Chapter 246 White Fox’s betrothal gift, warm and cozy
The curtains of the inner room were whipped up by the air currents caused by the little swallows. She clutched the little tiger coat with its tail embroidered askew, and like a startled red-tailed bird, she dove headfirst into the embroiderers' group. The warm room suddenly became bustling with activity, as five or six embroiderers gathered around the heavy gown for the prince's wife, the shimmering fabric covering the entire long rosewood table.
"Here! Quickly trim this iron-like tail for me!" Xiaoyanzi poked at the ripples of rice beads at the end of her skirt, not caring about the faint red marks left by the gold thread on her fingertips. "Trim it neatly, leaving only three inches!" She turned around and pulled at the cuff again, gesturing, "Narrow the sleeve by two finger widths, so that I can draw out the soft sword with a 'swish'!"
The leading Nanny Zhang held the scissors, her hands shaking: "Princess, these rules..."
"The Emperor has given his word!" Little Swallow raised her chin, her eyes blazing. "And trim the collar with a circle of white fox fur. It should be thick and soft, like my silver fox cloak!" As she spoke, she stuffed the little tiger coat in her arms to a round-faced embroiderer beside her. "Here, make two more according to this pattern using the new soft silk from the storehouse. And for the tail—" She smiled slyly, "make it embroidered like a fox. My son loves this unique style!"
Outside the window, the sound of horse hooves approached from afar, shattering the tranquility of the Shufangzhai courtyard. Wrapped in a chill, Yongqi entered through the curtains, his shoulders frosted with unmelted snow on his dark-blue prince's formal attire. In his hands, he held a large mahogany tray, tightly covered with a dark-patterned brocade. A chilling wind blew the scent of pine needles and frost from his body into the warm room, causing Xiaoyanzi to sneeze.
"Close the door quickly! The cold wind is blowing in!" Xiaoyanzi shouted, rubbing her arms, but her eyes were glued to the tray in his hands. "What kind of treasure is this?"
Yongqi's eyes flickered with smile as he gently placed the tray on the round rosewood table. The moment the dark brocade was lifted, a cloud of fluffy, snow-white material suddenly caught his eye—a flawless white fox pelt! The tips of the fur shone silvery in the warm winter sun streaming through the window, as soft as a handful of fresh snow. Next to the pelt, a fully sewn silver fox fur cape lay quietly, its snow-white fur tufts framing the dark brocade surface, a graceful and sleek look.
"I thought the white fox we hunted the other day had such a beautiful fur that I quickly had it tanned by the master craftsman in the Imperial Household Department. I'll use it as a collar for your wedding gown." Yongqi's fingertips brushed the lush silver fox fur as he spoke in a gentle voice. "I made a cloak while I was at it. It's cold, so you can wear it to keep out the wind when you go out." He looked up at Xiaoyanzi, his gaze settling on her cheeks, which were slightly flushed with excitement. "Does it appeal to your taste?"
Little Swallow rushed over, her fingertips sinking into the incredibly soft fur, the chill instantly dispelled by the warmth of the fur. She grabbed her cloak and shook it open, revealing the inky satin flowing down like water. The lining was thick ermine fur, and the snow-white wind hairs gathered around her neck, making her eyes and eyebrows even more lively.
"Yongqi!" she cried joyfully, ignoring the roomful of embroiderers as she stood on tiptoe to wrap herself in the cloak, still tinged with the warmth of his palm. A thick warmth enveloped her instantly, and the wind feathers gently rubbed against her chin, tickling her. Like a bird finally finding a warm nest, she sighed comfortably within the cloak. Then, a thought struck her, and she raised her bright eyes. "That fox...does it hurt?" Even as she spoke, her fingers honestly gathered the wind feathers tighter around her.
Yongqi chuckled, raising his hand to gently brush a stray strand of her hair behind her ear. "An arrow pierced the heart, so fast." His eyes swept over the cut-off gorgeous train and narrowed cuffs on the long table, and the corners of his lips curved up. "After your 'guidance' on this wedding dress, I'm afraid I can do somersaults in it."
***
In the side hall of Yonghe Palace, where Concubine Ling resided, the atmosphere was one of a different kind of dignified warmth. A gilded Suanni incense burner belched wisps of agarwood smoke. Ziwei sat upright on an embroidered cushion, her back as straight as a bamboo. Concubine Ling was dressed in a lilac-colored casual dress, a single silver hairpin with kingfisher feathers adorning her hair. She held a polished jade ruyi, gently touching Ziwei's shoulder.
"When offering tea, lean slightly like this," Concubine Ling said softly, demonstrating the posture with a smooth, flowing grace imbued with years of palace experience. "Your wrist should be steady, the rim of the cup at eyebrow level, your gaze downcast, respectful but not servile." She lifted Ziwei's wrist with her fingertips, adjusting the angle of the white-glazed teacup in her hand. "Yes, that's it. Erkang is impatient, you need to keep him steady."
Ziwei did as she was told, her movements becoming more relaxed, though her fingertips were slightly white from exertion. Sunlight filtered through the Korean paper window lattice, casting a small, quiet shadow beneath her drooping eyelashes.
"Empress Ling Fei," she spoke softly, with a barely perceptible uneasiness, "On the day of offering sacrifices to the ancestors, when the sedan chair walked to the corridor in front of the Taimiao, should the left be passed first and the right be passed last, or should they be arranged according to their ranks?" This was the detail she had been thinking about all night long.
Concubine Ling accepted the respectfully offered teacup, took a sip, and said gently, "My dear child, it's amazing you remember such details. According to your rank, you and Ci'er are both Heshuo Gege, so you should walk side by side." She put down the teacup and took a blue silk-covered booklet from the red lacquer tray held by the palace maid beside her. "This is a record of grand weddings over the years. Take it back and study it carefully. Don't worry, I'm here."
Ziwei took it with both hands, her fingertips stroking the delicate brocade patterns on the cover, her heart warmed slightly: "Thank you for your guidance, Your Majesty."
As he was speaking, a young eunuch's message came from outside the hall: "Master Fu has arrived——"
Erkang, dressed in a royal blue uniform with dark cloud-patterned arrow-sleeves, strode in with a refreshing air from the outdoors. He bowed to Concubine Ling first, saying, "Greetings to Her Majesty." His gaze then fell on Ziwei, and seeing her sitting peacefully, the slight anxiety in his brows quietly dissipated. His sleeve moved slightly, as if concealing something.
"Hurry up," Ling Fei smiled and gave him a false helping hand. "Are you here to pick up Ziwei?"
"Your Majesty," Erkang looked at Ziwei with burning eyes, with obvious expectation, "Today I have the permission of the Emperor, and I will set off in three days to accompany Ziwei back to Jinan to pay homage to Madam Xia. I have come here specially to inform Your Majesty, and also... to take Ziwei back to pack her luggage." He spoke a little quickly, revealing his inner anxiety.
Upon hearing this, Ziwei looked up at him in surprise, her eyes instantly shimmering like spring water reflecting the warm sun. The calm demeanor she had been wearing while learning the rules was shattered by this sudden good news, and a faint blush spread across her cheeks.
Concubine Ling took in their expressions and nodded with a smile, "That's the right thing to do. If Madam Xia knew, she would be pleased to see Ziwei being so attentive and considerate to Erkang." She turned to Ziwei, her tone even more gentle, "When offering sacrifices, simple attire is sufficient; the thought behind it is what matters most. Go early and return early."
"Yes, your son will remember your teachings." Ziwei stood up and saluted solemnly.
As they exited Yonghe Palace, a chill wind blew in their faces. Erkang immediately took off his dark-colored cloak trimmed with silver sable fur and, without further ado, wrapped it around Ziwei's shoulders. The cloak, carrying his body warmth and the familiar scent of pine and black ink, instantly blocked out the cold.
"Are you cold?" He asked, lowering his head, and tightening her collar for her, his fingertips accidentally brushing her warm earlobe.
Ziwei shook her head gently, wrapped in the thick warmth, revealing only a pair of smiling eyes: "It's not cold. Just now at the Empress's place, I was still worried that the grave of my mother might be overgrown with weeds, but I didn't expect..." Her voice softened, with a soft nasal sound.
Erkang pulled a palm-sized brocade pouch from his sleeve and shoved it into her hand, which was tucked into her cloak. The pouch was made of elegant moon-white Su satin, embroidered with a few sparse orchids.
"Open it and take a look." His voice was low, with a hint of barely perceptible nervousness.
Ziwei untied the silk ribbon as instructed, and inside was a handful of dry, clean soil. The soil was slightly brown, and when she sniffed it carefully, she could smell the faint, moist, grassy scent of the south. She looked up in surprise.
"This is soil from the Daming Lake in Jinan," Erkang said, gazing at her with deep eyes. "I sent a fast horse to fetch it ahead. When we arrive, we'll use this soil to cover the old soil, just as a way to... brush off the dust from your mother-in-law." He paused, his ears slightly red. "And let her know that her daughter and son-in-law have returned home."
"Erkang..." Ziwei's throat choked, and she clutched the warm bag of her homeland tightly. A thousand words choked her chest, transforming into a hazy glint in her eyes. She pressed the sachet tightly to her chest, feeling the heavy warmth, as if the lake breeze from her hometown had traveled thousands of miles to gently caress her cheek.
***
The chill wind from the hunting grounds outside Beijing cut through the bare branches like a knife, stirring up the remaining snow on the ground. The clatter of horse hooves rolled like thunder across the frozen earth. Yongqi crouched atop his horse, his dark blue figure blending seamlessly with the jet-black steed beneath him. His hawk-like gaze fixed on a fleeting silvery figure in the snow ahead—a precariously alert, sturdy white fox.
The bowstring tightened in the cold air, making a slight creaking sound. Yongqi held his breath, his arms steady as a rock. Just as the white fox leaped over a fallen log and paused in mid-air—
“Whoosh!”
The black-gold arrow tore through the cold wind, piercing the vibrant silver-white mass with pinpoint accuracy. The white fox didn't even have time to utter a whine before it plummeted to the ground, leaving behind a small, dazzling red plum blossom on the pure white snow.
The chief guard rode over and lifted the prey swiftly, his face full of admiration: "Your Highness, your archery is excellent! This beast is very cunning. We have been surrounding it for half a day and still haven't touched it."
Yong Qi sheathed his bow, his fingertips brushing against another black-gold arrow of the same design in his quiver. His expression was calm. "The fur must be carefully peeled off, without any damage." He raised his eyes to the gray sky, the cold wind whirling the corners of his slate-blue robe. "Return to the city."
Horses' hooves crushed Qiong Yao as the group galloped along the official road back to Beijing. In the distance, the towering silhouette of the Forbidden City loomed in the winter twilight, its soaring eaves and brackets like a crouching beast. But Yongqi's heart had already flown beyond the palace walls, settling on the figure in the warm room of Shufangzhai, agonizing over the width of her wedding gown sleeves. The chill of the snowy wind from the hunting grounds seemed to melt quietly at the warmth that would soon reach her in his arms.
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