Chapter 6
“You, come here,” Auntie Fang suddenly called out to Lu Dieqing.
This command completely exposed Lu Dieqing, who had been trying her best to hide in the crowd, to everyone’s gaze.
Her heart immediately filled with unease, apprehension, and panic.
Her exquisite little face, like that of a startled kitten, showed a trace of fear. Her large almond eyes widened, further accentuating her snow-white skin and devastatingly beautiful features.
Before, people had only glanced at Lu Dieqing’s dusty clothes and her thin, hunched form, so not many had paid her much attention. But now, because of Auntie Fang’s summons, all eyes fell upon her, and the face she had tried so hard to conceal was seen clearly by all.
When had there ever been such an ethereal beauty among the palace maids?
Being stared at by so many people, Lu Dieqing’s body trembled slightly, as if she might transform into a frightened butterfly and fly away at any moment. Her frail body moved stiffly toward Auntie Fang. With her head bowed, she spoke in a small, fawning voice.
“Auntie Fang, you were looking for me?”
This was the first time Auntie Fang had ever called her over while she was mixed in with the palace maids selling her embroidery. Her heart immediately tensed up, and her chest rose and fell unevenly.
Auntie Fang looked at the dusty little girl before her. Her gaze merely swept across the girl’s face, yet she was struck by her beauty, and her voice subconsciously softened.
“Come here, I just want to have a few words with you.”
She had actually noticed this Little Princess from Shan before, but in the end, everyone was just trying to get by, seeking peace and stability. If the Little Princess’s life were comfortable, she certainly wouldn’t be looking down on selling embroidery for money. This was the sort of work meant for lower-class servants, yet the Little Princess of Shan squeezed into the crowd as if it were a treasure, just for the sake of a little extra silver from outside the palace.
Auntie Fang didn’t consider herself a good person, but she wasn’t someone whose conscience was entirely gone either. If she could lend a hand to those beneath her, she might as well do it. Why make a fuss?
So, when she had previously realized the Shan Kingdom’s Little Princess was among the palace maids, she had pretended not to know, not exposing her and causing her embarrassment. She would even give her a few extra copper coins when settling the payment for the embroidery, mindful that their family, as hostages of the Chaoying Kingdom, was likely not living well.
Calling Lu Dieqing out like this today, even Auntie Fang herself was a little stunned. But by the time she came to her senses, the girl was already standing before her.
She hadn’t looked closely before. Now, seeing her face-to-face, Auntie Fang was truly speechless for a moment, somewhat dazed.
She had a general idea of what the noble ladies in the deep palace of Chaoying looked like, having seen them before. But in her opinion, all the consorts in the entire rear palace combined couldn’t compare to the pure, untainted beauty and captivating spirit of this Little Princess from Shan.
She truly didn’t look like someone who had been raised in such a dependent and precarious environment.
“I called you over for no particular reason. Don’t be afraid, I just want to ask a few questions.”
Seeing the girl was about to shrink into a ball, Auntie Fang’s heart softened. She spoke first to reassure her.
Only then did Lu Dieqing relax a little. Her delicate features smoothed out, and she pursed her lips, revealing two sweet dimples.
“Please ask, Auntie Fang.”
Though her voice was quiet, its tone was gentle and pleasant, very comfortable to the ear.
Auntie Fang glanced at her clothes and asked casually, “You are a princess of the Shan Kingdom, after all. Why are you dressed so thinly? Did Matron Li not distribute the winter cotton clothes on time?”
This was a test.
If Matron Li did indeed bully this Little Princess of Shan, the girl would surely be unable to resist taking this chance to air her grievances.
Lu Dieqing seemed surprised by the question. She froze for a moment, then after a long pause, she quietly hid her hands in her worn-out sleeves.
“I… I’m not afraid of the cold, so I wear less. Matron Li naturally distributes the clothes on time.”
The girl lowered her eyes, her long lashes fluttering like fans. She was so beautiful it was almost unreal.
Auntie Fang gazed at her, feeling both stunned and surprised.
Stunned, naturally, because the girl’s every expression was so moving. Surprised, because at such a young age, with a face that looked as if it had never known hardship, she was able to endure her grievances and not speak the truth.
Lu Dieqing didn’t know what Auntie Fang was thinking.
She simply didn’t dare to speak of how Matron Li mistreated them.
Lu Dieqing wasn’t very brave. Having seen the collusion among the palace staff in the deep palace of Chaoying, she already knew that if you spoke three parts ill of someone behind their back, it would be exaggerated to ten parts by the time it reached their ears.
That was a path to ruin.
Lu Dieqing didn’t dare to take the gamble.
She knew this wasn’t the Shan Kingdom; she and her parents had no support or backing here. It was better to cause less trouble than more. Before speaking any words, she had to consider the worst possible consequences.
Unable to get anything out of Lu Dieqing, Auntie Fang changed her tone.
“You are, after all, a princess of the Shan Kingdom. Our sovereign of Chaoying has always been courteous to the wise and kind to emissaries. If he were to learn that someone beneath him was mistreating a hostage of a nation, he certainly wouldn’t stand by and watch. And even if the sovereign doesn’t intervene, the Crown Princess would not allow such a thing to happen.”
“Do you understand?” Auntie Fang’s tone grew heavier, her words already a clear hint.
Lu Dieqing, however, only looked slightly stunned. Then she nodded obediently and offered some praise for the Chaoying sovereign and Crown Princess.
“The Chaoying Kingdom is a great nation. Its monarch and heir are naturally magnanimous.”
She couldn’t manage any more than that. Lu Dieqing wasn’t a naturally talkative person. Squeezing out these few dry words of flattery was a survival skill she had developed over many years of living under another’s roof.
Auntie Fang was silent for a moment.
She thought to herself that she had underestimated this Little Princess of Shan. So young, with such a devastatingly beautiful face, yet her words were watertight, giving no one any leverage. It was truly rare. If she hadn’t been sent here as a hostage, she would have surely been a clever and spirited member of the royal family back in the Shan Kingdom. The Shan Kingdom held women in high esteem. If not for her circumstances, and if her fate had been better, it wouldn’t have been impossible for her to contend for the position of heir.
Auntie Fang stared at Lu Dieqing’s face, a flurry of thoughts flashing through her mind. When she came back to her senses, she found her own thoughts amusing. A pitiful hostage, living under another’s roof, forced to mix with servants and rely on embroidery for a bit of change. In this lifetime, she would likely just grow old and die here in their Chaoying Kingdom.
After bidding Auntie Fang farewell, Lu Dieqing walked a long way before she dared to pat her chest and take a deep breath.
She didn’t know why Auntie Fang had suddenly recognized her and called her out to speak alone. But at least… Auntie Fang was different from Matron Li. She hadn’t bullied her.
However…
She was suddenly called to a halt again.
“You, up ahead! Stop!”
A young palace maid from Auntie Fang’s side came running after her, calling for Lu Dieqing to come back.
This Little Princess of Shan looked so delicate and fragile, but she sure walked fast. The maid had almost failed to catch up!
Being called back again, Lu Dieqing nearly shrank into a ball, terrified that Auntie Fang, like Matron Li, would accuse her of hiding something and have the surrounding maids strip her clothes.
Fortunately, Lu Dieqing’s anxiety didn’t last long. Auntie Fang explained why she had been called back.
“I just wanted to ask you, if Matron Li and the others haven’t been shorting you on your provisions, why would you think of doing this kind of embroidery work to earn silver?”
Auntie Fang looked at Lu Dieqing, uncharacteristically meddling in another’s business.
After all… she thought, the Crown Princess is never one to act without reason. Since she asked if Matron Li was bullying the palace staff, she must be paying attention to the people and events down here. I might as well do her a favor. It’s just a small gesture, anyway.
Being stared at by Auntie Fang like this, Lu Dieqing grew even more nervous. After a long pause, she stammered out a reason.
“I want to save up silver… to buy materials for a doll…”
She was telling the truth, but as she spoke, seeing the looks on everyone’s faces, her voice trailed off.
“What? What was that? A doll? Doll materials?”
When they finally understood what Lu Dieqing had said, the palace maids beside Auntie Fang burst into laughter.
“You want to be a puppeteer?”
“You actually believe in something from a legend?”
The palace staff around Auntie Fang immediately looked at Lu Dieqing as if she were a fool. They thought that while this Little Princess of Shan was devastatingly beautiful, her head seemed to be stuffed with straw. To think she still believed in such a trick.
“Hey, Little Princess of Shan, don’t let being locked up in our Chaoying Kingdom make you stupid. Only a fool would believe in that stuff.”
The art of puppetry had been in decline for ages. To think someone would speak of something found only in ancient texts as if it were a serious matter. With that kind of effort to save silver, she’d be better off buying some food and drink.
“I…”
Lu Dieqing’s eyes reddened, and she bit her lip tightly, listening to the crowd’s jeering laughter.
She was treating the matter of becoming a puppeteer with sincerity and reverence. Why were others laughing at her like this? The puppetry manuals clearly stated that all things have a spirit. The ability for a doll to possess a spirit hinged on that very word, “spirit.” And to have a spirit, one first needed the puppeteer’s powerful conviction.
Standing amidst the roaring laughter, Lu Dieqing’s face was filled with embarrassment and confusion, as if she were an isolated island.
“Alright, alright.”
Auntie Fang saw the Little Princess’s predicament and shot a look at the crowd. The area finally quieted down.
“The New Year is almost here. Take this silver. Consider it an advance payment for your embroidery.”
Auntie Fang didn’t try to hide it. In front of everyone, she took out two taels of silver and handed them to Lu Dieqing.
This way, if the Crown Princess were to ask about it later, she would be blameless.
Clutching the two taels of silver, Lu Dieqing nearly bit her lip raw. The journey back was incredibly heavy.
For some reason, the snow-covered ground felt so cold today.
She had received a charitable sum of silver from Auntie Fang, far more than her embroidery would have earned, but why couldn’t she feel happy?
It felt as if the wind were drilling into the seams of her bones. The Little Princess’s face turned pale, her large eyes filled with unshed tears.
Upon entering the door, she composed herself again, not letting her parents see her unusual state.
Only when she was back in her own room did she pull out the wooden doll hidden under her quilt and let her tears fall, pat, pat, pat.
One drop, two drops, they fell in succession onto the wooden doll.
In her bedchamber far away, a certain someone who had been reviewing documents suddenly fainted once more.
…
Zheng Xuening: “…”
Her eyes were open, but she couldn’t see anything. She could only hear the sound of sobbing.
Zheng Xuening knew she had fallen into that little palace maid’s hands again.
The little palace maid’s tears were scalding. They fell, one by one, onto her wooden body, searing her until her heart felt hot. The soul that had wanted to erupt in violence was silenced.
—What is she crying about?
