The Golden Hairpin

Chapter 2: A Notoriety (Part 2)

The sky had already turned a fiery red with the morning glow; a clear bright red glow traced the horizon. Huang Zixia urged the horse eagerly, and finally caught up with the imperial bodyguards and retinue of the palace when the gate of the city emerged in sight.

At Mingde gate of Chang’an City, of the five high gateways the three in the middle were originally closed; only the two small doors were opened. Seeing the arrival of the Royal Guard of Honor, they immediately opened the second gate on the left side, let alone check the honor guards.

Huang Zixia was at the end of the line and followed the team into the city. At the moment of entering the city gate, she looked up at the arrest warrant attached to the door.

On the shadow was a portrait of a 16-17-year-old woman with bright eyes like morning stars and a beautiful face like peach blossom petals. Her eyes facing forward and had a smile. The raised lip corners are pursed in a particularly playful and lovely arc, with an air of lightness and clearness of eyebrows. She was an extremely beautiful girl.

Next to the portrait, there were a few lines——

Huang Zixia, a woman of Shu*(short name for Sichuan 四川 province), was responsible for many homicide cases and committed a heinous crime. The governments of each province will arrest the person at sight, dead or alive.

Huang Zixia’s eyelashes drooped and slightly flickered, but she quickly raised her head again and composed her demeanor; her manner self-contained.

Most of her face was sheathed, and Elder Brother Lu couldn’t see her face clearly. He drove his horse along Zhuque Street and said, “Fortunately, no one has noticed.”

Huang Zi nodded.

Most of the princes’ residences were in Yongjia district. After passing through the Eastern suburbs of the city, Prince Kui’s palace could be seen in the distance.

As per her plan with Second Brother Zhang in advance, once she entered the palace, she’d tie up the horses, and immediately slip away in a low-key way. At that time, everyone would be having breakfast in the front yard of the horse warden, and no one would pay too much attention to her.

She tied up the horses, turned around and sped out of the courtyard. Someone called her, “Zhang Xingying, don’t you want to eat?”

As if Huang Zixia didn’t hear him, she slipped out by the door.

Later, the Elder Brother Lu explained for her, “Is your stomach upset again? This is the second time in the morning.” 

People ridiculed her with a few words, then no longer paid any attention to her, and went to eat breakfast prepared earlier. 

Huang Zixia slipped to the door, pulled down her helmet and walked out.

When Huang Zixia set her feet down on the last of the steps, someone suddenly called after her: “Hello, where are you going?”

Huang Zixia was not sure if he was calling her. Her steps stopped for a moment in the air mid-step. Then she heard the voice of the man clearly say, “Yes, you from the honor guard. The news just came that there is still a shortage of manpower in the newly built Imperial Li Palace. You are going to follow the prince to the palace this time.”

Huang Zixia’s heart cluttered for a moment. She didn’t expect her luck to be so bad.

The person said with a laugh: “Don’t worry, you’ll get three more silver tael* per day, is it not something to be happy about? Go back to eat and set out later.”

[*tael – a former Chinese monetary unit]

Huang Zixia had no choice but to turn slowly, bow to the leader who stopped her, and then stick to the wall and return to the front yard of the horse stable. Breakfast was definitely not to be eaten, in case of exposing her face – everything would be over. However, she could not stay in the palace and risk being seen; she’d be doomed. Besides, she had to go out and look for someone who could help her——

Standing at the corner of the wall, her eyes fell on the carriage which was leaning against the corner after being unloaded. Blinking and looking around, there was a lot of noise in the front yard, everyone was eating, and the people in the backyard were busy feeding grass for the horses. There was no one at the corner of the door except for her and the carriage.

She stepped on the shaft of the carriage and carefully opened the door. There was no one in the carriage. There was only a wide seat and a coffee table nailed down on the floor of the wagon. The seat is covered with a blue Kui dragon pattern brocade mat, which contrasts with the crimson peonies on the dark purple Persian tapestry. They were luxurious and elegant. They were newly laid out and no one should come to replace it.

Huang Zixia quickly took off her uniform and helmet behind the carriage, stuffed them into the corner behind the stone lantern, and climbed onto the carriage.

There was not much space in the carriage, but there must be a space under the seat. In order to make use of the space, it was usually made into a cabinet to put things. She climbed into the carriage and lifted the curtain hanging from the seat. It turned out that there was indeed a cabinet underneath.

The cabinet door was carved with countless auspicious clouds and auspicious animals. The cabinet door was to be pushed and pulled from left to right. She opened the door of the cupboard and was surprised. There were only a few pieces of spices in it, and the rest was empty.

She tried to curl up in the cupboard, gently pulled the door of the cupboard, sweating because she was nervous. Fortunately, the cupboard door was hollowed out, and the cloth in front of her concealed the void. She could only see the shadow outside.

She didn’t dare breathe loudly; Huang Zixia lay there quietly, listening to her pounding heart. Numerous thoughts flashed through her mind. What if she was taken into the palace, whether the horse stable in the palace was closely guarded, and whether she could take the opportunity to escape.

Before she could figure it out, there was a sound coming from outside to set up horses, dress up and line up. Then, suddenly, there was no more sound. While she was still thinking, the carriage moved slightly, the door rang softly, and someone got on.

From the crevice of the cupboard, she could only see the man’s feet. The black leather boots with Kui pattern of gold thread soundlessly stepped on the thick, soft blanket laid on the car.

When the man sat steadily, the carriage body shook slightly, and the carriage had already started.

Trapped in the cabinet for a long time, coupled with her shaking body, she felt like a chicken being stuffed back into the eggshell. Huang Zixia forced herself to slow down her breathing to avoid being detected.

Fortunately, the rattling of the carriage and horses covered the sound of her heart and breath.

It was a long journey, but it finally left the gate and headed towards the western suburbs. The horse and carriage bumped along the way, and when they reached a small bridge, the Prince Kui on the carriage finally said, “Stop.”

The carriage stopped slowly by the bridge. From the perspective of Huang Zixia in the cabinet, she could not see the face of Prince Kui. She only saw that he reached for a wide mouth glass bottle on the small table and handed it outside through the window: “Add some water.”

In the glass bottle, there was a bright red fish swimming, dragging its tulle-like tail as it swam slowly. In the light blue glass bottle, the bright red fish radiated a wonderful lavender colour, exuding a lovely charm.

Huang Zixia’s heart was full of doubts. She didn’t know why the powerful Prince Kui took a glass bottle with him and raised a little red fish.

Hearing the sound of gurgling water and the bodyguard’s footsteps hurried, he soon filled the glass bottle with water and handed it up. Prince Kui took over the glass bottle and placed it lightly on the small table. The small fish in it had more space to move and swam more happily.

As Huang Zixia pondered, the car and horse started again, which caught her off guard, and her forehead suddenly hit the cabinet door with a “dong” sound.

She bit her lip really hard so that she wouldn’t cry out loud. She was sure that her voice was very low. The sound of the wheels should cover it up, but she still looked out nervously through the crevice.

Unable to see the face of the person sitting outside, from her point of view, through the drooping corner of cloth tassel and the hollow hole of the brocade mat, she saw him slowly reach out for the dark porcelain saucer on the table, lift the teapot and pour a cup of water.

Huang Zixia watched him through the carving of the cupboard. In the back light, she could see his palms. The joints were symmetrical and slightly convex, and the curves were graceful. They were a pair of pampered but powerful hands. He held the saucer with three fingers; the blue saucer was like spring water and pear blossoms in his fair hands.

After that, with a swift kick with the tip of his foot, he pushed open the door of the cabinet below, and poured a dish of water into it.

Huang Zixia, who was peeping at him secretly, was immediately taken aback by the water and cried out in a low voice.

He threw away the saucer, grabbed Huang Zixia’s shoulder and dragged her out. His right hand pressed her throat and his left foot stepped on her chest.

For a moment, Huang Zixia laid at his feet like a dead fish. What was remarkable was that the other party hadn’t got up at all.

Caught off guard, Huang Zixia laid on the ground looking up at him, her expression slightly at a loss unable to comprehend what just happened.

She saw the face of the person who restrained her. Dark and deep eyes, a tall and straight nose, and tightly pressed thin lips, which unconsciously showed a kind of indifference and alienation to the world. He had on blue and rainy brocade, embroidered with blue clouds and dark patterns, with mild color and pattern, but it seemed light on him. In that kind of casual appeal, it gave people the feeling that only such indifference and detachment could bring out such a refined elegance.

The Prince of Kui, family name Li whose name was Shubai, was the most outstanding figure in the royal family of that dynasty. Even the current emperor praised that “There is Shubai in the world, hence I am not lonely.”. It was said that the people who were extremely noble and prosperous were so indifferent.

Li Shubai lowered his eyelashes and raised his feet slightly. He seemed to sense that she did not know martial arts. His left hand skimmed slightly on her neck to make sure that the neck of the other party was soft and tender, and there was no laryngeal knot*.

(make sure that the person’s neck was soft and delicate, without Adam’s apple)

Huang Zixia quickly raised her hand, opened the palm pressing on her neck, and drew back vigilantly. Her eyes, bright as spring dew, were staring at him as if a cub had seen a hunter.

Li Shubai’s eyes slowly fell on her face and looked at her for a long time. Then he took back his feet, opened the drawers of the small table, took a snow-white brocade handkerchief, wiped his hands and threw them at the person in front of him. He said with disgust: “As a woman, at least clean yourself up.”

The brocade kerchief fell on her body, like a slow and silent cloud. She slowly closed her ten fingers, realizing that her disguise had been seen through, before shame and indignation surged into her heart. She looked up at the man in front of her, opened her lips, but could not say anything.

All the way from Shuzhong County to Chang’an, she had been hiding very well. No one had ever noticed that she was pretending to be a man, but now she was seen through by him, and she was also looked at with such disgust.

She ran away at night, running around for days, and she could be described as looking haggard. The clothes were dry and wet, crumpled and stuck to her body. They could not see the original appearance. The face was withered and wan, and the hair was scattered and disordered; she was extremely embarrassed.

The sound inside had already been noticed, and someone outside tapped on the wall of the car: “Your Highness?”

He responded with hmm sound, he said: “It’s ok.”

There was no sound outside. The carriage was still moving steadily, and he asked blandly, “When did you board? What are you doing in my carriage?”

Her eyelashes blinked slightly, and various pretexts flashed in her head. In a moment, she chose the shortest and most persuasive statement in front of her. She then lowered her eyelashes and gently bit her lower lip. A thin blush appeared on her cheek, and she whispered, “I am Zhang Xingying’s cousin. Today, he was in the suburbs of the city with a sharp stomach ache. He was afraid that he would delay his business trip and would have taken the military caning. My family happens to live there. When he saw me passing by, he asked me to dress up as him and come over to respond.”

“And then how did you show up in my carriage?”

“Because…because I was going to slip away when I arrived at the palace, but I was stopped and told that I was to go to the palace. But as soon as I saw someone else, I was in a hurry to find an escape, I had to do something. So, I hid in your car, hoping to take the opportunity to leave. Who would have known… that I’d be caught…”

Her mien looked embarrassed and shy, as if she was really tough enough to say this, with a kind of perplexed and alarmed look.

“That sounds reasonable.” He leaned on the brocade mat with a cold look, “So, what’s your family name?” (Please read original translations from Cloud Manor)

Her heart sank slightly, but on the surface she did not hesitate: “My surname is Yang.”

“Yang?” He sneered at her and didn’t even look at her: “Zhang Xingying, second in the family, is six feet and an inch long, and is left-handed. He was born in Puningfang*, Chang’an city, in the year 848, Tang dynasty. His father, Zhang Weiyi, was born in Luoyang, he moved to Chang’an two years ago and remained there until today. His mother, maiden name Feng, was the only daughter of the Feng family in Xinchangfang, Chang’an city. His elder brother married Cheng’s daughter in Fengyifang, capital city a year ago. He has no children. Where did you come from, cousin Yang?”

坊 fāng = lane (usually as part of a street name)