Chapter 42: The palace dress is awkward, and the emperor's heart is surging
The maid led Xiaoyanzi to a side hall. The coolness of the tiled floor seeped through her soft-soled embroidered shoes, causing her to quicken her pace. The breeze from the corridor, carrying the moisture of the lake, blew the hem of her new moon-white palace dress gently. The plain skirt was embroidered with intricate patterns of entwined lotus flowers, the stitching so delicate that it made her feel uncomfortable. It was far less comfortable than the shorts worn by the women in the courtyard.
"Young lady, please come this way. Your clothes are ready." The maid bowed, her voice as soft as a feather, as she pushed open a carved wooden door. Inside, the fireplace burned brightly, and the air was filled with a faint scent of incense. Behind a screen draped a lilac-colored palace dress, its collar and cuffs embroidered with silver thread. Beside it sat a basin of hot water, steam rising from it.
Xiaoyanzi stood awkwardly at the doorway, her fingertips unconsciously twisting the silver thread of her sleeves. Looking at her palace attire, so different from the coarse cloth of the courtyard, the heaviness she'd felt in her previous life wearing court robes returned. She felt her waist, empty—in her rush to leave this morning, she'd forgotten to wear the jade pendant with the Chinese character "义" (righteousness), and her panic suddenly intensified.
"Miss, please change your clothes quickly. Be careful not to catch a cold." The maid came forward with a dry towel. Seeing that her face was pale, she asked with concern, "Are you feeling unwell? Do you need to see a doctor?"
"No, no!" Xiaoyanzi waved her hands hurriedly, and her fingertips accidentally knocked over the copper basin beside the table, and hot water splashed out and wet her skirt. "I can do it myself, you...you go out first." She turned her back and heard the sound of the maid walking away lightly. She breathed a sigh of relief and frowned at the unfamiliar self in the bronze mirror.
The girl in the mirror wore a loose palace dress, appearing exceptionally slender. The plain fabric accentuated her lively features, though her panic could not be hidden. She clumsily fastened the jade belt around her waist, the buckle slipping and sliding, unable to secure it. Suddenly, an image of Rong Mama in her past life measuring her waist with a ruler flashed through her mind, startling her so much that her hand trembled, and the jade belt clanged to the ground.
"I'll help you." Xiao Jian's voice came from outside the door. He walked in lightly and picked up the jade belt on the ground. The cuffs of his blue cotton robe were stained with water, obviously he had been walking quickly all the way here. Avoiding the maid's gaze, he skillfully helped Xiao Yanzi tie the jade belt. His fingertips accidentally touched her cold wrist and he whispered, "Don't be afraid, I'm here."
Little Swallow bit her lower lip and nodded. Looking at her brother's calm profile, she felt a little more at ease. She tugged at the hem of her overly long skirt and grumbled quietly, "This dress is so awkward. I can't even walk with my legs wide open. It's nowhere near as convenient as my shorts." She covered her mouth as she finished speaking, remembering that using the colloquial term "shorts" was forbidden in the palace.
A hint of smile flashed in Xiao Jian's eyes as he helped her straighten her crooked collar. "Just bear with it, the banquet won't last long." He glanced at the shadows on the screen and lowered his voice, "The emperor's look just now...you should pay more attention and stop being so impatient."
"I understand." Xiaoyanzi responded sullenly, her fingertips sliding across the cold jade belt. She suddenly remembered Liu Hong sewing cotton clothes in the courtyard. Although the coarse cloth and needlework were not delicate, they warmed people's hearts. It was nothing like this palace dress, which was gorgeous but felt like shackles.
When she returned to the warm room of the pleasure boat, the banquet had already resumed. The sound of stringed instruments rang out once more, even more boisterous than before. The chanting of officials and the laughter of ladies surged in like a tide, making her dizzy. Fang Zhihang was speaking with several senior officials. Seeing her return, he quickly waved, "Ci'er, come here and greet Lord Li and Lord Wang."
Xiaoyanzi followed Xiao Jian's instructions and knelt in greeting, her movements as clumsy as a puppet. Her moon-white palace dress wasn't particularly striking among the other ornate attire, but her tense back and downcast brows attracted several glances. She could feel that familiar gaze on her again, like a thorn in her side, nearly choking her breath.
"Is this Mr. Fang's daughter? She truly has an extraordinary bearing." Lord Li stroked his beard, his gaze fixed on the silver hairpin in her hair. "I heard that Miss Fang is not only well-educated, but also proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting?"
Fang Zhihang smiled modestly: "It's just my little girl's idle pastime, I don't deserve your praise."
As he was speaking, he suddenly heard the eunuch shouting, "The Emperor has arrived—"
The warm room instantly fell silent, and everyone rose to their feet and saluted. Xiaoyanzi followed suit, kneeling, her forehead almost touching the cold tile. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of the hem of a bright yellow dragon robe passing before her. The embroidered golden dragon gleamed in the light, reminding her of the countless days and nights she had kneeled before the Hall of Supreme Harmony in her past life.
"Everyone, get up." Qianlong's voice was tinged with laughter, but it made Xiaoyanzi's back tense even more. She lowered her head and heard footsteps stop in front of her. Her heart was pounding so hard that it almost burst through her chest.
"Miss Fang has changed her clothes and looks much fresher." Qianlong's voice was just above his head, with a hint of subtle gentleness. "Are you not scared by what happened just now?"
Xiaoyanzi dug her fingers deep into her palms, her voice as thin as a mosquito's hum: "Reply... Reply to the Emperor, no."
"That's good." Qianlong paused, as if sizing her up. "I heard that Mr. Fang is a good parent. Your daughter is not only well-read, but can also paint."
Fang Zhihang quickly bowed and said, "My daughter only knows a little bit about it. I'm sorry to have made the emperor laugh."
"Oh?" Qianlong's voice was filled with laughter. "It just so happens that I just got some high-quality Xuan paper and Hui ink. I wonder if Miss Fang could show off her skills and let me broaden my horizons."
Xiaoyanzi looked up suddenly, her gaze meeting his deep eyes. Those eyes reflected the light, as well as her panicked face, as if they could see through all her disguises. She subconsciously wanted to refuse, but seeing Xiao Jian nod slightly, she could only grit her teeth and say, "Your Majesty...your humble servant."
The maid quickly spread out the rice paper and ground the ink. Xiaoyanzi's hand trembled slightly as she gripped the wolf-hair brush. The ink spread out on the paper, leaving a tiny dot, a reflection of her frantic heart. All eyes were fixed on her: curiosity, scrutiny, and... Qianlong's all-seeing gaze.
She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. Images of being forced to practice calligraphy in Shufangzhai in her past life flashed through her mind. She shook her head, pushing those memories aside, and her pen slowly touched the paper. She didn't paint those delicate flowers and birds. Instead, relying on her memory, she sketched the old locust tree in the courtyard. Its branches were crooked, yet it exuded vitality. Beneath the tree, she also drew a few small figures, playing around a stone table.
The scent of ink permeated the air, and the once bustling warm room gradually quieted, leaving only the rustling sound of brush tips across rice paper. Qianlong stood behind her, watching the picture gradually take shape on the rice paper. A flicker of surprise flashed in his eyes, followed by a deeper understanding. This brushstroke, this artistic conception, was clearly the style of the freedom-loving girl in his memory.
Xiaoyanzi finished her last stroke and put the brush down, her cheeks slightly flushed. "This humble servant's painting is not good, please forgive me, Your Majesty."
Qianlong said nothing, picking up the paper and examining it carefully. His fingertips gently brushed the small figure beneath the tree. The sunlight in the painting filtered through the leaves, landing on the stone table. Even the air seemed warm, a stark contrast to the magnificent pleasure boat, yet it warmed his heart.
"It's a very good painting." He suddenly said, a smile in his voice, "This playful scene under the tree is more lively than those pavilions and towers." He handed the painting to Eunuch Su, "Keep it well, I like it very much."
Xiaoyanzi was stunned. She had not expected to be praised. She did not know how to respond and could only bow her head and say, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kind words."
The banquet continued, but Xiaoyanzi couldn't taste the food. She held the jade bowl, the bird's nest porridge in it was warm, but far less fragrant and sweet than the millet porridge in the courtyard. She could feel Qianlong's gaze constantly on her, making her feel uneasy and just wanted this suffocating banquet to end quickly.
After finally waiting for the banquet to end, Xiaoyanzi fled the pleasure boat with her family, almost as if fleeing. Once in the carriage, she breathed a sigh of relief, removed the silver hairpin from her hair, and tossed it carelessly onto the cushions. Her moon-white palace dress made her feel uncomfortable, and she wanted only to change back into her own clothes.
"You performed very well today." Xiao Jian handed her a handkerchief. "The emperor seems to like your paintings very much."
"So what if he likes me?" Xiaoyanzi said sullenly. "I don't care if he likes me. I just want to go back to the compound and roast sweet potatoes and make pancakes with Sister Liu Hong and the others." She looked at the palace walls flying past the window, feeling empty inside. "Brother, do you think the Emperor will...will he recognize me?"
Xiao Jian was silent for a moment, then held her slightly cold hand. "Don't let your imagination run wild. Even if he recognizes you, so what? In this life, you're the daughter of the Fang family. You have your parents and me. No one can bully you anymore."
The carriage pulled away from the Summer Palace, the palace walls receding into the distance, but Xiaoyanzi's heart remained in suspense. She touched her waist, still feeling the burning gaze, like a brand etched on her. Little did she know that this seemingly accidental palace banquet had already dragged her back into the vortex of fate, and that the emperor's gaze, always following her, would never waver.
Qianlong returned to his study and immediately ordered Eunuch Su to hang up the painting of Little Swallow. He stood before it, gazing at the crooked branches and the tiny figures beneath them, his lips curling up unconsciously. It was her, truly her. In this life, she had a stable home and a family that loved her, yet she still retained that innocence and spirit.
"Su Peisheng." He said softly.
"I'm here." Eunuch Su hurried forward.
"Investigate the Fang family's background, especially Miss Fang..." Qianlong paused, "Where does she like to go and who does she associate with?"
"I obey your order." Although Eunuch Su was curious about why the emperor cared so much about a minister, he did not dare to ask more questions and quickly responded and withdrew.
Qianlong looked at the little figure in the painting, his fingers gently brushing across it, as if he could touch the warmth of the city life. He whispered to himself, "Little Swallow, in this life, I will never let you suffer again."
Moonlight streamed into the imperial study from the window, illuminating the old locust tree depicted on the rice paper and the obsession hidden in the emperor's eyes. This belated reunion was destined to rewrite everyone's fate. Little Swallow, unaware that the palace she had so desperately sought to avoid had already opened its doors to her, and that the emperor she both feared and respected was quietly approaching, in his own way.
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