Your Majesty is Poisonous – Chapter 115
by Little PandaThe Empress Dowager Refuses
Yao Xi trotted out to deliver the message, stopping by the water room on her way back to fetch some water and tidy herself up.
Once she was finished, she returned to the bedchamber to find the palace maid jiejies still attending to the Empress Dowager’s morning toilet. Yao Xi quietly stood to the side and waited, planning to accompany Her Imperial Majesty to the dining hall for breakfast once she was ready.
After standing there for a moment, her gaze fell upon the floral hairpin in the Empress Dowager’s hair. Suddenly struck by an idea, she said excitedly, “Your Imperial Majesty, this slave will be out for just a moment and be right back!”
“Stop right there,” Wan Bi said. Without turning around, she stared at the bouncing, joyful Yao Xi reflected in the mirror. “Explain yourself clearly. Where are you going? What are you doing? And how long will you be?” She was truly afraid now; the moment Yao Xi was out of her sight, panic would set in.
“Now that summer’s here, the flowers in the back garden are blooming beautifully. This slave wants to pick some…” She wanted to gather a few blossoms so that, once the opera finished later, she could present them to Miss Tao—her heroic, dashing idol performing on stage.
When people went to watch an opera, they typically gifted silver, jewelry, or theatrical costumes. But where would a eunuch like her get jewelry? Besides, Miss Tao was only coming into the palace for a single day, so there’d be no time to have a tailor custom-make a costume anyway.
As for gifting silver… she had only three silver notes of one thousand taels1 each on her person. It was not that she was too stingy to give them, but she was a mere junior eunuch; the reward she offered Miss Tao could absolutely not exceed the reward given by the imperial masters. In ancient times, actors held an extremely low social status. No matter how delighted the imperial masters were by the performance, they’d never bestow a thousand taels—not even a hundred.
Only when Wan Bi heard that Yao Xi was simply going to the back garden and not venturing far did her heart ease. Glancing in the mirror at Yao Xi’s small hands, which were still slightly red from yesterday’s burn, she said, “Take two palace maids with you. Those hands of yours can’t handle anything heavy, and you must mind those thorny flowers.”
“Yes,” Yao Xi replied with a smile. “What kind of flowers does Your Imperial Majesty prefer? This slave can pick a few more to decorate the hall while I’m at it.”
“Just pick whatever you like,” Wan Bi said, offering a faint smile to Yao Xi’s reflection in the mirror. She didn’t care much for flowers, but seeing Yao Xi so overjoyed over a simple task of picking them lifted her own spirits without her realizing it.
Yao Xi didn’t follow the Empress Dowager’s instructions to have the palace maid jiejies accompany her. The back garden was right behind the well courtyard, just a few steps away. Furthermore, she wasn’t one to trouble others, least of all for a minor chore like picking flowers.
She made her way to the utility room, found a small woven rattan basket, and asked the little eunuch on duty there for a pair of pruning shears. Once fully prepared, she headed to the back garden alone. With early summer in full swing, flowers of every hue bloomed in abundance. Yao Xi looked at the variety of blossoms in the garden, then at the small basket in her hand, and already had a vision of the flower arrangement in her mind.
First, she gathered a bounty of purplish-pink herbaceous peonies and dark red ixoras from the corners near the walls. Then she picked numerous white ginger lilies to encircle them, tucking in a few tall stalks of hollyhock here and there. Since peonies, ixoras, and hollyhocks were all in shades of red, Yao Xi felt the colors in the basket were a bit too monotonous. She squatted down to pick some blue bellflowers, scattering them throughout the basket as accents.
Examining it from all angles and still finding it slightly lacking, Yao Xi pulled a few vines to wrap around the handle, then snipped a few leafy green branches to tuck into the floral cluster. Only then did she feel satisfied. The small basket was now filled to the brim, packed with a beautifully layered arrangement of flowers.
Clutching the meticulously prepared little flower basket, Yao Xi skipped merrily back to the hall.
Wan Bi had just stepped out after finishing her morning toilet and was ordering the servants to lay out the meal when she saw Yao Xi walk in holding the basket. She smiled and said, “Who would have thought our Eunuch possessed such clever hands? This flower basket is truly lovely.”
“Thank you for the compliment, Your Imperial Majesty,” Yao Xi said happily.
“Do not just focus on playing. Go wash your hands quickly and come eat!” Wan Bi shook her head with a smile. She felt that Yao Xi truly still possessed the heart of a child, finding such immense joy in a mere little basket of flowers.
After washing her hands, Yao Xi entered the dining hall and sat right next to the Empress Dowager. She attentively served dishes to her, saying, “Please eat more, Your Imperial Majesty.”
Wan Bi felt that Yao Xi’s attentiveness was rather unusual. When this girl served her food, she was normally quiet and unobtrusive. To show such sudden, unprompted devotion—she surely wanted to beg a favor! “Out with it. What is it?”
“It’s about the silver…” Yao Xi said, looking somewhat abashed. The Empress Dowager was simply too clever; any little scheme Yao Xi harbored was instantly seen through by her.
“Didn’t this bereaved one already give you the silver for this morning’s kiss?” Wan Bi said offhandedly as she sipped her porridge. She was intentionally generous with the silver she gave Yao Xi. Although Yao Xi had returned only two days ago, she had already given her three thousand taels. While the rule was one thousand taels per night of serving in bed, she had bestowed the silver without Yao Xi even having to perform any such duties.
She wanted to see if Yao Xi would be eager to spend it on her once she saved up ten thousand taels, so she had to ensure Yao Xi reached that ten thousand taels mark first.
Yao Xi hung her head, her face flushing as she murmured, “This slave wished to ask Your Imperial Majesty for some loose silver. When we watch the opera later, this slave wanted to join in the fun and throw some coins for my favorite performer…”
“Didn’t this bereaved one tell you before? You may take whatever loose silver you wish from the copper coin jar in the main hall. As for the reward silver for the opera, Gugu2 Liufang has already prepared it. If you wish to throw silver, throw to your heart’s content.”
“Gugu Liufang is back?” Yao Xi asked, somewhat surprised. Gugu Liufang had set out before she did, so why did she return so late? The shortcut Cousin had taken her on was indeed remarkably swift!
“Mm.” Wan Bi tasted a pastry, and finding it delicious, she naturally held the remaining portion to Yao Xi’s lips. “Xiao Yaozi, try this. It’s quite good.”
Yao Xi hesitated for a brief moment. Perhaps all of 0.00005 seconds?
She disliked eating food others had bitten into. It was truly not out of disdain for the Empress Dowager—they had already kissed, so how could she possibly mind? She simply had a natural aversion to anything another person had already bitten. But this was offered by the Empress Dowager. If she did not eat it, her fate would undoubtedly be miserable. Driven by sheer survival instincts, Yao Xi struggled internally for a moment before finally opening her mouth.
But it was already too late.
The Empress Dowager’s expression had already soured.
The very instant Yao Xi opened her mouth, Wan Bi withdrew her hand with a look of displeasure and popped the remaining pastry into her own mouth. This wretched girl Yao Xi actually dared to look down on her? Wan Bi chewed the pastry with fierce intensity, as if she were biting into Yao Xi herself.
“Did Your Imperial Majesty not wish for this slave to try it?” Feeling guilty, Yao Xi quickly extended her chopsticks, picked up a fresh pastry, and popped it into her mouth. She then raised a thumb in enthusiastic praise. “Wow! It’s truly delicious.”
“What was the Eunuch hesitating for just now?” Wan Bi’s heart felt thoroughly battered. It was bad enough that Yao Xi had drawn her looking like some sort of grotesque demon, but now the girl even turned up her nose at her leftovers! When she held the pastry to Yao Xi’s mouth, she had seen the fleeting flash of shock and revulsion on the girl’s face all too clearly.
Having accompanied the Empress Dowager for some time now, Eunuch Yao was no stranger to handling tight spots. She offered a smile and explained, “This slave was just wondering how I might eat the pastry bestowed by Your Imperial Majesty without touching your chopsticks. This slave was worried that Your Imperial Majesty might find me unsavory…” To save her own skin, Yao Xi shamelessly reversed their roles.
“When’s this bereaved one ever found you unsavory?” Wan Bi reached out and pulled over the bowl of porridge Yao Xi had half-finished. Using the very spoon Yao Xi had used, she casually ate the remainder of the porridge until the bowl was completely empty, then slid her own half-finished bowl of porridge in front of Yao Xi. “Eunuch?”
Yao Xi overcame her psychological discomfort and gulped down the porridge in front of her in one go. Wiping her mouth, she declared, “Porridge tasted by Your Imperial Majesty is indeed far more delicious!”
Wan Bi was thoroughly amused by Yao Xi’s words. Some things, though clearly untrue, simply sounded pleasant and warmed the heart.
“Your Imperial Majesty, where’ll we be watching the opera later?” Yao Xi’s heart fluttered with excitement. Back when she frequented the tea gardens, she could only huddle in the furthest corners. The seats had been so remote that she could barely make out the lyrics, only catching glimpses of Miss Tao’s superb spear-spinning. This time, accompanying the Empress Dowager, she would undoubtedly have the absolute best seat in the house. She was intensely curious to experience what it felt like to watch a performance from up close.
“Over at Qinghe Garden.” Seeing Yao Xi inquire so cheerfully about the opera, brimming with an excitement that seemed a hundred times greater than when she had returned to the palace to see her yesterday, Wan Bi felt a pang of pity. The child must have been bored out of her mind after being cooped up in the palace. Yao Xi possessed an easygoing, leisure-loving temperament by nature. When she was on duty at the Bureau of Imperial Gardens, she could at least leave the palace from time to time; now that she was serving by her side, even stepping outside the palace gates had become a rarity.
“Xiao Yaozi, do you want to go shopping in the city? This bereaved one will take you,” Wan Bi asked with a smile.
Yao Xi nodded eagerly, but after a second thought, she shook her head just as quickly.
Wan Bi frowned. “Do you want to go or not?”
She did. She deeply missed the bustling warmth of the marketplace; the palace was truly so cold and sterile it felt completely divorced from the mortal world.
But given the Empress Dowager’s abysmal popularity, going out to shop was simply too perilous. Yet, leaving her behind to go out and play by herself would feel utterly meaningless. Thus, she shook her head in haste. “So many people wish to assassinate Your Imperial Majesty. The outside world’s simply too dangerous.”
Wan Bi understood. The girl did not lack the desire to shop with her; she was simply worried that leaving the palace would put her in harm’s way. As long as she wanted to go, there was nothing that Wan Bi could not resolve.
Yao Xi pondered for a moment. Could watching the opera also pose a threat? What if an assassin disguised themselves as an actor, sneaking into the troupe to strike when the Empress Dowager least expected it? “Your Imperial Majesty, this slave feels that watching the opera might also be dangerous. What if an assassin has slipped into the troupe?”
“How wonderful! That’d only add another spectacular show to the lineup,” Wan Bi said, utterly unconcerned. “We can’t stop living our lives just because of a few assassins, can we?” She lightly tapped the tip of Yao Xi’s nose, then rose to her feet. “Besides, with our Eunuch here, this bereaved one has absolutely nothing to fear.”
Yao Xi looked up at the Empress Dowager, her mouth twitching as she held her tongue. But I am terrified!
Longyi and Yao Shuanglan were having breakfast when they saw Sun Yan return, practically fumes of anger radiating from her.
“How is it that you haven’t departed yet?” Longyi instructed a palace maid to bring another set of bowl and chopsticks, then said to Sun Yan, “Though it’s just as well. Eat a little before you leave.”
“I can’t leave. That Imperial Brother of yours is a complete rogue!” Sun Yan recounted everything that had transpired at the palace gates, venting in sheer indignation. “Does he think every woman in this world lives solely for the purpose of entering the palace to become his consort? Cousin, if you’d only seen that patronizing, high-and-mighty look on his face when he announced he’d marry me! I could barely restrain myself. I was on the verge of throwing caution to the wind and putting our entire Daxing Dynasty into national mourning!”
“Eat something first. We’re going to watch the opera at Qinghe Garden shortly, and I’ll speak with Imperial Brother then,” Longyi said, ladling a bowl of soup for Sun Yan. “He’s the Son of Heaven3. The entire realm flatters and fawns over him, and countless ministers clamor to send their daughters into his palace. Over time, he was bound to develop this arrogant, self-important attitude. But his nature isn’t malicious; he can be reasoned with.”
Yao Shuanglan added from the side, “Don’t be afraid, Dali-meimei. In all my years in the palace, the Emperor has never forced me into anything. He won’t truly forbid you from leaving.”
Sun Yan had no appetite. She pushed the soup bowl away and said to her cousin Longyi, “Cousin, if you can’t talk sense into him, please don’t turn against your own brother on my account. Matters of the heart can’t be forced, even if he’s the Emperor. At worst, I’ll simply settle down and stay in the palace to keep you and Yao-jiejie company for a while.”
“Alright,” Longyi said, pushing the bowl back toward Sun Yan. “Eat a little, at least.”
Footnotes
- A tael (liǎng) is a historical Chinese unit of weight used as a currency standard for silver, equivalent to approximately 37.5 grams.
- Gūgu (姑姑) is a respectful title used in the imperial palace for senior, experienced palace maids who manage junior servants or perform administrative duties.
- 'Son of Heaven' (Tiānzǐ) was the sacred imperial title of the Emperor of China, representing his status as the supreme ruler of the realm who held the heavenly mandate.
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