Chapter - 1
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In April, under a high sky and a clear breeze, the imperial city enjoyed its characteristic fine weather.
The eunuchs and palace maids on duty had just switched shifts, their hurried steps brushing past one another as they moved through the long, vermillion palace walls with heads bowed. Here and there, branches of delicate, crimson crabapple blossoms stretched over the walls, swaying gracefully in the breeze, their allure undeniable.
In a corner of Cining Palace, beneath a trellis of flowers, a group of young girls sat around a stone table, speaking in hushed tones and occasionally covering their expressions with fans. Most wore the traditional “small double-bun” hairstyle of youth, and “one bun” for older girls, around seventeen or eighteen years of age, who were already dressed as a proper lady.
At some point in the conversation, the girl dressed in a light purple flag gown widened her eyes with excitement, her voice rising slightly as she exclaimed, “Ah… now I remember! It was the story of the Prince of Pingxi, ‘casting off his crown in fury for a beauty,’ that led to our Qing army entering the pass.”
Another girl, dressed in a vibrant peach-colored flag gown, playfully struck her with a fan and retorted, “Nonsense! How could you spout such talk? That’s just glorifying others while undermining ourselves. Do you think we Manchus couldn’t have entered the imperial palace without the help of one Han man? If you ask me, whoever belongs in the imperial city will always end up here.”
The older girl lowered her head with a small smile and took a sip of tea. Her gaze flicked to the youngest girl seated quietly nearby, her head slightly bowed. Dressed in a pale pink palace gown with a delicate floral pattern, her light tassels swayed gently in the breeze, adding to her soft and demure appearance. The older girl addressed her warmly, “Qi Tang, what do you think?”
Hearing this, the youngest girl quickly raised her head and gave a polite glance before lowering her gaze in thought. After a moment, she replied softly, “Both of the elder sisters make good points… but I still enjoy the story about the prince’s fury for a beauty.” She looked up, her smile shy and voice gentle, tinged with a hint of embarrassment. “That Madam Chen… what good fortune she had.”
The peach-gowned girl laughed and teased, “Tenth Sister, look at this! Little Fourteenth may be the youngest, but her heart is the most sentimental. Do you think the Prince of Pingxi’s rage was all for a beauty? Men’s hearts are full of schemes. They’re skilled at using women as shields and excuses.”
Qi Tang considered this but chose not to reply. The girl in the purple gown from earlier interjected to shift the topic, “Let’s not argue over that. But isn’t it true that Han men seem weaker compared to us Manchu men?”
The Thirteenth Princess chuckled. “That’s a question for Tenth Sister! We don’t see much of the outside world. In the deep palace, even guards are a rare sight. But speaking of which, this Prince of Pingxi might just be Little Fourteenth’s…”
The Tenth Princess interrupted with a smile. “Han men value Confucian ideals and always present themselves as refined gentlemen. They’re certainly different from our Manchu men.”
Qi Tang smiled faintly but said nothing, watching the tea leaves rise and fall in her cup.
The girl in the purple gown glanced at the sun and remarked, “It’s about time. The Empress Dowager should be waking from her nap. We should go in and prepare to greet her.”
The group of young ladies was helped by palace maids as they stepped gracefully on their flowerpot-bottom shoes, weaving through the garden paths. Walking at the end, Qi Tang leaned on Qing Ming’s hand but still managed to twist her ankle slightly. Qing Ming quickly adjusted her support. Neither said a word, pretending as though nothing had happened and continued forward.
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