Contact with Consort Rong
The morning light of the chilly autumn grew ever softer. As Ya Huan and I carried the food box toward Consort Rong's residence, we would always see the grasshoppers that Ya Huan had left behind the day before on the stone steps outside her courtyard. Sometimes it was a bright green grasshopper, sometimes a red-bellied dragonfly. Every time we went to collect the food box, we would find the grasshoppers carefully placed in a porcelain plate by the window, not even a single blade of grass broken.
"Sister Zhao, do you think Consort Rong really likes these grass insects?" Ya Huan squatted down, gently placing the grass butterflies she had woven that day on the stone steps, her fingertips lightly touching the grass dragonflies left over from yesterday. "Look, they're all arranged so neatly." I smiled and nodded, about to knock on the door, when I heard a slight noise from inside, as if someone was hurriedly tidying up. We exchanged a glance, silently lowered our footsteps, and waited a moment before softly saying, "Consort Rong, it's time for breakfast."
The door creaked open a crack, revealing half of Consort Rong's body hidden in shadow, only her clear eyes visible. She clutched an unfinished handkerchief in her hand, a few threads clinging to the corner. "Just...just leave it by the door," she said softly, her voice trembling slightly. She was about to close the door when Ya Huan quickly interjected, "Your Highness, this is a grass butterfly I wove. If you don't like it, I'll..."
Before she could finish speaking, Consort Rong stopped. She quietly raised her eyes, her gaze falling on the grass butterfly. After a long while, she whispered, "No... I don't dislike it." With that, she quickly reached out and pulled the grass butterfly and the food box into the room. The door slammed shut, leaving only two figures smiling at each other outside.
In the days that followed, our interactions with Consort Rong gradually increased. Sometimes, after delivering meals, we would linger a little longer at the door. Ya Huan would whisper about interesting things happening in the courtyard, such as the little peach tree sprouting new leaves or Granny Li making new pastries. I would place some mild herbs that Consort Su had dried at the door, along with a small note that read, "Boiling these herbs in water can calm the nerves." Although Consort Rong still rarely opened the door, she would quietly leave a response at the door after we left—sometimes a smooth pebble, sometimes a flattened maple leaf. What surprised us most was that once we even received a little rabbit sewn from scraps of cloth, with a tiny white flower embroidered on its ear.
"Sister Zhao, look! Consort Rong's hands are so skillful!" Ya Huan held the little rabbit doll, her eyes sparkling. "Let's bring her some colored thread next time, maybe she can embroider something even more beautiful." I nodded, and suddenly felt that this woman who always hid behind the door was like a shy orchid, seemingly aloof, but actually hiding a delicate gentleness.
That afternoon, as we carried the food box towards Consort Su's residence, we passed by Consort Rong's courtyard and saw that the door was ajar, from which we could hear soft sobbing. Ya Huan and I exchanged a worried glance. After a moment's hesitation, I gently knocked on the door: "Your Highness, are you alright?"
The sobbing inside stopped, and after a long while, the door slowly opened. Consort Rong stood in the doorway, her eyes red, her face still streaked with tears, clutching a yellowed letter in her hand. "I...I miss home," she said, her voice trembling with sobs, like a wronged child. Ya Huan quickly handed her a handkerchief, gently comforting her, "Your Majesty, don't be sad. Let us talk to you."
Consort Rong hesitated for a moment, then stepped aside to let us into the room. The room was very tidy. Near the window stood an embroidery frame with an unfinished handkerchief on it; besides books, the bookshelf was neatly arranged with the insects Ya Huan had given us, each carefully wrapped in cotton paper. "I… I've always been shy around strangers," Consort Rong said, sitting at the table, her fingers unconsciously twisting the handkerchief. "My family is a military family, very powerful. The Emperor… the Emperor wants me to enter the palace, and I dare not refuse."
She paused, her eyes reddening again. "After entering the palace, people kept trying to talk to me, trying to... trying to win me over. I was terrified, so... so I begged the Emperor to send me to the Cold Palace. Here... here no one bothers me, I feel very safe." She lowered her head, her voice barely a whisper. "Don't you all think I'm useless?"
Ya Huan quickly shook her head: "No! Your Highness just likes peace and quiet, what's wrong with that?" I also said softly: "Everyone has their own preferred way of life. It's best that Your Highness can find peace in the Cold Palace." Consort Rong raised her head, a glint of light flashing in her eyes, and after a long while, she whispered: "Thank you."
Leaving Consort Rong's residence, we all felt a heavy weight in our hearts. When we reached Consort Su's courtyard, we saw her sitting on the veranda, drying herbs. The sunlight fell on her, making her appear exceptionally serene. "What's wrong? You don't look well," Consort Su said, putting down the herbs she was holding and waving with a smile.
We sat down beside her and briefly recounted Consort Rong's story. After listening, Consort Su sighed softly, "Life in the palace is never easy. I came to the Cold Palace voluntarily back then." Ya Huan and I were both somewhat surprised and quickly looked at her.
“My family is a scholarly family. After entering the palace, I was made a concubine. I thought I could live a peaceful life.” Consort Su’s gaze fell on the palace wall in the distance, and her eyes became distant. “But later, the Empress wanted me to help her deal with the other concubines. I was unwilling, and I was afraid of implicating my family, so I took the initiative to apologize to the Emperor, saying that I had ‘lost virtue’ and asked the Emperor to demote me to the Cold Palace.”
She paused, a faint smile appearing on her lips. "Actually, I don't regret it at all. Although life in the Cold Palace is austere, there's no need for scheming and intrigue. I can peacefully grow flowers and herbs, and life is much more comfortable than in the palace." Ya Huan said softly, "Your Highness, you are so brave." Consort Su smiled and reached out to touch the top of Ya Huan's head. "It's not bravery, it's just wanting to stay true to myself."
As the sun set, we carried our food boxes back home. Passing by Consort Rong's courtyard, we saw a small porcelain vase by the door, containing two freshly picked wild chrysanthemums, and a note beside it that read, "Thank you." Ya Huan picked up the vase and said with a smile, "Sister Zhao, look, Consort Rong isn't so shy anymore." I nodded, my heart filled with warmth.
Life in the Cold Palace remained peaceful and warm. Our relationship with Consort Rong grew closer; she would occasionally open the door to chat with us and teach Ya Huan to embroider simple patterns. Consort Su would distribute the dried herbs to everyone and teach us to identify their medicinal properties.
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