The Princess's Notebook

Speaking of Seventeenth Lady in the backyard, how can she sleep now?

After the imperial physician examined him at the horse farm, Zhao Feiran sent someone to take him back to his residence. He was very considerate in every detail.

In the afternoon, the ladies and concubines had a lot to say, but they didn't dare to say much and took good care of her. Shiqi Niang felt like a broken porcelain doll. Not only did everyone not dare to speak, but they also looked at her carefully. It was just Concubine Feng who came over crying and gave her a few instructions. Shiqi Niang had something on her mind, but she was not really hurt, so she sent Concubine Feng to take care of Concubine Shangguan who was sick.

From then on, Qiu Shuang Ju became so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

The scratch on the back of her hand was well medicated and wrapped up like a dumpling, leaving no gaps. She stared at her hand for a long time, her mind was empty, and she couldn't figure out anything. She shook her head, trying to wake herself up, but it was useless. She was as drowsy as the broken table behind the green gauze cabinet, which could not be put back together.

The evening wind rustled through the forest, blowing leaves. The red maple trees, which were still green, swayed from side to side, and could not be seen clearly in the dim night.

Suddenly, a bright figure flashed by the window. She was wearing a long grey gown and her hair was loose, like a ghost. Seventeen was so frightened that he couldn't catch his breath. The next moment, he saw her walking towards him through the railing.

With the help of some light from outside the corridor, I finally saw that she was a person.

I breathed a sigh of relief, and then saw her walking along the wall of the corridor like a thief, without even a trace of her shadow falling on the wall of flowers.

Only after she walked in did she see clearly that the person was Shiliu Niang!

She wanted to yell at the top of her lungs, "You're a ghost!" But she stopped talking after she thought of her sick Aunt Shangguan and Aunt Feng who had been working hard for days.

He lowered his voice and said, "Sixteen, you are a ghost!"

Shiliu Niang had never thought that this person was standing in front of the window, and was frightened by the sudden noise and staggered. When she realized that it was Shiqi Niang who was calling him, she patted her chest.

"Seventeen, I came to see you with good intentions, but you scared me!"

As she spoke, she walked to the window and said, "Open the door for me. I came to see you. We two sisters can talk."

At the moment, only Seventeenth Lady was left in the east wing of Qiu Shuang Residence. After she welcomed Sixteenth Lady in, Sixteenth Lady sat down under the south window without any hesitation and took out a small package from her bosom.

"What is this?" asked Shiqi Niang.

"This is a storybook, The Marriage Life of the Little Eunuch. It has only become popular in the past few months and is currently the most popular storybook in and around Kyoto."

Shiqi Niang's face twitched, "You... why did you give me this?"

"I saw you were recovering at home, and I thought you had no one to talk to, so I sent it to you to cheer you up. Don't say that I treat you badly. This book is in great demand, and I spent a lot of effort to get it."

Not wanting to let anyone see the flaw, Shiqi Niang happily accepted it and thanked him again and again.

After the two sisters chatted for a while, Sixteen seemed to have something to say that she was reluctant to say. Seventeen saw clearly, "Sixteen, if you have anything to say, just ask. What kind of sisters are you if you hide things from others?"

Sixteen chuckled, "Then don't be angry if I really ask."

"You said."

"You...you know the prince?" Shiliu Niang asked carefully.

"We've met a few times, but we don't know each other."

"This doesn't count as acquaintance," Sixteenth Lady was surprised. "It doesn't count as acquaintance. His Highness can save you today. I see that he is very worried about you. Normally, he can't do this in just three or two encounters." Perhaps because she felt it was uncomfortable to talk with three or five embroidered stools between them, Sixteenth Lady squeezed in with Seventeenth Lady while speaking.

After sitting down, he opened his eyes wide and nudged Shiqi Niang, hoping to get the shocking secret out of her.

"Why are you pushing me? You are just a jerk. When have I ever lied to you, sister?"

"What a joke. Today is so lively. Not only me, but even the Third Master Feng, the Fourth Master Feng, and the King of Jin and the King of Qin all think that you two are innocent. Even after all this, you still come to deceive me."

"Okay." Shiqi Niang turned her head and stared into Shiliu's eyes. "So you didn't come to see me, but to see me laugh. Tell me the truth, when will Mr. Feng San come to make a promise? I want to see you laugh too."

Speaking of this, Sixteen was unhappy and moved his mouth but didn't say anything.

"What's wrong? Wasn't he fine during the day?" Seventeen asked with concern.

After hesitating for a while, Shiliu Niang took Shiqi's hand and gently squeezed it, "Shiqi, it's all because of my ignorance. Mr. Feng San is not a good man. If what happened today has done anything bad to you, are you willing to forgive me?"

Seventeen didn't understand, "What?"

Without caring about being sad, Shiliu Niang told all her guesses.

But that day, Feng Ji's servant Hongyu came to ask Shiliu Niang if she had received an invitation to Princess Jing'an's polo club. Their third son also wanted to go. After reporting to the lady and getting permission, they could meet each other. There is no need to say more about the situation that day.

"Mr. Feng San is an official in the court, so he must know that the polo match was originally arranged by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and several princes. He risked offending His Royal Highness by inviting me and all the sisters, just to bring up the fact that you and His Royal Highness are familiar with each other. Today at the polo field, I wanted to save you, but he stopped me. He said, humph, he said that you have to solve this matter by yourselves. I didn't quite understand it at first, but now that I've asked you, I understand it all.

He must have asked about me long ago and learned that you are familiar with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, so he made the arrangements.

As you said, you and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince have only met each other a few times, but he knows every detail like this.

Seventeen, I don’t know whether it is a blessing or a curse to be with such a person.”

She was helpless, repentant, and a little at a loss. "Why worry about this? Maybe you are just imagining it. Sixteenth sister, you don't have to feel sorry for me. I didn't do anything wrong today..."

Sixteen suddenly stood up and exclaimed, "That's nothing. Seventeen, I think you've read so many storybooks that your mind is muddled. Do you know that before tomorrow morning comes, the gossips about you and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will be known to everyone in Kyoto, and even cats and dogs will say a few words about it. If you and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had something going on, it would be fine. You would have a chance to be a concubine in the East Palace. But you said that we only met a few times, and so, so, you..."

Sixteen was so angry that he clenched his fists and said, "How are you going to live the rest of your life?"

Seventeen felt warm in his heart after hearing this, "My future life will be difficult, don't you worry about yourself?"

Sixteen looked down at her, furious. "What kind of nonsense are you talking about? I think you really have a brain injury. Forget it," she waved her sleeves, "I won't talk to you about this. As the sixteenth sister, I can't help but worry about you. I heard that after the prince returned to the palace in the afternoon, he asked the imperial physician to consult for a long time. What should you do?"

Seventeen was speechless and stammered, "I...what can I do..."

"Hey, you fool! The Crown Prince was injured because of you, why don't you visit him?"

Unexpectedly, Seventeen lowered his head and said in confusion: "Visit, and then what?"

Sixteen was so angry that he sat down and looked for her eyes.

"If you don't try, how do you know it won't work? Don't tell me that you haven't changed your mind about finding an ordinary husband in your current situation."

Seventeen, no words.

"This man is His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, the heir to our dynasty, and the definite future king. Seventeen, you have a brain, you..." Sixteen sighed angrily, "He is not only His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, he is also handsome and treats you well, can't you...can't you think about it!"

Sixteenth Lady's words, as well as her anger and frustration, were carried into Seventeen's ears by the dim light in the room.

As the Sixteenth Sister said, this man has many advantages and treats people well. If she were an ordinary girl, she might be able to dream of it. But she was born in the fourth room of the Wang family in Xuandefang. Born in a miserable family, she was used to seeing the discord between husband and wife, and the discord between wives and concubines. What she wanted was never power or being high and mighty.

It would be enough to have an ordinary person.

Thinking of this, Seventeen became even more dazed, and she seemed to see again several of the dreams they had shared.

This man disliked her ugly clothes and her lack of knowledge. Later, he would shield her from the wind and tell her all the news he knew...

Seventeen wondered if he would hesitate again if he also remembered the dream they had shared.

How could she, who was trapped in a quagmire, dream of being in the high position of the East Palace?

What's more, the East Palace cannot give her the life she wants.

She no longer remembered what Shiliu Niang said afterwards. She only remembered the pain on the back of her hand and the slight chill in the dark night.

The next morning, when Shiqi Niang was having breakfast with Aunt Feng and Aunt Shangguan, she found that the two of them were hesitant and wanted to say something, so she said softly, "Aunt, don't listen to their nonsense about what happened yesterday. It didn't happen. I'm fine. It has nothing to do with His Highness."

After that, he ignored him and drank a bowl of rice porridge, ate half a plate of rose shortbread, and some meat sauce before stopping.

Unexpectedly, before breakfast was over, the maid outside came to tell her that the master had prepared gifts overnight and asked Shiqi Niang to visit His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

When Shiqi Niang heard this, she spilled a lot of the meat sauce in her spoon. This made Aunt Feng hesitate and say, "What an expensive thing! If I hadn't seen you injured, I wouldn't have been willing to take it out..."

Before he could finish his words, Aunt Shangguan stopped him with a glare.

Feeling sorry for her child, Aunt Feng said no more. She stared at the spilled meat sauce with her watery eyes and sobbed.

Aunt Shangguan: "Sister, come and try this shortbread. It tastes much better to me than yesterday."

Knowing that this person was giving her a warning, Aunt Feng lowered her head and blinked, wiping away her tears, "I'll eat."

The young lady sat on the other side of the two of them, and saw the whole affair clearly, thinking to herself: This is the day of my Seventeenth Lady.

Before she could do anything, she heard another maid outside urging her, "Seventeenth Lady, the master said that we should leave early while it's still early. The East Palace is in the north of the Imperial City. If we go late, it will be difficult to travel."

Shiqi Niang sneered: What nonsense!

I just want to go earlier and come back later.

It’s best not to come back after going to the East Palace.

In this case, her father would dance with joy and compose poetry immediately.

Leaving Jingui at home to look after the baby, Shiqi Niang took Yingui and three or five brocade boxes of unknown origin, and Wang Kang arranged for them to go to the East Palace. Passing Yongchangfang and Guangzhai Temple, the sound of Buddhist scriptures was faint and the incense and candles were curling. She sat upright in the carriage, opened the curtain and looked out. On one side, the palace wall stood tall and there were few people, while on the other side, the incense was burning and there were many believers. The carriage was driving on the East Street of the Imperial City, and it was like two different worlds.

Passing Xing'an Gate and turning around Xuande Gate is the Eastern Palace, where the crown prince and his family live and work.

Although Zhao Feiran was seventeen years old, he had no concubines and lived alone in Tianguang Palace.

(End of this chapter)