maidservant

Chapter 22 Liangdi Enters the Eastern Palace

Shaokun Palace is like an exquisite Jiangnan courtyard, small and exquisite but with its own unique world.

On both sides of the palace gate hang layers of pearl curtains and jade screens, swaying gently in the breeze, vaguely revealing the pavilions and towers behind the carved doors and windows inside.

The courtyard is full of crabapple trees. It is the blooming season now, and the pink and white crabapple petals fall in the wind, like a romantic flower rain.

These crabapples are either in bud or in full bloom, with beautiful colors and fragrance, sparkling in the sun, adding a touch of grace and elegance to this side hall.

The grandeur and magnificence of Zichu Palace echoes the exquisite elegance of Shaokun Palace. One is like the stars in the sky, and the other is like a fairyland on earth.

Although the two palaces have very different styles, they together form a breathtaking picture, just like the concubines and maids in the East Palace. Although they are clearly distinguished in terms of importance, they each shine with their own unique brilliance.

Inside Shaokun Palace, four gorgeously dressed maids and an older aunt were already waiting in the courtyard.

The aunt was about thirty years old, wearing a dark green palace dress embroidered with gold edges, a jade hairpin on her head, and a smile on her face, looking dignified and steady.

The four maids were dressed in palace dresses with flying patterns, jade belts around their waists, and had double spiral buns on their hair. They lowered their brows and heads, and behaved appropriately, showing the nobility and elegance of the East Palace.

The four maids and the aunt knelt together and saluted: "Greetings to the Lady Liang, may the Lady Liang be safe and happy."

Lin Yu nodded slightly and motioned for them to stand up.

Yunshan and Yunjin followed closely behind into the courtyard. Both of them were wearing maid outfits from the Marquis' Mansion that were the color of moon rice soup with purple trimmings. Their headdresses were simple and elegant, with silver hairpins and silk flowers, which were also very exquisite.

They walked up to the aunt and bowed to her with humility and grace.

The older aunt nodded slightly, a kind smile on her face: "My name is Zhuang, and I am grateful to the two Misses Yunjin and Yunshan for their hard work on the journey."

The master and his two servants then walked into the main hall.

The main hall is exquisitely decorated with carved mahogany and shimmering palace lanterns. The gently swaying screens add a touch of spirit to the palace.

Yun Jin ordered the dowry boxes to be moved into the west wing and placed according to the rules of the Eastern Palace.

After the maids went about their business, Lin Yu called Aunt Zhuang in to ask her about the details.

Aunt Zhuang originally served the former imperial concubine. Because the imperial concubine was of a dull nature, she dismissed most of the attendants years ago, and she was arranged to serve as a guide in Shaokun Palace.

Having been involved in palace affairs for a long time, she knows the Eastern Palace very well.

Lin Yu carefully questioned Aunt Zhuang and the maids and servants about their identities and origins, and also asked about the prince's preferences and taboos.

She paused slightly, her eyes flickering. "Your Highness has always been kind and generous, never harsh on his servants, but he hates those who break the rules. Consort Liang, please be careful."

Lin Yu saw his aunt explaining tomorrow's affairs in detail, and he understood what was going on. She was indeed an old lady in the palace.

As per custom, Lin Yu reiterated the rules to the servants in Shaokun Palace: A slave cannot serve two masters, and since they are serving in Shaokun Palace, they should focus on their duties. All the servants bowed their heads in obedience.

Lin Yu personally took out the silver ingots from the storeroom and distributed them to the servants. Afterwards, he left Yunshan and Yunjin alone.

The three of them sat around a small table in the warm room, with exquisite snacks and tea in front of them.

Lin Yu picked up a piece of cake with his chopsticks and said slowly, "I have rehearsed the process of tomorrow's ceremony with you several times, but this is a serious matter and we still need to confirm the details."

Yunshan nodded seriously: "Yes, I will keep it in mind."

Yun Jin also said: "Master, don't worry, I will keep a close eye on every step."

Lin Yu felt a little tired and closed his eyelids to rest for a while, while Yunshan and Yunjin tiptoed aside.

The air in the warm room gradually settled, and with the sound of light breathing, the three of them entered a short and peaceful rest time.

As soon as the first gong struck at three quarters past the hour of Yin, the East Palace was already brightly lit, the main gate wide open. Two hundred and thirty-six gilded candlesticks illuminated the hall as if it were daylight. Dark gilded curtains hung heavily, and behind the nine layers of silk gauze, a gilded screen with a double dragon holding the sun could be vaguely seen.

The prince sat upright in front of the mirror, allowing twelve female officials from the Shangfu Bureau to adjust his twelve-chapter-patterned crown.

At noon, as nine whip sounds resounded through the sky, the golden carriage slowly drove out of the main gate of the East Palace.

Thirty-six tiger guards holding red lacquered painted halberds led the way in front of the carriage, and behind it was a ceremonial carriage pulled by twelve snow-white horses. Eighty-one chime bells played the "Yonghe Canto" as the carriage moved forward.

The snow on Suzaku Street had been cleared three days in advance, but now it was covered with a hundred-foot-long dark red carpet. The common people, standing ten steps away from the vermilion lacquer fence, looked up, and suddenly saw half a jade-like face flash through the window of the golden carriage. They immediately knelt down and said, "Long live the Crown Prince—"

At this moment, in the Glazed Pavilion of the Crown Princess's residence, amid the lingering scent of agarwood, the hair-combing nanny was putting the Nine-Tree Flower Hairpin on the Crown Princess.

The bronze mirror reflected the girl's bright face. The phoenix holding a pearl on the hairpin trembled slightly with her movements, and the hanging pearl tassels just touched the gold-embroidered phoenix pattern on her shoulder.

"I bid farewell to my parents." Her father led his daughter out of the west wing, and her mother clutched her handkerchief and tried hard to hold back her sobs.

When the Crown Princess kowtowed three times, the hairpins in her hair made no sound at all.

As the phoenix chariot set off, the bright corner lanterns lit up one after another, illuminating Suzaku Street as if it were daytime.

The wedding ceremony at the beginning of the Xu month will be held in the eastern warm room of the Zichen Hall.

“The auspicious time has arrived——”

The shrill call of the Imperial Household Department pierced the morning mist.

The concubines on both sides of the line knelt down together, and Lin Yu, wearing the wedding dress for the title of Liangdi, stood at the head of the left row.

The prince stopped in front of the phoenix chariot. When he stretched out his hand, the pearls on his crown tassel swayed slightly, covering up the cold light that flashed in his eyes.

The Crown Princess reached out her fingertips from behind the curtain of the chariot and tapped the Crown Prince's palm three times.

"Your humble servant pays homage to the Crown Princess—"

As the clear voices of Lin Yu and others rang out, a crimson cloud knelt on the steps.

The hems of the Crown Prince and his wife's clothes were entangled in patterns on the brocade red carpet that covered the seventy-two steps in front of the Purple Palace.

The Minister of Rites held the golden book and document, all officials came to congratulate, and princes and nobles performed the ceremony, and the wedding was held smoothly.

After the ceremony, the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess walked into the inner room of the main hall, and everyone retreated.

The wedding lanterns in all the courtyards of the Eastern Palace were lit all night long. When the sound of the bell at midnight penetrated the red gauze window, the candle wick in Shaokun Palace burst into its third flower.

Lin Yu leaned on the lacquered and gilded beauty couch, looking at the dragon and phoenix lanterns outside the window that were lit all night long. The gilded lampshades made the vermilion window frames look as if they were soaked in blood.

When Yun Jin came over holding the gilded hand warmer, she saw her master rubbing his aching forehead.

"According to ancestral rules, the Crown Princess must sleep alone for three days." Lin Yu's fingertips traced the embroidery on the wedding dress she had taken off.

"After three days, it will be the turn of Sister Cui, or..."

Before she finished speaking, Yun Jin burst out laughing: "Could it be that Liang Di is looking at the red candles in the main hall and feels like she's being scratched by a cat?"

The flickering firelight reflected the shyness between Lin Yu's brows, and the two of them laughed for a while.

Yunshan reminded the two who were laughing at the side: "It is true that you stand at the head of all the concubines at today's enthronement ceremony. But the Marquis has instructed that the Crown Prince now has to rely on the old subordinates of Duke Ying and also has to balance the Cui clan. The knife of our Zhenbei Marquis Mansion -" She threw the copper scissors into the ice-crack glaze bottle with lotus pattern, "is sharpest when it is hidden in the sheath." Yunshan stopped talking, knelt down and saluted, wanting to say something but stopping herself.

(End of this chapter)