Chapter 13: Enthralled by the Golden Sun and Purple Wisteria

Wang Yun wore a Jiang sha (round collar robe) https://www.pinterest.com/pin/945967096701484184/

Wang Ruo of the Langxie family was from the Wang family branch and became the prospective princess consort of the Prince of Kui.

The news soon spread all over the capital. People in the capital said that the Wang family had two empresses and a princess consort in recent years, which brought honor to the family.

In the eunuch’s clothes, Huang Zixia bearing the name as Yang Chonggu followed the grand ceremony procession and she walked half-way across the busiest part of Chang’an city, quietly listening to discussions of the people on the street.

She touched her face. Before going out today, she found that her complexion was looking good. It seemed that she had had a good rest recently. Hence, she had to go to the palace maids to swindle some yellow powder and put it on her face to give off a lackluster and dull skin appearance. It’s because today, where she was going to was the residence of the Wang family in the capital city. And it was very likely that she would meet her ex-fiance, Wang Yun. Actually from the beginning until now, she hasn’t officially withdrawn from the marriage agreement.

Although she and Wang Yun have never met before, and according to Li Run, the Prince of Hubei, he had only caught a peek at her side profile in the palace three years ago. In short, she had to be careful, so she decided that the yellow powder was a necessary thing for her to go out in the future.

Marriage ceremonies involved six rites; the proposal, name inquiry and acceptance rites were done. Therefore, today she was here with the ceremony procession for the engagement rites, giving the betrothal gifts to the bride’s family. 

Proposal – The groom’s family sends a wedding nanny to the prospective bride’s family to propose for a hand of marriage. If the bride’s family agrees, the groom will prepare the betrothal gifts. Name inquiry – Formally request the prospective bride’s family about the girl’s name as well   as date and time of birth. Acceptance – After the birth chart is retrieved, divination will be carried out in the groom’s family ancestral temple. Engagement – The groom’s family will give the betrothal gifts to the bride’s family.Wedding date – The groom’s family chooses the date of wedding, prepares gifts and informs the bride’s family and asks for her consent. Welcoming – One or two days before the marriage ceremony, the bride will bring her dowry to her new family and also prepare the wedding bed. The next day, the groom will go to the bride’s house to marry her. 

       (Source: https://baike.baidu.com)

After all, the Wang family was members of the aristocracy, and their residence which was located in the capital was also beautiful with seven courtyards, two gardens – east and west, fortified with high walls and graced with extraordinary.

Wang Yun, the eldest son of the younger generation in the Wang family, also upholds a good and impressive demeanour. Although people all over the world knew that his fiancee harmed her whole family because she didn’t want to marry him, even after the shameless incident, he was still graceful, wearing an elegant jiang sha robe, and smiling. His face was like the dawn of the spring breeze, and his behavior was gentle and calm. Truly becoming of the behaviour expected from the descendant of a century-old family; one can’t cultivate such a temperament if they weren’t born in this family.

At present, Prince Kui, who was one of the most notable bachelors, was engaged to marry the daughter of the prestigious Langya Wang family. Among the long rows of gift boxes and cases, the gold comb, jade ruler and silver dowry given by the imperial concubines attracted the most attention. Wang Yun sent them to the courtyard where Wang Ruo lived, and then sent people to call the envoys one by one and distributed the red envelopes. The grand display of hundreds of people was neatly managed by him.

Huang Zixia and a female official in the palace named Su Qi came to Wang Yun and saluted, “The servants were ordered to come here to teach the princess consort the rules of the palace and about the Court Affairs.”

Wang Yun politely answered, “This young lord hopes this wouldn’t be too troublesome for both of you.” But he fixed his eyes on Huang Zixia’s figure and looked at her carefully. He seemed to be thinking about something.

Huang Zixia turned around and together with the female official Su Qi, followed the envoy of the rite to the back garden. However, Wang Yun followed her all the way and asked, “What’s your name, little eunuch?”

She braced herself and replied, “This servant’s name is Yang Chonggu.”

“Is it the Yang Chonggu who broke the ‘four directions case’ of Chang’an before? You are indeed a person of great renown; it’s my pleasure to meet you today!” Wang Yun said in surprise, and then he asked the name of the female official, Suqi, before sending them to the gate of the courtyard. Thereafter, he didn’t follow them.

Huang Zixia walked under the eaves, relentlessly feeling like a thorn was pricking on her back. She could not help but turn and take a look behind, but saw him standing at the gate of the courtyard, staring at her thoughtfully the whole time. Seeing her looking back, he smiled and bowed to her and said, “We will eat the ‘five happiness’ cookies later, please don’t be late.”

She bowed her head and saluted, “Yes, I will only meet with the princess consort today, and will start teaching tomorrow.” Because she hadn’t read the etiquette annals at all, she could not deliver lectures on it.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/945967096701451991/

After entering the corridor, there were already four maids coming up to greet them. There was a harmonious sound of laughter in the room. The house was full of flowers and it was gorgeous. In front of the window lattices were placed with decorative branches of plum blossom, and the embroidered lotus flowers form a magnificent backdrop to the master seat, and a dozen of ceramic vases full of begonia flowers. There were about a dozen neatly dressed ladies, all of them wearing brocade dresses and flower hairpins, accompanied by Wang Ruo, who was sitting on a long padauk wooden chair.

Today, Wang Ruo’s dress was different from a few days before. She was wearing a pinkish grey colored skirt and a half sleeved coat. In such a lively dressing style, a red peony pattern was used to show a kind of cheerful and effortless beauty. She wore a ‘hearts together’ stylist bun on her head which had a strand of a colorful peony, and two jade hairpins, both solemn and unique.

Huang Zixia thought to herself that she was really a woman who knew how to wear clothes. She actually knew her beauty very well.

When they saw the arrival of the envoy, they all stood up to meet him. Wang Ruo paid homage and listened to Lord Xue, the Minister of Rites who served as the envoy for the procession as he read out the betrothal contract*. However, Huang Zixia listened to the lengthy words and looked up at the scenery outside the window in boredom. She saw swallows twittering between the beams. Spring was beautiful and the world was full of vitality.

(Betrothal contract – It’s a detailed list of the betrothal gifts to the bride’s family, in terms of gold and silver coins, jewellery, silk, land or estates.) 

Wang Ruo took the contract, looked up and saw Huang Zixia. The corners of her lips unconsciously showed a smile of joy. She said, “I was born in a humble family. I have never seen the majesty of the heavenly family nor knew the etiquette in the palace. In fact, I have given a great deal of trouble to both of you, please enlighten me on this subject.”

Su Qi promptly replied, “It’s not at all. Princess consort comes from a family who are people of great nobility with similar customary behaviour. Your Highness will be able to fully grasp everything in no time.”

Wang Ruo only looked at Huang Zixia and smiled like a child who didn’t understand the world. All the accompanying ladies were smiling, they were government official’s wives who were selected by the imperial concubines to help with the affairs because Prince Kui had accepted the betrothal procession today, and the Wang family had not yet arrived. Therefore, of all the people in this house, it was probable that in addition to Wang Yun and the people that she brought along, Huang Zixia was the only one she had met. 

The excitement of finally finding an acquaintance among the strangers overflowed from Wang Ruo’s face, which made Huang Zixia feel a little ashamed. 

She thought in her heart, ‘For such a beautiful and naive woman; is it possible that she has a conspiracy hiding behind her?’

When they were about to leave, as Huang Zixia came to the door, she felt that someone was secretly pulling her sleeve. Looking back, it turned out to be Wang Ruo, with an awkward look on her face.

She grinned cheerfully and turned to greet her, “Does Your Highness have any orders for me?”

Wang Ruo whispered in secrecy, “It’s great to see you. Here…They are all strangers to me.”

Huang Zixia looked at her with a smile and asked, “Isn’t there the elder lady I saw in the carriage before? By the way, why didn’t I see her with you today?”

“Oh…because I have been chosen as the princess consort, Momo went back to Langxie’s residence in a hurry and helped me get the things I use daily,” her expression changed slightly, pondered and said, “She is old, so, she may not come back, and stay in the home at the village for the rest of her life.”

“If that’s the case, won’t Your Highness be reluctant to part with her if she really does? After all, she was like the mother who raised you since childhood.”

“Indeed, but I couldn’t do anything about it. Sooner or later, I have to attune myself to these changes. It’s fine for me, but I’m afraid she’s too old to be receptive to the new changes.” She forced a smile, revealing a pair of shallow dimples on her cheeks, “Besides, didn’t I have you here with me? You wouldn’t have known that I was trembling in the morning, because I was afraid that the one who was coming to teach me would be a very serious and rigid old eunuch. I didn’t expect it’d be you.”

“This is also because of the princess consort’s benevolence, hence, this servant was given a good fortune to ride with Your Highness.” Huang Zixia responded with a smile. 

After that, they had some small talks until Su Qi came to call them, and the two went to the inner hall to have some dim sum. Wang household’s cakes and desserts were different from those in ordinary restaurants and tea-houses. The ‘five happiness’ cookies made of Poria cocos (a type of mushroom), hawthorn, pine nuts, red dates and sesame seeds which baked in small assorted flavoured cookies were served on a crystal plate. Wang Yun personally brought them to Huang Zixia and asked her, “Which flavor does the little eunuch like?”

Huang Zixia glanced at it and before she spoke, he took the Poria cocos cookie and put it in front of her. He said, “Our family has a cook who is good at making cookies. The poria cocos cookie has no medicinal taste, and it still retains the fragrant glutinous rice flavor. If you don’t believe it, why don’t you give it a try. Of course, it’s better to try every flavor. That’s the best way to have all the five blessings.”

https://www.sohu.com/a/444097550_778000

Huang Zixia quickly thanked him, and then took a piece of the white poria cocos cookie and slowly ate it. Wang Yun sat down beside her and asked, “Where is the little eunuch from? Are you from the capital?”

She nodded and said, “This servant is from the suburbs of Chang’an.”

“You seem to have a little Sichuan accent. Have you ever lived in Shu County?” Wang Yun asked another question with full interest. 

Huang Zixia shook her head, “I haven’t lived there before, but this servant’s mother is from Sichuan.”

“Oh…” He cast her with a wondering look.  

“When I was young, I got purified to become a eunuch, and then assigned to the Palace of Nine Cities by the internal service bureau before being transferred to Prince Kui’s mansion. Because I know a few words, the prince asked me to teach the princess consort this time. It’s a great honor for me to teach the princess consort.” She had the perfect pretext by taking the internal service bureau and the Prince Kui to make her own cover up. Sure enough, Wang Yun didn’t pursue further questions, only scrutinizing her visage and expression carefully. There were doubts and uncertainty in his eyes.  

However, he is always a calm person; he changed the subject and smilingly said, “I just asked casually without any intention. Little sir eunuch, I wonder whether the rules and laws in the palace are complicated?”

She naturally said, “There aren’t many in particular. The princess consort is intelligent and quick-witted. Her Highness will be familiar with all of them in a few days.”

***

“It seems like… this is just far too much.”

Looking at Li Shubai’s twenty or thirty thick books that he put in front of her, Huang Zixia’s mouth was agape with incredulity. “These many books are from the prince’s mansion and also the imperial palace?”

“It’s actually, no.” Li Shubai’s low voice replied unenthusiastically. 

She heaved a sigh of relief, “Some of the books are not part of it?”

“No, all of them are part of the teaching,” Li Shubai answered without much expression on his face and he added, “these are just a small portion of this prince’s mansion rules.”

Huang Zixia had the impulse to vomit blood (utterly frustrated), “I have to learn everything and then teach them to your princess consort in a few days?”

“No, it should be finished by tonight, and learn it all by heart.”

“Would I believe that there really was someone who could recite it?” She stared at him with big rounded eyes. 

Li Shubai looked at her; he randomly picked up a book and threw it on the table in front of her, “Go ahead, flip through that book and pick any of the paragraphs.”

Huang Zixia took the book, turned the pages and looked through it, “Thirty-fifth, New Year Festival, Article 19.”

“Thirty-fifth, New Year Festival, Article 19. At the Spring Festival, to rewards the kitchen’s servants with spring festive cookies, and the other gifts distributions are as such: imperial concubines with ranks of Ruren are given ten hanks* silk and five hanks cloth; imperial concubines with ranks of Ying are given eight hanks silk and three hanks cloth; female attendants are given five hanks silk and three hanks cloth. The palace officials in the mansion, the first-rank officials are given ten silver liang, the second-rank are given five silver liang, and the third-rank are given three silver liang. The rest are given one silver liang.”

(hank – length per unit mass which varies of type of measurements. E.g. 30 meters per hank)

Huang Zixia’s lips quirked disbelievingly; she took another book and tried to find something by looking through it, “Sixteen, Lecture on Morals, Article 4.”

“Sixteen, Lecture on Morals, Article 4. The imperial court appointed a lecture and reading officer for the princes. He is called the king’s teacher and delivers lectures every five days for princes before adolescents. The tutor selects classics of poems, books, rites and music to discuss them. After adolescents, the princes could choose to have lectures every ten days; however the study cannot be discontinued.”

No wonder this person could easily tell all the information of any bodyguard around him, inwardly Huang Zixia couldn’t help but give him two thumbs up. This time she changed to another book as she read out, “Twenty-fourth, Pavilion system, Article 93.”

Hearing this, Li Shubai paused for a moment, and she looked at him triumphantly, “You couldn’t tell, do you?”

“Of course I don’t know because the Pavilion system has 90 articles in total, and where does this 93rd article come from?”

Huang Zixia looked at him with astonishment, “To tell you the truth, it’s the first time I’ve ever seen a person like you who never forgets.”

“There’s nothing that can’t be remembered as long as you put your heart into it.” Li Shubai said, raising his hand to press on that pile of books on the table, the corner of his lips raised almost imperceptibly, “So, tomorrow I will test you in the same way, and you’d better pay attention to it.”

***

Huang Zixia watched him leave, involuntarily wailed and fell on the table.

In any case, although it was impossible to memorize all the rules overnight, Huang Zixia tried to keep up her spirits and at least read it once and wrote down the general situation.

Before she went to Wang’s house the next day, she thought she would accept Li Shubai’s stormy and thunderous test. However, when she got up early in the morning and went to see Li Shubai, she heard that the prince had already got up to inspect the left division guards of the capital. He had only left a message for Yang Chonggu when she arrived at the palace that if she was not familiar with the rules, she could bring books to the princess consort to teach her.

She was instantly relieved but at the same time a little sulky and pouted her lips – ‘Hey! He is having fun, isn’t he? I was scared stiff and didn’t get to sleep the whole night!