The Pearl in the Palm – Chapter 9
Ye Lizhu swayed unsteadily as she walked away again. Ti Xiao fixed his gaze on her retreating back until she completely disappeared from sight.
Her walking posture was exquisitely beautiful. Her slender waist swayed gently, her silhouette graceful and charming, exactly like a water lotus trembling in the wind.
Her waist was simply too thin, so fragile it seemed it couldn’t even fill a single grasp. It looked incredibly soft, leaving one to wonder exactly what it would feel like to lock that slender waist within one’s hands.
Ye Lizhu made her way back to the original pavilion, where Nanny Chen and the others had been frantically searching for her for quite some time.
Nanny Chen fretted, “Miss, where did you go? The Prime Minister’s estate is simply too vast. We will take you around to learn the paths another day, but please do not wander around all alone when you don’t know the way!”
Ye Lizhu nodded. “Nanny Chen, I understand.”
Nanny Chen fussed, “The sun is quite scorching. Xiaohong, hold the umbrella for the Miss, don’t let her get sunburned.”
A young maid dressed in a pink uniform quickly hurried over, opening the parasol right above Ye Lizhu’s head.
This maid had large, blinking eyes that sparkled with a clever energy. She chirped, “Miss, I’ll hold the umbrella for you.”
Walking to the maid’s left, Ye Lizhu noticed the girl had quite pretty features and casually asked, “Your name is Xiaohong (Little Red)? How old are you this year?”
Xiaohong smiled. “I was originally named Honghua (Red Flower), but everyone thought it sounded too tacky, so they just call me Xiaohong. This servant is sixteen this year.”
Upon returning to Jingshui Pavilion, Ye Lizhu read a book for a short while. After having her lunch, she sat lazily by the daybed, doing a bit of embroidery.
Seeing that Xiaohong had caught Ye Lizhu’s eye, and knowing the inner room always needed a couple of young maids to serve tea and pour water, Nanny Chen urged Xiaohong to go pour a cup for the Miss.
Xiaohong was a smart one. She knew that out of the dozen or so maids and nannies in Jingshui Pavilion, only a select few were allowed into the inner chambers to serve. If she managed to catch the Miss’s favor, she might just secure a permanent spot inside.
Brewing a fresh cup, she presented it with both hands to Ye Lizhu. “Miss, please have some tea. This is this year’s new batch, ‘Dragon Brick Surpassing Snow.’ The imperial palace only receives twenty bricks a year, and only the consorts of the four highest ranks and above are allowed to enjoy it. Our estate received ten bricks; the Master kept three for himself, sent three to the Young Master, and all the rest were sent right here to you.”
Ye Lizhu glanced at the tea broth. It was actually snow-white—the essence of ‘Dragon Brick Surpassing Snow’ lay precisely in those two words, ‘Surpassing Snow’.
Taking a delicate sip, she mused, “You certainly have a clever, silver tongue. Stop calling yourself Xiaohong, it’s far too ordinary. Let’s change your name to Yusha (Jade Sand).”
Blessed with a new, elegant name, the newly-christened Yusha beamed with joy. “Thank you, Miss, for bestowing this name!”
Ye Lizhu nodded and set down the tea she had barely tasted. “I am going to sleep for a while. All of you, step down.”
Not daring to linger, the maids closed the windows, carried out the ice basins, and drew the heavy curtains shut.
Ye Lizhu lay down on the daybed fully clothed. Her chest felt stiflingly heavy again; the discomfort had returned. Just before she drifted into a hazy sleep, her last lingering thought was to go back and check the area around that wall again this evening.
…
When Ti Xiao returned to the tower, the conversation between Zhao Yun and Ye Fu’an was still going strong. Zhao Yun was an eloquent debater, and Ye Fu’an had a tongue that could spin lotuses. As soon as Ti Xiao took his seat, Ye Fu’an stroked his beard and offered politely, “Your Highness traveled a thousand miles to reach the capital this time; you truly must stay for a longer period.”
Ti Xiao replied coolly, “This Prince will depart in five days. The affairs in Xianzhou are numerous, and I cannot step away for long.”
Hearing Ti Xiao’s answer, Ye Fu’an temporarily let out a breath of relief. He was practically praying for Ti Xiao to leave early! With Ti Xiao in the capital, everyone from the Emperor down to the court ministers was strung tight as a bowstring.
Crown Prince Zhao Yun poured Ti Xiao a cup of wine. Ti Xiao picked up the cup and cast a deeply nonchalant glance at Ye Fu’an. “This Prince has heard that Miss Ye is gentle and virtuous, blessed with both fortune and wisdom. I wonder, has the Prime Minister arranged a betrothal for your beloved daughter?”
Ye Fu’an: “!!!”
The big bad wolf finally can’t hide his tail anymore, can he?!
He wants to play matchmaker for the Crown Prince and my precious baby girl, doesn’t he?!
Ye Fu’an cleared his throat. “Gentle and virtuous is indeed true, and possessing an orchid’s purity and a lotus’s heart is also true! However, my little girl has absolutely no fortune. She is sickly all on her own, so she definitely can’t bring prosperity to a husband! Her marriage hasn’t been settled yet. She’s grown up now and has her own thoughts, and I simply cannot bear to dictate her marriage, so… I think it’s best to just let her pick for herself!”
Although Ye Fu’an said it like this, in reality, Ye Lizhu’s marriage would definitely still be decided by him. When the time came, if Ye Fu’an found a young man with a decent background and good character, he would arrange a meeting. Only if Ye Lizhu was satisfied would it be set in stone.
After all, Ye Lizhu was a noble lady raised deep in the inner chambers; how many men could she possibly meet on her own?
Ti Xiao downed his wine in a single gulp and let out a low chuckle. “Pick for herself?”
Zhao Yun refilled Ti Xiao’s cup. He was perfectly content just sitting on the sidelines, watching to see how these two foxes would duel this out.
Ye Fu’an chuckled merrily. “I am in no rush, and my little girl is in no rush either! After all, she is still so young; she needs to be raised at home for a couple more years. Ah—speaking of which, Your Highness the Prince of Qin, why haven’t you taken a Princess Consort yet? Seeing as the Crown Prince and the younger generation are all about to get married, and you are still without a main wife, I, as a brother, am quite worried for you! I just recently acquired two new dancers all the way from Jiangnan, would you like to take a look?”
Ti Xiao sneered internally. Who the hell wants to be brothers with you, Ye Fu’an?
Just as he spoke, Ye Fu’an clapped his hands. The folding screens were pulled back, and a troupe of boldly dressed dancers actually leapt out into the room.
Ye Fu’an’s taste had always been excellent. The dancers’ figures were lithe and graceful, and their singing voices were sweet and melodious.
Unfortunately, Ti Xiao couldn’t even be bothered to glance at these vulgar, powdered women.
Ye Fu’an prattled on, “His Highness the Crown Prince will be reaching his capping age of twenty next year, won’t he? Old Lin and Old Deng’s daughters are both quite excellent. If the Crown Prince is selecting a consort in the capital, their two families are the most suitable! When I returned home last night, I even mentioned this to my little girl. My little girl is young and ignorant, and she said it would be wonderful if she had an older sister! She’s too young and sickly, confined to her boudoir, but if she had a sister two years older, that sister could perfectly marry her highly-praised Crown Prince Brother!”
Zhao Yun: “…”
The words ‘Crown Prince Brother’… he truly, absolutely could not afford to bear them.
Ye Fu’an, this sly old fox! If he didn’t want his daughter involved with them, he should just say it straight! Beating around the bush, first claiming his daughter had no fortune, then saying she’d pick her own husband, and finally finding yet another angle to emphasize how young she was. Normally, the Ye daughter really ought to call him ‘Brother’, but right now, his terrifying uncle seemed to have an eye on her. Having her call him ‘Brother’ would absolutely shatter Zhao Yun’s lifespan!
The dancers were still singing and twirling, with several musicians playing along on the side. Ti Xiao raised a single hand and shot a glacial sweep of his eyes over the musicians.
Terrified out of their wits by the Prince of Qin’s deadly gaze, the musicians instantly silenced their instruments.
“Get out,” Ti Xiao commanded coldly.
The dancers froze mid-step, hastily lining up in a row and lowering their heads in dead silence.
Ye Fu’an stroked his beard. “Do these girls not catch the Prince of Qin’s eye?”
Ti Xiao narrowed his eyes. “This Prince has no such interest.”
Ye Fu’an laughed. “Well, the Prince of Qin’s tastes truly are terribly picky. All of you, step down.”
Ti Xiao knew perfectly well that if he bluntly told Ye Fu’an right now that he was the one who had his eye on Ye Lizhu, Ye Fu’an would probably die on the spot from pure rage.
But every word and action from this old fox was deeply irritating him, and Ti Xiao naturally wasn’t about to let Ye Fu’an off easy.
Offering a frosty smirk, Ti Xiao said, “It is getting late. Crown Prince, we should take our leave. Prime Minister Ye, Miss Ye has just returned and hasn’t yet met Her Majesty the Empress, has she? Send her to the palace for a stroll tomorrow. She can pay her respects to the Empress and get properly acquainted with her ‘Crown Prince Brother’.”
A violent chill shot straight up Zhao Yun’s spine.
Ye Fu’an: “Huh?”
Ti Xiao’s smile grew colder by the second, his eyes sinking into a pitch-black abyss. “Then the matter is settled. Tomorrow at the hour of Si, the Empress’s people will come to pick her up.”
Ye Fu’an frantically replayed everything he had just said in his head.
Was his meaning not clear enough?! Ye Lizhu had no fortune, was physically weak, entirely too young, and utterly unsuitable for the Crown Prince! Why was this Ti Xiao so intensely annoying, deliberately forcing Ye Lizhu to go to the Empress’s palace?!
He already refused to marry Ye Lizhu off! Was Ti Xiao actually planning to force a royal marriage for the Crown Prince?!
Ye Fu’an stiffened. “My little girl is ill. She cannot get out of bed to walk.”
Watching this old fox lie without even batting an eyelash, Ti Xiao let out a sharp sneer. “How perfect. The Empress keeps imperial physicians by her side. Bring Miss Ye into the palace and let the royal doctors take a look at her. Prime Minister Ye, surely you wouldn’t dare refuse to give face to this Prince and Her Majesty the Empress?”
Ye Fu’an truly wanted to flip the table and shout that he wouldn’t give them face!
But Ti Xiao was a man who sought revenge for the smallest of grievances; he couldn’t be easily offended. If offended, and he demanded an imperial marriage decree from the Emperor in a fit of rage, Ye Fu’an genuinely wouldn’t be able to reject it.
Ye Fu’an pondered for a moment. Given Ye Lizhu’s health condition, the Empress would definitely be completely opposed to her marrying the Crown Prince. Besides, the Crown Prince’s camp would also be terrified that if Ye Lizhu married over and died on their watch, it would spark a blood feud.
Let the imperial doctors take a look at Ye Lizhu. Once the Crown Prince’s faction learned the truth, they would drop their schemes.
Ye Fu’an knew Ye Lizhu’s temperament well. Although she had been in a temple for years and hadn’t interacted much with people, her manners were impeccably elegant and she spoke very little. Under normal circumstances, she wouldn’t make any mistakes.
Ye Fu’an forced a smile. “That works too. I will have my little girl enter the palace tomorrow to pay her respects to Her Majesty the Empress, and have the imperial doctors take a look.”
Ti Xiao’s expression immediately softened. Casting a half-smiling, half-mocking glance at Ye Fu’an, he drawled, “Then this Prince will be waiting.”
Ye Fu’an couldn’t shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong. Ti Xiao’s expression looked exactly like he was flawlessly plotting against him! But for the life of him, Ye Fu’an just couldn’t figure out exactly what the trap was.
Translator’s Anecdote: Prime Minister Ye really thought he was playing 4D chess by completely rejecting his daughter’s fake suitor, utterly missing the fact that the actual final boss just manipulated him into personally delivering his future wife straight into the palace.