Chapter 78: Dealing with the Old Momos
Chu Jinyao slowly furrowed her brows and looked at Qin Yi with suspicion: “What do you mean?”
Qin Yi was clearly in a good mood. He flipped through the items in his hand and couldn’t help but laugh, “The Four Books, The Book of Documents, The Doctrine of the Mean… have you been reading all these lately?”
Chu Jinyao vaguely sensed something was off: “Isn’t it said that the noble ladies of the capital all read these?”
Qin Yi couldn’t suppress his laughter anymore and reached out to ruffle Chu Jinyao’s hair, but she angrily dodged him. Unfazed, Qin Yi simply bent his fingers and lightly tapped her on the forehead: “Do you really believe what they say? In front of a newly arrived Crown Princess, what would Baoyu and the others say for the sake of appearances? As for that legitimate daughter of Princess Rong’an, she only studied with the Prince Wei for a few days as a child, but has been boasting about it ever since. Do you think I don’t know what their actual level is?”
Chu Jinyao was utterly stunned after hearing this: “It was fake? I thought the prestigious families in the capital taught their daughters to be unconstrained by tradition and allowed them to study the Four Books. I even spent the day before my wedding flipping through those books because of this.”
Qin Yi couldn’t help but chuckle, and Chu Jinyao shot him an angry glare. Trying to compose himself, Qin Yi said with a smile, “It’s alright, reading more is still good for you. You really are something…”
Qin Yi paused, unable to find the right word, and Chu Jinyao unexpectedly grew somber: “Your Highness, am I really lacking compared to others?”
“What?” he asked.
“In every way.” This thought had been haunting Chu Jinyao for a long time, and today she finally voiced it, “I was delayed when I was young. It was only after I returned to the Marquis’s household that I witnessed the wealth of the world. My courtesy and etiquette, the way I sit and walk, were all learned hastily. These outward behaviors can be learned, but what about the things that can’t be seen? When I was young, no one taught me. Compared to the young ladies raised by female elders, I fall far behind. But you, Your Highness, didn’t mind and made me the Crown Princess. I am, of course, grateful, and I thought that as long as I worked hard, I could make up for what I lacked. But after arriving in the capital, I realized that the women here aren’t slackers either. They started from a higher point and have honed their skills far beyond mine. Your Highness, if you hadn’t met me first, I wouldn’t have been able to become the Crown Princess, right? I have to try so hard just not to drag you down, but if it were another woman, she could even help you.”
At first, Qin Yi didn’t like what he was hearing, but as she went on, the smile on his face disappeared. He let her finish, and after she poured out her thoughts, Chu Jinyao felt deeply dejected. She felt like she had no face left to show him. Turning her head away, she mumbled, “I’m sorry. You’ve already had a long day, and here I am saying all these discouraging things. I’ll go set the table for dinner…”
As she spoke, Chu Jinyao stood up, intending to leave Qin Yi’s side. But just as she got to her feet, Qin Yi grabbed her wrist.
“I never thought you’d feel this way,” Qin Yi sighed softly, pulling Chu Jinyao back to sit on his lap. She didn’t resist and sat obediently.
Qin Yi wrapped an arm around her waist and, instead of addressing her previous words directly, he asked, “When I went to Taiyuan, you asked me a similar question. What did I say back then?”
“You told me to figure it out for myself.”
“You’re good at remembering things,” Qin Yi said helplessly, tapping her head again in frustration. “What did I say just before that?”
Chu Jinyao thought for a moment, recalling: “You said that I have a pleasing temperament and though I may not be the smartest, I’m not foolish and can handle things well…”
“Actually, all of that was just a polite way of speaking. It sounds nice, but it doesn’t contain much real meaning.”
Chu Jinyao glared at him: “So you were lying to me?”
Caught off guard, Qin Yi hadn’t expected her to pick up on that. Sighing, he tried to explain, “It’s not entirely empty words. If I said it, I meant it. You feel bewildered by being appointed as the Crown Princess, but think about it from another angle—why would I do this?”
Why indeed? Qin Yi wouldn’t have married her just to take care of her. If he didn’t like the arrangement, he could have easily annulled it and arranged a different match for her.
Qin Yi was already the Crown Prince, trusted by the Emperor and supported by the ministers. He had even earned military achievements the previous year, with widespread popularity among the common people. A man in such a position could have married anyone he wanted. So why her?
Chu Jinyao honestly shook her head. She couldn’t figure it out, which was why she kept doubting and feeling uneasy. Qin Yi couldn’t have married her just for her looks, could he? He wasn’t that shallow, was he?
“Sigh,” Qin Yi sighed again. With one arm around her waist, he tapped her leg rhythmically three times with his other hand. “Jinyao, tell me, why do people who are good at interpreting the emperor’s wishes always do the best in the palace?”
Chu Jinyao seemed to grasp something. Qin Yi didn’t elaborate, only smiling lightly and adding, “You mentioned those people—no matter how smart or well-read they are, what does that have to do with me?” He grasped her chin, his fingers grazing her delicate skin, and locked eyes with her. “You figure it out.”
After saying that, Qin Yi let her go and left. Chu Jinyao sat there silently for a while, then instinctively reached up to touch her chin.
She muttered to herself, wondering why people in the palace always spoke in riddles instead of being straightforward.
Still, after this conversation, although she didn’t fully understand Qin Yi’s thoughts, Chu Jinyao did realize that he hadn’t chosen her for inexplicable reasons. Knowing this, much of her insecurity faded away. No matter how accomplished or skilled other women might be, Qin Yi had chosen to marry her, and that was their business—it had nothing to do with anyone else.
In fact, it wasn’t surprising that Chu Jinyao couldn’t figure out Qin Yi’s true thoughts, because even Qin Yi didn’t fully understand them himself. Why did the powerful in the palace often speak vaguely? It was because sometimes they weren’t clear on their own intentions. But since their words carried great weight and changing their mind was seen as a weakness, they must speak ambiguously, leaving room for interpretation. If someone understood their wishes and delivered the result they secretly desired, they would be rewarded handsomely.
That was exactly where Qin Yi found himself now. He wasn’t entirely sure why he had chosen this path. In truth, Chu Jinyao wasn’t the ideal candidate for a Crown Princess. He no longer needed the backing of a powerful wife’s family, and even though her lack of political connections didn’t matter much, it still wasn’t the most rational decision to marry someone from a family with no real influence in the capital.
Yet, for some reason, Qin Yi still wanted to do it. Why he wanted this, he couldn’t explain, so he simply told Chu Jinyao, “You figure it out.”
He was curious to see what conclusion she would come to.
For the next few days, Chu Jinyao busied herself, finally arranging the Eastern Hall to her liking. With her worries eased by Qin Yi’s words, she focused on aligning herself with his rhythm, determined not to hold him back. Today, she was comfortably lounging in the sunlight, reading a book, when a knock came from the partition wall.
“Crown Princess,” came a voice.
Chu Jinyao looked up, recognizing the speaker, and smiled. “Erxue, what brings you here?”
“I came to pay my respects to Your Highness,” Erxue said, bowing deeply from outside the partition. “There are some things I wish to speak to you about in private.”
Ten days had passed since Chu Jinyao had promoted Erxue, but judging from her expression, those ten days hadn’t gone well for her.
Chu Jinyao gestured for her to rise and, closing her book, said, “Come in.”
But Erxue stood still by the door, her eyes scanning the room’s attendants.
“What’s wrong?” Chu Jinyao asked.
“Your Highness, I’d like to speak to you in private.”
Her words clearly displeased the other maids in the room, who shot her cold looks. Chu Jinyao raised an eyebrow slightly but said, “You may all leave.”
The maids obediently curtsied and quietly exited. As they passed Erxue, each one glanced at her with disdain.
Erxue’s expression didn’t change, but inside, her heart sank. She knew that after today, rumors of her private conversation with the Crown Princess would spread throughout the palace. She had no choice now.
Once they were alone, Erxue suddenly knelt, her hands flat on the ground as she kowtowed. “Your Highness, I have sinned. Please forgive me.”
Chu Jinyao didn’t respond immediately and instead asked, “What sin? What have you done?”
Erxue bit her lip and said, “I was originally sent by the Empress to monitor Your Highness and the Crown Prince. After spending these days in the Eastern Palace, I’ve witnessed Your Highness’s virtue and fairness. I am ashamed of my past actions and can no longer bear to carry out such schemes. I’ve come to confess my sins and beg Your Highness for mercy.”
Erxue had braced herself for either an angry outburst or a delighted acceptance of her confession, but what she got instead was… nothing.
Unable to resist any longer, Erxue raised her head slightly to peek at Chu Jinyao. “Your Highness?”
Chu Jinyao was slowly sipping tea, the steam still rising from the freshly poured cup. She blew on it a few times before taking a small sip. Only then did she set the cup down and casually say, “Oh.”
Erxue was dumbfounded. Was that it? She had just confessed something so serious, and Chu Jinyao responded with a casual “oh”?
“Your Highness, I spoke from the heart, and I wouldn’t dare to deceive you. If you take my words as a joke, that would be a grave misunderstanding of my sincerity.”
“Oh, then what should I do?” Chu Jinyao asked lazily. “Should I happily accept your not-so-genuine confession? Or should I go to the Empress and expose your attempt to play both sides?”
Erxue felt a chill run down her spine. She had come here today with the intention of stalling for time. After Chu Jinyao had raised her status, Erxue had found herself under constant pressure, caught between her duties to the Empress and the increasing suspicion from everyone around her. She had thought herself clever, but now her self-assured plan was crumbling.
Desperately, she tried to explain, “Your Highness, I would never dare to have such intentions—”
“You dare plenty,” Chu Jinyao said with a slight smile, setting her tea down and opening her book again. “I see you’re quite bold in many ways.”
With that, Chu Jinyao went back to reading, ignoring Erxue entirely. Erxue remained kneeling, her heart racing. The serene atmosphere in the room was punctuated only by the quiet sound of pages turning. The silence was unbearable, and Erxue’s body trembled as cold sweat soaked through her clothes.
From outside the window, the sound of two old Momos scolding someone drifted in. In the palace, servants were forbidden from making noise, and lower-ranked maids and eunuchs didn’t even dare to make a sound while walking. But these two Momos were being openly brazen, their loud voices carrying even into the hall.
Erxue heard it clearly and instinctively lowered her head further. Just as her nerves were about to snap, Chu Jinyao sighed softly, closed her book, and muttered, “How troublesome.”
With a quick glance at Erxue, Chu Jinyao dismissed her with a simple command: “Leave.”
Erxue was all too eager to comply. She kowtowed quickly and rushed out. Though Chu Jinyao hadn’t made it clear whether or not she accepted her confession, Erxue dared not ask for clarification.
Once outside, the cold wind hit her, and she realized just how drenched in sweat she was. Her nerves frayed, she now felt genuine fear of the gentle, graceful Crown Princess she had just left behind. On her way out, she ran into the two old Momos flaunting their authority. They greeted her with grinning faces, but Erxue merely bowed quickly and hurried away.
After Erxue left, Linglong entered the room quietly and asked, “Your Highness, those two Momos were out there scolding people again. Their loud voices must have disturbed you.”
“Knowing I’m in the palace and still making such a ruckus,” Chu Jinyao remarked with a light laugh, “They’re certainly bold.”
“Shall we continue to tolerate them, or is it time to teach them a lesson?” Linglong asked.
“It’s pointless to just scold them for being improper. If we’re going to deal with them, let’s do it thoroughly.”
Linglong remained silent, but after some thought, Chu Jinyao suddenly said, “It’s almost the New Year. Whether in the palace or outside, this is a time for celebration.”
Not quite understanding, Linglong smiled and agreed, “That’s true. These past few days, the palace has been livelier than usual. Normally, things are kept in strict order, but during the New Year, there’s a bit more activity.”
Chu Jinyao smiled and said, “Exactly. During the New Year, nobody wants to be wronged.”
—
As the New Year approached, Momo Liu started getting restless, hoping to treat herself to some good food and drink. But the palace is a place that devours people whole. No matter how much face you have, without money, there’s not much you can do.
Momo Liu felt bitter. People only saw how generously the Crown Princess rewarded her and the other Momo, with gifts of jade, hairpins, and luxurious fabrics. However, while these things were beautiful, they couldn’t be used as cash. Meanwhile, the eunuchs who thought she was wealthy constantly tried to curry favor with her. The more she gave them, the more they flattered her, and gradually, her funds began to run dry. Although the Crown Princess gave her lavish gifts, they were no substitute for real silver.
Momo Liu eventually resorted to secretly selling off the rewards she received, sneaking out to Black market to exchange them for cash. Initially, she had been terrified of getting caught, but after doing it a few times without incident, her confidence grew. She even started taking small items from unoccupied palace halls to sell.
Her actions did not go unnoticed by Momo Hong, who lived with her. At first, Momo Hong thought Momo Liu had gone mad, but after watching her repeatedly bring back bundles of silver, she started to waver.
Both Momos had come from Kunning Palace. Back then, they had been ordinary Momos with no standing to speak to the Empress directly. When they heard that the Empress was selecting people to go to Taiyuan, Momo Hong saw it as her chance for advancement. She spent her life savings to secure the position, and it paid off.
Their promotion to the Eastern Palace gave them immense power. They became the most senior Momos, with the new Crown Princess unable to act against them for fear of offending the Empress. They gradually became bolder, freely reprimanding the servants and maids. Even Linglong, the Crown Princess’s most trusted attendant, had to bow her head when they passed. As a result, they began to behave as if they were the true mistresses of the palace, believing that no one would dare to punish them for anything.
Momo Hong, caught up in her delusions of power, found herself following Momo Liu to Black market at dusk.
Though the Imperial Palace was imposing, secret dealings like this were all too common. Some maids stole palace items and, with the help of eunuchs, smuggled them out to be sold. While maids weren’t allowed to leave the palace, eunuchs with procurement duties had more freedom.
Today, as usual, Momo Liu walked to her meeting point with a trusted contact, bringing Momo Hong along. But her contact was late, and as they waited, Momo Hong grew increasingly anxious.
“Let’s go back,” Momo Hong whispered. “It doesn’t feel right tonight.”
“What are you so scared of?” Momo Liu scoffed. “I’ve been doing this for days now. They say you’re more likely to get caught when you’re new to this. I’m used to the route. There’s no risk.”
Still, Momo Hong’s heart pounded. “I don’t know… something feels off…”
Before she could finish, a voice suddenly interrupted from behind: “Momo Hong, what feels off?”
Both Momos jumped in shock, dropping the items they were holding onto the ground.
—
Back in the palace, Chu Jinyao was reviewing the New Year’s preparations when Linglong came in quietly, a faint smile on her lips. “Your Highness, the Momo Gong has just apprehended those two Momos.”
Chu Jinyao looked up and snapped her book shut.
The outcome didn’t surprise her. She had been planning this for a long time. By withholding money from Momo Liu, she had subtly pushed her into the act of smuggling. Even Momo Liu’s dealings with the outside eunuchs had been part of her plan. If it weren’t for the fact that she wanted to catch Momo Hong as well, she wouldn’t have waited this long.
“Where are they?” Chu Jinyao asked.
“They’ve been caught red-handed by Momo Gong and are currently kneeling outside, awaiting your decision.”
Chu Jinyao stood up and said, “Prepare my chair. And have everyone gather in the central courtyard.”
The news of the Momos being arrested had already spread throughout the palace. Though no one dared to inquire openly, curiosity was high. Soon enough, the servants were summoned to the central courtyard by the Crown Princess.
Without knowing what was about to happen, everyone hurried to the designated location. The palace maids lined up on the west side, while the eunuchs stood on the east, heads bowed.
In front of them, in the empty space, knelt the two Momos, their stolen goods laid out before them. Momo Liu and Momo Hong kept their heads down, trembling as they awaited the Crown Princess.
Linglong had already prepared a redwood chair for Chu Jinyao in the center of the courtyard, facing the gathered servants. Even in an interrogation, the Crown Princess kept her distance, maintaining her dignity. She would sit within the palace hall while they remained outside.
Chu Jinyao arrived with a composed stride and, with the help of Jiegeng, sat gracefully in the chair. Resting one hand on the chair’s arm, she straightened her back.
The moment she appeared, the courtyard fell into a hushed silence. Everyone knelt and greeted her in unison: “Long live the Crown Princess.”
Kneeling among them, Momo Liu and Momo Hong kowtowed desperately. “Your Highness, we have been wronged! Please, Your Highness, have mercy!”
Chu Jinyao glanced at the pile of goods in front of them and smiled slightly. “You two certainly know how to live well. Out of respect for the past, I treated you generously, yet you were the first to disregard me as the Crown Princess.”
Her words sent a shiver through the crowd, and they quickly knelt lower, pleading, “Your Highness, please calm your anger!”
