A few days passed, and Xue Ying brought people over once again. In a few days, it would be New Year’s Eve, and a new year was about to begin. On the night of New Year’s Eve, Li Yi would host a banquet with his consorts in the inner palace, usually held in Noble Consort Yan’s Yuhua Palace.
Xue Ying knelt on the ground. “Your Majesty, the young master found this slave a few days ago. He entrusted some silver notes to this slave, saying that your life in the palace is difficult, and you will need silver to smooth things over.”
The silver notes were presented before Qi Yue’s eyes. She pinched the thick stack of bills—a full three thousand taels. Who knew how that child had managed to save up so much.
Xue Ying said, “Your Majesty need not worry about the young master. Though young in age, his methods are quite formidable. He has managed the shops in his hands exceptionally well. Please feel at ease using this silver.”
“Staying in Zhengyang Palace, this Empress’s monthly stipend is enough. Where would I possibly need so much silver?” Qi Yue stuffed the silver notes right back into Xue Ying’s hands. “On the contrary, it is you, Eunuch Xue. You have masters to serve above you and slaves to manage below you. You are busy with many matters and have far more places to spend silver. You have taken care of this Empress quite a bit; consider this silver your reward.”
Xue Ying’s throat tightened as he knelt down. “To handle matters for Your Majesty is this slave’s honor. This slave has never once thought of a reward.”
“People always want something. Now you have reputation and status, and this Empress cannot give you anything more. If you do not even want silver, this Empress will begin to doubt your motives.” Qi Yue smiled a smile that wasn’t quite a smile. “Eunuch Xue, wouldn’t you agree?”
Xue Ying remained kneeling on the ground. “Toward Your Majesty, this slave has never wanted anything.”
Qi Yue gave a soft, shallow smile. “Your words sound nice. But then again, this Empress likes hearing them.”
She did not make Xue Ying go outside to kneel; Xue Ying simply remained kneeling where he was. Qi Yue reclined sideways on the couch. A little white cat pounced up, extending a soft, fluffy little paw to press against Qi Yue’s chin. When Qi Yue refused to let the kitten press it, the kitten began to meow in protest.
Xue Ying said, “This slave is skilled in painting. Your Majesty, would you like this slave to paint a portrait for you?”
Qi Yue nodded. “Alright. Aunt Jing, go prepare the materials for Eunuch Xue.”
She continued carelessly teasing the cat. Aunt Jing occasionally refilled her tea or brought over a plate of pastries, and time slowly ticked by.
The figure in Xue Ying’s painting gradually took shape. A woman in snow-white robes, her ink-dark hair loosely gathered with a single hairpin, reclined sideways on a couch, teasing a little cat in her hands—looking the very picture of idle, languid grace.
Once the painting was finished, Qi Yue took one glance at it. “Not bad. Aunt Jing, put it away.”
The sky was gradually turning late, and Qi Yue said, “Eunuch Xue, you may go back. The Internal Affairs Department surely has many matters waiting for you to handle.”
For the first time, he was not punished with kneeling, and Xue Ying actually found it a bit hard to adjust. As he walked out, Xunxue happened to be coming in from the outside.
Xunxue noticed the painting in Aunt Jing’s hands. She ran up and peeked at it a few times. “Your Majesty, is this a painting of you? Although it only captures seventy or eighty percent of your charm, it is still incredibly beautiful.”
“You just have a sweet mouth,” Qi Yue said. “Put it away.”
Aunt Jing put the painting away.
Qi Yue looked at Xunxue. “This Empress has noticed you’ve been rather listless these past two days. Why are you hovering around now?”
Xunxue lowered her head. “This servant lost a bracelet a few days ago. Although it was only silver, it was this servant’s treasure. Unable to find it, this servant feels awful.”
“Tell this Empress a story. If you tell it well, this Empress will reward you with a gold one.”
Xunxue stood to the side and told a story about a Noble Consort. This Noble Consort was surnamed Lin. Noble Consort Lin came from an aristocratic family, and upon entering the palace, she received immense favor from the Emperor. But there were many women in the harem, and within a few years, the Emperor grew tired of her. Noble Consort Lin was not one to endure loneliness, and feeling that guarding an empty cold palace was far too miserable, she bribed some people, faked her death, and escaped. From then on, Noble Consort Lin took the gold, silver, and jewels she had saved up in her early years, bought a massive courtyard estate, and lived happily ever after.
By the time the story ended, Aunt Jing’s face was so gloomy it looked ready to drip water. The Empress, however, listened with great interest. After hearing it, she took off the jade bracelet on her own wrist and tried to slip it onto Xunxue’s hand.
Unfortunately, the Empress’s wrist was far too slender. She could wear this jade bracelet, but Xunxue certainly could not. Qi Yue had no choice but to order Aunt Yun to fetch a gold bracelet instead.
Aunt Yun slapped the gold bracelet into Xunxue’s hand, shooting her a fierce glare. In the next breath, she turned her face and smiled. “Your Majesty, let’s go have dinner. It’s getting late.”
Xunxue was dragged by her collar into a dark corner by Aunt Jing.
Aunt Jing scolded, “Xunxue, Her Majesty likes you and favors you, but do not rely on her favor to make her do something foolish. Many things are not as simple as they are in stories. When an Empress passes away, she is examined by layer upon layer of people and must enter the Imperial Mausoleum.”
Xunxue naturally knew this, but she just couldn’t help herself from making up such a story.
Right now, rumors about the Empress were flying wildly all over the harem, yet she had not followed the Emperor’s orders to drug the Empress.
Once too much time passed, the Emperor’s side would definitely find out. When that happened, not only would Xunxue lose her life, but this young Empress would also be harmed by others. Xunxue’s agony these past few days was precisely because of this matter.
Xunxue sighed. “Aunt Jing, I know I was wrong. Her Majesty is as smart as ice and snow; how could she not know the truths that you know? I just wanted to tell a story to make Her Majesty happy. Her Majesty’s portrait is still here; I will go send it to the storehouse.”
Halfway there, with no one around, Xunxue unrolled the portrait and looked at it again.
Truly beautiful.
Xunxue touched Qi Yue’s face in the painting. She had always wanted to touch Qi Yue’s face, but unfortunately, the Empress was too proud and didn’t let anyone touch her.
The next day, Xunxue found an excuse to sneak the portrait out. Finding a deserted pavilion, she faced Xue Ying’s painting of the Empress and began to copy it.
She felt that the little cat in the painting was terribly annoying. Xunxue really wanted to erase the cat and draw herself in its place.
As she painted, the sound of footsteps came from behind. Xunxue’s heart clenched, and she hurriedly turned around.
Li Yi was surrounded by a flock of eunuchs and palace maids. Wearing a cyan casual robe with a fox fur draped over his shoulders, his expression was cold and stern. “If you are not in Zhengyang Palace, why are you here?”
Xunxue had no idea Li Yi was taking a walk here. She dropped to her knees, stammering, “Her Majesty the Empress ordered this servant to copy a portrait, intending to train this servant.”
Li Yi also saw the portrait on the stone table.
For a brief moment, he genuinely did not realize that the woman in the painting was actually Qi Yue.
He looked at the portrait on the table, his thoughts spinning a thousand times. “Is the person in the portrait the Empress?”
Xunxue’s heart gave a massive thump.
She was utterly unwilling to let this Emperor, who sat upon three thousand beauties, go disturb the peaceful Empress.
Yet right now, the Empress’s life and death were truly, undeniably held in the palm of the Emperor’s hand.
Xunxue replied, “It is Her Majesty the Empress.”
Li Yi felt that this painter’s skills were truly masterful—to actually be able to paint such a gloomy, vicious little girl to look so movingly beautiful, as though she were an ethereal fairy untouched by mortal dust.
He secretly imagined in his mind: perhaps the painter had been coerced by the Empress. If it wasn’t painted beautifully, the Empress would surely chop off the painter’s head. Thus, the painter had no choice but to betray his conscience and paint her to look a bit nicer.
Fang Lu quietly reminded, “Your Majesty, Noble Consort Yan is still waiting for you.”
Li Yi gave an “Mm” and turned his head to leave.
Xunxue packed the painting away. No matter how hard she tried to match and copy it, she just couldn’t draw it well.
She had originally thought Xue Ying’s skills were shallow and couldn’t fully capture the Empress’s beauty. Only after trying her own hand at it did she realize: true beauty lies in the bones, not the skin. She couldn’t even draw a seventy percent likeness.
Translator’s Anecdote:
Emperor Li Yi is doing absolute Olympic-level mental gymnastics to convince himself the Empress isn’t actually pretty. Meanwhile, Xunxue’s biggest concern is erasing the cat from the painting so she can draw herself next to her crush!😍