Chapter 1 Princess Xian'an Palace, northeast of Zhenshun Gate, north of the Forbidden City...
In the northeastern courtyard of the Forbidden City, south of Zhenshun Gate, Cheng Qianyue was summoned from her room by a palace maid. These northeastern courtyards housed the Eight Banners women who had passed the initial imperial examinations this year, awaiting the Emperor's final selection to determine their future.
Cheng Qianyue was still unaware of what had happened. However, having lived there for almost half a month, she had already learned most of the palace rules, so even though she was puzzled, she didn't dare to ask a question outright. Upon exiting the room, she saw Granny Yan, who was in charge of the imperial concubines, standing in the courtyard, with a pale-faced, beardless eunuch whose job was unclear beside him. She immediately curtsied and said, "Greetings, Granny Yan; greetings, Eunuch."
The young eunuch looked her up and down, then said with a half-smile, "Miss, great news! Please pack your things and come with me."
Cheng Qianyue was even more confused when she heard this. The second round of selection hadn't even started yet, so why was she so happy? But she didn't dare to ask any further questions and only said, "Please wait a moment, Father-in-law. I'll go back to my room to pack my things."
She entered the room, completely bewildered. She took out the bundle she had brought from the cabinet against the wall, and then carefully folded and put in the rouge, hair oil, and a set of blue-green cloth clothes that the palace had given to the young ladies-in-waiting.
None of the other young ladies living with her dared to speak, but their gazes all turned toward her. However, after Granny Yan entered, they all scattered in a flurry.
Cheng Qianyue took out a purse from her bundle. She had brought it with her before entering the palace. It contained different amounts of copper coins and silver coins. She had almost used up the small amounts, and now she had five or six left. She took the opportunity to quickly slip five qian of silver to Granny Yan and smiled at her, saying, "You've really worked hard these past few days, Granny. Please don't think it's too little."
Granny Yan had always had a somber expression since she took charge of this courtyard. Seeing Cheng Qianyue's smiling face, she couldn't help but reveal an extremely complicated look. She touched the loose silver in her purse and finally sighed softly, "Miss, that's a young eunuch serving in the Qianqing Palace. Please hurry, don't keep him waiting."
Cheng Qianyue was genuinely startled this time. She pursed her lips and asked, "Granny, can you tell me straight where I'm going?"
Granny Yan shook her head, unsure whether she was unwilling to speak or simply didn't know, and finally muttered under her breath, "It's hard to say what fortune or misfortune is; it's all predetermined."
Upon hearing this, Cheng Qianyue became even more flustered, and couldn't help but let her imagination run wild.
Could it be that her beauty had caught the attention of Emperor Kangxi? That can't be. These three residences housed hundreds of young women from the Manchu and Mongol Eight Banners, many of whom were both beautiful and from good families.
Could it be that she did something during this time that offended the head maid or one of the concubines who offered to take care of her? That can't be right. Before entering the palace, her family repeatedly told her to listen to the head maid obediently, so she hadn't spoken more than a few words to the other young ladies-in-waiting during the two weeks she was here.
Cheng Qianyue racked her brains for a long time but still couldn't figure out why the eunuchs of the Qing Palace had specifically asked for her. Carrying her bundle and feeling uneasy, she followed the young eunuch out of the courtyard. The man followed the corners of the wall, making several turns, and finally led her to an unexpected place—Xian'an Palace.
Looking at the large characters on the palace gate, Cheng Qianyue couldn't hold back any longer. Last autumn and early winter, Kangxi deposed the crown prince, causing a great uproar. This Xian'an Palace is where the deposed crown prince, Yinreng, is currently living.
The struggle for the throne among the nine princes in the Qing Dynasty—what a famous event! Cheng Qianyue even sighed when she learned she had transmigrated to the Kangxi era. "Alas," she thought, "I'm just an ordinary Manchu girl in this life; I'll probably never witness history. Ah, what a pity."
Now, this regret seems to have been fulfilled in a rather strange way. Becoming a concubine to the deposed crown prince—in a way, isn't that witnessing history?
However, if she could turn back time, she would definitely slap her past self for her cynical thoughts, telling her to be a jinx!
Cheng Qianyue silently wept. Other transmigrated women usually marry the Fourth Prince, the Thirteenth Prince, or at least the Fifth or Seventh Prince, who offer them a comfortable life. But she, on the other hand, was forced to marry the deposed Crown Prince?
Well, she doesn't need to use the word "marry" yet, because according to her status, she is currently just a low-ranking princess, similar to a concubine in a wealthy family.
As Xiao Hezi entered the door, someone greeted him warmly, calling him "brother" this and "brother" that. However, after a senior eunuch in a blue-gray robe came over, he was no longer so arrogant.
Chen He came from the entrance of the East Annex Hall of Xian'an Palace, first greeted Cheng Qianyue, and then looked at Xiao Hezi and said: "Is this the Consort Cheng that His Majesty has assigned to the Second Prince?"
Xiao Hezi replied with a smile, "Yes, His Majesty still cares about our Second Prince."
Chen He's expression relaxed a bit upon hearing this. He then called over a round-faced eunuch of about thirteen or fourteen years old to lead Cheng Qianyue to the back. He then said to Xiao Hezi, "Second Master is practicing calligraphy in the study. I'll go and report to him."
Although the crown prince was deposed, his influence remained. Xiao Hezi dared not be arrogant and hurriedly said, "It is my duty, it is my duty. This servant will wait to kowtow and pay his respects to the Second Master."
Chen He nimbly entered the east wing hall, but came out after a short while, saying, "Second Master is practicing calligraphy and I can't see him." He then took out a piece of silver from his sleeve and gave it to him, saying, "I'm sorry to have troubled you to make this trip."
Xiao Hezi smiled and said, "Serving His Majesty is no hardship for this servant. Since Second Master is busy, this servant will not disturb you any longer." After saying that, she took a few steps back, gave a neat bow towards the palace gate, and then turned and went out.
Xian'an Palace is a three-courtyard complex located further west of the Six Western Palaces, consisting of a front courtyard, a middle courtyard (also called the main courtyard), and a rear courtyard. The round-faced eunuch led Cheng Qianyue through two gates to the east side hall of the rear courtyard and handed her over to a palace maid.
Cheng Qianyue had several pouches in her sleeve. She hadn't had a chance to give them to the eunuchs while they were talking, so she quickly took out two and stuffed them into the hands of the round-faced eunuch.
Lin Quan'an immediately took the purse and left her with a message before leaving: "Granny Shuang may be coming soon, so please get ready to pay your respects to the Fujin."
After he left, the palace maid Ruoyun busied herself with redoing her hair and makeup. Cheng Qianyue didn't even have time to look around her side hall. As soon as she put her bundle on the table, Ruoyun invited her to the dressing table in the inner room, where she let her hair down, combed it carefully, and then put it all up in a bun.
Cheng Qianyue sat there, took out another purse from her sleeve, looked at Ruoyun's face and pondered her age, guessing that she was about the same age as herself, and said, "This is for my sister."
Ruoyun quickly knelt down and accepted the gift with both hands. "This servant, Ruoyun, dares not accept the title of 'elder sister' from you. Please just call me by my name."
Cheng Qianyue suddenly realized. Oh, she had gotten used to living in the three northeastern palaces, calling older women "nanny," those of similar age "aunt," and palace maids "sister." She hadn't changed it yet and smiled embarrassedly.
Before long, a maidservant arrived at the east side hall; she must be the Maidservant Shuang the little eunuch had mentioned. Maidservant Shuang entered, bowed, and upon seeing Cheng Qianyue doing her makeup, smiled with satisfaction.
Cheng Qianyue was combing her hair and couldn't move, so she could only say, "Please excuse my poor appearance, Granny."
Granny Shuang said, "This servant wouldn't dare. This servant is the governess of the Fujin. I will take you to the front to pay your respects to the Fujin in a moment." As she spoke, she carefully explained to her the etiquette for meeting the Fujin.
Cheng Qianyue listened attentively, and after she finished dressing, she followed her to the main hall of the main courtyard, which was the residence of the Second Princess Consort.
The former Crown Princess, of the Guarjia clan, could no longer be called the Crown Princess because the Crown Prince had been deposed. Everyone in the courtyard addressed her as the Second Princess Consort, according to the princes' ranking. She sat dignified and solemnly above, like the Guanyin Bodhisattva in a Buddhist temple, neither sad nor happy, and softly said to the nanny Shuang who came to report, "Please invite Cheng Jia into the palace."
Cheng Qianyue walked step by step into the hall, only to find the main hall eerily quiet, as if each step she took echoed. She immediately knelt down and bowed, saying, "This servant, Cheng Jia, greets Your Highness. May Your Highness be well."
A moment later, a refined voice came from above, "Rise, and be seated."
Cheng Qianyue was helped up by Ruoyun and sat down obediently on the corner of the chair.
The princess consort gave her a look that seemed both real and feigned, and then said, "Once you enter Xian'an Palace, serve the Second Master well from now on."
Cheng Qianyue rose again, bowed, and said, "This servant will respectfully follow the teachings of the Fujin." After she finished speaking, she stood up again and saw that Granny Shuang gave her a wink. She immediately knew that this meant she was to take her leave.
After she left, the Fujin asked Granny Shuang, "How old did you say she was?"
Granny Shuang hurriedly replied, "Reporting to Madam, Cheng Jia is sixteen years old this year."
"Sixteen." She's such a beautiful young woman, like a flower bud. The Fujin couldn't help but sigh and said to her, "Give her thirty percent more than the gifts you gave to Li Jia and Lin Jia on their wedding day."
Granny Shuang hesitated for a moment, "Madam, both of those princesses have given birth to children. Isn't it inappropriate to give the new princess a larger reward than the original ones?"
The princess consort simply said, "Granny, this is a princess personally chosen by His Majesty." Since the crown prince had already been deposed, at this time, they had to fawn over anything given by the Qianqing Palace, whether it was a person or an object, in order to show their loyalty to the emperor.
Granny Shuang dared not speak.
The princess thought for a moment and then said, "Arrange for Lady Chengjia to serve tea at the front tonight."
Cheng Qianyue left the main hall and walked towards her own courtyard at the back, but after taking two steps, she stopped, remembering the palace rules, and asked Ruoyun, "Who else lives in Xian'an Palace?"
Ruoyun replied, "Two princesses also live in the east and west side halls of the main courtyard. They were appointed by His Majesty before the prince's wedding."
Oh, so these must be your seniors. In modern times, you'd get to know everyone on your first day at a company, right? It's probably the same in the palace, isn't it? Cheng Qianyue was a little unsure, and said softly, "Do you think I should go and say hello to them?"
Ruoyun thought for a moment before replying, "That's right. Then, Princess, come with me. I'll go ask the maids serving the other two princesses first."
Cheng Qianyue followed her to the entrance of the East Palace, where Consort Li Jia lived. Consort Li had been favored in her early years and had given birth to three children, but unfortunately only one prince, Hongxi, survived. Cheng Qianyue stood outside for a short while before a palace maid from the East Palace came out and said, "Our Consort is chanting scriptures and probably has no time to see Consort Cheng."
Cheng Qianyue wasn't angry at being turned away. She squatted down and bowed to the inside, saying, "Then I won't disturb Princess Li any longer."
After paying her respects here, she went to the side hall to the west, where Lady Lin Jia lived. She had only given birth to one son, the Second Prince Hongjin. Lady Lin did not turn her away; she invited her in for a cup of tea before having a maid escort her out.
Now that she had finished seeing the guests, she could finally go back to her room to rest. Cheng Qianyue sat down and let out a long sigh of relief. But that wasn't the end of it. In the evening, Granny Shuang came over again and told her not to eat too much for dinner. After the eunuch brought her water to bathe and put on makeup, she should go to the front yard to serve tea to the Second Prince.
Cheng Qianyue:
A note from the author:
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Next book to be pre-order: "Someone Is Always Trying to Harm Me"
Copywriting:
Xiao Lingyu had barely won the Best Actress award when she was transported to another world. The moment she opened her eyes, she found herself in an antique-style mourning hall. She shakily crawled out of the coffin, exchanging bewildered glances with a group of officials offering their condolences. Before she could even speak, she coughed up a mouthful of black blood.
Xiao Lingyu: What the heck?! Am I poisoned?!
Then, a huge crowd surged over, all addressing her as princess.
Xiao Lingyu: ......
After understanding the situation, Xiao Lingyu had a headache. There was good news and bad news. The good news was that the original owner of this body held an extremely high status; she was a princess appointed by the late emperor and had wielded great power for over five years. The bad news was that the princess had many enemies in court, and this poisoning was a case of plotting against her, with the culprit still unknown.
Xiao Lingyu: This is a cursed start!
But what could she do? To avoid dying again, she decided to play the role of a powerful princess. But things took a strange turn. A casual order she gave revealed the spy among her accomplices, and a seemingly ordinary action drew out her political enemies.
Everyone: As expected of Her Highness the Princess, she is resourceful and handles things with ease.
Xiao Lingyu: ......
Q: What should I do if everyone thinks she's unfathomable?
Hey, what do you suggest we do?
Whatever happens, happens, at least another day has passed!
The story is currently being drafted and is a lighthearted political intrigue novel. Those interested should bookmark it in advance! [doge emoji]
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