Having survived in the palace for so many years, how could Aunt Jing not see right through Noble Lady Wu’s little schemes?
Mentally rolling her eyes at the woman in disdain, she maintained a placid expression and said lightly, “This servant belongs to Her Majesty the Empress and represents Her Majesty’s face. For Noble Lady Wu to speak so insultingly, are you deliberately provoking Her Majesty the Empress?”
Noble Lady Wu narrowed her eyes at Aunt Jing for a moment. “You certainly have a sharp tongue, pinning crimes onto this Concubine out of nowhere. This Concubine cannot be bothered to waste words with you. Step aside, this Concubine is going to pick flowers!”
Over in the distance, Xunxue and Qi Yue heard the commotion.
A trace of confusion flickered through Qi Yue’s eyes. “What is it?”
Holding the umbrella, Xunxue said, “It seems a mistress has arrived over there. Your Majesty, shall we head over?”
Qi Yue merely swept a careless glance in Noble Lady Wu’s direction. In her eyes, Noble Lady Wu was nothing more than a walking heap of rotting meat.
Disgusting.
Snapping off a tiny plum blossom, Qi Yue scoffed. “This Empress is the Empress. Why should I go over to see her? It is she who should be coming to see this Empress.”
Noble Lady Wu walked over step by step, a smattering of snow resting on her cloak. Before she could even draw close to Qi Yue, Aunt Yun blocked her path. “Noble Lady Wu, Her Majesty the Empress is just ahead.”
From a distance, Noble Lady Wu dropped into a shallow curtsy. “This Concubine greets Her Majesty the Empress.”
She hadn’t yet managed to catch a glimpse of the Empress’s face, as she was forced to keep her head lowered for the moment.
Qi Yue’s icy fingers played with the single plum blossom in her palm, remaining silent for a long time. With her silence, Noble Lady Wu’s mood began to subtly shift. She actually harbored the thought of provoking the Empress to curry favor with the Noble Consort.
Although they said a plucked phoenix was worse than a chicken, at her core, a plucked phoenix was still a phoenix. This Empress’s entourage and airs were still undeniably grand.
After cooling down a little, the hot-headed urge Noble Lady Wu felt just moments ago to provoke the Empress faded considerably.
Palace maids surrounded them, and the faint fragrance of plum blossoms floated in the air. Noble Lady Wu’s hands were exposed to the elements, and with a passing gust of wind, her fingers froze stiff.
The atmosphere was far too quiet and solemn, so much so that Noble Lady Wu suddenly lost her voice, unsure of what to say.
Qi Yue’s freezing gaze swept over Noble Lady Wu, and a shallow smile graced her lips. “Who are you? This Empress has never seen you before.”
Noble Lady Wu parted her lips. She was, at the very least, a favored person in front of the Noble Consort; how dared this Empress not recognize her! Carrying a hint of displeasure, she replied, “Her Majesty the Empress resides deep in Zhengyang Palace and never comes out, so naturally you would not recognize this Concubine.”
Aunt Yun interjected, “Your Majesty, this is Noble Lady Wu of Qinping Palace. She entered the palace three years ago.”
“Having been in the palace for so long, why have you never come to Zhengyang Palace to pay your respects to this Empress?” Qi Yue asked smoothly. “Since it is our first meeting, kneel on the ground and perform a full kowtow for this Empress.”
A full kowtow?
Noble Lady Wu’s face instantly dropped. In this freezing world of ice and snow, why should she fully kneel and bow to a fallen, unfavored Empress?
Wan’er, the head maid beside Noble Lady Wu, spoke up. “Her Majesty the Empress, our mistress has committed no wrong. In this freezing weather, for you to make her kneel…”
“Where did this wretched slave come from?” Qi Yue’s lips curled up, her smile completely devoid of warmth. She commanded, “This Empress does not wish to hear your voice. Aunt Yun, have someone slap her mouth until she can no longer make a sound.”
Two palace maids immediately stepped forward and pinned down Noble Lady Wu’s maid, Wan’er.
Only now did Noble Lady Wu realize just how impossibly difficult the Empress was to deal with. Her voice trembled. “Your Majesty, this girl Wan’er has followed this Concubine for many years, she is ignorant…”
“She is ignorant, so you wish to be punished in her stead?”
Xunxue passed the umbrella to another maid, took the hand warmer, and gently placed it into Qi Yue’s palms.
Qi Yue said, “Noble Lady Wu, if you wish to accept the punishment in place of this ignorant slave, then kneel under the plum blossom tree on the right. If you do not wish to, then kneel right here at this Empress’s feet.”
Noble Lady Wu argued, “Your Majesty, this Concubine is on very good terms with Her Highness the Noble Consort. For you to punish this Concubine like this is to slap the Noble Consort’s face.”
“This Empress told you to kneel, so you will kneel. This Empress is the Empress. Can a dignified, majestic Empress not withstand the kneeling bow of a mere Noble Lady?”
Daring to resist no longer, Noble Lady Wu knelt on the ground with profound reluctance and resentment.
The ground was unbearably freezing, coated in a layer of melting snow. Without kneepads, kneeling like this threatened to freeze her knees completely stiff.
Qi Yue pressed her hands against the hand warmer, the breath she exhaled turning into warm white puffs. She had dressed up to come out today; the corners of her eyes were tinged with rouge in a pale peach hue. The outer corners of her eyes tilted upward, and a faint smile touched her lips. “Noble Lady Wu, have you never heard that this Empress is not someone easily provoked?”
Noble Lady Wu had, of course, heard that the Empress possessed a bizarre and terrible temper.
But she never expected that an Empress with zero backing would still act so insanely arrogant!
Her arrogance was so overpowering it eclipsed even the Noble Consort!
“A correct kowtow requires both hands, both knees, and the forehead to be flat on the ground,” Qi Yue instructed. “You are only kneeling on your knees. Could it be that you lack hands and a head?”
Noble Lady Wu obediently pressed her slender hands into the snow, letting her fair, full forehead touch the freezing ground.
Stepping on the soft snow, Qi Yue’s voice carried a hint of delight. “Just now, did my Aunt Jing not stop you and tell you that this Empress was here and did not wish to be disturbed by others?”
“This Concubine did not intentionally mean to offend. This Concubine merely admires Your Majesty, and thus came over to pay respects.” Having been in the palace for three years, Noble Lady Wu knew how to steer her ship with the wind. “Your Majesty has likely misunderstood this Concubine’s motives.”
“Right now your words sound sweeter than a song, but the moment this Empress turns around, you will immediately change your face and splash dirty water all over this Empress.” Qi Yue couldn’t be bothered with pleasantries. Whatever she wanted to say, she said directly and clearly. “You coming over like this was entirely born from a desire to provoke me. If this Empress tolerates you, you will only think this Empress is weak and easy to bully, and you will bully me twice as hard.”
Having her inner thoughts brutally exposed by the Empress, Noble Lady Wu’s face turned impossibly ugly. She stammered, “Your Majesty, this Concubine… this Concubine absolutely had no such intention! You have misunderstood this Concubine!”
With her trailing skirts lifted by the palace maids, Qi Yue took a slow step forward. Lying on the ground was Noble Lady Wu’s pair of delicate hands, the backs of them already turning purple from the cold. Qi Yue stepped right onto them.
Noble Lady Wu let out a soft cry. “Your… Your Majesty…”
“If this Empress tolerates you, you will only push your luck and climb all over my face. If this Empress oppresses you, you will spread rumors saying this Empress lacks the virtue for her position.” Qi Yue’s lips curled into a breathtaking, soul-stealing smile. “Since neither path yields a good result anyway, why shouldn’t this Empress follow my own heart and trample you underfoot?”
Qi Yue ground her boot down, her eyes flashing with undisguised malice.
As a Noble Lady, being bullied in front of all these palace maids brought Noble Lady Wu not only physical pain but also a total loss of face. Tears welled in her eyes, and she was so humiliated and furious she nearly fainted.
Xunxue stepped forward and said smoothly, “Your Majesty, your little deerskin boots are exceedingly pretty, newly made by Aunt Yun, aren’t they? Please do not get them dirty. The wind and snow are heavy outside; since we’ve picked our flowers, let us return early.”
Qi Yue nodded, clutching her hand warmer. “Alright.”
The maids who were picking flowers returned, and just as grandly as the procession had arrived, they departed the Imperial Garden.
Noble Lady Wu’s knees ached terribly from the cold, and she had to be heavily supported just to stand up. Her head maid, Wan’er, had also been released, though Wan’er’s cheeks were swollen from the beating and the corners of her mouth were bleeding.
Wan’er choked on a sob. “How can the Empress rely on her power to bully people like this!”
Leaning heavily on a maid’s arm, Noble Lady Wu spat with venomous hatred, “For her to humiliate this Concubine like this, this Concubine will absolutely make sure she dies a miserable death!”
Reclining sideways on her couch, Aunt Jing took a small beauty-hammer and gently massaged Qi Yue’s legs. A cool, serene fragrance permeated Zhengyang Palace. Most of the furnishings were dark red, and the light filtering in through the window screens was dim and moody.
Xunxue stood quietly to the side. She had previously heard that Zhengyang Palace was brilliantly illuminated, excessively luxurious, and grand. Only now, having entered, did she realize it was so plain it hardly looked like an Empress’s residence.
Zhengyang Palace gave off a stifling, oppressive feeling, like an old, worn-out cage. And within this cage, the only vibrant, glowing, and radiant thing was the Empress resting on the couch.
The Empress was still so young, and suffocatingly beautiful.
Aunt Jing said softly, “Your Majesty, you went a bit too far just now. If you dislike Noble Lady Wu, giving her a verbal beating would have sufficed. To injure her physically like that, if word gets out…”
“In this inner palace, are there really a shortage of rumors about this Empress?” Qi Yue laughed carelessly. “If a piece of paper is already completely covered in black ink, one more drop won’t surprise anyone.”
Aunt Jing sighed.
Qi Yue lazily lifted her eyes. “Bring this Empress’s Xun (ocarina).”
A palace maid turned away, and a moment later, presented a red-lacquered, cloud-and-dragon carved Xun to Qi Yue.
Qi Yue looked at Xunxue. “Do you know how to play any instruments?”
Xunxue shook her head. “This servant comes from a lowly background and cannot read, let alone know anything about musical instruments.”
Qi Yue closed her eyes. “Aunt Yun will have to train you much more in private.”
The maid who had brought the Xun stood to the side and was just about to play it for Qi Yue when a maid outside announced, “Your Majesty, Eunuch Xue has arrived.”
Qi Yue made a gesture for the maid to continue playing. As the tragic, desolate melody began to fill the room, a young eunuch dressed in a blue-grey brocade robe embroidered with cloud patterns walked in, holding a horsetail whisk. Following behind this young eunuch were two younger, greener little eunuchs.
Xue Ying bowed respectfully. “This slave greets Her Majesty the Empress.”
Qi Yue nodded. “Dispense with the formalities.”
Xue Ying did not dare look directly at the Empress, who was lounging so casually on the couch, nor did he dare gaze upon her coldly enchanting face or her cloud-like ink hair. He lowered his eyes and smiled. “Why does Your Majesty have the servants play such a sorrowful instrument? The people below gifted this slave a fine guqin, and thinking Your Majesty might like it, this slave specifically had someone bring it over.”
“It was a tribute meant to honor you; how could this Empress simply accept it?” Qi Yue replied. “This Empress does not lack for anything here.”
Xue Ying said gently, “Just now, this slave heard that Noble Lady Wu collided with you. Fearing that you might have angered yourself and harmed your health, this slave came to check on Your Majesty. Is there anything this slave can do for you?”
The sorrowful sound of the Xun continued to echo in the room. Xue Ying stood by with his hands lowered, quietly waiting for the Empress to speak.
The Empress had always been slow to react; others could ask ten sentences, and she would often not bother to reply to even one. After a while, when the maid finished playing the song, Qi Yue finally spoke. “This Empress is bored all day. Eunuch Xue, move to the window and keep this Empress company for a game of chess.”
Xunxue helped Qi Yue up, and she sauntered lazily over to the window, leaning against a cushion. “Eunuch Xue, sit down as well.”
Xue Ying took a seat.
Attending by Qi Yue’s side, Xunxue finally got a clear look at Xue Ying’s face.
Xue Ying was the Head of the Internal Affairs Department, holding a prestigious Rank Two position with immense power and authority. Yet, the man himself was incredibly young, looking no older than thirty. He had a tall, slender build, and deep, profound eyes that were slightly feminine but by no means frail. Xue Ying had only entered the palace and become a eunuch as an adult, so his voice lacked the typical sharp, high-pitched shrillness of other eunuchs; instead, it was deep, mellow, and exceptionally gentle when speaking to Qi Yue.
With the heated floors running, the room was quite warm, and Qi Yue was dressed rather lightly. The maids brought over tea. Qi Yue took a sip and narrowed her eyes. “Xia Lian, you are quite clever. Knowing Eunuch Xue was coming, you brewed his favorite Rizhu Xueya (Sun-cast Snow Sprouts).”
Xia Lian, the maid who had been playing the Xun just moments ago, simply offered a polite smile and said nothing.
Xue Ying took a sip of the tea. “Your Majesty has remembered incorrectly. Rizhu Xueya was the late Empress Dowager’s favorite tea. This slave has no particular preference.”
Qi Yue set down her teacup. “Is that so? This Empress’s memory truly worsens by the year, to actually forget this was the Empress Dowager’s favorite tea while she was alive. The Empress Dowager was so good to this Empress, yet this Empress is heartless and forgetful. Truly a waste of her painstaking cultivation.”
Xue Ying’s hand trembled ever so slightly.
Qi Yue said, “Let’s play.”
They played three rounds. Qi Yue won all of them.
As the fourth round began, barely a quarter of an hour in, Qi Yue suddenly overturned the chessboard. “This Empress doesn’t want to play anymore.”
She shot Xue Ying a thoroughly cold glare. “Eunuch Xue must be very tired, no? Playing chess while simultaneously racking your brains on how to lose—and how to lose so profoundly that this Empress might win happily.”
Xue Ying lowered his head. “This slave wouldn’t dare.”
Even though Qi Yue was just a green young girl who barely reached his shoulder, Xue Ying felt an intense wave of oppression. The nervous tension of being cornered by this delicate young girl instantly flooded his heart, yet he still had to force himself to maintain a facade of perfect calm.
Qi Yue pinched a white chess piece between her fingers. She lightly released her grip, and the piece fell to the ground. The carpet was too thick, so it made no sound at all.
Qi Yue ordered, “This Empress wants a dress. I want it glittering gold, made of light gauze, as thin as a cicada’s wings. Go have someone make it. As for other matters in the harem, keep your hands out of them.”
Xun Ying gave a soft “Yes.”
While the other servants scrambled to pick up the fallen chess pieces, Qi Yue grabbed a pastry from the plate. It was freshly made tuckahoe cake, and it tasted wonderful. She took tiny bite after tiny bite, occasionally washing it down with a sip of tea.
Once the scattered chess pieces had all been gathered, Qi Yue finally waved her hand dismissively. “Eunuch Xue, go kneel outside for half a shichen before you leave. This Empress is unhappy, and even if you do not want to kneel, you will kneel for me.”
Xue Ying gave a soft “Yes” and backed out of the room.
The small kitchen had just finished making some Eight Treasure Porridge, and Qi Yue took her sweet time holding the bowl and eating it. Xunxue knew she shouldn’t ask too many questions, but with no one else speaking, she couldn’t help but probe, “Your Majesty, Eunuch Xue is the Head of the Internal Affairs Department, a Rank Two official. Even though your status is exalted, treating him like this…”
Qi Yue wiped her lips with a handkerchief. “Him? He’s just a cheap bone. In this inner palace, who isn’t cheap?”
It wasn’t until a full quarter of an hour later, after Xunxue managed to pry the answer out of Aunt Yun, that she finally understood the true meaning behind Qi Yue’s words “cheap bone.”
Translator’s Anecdote:-
Xunxue the assassin smoothly transitioning into the role of “Enable-the-Empress’s-Petty-Crimes” head cheerleader is the character arc we all deserve! 🍿🍵