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墨書 Inktalez
Although entering the palace feels as deep as the sea, many women still find joy in their lives within the harem. In this era, aside from gaining power and pride in the harem, women elsewhere are often relegated to a lifetime of being dutiful wives and mothers, praised only for their virtues by relatives.
During the reign of the Jin Yuan Emperor, the position of Empress remained vacant. The harem was currently led by several Consorts: Consort Wang from the Ritual Palace in the east, Consort Li from Yanghe Palace in the west, Consort Xie from Southern Pingyi Palace, and Consort Huan from Xiao Tiao Palace in the north.
Consort Wang, relying on her family's influence and the Emperor's recent favor towards the Wang family, held significant power in the palace and considered herself the most likely candidate for Empress. She had a daughter and was known for her extravagant behavior and fiery temper. Her servants often suffered severe consequences for displeasing her, and other women who angered her mysteriously met unfortunate ends. It was said that she once executed a maid from the Ritual Palace who had caught the Emperor's fleeting affection, leading to his furious retribution against her past misdeeds, nearly resulting in her demotion. However, she boldly defended her actions as being for the Emperor's sake, arguing that he should not indulge in female favoritism and that strict regulations were necessary to maintain order among the Consorts. The Emperor was enraged, but with the entire Wang family pleading on her behalf and considering her years of service to him, he reluctantly spared her—though she was confined to her quarters for three months as punishment. Remarkably, she resumed her ostentatious behavior the very next day, flaunting her favored status. This demonstrated the Wang family's unshakeable position in court.
Consort Li was unique among the Consorts as she did not hail from one of the Four Great Families yet maintained an unassailable status due to her father’s loyalty over two generations as Chancellor. Additionally, she had a son, Sima Shao, who was personally named Crown Prince by the Current Emperor. The Crown Prince was exceptionally intelligent and gifted at just ten years old, earning admiration throughout the palace. In contrast, his mother appeared much less impressive—timid and gentle in demeanor, she rarely left Yanghe Palace to meet others and was an ordinary woman. Perhaps it was precisely because of her unambitious nature that she won special favor from the Emperor for their only son. Rumor had it that the true master of Yanghe Palace was Lian Zhao Yi—a commoner with no distinguished lineage whose father was a minor official. Known for her forthrightness and integrity, Lian Zhao Yi was a rare gem in such a secular environment. It was said that the Emperor appreciated her candidness and treated her with particular regard. Despite having no children of her own yet being humble and respectful without arrogance, those with insight understood that Lian Zhao Yi held a special place in the Emperor's heart.
Then there was Consort Xie—my aunt—who had one son and two daughters. The saying "a mother’s worth is measured by her children" perfectly illustrated my beautiful aunt's situation. It was rumored that after being neglected by the Emperor for months and nearly forgotten by everyone else, she announced good news when she bore him a son, prompting the young Emperor to elevate her to Consort status. Interestingly, when my aunt entered the palace alongside her sister years ago, it was her sister who initially received favor; however, that aunt perished amidst palace intrigues shrouded in mystery. Out of guilt for losing such a captivating beauty, the Emperor turned his attention to my aunt as compensation for his earlier neglect. Now that power among the four palaces seemed evenly distributed, no one could predict what thoughts occupied the Emperor's mind. Thus, the Four Great Families shifted their hopes onto our new generation entering the palace.
Lastly, I must mention Consort Huan. I am certain that among all women in this harem, she holds a unique place in the Emperor's heart beyond mere interests or romantic entanglements—a realization I keenly observed during my months at Yun Ying Palace. Of course, other women might view this reclusive Consort Huan as one of least favored by the Emperor; however, she had one son and one daughter and lived a life detached from worldly affairs within Xiao Tiao Palace where she maintained a Buddhist altar and spent her days chanting scriptures peacefully. It is said that when some Concubines spoke ill of her having an altar before the Emperor early on, they were promptly sent to Cold Palace as punishment. The Emperor had even stated that Consort Huan could pursue whatever she wished to do. Though he rarely visited her bedchamber, he made it a point to check on her monthly at Xiao Tiao Palace—creating an invisible protective barrier around her that few noticed or understood its significance. There were rumors that upon entering the palace initially, he had not favored Consort Huan for six consecutive months until suddenly granting her his affection; I found myself curious about what untold secrets or stories lay behind this shift in fortune. However, if a woman receives such respect from a man of high stature like him, it is clear she is different from others; naturally such a lofty man would heed a woman’s words who remains above palace intrigues.
Thus I instructed Yuhua not to seek out popular figures like Consort Wang or Crown Prince Sima Shao's mother Consort Li but rather to approach Consort Huan—the one who devoted herself to Buddhism and ignored worldly matters. I believed my intuition would prove correct.
In this harem, titles and gifts of gold and jewels mean little; when a man truly cares for your safety and considers your well-being—that is genuine affection.
He may offer you all treasures under heaven but push you into fierce palace struggles where you must fend for yourself; such love belongs to an emperor is better left unclaimed.
Living is what truly matters.
I still remember when I told Yuhua this sentiment; I saw a profound expression suddenly appear on her face.
She was no longer that stubborn little girl who shouted "mind your own business" at me. Here in this place where survival is paramount and establishing oneself requires learning certain rules of existence—I could not expect her to retain an innocent heart forever; doing so would only harm her.
Yuhua took my advice seriously and spent days visiting Consort Huan without discussing anything specific—simply immersing herself in chanting scriptures with Consort Huan and exploring Buddhist teachings together. Beforehand I had Yuhua gather many Buddhist texts to help supplement her knowledge so that while she might not speak fluently before Consort Huan at least she wouldn’t make any major blunders.
In less than two months’ time, Yuhua came beaming with joy to Jiu Nian Xuan seeking me out. Unlike previous visits where she appeared anxious or uncertain—this time she radiated warmth like a newlywed bride shyly confessing sweet news: “Sister Ying! Yesterday, His Majesty summoned me! He praised my calm demeanor and gentle nature as being different from other women in the harem.”
It must surely be due to Consort Huan’s influence; I hadn’t expected results so swiftly—indeed Consort Huan held special significance for him.
I sighed inwardly; my foolish sister—sweet words from an emperor are like poison disguised as beauty—vibrant yet deadly; how could one take them seriously?
Nevertheless, I felt genuinely happy for her.
I brewed a cup of osmanthus tea and handed it to her gently saying: “Congratulations.”
She didn’t take it but eagerly grasped my arm pleading: “Sister Ying! Please help me again! At least let His Majesty regard me differently—I don’t want him to forget me.”
I calmly pulled back my sleeve and said lightly, "Yaya, I can't help you with anything. From now on, everything you face is up to you. I'm just an outsider. I only want to live peacefully here."
She looked at me with tear-filled eyes and said sadly, "Sister Ying, in this palace, if you don't help me, who else will care whether I live or die? Do you really not care about Yaya anymore?"
I wiped the tears from her face and sighed, "Silly girl, how could I not care about you?"
"Then," her expression turned resolute, "Sister Ying, help me win favor."
"Yaya, why must you be so stubborn? It may not be good for you; you might regret it."
"No, I won't regret it. Never." From her determined gaze, I even saw an inappropriate glimmer of coldness.
Sigh. Have I made another mistake?
After sending Yuhua away, I instructed Yun Ying to bring out my belongings—a simple large desk used for sketching designs. Over the years, my love for design had persisted. Back at the mansion, I saw many noble ladies wearing our Jun Jin clothing, which gave me a small sense of accomplishment. After all, that was the only thing I still had in common with the modern world.
This constantly reminded me that I didn't belong anywhere here. Naturally, I couldn't fall in love with anyone or crave any unpredictable warmth.
Seeing my weary face, Yun Ying said with concern, "Miss, why do you have to take on such an ungrateful task? That Miss Yu looks like she has ulterior motives."
I replied softly, "Yun Ying, you don't understand. No matter what, she is the only person close to me."
"The weather is getting cooler again, Miss. Let me make you a bowl of warm glutinous rice porridge with your favorite pickles," she said as she headed to the kitchen.
I looked at her and gently said, "Yun Ying, no matter where I am, I'll be fine. We'll both be fine."
She turned around and smiled brightly, saying cheerfully, "Yes, we'll both be fine."
"By the way, where's Little White?" I asked.
"Oh that," she replied with a helpless tone, "it's taken a liking to that long-haired cat from Consort Wang's tribute."
I rubbed my heavy temples and said, "How many times have I told you? That's not a long-haired cat; it's a Persian cat bought from a Persian merchant."
Yun Ying stuck out her tongue at me dismissively.
"It better not let Consort Wang notice; if it annoys that woman, we should be careful of being buried alive."
"Not the first time, so don't worry. I'm going to get some porridge."
"Hey, don't forget to get some for yourself."
Watching her walk away, I snapped back to reality and focused on my drawing.
Thinking of Little White made me smile; that little rascal is truly audacious. Just after arriving, it had already charmed Lian Zhao Yi's snow-white kitten, and now it was making advances on Consort Wang's precious Persian cat. I understand the attraction between the opposite sexes, but what left me speechless was that it was an Ancient Divine Beast, a creature seen only once in a millennium! They weren't even from the same species. Could this be what they call interspecies romance? It really knows how to keep up with trends, seeking fun and enjoyment, living a more lavish life than I do as its owner.
Little White was a gift from Old Buddy before I entered the palace. Apparently, his demon friends from Prajna Valley heard he had taken on an apprentice and specially sent it as a meeting gift for me. It was a rare auspicious beast from the Dark Current region. When it was given to me, it was just a cub and very easy to tame. After spending so much time together, we got along harmoniously; despite its mischievous nature, it suited my tastes perfectly. However, its knack for causing trouble continued the fine tradition of the Ten Monsters from Prajna Valley, always finding ways to create chaos for me. Fortunately, it has some sense; its mischief has limits, and it often pretends to be pitiful when we are angry, trying to elicit our sympathy. You wouldn't believe that a male creature known as one of the rarest divine beasts in the world would actually act spoiled with me!
Both Yun Ying and I are very fond of it, so as long as it doesn’t cause any life-threatening trouble, we spoil it immensely.
I settled down to start coloring the completed drawing.
Yun Ying placed the porridge and pickles on the wooden table beside me and leaned over to watch me draw, occasionally rolling up my long sleeves that had slipped down.
This is a new design set to launch this month, so I need to put in a lot of effort.
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