Chapter 25 Entering the Palace "His Majesty has specially summoned Miss Yuan Er to the palace."...
As dusk fell, the oppressive heat of a summer evening pressed down on the city of Luoyang.
When Yuan Chaolu returned to the Yuan residence, the setting sun was about to disappear into the night sky.
She was restless, the image of the figure she had seen flitting through the bamboo grove as she left Chanxu Temple at dusk kept replaying in her mind, and she suspected it was the Emperor.
Before she could think further, a flurry of footsteps came from the flower gate, and her second aunt, leading several trusted servants, came to meet her.
"The young lady has finally decided to return to the manor." The maid who had been by the side of the matriarch of the Yuan family for many years stepped forward with a raised eyebrow.
“It’s a young lady who hasn’t married yet, spending all her time in the Buddhist temple. Those who know her say she’s there to worship Buddha, but those who don’t know her might gossip about her behind her back. It’s thanks to the kind-hearted lady that she covered for the young lady in front of the Prince of Yan. The young lady should thank the lady.”
"Alright." A voice came from behind the group.
Madam Li Qing'e, the Second Madam, stepped forward gracefully, the golden hairpin in her hair swaying in the twilight. "The Second Miss is of noble status, how dare an old woman like you interfere? If you dare to speak nonsense again, go and receive your punishment."
She glanced at the servant woman, who immediately fell silent and stepped aside.
Li Qing'e turned to Yuan Chaolu, took her hand and gently stroked it, "But you child, you won't even tell your aunt which temple you're going to. Are you afraid your aunt will stop you?"
Yuan Chaolu asked calmly, "Is there anything else, Aunt?"
"Of course, Chaolu, please don't blame your aunt. I was a bit strict with you before, but it was for your own good. This place is under the emperor's nose. You come from the northwest, so you have to be careful in everything you do. Your aunt was just afraid that you would do something wrong, so she taught you a few more times."
"By the way, what's the status of your engagement with His Highness the Prince of Yan...?"
Yuan Chaolu's gaze fell on the noblewoman, Li Qing'e, whose plump face was full of kind smiles. If one did not know her true nature, one would probably say that she was kind and amiable.
Her eyes held an undisguised curiosity, tinged with a hint of ingratiating eagerness. Yuan Chaolu calmly withdrew her hand and smiled, "I'm a little tired, please allow me to take my leave and rest."
Li Qing'e was about to speak again when she suddenly heard hurried footsteps outside the wall. Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a young servant in green rushing to the flower gate, bowing and reporting.
"Reporting to Madam and Miss, the palace eunuchs have arrived at the mansion gate, saying they have His Majesty's oral decree."
Everyone's expression changed drastically.
The entire Yuan family knelt in front of the mansion gate. The head of the family, Yuan Li, bowed his head first, followed closely by the third branch of the family and his wife. The young ladies and gentlemen also lowered their heads and looked down respectfully. Although they tried their best to maintain a respectful demeanor, one could vaguely see a hint of barely suppressed excitement.
Three years have passed since the founding of the new dynasty, but the Yuan family has never been given important positions in the court, and their situation is quite delicate.
Now, suddenly receiving an imperial edict, Yuanli was bewildered and surprised, unsure whether it was a joyous occasion. He even unconsciously slowed his breathing.
Yuan Chaolu knelt at the very back, feeling the gaze of the eunuch reading the emperor's edict fixed on him from afar.
After the eunuch's voice rang out, the area in front of the Yuan residence fell into a deathly silence.
Everyone prostrated themselves on the ground, not daring to raise their heads, their hearts pounding like thunder. They never expected that the people sent by the Emperor would inquire about Yuan Chaolu, reprimanding the Yuan family for mistreating the Second Miss and failing to properly manage the young ladies' studies. Yuan Li's eyelids drooped, already covered with fine sweat.
"Your Excellency, this position of Imperial Compiler was bestowed upon you by His Majesty out of consideration for the past relationship with Madam Yuan. However, if the Yuan family can no longer accommodate the Second Miss, Your Excellency will likely have to seek another capable person for this position."
Yuan Li stammered, his face deathly pale, "This humble subject knows his crime..."
"From this day forward, the Second Miss shall not step out of the mansion. The entire Yuan family shall serve her well and shall not be negligent in the slightest. His Majesty shall personally review the Second Miss's studies from now on."
Yuanli trembled and said "Yes," then bowed deeply.
A eunuch stepped out from behind the eunuch and said with a smile, "My surname is Nie, and I am here by imperial decree to supervise the school. From now on, I will be in charge of checking the Second Miss's studies every day. Once His Majesty is satisfied with her review after a month, he will lift her confinement."
After everyone bowed their heads and respectfully saw the eunuch off into the carriage, the patriarch Yuan Li looked at Yuan Chaolu with a resentful gaze.
"Chao Lu, what have you done to offend the Emperor?"
Yuan Chaolu bit her lip, feeling annoyed.
She had already left Chanxu Temple, but the emperor still wouldn't let her go.
**
The Emperor's edict contained profound meanings that were difficult for the officials of the Yuan court to fathom.
If the marriage agreement between Yuan Chaolu and the Prince of Yan is true, and the Emperor is satisfied with Yuan Chaolu, then he wouldn't have sent someone to reprimand the Yuan family and her. It's clear that she has displeased the Emperor.
But if it's said that it wasn't taken seriously, then the emperor personally sent his attendants to supervise it...
The words spoken by the emperor's messenger were like an invisible slap in the face to the Yuan family.
The second branch of the Yuan family was completely rejected, and it was told that the Yuan family was only able to maintain its reputation because of the eldest branch's wife, Zhou.
The second branch of the Yuan family harbored resentment. If it weren't for Yuan Chaolu, how could the family be in such a state of fear? But now, the honor and disgrace of the entire Yuan family depended on her alone. Despite her resentment, she could only grit her teeth and hire the best tutor in the capital to watch her practice calligraphy and reading every day.
When have the private tutors of the young masters of the mansion ever invited such a renowned scholar who was famous throughout the capital?
However, more than ten days passed, and there was still no news from the Emperor. After his daily routine of reviewing the assignments, Attendant Nie never revealed the Emperor's intentions. Furthermore, even the Prince of Yan stopped visiting.
People gradually sensed the changing winds. If Yuan Chaolu hadn't angered the emperor, why would she have been confined to her quarters until now? The marriage agreement would likely be nullified.
The Yuan family already had enormous expenses, and with the head of the family, Yuan Li, dismissed from his post and confined to his home, the family's income plummeted. Looking at the huge sums of money spent on hiring renowned tutors in the account books, Li Qing'e felt her heart bleed.
As dusk settled, the evening breeze, carrying the sweet fragrance of flowers from the courtyard, quietly crept into the private school.
The bamboo curtain swayed gently, revealing the figure of a young girl sitting upright, copying her lessons. A leaf was blown from the tree by the wind and landed on her open book. A slight smile appeared on her lips as she gently stroked the leaf with her fingertips and placed it on the corner of the table.
"Smack—"
The sound of a ruler striking the table suddenly broke the silence of the room. Li Qing'e looked down at her.
"Have you finished copying 'Rules for Women'?"
Li Qing'e picked up the Xuan paper on the table and swept it away the still-wet ink. "The imperial decree is hard to disobey. Aunt's strict discipline is all for your own good."
She put down the Xuan paper, saying, "I must finish copying this tonight; I want to review it myself tomorrow."
As she was leaving, Li Qing'e gave a wink to the maid beside her. The woman understood and respectfully lowered her head.
As Li Qing'e's footsteps gradually faded at the end of the corridor, He Yi, who was serving Yuan Chaolu, approached under the pretext of tidying up paper and brushes.
“A-Ju, you are under house arrest, and even I am keeping a close eye on you in the manor. There is really no chance to leave the manor today. Tomorrow I will definitely find a way to go to Tianzhen Pavilion and see if His Highness the Prince of Yan has bought your new painting.”
She gently stroked Yuan Chaolu's slightly cool hand with concern, saying, "You still have to paint when you get back at night; it must be exhausting."
Yuan Chaolu continued to paint, chuckling softly, "My elder sister is still waiting for me. The more paintings I paint, the more times I can seek medical treatment for her. It would be wonderful if I could see the Prince of Yan, but unfortunately I am under house arrest. I suppose he is also being held captive by the Emperor and cannot come to my residence."
He Yi hesitated for a moment, then said, "There's something I've been keeping from you..."
News travels very fast in Luoyang. The emperor's favor towards the imperial family and his order for the fiancées of all the imperial family members to enter the palace to learn etiquette had already spread throughout the high-ranking families of Luoyang in just a few days.
The Xiao family is a century-old and powerful clan with numerous members of the imperial family. In order to select a crown prince, the emperor had previously chosen several sons of princes with outstanding talents and virtues to be raised in the palace. Now, he has also summoned the fiancées of the princes to the palace for training. The deeper meaning behind this is obvious to anyone with discerning eyes. It is likely that even the crown prince's consort must meet the emperor's strict requirements.
For a time, undercurrents surged within the elite families of Luoyang.
However, Yuan Chaolu, who was supposed to be the fiancée of the Prince of Yan, has not received a summons to enter the palace.
"The Emperor actually summoned those noble ladies to the palace?"
Yuan Chaolu lightly tapped the table with her fingertips. It's no wonder she overthinks things. She had just been reprimanded by the emperor for being rude, and in the blink of an eye, the emperor issued an edict summoning all the noble ladies to the academy for training. Clearly, there was an ulterior motive.
Yuan Chaolu said, "No wonder my aunt hasn't been as attentive as before these past few days, and she's been probing me about whether my marriage to the Prince of Yan has changed. It's because of this."
Before she could finish speaking, Li Qing'e's maid, whom she had left to watch over her, strolled into the study. Yuan Chaolu said no more and immediately picked up her brush and dipped it in ink. The maid examined her for a moment, then beckoned someone to stand guard outside for her, before turning and leaving.
"Second Miss?"
Yuan Chaolu paused slightly, then looked up. An unfamiliar middle-aged female servant stood quietly by the door, her face softened by the warm sunlight, and she smiled kindly at her.
Since entering the Yuan family, such gentle treatment of her was truly rare. Yuan Chaolu responded softly, then lowered her head again to continue copying her lessons.
"Don't worry, Miss." The maid walked in, her voice very low. "The servant who was keeping watch has gone far away. You can rest now, I won't say anything."
As she spoke, she gently pushed a freshly brewed cup of tea to the side of the table, the steam rising gently and soothingly.
Yuan Chaolu noticed the frequent glances from the maids and servants. "Is there something you want to say?"
The maid hesitated for a moment, then said softly, "This servant only wants to see the First Madam's daughter."
Seeing Yuan Chaolu put down her pen, the maid cautiously looked around to make sure no one was there before kneeling down in front of her. "Second Madam has been keeping a close eye on Miss, and I've only managed to get a chance to approach her these past few days. Miss is indeed the First Madam's daughter; her features are just like the First Madam's..."
Yuan Chaolu asked, "Did you once serve my mother?"
The servant shook his head. "No, I am an old servant of this household and have naturally met the First Madam. My sister was saved by the First Madam and is deeply grateful. Over the years, I have never forgotten the First Madam's kindness."
Yuan Chaolu smiled slightly as she looked at the person in front of her.
Before her elder sister passed away, she held her hand, hesitant to speak, hoping that after Yuan Chaolu entered the capital, he would investigate whether there were any hidden circumstances surrounding her father's imprisonment and her mother's murder.
However, when Yuan Chaolu arrived in Luoyang, he discovered that the Yuan family had been under the control of the second branch of the family for more than ten years. The control was so tight that no clues could be found. Yuan Chaolu was busy finding medicine for his sister and earning money to make a living, so he temporarily put the matter aside.
Just then, an old woman from the Yuan family came to her. Yuan Chaolu saw tears welling up in her eyes, and her affection seemed genuine. She asked, "Where is your sister now?"
He died during the chaos of the previous dynasty's relocation of the capital and did not make it to Luoyang alive.
This is also the reason why Yuan Chaolu and her elder sister were separated for more than ten years.
Yuan Chaolu slowly raised her eyes, carefully examining the woman's face before her—
A high, straight nose, deep-set eyes, and amber-colored gleam in the pupils.
"Judging from the appearance of the old woman, she does not seem to be a Han Chinese."
“Miss is not mistaken, I am a Xianbei woman,” the servant replied gently.
“A Xianbei woman?” Yuan Chaolu said with a slight rise in his voice, “I also know a Xianbei woman.”
Before she could ask further, the maidservant said, "My name is Huli Lan."
The name struck Yuan Dynasty like a thunderbolt into its mind.
The Xianbei woman that Yuan Chaolu mentioned was her adoptive mother. Her adoptive mother had mentioned that she had become sworn sisters with a woman named "Hulilan" in the old capital of the Chu Dynasty. Later, due to the chaos of the times, the two were separated. Her adoptive mother returned to the northwest, but never had the chance to meet her old friend again.
The old friend that the adoptive mother couldn't forget before her death appeared in the deep mansion of the Yuan family.
Could there really be such a coincidence in the world?
Huli Lan looked puzzled and leaned forward to ask, "Are you feeling unwell, young lady?"
Yuan Chaolu smiled and asked, "The old woman was just talking about her younger sister. I wonder what her name is?"
"My sworn sister is named Chi Luoying."
Chiluoying—that is the name of Lu Yangmu from the Yuan Dynasty.
Yuan Chaolu's voice was so soft it was almost inaudible, "Granny, could you tell me about the old days, about you, Chi Luoying, and my mother?"
"Does the Second Miss want to hear?" Huli Lan saw her nod and let out a soft breath. "Chiluoying and I are both Xianbei women. We were sold from the Northwest to the old capital Chang'an as maids. Although we are much different in age, we became friends at first sight in the slave market. At that time, she couldn't even speak Chinese. She was like a little animal all day long, only daring to hide in a corner. So I secretly taught her, starting with the simplest words like eating and drinking."
A gentle light appeared in Huli Lan's eyes, and her voice softened. "She learned very quickly. In less than half a month, she was already able to talk to people. At night, we would squeeze into a corner of the maid's room and tell stories from the past."
Suddenly, the image of her foster mother appeared before Yuan Chaolu's eyes. Under the dim oil lamp, she patiently taught him to speak Xianbei language again and again, with the same patience and meticulousness.
"Then what?"
"Later we entered the Li family, which is now the home of Madam Yuan the Second." Huli Lan said softly, "Yingniang is pretty, clever, and has the ability to tame animals. She often makes the young lady of the Li family happy and gradually becomes a favored maid in front of the young lady. I was not qualified to be a dowry to the Yuan family, but she begged Madam Yuan the Second to bring me here."
The words came in waves, like giant waves crashing against Yuan Chaolu.
How could her adoptive mother be a maid of Madam Yuan the Second?
The maid said, "Yingniang was loyal to the Second Madam until she was taken in by the Second Madam's husband, who is now the head of the family. The Second Madam believed that Yingniang had seduced her and whipped her until she was on the verge of death. Fortunately, the First Madam intervened and saved Yingniang's life."
Yuan Chaolu lowered her head and grasped the jade pendant she always carried with her—
The osprey pattern was faintly visible under the candlelight, and the two characters "morning dew" on it were even more striking.
The mother told herself, "When I found you, this jade was hanging around your neck, with the words 'morning dew' engraved on it. I think that must be your name."
From the fact that her adoptive mother was originally a maid of the Second Madam Yuan, to the life-saving grace between her adoptive mother and her own mother, to the chaos of the capital relocation, when she was displaced and taken away by her adoptive mother...
Every coincidence was so perfectly timed that it was astonishing.
It was as if there were an invisible hand controlling the situation.
The maid looked at Yuan Chaolu with a smile, "We will never forget the kindness of the First Madam. Seeing that Miss has returned safely, I feel that Heaven has eyes and that such a kind person as the Madam still has descendants in the world."
Yuan Chaolu asked, "Did Chiluoying really die in the chaos of the previous dynasty's relocation of the capital?"
Hulü Lan said, "Yes, during the Yuan Dynasty's relocation of the capital, the First Madam's carriage became separated from the main force and encountered bandits. Yingniang was killed while trying to save the First Madam. This is what the Second Madam told me..."
Yuan Chaolu shook her head. No.
How can I tell the person in front of me that my mother lived for ten more years, but took me to the far northwest?
Mother once sat alone on a hill, gazing towards the Central Plains, saying that she had a friend she couldn't let go of. But every time the morning dew asked why she didn't go to the Central Plains to look for him, she remained silent.
Just as her mother had something she feared, she never set foot in the Central Plains.
Various doubts are tangled like a spider web, seemingly a thousand threads that cannot be untangled.
However, it is certain that the death of Madam Yuan and her and her elder sister's displacement must be inextricably linked to the Yuan family.
Yuan Chaolu asked softly, "Does Granny know anything else? For example, what exactly happened on the day Madam Yuan was murdered?"
Huli Lan's gaze trembled slightly, and she subtly avoided her eyes. "I didn't know that either; it was something that happened more than ten years ago."
Huli Lan looked up at the night outside the window, stood up and bowed, saying, "It's getting late, Miss should rest now. This old servant will take his leave."
Yuan Chaolu noticed that her evasiveness at that moment was clearly something she was hiding.
However, he could not easily reveal that Chi Luo Ying was his adoptive mother.
No one in the Yuan family can be trusted.
She looked up and saw that Huli Lan's steps were unsteady and she was walking very slowly.
Suddenly, she remembered what her adoptive mother had said: her friend from the Central Plains had fallen from a tree while picking her favorite fruit and sprained her ankle, making it impossible for her to walk normally again. Her adoptive mother always felt guilty about this.
Later, her mother found many medicinal wines on the road to the Western Regions, but until her death, those bottles and jars remained quietly on the wooden shelf, covered in dust.
Before leaving, the maid suddenly turned back, her eyes red and swollen: "I shouldn't have said so much, I just wanted to remind you, Miss."
Her breathing suddenly became heavy, as if she were resisting something invisible within her. Finally, in a hoarse voice, she said, "Miss, you must be extremely careful in the Yuan residence. If you have the chance, you should leave as soon as possible."
The woman seemed afraid to say another word. After speaking, she turned around hastily, her staggering figure disappearing into the night.
After everyone left, Yuan Chaolu poured out all her doubts. Heyi gasped: "So, it turns out that your separation from Zhaobi back then was all deliberately orchestrated."
Yuan Chaolu's eyes grew colder: "Since Huli Lan specifically warned me, she must know the inside story."
Yuan Chaolu leaned close to Heyi's ear, intending to ask her if her elder sister had mentioned the details of their escape when they were young. However, her gaze suddenly froze because there was a light pink mottle on the back of Heyi's neck, which was exactly the same as the poison her elder sister had been poisoned with.
Yuan Chaolu's fingertips were damp with sweat as she suddenly grabbed He Yi's wrist: "Sister, how come you have the same poisonous spots on the back of your neck as your elder sister?"
He Yi took out a bronze mirror and her expression changed drastically when she saw the faint mark reflected in it: "The mark is still light, which means the poison has not yet entered my marrow. It has only been in my body for a short time."
He Yi's voice tightened, "How could this be? I originally thought that Zhao Bi's poisoning was caused by the person she offended in Jiangnan, but now it seems that there is another reason."
The flickering candlelight cast distorted shadows of the two figures onto the wall, making them appear like ghosts and demons.
“It’s the Yuan family,” Yuan Chaolu said in a deep voice. “They poisoned my sister and now they want to harm you. If I hadn’t been staying at the Zen temple some time ago, I’m afraid the poison would already be in my body.”
He Yi's neck was covered in cold sweat.
Yuan Chaolu said, "I will definitely find an antidote for you, but we cannot stay at the Yuan residence any longer."
But she was still confined by the emperor; how could she possibly escape this den of tigers?
Yuan Chaolu gazed out the window at the thick, impenetrable night, when suddenly a glimmer of light flashed in her eyes.
“Sister Heyi,” she lowered her voice and took out the token that Ye Shu, a subordinate of the Prince of Yan, had given her from a hidden compartment in her dressing case, “I would like to trouble you again tomorrow to help me deliver a message to the Prince of Yan.”
He Yi listened to her whisper, nodded in understanding, and hid the token in her sleeve.
**
The next day.
That night, moonlight shone through the clouds, casting a hazy mist over Luoyang and penetrating deep into the palace.
Inside the Forbidden City, the lights shone brightly.
In the winding corridor, a young eunuch carrying a thick stack of scrolls walked swiftly toward the Emperor's Xuanzheng Hall, eventually presenting the scrolls to the Emperor's desk, where they disappeared into the undulating landscape of memorials.
"Your Majesty, the evaluations of the ladies who have just entered the Chongwen Academy have all been submitted."
Zhong Changjun gestured for the eunuch to leave and poured tea for the emperor.
Behind the desk, the figure raised his hand from the vast sea of documents, and Zhong Changjun immediately stepped forward and gently handed the brocade recording the women's achievements to the emperor.
The emperor's voice came calmly: "What about her studies today?"
Zhong Changjun was stunned for a long time before he realized who this "she" referred to.
"Your Majesty, Miss Yuan Er has not been summoned to the academy."
After the words were spoken, the hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. After the important matter was settled, the emperor picked up his brush and began writing, outlining the characters with vermilion ink, seemingly unmoved by the words.
Zhong Changjun hesitated for a moment, then finally said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, today Attendant Nie came to report that the second young lady of the Yuan family is ill."
The emperor did not have time to answer. After finishing reviewing a memorial, he asked, "Did she specifically have Nie Yan deliver this to the palace?"
Zhong Changjun's smile froze on his face as he bowed and said, "It was said by Miss Yuan's personal maid that she went to the Prince of Yan's residence."
At this moment, an announcement came from outside the hall: His Highness the Prince of Yan requests an audience. Zhong Changjun held his breath slightly.
Behind the imperial desk, the emperor did not raise his head. "I have observed that Yuan Fu has been carrying out my decrees quite diligently these past few days and has been properly instructing her on my behalf."
He emphasized the word "teach" slightly.
Zhong Changjun raised his head: "Then His Highness the Prince of Yan?"
“Go tell the Prince of Yan that if it were a matter concerning Yuan Chaolu, there would be no need for him to come before me to plead for her.”
Only after the footsteps faded into the distance did the emperor slowly raise his eyes.
The candlelight fell on those eyes, which were as pale as glass. Those eyes, which were usually calm and undisturbed, now had a sharp look in them.
From the moment he first returned to the palace, he would finish reviewing memorials in the afternoon and ask Zhong Changjun where her studies were. He thought that after more than ten days, she would have long forgotten this habit.
Just now, he asked it again.
But this is not the Chanxu Temple.
**
Yuan Chaolu claimed to be ill and asked Heyi to inform the Prince of Yan. However, after three days of illness, she did not receive the Prince of Yan's message. Instead, she received a servant sent by Madam Yuan Er to urge her to attend class.
The sound of He Yi and the visitor talking in the courtyard drifted through the window lattice, causing the person inside the tent to frown slightly.
These past few days, following the medical book left by her elder sister, she specially prepared a bowl of medicine. After drinking it, her pulse was weak and her face was pale. She seemed to have a serious bowel movement, but in reality, the medicine only had the effect of calming the mind and promoting sleep.
Yuan Chaolu was awakened by the noise. Hearing someone enter the room, she gradually lost her sleep and pulled back the bed curtains with a "whoosh".
A gentle, slender face came into view, with a faint smile, "Miss Yuan the Second."
The visitor turned out to be Zhong Changjun, an imperial attendant.
She was stunned: "Why is Uncle Zhong here?"
Zhong Changjun smiled slightly, “I have come by imperial decree. In recent days, the young lady has not made any progress in her studies at the Yuan residence. His Majesty was very displeased after reading this.”
Yuan Chaolu's smile froze as she lifted her outer skirt and stepped down. "So, Uncle Zhong has come today to punish me on behalf of His Majesty?"
Zhong Changjun smiled and shook his head. Behind him, an eunuch stepped out, holding a brocade in his hands.
“The Yuan family’s tutors are too lenient. Entrusting the Second Miss Yuan’s studies to the Yuan family is probably not the best choice. The tutors are not dedicated and their supervision is too lenient, which will hardly help the Miss improve her studies.”
Yuan Chaolu sensed something was amiss, and his heart sank.
"Therefore, by His Majesty's decree, the young lady is invited to enter the palace to study with other noble ladies."
"This is the imperial edict for entering the palace."
-----------------------
Author's Note: Entering the Imperial Palace Chapter!
This chapter contains two Xianbei surnames: Hulu and Chilu.
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