“This time, I guarantee it, the young prince is really throwing a tantrum,” the palace maid whispered as she cautiously peered towards the excited young eunuch who had been spreading the news. She emphatically declared, “Not only is he stubbornly refusing to eat, but he’s also skipping his usual nap at this hour today! He’s pacing back and forth in the chamber, talking to himself with a distressed look on his face. This, this must mean he’s really on the Emperor’s mind!”
Due to a previous misinformation that led to a scolding from the eunuch, the young eunuch, though skeptical, was left speechless after hearing this and said, “It does seem like he’s taken quite an interest.”
“If the prince is not in good spirits, I’ll go and cheer him up,” the palace maid bowed and stepped into the inner chamber, speaking in a tone as if presenting a treasure. “Prince, please don’t turn around yet; my eyes are about to blur from turning so much. Come and see what this is. It’s a gift from the Emperor, and you’ve probably never seen it before!”
Oh? Upon hearing this, Yin Minglu graciously turned his gaze and saw the palace maid presenting two cylindrical objects. She eagerly introduced them, saying, “These are gifts from the Qin Meiren, and they are said to be little gadgets from the Western world. The one on the left is called a ‘kaleidoscope,’ and when you look inside with your eyes, you can see many beautiful glass flowers. The one on the right is called a ‘telescope.’ If you climb to a high place and look through it, you can see all the way from the Eastern Six Palaces to the Western Six Palaces. Prince, give it a try; you might even catch a glimpse of the Emperor.”
How could he have not seen these things before? Yin Minglu couldn’t help but curl his lips in amusement, but he still pretended to be unfamiliar with them and played with the items.
The palace maid, wearing a kind smile, watched the young prince closely. She saw him blinking curiously, alternating his delicate black eyes to look through the lenses. She chuckled in amazement, like an playful child who couldn’t put the gadget down. Then she looked around and said, “This thing is great; you can see very far with it. I’ll take it outside to have a look.”
With that, she picked up the single telescope and ran to the pavilion, “surveilling” the direction of the Chu Xiu Palace from afar.
Thinking he had misread the situation, the palace maid reminded him, “Prince, the Yangxin Palace is over there.”
“I know,” Yin Minglu casually replied, but in his mind, he was thinking that what the Emperor was up to was less important than monitoring the female lead. His eyes were almost glued to the lens, and once he locked onto the location of the Chu Xiu Palace, he kept adjusting the spiral until he finally got a clear view.
The group of women in the Chu Xiu Palace seemed to be having fun in the garden, engaging in some kind of activity. Among them, the female lead, Qin Manman, was the most conspicuous. The smile at the corner of her mouth seemed both triumphant and disdainful. She held a cup of tea in her hand, while the other women watched her, clearly too afraid to speak up. Sensing the intermittent state of the other system, Yin Minglu’s mind stirred, feeling that this was the perfect opportunity to make a move. He decisively headed towards the garden.
Meanwhile, the palace maid was completely baffled and had to go relay the news again.
In the garden, there was indeed a group of beautifully adorned ladies frolicking and admiring the flowers, each of them reciting poetry, showcasing their talents, and thoroughly enjoying themselves. However, the atmosphere took a sudden turn when Qin Manman unexpectedly entered, causing a noticeable tension in the surroundings.
Everyone looked at her with envy. Among the group of court ladies, most had become ordinary attendants, with only Wang Qiang receiving the title of the eighth rank1I was so damned confused with this one because they’re still palace maidens mind you and there’e no title or ranks for palace maidens so what the hell is this QAQ for her outstanding beauty. However, none of them could match Qin Manman in status. She had them all under her thumb, possessing more clever ideas to win the Emperor’s favor, and as a result, the rewards flowed into her residence like water.
The eunuch who had relayed the message had a booming voice, as if he feared they might miss any detail. These ladies lived in adjacent chambers, seeing each other every day, and as a result, jealousy had turned their hearts red with envy. They would do everything in their power to undermine each other as soon as they returned to their rooms. Little did they know that this was Xie Yan’s plan all along—to set up a living target, pretend to favor her, but actually divert his attention elsewhere.
“Hello, my dear sisters. Why didn’t you call me over when all of you were playing here? Composing poetry and songs is my specialty,” Qin Manman chuckled playfully, inadvertently revealing her magnificent attire. In the warm sunlight, she looked exceptionally elegant and splendid. “My dear sister Wang, take a look at my attire. This is the brocade bestowed upon me by the Emperor. Isn’t the fabric exquisite? It complements me perfectly.”
She knew very well that the purpose of this gathering, despite the sweltering heat, was to attract the Emperor’s attention. These women, with their poetic and ethereal appearances, were secretly hoping that the Emperor would pass by and spare them a glance. They all wanted to compete for his favor through sheer numbers. It was a foolish dream! If she didn’t come out and give them a little reminder, they might as well turn the place upside down with their antics.
The expressions of the ladies became slightly awkward, but inside, they were silently complaining, “We deliberately didn’t call you over, can’t you take a hint?” Most beautiful among them, Wang Qiang, was singled out and forced to respond with a forced smile. “Yes, this fabric does complement your complexion beautifully, dear sister.”
While she maintained a smiling appearance, her heart was seething with frustration. This fabric was so stunning that it would look good on anyone, even a sparrow would exude some peacock-like grace when wearing it. If someone naturally graceful like her wore it, she would undoubtedly look hundreds of times better than Qin Manman!
Because Qin Manman had arrived and outranked her in status, Wang Qiang had no choice but to step down from her position and take second place.
“Sisters, please don’t be reserved. Were you composing poetry earlier? I’d like to join as well. After all, I just came from the Emperor’s palace, and this sun is scorching. Finding some amusement is a good idea,” Qin Manman said, fanning herself with an embroidered hand fan and flaunting her connection with the Emperor. Her words successfully ignited flames of jealousy in the others’ eyes, yet they dared not show their anger openly. Instead, they had to suppress it, causing internal injuries. They hoped this three-sentences-auditioning-for-the-Emperor’s-favor little minx would fall out of favor soon.2I have no idea what this meant
One of the attendants sensed the tense atmosphere and quickly tried to mediate. She respectfully said, “We were composing poetry based on a given theme. It may be ordinary, but discussing it with our sisters is quite enjoyable. Qin sister, would you like to join us?”
With a sense of humility and reverence, she used the term “sister,” which made Qin Manman feel comfortable. She raised her finely arched eyebrows and pretended to be curious, asking, “What is the theme?”
This type of themed poetry gathering was quite common in the folk, and it usually had a good omen. The themes often revolved around topics like flowers, birds, wind, moon, homesickness, and family, and they were not deliberately designed to challenge participants. Therefore, it was a good opportunity for participants to prepare in advance and shine during the poetry gathering. Before Tang Bai released her poetry collection, Qin Manman had often participated in such gatherings in the capital city and was no stranger to this style of play.
“Dear sister, we just finished with ‘snow,’ and we’re currently working on ‘spring,'” another clever palace maiden replied sweetly.
“‘Spring’ as the theme, it’s so commonplace and lacks originality,” Qin Manman chuckled while covering her mouth. This remark made Wang Qiang, who had proposed the theme, grind her teeth in frustration. She could only force a smile and say, “Sister is right. When sisters gather, we can’t just admire our own work. We need to come up with a theme that’s both elegant and accessible to all!”
Recognizing Wang Qiang’s dissatisfaction, Qin Manman chose not to press further. Instead, she continued, “You’re absolutely right. Ordinary people write ordinary poetry. Sometimes, no matter how elegant we are, apart from the Emperor, we worry that there won’t be anyone else to appreciate it. In the end, it’s better to be a bit common and accommodating.” Just that morning, she had written a poem called “To the Oak Tree,” enclosed it in a delicate little box, and sent it to Emperor Jing. She wondered if her heartfelt and sincere confession would move him. Qin Manman’s words about being elegant and detached but still accommodating them seemed to be directed at Wang Qiang and the others, potentially making them so angry that they would breathe fire.
Wang Qiang’s face turned ugly, but Qin Manman continued to smile lightly. “Perfect! I’ve just thought of a poem that fits the theme perfectly. It includes both ‘snow’ and ‘spring,’ making up for the previous gap and giving us a fresh start with the new theme.”
Due to her reputation for plagiarism, the palace maidens who knew the truth discreetly rolled their eyes, doubting how much poetry and literary talent she truly possessed. However, they were unaware that, despite her reputation, Qin Manman could indeed produce a poem. She lightly twirled her little finger and adjusted her flowing locks, confident that she would dazzle everyone with her upcoming performance. She thought to herself with a satisfied smile, “Tang Bai probably doesn’t know that, apart from ancient poetry and literature, I have a modern treasure trove to exploit.”
So she deliberately furrowed her brow, pretending to be in deep thought as she took a few steps, reciting one line with each step, “Wind and rain bring spring’s return, Flying snow welcomes spring’s arrival…”
The opening lines were nothing special, and the faces of the other women remained composed, which made Qin Manman sneer. She anticipated their dumbfounded reactions as the poem progressed. The poem’s imagery was excellent, and in this particular setting, it was perfect for subtly mocking the women competing for favor while highlighting her own purity and elegance.
However, before she could reach the climax of the poem, a bright yellow figure appeared at the entrance to the garden, completely diverting the attention of the other women.
They hadn’t expected Xie Yan’s arrival, and all of them gasped in surprise, showing joyous expressions as they kneeled and greeted him with sweet and melodious voices. The Emperor’s grace and demeanor surpassed all others, rendering the blossoms on the branches dull and lifeless. The birds and swallows all surrounded him, and for the moment, no one cared about what Qin Manman was reciting.
Qin Manman held her breath. Objectively speaking, she was delighted that Xie Yan had come, but in this situation, she wished even more that she could finish reciting her poem and make a grand impression, proving wrong the group of people who always said she lacked literary talent. Besides, if she had known that Emperor Jing was coming, she could have prepared accordingly, acting impressively while also gaining his favor. Instead, her poetry was interrupted halfway, and with the Emperor’s appearance, she wanted to approach, but the women around him left her with no opportunity to cut in.
In her heart, she complained about the system not notifying her in advance. She called out a few times, but aside from the buzzing sound of electrical currents, she received no response. She silently cursed, “This darn system! It’s always giving me a ton of lectures, but when I need it the most, it decides to malfunction!”
Completely unaware that her system had crashed due to radio interference while she was engaged in verbal sparring with others, a eunuch dressed in crimson attire, with rosy lips and white teeth, slipped through the peony bushes.
Xie Yan had a tall and imposing figure. Just standing there, his proud demeanor could easily steal the breath of those around him, inspiring boundless admiration.
Amid the enraptured gazes of the onlookers, he wore a cold expression as his phoenix-like eyes surveyed the garden, as if he were searching for something, showing clear impatience. Seizing an opportunity, Wang Qiang mustered up her courage and asked in a coquettish voice, “Your Majesty, are you looking for something? Or perhaps a rare little pet? Your Majesty, please tell us, and we shall help you find it.”
The other attendants nodded in agreement, thinking that Emperor Jing might be searching for a small cat or dog that had accidentally run away from his care. After all, these little animals were known to love hiding in such places.
As pairs of embroidered shoes passed by him while they searched for the supposed pet, Yin Mingluo couldn’t help but wish he could shrink his body and fold his face into a bitter gourd expression, feeling a deep sense of despair. He didn’t understand why Emperor Jing always arrived so quickly, as if he were catching an adulterer. When these attendants suddenly unearthed a man dressed as a eunuch from the bushes, he would be hard-pressed to explain himself.
As they were getting dangerously close to his hiding spot, Xie Yan suddenly spoke up, “No need to search. It’s probably not here.”
Upon hearing this, the group of attendants stopped their extensive search.
Yin Minglu let out a small sigh of relief, unaware that his trembling hand had been exposed to the man’s gaze, appearing pitifully amidst the lush greenery of the bushes.
Imagining the person hiding in the thicket, perhaps biting their lip with tears welling up in their eyes, trembling with fear, Xie Yan’s initially fierce heart suddenly softened, overwhelming his anger.
Author’s Note: Thank you to the angels who voted for me or provided nourishing drops for this story~
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