Five

"Tomorrow, then." The noble lady pondered for a moment, "I see that tomorrow is a good day, and I will have to trouble An Da to make another trip then."

The noble lady quickly replied, "I dare not accept such praise. Is An Da here this time with a decree?"

Early in the morning, shrouded in mist, a branch of the pomegranate tree at the end of the corridor stretches in through the gap of the beauty's resting place. The dew that has gathered on the leaves throughout the night is brushed against as she passes by, causing droplets to splatter onto the hem of her skirt, leaving behind a sprinkling of water droplets.

The noble lady said, "It is appropriate, 'If one is well-versed, one should not complain about the scarcity; even if one receives a reward, it is still acceptable.'"

Lord Na nodded repeatedly, "Certainly, certainly..."

Dong Fuxiang reluctantly accepted it, and his tone softened a bit, "Well then, when do you expect to be ready? I need to report back so that I can take the young lady into the palace to have some fun."

In fact, there is not much to pack; just some personal items and a change of clothes will suffice. A few days ago, she was relieved to have escaped the selection process, avoiding the plunge into that great dye vat, but just a few days later, the palace has exceptionally decided to take her in. She is relatively at ease regarding her family; her mother gets along well with the concubine, and since she is entering the palace, the concubine is likely to elevate the status of the side concubine even more. The only thing that weighs on her mind is the marriage with the Hai family; to abandon it midway is truly unfair to Hai Yintai. It is not that she has deep feelings, but rather that she feels she has let down this good match, rendering herself unreliable, which leaves her with a heavy heart.

Yingming was arranging breakfast with her sister-in-law, who winked at her and said, "I have yet to meet the new brother-in-law."

This time, the noble lady was completely taken aback, staring in astonishment as she looked at Yingming and Houzai's wives one by one, "What on earth... who has come at this hour?"

Finally, after bowing in farewell to her parents, she turned and sat into the sedan chair. The moment the curtain of the sedan was lowered, she felt as if she had plunged into brine, leaving only herself behind.

The noble lady finished sipping her tea, and the fog in the sky had cleared significantly. She glanced outside and said, "The weather is quite nice. I had Mr. Zhao check the almanac yesterday, and the sixteenth of next month is an exceptionally auspicious day."

Yingming has performed exceptionally well in this regard; her temperament is calm and steady, unlike the third girl who is as restless as a monkey with a lamp. Therefore, the Fujin places great importance on her. When it comes to discussing matters in detail, the Fujin is not easy to deal with. When the daughter-in-law of the Hou family first entered the household, she was punished for accidentally pointing the smoking pipe at someone while offering a cigarette. The Fujin ordered her to clean all the copper items in the house, from the incense burner to the candle holders and the bowls and dishes, commanding that everything be brought before her for cleaning, with not a single item allowed to be overlooked.

Dong Fuqiang turned around and lifted the curtain of the sedan chair, "Second Miss, please."

With a gentle tone that did not wish to hurt her feelings, he smiled and said: "Once she is out, we can find another. The Empress Dowager has gilded her, and we can match her with a more promising son-in-law."

The sound of a gentle chirp is merely laughter, "An ordinary person, with one nose and two eyes"

The secondary consort's mind was still in a state of confusion, and she even harbored fantasies, "What if I only stay in the palace for two days and then am let out again..."

Yingming was at a loss due to her antics and said that when the person arrives, he should ask him to serve tea to his sister-in-law

But what can be done? A mother-in-law is just a mother-in-law, not a mother from one's own family. When visiting the mother-in-law's home, one must endure some adjustments. However, if you handle things more adeptly and are more diligent, the mother-in-law will not make things difficult for you. After all, they have married a daughter-in-law, not a servant.

Currently, we are still in the mourning period for Empress Xiaohui, and to act in this manner seems rather hasty. The noble lady fiddled with her prayer beads and murmured, "Given the situation, it appears that one is to temporarily remain by the side of the Empress Dowager to serve her, awaiting future rewards. In any case, there is no way out this time; if a word is spoken from within, we can only resign ourselves to fate." After saying this, she patted Yingming's hand, "You are destined to enter the palace; after all, you were born into our family. To take a step back, this is actually a good outcome. The first-ranked loyal and brave Duke Yisiha comes from a banner family, and even his daughter, when she is summoned, must remain in the palace to serve those concubines. What promises or noble titles, even those of the fourth or fifth rank in the family, are still masters in front of her; just think how much grievance that entails. But what can be done? The ancestral rules are like this; staying in the Empress Dowager's palace is better than being in the concubines' quarters, at least there is some hope.

The noble lady said to go, her eyes filled with compassion

Yingming stood there in a daze, saying nothing. At this point, there truly seemed to be no way out. She bowed to the noble lady and said, "I will return to my room first to tidy up."

"Alright then," Dong Fuxiang replied loudly, and taking the opportunity, he added, "Let it be decided for tomorrow. I take my leave, please stay."

While she had not yet set off, she took one last look! She reached out to lift the curtain hanging by the window, and in the moment the curtain was raised, she noticed a person standing under the large banyan tree not far away, holding an umbrella and gazing at her with a look of longing.

After listening to these words, I roughly understand what my fate will be. With a sigh that reaches my heels, I did not expect that despite my hurried efforts, I still cannot escape this calamity. The Empress Dowager is very shrewd in her dealings; she does not force you into the palace but makes you weigh your own worth. At this moment, it is no longer a matter of her willingness, but whether the Eqi Li clan dares to defy the wishes of the Old Buddha. Although her heart is completely cold, she cannot show it on her face, so she can only force a smile and crouch down to show her respect, saying: "Thank you, Old Buddha, for your concern. Now that spring has arrived, I dare not run around aimlessly. In my spare time, I practice my calligraphy and read books. This servant is quite well, and it is a blessing for this servant that the Old Buddha thinks of me. I will definitely go to the palace later to bow to the Old Buddha and keep her company."

The sound of a gentle coo or a cheerful laugh reveals no trace of irreversible sorrow. Displaying one's troubles on the face does not alleviate the current predicament. Crying and wailing only serve to worry one's parents, failing to evoke sympathy from others.

The noble lady let out a sound, and the well-endowed young mistress had already brought over the silver, presenting it with both hands respectfully, smiling as she said: "Thank you for your efforts in conveying the message, please take this and enjoy some tea."

When there is money involved, naturally everything can be discussed. However, one must still decline on the surface. Dong Fuqiang waved his hand and said, "What does the Fujin take me for? It's just a matter of two sentences, yet it is so... that it would make people laugh."

Sister-in-law does not agree, "We all have one nose and two eyes, but whether we are well-built or not is a matter of great knowledge."

The eunuch Dong said, "It is the Empress Dowager who sent the servant to visit the second young lady at your residence. Last time, the Empress Dowager summoned the second young lady to the Cining Palace for a conversation, and afterwards, she often praised the second young lady for being clever and sensible. The Empress Dowager said, 'If you like that child, just bring her into the palace.' The Empress Dowager is willing, but she has her doubts, saying, 'It is not easy for the noble family to raise a child to this age. Just because I like her, if I bring her in, she will have to follow all these old rules, and I worry that her parents might not be comfortable with it.'" While saying this, she laughed, "But in the end, she cannot let go. So today, she ordered the servant to come and bring good wishes to the noble lord and the lady. Let's take a look at the second young lady; what is she busy with? Is her health good?" The Empress Dowager is willing, but she has her doubts, saying, 'It is not easy for the noble family to raise a child to this age. Just because I like her, if I bring her in, she will have to follow all these old rules, and I worry that her parents might not be comfortable with it.'" While saying this, she laughed, "But in the end, she cannot let go. So today, she ordered the servant to come and bring good wishes to the noble lord and the lady. Let's take a look at the second young lady; what is she busy with? Is her health good?"

The noble lady understood and nodded, saying, "What you say is reasonable. The fact that the child can serve the Empress Dowager is indeed a blessing from our ancestors. Given your familiarity with the situation, you must have worked hard early this morning and probably haven't had anything to eat. I will have someone prepare some food for you right away. You should eat first, and then we can discuss the matters that follow."

Dong Fuqiang reassured, "The servant and the lord are old acquaintances. Even if you do not instruct me, I cannot stand idly by, can I? Rest assured, the young lady will not go wrong in the palace. I am counting on the young lady's rise to help me in the future, so I will be fully dedicated to this matter."

The smile of the eunuch Dong grew wider, "The young lady is truly pleasing, and the Empress Dowager has been well taught, which is why she is so fond of her. From what I see, the young lady should prepare to enter the palace and accompany the Old Buddha for a while. The Old Buddha is getting on in years and has a particular fondness for girls. Previously, the daughters of Prince An and Prince Yu often entered the palace, but unfortunately, both of them have since married, and the Old Buddha cannot disrupt their little families, resulting in a much quieter palace than before. The second young lady is favored by the Old Buddha; if she were to enter, the palace would become lively again. You see, being by the side of the Empress Dowager, who would worry about losing face in the future? This is a fortunate opportunity that many families long for; if it were me, I would climb up the ladder even without shoes."

There is no banquet that does not eventually disperse, and the same goes for parents and children. The next day, Eunuch Dong came to escort the person, and Lord Na generously offered a substantial gift. He earnestly instructed several times: "The child has not served in front of the master before, and once in the palace, they may be at a loss. I entrust everything to you, please take care of them. At critical moments, offer guidance, as it could save the entire Na family."

Just as I was about to attend to the noble lady, a young boy messenger ran into the courtyard, standing at the steps and shouting, "A message has arrived." The maid from the main room lifted the curtain and went out to inquire about the matter. The young boy pointed towards the front courtyard and said, "Someone from the palace has come."

What is even more infuriating is that one is brought into the palace like this, what does it even mean? The selection process at least has some rationale; upon reaching the age of twenty-five, one must leave the palace. This does not even qualify as a selection, let alone a formal appointment, it is utterly disrespectful and a great insult to people

For a moment, she felt like crying, but she could not. From now on, she feared she would no longer have the right to shed tears. Since she could not cry, she could only respond with a smile. She was unaware of how unappealing her smile looked, and then, in a hurry, she lowered the curtain of the sedan chair

Dong Fuqiang raised his hand and said, "Your Highness, please do not stand on ceremony; I have already partaken. We are all here to share the burdens of the Empress Dowager, so there is no need to discuss any hardships or labors."

The daughters of the Qi family are very disciplined, rarely sleeping in until the sun is high in the sky. Unless they are too ill to get out of bed, they must adhere to the morning and evening rituals in front of their parents, without exception. Additionally, they must serve their stepmothers, and the maids take care of their grooming and dressing, while they must stand by to lend a hand when appropriate. Skills such as wringing out a handkerchief in a copper basin, serving tea, and passing water after the mistress has finished brushing her teeth are things one must learn while still at their parental home. According to the mistress, it is better to endure a beating at one's parental home than to face scolding at the in-laws'. When scolded, there are no kind words; not only do you lose face, but your parents also suffer the consequences.

The noble consort hurried to the front hall, initially thinking there was an imperial decree. However, upon closer inspection, it did not seem to be the case. This time, only two eunuchs had come; one was wearing a cap, while the other, with a slender waist, attended him. Upon seeing her, they stepped forward to pay their respects, saying, "I am Dong Fuxiang, the steward of Cining Palace, here to convey auspicious greetings to the noble consort."

The daughter-in-law, with tears in her eyes, said: "I have done this at my mother's house for a long time! My mother wouldn't even let me twist my own nails..."

Regardless of what is being discussed in the palace, it is imperative to go out and greet the guests first

The secondary consort smiled helplessly, knowing her own daughter well. Yingming was never a child to worry about; she had a big heart. Having a big heart has its advantages; when faced with a narrow path, she was willing to sidestep, avoiding the situation where one would frown and bump into things, resulting in a bruised nose and swollen face

When the side concubine arrived, she specifically instructed to convey her apologies to Third Master, saying, "Return all the gifts, we cannot delay others. Also, please return that olive pit to him; since I am not marrying him, I cannot take his things for nothing."

Everyone watched as Eunuch Dong stepped out of the door with measured strides, while the Side Consort, who had been listening for a long time nearby, shook her head in dismay, saying: "It cannot be retained... it cannot be retained..."