The Beloved Imperial Consort

Chapter 136: To scale the gates

“Sir Wei, are you going to Danruo Courtyard again?” Tian Fu Shan smiled meaningfully, teasing Wei Zhen unceremoniously.

Wei Zhen walked past him with a serious face. When he saw that no one was close, his expression couldn’t hold back any longer. On a whim, Mistress Yao suddenly cared about his life-long affairs [1]. From time to time, she called him to Danruo Courtyard to “mention some important points”, and even handed him the little master [2] to him to “start his foundation on Kung Fu”.

[1] 大事 Dàshì. Major major social event (wedding or funeral). In this context means his marriage.

[2] 小主子 Xiǎo zhǔzi – Little master or young master. All the servants refer to Cheng Quin like this. Somehow realized that I never said it.

Wei Zhen still remembered that when Mistress explained this, a room full of people had blank expressions. The two Momos especially were desperate to persuade her. It was a pity that without His Royal Highness in the scene, Mistress Yao was the master of one [3].

[3] 说一不二 shuō yī bù èr – to say one and mean just that (idiom)/ say one and it never becomes two/ to keep one’s word. It means whatever Mu Xi Yao says it’s gonna be done, it’s gotta be done. No one can’t defy her words.

And now, it was time for him to start the little master in his roots.

“Sir.” Mo Lan handed over the little master jumping with excitement to Wei Zhen.

Wei Zhen had gone through the initial panic, so now he was able to pick up the little master in a decent manner.

“Wei Wei!” Little bun [4] Cheng Qing remembered the big man who could lift him high up in front of him. As soon as he saw Wei Zhen, he showed a big smile.

[4] 小包子 Xiǎo bāozi – Little bun.

Looking at the little master who was carved out of the same mold as his sixth Highness, the respect in Wei Zhen’s heart remained undiminished. After playing with the little master for a while, he bowed again and led him to the martial arts training ground in the front yard to watch the guards practice boxing.

At this time, Cheng Qing’s eyes were always wide open, and he laid quietly in his arms as he stared at the men practicing their skills.

Mo Lan followed behind him with her little maid, nervously watching the figure of the little master. Every moment, her heart seemed to have nowhere to go. She was afraid that Sir Wei would knock or hold the little master too roughly and she also worried that the little master’s clothing would be pulled off and so let him get cold and cause him sickness. Then it would not be good.

But Wei Zhen was very attentive to Cheng Qing. Although he was not as meticulous as the Momos, nevertheless he still protected him everywhere. Now, seeing the little master watching attentively at the guards’ practicing their martial arts, he couldn’t help but sigh. He was indeed the eldest son of His Royal Highness. He was this old, but he still showed a keen interest in martial arts. Afraid that when he grows up, he would also be very talented, and will definitely make great achievements in the area.

Mo Lan went back several times to report back to Mu Xi Yao, worried that it would be inappropriate for the little master to contact these fights too early, but Mu Xi Yao waved her hands and stopped her. She didn’t care, instead, she praised Wei Zhen for being able to use his brain. He had found a way to keep that little naughty [5] bastard quiet.

[5] 调皮 tiáo pí means ‘naughty/mischievous/unruly’ and 蛋 dàn means ‘egg’, so she’s calling him a naught egg. The complete sentence was 小调皮蛋 xiǎo diàopí dàn. 皮蛋 pídàn means ‘egg; preserved egg’ but it can also mean ‘naughty/mischievous /to act up’. (A dictionary said it was a ‘term of abuse’ LMAO). So, we actually have four characters saying how naught CQ is, from MXY’ eyes.

In the blink of an eye, more than half a month passed, and Mu Xi Yao was pleased to see how everything was going according to her wishes: Wei Zhen was gradually becoming more at ease in Danruo Courtyard. She was watching with a smile as Wei Zhen held the little bun’s hand, teaching him how to play pitch-pot [6] when she saw Zhao Momo walking quickly towards her.

[6] 投壶 tóuhú – Ancient banquet game of throwing arrows into a pot, the winner determined by the number of arrows thrown in, and the loser required to drink as punishment. Here’s a video of it from The Story of Ming Lan, starting at 0:25.

“Mistress, the fourth Princess is visiting. Princess Consort He Lian asked you to please come to the main house.”

Fourth Princess? Mu Xi Yao felt the title very familiar. Seeing Wei Zhen’s busy back, Oh, I remembered.

Wasn’t she born from Concubine De, the fourth daughter of the Emperor, Zong Zheng Ying? His Royal Highness sent someone to buy her golden-crowned hummingbird. And she, Mu Xi Yao, personally sent Concubine De to the cold palace. Was this dropping in at one’s enemy door?

“Master, do you want this old slave to come back and refuse for you? Should I just say that you are pregnant and too heavy to move, so you need to be in bed to rest?” The fourth Princess was obviously an ill-intended visitor. She chose to come to the door when his Highness left the capital and specifically announced her surname and intention to meet Cefei. Doing it like this made it difficult for people to refuse to meet her.

“Since you’re pregnant and your body is heavy, then Bengong [7] came to visit in person, just like this. He Lian-shi, don’t you [8] speak on my behalf?” Zong Zheng Ying entered the curtain in person, followed by He Lian Min Min with a dark face.

[7] 本宫 běn gōng – lit. “this palace”; illeism for members of the Imperial Family and imperial consorts who have their own rooms/palace, and who may thus refer to themselves as “this palace.” This illeism is mainly used by females: the Empress, the Emperor’s daughters, and major consorts. (From Dreams of Jianghu).

[8] 你 nǐ – You (informal, as opposed to courteous 您). She’s being rude.

The two of them were followed by maidservants, and in the blink of an eye, the main hall where Mu Xi Yao was staying became lively.

The fourth Princess was too much of a tyrant and acted arbitrarily in the sixth Prince’s Mansion, she even went against her and took people to Danruo Courtyard directly. He Lian Min Min was the Princess Consort of Zong Zheng Lin. Of course, she and Zong Zheng Ying did not mix well. The two of them already had a few rounds of guns and back arrows [9], each with a knowing smile and a hidden knife [10].

[9] 暗箭 ànjiàn – a stab in the back.

[10] 笑里藏刀 xiàolǐcángdāo – lit. a dagger hidden in smiles (idiom); friendly manners belying hypocritical intentions.

The instant Mu Xi Yao saw Chu Lan being held and kneeling under the sun from the gap of the raised curtain, her expression changed in an instant.

This Zong Zheng Ying talent had just arrived, yet she had already made her position clear. Was this trying to face her head-on based on her identity?

“Mu cefei, Bengong came to visit in person. Although I understand your clumsy body and won’t be harsh enough to ask you to do the full salute, in this scene, is it possible to pass the etiquette of honor and inferiority [11]?” Zong Zheng Ying raised her chin. She squinted at Mu Xi Yao from the corner of her eyes, if it weren’t for the smile on her face, the naked hatred in her eyes would scare people to death.

[11] 尊卑 zūnbēi – superior and subordinate/social ranking. She’s saying she’s above her, don’t know how else to put it so I just kept the raws.

As Zong Zheng Ying spoke, she chose the top armchair [12] in the hall and sat down, obviously putting pressure on Mu Xi Yao, who had not made any movement as she leaned on the soft couch.

[12] 上首 shàngshǒu – the seat of honor / first place.

He Lian Min Min sat side by side with Zong Zheng Ying with a straight face, her aura never once weakened. When His Royal Highness wasn’t in the Mansion, she couldn’t let others spoil the face of the Prince’s Mansion. As for the relationship between Mu Xi Yao and Zong Zheng Ying, if Zong Zheng Ying’s methods were strong enough to take care of that vixen, as long as it wasn’t too outrageous, she will naturally be happy to see Mu Xi Yao being humiliated.

As for Zong Zheng Ying, a woman who could never become an ally, she naturally had to take into account the face of His Highness the sixth Highness, and uphold his reputation. If there were sharp words mixed in this conversation, believe that His Highness will not blame her.

Mu Xi Yao was silent for a moment, with a humble smile on her face.

“It’s this concubine who neglected the Princess, asking the Princess for forgiveness”. She slowly held out her left hand, as her eyes signaled Zhao Momo to help her up.

Mama Zhao held out her hand. In these cases, the Master was the one who set the rhythm, one just needed to follow. As Mistress had stretched out her hand first, she could put forward her hand too. Leaning over slightly, she helped Mu Xi Yao to walk slowly toward the fourth Princess.

Standing three or five steps away from her, Mu Xi Yao bowed her knees and gave a full salute.

“This concubine greets the fourth Princess. Thanking the Princess for caring so much about this concubine, and coming to visit in person.”

He Lian Min Min felt doubtful seeing her so out of character. The etiquette was perfect, she showed respect and dignity even with her stomach being in the way. What was in this woman’s heart?

Zong Zheng Ying sneered at her charade. In her heart, she hated Mu Xi Yao even more. It was this damn bitch in front of her. If it weren’t for her, she as the dignified fourth Princess of Wei, wouldn’t have lost the support of her mother’s family overnight and become the one with the weakest backing among the few married Princesses.

Holding the horsewhip in her hand and rubbing it carefully, out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of Mu Xi Yao still bowing her knees and bowing her head, and her heart couldn’t help but feel happy.

No matter how favored she was, her only protection was a man. Now that Zong Zheng Lin was not here, wasn’t she only a pheasant that had her feathers plucked? Instigating Zong Zheng Lin to make her, Zong Zheng Ying, bow her head, now, this humiliation ought to be honestly swallowed by her.

The sixth Highness did a very good job of keeping secrets. Zong Zheng Ying only learned from the people [13] of her now abolished Mother-Concubine that her golden-crowned hummingbird was now raised by Mu Xi Yao in the yard, holding it every day to tease and have fun. This was simply slapping her in the face, hanging the hummingbirds on the branches of her house every day to play with, just trying to take the opportunity to humiliate her.

[13] 死士 sǐshì – person willing to sacrifice his life (for a good cause). I’m guessing the consort De put spies on ZZL’s mansion, and now these people without a master went to her. In the raws, it said ‘the dead people of the princess mansion’ which doesn’t make sense.

Zong Zheng Lin dared to coerce her into giving him her bird, choking her breath. She waited, and now that he was far from the mansion, she could settle accounts with him. Picking on Mu-shi today was just the first battle after having their faces tore [14]. Forcing her Mother-Concubine to be mad and abolished, this hatred could only be paid with the life of Mu.

[14]撕破脸 – rip open the face (the veneer of mutual respect being torn off); offend sb. openly; shed all pretenses.

***

▲ Footnotes

[1] 大事 Dàshì. Major major social event (wedding or funeral). In this context means his marriage.

[2] 小主子 Xiǎo zhǔzi – Little master, young master. All the servants refer to Cheng Quin like this.

[4] 小包子 Xiǎo bāozi – Little bun.

[5] tiáo pí (调皮) means ‘naughty/mischievous/unruly’ and dàn (蛋) means ‘egg’, so she’s calling him a naught egg. The complete sentence was 小调皮蛋 xiǎo diàopí dàn. 皮蛋 pídàn means ‘egg; preserved egg’ but it can also mean ‘naughty/mischievous /to act up’. (A dictionary said it was a ‘term of abuse’ LMAO). So, we have four characters saying how naught CQ is, from MXY’ eyes.

[6] 投壶 tóuhú – Ancient banquet game of throwing arrows into a pot, the winner determined by the number of arrows thrown in, and the loser required to drink as punishment.