Chapter 143: Shufang Warm Room, Secret Line Stealth
The warmth of the Imperial Study hadn't yet dissipated when the setting sun gilded the Forbidden City's glazed tiles with a golden crimson. The shadow of the crabapple tree in Shufangzhai slanted across the steps. The sweet aroma from the kitchenette mingled with the charcoal fire in the copper stove in the corridor, enveloping the entire courtyard in a cozy warmth.
As soon as Xiaoyanzi stepped into the courtyard, she started shouting. The hem of her pomegranate-red Mandarin dress swept across the threshold, and the newly acquired Dongzhu box at her waist made a rustling sound. "Mingyue! Caixia! Come and see the wonderful things the Emperor has given us!" She clutched the gold-inlaid dagger, the gems on the scabbard gleaming in the twilight. "And Brother Xiaojian's imperial guard dagger, Bilkang's is still shining!"
Ziwei followed behind her, her moon-white gauze dress tinged with the cool evening breeze. She held the Dongzhu box in her arms, as if it were some rare treasure. Just as she was about to speak, Xiaoyanzi pulled her into the warm room. Her nose bumped into Xiaoyanzi's shoulder, and she couldn't help but laugh. "Slow down, watch your step."
"What are you afraid of?" Little Swallow patted her chest, the gold and kingfisher hairpin inlaid with royal emeralds jingling in her jet-black hair. "I'm here, nothing will get bumped or touched!" She turned and slammed the dagger on the table, waving at the small tables, stools, mosquitoes, and insects that gathered around her. "Come and see! The imperial guard's dagger! From now on, if any of you get bullied, just mention my brother's name!"
Little Mosquito came forward, stood on tiptoe, and stared at the dagger. Suddenly, he blurted out, "Wow, boom, this gem is so dazzling. I wonder if it's inlaid with stars?" He gestured excitedly, "From now on, when we go out of Shufangzhai, we will be protected by the 'Imperial Double Guards'. Who would dare to act recklessly?"
"Of course!" Xiaodengzi cleared his throat, moved a small stool and sat down, holding a well-read copy of "Journey to the West" in his hand. "If you ask me, Guards Xiao and Fu are like Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie—no, no, it's Sun Wukong and Sha Wujing, one clever and the other steady!"
"Go to hell!" The little table pushed him, pretending to snatch his book. "You're the only one who knows how to tell stories! Just now in the imperial study, I saw the Fifth Prince secretly feeding sweet-scented osmanthus candy to the princess. His eyes were as sticky as malt sugar!"
Xiaoyanzi blushed, grabbed a candied fruit and threw it at him: "What nonsense are you talking about! If you keep talking nonsense, I will make you copy the "Instructions for Women"!" But she couldn't hide the smile on her lips, and secretly glanced at the door - Yongqi said that he would send the new sword manual later, it should have arrived by now, right?
Ziwei sat on the soft couch in the warm room, her fingertips gently tracing the winding branches on the Dongzhu box. She listened to their laughter and conversation, a tenderness in her eyes. Jinsuo brought over some freshly cooked Tremella fuciformis soup and whispered, "Princess, drink it while it's hot! The Empress sent some rock sugar, saying it's good for the lungs." Glancing at Ziwei's red eyes, she added, "Just now in the Imperial Study, when you called me 'Empress Mother,' I saw the Empress' eyes red too."
Ziwei scooped a spoonful of Tremella soup, the heat blurring her eyes. "I used to think that just recognizing my father as the Emperor would be enough, but I never thought..." She paused, her voice as light as a feather, "I would actually be loved by my mother as the Emperor."
"That's perfect!" Xiaoyanzi came over to grab her spoon, but Ziwei smiled and slapped it away. "From now on, you have to give me half of the almond cakes from Kunning Palace!" As she spoke, Yongqi's voice came from outside the courtyard, with the clear voice of a young man: "Xiaoyanzi, Ziwei, I'm here to give you the sword manual."
Xiaoyanzi's eyes lit up, and she stood up quickly, her skirt sweeping across the charcoal basin, causing sparks to jump. She was about to run out, but then she seemed to remember something and adjusted her hairpins. When she turned around, she pretended to be dignified and said, "Come in."
Yongqi was dressed in royal blue uniform, holding a blue cloth bag in his hands, followed by Erkang. When he entered, his eyes first fell on Xiaoyanzi. Noticing the reddening of her ears, he couldn't help but curl his lips and handed her the bag. "This is a newly copied sword manual. It contains several sword techniques suitable for women. Take a look and see if it suits you."
"You have a conscience!" Xiaoyanzi took the cloth bag. Her fingertips accidentally touched his hand. She shrank back as if burned, turned around and ran to the table, "Let me see!"
Erkang walked over to Ziwei and pulled a small wooden box from his sleeve. "This is the rouge I brought from Jinan. You said you liked the smell before." He opened the box, revealing a dried flower pressed against the pale pink rouge. It was the crabapple from Ziwei's hometown. Ziwei gently touched the petals with her fingertips, and when she looked up, the light in her eyes shone brighter than Dongzhu's: "You still remember..."
"Of course I remember." Erkang's voice was gentle, his eyes fell on her face and could not move away.
In the warm room, laughter and whispers mingled with the crackling of the charcoal fire, creating a lively atmosphere that seemed to chase away the winter chill. A little bug crouched in a corner, imitating the song of a thrush, its chirping making everyone laugh. A little mosquito began to chant its catchy rhyme: "Guaiguai longdidong, rouge matches a hero, giggling warmly..." But a little swallow threw a candied fruit at him, silencing him.
But no one noticed that the young eunuch standing in the corridor had a flash of light in his eyes and quietly retreated to the outside of the courtyard, slipping away in the direction of Jingren Palace. The young eunuch had a subtle ink stain on his sleeve and was one of the people waiting outside the imperial study.
At that moment, candlelight dimly illuminated the walls of Jingren Palace. Concubine Gao reclined on a soft couch covered in Shu brocade. Nanny Li leaned over and replied, her voice hushed. "Your Majesty, it's bustling over in Shufangzhai. I saw the two princesses win the Dongzhu, so happy they couldn't even stop grinning. I didn't even notice the eunuch's movements."
"Only an idiot would notice." Concubine Gao twisted a piece of silver armor and slowly scraped the edge of the teacup, making a tiny sound. "What about that batch of Shu brocade? Tell the embroiderer to make the silver threads thinner so no one can see the flaws." She looked out the window. The night was already deep, and the shadow of the palace wall was like a huge net. "The 'generous gift' for Laba Festival must be embroidered beautifully."
Nanny Li bowed and replied, "I have already given the order. The embroiderers are working overnight and will definitely have it ready before the enthronement ceremony." She paused, then added, "Just now I saw Yongqi and Fu Erkang both go to Shufangzhai. I'm afraid the Fifth Prince can no longer hide his feelings for Princess Huanzhu."
Concubine Gao sneered and placed the teacup heavily on the table. "The prince and the princess, it's a 'good story' indeed. It's a pity that whether this good story can spread depends on whether I am willing to let it spread." She waved her hand and said, "Go and keep an eye on the embroidery room and make sure nothing goes wrong."
Nanny Li withdrew, leaving Concubine Gao alone in the palace. She stood up and walked to the mirror, the candlelight dimming her smile. Her fingers stroked the red gold and ruby hairpin on her temples—a gift from Emperor Qianlong the previous year, but now the glory of the palace had been snatched away by those two princesses who had suddenly appeared.
"Pearls and jade?" She whispered to herself in the mirror, digging her nails deep into her palms. "I want to see if it's real pearls and jade, or glazed tiles that will shatter if touched."
In the warm room of Shufangzhai, the bustle continued. Xiaoyanzi pestered Yongqi to teach her a new sword technique. The sword tassel brushed the back of Yongqi's hand, and both of them smiled brightly. Ziwei and Erkang stood side by side, gazing at the moonlight outside the window, whispering about old times in Jinan. Xiaodengzi was recounting the story of Sun Wukong's three battles with the White Bone Demon, while Xiaochongzi imitated a tiger's roar, amusing everyone.
The charcoal fire burned brighter and brighter, illuminating everyone's face with a rosy glow. Little Swallow nibbled on the sweet-scented osmanthus cake Yongqi had brought her, mumbling, "After the enthronement ceremony is over, let's go to the guest house and have Liu Qing and Liu Hong prepare a huge table of delicious food!"
Ziwei smiled and nodded: "Okay, and we'll also ask the Emperor and the Empress to go with us."
Yongqi added, "I'll ask the imperial kitchen to prepare some good wine. We won't leave until we're drunk."
Laughter drifted from the warm room, drifting into the night of Shufangzhai. Unbeknownst to anyone, the embroidery needles of Jingren Palace were weaving through Shu brocade, hiding cold silver threads within the ornate patterns, waiting only for Laba Festival to pierce this momentary warmth. And the wind in the corridor had already quietly picked up a hint of chill.
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