Ruyi hadn’t really expected Yanwan to be able to make anything resembling a proper garment for her, but who would have thought this young woman actually made her a cheongsam embroidered with Yao Huang peonies!
Raising her hand to gently stroke the embroidery along the cuffs and collar, the fabric may not have been the absolute best, but the pattern truly suited her tastes.
The color of the dress was also to her liking.
While the garment she was currently wearing had been painstakingly sewn by Hailan, when it came to embroidery, Yanwan’s piece was by no means inferior.
Suixin was also rather startled upon seeing the pattern, not expecting Ling Yunche’s cousin to have such a clever mind.
Although this pattern slightly overstepped the boundaries of court regulations, it happened by pure coincidence to align perfectly with the mistress’s preferences.
Having served for many years, Suixin naturally understood how much regret her mistress held over that jade ruyi originally delivered to her hands. This dress with the peony pattern struck straight to the depths of her mistress’s heart.
Ruyi turned her head to look at Yanwan, a trace of a smile blooming on her face as she asked gently:
“Is the embroidery on this the Yao Huang peony? Whatever made Yanwan think of using this pattern for me?”
Ruyi must have been somewhat narcissistic; clearly fond of the embroidery motif, she still wanted to hear flattery from her.
Yanwan understood Ruyi’s intentions crystal clear. Since she currently needed a favor from the other woman, she was more than happy to play along with Ruyi.
“This servant doesn’t know what patterns Your Ladyship prefers. Hearing my older brother say that Your Ladyship is graceful and poised, I presumed to embroider the peony, the king of all flowers, for you. If Your Ladyship doesn’t care for it, then next time I shall change it to something else.”
Ruyi hadn’t expected Yanwan to adopt this pattern simply from hearing Ling Yunche’s praise of her, and she cast a reproachful glance at Ling Yunche standing off to the side.
“So that’s how it is. The stitches for this pattern are dense and even; your embroidery skills are truly wonderful, Yanwan, and I like it very much. Only, you mustn’t embroider this pattern again next time; in this palace, only the Empress may use the peony.”
Such words were meant to be taken with a grain of salt. If one actually took them to heart, Ruyi would likely think her insufficiently thoughtful.
Recalling the morning glory vines she had seen upon first entering the Palace of Crying Ghosts (the Cold Palace), which were presumably what they called the heavenly bamboo or trumpet creeper, Yanwan offered flattering words:
“This servant accepts the teaching. I noticed Your Ladyship also has trumpet creepers growing in your courtyard, so embroidering that flower for Your Ladyship next time would be equally good. Trumpet creepers possess exceptional vitality and can also dispel dampness and relieve pain, carrying a truly extraordinary meaning.”
Ruyi paused slightly; this young woman’s words always managed to strike right at the core of her thoughts.
Those trumpet creepers had been sent to the Cold Palace by the Emperor through Hailan, using flowers as a metaphor for a person. The Emperor’s intent should be for her to climb her way out of the Cold Palace just like the trumpet creeper.
She hadn’t expected Yanwan, a mere young girl, to understand the symbolism behind it—it was truly rare.
In truth, Yanwan understood nothing of the sort; she had simply watched the drama and knew the background behind it.
Ruyi sarcastically asked the original body whether she also happened to like plum blossoms? That visual was far too stunning, and the old-hag-like makeup left a deep impression on her.
As for herself, she only liked two kinds of flowers: having-money flowers and spend-as-you-please flowers—those were her true loves in this lifetime!
Ling Yunche standing to the side understood clearly that this garment had hit the mark; Consort Xian was evidently satisfied with Yanwan.
Now that the objective had been achieved, he had no intention of lingering here any longer, speaking up at the appropriate moment:
“Since we have already paid our respects to Your Ladyship, we shouldn’t continue to disturb Your Ladyship’s peace. Consort Xian, this slave will take his younger sister and withdraw.”
The smile on Ruyi’s face deepened, adding a few more layers of favorable impression toward Ling Yunche. Though this person was a man, he was thoughtful, and she wondered what kind of woman could possibly be worthy of him.
After bidding farewell to Ruyi, Yanwan followed Ling Yunche all the way out until they left the Cold Palace, whereupon the two of them sought out a quiet, secluded spot to talk.
“Yanwan, it worked! Judging by Consort Xian’s tone, if she manages to get out of the Cold Palace, she should be able to transfer you to her palace. All my time taking care of her in the Cold Palace wasn’t wasted after all.”
Ling Yunche’s eyes were filled with joy; from the bottom of his heart, he hoped Yanwan could leave the Four Offices.
In the past, the two of them had no silver, leaving them with no alternatives, but now that their days were growing increasingly better, he naturally didn’t want to leave her suffering and toiling away in the Four Offices.
Over the past few years, the two of them had essentially relied on one another to get by.
Yanwan’s family only ever wanted money, while Ling Yunche had no other relatives. Neither of them had any dependable support, leaving them with no choice but to huddle together for warmth.
Having spent over a year interacting with Ling Yunche, Yanwan no longer viewed him merely as a tool. Regardless of what kind of person he was in the drama, right now the two of them were partners on the same side.
“Not only must I leave the Four Offices, little Ling, but you also need to figure out a way to leave the Cold Palace. If Consort Xian can truly leave the Cold Palace and regain favor, she should be able to secure a good position for you as well—this is our chance!”
Since they had already utilized Ruyi, they had to maximize the benefits.
As for whether Ling Yunche would be able to accept it if she herself became a concubine in the future, Yanwan wasn’t worried in the slightest.
Ling Yunche would gradually come to taste the benefits of power; the more he gained, the more reluctant he would be to let go!
“If I can leave the Cold Palace, of course I’d be willing. Consort Xian won’t be leaving anytime soon, so I’ll figure out a way to make her trust me even more.”
This suggestion indeed made Ling Yunche’s heart flutter. Consort Xian’s ambiguous attitude toward him had given him confidence, and if he could be transferred out of the Cold Palace, that would naturally be for the best.
A smile appeared in Yanwan’s eyes. Having ambition was the right attitude—this palace was the center of power for the entire nation, so since they had entered, how could they not climb upward!
After chatting for a bit, right before leaving, Yanwan handed the gold hairpin given by Ruyi over to Ling Yunche.
“This hairpin is of no use to me; palace maids aren’t allowed to wear such hairpins. Take it and sell it; you’re a grown man, you still need to keep some silver coins on hand for emergencies.”
These thoughtful words warmed Ling Yunche’s heart, and he didn’t stand on ceremony. Their relationship was close, and when it came to money, they had long stopped making clear distinctions between whose was whose.
Ever since Yanwan went to the Cold Palace to see Ruyi, Ling Yunche had taken to sending things used by women to Ruyi every few days in Yanwan’s name.
He had done plenty to build up a presence for Yanwan in front of this Consort Xian!
Even Doctor Jiang and Noble Lady Hai, who frequently came to pulse-check Consort Xian, had heard of this, and both of them held exceptionally favorable impressions of Yanwan and Ling Yunche.
After all, now that Consort Xian had entered the Cold Palace, everyone else avoided her like the plague; the fact that they could still show concern for Ruyi at such a time demonstrated that this pair of siblings possessed outstanding character.
Before long, the Double Ninth Festival arrived.
The Emperor hosted a palace banquet on the Double Ninth with all the concubines, and the Empress Dowager—that capable mother—took advantage of the festive occasion to present a woman to her son, who was conferred as Noble Lady Shu.
All of this had nothing to do with Yanwan, but the very next day she heard that a fire had broken out in the Cold Palace the previous night, and Ling Yunche had rescued Ruyi once again.
Ling Yunche was growing increasingly impressed by Consort Xian’s talent for stirring up trouble. He hadn’t lived enough yet; every time he risked danger to rescue this Consort Xian, he was taking a huge gamble.
Fortunately, after this incident, the Emperor’s attitude had become unmistakably clear, and everyone in the palace understood that this Consort Xian was not far from leaving the Cold Palace.
No matter how unwilling the Empress, the Imperial Noble Consort, and others felt inside, this entire realm belonged to the Emperor.
These women who relied on the Emperor to live actually possessed very little say; the rises and falls of their lives were not determined by fate, but by the Emperor!
Of course, these harem women remained oblivious to this truth inside, always feeling that they depended on their families, backgrounds, and children—along with Noble Lady Hai, who stubbornly relied solely on Consort Xian to get by.
On this day, Jinzhong made a detour to the Four Offices while delivering an imperial edict for the Imperial Household Department. As a member of the Emperor’s personal retinue, his passage within the Four Offices was naturally unhindered.
A faint smile graced Jinzhong’s face as he soon arrived outside the door of the ironing room where Yanwan worked.
Without going in, he stood beside an open window, quietly searching for Yanwan, and quickly spotted that graceful figure.
He saw that his Yanwan had her sleeves rolled up, checking the garments ironed by the junior maids one by one.
Today she wore a simple cyan palace maid’s uniform, yet worn on her body it possessed an ethereal air. A radiant smile graced her delicate face, and when a junior maid failed to do a job properly, rather than scolding her, she gently instructed the girl on how it should be done.
After being instructed by her, each of these junior maids applied themselves even harder, harboring no resentment whatsoever; instead, they held deep respect for Yanwan.
Naturally, the Four Offices had always been a place where people stepped on the low and fawned on the high.
These low-ranking junior maids were frequently beaten and cursed by the managers, yet only his Yanwan possessed a kind heart—not only treating everyone equally, but completely lacking the bad habit of bullying others.
Sheltered by the window frame, Jinzhong’s gaze followed Yanwan the entire time, his heart growing increasingly fond as he watched, his eyes revealing a hint of infatuation.
His heart pounded wildly, unable to tear his eyes away from Yanwan for even a single second, yet as he watched, a wave of unwillingness suddenly surged within him.
He was a eunuch; even if he loved Yanwan, what could he possibly offer her?
A girl as wonderful as Yanwan was destined to waste her days in this Four Office doing the work of serving others. Jinzhong clenched his teeth, his hanging hands involuntarily tightening into fists.
He felt resentment for himself, and resentment for Yanwan!
Suddenly, Jinzhong’s gaze locked, his line of sight falling upon an embroidered bright yellow robe featuring a phoenix pattern resting on the ironing table closest to him.
This was the Empress’s garment; only the Empress was permitted to wear garments embroidered with the phoenix motif.
A thought suddenly flashed through Jinzhong’s mind: he could help lift Yanwan upward, carving out a life of glory and wealth for her. While he might not be able to offer her other things, he could give her his life!
Liyu frequently spoke up on behalf of Consort Xian when at the Emperor’s side—why couldn’t he emulate that!
That fool Liyu did those things merely because Suixin was his fellow townsman, but what good could Suixin possibly get out of it?
In the end, wasn’t the beneficiary Consort Xian, while that palace maid continued to spend her days serving others? This Liyu truly lacked brains!
He, Jinzhong, was speaking up for his beloved; if this matter was handled well, his Yanwan would be able to live a far better life!
As his mind wandered chaotically, Yanwan finished arranging her tasks and stepped out of the ironing room, immediately spotting Jinzhong standing in a daze beneath the windowsill.
Not expecting Jinzhong to come looking for her, she walked right up to him. Seeing him still lost in thought, she decisively raised her hand and waved it before his eyes.
“What are you daydreaming about? When did Public Servant Jinzhong arrive? Are you looking for me for something?”
Jinzhong was pulled back to reality by the fair, tender hand before him. Looking at the smiling beauty before him, he desperately wanted to take her hand, yet feared people seeing and spreading gossip about Yanwan.
His romantic thoughts twisted through a thousand turns, yet not knowing how to express them, he could only pretend to be nonchalant and said:
“I just happened to be going to the Imperial Household Department to deliver an edict and stopped by to check on you. Come, let’s go talk over there.”
Yanwan nodded. It wasn’t that she hadn’t noticed the complexity in Jinzhong’s eyes, but since he chose not to speak, she was more than happy to play dumb.
Playing dumb was a necessity—these young men were easily set off, and besides, they had plenty of time to spend together in the future.
The two walked over to a secluded spot nearby. Seeing no one around, Jinzhong lowered his voice and said:
“A fire broke out in the Cold Palace on the Double Ninth; the Emperor has already decided to release Consort Xian. Can that Ling Yunche help transfer you to Consort Xian’s side? If not, we’ll have to think of another plan!”
Ever since the two became allies, Jinzhong had also understood Yanwan’s plans, and he offered no objections to her desire to enter Consort Xian’s palace.
The bond between Consort Xian and the Emperor was indeed different from that of other concubines, and once Yanwan was by her side, she would naturally be able to see the Emperor frequently.
Given Yanwan’s beauty, Jinzhong wasn’t really worried that the Emperor wouldn’t be moved.
“Ling Yunche has saved Consort Xian several times, and when I saw Consort Xian last time, there shouldn’t be any problems. If Consort Xian proves useless, then I’ll have to trouble Public Servant Jinzhong.”
Seeing the care in Jinzhong’s eyes, Yanwan didn’t speak with absolute certainty. The matter should be fine, but who knew if Ruyi might drop the ball at a critical moment.
Didn’t the original body spend a full five years in Qixiang Palace without Ruyi ever managing to get her out?
She couldn’t be bothered to investigate whether Ruyi truly lacked ability or was simply being malicious and deliberately refusing to rescue people!
In short, she never placed all her bets solely on Ruyi.
If Plan A didn’t work, she naturally still had Plan B; Ruyi’s childhood sweetheart, she was definitely stealing him!
Jinzhong readily agreed with a smile, a trace of tenderness on his handsome face as he assured her that he would naturally help her.
“Alright, then let’s see what your childhood sweetheart’s methods are. If he can’t even handle something this small, you’d better pay him less heed in the future!”
Yanwan raised an eyebrow; the jealousy in those words was truly obvious. These two must have been natural enemies, or else why would Jinzhong still hate Ling Yunche even after replacing him?
However, she harbored zero doubts about Jinzhong’s capability; he was unquestionably far more suited to making a living in this palace than Ling Yunche.
Thinking of this, Yanwan stepped close to Jinzhong, linked her arm through his, and whispered quietly:
“I need to tell you something. Ling Yunche has saved Consort Xian multiple times, and that lady seems to have developed romantic sentiments of a maiden toward Ling Yunche. Because of this, after Ling Yunche introduced me—his cousin—to Consort Xian, her attitude was exceptionally warm.”
Startled by her sudden closeness, Jinzhong’s entire body stiffened involuntarily.
The distance was overly intimate; with a slight downward tilt of his head, he could catch the faint fragrance emanating from her body. Watching her opening and closing red lips, his eyes grew hazy.
“Are you even listening to me!”
Realizing he had zoned out, Yanwan reached out and gave his waist a pinch.
“Hiss… I’m listening…”
Not only was he not pained by her pinch, Jinzhong felt a wave of tingling numbness wash over his body. He hurriedly pressed down on her small hand, and seeing Yanwan glare fiercely at him, a flush of red dyed his handsome face.
Upon hearing Yanwan’s words, astonishment flashed in Jinzhong’s eyes—such a thing actually existed?
That Ling Yunche was merely a Cold Palace guard; how could Consort Xian develop unspeakable feelings for him?
In a flash, realization dawned upon him. Ever since Consort Xian was cast into the Cold Palace, anyone could step on her, yet because of Yanwan, Ling Yunche had helped Consort Xian extensively—it really was a possibility!
Frowning, Jinzhong pondered for a moment, then leaned down slightly to whisper an instruction into Yanwan’s ear:
“Tell Ling Yunche to be extremely careful and leave no evidence behind. Wait for everything until Consort Xian leaves the Cold Palace. If Consort Xian truly harbors these feelings, we can use this matter to bring her down later!”
Consort Xian would sooner or later become Yanwan’s rival. There was only one Emperor, and whoever held the deeper place in his affections was the winner.
Consort Xian and the Emperor shared a bond stretching over a dozen years; since she couldn’t outcompete that, she had to find a way to erase those affections.
Yanwan understood Jinzhong’s intent, but Ling Yunche now counted as her own person; she didn’t intend to use Ling Yunche to trigger Ruyi’s loss of favor just yet.
That’s right—if the matter was exposed, Ruyi would at most lose favor, considering how much the Emperor cared about his face.
One didn’t need to guess to know how the Emperor would handle it; in the end, the only one who would die was Ling Yunche, making that a thoroughly unprofitable trade!
“With Ling Yunche around, we can keep a grip on Consort Xian. If the Emperor found out, Consort Xian would at most lose favor, but without her, there would simply be other women. It’s better to keep Consort Xian right where she is, occupying that position!”
Jinzhong felt a slight surprise; that was indeed another valid approach. Positions in the harem were like radishes filling every hole—get rid of Consort Xian, and someone else would step up.
He understood the Emperor; if His Majesty discovered that Consort Xian harbored a divided heart toward him, he would at most cause her to fall from favor without issuing any overly harsh punishment.
After all, Consort Xian and the Emperor were childhood sweethearts!