Chapter 55: The Begonia Petals Fall, and the Heart's Defenses Build
Morning dew rolled down the crabapple petals, clattering onto the bluestone slabs, startling Xiaoyanzi back to her senses. She looked into Qianlong's smiling eyes, a smile filled with inquiry, like warm water boiling tea, the slowly rising heat making her feel uneasy.
"Your Majesty, you're joking." Xiaoyanzi lowered her head hastily, the red silk ribbon at the end of her braid dangling across her chest, swaying gently with her rapid breathing. "I am a humble and uneducated person, how dare I embarrass myself before Your Majesty? Besides... besides, I have my family studies to attend to, so I'm afraid I won't have the time."
Qianlong watched her, her fingertips trembling with nervousness, like a fur-ridden animal. The smile in his eyes deepened. He slowly walked to the base of the crabapple tree and reached out to catch a falling petal. The pink and white petal trembled gently between his fingers. "Family education is important, but talking to me is unimportant?" He turned, the morning light falling on the fine lines at the corners of his eyes, adding a touch of gentleness. "I've heard that Miss Fang is proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. The song 'Wild Geese Falling on the Plain Sand' at the palace banquet the other day amazed many people."
Xiaoyanzi's heart tightened again. She'd only played half a song at the palace banquet, pushed by Madam Fang. How could she have remembered this? She clutched the hem of her skirt, deep wrinkles forming in the lilac material. "That's... that's what my father hired a famous teacher to teach me. I only know the basics, and I don't deserve your praise, Your Majesty."
"With just a basic understanding, you can produce such a rich and artistic conception?" Qianlong raised an eyebrow, slowly twisting the petals of the crabapple tree with his fingertips. "Miss Fang is too modest. I'm afraid the musicians in my palace can't play with the same spirit as you." He paused, his eyes falling on the pearl hairpin in her hair. "Why aren't you wearing the hairpin I gave you yesterday?"
Xiaoyanzi subconsciously touched her hair, where she wore only a simple silver hairpin. She had deliberately replaced her Phoenix hairpin last night, feeling that the ornate ornament felt like a yoke on her head. "Your Majesty," she whispered, her eyes lowered, "that hairpin was too valuable. I was afraid it might be damaged, so I put it away."
"It wouldn't be unfair if it were on your head." Qianlong waved his hand, and Eunuch Su immediately stepped forward, bowing and waiting for his orders. "Pass on my words," Qianlong's voice was low, but filled with undeniable authority, "move the white jade guqin from the Yikun Palace to the Fang family and say it's a gift from me for Miss Fang to practice."
Xiaoyanzi suddenly looked up, her eyes filled with astonishment. "Your Majesty! Absolutely not!" She bent her knees and was about to kneel, but Qianlong raised his hand to stop her. His fingertips accidentally touched her arm, and the warm touch made Xiaoyanzi retract her hand as if she had received an electric shock, and she took a half step back.
"Why? Miss Fang doesn't want to accept my reward?" Qianlong's eyes darkened, the morning light casting varying shades of light in his eyes. "Do you still feel that my things are too hot to handle?"
"Your humble servant dare not!" Xiaoyanzi hurriedly lowered her head, her long eyelashes hiding the panic in her eyes. "It's just...it's just that such a precious guqin, your humble servant truly feels unworthy of accepting it. Moreover, your humble servant...your humble servant has no ambition here, and I'm afraid I'll be letting Your Majesty down."
"That's not your ambition?" Qianlong looked at her with interest. "Then what is Miss Fang's ambition? To live a peaceful life for the Fang family?"
This remark hit home, and Xiaoyanzi's shoulders trembled imperceptibly. She bit her lower lip, her fingertips digging deep into her palm, and spoke in a voice so low it seemed to be squeezed from her throat: "Your servant... Your servant only wishes for the well-being of your family, nothing else."
"I can ensure the well-being of my family." Qianlong took a step forward, and the hem of his dragon robe swept across the crabapple branches, dropping a few petals. "But if you always hide from me, I can't say for sure." His voice was very low, as if he was whispering, but it carried a heavy weight.
Xiaoyanzi's heart beat like a drum, her ears buzzing. Was he threatening her? Using the safety of her family? The intrigues and schemes of her past life's court suddenly flooded her mind. The loved ones who had suffered because of her, the peace that had been shattered, made her fingertips cold.
"Your Majesty..." She raised her head, tears welling in her eyes, but she stubbornly held back the tears. "I'm not hiding from Your Majesty. It's just...it's just that I'm so weak and unworthy of Your Majesty's kindness. There are so many talented and beautiful ladies in the capital. Why...why do you have to keep staring at me, Your Majesty?"
Qianlong looked at the stubbornness in her eyes, which resembled the girl in her previous life who would rather be punished than bow her head. His heart softened and bitter. He sighed and reached out to touch the top of her head, but stopped mid-air and picked up the crabapple petals that had fallen on her shoulder. "Because you are different."
Those three words were so gentle, yet they struck Xiaoyanzi's heart like a hammer. She knew she was different, carrying the memories of two lives. But what about him? Did he also remember everything from his past life? The phrase "the spicier the better," the "taste of yesteryear," and the determined look in his eyes now all silently spoke the answer.
"Your servant...your servant doesn't understand." Xiaoyanzi turned her head away, not daring to look him in the eye again. "It's getting late. Your servant should go home so that your parents won't worry."
Qianlong watched her eagerly fleeing and made no further attempt to persuade her to stay. He knew this girl was very wary and that he had to proceed slowly. "Su Peisheng," he said loudly, "Send Miss Fang out of the palace."
"Yes." Eunuch Su bowed and responded, making a "please" gesture to Xiaoyanzi.
Xiaoyanzi followed Eunuch Su out, almost fleeing. As her skirt swept across the threshold, she nearly tripped. She stumbled, frantically holding onto the porch pillar. Looking back, Qianlong was still standing under the crabapple tree, his bright yellow robes striking in the morning light. His gaze remained fixed on her, like an invisible net, leaving her nowhere to escape.
The guards along the palace path stood erect, and the maids and eunuchs hurried by with their heads lowered, no one daring to glance at her. Xiaoyanzi clenched the silver whistle in her hand; the cool touch calmed her down a bit. Qianlong's words were like a thorn, piercing her heart with both pain and itch. She didn't understand why he, carrying the memories of his past life, had dragged her back to this deep palace prison. Weren't the regrets of her past life enough?
"Miss Fang, this way please." Eunuch Su's voice interrupted her thoughts at the right moment. He led her through the corridor, where the wisteria was in full bloom, with strings of lavender flowers hanging down, and the fragrance was so rich that it was a bit suffocating.
As they approached the palace gate, a group of palace maids approached. The one leading them wore a dark blue palace gown, a hairpin inlaid with red gold beads in her hair. She was the head maid in Concubine Gao's palace. Seeing Xiaoyanzi, she paused, a flicker of disdain flashing across her eyes, but she still knelt in greeting, her voice neither too high nor too low: "Isn't this Miss Fang? Why did you come out of Shufangzhai?"
Xiaoyanzi recognized her; she had seen her several times at palace banquets, always following behind Concubine Gao, acting intimidatingly. Too lazy to respond, she simply nodded and tried to sidestep her.
The palace maid stepped forward, blocking the way, with a fake smile on her face: "Miss Fang is so lucky. She was summoned by the emperor himself as soon as she entered the palace. Unlike servants like us, it is harder than climbing to the sky to see the emperor." Her eyes swept over Xiaoyanzi, as if she was looking at something rare.
Xiaoyanzi frowned. This maid's words were full of hidden meanings. It was a compliment, but in reality it was a test. She was about to speak when Eunuch Su coughed lightly, "Madam Li, the Emperor is still waiting for his reply in the Shufangzhai. If you delay him, you'll be in trouble."
Palace Maid Li's expression changed. She didn't dare to stop him anymore and stepped aside awkwardly: "Eunuch Su is right. I will take my leave now."
Watching Palace Maid Li and her men walk away, Xiaoyanzi breathed a sigh of relief and thanked Eunuch Su. Eunuch Su smiled kindly, "Miss Fang, you're welcome. The Emperor has instructed us to take good care of you." The deep meaning in his words made Xiaoyanzi's heart sink again.
As she exited the palace, she saw Xiao Jian standing in the same spot. His moon-white robe shone like a cloud in the morning light. He hurried over to her, his eyes scanning her face. "Are you okay?"
Xiaoyanzi shook her head, her eyes reddening. The composure she had forced upon herself collapsed the moment she saw her family. She clutched Xiaojian's sleeve, her voice tinged with tears, "Brother, he knows everything..."
Xiao Jian's face darkened instantly. He held his sister's shoulders and looked sharply towards the depths of the palace gate: "I know. Don't be afraid, I'm here."
As the carriage rumbled away from the palace walls, Xiaoyanzi lifted the curtain and looked back. The Forbidden City's corner towers stood majestically in the morning light, the vermilion palace walls like an impassable chasm, isolating her from the hustle and bustle of the city. She knew that Qianlong's gaze must still be on the wall, and behind that gaze lay the fate she had been unable to escape even after two lifetimes.
Inside the carriage, crabapple petals had clung to the hem of her skirt, a patch of pink and white that looked remarkably like the rain of flowers that had fallen in Shufangzhai in a past life. Little Swallow gently picked up the petals, her fingertips cold, a single thought in her mind: she must be more careful to maintain a peaceful life.
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