chapter 26

The embroidery workshop quickly filled with people.

“Heavens! The peacock feather thread has vanished! Serves her right for always getting all the good things! Now it’s her turn to have bad luck!”

“Let’s see what she can do now! If Granny Zhang had given the task to me, this wouldn’t have happened!”

“Hehe. Will she be kicked out of the palace this time?

“Not only that! She’ll even lose her head!”

All of a sudden, Yingluo turned around. Gazed at the crowd, cold enough to freeze. “You’ll all accompany me on the road to hell. I’m not lonely at all!”

Everyone had happily thrown rocks when someone was down. But as soon as they had heard what Wei Yingluo had said, they grew unhappy in an instant. Linglong broke free from the center of the crowd. Like the rest of the people around, she said what she had truly felt. “What nonsense are you sprouting? You’re the one who lost the thread. Why should we all be punished with you?!”

“Yingluo is right,” someone said behind her, cold and grave. Linlong turned her head. And to her fear, she saw Granny Zhang standing there, her glare as sharp as a dagger. “The imperial robe is the embroidery workshop’s birthday present for Her Majesty, the empress. We are all counted as one group. If Her Majesty asks what happened, would she only blame Wei Yingluo? If you have this much time to take pleasure in others’ misfortune, why don’t you touch your own neck and see if it’s hard enough to block against executioner’s blade!”

If these words had left Wei Yingluo’s lips, not many people would believe them.

But since they had come from Granny Zhang, not to mention it was the second time she had said them, everyone was forced to see these words as truth.

One would fear that regarding this matter, they would share weal and woe. If one person made a mistake, they would all be punished.

A palace maid was so afraid that she burst into tears. “What should we do? I don’t want to die!”

Another one next to that first palace maid quickly muffled the latter. She spat and said, “You can’t say that word in the palace!”

“Have you forgotten the current situation? Is this really the time to worry about rules?!” that first palace maid shot back.

Another palace maid gritted her teeth. “Who’s the evil one who stole those things? Hurry up and return them. Or do you want them to be buried with you?”

Once those words had been spoken, everyone looked around in all directions. They felt that everyone apart from themselves was the culprit, and hoped they could quickly pick out the little thief whose action could cause their deaths.

“Granny, it’s my fault!” Jixiang fell to her knees, kneeling before Granny Zhang. She was different from everyone else. She usually did things for the sake of Wei Yingluo. In order to mitigate the bullying Wei Yingluo would receive, Jixiang would rather sacrifice herself. “I was the one who forcibly pulled Yingluo away from this room, giving the thief a chance. If you want to punish someone, then punish me!”

Wei Yingluo’s gaze fell upon her. Then she knelt by her side. “Granny, I am responsible for myself. The peacock feather thread vanished in my hands. I am willing to take all the punishment.”

Granny Zhang sighed. “What do you plan to do?”

“The most important thing right now is to use the full power of the embroidery workshop to finish the imperial robes.” Wei Yingluo fell into her thoughts for a moment. Then, gritting her teeth, she said, “Regarding the peacock feather thread… May Granny grant a request of mine.”

“What is it?”

“Please open the doors to the storeroom!”

The last time Wei Yingluo had entered the storeroom, it was because her belly had expanded after she had eaten Kaolinite powder, making her unable to fit her uniform. As such, Granny Zhang allowed her to borrow an old set of uniform from the storeroom.

Inside, she had seen many old and new uniforms. And also many old and new threads. All the types of thread that had once existed in the world were in the storeroom. Perhaps, even the current styles of thread were there. She should be able to find a thread that can replace the one stolen.

The doors to the storeroom opened. As Wei Yingluo passed by the shelves, she opened every box to check the threads inside.

Golden thread. No, not suitable. Under the sun, peacock feather thread let out a rainbow glow. Golden thread glowed only one color. Once it was under the sun, people would realize what it was.

For that same reason, silver thread, red thread, and other colors of thread were no good.

Although rainbow thread was similar to peacock feather thread in terms of color, it did not have the same natural noble aura. It could not even compare to golden and silver thread.

Jixiang stood at the side, holding the lantern for her. Sounding as if she were crying, she said, “That is no good. This is no good. How about you just push the blame on me? My skin is course and my meat is thick. I can take a beating…”

“I won’t let you be beaten.” Wei Yingluo continued to look at the threads. Her gaze unparalleled in its steadfastness. “Nor would I allow Granny Zhang to be beaten,”

She understood that if she could not complete the imperial robes, there would be two people who would take the fall for her.

One was Jixiang. The other was Granny Zhang.

Jixiang sighed. “Why are you so stubborn?!” She was anxious to the point of pacing back and forth. Not paying attention, Jixiang bumped into a shelf, and a bag fell to the ground. The string holding the bag closed was loose, and the bag opened, the contents flying out.

Wei Yingluo stood there in a daze. “This…”

Compared to the golden and silver thread, the thread on the floor was plain.

“Oh. It’s the fur used to make winter coats¹. And it’s even low quality. It’s not good!” Jixiang bent down to pick up the white pelt. “The other threads have boxes. But this doesn’t even have a box to hold it. Instead, it’s carelessly thrown into a bag.”

After she had picked up the fur, she placed it back into the bag and tied it up. Jixiang rose to her feet and moved to place the bag back on the shelf. But a hand actually reached out from the side, blocking Jixiang’s action.

Jixiang stood there, surprised. She turned her head and asked, “Big Sis Yingluo?”

Wei Yingluo took the bag from her hand. And she untied the string. Retrieved a piece of fur. She studied it.

It truly was inferior goods. And it even carried the smell of an animal. If they did not treat it, one would fear even palace maids would dislike it.

Noticing that Wei Yingluo was deep in her thoughts, Jixiang asked with uncertainty, “Big Sis Yingluo, you—it can’t be that you actually… No, this is the most useless thing!”

“In this world, there are no such thing as useless people. And there are no useless things.” A smile graced Wei Yingluo’s lips. She brushed the soft fur with a finger, a wise glint in her eyes. “It depends on how your use it, and where you use it!”

One month later.

“From the Gold-and-Jade Craft Department (金玉作), two boxes of four jade articles each, and two jade ruyis.”

“From the Ceramics Workshop (陶瓷坊), a pair of jadeite red phoenix vases, and a pair of crystal twin-fish vases.”

“From the Glass Factory (玻璃厂), an ivory make up box with carved designs, and an enamel watch equipped with a mirror.”

“From the Screen Department(屏风处), a pair of rosewood folding fans made with peacock feathers, a rosewood throne with designs carved into it, and a pair of enamel filigree candle holders with the design of cranes.”

Outside Changchun Palace, the eunuchs and palace maids holding the birthday presents from each department waited in a long line. Wei Yingluo was among them. On her hands was a tray, a piece of yellow silk covering the item from all eyes.

“Relax,” thought Wei Yingluo. “People can try as hard as they want, but whether they succeed is up to the heavens.”

At that moment, two eunuchs came out of the large hall. They seemed young. Although they spoke in soft voices, they actually did not try to make it hard for others to hear them. One of them said, “Did you see the face of Her Majesty, the empress? Truly hard to look at. From start to finish, not a smile was on her lips!”

“Her Highness, the Noble Consort, was also ruthless,” said the other eunuch. “She could have sent anything, but she just had to send a golden Sending Sons Guanyin² to the empress.”

Who in the palace did not know that after Empress Fucha’s eldest son died young, she no longer had any children. That Noble Consort Hui did something like this was basically tearing open the empress’ old scars. And then throwing salt into the wounds.

Originally, Wei Yingluo was standing in the middle of the crowd. But after she had heard those eunuchs’ words, her heart jumped. Then she retreated a few steps.

It was said that people could try as hard as the want, but whether they succeeded was up to the heavens. But if one wanted to succeed, it was best to avoid man-caused calamities.

After the empress had received such a big gift from Noble Consort Hui, one would fear that although it did not show it on her face, she was holding back anger. The people giving her birthday gifts now would not be able to please her no matter what.

And if they did especially poorly, she might take her anger out on them…

“Unless…” Wei Yingluo looked behind her. “They give the present after that person.”

She moved further and further to the back of the line unconsciously, until she stood at the literal end of the line.

The palace maids in front of her stepped forward with their gifts one by one. Announcements of what had been given continuously rang through the hall.

Before Wei Yingluo realized it, it was already her turn…

“From the Embroidery Workshop—” The sound of the eunuch’s voice spread through the hall.

There was no one behind her. However, Wei Yingluo kept turning her head for a look in an anxious manner.

“From the Embroidery Workshop—” Once again came the eunuch’s voice.

They would not call out for her three times. If she still did not come forward before the third call, even if there had been a gift, it would be treated as if there were none.

Wei Yingluo could only take a deep breath. She said to herself, “People can try as hard as they want, but whether they succeed is up to the heavens!”

Holding the tray in her hands, she slowly entered Changchun Palace, as if her legs were as heavy as lead.

The empress was usually frugal. However, on her birthday, Changchun Palace had many lanterns and rainbow silk decorations hung, brilliant throughout. Many noble personages, some that Wei Yingluo recognized and some that she did not, sat on chairs. A coral reef as tall as a person, a mirror that was even clearer and smoother than the still surface of a lake. The treasures that ordinary people could only see in their dreams. Mountains of birthday gifts littered the hall.

The eunuch responsible for announcing the gifts shouted, “From the Embroidery Workshop, a set of phoenix Moutan Peony robes, and a pair of green flower pot shoes with phoenix heads embroidered at the fronts!”

Yingluo knelt, lifting the tray high. “Congratulations to Your Majesty. May Your Majesty enjoy eternal youth and longevity.”

She had lifted the tray so high, but did not perform any other action.

Perhaps it was because it was her first time in the presence of a noble person. And she was excited to the point of forgetting what to do. Empress Fucha kindly reminded her, “Now that you have entered the palace, why have you not uncovered the gift?”

Wei Yingluo pressed her lips together. She had hidden at the end of the line and slowly approached the front. In the end, she did not remove the yellow silk cover. She had already tried her best. But it was too late. She sighed inwardly. The moment she was about to remove the cover, a loud and long announcement rang behind her: “From His Majesty, the emperor, comes bestowments!”

It were as if electricity had sparked inside her, coursing through her body.

She could not help but use all her strength to suppress the utter ecstasy in her heart.

That person… had finally arrived.

Phew, the emperor came at just the right time!

So, you may see a few raw words in this chapter such as:

Gold-and-Jade Craft Department (金玉作)

Ceramics Workshop (陶瓷坊)

Glass Factory (玻璃厂)

Screen Department(屏风处)

That’s because I translated those literally. I’m not too sure what the actual historically-accurate names for those departments are, so if any of you guys do, feel free to let me know in the comments.

Also, all instances of “Your Majesty” for anyone not the emperor or empress have been changed to “Your Highness.”