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Chapter 33
One hero needs three helpers; having only Yin Zhu to strategize for her was far from enough.
After Han Zhen recovered from her illness and returned to duty, she was constantly busy during the day because she held the status of a "Gugu" and had many young palace maids to manage. If Yi Xing wanted to speak with her, she had to wait until nightfall. Only after Hanzhen returned to the tatan could the three of them sit around the oil lamp to properly discuss their next move.
Hanzhen said, "If that Physician Xia is truly so dedicated and willing to recommend you, it is a heaven-sent opportunity. Think about it: you stumbled at the selection, and if you want to regain the Emperor's favor, you need someone to push you forward, push you right before the Imperial Presence. The Emperor is a busy man; how could he remember so much? If the Shang family's Old Auntie is mentioned, he will surely know who she is, but who else would be willing to mention you to him? The Noble Consort claims to look after you, but she hasn't done a single practical thing; in this regard, she isn't even as good as Physician Xia. Since this chance exists, you must fight for it no matter what. In this world, if you don't have the heart to 'kill the child and sell the mother,' don't expect to survive. The day after tomorrow, wait in the Imperial Garden first thing in the morning. I’ll find a way to borrow you from Gugu Qin and have you assigned to work at the Hall of Imperial Peace (Qin'an Dian). That way, the moment the Emperor arrives, you’ll see him and won't miss the timing and be left with regrets."
Hanzhen was wholeheartedly devoted to Yi Xing. Like Yin Zhu, she shared a life-and-death bond with her; that kind of sentiment was different from mere lip service.
Although Yi Xing was eager to try, when it actually came down to it, she felt a bit panicked.
"I’ve never flaunted myself before a man in my life. It feels rather shameful to talk about it."
Han Zhen replied, "What is there to be ashamed of? Haven't you seen those mistresses in the harem? To climb onto the dragon bed, they'll do things far more embarrassing than this. This isn't called flaunting; it's called earning a future and fighting for luck. If you don't want to be buried in the Bureau of Ceremonies for the rest of your life, you have to risk it all and seize every opportunity to climb up. You two planned to spend silver to be selected as head maids for the Six Palaces, but I see that business very clearly: in the entire palace, aside from Consort Gong who screened you out, there isn't a second person willing to take you in. They are afraid, afraid that once you show your face to the Emperor, you'll climb over their heads in the future. That’s exactly why even the Noble Consort won't let you into the Palace of Eternal Harmony."
Hearing Han Zhen’s analysis, Yi Xing understood. Aside from this path, there truly was no other way to rise.
The harem was full of women, and women were narrow-minded; they weren't like Physician Xia, who had no conflict of interest. They couldn't wait to prevent her from emerging, so they would never give her a chance to show her face. At this point, talking about shame was simply being fastidious.
Yi Xing took a breath. "Then how do I get the Emperor to notice me? If I just walk straight up, I’m afraid I’ll be dragged away before I even get near him."
Hanzhen thought for a moment and asked, "Do you know how to play an instrument? Like the flute or the xun?"
Yi Xing said she knew none of those. "I can play the erhu."
Yin Zhu, who was listening in, let out a "pfft." "The erhu... as soon as it plays, it makes me think of a blind beggar. Besides, in this deep palace, playing the pipa is one thing, but the erhu... it’s not very elegant."
Yi Xing felt that instruments shouldn't be judged by status, but in terms of grace, it did lack the right vibe. So, she dropped it.
Han Zhen calculated again. "Can you sing? Can you dance?"
"What dance? We daughters of the Shang family don't learn those tricks meant to please men. As for singing..." Yi Xing racked her brains. "Is singing 'ShuinĂĽ'er' (a folk song) okay?"
This time, Han Zhen and Yin Zhu both supported their foreheads simultaneously. Yin Zhu said, "I really didn't expect that you knew nothing, Guba. Was your family too indulgent, or were you too lazy to learn?"
Yi Xing finally felt a bit embarrassed. "A bit of both. Mainly, I never imagined there would be a time when I’d need these skills."
And why would she? If the Shang family hadn't fallen, countless talented young men would have been crying and shouting to marry her. It would have been the men singing and dancing to please her; she would never have needed to play those games.
The Old Auntie was like a "shining, solid copper pea," and asking her to jump around now was indeed difficult. But since she knew nothing, and the things she did know were so obscure, Hanzhen felt troubled.
"Maybe tomorrow I can find a way to get close to Manfu. Perhaps if the Emperor suddenly gets thirsty or something..."
Yin Zhu said that wouldn't work. "We can't exactly have Manfu feed the Emperor salt!"
Everyone fell silent. They suddenly realized that even if she stayed in the Imperial Garden, approaching the Emperor wouldn't be easy.
Yi Xing suggested, "How about I pounce on a butterfly? If there are no butterflies, a moth will do. A young girl fluttering among the flowers along with a butterfly—when the Emperor sees it, he might think I'm pure and different from those flashy concubines in the harem, and might promote me."
In truth, the "butterfly-pouncing" tactic was incredibly cliché, but since the Old Auntie had few methods at her disposal, they had to make do.
Hanzhen said, "On that day, don't wear face powder. Just put a light layer of rouge on your lips. At your age, the more natural you are, the better you look. Men love girls who look delicate and pitiable."
Yi Xing agreed. "Just watch me. I might not know anything else, but I’m an expert at pouncing on butterflies. I can catch seven or eight in a single noon."
Seeing her so confident, Hanzhen felt relieved. On the morning of the third day, she sought out Gugu Qin. "Some people need to be sent to the Hall of Imperial Peace for cleaning today. The young girls under me are clumsy; a few of yours have cleaned the Hall of Imperial Brilliance (Baohua Dian) before. Could you lend them to me?"
Although Gugu Qin didn't quite understand why Hanzhen wanted to borrow her people, they had always maintained a surface-level harmony, so she couldn't easily refuse. She smiled and said, "The sun must be rising from the west today. A master trainer like Gugu Zhao is actually saying her own people are clumsy."
To get Yi Xing out, Han Zhen didn't want to snap back at her, so she just answered vaguely. "When it comes to training people, everyone knows you are the best in the Bureau of Ceremonies. Right now, I’m facing a difficulty; are you going to help me or not?"
Since the other party had softened her tone, there was nothing more to say. Gugu Qin hesitated. "Alright then. As long as they are willing, I have no objections."
The young palace maids were entirely at the disposal of the Gugu. It was the same regardless of where they worked. When told to go to the Hall of Imperial Peace, they lined up and marched toward the Imperial Garden.
Once inside the garden, Han Zhen assigned the tasks. Yi Xing was placed under the corridor of the hall to sweep. To the south, she could clearly see the Tianyi Gate. Currently, the plants in the garden were lush and green, but all movement at the gate was within sight.
She had scouted the location beforehand: there was a cluster of Chinese roses in front of the Pavilion of Ten Thousand Springs (Wanchun Ting). The flowers were blooming vibrantly there, and the butterflies were active. She would wait for the Emperor to appear, then grab her small cattail-leaf fan and go pounce on butterflies. A young girl is so agile; pounce, pounce, pounce... right in front of the Emperor, right into the Emperor's arms... that would be for the best.
However, after waiting a long time, the Emperor still hadn't arrived. The wait felt like a dull knife cutting through meat—excruciating. Seeing her frequently looking south, Han Zhen knew she was anxious and whispered, "The Emperor has to listen to politics at the gate in the morning. After court, he has to pay respects to the Empress Dowager and listen to reports from the Grand Council. By the time he’s free, it’ll be around the hour of Si (9-11 AM)." Just as the words left her mouth, she gave a low, light cry. "He's here!"
Yi Xing hurriedly turned to look. Sure enough, several eunuchs entered through the palace gate, with Manfu among them. After the eunuchs cleared the way, a figure dressed in dark-green casual clothes with a bright-yellow embroidered belt walked leisurely through the Tianyi Gate.
That is the Emperor?
Yi Xing’s heart began to thump wildly. Her previous bravado was like a fish bladder pricked by a needle—instantly deflated. She hesitated, looking at Han Zhen with difficulty. "I'm not prepared enough this time. How about next time?"
But Han Zhen wouldn't let her retreat. She took the fan from nearby and stuffed it into her hand. "Today is the best opportunity. If you wait for next time, who knows when that will be? By then, it’ll be time for another selection, would the Emperor still be lacking someone like you?" Then, she gave her a light push, sending her into the flower bushes.
"Everyone, get inside!" Hanzhen whispered, ushering all the palace maids working on the corridor into the hall. Normally, when the Emperor was spotted, one should kneel and kowtow, but if they performed the ritual now, Yi Xing would be the only one pouncing on butterflies, and the Emperor might think she was a fool. Thus, ushering everyone inside was best; since no one "saw" the Emperor, Yi Xing’s behavior wouldn't seem so outrageous.
As for Yi Xing, she was a "duck driven onto a perch"—pushed out before she was ready. With no way to retreat, she had to bite the bullet.
There’s a butterfly, pounce... there’s another, pounce... Her arms went up, her waist twisted, and a smile lacking any spiritual grace was plastered on her face as she pretended to be very happy.
At the gate, the Emperor indeed stopped his pace. He watched that slender-limbed figure moving stiffly. He had been prepared to receive a fresh surprise from the Old Auntie, but... this was what he got?
The Emperor frowned, finding it a bit hard to watch. "She is so affected..."
Manfu was breaking out in a cold sweat. "From your servant’s perspective, the Old Auntie is using every ounce of strength she has."
Indeed. One could tell at a glance she had never practiced. If she had some background in dance, she wouldn't have turned "butterfly-pouncing" into a game of "the eagle catching the chick."
What to do? This flirtation, which lacked even a hint of aesthetic beauty, made it very difficult for the Emperor to take an interest in her, let alone be moved by her beauty to promote her. The Emperor thought, Should I pretend to be enchanted to cooperate with her performance?
The Old Auntie was coming... coming with her clumsy acting... She flapped the fan; even Princess Iron Fan from the storybooks danced better than her.
However, that face did add some color to this boring arrangement. The Old Auntie was truly beautiful. After this exertion, a thin layer of sweat appeared on her face; those pink cheeks, those ruby lips... the Emperor's heart skipped a beat. She seemed three parts more beautiful than the face Physician Xia had seen.
Watching the Old Auntie's movements, Manfu almost felt like shouting "Protect the Emperor!" While the harem mistresses were all delicate and soft, this Old Auntie was like a stiff piece of wood. She lunged left and right, and with one swipe of her fan, she pinned a butterfly down. That butterfly had clearly suffered internal injuries; it flopped its wings on the ground but could no longer fly.
The Old Auntie was stunned for a second, then pretended not to see it and continued pouncing on other butterflies as if nothing had happened.
He’s coming... he’s coming... getting closer...
The Emperor's heart raced. He thought she would surely pounce into his arms, and then he would catch her, and their fate could begin from there.
He didn't mind her stiff movements or her clichĂ© tactics, because he had seen the butterfly-pouncing act at least seven or eight times, and everyone else did it better than her. Those clumsy moves could be ignored; he was just waiting for her final jump. But for some reason—perhaps she tried to make a graceful turn—her left foot tripped over her right. Unexpectedly yet unsurprisingly, she fell flat on the ground, landing right near the Emperor.
Manfu heard the Emperor draw in a sharp breath; the "Imperial Carriage" must have been quite startled. But the Old Auntie had certainly been "unexpected" this time, finally differentiating herself from those who finished with a perfect ending.
As for Yi Xing, this fall destroyed all her confidence. She wished she could dig a hole and bury herself; her sixteen-year-old face was completely disgraced, and she felt she could never show it in public again.
Heaven only knew why she had to fall flat on her face in front of the Emperor. The posture of "five parts touching the ground" was very standard, so she had a sudden flash of wit. She pressed her forehead against the ground toward those dragon boots made of silk and rice pearls, saying in a firm tone: "Respectfully wishing the Emperor sacred peace."
The Emperor was taken aback. After the surprise, he realized the Old Auntie’s brain was actually quite quick. From the fall to the greeting, it was smooth as flowing water.
What now? Should he secretly marvel that "this maid’s entrance is so special, I have noticed her"?
As an Emperor, he had to be as calm as water. So, the Emperor steadied himself, smoothed out the awkwardness in his heart, and said coldly, "Rise."
Manfu hurried forward to help her up, smiling to smooth things over. "The Miss’s admiration for the Emperor is truly like the surging waters of the Yellow River, endless and continuous... please rise, Miss."
Yi Xing stood up haltingly, her face burning. She didn't dare lift her eyes.
It was all over. After two days of meticulous planning, she felt she had not only failed herself but also let down the high hopes of Yin Zhu and Han Zhen. She was unfit for great tasks; she had botched something as simple as pouncing on butterflies. In the future, she would just stay in the Bureau of Ceremonies and sweep the floors; she would never dream of being an Imperial Noble Consort again.
The atmosphere was truly awkward; even the Emperor didn't know what to do.
What was the standard reaction of a monarch who had taken a fancy to a palace maid? The Emperor cleared his throat—his voice was naturally deeper than Physician Xia’s, and said as if possessed, "You are very interesting... Which department do you serve in?"
Yi Xing was close to tears. "Very interesting"—to put it bluntly, it meant "very stupid." She had no ambitions left now, only the desire to flee this place of trouble. But since the Emperor asked, she had to answer. "Your servant... your servant is named Shang Yi Xing, serving in the Bureau of Ceremonies of the Internal Affairs Department." After saying this, even her toes felt hot. She deeply felt she had failed the Shang ancestors and her niece who had been sent to the Outer Eight Temples.
"Oh, Shang Yi Xing. A member of the Shang family." The Emperor’s words were meaningful, as if remembering the past. He suddenly asked, "Do you still remember me?"
Yi Xing’s mind raced. She hurriedly said she didn't. "Your servant has a poor memory and has forgotten everything from childhood..."
The memories that weren't so pleasant for the Emperor were best forgotten. If she said, "Your Majesty, I saw you peeing when you were little," the Emperor would probably want to kill her instantly.
But her cleverness didn't satisfy the Emperor. He raised his tone slightly and said, "Oh? But I remember you."
Yi Xing’s scalp tingled. She thought: What? It's been ten years, is he going to settle old scores now?
The Emperor's voice was very pleasant, low like a spring breeze over green grass, strangely similar to Physician Xia’s. But while similar, it wasn't quite the same; Physician Xia’s tone was more cheerful, whereas the Emperor’s exuded stability and experience at every turn.
The Emperor said, "According to seniority, you are even my elder."
Yi Xing bowed even lower. "I wouldn't dare. Before the Emperor, I wouldn't dare speak of seniority..."
"I remember you had a childhood name, 'Kan'er' (The Threshold)." The Emperor smiled. "How could someone in the world have such a name? It seems your mother and brother weren't very dedicated when it came to naming you."
With this brief exchange, Yi Xing understood: the Emperor, known for his virtue, wasn't as magnanimous as she had imagined. He had held onto that childhood grudge all this time, and now he was seizing the opportunity to mock her childhood name.
She didn't have the courage to defy the Emperor, so she submissively followed along. "It’s common among the people; a lowly name makes for an easy life. My Enie (mother) said that I grew up this big without frights, dangers, or illnesses all thanks to this good name."
The Emperor gave a disdainful smirk and asked again, "You’ve been in the palace for three months. Are you used to the daily routine? Do you miss home?"
Yi Xing replied, "Back to the Emperor, your servant has learned much since entering the palace and can adapt to everything here. I do not miss home."
Not missing home meant she was willing to live in the palace long-term? He had given her a chance to retreat, but she had abandoned it. Then he couldn't be blamed for cutting off her path home.
The Emperor put his hands behind his back and let out a secret sigh of relief. "Go back to your post. In the next day or two, I will give you a decree."
Yi Xing’s heart trembled. She thought: He wouldn't be showing 'extra-legal' mercy and letting me go home to rest my brain because I looked so stupid, would he? If that was the case, there was nothing she could do. It wasn't that she didn't want to save her brother and niece; it was just fate, and Heaven wasn't giving her the chance.
She originally wanted to ask what kind of decree it was, but after hesitating, she couldn't open her mouth. She simply bowed and said "Yes."
The Emperor left, his robes fluttering as he strolled toward the Tianyi Gate. As he walked, he thought: What a great grace this is. Despite her performing so poorly, I could still act interested. If I hadn't been prepared beforehand, wouldn't I have been startled by that sight?
Yi Xing was also in a daze. she hadn't dared to look at the Emperor’s face directly. Only now did she lift her eyes, seeing the Emperor’s figure vanish as he stepped out of the Tianyi Gate.
Han Zhen ran out of the Hall of Imperial Peace and asked how it went. Yi Xing burst into tears. "A total mess! I just fell like a dog eating dirt in front of the Emperor. The Emperor said he’d give me a decree, he’s probably going to kick me out of the palace."
Han Zhen was also stunned. "How could this happen...?"
For the next two days, the three of them were shrouded in gloom in the quarters, waiting in fear. On the third day, while they were on duty, the decree finally arrived. It was a verbal command delivered by Liusu, a female official from the Noble Consort's Palace of Eternal Longevity. It was brief and concise:
"The lady of the Shang clan is clever, nimble, and of gentle character. She is hereby promoted to the rank of Daying (Promised Lady) and granted residence in the Palace of Gathered Elegance (Chuxiu Gong)."
After finishing, Liusu wore a smiling face and knelt to kowtow respectfully. "Congratulations to the Mistress. From now on, you will rise steadily like a bird in the clouds. This servant offers her congratulations."
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