Chapter 10

Zhao Yuyan looked up in a daze. Upon catching the cold expression on the Emperor’s face, her body shuddered violently, and tears began to roll down her cheeks uncontrollably.

Afraid to displease the Emperor further, she hurriedly rose and retreated from the hall. Yet, the moment she stepped outside, she began to weep again right in front of Dai Zheng, looking truly pitiful.

What could have happened to cause such a scene?

Dai Zheng was puzzled. He had intended to show some concern, but Zhao Yuyan paid him no mind, quickening her pace as she left the Qinzheng Hall and headed straight away.

-

Outside the Zhongling Palace, deep within the plum blossom grove, stood an octagonal pavilion.

Li Xixi sat on a stone bench, craning her neck in anticipation. Today was the day they had agreed to meet, and Sang Qingyun had specifically chosen this spot. It was secluded and tranquil; since the plum blossom season had long passed, no one came here except for the gardeners. Given their sensitive positions, it was the best choice to avoid drawing attention during their first meeting.

As the appointed time drew near and there was still no sign of her, Li Xixi stood up, feeling anxious. The thought of the grievances she had suffered at the hands of Lady Tong earlier that day only made her feel more wronged. But this was the imperial palace; she had neither trusted allies nor a patron to lean on, and even with a heart full of troubles, she dared not speak to anyone.

Lately, because of a plate of stir-fried pheasant tongues bestowed upon her by the Emperor, she had been targeted by many, both openly and covertly. She had been bottling up her complaints for so long that she could hardly wait to see her sister.

Just as Li Xixi was burning with impatience, a pale green figure finally appeared through the arched gate in the northwest corner.

The moment she saw Sang Qingyun, the string that had been pulled taut in Li Xixi’s heart finally snapped. She lunged forward and burst into tears: "Sister Qingyun! I’ve finally seen you!"

Seven or eight years had passed, yet Li Xixi’s temperament remained as frank and childish as in her youth. She had simply grown taller, and her appearance had blossomed into something bright and beautiful.

She buried herself in Sang Qingyun’s embrace just as she used to when she felt aggrieved. As the familiar comfort washed over her, Sang Qingyun could not help but pat her back: "Look at you, still so impulsive despite how much you've grown."

"You are now a concubine of the Emperor, a legitimate Lady Chongyi of the palace. I should be the one bowing and paying my respects to you."

Li Xixi sobbed into her shoulder: "What 'Chongyi'? It’s not as if I wanted to come here. I don't want you to pay respects to me, sister; it feels so distant."

Sang Qingyun said gently: "In private, that may be so, but you cannot be like this outside."

"You have studied the palace rules; you should know what can be done and what cannot. The palace is, after all, not as free as Taizhou."

Li Xixi lowered her eyes in disappointment: "Indeed. If we were in Taizhou, who would dare to bully me? No matter who it was, Father and Mother would surely stand up for me."

"Even though I can see you again, everything is different from when we were children."

Having spent six years in the palace, Sang Qingyun immediately sensed that something was amiss. She pulled Li Xixi to sit down in the pavilion: "Who has been bullying you?"

Li Xixi instinctively opened her mouth, wanting to pour out all her troubles just as she had in her youth. But the moment she considered their current situation, she shook her head, unwilling to let her sister worry over her own petty grievances: "It’s nothing. It’s just that some people look down on my background, and with the Emperor rewarding me with that dish, it has only made them envious."

After speaking, Li Xixi, fearing that Sang Qingyun would continue to press her, quickly changed the subject. She turned to ask what had happened to Sang Qingyun over the years and how she had ended up as a lady-in-waiting in the palace.

They rarely had such an opportunity to reminisce, and they spoke for a long time, eventually catching up on all they had experienced over the years. Once everything was said, Sang Qingyun looked at Li Xixi quietly and reached out to brush her hair.

"Xixi has grown up; you are much more composed than before."

For these past few days, she had been worried. She worried that they might have nothing to say, that their bond might have faded, or worse, that her nature might have changed and she had become calculating. But seeing her today, she felt much more at ease. Li Xixi was still the same frank, warm-hearted sister who put her first and was proud of her in everything.

It was a pity, however, that now that the old friends had reunited, everything had turned upside down. They were no longer the carefree little girls protected by their parents.

Sang Qingyun watched Li Xixi’s smiling eyes, yet she felt a hidden concern in her own heart. After careful consideration, she asked softly: "Xixi, let me ask you, how do you view the matter of entering the palace and gaining favor?"

Since she had entered the palace, she was a legitimate concubine of the Emperor, and Sang Qingyun needed to be aware of these things. If she wanted to seek favor and carve out a path, that was one thing; if she only wanted to live in peace, that was another. Regardless of which path she chose, Sang Qingyun could offer advice; what mattered was that they remained of one mind, without any rifts.

*The Emperor’s attitude toward me…*

Sang Qingyun felt a slight tremor in her heart. If Li Xixi sought favor, it might become a hidden danger in the future.

Li Xixi’s smile gradually faded. She sighed and said mournfully: "Perhaps… perhaps it is just my fate."

"The Emperor is certainly majestic, and he is the master of the world, but I never thought of entering the palace to become a bird in a cage. Although the palace is vast, it is not my home, and someone like me should not belong here."

"Father and Mother originally said they would choose a good marriage for me, preferably someone close to them with a solid family background. Even after I married, I could have continued to be their beloved child without a care, supported by my natal family. But now… none of that is possible."

Li Xixi sniffled, her eyes red: "The people in the palace are all 'smiling on the outside while harboring malice on the inside.' I do not seek great wealth or immense favor; I only pray to live in peace and not give Father and Mother cause to worry."

She was naturally lively and rarely had heavy thoughts. In Sang Qingyun’s memory, she had seldom seen her looking so downcast. Watching her now, Sang Qingyun felt a pang in her heart. She lifted her handkerchief to wipe away Li Xixi’s tears and said softly: "I will help you."

Expecting Li Xixi to hug her and act spoiled as she used to, saying how good her sister was, she was surprised when Li Xixi looked at her and shook her head solemnly: "Sister, I do not need you to help me with anything."

"I have grown up. Since I have entered the palace, I am not unprepared. You are a person by the Emperor’s side; if you help me, it will bring you endless trouble. I can take care of myself."

"Mother once told me that there is no true sincerity in the palace. Stories of brothers killing brothers and sisters turning into enemies are everywhere. In the vortex of power, even the firmest sincerity will eventually be lost. I originally believed this to be true because I was a stranger to them, but sister, you are different."

When she said this, Li Xixi’s expression was exceptionally serious and focused: "Sister, since I was little, I have thought you were the best and most beautiful woman in the world. You are so wonderful that you should live the best life, and you should not be burdened by my future. I have never sought the Emperor’s love, nor do I expect to grow old with him. My greatest wish used to be to eat well and play well; now, I only hope that you and I will be well, and that we can hold onto this rare bit of warmth in the palace."

She hugged Sang Qingyun’s neck and sobbed softly: "In the palace, I only have you left, sister."

Sang Qingyun was stunned, never expecting her to say such things.

Time had flown by; she had truly grown up.

She gently patted Li Xixi’s back to soothe her. Once she felt better, she asked about the situation with the new arrivals, gaining a general understanding.

"There are not many old residents in the palace, but they are roughly divided into two factions: the Empress and the Imperial Noble Consort, who stand in opposition to each other. Consort Yu is quiet and keeps to herself, while the others, like Lady Yan, are close to the Empress, and Noble Lady Ke and Noble Lady Nie are close to the Imperial Noble Consort."

Sang Qingyun briefed Li Xixi on the general landscape of the palace so she would know how to navigate it and avoid offending anyone easily: "Based on what you just said, I suspect Noble Lady Xu is now with the Empress, and Lady Tong is with the Imperial Noble Consort."

"How those two fight does not matter; in truth, it is the power struggles of their patrons. But you are best off not getting involved. Even if you are at odds with Lady Tong, do not let her truly hold a grudge against you. At most, just bicker."

Li Xixi looked a bit embarrassed: "How did you know I was at odds with Lady Tong?"

Sang Qingyun: "..."

"When you mentioned Noble Lady Xu, you only said she was 'kind-faced but cruel-hearted' and difficult to deal with. But when you spoke of Lady Tong, you called her 'ostentatious and arrogant,' 'a snob,' 'hot-tempered,' and 'brainless,' wishing she would never be favored. How could I not tell?"

Li Xixi blushed: "Don't worry, sister, I will try to avoid her."

Sang Qingyun nodded: "Minor squabbles are fine, but if someone truly moves against you, we will not suffer in silence."

"The recent news about you among the newcomers has been growing, and many eyes are on you. I heard it was because the Emperor bestowed that dish of stir-fried pheasant tongues solely upon you? Noble Lady Ke has always liked that dish, yet the Emperor gave it to you, which shows he has some affection for you."

Li Xixi sheepishly rubbed her nose: "At first, I also thought the Emperor liked me, and I was quite smug. But later, after thinking about it carefully, I felt the Emperor must have… must have just found me too talkative."

...

As the hour for the midday meal approached, the sun grew intense.

After parting ways with Li Xixi in the plum grove, Sang Qingyun took a side path back to the Qinzheng Hall, seeing no one along the way.

It was only when she passed the Imperial Medical Bureau that she saw a chaotic scene with people hurrying about, a group rushing toward the Fengyi Palace. She was too far away to hear exactly what they were saying, only catching faint mentions of the Second Prince.

The Second Prince was the Empress’s own son, a golden and precious child of noble birth. If the Second Prince were unwell, it was no surprise that the medical staff would be this anxious.

She quickened her pace, intending to return to her quarters before the Emperor went to visit the Second Prince.

As luck would have it, just as she stepped onto the main road of the Southern Four Palaces, the Emperor’s grand procession emerged from behind the vermilion palace gates. Amidst the crowd, the high and mighty bright-yellow palanquin was extremely conspicuous.

Sang Qingyun immediately retreated to the corner of the wall to avoid them, kneeling and bowing to pay her respects to the Emperor.

The crowd slowly passed by her. Just as she thought the Emperor would pass her by and head straight to the Fengyi Palace, the procession came to a halt.

Xie Yanhang looked down at Sang Qingyun from above, his gaze resting faintly on her empty wrists.