Chapter 51
Emperor Qianlong sat in the center of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, looking at the kneeling He Rui, wondering if He Rui was standing up for the Empress or if Consort Ling had done something outrageous again. Qianlong knew Consort Ling well; she was a woman who couldn't stand up to scrutiny, yet still vied for his favor. Qianlong was quite happy to show some favor to women who fought for his affections, but that was all it was—favor.
"This servant is guilty! This has nothing to do with you, mistress. It's my fault for not knowing the rules!" Dongxue kowtowed repeatedly. She thought that now that her mistress was favored, everyone would give Consort Ling some face, and even her status was no longer what it used to be. But she forgot that the woman before her was the Emperor's most beloved princess. If her mistress knew this, she might just abandon her!
Who would believe that? Doesn't she know the rules? How many years has she served Consort Ling? Does she think she can get away with it by saying she doesn't know the rules? He Rui looked at the Emperor.
How could Emperor Qianlong allow He Rui to suffer such injustice? Just as he was about to ask a question, Li Yu stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, Consort Ling is outside requesting an audience."
"She arrived quite quickly!" Qianlong's tone was devoid of any emotion as he stared at the kneeling Dongxue. "I am currently handling state affairs."
Li Yu cleverly ran out to give a reply.
"Father, you should still summon her! Otherwise, Consort Ling might faint." Just as He Rui finished speaking, whether it was because Consort Ling was too cooperative or because she was truly too weak, La Mei, who was beside her, called out loudly, "Your Majesty!"
Winter Snow knelt on the ground, trembling all over, trying to minimize her presence.
Li Yu rushed in again, "Your Majesty, Consort Ling... she has fainted!"
"She's fainted!" Qianlong snorted coldly, and Li Yu broke out in a cold sweat. "Carry Consort Ling back. Summon the imperial physician; I want to see what illness Consort Ling has." Qianlong paused after speaking, "Please summon the imperial physician who examined the Empress and the Noble Consort."
Kneeling on the ground, Dongxue's heart pounded faster and faster. She knew her mistress's health well, and from the Emperor's tone, it was clear he didn't trust the imperial physician who had examined her mistress. Dongxue already felt that her own life was in danger, and she feared that her mistress herself was in grave danger. If things went wrong, all the blame would likely fall on her.
"He Rui has troubled Father Emperor." Kneeling, He Rui looked aggrieved. Anyone could pretend; trying to use her? Hmph, how ridiculous.
"Your Majesty, the princess's body cannot withstand the cold. This servant kneels on her behalf." Seeing that the emperor was slow to let He Rui get up, Haricha became anxious and knelt on the ground to plead.
"You servants, why aren't you helping the princess up? Has He Rui recovered yet?"
Whether it was due to physical weakness or because the kneeling incident after the snowfall had left a lingering illness, He Rui caught a cold again last winter and didn't fully recover until the end of the year. "Reporting to Father Emperor, He Rui is already well."
"How could you have caught a cold? Harichagai must be feeling better too!" Qianlong was very satisfied with Harichagai. "Come with me to see what's wrong with Consort Ling."
"This servant..." Harichagai dared not refuse, but the inner palace was not a place he could enter at will. Without the permission of the masters inside, he would be impeached if he went in.
“Father, look what He Rui has done wrong. He Rui hasn’t gone to pay his respects to the Empress Dowager yet. The Empress Dowager must be worried now.” Just as He Rui finished speaking, a little eunuch came in and said a few words to Li Yu. Li Yu immediately reported to the Emperor, “Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager requests an audience.”
"No need for announcing it." The Emperor strode out. "Empress, come with me to Yanxi."
The Empress was taken aback at first, then followed the Emperor toward Yanfu Palace with a stern face. Dongxue, who had been ignored, was dragged away by the Emperor's attendants; no one knew where they were going. He Rui wanted to ask Haricha Gai, but the words stuck in his throat.
~~~~
Consort Ling's fainting spell was feigned. She thought this would quickly make the Emperor overlook Dongxue's mistake, forgetting the even more lavish weddings of Princesses He Rui and He Ya than those of Princess He Jing, all demonstrating the Emperor's favor towards them. This recent favor had clouded Consort Ling's judgment. Having tasted some sweetness, she forgot there was an Empress in the harem and often overstepped her bounds. The Empress turned a blind eye to Consort Ling's pregnancy, not fearing her, but for He Rui's sake, she tolerated it as much as possible. Not for anyone else, but for her own child. Moreover, she didn't want to be labeled a "jealous woman." As for the others, seeing the Empress remain silent, who would dare to provoke such bad luck? This led Consort Ling to believe her status had changed, and she would occasionally speak ill of the Empress to the Emperor. Although the Emperor hadn't been seen going to Yongshou Palace to vent his anger on the Empress, the number of things in her room had increased, and it was an undeniable fact that the Emperor visited frequently. The Empress was chosen by the Empress Dowager, so she couldn't compare to her and couldn't relinquish the Empress's position. Instead, she had her sights set on the position of Imperial Noble Consort.
There's a saying: "Pride comes from favor, and extravagance leads to ostentation, and ostentation leads to vanity." Looking at the Yanxi Palace, which rivaled even the Emperor's personal collection, He Rui sneered inwardly. "Consort Ling! All show and no substance. How long can you enjoy this favor?" Harichagai had been ordered by the Emperor to run errands, and He Rui, who had come with the Emperor and Empress, leisurely surveyed the magnificent Yanxi Palace. "Father, is this red coral from the East China Sea? Is this a pearl from the South China Sea? So beautiful!" Picking up an ornament, He Rui exclaimed exaggeratedly, "Empress Mother should learn from Consort Ling! The things the Emperor bestows should be displayed, sparkling in the room! Ah! He Rui forgot, the Seventh Princess, the Thirteenth Prince, and the Fifteenth Prince are still young. Displaying these things might hurt them."
The Empress remained silent, her face stern. The Emperor cast an approving glance at her. While the items were beautiful, he worried about the princes if they harmed the princesses. Was Yongshou Palace really so plain? Thinking back, the Empress's residence used to be quite well-stocked; the Emperor couldn't recall when Yongshou Palace had become less furnished. He had assumed the Empress disliked these things, and it seemed he should reward her with more in the future.
He Rui spoke quite loudly, so how could Consort Ling, who was pretending to faint inside, not hear him? She was furious but couldn't react. These two imperial physicians were not ones she trusted, and she didn't know if they would expose her.
As the saying goes, what you fear most is what happens. The two imperial physicians who examined Consort Ling received a considerable amount of rewards from the Empress and the two Imperial Concubines. This power struggle in the harem also affected their income. After exchanging a glance, the two physicians turned and left the inner room. "Your Majesty, Empress, and Princess He Rui, we found nothing unusual about Consort Ling's health," the two imperial physicians respectfully reported.
“Don’t make false accusations! If there were no abnormalities, how could our master not wake up?” Lamei was the first to jump out and protest. “Have you taken bribes and are trying to harm our master?”
"This servant is unworthy. If Miss Lamei thinks that this servant has made a mistake in diagnosis, please point out who can diagnose Her Majesty's illness? My family was granted a title by the late Emperor and has been imperial physicians for generations. Does Miss Lamei mean that the late Emperor was blind, or that the Emperor is unable to judge people?" Physician Li put a magnificent hat on Lamei's head.
Consort Ling, inside the room, was in a terrible predicament; she didn't know whether to get up or not.
Lamei dared not speak again. She regretted it as soon as she finished speaking. How could a lowly servant like her speak in this situation? Lamei knelt down abruptly. "Your Majesty, please spare me! This servant was worried about my mistress's health and the 'little prince' in her belly, so I spoke rashly in a moment of panic."
"Oh? A 'little prince'? I didn't know Consort Ling's baby would be a prince, but Lamei does. Empress, this Lamei might actually be a pulse diagnosis expert." Qianlong patted the Empress's hand. "From now on, the Empress doesn't need to manage Yanxi Palace anymore, and I don't need to see the imperial physicians anymore. Lamei will suffice."
Winter plum blossoms were sweating profusely. What did Your Majesty mean by this?
Consort Ling, inside the chamber, was startled by the Emperor's words. Was she about to fall out of favor again? "He Rui!" Consort Ling gritted her teeth. "You've repeatedly thwarted my plans. I'll make sure you suffer a terrible death."
"It's rare for He Rui to return to the palace. Accompany me to Yongshou Palace for a game of chess." The Emperor stood up. "Before Consort Ling gives birth, she doesn't need to pay her respects. Don't overexert yourself."
Consort Ling opened her eyes, then closed them again; this time she had truly fainted. Lamei collapsed to the ground. She had harmed her mistress; she… Lamei was terrified. She knew how her mistress treated her servants.
~~~~
He Rui was unaware of the intrigues within the palace. After leaving the palace that day, she began packing her belongings. The Emperor had ordered her and Harichagai to stay in Mongolia for six months to demonstrate his favor towards the region. He Rui had high hopes for the Mongolian grasslands; she wanted to know if they were truly as described in the articles—vast skies, boundless plains, and grazing cattle and sheep grazing on the wind-swept grasslands.
Embarking on the journey to Mongolia was not as simple as imagined. At that time, many parts of Mongolia were at war. The arrival of a princess was a test for the soldiers, and for He Rui, it meant the possibility of death or capture.
Fortunately, they traveled along official roads. After leaving the capital, they first went to Shengjing (present-day Shenyang) before heading towards Mongolia. Upon arriving in Shengjing, they had to pay respects at the Three Imperial Tombs. After resting and preparing their belongings in Shengjing, they then set off for Mongolia. He Rui was unaware that skilled guards from the Imperial Guard were clearing the way for her carriage wherever it went, and even less aware that Prince Xun had already arrived in Mongolia. He Rui was still worrying that the calm before the storm might be the calm before the storm, until she arrived in Mongolia and met the ministers stationed there to welcome her, at which point she finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Life in Mongolia was free, free from the constraints of rules. Although she worried about war, He Rui still enjoyed this freedom. Here, she could ride horses, herd sheep, and climb to high places to enjoy the view. She almost thought she could live here forever. When He Rui saw the Third Prince holding the imperial edict summoning them back to the capital, she felt a deep sense of loss.
"He Rui, did you do anything beneficial to diplomatic relations when you went to Mongolia?"
He Rui tried hard to recall, "Third Brother, it seems I didn't teach them anything. On the contrary, they hospitably taught me a lot."
Are you liked by them?
"They probably don't hate me! I had the servants help them dig a well and build houses for them, although they still prefer to live in the big yurt."
"Will you regret not teaching them more after you leave?"
"Won't."
"Then let's set off tomorrow!"
Author's Note: The 24th year of Qianlong's reign is finally here, and the heroine Xiao Yan is about to make her appearance!
School life didn't make Mariko feel out of place. She was used to being dragged out of bed by her younger brother, used to being dragged to school by him, used to being dragged to eat her slightly cold lunch by him at noon... Habit is a terrible thing. A week into the new semester, various sports clubs started holding some internal competitions. In the morning, after Ryoma dragged Mariko out of the house, he told her that he had a competition in the afternoon and wanted her to come and watch.
Mariko immediately refused, saying she wanted to go home and sleep.
The best way to deal with Mariko's drowsiness is to "eat" her. "If I win, I'll take you to eat something delicious."
Mariko nodded immediately, "What time does it start? I'll go check. I want to eat the autumn fish."
...Ryoma regretted it.
Throughout the day's classes, Mariko listened attentively to the lessons. Her classmates looked at her with disbelief, as if she were a monster. Had Echizen experienced something traumatic? While listening intently, Mariko kept glancing at her watch; why was time passing so slowly?
At lunchtime, Mariko was faster than Ryoma, asking him where the competition was and insisting he show her the route, worried she might get lost. Ryoma pouted; "eating" was more important to his older sister than "sleeping." Would things be different if "Dad" threatened his sister with food?
I walked with my sister along the way to the tennis club, and then we ate our lunch in the grove of trees inside the tennis club before heading to the classroom.
Mariko was extremely attentive during afternoon classes, though she kept glancing at her watch. When class ended, Mariko told Masami Koda that she wouldn't be going to the home economics room today; she was going to watch her brother's match. Mariko quickly packed her things and rushed to the tennis club.
The students who hadn't left the classroom all looked at Masami Koda.
"Hey, let's go watch Echizen's little brother's match too," Koda Masami decided with a serious expression. Koda Masami is the class representative of Class 1-A. After meeting Mariko on the first day, she decided to add the very cute doll to her list of protections. In addition to participating in the home economics club, Koda Masami is also a rising star in the judo club.
When Mariko rushed to the tennis club, the members were all practicing. She scanned the area before spotting Ryoma. Ryoma, noticing his sister, adjusted his hat. Mariko pouted, but she endured it for the sake of getting rid of Akemi. After wandering around the tennis club a few times, Mariko spotted a bench and immediately ran over, plopping down on it. Mariko was the type who would rather sit than stand, lie down than sit, and recline than lie down. And, whenever she was comfortable, Mariko would take a nap. Now, having not slept all day, Mariko sat on the bench, comfortably basking in the sun, and closed her eyes, falling asleep within minutes.
~~~
"Who is that girl?" Tomoka Kosaka asked sourly as she watched her beloved Ryoma gently cover the girl sitting on the bench with his coat.
“She’s Ryoma-kun’s older sister.” Ryuzaki Sakuno looked at Mariko with great envy.
"Ah! It's my sister!" Tomoka Kosaka's attitude changed immediately. "Huh, what's the judo club doing here?" Tomoka Kosaka blinked, looking at the approaching judo club members with confusion. Soon, the tennis club was surrounded by many people, while Masami Koda, the star player of the women's judo club, walked to the bench and sighed softly. Mariko really can sleep.
"Koda, is it okay for Echizen to sleep here? Or should I carry him to the infirmary?"
"I'll hug you."
"Echizen is so cute!"
Ryoma, who had just covered his sister with a blanket, glanced at the people discussing the matter with a warning look in his eyes. Koda Masami nodded to Ryoma, then turned back to give the group a "shut up" look.
The second and third-year members of the tennis club arrived a little late. The club president, seeing the sudden appearance of the group, walked onto the court without changing his expression. Fuji Syusuke smiled and nodded to the judo club president; the two were classmates. Oishi Shuichiro muttered to himself whether this would affect the match, while Kikumaru Eiji was the first to notice a very cute girl sleeping on their designated bench. "Ahhh, is she someone's girlfriend? What a cute girl!" Kikumaru's shout stood out in the otherwise quiet court, where only the sound of tennis balls bouncing could be heard.
Kikumaru's voice drew the attention of all the students watching the match, who turned to look at the girl on the bench. Upon realizing she wasn't awake, they all glared at Kikumaru. Startled by the stares, Kikumaru hid behind Fuji Syusuke, muttering softly.
Sadaharu Kane adjusted his glasses. "Insufficient data, needs to be supplemented."
"Ugh, are you done playing? I'm so hungry." Mariko felt very uncomfortable after only a short nap; it was so noisy!
"Echizen Mariko?" Ryuzaki Sumire, who had come in from outside, looked at the girl on the bench and called out her name.
"Ah," Mariko blinked her questioning eyes repeatedly. Who was this old woman? She seemed to have seen her somewhere before.
Everyone's eyes turned to Mariko. "So cute!"
The Dragon Horse pressure hat for immunity, my sister is flirting again.
“We met in Australia! Back then, you were asking around in Japanese about tennis courts.”
Mariko tried hard to remember, but unfortunately, she couldn't recall anything. Mariko had always had a terrible memory for strangers; apart from Masami Koda, who made her delicious cookies every day, she couldn't remember anyone else in her class. "I don't remember."
Ryuzaki Sumire's lips twitched slightly. "Really, just like that guy."
"Coach, can the match begin?" Tezuka Kunimitsu walked over, interrupting Ryuzaki's complaints.
"You can start once you've finished your warm-up." Seeing that Mariko was hogging the bench and showed no sign of getting up, Ryuzaki Sumire had no choice but to stand with her arms crossed and watch the game.
"Good luck, little brother~" Mariko turned to Ryoma, smiling sweetly. The girls watching shouted "So cute!" while the boys blushed. Everyone in the arena paused for a moment, and Tezuka Kunimitsu subconsciously frowned. "Everyone, twenty laps on the track."
~~~~~
When the match started, Mariko watched very attentively. She wasn't good at playing tennis, but she was quite skilled at "watching".
"What are their shortcomings?" Sumire Ryuzaki asked from the side.
"None of them are even a third as good as Ryoga. Although they are all very serious, none of them can defend or attack effectively. Their stamina is inadequate, and their skills are not comprehensive. As expected, two of them are a little bit better than my cute little brother." Mariko finished her evaluation, yawned, and said, "What a boring match."
"Want to go to the tennis club?" Sadaharu Inui appeared behind the bench at some point.
"No." Mariko rejected the idea without hesitation. A bunch of sweaty boys, how annoying.
Koda Masami glanced at Inui Sadaharu; trying to steal her talent, he really deserved a beating. Echizen-kun has already joined the home economics club; this year at the school festival, the home economics club will definitely be number one.
Not conventionally beautiful, but undeniably adorable, Mariko possesses an almost radiant aura that draws attention. Her absent-minded personality also makes her very popular. Within a week of school starting, everyone in Class 1-A was captivated by Mariko's smile. Of course, Mariko herself was unaware of this; her routine consisted of eating and sleeping, though she was quite uncomfortable while sleeping. Today, Mariko was unusually serious, which puzzled her classmates, who all followed her. When they heard that the tennis club members wanted to recruit Mariko, the Class 1-A students were furious, collectively glaring at Sadaharu Inui.
Sensing the unfriendly gaze, Sadaharu Kane simply pushed up his glasses and tactfully moved to another spot to record data.
When Ryoma entered the arena, Mariko didn't watch too seriously. How could her younger brother, who was constantly tormented by his "father," possibly lose? Mariko glanced around and noticed the old woman who had spoken to her earlier was still standing. Embarrassed, Mariko jumped up, repeatedly bowing and apologizing to Ryuzaki Sumire, saying, "Excuse me, please sit down."
Ryuzaki Sumire was taken aback by Mariko's sudden action, and was both amused and exasperated.
Mariko only sat down properly to one side after Ryuzaki Sumire sat down. She looked like a bullied little wife. Ryuzaki Sumire's lips twitched as she looked at Mariko.
Ryoma was very interested in Kaidou Kaoru's snake ball, and everyone was worried for him. Mariko, however, kept her eyes half-closed, looking at her watch. She was so hungry! She hadn't eaten much at noon because of the autumn fish they were having that night.
"Who do you think would win, Kaidou or Ryoma?"
Mariko didn't answer Sadaharu Inui's question, which had somehow reappeared, but instead gave him a disdainful look that said, "You're stupid." Inui immediately scribbled a bunch of things in his notebook and moved it away.
After Ryoma won the match, he shook hands with Kaidou, and Mariko stood up. As Ryoma walked out, Mariko moved to the arena entrance as fast as she could. When Ryoma entered the arena, Mariko pounced on him. "Cute little brother, are you trying to starve your sister? It took you so long! I want to eat three, no, four!" Mariko held up her hand in front of Ryoma's face. "Little brother, you smell awful."
"..." Feeling incredibly embarrassed, Ryoma dragged his sister outside, and Masami Koda followed with her entourage. They had only come to see which one was Echizen's younger brother, and they would take good care of him out of love for him.
Watching the people disappear with Ryoma, the tennis court became much quieter. Tomoka Kosaka made a decision in her heart: she wanted to be friends with Echizen-neechan. Sakuno Ryuzaki bit her lower lip. Echizen-neechan was so cute. If she were as cute as Echizen-neechan, would Ryoma notice her?
"What an interesting person!" Fuji Syusuke remarked as he watched the departing group.
"Hey, I'm hungry too."
"Eiji needs to finish the match quickly, so he might be able to catch up with Echizen."
"There's a 70% chance that Ryoma will stunt his growth because he's constantly being suppressed by Echizen," Sadaharu Kane adjusted his glasses and jotted down the new data in his notebook.
"Continue the game."
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