Hua Liuli was already used to having sympathetic gazes upon her. Since her youth until now, countless people had looked at her in such a way, so she had long since grown used to it.
Before she arrived at the capital, her mother had told her a rumor regarding the court. Twenty-one years ago, two of the imperial concubines and the empress became with child. For some reason, a rumor suddenly spread in the imperial harem: the emperor would confer the title of crown prince to the eldest imperial prince.
Whether the empress and the two imperial concubines had believed this rumor stood as anyoneâs guess. In any case, Prince Ying and Prince Ning were born on the same day, at the same hour. But the crown prince was born seven days later.
Hua Liuli found this rumor unreliable. As long as one had a brain, one wouldnât believe it. The current emperor wasnât muddle-headed or incompetent. How could he make the just-born Prince Ying the crown prince?
Prince Ying and the crown prince had sat together for less than five minutes, and she could already tell that they didnât get along. Prince Yingâs unwilling and enduring appearance resembled that of a sparrow wanting to pick a fight with an eagle.
He had ambition, yet his capabilities were insufficient. Still, he kept waiting for the time when he could grab the eagle down with his claw.
She stopped reaching for the pastries. Eating too much made her feel a bit stuffed.
In the eyes of bystanders, it was the crown prince blocking Prince Ying, after which County Princess Hua finally grew unafraid and stopped eating.
âCounty Princess, drink some water,â said Yuanwei, handing a cup of warm water to Hua Liuli, full of concern. Master and servant resembled pitiful victims of bullying, daring to get angry but not showing it.
Prince Ying was speechless.
He clearly didnât do anything, so why was it that in front of this master-and-servant duo, he was some heinous evildoer?
âMay County Princess not misunderstand. This prince came today to apologize to you. There is no other meaning besides that.â Since birth, Prince Ying did not have a good temper. But as he faced Hua Liuliâs timid gaze, all of his anger vanished. âMay County Princess take care of yourself. Once the Dali Temple brings this assassin to justice, this prince will visit you again.â
Then he turned to face the crown prince. âCrown Prince, I still have matters to attend to. Iâll take my leave.â
The crown prince did not urge him to stay. He grunted in acknowledgement and said, âWatch your step.â
âWhere are you going?â said the empress dowager as she stepped into the room. Behind her trailed a few palace maids carrying trays. âYouâve already come, so why donât you stay and have a meal with this grieving one?â
Hua Liuli rose to her feet, making her way toward the empress dowager.
âThis grieving one just had someone look for you in the side palace hall and didnât expect you to be here.â The empress dowager held Hua Liuliâs hand, leading her along. âI had the seamstress make some clothes recently. Theyâre all for you. Go to the back and try them on.â
As Prince Ying looked at the trays full of brightly-colored clothes, he grew a headache for some reason. However, in the empress dowagerâs presence, he still carefully curried favor with her. As a result, he stood at the side with a smile, feigning patience.
âThis light pink color is not bad. If matched with a white cloak, County Princess Hua would be the most beautiful young lady in the rear palace.â The crown prince looked at the pile of clothes a few times. âImperial Grandmother, why arenât there any for me this time?â
âWhat donât you have at your Eastern Palace?â The empress dowager gave Hua Liuli a hug. âWhatâs more, you people are stinky young men. Now that I have such a charming young lady, itâll be a waste to use such cloth on you people.
âLiuli, what do you think?â After lecturing her grandson, she didnât forget to find an ally.
âYour honored self is correct.â Hua Liuli was very quick to join a team, becoming a member of the empress dowagerâs without the slightest hesitation.
As she turned her head, she noticed the tray of light refreshments on the table. She had eaten more than half of them.
In a flash, she pressed her hands on top of her belly, letting her smiling face grow a bit pale, a bit weak. A sense of âalthough I am very weak, Iâd still work hard to seem strongâ was very important.
Prince Ying noticed Hua Liuliâs action. All of a sudden, his heart softened. A faint sense of regret filled his heart.
If she wasnât Hua Yingtingâs daughter, marrying her might not be too bad.
âCome, pick one first and try it. Iâll have the palace maids send the rest to your room.â The empress dowager was very insistent on dressing up Hua Liuli. To the extent that Hua Liuli changed clothes twice a day, yet the empress dowager still felt she lacked clothes.
Hua Liuli was willing to be tossed around by the empress dowager, and started to choose a set of clothes.
After she had looked through all of them, Hua Liuli selected the one the crown prince had chosen earlier. She didnât have much hope regarding the sense of aesthetics of men, but during such times, she must give the crown prince face.
Probably because she didnât like Prince Ying and he didnât like the crown prince, she didnât have to think too much about this sense of âthe enemy of my enemy is my friend.â
Seeing Hua Liuli carefully go through the clothes over and over, yet finally settling on the one he had selected, the crown prince felt he had subtly won. The Hua clanâs little daughter truly made others happy.
In Prince Yingâs opinion, the ugliest thing in the pile of clothes was that light pink dress. There were neither pretty flowers embroidered on nor any decorative pearls and precious jade stitched on. Not to mention, the color was too bland.
He glanced at the crown prince. If your taste is bad, then donât give a suggestion.
But once Hua Liuli had put on the dress and came back outside, Prince Ying once again felt that the Hua clanâs daughter truly was beautiful. Sheâd still appear so good-looking with such an ugly dress.
However, if she changed into a dress with many colors and flowers, she would appear even more good looking.
Regarding aesthetics, Prince Ying was very confident in his own taste.
With the empress dowager around, Prince Ying maintained the act of being good brothers with the crown prince and shared a meal together. But after that day, Hua Liuli did not see those two again.
Every three to five days, the imperial princes would come pay respects to the empress dowager before morning court resumed. But at that time, Hua Liuli would still be in bed ârecuperating.â By the time she got out of bed, the imperial princes would already be attending court.
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In her eyes, perhaps the empress dowager took afternoon naps due to waking up too early every day.
Being the empress dowager wasnât easy. Even if she was the most noble woman in the imperial harem, she still must abide by protocol.
In the blink of an eye, Hua Liuli had stayed at Shoukang Palace for more than ten days. The empress dowager feared she would grow ill from staying inside Shoukang Palace every day. As such, since it was sunny outside, she ran with the opportunity and said, all smiles, âIf one takes a stroll after a meal, one would live a long life.â Then she turned around and lay down on her bed for a nap, perfectly satisfied.
Hua Liuli was speechless.
When it came to double standards with the imperial clan members, they would never treat themselves badly the slightest bit.
The morning sun of winter did not feel very warm. On the palace path, Hua Liuli raised her head. Looked at the towering palace walls and stopped in her tracks.
âCounty Princess, what are you looking at?â asked Yuanwei, rushing forward as soon as she saw her master stop.
âIâm trying to see how high the walls are.â
âIt doesnât matter how high the inner walls are,â whispered Yuanwei by her ears. âThis slave has already examined them. These walls seem high, but they are not thick enough. A ballista can penetrate them.
âThe most sturdy walls are the ones surrounding the imperial palace. Those cannot be penetrated by an external force. If people want to break in, they must coordinate with spies inside the palace,â said Yuanwei, serious. âMoreover, thereâs no use entering through the main gates. The northwest gate has a secret passage. However, itâs very dangerous. Whether or not the spy is successful in opening that door, their reputation will be tarnished.â
Hua Liuli held a hand to her chin, appearing to be lost in thought. A good while later, she turned to face Yuanwei. âIf outsiders heard what we were saying, do you think theyâd think we are conspiring against the imperial family?â
Not a word left Yuanweiâs lips.
Wasnât this a habit learned from following her Mistress as they protected the border?
âAiya.â Then Hual Liuli coughed dryly once, pressing a hand to her chest. âI still feel weak today.â
âCounty Princess, your body is weak. This slave will support you.â Master and servant averted their gazes from the walls, pretending like their prior discussion never happened.
âHua Liuli, stop.â
Hua Liuli looked at Yuanwei. That voice sounds familiar?
Yuanwei shook her head. Just hearing their tone and itâs clear theyâre not friendly.
The two turned around, looking at the Commandery Princess Jiamin coming their way in large strides.
âGreetings Commandery Princess Jiamin.â Hua Liuli smiled at her. âWhy has Commandery Princess asked me to please stop? How may I help you?â
Commandery Princess Jiamin was speechless.
When did she ever say âplease?â
Commandery Princess Jiamin was an expert in riding and shooting, with a terrible temper to boot. In a few steps, she was before Hua Liuli. Pity her little servant girl. In order to keep up with her, she ran until she gasped for breath, yet didnât dare to complain at all.
âJust how much did we walk?â said Commander Princess Jiamin unhappily, after hearing the pants of her servant girls. âWhy are you people so useless?â
Hua Liuli thought, wow, this blunt commandery princess actually learned how to scold someone indirectly. What an improvement!
The little servant girls didnât dare to respond, head lowered and letting Commandery Princess Jiamin scold them as she pleased.
âOnce we return home, you need to practice riding and shooting. When I see the looks of you people, I get angry.â Then she turned to Hua Liuli and said, âCounty Princess Hua, I wasnât talking to you before.â
And Hua Liuli merely gave off a smile that said, âI know, I understand.â
âThe reason I came to find County Princess today was to give you a few words of advice,â said Commandery Princess Jiamin, getting right to the point. âHer Highness Consort Xian would never allow you to marry Prince Ying. You should not delude yourself.â
For a moment, Hua Liuli wore a blank expression. âWhat does Commandery Princess mean?â
She had met four of the imperial princes. The crown prince was the most handsome among them all. Fifth Prince was as warm as jade. But in the end, the one the commandery princess fell for was the Prince Ying who could not be considered that handsome?
Even if it was each to their own, such things had nothing to do with other people. Hua Liuli did not like meddling with other peopleâs business as well. But the marriage between her and Prince Ying didnât even go through the discussion phase, yet Commandery Princess Jiamin still said she wanted to marry Prince Ying. Just who was she insulting?
She had even thought that Commandery Princess Jiamin came to take revenge for losing face during the plum blossom appreciation banquet. Never had Hua Liuli imagined it was actually about her stealing her man?
What a pity. A good pretty girl not only was stupid, but also had terrible taste in men. Truly difficult to live.
âI have a straightforward personality. I donât like to hide anything, and I say things directly,â said Commandery Princess Jiamin. âA delicate and useless woman like you does not match His Highness Prince Ying.â
âHas Commandery Princess ever met His Majesty?â asked Hua Liuli.
âWhat are you trying to say? My mother is Princess Shunan. She is His Majestyâs younger sister. Naturally, I meet His Majesty often,â replied Commandery Princess Jiamin, somewhat curious.
âThen His Majesty is truly magnanimous toward your honored self.â Hua Liuli smiled in an exceptionally sweet manner. âCommandery Princess speaks in such a blunt manner and acts in such a thoughtless way, yet has never angered the emperor. His Majesty is truly a wise ruler that is only seen every thousand years.â
âYouâre talking nonsense. My whole family is faithful and true to His Majesty. How could we ever be disrespectful toward him at all?â
âItâs my misunderstanding.â Hua Liuli smiled to the point of her eyes becoming crescents. âIt turned out that Commandery Princess isnât someone who doesnât know courtesy.â What 'straightforward personality?â Wasnât this merely examining the dishes before selecting? Currying favor with the strong and stepping on the weak?
How could such a weak girl like herself stand such a thing?
âYouâre still purposely mocking me?!â Commandery Princess Jiamin was enraged.
Hua Liuli widened her eyes. Said in a disbelief, âElder Sister Commandery Princess, why must you think like this?
âIâm still young. Since my youth, I have been sickly, and I seldom have a chance to meet other people. If I said anything wrong, please do not take it to heart.â Hua Liuli covered her mouth, a light laugh escaping her lips. âI heard Prince Ying was straightforward and imposing. He should like a straightforward girl like you, right?â
âHua Liuli, donât think Iâm above hitting women!â Jiamin had always disliked delicate women who would fall from a gust of wind. But never had she expected that in this world, there would be someone as annoying as Hua Liuli. Each word, action, and even smile pissed her off.
She felt like written on Hua Liuliâs body were the words âif you have the ability, then hit me.â It infuriated her to the point that she had a headache.
âWhat are you people doing?â said Prince Ying, walking from the side door of the palace wall.
Commandery Princess Jiamin, who did not have enough time to hide her anger, looked at Prince Ying, then at the Hua Liuli who wore an appearance of âIâve been wronged but I wonât talk about it.â And she felt for the first time that this was a true cheap person in front of her.
rear palace: Referring to the area the women folk lived in the imperial palace.
stinky: Not literally stinky, but kind of like scolding them gently and with endearment?
someone: That someone being Hua Liuli.
warm as jade: Kind, warm, and gentlemanly males are often compared to jade in Chinese culture.
cheap: Not literally cheap, but kind of like vulgar, lowly, etc.