Chapter 21 Scarlet Heart

 FlamingoBees 

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Scarlet Heart 

 Chapter 21: 

 

The next day, when I saw the Thirteenth Prince, if looks could kill, he would have been severely injured or dead by now. My gaze made him so uneasy that he couldn't meet my eyes and kept looking elsewhere. I stared at him for a while, then noticed something off. Glancing around, I saw the Fourth Prince watching me calmly. Panicking inside, I quickly withdrew my gaze and stood obediently to the side.

When everyone’s attention was focused on the Crown Prince, who was shooting arrows, I pretended to fetch water. As I passed by the Thirteenth Prince, without breaking my stride, I whispered, "I'll come see you tonight." Then, as if nothing had happened, I continued walking.

© 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.

As I approached the Thirteenth Prince’s tent, his personal servant, Sancai, hurriedly greeted me, "The prince is expecting you!" I smiled and said, "Thank you for your trouble!" He responded with a polite smile, "It's my duty, my lady." I smiled back and entered the tent.

The Thirteenth Prince was sitting on a wool rug, leaning against a soft cushion, reading a book. Seeing me enter, he quickly put down his book. I glared at him, grabbed a couple of cushions, and settled myself comfortably. Then, I poured myself a cup of tea from the nearby table.

The Thirteenth Prince scooted closer, wearing a conciliatory smile, and asked, "What exactly have I done to offend you?" I let out a cold snort and replied, "If you, as a prince, don't want to teach me, I wouldn't dare complain. But you didn't have to keep messing with me!" His expression turned serious as he said, "You misunderstood me. The first night, the Crown Prince called me over. It was just idle chat, but I couldn't disrespect him, so I sent a servant to fetch the Fourth Prince. The second time, I really did have something else to attend to..." He trailed off without explaining further, then added, "I had no intention of fooling you." 

I snorted again, "Who else but the Emperor and the Crown Prince could keep you tied up?" He smiled awkwardly and said, "Minmin Gege." Hearing this, and seeing the helpless look on his face, my anger dissipated a bit, and I even felt a hint of amusement. Knowing it was hard to press the issue further, I still couldn't shake off the anger from last night's incident. I tilted my head back and took a furious gulp of tea.

Seeing that I believed him, he relaxed back onto the cushion, smiling as he said, "But you should be happy! Why are you so angry?" 

I turned to him, hissing, "Happy? What's there to be happy about?" He leaned forward, looking into my eyes, and asked, "Don’t you have feelings for the Fourth Prince?" 

Stunned by his question, I was momentarily speechless. Then I laughed out of sheer frustration and asked, "When did I ever tell you I have feelings for the Fourth Prince?" 

He shook his head with a smile and said, "Ever since you served tea at the palace, I noticed something strange about how you act around the Fourth Prince. You're indifferent to the Crown Prince, but you're extremely careful around the Fourth Prince. That made me curious. Half a year ago, when you were promoted to head maid, you asked me about the Fourth Prince's likes and dislikes. The tea sets and snacks you prepared were always to his liking. For the past five years, you've paid close attention to his words and actions. If you're not interested in the Fourth Prince, I can't think of any other reason. You certainly don't treat any other prince this way."

As I listened, my heart grew calmer. I couldn't help but feel like I had brought this upon myself. There was really no one else to blame. Seeing me sitting silently with my head bowed, the Thirteenth Prince smiled smugly and nudged me lightly. He chuckled, "Don't be embarrassed! I can tell the Fourth Prince has some interest in you too. Remember to thank me for playing matchmaker later! I've praised you plenty in front of him." He suppressed his smile and continued seriously, "The Fourth Prince may seem aloof, but he's warm-hearted inside. You can tell from how he treats me." 

I remained silent, sitting quietly for a while before suddenly standing up and saying, "I'm going back." Then I looked at the Thirteenth Prince and said solemnly, "I absolutely have no feelings for the Fourth Prince!" With that, I turned and briskly walked away.

As I walked, I couldn't help but ponder. I had been worried about attracting attention when I asked about the Fourth Prince's preferences. I even casually inquired about the tea-drinking habits of other princes to divert suspicion. But in the end, it seemed that one genuine interest overshadowed all the rest. While most people wouldn't notice anything unusual, the Thirteenth Prince, who spent so much time with both me and the Fourth Prince, couldn't help but misunderstand. Since he had come to this conclusion, it wasn't surprising that the Fourth Prince had misunderstood as well. And despite my efforts to be discreet in my inquiries, the Thirteenth Prince seemed to interpret my every move over the past three years as evidence of something else. How could I explain this three-year misunderstanding?

・・・

Since that day, I made a firm decision never to learn horse riding again. Whenever the Thirteenth Prince brought up the topic, I skillfully changed the subject. He would just smile and let it go. One day, while on duty in Kangxi's main tent, a soldier hurriedly approached and handed a urgent message to Li Dexian. Without delay, Li Dexian presented it to Kangxi. I couldn't help but wonder if it had something to do with the Crown Prince, knowing he was on this expedition outside the Great Wall and had been deposed. However, the specifics of what had happened to prompt Kangxi to depose him were still unclear to me.

As Kangxi read the message, his expression grew increasingly solemn. Finally, he stood up abruptly and declared, "Order the fast horses to report daily!" 

The kneeling soldier outside responded loudly, "Yes!" After kowtowing, he turned and swiftly ran off.

 Sitting back down, Kangxi spoke in a grave tone, "Issue the decree!" Li Dequan immediately knelt down.

"The Eighteenth Prince, Yinxi, is critically ill. Prepare to return to the capital in three days," Kangxi commanded. Then he added, "I want to see Suwan Gua Er Guai." Li Dequan trembled and accepted the decree before hurrying away.

The palace maids and eunuchs inside the tent stood still, hardly daring to breathe. My heart was filled with apprehension. Although I knew the outcome, I had no clue about the details of how things would unfold. Despite wracking my brain for a long time, I couldn't recall anything specific about the Eighteenth Prince. All I could do was remind myself to be extra cautious.

© 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.

Having endured until the shift change, I realized that I had been standing motionless the entire time, and now my whole body felt stiff. Kangxi had received the Mongolian prince Suwan Gua Er Guai, informing him of the early return to Beijing. The Mongolian party would depart the day after tomorrow, and preparations were already underway. As I made my way back, despite the bustling activity around me as people packed their belongings, the atmosphere was subdued, lacking the liveliness of the previous days. Quietly, I contemplated how to quickly organize everything.

Back on duty and tasked with packing, I found myself busy once more. Perhaps because I kept reminding myself not to make any mistakes at this critical time, I felt physically tired but mentally alert. The next evening, while carefully wrapping up some items with a few eunuchs, I heard distant commotion, unsure of what was happening. Keeping a watchful eye, I continued with my task.

After a while, the noise subsided, and the previous tranquility returned. I paid it no further mind until I had finished wrapping all the items and ensuring they were securely placed. Only then did I return to my tent.

As soon as I entered the tent, Yu Tan greeted me with a serious expression, guiding me to sit down. She whispered, "It seems you haven't heard yet." I paused, focusing to listen carefully. "The Crown Prince rode the royal horse presented by the Mongolian prince, which led to a commotion among the Mongolians. They claimed it was a horse meant for the Emperor, but the Crown Prince used it for leisure, showing great disrespect towards them." I exclaimed in realization, wondering how I could have forgotten about this incident. Indeed, there was such a matter.

I asked urgently, "What did the Emperor say?" 

Yu Tan whispered, "What else could he say? In order to calm the anger of the Mongolians, he publicly rebuked the Crown Prince. But I could see the Emperor's sorrow aside from his anger. After all, because of Prince Yongxun's affair, everyone is wearing a sad expression, yet the Crown Prince chose to enjoy himself by riding a horse at such a time." She sighed softly and fell silent. After hearing this, I sat in silence for a moment, lost in thought. It seemed this incident was the catalyst.

After some contemplation, I earnestly instructed Yu Tan, "No matter how tired we are these days, we must stay vigilant. A moment of carelessness could lead to disaster." 

Yu Tan nodded earnestly, saying, "Don't worry, Jie Jie. I think the same way." 

We sat in silence for a while longer before retiring for the night. However, with the weight of this matter on my mind, I found it difficult to sleep soundly. I wondered what impact this incident would have on the current princes. Although I knew the general outcome, the specific details remained unknown, leaving me restless. My half-baked foresight was proving to be of little use. I lamented that if I had known I would return to the Qing Dynasty, I would have memorized every word of Qing history. But then again, considering the historical revisions made to avoid taboo, even that might not have been helpful. Yu Tan seemed equally restless, tossing and turning throughout the night.

The vast camp finally began to move out. The news of Prince Yongxun's worsening condition had deeply saddened Kangxi, and everyone serving in his presence was on edge, careful in their duties. The other princes also wore expressions of concern, with the Crown Prince displaying the most complex emotions—resentment, unwillingness, and a hint of sorrow, genuine or feigned. Kangxi remained extremely cold towards him, adding an extra layer of fear to his demeanor.

One morning, as I was still in a daze from sleep, I heard Yu Xiang's voice outside the tent. Yu Tan and I quickly sat up and let her in. Without waiting for an invitation, she hurried over to me, and Yu Tan hastily threw on a robe and joined us. Yu Xiang, her face still showing signs of shock, said, "His Majesty was furious last night!" 

Yu Tan and I both murmured in surprise. She continued, "The Crown Prince attempted to spy on His Majesty through a gap in the tent last night, but His Majesty caught him. Enraged and alarmed, His Majesty swept everything off the table." She then added hurriedly, "Li Andu[1] said that even though it's not your scheduled duty today, you're still to serve in His Majesty's presence." 

Upon hearing this, I quickly got up to dress and freshen up, with Yu Xiang assisting me. We all understood the urgency of the situation, so there was no time for formalities.

After rushing for several days, we finally arrived at the Bolhatsai Palace. While everyone else breathed a sigh of relief, looking forward to a brief respite, I felt even more tense. I remembered that it was at this very palace that Kangxi had announced the removal of the Crown Prince for the first time. Actions spoke louder than words, and I remained extra vigilant.

In the evening, Li Dequan was preparing to attend to Kangxi's rest when urgent news arrived. After reading it, Kangxi lowered his head, silently crumpling the paper into a ball, his hand clenched tightly around it, veins bulging. I sighed inwardly, realizing that Prince Yongxun had passed away at the age of eight.

Li Dequan knelt on the ground, afraid to speak and disturb the silence. The palace maids and eunuchs standing around remained silent as well. Kangxi remained seated in the same position on his chair, unmoving. Despite his age, his presence was still commanding, but tonight, as he sat silently on the throne, he seemed undeniably like a man in his mid-fifties.

After sitting for a while, Kangxi whispered to Li Dequan, "Everyone, withdraw!" 

© 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.

We quickly and quietly exited the room, leaving only Li Dequan to attend to Kangxi. Outside, we saw all the princes who had already received the news waiting anxiously, their expressions filled with worry and sorrow. As we emerged, they looked at us expectantly. 

I turned to Yu Tan and the other palace maids, instructing them, "Although His Majesty has ordered us to withdraw, someone still needs to remain nearby to listen for further instructions tonight. Yu Tan and I will stay here outside, while the rest of you can go and rest. Come back early tomorrow morning to receive your assignments!" They acknowledged quietly before retreating.

Wang Xi also left himself and another eunuch outside to await further instructions, sending the rest back to rest. We exchanged silent glances, and he quietly asked by my side, "What should we tell these princes?" 

After pondering for a moment, I replied, "It's probably impossible to go in and consult now. It's better to let them disperse for the time being. If anything happens, we can send someone to inform them." 

Wang Xi thought for a moment, nodded, took a few steps forward, and bowed, saying, "Your Highness, Eighth, and esteemed princes, His Majesty has retired for the night. You should all return for now. If anything arises, I will inform you promptly." 

The princes looked at each other, uncertain. Fourth Prince and Thirteenth Prince both glanced at me for guidance. I avoided Fourth Prince's gaze and just nodded slightly to Thirteenth Prince, who then turned to the Crown Prince and said, "Let's go back and rest for now. We'll be needed by His Majesty tomorrow." Fourth Prince nodded in agreement, about to leave. 

However, the Crown Prince stared at Wang Xi and questioned, "What about Li Dequan? Let him come out and report!" 

I was surprised. The Crown Prince seemed increasingly impatient. Li Dequan had always served Kangxi closely and was trusted by him. Both inside and outside the palace, people referred to him respectfully as "Li Gonggong" or "Li Andu."[1] Today, the Crown Prince unexpectedly called him out by name in front of everyone! 

Wang Xi was also taken aback. After a moment's thought, he replied with a forced smile, "My mentor is currently attending to His Majesty. He may not be available." 

The Crown Prince snorted and retorted, "Didn't you say His Majesty has already retired? Since he's resting, what's the urgency for Li Dequan to come out and speak?" 

Wang Xi stood frozen, unsure how to respond. He looked at me, and I shrugged, indicating my helplessness. I didn't want to get involved with the Crown Prince at this moment.

Wang Xi could only turn his head back, intending to say a few more words of persuasion, but before he could speak, the Crown Prince began to walk forward, saying, "I want to see what you servants are up to!" The guards on both sides quickly blocked him at the door, and he shouted, "Get out of my way! Are you blind? Don't you see who I am?" The guards refused to yield, and the princes hurriedly stepped forward, half pleading and half admonishing the Crown Prince.

Amidst the commotion, Li Dequan opened the door, and Kangxi looked at the princes who quickly fell silent and knelt on the ground. He appeared weary as he said, "Summon all the accompanying civil and military officials!" Wang Xi hurriedly acknowledged and quickly ran off.

Kangxi's expression was cold and silent as he fixed his gaze on the Crown Prince, who appeared utterly horrified, his head bowed low, prostrating on the ground without moving a muscle. After a moment, all the accompanying civil and military officials had assembled, kneeling in a dense mass.

Kangxi slowly surveyed the gathered officials, but his gaze ultimately returned to the Crown Prince. He looked at him with a mixture of heartache, anger, and sorrow, staring at him for a long while. Finally, in a deliberate and solemn tone, Kangxi spoke, "Yinzhen has disregarded teachings, showing no regard for propriety. I have tolerated him for over twenty years, but he has not repented. Instead, he has become increasingly defiant, making it difficult to uphold the grand achievements of our ancestors!" Tears began to flow before he finished speaking. 

The ministers below repeatedly pleaded, "Your Majesty, please reconsider!" 

Kangxi slowly began to enumerate Yinzhen's crimes: "Twenty-nine years ago, while returning from a campaign against Galdan, I fell ill and longed for the presence of Crown Prince Yinzhen, so I summoned him to the palace. However, he showed no concern for my illness. I could see that the Crown Prince lacked filial piety. Regarding the death of the Eighteenth Prince Yinxi, Yinzhen showed no signs of grief or brotherly affection. In his interactions with his subjects, Yinzhen was quick to resort to violence at the slightest disagreement, and his attendants engaged in rampant extortion and bullying, abusing their power and inciting public outrage........."

Kangxi, shedding tears as he spoke, eventually became overwhelmed by emotion, exacerbated by the sorrow of the past few days, and fainted. The scene descended into chaos once again, with calls for the imperial physician and urgent attendants rushing to the Emperor's aid. Eventually, Kangxi slowly regained consciousness, but he lacked the strength to say anything more. He simply instructed the Crown Prince to take charge of Yinzhen's custody and then waved his hand, dismissing everyone.

I stood silently outside, feeling a profound sense of sadness. I had long known how this would end, and back then, it was just a story to occupy my leisure time. At the time, I even thought Kangxi's handling of the Crown Prince's affair was unwise. Despite knowing that Yinzhen was unfit for the throne, he hesitated and vacillated. If only he had made a firm decision earlier, perhaps the tragic events of the "Nine Dragons Coup" could have been avoided.

Now, witnessing it firsthand, whether due to my long service by Kangxi's side fostering a sense of attachment or feeling Kangxi's anguish, helplessness, and resentment as a father towards Yinzhen, I was deeply moved by Kangxi's tears. As an emperor, his actions might have been flawed, but as a father, he was beyond reproach.

© 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.

•••

[1] "Gonggong" (公公) and "Andu" (安都) are both titles of respect for eunuchs in the imperial Chinese court. 

- "Gonggong" is a term used to address senior eunuchs, especially those who hold significant positions or have served the emperor for a long time. It is a respectful title similar to "Mr." or "Sir" in English.

- "Andu" is another respectful title specifically used for eunuchs in the Qing dynasty. It is equivalent to "Gonggong" but was more commonly used during the Qing dynasty.

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