Chapter 3, The Song of Ascending to Heaven

Cui Luohua paused for a moment and continued, "Emperor Mingyuan often emphasized that he despised the occurrence of unnatural deaths in the imperial harem. If such incidents were to happen again, it would certainly be related to the empress's negligence. After the favored consort was elevated to empress, there was peace in the harem for thirty-two years. This is comparable to a miracle in the harem of the Su family. Her husband respected her throughout their lives, and after her death, when the ministers discussed her posthumous title, they held her in high esteem: gentle, holy, virtuous, and respectful with few words."

"So it is the palace diagram." As she spoke, she pointed to the unique red flower at the center of the blue satin, "This is the Danxi Palace. To the west are three slightly smaller flowers, the red and white ones, which represent the Ningfang Palace, Ninghua Palace, and Dancui Palace. Those even smaller flowers are merely the various palaces and courtyards—" At this point, Su Ying suddenly paused, and a thought struck her: why do the colors of the imperial concubines' sleeping quarters differ

The autumn atmosphere of the palace does not arise from the clear azure sky stretching for miles or the trees turning from green to yellow, but rather from the chilling sensation that stealthily creeps up from the fingertips to the toes when one sits alone.

Su Ying could only bow and apologize: "It is my failure in discipline." She paused for a moment, then smiled gently: "I cannot believe that Your Majesty was also like this back in the day."

Su Ying was taken aback, holding her breath to see how she would continue to speak recklessly. The Emperor smiled gently, "Zhening, the Prime Minister is the pillar of the nation, and one must not be disrespectful to him"

The autumn air in the northern country is as ever, making one involuntarily fear the approaching winter. Su Ying wanders through the light and shadows of the palace, always wanting to reach out and grasp the increasingly faint sunlight. She can feel that she has begun to long for the past, yearning for the court she has heard about from others, which evokes a slight sense of longing in her. While listening, she only needs to indulge in her imagination, without having to bear its weight. As the court becomes clearer day by day, she gradually loses all interest.

Su Yingdao said "why not" and sighed, "This lady is indeed a remarkable person"

The silver-white embroidery thread is no longer as dazzling as it once was, but with a gentle touch of her fingertips, every white vine in the corners comes to life, and the entire piece of satin is firmly held by them ... Su Ying sighed, "Since there is such a method, why seek the difficult when the easy is available?"

The emperor seemed not to ponder this matter deeply, glanced at Cui Luohua, and nodded, saying: "Then let the Cui family handle it."

Occasionally

Today, he is still reading the scriptures, while Princess Zhenning sits on the footstool beside his bed, unexpectedly flipping through memorials. A few lanterns painted with chrysanthemums are discarded to the side, a box of chess pieces is scattered all over the floor, and a puppet tied with a red thread has rolled to Zhenning's feet, with memorials in disarray on the bed and the ground. Su Ying furrows her brow tightly, paying close attention to what she has to say.

Su Ying was taken aback, yet she walked away with a smile. The emperor, upon seeing this, comforted, "Children around ten years old are always like this; princesses are even less restrained than princes."

Su Ying nodded and, accompanied by the female officials, walked inside, already having made plans in her heart

Before returning to the Danxi Palace, she signaled with her eyes, and the female officials slowed their pace, deliberately falling behind, with only Cui Luohua and Wang Qiuying closely following her side. The three of them were several steps ahead, and Su Ying quietly asked Qiuying, "How does the Emperor look?" Seeing Qiuying shake her head, she sighed helplessly, her expression darkening as she continued, "Cui Bingyi will go to the princess tomorrow—be sure to find out who she has been associating with since leaving the palace, what audacity! Now she dares to incite her to discuss the Chancellor's merits and faults in front of the Emperor; who knows what she might do in the future." Cui Luohua nodded in agreement, and Su Ying added, "She is about to turn fourteen. It is about time to look for a steady and reliable prince consort."

"All of them have been reviewed by the Prime Minister." Zhen Ning casually tossed aside the memorial in his hand and picked up another one from beside him

Upon mentioning the term "Duke Consort," Cui Luohua's gaze flickered. Su Ying said sternly, "If you have something to say, speak it out."

Su Yingxin wondered: Why did the emperor choose her out of the entire harem?

Su Ying glanced at her, then silently walked a few steps forward, suddenly stopping to gaze at the vast sky. After looking for quite a while, she finally said with a forlorn expression: "Cui Bingyi, can those who walk the heavens truly sing at the pinnacle of the sky? I do not believe it. 'Song of Walking the Heavens' consists of only three characters, because the one who writes it cannot truly sing a song of celebration in their heart, right..." 'Song of Walking the Heavens' consists of only three characters, because the one who writes it cannot truly sing a song of celebration in their heart, right...

Su Ying felt a tremor in her heart, suddenly sensing a desolation: everyone was admiring the magnificent floral display, watching the spirited "Song of the Sky Walkers," yet no one noticed how lonely and desolate the color blue truly is; no matter what kind of flowers or songs, they cannot fill those voids.

Her father, the emperor, did not even glance at her, engrossed in reading his own scriptures

Cui Luohua said: "The first empress of Emperor Mingyuan passed away at a young age due to illness. For the selection of the second empress, the emperor initially favored the Yuanfei from the Ningfang Palace—thus, in this painting, she is represented as another red flower."

Zhen Ning muttered a few words in dissatisfaction, picked up her puppet, and said: "Father Emperor, do you think this puppet is fun? I am holding its string, and it is holding two small puppets. If I play like this for a hundred years, it might think it is the master of others, forgetting that I am here." As she spoke, she struck the head of the large puppet forcefully and threatened, "Do not be complacent! One day I will hold the strings of those two small puppets myself, don’t think I can’t."

The next day, Su Ying no longer found the embroidered curtain beautiful and indifferently said to Cui Luohua: "What is embroidered on this design is not the palace itself, but the master of the palace. It turns out that in the harem of Emperor Ming Yuan, there were also such distinct factions of red and white flowers blooming."

The Jade Shard Palace was the sleeping quarters of Empress Dowager Kangyu during her time as a consort, and it had remained unused for many years. After the emperor fell ill and sought tranquility, he simply moved in to reside there permanently. His every action has always been subject to speculation, and his choice to inhabit the Jade Shard Palace instead of the Danqian Palace has added much conjecture within the harem. During her visits, Consort Qin mentioned it several times, subtly suggesting that Suying advise the emperor to relocate to the Danqian Palace for his recovery. However, Suying believed that the affairs of the Danqian Palace had increased significantly, making it an unsuitable place for recuperation, and she refrained from mentioning the move in front of the emperor. She traveled daily between the two palaces, diligently serving, and gradually, everyone became accustomed to this arrangement.

Su Ying hung it in the palace, gazing at it until the first lights of the lanterns illuminated the surroundings. Appreciating beauty should be a joyful affair, yet the floral vines outlined by golden and silver threads on the satin shimmered in the flickering candlelight, resembling intertwined spells of wisteria, causing a flutter in her heart. Su Ying admired the exquisite craftsmanship, but still could not discern its hidden meaning. That night, a lingering thought occupied her mind, making her sleep uneasy. In the middle of the night, sensing something, she draped herself in a robe and, under the moonlight, looked again at the layers of entwined vines, and in an instant, she understood.

When I was smaller than Zhen Ning, I also disrespected my mother, thinking of myself as a noble of royal blood, while she was merely a woman of the emperor. The emperor showed warmth on his face, but did not elaborate much on the past, saying: "Zhen Ning still lacks someone who can manage her."

Su Yingxin said: The memorials are all reviewed by the Prime Minister, who then selects them to be submitted to the Emperor for approval. This ancestral system is well known to all, but it is unclear what the little princess intends to achieve by deliberately bringing it up

Cui Luohua turned her face towards Su Ying and smiled, "I cannot change my old habits, and I have spoken too much in front of Your Highness again..."

Su Yingqi said: "What words are so important? Even the eunuch cannot hear them?"

"Your Highness, it is Doctor Wu," Cui Luohua whispered behind Su Ying. Only then did Su Ying notice the elderly doctor approaching from the opposite direction. She straightened up with great spirit and smiled as she accepted the doctor's bow. However, when Doctor Wu saw Wang Qiuying, he revealed a hint of obvious disdain.

Cui Luohua pointed to the delicate and fragile red flowers on the embroidered canopy, which symbolize the original consort, and said: "Let the lamps in her palace burst, the water in the eaves overflow, the images and texts vanish, the incense deteriorate, and her garments lose their color... It is more difficult than poisoning her, cursing her, or framing her. These matters are managed by different palace officials, but the noble consort can make them all act together... She is not just a beautiful white flower, but also the center of all the silver vines on the embroidered scroll."

Dr. Wu has walked in the palace for many years and is quite adept at handling the questions of others. He replied tactfully: "Generally speaking, the mood of a patient should be kept light rather than heavy. Today, having Princess Zhenning by the side to attend to the illness is worth more than a hundred doses of medicine." He did not mention the Emperor's illness at all, clearly unwilling for Su Ying and Wang Qiuying to know.

I want to see Brother Xun's writing— I wonder how he has been lately. "Zhen Ning spoke clearly and loudly, and Su Ying certainly knew she was trying to make a point. Sure enough, she exclaimed again: 'Right here! Brother Xun has been winning battles and will be back soon, right?'

Su Ying, increasingly astonished, quietly retreated to the door and said to Eunuch Pan in a low voice, "Thank you, Eunuch." Eunuch Pan cleared his throat and raised his voice to announce his presence. Su Ying turned to Cui Luohua and asked, "Has the princess been sneaking out of the palace recently?"

Cui Luohua knew that Su Ying was going to visit the sick, and quietly reminded her: "Princess Zhenning took several chrysanthemum lanterns early in the morning to request the Emperor to paint. At this time, she is probably still lingering in the Yuxie Palace."

Su Ying suddenly realized that her hands and feet were numb, only to discover that she had been sitting in a daze for a long time. She slowly stood up and walked to the window, where the fiery red pomegranates caught her eye, suddenly evoking a sense of melancholy. Who once said: "Even with the ground covered in flowing clouds, it cannot prevent the chill of the day?" What had that person encountered when they spoke these words? Su Ying took a deep breath, casting aside her useless sorrow, and glanced outside the beaded curtain—while she was lost in thought, the female officials quietly retreated beyond the curtain, even the closest to her, Cui Luohua, did not dare to make a sound to disturb her. Su Ying took a deep breath, casting aside her useless sorrow, and glanced outside the beaded curtain—while she was lost in thought, the female officials quietly retreated beyond the curtain, even the closest to her, Cui Luohua, did not dare to make a sound to disturb her.

In her eyes, the court is not a series of palaces, but rather the pinnacle of the human world, a nine-tiered heaven intertwined with branches. Here, most people can only see the layer they are in, are not fully aware of what is happening below, and cannot entirely comprehend what is occurring above. Those who climb from below, stepping on the staircases made of flowering vines, often find it difficult to maintain their footing. Yet she succeeded, not only reaching the summit but also gaining a profound view of the nine heavens. She paused for a moment and continued: "Even so, she did not forget to restrain herself. Someone once told me that she originally intended to write songs on the back, but after writing just three characters, she put down her pen—after all, this is merely a staircase built on silk, and walking quietly is the right approach."

Su Ying deliberately asked him: "Is His Majesty in good spirits today? What medicine has been taken? Has it been taken on time?"

The embroidered blue satin in front is a tribute from King Ping. A few days ago, when King Ping presented it to the palace, he clearly appeared pleased, saying: "This was originally intended to be a family heirloom. I heard that the palace needs blue satin, so I took this opportunity to express my sentiments. The items from last year are surely more effective in warding off evil."

Eunuch Pan hurriedly smiled and said: "Your Highness, you flatter this humble servant..."

Upon the arrival of the Queen, Zhen Ning coldly performed a salute and then buried her head in reviewing the memorials. Su Ying feigned surprise and glanced at the Emperor, only to see him smile faintly and say lightly: "Zhen Ning, no more nonsense."

Cui Luohua recognized the item and said to Su Ying: "This was made by the needlework women in the palace during the reign of Emperor Mingyuan. Later, it was passed down to your grandmother, Princess Huihe." She smiled and added, "From above, one can see the entire court of that time!" Her words were profound, and Su Ying focused her attention to examine it closely. After a moment, she was secretly astonished: although the flowers were of various shapes, upon closer inspection, she could find that their arrangement seemed familiar.

The Ming Yuan Emperor lost his mother at a young age, which led him to harbor a particular hatred for the infighting among the concubines in the imperial harem. Cui Luohua replied calmly, "If the candidate for the position of the Empress were to die while the position remains vacant, it is possible that he would regard all the women in the harem as culprits and seek another Empress elsewhere"

Cui Luohua touched the piece of blue satin, "The grandmother of the current emperor, Empress Yijing, this is indeed the relic of that woman in the hands of the noble lady." Cui Luohua rolled up the blue curtain, revealing three characters written in ink on the back. The characters were not large, yet the brushwork was vigorous, exuding an extraordinary spirit. "Having achieved this in eight years since entering the palace, it is likely that Empress Yijing is quite proud of herself."

Su Ying did not take it to heart and did not find anything unusual about a piece of fabric with faded edges. When the three-foot-wide satin was spread out, Su Ying felt a bit ashamed of her poor eyesight: countless flowers in flowing gold and vibrant colors seemed to bloom all at once, fervent and dazzling, beautiful enough to captivate the soul. Although it had aged, the exquisite craftsmanship was still evident. ... The flower patterns were limited in variety, yet each had its own unique posture, competing for beauty, with intertwining branches that were intricate yet orderly ... . When the three-foot-wide satin was spread out, Su Ying felt a bit ashamed of her poor eyesight: countless flowers in flowing gold and vibrant colors seemed to bloom all at once, fervent and dazzling, beautiful enough to captivate the soul. Although it had aged, the exquisite craftsmanship was still evident. ... The flower patterns were limited in variety, yet each had its own unique posture, competing for beauty, with intertwining branches that were intricate yet orderly ... . ... It is not hard to imagine how striking a masterpiece this was back in the day.

Cui Luohua noticed her freeze and gently reminded her: "What the Empress sees is not the 'court', but merely the 'palace'." This statement left Su Ying speechless, and she scoffed: "Such a peculiar thing, I shall take a closer look at it."

Cui Luohua hurriedly replied: "It is merely a matter of hearsay, and I do not dare to confuse Your Highness's perception. Once there is a definitive conclusion, I will report back to Your Highness."

Did those spirited queens ever find themselves shrouded in azure melancholy

Su Ying took a few steps away, and in a voice that was neither too high nor too low, admonished the female official, "Do not be disrespectful!" She felt a bit annoyed with Doctor Wu as well. Upon reaching the entrance of the Yuxie Palace, she saw Eunuch Pan standing by the door, and only then did she smile and softly ask, "What is His Majesty doing at this hour? Why has even the eunuch been sent away?"

Su Ying just realized that she slipped out when there were many people around. She did not intend to ask where Cui Luohua had gone, but instead said to the outside, "Call Qiu Ying to accompany me to the Jade Flake Palace." A palace maid hurriedly retreated to the door and instructed the young eunuch in the corridor to summon Wang Qiu Ying.

The emperor's expression was slightly displeased, and Zhen Ning did not dare to act rashly. However, Su Ying could see that his gaze was gentle, as if saying: It's just a girl, let her be, what can it matter?

Su Ying instructed someone to organize the memorials and set them aside, while she slowly engaged him in casual conversation. Seeing that the Emperor had been entangled with Zhen Ning for quite a while and was already exhausted, she could not bear to let him exert himself any further. When the palace maid presented the medicinal soup, she personally served the Emperor and, after he had finished, she rose to take her leave

Empress Yijing. Su Ying let out a cold laugh, "Those women can only live numbly to old age, unable to seize the Danxi Palace from her hands, and dare not conspire under her gaze. Without a coveted target, there will naturally be no meaningless deaths"

Su Ying was just holding the young prince Rui Xin in the arms of a palace maid, not taking the words to heart. While teasing Rui Xin to make him laugh, she winked at Cui Luohua and said, "Sir, do you know what the first word I could say when I was little was?" Without waiting for Cui Luohua to respond, Su Ying continued, "It was 'father'. Perhaps my mother only taught me one word to please him." She then asked, "What do you think Ah Shou will say when he starts to speak? Will it be 'mother empress' or just 'mother'?" Perhaps my mother only taught me one word to please him. She then asked, "What do you think Ah Shou will say when he starts to speak? Will it be 'mother empress' or just 'mother'?"

Each queen has her own means, which is not surprising. The most important thing is that they all know how to become what their husbands need. " Cui Luohua lowered her eyes and spoke in a softer voice, "If they do not do this... they will fall from the heights of the heavens.

"Is it really Ning who drove the old man out?" Su Ying said with a smile, "I would like to hear what remarkable things she has to say in front of the Emperor. Old man, please do not report it."

Eunuch Pan has served two generations of emperors in the palace. Although his hair and eyebrows are all white, his pair of eyes still shines with vitality. Upon hearing the empress's question, he quickly bowed and replied: "I have just finished painting the lanterns and am currently speaking with the princess"

Seeing Cui Luohua in a daze, Su Ying smiled slyly. Just then, Wang Qiuying came in to pay her respects, so she set aside the conversation and took Rui Xin to visit her ailing husband

At this moment, she was awakened from her daze by the crisp voice of Zhen Ning. Su Ying pushed aside the embroidered curtain "Step to the Sky Song" and took two steps forward, silently standing behind a wooden screen. The screen was intricately carved with sixteen characters: "Pride should not be excessive, desires should not be followed, ambitions should not be fulfilled, and joy should not be extreme." The first time she saw it, she felt admiration. The second time, she felt sorrow: how exhausting it must be for a person deprived of the seven emotions and six desires. From the third time onward, it gradually became a habit; she no longer looked closely, but instead discovered other details: from the third "can" character, she could just see the emperor's bedside, and it was not easy for him to see her. She now always slowed her pace there, casting a quick glance: if he was asleep, she would lightly step in; if he was half-reclining and reading, she would enter with a smile; if he was reviewing memorials, she would wait beside him without glancing sideways. She now always slowed her pace there, casting a quick glance: if he was asleep, she would lightly step in; if he was half-reclining and reading, she would enter with a smile; if he was reviewing memorials, she would wait beside him without glancing sideways.

Su Ying was waiting for this opportunity, lowering her eyes to feign contemplation before raising her head and smiling, "The Lady Cui who once taught the princess is the elder sister of Cui Bingyi from Danxi Palace. I also received guidance from Cui Bingyi when I was young, and I benefited greatly from it. She should be of great assistance to the princess."

Zhen Ning pushed the memorial aside and leaned close to her father, saying, "Since everything has been taken care of by the Prime Minister, what is there for Father to do?" The Emperor did not respond, gently stroking her hair before lowering his head to read. Zhen Ning giggled as she snatched her father's book and hid it behind her, then asked, "The Most Sage and Most Wise Emperor Tianyou can only see what the Prime Minister wants you to see and hear what he wants you to hear. What is so entertaining about that?"

She, who has always approached matters with a sense of calm, spoke with an air of admiration, causing Su Ying to pay even more attention to the stories she recounted

A clever female official behind Su Ying immediately teased, "Such sweet words, the old physician should say them three or four more times in front of the little princess. Responding to the empress's question is not done in this manner." Her tone deliberately emphasized the words 'old' and 'young', mocking Physician Wu for flattering a little girl. Physician Wu smiled awkwardly but still did not reveal anything, bowing and taking his leave.

However, ever since the passing of the Empress, the Ningfang Palace has been plagued by a series of incidents, most of which are trivial matters: dozens of lamps in the palace have exploded one after another, causing quite a fright. Water has inexplicably overflowed in the palace. Books and albums that were originally in good condition have turned into blank sheets of paper upon a mere glance. The incense in the incense burner was added according to regulations, identical to that in other palaces, yet upon reaching the Ningfang Palace, it emitted a pungent odor and produced terrifying sounds. The blue garments removed at night suddenly transformed into an unsightly moss color by the next morning. The texture of the fabric felt the same as before, the patterns and cuts were distinctly those of the original piece, even the minute stitches were identical, yet the color had completely changed... No matter how the palace servants were punished, strange occurrences continued to arise. None of these incidents could be attributed to the innocent Yuanfei, but Emperor Mingyuan, being superstitious, believed them to be ominous. Gradually, rumors began to circulate that the deceased were causing mischief, and people started to suspect that Yuanfei was related to the deaths of the former consorts. However, this accusation could not be substantiated and was left unresolved. After a delay of two to three months, the final selection for the position of Empress was not Yuanfei, but the Guifei.

Eunuch Pan smiled as he lowered his head, while Su Ying stealthily entered the Jade Shard Palace.

Su Ying smiled gently as she carried Rui Xin forward, placing him into the Emperor's arms, allowing him to see that his grandson was safe and sound. There was a moment when she thought that his desire to see his grandson every other day was merely due to his boredom while bedridden. Later, she understood that he simply did not feel at ease entrusting the safety of the imperial grandson to her at such a critical time. She felt a twinge of envy towards the princess: this man on the sickbed never underestimated the Su family, yet he was wary of his own daughter. As long as he lived, Zhen Ning was truly a princess adored by millions. ... One day, when he ascended to the heavens, she would be nothing, while Zhen Ning would still be a princess ... She felt a twinge of envy towards the princess: this man on the sickbed never underestimated the Su family, yet he was wary of his own daughter. As long as he lived, Zhen Ning was truly a princess adored by millions. ... One day, when he ascended to the heavens, she would be nothing, while Zhen Ning would still be a princess ...

"The Song of the Steps to Heaven?" Su Ying quietly recited aloud.

Zhen Ning noticed that her father's thoughts were entirely focused on Rui Xin. She obediently picked up a doll and a lantern to take her leave. When she reached Su Ying's side, she blinked her big eyes and asked, "Your Highness, your brother is coming back soon. But I don't understand—what does 'sending to the capital' mean?"

About ten days ago, a monk whom the emperor trusted greatly said that the emperor's residence needed to be adorned with blue curtains, taking the homophone of "lan" to dispel the illness. For this seemingly dubious method of treatment, the Jade Flake Palace hung various shades of blue silk everywhere. Every time Su Ying entered, she felt as if she had suddenly fallen into a cold blue lake, causing her body and mind to shudder.

Cui Luohua wanted to say something, but her sleeve was gently tugged by Wang Qiuying. No one spoke again