Chapter 5, Night Makeup

There are indeed several types of lip balms, which seem to be varieties from the imperial court of years past. Qin Changge recalls that during her time in the palace, there were as many as sixteen popular lip balms, including "Pomegranate Beauty, Great Red Spring, Little Red Spring, Tender Wu Fragrance, Half Side Beauty, Ten Thousand Gold Red, Holy Sand Heart, Dewdrop, Inner Family Round, Heavenly Palace Clever, Luo Er Yin, Light Red Heart, Gorilla Blush, Little Zhu Long, Ge Shuang Tang, and Charming Flower Slave." Each has its own distinct color, adorning the myriad beauties of the harem. However, it is evident that the palace maids prefer subtle colors. Qin Changge rummaged through them and selected a water powder pink lip balm named "Heavenly Palace Clever." With a light press of her lips, her beauty was instantly enhanced.

Xiao Jin lost face and vented her anger on her daughter, no longer paying her any attention. Wen Chang was raised by the servants in the household, living in coarse clothing and simple food, never having experienced a single day of being a young lady

Having completed her makeup, she stands gracefully, the reflection in the mirror revealing a figure with raven-black hair and snow-white skin, her form as delicate as jade. She twirls lightly as if dancing, her silk garments fluttering softly. Upon closer inspection, there seems to be no striking color, yet her demeanor and elegance are exceptional, embodying a captivating and refined beauty. Her pair of enchanting eyes shimmer with myriad emotions, sparkling like shattered jade and glimmering gold, possessing a hint of allure, yet differing slightly from the ethereal charm of autumn waters.

Wenchang is the elder sister of Emperor Qianyuan, Xiao Jue, and the illegitimate daughter of the former Prince of Huainan, Xiao Jin. Being an illegitimate child is not uncommon in noble families; however, the issue lies with her mother, who, it is said, could not endure loneliness and ran away with a stableman just three years after giving birth to her.

Smile gently

Unfortunately, the good times did not last long; within a year, Song Xu passed away, and the princess became a widow

The palace maid let her hair down, tying it in a simple bun with black silk. Her hair was beautiful, flowing like water, simply styled into a spiral bun. A light-colored silk ribbon hung down from the bun, without any pearls or jewels. Her graceful demeanor perfectly matched the phrase: "The spiral bun holds fragrance, with dark brows in the morning light"

Upon hearing this, all the brothers fell silent, and no one dared to mock this martial enthusiast any longer. This remark quickly reached the ears of the old King of Huainan, who, being cautious and meticulous, was greatly enraged. He accused his son of acting absurdly and speaking foolishly, and he severely punished him, locking him in the woodshed for three days without food.

Xiao Jue is not favored, which can be attributed to the family traditions of the Xiao family. Xiao Jin values literature over martial prowess, believing that in chaotic times, military generals often meet untimely ends, while civil officials, with their moral integrity and literary contributions, are always in demand regardless of the era. No matter who rules the world, the respect for scholars is an inherent principle.

Every night, Wenchang would secretly sneak to the woodshed and push her meager meal through the crack of the door to her younger brother. When Xiao Jue asked her if she had eaten, Wenchang touched her stomach and smiled, nodding at her brother. After all, Xiao Jue was a boy, somewhat oblivious, and did not think much of it. He held the bowl and finished the meal without noticing the hungry gaze of his sister, who was watching the food disappear in the blink of an eye.

Those memories that should have been obliterated in the splendid and prosperous life of the Purple Palace and Dragon Tower, after enduring the trials and tribulations of these years, do they still remain in your recollection

A hint of crimson, resembling a fallen tear

They are merely ordinary playthings; what is strange is that for every pair of objects, only one remains

Xiao Jue panicked, holding her sister and calling out for a while, then randomly pinching her philtrum and the web of her hand, performing a chaotic rescue. Only then did Wenchang wake up. Naturally, Xiao Jue refused to eat the leftover food. The siblings pushed each other away for quite some time, and in the end, with tears in their eyes, they shared that bowl of leftover rice.

At this point, Xiao Jue could only lament his sister's unfortunate fate. It was said that a newly widowed princess should remain in the Central Plains to mourn for life. However, out of pity for his sister's loneliness, he specially built the Golden Ouzhou Palace for her and brought her back to the palace to live permanently. This was originally a profound act of kindness, yet it ultimately pushed her back into the fire pit.

Pian Sheng Wenchang possesses remarkable beauty, standing out among the daughters as a true gem. The princess and her other sisters naturally do not favor her, and the brothers treat her with less regard due to the distinctions between genders. Only her fourth brother, Xiao Jue, who is also of illegitimate birth and lost his mother early, shares a closer bond with her as they are both children who are not favored.

Having taken a bronze mirror, Qin Changge carefully examined the appearance of the person reflected in it. She flipped through the makeup box, finding little of value among the small palace maids. After some thought, Qin Changge took a brow stone and delicately traced along the upper edge of her brows. With a gentle lift at the tips, her expression instantly became more spirited and enchanting.

On the third day, as Xiao Jue had just eaten half, his sister fainted from hunger in front of him

Some people find it hard to believe.

Apply rouge to the palm and then to the cheeks, creating a thin layer, followed by a dusting of fragrant powder to achieve the flying cloud makeup

Thus, the sons of the Xiao family gathered together to discuss poetry and literature, appreciating music and composing verses. Only Xiao Jue, although he also read poetry and prose, would seize any opportunity to practice with swords and spears, desperately learning martial arts from the family’s martial instructors. His brothers mocked him, but he paid them no heed.

Yet unbeknownst to her, the deep favor of the Emperor only made the already unappreciated Wenchang's life in the palace increasingly difficult. The Empress Dowager and the Empress regarded her as a thorn in their eyes, wishing to remove her at the earliest opportunity. The concubines, observing the attitudes of the two palaces, naturally kept their distance. What was even more excessive was that Wenchang had reached the appropriate age for marriage, while princesses younger than her had already been matched by the two palaces. Only she remained, wasting her youth in the palace. Over time, Xiao Jue also found it strange and intended to arrange a marriage for her, but every candidate he proposed was blocked by the two palaces, claiming that the princess was unwilling and that a more suitable match must be sought. In Xiao Jue's heart, he believed that his sister was unworthy of anyone, so he simply entrusted the two palaces to pay more attention to her.

She kept her questions to herself, appearing weary. Upon seeing this, Jin Yun hurriedly took her leave, offering a few more words of advice before departing. Qin Changge listened to the sound of her footsteps fading away and slowly sat up.

That day marked the first birthday celebration after Wenchang's return to the palace as a widow. According to Wenchang's wishes, she considered herself an inauspicious person and did not want to disturb anyone. However, Xiao Jue remembered his sister's birthday and had the eunuchs distribute rewards early, including various silks, jewels, and rare treasures, which filled an entire hall.

Qin Changge tilted her head slightly, took a vibrant rouge, and gently dabbed it under her eyes

In the wardrobe, she rummaged through and found a primrose-colored short jacket, a cloud-tinged purple skirt, and a thin gauze skirt with fragments of gold, which was not suitable for low-ranking palace maids. Qin Changge took out a piece of delicate gold-threaded gauze, without any hesitation, she wielded the scissors to cut it into long strips, draping it over her shoulders and swirling her arms, the ribbons fluttering in the wind

There is a reason for its arrival

As the princess grew older, it became inappropriate for her to remain in the palace. After discussions between the two palaces and careful inquiries along with consultations of various texts, she was betrothed to Song Xu, the son of the Anfu Envoy of Zhongzhou, Song Yao. Song Xu had a certain reputation; it was said that he was handsome and skilled in poetry and literature, having achieved the status of a successful candidate at a young age, well-known throughout Zhongzhou. Upon hearing this, Xiao Jue was also pleased and promptly arranged the marriage. On the day of the wedding, it was a grand affair filled with splendor and luxury, with the princess's dowry being exceptionally generous, surpassing that of all other princesses, making it a truly magnificent wedding.

At that time, Qin Changge had not yet been conferred the title of Empress; she was merely the esteemed Consort Rui. She was not one to meddle in others' affairs, believing that if someone else stirred the tranquil waters of spring, it had nothing to do with her. However, Wenchang was different; there existed another connection between Wenchang and her, but that is a different story.

In the afternoon, the rewards from the two palaces were bestowed.

Once, when I was laughed at in a fit of anger, a ten-year-old child exclaimed: "What you are learning is merely the skill of bowing down to serve others as a subordinate. What I wish to learn, however, is the ability to rise above others and save the people from the chaos of a tumultuous world!"

This matter was conveyed to Qin Changge by Xiao Jue. He has been preoccupied with this half bowl of rice, mentioning it multiple times after ascending the throne. After his coronation, Wenchang was the first to receive the most significant rewards and titles among the princesses. Xiao Jue often expressed to the ministers and the imperial harem: "This is the grace of my one bowl of rice towards my elder sister."

I still remember three years ago, on the birthday of Princess Wenchang

As usual, awkward people, awkward days

Wenchang, Wenchang, do you still remember this outfit