The First Day of the Lunar New Year.
Inside Cining Palace, lanterns and banners decorated the halls, radiating the festive atmosphere of the New Year. All the consorts and concubines wore auspicious attire and, in order, bowed to pay their respects to the Empress Dowager and the Emperor seated at the head.
Su Su wore a pink courtier’s outfit with a simple silk flower in her hair. After performing her courtesy, she quietly seated herself in the farthest corner.
The Empress Dowager looked especially well today, receiving the bows with a gentle smile. Her gaze slowly swept over the room, her fingers tapping lightly on the edge of her teacup as if assessing the demeanor of each person.
The Emperor leaned back lazily in his chair, seemingly indifferent, yet his eyes couldn’t help but occasionally drift toward the pale pink figure. He had noticed last time that her hair was bare, with not even a proper ornament.
Consort Wanpin lowered her gaze to sip her tea, silently noting the emperor’s subtle attention.
The emperor seemed in a good mood today and ordered many gifts to be presented: gold, silver, jade, and jewelry in dazzling variety. The higher-ranking consorts selected first, quickly choosing the finest pieces. By the time it was Su Su’s turn, only a few items remained: a lustrous white jade hairpin and a plate of heavy gold ingots.
The gold hairpins had been chosen earlier; this jade hairpin, though ordinary and less valuable than the gold, had been saved until the end. But no one knew its significance it had once belonged to the emperor’s mother. Long ago, Su Su had seen Li Qianche lost in thought while holding it, and when she asked, she learned that even if she had asked for it many times, he never gave it to her.
Today, he had brought it out, but she didn’t know why and she didn’t care to know. Without hesitation, she took the gold ingot. If she could leave the palace, money would be far more practical.
Li Qianche’s gaze immediately tightened, his fingers unconsciously stroking the jade finger ring on his hand. He had deliberately arranged for the hairpin to be there, expecting her to be delighted as before… yet she chose the gold ingot instead. Why had she changed?
The choice drew the attention of the other consorts. The formerly indulgent consort, who had loved luxurious objects above all, now chose simple gold and silver over fine jade.
Consort Zhuang, noticing this, sneered slightly, then turned to the emperor with a soft, coquettish voice: “Your Majesty, I do admire that jade hairpin very much…”
The Empress Dowager tapped her fingers on the rosewood armrest. The clear sound of her jeweled bracelets striking wood drew all attention. She glanced at Consort Zhuang, her eyes carrying a quiet authority. Before Consort Zhuang could finish speaking, she said, “Consort Zhuang, is your jewelry box still capable of holding more?” Though her tone was soft, it carried undeniable power.
The emperor did not look at Consort Zhuang, simply replying in a cool tone: “The Empress Dowager is right. Let them be put away for now.”
The Empress Dowager nodded slightly, saying no more, but her gaze lingered on Su Su, as if conveying some unspoken meaning.
Consort Zhuang had no choice but to back down; after all, she had already received one gold hairpin there would be time for the jade hairpin another day.
After some conversation, the Empress Dowager said she was tired and told the women they could go play, no need to remain by her side. The emperor left first. Seeing the imperial carriage depart, the consorts quietly took their leave. Su Su followed last.
Just as she was about to leave the hall, Lady Duan, the attendant beside the Empress Dowager, suddenly spoke: “Su Daying (Su Su), remain.”
Su Su turned, sensing that her aunt was anxious. She composed herself, gathering her calm and humility according to palace etiquette, and performed a deep, proper bow. Her voice was soft and gentle: “Your Majesty, what orders do you have?” she no longer dared to call her “aunt.”
The Empress Dowager gestured for her to rise. Her eyes lingered for a moment, seeing that Su Su had refrained from calling her “aunt,” she assumed the girl was upset at the Empress Dowager’s recent coldness and sighed: “You’ve lost quite a bit of weight. Today, you only took the gold ingot did the servants fail to attend to you, leaving your allowance insufficient?” In the palace, servants always recognized only favor and money. By choosing the gold ingot, Su Su was surely thinking of bribing them, making sure she could trade for food or necessities life in the deep palace was difficult without favor.
Su Su lowered her head and replied, “All is well with me, Your Majesty. There is no need for concern.”
“After the matter with Prince Ning’s heir, you must learn restraint and not act recklessly,” the Empress Dowager’s tone became serious. Seeing that Su Su remained calm and obedient, she felt a slight sense of relief. “Seeing you more composed than before, I am reassured.”
Su Su looked up at the Empress Dowager earnestly. “I shall be cautious and prudent in the future, Your Majesty. I will not cause you or my family any trouble.” In her heart, she thought: once the time is right, I will petition to leave the palace. These days of obedience are just part of being “cautious and prudent.”
The Empress Dowager nodded: “It pleases me to see you think this way. My teaching you from a young age to serve the Emperor well and one day bear me a grandson was not in vain. Everything else, I will handle for you.”
“Your kindness is deeply appreciated, Your Majesty. I only wish to live out my days quietly in Changxin Palace and give you peace of mind,” Su Su said, bowing deeply. Hearing that the Empress Dowager still wished to help her, her heart warmed slightly. The word “aunt” returned to her lips, though now spoken calmly and respectfully.
The Empress Dowager was slightly taken aback. She hadn’t expected such a reply, so unlike the ambitious and competitive niece of old. Perhaps fear had completely extinguished any thought of vying for favor. Well, there was still time she would find a way to let Su Su regain the emperor’s attention.
“Rest assured,” the Empress Dowager said gently. “As long as you remain dutiful and prudent, the emperor will eventually return his favor.”
Though the emperor remained increasingly difficult to predict, arranging for him to see Su Su a few times, granting her some favor, was not impossible. Once she bore a child and gave birth to a prince, even if the emperor’s attention waned later…
Having an heir by her side, she would have someone to rely on for the rest of her life, and could plan her future with more freedom.
She gestured to Lady Duan to bring a food box and handed it to Su Su. “Inside are the venison and osmanthus cakes you used to love. You’ve grown far too thin; make sure you eat well.”
Su Su’s eyes glistened with emotion as she accepted the box with both hands. “Thank you, Aunt,” she said. Her aunt had always treated her kindly. If she truly left the palace in the future, she might never have another chance to repay such care.
Carrying the food box, Su Su walked slowly out of Cining Palace.
The Empress Dowager tilted her head toward Lady Duan and whispered, “Has she really been scared out of her wits? She used to vie for favor with all her effort now she seems to be hiding.”
Lady Duan bowed slightly in reply. “I think the matter with Prince Ning’s heir frightened the young mistress. That she is more obedient now isn’t necessarily a bad thing.”
The Empress Dowager sighed lightly. “I hope she has truly changed her nature. I will watch over her a little more carefully from now on.”
“Yes, Your Majesty is kind.”
Back at Changxin Palace, Su Su instructed Chunlan to carefully store the gold ingot, while Qiuju excitedly opened the food box. “The Empress Dowager still remembers you fondly, young mistress. Look, today’s food is far more generous.”
Su Su sat at the table, her gaze lingering on the venison. After a moment’s contemplation, she spoke seriously: “There’s something I need to tell you clearly. In a few days, I plan to petition the Empress Dowager to leave the palace to pray for blessings. After that… I do not intend to return. Outside the palace, the world is vast; I only want to live freely. Whether you wish to go with me or stay in the palace is entirely your choice.”
Chunlan and Qiuju were both momentarily stunned, exchanging surprised glances. Though they had noticed their young mistress had changed becoming calmer and less confrontational they had never expected her to entertain leaving the palace. But thinking further, her expressions had indeed been more relaxed these past days. If she truly left the confined palace walls, it would be a liberation.
The two women knelt together, pleading earnestly: “Wherever you go, young mistress, we will follow. Please, do not leave us behind!”
Su Su reached out to lift them, speaking gently but solemnly: “Have you thought this through? Once we leave the palace, there will be no luxurious robes or exquisite food. We may have to toil and travel, and… we might never be able to return to the Su household.”
Qiuju’s eyes lit up with a smile. “Even in the palace now, the food is simple and we must follow rules at every turn. How could that compare to the freedom outside?”
Chunlan nodded firmly. “No matter what decision the young mistress makes, we swear to follow you to the end. Inside the palace or outside, we only wish to stay by your side.”
Su Su clasped their hands, warmth shining in her eyes. “Very well. From today onward, we will begin preparing slowly.”
Chunlan and Qiuju exchanged smiles and replied in unison: “Yes!”