The empress dowager turned around. Hearing the empress’s self-righteous and eloquent speech, she felt a little headache.
She now had regrets. In order to let the emperor relax his vigilance, she had chosen a niece with average aptitude at the time when they were choosing a concubine for the current emperor.
Such stupidity. If it weren’t for the empress dowager, how could the empress sit at the center of the palace for so many years? Such stupidity without knowing it while thinking she’s smart!
If it hadn’t been for the fact that she was the only daughter of her second brother, she would have ignored her a long time ago and let her fend for herself.
“Fine! Don’t say these irrelevant words in the future! Do you think aijia is dead?” Seeing that the empress was growing more outrageous, the empress dowager became angry. If you’re stupid, just be calm—what was with this restless temper?
The empress was taken aback. “Auntie!”
The empress dowager couldn’t help but say, “Stop it! Consort Dowager Hui is an elder. There is no room for you to stick your nose in her affairs! In the future, stop reading those vulgar scripts so much!” How could there be such a stupid person? Not to mention the matter of whether the relationship between Consort Dowager Hui and that little court lady was that way; even if it was, this was normal in the harem. Everyone knew it well, and few people took it to the table to talk about it.
But this idiot had run up to her and spilled everything.
The empress was sent away, and the empress dowager leaned on the couch and closed her eyes to take a rest. A confidant of hers came over and knelt before her feet, massaging her leg.
“Just let the little court lady do these things. You are not young anymore, and your back is not good. Get up and rest!” the empress dowager said.
“This servant is fine. If this servant moves occasionally, it could be considered as exercise,” the momo said with a smile. Then she looked into the empress dowager’s face. “The empress is still young. Teach her slowly, and it will be fine.”
“She is only one year younger than the emperor—she’s not young anymore.” The empress dowager opened her eyes. “Aijia recalls that the third-room Xingyun is sixteen this year? Did she have any marriage appointments?”
[In ancient times, men could have more than one concubine. The children of the concubine will be referred to as the nth–room. The third room means the children from the third concubine]
The momo smiled. “Empress dowager, you have forgotten that Miss Xingyun was in the filial piety period, so she doesn’t have any marriage appointments.”
[The time period after the parents or grandparents pass away, usually lasting around three years]
“Announce her arrival into the palace tomorrow, and let’s take a look,” the empress dowager instructed.
“Yes. This servant understands,” the momo responded with a smile. But when she went out, there was a little sadness on her face. It seemed that the empress dowager was truly serious. But she didn’t expect that the empress dowager would choose Miss Xingyun from the third room. In this way, deep down, the empress dowager was still caring for the empress. Miss Xingyun’s father was gone, with only a widowed mother and a weak brother—easy enough to handle. Even if she was really pampered, she would not lose control.
Alas, she hoped that the empress could understand the empress dowager’s thoughts!
It was a pity that the empress obviously didn’t have this wisdom. After she learned that the empress dowager had ushered the cousin of the third room into the palace, she immediately guessed the empress dowager’s plan and angrily smashed something on the ground. Then she clamored to see her mother, asking her for help. The people around her tried their best to stop her.
In Qingning Palace, Consort Dowager Hui said while eating grapes, “See this? This is a fool. Stay away from her in the future.”
Li Huairou had a hoarse throat. Upon hearing this, she could only nod her head to show that she understood.
Consort Dowager Hui looked a little uncomfortable upon seeing her pitiful appearance. She couldn’t be blamed for this—it was all the little girl’s fault. The Story of the Stone was so wonderful that it was impossible to stop listening to it!
[Another name for Dream of the Red Chamber]
“Fang-momo, is the pear soup ready? Bring it up quickly!” Consort Dowager Hui raised her voice.
Li Huairou’s eyes widened. She covered her mouth and shook her head vigorously. Every single day for the past few days, she had been drinking these soups to moisturize her throat. It was really enough!
“Hey, the imperial physician ordered you to drink more of these soups. It will help your throat get better faster. I’m still waiting to hear the story!” Consort Dowager Hui was really anxious. In the past few days, when there was no story to listen to, she had lost her appetite. Thinking about it, she seemed to be getting thinner.
Li Huairou smiled innocently.
During the time when Li Huairou couldn’t tell the story, Consort Dowager Hui was not idle either. She wrote the story down from her memory and polished it up along the way. After all, as she grew older, Huairou wouldn’t be able to remember many details. When she had nothing to do, she could just take a look and pass the time.
When she saw Li Huairou sitting next to her and eating snacks, Consort Dowager Hui rubbed her wrist and suggested, “Huairou, why don’t I teach you how to practice your writing?” Li Huairou could read, but she couldn’t write.
For a period of time, Consort Dowager Hui used to have free time to teach her and Huailan. Huailan had a good attitude, was very diligent in learning everything, and made rapid progress. But Huairou was different. She could read the words. But as soon as she practiced writing, she would say that her wrist hurt.
Li Huairou immediately shook her head. Don’t think I don’t know what you’re thinking! It’s nothing more than teaching me to write; even if I can’t speak, I can write, is that it? I’m not fooled!
Consort Dowager Hui rolled her eyes. “Forget it!” She had always thought that she was lazy enough, but she had finally met someone who was even lazier.
On the same day, the empress dowager, accompanied by Prince Qi, came to Qingning Palace to find Consort Dowager Hui.
Consort Dowager Hui was in the middle of talking to Li Huairou. Hearing that the empress dowager had come, Li Huairou immediately hid at the back.
“Jiejie is free today? Prince Qi is here too!” Consort Dowager Hui smiled.
“Heng’er, this child, found two Persian cats from who knows where. They are very beautiful, especially their pairs of eyes—one blue and one green. Aijia thought that meimei would like it, so I sent one over. Heng’er happened to say that he hadn’t come to Qingning Palace to greet meimei these days, so we came together,” the empress dowager said with a smile.
[Prince Qi’s real name]
Then someone carried the Persian cat in.
Consort Dowager Hui frowned slightly. She didn’t like these cats and dogs. Not only did she dislike them, her feelings toward them could be described as disgust.
Although it had been delivered by the empress dowager herself, she did not intend to put up with it. What’s more, the empress dowager and her son had always liked to show honor and preferential treatment to her in order to make everyone see that they had not violated the will of the first emperor.
So Consort Dowager Hui replied bluntly, “Thank you for your kindness. But jiejie, I don’t like these hairless animals. Jiejie should take them back; the two cats can keep each other company.”
Both the empress dowager and Prince Qi were a little surprised, especially Prince Qi. The Persian cat was so beautiful, white all over and with eyes like gems. Nobody who saw it could possibly dislike it. When the empress had seen it, she’d directly asked for it, but after being told that it was for consort dowager, the empress didn’t have a reply.
“Meimei really doesn’t like it?” the empress dowager asked.
Consort Dowager Hui nodded honestly. “Perhaps it is because I was frightened by cats when I was a child. I have always been afraid of these soft and moving things. If jiejie really wants to give me something, just send me the eighteen-bachelor camellias from your palace!”
[One of the treasured varieties of camellia. The petals are usually arranged in 18 circles, so it is called “eighteen bachelors”. Picture below]
The empress dowager didn’t care. “If you liked them, you should have said so earlier. Jixiang, go and have someone send the pot of eighteen-bachelors to the consort dowager.”
Consort Dowager Hui did not refuse, instead smiling happily.
Prince Qi was ashamed. “It was this son’s negligence, thinking that the consort dowager would like cats. Does the consort dowager like flowers? Then this son will find something good for the consort dowager next time.”
[This son/erchen (儿臣) was the way for a royal son to refer to himself]
Consort Dowager Hui smiled. “I don’t dare to ask you. If you grow tired, what should I do if jiejie feels distressed?”
The empress dowager and Prince Qi both laughed.
The empress dowager smiled and patted Prince Qi’s hand. “If it is the matter of being caring and filial, no one can compare to Heng’er. He heard that I did not sleep well the other day, and this child searched for prescriptions from all over. I have everything from things to eat to other useful things. He picked some fragrant grass and told me to use it—I tell you, after using it, I slept much better.”
“Jiejie, did you come to me to show off?” Consort Dowager Hui asked with a smile.
“Speaking of which, the first emperor said from the very beginning that you were allowed to raise the fifteenth prince. It was you who said you were afraid of children making noise, and you were unhappy.” The empress dowager gave her a squint.
Consort Dowager Hui did not deny it. “I’m still young, and I haven’t had enough fun. I don’t have the patience and meticulousness of jiejie. Look at how well jiejie raised Prince Qi.”
Prince Qi looked at the empress dowager with admiration.
The empress dowager also responded with a smile.
With the mother’s kindness and the son’s filial piety, the atmosphere was warm.
After the empress dowager and Prince Qi had expressed enough motherly kindness and filial piety, they left Qingning Palace.
Consort Dowager Hui sent them out of the door. Leaning on the couch, she began to wonder what the meaning of today’s trip was?
She thought for a long time, but she still couldn’t understand.
Only until a few days later, when the empress dowager was going to hold a chrysanthemum appreciation party in the palace, did Consort Dowager Hui finally understood the empress dowager’s meaning. Could this be considered as choosing a concubine for Prince Qi?
Hearing that the empress dowager was going to choose a concubine for Prince Qi, Li Huairou didn’t take it to heart. There were also these things in the plot. It seemed that during this chrysanthemum appreciation party, something would happen and Concubine Chang would have a miscarriage, but Su Wan’er would be found to be pregnant. She’d then become a target.
[Chang (昌) means prosperous]
Li Huairou didn’t have the time to care about what happened to Su Wan’er and Prince Qi. What she cared about at the moment was that Li Huailan’s letter this month had been a few days late. Had something happened?
Therefore, Li Huairou did not go with Consort Dowager Hui to the chrysanthemum appreciation party.
When Consort Dowager Hui came back, her eyebrows danced. “It’s a pity that you didn’t go today. It was a great show.”
Then, before Li Huairou could ask, Consort Dowager Hui continued: “The empress’s cat scratched the noble consort’s hand. Then it hit the pregnant Concubine Chang, and Concubine Ling fell to the ground to save Concubine Chang. Consort Shu’s pearl necklace was hooked off by a branch and fell to the ground. The third room of the Gu family, Gu Xingyun, should have been chosen by the empress dowager for the emperor, but she accidentally fell into Prince Qi’s arms. As a result, Concubine Chang’s dragon fetus passed away, and Concubine Ling was found to be three months pregnant. Gu Xingyun’s entry into the palace was then gone. I suppose she might be randomly married out.” After all, Gu Xingyun had met the emperor several times in the few days since she’d entered the palace.
[The sons of emperors can be called dragons]
Li Huairou made an “oh” sound.
Consort Dowager Hui suddenly felt bored. The essence of gossip laid in sharing and discussing it with others!
Fang-momo smiled and walked in.
“There is news from outside the palace that Huailan is pregnant,” Fang-momo said, grinning.
Li Huairou’s eyes lit up. “Really? That’s great. Why didn’t my sister write a letter? Is the fetus a bad one?”
“Huailan became pregnant for the first time; Shi Yong was confused, because he was afraid that she would develop a fixation, so she was not allowed to write a letter and ask someone to bring a message for her,” Fang-momo answered.
Li Huairou breathed a sigh of relief and then became worried again. How old was Li Huailan? Was it okay to have a baby at this time? No, she had to write back and say a few words.
“Huairou, where are you going?”
Consort Dowager Hui originally wanted to continue listening to the story, but Li Huairou turned around and ran away, shouting hurriedly, “I’m writing a letter to my elder sister.”
Consort Dowager Hui looked at the thick envelope in front of her, then looked at the medicinal materials, fabrics, and so on. She opened the envelope and frowned when she saw the words. “This writing is too much for the eyes.” Then she stuffed the letter back in, too lazy to read it anymore.
“It is said that she went to imperial physician Qi yesterday to consult him, and she wrote such a thick letter when she came back. Such sisterly affection!” Fang-momo smiled.
“Got it, send it to Huailan. By the way, I remember that there was a century-old ginseng in the warehouse. You can find it and send it together with the letter; perhaps it will be useful,” Consort Dowager Hui casually said.
“Yes.” Fang momo-smiled—Consort Dowager Hui was firm in speech but soft at heart.
When Consort Dowager Hui saw Fang-momo like this, she knew that the other woman had misunderstood. She had never been a hard-spoken but soft-hearted person, and she would never forgive anyone who betrayed her. The reason for doing this was because of Huairou. After all, Huairou still cared about this sister. Alas, the deep palace was lonely, and she still had to rely on Huairou’s stories to pass the time!
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Eighteen-Bachelor Camellia
(Source: Baidu)
