Chapter 15 Scarlet Heart

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Translating Chinese Historical Dramas for your enjoyment... and mine! :)

Scarlet Heart

Chapter 15:

(Qing Dynasty) Masterpiece, Best Quality, flat, Manga Scan, Anime, cinematic lighting, drawn Art, by Studio Trigger, cli...

As the Spring Festival approached, everyone was eagerly looking forward to it, but I felt increasingly despondent. I couldn't shake the thought that after the Spring Festival and Lantern Festival passed, the selection of the palace maidens would begin, barely a month away. I didn't harbor any anticipation for the coming year; instead, I secretly wished it would never arrive. But few things in the world unfold according to our wishes, and reluctantly, I welcomed the forty-fourth year of Kangxi's reign.

During the Spring Festival, the palace was filled with celebration. Over the past half year, I had attended numerous royal banquets, and the novelty had long worn off. Coupled with the weight on my mind, I felt rather indifferent. On that day, I allowed Dongyun to fuss over me and eventually joined the Eighth Prince and Jie Jie as we made our way to the palace.

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Feeling gloomy, I paid little attention to the elaborate decorations around me. I went through the motions of bowing when required and taking my seat, moving like a puppet in sync with everyone else, without causing any trouble.

Unlike the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, where many courtiers and their wives were in attendance, this occasion was much livelier. I thought this was for the best—no one would pay attention to me, allowing me to daydream undisturbed.

But as the ancients said, "Life is full of disappointments." Tenth Prince and Tenth Noble Consort turned out to be the main culprits in realizing this ancient adage.

First, Tenth Prince scrutinized me from head to toe, ignoring Tenth Noble Consort beside him. I endured the burning and icy gazes from pairs of eyes—two fiery and two frosty—a torment akin to being caught between fire and ice, making me feel like I was sitting on pins and needles. Unable to bear it any longer, I raised my head and glared fiercely at Tenth Prince, who seemed to fear that I might devour him, and finally averted his gaze. Seeing that he no longer looked at me, Tenth Noble Consort shot me a disdainful glance before also looking away.

At last, the world quieted down! I sighed and resumed my daze. But before long, I felt someone's eyes on me again. I thought to myself, "Old Tenth, have you had enough?" I lifted my head with the most venomous expression I could muster, only to find Thirteenth's warm and friendly smile. His warmth froze instantly upon meeting my venomous glare. I quickly forced a big smile, my facial muscles protesting the sudden change. After the forced smile, I gave him a helpless look. I wasn't sure if he understood, but he returned my smile and raised his glass towards me. I happily picked up my own glass and toasted him from afar.

Just as I finished my drink and was about to lower my head to resume daydreaming, I noticed Eighth Prince smiling ambiguously at me. Unsure of how to react, I quickly poured myself another drink and raised my glass towards him. He smiled back, raised his glass, and we toasted each other.

Setting down my glass, I thought, "Can I finally have a moment of peace now?" But as I glanced around, I caught Fourteenth Prince deep in thought, his gaze firmly fixed on me. I didn't understand what he was pondering, nor did I care to dwell on it. Instead, I simply flashed him a goofy grin and left it at that. Seeing my playful expression, Fourteenth Prince shook his head slightly and smiled. I smiled back.

With a hint of amusement, I turned my head, only to find Fourth Prince sitting beside Fourteenth Prince, seemingly having observed everything that just happened. Though his expression remained neutral, there was a playful glint in his eyes as he watched me. Realizing that he was someone I absolutely couldn't afford to offend, I quickly flashed him a sweet smile before turning my attention away.

After the evening banquet ended and we returned home, I felt exhausted. I sighed deeply, realizing that these political intrigues between officials were no laughing matter, especially when it involved someone as cunning as people in the Jade Palace.

Back at our residence, I hurriedly had the maidservants assist with washing up. Seeing me looking like I hadn't slept in three centuries, my Jie Jie suppressed a smile and said, "You're not allowed to sleep so early tonight. We have to stay up for the New Year!"

I was taken aback for a moment. It had been many years since I stayed up until midnight on New Year's Eve. But since we were in ancient times, we had to observe ancient customs. Jie Jie had the maidservants bring out a variety of fruits and pastries she had prepared in advance, then she pulled Qiaohui and Dongyun to sit together, chatting and waiting for the arrival of the New Year. Qiaohui noticed I looked like I was about to fall asleep and fetched a colorful rope to play with me.

As Qiaohui and I were busy showing off different tricks with the rope, Dongyun and my sister chatted and watched us. Suddenly, we heard one of the little maids outside call out, "The Prince wishes you auspiciousness!" Dongyun and Qiaohui were startled and quickly stood up. My sister and I exchanged surprised glances and stood up as well.

The Eighth Prince smiled and invited everyone to sit down, while Qiaohui and Dongyun excused themselves and left the room. Seeing Jie Jie and I still standing there, he chuckled and said, "Don't you welcome me to join you for the New Year's vigil?"

Jie Jie quickly smiled and replied, "We're just a bit surprised, that's all!" As she spoke, she assisted the Eighth Prince in taking a seat.

He smiled and said, "Please, all sit. It's rare for us to celebrate the New Year together." I silently took a seat and casually picked up a small pastry to nibble on.

The Eighth Prince and Jie Jie exchanged a few more words, but as Jie Jie tended to be more silent than talkative, the conversation gradually died down. The three of us sat in silence, and I started to feel my head growing heavy, my eyelids drooping with drowsiness. Seeing me looking utterly fatigued, Jie Jie pulled me into her arms and said, "Take a nap for a while! I'll wake you up later!" I leaned against her and drifted off to sleep.

As I drifted in and out of sleep, I heard several loud bursts of firecrackers outside, startling me awake from my Jie Jie's embrace. Jie Jie smoothed out my hair and said, "The New Year has arrived!"

The Eighth Prince also smiled and said, "Indeed!"

I quickly stood up and said, "Alright, the vigil is over, I'm going to sleep now!" Without waiting for their response, I rushed back to my room, climbed into bed, and fell asleep with the covers over my head.

The next day when I woke up, I realized that I had just passed my first New Year in ancient times in a very ordinary manner. I felt a twinge of regret, but at the same time, I thought if every New Year could be spent like this in the future, it wouldn't be such a bad thing after all.

Dongyun was standing behind me, combing my hair. I asked, "Did the Eighth Prince stay here last night?"

Dongyun's hands paused, and she sighed, "No! After Miss went to bed, not long after, the prince left!" I quietly looked at myself in the mirror and didn't say anything more.

・・・

The festive spirit of the Spring Festival had not yet faded, and now the Lantern Festival had arrived. Despite my troubled heart, I still held a considerable interest in the Lantern Festival. Also known as the Yuanxiao Festival, on this day, every household would hang lanterns, and there would be lion dances, dragon lantern dances, riddle guessing, and fireworks at night. Women who rarely went out on ordinary days could accompany their female companions on this evening, enjoying lantern displays and guessing riddles. It could be said that this was absolutely the most anticipated festival for girls. Coupled with the allure of the beautiful scenes depicted in ancient poems, where talented scholars and beautiful ladies met under the moon, I was no exception in eagerly awaiting this festival.

Before the sky had darkened, I had Winter Cloud style my hair into double-looped buns and put on a half-new goose-yellow dress. I hurriedly urged Qiaohui to change her clothes. Qiaohui laughed and said, "My good miss! We have to wait until it's dark to enjoy the lanterns and guess riddles!" I paid no attention to her, just kept urging her on. Seeing me so impatient, Qiaohui hurriedly changed her clothes and grabbed two cloaks to accompany me out of the mansion.

Just as we had stepped out of the mansion gate, I heard someone call out from behind, "Thirteenth Sister!" I furrowed my brow, wondering who dared to call me by that nickname so boldly, even though it was widely known in the Forbidden City. Turning around, I saw Thirteenth Prince, dressed in a plain scholar's robe of light blue, accompanied by a handsome young servant, strolling towards us.

Seeing him, I felt pleased and asked with a smile, "What a coincidence?" He replied with a smile, "Coincidences happen when there's intent!" It dawned on me that he must have been waiting for me intentionally! Hastily, I asked, "How did you know I was coming out to play today?"

He chuckled and said, "On such a delightful day, would you sit idly in your room?"

We walked side by side, with Qiaohui and the young servant following behind. After a while, Thirteenth Prince said, "I've invited Miss Lu Yu to join us in admiring the lanterns."

I pondered for a moment and asked, "Is she the hostess of the courtyard we visited last time?"

He nodded, and I replied with a smile, "Great! I was just thinking it wouldn't be as fun with fewer people! Besides, I haven't had the chance to thank her personally for lending me her cloak last time!"

Thirteenth Prince stopped and turned to the young servant with a smile, saying, "See? I was right, wasn't I?" I halted too, feeling puzzled, and turned back as well.

The young servant hurriedly stepped forward with a smile, clasped his hands together in a gesture of respect, and said, "Thirteenth Master said that Miss is extraordinary! I didn't believe it until I saw you today, and now I realize Thirteenth Master was indeed right."

I also smiled and replied, "This must be Miss Lu Yu, right? I didn't know she would be coming today; otherwise, I would have brought her cloak to return it." As I spoke, I couldn't help but think that judging by the decor of her room last time, she must be a proud and dignified person, fearing that others might look down on her and thus reluctant to acquaint herself directly with me.

As the sky gradually darkened, the streets became increasingly crowded. Looking down the street, the rows of lanterns seemed endless, resembling a sea of stars. Amidst the fragrance of clothes and the laughter of people, I couldn't help but look around in amazement. Even as other girls passed by, I couldn't resist stealing glances at them. All three of them chuckled, and Lu Yu teased, "You seem like you've never strolled through the streets before!"

I sighed and shook my head, saying, "Isn't it obvious? I feel like I've been imprisoned all day." She was taken aback for a moment before bursting into laughter.

Since I was never good at solving riddles, I focused on admiring the lanterns. Thirteenth Prince and Lu Yu also seemed uninterested in riddles, so the four of us just casually looked around as we walked.

Thirteenth Prince led us to a tavern, where the waiter seemed to recognize him and promptly arranged for us to sit by the window. He said, "When the lion dance and dragon lantern parade pass by later, you'll have a clear view from here without the crowd."

As we watched the bustling activity below and chatted, we suddenly heard a voice say, "Thirteenth Brother is here too?" We turned around to see Fourteenth Prince and several young men standing behind us. The young men hurried to greet Thirteenth Prince, while Qiaohui and I greeted Fourteenth Prince. The scene became lively instantly! However, both Thirteenth and Fourteenth Princes waved their hands, saying, "We're all dressed casually, no need for formalities!"

The atmosphere became somewhat tense. Lu Yu stood beside me, looking out the window with her head turned, while Qiaohui stood with her head bowed. I glanced at Thirteenth Prince and then at Fourteenth Prince. Both wore smiles, but the meaning behind their smiles was quite different. Thirteenth Prince seemed nonchalant, while Fourteenth Prince's smile, though elegant, carried a hint of coldness. When Fourteenth Prince caught me looking at him, he gave me a cold stare. I pursed my lips and lowered my head.

Just then, a slender young man who was with Fourteenth Prince exclaimed, "Isn't this Miss Lu Yu?" Lu Yu turned her head at this, glanced at the speaker with a calm expression, and remained silent, lowering her head again. It was only now that Fourteenth Prince noticed Lu Yu was a girl and couldn't help but give her a second look. Lu Yu kept her head down, her expression indifferent. I reached under the table and lightly squeezed her hand. She turned to look at me, and I gave her a reassuring smile before releasing her hand.

At that moment, a chubby young man with a sneer on his face spoke up, "Well, well, looks like Thirteenth Brother is quite popular, with beauties on both sides." Before Thirteenth Prince could react, his expression turned cold.

Then, Fourteenth Prince let out a cold snort and said, "Cha Cha Lin, what nonsense are you talking?" Cha Cha Lin clearly didn't understand why his flattery had angered Fourteenth Prince. Some bystanders who knew me wanted to intervene but it was already too late.

I lowered my head and stifled a smile before looking up and asking, "Are you here to admire the lanterns or to admire people?" Everyone then took their seats.

The lion dance was impressive, and the dragon dance was also well-executed, but among those present, perhaps only Qiaohui and I truly appreciated them. Others either seemed lost in thought or surreptitiously glanced at me, while a few kept looking at Lu Yu.

Having enjoyed the festivities, it was time to return home as the night grew darker. Fourteenth Prince spoke up first, "I'll escort Ruoxi back." Upon hearing this, I seized the opportunity to shrug at Thirteenth Prince when he wasn't looking, and he just smiled in response. Eventually, Thirteenth Prince escorted Lu Yu, Fourteenth Prince escorted Qiaohui and me, and the rest went their separate ways.

The weather was quite chilly, and Qiaohui draped the cloak she had prepared over me. Walking side by side with Fourteenth Prince, Qiaohui followed behind us silently until we reached the gate of the residence, where we remained silent throughout the journey.

The servant opened the door and, upon seeing us, quickly greeted us with a smile, "Miss, you're back. Madam has sent someone to inquire several times."

After Fourteenth Prince instructed him to rise, he asked, "Is Eighth Brother here?" The servant replied, "He's with the legitimate Consort. Shall I inform him of your return?"

Fourteenth Prince continued walking forward as he spoke, "Tell Eighth Brother that I'm waiting for him in the study."

I contemplated heading back to Jie Jie's place, but Fourteenth Prince stopped me, his face stern as he said, "Come with me to the study." After a moment's thought, I figured, why not go along with him? So I nodded. I instructed Qiaohui to go ahead and inform Jie Jie, then accompanied Fourteenth Prince to the study.

We sat silently in the study for a brief moment before Li Fu parted the curtains, and Eighth Prince entered with a smile on his face. He looked mildly surprised to see me there.

Without preamble, Fourteenth Prince stood up and said, "Guess who I saw Ruoxi with today, Eighth Brother?" Eighth Prince, still smiling, glanced at Li Fu, who quickly exited and closed the door behind him.

As Eighth Prince took his seat, he chuckled and asked, "Who was it?"

Fourteenth Prince looked at me and said, "I don't know when she became so close with Thirteenth Prince. She was with him." He snorted before adding, "And that's not all. She was even with a courtesan."

I was infuriated by his words. Who did he think he was to meddle in my affairs? I retorted, "What's wrong with being with Thirteenth Prince? And what's wrong with being with a courtesan?"

Fourteenth Prince glared at me with anger and said, "So what? Have you ever seen any noble lady in the Forbidden City associating with courtesans?"

My anger intensified, and I stood up to face him, letting out two contemptuous laughs. "I only know that Lu Zhu, who died by jumping off a building for love, was a courtesan. Liang Hongyu, who beat the drums to resist the Jin invaders, was a courtesan. Li Shishi, who refused to serve the Jin invaders and died swallowing gold, was a courtesan. Lin Siniang, the brave general who risked her life to save Prince Heng, was a courtesan. Yuan Bao'er, who sang songs of heroism before her tragic death, was a courtesan..." Suddenly realizing that Yuan Bao'er lived in the Ming Dynasty and fought against Qing soldiers, I quickly stopped myself, but still glared angrily at Fourteenth Prince.

Fourteenth obviously didn't expect his remarks to provoke such a lengthy response from me. Caught off guard, he seemed at a loss for words, torn between anger and frustration, unsure of how to refute me. He nodded with gritted teeth, glaring angrily at me.

Observing our heated exchange, Eighth Prince shook his head with a smile. "Stop glaring at each other! Fourteenth Brother, go back for now. I'll handle Ruoxi's matter." With a final glare at me, Fourteenth Prince turned to Eighth Prince, hesitated for a moment, then turned back to glare at me once more before storming off.

Despite facing Fourteenth Prince's glare, I felt no sense of fear. However, as he left, leaving me alone with Eighth Prince, a sense of nervousness crept over me. Fiddling with the edges of my cloak, I lowered my head, unsure of what to do next.

Observing me for a moment, Eight Prince smiled gently. "Prince Yong's jest was quite apt. You not only possess the same determined spirit as Thirteenth Brother, but also embody the free-spirited, unconventional demeanor of the Wei and Jin literati!" He continued with a chuckle, "Stop standing there!"

Feeling increasingly nervous, I slowly made my way over and sat down next to him, obediently lowering my head.

After I had settled, Eighth Prince sighed and turned his gaze forward, falling into silence.

Two of us sat in silence for a while. Suddenly, he blurted out, "Are you afraid?" I was taken aback, unsure of what he meant, so I looked at him with confusion. He turned to me and clarified, "As a chosen consort, are you afraid?" Upon hearing this, all the worries that had been building up inside me flooded back, and I could only nod silently, furrowing my brow in distress.

After a moment, Eighth Prince began to speak again, almost to himself. "The first time I saw your sister, she was fifteen." Intrigued, I set aside my worries and listened intently.

"It was the year when your father returned to the capital for his official duties, and she came along. It was spring, and the weather was unusually pleasant. The sky was as blue as washed water, and the gentle breeze carried the scent of flowers, refreshing the soul. I went horseback riding with two servants to the outskirts. From afar, I saw a young girl riding a horse on a hillside." He chuckled and continued, "You've seen Ruolan's equestrian skills; you should know how magnificent and astonishing they are." Recalling my sister's graceful figure on the racetrack, I nodded unconsciously.

"She rode even better that day than she did on the racetrack. Her laughter sounded like a string of silver bells, echoing through the mountains and forests. It was filled with pure joy, contagious enough to make anyone who heard it burst into laughter."

He fell silent for a moment before continuing, "At that moment, I couldn't believe my eyes. There are many beautiful girls in the Forbidden City, but Ruolan was different." I thought to myself, at that time, my sister was a happy woman in love, believing that she and her beloved could soar above the clouds. Her happiness emanated from the deepest recesses of her heart, unlike those women in the Forbidden City who might never experience true love in their lifetimes.

He said, "After I returned, I busied myself with inquiring about your sister and figuring out how to persuade His Majesty to grant her to me. While I was contemplating various strategies, my mother informed me that His Majesty intended to betroth the eldest daughter of the Maertai family to me as a concubine. At that moment, I felt happier than I had ever been in my life. On the second day after His Majesty's decree was issued, I searched all over the capital and spent more than half a year finding a phoenix-blood jade bracelet, intending to present it to her on our wedding day."

I looked down at the bracelet on my wrist and couldn't help but raise my wrist, asking, "Is this the one? The one meant for my sister?"

He looked at the bracelet on my wrist, reached out to hold my hand, and continued, "I waited eagerly, day and night, until the day of our grand wedding arrived. However, when I lifted the veil, I realized that things were not as I had imagined. The person I had yearned for over two years appeared entirely different from the one before me. She never rode horses and rarely smiled. I kept asking myself, 'What is going on? Did I mistake her identity?' It was only after sending people to inquire in the northwest and going through numerous twists and turns that I learned the truth." He sighed, with a bitter smile on his face, and said nothing more.

I let out a heavy sigh, feeling the whims of fate! After a moment of contemplation, my heart suddenly pounded wildly. Holding my breath, I asked nervously and fearfully, "How did that person die?" He fell silent for a long while, took a deep breath, and said, "The person I sent to inquire alarmed your father, so your father, in order to keep him away, sent him to the front lines, and then..." He stopped abruptly, not continuing.

My heart seemed to thud heavily with each beat. I withdrew my hand, intending to take off the bracelet and return it to him, but he immediately covered my hand, saying, "Don't take it off!"

I lowered my head, staring at the bracelet, and said, "This is for my sister."

He tightened his grip on my hand and whispered, "This is for the person I care about." Then, he lifted my chin with his other hand, gazing into my eyes, and said, "Promise me, never take it off!"

I met his gaze, which was dark and seemingly bottomless, filled with an unfamiliar tenderness, deep sadness, and a sense of impending overflow, stirring my heart with a mixture of bitterness. Slowly, I nodded in agreement. Seeing my consent, he smiled gently and released my hand.

After a while, he smiled and said, "Don't be afraid! I'll find a way. There's always a way to persuade His Majesty to bestow you to me."

I let out a surprised "Ah" and looked at him in astonishment. He smiled again. I quickly shook my head, saying, "No!"

He looked at me, the smile gradually fading from his face, his complexion turning pale, and suddenly asked, "Do you mean to say you're willing to be the Emperor's woman?"

I felt even more panicked, shaking my head again. I didn't want this, I didn't want any of it. All I wanted was to live well, to find someone who truly loved, cherished, and protected me, not to be treated as a plaything during idle moments. I didn't want to be given away like some object. I was a person, not a possession.

He watched me shaking my head in distress, then suddenly held my head in his hands, saying, "Stop shaking!" Tears welled up in my eyes, and my heart felt heavy, but I kept staring at him with wide eyes. After a moment, he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then opened them again, sighing, "So be it." Pausing for a moment, he added, "I will find a way." With that, he released me and called for Li Fu to escort me back to Jie Jie's quarters.

As we reached the door, he suddenly spoke from behind me, "When you enter the palace, don't dress yourself up like you did on Tenth Brother's birthday." I didn't understand at first, frozen in place, then turned to look at him. He kept his eyes downcast, slowly saying, "That kind of beauty is too dazzling." It took me a moment to fully comprehend. I could hardly distinguish whether my feelings were of joy or sorrow. I just murmured a soft "Okay" and then turned to follow Li Fu.

Back in my room, Jie Jie saw my pale complexion and assumed I had received some reprimand from Eighth Brother. She came over and gently touched my face, sighing, then instructed Dongyun to help me get ready for bed.

As I lay on my bed, sleep eluded me, my thoughts alternating between Jie Jie and myself. I couldn't help but wonder if Jie Jie knew about Eighth Brother's feelings for her. I also felt foolish; many signs indicated Eighth Brother's affections for her.

For instance, his surprise upon first seeing me; Jie Jie rarely paid respects to the main consort, yet the main consort never openly confronted her; furthermore, while it seemed Jie Jie lacked favor, even the most superficial eunuchs and servants never dared to mistreat her. As I pondered these things, I realized many clues had been right in front of me all along, but I hadn't thought deeply about them.

But what about me? What was my role? Jie Jie's substitute? Why did I keep the bracelet? Why didn't I return it to him? Was it just a moment of weakness? Sleep remained elusive.

•••

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Chapter 15 Scarlet Heart

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