BERW - Chapter 13
Chapter 13
After leaving the Eastern Palace, Shen Yuyao went straight back to Yongkang Hall to find her birth mother.
Today Qu Yanyue did not especially want to see Shen Yuyao. The moment she saw Shen Yuyao, she remembered that she had been sleeping soundly last night only to be woken by her daughter; after opening her eyes, she had lain awake for most of the night.
But this was her own daughter. She would not hold a grudge against her own child. So she reluctantly let her daughter in, dismissed the attendants, and pulled her daughter over to ask about the Eastern Palace.
"Mother Consort, the Eastern Palace is in a critical situation now. How can we still watch them and laugh? Besides, there is nothing much to tell. Eldest Imperial Brother is confined to quarters, yet still beaming with springtime cheer, while Consort Qin looks bleak and downcast, listless and unhappy."
Even as Shen Yuyao said there was nothing much to tell, she spilled every detail about Shen Zhuocong and Qin Shujun's situation.
After hearing it, Qu Yanyue nodded with only mild interest. "Did you go see that Crown Prince's Junior Consort?"
"No, I don't like her." And I like the Crown Prince even less.
Shen Yuyao could well imagine how much pressure a visit to Qiluo would put on Qin Shujun. How would she happily play with Qin Shujun afterward?
"Childish temper. Is it your turn to say whether you like someone or not? It is enough that the Crown Prince likes her." In private, Qu Yanyue was truly a little unrestrained; she would even say such things to Shen Yuyao.
In this palace of strict rules, Qu Yanyue's personality seemed out of place. In the eyes of some hidebound people, her temperament needed to be "corrected."
But Shen Yuyao thought Qu Yanyue was just fine as she was. She liked this kind of mother; she did not like people who followed every rule.
There were so many rules in the world. If everyone followed them, would it not be far too boring?
"Mother Consort is right. Mother Consort, today I exchanged a few words with Consort Qin and felt she was very low in spirits. This time the Eastern Palace is confined, and Father only named Eldest Imperial Brother. Does that mean Consort Qin can come out?"
As soon as Shen Yuyao finished speaking, she met Qu Yanyue's eyes, full of vigilance.
Qu Yanyue suspected her daughter was up to some trick again, and she already had evidence!
"You stay obediently in Yongkang Hall. Didn't you say you wanted to practice martial arts? Wait two days for Mother Consort. Mother Consort will have your maternal grandfather find several highly skilled female instructors to enter the palace, and I will pick especially strict ones. When the time comes, you are not allowed to throw a tantrum, act shamelessly, and refuse to continue."
Qu Yanyue wanted to change the subject.
"Really? Thank you, Mother Consort! I want instructors good at riding. I want to learn riding! Best if you also find one good at archery. Shooting from horseback is the most dashing!"
"Fine, fine, fine. Whatever kind you want." As long as her daughter was willing to stay obediently, Qu Yanyue declared she could find anyone to bring into the palace.
"Mother Consort is so good!" Shen Yuyao stepped forward, hugged Qu Yanyue, and kissed her cheek.
Her expression of joy was too intimate. Qu Yanyue froze for a moment. The former Shen Yuyao had never been so close to her.
At most, they had leaned against each other, but she had never kissed her.
Sometimes Qu Yanyue thought that infants kiss their mothers. If Shen Yuyao had grown up at her side since childhood, perhaps there would not have been that invisible wall between them.
Now Shen Yuyao's action seemed to break that wall all at once.
A flush quickly dyed Qu Yanyue's face. Surprised and delighted, she laughed, covered her cheek, and scolded Shen Yuyao with a laugh, "Whose princess acts like you, behaving like a monkey?"
"Hehe, no princess anywhere will love Mother Consort as much as I do. Mother Consort, your daughter has a tiny request."
When Shen Yuyao wanted to coax someone, she rarely failed. Sweet-tongued and pretty, who could withstand that sugar-coated bombardment?
Qu Yanyue certainly could not withstand it. The noble consort who had just been inwardly wary was now completely coaxed by her daughter into losing all sense of direction. "Seeing as you have been fairly well-behaved today, speak. Do you want an Eastern Sea pearl, or precious jade from the Western Mountain?"
"Neither. Your daughter only wants to go out and play a little. Not far, just to Qianyin Temple, and bring Consort Qin along."
When Qu Yanyue heard she wanted to leave the palace, she frowned. By the end, she wanted to shake her head even more.
"Mother Consort, you promised me." Shen Yuyao hurriedly used her big eyes to look pitifully at Qu Yanyue.
Qu Yanyue's heart softened under that gaze. Her head heated, and she nodded.
By the time she stood before Ziwei Palace holding a bowl of chicken soup, only regret remained in her heart.
Other people's children made trouble for their fathers; Shen Yuyao made trouble for her mother. How had she given birth to such a disobedient daughter?
While Qu Yanyue complained that Shen Yuyao was not considerate enough, she also felt happy. Shen Yuyao used to be headstrong and unruly; she never discussed matters carefully with her. A matter like leaving the palace would probably have been taken straight to the Emperor.
That child rarely acted spoiled with her.
Just for this rare act of acting spoiled, Qu Yanyue thought that no matter what, she had to fulfill her daughter's wish.
When Shen Chong heard from Yu Liu that Noble Consort Qu had come to deliver chicken soup, he knew she had come to ask for something. Before Qu Yanyue entered, he thought of quite a few things.
In the end, he found that recently there seemed to be no major matter at court that required him to speak. There were more matters in the Inner Palace, but those troubles caused by the Crown Prince had nothing to do with Noble Consort Qu.
Unable to figure out why Qu Yanyue had come, Shen Chong asked directly after seeing her.
Qu Yanyue smiled gently and said, "Could it not be that your servant was worried her husband has been pondering state affairs lately and has suffered in health, and so came especially to visit?"
The head chef of the small kitchen in Yongkang Hall was highly skilled. Before Qu Yanyue lifted the lid, the aroma of chicken soup could already be smelled.
Shen Chong was actually a little hungry. He glanced at Yu Liu, and Yu Liu stepped forward with another young eunuch to test the soup for poison.
"If others came here, We would believe they truly cared for Us from the bottom of their hearts. You, however..."
Shen Chong smiled and shook his head, clearly not believing it.
His attitude was very intimate. Even in the presence of the Empress, he had never been so patient. If others came to deliver things, for those of higher rank, Shen Chong would give some face and accept the items; for those of lower rank, Shen Chong would directly have Yu Liu persuade them to leave.
Only Qu Yanyue could bring things in directly, meet Shen Chong, and exchange a few words.
"Your servant also cares for Your Majesty. Your Majesty must not slander your servant." Qu Yanyue laughed and chatted with Shen Chong for a couple of sentences before bringing up the real matter. "However, your servant came today because there is indeed something she wishes to ask of Your Majesty."
Now that her true intent was revealed, Shen Chong actually felt more at ease. In a great mood, he took the soup Yu Liu brought and took a sip.
Good food made one feel comfortable. Shen Chong nodded. "Go ahead and say it. If it is not especially excessive, We will permit it."
"It is our Seventh Princess. She wants to leave the palace to play a little. Not far, only to Qianyin Temple where the Empress Dowager is temporarily staying."
Shen Chong thought it was some great matter.
Although some things had happened outside recently, it was not to the point that a princess would not dare leave the palace to play.
Shen Chong nodded directly. "You may. Bring enough Imperial Guard. You are only permitted to go to Qianyin Temple, and do not go off alone, lest thieves find an opportunity."
Hearing the word "thieves," Qu Yanyue's face darkened. There were still thieves outside the palace! Her troublesome daughter actually dared to go out and play!
Seeing Qu Yanyue's expression, Shen Chong knew she had probably been worn down by Shen Yuyao and had come to make this request.
"Hahaha, even Our beloved consort has such a day?" In the past, Shen Chong had indulged Shen Yuyao in everything, and Qu Yanyue always complained openly and covertly that he doted on their daughter too much. Now who was the one doting on their daughter too much?
Qu Yanyue was embarrassed by Shen Chong's laughter. She thought he would laugh a couple of times and be done, but Shen Chong laughed louder and louder, as if he had seen something in the world that was extraordinarily funny.
He laughed until Qu Yanyue's expression grew colder and colder. In the end, she stared at Shen Chong almost expressionlessly. Taking advantage of a moment when Shen Chong paused for breath, she asked quietly, "Has Your Majesty finished laughing?"
Shen Chong felt a little embarrassed. He and Qu Yanyue shared more than twenty years of affection, unlike ordinary ties. In private they were very casual. He did not put on the airs of an emperor, but was like the husband of an ordinary household, begging pardon of his wife. "Beloved Consort, calm your anger. We will not laugh anymore."
"Yuyang really is like your servant. That is why she likes running outside the palace. She is also like your servant in that she loves making friends. Having her travel alone would truly be lonely. But the other princesses are either busy or too young; they are not suitable to accompany her. Your Majesty, why not have Consort Qin travel with Yuyang? I imagine the Empress Dowager also misses Consort Qin."
Qin Shujun had often come to the palace when she was little. The Empress Dowager and Qin Shujun still had some kinship, though rather distant, but the Empress Dowager had indeed treated Qin Shujun well.
Shen Chong did not think much and nodded directly. He would not take out the Crown Prince's mess on his daughter-in-law.
So early the next morning, Shen Yuyao saw Qin Shujun in the carriage leaving the palace.
Unusually, the other had not worn palace dress, but clothes worn by rich women of ordinary households, mainly blue-green, with little cinnabar or purple. On her, it looked steady and grand, beautiful and dignified.
It just made her look older, as if she were nearly thirty, and with Qin Shujun's somewhat haggard expression, it added a touch of the charm of a woman past her prime.
Shen Yuyao looked down at her own goose-yellow jacket and skirt, rubbed her small round face still carrying baby fat, and then there was the fact that she was a head shorter than Qin Shujun.
Just thinking about it made clear what the scene would look like.
She was currently only seven years younger than Qin Shujun, yet walking out, it would be like a mother and daughter shopping together.
Of course she could not say this directly. After getting into the carriage, Shen Yuyao asked Qin Shujun, "Imperial Sister-in-Law, why are you dressed like this?"
Clearly not old, yet she dressed to look old.
"Are we not going to see Imperial Grandmother today? Imperial Grandmother likes me to wear blue-green clothes. She says it makes one look mature and steady. Besides, I am no longer a fresh young girl like Yuyang. It would not do to dress too brightly."
Qin Shujun spoke as if it were entirely natural, as if she did not look bright when she usually wore cinnabar and purple.
Shen Yuyao's eyes reflected the faint smile on Qin Shujun's face, and she felt somewhat bitter inside.
Clearly still very young, yet every movement had to conform to the ritual code and filial piety.
Even clothing was not based on one's own preferences, but on what others thought.
How pitiable Qin Shujun's life was.
Comments
Post a Comment