Section 5

The Empress Dowager finished reading the list of gifts and sat on the kang, copying it onto the post. Her knees were tightly pressed together, her upper body straight, and her head slightly tilted. The pen was held in her hand wrapped in white silk cloth, her palm gently cupped, and three fingers moved with remarkable dexterity. The Empress Dowager exchanged glances with Ta Mama, truly resembling a scholar engaged in study. Emperor Meiji held her in great favor, allowing her to study in the study room with her brothers, a skill honed since childhood, and her demeanor was beyond question.

The Empress Dowager rewarded her with a bowl of rock candy and silver fungus, "Has the Emperor come to see you recently?"

Jin Shu smiled faintly, "Ling Zi, it is truly my fortune to know you"

After finishing her hair, she looked into the diamond-shaped mirror. In the past, when she was in the servant's quarters, one person had prepared a triangular headscarf, and looking around, there were a room full of elderly women. Now, with her hair styled into a long braid, she appeared quite spirited. After all, a girl of fifteen or sixteen loves to be beautiful; she tugged at the corners of her clothes and patted down the wrinkles, checking herself from all angles, which made Lingzi laugh heartily, "Still looking? It's beautiful enough! Even this dog-shit color can be worn with such flair. When spring and summer come, and she changes to green, she'll know how to look beautiful!"

Both individuals felt uncomfortable upon hearing this. They never expected that she was actually the Imperial Princess of the Tai Chang from the previous dynasty. The Emperor of Da Ye had twelve sons; with so many sons, daughters were not particularly valued, and she was the only daughter. The kind of treatment she received, akin to the moon surrounded by stars, must have been extraordinarily favored! Now, with the family and country lost, she has been relegated to the Yeting to perform menial tasks. The disparity in treatment is not merely a matter of tens of thousands of miles; the suffering she endures is truly unimaginable.

The concubine covered her mouth and laughed, "The Empress Dowager is elevating this servant! Nowadays, in our Western Six, not only can I write, but there is also the esteemed Miss Jinshu in front of our ancestors! Mama Ta can manage people, and the palace ladies in Cining Palace are all as slender as green onions"

The Empress Dowager waved her hand and said, "After causing a commotion for half a day, I am also tired. You may kneel and take your leave! Tatu, see him off."

The Empress Dowager had taken a nap and upon waking, it was already late afternoon. Looking out through the large glass window, she saw that the person by the wall still stood with a straight back. The snow that had melted on the roof dripped down in streams from the eaves, mindlessly soaking her hair and cotton robe. The girl held her ground, standing like a stone statue, unwavering. The Empress Dowager asked Mama Ta: "How long has she been kneeling?"

Chunrong Dao: "The Empress Dowager has kept you to replace Lingzi, and Lingzi will take you out and then release you from the palace. For now, you will serve as a minor attendant and learn well from her. I will not reprimand you; just speak appropriately to whomever you meet, and be careful and patient. As for the rules regarding offering cigarettes, you can learn those gradually in the future"

Grandma Ta glanced at the copper hourglass, "It has been three hours."

Madam Ta interjected when Concubine Tong mentioned herself, saying: "My lady, please do not flatter me; it is all due to the cleverness of the young ladies."

The Empress Dowager possesses a compassionate heart akin to that of a Bodhisattva, and cannot bear to see others suffer. She sighed and said, "It is indeed difficult for her; having been delicately nurtured since childhood, it is truly pitiful for her to be in such a state now"

Chunrong took her to two small narrow rooms located slightly east of the south gate of the Tihe Hall. This was the residence of the attendants, a place where only those close to the Empress Dowager could reside. Someone went to the Imperial Household Department to fetch the attire of a palace maid, replacing her shabby servant's clothes. Lingzi poured her a cup of hot tea and said, "Go out to the corridor to drink your tea; there is a copper tea stove at the end of the corridor that burns continuously day and night."

The concubine said: "The ancestors are absolutely right! I am a person of straightforward disposition, with no hidden agendas in my heart. I believe that maintaining harmony with my sisters is the best approach."

The concubine smiled and said: "If I could truly be blessed with twins by the auspicious words of my ancestors, that would be the greatest fortune for me!"

"Look, I said you should come and replace me." Lingzi adjusted her vest, looking at her empty waist and gesturing with her hand, "It's a bit big. This was taken from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the waist is loose. When spring arrives in February, the Body and Palace will specifically assign someone to measure clothing sizes. At that time, let the master measure you carefully to save the trouble of alterations."

The brocade letter had frozen over, and the movements were so stiff that she could hardly speak. It took a great deal of effort for her to barely manage a bow, saying, "Thank you, Empress Dowager, for your grace." She wanted to lean against the wall to stand up, but her legs were so stiff that they wouldn't straighten. After struggling for a long time, she still couldn't get up. Lingzi supported her from behind, and Chunrong also reached out to help her. Despite her pitiful appearance, she still smiled and expressed her gratitude.

Jin Shu found it hard to comprehend why the Empress Dowager would keep her in the Cining Palace. Xiao Lingzi said, "Stop pondering over it; the Old Buddha has her own plans. Just be cautious in everything you do." Pointing at Chunrong, she teased, "This is Aunt Rong, the Empress Dowager's bedchamber attendant, a special rank among our palace maids!"

The appearance looks good, but it is uncertain how well it is written, so she was assisted by Grandma Ta to go and take a look. Her handwriting is elegant, with neat and tidy small characters throughout, resembling authentic small regular script. The Empress Dowager lightly curled the corners of her lips, appearing quite satisfied. Consort Tong also praised it from the side, to which she responded perfunctorily and continued to focus on copying. The Empress Dowager smiled at Consort Tong, saying, "Don't tease her, let's sit down and talk"

Lingzi is a straightforward person, and she said to Jinshu: "We are quite well here, and in time you will understand. The ancestors are very amiable, and the people below are not bad either, unlike other palaces where everyone seems to be wrapped in a layer of wax. As long as you exercise a bit of caution, you will be just fine. I will go and ask Mama Ta again, so that you can live with me. For now, we will squeeze together, but when spring comes and I let you out, you will have your own room then"

The Crown Prince lowered his arrow sleeve and followed the Tower Matron out of the side hall. From a distance, he saw the figure kneeling, paused for a moment, then turned back and grasped the Tower Matron's sleeve, whispering, "Mother..."

The Crown Prince said, "She will not ... ... "

The Empress Dowager felt increasingly touched, "Indeed! People often say that scholars are difficult to deal with, but you are an exception."

In the imperial harem, there are three thousand beauties revolving around a single man. Today, he sleeps with you, yet by tomorrow, he may forget your name. This is the sorrow of being within the palace. One cannot voice complaints; the husband is not solely yours, but belongs to everyone. What right do you have to feel discontent? Do not think that being pregnant grants you any privileges; the emperor has many children, with ten princes and fourteen princesses. Once the child is born, you will not have the chance to raise them yourself. With such a narrow perspective, fixated only on the small patch of ground before you, there is little motivation to even live. Therefore, one must come to terms with this reality; flowers do not bloom for a hundred days, everyone is the same, half a pound to eight ounces, what is there to complain about!

Chunrong felt a bit awkward. She entered the palace at the age of thirteen and had served for seven or eight years, having bowed to her masters and also received the kneeling respect of the young palace maids. However, this kind of situation was a first for her. The princess from the previous dynasty saluted her and referred to her as "Auntie," which made her feel somewhat embarrassed. It was not good to accept it, nor was it good to refuse. After a moment of modesty, she said to Lingzi, "You take her with you; I will go ahead. The Empress Dowager cannot be left unattended."

The tea and snacks were brought into the Shou Shan Fang, where the chief eunuch Cui Guixiang received the large tea box, and Mama Ta unveiled the yellow cloud dragon cover. The palace maids set up the kang table and tea table, while Cui Guixiang presented the beef bone marrow tea soup in front of the Empress Dowager. Various snacks were arranged on the rosewood tea table, untouched by the Empress Dowager, who only took a sip of the milk tea and said to the attending palace maid, "Chunrong, let her get up! Take her down to change her clothes, and have Lingzi help you with proper care."

Once, as I walked past the corridor, five or six young eunuchs were holding dusters, cleaning the dust and removing spider webs under the eaves. Upon seeing Lingzi approach, they hurriedly bowed, lowered their eyelids, and greeted her with "Greetings, Auntie." Little Lingzi ignored them and walked past with her head held high. Jinshu secretly laughed, thinking this was the power of being an aunt; indeed, she had suffered quite a bit from the aunts. Perhaps she should also thank the Crown Prince for his consideration, as there would be no need to alter the aunts' clothes in the future, though her own life seemed a bit precarious. Reflecting further, everything is predestined; those with a strong fate do not die easily. As long as one has done their best, that is enough.

Jin Shu was startled and hurriedly knelt down to bow, saying, "This servant deserves death!"

Jin Shu nodded woodenly and raised his head, saying: "Did you not say that one should not inquire about matters that should not be inquired about?"

The Empress Dowager looked at the table, and Jin Shu was still meticulously focused. The note was written long, hanging down slightly to the right. The Empress Dowager found it somewhat strange; for the past ten years, she had been in the Imperial Garden, where the work was both heavy and exhausting, leaving no time to read or practice calligraphy. How could such beautiful small characters be maintained in such a haphazard manner after not being written for so long? She asked Jin Shu, "Is there also such a writing task in the Imperial Garden?"

The Crown Prince sighed in gratitude and then reluctantly made his way out of the Cining Palace, turning back three times as he walked.

Jin Shu put down her pen and stood up, saying, "In response to the Old Buddha, sometimes the accounts for the servants' quarters need to be recorded. When the steward is busy, I instruct the servants to assist with the arrangements"

Jin Shu pondered for a moment; if he claimed to be able to write, he feared being caught in a lie, and if he said he could not, the consequences would be even worse. He could only respond: "To the Empress Dowager, I learned it in my youth, but my writing is not good."

With a slight bow, she responded with a "yes," then sat back down to pick up the pen and continued to transcribe.

Jin Shu paused for a moment and said: "It's nothing much, just that I've known him since we were young. He saw that I was working in the Yeting and felt sorry for me, so he wanted to arrange a lighter job for me"

Chunrong bent her leg and said, "The Empress Dowager has shown mercy, please get up quickly."

The Empress Dowager said to Consort Tong: "Have you discussed how to celebrate the first day of the new year?"

The Empress Dowager lowered her eyelids and said, "No wonder, it turns out that it has not been neglected for even a moment, and thus this fine calligraphy has not fallen into disuse."

The Empress Dowager, seeing her smiling gently with two faint dimples on her cheeks, found it quite pleasing to behold, so she allowed the Consort Tong to rest and took up the pen herself

Chunrong apologetically tapped Xiaoling, and Jinshu hurriedly bowed, saying, "I will definitely perform my duties well and will never bring shame to my aunt"

This Lingzi is a person who is very single-minded, unable to fathom the complexities within! Feng Liangdi is merely a pretext used by the Empress Dowager to test her, to see if she would be swayed. This fool actually took it seriously! It is impossible to clarify things with her, and moreover, the intentions of the Empress Dowager are not something that can be casually speculated or discussed! Jinshu pulled her along, "Hurry up, I will tell you more later."

In the palace, the thirtieth day is somewhat more grand than usual, but the first day of the new year is the real significant day. In the evening, there is a grand banquet, with the Emperor and Empress personally serving the food and pouring wine for the Empress Dowager and the Empress. The concubines are not qualified to attend and can only find ways to amuse themselves. They said to Tong Pin: "We have decided to go to Jianfu Palace, where Noble Consort Zhang will host us for a feast."

The cloud of sorrow in the eyes of the concubine flashed by, and she smiled again, saying: "The Emperor is busy with state affairs, and I have nothing of importance to attend to. I eat well and sleep well. If he cannot come himself, he often asks Li Yuguo to come and see me"

This question struck a nerve with Tong Pin. Ever since their brief encounter during the Wanshou Festival, that esteemed master had not visited Changchun Palace for quite some time. Occasionally, he would send the chief eunuch to inquire if there was anything lacking or needed to be arranged, while he himself remained hidden in Yangxin Hall, not showing his face. She had attempted to visit twice, hoping to see him, but was stopped by the eunuchs, who said she could not enter without the Emperor's orders. Later, she heard that the Emperor had recently favored several noble consorts from Yonghe Palace, even granting them the green headboard for three consecutive nights, which left her so furious that she lost all hope.

Lingzi blushed and said, "Please don't say that. I was being lazy and taking shortcuts; it was you who helped me shape the paper eyebrows. If we are to discuss it, I should be the one thanking you."

The Empress Dowager nodded and said, "You are a sensible child, understanding that your Emperor has a difficult path. People often say that contentment brings happiness, and it is with a broad mind like yours that one can thrive in the palace. If you constantly seek trouble for yourself, making life difficult for your own sake, and if you ruin your health, no one will pity you; it will simply be self-inflicted suffering."

Xiao Lingzi had a seemingly natural demeanor, "This is our business, it doesn't count as prying, does it? Just tell me, I won't tell anyone else."

The concubine settled into the hat chair, feeling somewhat uncomfortable, so she propped up her belly. The Empress Dowager remarked that one should not have an empty waist and instructed someone to roll up a mat for her to cushion herself. She then inquired, "It is said that this happened in February, how is it that you are so large now? Could it be twins? If that is the case, it would indeed be a great fortune. Among so many concubines in the palace, no one has ever given birth to twins. If you were to have two this time, you would be a great contributor, and you should be richly rewarded by our Emperor!"

Jin Shu entered and bowed to express her gratitude. The Empress Dowager saw her and did not say anything else, only asked: "Can you write? Your master should not be overworked; sitting for too long may be uncomfortable for the child."

The Empress Dowager waved her hand and said, "It's nothing, get up! This is something you've known since childhood, something that cannot be shaken off even if you fall. If you know it, you know it; I do not like others to deceive me. From now on, you will have new duties. Any posts or edicts that need to be issued will be entrusted to you."

The matriarch understood what he was about to say and patted his hand, saying: "Your Highness need not worry, I have it all under control."

Jin Shu still smiled shyly, and Ling Zi grabbed her hand and asked, "Is it still cold? Once it warms up, we will go to thank the Empress Dowager." After taking a few steps, she turned back and asked, "What is going on between you and the Crown Prince?"

Jin Shu smiled slightly and said, "What is there to thank for? This is simply my duty, so it is not worth your gratitude!"

"Then why are we talking about Feng Liangdi again?" Lingzi pressed on, "I still think that being with the Crown Prince is such a good thing, why aren't you responding?"

Upon entering the side hall of the Cining Palace, the Empress Dowager was reviewing the list of gifts, instructing the Concubine Tong from the Changchun Palace to draft a notice regarding the items sent back to her hometown in the southern garden for the festival. Most of the concubines and palace maids in the inner court were illiterate, and only Concubine Tong from the Western Six Courts could read and write, so the Empress Dowager summoned her through the eunuchs. It was a pity that Concubine Tong, being heavily pregnant, experienced back pain from sitting for too long; she could only write a few characters before needing to stand up and walk around, going back and forth, which was quite laborious.