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Chapter 40
The sky had already darkened. Under the eaves of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, palace lanterns were hung every ten feet. These lanterns were different from the ones commonly used in the six palaces; they were sturdily fashioned from goat horn, with the covers dyed a faint watery tint. When the candlelight shone through, the ground appeared rippled like water, a charming sight.
Yi Xing followed behind Shizi, stepping over the shimmering light as she ascended the porch of the front hall. The successive rows of pillars divided the vast night sky, making her feel as if she had returned to the South, back when her family would host theatrical troupes and the stage scenes changed with each act. Walking through it was like stepping out of one life and into another.
The head Eunuch at the door was assigning small eunuchs to their night shifts. Seeing her approach, a faint smile appeared on his face as he watched her warmly. Once she reached him, he swept his sleeves and performed a deep formal bow. "Paying respects to Mistress Yi."
Yi Xing had only recently been promoted and was unfamiliar with the personal attendants of the Emperor, but the reputation of the "Old Auntie" had spread throughout the palaces. No one in the Hall of Mental Cultivation failed to recognize her.
She addressed him as Ande (elder/respected eunuch). "Please, do not stand on ceremony. Rise."
The head eunuch stood up, rolling his horseshoe sleeves. "This servant is Huai’en, the Head Eunuch of the Hall of Mental Cultivation. If Mistress has any matters concerning the Emperor in the future, feel free to command me."
Yi Xing quickly thanked him. "Then I shall have to trouble you, Ande..." She stole a glance inside the hall. "The Emperor has summoned me for a reprimand. Do you think His Majesty is... currently in a towering rage?"
Huai’en chuckled softly. "Imperial majesty is awe-inspiring; this servant dares not speculate on the Sage’s intent. However, Mistress need not fear. His Majesty remembers the past merits of the Shang family's ancestors and will not be too hard on you. Just speak softly, smile more—if His Majesty sees you in a good mood, those small matters will pass, and he won't have the heart to be severe."
With these words, Yi Xing’s heart settled halfway. She silently noted that her earlier logic was correct: as long as she didn't stray from the path and stayed steady, she could bluff her way through tonight. She nodded to Huai’en, then looked back at Yin Zhu to reassure her before straightening her back, lifting her robe, and stepping over the threshold of the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
The Emperor was in the East Warming Pavilion. At the entrance hung a padded curtain made of fine silk, embroidered with twin dragons in gold and silver thread. Through the fine stitching, one could vaguely see the interior of the pavilion.
The maids standing guard inside lifted the curtain and invited her in. The Emperor was just a short distance away. Thinking of this, Yi Xing couldn't help but shiver.
An Emperor, by title alone, possessed a natural majesty. Although she had technically seen him three times (including the Longevity Feast), those encounters had been fleeting. To this day, she still couldn't figure out the Emperor's "style"—she didn't know if he was still like he was as a child: bad at arguing and quick to blush.
Since she was already here, there was no room for retreat. Yi Xing took a breath and finally stepped inside.
Strangely, although it was called the "Warming Pavilion," the room was much cooler than the outside. Upon entering, her eyes were met with a row of copper-gilded enamel "Five Bats" fans. The blades rotated slowly, dispersing the summer heat. Indeed, the Emperor is the most pampered person under heaven!
Back when the Shang family hadn't fallen, they too had such beautiful fans. But after their mansion near Houhai was confiscated, many rare treasures vanished. Seeing them again in the palace felt like a bridge between past and present lives.
She stared at the fan, somewhat dazed, as if forgetting why she had come. The Emperor, displeased by her distracted attitude, cleared his throat loudly to pull her soul back.
Yi Xing jumped, realizing the Great Man was waiting to scold her. Without even seeing where he was, she hurriedly knelt, her fingers pressing into the gaps between the floor tiles. "This servant of the Shang clan humbly awaits Your Majesty’s sacred instruction."
The Emperor’s cool boots stepped out from behind the screen separating the rooms and stopped in front of her. His irritation hadn't faded as he said coldly, "Yi-Daying, it seems you have been in the palace for months but haven't learned the rules well. Do I need to send two Jingqi Nannies to Chuxiu Gong to properly teach you how to behave before the Emperor?"
At the mention of Jingqi Nannies, Yi Xing’s scalp went numb. The last time Yin Zhu was disciplined, it was handled by those very nannies.
The palace was different from the outside; there were many female residents and many old palace women to keep them in check. If a maid committed a fault, eunuchs usually didn't interfere; everything was handled by the Jingqi Nannies. Those old hags were hard-hearted and ruthless. When carrying out orders, they would scold even a high-ranking Mistress without mercy if they found her lacking.
Fortunately, the Emperor hadn't given a direct order; it seemed he was mostly using threats. Yi Xing knew there was room to maneuver, so she looked pitiful and kowtowed again. "Replying to Your Majesty, the person by my side used to be a training official. It’s my fault for relying on our old acquaintance and never listening to her. With Your Majesty’s reprimand today, I will surely study hard upon my return and never let Your Majesty worry about me again."
These were well-chosen words, very good at creating intimacy. "Worrying about her"—she was truly seizing every opportunity to flatter herself.
The Emperor gave a light snort. After a brief silence, he relented. "Stop kneeling. Stand up and speak."
Yi Xing complied, rising with a delicate, graceful posture.
Beauties who excelled at winning pity had specific ways of standing. Yi Xing followed suit, twisting her handkerchief in her hands, standing there as if she were "without bones," looking shy and timid.
At first, the Emperor didn't look at her, keeping his hands behind his back. "The palace is not the Shang mansion. You were raised 'wild' in your home—but that was in the past. Now that you have entered the palace, you must follow the palace rules. Do not do what shouldn't be done; do not go where you shouldn't go. Like yesterday—entering the waiting rooms of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, do you not know the path? Rushing blindly past the front hall, you were lucky I was just eating. If an Internal Affairs Minister had been coming in to report and saw you like that, what would he think?"
The more he spoke, the more his irritation grew, and old grudges surfaced. Usually, he had to act magnanimous in front of others to show his kingly demeanor. Today, with no one around, the chance for "revenge" had finally come.
The Emperor took a deep breath and slowly looked up, saying solemnly, "A gentleman does some things and refrains from others. You have grown so old, yet you clearly don't understand even half the logic. However, I will not punish you today—not for any other reason but because you were recently promoted and don't yet know the rules of the Presence. People have moments of distraction; if everything is treated as a grave offense, life becomes tedious. Like today—I wanted to reprimand you, but I didn't do it in front of others; I sent away the guards. I’ve saved your face, haven't I? You are not young anymore; you must know when to advance and when to retreat. But if you remain unrepentant after my personal reprimand, don't blame me. I can promote you to Daying, and I can naturally demote you back to a maid... What is wrong with you?"
He was in the middle of his speech, but that last sentence lost its momentum. He truly didn't understand why she was tilting her head and twisting her body in such a strange pose.
Yi Xing was gritting her teeth and persevering. To let the Emperor see her grace and charm, she was giving it her all.
Not only did her posture have to be beautiful, but even her voice had to be different from usual. She had to frame the "butterfly incident" in the Imperial Garden as a lady being too physically frail to catch a butterfly. At least the Emperor should know she was different from when she was a child—she had finally grown into a poetic and graceful beauty.
"This servant understands. Your Majesty means that if someone gives me an inch, I should give them a yard," she said, blinking. "Yesterday’s intrusion was indeed my recklessness. I came earlier today and have figured out the path to the rear courtyard; I won't be like yesterday again. Actually... Your Majesty’s words, the hidden meaning within, I understand it all in my heart."
The Emperor was stunned. He had spoken in innuendos, hoping that after he vented his frustration, she wouldn't understand so the matter could be put behind them. But her sudden claim that she "understood in her heart" meant her previous claim of forgetting their childhood encounters was a blatant lie to his face.
The Emperor was a bit angry. Although the events of ten years ago were best left unmentioned, her memory was clearly vivid. She was likely laughing at him behind his back even now.
The embarrassment of ten years ago flooded back into his heart. She called him "Majesty" to his face, but what did she think of him in her heart? She had so many twists in her mind; she was "acting dumb while being fully aware." This matter had to be settled eventually. Since the conversation had reached this point, he might as well speak clearly to untie the knot in his heart so he would never have to brood over it again.
The Emperor turned to face her directly. "What do you understand? Speak clearly today."
Yi Xing thought to herself: You care about this more than I do! It would have been so much better to cover it up and treat it as a childhood prank.
But he wouldn't let it go. After a long detour, he was still stuck on this. This was a festering wound; if it wasn't lanced to drain the pus, this Master would likely continue being passive-aggressive forever. Her goal today was to establish a good relationship. Perhaps by being "heart-to-heart" and speaking openly—while expressing her devotion—the Emperor would be able to promote her rank without any lingering resentment!
So, Yi Xing acted coy and spoke in a delicate, sweet voice: "It’s about that matter... Didn't you come to our house to play when we were kids? I accidentally bumped into you that time... I really didn't mean it. I was only five or six then and didn't know anything. I meant to help you out, but I realize now I was wrong. That kind of thing shouldn't be said in front of everyone; I should have told you privately."
The Emperor’s face went dark. See? She went over it in her head several times, yet dared to lie and say she forgot!
Yi Xing was a bit scared and stole a timid glance at him. She had thought he had grown up and was different from his childhood self, but his current expression was exactly like it was back then: a mix of fury and guilt, with a hint of grievance.
She waved the hand holding the handkerchief. "Don't... don't be angry; it’s not worth hurting your health. Listen to me—before, I might have secretly laughed at you, but now I absolutely don't. I’ve been promoted; I’m your Daying. If I laugh at you, I’m laughing at myself, right?" She then cast a lingering, soulful glance and said softly, "Don't avoid me. I am truly devoted to you. From now on, you are my heaven; I rely on you for the rest of my life. If you grow distant from me because of this matter, how will I live my days in the palace..."
Having finished her speech, whether true or false—she lifted her handkerchief to dab at her eyes as if expressing genuine emotion.
On one hand, the Emperor felt his pride was wounded, but on the other, her words gave him a slight sense of dizziness.
Could she really have such simple thoughts? Was it not a deliberate act of malice to make him lose face in public as a child? It was very strange. He had summoned her to scold her and send two nannies to "teach" her rules (while actually assisting her), but after she rambled on, that plan seemed to have been shelved.
In fact, to see her true heart, one only had to compare her attitude toward Physician Xia: one tone was sincere, the other was artificial. She treated the Emperor like a "provider," while only Physician Xia was worthy of her confidence, even her promise to bribe him sounded heart-felt.
The Emperor felt a bit stifled and looked away. "You underestimate me. My heart holds the empire and the world; there is no room for such trivialities."
Upon hearing this, Yi Xing took two small "lotus steps" forward and clutched her heart. "Your heart is so broad that it can't hold trivial things... but can it hold me?"
There it was again—a blatant self-recommendation for the Imperial bed! The Emperor’s teeth ached with annoyance, and Yi Xing herself had broken into a cold sweat.
She had thought it was just a gesture of goodwill; who knew it would sound so embarrassing when spoken aloud? Eventually, she stopped clutching her heart and started frantically wiping her sweat. Seeing her wipe so much, the Emperor couldn't help but look sideways. "You're sweating so much, is it a guilty conscience or a kidney deficiency?"
What could Yi Xing say? Could she say she had literally sweated herself into a heat out of embarrassment? Seeing the Emperor’s expression, perhaps he was somewhat moved. Indeed, the old methods worked best: if it succeeded in the Imperial Garden, why wouldn't it succeed in the Hall of Mental Cultivation?
"How could I have a guilty conscience? It’s just..." She sighed hyperbolically, moving her hand to her temple. "The weather is hot, and I’ve caught some sunstroke. My head hurts."
Out of habit, the Emperor almost reached out to check her pulse. Fortunately, he restrained himself and only said, "Tomorrow, I’ll summon a physician to look at you."
Speaking of physicians, Yi Xing remembered her benefactor. She was worried she wouldn't have many chances to see him; since the Emperor mentioned it, she might as well "push the boat with the current."
"In this palace, I only know Physician Xia. I beg Your Majesty for a favor—let Physician Xia treat me from now on!"
The Emperor thought: Fine, her true colors are showing. To a man's face, she dared to "eat from the bowl while looking at the pot."
He gave a mocking laugh. "You certainly know your 'goods,' picking my personal physician. I’ve been curious these last few days, Xia Qingchuan is a very aloof person and has always refused to befriend palace maids. How did you get on his good side and persuade him to come to me to plead your case?"
Yi Xing suddenly felt exposed. She couldn't say Physician Xia often snuck into the Anle Tang to treat people and that she met him by chance. She had to make up a story on the spot. "There was... one time I was on duty at the Northern Five Residences. On the way, I suddenly felt faint and short of breath, so I sat down by the alleyway. Physician Xia happened to pass by and treated me. That’s how we met. Later, after finding him several times to treat injuries, we became familiar. Once he learned of my background, he felt my talent was being wasted. He said... with my potential, I shouldn't be buried in the Shangyi Ju and should have a greater future. That’s why he recommended me to Your Majesty."
The Emperor wanted to sneer. "Physician Xia really said that?"
"Of course," Yi Xing insisted righteously. "Otherwise, we are neither kin nor friends, why else would he mention me to the Emperor?"
Indeed, women are skilled at lying with their eyes wide open. Could he not know what Physician Xia had actually gone through?
Forget it, it was pointless to argue with her. There were more important things to warn her about. He said, "You are now a member of the Harem; you must have decorum in your speech and actions. I shouldn't need to tell you this. Physician Xia is an honest, upright man. There is nothing wrong with summoning him for a consultation, but remember your status. There must be no overstepping. Do you understand?"
That went without saying, her secret pining for Physician Xia was something she would take to her grave. But even with a rank, wasn't it okay to yearn for a beautiful romance?
However, in the Emperor's eyes, Physician Xia was an "honest man"? Yi Xing agreed aloud, but her eyes couldn't help but drift toward the Emperor.
To be honest, Physician Xia and the Emperor were so similar—from their build to their voice, every part of them felt familiar. But whether there was a necessary connection between them was hard to say: one was a Sovereign, one a subject; one wore golden dragons, the other wore a quail patch. But if one ignored the difference in status...
Yi Xing stared, starting to imagine the Emperor covering the lower half of his face, then changing this casual robe for an eighth-rank official uniform... It was startling. If someone said they were the same person, there seemed to be no reason to doubt it.
The Emperor, however, felt a bit uneasy under her scrutiny.
He instinctively turned away, showing her only his profile. His voice carried a hint of anger as he said deeply, "Why are you staring at me? You were like this as a child, and now that you've grown up, you're the same! Am I so good-looking that you can't even blink while watching me?"
Yi Xing suddenly snapped out of it, thinking she was truly muddled. Likely because she saw too few men, she was actually comparing Physician Xia to the Emperor.
She awkwardly retracted her gaze, her eyes drifting toward the ceiling's decorative caisson. She twisted her handkerchief and shifted her body. "Your Majesty is right—I’m looking at you precisely because you are so good-looking." As she spoke, she cast another "autumn ripple" (seductive glance).
The Emperor felt the hair on his face stand up. Her behavior was like she was possessed; she certainly wasn't like this with Physician Xia.
The only explanation was that she was using every trick in the book to seduce him. Those coy expressions and flattering words were all shouting: "Notice me, promote me!" But her methods were clumsy. Just like her "grand entrance" in the Imperial Garden, everything was suffocatingly artificial.
The Emperor took a deep breath, prepared to go straight to the point. "Stop beating around the bush. Tell me the truth: do you want to serve in bed?"
It was like a bolt from the blue; Yi Xing was suddenly frozen there, unable to speak.
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