“The Third Prince hasn’t seen the young lady for three days?”
The imperial physician didn’t write a prescription, only giving a jar of ointment and instructing Anning not to cry anymore.
Having received the Third Prince’s promise earlier, Anning was willing to behave obediently.
She let Talu apply the ointment for her. Though her spirits were still low, she was at least able to eat.
The Third Prince stayed to dine with her. “If you suffer any grievance in the future and can’t bear it, come find me. If you cry in front of the Empress Dowager, she won’t feel sorry for you.”
Anning wasn’t foolish. “Does the Empress Dowager not like me anymore?”
“She dotes on you.”
“Then she only likes me when I’m well-behaved.”
He hadn’t expected her to be so perceptive. The Third Prince was surprised. “How do you know?”
“This morning, the bird died, and I was very sad. Her Majesty investigated for a long time and said the sweeping eunuch had taken the bird outside the corridor to let it get some air at night, but forgot to bring it back in, so it froze to death.” Anning spoke plainly but with clear logic. “I was very angry at the time. The bird was pitiful, but the sweeping eunuch was also pitiful—wrongfully accused and losing his life.”
“Third Brother, I didn’t mean to keep crying.” She wanted to wipe her eyes but held back. “It’s because no one was listening to me. I felt so wronged that I had to be louder.”
“Then the Empress Dowager got angry too, and told me to be more sensible.”
“But what does being sensible even mean?” Anning said indignantly. “Is being obedient the same as being sensible?”
Talu was wiping her eyes on the side. The young lady was small, and not a prince or princess of the palace, so naturally no one would listen to her—especially those servants skilled at reading expressions, who, seeing the Empress Dowager’s impatience, treated the young lady with less warmth and consideration.
The Third Prince listened quietly, taking a handkerchief to dab at the corners of her eyes. “Being sensible means understanding what you yourself want to do. Being obedient means understanding what others say.”
“If anyone ever tells you to be obedient and sensible, they’re deliberately coaxing you into doing something that benefits them. Don’t listen.”
Anning listened in a daze, trying to understand the meaning.
Her dark lashes still held teardrops, and her sobs hadn’t yet ceased.
After a long moment, she listlessly opened her arms. “Hug.”
The Third Prince wasn’t used to such closeness. He hesitated for a moment, then clumsily gathered her shoulders and patted her gently.
The gesture was extremely awkward. He didn’t dare use any force, only feeling how soft her flesh was, afraid of pinching her.
“Still sad?” He lowered his voice.
“No.” Anning buried her head. “I’m thinking of my Second Uncle. When I’m unhappy, he hugs me like this too.”
“…” The Third Prince abruptly withdrew his hands. “Oh.”
Second Uncle—that would be Soongoo.
Anning sniffled. “Third Brother, how did you come to know those principles? Did someone else hug you when you were sad and tell you these things?”
He lowered his eyes. “No.”
“I figured them out myself. If you think they don’t make sense, you don’t have to listen.”
“I think they make sense.” Anning straightened up and quickly broke into a smile. “Then when you’re sad, you can come hug me too. I’ll comfort you.”
Hearing this, the Third Prince lifted his gaze and stared straight at her—
When he looked at people, he never knew what it meant to feel awkward or shy. He simply looked, staring directly without flinching, and no one knew what he was thinking.
When Anning had first entered the palace, she wasn’t familiar with the Third Prince. He didn’t talk much, had a cold temperament, and his face was fair, so when he half-lowered his eyes in silence, he always seemed rather gloomy.
She felt uneasy under his gaze. “…Let’s eat.”
“Mm.”
Having not slept well the night before, Anning napped in the afternoon and didn’t rise until around four o’clock.
A maid from the main hall, Shan Shui, came to summon her. After combing her hair and changing clothes, Anning followed her to the main hall. After paying her respects, she noticed there was an unfamiliar woman in the hall, appearing to be around forty or fifty years old.
This person carried herself with proper dignity. Though slightly plump, her back was straight, her countenance calm and composed. One glance made it clear she was a matriarch of considerable depth.
The Empress Dowager smiled and beckoned. “Anning, come here.”
Anning pretended to nestle close without any lingering resentment. “Empress Dowager.” She looked curiously at the unfamiliar woman.
“These past days, I’ve been reviewing several candidates. This is the wife of Chen Han, the Chancellor of the Hanlin Academy. She comes from the Manchu Zhangjia clan. Look at her—she carries the fortitude of a Manchu woman, yet also possesses the gentleness of a Han woman. She is a woman of broad knowledge and experience.”
“With her as your tutor, teaching you daily, I will not fail Soni’s trust.”
Her father had mentioned at home that the Emperor advocated for Manchu-Han integration.
Anning also had some impression of the Hanlin Academy—it was something established following the Ming system in the year after the Qing army entered the pass. Her father had complained, saying something about employing both Manchu and Han, yet those selected were all Han. Her Second Uncle had interjected, saying he thought the Emperor was killing the donkey after it finished grinding—targeting the Manchus. Soni had promptly slapped both of them across the face, one each, so hard that blood frothed at the corners of their mouths.
In Soni’s branch of the Hesheri clan, all the children born were sons—Soni alone had five. Anning was the first daughter of his eldest son, Gabula.
Soni doted on her immensely, never once speaking a word against Anning, and loved nothing more than letting her ride on his shoulders through the streets.
Anning had never seen Soni fly into such a rage before, and the words “Hanlin Academy” were etched deeply into her memory.
Since she was the teacher, Anning greeted her with proper etiquette.
It was the first day, and after Lady Chen, née Zhangjia, followed Anning to the right side hall of Cining Palace, she did not begin lessons immediately. Instead, she chatted with her for a while.
Within a few moments, Zhangjia had thoroughly assessed the situation of this Princess Hesheri. She waved her hand, and her attendant maid brought over a wide wooden box.
When opened, it contained several books, along with a few square parcels wrapped tightly in brown cloth.
Zhangjia took out the books one by one. “Princess, look, these are elementary primers. The common ones are nothing more than Young Scholar’s Treasury and Rhyme Primer.”
“I didn’t expect the Princess to have some knowledge of Chinese as well… but there’s no harm in taking another look.”
Anning leaned in for a closer look. In the box, the dark blue-covered books were brand new, with six characters on the cover: Essential Readings from Historical Mirrors. “Are these about stories of the past?”
Zhangjia smiled. “In the end, one must understand these things. Reading history can enlighten the mind.” She added, “However, there’s no rush for now. Learning is not something achieved overnight. The Princess should first master court etiquette and become proficient in needlework.”
Seeing Princess Hesheri’s face fall, she continued, “I heard from the Prince that the Princess has some interest in painting. Since you paint, understanding some music would complement it well.”
From the bottom of the box, she took out four gray-covered books and said seriously, “Men study the Four Books, and women also have their Four Books, but these Four Books are not the same as those Four Books.”
“What’s the difference?” Why are they different?
Anning was reluctant and her enthusiasm had waned. She rested her face on her hands and peered at the ‘Four Books’ in Zhangjia’s hands.
Zhangjia stroked the topmost book. “This is Admonitions for Women written by Ban Zhao of the Eastern Han.”
“This is Analects for Women from the Tang Dynasty, Inner Teachings compiled by Empress Xu of the Ming Dynasty, and Records of Exemplary Women written by Liu, mother of Wang Xiang.”
“Together they are called the Four Books for Women of the Boudoir, which all noble ladies must read.”
Zhangjia picked up Inner Teachings. “Among these four books, this one is of utmost importance. The Princess must thoroughly understand it.”
Anning turned her face away. “Is it because Inner Teachings was written by some empress, so it’s the most powerful?”
Zhangjia shook her head and said solemnly, “This is the Empress Dowager’s requirement for you.”
Flipping through it, Anning found it was written in both Manchu and Chinese. She reluctantly made an excuse: “I don’t recognize Manchu characters.”
How could Zhangjia not see through Princess Hesheri’s intentions? She opened the square parcels wrapped in brown cloth.
Anning’s eyes widened instantly.
It was a complete set of character recognition cards. The front had Chinese characters, and the back had Manchu.
“…”
My life is so miserable.
Anning wore a mournful expression.
As soon as Zhangjia left, Talu immediately held up a character card, turning the Manchu side toward her with great enthusiasm. “Princess, what character is this?”
Anning screamed “Ahhh” and rolled around on the couch, picking up a soft pillow to throw at her.
Talu suppressed her laughter and played around with the Princess for a while before stopping.
The evening meal was served early. Anning accompanied the Empress Dowager in the main hall for a while, but waited and waited without seeing Third Prince return.
Only when they began eating did she learn that Third Prince would not be coming back for dinner that day.
After the meal, Anning used reading as an excuse to return to the side hall.
The following days were pure torment. Anning felt like she had been squeezed into a little bitter melon. She felt like a dog, clumsily trying to read the master’s expressions to identify the character cards.
She recognized many Chinese characters, so learning Manchu now wasn’t particularly difficult.
But having to wake up at dawn every day and start studying right after breakfast was truly exhausting.
Talu suddenly said, “Third Prince seems to have not seen the Princess for three days now?” She reminded her tactfully.
To be honest, this wasn’t the first time the Prince had been upset with the Princess, but the Princess had never once noticed.
Anning realized belatedly, “Huh?” She counted on her fingers.
It did seem to be true. Had Third Brother been so busy these past few days?
Sigh, the two of them were both little bitter melons.
She lay back down, showing sympathy for their shared plight.
Talu: “…”
Anning lay there for a while, then suddenly had a flash of inspiration.
She sat up straight and looked out the window. Then she said to Talu with a serious expression, “Sigh, Third Brother works so hard. Our bond is not ordinary—we’re not just casual playmates. I can’t not care about him. I must bring some food and drink to visit him.”
Talu: “…But—Prin—Princess?!” You haven’t written a single word of Teacher Zhangjia’s assignment!
It was the first time she had seen her pack up her books so quickly. Talu was stunned.
Anning rushed excitedly to Shou’an Palace and ran into Xiao Gongzi at the entrance. Anning asked, “Has Third Brother not returned yet?”
Xiao Gongzi led Anning into the hall to warm up. “The Prince has been summoned by the Emperor to the Qianqing Palace.”
At the mention of the Emperor, Anning’s body immediately tensed up. Nervously, she asked, “Has Third Brother done something wrong?”
“No, the Princess need not worry.” Xiao Gongzi spoke directly without concealing anything. “The parrot raised by First Prince had diarrhea yesterday. Consort Ning questioned the eunuch in charge of the aviary and ordered him to be beaten several strokes. It was meant as a minor punishment as a warning. When ordinary servants make mistakes, they receive a few strokes and recover after lying down for two days.”
“But unexpectedly, those few strokes of the cane triggered the eunuch supervisor’s old ailment, causing him to die on the spot.”
“The eunuch supervisor of the Flower and Bird Quarters?” Anning was taken aback, immediately recalling her dead Moon-Wheel Parrot. She was puzzled, “But what does this have to do with Third Brother?”
Xiao Gongzi said, “The Emperor has been pondering these past few years whether princes should be raised by their birth mothers. After this incident, he felt that Consort Ning acted with excessive cruelty and was unfit for such responsibility. He intends to send the First Prince to the Princes’ Residence. And since he’s sending one, he can’t very well show favoritism, can he?” He offered an apologetic smile, “The reason they’ve summoned our prince is likely regarding the move to the Princes’ Residence.”
Talu was slightly startled and lowered her head, not daring to show any expression.
Separating Consort Ning from the First Prince would be nothing but beneficial to the Third Prince.
Talu had already guessed that the parrot’s death was the work of the eunuch supervisor of the Flower and Bird Quarters—an act of silencing, lest the parrot chatter recklessly in the Ci Ning Palace and reveal someone’s secret.
A mere Princess Hesheri was nothing to fear, but what resided in Ci Ning Palace was the Empress Dowager.
Yet who would have thought this matter would implicate Consort Ning of the Xian Fu Palace and the First Prince…
Recalling how the Third Prince had held the princess in his arms that day, vowing solemnly to avenge the bird, Talu broke out in a cold sweat, a chill running down her spine.
So then—was the eunuch supervisor’s death the Third Prince’s way of killing two birds with one stone? Or had the parrot learned some secret of Consort Ning’s and been silenced by her using the First Prince as a pretext?
Author’s Note:
Character cards did exist at that time—the Prince Gong Mansion once exhibited a set of imperial yellow character cards used to teach princes and princesses to recognize characters.
As for terms like “uncle” or “grandfather,” I’ve used the Chinese readings. The Manchu terms are too obscure, and using them throughout would leave everyone utterly confused.