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Chapter 25
Yi Xing held her breath, feeling a wave of sheer frustration and humiliation wash over her.
But what could she do? In this place, she was lower than everyone else; she simply had to endure it.
Compared to Yi Xing, Yin Zhu’s temper was far more volatile. From the corner of her eye, Yi Xing saw Yin Zhu tilt her head up as if preparing to stand up for her. Terrified, she quickly nudged Yin Zhu with her elbow, signaling her to suppress it. Noble Lady Zhen was waiting for an answer—what else could she say? At most, she could only thank the Lady for her "generosity" and tell her that if it was meant to be, she should send an order to the Bureau of Ceremonies.
Yet, the world is full of coincidences. Just as she was forced to respond, several figures emerged from the Shou'an Gate. It was Noble Consort Yu, leading Consort Kang and Consort Mu. They walked along, laughing and discussing the pear blossoms of Shou'an Palace, noting how the flowering season was particularly long this year—a very auspicious sign. When they looked ahead and saw a crowd gathered in the narrow alley, it became an interesting scene of three factions meeting on a narrow path.
"What a coincidence today," Noble Consort Yu said with a smile. "I’ve just finished paying my respects to the Dowager Noble Consort, and I happen to run into you sisters. The sun is getting high; what are you all doing standing here?"
In the palace, a single rank higher could crush a person. Thus, the group began paying their respects in waves, from the lowest rank to the highest.
Noble Consort Yu’s gaze slid gently over Yi Xing. One look at the scene and she knew exactly what was happening. Consort Gong’s addiction to bullying must have flared up again; last time she had instructed the selection nannies to fail Yi Xing, and this time she intended to make life difficult for her again.
Consort Gong played along with the social niceties, saying with a smile, "Last month my father was ill, and I made a vow before the Bodhisattva. Now that my father has recovered, I’ve come specifically to Baohua Temple to fulfill my vow." She glanced at Yi Xing. "And wouldn't you know it, I happened to run into Miss Yi Xing on her shift. I couldn't help but stop to exchange a few words. I see that Miss Yi Xing’s work in the Bureau of Ceremonies is quite exhausting, so I just asked her if she would be willing to come to my Palace of Earthly Honor to serve."
Noble Consort Yu hummed. "And what did Miss Yi Xing say?"
Noble Lady Qi sniffed. "Miss Yi Xing is most sensible. She was worried that she’s too unfamiliar with the duties and might displease Lady Gong."
Seeing that the others had taken the lead, Noble Lady Zhen was also eager to score points in front of the high-ranking consorts. She repeated her previous offer and added, "Lady Gong truly likes Miss Yi Xing from the bottom of her heart. I suggested that if it’s really too much, the girl could come to my palace first. The two maids in my palace are quite thorough; I’ll have them guide her. It won't take long before she becomes quite accomplished."
As soon as Noble Lady Zhen finished, Consort Mu let out a soft chuckle. This laugh made Noble Lady Zhen lose face. Masking her annoyance with a stiff smile, she turned to Consort Mu. "Lady Mu, did I say something wrong? Why are you laughing?"
Consort Mu was wearing a copper-green surcoat embroidered with a hundred butterflies fluttering among flowers, paired with a primrose-yellow skirt. Hearing the question, she adjusted her "one ear, three rings" earrings made of coral and southern pearls. She said cheerfully, "Sister, are you truly unaware, or just pretending? Though the Shang family has fallen and their 'Old Auntie' has been reduced to a palace maid, their ancestors produced five Empresses and three Empresses Dowager. Never mind you, even we have to weigh our options and see if we have the presence to keep her under control. You, on the other hand, are truly blunt, taking the responsibility onto yourself. If everything goes well in your palace, then so be it. But if something goes wrong, I’m afraid the matter won't be settled so easily."
In other words, Noble Lady Zhen was acting like a "big rivet" without having the rank to back it up. She was just a Noble Lady, where did she get the right to hand-pick palace maids? It was enough to make people laugh.
Noble Lady Zhen’s face flushed red. She wanted to lash out, but she was wary of her low status; she had no room to speak in front of a Noble Consort and Consorts.
But mustn't one look at the master before hitting the dog? Consort Gong was displeased. She fluttered her silk fan and said, "That makes no sense. Since she entered the palace as a maid, she should serve her masters and be available for selection. No matter how high the Shang family’s gate once was, isn't that a thing of the past? To talk of birth at this point is truly laughable."
Yi Xing listened to them go back and forth. She had become nothing more than a tool for their bickering and rivalry, and she was happy to stay out of it.
Although it was still unclear whether Noble Consort Yu was friend or foe, it was certain that she and Consort Gong didn't get along. Sure enough, Noble Consort Yu was an expert at stabbing with a soft knife. She said softly, "You can't put it that way. I recall your family and the Shang family used to have dealings. Your father was even a student of Lord Fuhai." She gave a vague smile. "People should never forget to look back at the path they've walked. Even if the association is broken, does the sentiment not remain? There's no need to get all red-faced; it makes your manners look quite unsightly."
This exposed Consort Gong’s roots. So her father had once been a student of Fuhai. If one went by generational seniority, Shang Yi Xing was truly something—she really was the "Old Auntie" to the people in this entire palace!
Consort Gong was choked by the retort. For a moment, she had no recourse but to soften her tone to save face. "I was only thinking of our family's old ties, seeing how hard she has it in the Bureau of Ceremonies..." She snapped her fan shut twice. "Forget it, forget it. Since the Noble Consort wishes for her to stay in the Bureau of Ceremonies, then let her stay. However, even if she stays in that place for ten years, she won't amount to much. I hope the Noble Consort isn't using the name of 'caring' to actually suppress her!"
At this point, Consort Gong found her brain was working quite fast. She hadn't lost face and had successfully exposed the Noble Consort’s ulterior motives. She hadn't lost. Seeing the awkward expression on the Noble Consort’s face, she smiled triumphantly. She didn't linger, leaning on the arm of her maid, Baozhu, and swaying as she headed toward her Palace of Earthly Honor.
Only now did Yi Xing dare to let out a quiet sigh of relief. She felt lucky; thank goodness she had run into Noble Consort Yu, otherwise she wouldn't have escaped this time.
Noble Consort Yu had words for Yi Xing as well. She dismissed Nanny Qin and the others. "You all go ahead. Let her come on duty a bit later."
Nanny Qin had just witnessed a battle of words between the high ladies and was eager to leave immediately. Hearing the Noble Consort's words, she hurriedly bowed. Before leaving, she took the bamboo blinds from Yi Xing's hands and led the group of maids through the Chunhua Gate.
Yi Xing now had to compose herself to deal with Noble Consort Yu. She cautiously bowed to the Consort and the two other ladies. "Thank you, Consorts, for resolving this for me. Otherwise, I truly wouldn't have known how to respond to Consort Gong's 'kind' invitation."
Noble Consort Yu always appeared dignified and composed. She smiled gently and said in a soft voice, "Such a small matter needn't be kept on your heart. It would indeed be inappropriate for her to take you. If we go by family seniority, you are qualified even to serve the Master at the Imperial Presence. While there are good people in this palace, there are many with hidden motives. Look at the words she left behind; it sounds as if I am preventing you from climbing higher and intentionally burying you in the Bureau of Ceremonies."
After the Noble Consort finished, Consort Mu and Consort Kang both laughed. Consort Kang said, "The girl is clever; she won't be swayed by such provocation. Anyone with eyes can see they had bad intentions. Entering her Palace of Earthly Honor wouldn't be a dream job to the top; I fear the days ahead would only be more agonizing."
Consort Mu agreed. "Exactly. You might not know this yet, but during the selection process earlier, it was the Palace of Earthly Honor that tripped you up. Otherwise, you would have been granted a rank by now and wouldn't be suffering in the Bureau of Ceremonies. Remember this: from now on, be careful with anything related to that palace. In this entire harem, only Noble Consort Yu treats you with sincerity because of old ties. Yet those small-minded people gossip behind her back, saying the Noble Consort wants to rely on the 'Phoenix Spirit' of the Shang family. Don't you think that's hilarious?"
Only now did Yi Xing grasp some of the inside story. As she suspected, she had been intentionally filtered out during the third selection. Though she felt indignant, she couldn't show it. She tucked her hands into her sleeves and said, "This servant is dull-witted. Even if I had participated in the Imperial Selection, I wouldn't have had the fortune to be listed. The Consorts are speaking out against injustice for me, and I fear I’ll disappoint your kindness. As for the 'Phoenix Spirit'... the children of my family have all been sent to the Outer Eight Temples. Where would any Phoenix Spirit come from? Noble Consort Yu is a woman of great heart and great fortune; please do not let such idle gossip upset you and hurt your health. It isn't worth it."
Ah, how many hardships must this Old Auntie, who once knew nothing of the world's bitterness, have gone through to become so tactful? Previously, Yi Xing didn't know how to say pretty things. If others flattered her, she accepted it, believing she deserved the praise.
Now that she had entered the palace and spent a few months as a servant, she realized that without the Shang family, she had no prestige at all. She was just a hollow title of "Old Auntie," used as a target for others.
As for this Noble Consort Yu—she indeed protected her in small matters, but she provided no substantial help or promotion in major ones. As she had said, Yi Xing’s seniority made it logical for her to serve the Emperor, but she lacked someone to recommend her. Noble Consort Yu was unwilling to bridge that gap, likely for her own reasons. After all, Yi Xing was still inexperienced; if she were sent to the Imperial Presence so recklessly, she’d likely lose her head.
"Very well, it was just a false alarm. Don't take it to heart. Is the wound on your hand healed?" Noble Consort Yu glanced at her through the gauze.
Yi Xing said, "I’ve applied the medicine, and it gets better every day. Thank you, Noble Consort, for asking."
Noble Consort Yu nodded. "In the future, if you encounter an obstacle you can't get over, come to the Palace of Eternal Harmony (Yonghe Gong) to find me. I’ll find a way to help you." After saying this, she pressed gently on Yi Xing’s right hand and led the two consorts toward the Jiazhi Gate.
The people finally dispersed. The narrow alley that was just bustling became quiet in an instant. Yi Xing stood there to clear her head. She saw a carrier pigeon fly across the clear blue sky; the high sun was so hot it made her skin sting.
A layer of sweat had gathered on her back—she wasn't sure if it was from the heat or the scare. She wiped her forehead and let out a long breath. Once she had calmed down, she turned and walked into the Chunhua Gate.
In front of the Pavilion of Rain and Flowers (Yuhua Ge), several small eunuchs stood on ladders, taking down the dust-covered bamboo blinds from the previous year. The palace maids below reached up to catch them, getting their hair covered in rustling dust. The eunuchs on the ladders laughed triumphantly, only to be scolded by the manager.
Seeing Yi Xing return, Yin Zhu took a break from her work to ask, "The Noble Consort didn't make things difficult for you, did she?"
Yi Xing said no. "The Noble Consort is a good person. She told me that if I encounter any trouble in the future, I should go to the Palace of Eternal Harmony to find her."
In this palace, unprovoked malice was at least understandable, but unprovoked kindness was something to be wary of.
Yin Zhu said, "Owing someone a favor for no reason... I fear it will be hard to repay in the future."
Yi Xing nodded slightly. Just as she was about to speak, she heard Nanny Qin snort nearby. "The Consorts took a liking to you and you refused? That was a huge honor for you. Countless people dream of climbing out of the Bureau of Ceremonies. You missed this chance; you’ll have a long time to suffer in the future."
It seemed Nanny Qin thought she was being ungrateful for the "favor." But how could the Nanny know the hidden truth? Consort Gong and her lot had bad intentions from the very start.
Yi Xing had also learned the art of being non-committal. She smiled and said, "What is meant for me will eventually be mine. Didn't you also say I’m not clever, Nanny? If I went to the Ladies' palaces in a muddle and did something wrong, wouldn't that lose face for you, Nanny?"
By framing it this way, Nanny Qin found it hard to say anything further. She just felt the girl was becoming increasingly glib. She rolled her eyes, spat out the word "Attitude!" through her teeth, and turned to supervise the others.
It was a narrow escape. But being targeted by those bored, idle Ladies meant that many hardships would surely come in the future.
However, Yi Xing wasn't afraid. The "Old Auntie" had always been stubborn and determined to face difficulties head-on. The more they oppressed her, the stronger her desire became to be the Imperial Noble Consort and ride on their necks.
This had absolutely nothing to do with the Emperor; the Emperor wasn't even in her considerations. She was simply aiming for that position. It was as if no task in the world was too difficult as long as she was willing to work towards it, a result of the confidence she’d been raised with. The Old Auntie always felt she was the strongest.
Of course, despite her seniority, work still had to be done. The eunuchs on the ladders rolled up the removed blinds and handed them down. She didn't know when her "fame" had spread through the palace, but the people on the ladders teased her, calling her "Gugu Naini" (Great-Great-Auntie).
The manager, hearing this from the side, sucked in a breath through his teeth as if in pain. "It's one thing to joke behind her back, but you aren't allowed to call her that to her face. If you slip up later, watch out that your head doesn't part ways with your neck."
The small eunuchs answered with grins and mischievous winks, making Yi Xing feel quite embarrassed.
There were four palace buildings in this north-south section: the first was the Pavilion of Rain and Flowers, followed by Baohua Hall, Zhongzheng Hall, and the Pavilion of Distant Calm. Most of the work in the Pavilion of Rain and Flowers was done, and the remaining odd jobs didn't require so many people, so Yin Zhu and the others went ahead to clean the back areas.
Yi Xing and two other young maids stayed to finish tidying the gold bricks under the eaves before moving toward Baohua Hall. Just as they reached the middle path, she saw Yin Zhu from a distance, talking to a monk dressed as a Lama under the veranda. Yin Zhu was treating him like a Bodhisattva, pressing her hands together as she spoke. Before Yi Xing could get close, Yin Zhu bowed respectfully to the monk, who then wrapped his robe around him and headed toward the west row houses.
Yi Xing was curious and walked over to ask, "Where did that Great Lama come from?"
Yin Zhu said happily, "There’s a Buddhist service tomorrow. That was a high monk. I ran into him in the main hall and asked for a 'Peace Stick' for you." As she spoke, she placed the item in Yi Xing’s palm like a treasure.
Yi Xing held it up to look. What "Peace Stick"? It was just a piece of sandalwood about an inch long, the kind kept next to incense burners during worship.
She pinched it and looked. "This can keep one safe?"
"It can." Acting on the principle that "a thief never leaves empty-handed," Yin Zhu told her with certainty, "The Master chanted sutras over it; it’s been consecrated!"
Fine. Even if it was consecrated, that Lama didn't look old enough to be a "high monk." Yi Xing felt Yin Zhu might have been swindled, but for the sake of her good intentions, she tucked the wooden stick into her sleeve.
The bamboo blinds of the four great halls had to be changed, and the window paper had to be replaced as well. By the time they finished everything, most of the day had passed. The manager checked several times and, finding everything in order, finally gave the word for them to return to the Bureau of Ceremonies.
The group lined up to wait for Nanny Qin to lead them back, but the managing eunuch wouldn't let them. He only said, "You all go back first; Qin'er stays to talk."
That "Qin'er" was said with deep meaning. Yi Xing didn't understand at first, but later heard from Yin Zhu that the high eunuchs in the palace never gave up their wicked hearts and were always looking for palace maids to be their "duishi" (counter-eating/companion partners). Nanny Qin had likely been targeted by Eunuch Xue, which was why he insistently kept her behind.
However, seeing Nanny Qin’s long, grim face, she likely looked down on Eunuch Xue. But what happened next was not for them to ask; the group returned to the Bureau of Ceremonies as usual.
It was late when they returned, but not yet time for dinner. Being a palace maid wasn't like being at home; if you were too busy and missed a meal, you just had to go hungry.
Yi Xing had a rare moment of leisure. She sat under the south window stitching shoe soles. With every stitch she pulled through, her stomach gave a growl.
She sighed and looked at the sky outside. The clouds were drifting—that one looked like soy-braised beef, that one like a braised pork trotter... To be honest, she was starting to regret being so upright and firmly upholding the palace rules last night. She didn't have money, but her family did! It would have been great to have Physician Xia find her mother—it was just two pounds of braised meat; it wouldn't have cost many taels of silver.
Finally, dinner time arrived. Today they had winter melon soup, sautĂ©ed spinach, stir-fried bean curd skin, and a portion of sweet and sour gluten... That gluten looked just like braised meat! Yi Xing raised her chopsticks, then suddenly remembered Physician Xia’s instruction to eat lightly. Helplessly, her chopsticks took a turn and picked up a piece of spinach, which she dejectedly stuffed into her mouth.
After dinner, it was almost time for the palace gates to be locked. There were no more duties at the Bureau of Ceremonies. Those who needed to go back to the row houses went back; regardless, there were still the Nannies' private chores waiting for them.
A trend had recently started in the palace of embroidering small blue and white flowers on shoe uppers. Nanny Qin was a person who loved beauty above all else, so Yi Xing had to light an oil lamp and, in the flickering shadows, practice her not-so-exquisite embroidery skills.
Yin Zhu picked a candied fruit from a box and said as she ate, "If I were you, I’d leave an embroidery needle in the sole of the shoe just to let her be vain."
Yi Xing stretched out her embroidery work to look at it, feeling some sympathy for Nanny Qin’s plight. "She wears it even though I embroider so poorly; she’s the first person in the world to appreciate me."
As soon as she finished speaking, there was a sudden "Bang!" The door to the quarters was pushed open. Several fierce-looking "Jingqi Nannies" (special disciplinarians) burst in, standing at the door with hands on their hips. Their eyes swept harshly over their faces.
"Which one is Jiao Yin Zhu? We are here on orders from the Noble Consort to take her. Don't just stand there; come with us!"
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