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墨書 Inktalez
After the old ladies finished their teachings, I unfortunately fell ill on the day of the election.
To others, that day unfolded like this.
The Fourth Young Lady of the Xie Family was so excited about the upcoming election that she couldn't sleep all night. As a result, when she woke up the next morning, her complexion was pale, her appearance haggard, and she was burning with fever. The Imperial Physicians who rushed in were so startled by her high temperature that they broke into a sweat, and in the end, she couldn't even get out of bed.
As the hour approached, the disheveled Fourth Young Lady clutched the Chief Eunuch's pant leg with her hoarse voice and pleaded, "Chief Eunuch Gao, I'm... I'm fine." She coughed a few times while covering her mouth and continued with difficulty, "Please, let me go." Her voice was choked with emotion.
Gao Lu shot a harsh look at this unfortunate woman and coldly pulled his pant leg away. "In your condition, it's better to rest. Take care of yourself; when the time comes, you will naturally receive the Emperor's favor." After he spoke, everyone present looked at the beautiful woman weeping by the bedside with pity. They all knew that missing this election meant missing all opportunities; it was likely she would never have a chance to see the Dragon Countenance again. Not to mention receiving any favor. The Emperor filled his harem with so many beauties; how could he possibly notice a woman who was not even present?
The woman continued to cry, breaking the hearts of those who witnessed it. Unable to bear it any longer, they all left, closing the door behind them.
They also concealed the strange smirk that lingered on her face.
My sudden illness stirred up quite a storm among the young ladies. It truly was a case of some rejoicing while others lamented. However, it was Yun Ying who felt sorrow for me, this unambitious young lady. At most, Yuhua expressed some regret for my situation. I played along with a sorrowful and disheartened demeanor for those arrogant young ladies to see.
Especially those who had once feared I would overshadow them. I had to admit that Xie Weiying possessed an exquisite beauty. As she grew older, she became even more enchanting, like a rose ready to bloom—thorny yet enticing enough for one to willingly endure its prick. What set her apart was that despite having countless charms, she exuded an ethereal quality as if she were not of this world.
Among all the young ladies, Xie Weiying stood out prominently, followed closely by Wang Dieyi from the Wang family and Huan Shuangshuang from the Huan family.
Other young ladies might be beautiful or delicate or charming, but it mattered little because they lacked prestigious backgrounds. Unless they received special favor from the Emperor in the future, they could not compare to these women.
Later on, I learned that on the very night I feigned illness, Yuqiang from the Yue family mysteriously passed away. Everyone here said she had returned home. Although this incident seemed suspicious, no one bothered to investigate further; everyone kept silent about it as if hiding something. This is the survival rule of the palace: if you are not favored, no one cares whether you live or die. She flickered like a fleeting flower before fading away unnoticed.
Even now, I still remember Yuqiang as someone who once appeared proud and domineering in my memory. During our time in the grand residence for training, I had seen her a few times; each time she arrived surrounded by maids and other noble daughters vying for her favor. She stood there like a solitary axis—proud and indifferent—enjoying her queenly treatment. Often strutting around like an arrogant peacock with her head held high. Among all the young ladies, she and Wang Dieyi drew the most attention. Yuqiang was haughty and domineering; Wang Dieyi was aloof and cold—some gossipy servants referred to her as "Ice Beauty." It was said that they had clashed several times out of mutual disdain, even exchanging insults through their maids. With Yuqiang's death, I imagined Wang Dieyi must have felt pleased deep down.
I tried my best to keep a low profile and stayed out of trouble. Huan Shuangshuang, Huan Wen's seventh sister, appeared gentle but was actually quite shrewd; to outsiders, she seemed like a good-natured person. She treated everyone kindly and within two months had won over everyone around her. People praised her for her grace and beauty. I had heard Huan Wen speak about his sister before; although he didn't say much, his disdain was evident in his demeanor. Huan Wen had always disliked hypocritical people; it was said that his sister had managed to charm everyone in the Huan family—big and small—and was favored most by Old Master Huan. Though she was merely a concubine's daughter, she received more attention than legitimate daughters did. It was rumored that Huan Shuangshuang especially adored her dashing sixth brother. So when she first met me, her expression turned unfriendly; although she quickly masked it with a smile, I could sense her hostility towards me—thanks to rumors about Huan Family's Sixth Young Master being infatuated with Fourth Miss Xie.
I had no intention of competing for favor with these women; thus I naturally avoided provoking them. Yet thinking about how such a vibrant life had inexplicably vanished left me feeling somewhat uneasy inside. While I wouldn't mourn for those unrelated to me or feel sorrowful over their fates, I still remembered that little girl who had once cried and run away from me; ultimately speaking, she was just an immature child. Otherwise, why would she fail to conceal her true feelings and invite such tragic consequences upon herself?
Among the four most favored women—one fell ill while another died—only Huan Shuangshuang and Wang Dieyi were conferred titles during that day's election among numerous young ladies. I believed it wasn't solely due to their beauty or talent but rather because of what they represented—the four great noble families behind them. Had I not fallen ill at such an opportune moment, surely I would have been among them now—joyfully accepting everyone's flattery and praise due to an unknown man's favor without fear of indigestion! I must say this is indeed a tragedy in ancient times.
I remember that day when I let Yun Ying sneak some wine and meat into the room while the kitchen staff were away. I indulged myself, enjoying every bite. After starving myself all day yesterday to make my performance this morning more convincing, I had to make up for it now. By noon, the young ladies returned, and I could hear Wang Dieyi's triumphant laughter from afar, along with Huan Shuangshuang's polite chatter. Their flattery flowed like a relentless river, nearly drowning the entire mansion.
Although I was a disgraced individual, I diligently closed the door to enjoy my feast. However, their overly sweet words almost made me break out in goosebumps. As Wang Dieyi passed by my room, she couldn't resist the opportunity to kick me while I was down.
Just as I was happily sharing a roasted chicken leg with Yun Ying, she sneered, "Oh, isn't that our sleeping beauty over there? I wonder if she'll ever wake up."
I felt a jolt of surprise and nearly choked. How avant-garde of her to refer to me as a sleeping beauty! This was my privilege as a modern person from a thousand years later! And now she had taken that away from me.
I sulked for a moment, and Yun Ying thought I was upset by her words. She rolled up her sleeves, insisting on going out to demand justice for me. I gently pulled her back and told her to sit down and enjoy her chicken leg. I assured her that someone would come out to play the good guy.
Sure enough, Huan Shuangshuang, who was nearby, gently suggested, "Sister, why don't we go sit with our elder sister? Firefly missed out too; otherwise, she would have received some favor as well."
As she spoke, everyone praised Huan Shuangshuang for her kind heart before they all left together. Finally, I was left in peace.
Even though I didn't appear at the grand selection, I still gained some fame as a beauty due to my supposed stunning looks and my identity as Fourth Miss Xie. They casually assigned me to the most desolate little courtyard to fend for myself. I wondered if they were being too kind to me. It was said that another young girl from the Wang family had fallen ill and was soon sent away from the palace. But this was fine; having entered the palace meant I had fulfilled my promise to the Head of the Family. I just hoped he wouldn't make things difficult for Second Sister or Chen Ningyuan.
Since the day I agreed to enter the palace, I hadn't seen Chen Ningyuan again. I didn't know if he felt guilty about me, an unknown Fourth Young Lady, or if it was due to the Head of the Family's orders; in any case, he seemed to have vanished. Second Sister did visit me at Curved Pavilion, crying and apologizing profusely while saying many things. Her tears left me feeling flustered; I hardly paid attention to what she said.
In truth, I preferred the dignified and noble appearance she had when we first met. That proud and graceful demeanor suited her status perfectly.
After being named a beauty, my aunt—whom I'd never met—saw that it was such an unworthy person like me who assisted the Xie Family in gaining favor in the palace. She sent several eunuchs with some gold and jewels to dismiss me without further concern.
And that was exactly what I wanted.
When I finally moved into my new residence—Jiu Nian Xuan—with Yun Ying in tow, it was located at the far left of Royal Storehouse near the palace's edge—a secluded little run-down courtyard. However, with my knack for tidying up, even a doghouse could be transformed into a golden nest.
Moreover, its remote location meant no outside disturbances, which delighted me immensely. Yun Ying and I returned to our initial days managing Curved Pavilion.
The saying goes that one must adapt to circumstances; this perfectly described my situation. Before entering Royal Storehouse, although it wasn't bustling with visitors, there were still many people eager to curry favor with Fourth Miss Xie—enough that I marveled at how wealthy they seemed. Now that I'd been designated as a beauty and dismissed, those who once called me their good sister turned into blind bats upon seeing me; they treated me like air and scattered away like birds.
Only Yuhua frequently came by Jiu Nian Xuan to chat with me. In truth, I played the role of an innocent audience member as she alternated between complaining and expressing jealousy over the ugly affairs of those vying for favor outside. But how could I not know? These clichéd plots were aired daily on television; it was all rather boring.
Every time the topic of those women and their various underhanded tactics to win favor came up, Yuhua would show a look of disdain, her expression filled with contempt. However, no matter how much she pretended to be indifferent and unconcerned, I could see that she was unhappy and unwilling. Not to mention her increasingly haggard appearance; those deep-set eyes surrounded by faint dark circles were unmistakable. Among the many women in the palace, varying in size and shape, and with beauty in abundance, Yuhua could barely be considered charming enough to attract an emperor who was surrounded by such beauty. Moreover, men have always been drawn to women, though their tastes may differ. So even though Yuhua was also titled a beauty, her reluctance was futile. I couldn't help her either. Coupled with her stubborn nature and refusal to mingle with those women, it was no surprise that she did not receive any favor. I knew that even to this day, Yuhua had not been summoned to the emperor's bedchamber. Without the emperor's affection and with her lowly status as a Concubine, although Yuqiang's death had left her family clinging to a shred of hope for her, she was ultimately not their only card to play. Many wealthy but low-status daughters of officials were now keenly aware of the shifting tides and actively sought to curry favor with the Consorts who held high positions in the palace. As for Yuhua, with her bitterness and inability to speak sweet words or flatter anyone, she had yet to find a patron.
I knew I was different from Yuhua. I entered the palace out of necessity and never had the desire to compete for favor; I simply hoped to live a quiet life within its walls. In contrast, Yuhua had grown up amidst others' mockery and had endured the world's ups and downs. This time entering the palace, she naturally sought the emperor's affection to rise above her circumstances and secure a place for her mother, who had suffered humiliation at home—at least with such protection, she would no longer be bullied by the matriarch known as Yujia's Mother Tiger.
During lunch when she came over to eat from my small pot, she angrily said to me, "Sister, those arrogant Servants actually look down on me and dare to bully me! You really don’t know? They see that I am not favored and don’t even deliver my lunch on time. Yesterday, I was left starving all day." She pitifully clutched her empty stomach as she looked at me.
I couldn't help but chuckle and replied gently, "If you don't mind my rough cooking, feel free to come here often."
Seeing her frowning all day long made me sigh lightly as I said softly, "Yaya, those worries are self-inflicted. If you don't care about them, you'll feel much better."
She gazed at me and said softly, "Sister, I'm not like you; I can't detach myself from everything."
Well then, let’s help her this once.
Thinking this over, I casually suggested, "When you have some free time, why not pay a visit to Consort Huan?"
She looked up at me with a burning gaze.
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