Chapter 5
Yin Zhu could not bring herself to smile. She glanced at Chief Liu, stepped forward, and performed a respectful curtsy.
"Begging the Chief's pardon, is it possible for there to be any errors or omissions on that list of 'selections'?"
Liu Quanyun shifted his gaze, casting a contemptuous look her way. "Names are recorded as the selection proceeds. How could there be an error?"
Yi Xing’s heart instantly leaped into her throat.
Truthfully, she hadn't wanted Yin Zhu to speak up so rashly. Though Yin Zhu was standing up for her out of a sense of justice, focusing the spotlight on her now would only make the road ahead more difficult. Yi Xing would have preferred to figure out the truth privately; if her luck held, there might still be a chance to turn things around.
But Yin Zhu was driven by loyalty and couldn't help herself. Still, she managed to avoid being completely reckless, adopting a more indirect tone. "It is established protocol for bondservant women to be assigned work, but is the future of an official's daughter decided solely by a single recording of her name?"
Chief Liu laughed at this. "Birth is important, certainly, but a future can still be earned. Once you enter the palace as a palace woman, if you are lucky enough to be noticed by the Master one day, wouldn't that be a carp leaping through the Dragon Gate?"
These were empty words. The Emperor was busy enough with the titled consorts in the harem; would he have the time or inclination to discover a mere maid?
But it was unwise to speak further. Yin Zhu looked at Yi Xing with a sense of helpless sympathy. Although Yi Xing was discouraged, she didn't seem overly distraught. She believed what her brother always said: until the day you die, no one knows how far you might go. Besides, in the heat of the moment, she didn't want to stand out. Even if she pressed him now and he insisted that this was the way things were, what could she do?
While Yi Xing felt the sting of disappointment, Yu Pin’s cousin was exultant. She looked like a victorious rooster, staring at people with her nose in the air. The teaching nannies led them away; because their destinations differed, their training would be different as well. Her step was so light that her long braid swung back and forth behind her like a feather duster.
Yin Zhu watched her retreating back and sighed. "I suddenly feel very sorry for the Emperor, if these are the kinds of mistresses being chosen for him."
The banknotes tucked into Yi Xing’s stockings were itching again. She was already pondering how to manage and thrive in the days to come.
The selection process was now more than half over, and the dust had largely settled. In terms of appearance and character, those who should have been selected weren't; no doubt the meddling of the managing eunuchs and nannies played a role. When standing under low eaves, charging straight ahead will only lead to a bloodied head. With Yi Xing’s adaptable nature, she knew that even the dampest soil could grow moss if one had enough patience.
A nanny walked in and said in a pinched voice, "The remaining girls, follow me."
In the blink of an eye, they had become "the remaining."
Yin Zhu, fearing she was upset, tried her best to comfort her. "It’s not that you aren't good; it’s that they are blind. When you rise in the future, come back and give them a good slap across the face."
Yi Xing sighed. "Perhaps I’m just not good-looking enough. They’re probably afraid that letting me see the Emperor would be 'deceiving the sovereign.'"
"How could that be? Didn't you see that girl Yun Hui? She looks so... 'mature' for her age, yet she was selected." Yin Zhu leaned on her and gently shook her arm. "You just suffered from bad timing. If this were two years ago... they would have carried you in on an eight-person sedan chair without you even having to enter the selection."
That was the truth. In terms of seniority, she was higher than the Emperor himself. As the biological aunt of the former Empress, she couldn't possibly join the harem; it would have thrown the social order into chaos. But now she was a "tiger fallen on the plains"—she might have the heart of a tiger, but her circumstances had to fit the mold of a house cat. Even if she wasn't satisfied, she had to keep it bottled up.
"I wonder who will have the 'fortune' to be served by me." Yi Xing thought about it and laughed. "That person must have a very hardy fate."
Yin Zhu watched her laugh, completely puzzled. "You can still laugh?"
Yi Xing replied, "What else should I do? Cry?"
As soon as she spoke, the formidable Nanny Yan, who was in charge of their training, spoke up. "...Loud shouting is not permitted in the palace, tears are not allowed, and the word 'death' is strictly forbidden! I shouldn't need to tell you how strict this place is; surely you heard of it at home. Those who can enter the palace to serve are all top-tier girls. When your term is up and you return home in peace, your whole family will share in the honor..."
However, the disappointment of being rejected didn't hang over Yi Xing alone. Many girls from good backgrounds who failed the third round had to serve in the palace for five years.
Five years. For a girl in the prime of her youth, what a waste to be delayed for no reason. Of course, the greater bitterness came from a sense of injustice. So, when Nanny Yan finished speaking, not a single person responded.
The people at the training quarters saw countless maids come and go every year and were long accustomed to this. Nanny Yan gave a cold snort. "The teacher leads you through the door, but the cultivation depends on the individual. If it’s your destiny not to be a mere creature of the pond, you can still make something of yourself even if a mountain is pressing down on your head. Those who passed the third round today still have to be inspected by the Empress Dowager, the Emperor, and Yu Guifei. Those who are good will stay, and the second-tier ones will be sent back to be just like you. Why be envious! I’ll say it again: learn the rules well, do your job well, and who knows who will have the better fortune. What is the rush? If anyone feels they truly cannot stay, come and tell me later; I can make arrangements for you. My only fear is that your families won't dare take you back, and by then, if you want to come back in, it won't be possible."
This was a tactic of "retreating to advance"—telling them clearly that their only choice was to push forward, because there was no path back home.
The girls looked at each other and finally snapped out of it, responding in unison, "Yes."
But Nanny Yan corrected them: "Wrong. In the palace, we don't say 'Yes'; you say 'Zhe.' Remember it well. There will be many other rules later; as time goes on, you’ll start to understand them."
It was already getting late. After Nanny Yan finished her lecture, she ordered them to eat.
The food was, of course, nothing special. Because the palace forbade palace servants from having unpleasant odors on their persons, the meals were mostly vegetarian. Several large buckets of food were sent to the side-rooms, and everyone took their portion. The taste was hard to describe—the salty dishes were too salty, and the bland ones were too bland. Yi Xing, accustomed to luxury, ate a few bites and put down her chopsticks.
No one was eating comfortably; it was only natural to struggle when first arriving. The old eunuch in charge of the meals sneered. "Seems you aren't hungry... makes sense. You haven't been 'conditioned' yet, haven't tasted the sting of an empty stomach... Tomorrow. Tomorrow you'll know."
Regardless of how the meal was, at least they didn't miss it. After eating, it was time to find a place to stay.
At the foot of the west palace wall was a row of long perimeter buildings used as quarters for the palace staff. In the palace, they were called "Tatan."
Yi Xing and Yin Zhu followed the group, led by an old palace maid toward the west. They had expected small individual rooms, but upon entering, they saw that while the rooms were indeed small, they were long, with a continuous platform bed (kang) that looked as if it could sleep fifteen or twenty people.
The old palace maid pointed. "Pick your own bedding and find a spot."
This time, Yi Xing was very quick. She stepped up and grabbed a roll of bedding in each hand, quickly occupying the two spots at the very end.
"Yin Zhu, come here." She waved. "This spot is good, it’s against the wall."
Yin Zhu scrambled onto the kang. To prevent others from bumping into the “Old Auntie”, she specifically chose to sleep on the outer edge. With her there, the Old Auntie had a wall behind her and a mountain in front of her—as if that could block out the foul air of the place.
The other maids had been a bit despondent at first, but seeing the Shang family's Auntie accept her fate so quickly, they felt that being fussy would be an invitation for divine punishment. For a while, they busily made their beds. Once finished, they stood before the kang, heads bowed, to listen to the old palace maid's instructions.
The old palace maid was satisfied. Newcomers who were sensible and didn't cause trouble were a blessing for the seniors. She nodded. "It’s late. Clean up and rest."
Everyone performed a curtsy to see off the old maid. The tension they had held all day finally began to ease.
Since they would be sharing a room and learning together from now on, those who knew each other paired up, while those who didn't shyly introduced themselves.
Yi Xing couldn't remember so many names; most of the girls had names like "Zhen" (Treasure) or "Shu" (Virtuous). There was only one who looked only thirteen or fourteen, twisting her fingers as she said, "My name is Ying Tao (Cherry)..." Before she could finish, someone snickered, "Why do you have the name of a servant girl?"
Ying Tao was young and her face instantly flushed red. Yi Xing couldn't stand to watch this. Instead of arguing, she pulled the girl over and smiled. "The cherries have ripened, the plantains are green... what an auspicious name. Perhaps you really will 'ripen' and become famous one day."
Someone else was dismissive. "What 'green' or 'ripe'? Stop with the sour poetry and showing off." As she spoke, she picked up a wooden basin and went out to wash.
You couldn't argue with someone uneducated. Ying Tao was very grateful to Yi Xing. She took Yi Xing’s basin and said, "You sit, I’ll get the water for you."
Yi Xing said it wasn't necessary and tried to take it back, but Ying Tao spun around and went out the door like a red carp.
Yin Zhu laughed. "This child is quite observant. From now on, she’ll be your disciple and devoted assistant."
"How could that be?" Yi Xing said. "I’m an assistant myself now." She pulled Yin Zhu into the courtyard.
Ying Tao was small, and carrying the water was a struggle. In the end, Yin Zhu and Yi Xing helped her, and they finally filled the three wooden basins.
Having made friends with them, Ying Tao felt she had companions in the palace. She said softly, "I won't lie to you two, I was scared before. I’m not clever and don't know how to read people; I was afraid I wouldn't live long enough to leave the palace. But now it’s fine; with you two, I’m not afraid anymore. You are both older than me, so I’ll call you 'Sister' from now on."
Yin Zhu said that wouldn't do. "Calling me 'Sister' is fine, but this one is a generation higher than us. I have to call her 'Auntie.'"
Ying Tao had probably never seen such a young "Old Auntie" and was momentarily stunned. But she quickly recovered and laughed happily. "Then I’ll call you Auntie too. If you ever want or need anything, just tell me."
Yi Xing wrung out her cloth and hung it on the line, turning back to say, "What 'Auntie'? Seniority matters outside the palace, but inside, cats and mice are the same age. You can just call me 'Sister' too."
But the junior truly didn't have the courage, and in the end, the title didn't change.
Regardless of what they were called, it wasn't the most important thing. The palace followed a strict schedule, and the lights had to be out at a certain time.
The three of them finished cleaning and got onto the kang. Just as they lay down, they saw through the window that the lanterns on the opposite gallery were being taken down one by one.
Soon, the lights in the long room were extinguished from south to north. The room was silent; not even a cough could be heard.
After the day’s exertion, they were exhausted, but for some reason, the more tired Yi Xing felt, the more alert she became. She tossed and turned, occasionally noticing others several spots away doing the same—likely all worrying about their futures.
As time passed, sleepiness finally began to wash over her. Yi Xing closed her eyes in a drowse, her mind hazy. She dreamed that the palace had declared her an Imperial Noble Consort, but provided no rewards or finery. In her dream, she stood under the pomegranate tree fuming: "This is way too stingy..."
Dreams are just random thoughts, after all. Just as she was about to fall into a deeper sleep, a sudden "bang-bang" sound of pounding erupted, as if striking her brain.
The old palace maid’s raised voice echoed through the room: "Wake up! Everyone, wake up!" As she walked, her feather duster slapped against the quilts. "You, you, and you... everyone up! Get off the kang!"
1. Characters & Consorts
Name / Title | Description |
Yi Xing | The protagonist. A daughter of the prestigious Shang family with very high seniority (the "Old Auntie"). |
Yin Zhu | Yi Xing's friend; a blunt, loyal girl from a Bo Yi (bondservant) family. |
Yu Guifei | The Noble Consort currently managing the "Six Palaces" in the Empress's absence. |
He Fei | A consort whose family has a candidate in the selection. |
Gong Fei | A consort residing in Yi Kun Gong; a favorite of the Empress Dowager. |
Qi Guiren | A "Noble Lady" (lower rank consort) under Gong Fei. |
Zhen Guiren | Another "Noble Lady" residing in Yi Kun Gong. |
Yu Pin | A "Concubine" (mid-rank consort) whose cousin is Yi Xing’s rival. |
2. Places (The Forbidden City)
Location | Significance |
Shenwu Men | The main northern gate where candidates arrive. |
Shunzhen Men | The gate leading to the Imperial Garden for the first round. |
Zhong Cui Gong | The palace where the former (deposed) Empress lived. |
Ti Yuan Dian | The hall used for the second round (measuring physical dimensions). |
Jing Yi Xuan | The pavilion used for the third round (detailed physical inspection). |
Yi Kun Gong | The palace where Gong Fei resides. |
Tongzi He | The "Moat" surrounding the Forbidden City. |
3. Cultural & Banner Terms
Term | Meaning |
Baqi (Banners) | The social/military system of the Qing. All characters belong to a specific "Banner." |
Bo Yi | Bondservants of the Banners. They are technically "servants" but often hold power in the palace. |
Guba | A specific term for a father’s sister. Yi Xing is the "Guba" to the former Empress. |
Xiu Nü | The "Selected Ladies." The name for the girls participating in the imperial selection. |
Gong Nü | Palace maids. Girls who fail to become consorts but stay to work. |
Plaque | A wooden tag with a candidate's name. "Retaining the plaque" means passing to the next round. |
Tatan | The communal living quarters for palace servants and maids. |
Zhe | The formal way to say "Yes" or "Understood" to a superior in the palace. |
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).
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