“Huairou, his highness has shown great kindness to me—I have nothing to repay him with. Now he’s in a dilemma, and I…” A beautiful girl cried, her tears like raindrops on pear blossoms.
[Idiom describing the posture of Concubine Yang, a women whose beauty toppled a country, when she was crying; used to describe a woman’s beauty]
“Jie, you don’t need to say anything. I understand,” Li Huairou softly replied.
“Huairou, it’s wonderful that you understand.” The woman excitedly hugged Li Huairou. Then she felt a pain in the back of her neck, her head tilted, and she fainted.
Li Huairou dragged the woman to the bed, laid her down, and covered her with a quilt. For a moment, she sat there.
Then she got up and went to see someone: their master, Consort Dowager Hui. Of course, before leaving, she locked all the doors and windows from the outside to prevent her sister from waking up in the middle and running away.
[Consort of the previous emperor. Hui (慧) means bright,/intelligent, the title bestowed to her by the emperor]]
Consort Dowager Hui was the most beloved concubine of the first emperor during his later years; he had loved her since she was a girl. He was anxious about how she would fare after his death and left a sacred decree for the present emperor, instructing him to take good care of her.
In the present, because of her kind temperament, Consort Dowager Hui had once helped the present emperor, so he treated her very preferentially. Of those presiding over the harem, not only was there the empress dowager, there was also Consort Dowager Hui.
When Li Huairou and her sister, Li Huailan, entered the palace, they were five years old and eight years old, respectively. Because Li Huairou was born lovable, and her appearance was somewhat similar to her, she caught Consort Dowager Hui’s attention and was brought to her side.
Consort Dowager Hui had no heirs, so she loved Li Huairou and her sister very much. Qingning Palace was very peaceful, so the two sisters had naive personalities.
[Consort Dowager Hui’s residence]
But Li Huairou knew that those who could survive the clashes among the harem were by no means ordinary people. Li Huairou may not have been able to hide her conspiring and scheming from such a person, so she chose to be honest.
“My sister always said that Prince Qi had shown great kindness to her, but Huairou doesn’t understand. If there’s someone who has shown great kindness to us sisters, it should be you. If not for Consort Dowager Hui, who knows where our corpses would have been buried. Yes. Prince Qi only spoke up for my sister when gonggong was making things difficult for her; even if Prince Qi didn’t speak up for her, gonggong still would not have dared to make things difficult for her for your sake. At most, it was just a verbal taunt. Where did this ‘great kindness’ come from? This Huairou really doesn’t understand! Tonight, my sister said that Prince Qi was in trouble, and she wanted to help him. Although Huairou is not very smart, she also understands Prince Qi’s identity—that of one personally raised by the empress dowager, the current emperor’s younger brother, and a dignified prince. I don’t have the power to help her. Therefore, Huairou stunned her sister and came to find you! I beg Consort Dowager Hui to take action and save my sister!” Li Huairou said animatedly as she knelt on the ground.
[Qi (齐) means “neat” and is a title bestowed to that prince]
[The way to address an eunuch]
Consort Dowager Hui smiled and beckoned her. “Get up, it’s so cold on the ground! Come here.” She was thirty years old this year but still looked like a young girl in her twenties—afraid of making trouble for no reason, she rarely walked outside.
But this did not mean that she tolerated others causing trouble at her Qingning Palace.
Li Huairou was obediently sitting at Consort Dowager Hui’s feet.
Consort Dowager Hui stroked her hair and joked with the momo beside her, “We have always said that Huairou is not as smart as Huailan. Now it seems that our Huairou is a great master who plays the fool!”
[Nursemaid]
The momo replied with a smile, “They are naturally smart. You nurtured them personally—could there possibly be a difference between them? Huailan just had a moment of confusion.” Fang-momo had also watched the two sisters grow up. Huailan had always had a sweet tongue, and she was also very attentive. Their company in the palace could be considered as a small comfort. If possible, Fang-momo still wanted to help them.
Consort Dowager Hui smiled slightly, but when she lowered her head, she saw Li Huairou’s nervous expression.
“Well, Huailan is sixteen this year, and it’s time for her to get married. Momo, I asked you to choose a few good families before. Did you have any results?” Consort Dowager Hui asked softly.
Fang-momo breathed a sigh of relief and took a note out from her sleeve, “This servant had ordered people to inquire—these are all good ones. Huailan is a little naive, and she may not be able to adapt to those rich and prominent families. But these few have innocent families, simple relatives, and honest people. And they have all received the favor of the old master, and dare not treat Huailan badly.”
“That’s good. Pick a day and we’ll let Huailan get married.” Consort Dowager Hui put it lightly, deciding a person’s fate.
She liked Li Huailan, but Li Huailan was now of such a mind—she couldn’t keep her.
Consort Dowager Hui smiled, hooked Li Huairou’s chin, and added, “Huairou is also thirteen this year; choose for her as well. The person momo choses will certainly not be bad.”
Li Huairou’s head shook like a rattle. “Consort Dowager, Huairou will not marry! Huairou will stay with you forever!”
Consort Dowager Hui couldn’t help but smile. “You are joking again. How could there be girls who don’t get married?”
Li Huairou looked serious. “Huairou really doesn’t want to get married. What good is getting married? My father exerted a lot of effort to marry my mother; when my mother was alive, the two of them were full of affection, and they exchanged many sweet words and vows. But when my mother died, my father turned around and had a marriage arranged by my grandmother. He was then married to my stepmother, who gave birth to my younger brother and then urged my grandmother to send us sisters into the palace as slaves. She also thought that if we got ahead one day, we could still raise the family’s status. My father had no objections. Fortunately, I met you. I’m not going to marry. When I grow up, I will become like momo and serve you for a lifetime.”
Consort Dowager Hui gave Li Huairou a deep look and smiled. “It’s really the same river that raises all kinds of people; you and Huailan are the same. I didn’t expect that… If you don’t want to get married, it’s up to you. When you change your mind, you can speak with this consort. This consort will allow you to leave the palace anytime for marriage.”
[”Ben gong”: used by imperial concubines and princesses to refer to themselves to show their superiority. Literally means “this palace”]
Li Huairou disapproved.
Li Huailan didn’t wake up until dawn. When she woke up, she was still confused. Sitting on the bed, she felt dazed before she realized what was happening. When Li Huailan saw that it was already bright outside, she threw the quilt off and ran out.
It happened that Li Huairou came in. “You’re up? Wash up fast, I brought you breakfast.”
“Huairou!” Li Huailan was surprised and anxious.
“Don’t worry, nothing happened last night.” Li Huairou sat down at the table and put the food on the table, plate by plate. “Hurry up and eat. Pack up your things—I shall send you out of the palace.”
Li Huailan heard that nothing had happened last night and was relieved. It seemed that she had safely passed the difficult times, and his highness could finally feel relief. She was afraid that because of her causing an accident, he would be sad.
After hearing Li Huairou’s words, she was surprised and wondered, “Out of the palace?”
“Yes, the Consort Dowager selected a match for you and arranged for you to be sent out of the palace to be married. The person was personally selected by momo. It’s the guard of Nanshan Palace—both of his parents have passed away, and so you can be the master of the household after you marry. Momo said that the guard is honest and has received the consort dowager’s favor in his early years, and he will treat you well. She has prepared a dowry for you. I also prepared a dowry for you; you can take it when you leave. The Consort Dowager said that if there’s a chance in the future, you will be called into the palace. We sisters will meet again. By the way, you should not go find father—the Consort Dowager has sent them away. Jie, she really loves us. You have to think for her sake,” Li Huairou said softly.
Li Huailan didn’t listen to a single word. “Everything was fine! Why does she want me to leave the palace to marry? Was it because of you?”
Li Huairou stared into Li Huailan’s eyes and answered, “I told her what happened last night.”
“Huairou! Why do you want to do this?! You can stop me from going, but why do you want to betray his highness?! You’re going to harm him!” Li Huailan said vehemently.
Li Huairou frowned. “Jie, do you know what you’re talking about?!”
“A true gentleman will sacrifice his life for a friend who understands him. His highness is good to me—even if I die, I’m willing to die.” Li Huailan was anxious. She hadn’t shown up last night, so his highness must have misunderstood her. She wanted to explain things clearly to him.
“Jie, wake up! Although I don’t know why he wants your help, nothing happened in the palace last night. If you make a fuss, then it’ll hurt him. The walls have ears, jie!” Li Huairou explained. “Also, jie, you regard his highness as a confidant, but what about him? Does he think the same way as you? Has he promised you anything at all?”
“Don’t talk nonsense. His highness said nothing,” Li Huailan explained quickly.
“You dare to make trouble for a long time—it’s your wishful thinking!” Li Huairou said helplessly. “Jie, wake up! That is a prince, the empress dowager’s most beloved son! What can you do for him? Besides, jie, don’t you think your aim is wrong? What sort of kindness has his highness given you, that you’d give up your life? Is the Consort Dowager not good enough for you? Why don’t you think about her before you make a decision! The consort dowager has nothing to do with the outside world, and you still have the guts to get her involved?”
“I didn’t!” Li Huailan looked a little evasive.
“Jie, be reasonable. No matter what your reason is, this is impossible. He is a prince. Although he isn’t married, his future princess must be the daughter of a wealthy family. His concubine is also a young lady from a noble official’s family. Besides, you are a maid by the Consort Dowager’s side, and the Consort Dowager is his concubine mother. How dare he provoke those around his concubine mother? It’s impossible for you!” With no one else in the room, Li Huairou was much bolder.
“I know it’s impossible. I’ve never thought about it. I just want to do something for him.” Li Huailan burst into tears. “You don’t know this, but he’s such a gentle person—he always smiles, but I saw him frowning for the first time. I couldn’t bear to see him embarrassed like that. I…”
“Although I don’t understand what happened, it was calm in the palace last night, and nothing happened. Perhaps the matter’s been resolved through other means. It can be seen that even without you, there are still others who are willing to pay the price to be his confidant. Jie, you are the only passionate one!” Li Huairou said directly.
Looking at Li Huairou, Li Huailan’s eyes showed a hint of hurt.
“Don’t look at me like that. This is the truth. I didn’t mean to put it so plainly, but you’re just too stubborn. In short, just quickly wash up and head out of the palace after breakfast for your marriage! Don’t disappoint the Consort Dowager,” Li Huairou said.
She still knew Li Huailan; her character was naive but courageous. What’s more, Fang-momo had made arrangements. As soon as she left the palace, she would be immediately sent to Nanshan to be married as soon as she arrived. Nanshan was far from the capital—as long as Li Huailan stayed away from the capital, she would naturally no longer be involved with the male and female protagonists, and would no longer have to worry about her life.
