At first, Yi Xing didn't realize who "your family's Auntie" referred to, but then it clicked, she was talking about Yi Xing's own grand-niece.
A former Empress had become a topic for servants to use for amusement and idle chatter. It was clear that once a person falls from power, even animals can look down on them.
Yi Xing did not respond to her words. She kept her head lowered, maintaining the proper posture of a palace maid.
Because she had been caught in the rain earlier and her shoes were soaked, she only hoped to return to the Tatan (dormitory) to change. But Wu Shangyi refused to give the word. Instead, she shot her a sideways glance. "When you entered the training quarters, the nannies should have told you that palace maids are not allowed to enter or exit alone, shouldn't they? You broke the precept today, do you know that?"
Yi Xing's temper almost flared up again. She suppressed it with effort and said, "Because everyone was assigned out, I truly did not have a companion..."
"Nonsense! With so many people in the Bureau of Ceremonies, you couldn't find a single one to go with you? You kept your mouth shut as if you were wearing a bit, unwilling to ask for help—this is your fault. I said long ago, this place is not your Shang Manor. When you are on duty, you must act like you are on duty. Having a spirit higher than the heavens is not a good thing; I have my own ways to correct this foul habit of yours."
Needless to say, she was to be punished again. Yi Xing knew that begging for mercy was useless; she could only accept her bad luck.
Wu Shangyi ordered someone to bring a Dianba-zi. This was a board made of Qichu bamboo, about two inches wide, perfect for disciplining people. Almost every little maid who came out of the Bureau of Ceremonies had tasted its flavor. The maids recruited from the south even gave this punishment a vivid name: "Bamboo Shoots Roasted with Meat."
Thwack!
Pity poor Yi Xing’s palms. That burning pain was impossible to hide from, for the more one dodged, the more fiercely the strikes fell.
Wu Shangyi showed no mercy at all, stopping only after twenty heavy blows.
By then, Yi Xing’s hands were so swollen she could no longer grip anything. She stared at her hands; the skin looked as if water were pooling underneath, and the very lines of her palms were stretched so thin they had vanished.
Wu Shangyi said through gritted teeth, "Considering this is your first offense, I will spare you this time. If there is a next time, it won't be as simple as a beating—execution and exile all depend on this."
Yi Xing choked back her tears and said, "Thank you for the lesson, Shangyi. I have remembered it all."
When Yin Zhu returned that night and saw her tragic state, she could do nothing but sigh repeatedly.
"Being born into the Shang family used to be an honor; now it has become a death warrant. Auntie, if you ever gain power in the future, you must avenge today's debt."
The pain of the bamboo board was one thing, but the most poisonous part was the bamboo splinters on the board—so long and fine, they were very difficult to handle once they pierced the flesh.
Yin Zhu held an embroidery needle and picked the splinters out one by one under the oil lamp. Yi Xing’s tears fell in large droplets onto the bed-table as she sobbed, "I am truly too useless... too useless..."
Yin Zhu said, "Today while cleaning the Hall of Ancestral Worship (Fengxian Dian), a girl named Jiguan from next door accidentally knocked over the First Emperor's spirit tablet. She was dragged away on the spot. Useless? Who in this palace doesn't live uselessly? It’s not just us—even those who have been granted titles aren't happy in everything. Those without favor fight for it, and those with favor are busy trying to give birth to a prince..." She lowered her voice. "Unless one becomes the Empress Dowager, everyone has to live with their tail between their legs."
Hearing her say this, Yi Xing's self-blame lessened by half, and she turned to ask about Jiguan’s fate.
"Where is Jiguan now? What happened to her?"
Yin Zhu said she didn't know. "Perhaps she was sent to the Xincheku (labor camp). Your beating is nothing; don't take it to heart. Those old palace veterans listen to the masters of the Six Palaces. It's likely someone gave Wu Shangyi a hint to deal with you."
Yi Xing understood this as well. It was Wu Shangyi who had screened her out during the third selection; Wu Shangyi wanted to crush her more than anyone.
Though the "Old Auntie" wasn't tough, she was very clear-headed. Now was not the time for self-pity. Since she was a palace maid, beatings were inevitable. Fortunately, she was young, and the palace rules forbade hitting the face. Suffering a bit in her palms was something she could still endure.
However, it was true that the palace did not value human life.
While they were honing their skills and enduring scoldings at the Bureau of Ceremonies, news of Ying Tao arrived.
On the day they were tidying the Tatan, everyone was in the large courtyard airing their bedding. The most well-informed little eunuch, Chun Shou, came running in from the palace gate, shouting as he ran: "Something’s happened! Something’s happened! Ying Tao, who was selected for Chu Xiu Gong last time, was beaten into a bloody mess because she offended Concubine Ma. The Imperial Clan Court has already come to collect the body and sent to be taken away!"
Everyone was stunned by the news. The little girl who had been envied not long ago had lost her life in an instant; it was truly hard to process.
Of course, while most people were grieving, there were those who took the opportunity to be sarcastic.
"This time, the Ying Tao truly turned red and the plantain turned green. They say one should make a hat to fit the head; a lowly life is just a lowly life. Some people even wanted to rely on 'sisterly friendship' to climb up—well, that hope is severed now!" As she spoke, she shot a sideways glance at Yi Xing.
Yi Xing had no time to deal with her. She remembered meeting Ying Tao at the Bureau of Imperial Attire that day; Ying Tao had spoken of "a Next life." It seemed she had a premonition of her situation even then.
Yin Zhu, however, could not stand the barbed words. "The person is dead, and you're still here brewing sour soup. At least have some decency, unless you want her sitting on your bedpost in the middle of the night."
But the other woman did not argue with her this time. She took a high-and-mighty stance, tapping the edge of the water vat. "Only the person whose flesh it is feels the pain. We are outsiders; at most, we listen for the gossip. What does it have to do with us?" She raised her hand, slapped her bedding twice, and walked away with a roll of her eyes.
Yin Zhu was a person of integrity, so she was naturally fuming. Yi Xing tugged at her, telling her not to waste words with those people. Chun Shou also chimed in, "One's luck is hard to predict. No one should look at others as a spectacle; how do you know it's them today and won't be you tomorrow?"
Hearing Chun Shou say this, everyone felt it was a bad omen and shouted clamorously, "Your mouth should be torn! It'll be your turn tomorrow!" They didn't want to continue discussing such unlucky matters and dispersed after tidying their things.
Even though Ying Tao had stolen Yi Xing’s banknote—a matter that had troubled Yi Xing until today, seeing someone she had once been close to suddenly vanish was truly heartbreaking.
"The rules in this palace are far too harsh. Offending someone means being beaten to death—first Nanny Gui, now Ying Tao."
Chun Shou stood with his hands tucked in his sleeves and said, "Not necessarily. It depends on who was offended. I heard Nanny Gui offended Imperial Noble Consort Yu last time. This time, Ying Tao startled the 'Dragon Fetus' (unborn prince). Concubine Ma is not one to be trifled with; naturally, she wanted the girl's life."
Yi Xing and Yin Zhu gasped. Yin Zhu shook her head. "If we had known today would come, why did she do it in the first place? Such a young girl, with her whole mind set on climbing up. She didn't manage to bring honor to her ancestors, but she managed to get herself reincarnated."
Yi Xing asked about Concubine Ma. "Did Ying Tao cause a miscarriage?"
Chun Shou said no. "If the child were truly gone, it wouldn't be just Ying Tao losing her life; her whole family would suffer along with her."
"Then since the Dragon Fetus is still there, why was Ying Tao beaten to death?"
Chun Shou turned his gaze to the sky. "Our lives as servants are worth nothing. If we are killed for no reason, the mistresses might fear the palace rules. But if there is a 'reason,' that's another matter. Those mistresses have such thick branches and deep roots; who would dare to shake the trunk?"
Just as he finished speaking, someone at the gate called out, "Chun Shou, Chun Shou... you won't do your proper work, only knowing how to scheme and loaf around. Just wait until I report to the manager—you'll be punished with scrubbing the Guanfang (imperial toilets) for half a year!"
Chun Shou was so scared he pulled his neck in and stuck out his tongue. His feet seemed greased as he slid away instantly.
The shadow of Ying Tao being beaten to death loomed over the entire dormitory. Throughout the day, everyone was listless.
Palace maids did not always go to sleep right on time at night; sometimes they were called by the Auntie to sit up all night taking apart old robes for needlework.
The senior maid who disciplined Yi Xing loved beauty, and her needlework tasks were far more than others, so Yi Xing often had to work until the middle of the night. Yin Zhu’s Auntie was not as demanding, so besides her daily mending, Yin Zhu had time to help Yi Xing.
In the room opposite the main residence, the southernmost room extended quite a bit beyond the surrounding buildings. Diagonally opposite was the Asi Men gate, and Yi Xing often did her needlework there. A large bed-table was placed on the kang; she and Yin Zhu sat on opposite sides. Unlike the chaotic dormitory full of people, it was quiet and peaceful here.
There was something Yi Xing had been pondering for a long time. When no one was around, she mentioned it to Yin Zhu. "When Nanny Yan picked people last time, she chose Ying Tao and Lan Shao at once. Now that Ying Tao is dead, what happened to Lan Shao?"
Yin Zhu said, "Who knows? Perhaps her days are hard too. Didn't Chun Shou say Concubine Ma is difficult to serve?"
Yi Xing nodded slowly, always feeling that something about the situation didn't add up, yet unable to say exactly what was strange.
At that moment, a pitter-patter of rain began outside. A gust of wind rose, and the window paper fluttered against the wooden lattice, sounding like a mischievous child blowing air.
Yi Xing inadvertently glanced toward the Asi Men. In the haze, she saw a person standing under a lantern, looking toward them.
She felt a surge of curiosity, reached out, and pushed open the window frame.
Mist and rain slanted in, blowing against her face. But when she tried to look closely, the figure flickered once and vanished.
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1. Characters & Consorts
2. Places (The Forbidden City/Imperial Palace)
3. Cultural & Banner Terms
4. Family Terms
Enie: Mother (Manchu-Pinyin).
Ama: Father (Manchu-Pinyin).
Niangniang: A respectful way to address high-ranking consorts (e.g., Yu Guifei Niangniang).
Read only on https://royaltywrites.com.ng/
Enie: Mother (Manchu-Pinyin).
Ama: Father (Manchu-Pinyin).
Niangniang: A respectful way to address high-ranking consorts (e.g., Yu Guifei Niangniang).
Read only on https://royaltywrites.com.ng/
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