chapter 3

Some were happy to enter the Forbidden City. Others tried to avoid it.

Not every family was willing to send their daughter to gamble for a shining future.

At the top were the policies that required the selection, and on the bottom were the parents scheming to keep their daughters out of this predicament. Some of these families had their daughters feign illness. That way they could use the excuse of not wanting to infect the noble personages in the palace, and had their names removed from the palace maid list. Although illegal, as long as the families could bribe the officials involved from either ends of the spectrum, and most importantly the big boss in charge of the palace selection, no one would speak out about it.

But for those like Wei Yingluo, who aired her dirty laundry in front of a huge crowd, the big boss could no longer turn a blind eye.

“Speak!” Zuo Ling roared. “What is going on here?”

“T-this…” Wei Qingtai struggled to formulate a response.

“Let me explain.” A soft female voice broke out behind Wei Qingtai.

Wei Yingluo, who was all tied up, struggled to walk, and instead crawled to Zuo Ling’s side using her knees. She lifted her blood-streaked face, the red accentuating her eyes so that they seemed to shine even brighter.

“Official Zuo Ling, I am Wei Yingluo, a palace maid candidate for this year.” Her demeanor was calm, her words perfectly clear and pronounced. “My father is too fond of me and could not bear to send me to the palace. So he declared that I had gone mad and tried to marry me far away…”

“Enough!” Already aware of the situation, the Plain Yellow Banner¹ Zuo Ling no longer wanted to hear more of it. In fact, in the presence of these people he felt as if he had become a joke. Whom could he blame? He turned to face the person he felt was the main culprit, Wei Qingtai, stared at him for a while and said, “All daughters born under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Three Banners² must be on standby as palace maid candidates. If you try to marry these daughters off secretly, not only will you and I will meet disaster, everyone related to this matter will be implicated. Did you eat the heart of a bear?³”

“I…I…” After a while, Wei Qingtai finally bent his knees slowly into a kowtow, his forehead knocking the ground. “It’s all my fault…”

Things had already reached this point. He could only assume all responsibility so as not to drag his entire family down. Moreover, if he did not take the blame now, his family would still lay all the blame on him. And the means would only be more ruthless, so much that he might not have the opportunity to turn his situation around in the future…

“Pity the parents who always strive for what’s best for their children. Yet those children would not understand their parents’ hardships until they are parents themselves⁴,” said Wei Yingluo with a sigh. She made her way to her still-kneeling father and pressed her forehead to the ground as well. The blood from her wound stained the blue bricks below. She pleaded, “Father did not want for my hairs to grow grey in the palace. I also don’t want him to be guilty for my sake. Please consider the love between my father and I and spare him this once. I will definitely enter the palace on time.”

Since ancient times, the phrase filial piety had moved the most people.

Someone immediately sighed and said, “Such a filial daughter. Honored Official, please spare them.”

“Yes, pity the parents of the world.”

“I also have a daughter whom I’m reluctant to marry off, not to mention send her into the palace. Passing through the palace gates is like falling deep into the sea. It’ll be hard to see them again in this life.”

Zuo Ling of the Plain Yellow Banner spared Wei Yingluo a glance full of complicated emotions.

Her words gave everyone a way out. Wei Qingtai did not commit any crime. Rather it was just the love between father and daughter. And it was also not an oversight by Zuo Ling’s part. Instead, he could take this opportunity to follow the public opinion and become a god in their eyes.

“Fine.” Zuo Ling slowly nodded. “Seeing that so many people are pleading for you, this official will spare you. You can’t be muddleheaded again, understand?”

“This villain understands.” Wei Qingtai kowtowed once more. He had no choice but to understand, and because he did, he must send his daughter into the palace.

“I’m sorry father.”

As Wei Qingtai turned to face Wei Yingluo, she spoke the words she had previously said back in Yizhuang funeral home, her stare firmly upon him. “Your daughter must enter the palace.”

At this point, it wasn’t as if he had any other option, and he snapped, “Go! Begone, you! Whether you’re dead or alive is up to you now! I don’t care anymore!”

In his heart he thought he could only blame the heavens for this luck. It’s good enough to keep his life. They just had to chance upon the Plain Yellow Banner Zuo Ling.

Yet had Zuo Ling really just happened to pass by?

In the same direction from which Zuo Ling had arrived stood a middle-aged woman. She raised her hand to adjust her bamboo rain hat. Black gauze hung from the top, concealing her identity. If she had not taken this precaution, Wei Qingtai would have seen her face. Then from his lips would come a single question: “Ajin, why are you here?”

There were not that many coincidences in the world. Most of them were man-made. Artificial.

“Miss, I did as you asked and brought Zuo Ling of the Plain Yellow Banner.” Ajin gazed in Wei Yingluo’s direction, peering through her veil. Inwardly she sighed. “I hope by doing this I did not harm you. I hope that you can get what you desire instead of following your sister’s footsteps…”

The red wedding dress faded from Wei Yingluo’s body, replaced with the plain green uniform of the palace maids.

On the second day of the second month, during Emperor Qianlong’s sixth year of reign, Wei Yingluo and a group of new palace maids passed through a flower garden.

Most of the palace maids were at the tender ages of fifteen or sixteen. The most innocent and curious period of their lives. One by one their attention scattered and spread to each passing peony or pink butterfly. But Wei Yingluo did not become distracted, watching everything with the same cold and indifferent gaze.

wei yingluo green uniform

Perhaps the flowers’ beauty came from sucking the blood of her sister.

“What are you girls all chattering about?” Listening to these girls who twittered like sparrows, the leading head palace maid⁵ was near her wits end. “This is the Forbidden City, the most distinguished land under the heavens! It’s not a place where you can run your mouths indiscriminately. Now hurry up!”

As Wei Yingluo attempted to follow the rest of the group, a palace maid next to her tugged on her sleeve, pulling her along. Though the other girl spoke softly, her voice was loud enough for the nearby palace maids to hear. “Everyone, quickly look over there!”

A frown made its way across Wei Yingluo’s lips despite her wishes. The other party certainly was disobedient. Not long ago, the head palace maid had warned them to mind their words and actions. But once the head palace maid had walked further off, this girl failed to hold her tongue. The worst part was that her actions could implicate the rest of the group.

As Wei Yinlguo turned to the palace maid who had spoken, she recalled her name. Jinxiu.

Her appearance was just like her name, a pointed face like a melon seed, a slim waist and hips that swayed flirtatiously with each step. From her head to her toe she attracted admirers, drew them to her like bees to honey.

In the middle of their walk, the crowd of young palace maids heard a sound farther way, turning to its direction. Under the peach blossoms were several elegant ladies⁷, pushing back the branches as they strolled through. Each was extremely beautiful. In fact, their beauty even put the blossoms to shame. Held in each of their hands was a small fan, which the elegant ladies used to gently fan themselves. As such, they sent the group of palace maids their collective fragrance. Among the scents were jasmine and rose. Those who breathed it in would immediately feel relaxed.

fan

The small fan looks like this.

A baby-faced little palace maid blinked and said, “Older sister Jinxiu, who are they? Fairies?”

The one who had just spoken still looked like a child. Wei Yingluo recalled that this girl was the youngest of their group, only fourteen years old. Her name was Jixiang, which meant auspicious.

She also resembled her name, looking like a New Year’s lucky baby painting⁸. One glance and it brought joy to others’ hearts.

new years doll

New Year’s Lucky Baby Painting

“These elegant ladies have already passed the first round of the palace selection. They are now preparing for the final round,” said Linglong, one of the palace maids, her face full of envy. Her eyes almost seemed to have two arms reaching out of them, itching to rip off the clothes and jewelry of the elegant ladies. And then wear it all for herself.

“Such beautiful clothes,” said Jixiang, her face also reflecting a shade of envy. But this kind of longing was completely different from Linglong’s yearning for glamorous things. Rather, she was like a typical little sister from next door, her eyes glued to the candied hawthorn⁹ in one’s hands. “It’d be nice if I could wear clothes like that.”

candied hawthorn

Candied hawthorn

As soon as Jinxiu heard these words, she sneered. “Those are all ladies with noble heritages. They will become the masters of their respective estates once they enter the palace. With our heritage, even if we make it through the same selection, at most we’ll be maids waiting on them. Yet you—”

She shoved Jixiang with her elbow. “Stop daydreaming!”

“Watch out!” But Wei Yingluo shouted too late.

Because Jixiang was young and frail, she had needed two hands to lift and carry the wooden bucket meant for cleaning. She had struggled even while using both hands, and had swayed as she followed along with her group. Now that Jinxiu had pushed her, it was no surprise that the bucket would fall from her grasp. It hit the ground with a clatter, the dirty water splashing out like ink onto the dress of an elegant lady.

Terrified, Jixiang rushed to her side. “Forgive me, forgive me. I’ll help wipe it off now…”

Slap!

Jixiang toppled over from the force, rolled on the ground until the dirty water drenched her whole body black. She was reminiscent of a pitiful stray dog.

“How dare you, slave!” shouted the elegant lady, her expression severe. “My clothes were made with cloud yarn specially purchased from Jiangnan for today’s palace selection! Now that you’ve dirtied them, what am I supposed to wear to see the emperor?”

elegant lady smack

“Forgive me, forgive me. This slave really did not mean it.” Jixiang continued to cry and crawled to the elegant lady’s legs, her own limbs fidgeting and hard to command as she struggled to pull out a clean handkerchief. “This slave will wipe it for you. This slave will quickly wipe it clean…”

“Scram!” The elegant lady’s lips twisted into sneer packed with disgust. She kicked in a rapid blur of motion. She did not consider Jixiang as a person, but rather a dirty stray dog licking someone’s face.

Jixiang staggered and fell over, then crawled back with her hands and feet, blood running down her nose. “Forgive me, forgive me…”

“Hmph!” The elegant lady faced the head palace maid and said, “Tell me, should I spare her?”

Although the new group of palace maids were not acquainted for long, their hearts were not made of ice. Seeing Jixiang’s pitiful appearance was unbearable for them. But they were also afraid to speak up for her, in fear of drawing the ire of the elegant lady.

For that reason, while the elegant lady spoke, they watched the head palace maid, hopeful looks on their faces. Hopeful that she might help poor Jixiang.

However, Wei Yingluo knew this was impossible.

If even the group of new palace maids knew not to speak up for Jixiang, how would a head palace maid? A normal palace maid would not have become a head palace maid, a refined person surviving in the palace for several years.

Sure enough, the head palace maid smiled apologetically and said, “Miss⁶ Wuya, these useless things are the new palace maids, dumb as pigs. You can hit or yell at them, no need to let anger harm your body!”

As soon as the new palace maids heard those words, they either appeared disappointed or glared, and pursed their lips. They were all intelligent people. Since the head palace maid was afraid to help Jixiang, these new palace maids naturally were even less daring.

Right now, the only people who could speak out in favor for Jixiang were the other elegant ladies.

Beyond everyone’s expectations, a soft and timid voice broke the tension. “Older sister Wuya. The maid did it unintentionally, so why don’t you forgive her?”

…Was there really an elegant lady willing help Jixiang?