Chapter 137: Entering the Palace Walls, Troubles Arose
Three days later, in the afternoon, the osmanthus blossoms in the Fang Mansion courtyard were a blanket of golden yellow. Little Swallow, wearing her newly made lilac-colored Manchu dress with a lotus embroidered around the collar, was squatting in the porch, watering the orchids on the stone table. Her fingertips were stained with water droplets, making her nails sparkle.
"Xiaoyanzi! Ziwei!" Yongqi's voice came from outside the courtyard, accompanied by the sound of horse hooves, stopping at the door. He was dressed in royal blue clothes, with a jade belt tied around his waist. He walked in quickly, his eyes first falling on Xiaoyanzi, and with a smile, he said, "The emperor sent me to pick you up. The carriage is waiting outside."
Xiaoyanzi stood up, patted the water off her hands, and deliberately put her hands on her hips and said, "Fifth Prince came to pick me up personally. I'm so lucky!" Although she said this, her eyes were filled with reluctance. She turned to look at Ziwei who was saying goodbye to Fang's mother, and said in a softer voice, "I really have to go."
Xiao Jian emerged from the room, carrying two camphorwood boxes with copper-wrapped corners. These were the luggage he had packed the previous night. "Everything is ready," he said, handing the boxes to the accompanying guards. He then walked over to Xiao Yanzi and lowered his voice, "Take the brocade bag with you. If anything happens in the palace, don't worry. Wait for me to come in and visit you."
Xiaoyanzi nodded, touched the cloth tiger amulet in her sleeve pocket, and her nose felt a little sore: "I know, brother."
Mother Fang took Ziwei's hand and carefully reminded her: "When you get to the palace, listen to Ci'er in everything and take good care of yourself." Ziwei's eyes were slightly red, and she nodded: "Don't worry, auntie, I will."
Yongqi stepped forward and said, "Aunt Fang, Brother Xiao Jian, it's getting late, it's time to go to the palace." Only then did Fang's mother let go of her hand and watched the two of them follow Yongqi into the carriage. When the curtain fell, Xiaoyanzi was still waving through the gap, and the corners of her skirt fluttered in the wind.
The carriage rolled over the bluestone slabs of the palace road, making a rhythmic sound. Xiaoyanzi lifted the curtain and looked out the window at the red walls and yellow tiles flying by. Suddenly, she smiled and said, "Sister Ziwei, look! We're now 'people of the palace'! I can be my Princess Huanzhu again - I just wonder if the emperor has missed me so much these days that he's lost his appetite?"
Ziwei was amused by her and twisted her handkerchief with her fingertips: "How can you say that about the Emperor?"
"That's right!" Xiaoyanzi sat up straight. "The other day he even sent some sweet-scented osmanthus cake, saying 'it'll fill Princess Huanzhu's stomach.' I think he just misses me!" Yongqi listened outside the carriage, his lips curled up involuntarily, and he coughed softly, "The Emperor does ask about you often."
When the carriage stopped at the gate of Shufangzhai, the setting sun was slanting across the courtyard. Xiaoyanzi jumped out and saw the orchids in full bloom in the courtyard, the wind chimes tinkling in the corridor, and Xiaozhuozi and Xiaodengzi, who were directing the eunuchs to move the luggage, shouted in unison, "Princess, you're back!"
"Come back!" Xiaoyanzi ran into the yard and almost bumped into Qing'er who was walking towards her. Qing'er was wearing a moon-white palace dress with fine bamboo embroidery on the hem. In her hand, she held a string of red sandalwood Buddhist beads. Seeing her coming, she smiled and stepped aside: "Run slowly, be careful not to fall."
"Qing'er!" Xiaoyanzi grabbed her hand, her eyes sparkling. "Why are you here?"
"The Empress Dowager asked me to come and see if the Shufangzhai is properly decorated," Qing'er's eyes fell on her with curiosity. "A few days ago, I heard from the eunuch that you went out of the palace to play. Did you have any interesting experiences? Tell me quickly."
"That's too much!" Xiaoyanzi pulled Qing'er to sit down in the corridor, gesticulating excitedly. "We went to the slums. Brother Liu Qing repaired new tables and chairs, and Sister Liu Hong made sour plum soup that was sweeter than the ones in the palace! We also went to the south of the city to eat sugar paintings. The old master's sugar paintings of phoenixes were so beautiful that you could even see the feathers on their wings! Oh, and the wind from the moat was so comfortable. I even sang—"
"Wow, long, long!" The little mosquito came over and shook its head to answer, "The lady's singing is brighter than the lark. The little bug can't even catch up with the oriole's singing!" The little bug immediately chirped twice, and the little table imitated the little swallow chasing Yongqi. Little Dengzi clapped his hands beside him, and the corridor suddenly became lively.
Ziwei and Yongqi stood in the courtyard admiring the flowers. Erkang had arrived at some point and was whispering something to Ziwei, their eyes soft and gentle. Qing'er listened intently, twirling her Buddhist beads on her fingertips. "It sounds lively, unlike the palace, where even the wind is quiet."
Just as Xiaoyanzi was about to say something, she heard footsteps outside the courtyard, accompanied by a cold aroma. The eunuch chief called out sharply, "The Imperial Concubine Gao has arrived—"
The lively laughter died down abruptly. Xiaoyanzi and Qing'er exchanged a glance and stood up. Concubine Gao, wearing a bright red palace gown embroidered with a golden phoenix, trailed on the ground. Following behind her was an expressionless Nanny Gui, wearing clogged shoes. Her gaze swept across the courtyard, finally landing on Xiaoyanzi, a hint of coldness curling across her lips.
"This Shufangzhai is quite lively," Noble Concubine Gao said in a shrill voice, throwing the silk handkerchief in her hand onto the stone table. "You've just entered the palace and you're already making a lot of noise. I'm afraid you haven't learned the rules of Princess Huanzhu yet, right?"
Xiaoyanzi's heart tightened, but she smiled brightly: "Your Highness, we haven't seen each other for a long time. We chatted for a few minutes and didn't expect to disturb you."
Nanny Gui stepped forward and sternly said, "How dare you! You have no right to make jokes in front of the Imperial Concubine! You've just entered the palace and you're already acting lawless. Do you really think this Shufangzhai is your slum yard outside the palace?"
Qing'er quickly stepped forward and bowed, "Your Highness, please calm down. Little Swallow is a straightforward person and didn't mean to be disrespectful."
Concubine Gao sneered, her gaze sweeping across the four talented scholars in the corridor before landing on Ziwei. "Is this Miss Ziwei, your study companion? I heard you're incredibly talented, so why are you joining in on this fun? It seems I'll have to teach you a little more about the rules of the palace from now on."
The setting sun filtered through the leaves, illuminating Concubine Gao's phoenix crown with a dazzling glint. The wind chimes in Shufangzhai had ceased ringing, leaving only the sweet scent of osmanthus and a faint hint of tension in the air. Little Swallow clutched the cloth tiger in her sleeve pocket, knowing that the palace turmoil was about to begin from this moment.
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