Held in the Lonely Castle Chapter 16

 

 Held in the Lonely Castle  

 Chapter 16

Translated by : DANMEI HEAVEN

   The Flower Crown

The so-called scandal of Ouyang Xiu’s "affair with his niece" spread through the palace as a sensational rumor, becoming a topic of idle gossip among the court ladies. Once, Lady Miao even brought it up to the Emperor with great interest, asking if he would send Wang Zhaoming to oversee the case. Unexpectedly, the Emperor’s expression darkened, and he fell silent. Lady Miao dared not press further. I kept an eye out but heard no further developments, suggesting the Emperor was still deliberating.

As the Qixi Festival approached, the ladies who had recommended hairdressers to the Emperor grew increasingly concerned about headdresses and makeup. Women of our dynasty adored flower crowns. While daily hairstyles were simple, the crowns were always elaborate, especially during festivals, often adorned with hairpins, golden threads, and pearls, creating a dazzling display.

One day, after Qiuhe finished dressing Lady Miao’s hair, Lady Yu happened to visit. Lady Yu examined Lady Miao and said with a smile, "Sister, forgive my bluntness. Qiuhe’s hairstyle is excellent, but the crown is too plain—it lacks eye-catching ornaments."

Lady Miao also glanced at Lady Yu’s crown and sighed. "I’ve been worrying about what jewels to use. The pearls on your crown are nice, but if the lady from Xiangluan Pavilion wears the foreign pearls bestowed by the Emperor, I’m afraid she’ll outshine us all."

Lady Yu said, "Don’t even mention it. After the Emperor gifted her those pearls, all the palace ladies had the inner procurement office buy some. The nobles outside the palace followed suit, and within a month, the price of pearls increased tenfold. These mediocre pearls on my head cost eight hundred strings of cash!"

Lady Miao covered her mouth with a fan, astonished. "Eight hundred strings? That’s madness!"

"That’s the price now," Lady Yu said with a pout. "If eight hundred strings could buy good pearls, fine. But even at that price, the quality can’t compare to hers. What can we use to compete at Qixi?"

Lady Miao lowered her head in thought, then said, "We can’t compete with pearls. Let’s find something else—jadeite, tortoiseshell, ivory—and have the procurement office secretly seek out the best. When made into crowns, they might rival her pearl headdress."

Lady Yu nodded. "You’re right. This time, cost doesn’t matter. We must buy the finest, or we’ll just have to watch her plant another seductress by the Emperor’s side."

Lady Miao agreed wholeheartedly and turned to Qiuhe with a smile. "Qiuhe, in your opinion, what jewels would suit me best for a crown? How about jadeite?"

But Qiuhe didn’t answer. Instead, she knelt before Lady Miao and said, "I beg the lady to reconsider and refrain from purchasing expensive jewels for adornment."

Lady Miao was taken aback. "Why? Rise and speak."

Qiuhe remained kneeling. "The people of the capital, from the wealthy to the commoners, follow the palace’s demands as trends. Whenever they hear the palace ladies want something, they rush to buy it, driving up prices. Lady Zhang loves Jiangxi kumquats, and after this became known, their price skyrocketed. Now, one catty costs as much as eight catties of mutton. If Lady Miao buys jewels at high prices—whether jadeite, tortoiseshell, or ivory—their prices will soar nationwide. This would defy the Emperor’s wishes and harm the people’s livelihood. Thus, it must not be done. I beg the lady to reconsider."

Lady Miao pondered this and said to Lady Yu with a smile, "The child makes a good point. The Emperor has always urged us to be frugal. If he knew we’d spent extravagantly on ornaments, he wouldn’t be pleased."

Lady Yu didn’t object but frowned. "But at Qixi, Lady Zhang will surely wear her foreign pearls. Even if we use our best ornaments, we’ll pale in comparison."

Qiuhe replied, "The Qixi test is to select skilled hairdressers. The ladies need not wear expensive ornaments. The Emperor’s hairstyle differs from the ladies’ and doesn’t require elaborate crowns. I believe the focus should be on dressing the hair well. Crowns are merely decorative. Silk flowers or even fresh blooms would suffice. Priceless treasures would only overshadow the main purpose."

The two ladies nodded in agreement. Lady Yu personally helped Qiuhe up, saying warmly, "Good child, thank you for the reminder. You spoke so openly in front of me, showing your sincerity."

Qiuhe bowed in thanks but was flustered, unsure how to respond. Lady Miao laughed and said, "We’re all family here. Whoever recommends the hairdresser, it’s the same. Why guard against you?"

The next day, Lady Miao had Qiuhe style her hair in a small bun without a crown or extensions. Qiuhe held a mirror for her to inspect the back. Still unsure, Lady Miao called me over. "You’re a boy. Tell me, does this hairstyle suit me?"

Her casual "boy" warmed my heart, and I felt a pang in my nose.

I examined her hair carefully and said, "This style is quite novel. I haven’t seen it in the palace. The Emperor will surely approve."

Lady Miao hesitated. "Will he like it without a crown?"

I replied, "As Qiuhe said, the Emperor seeks skilled hairdressers, not master crown-makers. There’s no need to focus on the crown. Let Qiuhe perfect the hairstyle."

Lady Miao looked at her reflection and smiled. "Very well, I’ll take your advice. But without a crown, the makeup must be impeccable."

I didn’t agree but said, "The Emperor enjoys hair-combing as a form of exercise to stimulate the scalp and improve health. The Qixi test isn’t just about appearance but also the technique’s therapeutic effects. These days, focus on massaging the scalp to relax and rejuvenate. At Qixi, wear light makeup. When the Emperor sees your radiant complexion, he’ll know it’s Qiuhe’s skill."

On Qixi, the Emperor took the palace ladies to Qionglin Garden at Jinming Pool.

The garden faced north, opposite Jinming Pool. The main gate’s path was lined with ancient pines and cypresses, interspersed with pomegranate and cherry groves, each with pavilions. In the first year of the Taiping Xingguo era, the Emperor had ordered 35,000 soldiers to dig Jinming Pool, channeling water from the Jinshui River. Three vermilion-lacquered bridges spanned the pool, their central arches resembling rainbows. At the bridges’ end stood five interconnected halls at the pool’s center. During the flower season, willows draped the bridges, and boats floated among blossoms of jasmine, gardenia, and peonies from Fujian, Guangdong, and Zhejiang—a breathtaking sight.

This year, during the Flower Festival, the Emperor had been preoccupied with court affairs and the Eighth Princess’s illness, so he hadn’t visited. But at Qixi, hearing that autumn peonies from Taiping Xingguo Temple were blooming in Qionglin Garden, he decided on a spur-of-the-moment excursion to admire the flowers and select the new hairdresser.

The Emperor, Empress, and princess entered the central hall of Jinming Pool. Inside, a vermilion lacquered dragon throne stood before a screen painted with clouds and water. Dozens of peonies from Qionglin Garden flanked the hall, a riot of colors in full bloom.

Soon, the consorts arrived in their carriages, all dressed splendidly. The first to enter was Lady Yu, showcasing her hairstyle. She wore a "skyward bun," twin knots tilted slightly back, topped with a large spiral silk crown resembling petals, its edges deep red fading to pale white at the center. Though devoid of jewels, it was grand and striking.

The Emperor smiled approvingly. "Lady Yu’s crown is lovely."

Lady Yu glanced at her maid and said happily, "This was made by Caier."

The maid, Gu Caier, stepped forward to bow. Plain-looking but poised, her demeanor was impeccable.

The Emperor praised her and invited Lady Yu to sit, awaiting the other ladies.

Next was Lady Miao. Heeding Qiuhe’s and my advice, she wore her hair in a magnolia bud-like bun, glossy and coiled, adorned only with a small ball of pagoda tree flowers. Her makeup was subtle—flawless skin, no adornments, just a hint of blush, exuding understated elegance.

The other ladies were surprised she wore no crown and watched the Emperor for his reaction.

After a long appraisal, he smiled. "The hairstyle is excellent. Lady Miao looks as youthful as a girl of fifteen or sixteen."

Delighted, Lady Miao called Qiuhe forward, and both bowed in thanks.

Now, everyone was even more curious about Lady Zhang’s appearance, craning their necks toward the entrance.

Lady Zhang took her time entering. When she finally appeared, the room gasped.

Her pearl crown was five inches wide and a foot tall, with a lacquered gauze base and silk leaves layered twenty or thirty times, each edged with gold thread and studded with white foreign pearls, increasing in size toward the top, where the largest were as big as longan fruits.

But what shocked everyone wasn’t the lavish crown—it was her true red phoenix-patterned brocade vest.

That day, the Empress wore a gold-clouded crown with white jade dragon hairpins and a red vest.

Before festivals, consorts always sent someone to inquire about the Empress’s attire to avoid matching colors. Yet Lady Zhang had brazenly chosen true red—a blatant breach of etiquette.

Unfazed by the stares, Lady Zhang glided in, glanced coolly at the Empress, then curtsied without a trace of shame.

The Empress showed no anger, sitting regally to accept the bow before smiling. "Lady Zhang’s crown is exquisite. What is it called?"

Lady Zhang lifted her chin. "‘Crowning the Beauties.’" Her eyes flicked to the Emperor, awaiting praise.

The Emperor studied her, expressionless. Then, slowly, he raised a sleeve to cover his face. "A head full of white—how inauspicious."

Lady Zhang froze, stunned. Under the crowd’s gaze, the Emperor ignored her. She lowered her head, her cheeks flushing as red as her vest.

"Your Majesty, forgive me..." she murmured. "May I retire to change my crown?"

"Go," the Emperor said, adding, "Change your clothes too... This color doesn’t suit you."

Lady Zhang curtsied and hurried out. Her hairdresser, Xu Jingnu, had followed her in, confident of an introduction and royal favor. But the sudden turn left her bewildered, unsure whether to stay or go. After an awkward pause, she scrambled after Lady Zhang.

Lady Miao and Lady Yu exchanged triumphant glances. The other ladies hid smiles behind fans or coughs, their glee barely contained.

The Emperor chatted with the Empress and consorts about peonies. After a long wait, Lady Zhang returned in a purple vest, her crown replaced by a simple bun. Perhaps in a pique, she wore no ornaments and remained silent after curtsying.

The Emperor smiled. "Lady Zhang’s bun is charming. A flower would enhance it." He plucked a purple peony and tucked it into her hair.

The ladies praised her beauty, and Lady Zhang’s expression softened. Lady Yu, sensing the mood lighten, teased, "They say Your Majesty plays favorites—giving Lady Zhang the loveliest blooms!"

The Emperor laughed. "With that giant crown, where would I put a flower for you?"

Lady Yu promptly removed her crown, tossed it to Caier, and held out her hands. "Now I’m crownless!"

The Emperor shook his head, amused, and gave her a peony with deep edges fading to white near the stem. "This matches your crown."

He then replaced Lady Miao’s flower ball with a pink peony. "This complements your complexion."

The other consorts clamored for flowers, and the Emperor obliged, adorning each. Finally, he chose the finest peony for the Empress, who had watched with a smile, and tucked it into her crown.

The princess, enchanted, tugged his sleeve. "I want one too!"

The Emperor plucked a yellow peony for her. Too young to wear it, she held it gleefully.

Amid the merriment, the Empress asked about the hairdresser selection. "Your Majesty, have you chosen the new attendant?"

Silence fell as all eyes turned to him.

"It’s decided," the Emperor said, his gaze drifting over Qiuhe, Caier, and the timid Jingnu behind Lady Zhang.

"From today, the inner palace maid..." His eyes lingered on Qiuhe but moved on. "Gu Caier shall be the hairdresser, in charge of my grooming."

The announcement stunned most present, including Caier.

Given the Emperor’s earlier comments, Qiuhe should have won—especially since she was far prettier.

But Qiuhe, initially tense, now relaxed, as if relieved.

Gradually, congratulations trickled in. When the Empress asked why Caier was chosen, the Emperor simply said, "Her crown was frugal yet regal, and her styling was excellent."

(To be continued)