Chapter 4, Yet Clear and Rainy

Wang Wang stood up nervously, and Shao Guifei also felt a bit afraid. The two of them stood side by side, exchanging glances, their hearts pounding incessantly.

Old Madam Jiang did not argue with her, but turned around and smiled, saying: "Who knows? There must be some inside story. It has been several decades since then, and Empress Yuwen did not leave behind any sons or daughters. Once a person has passed away, their maternal family can no longer reach them, so who still cares about those matters"

Wanwan was taken aback by his words, and after a long pause, she finally nodded hesitantly: "I understand, with so many officials and scholars in the court, how could I possibly be infatuated with a monster? Big brother, don't worry, Wanwan knows what is important and what is not."

The Empress Dowager sighed: "Earlier, your father hosted a grand banquet for the ministers, and at that time, you were only four or five years old, just a child, which could be excused. Now that you have grown up, it is inappropriate for you to show yourself publicly. The Emperor has good intentions and may have meant well, but he has not considered the matter thoroughly and it is not appropriate. " She turned to instruct the attendant beside her, "Inform the Emperor, just relay my exact words, and do not let the Princess attend the banquet. If there are suitable candidates, I will naturally keep an eye on them, so the Emperor need not worry about that."

Old Madam Jiang could hardly bear it, lamenting: "If you shake my old bones any more, they will fall apart! What could possibly go wrong? It must be that it does not agree with my constitution, which is why I am not allowed to enter the palace again. The Yuwen clan are from Qi, and the appearance of the Qi people is different from that of the people of the Central Plains. Moreover, those raised in the south have temperaments that do not match with one another."

Why is it goose blood instead of phoenix blood? Because the princess's phoenix is a half-hearted phoenix; once it leaves the Forbidden City, it becomes nothing at all

Have you seen Wang Nanyuan?

At the age of fifty-seven, she shook her head and said, "How old do you think I am? The last time Wang Jin from Nanyuan came to the capital to pay his respects, I hadn't even entered the palace yet!"

Although Wanwan did not like their open and covert struggles, and even more disliked being dragged into their competition, she had to maintain a smooth demeanor in public. With a smile, she said: "This is only natural, just a few rice dumplings, not worth much, but I cannot accept a return gift from the noble consort."

She ignored her and knelt down to pay her respects to the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager asked if she liked those things, and she sweetly replied, "As long as Mother thinks they are good, Wanwan likes them all. In a couple of days, it will be the Dragon Boat Festival, and the people in my palace are making red bean zongzi. I will present some for Mother to taste."

Wanwans wet nurse, Granny Jiang, brought a warm towel to wipe her face, saying as she wiped: "It's an old story, why ask about those things? Since the Emperor did not allow any marriage alliances, there must be a reason for it; you just need to obey."

Wanwan is a simple and pure person, who does not understand the need to hide or conceal her thoughts; whatever she has in her heart, she expresses with her words. When the Emperor brings up matters with her, she does not take them to heart unless death is imminent, and she continues to live her days, recounting the beauty of spring flowers and autumn moons. When she has free time, she discusses with the people below her how to burn incense, saying that the wisteria does not smell fragrant when first lit and that other spices must be added, even the most ordinary pine wood, which would make it particularly beautiful. Thus, she quietly goes to the garden of Cining Palace to find a pine tree, using a small makeup knife to pry off the bark. The blade slips and cuts her hand, and the second batch of incense in the Boshan furnace carries a hint of blood. She names this incense "Yanxue".

Wanwan smiled awkwardly and said: "Mother, I am still young, it is a bit early to discuss this. The Emperor is just being partial to me, allowing me to see the world, there is no other intention."

Wanwans said, at the right moment, Concubine Shao interjected, "Those who listen must also have a share; do not forget my Chengqian Palace later. I do not partake of Your Highness's hospitality for free; I will certainly return the favor to you."

With hands on her hips, she said: "It's not that easy, Grandfather (In the Ming Dynasty, eunuchs referred to the emperor as Grandfather). Grandfather has his own difficulties. Not to mention anything else, it's quite challenging to bring down a local gentry with a bit of money, let alone a feudal prince. They not only have wealth but also power; the feudal princes have troops at their command. If the rules are not established properly from the beginning, over time, it becomes a case of raising a tiger to trouble you."

As May approaches, the eve of the Dragon Boat Festival marks a seasonal transition. The palace is preparing for summer, and the Bureau of Attire has sent over newly made robes and summer ornaments, stating that the Empress Dowager has instructed to procure more. The eldest princess has grown taller; in just half a year, her skirts now hang at her calves. Coincidentally, this year a skilled tailor from outside has been invited, as the styles from within have become tiresome, so it is time to try on new designs. As for the ornaments, in winter one wears red gold and in summer jade; there are hairpins made of cordyceps, as well as hairpieces and earrings carved into pavilions and towers. Coincidentally, this year a skilled tailor from outside has been invited, as the styles from within have become tiresome, so it is time to try on new designs. As for the ornaments, in winter one wears red gold and in summer jade; there are hairpins made of cordyceps, as well as hairpieces and earrings carved into pavilions and towers.

Wuqihai let out a sigh: "My lord, although I have cleaned up, my mind is still that of a man. Just as a young lady is naturally fond of flowers and beauty, I have sworn brotherhood with one of the guards in the Jinyiwei, and I enjoy studying and playing with weapons. Occasionally, I can also gather some information about the current situation outside."

Everyone laughed at her, saying that she is still young and has not yet met a suitable person, claiming that she is unwilling to leave the palace. However, when she eventually finds a good prince consort, she may not even be willing to wait any longer.

Imperial Concubine Shao also regretted her earlier words, stammering, "These are merely my conjectures, and cannot be taken as certainties. Your Majesty, please do not take offense."

Upon entering the Yude Palace, the maidservant assisted in removing the bracelet. She turned to the side and asked, "Do you know the reason why there is no intermarriage between the palace and the Yuwen clan?"

Wanwan examined herself in the mirror, "Mother is an elder in the palace, she must know the reason behind it." A curious person wanting to explore the cause would undoubtedly try every possible means, and thus she shook her arm and acted coy, "Mother, please tell me in detail, what exactly happened between Concubine Yuwen and Emperor Qinzong that led to such an edict from him"

Concerns of Concubine Shao: "Your Highness, as you grow older, you become more understanding and likable. Just look at your height, it is clearly increasing, and you are already resembling a young lady. I have heard that for the Dragon Boat Festival banquet, His Majesty has specially permitted you to attend, perhaps with the intention of allowing you to choose a husband? In my opinion, the outer provinces are rather far; if you truly leave the capital, it would not be easy to return. The Empress Dowager has only you as her daughter, and if you marry far away, how will we ever see you again? I believe the outer provinces are indeed too far; if you truly leave the capital, it would not be easy to return. The Empress Dowager has only you as her daughter, and if you marry far away, how will we ever see you again? Our Emperor seems to have his own thoughts; even I am reluctant, yet he does not seem to take it to heart at all."

The Empress Dowager nodded, "Those two maids of yours are from the south; the zongzi from Jiangsu and Zhejiang are skillfully wrapped, while the ones here are quite inferior. The Emperor has a weak stomach and prefers to eat things made from glutinous rice. If he eats too much, he will suffer from acid reflux, so give him just a couple to taste for novelty's sake."

I only know that during the reign of His Majesty Qinzong, the last Yu Wen Guifei was born. After the Guifei passed away, His Majesty Qinzong issued an edict prohibiting Yu Wen males from marrying the empress and females from entering the palace, but I do not know the reason behind it

The Empress Dowager felt as heavy as water, "Marrying off to a distant place? A good princess, how could there be a reason to leave the capital? Even though she is not my biological daughter, I have watched her grow up since childhood. To send her so far away in one go, would it not make me feel guilty towards the late Emperor?"

Xiao You, however, felt that her troubles were not troubles at all. "Don't call for help; we can think of another way. It's just a matter of seeing what the South Garden Prince looks like, isn't it simple? Let Wu Qi find out which gate the princes enter the palace from; it will be either the East Hua Gate or the West Hua Gate. If we can't move freely in the inner courtyard of the Forbidden Palace, we can go there. I will help you change into a headscarf and a sunflower robe, and you can lower your head a bit while walking. Who would know you are the Princess? They would all take you for a eunuch."

Perhaps Empress Yuwen passed away due to homesickness, and Emperor Qinzong, unwilling to see other young women in his family follow the same tragic path as his beloved concubine, thus granted a special favor; this is also a possibility. She sat in front of the mirror, dismantling her own hairdo, repeatedly fiddling with a golden cicada and paulownia leaf hairpin in her hand. The high walls of the palace could not confine her imagination; she felt that behind every segment of history lies a hidden truth, and perhaps contemporary people have misunderstood it, as the reality is often more understandable than what is visible.

She did not argue, presenting one set of words while holding another set of thoughts. "Elder brother, rest assured, I am aware of the ancestral rules. The princess of the Murong family does not marry into the Yuwen clan. Although the Yuwen clan often has marital ties with the royal family, to this day, there have only been two women who have entered the palace as consorts."

Since Consort Yu has passed away due to illness, and there are no records of her being punished or relegated to the cold palace during her lifetime, it is evident that there must have been issues arising in the relationship between the two individuals

Wanwan entered the Cining Palace to express her gratitude, and coincidentally, Consort Shao was also present. Upon seeing her, a faint smile appeared at the corners of her lips, likely still displeased about the earlier incident.

Wanwan did not inquire further. The current Daye is quite peaceful. That King of Nanyuan, aside from being somewhat wealthy, has not made any significant mistakes in over two hundred years. It is said that he is the most tranquil among all the vassal kings. However, since he can attract the attention of the court, he must possess some exceptional qualities

Wanwan glanced at him and said, "As a eunuch, how do you know so much?"

The Empress Dowager had just washed her hands and was putting on a pearl-studded armor. Upon hearing the words of Consort Shao, she gasped in surprise. When she removed the armor and looked, she found that a nail about an inch long had been cleanly broken off at the root, and her face immediately turned pale. She adjusted her hand and threw the armor into the box, causing the hollowed-out engraved design to collide with the silver scissors, producing a muffled sound.

Wanwan sighed: "Being a girl is like this; once you step out the door, no one cares about you anymore. That's why I am unwilling to marry. At least in the palace, I have a place to stand. If I were to enter someone else's home, they might look down on me and refuse to feed me. I would feel too embarrassed to complain, and that would surely make life unbearable."

Due to the extremely small number of people, there is a sense of desolation, as if having accepted two concubines is already a great favor.

Wanwan felt a bit disappointed, as the Empress Dowager intended to intervene in her marriage, leaving her uncertain about which family she would ultimately be matched with. In truth, the Emperor had good intentions; it was just unfortunate that Concubine Shao spoke out of turn, disrupting her prospects.

After she returned, she threw a tantrum, sulking by the window. It was one thing not to be able to bask in the glory and join the excitement, and it was not particularly critical that she could not choose her own son-in-law, but it was a pity that she had no opportunity to see that Wang of Nanyuan. ... The Qiren with red eyebrows and green eyes probably looked like the one in the picture book, wrapped in fox fur from head to toe, with a large bronze gong hanging on his chest, and a mouth full of four rows of teeth ... . ... It is truly a pity not to be able to see such a living creature in person. The Qiren with red eyebrows and green eyes probably looked like the one in the picture book, wrapped in fox fur from head to toe, with a large bronze gong hanging on his chest, and a mouth full of four rows of teeth ... . ... It is truly a pity not to be able to see such a living creature in person.

Upon exiting the Qianqing Palace, I was still puzzled: "What is this Yuwen clan? Since the Emperor is wary of them, he could simply find a pretext to dismiss them from their positions."

The emperor seemed to be still uneasy, standing up and pacing back and forth in the warm pavilion with his hands clasped behind his back. The bronze Pixiu incense burner was emitting fragrant smoke, which floated lightly and swirled around the corners of his robe. While fiddling with a string of prayer beads, he spoke earnestly: "Jiangnan is a land of fish and rice. Initially, the Yuwen clan was granted fiefdom there to demonstrate the benevolence of Emperor Taizu. The Great Ye has unified the world for over 250 years now, and the Murong clan has occupied the imperial throne for how long, while the Yuwen clan has been nurturing their strength in Jiangnan for just as long. In fact, I have always wanted to reclaim their fiefdom, but have been hindered by a lack of opportunity. It is one thing to find a way to smoothly withdraw their fiefdoms, but to fill it back in is something I am a thousand times unwilling to do. You are my only sister, and you should be of one mind with me. Remember what you promised your elder brother today; the Yuwen clan is ultimately a grave threat. If you were to surrender, they would gain the upper hand, and your elder brother would lose his arm. Remember this well."