Proofreader: Prof Zhu Yuan
After finishing this day"s incense lessons, An Rujin tidied up her table and slowly walked out of Medicine Hall. This was the last day of teaching. She had learned identifying and making incense for two months, and what she would learn next was making synthetic incense and medical incense. All these need to wait until they become intellectual ladies before they can learn from the intellectual ladies of the twenty-four departments.
Lady Intellectual Chen said to her earnestly: "This palace is very complicated, so it is impossible to avoid being involved in the matters. Just like incense, although Aloes is good, it must be mixed with other spice. After being mixed, its aroma will be better elicited, and another new kind of incense will be produced. I value your quiet and calm character. You are like Aloes, reserved and calm. And you should learn from Aloes - handle all the situations with great poise. You can not only integrate in different groups, but maintain your unique character as well."
She sighed again: "I spent most of my life in the palace, but I know that because of my tough character, I can never let my skills be displayed in front of His Majesty. I hope that in the future you will be able to carry the way of fragrance forward."
An Rujin was silent for a moment and said, "Lady Intellectual Chen, thank you for your instruction. I will certainly work hard."
Lady Intellectual Chen looked at her meaningfully: "I"ve heard about what happened today. Don"t worry. As long as you don"t give up, you will be able to enter the Twenty-Four Departments."
Rujin looked at her, a little surprised. Unexpectedly, Lady Intellectual Chen, who had always been a serious and rigid woman, tried to recommend her out of personal feelings.
Lady Intellectual Chen continued, "Now in the palace, few people can study the way of fragrance with a pure heart. You are talented and I will help you, but whether you can grasp a bright future depends on your chance."
When she said these words, her mood seemed to be gloomy.
An Rujin did not know how to give an answer. Lady Intellectual Chen wanted to inherit Way of Fragrance, so she taught her dedicatedly, and she was doomed to fail to meet her expectations.
She sighed in her heart. She remained silent for a moment, and then repeatedly kowtowed before leaving Medicine Hall.
Rujin walked silently, thinking about her matters. When she came back to her mind, she found herself in the imperial garden.
Imperial Garden was a little desolate because of the Emperor"s recent illness. She suddenly remembered the military man she had seen last time and wondered what happened to him.
Rujin glanced at the pavilion. It was empty there. She was preparing to go back when suddenly a sweet voice sounded behind her.
"I just thought who else is in the garden. It’s you."
Rujin looked back and saw a group of maids. The one in front was very beautiful, wearing a snake-like bun with beads and hairpins. She was in a light purple pleated dress and a pinkish short coat. The weather was cold in early November, but her neckline was wide open, revealing her fair skin as white as snow.
Compared with her gorgeous clothes and precious jewelry, An Rujin was as plain as weed on the roadside. Her waiting-lady dress was even simpler than the maids.
An Rujin"s realized that the woman in front of her was very familiar. She was one of the same group of waiting ladies as her who just entered the palace, w.a.n.g Yao, and now she had become Beauty w.a.n.g.
She remembered that at that time, when the waiting ladies entered the palace, the first step was rough selection, and those who came from low family background were excluded. Unless they looked truly beautiful, they would not have pa.s.sed the first stage.
w.a.n.g Yao had a pretty face, but her temper was not so pleasant as her face.
An Rujin came forward to give a curtsey: "Beauty w.a.n.g."
Beauty w.a.n.g looked her up and down, the feeling of superiority in her eyes could not be hidden. "An Rujin, how are you doing recently?" She asked.
Rujin lowered her eyes and said, "Beauty w.a.n.g, thank you for your concern. I am doing fine..."
"Disrespectful c.u.n.t!"
Before she finished, a maid-in-waiting shouted at her: "Why don’t you call yourself ‘Maid An’ in front of a master!"
An Rujin raised up her head with cold eyes: "I am still a waiting lady rather than a maid, so naturally I cannot claim to be a maid."
"You!" The maid-in-waiting choked on her words.
Beauty w.a.n.g smiled, and her eyes turned cold: "Originally I heard that you studied fragrance in Medicine Hall and aimed at becoming a Lady Official, and I admired your outstanding talent. Unexpectedly, you are such a tough girl, so arrogant."
Rujin said blandly, "Beauty w.a.n.g, I dare not be arrogant."
Ru Pei stepped forward at this moment and said to Beauty w.a.n.g, "Dear Mistress, An Rujin has gained the favor of Lady Intellectual Chen and she is very proud. Today she humiliated me in front of all the people in Medicine Hall."
Beauty w.a.n.g took one look at Rujin, who did not show any emotion at all. She became more disgusted of this calm girl: "An Rujin, I"ll tell you the truth. It"s useless for you to take the exam this time. If you are smart enough and make the right choice, I"ll ask the Internal Affairs Department to a.s.sign you to my Jade Hairpin Palace someday. I"ll take care of you for the sake of being the same year"s waiting ladies."
Ru Pei also persuaded her: "Do you hear our Young Mistress’s words? Her kindness is for your own good. Stop fighting for the illusory position of female official; it is better to serve Beauty w.a.n.g honestly and ensure a good future."
As soon as she spoke, the maids also spoke in support of her.
An Rujin suddenly smiled. She looked at Ru Pei with her clear eyes. "Since it is so nice to serve Beauty w.a.n.g, why would you abandon this position to pursue some illusory of Lady Official t.i.tle?"
She looked at Beauty w.a.n.g again: " Beauty w.a.n.g, we haven’t seen each other for months. I don’t know that you have become this good at telling jokes! When Young Mistresses have the power to decide the allocation of maids? For the sake of entering the palace the same year, I won"t spread your words. After all, you will be in trouble if the people in Internal Affairs Department heard."
Hearing this, Beauty w.a.n.g and Ru Pei were pale.
In particular, Beauty w.a.n.g was so infuriated that her hands were shaking. Since she was young, she had led a luxurious life. She wanted to be the most honorable woman in the world. However, when she entered the palace, she found that many waiting ladies were more beautiful than her. Even her family background was not so prominent as she thought compared to others.
Among the waiting ladies who entered the palace, there were daughters of First Rank or Second Rank officials, or the girls from the family of meritorious deeds. Each one was born and raised in the lap of luxury.
w.a.n.g Yao had good looks, and her family background was decent enough, so she obtained a Beauty t.i.tle. However, this position was quite below her expectations. That’s why she hated people mocking that her t.i.tle was not n.o.ble enough.
"You ..." Beauty w.a.n.g pointed at An Rujin, trembling with anger, "Girls, punish this disrespectful b.i.t.c.h for me!"
"Yes, Young Mistress, I will give her a lesson!" Ru Pei eagerly looked forward to Beauty w.a.n.g’s order.
She came up to Rujin, grabbed her sleeve and raised the other hand, about to slap her. Rujin suddenly stepped back and stared at her coldly: "How dare you!"
"Why not?" Beauty w.a.n.g’s face looked ferocious, "Aren"t you mocking that my t.i.tle is not n.o.ble enough? But at least I have the power to punish you, a little waiting lady!"
"What are you waiting for? Catch her and beat her hard!" she shouted to her maids.
Ru Pei stepped forward and grabbed Rujin"s incense box containing all her tools with a hideous grin: "Now let’s see if you can become a Lady Official!"
As she said, she s.n.a.t.c.hed Rujin"s box and threw it into the lotus pond nearby. When Rujin rushed to catch it, Ru Pei grabbed her and slapped her on the face.
The mark of five fingers were printed on Rujin"s pretty face. She covered her face with her hands and looked at Ru Pei coldly, without saying a word. The cold light in her eyes chilled Ru Pei"s heart.
How to describe her eyes?
The pupils were as dark as the deepest abyss with no light in it. It seemed that the last human warmth had annihilated. Rujin stared at Ru Pei, like looking at a dead person.