Chapter 18 Scarlet Heart

 FlamingoBees 

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Scarlet Heart 

 Chapter 18: 

As the sun gradually slanted westward, I leaned against a stone by the willow tree, half-closing my eyes as I watched two butterflies fluttering gracefully among the flowers ahead. The purple and white irises, once vibrant, were now fading, not as charming to behold. However, the presence of these two colorful butterflies, pausing and dancing among the flowers, brought a sense of extraordinary beauty under the setting sun.

A childish yet clear voice broke the silence, asking, "What are you doing? Why are you so still?" Glancing sideways, I saw a boy of about six or seven years old, chubby-cheeked and adorable, dressed in attire that suggested a high status. 

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Pointing ahead, I replied, "I'm watching the butterflies!" He came over to me, glanced at the butterflies, and said, "What's so interesting about them? Catching butterflies is much more fun!" I smiled and didn't pay him any more attention.

He asked again, "Which palace are you from?" Still staring at the butterflies, I casually asked back, "And where are you from?" He replied, "I asked you first." Ignoring him, I continued to watch the butterflies, fluttering away in the distance, wishing I could fly away just like them.

After waiting for a while and seeing that I wasn't responding, he said, "I am Aisin Gioro Hongshi." I was surprised and quickly turned to carefully examine him. This was the son who was later demoted to commoner by Yongzheng! After a few glances, I lazily turned my head back.

"Aren't you going to bow to me?" he asked. I turned back to look at him, thinking how he was so young yet already understood the distinction between master and servant so clearly. 

I chuckled and said, "I'm not going to bow to you now. When you grow up, I'll bow to you then." 

He tilted his head and looked at me, saying, "The other palace maids bow to me now." I chuckled at him and asked, "Who brought you into the palace, and why are you alone?"

He didn't answer my question but continued, "Who are you?" I hesitated for a moment, not immediately responding. He asked again in a crisp voice, "Who are you?" 

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Turning my head to look at the lonely flower bushes under the slanting rays of the setting sun, I murmured to myself, "Who am I?" Am I Maertai Ruoxi? Am I Zhang Xiaowen? Am I a Qing dynasty palace maid? Am I a modern white-collar worker? My mind was in a whirl.

"Yeah, who am I? I don't know who I am either." I turned to look at him with a wry smile and said, "I don't know who I am." He seemed a little frightened by my smile and stared at me blankly.

Seeing his reaction, I was startled and quickly put on a friendly smile, intending to reassure him so as not to frighten the child with my momentary lapse. A eunuch hurried over, "Oh, good master, I finally found you. How did you run so far in the blink of an eye?"

I looked over, and Prince Yong, the fourth prince, was walking briskly behind, so I quickly stood up to greet him. When the fourth prince approached, he glanced at Hongshi and asked coldly, "What's going on?" 

Hongshi seemed a little afraid and muttered, "I just talked to her for a while." Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he exclaimed loudly, "Father, she refused to bow to me and said she didn't know who she was."

Hearing this, I felt as if my heart had stopped beating for a moment. Oh, this Hongshi, so fond of stirring up trouble, it's no wonder he's disliked by others. Not knowing how to react, I chose to remain expressionless and stood there silently.

The fourth prince turned to the eunuch beside him and said, "Take Hongshi to Consort's quarters first." The eunuch acknowledged and quickly crouched down to carry Hongshi away. Hongshi looked back at me before leaving, as if wanting to say something, but seeing his father's indifferent expression, he remained silent and obediently followed the eunuch.

I thought the fourth prince would leave with Hongshi, but to my surprise, he remained standing there. Realizing that leaving at this moment might not be possible, I decided to stay and listen to what he had to say. So, I lowered my head and watched as the willow tree cast long shadows under the setting sun, quietly standing there.

He fell silent for a moment and then calmly said, "Next time, if you want to know about my private matters, you might as well come and ask me directly." My heart skipped a beat, and I started to blame Thirteen. How could I have asked him about the fourth prince's affairs? He didn't have many answers, but he managed to let the Fourth Prince know. If I had known, I wouldn't have asked him. What should I do now?

Seeing no reaction from me, he adjusted the hem of his robe with his hand, and sat down on the stone I had just been sitting on. With his eyes half closed, he looked at the flower bushes ahead and said in a flat tone, "My favorite tea is Taiping Monkey Chief, my favorite dessert is jade osmanthus cake, my favorite color is post-rain green-blue, my preferred style of porcelain is white with embossed butterfly patterns, I like dogs, dislike cats, dislike spicy food, don't like drinking too much..." He paused for a moment, thought for a while, and continued, "Thirteen has probably already told you about these. But you asked too many questions, and these are all I can remember for now. If you have more questions, ask now!"

I stood there dumbfounded, not knowing how to react. What did his attitude mean? Should I quickly kneel down and plead for forgiveness? Or should I take this opportunity to ask for clarification? Actually, my thoughts were simple. I only knew that there were two people in the palace who absolutely couldn't be offended: Kangxi and the fourth prince. The teachers had repeatedly warned about Kangxi's preferences and taboos, but there was no way of knowing the fourth prince's preferences and taboos. I thought Thirteen, being close to him, should know, so I asked him. But Thirteen replied in surprise, "As a grown man, how would I know about these things?" I insisted, "Regardless! You have to find out for me." I also instructed him carefully to inquire secretly, without letting anyone know. And the result? The result was that Thirteen handled the matter like this! Oh well!

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With a hesitant voice, I asked, "What's your least favorite color?" 

He seemed taken aback, probably not expecting me to actually ask. After glancing at me for a moment, he turned his head back to the front and replied calmly, "Black." 

I nodded and continued, "And what about your least favorite incense?" 

He quickly responded, "Gardenia scent."

"The favorite flower?" 

"Magnolia."

"The favorite fruit to eat?" 

"Grapes."

"What weather makes you happiest?" 

"Light rain."

"And the weather you dislike the most?" 

"Scorching sun."

© translations belonging to  flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com. If you read this somewhere else instead of flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com then the translations has been posted WITHOUT permission of translator.

...I don't even know what I was thinking. Maybe I've read too many modern idol profiles, but the more I asked, the more it flowed. Eventually, I even started asking about his favorite places to go, happiest childhood memories, most embarrassing moments, and so on. And he simply responded to each question I asked. In the end, my mind felt cluttered with all the information, and I wasn't sure if I remembered it all. Finally, with no more questions to ask, I clicked my tongue and stopped.

By now, the sky had darkened, and we fell into silence. 

After a while, I bowed and said, "I've asked all I wanted to know. If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave, Your Highness." 

He stood up, looking at me as I crouched, then after a moment, he calmly replied, "Go ahead." So I straightened up, turned, and left with a blank mind.

・・・

As the beginning of autumn approached, the heat showed no signs of abating; if anything, it intensified. 

Kangxi decided to venture beyond the borders on a military expedition, partly to escape the heat and partly to hone his skills, reminding future generations not to forget the roots of the Manchu people. Though there were significant mishaps along the way during this expedition, I seem to recall that apart from the unfortunate incidents involving the Crown Prince and the eldest prince, everyone else faced minor troubles or none at all. As long as I remained cautious, there shouldn't be any trouble. Thinking about the landscapes and cool weather beyond the borders, I still hoped to accompany the expedition.

While pondering how to persuade Li Dequan to let me join, Wang Xi came over and informed me to prepare tea sets and utensils to accompany the journey beyond the borders. I couldn't have been more pleased to hear this news. So, I happily began preparing and packing my belongings.

Taking advantage of not being on duty today, I began to organize the items I would bring along. While bending down to fold clothes, I heard a soft but distinct knock on the door. Without lifting my head, I casually replied, "Come in!" However, the door didn't open as I expected. Putting down the clothes, I glanced at the door, and once again said, "Come in!" Still, there was no response from outside. Perplexed, I stood up and opened the door, and there stood the Eighth Prince. He wore a bamboo-green robe, standing gracefully under the osmanthus tree in the courtyard, smiling gently as he watched me by the door. The sunlight filtering through the leaves cast a warm glow on his face, making his smile even more radiant. It seemed to bring sunshine into your heart as well.

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I stood at the doorway, staring at him for a moment, and he gazed back at me quietly. It took me a while to react, and I quickly stepped forward to greet him. He smiled and said, "This is the first time I've seen where you live. It's quite peaceful here." 

I replied with a hint of pride, "As a leading female official now, I can't afford to live in a too humble place." He chuckled softly, and I couldn't help but laugh along.

After a brief laughter, I said, "In this courtyard, it's just me and Yutan living here. Today, she's on duty." After saying that, I felt like I was hinting at something and couldn't help but blush. 

He smiled and said, "I know." I mumbled a response, feeling even more embarrassed. I casually picked up a leaf from the ground and started playing with it.

Thinking about how indifferent Fourteenth Prince had been lately and the usual attitude of the Eighth Prince, I wanted to take this opportunity to ask them what they were thinking. But standing next to him, in this rare moment of solitude, with the summer sunlight warming everything, I found myself not wanting to ask anything at all.

He said, "I'll stay in the capital for this expedition beyond the borders." I responded with a simple "okay," and he continued, "This is your first time accompanying the expedition, and it will be for a long time. Be careful on the journey." Again, I replied with a nod. 

After a moment, I looked up at him earnestly and said, "Don't worry! I've been in the palace for three years now. I'm no longer the clueless little maid who needed guidance for everything when I first entered. I know what I can and cannot do, and I keep that in mind!" 

He looked into my eyes, nodded with a smile, then glanced past me, looking behind me, and said, "You've done much better these past few years than I ever imagined. I never thought His Majesty and Li Dexian would value you so much." After a pause, he withdrew his gaze and looked back at me with a smile, "But I still worry. I'm afraid your stubbornness might get the better of you someday." 

I fell silent for a while, sighed, and said, "Doing well allows you to strive for more." I chuckled and added, "Otherwise, if you had come half a year ago, I wouldn't be able to live here, nor could I stand here and have a quiet conversation." 

He smiled faintly and remarked, "To gain something, you always have to give something first." My heart skipped a beat, and I wanted to ask him what he wanted most and what he was willing to sacrifice for it. But seeing his smile, I couldn't bring myself to ask. I just smiled back at him.

The two of us smiled at each other, but a eunuch hurriedly called out from the courtyard entrance, "Eighth Prince!" Without waiting for a response, he dashed away. 

The Eighth Prince said, "I have to go." I nodded silently without saying a word. He gave me a deep look and then turned away.

I watched his figure gradually disappear beyond the courtyard gate. Stepping back a few paces, I leaned my head against the tree trunk and let out a soft sigh. I thought to myself, yes! Even I hadn't expected to thrive so well in the palace. When I first entered, all I knew was that television and history repeatedly emphasized how terrifying the palace was, so I entered with extreme caution. Everything I saw and heard reminded me not to make mistakes, not even one! At first, I was determined never to make a mistake. But gradually, I realized that to live comfortably, the fewer people controlling me, the better. That way, I could have some autonomy. So, since it had come to this, I could only strive for more. I resolved to do my best to fight for as much freedom and dignity as possible within the strict rules.

Lost in thought, I suddenly heard Yunxiang's voice: "Miss, auspicious tidings!" 

I quickly straightened up, realizing that Yunxiang had entered the courtyard unnoticed and was bowing to greet me. I hurriedly asked her to rise. With a smile, Yunxiang said, "I don't have much to bring, so I've already packed. I came to see if Miss needs any help?" 

Smiling, I welcomed her inside, saying, "I don't have much to bring either, but your timing is perfect. Help me check if anything is missing."

© translations belonging to  flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com. If you read this somewhere else instead of flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com then the translations has been posted WITHOUT permission of translator.

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