Chapter 7
After staying at the Li family home in Pingcheng for half a month, Li Weiyang set off for the capital with two maids and two matrons specially assigned to accompany her. The carriage had been provided by the Chancellor’s residence. Embroidered ribbons strung with multicolored glass beads adorned its curtains, while its bright red brocade cushions were embroidered with exquisite peonies. The interior was elegant and luxurious, yet from the outside it looked like nothing more than a modest little carriage with blue curtains, giving no hint of its extravagance.
Li Weiyang didn’t spare it another glance. She already knew it was nothing more than a display intended to intimidate her, arranged by the First Madam. And this was only the beginning.
Bai Zhi carefully set a cup of hot tea on the carriage’s rosewood table, then glanced at Li Weiyang, who had kept her eyes closed the whole time. She wasn’t sure whether she should chat with her to relieve the tedium of the journey. Third Miss didn’t look at all bored. Bai Zhi glanced at Zi Yan across from her and saw the same puzzled expression on her face. Her unease grew. They were both maids sent from the Li family in Pingcheng to serve Third Miss, but they still hadn’t figured out what kind of person she was, so they were even less inclined to speak out of turn...
Li Weiyang gently closed her eyes, and her memories returned to the day she first came back to the estate. When her timid self had entered the Chancellor’s residence, the First Madam had looked her up and down, her smile warm and kind. She gave a soft “Hm” and said, “This child looks blessed. Take her to change into a fresh outfit.”
Back then, Li Weiyang had been timid and uneasy to begin with, so she was naturally filled with gratitude at those words. She was only a concubine-born daughter, born in the second month of the year. If the First Madam hadn’t shown her kindness, how would Father have suddenly remembered her? Unfortunately, she hadn’t been able to see the scorn and mockery in the First Madam’s eyes.
When Li Weiyang first returned to the estate, she couldn’t even recognize a single character. She was the quintessential country bumpkin.
A Chancellor’s daughter who couldn’t read—if word got out, people would laugh themselves to death. Thinking back now, Li Weiyang realized that Tuoba Zhen had been nothing more than an obscure prince back then, with no chance of ever ascending the throne. Why would Father and the First Madam have been willing to marry her beautiful, celestial sister, Li Changle, to him? But he did have a noble foster mother, Consort Wu Xian, so they couldn’t simply turn him down. They never imagined, though, that Tuoba Zhen would eventually become emperor, and that she, a country girl who couldn’t even write her own name, would become empress—
That year, after meeting the First Madam, she had followed a maid away. As she passed the study, she heard laughter and the sound of reading from inside.
Li Weiyang heard a woman’s voice reciting, “The peach trees are young and tender, their blossoms bright and fair. This young lady goes to her new home; may she bring harmony to her household.”
Li Weiyang had been illiterate back then. She only thought the woman’s voice sounded especially lovely and wanted to listen longer, but a sudden shout startled her. “Hey! What are you doing here?”
Li Weiyang looked up in surprise and saw a beautiful young girl staring at her wide-eyed.
The female tutor who had been teaching also turned to look. Li Weiyang heard her ask, “Is this one of the maids from the household?”
Those few words left Li Weiyang’s face burning. She couldn’t answer.
The beautiful girl glanced at her, clearly having guessed who she was, but still covered her mouth and laughed. Then she said, “A maid? We don’t have such a vulgar maid in our household!” Her words were full of mockery.
Li Weiyang lowered her head and looked at her own clothes. She was indeed worlds apart from the young ladies in the study. She clenched her fists, unwilling to accept it.
The girl wouldn’t let up. “Why are you still standing there? Can’t you see you’re disturbing us while we listen to the tutor? Leave!”
“Third Miss, let’s go,” the maid beside her whispered.
Li Weiyang wished she could find a hole in the ground and disappear into it! Just then, a gentle voice rang out like music from the heavens: “Changxi, she’s your Third Sister, Weiyang! How can you be so rude to her?”
To Li Weiyang at the time, that voice coming to her rescue sounded like a gift from heaven.
Only later did she learn that the girl who had come to her rescue was Li Changle. For a long time, Li Weiyang had been left in a daze. She had never seen such an exceptional young woman or heard such a beautiful voice. Back then, she had secretly thought that even a goddess couldn’t be more lovely...
“Third Miss! Third Miss!” Zi Yan softly called her name.
Li Weiyang slowly opened her eyes and sat upright. She smiled, and her face immediately became lively and endearing. “What is it?”
Zi Yan smiled. “Third Miss, we’re almost there.”
Li Weiyang looked out through the carriage curtains. They had already passed Zheng’an Gate, and in the blink of an eye they were on Changmen Street, where the Chancellor’s residence stood. The estate was not in the bustling part of town, nor was it next to the other mansions of the nobility. When it was first built, a prince had taken a liking to it and specifically asked the Emperor for it. But later, finding its location somewhat remote, he left it empty. That prince eventually became embroiled in a treason case and, when his plot failed, took poison and killed himself. His property was confiscated, and the estate was taken back by the Imperial Household Department before finally being bestowed upon the Li family. It had belonged to them for several generations now. The disgraced prince had built it as a place to enjoy his retirement. Its garden, with its layered peaks and vine-covered slopes, was especially elegant. The estate was not among the largest residences of Kyoto’s nobles, but its scenery was second to none.
Over that short distance, the monotonous, chilly clop of the horses’ hooves seemed to stretch time out unbearably.
After an unknown length of time, the carriage finally came to a stop.
The matron who had ridden alongside the carriage spoke gently through the curtain. “Third Miss, we’ve arrived!” She set down the mounting step. Bai Zhi and Zi Yan climbed down first, then turned to help Li Weiyang out.
Once inside the estate, they passed through countless corridors. Outside them hung row upon row of birdcages from slender bamboo poles and copper hooks. There were hwameis, larks, red-billed leiothrixes, and siskins, as well as red-necked and blue-necked birds, budgerigars, waxwings, and red-crested birds from a thousand li away. The birds sang together in a chorus of sweet, melodious calls. Li Weiyang glanced at a hawk perched on a leather falconer’s glove, its eyes gleaming fiercely, then calmly looked away.
Maids in bright blue jackets and official-green sleeveless vests stood silently all along the way, their hands folded before them. When they saw Li Weiyang, they all bent their knees in greeting. It was exactly like her previous life.
Back then, she had been so flustered in front of them that she hadn’t known what to do. Now that she thought about it, the First Madam could have sent someone to teach her etiquette, or the Li family in Pingcheng could have told her what to expect. But no one had. They had let her embarrass herself in front of the servants, who whispered that a country bumpkin was just a country bumpkin and knew nothing of proper manners! Remembering the past, Li Weiyang smiled faintly. She didn’t stop to acknowledge the maids bowing to her, but followed the maid leading the way. Bai Zhi and Zi Yan hurried after her.
“See? That’s Third Miss!”
“She’s quite pretty, and she carries herself well! Didn’t they say she grew up in the countryside?”
“Exactly! A young lady is still a young lady. Growing up in the countryside didn’t make her timid at all!”
Li Weiyang wasn’t interested in their gossip. She walked all the way to the main room of Lotus Fragrance Courtyard. A young maid waiting by the entrance had already hurriedly lifted the curtain. Seeing them approach, she greeted her with a beaming smile. “Third Miss!”
Li Weiyang smiled and nodded to the maid, then entered the main room.
Bai Zhi and Zi Yan followed her inside. The floor was paved with bricks polished to a mirror sheen, and beautiful octagonal palace lanterns hung overhead. The nanmu partition screens were decorated with rosewood, ivory floral inlay, and glass. All the other furniture was made of huanghuali and rosewood, its lavish ornamentation and elaborate carving a feast for the eyes.
The two maids from Pingcheng couldn’t help holding their breath.
It was simply... too luxurious!
Yet Li Weiyang, who should have been most awed by all this wealth, didn’t even glance at the beautiful furnishings. She simply walked forward and, with a pleasant smile, bowed to the elderly woman in the seat of honor. “Weiyang pays her respects to Grandmother, Mother, and my two aunts.”