Chapter 49: CH 49

Human had seven emotions and six desires, jealousy was one of the negative emotions.

When Shi Feixian saw Rong Xia raised his cup to Ban Hua, her stomach was flooded by a jar of vinegar, it was unbearably sour. Shi-furen on her side lightly patted the back of her hand, “Feixian, what happened?”

“Mother, I am fine.” Shi Feixian looked outside the palace, “It’s snowing again, would Elder Brother be cold?”

“Working for His Majesty is an honour for our Shi clan.” Shi-furen saw her daughter was concerned of her brother, she smiled, “You don’t have to worry, I have ordered warm clothing for your brother, he won’t be too cold.”

Shi Feixian reluctantly smiled, “It is good then.”

A lot of people approached to curry favour with Shi-furen so she didn’t notice anything unusual with her daughter, she had turned to talk to the lady seated next to her.

Ban Hua sat down next to Yin-shi, slipped her hand into her mother’s warm palms, and leaned to rub the warmth off Yin-shi’s body.

“Your hands are so cold.” Yin-shi cupped her daughter’s hands in her palms, she touched Ban Hua’s palace robe, “You girl, you want to be beautiful so much that you don’t care about cold.”

“It wasn’t cold before. On the way here there is a poor little eunuch, so I helped him a bit.” Ban Hua squeezed closer, “Mother, you are very warm.”

“Because I wear more than you.” Yin-shi was both angry and amused, she could only helplessly said, “You are spoiled by your father.”

Ban Hua didn’t try to defend herself, she smiled to Yin-shi while looking very obedient.

“The Crown Prince has arrived, the Crown Princess has arrived.”

Yin-shi and Ban Hua straightened their sleeves, they stood up to greet the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess.

Before she was married, the Crown Princess Shi-shi was renowned for being kind, filial and modest. After she became the Crown Princess, her virtues became even more widespread. Her looks and talents couldn’t compare to younger sister Shi Feixian, but she was still one of the famous ladies of the Capital.

T/N – Married woman were called by their surname plus -shi (= clan), so the Crown Princess whose surname is Shi (= lit. stone) becomes Shi-shi.

Their marriage was harmonious and both were respectful to each other, the only thing not very good was that after four years there was still no child yet. The Crown Prince never complained, but as the Second Prince was going to get married soon, the Crown Princess had become increasingly anxious.

As they walked into the Great Hall, the Crown Prince took her hand and smiled to her.

Looking around, she whispered, “Your Highness, this is not proper.” She pulled her hand out of the Crown Prince’s palm.

The Crown Prince smiled helplessly, he walked into the hall side by side with her, but then she slowed down to make herself half step behind him.

“Greetings Crown Prince, Crown Princess.”

The carpet was soft, as the Crown Princess saw everyone’s bowed head, a little smile of satisfaction appeared on her lips.

Her steps slightly halted when she walked past Ban Hua. The red blood hairpin on Ban Hua’s hair was piercing to the eyes.

As the future emperor, the Crown Prince’s seat was slightly lower than the current emperor but still higher than everyone else. Only after the husband and wife sat down that everyone raised their heads again.

“Please everyone be seated,” The Crown Prince rose, “Today is Imperial Father’s birthday, this is a day to be celebrated by all. Everyone, don’t need be too polite.”

The Crown Prince was benevolent and gentle, he had a good reputation amongst the officials in the Court. The Second Prince always made troubles, he failed to win the heart of the officials. The Second Prince looked at the performance displayed by the pair of Crown husband and wife and he sneered. Without care of anyone’s thought, he sat back down right after the salute, too lazy to bother to pretend.

Ban Hua’s seat was the lower opposite of the Second Prince’s. Noticing his movements, she inwardly cursed him as an idiot who was unable to perform even the basic acts but still wanted to fly to the sky. The Crown Prince was his brother, a brother of the same mother and the same father. By publicly refusing to give a face to the Crown Prince, when the Crown Prince ascended and dealt with him later, everyone would only think this little brother had offended the elder brother too much.

Ban Hua felt herself quite competent because when compared to the Second Prince, she could be considered tactful.

The Second Prince was irritated to find Ban Hua’s eyes on him, he fiercely glared at her. What are you looking at, never seen a man?

Ban Hua gave him an eyeroll. Tsk, it’s still fine if only his character wasn’t as good as the Crown Prince, but he wasn’t as good-looking as the Crown Prince either.

For some unknown reasons, the flame in Jiang Luo’s heart flared big whenever he saw Ban Hua. Thinking of how he was cooped up in the Palace these days, he really wanted to tear her apart, but he……. didn’t dare.

Ban Hua this woman was too evil and shameless, she dared to put on a show and lied to Imperial Father who unexpectedly swallowed the lies. Today he was allowed to get out because it was His Majesty’s birthday, but he didn’t want to be locked in again so he had to temporarily let go this little thief.

Those sitting next to the Second Prince and saw his fixed gazes on Ban Hua suddenly received a revelation. It was true that heroes bent in front of beauties, the Second Prince was said to dislike Fule Junzhu, but the way his eyeballs sticked to Fule Junzhu today, that dislike couldn’t be real.

At His Majesty’s birthday, noone dared to blurt any unhappy things. Even if your beloved wife or pretty concubine died today, you still have to squeeze out some happy smiles.

That was why when Emperor Yunqing and the Empress appeared in the Great Hall, they found everyone’s smiles bright and brighter. Some people with average looks smiled like chrysanthemums, so the Emperor and the Empress averted their eyes in search for others with better smiles to soothe their eyes.

T/N – Crystanthemum is also a slang for the lower opening of the body (that opening used in toilet). Imagine a smiling face that blooms like that!

This family’s son wasn’t bad, that family’s daughter was quite pretty. Looking again among the young men, Rong Junpo was still the best looking one, he simply stood there yet was still looking better than the others. The Empress touched her bracelet, what a pity she had no daughter of suitable age, it should be good to have him as a Fuma.

There were some gongzhu‘s in the Palace, but giving such a good man to a concubine’s daughter was too cheap. This was the pride and willfulness of an Empress.

Today Fule Junzhu was dressed up so beautifully, she was so much refreshing to the eyes compared to others. If only she had been her own daughter, she would dress her up everyday, and whenever she had spare time, she would line up some young men for her to pick, let’s see who dared to say no.

The Empress cast Ban Hua a smile, Ban Hua returned it with an affectionate and brilliant smile.

As the Empress grew older, she preferred this kind of fresh, pretty, and delightful young girls. Those talented young women who abide by the rules weren’t appealing to her. Not sure what’s in the mind of her second son that he could hurt a pretty young girl’s shoulder like that. Had this been her own daughter, who dared to do that would be put to death.

The Empress sat down on the phoenix seat, actually she wasn’t someone who smiled easily so all of the concubines in the harem were apprehensive of her, they thought her unpredictable. The titled ladies of the Court felt the same way, they maintained the most respectful attitude in fear of provoking her anger.

People kowtowed in front of the Emperor and Empress, wishing His Majesty longevity.

It’s the old routine of singing the Emperor’s praises, and also the old routine of vassal states ambassadors presenting the gifts. Ban Hua’s one hand supported her cheek while she listened to the ambassadors talking in broken language. She sipped some tea every now and then to stop herself from yawning.

These ambassadors were quite interesting, their bootlicking practice were even more shameless than the officials. Each year Ban Hua learned a lot of from them, learned the essence of bootlicking.

“Emperor King, you are the eagle in the blue sky, the eagle guiding our tribe to glory.”

Ban Hua whispered to Yin-shi, “This country, last year didn’t they say he was a stag?”

Yin-shi was barely able to stop her laugh, she pinched Ban Hua’s hand under the table, “Stop fooling.”

“Empress,” After that ambassador withdrew, the Emperor whispered on the Empress’ ear, “Last time didn’t their ambassador praise zhen as a lion?”

* zhen 朕  = I, We (referring to self, used by an emperor)

“Your Majesty,” The corner of the Empress’ lips moved, but her expression didn’t change much, “Last time it was a tiger.”

“Was it?” Emperor Yunqing frowned, there were too many praises he couldn’t remember anymore, one even said he was some flower under the moonlight.

The Empress nodded decisively, “Yes it was.”

Wang De standing behind the Emperor moved slightly. No, last time was a stag.

Emperor Yunqing’s birthday was successful. After the banquet, the officials and the ambassadors watched various singing and dancing performances, some performances were from Daye and some by the troupes brought from the vassal states, it was quite interesting.

“Your Majesty,” A prince of a vassal state said, “This Lowly Country heard there is a woman who is startlingly talented and is such a great beauty that could overturn a state in this Great Country. May benwang propose to marry this woman as main wife?”

* benwang 本王 = This Prince (referring to self)

Emperor Yunqing’s face stiffened, the great beauty that could overturn a state…… Was it the granddaughter of his aunt?

“Which woman the Prince is talking about?” Emperor Yunqing’s brain raced, thinking of ways to graciously reject the proposal.

“It is said she is surnamed Shi, she is excellent at poetry and painting, and a very intelligent woman, ” The vassal state’s prince showed a face full of yearning, “This Little Prince is very fond of the Great Country culture, and is willing to stay in Daye to learn culture and manner, and to marry this intelligent and beautiful lady.”

Emperor Yunqing instantly release a breath, so he was talking about the Crown Princess’ younger sister instead of Hua Hua. However, this vassal state is only a bullet-size country, how could a minister’s daughter marry a barbarian?

Seeing Shi Chonghuai’s face looking quite bad, the Emperor smiled, “Prince, my Daye has a saying ‘graceful and virtuous woman is a match to a gentleman’. If you are set on Miss Shi, then you have to use a man’s way to win her heart. What do you say, Prince?”

At this answer, the prince of the vassal country said, “Your Majesty is correct. Wonder how to make Miss Shi agree to benwang‘s proposal.”

Daye officials measured the vassal country prince. He was quite good-looking albeit a little dark-skinned, and a little rough. But when they looked at nearby Rong Xia, everyone immediately shook their inner heads.

No matter what your proposal is not acceptable.

Shi Chonghuai’s expression was very bad. Ban Hua believed had it not been a prince from a vassal country, Right Minister Shi would have rushed forward to give that person two slaps on the ears.

But the minister was worthy of being a minister, despite this foreign prince coveting his daughter, he was still able to maintain the dignity of a Right Minister of the dynasty.

“Your Highness, today is His Majesty’s birthday, it is not convenient to talk further of this.” Shi Chonghuai said with a slight smile, “The dancing on the stage is marvelous, how can Your Highness not enjoy it?”

“You are right.” The prince nodded, “I will come to your residence to talk.”

Ban Hua was pretty sure that Right Minister Shi’s face was tense for a split second, but he covered it well that barely anyone noticed.

“Sis,” Ban Heng twisted his waist to whisper to Ban Hua, “You better cover your face. How if this prince takes a fancy on you?”

“A prince from a bullet-sized country, and he still wants to pick and choose a noble lady from Daye?” Yin-shi sipped her tea lightly, “Don’t worry, he won’t be able to get Shi family daughter, let alone your sister.”

Ban Heng was assured, before returning to his own seat, he threw Ban Hua a bootlick.

“She is not as beautiful as you are, she can’t overturn a state.”

T/N – I read ahead to chapter 53 today. So far this story has been very light, almost like a high school idol romance full of description of Ban Hua’s beauty (Ban Hua is a female Xie Jingxing!), with just some little clues scattered here and there, but I feel that from chapter 52 the tone of the story started to change a little.

I am looking forward to tragic back stories from previous decades to be revealed bits by bits. What happened to Rong family back then? What did it have to do with the courageous old Grand Princess? With the doting Emperor and Empress? Who is the real cancer in this story?

The story started with Ban Hua’s dream of doom, how would it play out? Dun dun dun.

Pop quiz: Who is Xie Jingxing?

(Hand back your Ancient Chinese Reader Membership Badge if you don’t know who Xie Jingxing is !!!)