Chapter 146: Jade Hairpin Hidden Edge, Laughter Hidden Worry
The afternoon sun slanted into Shufangzhai. The crackling charcoal fire in the warm room intensified the fragrance of the winter plum blossoms on the windowsill. Little Swallow was sprawled on a long, brocade-covered table, frowning over a copy of "Ancestral Worship Rituals," her finger poking at the words "Three Kneels and Nine Kowtows." "This rule is too complicated! I'll kowtow so many times, my knees are going blue!"
Ziwei sat across from him, embroidering a handkerchief, silver thread creating tiny orchids on the plain silk. She chuckled softly, "Ancestor worship is a serious matter, and we can't be careless. Look, it says in the ritual: first burn incense, then offer wine, and finally recite the prayer. Don't miss a single step." She put down the embroidery frame, picked up the ritual book, and pointed to a page. "But the Emperor said he'll send Su Peisheng to guide us, so we'll just follow his instructions."
"Sister is so thoughtful." Xiaoyanzi curled her lips and suddenly took out a red gold and kingfisher hairpin from her bosom. The head of the hairpin was inlaid with a pigeon blood red ruby, which sparkled in the sun. "Look at this thing Yongqi gave me. He said it should be worn at the enthronement ceremony. It's so heavy that it gives me a headache. It's not as light as my peach wood hairpin." She put the hairpin on the table, and the jewel made a crisp sound when it hit the table.
"This is the palace rule." Ziwei picked up the hairpin and took a closer look. Just as her fingertips touched the bottom of the gem, she suddenly cried out softly, "Ah!" and quickly retracted her hand. A tiny drop of blood had been scratched on her fingertips. "The bottom of this gem... seems to be a little sharp."
Xiaoyanzi leaned over to take a look and saw a very small chip on the edge of the gem, as if it had been cut by a sharp weapon. "What's going on? How can there be a chip on a newly made hairpin?" She grabbed the hairpin and rubbed it against her sleeve. The chip actually cut through the silk. "This thing is like a knife!"
Yongqi had just come in through the curtains when he heard this and hurried forward, "What's wrong? Are you hurt?" He saw the blood on Ziwei's fingertips and frowned instantly. He took the hairpin and examined it carefully, his face darkening. "This chip is not right, it looks like someone deliberately rubbed it." He turned and shouted to the door, "Xiao Luzi! Go call the craftsman who made this hairpin!"
"No, no, no!" Xiaoyanzi held him back, her eyes rolling. "If you shout it out now, maybe some people will like it." She winked at Ziwei and lowered her voice. "Let's pretend we don't know for now and see who will jump out." Ziwei nodded in understanding and gently pressed the wound on her fingertips with a handkerchief.
Erkang walked in holding a brocade box. Noticing the atmosphere in the warm room was off, he asked with concern, "What's wrong? You all look so serious." He opened the box, revealing two white jade hairpins with lotus flowers carved on the tips. "My mother had these made for me. She said wearing jade hairpins during ancestral worship adds a touch of solemnity. Would you like to try them on?"
Ziwei picked up a hairpin, the jade-like texture was soft and smooth against her skin. She put it in her hair in front of the bronze mirror, and the loose hair on her temples was neatly gathered. Erkang's eyes softened when he saw it: "It looks very beautiful." Xiaoyanzi leaned over to take a look, reached out to grab another one and put it on her head, but she put it in the wrong direction, and the tassels hung down in front of her forehead, making everyone laugh.
"You're so clumsy." Yongqi smiled and helped her straighten herself. His fingertips accidentally touched her earlobe, and they both pulled their hands back as if burned. He looked at the white jade tassels swaying in her hair and whispered, "There will be a lot of people on the day of the ancestor worship. You must stay close to me and don't run around."
"I know, butler!" Xiaoyanzi made a face, picked up the apple on the table and took a big bite. The juice flowed down the corner of her mouth and was wiped away by Yongqi with a handkerchief. The action was so natural as if she had done it a thousand times.
At that moment, the odor of spices in the side hall of Jingren Palace was so strong it was choking. Nanny Li was whispering instructions to a young eunuch, twirling a string of red sandalwood Buddhist beads in her hand, her knuckles white from the effort: "Did you see Princess Mingzhu put on that phoenix hairpin with your own eyes?"
The young eunuch knelt on the ground, his head bowed low. "Madam, it's absolutely true! Princess Mingzhu said it looked great when she tried it on. The mechanism underneath the gemstone hasn't revealed a single flaw." He paused, then added, "Princess Huanzhu's hairpin is also in good shape. I sharpened the notch of her red gold hairpin to your specifications. I guarantee it will scratch her scalp if she wears it."
Nanny Li smiled with satisfaction, the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes knitting together. "Well done. When they make a mistake at the enthronement ceremony, or 'accidentally' bleed during the ancestral worship, gossip will naturally spread in the palace—that they are unlucky and unworthy of the status of a princess." She pulled a silver ingot from her sleeve and tossed it to the young eunuch. "Take this, and be smart from now on. You will definitely benefit from it."
The young eunuch kowtowed in thanks and was about to leave when Concubine Gao's voice called him back. She emerged from behind a screen, dressed in a dark blue palace gown embroidered with cranes. The hem of her skirt swept across the incense burner on the floor, causing Mars to jump. "Has the Shu brocade been sent to Shufangzhai?"
"Your Majesty, it was delivered at 9:00 PM. Princess Huanzhu liked it very much and had Mingyue put it in her trunk right away," Nanny Li bowed and replied, a hint of pride in her eyes. "The silver threads in the Shu brocade have been processed according to your wishes. Wear it three times and it's guaranteed to snag, rubbing her skin."
Concubine Gao walked to the dressing table and picked up a diamond-shaped mirror. Her sneering face was reflected in the mirror: "What's the point of physical pain? I will make them feel the pain in their hearts." She put down the mirror and ran her fingertips across the rouge box on the table, "On the day of the enthronement ceremony, I will personally pin flowers on Princess Mingzhu. At that time..." She made a forceful movement, and the figure in the mirror instantly twisted into a cold light.
On the Nine-Curve Bridge in the Imperial Garden, Qing'er leaned over the railing, feeding the fish, scattering food in her hands, the hem of her pale yellow palace dress gently lifted by the wind. She watched the koi scrambling for food in the water, but her thoughts drifted to her early morning walk with Xiao Jian—the cuffs of his dark suit had become fuzzy, presumably from his frequent martial arts training.
"What is Princess Qing thinking about?" A gentle question came from behind. Concubine Ling, wearing a moon-white palace dress, walked slowly towards her with a jade and a jade ring, and the pearl hairpin in her hair swayed gently.
Qing'er quickly turned around and saluted, her cheeks slightly red: "Empress Ling Fei. I'm looking at this koi, the color is so beautiful." She quietly hid the crabapple leaf in her palm into her sleeve. The word "Qing" on the leaf had been warmed by her body temperature.
Concubine Ling smiled and helped her up. Her eyes fell on her slightly red ears and she jokingly said, "The Empress Dowager said you've been distracted lately. Could something be bothering you?" She took Qing'er's hand and walked to the pavilion to sit down. "I see you're close to Guard Xiao from the Fang family. That boy is both talented in literature and martial arts, and he's also devoted to you. He'd make a good match for you."
Qing'er's face flushed instantly, and she lowered her head and twisted her handkerchief. "Your Majesty, you're joking. I just... I just think Guard Xiao's conversation is amusing."
"As long as it's interesting," Concubine Ling handed her a piece of sweet-scented osmanthus cake. "Life in this palace is boring. It's not easy to meet someone who shares your feelings. The Empress Dowager loves you. If you really have feelings for her, why not let her make the decision for you?" She looked at Qing'er's shy expression, her eyes full of love. "A girl should always find someone who understands her feelings."
Qing'er took the osmanthus cake, her fingertips trembling slightly, her heart fluttering like a fluttering deer. In the distance, she heard eunuchs calling out in greeting, figuring the palaces were going to pay their respects to the empress. She stood up to bid farewell to Concubine Ling, her steps brisk as she turned, the crabapple leaves in her sleeves seeming to carry warmth.
In the courtyard of Shufangzhai, Xiaoyanzi was pestering Erkang to teach her how to recite the prayer. She recited it jumbled up, saying "ancestors bless you" instead of "ancestors bless you," which made Ziwei laugh: "It's 'ancestors bless the family and the country with peace and prosperity,' not 'ancestors bless you to eat cakes every day!'"
"That's about right!" Xiaoyanzi said stubbornly, but she secretly glanced at the snack box in Yongqi's hand. "Anyway, the meaning is to pray for our ancestors to bless us with good fortune." She suddenly leaned close to Ziwei's ear and lowered her voice, "Don't you think there's something strange about the palace lately? Yesterday, the soup in the kitchen was so salty that it tasted bitter, and today, the eunuch who was cleaning kept glancing towards our trunks."
Ziwei nodded, her eyes becoming more serious. "I've noticed that too. When I embroidered the birthday screen for the Empress Dowager last time, I felt like someone had tampered with the needlework." She held Xiaoyanzi's hand. "Let's be careful and don't fall into any traps."
Yongqi and Erkang exchanged a glance, each seeing worry in the other's eyes. Yongqi said solemnly, "Don't worry. Erkang and I will be with you every step of the way on the day of the ancestral worship. Tell me immediately if anything seems amiss." He looked at Xiaoyanzi and gently tapped her forehead with his fingertips. "Especially you, don't run around. Do you understand?"
"I know!" Xiaoyanzi slapped his hand away, but quietly put the dagger he gave her back into her waist. "I'm good at martial arts. If anyone dares to come, I'll kick him away!" As she spoke, she made a kicking gesture. As her skirt fluttered, the tassel of the dagger on her waist flashed.
As dusk deepened, a young eunuch emerged from Shufangzhai, carrying a food box. Passing the crabapple tree in the corner, he quietly sprinkled a pinch of powder into the soil beneath. The powder dissolved in water, quickly seeping into the roots, leaving no trace. He glanced up at the lights in the warm room, a sinister smile playing on his lips. He turned and quickly disappeared into the twilight.
In the warm room, everyone was still chatting and laughing. Ziwei was helping Xiaoyanzi arrange her palace attire for the ancestral worship ceremony, while Yongqi was helping Erkang revise his prayer. The charcoal fire illuminated everyone's smiling faces, a warm and bright glow. No one noticed that a few crabapple leaves in the corner had wilted, their tips a strange, withered yellow. Even less did anyone notice that the scarlet-gold and kingfisher hairpin, which Xiaoyanzi had casually placed on the table, was gleaming coldly in the light.
As the night deepened, the walls of the Forbidden City cast long shadows in the moonlight, gently shrouding the laughter in the warm rooms and the plotting in the side halls into the cold, silent night. A covert battle surrounding the enthronement ceremony had quietly begun.
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