Chapter 69: Yuanminghua Blooms, Old People Have New Faces
The carriage rolled over the bluestone pavement of the Old Summer Palace, the sound of the wheels swallowed by the fragrance of the flowers that filled the courtyard. Xiaoyanzi sat in the carriage, her fingertips tightly grasping the tassels of her aquamarine skirt, her knuckles turning white. Outside the window, fields of peonies passed by—pink like clouds, white like snow, purple like mist, their blossoms so profusely that they bent the branches. But she had no desire to appreciate the scenery; only a deep sense of uneasiness pounded in her chest.
"We're almost there, Ci'er, don't be afraid." Li held her cold hand, the warmth from her palm seeping through her sleeves, and she comforted her softly, "Your father and your brother are here. We'll handle anything together."
Little Swallow nodded and quietly lifted a corner of the sedan chair curtain to peek out. The pavilions and towers of the Old Summer Palace lay hidden in the lush green shade of trees. The glazed tiles on the eaves and corners gleamed like broken gold in the sunlight. Eunuchs and palace maids, dressed in brand new blue satin gowns, shuttled back and forth, their footsteps as light as the wind. The grandeur of the imperial gardens permeated every corner. But to her, this grandeur felt like an invisible cage, its carved railings tinged with an icy chill that suffocated her.
The carriage stopped beside a pavilion by the water. Fang Zhihang got out first, turned around and offered his hand to Li and Xiaoyanzi. As she found her footing, she saw a group of people approaching on the white marble bridge in the distance. Their bright yellow dragon robes stood out against the crowd—Qianlong had arrived.
Xiaoyanzi's heart skipped a beat, as if something was grabbing her. She subconsciously hid behind Xiao Jian, revealing only half of her face. She quickly lowered her head and stared at the toes of her shoes embroidered with crabapple flowers, even her breathing became lighter.
"Lord Fang has arrived." Qianlong's voice was tinged with a smile, like a warm spring breeze, but his gaze fell precisely on Xiaoyanzi, like a warm net, gently covering her. "This must be Miss Fang, right? She is indeed very charming and even more handsome than I thought."
Xiaoyanzi stepped forward and bowed, her skirt sweeping across the stone steps, creating a breeze. Her voice was as thin as a mosquito: "Your servant Fangci pays homage to His Majesty." She stared at the petal pattern on the toe of her shoe, not daring to look up at his eyes, for fear that she would see the familiar inquiry in them, and see through the secrets hidden in her heart.
"No need for formalities." Qianlong waved his hand, the wide sleeves of his dragon robe sweeping through the air, carrying a faint scent of ambergris. His gaze paused on her, then turned to Fang Zhihang, "The weather is beautiful today, and the flowers are in full bloom. It's perfect for enjoying the scenery. My dear Fang, there's no need to be restrained."
As she spoke, the sound of bells and pendants jingled, and several concubines in gorgeous palace attire emerged from the corridor. Leading the way was a woman in a bright red palace gown, a phoenix hairpin adorned with gold and jade adorned her hair. Surrounded by pearls and jade, she exuded an air of grace and elegance. It was the Empress. Xiaoyanzi's heart tightened. The Empress's cold, stern gaze and tightly pursed lips from her past life seemed to be right before her. She instinctively shrank her neck, her fingertips clenched tighter.
But when the Queen walked up to her, she slowly broke into a gentle smile, the fine lines at the corners of her eyes softening a little, and her voice was as gentle as a spring breeze blowing across a lake. "This must be Miss Fang, right? I've often heard the Emperor mention her, saying that she's not only talented but also lively and lovable." She looked at Xiaoyanzi carefully, her gaze sliding from her hair to the hem of her skirt, with an inexplicable warmth in her eyes. "Look at her, she's really pretty, even more eye-catching than the peonies in the garden."
Xiaoyanzi was completely stunned. She opened her mouth but couldn't speak, forgetting even to breathe. This... is this the Queen? The Queen from her previous life, who always had a stern face and eyes like knives? How could she... smile so gently? She even felt that the swaying curve of the tassel of the phoenix hairpin on the Queen's temples was much softer than she remembered.
"Your Majesty, your compliments are too kind." Mrs. Li was quick to react and quietly tugged at Xiaoyanzi's sleeve, her fingertips trembling slightly. "My little girl is naughty and unworthy of such praise from Your Majesty."
Xiaoyanzi finally came to her senses and quickly lowered her head: "Thank you, Queen, for the compliment."
At that moment, out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a maid standing behind the empress. She was dressed in a dark blue palace dress, a silver hairpin in her hair, and a serious expression on her face. It was Madam Rong. In her previous life, Madam Rong's sinister eyes and shrill voice had been a nightmare to her, but now, Madam Rong simply stood behind the empress, her hands hanging down, her gaze calmly fixed on the ground. When she saw her looking over, she even nodded slightly, a greeting.
Xiaoyanzi's heart was in turmoil, as if she'd been scratched by a cat. Even Rong Mama had changed? Why was everything in this palace so different from how she remembered it?
"Sister, you're right. Miss Fang is quite delightful," said a nearby concubine in a pink palace dress, smiling. Her eyes curved, her lips dimpled. It was none other than Concubine Ling. She held a fine, gilded porcelain teacup, its steam wafting a faint jasmine scent. She offered it to Xiaoyanzi, "Just arrived, huh? It's windy in the garden. Have some hot tea to warm you up."
Xiaoyanzi took the teacup, her fingertips touching the warm wall, and the warmth spread along her fingertips, but her heart became even more panicked. She was not surprised by Concubine Ling's kindness, but the 180-degree change in the Queen and Rong Mama made her feel uncomfortable. She always felt that there was something hidden under this gentle appearance, but she just couldn't see through it.
"Thank you... Thank you, Empress Ling Fei." She thanked him softly, her hand holding the teacup trembling slightly, and the tea in the cup created tiny ripples.
"Hey, isn't that the young lady from the Fang family?" a clear voice rang out, like windchimes ringing in the wind. Little Swallow looked up and saw three young men approaching along the flower path. The one in the middle, dressed in a royal blue brocade robe and a jade belt, had handsome features and eyes as gentle as autumn water. He was the Fifth Prince, Yongqi. Standing beside him were two others: one, dressed in a stone-blue gown and possessing a calm demeanor, was Fu Erkang; the other, dressed in moon-white casual clothes and with a bright smile, was Fu Ertai.
Yongqi's eyes fell on Xiaoyanzi, with a hint of curiosity and a subtle surprise. He nodded slightly: "Miss Fang, are you well?"
Fulcon and Forte followed suit, and Fulun and his wife arrived shortly after. Fulun wore a navy official robe, and his wife wore a lake blue dress embroidered with magnolia flowers. They smiled and exchanged pleasantries with Fang Zhihang. Suddenly, the pavilion became bustling with greetings, laughter, and the clinking of teacups, a cacophony of music.
Xiaoyanzi was dizzy from the scene and quietly retreated to Xiao Jian's side. She lowered her voice and asked, "Brother, why are the Empress and Rong Mama different from what I expected?"
Xiao Jian followed her gaze and glanced at Rong Mama behind the Queen. Seeing that she was standing there with her hands down, showing no signs of unusual behavior, he whispered, "People in the palace are very thoughtful. Don't overthink, talk less, and observe more."
As she was speaking, a young man in moon-white clothes approached. He was about twelve or thirteen years old, with eyes and eyebrows that resembled the empress, and a gentle temperament. It was the twelfth prince, Yongji. He walked up to Xiaoyanzi, bowed politely, and said in a clear voice, "Hello, Sister Fang, I am Yongji."
"Hello, Twelfth Prince." Xiaoyanzi hastily returned the greeting. Looking at the young face, she remembered the times in her previous life when he had secretly given her snacks and helped her out, and a slight warmth rose in her heart.
The surrounding princes and princesses gathered around. Princess Hejing, in her lilac palace gown, greeted her demurely. Princess Hexiao, in her twin buns, tugged at her sleeve and asked if the flowers in Jiangnan were more fragrant than those in the capital. For a moment, she forgot her nervousness, and the chill in her fingertips dissipated a little.
She subconsciously scanned the crowd, her eyes wandering over each face - there was familiar gentleness, there was unfamiliar curiosity, but the only thing missing was the figure who always wore light blue clothes, smiled gently, and was understanding.
Where is Qing'er?
As soon as this thought came to her mind, she suddenly remembered that the old Buddha was currently in Wutai Mountain to worship Buddha. Qing'er had always been with the old Buddha, so she naturally wouldn't come to this flower viewing party. Thinking of this, she felt inexplicably relieved, but also a little melancholy, as if she had lost something.
"Ci'er, what are you daydreaming about?" Li's voice brought her back to her senses. She gently patted the back of Xiaoyanzi's hand. "The Emperor invited everyone to go over there to appreciate the peonies."
Little Swallow came to her senses and followed the crowd. The sun warmed the cobblestones beneath her feet, burning the soles of her shoes. A boisterous crowd filled her surroundings, their laughter resembling silver bells. The sweet, almost sickening aroma of peony and jasmine lingered in her nose. Yet, her heart felt heavy, like a piece of ice.
The Queen's gentleness, Madam Rong's calmness, Concubine Ling's kindness, Yongqi's concern, everyone's laughter...all of this seemed like a dream that was too beautiful, so beautiful that it made her uneasy, and she always felt that it would shatter in the next moment, revealing the sharp edges underneath.
She secretly raised her eyes, glancing at Emperor Qianlong, who was standing not far away. He was talking with several ministers beside a peony bush, his bright yellow dragon robe standing out against the sea of flowers. But his gaze would occasionally drift across the crowd toward her, carrying a complex mix of emotions she couldn't understand—longing, anticipation, and a subtle hint of temptation, like a slowly tightening net.
Xiaoyanzi's heart sank suddenly, as if she had fallen into an icy lake. She knew this flower viewing event wasn't the end, but only the beginning. The net Qianlong had laid was quietly tightening, and she seemed to have no choice but to carefully continue within it.
She just didn't know whether hidden beneath the blossoms in this garden was a warm new life or the beginning of another storm. She looked down at the teacup in her hand, the heat blurring her vision so much that she couldn't even make out the pattern on the rim.
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