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Chapter 39
"No tag flipping, yet your rank keeps rising? There’s no such thing as a free lunch in this world!" Yin Zhu teased, feeling that while the Old Auntie had grown tall, her heart was still that of a child.
Han Zhen laughed as well. "Though I’ve never experienced it, I’ve heard that the affection between two people truly stems from 'that matter.' Without serving in bed, one's status is unstable. Ultimately, a palace woman must have children by her side to secure a lifetime of glory and wealth. Those are the foundations. Without them, a person is like duckweed on the water, flourishing today, withered tomorrow, and likely to sink at any moment."
True as that was, the Old Auntie’s heart was currently a bit adrift.
Human nature is prone to comparison, and some things are a matter of who arrived first. Setting aside the childhood connection of "he was peeing while I was laughing," she had befriended Physician Xia shortly after entering the palace, this living bodhisattva who, despite covering his face, possessed superb medical skills and a kind heart. Under Physician Xia’s radiant glow, the Emperor paled in comparison. If the Old Auntie weren't still clinging to her firm mission of rising in rank to save her family, she might have defected to Physician Xia’s side entirely.
In truth, Physician Xia must like her at least a little, right? Otherwise, of all the girls in the palace, why would he go out of his way to help her? Was it really just for a fifth-rank official patch? Not necessarily.
When people do things that go against their better judgment but can't help themselves, they must find reasons to convince themselves. Thus, Physician Xia mentioned the promotion over and over again—in reality, he was likely numbing himself so he wouldn't covet someone he shouldn't.
Thinking of this, the Old Auntie felt light-headed with joy. No one had ever liked her in this lifetime. She loved that style of having a heart full of sweetness while maintaining a serious, proper exterior. Therefore, it would be best if the Emperor never flipped her tag but only raised her rank. She wanted to have it all, if she could become Imperial Noble Consort while secretly keeping company with Physician Xia, that would be the perfect life.
Of course, she only harbored these thoughts in private, not daring to tell Han Zhen or Yin Zhu for fear they would scold her awake. In the deep palace, one ultimately needs a little mental diversion; otherwise, how could one pass the long years interestingly?
"Tell me, at Physician Xia’s age, is he married?" she began to wonder.
Yin Zhu said artlessly, "He must be! Anyone in the capital with even a bit of family wealth starts arranging a marriage by seventeen or eighteen. Physician Xia looks to be at least thirty. At the age of 'standing firm,' he surely has a flock of children."
Yi Xing’s heart sank. "Thirty? I thought he was in his early twenties at most."
"Some people have voices that sound young," Yin Zhu said. "Only those of a certain age cover their faces all day, fearing they might catch a sickly qi."
Is that so? Yi Xing felt a pang of disappointment. Her first bud of romance had barely opened before she discovered Physician Xia’s age might be inappropriate. She wondered if she was bad at judging people, or if Yin Zhu was just guessing blindly.
Han Zhen, being clever, saw the signs but didn't want to pop the bubble. She smiled and said, "A favorite who can command 'face' before the Emperor usually isn't a fresh greenhorn just out of the gate; he likely has some years on him. On the other hand, the Emperor is in the prime of his youth. To say something overstepping: passing by the Hall of Mental Cultivation(Yangxin hall) the other day, I saw His Majesty has a very handsome appearance. Once the Mistress serves in bed, she will naturally know."
The girls' bedroom talk ended with laughter, but they knew where to draw the line. Their Mistress was young; as servants, they had to remind her of the boundaries to keep her from going astray. For a woman in the palace, there was only one path, the Emperor’s. If you didn't walk that path to the end, what else could you do?
As the shadows lengthened, Han zhen settled Yi Xing down for a rest and then took Yin Zhu with her to the Shangyi Ju (Office of Ceremonies).
The Shangyi Ju kept records of every palace maid’s background, their Banner, their parents, their home address. However, since Han Zhen had left to follow Yi Xing, the personnel assignments in the office had shifted. Gugu Qin, a veteran, now held two roles: training young maids and managing the background records.
Truthfully, having a girl she had always looked down upon suddenly leap through the dragon’s gate and gain a rank was an embarrassing and head-aching matter for a training Gugu. Especially when a fellow manager had run off to serve that girl, how did that feel for the direct superior?
Thus, when Han Zhen came to find Gugu Qin, the latter was reluctant, sitting at her desk and refusing to budge. While flipping through a young maid’s needlework, she said with downcast eyes, "Gugu Zhen also came out of the Shangyi Ju; how can you not know the rules? Old records cannot be flipped through without urgent business. Never mind a Daying, even if the concubines send someone, it won't work."
Yin Zhu was displeased, feeling Gugu Qin was "putting an arrow in her waistband" (acting like a big shot), and looked at Han Zhen in frustration.
Han Zhen, rebuffed, did not take offense. She remained gentle and calm. "It is precisely because I came from this office that I know these old records aren't secrets. Whenever a young maid makes a mistake, the lead Gugu can check them at any time."
Gugu Qin sneered. "You also know only a lead Gugu can check them? Now that you’ve found a high branch and left, stretching your hand back into the Shangyi Ju records is reaching too far."
"Everything is a matter of personal favors. We’ve worked together all these years; who doesn't know who? It’s just 'you let my needle pass, I let your thread pass.'" Han Zhen smiled. "I heard that Eunuch Xue from the Hall of Supreme Treasure keeps pestering you... You haven't told him about your relationship with Manager Ming, have you?"
Before she could finish, Gugu Qin snapped to her feet. The skin on her right cheek twitched several times. She took a deep breath and said, "Don't go dragging in other things. You just want to see the maid records, right? We’re old friends; go ahead and look... Do you need me to lead you there?"
Han Zhen glanced at Yin Zhu. See? It’s that simple.
The record room for palace staff was in the side hall’s end room. Han Zhen knew the way perfectly and didn't need Gugu Qin’s help. "Busy yourself; I’ll go by myself."
Once outside the office, Yin Zhu followed Han Zhen and whispered, "Gugu Qin actually has a lover?"
Hanzhen opened the door to the record room and whispered, "If it weren't for checking the records, I wouldn't have mentioned that. They are all pitiable people... Gugu Qin and the eunuch from the Southern Fruit Room were childhood sweethearts. Later, Gugu Qin reached the age to enter the palace, and Eunuch Ming’s family was too poor to survive, so he was castrated. When the two met in the palace, they naturally carried on in secret. All the veterans in the Shangyi Ju know; it’s just that no one speaks of it."
Yin Zhu felt a bit of lament. "Everyone in this palace really does have a story. I didn't expect someone as fierce as Gugu Qin to have such a shameful secret affair."
"That’s why the most taboo thing in the palace is letting others know your weakness. Today it seems like a small thing, just a joke, but tomorrow it will be different; once someone has a hold on you, they can control you."
As she spoke, Hatnzhen found the records for the maids who entered the palace this year, over 280 in total. Even checking them one by one wouldn't take too much effort.
The two of them moved the master record to the table by the south window, searching slowly by the daylight. But after searching for a long time, for some reason, they couldn't find Lanzhao’s record.
Yin Zhu became a bit discouraged. "Could it have been pulled out already? To be safe, they wouldn't leave a handle for us to check."
Han Zhen said that wasn't necessarily the case. "A person can't disappear or appear out of nowhere in the palace. Her slot must remain. If it were pulled, wouldn't that be 'three hundred taels of silver not buried here' (a giveaway sign)?" She paused, then suddenly whispered, "Found it."
Yin Zhu was overjoyed and looked over. The record read: Shumuli Lanzhao, daughter of Dahai, a scribe of the Merchant Banner. Seventeen years old.
With a surname and an origin, it would be easy to inquire. Han Zhen pondered. "Many eunuchs who do outside errands don't stay in the palace at night; they must leave before the gates lock. I know a few people; maybe they can inquire for us."
This was the benefit of having Han Zhen around. Yin Zhu said, "Good Gugu, you’ve performed a great service! When Physician Xia becomes the Head of the Academy, you should become a Tongshi (Female Official), otherwise your merit won't be rewarded."
Hanzhen blushed. "I’ll just stay in my place to protect the Mistress. That Tongshi job..." She shook her head with a smile. "Managing the harem’s bedtime matters, as a proper maiden, I don't want to spend my days recording those kinds of files."
As for finding a eunuch to help, that was easy. The maid was just the daughter of a minor clerk from the lowest-tier family in the barracks. Eunuchs were skilled at social climbing and befriending people from all walks of life; if they wanted to find out a family’s secret background, they could find the details of even the smallest matter.
Yin Zhu followed Han Zhen to the area of Chunghua Gong and found a eunuch named Changlu. Having been in the palace for years, Han Zhen had some connections. Changlu bowed to listen to her instructions and said, "Don't worry, Gugu. I have a sworn brother who distributes rations for the Merchant Banner; I’ll ask him..." He paused and asked more specifically, "What does Gugu want to know about Dahai’s family?"
Yin Zhu didn't want to be too explicit, saying only, "Just about the daughter who entered the palace, what her character was like at home, and who she was close with. Just make sure to investigate thoroughly and don't miss a single detail. If you do it well, there will be rewards for you in the future."
Changlu gave a chuckle. "Getting rewards for helping Gugu? What kind of person would that make me! Just wait for the good news; as soon as I find out, I’ll report back."
Hanzhen nodded. "Then I’ll wait for your good news." After a few more polite words, she took Yin Zhu back to Chuxiu Gong.
By now it was near evening. They found Yi Xing combing her hair. Han Zhen had worked through the night on the fabric sent by the Internal Affairs Department and had finished making the clothes. Wearing them now, although Yi Xing wasn't as exquisite as the high-ranking masters, she looked dignified and proper.
Once ready, she headed to the waiting rooms of the Hall of Mental Cultivation. On the way, Yi Xing joked with Yin Zhu, "Spending every day idly just waiting for the tag-flipping at night, no wonder all the candidates want to be promoted to Masters."
Yin Zhu said, "Everyone has their own busy work. The Masters aren't just eating for free; flipping the tags is a massive event."
However, entering the Hall of Mental Cultivation(Yangxin hall ) today, she could no longer follow Manfu’s reckless directions. Passing by the front hall yesterday had left Yi Xing in suspense for a long time, fearing the Emperor would slam his chopsticks and say, "Come, reward Yi-Daying with a good flogging."
Fortunately, the Emperor was broad-minded. Perhaps because she had witnessed such an embarrassing thing as a child, passing by while he was eating wasn't a big deal. Anyway, she had learned her lesson and followed the Masters gathering from all directions through the eastern alleyway into the rear courtyard. Those ranked Changzai and above entered the East Waiting Room, while she and the other twenty or so Daying moved into the West Waiting Room.
While waiting, everyone was on edge, not knowing whose tag would be flipped. It was an indescribable feeling, a mix of anticipation and fear, their minds a blank. Many things were forgotten; they didn't know why they were there, or even why they had entered the palace.
Xu Sa of the Jingshi Fang entered with the silver tray. After years of service, he had developed a practiced skill, holding the edge of the tray with one hand while flicking his other hand lightly, heading south along the eastern porch toward the front hall.
"Guess who it is today?"
The minor Daying weren't as composed as the Masters in the East Waiting Room. Knowing their ranks were low and the Emperor likely wouldn't notice them, they came every day with the attitude of people attending a lively market.
Someone said, "It must be Noble Consort Yu; her rank is highest, and she manages the six palaces; the Emperor must give her some face."
Others said, "Ninety percent it’s Ji-Guiren( Noble Lady); of all the concubines, she’s the most beautiful."
Speaking of beauty, everyone had their own opinion, and a twittering argument broke out. Some said Wan-Guiren was refined, some said ConcubineKang(Kang-Pin) was dignified, and others said the Guiren looked like the "water towns of the South" (Jiangnan)... Although Yi Xing didn't understand what a "water town" face looked like, after thinking about it, she decided it was likely because the Guiren’s eyes always seemed misty. To northern girls, the South always rained and was always foggy, so the Guiren’s slightly aggrieved-looking eyes became everyone’s idea of a "Southern water town."
"Speaking of beauty, there is one among us, why hasn't anyone mentioned her?" someone suddenly said. In an instant, twenty or so pairs of eyes all looked at Yi Xing.
Yi Xing was a bit flustered, her blank gaze darting among the crowd. What does this mean? Are they all agreeing I’m beautiful?
Regarding beauty, the vain Old Auntie had always felt she was decent enough. Back then, the old lady of her house would often put on her reading glasses and examine her face; in all those years, she hadn't found a single mole or blemish. Having good skin was such an advantage; there was nothing to be done about it.
Of course, some were jealous, saying snidely in a mid-pitched voice, "How could someone who can get promoted just by catching a butterfly not be beautiful!"
Gossip began to ripple through the room, many looking down on someone who used such "seductive tricks" to win the Emperor’s heart.
Yi Xing wasn't petty. Regardless, she had planned that event, so it was only fair that people talked. Thus, she remained unbothered, only paying attention to the fact they called her beautiful; the unpleasant words could go in one ear and out the other.
"The Jingshi Fang is back!" someone suddenly whispered.
Everyone looked southeast. Xu Sa led his apprentice along the porch, first going to the East Waiting Room to announce "Dismiss." That voice could be heard by everyone, so by the time he reached the West Waiting Room, no one had any expectations left.
Everyone stood up listlessly, preparing to return to their quarters. Yi Xing was relieved to have passed another day without incident and left her seat with Yin Zhu to head back.
But just then, the imperial eunuch Shizi (Persimmon) appeared at the door and announced loudly to the room: "Yi-Daying was guilty of improper conduct before the Emperor yesterday. His Majesty is displeased and has issued an oral decree for Yi-Daying to remain for a reprimand... Mistress Yi, give your thanks!"
Everyone looked at each other, and Yi Xing was equally confused. "Improper conduct yesterday" likely referred to her reckless rush past the front hall toward the western wall. But a reprimand was a reprimand—it wasn't a good thing. Why did she have to "give thanks"?
Regardless, the Emperor scolding you was still an imperial grace; it was best to remember that. Thus, Yi Xing’s knees went soft and she knelt, bowing to the floor. "This servant kowtows in thanks for the Emperor's great grace."
See? The Old Auntie relied on her high seniority to get promoted, but the Emperor likely still dislikes her. Just the second day of her promotion and she’s already being scolded. What use are those seductive tricks? The Shang family has fallen, and by this generation of aunts, their luck has surely run out.
Pairs of embroidered shoes walked past her, their steps light and cheerful. Everyone seemed happy with this result. Yi Xing sighed, feeling the road ahead was rocky and the Emperor's temperament unpredictable.
However, she was exceptionally clever. As the old saying goes, "Imperial power is hard to fathom." In a brief moment, she deduced the secret—the Emperor liked girls who could act spoiled, affected, and artificial.
No wonder her eldest niece was deposed even after becoming Empress. The biggest reason was that Zhiyuan was a blunt child who didn't know how to play the game. Back at home, she could go ten days without speaking after a tiff with her father; the Emperor was nothing to her, and she treated him the same way.
Therefore, where there was a deficit, one had to compensate. The Old Auntie keenly realized she had to learn from her niece’s experience and must do the work thoroughly. Just like last time—that sentence "Will you come often to test my lessons?"—the Emperor clearly appreciated it. It seemed all men in the world had the same devilish nature: those with talent, virtue, and backbone were only fit for "appreciation," while those without talent or virtue but full of seductive charm were the ones they loved unconditionally.
Once she understood that, everything became easy. Yi Xing steadied her nerves, preparing to ask a small eunuch to pass a message saying she wanted to kowtow and repent to the Emperor in person, asking for a chance.
Unexpectedly, what she wished for came true. Shizi, holding his horsetail whisk, said pleasantly, "Mistress, please rise. Please proceed to the front Warming Pavilion to hear the Emperor's personal reprimand."
Ah, such a good thing actually happened? Yi Xing suddenly felt that the childhood grudge wasn't so unbearable. At least the Emperor wanted to scold her in person! She had gained a chance to see the Emperor, wasn't that what every concubine in the harem dreamed of?
She quickly stood up, gave the worried Yin Zhu a reassuring look, and turned to Shizi. "Thank you, Grandpa. I’m ready; let’s go get scolded."
Shizi laughed. "Mistress truly has a broad mind. Others would be shaking in fear hearing they were to be scolded, but you have the air of a great general who has seen the world." He gestured outward. "Mistress Yi, His Majesty is right up front; please follow this servant."
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