Your Majesty is Poisonous – Chapter 151
by Little PandaFinal Chapter (Part 3)
At the Zi hour, initial quarter1, the Yao Residence was ablaze with lamplight, the sound of conversation ceaseless.
Elders from across the clan had hurried to the Yao Residence to host a welcome feast for Yao Hezheng, who had just arrived in the capital. The clan head, delighted, drank himself thoroughly drunk and gripped Yao Hezheng’s hand tight, prattling on: “It’s good you’re back, it’s good you’re back! For generations upon generations in the Yao family, you’re the first to achieve first place in all three examinations2. In your generation, you’re the most outstanding of them all.”
“This grandson has been unfilial and caused Granduncle to worry.” Yao Hezheng gripped the old man’s hand just as tightly.
Someone else at the table chimed in: “Indeed. Among the grand-nephews’ generation, Hezheng is the most outstanding, and among the great-grandchildren’s generation, it must be their Third Daughter. Shuangzhu is blessed with good fortune — not only did she return home safe and sound, she even became a First Rank Palace Female Official.”
Yao Hezheng glanced toward the inner hall, where the womenfolk were all dining.
Since arriving home, he had only caught a fleeting glimpse of Shuangzhu at the gate. His daughter had grown into a young woman — as twins, she and Ah Xian looked very much alike. Shuanglan was here too. The only one missing was Ah Xian.
Shuangzhu had seemed afraid to look at him, keeping her head lowered as she curtsied and softly called him “Father.” That single word “Father,” heard from his daughter’s lips after more than a decade apart, nearly made this gray-haired, full-grown man weep in front of his elders.
He managed to hold back his tears, but his wife beside him had already dissolved into sobs, stepping forward to wrap Shuangzhu in a fierce embrace.
“The night grows late. Granduncles, uncles — please return to your rooms and rest early!” Yao Hezheng bowed respectfully to the elders.
The moment the elders departed, Yao Hezheng hurried into the inner hall.
The food on the table appeared untouched. The mother and two daughters sat huddled together, weeping.
Madam Yao saw Yao Hezheng enter and rose, wiping her tears. “My lord. Have the uncles all retired?”
“They have.” Yao Hezheng smiled gently at his wife, then looked toward his two daughters, his eyes gradually reddening. He turned his back and gazed at the ceiling beams for a while, not turning back until his tears had dried. He sat down at the table, not daring to look at his third daughter, recovered at last, for fear he couldn’t hold back his tears again. He could only address his second daughter, Shuanglan. “Father heard you were stripped of rank and released from the palace. Was it because of the Shu family case?”
“No.” Yao Shuanglan told her parents everything in full detail — how she had been summoned into the palace by imperial decree years ago was actually a misunderstanding, and she had never served in bed.
“Good. When His Majesty issued the decree summoning you to the palace, Father’s heart ached. Life in the palace only appears glamorous — it is no good place for a girl to end up.” Yao Hezheng felt somewhat relieved. When Shuanglan had been specially summoned into the palace back then, not only had his colleagues in officialdom but even the clan elders congratulated him. Only he could not rejoice. He would never sell his daughter for glory. Reviving the family fortunes must be done through proper means, not by destroying a daughter’s lifetime for the sake of an imperial in-law title.
Yao Shuanglan said calmly, “But I did enter the palace, after all. I cannot marry again in this lifetime.”
Madam Yao smiled through her tears. “Not marrying is fine. Stay home and keep your father and mother company.”
Having finished with Shuanglan, Yao Hezheng finally summoned the courage to look at his third daughter, who sat pressed close to Shuanglan. “Shuangzhu, tell Father — how have you gotten through all these years?” His eyes reddened again. A young girl adrift outside — who knew how much she had suffered.
Yao Xi recounted everything, starting from when she was abducted by the Yao family servant Li Gui’er, to being taken in by the Sun family, describing how Sun Father and Sun Mother had treated her well. She also told of how she entered the palace and went from the Bureau of Imperial Gardens to Ning’an Palace. As for the hardships, large and small, that she had endured, she omitted them all, afraid of making everyone sad.
Yao Hezheng said with aching tenderness, “After Li Gui’er was caught, he said he had thrown you into the river. That year the river had flooded, and I sent men to dredge it but found nothing. I thought you really were—” He grew more guilty as he spoke, turning his face away from his wife and daughters as two lines of tears fell. “Father was foolish. I should have kept searching. Perhaps I could have brought you home sooner.”
Yao Xi didn’t know how to comfort him and simply cried along with him. Madam Yao and Yao Shuanglan wept silently at their side.
After hearing Yao Xi recount her experiences in the palace, Yao Hezheng felt tenderhearted for his youngest daughter, but also confirmed one thing. His son Ah Xian was no longer in this world. Meng Delai had found someone to impersonate Ah Xian and enter the palace in his place, but by some twist of fate, it had brought Shuangzhu home instead. Was this truly a case of blessings and misfortunes come intertwined3?
He knew in his heart that his son had not gone missing but had been killed, yet he didn’t dare tell his wife. After they reached the Southern Frontier, Prince Xiu had treated their family exceedingly well, but the climate difference between north and south was great, and his wife’s health had weakened further after giving birth to Shuangzhu and Ah Xian. He feared her body could not withstand the grief of losing a son.
“If only Ah Xian were here too.” Madam Yao looked at her daughters wistfully. “In a few days it will be the Mid-Autumn Festival. It’s rare that Shuangzhu is back, but what a pity Ah Xian isn’t here.”
Yao Hezheng comforted his wife. “If Shuangzhu could come back, perhaps Ah Xian will suddenly return one day too. We’ll send people to search — if he’s alive, we’ll see him; if he’s dead, we’ll see his body!” He still clung to a sliver of hope that perhaps Ah Xian was truly still alive. “By the way, Shuangzhu — did the Empress Dowager say when she wants you back?”
Yao Xi nodded. “Her Highness is considerate. She has allowed me to stay home through the Mid-Autumn Festival before returning to the palace.”
“That leaves only a few days.” Madam Yao held Yao Xi’s hand with aching tenderness. “Shuangzhu, can you not resign from your palace duties? You’ve only just come home. Mother can’t bear to let you go. And…” Madam Yao hesitated for a moment. “I’ve heard the Empress Dowager has a terrible temper and is difficult to get along with. What if you make a mistake in her presence?”
“Her Highness is actually very kind.” Yao Xi defended the Empress Dowager. “You know yourself — if Her Highness hadn’t saved me from Beauty Yu, your daughter would have lost her life long ago. Even when I’m serving in the palace, I’ll be able to come home and visit you often.”
She was reluctant to leave home too. When Lord Yao and Madam Yao looked at her, their eyes truly brimmed with love and tenderness. But she missed the Empress Dowager even more. These past few days she had been swamped helping her jiejie reorganize the household, so busy that she couldn’t dwell on it — but the moment she had a free moment, her heart ached, and she missed Her Highness with a maddening intensity.
“Good child, you know to repay kindness. Be careful in all things at the palace, and if you suffer any grievance, you must tell your father and mother. All right?” Madam Yao patted the back of Yao Xi’s hand as she instructed her.
The family of four sat and talked for a long while. Yao Hezheng, concerned for his wife’s health, wanted to escort her back to their room to rest.
Madam Yao smiled. “We three girls agreed long ago to sleep together tonight. My lord, go back to your own room!”
“All right.” Yao Hezheng gazed warmly at his wife and daughters. “Sleep early. Don’t just talk the night away — tomorrow morning we must respectfully see the elders off.”
A few days later, the Mid-Autumn family banquet.
Yao Xi finally witnessed what a prominent family looked like. There were truly so many people!
A few days prior, when hosting the welcome feast for Lord Yao, the clan members had worried that the Yao Residence might not be fully provisioned, and that too many visitors would only add to the trouble. Each branch had sent only one or two elders as representatives. When the elders arrived at the Yao Residence, they realized they had worried for nothing. Not only were the two daughters managing the household capable, but the third daughter, who had become a Palace Female Official, had also brought quite a few palace maids and eunuchs back from the palace.
Today, for the Mid-Autumn family banquet, the clan’s men, women, old, and young all came.
Yao Xi followed closely behind Yao Shuanglan, calling out to Third Aunt, Sixth Aunt, Seventh Maternal Uncle, and so on. She was a bit face-blind — once she had greeted someone, she would forget them instantly, and on seeing them again wouldn’t know what to call them, managing only an awkward smile. After briefly greeting the elders, Yao Xi followed her mother and sister into the inner courtyard to sit with the female guests.
The conversation revolved around her.
The guests didn’t dare ask Madam Yao about going to the Southern Frontier, nor did they dare ask about Shuanglan being stripped of rank and leaving the palace. So all their attention turned to Yao Xi. After all, becoming a First Rank Palace Female Official was a great honor for the Yao family — a perfectly suitable topic for such a joyous family gathering.
This scene reminded Yao Xi of the terror of visiting relatives during Spring Festival before she transmigrated, when she would be interrogated about her grades.
“Third Niece must be nearly eighteen, yes? Has a match been arranged?” a plump woman suddenly said to Madam Yao.
Yao Xi sighed inwardly. Great, the marriage-pushers had arrived.
Madam Yao smiled politely and shook her head.
“Sister-in-law, aren’t you anxious? You should start looking. My eldest girl is only a year older than Shuangzhu, and she already has two little ones…” The woman prattled on, some of her words subtly tinged with sour jealousy.
Yao Xi wanted to snap, but constrained by her identity as Third Young Lady of the Yao family, she couldn’t lose her temper. She could only rise and say to her mother and sister, “I’ll go ask Liufang Gugu4 when the banquet can begin.” Shut that woman’s foul mouth with food, and fast!
By evening, the guests had all gone home. Only the family of four, freshly bathed and changed, sat around the table awaiting the rising of the bright moon.
Yao Xi was utterly spent, without even the energy to speak. She had been up before dawn organizing the banquet with her sister, then greeting guests, going around paying respects to the elders and plastering on smiles until nearly noon. Yesterday had been even busier — she had gone with her parents and sister to the Yao family ancestral hall to worship the ancestors, kneeling for a very, very long time until her knees were bruised green.
And it wasn’t over yet. Today was the Mid-Autumn Festival — there was still the moon worship to come at night… Good heavens!
Yao Hezheng saw his youngest daughter’s dazed, silly expression and found it adorable. He smiled and asked, “Are you exhausted?”
Yao Xi put on a pitiful face and whined, “Do I have to kneel for the moon worship too?”
“Your knees hurt?” Seeing his daughter so delicate, Yao Hezheng felt reassured. The Empress Dowager must be treating Shuangzhu well — there was no place with more kneeling rituals than the palace. If his daughter could still be this delicate while serving in the palace, that was truly a blessing. “Don’t worry, Father will have thick cushions laid on the prayer table — it won’t hurt.” His words brimmed with doting affection.
Yao Shuanglan was somewhat surprised. Though their father was gentle by nature, he was strict about rules and couldn’t stand weakness in his children. Why did he seem like a different person in front of her meimei? Was this really the same father who used to make her face the wall in punishment at every turn?
Yao Hezheng hadn’t changed. He was simply experiencing for the first time the sweetness of his daughter acting spoiled with him — so sweet he hadn’t a shred of temper left. From childhood to adulthood, Shuanglan had always been a cold-natured child. When punished, she never begged for mercy or spoke soft words — she just straightened her back and toughed it out, driving him absolutely mad!
The prayer altar was already set facing the direction of the rising moon. Before the sky had fully darkened, the bright moon had risen. Men do not worship the moon5 — the one leading the household in the moon worship was Madam Yao. Yao Xi knelt side by side with her sister behind her parents, performing the bowing ritual with perfect propriety. She knew what the moon actually looked like and didn’t believe in any moon deity, but everyone else did. When in Rome, she thought — having a little reverence wasn’t a bad thing.
After the moon worship ceremony concluded, the family was sitting together drinking wine and admiring the moon, when a maid came to report: “My lord, Madam — the Empress Dowager has sent someone with seven chests of things. Six are Mid-Autumn gifts, and one contains the Third Young Lady’s personal belongings. Her Highness says that since the Third Young Lady is rarely reunited with you, she should stay home a while longer — no need to rush back to the palace.”
The moment the maid said this, the four family members’ expressions were completely different.
Yao Shuanglan was lost in thought about Longyi and showed no particular expression.
Madam Yao was simply happy — her daughter could stay home and keep her company longer.
Yao Hezheng was somewhat displeased. He felt that his daughter, serving beside the Empress Dowager, seemed to have acquired a taste for luxury. When Shuangzhu came home, she had already brought over a dozen chests of things from the palace, and what’s more, she was attended by over twenty palace maids and eunuchs. He was glad the Empress Dowager doted on Shuangzhu, but nothing should be taken to excess — the Yao family’s tradition of diligence and frugality must not be lost.
He was displeased but couldn’t bring himself to say so. His daughter had been adrift for many years — he had no claim of raising her, had never carried out the duties of instruction. What right did he have to speak? Let it be. Shuangzhu was a good child. He would find an opportunity to gently remind her later.
Yao Xi hadn’t noticed anyone’s expression at all. She was too miserable to think.
In just one more day, after visiting her maternal grandfather, she could return to the palace. But Her Highness had to send someone at this exact moment, and had even packed up all her belongings from the palace, telling her not to rush back.
Did Her Highness not miss her? Or had Her Highness changed her heart after only ten days? She didn’t care — if Her Highness didn’t want her back, she would go back anyway! She would return to the palace first thing the morning after next!
“Father, Mother, jiejie. I’m sleepy. I’m going back to my room first.” Yao Xi no longer had the heart to admire the moon. She stood and walked heavily toward her room.
Madam Yao watched her daughter’s weary back with aching tenderness. “The child is truly exhausted.”
Yao Hezheng said to his wife, “Earlier the girl said her knees hurt — probably from kneeling too long at the ancestral hall yesterday. Wife, take her some medicine later.”
Liufang Gugu was standing guard at the door. Seeing Yao Xi return, she hurried forward and said respectfully, “Lady Yao, Her Highness sent a chest of things for you. It has already been carried into your room. Her Highness instructed that you must open it and look.”
“All right. Gugu, rest early too!” The moment Yao Xi entered, she saw a large trunk placed against the corner of the wall. She bent down, gripped the iron latch, and lifted it gently. Suddenly she clapped her hand over her mouth, choking with sobs.
Her Highness was crouched in the trunk with her knees drawn up. The instant the trunk opened, she looked up and smiled at her.
“Your Highness!” Yao Xi called in a hushed voice, laughing and crying at once as she helped Her Highness out of the trunk. “Have you been crouching like this the whole time?”
Wan Bi stepped out of the trunk and kissed Yao Xi without a word, kissing her for a long, long time before releasing her. She cupped Yao Xi’s face and said, “Why are you crying? Aren’t you happy to see this bereaved one?”
“Happy, of course I’m happy.” Yao Xi buried herself in the Empress Dowager’s arms and said with a tearful voice, “But I was going back to the palace the day after tomorrow anyway! Why did Your Highness come all this way?”
“You have no idea how unbearable these days have been for this bereaved one. If this bereaved one didn’t see you soon, I truly would have gone mad.” Wan Bi pressed close against Yao Xi. “Besides, you and your family have been separated for over ten years and only just reunited. If this bereaved one didn’t let you stay home a few extra days, your parents would think me unreasonable. This bereaved one will hide in your room for now, and in a couple of days we’ll return to the palace together.”
“Hide in my room?” Yao Xi looked at the small room, troubled. “There’s nowhere to hide!”
“Silly girl.” Wan Bi pointed at the still-open large wooden trunk in the corner.
Yao Xi shook her head. “No way. It’s too cramped in there. Crouching like that must be awful.”
“No discomfort could be worse than not seeing you.” Wan Bi kissed Yao Xi again, her hands fumbling to untie her sash. She pushed Yao Xi toward the bed and pressed her down, unable to wait another moment…
Madam Yao brought wound medicine, intending to apply it to her daughter before returning to her own room to sleep.
She pushed at the door and found it locked from the inside. Madam Yao raised her hand to knock, when a soft moan suddenly came from the room, followed by intermittent sounds. She was a married woman — how could she not know what those sounds were?
Madam Yao’s heart ached. She had always thought Shuangzhu was a wonderful girl — even though she hadn’t grown up at her side, she had blossomed into a graceful young woman who knew propriety and manners. But at this very moment, her precious daughter was in her room with someone! Why? Madam Yao couldn’t understand. If she had a sweetheart, wouldn’t it be better to tell her parents and wait for a proper marriage?
“Shuangzhu.” Madam Yao stood outside the door and called, her voice hoarse.
On the bed, Yao Xi shoved the Empress Dowager away in alarm and whispered, “Your Highness, hide quickly!”
“No need to hide. Shuangzhu, bring the person and come to the side hall.” Madam Yao set the medicine on the windowsill and said with a heavy heart, “Apply the medicine on the windowsill before you come over — it’s for relieving pain and reducing bruises.”
Yao Xi, still bare and pinned beneath the Empress Dowager, her pupils darting with anxiety, said, “Your Highness. What do we do?” She was so frantic her words came out tearful.
Wan Bi lowered her head and kissed Yao Xi, comforting her softly. “Don’t be afraid. Even if the sky falls, this bereaved one will hold it up.” She couldn’t hide now — if she left, Yao Xi wouldn’t be able to explain. They would be together for a lifetime. Hiding forever wasn’t a solution either — getting it out in the open was for the best.
Yao Hezheng and Madam Yao sat in the side hall with grave expressions.
Wan Bi walked in with perfect composure. Yao Xi hid behind Her Highness, too mortified to raise her head.
“The Empress Dowager?” Yao Hezheng was astonished. Madam Yao didn’t recognize the Empress Dowager, and only upon hearing her husband’s words did shock cross her face. Yao Hezheng’s astonishment was quickly overtaken by grief and indignation. He bowed coldly to the Empress Dowager, then said, “Might I ask Her Highness to step aside for a moment? This commoner wishes to ask Shuangzhu a few questions.”
Wan Bi, fearing Yao Hezheng might invoke family discipline, stood in front of Yao Xi and refused to leave. Yao Xi tugged gently at Her Highness’s sleeve. “It’s all right. Your Highness, please step outside for now.” She couldn’t let Her Highness bear everything.
Wan Bi had no choice but to go out.
“Did the Empress Dowager force you, or was it your own choice?” Facing his daughter, Yao Hezheng’s tone was much gentler. A daughter alone in the palace — she might well have been compelled. More than anger, he felt self-blame. It was he who had failed to protect his daughter.
Yao Xi said firmly, “It was my own choice. Her Highness and I are truly in love.”
“Have you executed a deed of commitment6?” Yao Hezheng asked.
Yao Xi hesitated, then shook her head. “No.”
That meant a union without proper formalities. The words were too heavy — Yao Hezheng couldn’t bring himself to say them. “Father never raised you, never taught you — by rights, I have no standing to govern you. Who you love is beyond Father’s control. But no matter who it is, proper rites cannot be omitted. If you want to be with the Empress Dowager, you may — but you must execute a deed of commitment and press your seal before your father and mother! A daughter of the Yao family must never suffer grievance. She must never follow someone in an unclear arrangement.”
Yao Xi was stunned. She had thought her parents would say she had disgraced the Yao family and scold her severely. Instead, though they were heartbroken, their only worry was whether she might be wronged. Yao Xi dropped to both knees and bowed deeply to her parents. She was coming out to her family — even in the twenty-first century, this would be hard to understand. But Lord Yao and Madam Yao accepted it, all because of her one sentence: truly in love.
Madam Yao stepped forward to help Yao Xi up. “Don’t kneel — you’ll hurt your knees again. Your father is right. Everything must be clear and proper. Go invite the Empress Dowager in. If she is willing to execute the deed and press her seal, Mother will bless you both. If she is not willing, you must not demean yourself and follow her back to the palace.”
“Yes, yes.” Yao Xi nodded through tears and smiles.
Wan Bi was of course a hundred thousand times willing. She took up the brush and spread out the paper, while Yao Xi ground ink at her side. The deed of commitment was quickly written.
“Uncle, please review it.” Wan Bi had never written such a document before and worried there might be something amiss.
Yao Hezheng took the deed but didn’t examine it closely. Instead, he said, “A deed of commitment is merely a formality. What matters is how Her Highness behaves.”
“Uncle, rest assured.” Wan Bi’s posture was more humble than it had ever been. She was not only grateful to Yao Hezheng for his acceptance, but also admired him as a man of principle. Wan Bi solemnly signed her name at the bottom. Rather than using an ink seal, she bit open her index finger and pressed a blood thumbprint directly onto the deed.
Yao Xi watched with her heart in her throat. She ached for Her Highness, and worried for herself. Her Highness had bitten through her finger to show her sincerity — if she didn’t shed a little blood too, it would seem wanting. But she was afraid of pain… After writing her name, Yao Xi looked hesitantly at her index finger.
Wan Bi took Yao Xi’s hand, smeared her own blood onto Yao Xi’s fingertip, and smiled. “Press it.”
Seeing this, Yao Hezheng felt reassured once more.
After executing the deed, Wan Bi picked up a cup of tea and knelt on the ground.
“Your Highness, you mustn’t!” Madam Yao was terrified. Though she was meeting the Empress Dowager in person for the first time, she had heard plenty of rumors — for instance, that Her Highness didn’t kneel even before the Late Emperor.
Yao Xi also picked up a cup of tea and knelt beside Her Highness.
“Having executed the deed, Shuangzhu and I are now partners. Uncle and Aunt are naturally my parents as well.” Wan Bi reverently offered the tea. “Father, Mother. Please drink.”
Yao Xi gazed at Her Highness’s profile, happiness brimming inside her until it nearly overflowed.
After executing the deed, Yao Xi and the Empress Dowager returned to the room, inseparable and love-drunk.
Madam Yao sat in the side hall holding her teacup. “My lord, I’m afraid we won’t be having grandchildren.”
Yao Hezheng looked down and blew at the floating tea leaves. “Why not? Once your health improves, we…”
Madam Yao gave her husband a playful shove, face flushing. “You old lecher. How old are we now?”
“I meant, once your health improves, we can adopt a child from the clan. What did you think I meant?” Yao Hezheng laughed. “All right, let’s sleep. I must enter the palace for an audience with His Majesty tomorrow.”
Wan Bi didn’t dare stay long at the Yao Residence, fearing it might attract assassins. Once Yao Xi had visited her maternal grandfather and returned, Wan Bi took her back to the palace together.
Yao Hezheng, Madam Yao, and Yao Shuanglan came out to see them off. Yao Shuanglan noticed that the house across the street was bustling with activity, as if someone had newly moved in. When she made out the appearance of the horse carriage, she couldn’t help lowering her head and smiling.
“Jiejie, I’m going back to the palace and you’re actually smiling that happily. Hmph!” Yao Xi sat in the horse carriage and pretended to be angry.
“It’s not that…” Yao Shuanglan truly couldn’t hide the joy on her face and could only explain, “Your jiejie is happy for you.” She hadn’t been present when the Empress Dowager and her meimei executed the deed of commitment; she only learned of it from her meimei the next day. She was happy — not only for her meimei, but for herself as well. Perhaps she and Longyi could do the same? Yao Shuanglan glanced at the house across the street again with a smile.
Wan Bi, fearing trouble, kept an extremely low profile. Throughout the Yao household, apart from the four family members and Liufang, no one knew she had come. She had arrived silently and departed silently — still concealed inside that large wooden trunk as she was carried to the horse carriage, only daring to crawl out once she was in the carriage.
“Haha, Your Highness suffered so.” Yao Xi looked at Her Highness’s disheveled state, both aching and amused.
“And you’re laughing?” Wan Bi kissed Yao Xi in feigned anger.
They bantered all the way. When they stepped out of the carriage, Yao Xi froze. “Your Highness, this is Ning’an Palace?”
The rebuilt Ning’an Palace was grander than before.
Wan Bi took Yao Xi’s hand. “Yes. We can move back in.” She was actually a little reluctant to leave Longyi Palace — it held so many happy memories of her and Yao Xi. But it was only a tiny reluctance. After all, she and Yao Xi were creating new happy memories every day. “Come, this bereaved one will take you somewhere.”
With that, Wan Bi pulled Yao Xi straight toward the bedchamber.
“Your Highness is so bad.” Yao Xi dutifully undressed, preparing to battle Her Highness for three hundred rounds the moment they reached the bedchamber. At home, because her mother had caught them, she hadn’t dared do anything even when sharing a room with Her Highness.
Wan Bi was too busy pulling Yao Xi along to notice she had already undressed. Once inside the bedchamber, Wan Bi walked to the bed. Yao Xi followed obediently, lay back on the bed striking a host of alluring poses, and waved her silk handkerchief coquettishly. “Your Highness~ come here~”
“What are you doing?” Wan Bi looked confused at first, then immediately understood, laughing so hard she couldn’t straighten up. “What on earth goes through that little head of yours all day?”
“What else? It’s all you!” Yao Xi gave up and closed her robes, sitting up with a huff. “I’m not talking to you anymore.”
Wan Bi pulled Yao Xi in for a deep kiss and coaxed softly, “Don’t be angry. This bereaved one has something to show you.” She reached out and pressed the mechanism at the head of the bed — hard.
The stone tiles beneath their feet suddenly began to tremble. Yao Xi clung to the Empress Dowager in terror. “Your Highness, earthquake!!”
“Silly girl, it’s the mechanism to the underground vault.” Wan Bi wrapped her arm around Yao Xi’s waist and said calmly. A section of the stone tiles before the bed had shifted aside, revealing a hidden passage to the underground vault. Wan Bi led Yao Xi down the stone steps. At the bottom, she produced a key from her waist and unlocked the vault door.
The four walls of the underground vault were built from fluorite — visible even without lighting a lamp.
The multicolored glow of the fluorite played over mountains of gold, silver, and jewels piled within the vault, beautiful as the deep sea.
Wan Bi placed the keys in Yao Xi’s hand. “This bereaved one told you — everything I have is yours.”
The author has something to say:
The story pauses here for now. Thank you all for your company all this time.
I’ll write extras as inspiration strikes, with subtitles indicating the content, so you can choose which to purchase according to your preferences.
My new work 《Tang Dynasty Nail House》 launches at the end of the month — it’s a story about a mischievous mountain god teasing an aloof empress~
Footnotes
- The first quarter of the traditional two-hour Zi period (11 PM to 1 AM), approximately 11:15 PM.
- Placing first in all three levels of the imperial civil service examinations — provincial, metropolitan, and palace — an extraordinarily rare feat.
- A classical Chinese idiom from the Dao De Jing expressing that good fortune and calamity are inseparably linked, each giving rise to the other.
- 'Gugu' is a respectful title for a senior palace maid.
- A traditional folk custom dictating that moon worship rites during the Mid-Autumn Festival are led exclusively by the female head of the household.
- A formal written contract establishing a same-sex union, traditionally signed with blood thumbprints before witnesses as a binding commitment between partners.
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