Chapter 25 Scarlet Heart

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Scarlet Heart 

 Chapter 25: 

 

One afternoon, as I was sitting leisurely in the room flipping through a book, Wang Xi rushed in, his expression serious. After a quick bow, he stood silently. I set down the book, puzzled, and looked at him. "Just say whatever it is!" 

He glanced at me, then lowered his head in contemplation for a moment before speaking. "Today, His Majesty was extremely angry in the court!" 

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I was startled. While it was indeed a serious matter if the Emperor was enraged, why was Wang Xi specifically telling me this? Calming my thoughts, I looked at him and asked, "What happened to provoke such anger?"

He looked up quickly, hesitated, then said, "Today in the court, His Majesty inquired about the matter of appointing the Crown Prince. Lord A'ling'a, Lord Erlundai, Lord Kuixu, Lord Wang Hongxu, and others came forward to petition for the appointment of the Eighth Prince as the Crown Prince." 

I suddenly stood up, thinking to myself that if Kangxi still had feelings for the Crown Prince, such actions would surely infuriate him. Moreover, emperors throughout history detested their sons forming alliances with ministers privately, fearing the emergence of factional disputes that would disrupt governance and undermine their authority. Kangxi would be no exception.

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After a brief silence, I asked, "What did the Emperor say?" He hesitated slightly before continuing, "His Majesty was extremely angry. He said...” He paused, and I took a deep breath, solemnly urging him to continue truthfully.

"Because the Crown Prince, before his imprisonment, had expressed his willingness to support the Eighth Prince in the future, His Majesty accused the Eighth Prince and the Crown Prince of colluding to vie for the position of Crown Prince. He said the Eighth Prince was forming factions within the court, and he also said..." He stopped again, and I couldn't bear it any longer. I demanded, "Continue!"

He had never seen me react with such sternness before, and he was visibly startled. Hastily, he continued, "His Majesty said that the Eighth Prince is treacherous by nature, harboring ambitious plans, forming factions, and conspiring against Prince Yinreng. Now that his schemes have been exposed, his titles will be stripped, and he will be put under house arrest pending further investigation." He repeated Kangxi's words verbatim.

I felt a chill run down my spine, and my vision darkened as I slumped weakly into the chair. My mind was in a whirl, and I felt powerless, as if all strength had left my body. The words "put under house arrest" echoed in my ears incessantly, but their meaning seemed to elude me. After what felt like an eternity, my mind slowly began to grasp the full significance of those words. Understanding brought only more anguish and unbearable pain. How could someone as elegant and refined as him be "put under house arrest"?

Seeing me sitting there, motionless like a statue, Wang Xi tentatively called out, "Jie, Jie!" I struggled to gather my thoughts and weakly asked, "What happened next?"

"Several princes pleaded for mercy on behalf of the Eighth Prince. The Fourteenth Prince knelt before His Majesty and said, 'The Eighth Brother has no such intentions. We are willing to sacrifice our lives to vouch for him!'" He imitated the Fourteenth Prince's tone as he spoke. I nodded, urging him to continue, and he did, "But His Majesty was still furious. The Fourteenth Prince vehemently refuted His Majesty's words and even declared that he was willing to die to prove the Eighth Prince's innocence. Enraged, His Majesty drew the guard's sword, intending to execute the Fourteenth Prince on the spot." I gasped in shock, and Wang Xi looked back at me with a similarly astonished expression.

I remained silent for a moment, comforting myself that it wasn't a big deal! After all, Prince Fourteen had lived until Emperor Qianlong's reign. I looked at Wang Xi, "Go on." Wang Xi continued, "At that time, Fifth Prince hurriedly rushed forward and knelt, embracing the legs of the Emperor, pleading with tears. Other princes also kept kowtowing and begging, and the Emperor's anger slightly eased." 

Wang Xi paused again, and I sighed deeply, saying, "Things have come to this point, could it get any worse? Just spit it out, don't beat around the bush!" He hurriedly continued, "The Emperor slapped Ninth Prince and ordered forty heavy beatings for Fourteenth Prince."

I sat there woodenly after hearing this, and after a moment, I suddenly remembered and asked, "What about Tenth Prince?" Wang Xi replied quickly, "When the Emperor was reprimanding Eighth Prince, although Princes Nine, Ten, and Fourteen all knelt down to plead for Eighth Prince, only Fourteen had a dispute with the Emperor. Prince Ten just knelt down and kowtowed. So, Tenth Prince didn't face any punishment; the Emperor only rebuked him to go back and reflect on his actions."

I sat in silence for a while, feeling as if my head was as heavy as a boulder, unable to think clearly. My heart felt like it was being pricked by a thousand needles. Earlier, I felt pain, but now, I just felt numb.

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Wang Xi stood silently by, and after a while, he began, "My master..." It dawned on me then that he must have come to tell me this on Li Dequan's behalf. I mustered up my energy and asked, "Did Li Gonggong have any other instructions?" 

Wang Xi replied, "My master wants you to rest well today and be on duty tomorrow. Don't let it affect your duties." 

I inquired further, "Is that all?" 

Wang Xi nodded, "That's all."

After a moment of silence, I looked at Wang Xi earnestly and said, "Tell Li Dequan that Ruoxi says thank you." 

Wang Xi turned to leave, but just before he departed, he turned back and said, "Good Jie Jie, even though you are the sister-in-law of Eighth Prince, you don't need to worry too much. His Majesty values you greatly and will not treat you poorly because of this." 

Gratefully, I replied, "Thank you!" He then left.

Alone, I sat quietly, feeling my heart racing, unable to find peace. I reassured myself repeatedly, "It's okay, it's okay, it's just forty lashes! It's just forty lashes!" Eighth Prince is fine too, just temporarily detained, just temporarily detained! Despite my efforts to console myself, tears streamed down my face uncontrollably, unable to be restrained.

I kept asking myself, I know the outcome, but not the process. It's astonishing how much pain is involved in such a simple result. What else is going to happen? How much do I not know yet? How many more events must unfold before the Crown Prince can be restored? I've been like an ostrich, unwilling to think about the events of fifteen years later, but now I see that there's pain right in front of me. Several times I stood up, wanting to run out of the room, to see him. But as I reached the door, I knew I wouldn't be able to see him. I am a person who cannot even leave through this palace gate! I felt restless and sad, but powerless, unable to think of a solution, so I sat back down in the chair.

The sky gradually darkened, but I remained unaware because my heart was already immersed in darkness, just sitting there.

Yu Tan entered the room thinking it was empty, but when she lit the lamp, she found me sitting quietly in the chair, startling her. She hurried over and asked, "Jie Jie, have you eaten?" 

I gathered my thoughts, took a deep breath, and replied, "Not yet! And you?" 

She responded, "I haven't either! Let's eat together later!" I nodded. Yutan looked at me, hesitated for a moment, then couldn't hold back, "Jie, you have always served His Majesty with all your heart, treating others with humility and kindness. His Majesty values ​​you greatly and won't let other things affect you. Besides, they are all His Majesty's sons. It's natural to be angry and punish them for a moment, but in a few days, when His Majesty calms down, everything will be fine." 

I took her hand, didn't say anything, just gently shook it. I thought to myself, although I've spent three years in the palace working hard and being cunning, it hasn't been in vain. Li Dequan has always been good to me, and from this incident, it's clear he's taking care of me even more, indirectly indicating Emperor Kangxi's attitude to console me. And Wang Xi, Yu Tan have also treated me well. Although these words didn't directly address my concerns, they were still comforting.

・・・

The next day, as I went to fulfill my duties, I distinctly felt the palace maids and eunuchs around me secretly sizing me up. Some couldn't conceal their happiness, some were full of curiosity, some were waiting for an opportunity to act, some showed a hint of sympathy, and others maintained a calm demeanor but their eyes betrayed sharpness. However, I maintained a composed expression, handled the situation appropriately, and most importantly, Li Dequan treated me as usual, gradually withdrawing their gazes.

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I couldn't help but cynically remark to myself that while my past demeanor was certainly related to my efforts, it also couldn't escape the connection between me and the Eighth Prince. After all, in the court, even the Crown Prince couldn't compare to the influence of the Eighth Prince. Although outwardly, the Fourth Prince and the Thirteenth Prince sided with the Crown Prince, supporting him, the Eighth Prince had the Ninth, Tenth, and Fourteenth Princes by his side. Although the Fifth Prince maintained neutrality and didn't express his stance, he was still the blood brother of the Ninth Prince, and the two had a very close relationship. As for the ministers, there were many who were dissatisfied with the Crown Prince and supported the Eighth Prince.

Emperor Kangxi's face showed no trace of yesterday's anger, his expression was gentle as he reviewed official documents and memorials as usual. However, there was a hint of fatigue around his eyes and brows. When he saw me, there was no special expression either. I simply went about my tasks as usual. Because what I feared was not falling out of favor in front of Emperor Kangxi, my mindset was quite calm. Li Dequan, seeing my composed demeanor, seemed slightly appreciative. 

He smiled and said, "You're truly a rare understanding person! At your age, I couldn't handle favor without panic." I had no response to that, simply thanking him for his consideration. He didn't understand that although I put a lot of effort into Emperor Kangxi, it was all for a different purpose. I didn't truly value these things, so why should I be afraid?

These past few days, the Ninth Prince and the Tenth Prince have been reflecting at home, while the Fourteenth Prince has been confined to home due to his injuries, but I haven't seen any of the other princes. I wanted to ask someone about them, but there was no one to ask. I didn't dare to act rashly, as everyone around me was watching me closely. Making a wrong move could have unpredictable consequences. So, I endured the inner torment, trying not to show any sign of it on my face. Due to the lack of appetite and heavy thoughts, I quickly lost weight.

In the evening, I sat alone in front of the lamp, lost in thought, wondering how my Jie Jie was doing. Suddenly, I heard a knock on the door. I was momentarily taken aback and stood there for a while before slowly getting up to open the door. However, there was no one at the door, only a letter lying on the ground.

My heart skipped a beat as I hastily picked it up and closed the door. Leaning against the door, I took a deep breath and quickly opened the letter. It was written in the handwriting of the Fourteenth Prince. "Be well, don't worry." These four characters were written vigorously, filling the paper with ink. I pressed the letter against my chest heavily, as if the strength of the Fourteenth Prince reached my heart through his words. Closing my eyes, tears silently streamed down my face, and the unrest in my heart, which had not found a place to settle for many days, calmed slightly.

One afternoon, while I was arranging tea sets in the side hall, Wang Xi came in and greeted me respectfully. He said, "Today, His Majesty has reinstated the Second Prince as the Crown Prince in the court. The courtiers congratulated him, and His Majesty was very pleased." 

I thought to myself, the moment has finally arrived. Smiling, I said, "This is indeed a joyous occasion!" 

Wang Xi glanced at me and chuckled, "His Majesty is in a great mood after reinstating the Crown Prince. He also announced that on the day after the Crown Prince's enthronement, the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Princes will be proclaimed as princes, while the Seventh, Tenth, Ninth, Twelfth, Thirteenth, and Fourteenth Princes will be appointed as Beizi[1], and the Eighth Prince will have his Bel[2] title restored."

I slowly let out a breath, finally revealing a genuine smile. To think that the storm has finally passed! Kangxi's decision to reinstate the Crown Prince undoubtedly reflects his lingering paternal affection, but more importantly, it signifies his apprehension toward the power and influence of the Eighth Prince within the court. In weighing his options, Kangxi would rather choose the Crown Prince, whose influence he personally nurtured, a force whose origins and trajectory he fully understands, and one over which he can maintain absolute control.

© 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] "Beizi" (贝子) is a title in the Qing Dynasty's imperial hierarchy. It was used to designate imperial princes who were not in the direct line of succession to the throne. Beizi were typically sons or close relatives of the emperor but were not designated as crown prince or heir apparent. Instead, they held lower-ranking titles compared to the crown prince and were not considered immediate successors to the throne. The title "Beizi" roughly translates to "prince" or "son of the emperor."

[2] "Bel"(贝勒) refers to a rank or position within the imperial hierarchy. Specifically, it was a Mongolian title used to denote a prince of the blood, typically given to members of the imperial family or to high-ranking officials. The eighth prince having his title of "Bel" restored means that he is being reinstated to his former rank or position as a prince within the imperial family.

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