Held in the Lonely Castle Chapter 13

 

 Held in the Lonely Castle  

 Chapter 13

Translated by : DANMEI HEAVEN

   Poetry Cards

Every Dragon Boat Festival, the civil officials would present new poems, just as they did during the Beginning of Spring, for palace maids to post on the doors and curtains of the emperor's and empress's chambers and the residences of the imperial consorts. The spring poems were called "Imperial Spring Cards," while those for the Dragon Boat Festival were called "Dragon Boat Cards."

Three days before the Dragon Boat Festival, Empress Cao laid out the officials' cards in the Ruan Hall and summoned the imperial consorts and princess to view and evaluate them before distributing them.

The princess glanced through them and then asked the empress with a smile, "Mother, whose cards do you think are the best?"

The empress lowered her lashes slightly, as if her gaze carried a sigh: "This year, Chancellor Fan and Su Zimei are absent, so Ouyang Xiu naturally stands out alone."

She was referring to the former Vice Chancellor Fan Zhongyan and the former Supervisor of the Memorial Office, Court Reviewer, and Academy Scholar Su Shunqin, both renowned for their literary talents. Fan Zhongyan had actively promoted the Qingli Reforms during the Qingli era, which intensified factional strife in the court. Along with Du Yan, Han Qi, Fu Bi, and other ministers leading the reforms, he was successively dismissed and exiled. Su Shunqin, recommended by Fan Zhongyan, was not a high-ranking minister but was famous for his literary skills from a young age. As the head of the Memorial Office, his discussions slightly infringed on the authority of the powerful. Last autumn, during a sacrificial ceremony at the Memorial Office, Su Shunqin followed precedent by using funds from selling old office paper to host a banquet for guests. As a result, he was impeached by Censor-in-Chief Wang Gongchen and others for embezzlement and ultimately dismissed.

This year's Dragon Boat Festival cards were not lacking in elegance and craftsmanship, but most were flattering and sycophantic. Without Chancellor Fan and Su Zimei, there were fewer poems with substance and subtle admonitions. Looking through them, the works of Longtu Pavilion Scholar and Right Admonisher Ouyang Xiu truly stood out. Along with Cai Xiang, Yu Jing, and Wang Su, he was one of the four highly regarded admonishing officials by His Majesty.

"Ouyang Xiu? I remember him," the princess said, pointing to one of the cards. "I recognize his handwriting too. Last Beginning of Spring, Daddy held an Imperial Spring Card and read it repeatedly, liking it very much. He asked his attendants who wrote it, and upon learning it was Ouyang Xiu, he ordered all the cards the scholar had written for the palace chambers to be brought over. He examined each one carefully and even made me memorize them, saying every piece had a purpose, never forgetting to admonish even while writing, truly worthy of a close minister."

The empress nodded with a smile, focusing on the card the princess pointed to. She picked it up for a closer look, her expression full of emotion.

From behind her, I glanced over and saw it was a poem for the emperor's chamber. It read: "The state of Chu exiled Qu Yuan due to slander, and he never entered the royal gate again in his lifetime. May we inquire of the old customs through the rice dumplings, and learn from the former king's delusion by sweet words."

Seeing the empress so engrossed in the poem, the princess grew curious and asked, "Mother, what's so wonderful about this poem?"

"Oh, nothing. The calligraphy on this card is excellent, so I took a closer look," the empress replied without elaborating. She gently set the card down and asked the princess kindly, "Huirou, which one do you like?"

"Daddy will surely ask me this when he returns, so I picked a short one that's easy to memorize," the princess said with a smile, pointing to one of Ouyang Xiu's poems for the empress's chamber. She recited: "The pepper path bears abundant dew, the lady's pot embodies gentle grace. With silkworm cocoons so dear, spun into threads of life prolonged."

Then she picked another and handed it to Consort Miao, saying, "Sister, do you think this one is good?"

It was a poem for the consorts' chamber: "The immortal plate chills with dew from the Silver River, the silk fan fragrantly sways with green orchid breeze. The forbidden courtyard naturally free of summer's heat, the jade terrace and golden towers are crystal palaces."

Consort Miao also praised it, saying with a smile, "Reading these lines, I feel cool all over, as if I don't need ice anymore."

The empress took the opportunity to give her the card and continued distributing cards to the other consorts. Noble Consort Zhang had been sullen these past few days and didn't come in person, so the empress didn't ask further, selecting a few to send to her.

Lastly, the cards were given to two unfamiliar consorts. Consort Miao didn't recognize them and asked the empress, "Are these two ladies newly arrived in the palace?"

The empress replied, "Indeed. They were presented by Duke Qi of Qi, Wang Deyong, hoping they might serve the emperor long and bear many imperial heirs. His Majesty has already taken them in, but their titles are yet to be decided."

Consort Miao stepped forward, took the young ladies' hands, and examined them closely, praising them repeatedly. She asked their names and removed two strands of five-colored Dragon Boat Festival ribbons from her wrists to give them. The two consorts declined, but Consort Miao smiled and said, "Properly, I should prepare generous gifts for meeting you, but today was unexpected, so I didn't prepare anything special. I can only give you these ribbons for good luck. If you refuse, it must be because you look down on my humble offering."

The two consorts then accepted the ribbons. Seeing this, the other ladies also came forward to give them gifts. The two young ladies seemed overwhelmed but also visibly delighted.

Just as the sisters were chatting, Wang Zhaoming, His Majesty's close attendant, hurried over from the Chongzheng Hall and reported, "His Majesty has ordered that each of the women presented by Wang Deyong be given three hundred strings of cash and immediately escorted out of the palace through the East Inner Gate without delay."

Everyone in the hall was astonished. Even the empress seemed surprised and asked, "Why did His Majesty issue such an order?"

Wang Zhaoming replied, "Wang Su of the Admonishment Bureau learned of Wang Deyong's presentation of women and today admonished His Majesty in person, insisting that the emperor send the Wang ladies back. His Majesty replied that the women had already grown close to him while serving him and tentatively asked if Wang Su would allow him to keep them. But Wang Su sternly said, 'It is precisely because Your Majesty is close to them that I must speak out.' His Majesty said nothing more and summoned me, ordering me to quickly deliver the edict and have the two young ladies leave the palace immediately. As soon as he finished speaking, His Majesty's tears fell."

Hearing this, the ladies exchanged glances, many with a hint of schadenfreude. The empress remained as usual, her silence revealing no emotion. After a moment, she said, "If His Majesty finds the admonisher's words reasonable, there's no need to issue the order so hastily. Why not first enter the inner palace and dismiss them slowly?"

Wang Zhaoming answered, "Wang Su also suggested this, but His Majesty said that although he is the emperor, his human emotions are no different from commoners'. If he first entered the inner palace and saw the young ladies weeping, unwilling to leave, he feared he wouldn't have the heart to send them away."

The empress smiled slightly and said, "Very well, understood."

The two consorts, realizing their path to favor was cut and they were about to be expelled, burst into tears, kowtowing repeatedly and begging the empress to show mercy and let them stay.

Wang Zhaoming urged, "Please, Your Majesty, send them out quickly. His Majesty has ordered Wang Su to wait in the Chongzheng Hall for news. Only after I see them leave can I return to report."

The empress nodded and called for Ren Shouzhong. Chief Eunuch Ren, without waiting for further instructions, immediately ordered the two consorts to be dragged out.

Shortly after, the East Inner Gate Office reported that the two women had left the palace, and Wang Zhaoming returned to the Chongzheng Hall to report. After waiting a while longer, they saw His Majesty return slowly, his expression sorrowful, traces of tears still in his eyes.

(To be continued)