This chapter was translated for only. And only for those people who don’t mind reading unprofessional translation that was being translated FREELY at the translator’s and editor’s own free times.
Chapter 140
Palace Gate (Part 1)
Xiang Rui (Auspicious) Palace
The first spring cool breeze was dangling a layer upon layer of the purple red muslin curtain outside the screen, it was slowly blowing and lifting the curtain. One could see vaguely that there was one person who was lying in the bedroom, but n.o.body could see it clearly.
Qiu Rong who was standing behind the muslin, hesitating if she should make an announcement or not. Afternoon was the Empress Dowager’s reading (time), when she was resting, no one should disturb her. If it was another person, she would make (the guest) leave earlier, but the person who came today was actually the Empress Dowager’s best friend for so many years, so she did not dare to offend her. Hesitating for a good moment, Qiu Rong just carefully lifted the light muslin a little, and saw that the Empress Dowager was lying on the couch. She had a book in her hand, and was flipping it through lightly. Lightly breathing a sigh of relief, fortunately, the Empress Dowager was not sleeping, so Qiu Rong slowly put down the light muslin, and quietly said: “Informing the Empress Dowager, Madam Xuanyuan is asking to meet.”
After a while, there was a sweet sounding voice that concealed her dignified (personally) of a woman that came through from the bedroom: “Announce it!”
“Yes!” Qiu Rong sent out a meaningful glance, and made the palace maid who was (standing) by the side, to gather the light muslin up, and she hurriedly went to ask Madam Xuanyuan to come in.
Today, Madam Xuanyuan did not come alone, there was an ordinary woman who was wearing a green dress, following behind her. Her indigo cheong sam dress made her slender figure look even thinner. Her long black hair was only pulled up lightly. Looking at her dress, she did not look like a Master, but looking at her charming personality, she did not look like a servant either. At this time, Qiu Rong did not know what the ident.i.ty of this woman was either.
Leading Madam Xuanyuan into the bedroom, she could only see that the Empress Dowager was still on the couch, but she had already sat up. Qiu Rong half-kneeled and said: “Madam Xuanyuan is here.”
Song Ling Qiu performed a standard palace courtesy, and said: “Long live, long live, long live, the Empress Dowager.” Murong Shu Qing also saluted with half-kneeling, but she merely bowed her head and did not say anything.
Gu Qian Yun sighed, and got up to Song Ling Qiu’s front. Pulling her hand to get up, she helplessly said: “Alright, Ling Qiu, why are you still following the standard rule with me, and how long have you not been entering the palace to chat with me.” Ever since she entered the palace, those old palace customs were still bothering her forever like this. Even though Ling Qiu has a brisk temper, but she actually still had to be trapped in those palace customs. It was like when they were young, Ling Qiu, she, and Yue-er, were tumbling on the bed for three years, the time when they were laughing noisily, it seemed that (that time) already left her for a very long time.
Song Ling Qiu followed her hand, and stood up, she unconsciously smiled and scolded: “I am busy, I am helping that loathsome fellow to get married, but he drags it for several years like this. Then, he energetically says that he wants to get married immediately now, and torment me like this!”
Gu Qian Yun looked at her exaggerating appearance, she shook her head and softly smiled, she wished that Xuanyuan Yi would get married earlier! This energetic (person) that she was saying, should be her own self! It had been several ten of years, but she actually had not changed at all.
At this time, Gu Qian Yun just found out that there was another woman who was still bowing her head and half-kneeling on the ground, did she come with Ling Qiu together, so Gu Qian Yun puzzlingly asked: “Who are you?”
Murong Shu Qing secretly laughed, this was the so-called Imperial household’s etiquettes. Without permission, they could make people to kneel without getting up. And it was regarded as an honor! Murong Shu Qing faintly answered: “This ordinary woman, Murong Shu Qing pays respect to the Empress Dowager.”
Murong Shu Qing? Gu Qian Yun thought for a moment, and looked at Song Ling Qiu, she indistinctly and understandingly said: “Yue’s daughter?”
Song Ling Qiu smilingly nodded her head, Gu Qian Yun looked at Murong Shu Qing again, and said: “Come to Aijia.” Was this Yue-er’s flesh and blood?
Murong Shu Qing slowly got up, her knees were somewhat hurting, this palace custom about being in superiority, was really deep inside the palace, and it was displayed in great detail even more. Maybe, Gu Qian Yun also loathed the so-called palace custom very much, but she already confined to this for a long time. So she already gradually a.s.similated with it, so much so that she could not choose any representative to be in the harem, and this maybe a magic of this kind of environment.
Murong Shu Qing who was used to look straight into people"s eyes, after she got up, she maintained eye contacts with Gu Qian Yun’s eyes. At this time, Murong Shu Qing just remembered that there was a palace custom that if one had not been approved, one could not take a glimpse of the appearance of anybody within this harem. But she did not want to cause some confusion by bowing her head because it was not necessary.
So she slowly walked to Gu Qian Yun’s front with a light smile, peering at her, Murong Shu Qing sighed. This Empress Dowager should be more than forty years, but her appearance was very good, it seemed that she was a little more than thirty years old only. Her whole body showed a luxurious personality, and it made her look dignified, aloof and remote.
(She had) very calm eyes, without any fear, or being ignorant to try and win a favor, but those pair of eyes that were so tranquil as if they were an expanse clear spring water, they were neither servile nor overbearing. She had never seen these kind of eyes, this kind of simple and quiet woman within this harem. She really looked like Yue, and also had a faintly discern-able temperament, but it was also different, as she did not seem to be cynical, proud and aloof. In a split second, she felt somewhat absent-minded, but very quickly, Gu Qian Yun slowly recovered, and smilingly asked: “You are twenty this year.”
“En.” Murong Shu Qing softly nodded her head, and did not continue to say anything again.
Gu Qian Yun picked up the green tea with her hand, and asked: “Su Ni Chang (clothing store) is the Murong family’s business.”
“Yes.”
“Aijia is really satisfied with that birthday present.” That kind of exquisite ten thousands Guanyin’s (G.o.ddess of Mercy in Buddhism) hands, she really liked it.
“It is the Murong family’s honor if the Empress Dowager likes it.” Murong Shu Qing’s mouth responded an empty but polite greeting, she actually did not know what Qin Fu and Qiu Xian embroidered (for the Empress Dowager’s gift). Su Ni Chang (clothing store) was always been supervised by them, and she basically had very little interest. Fortunately, those two guys did not send any strange things!
Gu Qian Yun was full of curiosity with regards to this woman who was in front of her, not too long ago, she just heard that Lin Hang was praising how intelligent, capable and outstanding Murong Shu Qing was. It appeared today that she really made people have antic.i.p.ation (about her), so Gu Qian Yun smilingly asked: “I heard that you are very capable, and you actually manage these Murong family’s many businesses?”
Murong Shu Qing slightly narrowed her eyes, she gently shook her head, and faintly answered: “The Murong family’s businesses naturally belong to father, this family daughter likes embroidery, so father allows me to make a decision on Su Ni Chang (clothing store).” Only heaven knew that she could not even hold a needle!
Oh? Was that all? She heard that it was not only like that. But according to what she saw, this Murong Shu Qing was even better than what Ling Hang was saying. Seamlessly looking at Murong Shu Qing again, Gu Qian Yun’s eyes were bright, and said with kind-hearted eyes: “En, you really have a demeanor of a girl from a wealthy family.”
Her eyes flickered sharply, and Murong Shu Qing naturally saw it, these women in the palace, if they were not intelligent, they could not stay in there until now. Sighing in her heart, Murong Shu Qing slightly nodded her head, and answered: “The Empress Dowager is overpraising.”
Gu Qian Yun changed her sight to Song Ling Qiu, and smilingly said: “You enter the palace today, is not because you want to accompany me to chat?!” Since she took Murong Shu Qing here, it must be for the wedding.
Song Ling Qiu was not vague either, and directly said: “I heard that the Emperor sent out an Imperial decree to have Shu Qing enter the palace to study the Imperial household’s etiquettes. Of course, it was a good thing, but these invitations were already sent out. If we delay it, I am afraid that it is not good.”
She knew about the matter of the marriage, but she did not know this matter about learning the etiquettes, the Imperial son seemed to be particularly meticulous in regards to their marriage. Looking one glance at Murong Shu Qing who was standing calmly, Gu Qian Yun was startled in her mind, could it be that…. the Imperial son also took a fancy at her!! Even though Shu Qing’s appearance looked ordinary, but she showed a magnificent aura that the entire harem had never seen before. If it was like this, it was not impossible either, but if it was like really this, why did the Imperial son want to confer the marriage?!
After a moment, she could not think clearly the reason why, so Gu Qian Yun muttered and said: “This is the Emperor’s decree, I do not know this before either. Since this is an Imperial edict, delaying the wedding for a few months will not be a big hindrance. If the wedding preparation is hurried, it will be negligent inevitably, and it will grief Shu Qing. Just stay in the palace to learn the etiquettes, and have a better preparation, then it will be more appropriate to hold the big wedding (at that time).”
Song Ling Qiu also grew up in the educated family, so she was also aware of the palace etiquettes very much so she knew that Qian Yun wanted to protect her son today. Since it was like this, then she would just speak to her with ‘courtesy’: “What you were saying, was also reasonable, but since the ancient times, learning the etiquettes can be done within one month, the most. If Shu Qing has to stay in the palace for three months, I am afraid that there will be people who will talk about this.”
“This?” Gu Qian Yun knitted her eyebrows, what Ling Qiu said, was actually reasonable, if an official’s wife stayed inside the harem for this long, it would not be appropriate, so this really made her unable to answer anything! What was the Imperial son planning to do after all?!
But Song Ling Qiu did not allow her to think too much, and said: “Can you discuss this with the Emperor, that the time will be cut down to half a month. And let Shu Qing stay at your place here to learn the etiquettes, she could still accompany you so it would be even better?!” Since the Imperial edict had been decreed, entering the palace was a certainty, but the shorter the time, the better it would be!
Murong Shu Qing lightly raised the corners of her mouth, as it turned out, her future mother in law, not only that she was blunt and straightforward, but also agile and outstanding ah!
What Ling Qiu was saying, was actually the best solution, but Imperial son must have a reason to suggest for a three months time. Sighing, Gu Qian Yun did not have any alternative but to say: “I will discuss this with the Emperor.”
For a long time, they did not say anything anymore, Xiang Rui palace appeared to be especially quiet, Gu QianYun and Song Ling Qiu were both looking pensive, but Murong Shu Qing appeared to have a good mood. This kind of atmosphere did not continue too long, when Murong Shu Qing took notice that a young palace eunuch hurriedly muttered something at the side of one of the palace maid’s ear. After he finished speaking, he immediately turned his head to walk out.
Qiu Rong immediately entered the bedroom, and said several sentences at the side of Gu Qian Yun’s ear. One could only see that her face somewhat changed, and after a moment, she said: “I heard that Yi-er is at the Emperor’s place, it will be better if we go there to look, and we can also discuss about their wedding together.”
Murong Shu Qing gently frowned her eyebrows, looking at the Empress Dowager’s face, Xuan Tian Cheng and Xuanyuan Yi seemed to have some disagreements. But she did not understand, why the Empress Dowager wanted to go and join the lively (situation) this time?!
But Song Ling Qiu appeared to feel that this idea was not bad, she nodded her head and answered: “This way is also good.” Three months period (to study etiquettes) was preposterous, she did not think that even the Emperor could explain this!
As a result, Murong Shu Qing could only follow the group of people to go to the Imperial study…..
Sian’s notes:
Ok, technically, when everybody says “Long live, long live, long live, Your Majesty”, it uses the word wan sui, wan sui, wan sui (ten thousand). But the “Long live, long live, long live, the Empress Dowager” actuary uses qian sui, qian sui, qian sui (one thousand). Since the Emperor is the highest person in the kingdom, so everybody else has to be lower than him, thus, the long live for the Empress Dowager is using a thousand years instead of ten thousand years. Even though they both will die before they can even reach 100 years. Hahahaha…. ???
While “Zhen” is used to refer the Emperor"s self appellation when he’s speaking with everybody, “Aijia” is used to refer to the widowed Empress as an appellation when she’s speaking with everybody.