Chapter 157: Hidden arrows are hard to guard against, and sisters work together to solve the mystery
The morning mist from the Imperial Temple had not yet dissipated, and the delicate fragrance of pine and cypress, mixed with the elegant notes of calming incense, lingered in the air. Little Swallow followed Emperor Qianlong toward the main hall, the vermilion palace walls casting long shadows beneath their feet. She clutched the mutton-fat jade pendant in her sleeve, the cool touch of which only intensified the warmth in her heart.
"Father Emperor, how do you know there's something wrong with that concentration incense?" Xiaoyanzi took two quick steps to catch up with Emperor Qianlong, the red tassels on her braid brushing against the hem of her bright yellow robe. "To me, it smells just a little stronger, and there's nothing different about it."
Qianlong looked back at her. The morning light shone through the eaves onto his face, and the silver hair on his temples shone softly. "Do you think I've been emperor for decades in vain?" He raised his hand to straighten her crooked pearl hairpin, his fingertips tinged with a faint scent of ambergris. "That spice is mixed with Western Region rosewood. A small amount can calm the mind, but too much can make you dizzy. If you're disrespectful during ancestor worship, it's no small matter."
Xiaoyanzi stuck out her tongue, thinking to herself that this was a close call. She looked at Qianlong's calm profile, and suddenly remembered how he'd been enraged in his past life. Her eyes warmed slightly—this Emperor Father in this life seemed truly different.
Ziwei sat by the window of the east side hall, mending her embroidered handkerchief. Sunlight filtered through the diamond-shaped window lattices, falling on her plain palace dress, outlining its soft outlines. Fu Erkang stood by, watching her embroider, his eyes as gentle as spring water. He held a copy of the Book of Songs in his hand, but he didn't read a single word.
"Erkang, why are you staring at me?" Ziwei raised her eyes in reproach, and the tip of her needle embroidered a small crape myrtle flower on the handkerchief. "If you keep looking at me, I'll make a mistake."
Falcon chuckled, walked over to her and squatted, pulling out a small wooden box from his arms. "Look at this." The box contained a silver plum blossom hairpin. The plum blossom on the head of the hairpin was inlaid with tiny pearls, gleaming faintly in the sunlight. "I saw it when I passed by Liulichang a few days ago, and I thought it would suit you perfectly."
Ziwei's cheeks flushed instantly. She took the hairpin and stroked it gently: "It looks really beautiful. Thank you." She inserted the hairpin into her bun and looked at herself in the bronze mirror. The self in the mirror had curved eyebrows and a smile that could not be concealed.
"As long as you like it." Falcon looked at her smile, his Adam's apple moving. He reached out to touch her hair, but then retracted his hand as if he had been electrocuted. "It was really thrilling in the Taimiao just now. Fortunately, Xiaoyanzi was smart, otherwise..."
"Xiaoyanzi has always been very smart." Ziwei turned to look at him, with sincerity in her eyes, "It is my blessing to meet her and you in this life." She thought of how she had no relatives when she first came to Beijing, and then looked at everything in front of her, her eyes slightly red.
Falcon held her hand, his palm warm and strong. "I'm here, and I won't let you suffer any more grievances." He looked at her red eyes, and his heart seemed to be tugged. "After the enthronement ceremony, I will ask the emperor to grant us a marriage, so that you can be my wife in glory."
Ziwei's heart skipped a beat. She lowered her head, not daring to look at him, but her fingertips tightly grasped his hand. The birds outside the window chirped, as if sending blessings to the lovers.
The courtyard of Shufangzhai was bustling with activity. Xiaodengzi was standing under a crabapple tree, telling a story. He held a copy of "Journey to the West" and spoke with spit flying: "It's said that Sun Wukong was refined in the Eight Trigrams Furnace for 49 days. Not only did he not die, but he even developed Fiery Eyes!" He gestured as he spoke, his vivid and lifelike actions drawing applause from the crowd.
"Wow, boom! Little Stool, you're talking too much!" Little Mosquito squatted on the ground and clapped his hands, the pompoms on his braids bouncing with his movements. "I think you're even better than the storytellers on the flyover!"
The little bug imitated the monkey's call, "Squeak, squeak!", making everyone laugh. The little table practiced his shadowless kick, kicking up fallen leaves and causing Mingyue Caixia to exclaim in surprise.
As soon as Xiaoyanzi stepped into the yard, she was amused by the lively scene. She walked over to the small stool and snatched the "Journey to the West" from his hand. "Okay, you guys, you're slacking off while I'm away!" She deliberately put on a stern face, but her eyes were full of smiles. "Do you still want snacks today?"
"Yes! Of course!" Xiaodengzi bowed quickly, winking and saying, "Princess, please be magnanimous. We are rehearsing a program and will entertain you during the enthronement ceremony!"
"You're quite good at talking." Xiaoyanzi smiled as she returned the book to him. She walked over to the stone table and sat down, picking up a piece of mung bean cake and stuffing it into her mouth. "By the way, where's the piece of brocade the Empress sent? I'll see if I can make Ziwei a new dress."
Mingyue hurriedly brought the brocade box from the room and opened it, revealing a piece of sky-blue brocade woven with a dark, flowing cloud pattern. The pattern shone faintly in the sunlight. "The Empress said this was specially made by the Suzhou weaving factory. There's only one of its kind in the entire capital."
Xiaoyanzi reached out and touched the brocade. The texture was as soft as clouds, and her heart was warm: "The Queen is so nice. Why didn't I realize she was so nice in my previous life?" She regretted her words as soon as they came out of her mouth and quickly covered her mouth. Fortunately, everyone was looking at the brocade and didn't notice her slip of the tongue.
Ziwei happened to come out of the house. Upon hearing this, she smiled and said, "The Empress is very kind, it's just that we never had the chance to get to know her before." She walked over to sit next to Xiaoyanzi, picked up the brocade and gestured, "This color is so beautiful. It would make a beautiful cloak."
Xiaoyanzi looked at her gentle smiling face and secretly swore in her heart that she must protect Ziwei well in this life and never let her suffer the pain of her previous life again.
The rich scent of powder and cosmetics filled Concubine Gao's bedroom, but it couldn't mask the chill in the air. Concubine Gao sat at her dressing table, looking at her beautiful face in the bronze mirror, her expression gloomy and gloomy. She clutched a handkerchief tightly in her hand, the edges of which were wrinkled by her grip.
"Waste! You're all waste!" She suddenly swept the rouge box on the table to the ground, and the rouge scattered all over the floor like splattered blood. "If you can't even do such a small thing, what's the point of me keeping you?"
Nanny Li quickly knelt on the ground, her head bowed. "Your Majesty, please calm down. I never thought Princess Huanzhu was so clever and could see through our plan." She secretly raised her eyes and saw the fierceness in Concubine Gao's eyes. She shuddered inwardly. "But your Majesty, don't worry. I have a trick up my sleeve."
Concubine Gao snorted coldly and picked up a golden hairpin from the dressing table. The pearls on the hairpin swayed gently with her movements. "What's your trick? If you make any mistakes again, I will beat you to death with a stick!"
Nanny Li kowtowed quickly, "I dare not! I have bribed the embroiderer who made the court robes for the two princesses to embroider an unlucky pattern on the hems of their robes. As soon as they kneel at the enthronement ceremony, the Emperor will definitely see it!" She smiled maliciously, "Even if I can't punish them, I will make them lose face in front of all the civil and military officials!"
Concubine Gao's expression finally softened a bit, a sneer curling up at the corner of her mouth: "That's more like it." She stood up and walked to the window to look at the scenery outside. Her gaze fell on the direction of Shufangzhai in the distance, her eyes icy, "Princess Huanzhu? Princess Mingzhu? I want to see how long you can keep your glory!"
Nanny Li also stood up and smiled flatteringly: "Don't worry, Your Majesty, it won't be long before the Forbidden City will be yours." She looked at Concubine Gao's back, and a hint of imperceptible calculation flashed in her eyes.
As the sun set, it dyed the glazed tiles of the Forbidden City a warm golden hue. Little Swallow and Ziwei sat side by side under the crabapple tree in Shufangzhai, watching the sunset glow on the horizon. It was like an overturned paint box, its layers of red, purple, and orange a breathtaking beauty.
"Tomorrow is the enthronement ceremony, and I'm a little nervous." Ziwei said softly, twisting her handkerchief nervously with her fingers. "I heard that all the civil and military officials will be there. What if I make a mistake?"
Xiaoyanzi held her hand, her palm warm and strong. "Don't be nervous, I'm here!" She patted her chest and assured him, the red tassels on her braids swaying. "Besides, we have the Emperor to protect us. Who would dare to say anything?"
Ziwei looked at her confident expression and felt much more at ease. She couldn't help but smile: "With you here, I'm not afraid anymore." She leaned on Xiaoyanzi's shoulder and looked at the sunset in the sky. "I really hope it can stay this peaceful forever."
Little Swallow thought the same thing. She looked up at the sunset glow and silently prayed, "God, please bless us with a peaceful and fulfilling life." Unbeknownst to her, a greater crisis was brewing in the shadows, and a more severe test awaited them.
A melodious chime echoed from a distant bell tower, reverberating through the silent palace. The crabapple tree in Shufangzhai swayed gently in the evening breeze, dropping a few petals like butterflies dancing. The two young girls, cuddled together, were stretched long by the setting sun, casting a warm silhouette on the cobblestone pavement, a scene of peaceful tranquility. But they both knew that beneath this calm lay hidden undercurrents. All they could do was hold each other's hands tightly and face the unknown storms together.
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