Chapter 17
“I don’t understand,” said Wei Yingluo. After they had returned to the embroidery workshop, she still could not come to an answer, and went to find the only person who could possibly make sense of it all. “Granny Zhang, why did Imperial Concubine Yi take her own life?”
“How could a proper Imperial Concubine lift her head in public anymore after being slapped in the face by mere servants as punishment?” said Granny Zhang slowly as she embroidered a peony. “If it were another person, then they could endure the humiliation. However, with her personality, that would be impossible. Imperial Concubine Yi is known for her pride…”
To put it differently, Noble Consort Hui knew her temperament, and as such used this vile method to deal with her. To force her to her death.
“…How silly.” Wei Yingluo’s expression darkened. Whether those words referred to herself or another person was anyone’s guess. “As long as you’re alive, you can still turn a poor situation around. If it were me, let’s not talk about being slapped, even if people were to spit in my face, I would endure it. I would endure it until the day I can take revenge!”
A hatred that was cold enough to leave the bone pierced through Granny Zhang’s skin. Frightened, she couldn’t help but release the embroidery frame from her hands. She studied Wei Yingluo, her gaze serious. “You…”
“It’s nothing.”
The hatred left as quickly as it came. Granny Zhang was now only left with Wei Yingluo’s smile. The cold and hateful aura from prior seemed to have been just a figment of her imagination.
“Granny, I’ve finished embroidering. Does it look fine to you?”
Granny Zhang received the embroidery frame from Wei Yingluo. Upon it, a peony as white as snow. That and the unfinished crimson peony embroidery that she had set aside earlier were meant for Noble Consort Hui.
This woman always wanted to be at the front of all things. Since Noble Lady Yu wanted two new sets of clothes, she wanted twenty. She also wanted matching handkerchiefs and shoes. Each item must have peonies embroidered upon them. Each item must be a different color. Not only that, but the flowers must also be unique, even though they were all the same breed. For this reason, the palace maids working in the embroidery workshop nearly collapsed from exhaustion.
In the end, Granny Zhang had to personally embroider as well in order to meet the deadline.
“Mm. It’s not bad,” said Granny Zhang, nodding. Then she peered outside the window, toward the sky. “It’s about time for lunch. Go ahead to eat.”
“Yes,” Wei Yingluo obediently said. “I’ll eat quickly so that I can come back to help you. We’ll definitely finish by nightfall.”
She was always so understanding of people’s hearts. Well liked. Granny Zhang nodded once more, thinking that her eyes had in fact played tricks on her earlier…
However, once Wei Yingluo stepped foot outside the embroidery workshop, she did not have her meal.
She could not stomach even one bite.
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As soon as she closed her eyes, she saw before her a pair of floating feet.
All of a sudden, her eyes burst open, and she kicked a nearby tree.
There were too many evil people within the imperial harem. And as luck would have it, most of them were of high ranks. She could not afford to go against them. She could only use the tree in front of her as a substitute, slamming one ruthless kick at a time to vent her anger.
“How dare you, slave!”
The moment Wei Yingluo heard that shout, her heart thrashed against her chest. She quickly turned around.
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She had been too focused with venting her anger that she didn’t realize there were people behind her.
Judging by his attire, and the fly-whisk in his hands, the person who had spoken must be a high-ranking eunuch. “His Majesty’s procession is here, yet you do not kneel!”
…His Majesty’s procession?
Wei Yingluo stood there in a daze, before swiftly kowtowing, her face flush on the back of her hands. “This slave pays respects to Your Majesty.”
The sound of footsteps approaching.
A pair of yellow boots stopped right before Wei Yingluo. Above her rang a nonchalant voice. “Why did you harm the cypress spirit?”
Cypress spirit?
Wei Yingluo felt that the situation was bad. For an inanimate object to be called sentient usually meant it held immense importance. It wasn’t ordinary. Her heart trembled; she was afraid to have committed a great crime. Now, she could only act ignorant. “This slave does not know what a cypress spirit is.”
“Stupid thing! This tree is the cypress spirit!” The high-ranking eunuch pointed his fly-whisk at the tree she had kicked previously. “His Majesty has personally written that this is the cypress spirit. Look! There’s a copper sign hanging at the back of the trunk! In the past, many people have bowed before this tree as they passed by. Yet you dare to harm it!”
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This eunuch still had the patience to explain the situation to Wei Yingluo. However, the other person did not. Perhaps he lacked the interest to waste his time with a stupid palace maid.
“Drag her away.” The yellow boots started their trek away from her field of view. “Give her thirty strikes.”
Thirty strikes?
Her face instantly paled.
After thirty strikes, even if a person didn’t die, they would be half dead, requiring a significant amount of time to heal. How could she have that much time to waste?
Not to mention, to have received punishment would exist as a blemish on her record.
How could a person who the emperor personally punished stay in the inner courtyard?
Perhaps, to Wei Yingluo’s fear, even Noble Lady Yu and Granny Zhang would have to draw a line between them and herself in public. In case they inspired the emperor’s ire by accident.
After that, she would have a difficult time working in the imperial harem.
Wei Yingluo could not allow for this to happen!
“This slave has not entered the imperial palace for long, and as such does not know of the cypress spirit. However, this slave has a reason for these actions!” Sweat dripped down the sides of her face as she wracked her brain for an excuse.
The yellow boots stopped in their path. “Oh?”
Since this tree had been bestowed sentience, if only by its title, then it must be mysterious. In this situation, logic didn’t matter. Common sense flew out the window. Her pupils darted left and right, the gears in her mind spinning in overdrive. She gritted her teeth. “Although this slave did not know this was the cypress spirit, this slave had a dream. In this dream, an ancient tree spoke to this slave. It said it had been here for so long and its body itched. It called for this slave to find it in the garden, to scratch its back… Just now, this slave was doing just that!”
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The high-ranking eunuch smiled, cold as ice. “The more you speak, the more ridiculous your words become. How could a tree speak to you through a dream?!”
Wei Yingluo was waiting precisely for him to stay this. Immediately, she slammed her forehead to the ground. Her voice shook with power. “Because the cypress tree is sentient, it can shade His Majesty from the sharp rays of the run, and it can speak to this slave through a dream! This slave has only spoke the truth, and dares not speak a lick of lie!”
The high-ranking eunuch was rendered speechless. In the end, he could only turn his gaze to the sole master of the imperial palace.
“Enough.” The voice was nonchalant as prior. “Let’s go.”
From her peripheral vision, she could see the pair of yellow boots pass right by her. What came after it were many pairs of black boots, white embroidered shoes, and swords hanging by the girdles, all marching along. It wasn’t until the procession was far into the distance that Wei Yingluo finally let loose the breath she had been holding. She collapsed onto the ground, body sore from stress and exhaustion.
She survived a disaster.
Then someone knocked the top of her head.
“Ouch.” Wei Yingluo looked up. “Granny Zhang, why are you here?”
“You fool!” Sweat clung to Granny Zhang’s face. “I take my eyes off of you for a second and you almost cause a great disaster!”
To be yelled at in such a way, Wei Yingluo felt her heart soften.
“His Majesty had personally given that tree a title,” said the older woman, helping Wei Yingluo to her feet. “Back then, His Majesty had gone incognito outside the palace for an inspection. At that time, it was sweltering. Every high-ranking official had to endure their clothes clinging to their bodies from sweat. Only His Majesty had stayed cool. People thought it was strange. Whenever His Majesty recalls this event, it seemed as if a cypress tree had followed them from the Forbidden City to the outside, for the sake of shielding him from the sun. Everyone has said this cypress spirit knew of His Majesty’s trip and followed along as protection!” Granny Zhang had nagged for so long in hopes of persuading Wei Yingluo to be more careful.
Within the Forbidden City, not only were there people one must not offend. There were even trees that must not be offended.
“I understand,” said Wei Yingluo, sighing. She watched this noble and precious tree. She grumbled, “In the imperial palace, a tree that has been acknowledged by the emperor is more powerful than an unfavored person.”
Meanwhile, the bright yellow boots stopped in their tracks.
The boots behind also stopped.
“Your Majesty?” The high-ranking eunuch watched the emperor, his gaze filled with uncertainty.
“Previously, We were thinking about the matters proposed during morning court…”
The high-ranking eunuch appeared to be listening carefully.
“So We did not react on time.” Emperor Hongli slowly looked over his shoulder. The branches of the cypress tree swayed in the breeze. The rays of the sun flitted through the leaves, as if drops of golden rain had fell upon him. A smile suddenly graced his lips. “After thinking about it for a bit, why would the cypress spirit enter the dream of such a low-ranked palace maid?”
Your Majesty, you’ve only realized this just now?!
The high-ranking eunuch did not let his thoughts show on his face. His expression was as if he also just been clued in to what had happened. He gritted his teeth. “That’s correct. This slave has just realized this. That little servant girl had lied through her teeth, one lie after the other.” He turned to the people behind him. “Find her! Find her and then kill her!”
“Do you remember how she looks like?” Emperor Hongli clasped his hands behind his back.
The high-ranking eunuch stood there in a daze. Then he tried his best to recall her appearance…
“Can’t remember, right?” Emperor Hongli slowly said. “Palace maids all wear the same uniform, and she was kneeling with her face pressed toward the ground. Not once did she lift her head.”
The high-ranking eunuch dropped his jaw. “T-this, she purposely did this…”
Every female member of the imperial harem hoped to walk with her head high, with her face in plain sight.
Who would have thought there’d be a person who purposely wanted to hide her face?
“Once river water has entered an ocean, or a stray leaf has entered a forest, it would be difficult to find them. One must rely on the ear.” Emperor Hongli gazed at the forest within the imperial garden. He slowly said, “Li Yu, since you still remember how she sounds, help me find that person.”
“At Your Majesty’s command.”
After a moment of thought, Emperor Hongli commented with a smile, “Once you’ve found her, don’t kill her yet. Bring her to Us.”