Under the spacious camping canopies were people sitting in clusters like flowers. Mei Li lowered her head and followed the eunuch. But even if she would not loo, she can feel the weight of people’s stares. Is she not having any difficulties? Is she not nervous? It was all just a pretense. Everything she had to face next, she faced with a smile and regarded it as her punishment.
“Mei Li, you’ve come.” Xiaozhuang waved her hand to prevent her from bowing. She motioned for her to sit to the chair next her.
“Oh, you have really been released?” A voice said presumptuously. It sounded indifferent and mean, disregarding the presence of the Grand Empress Dowager.
But because she had already expected such humiliation, Mei Li took this calmly. She could not help but look up at the speaker because she was not sure if it was really Jing Xian.
“Yes, I have been release.” Mei Li smiled.
“Have you not retrieved your estate’s lot? Then why are you dressed even more poorly? Is it that because the master has been absent for two years that it has been ruled by conscienceless slaves?” Jing Xian sneered a few times.
“All right. Stop this.” Xiaozhuang said with a cold face. She frowned as she suppressed her anger for a while. It seems that the other female guests did not hear Jing Xian’s words, still laughing at each other.
This Jing Xian. Mei Li didn’t want to provoke her, so she lowered her eyes to not meet her provocative gaze. Everyone has heard of the rumors of the Taihe Hall[1]. Jing Xian who was arrogant was hit hard, but no one did not expect for her to become acrimonious. She used to be cute and pleasant— at least in front of the Grand Empress Dowager. Xiaozhuang endured her in every way possible, and felt that she was just unfortunate. She felt that she owed her.
“Today’s weather was just right,” Xiaozhuang reluctantly smiled and motioned to the other ladies nearby to ward off the embarrassment. “Look, I have not seen you for a few days, and it felt like your children have grown up into young men again! How fast the time flies! In a blink of an eye, children grow old. We also grow older.”
Time flies fast? Mei Li thought. But her two years felt like a lifetime.
“Lao Zuzong[2] is not old at all.” A woman whom Mei Li did not recognize smiled and continued, “This slave[3] and my lord husband[4] just came back to the capital. It has been nine years but Lao Zuzong remained the same!”
Xiaozhuang laughed at her, “You still make me happy just as when you were by my side. I heard from the emperor that you came back with your son but has never seen him.”
Mei Li looked at the woman carefully. She has heard of her. This should be Ying Ru who had served Lao Zuzong with Yu’an gugu in the palace. Because she favored her, she betrothed her with a good husband. Later, her husband became the Governor of Chahar and her life dramatically improved. Uncle Hai has always used Ying Ru gugu’s story as an example on how important it is to win the Grand Empress Dowager’s favor.
“He is here.” Seeing that Lao Zuzong took the initiative to mention her son, Ying Ru Furen[5] became grateful. Pleasantly surprised, she quickly ordered to the nearby servant, “Go call Yonghe!”
Several Fujin and young ladies present here were obviously also very interested in the appearance of Young Master[6] Yonghe and temporarily released their gaze from Mei Li.
Their status… Mei Li hung her head down. The husband returned as the promoted Governor of Chahar, and his wife can already sit in the ranks of the Grand Empress Dowager.
Following the servant was a young man in his twenties. Mei Li sipped her tea, refused to stare at the newcomer. The praises of the women around him did not rouse her interest. Because she knew that as with the words of the Grand Empress Dowager, even if someone lacked arms and legs, if called a rare talent will be good enough.
“Good… Good. The Emperor’s arrangements have always the same as mine. In the past, it was already good when that kid Zi Yu is still the head of the imperial guard. Now that it has been bequeathed to Yonghe, I am relieved.
Hearing Zi Yu’s name, Mei Li finally raised her eyes and looked at the young master who was standing just south. He looks neat, good-looking, and somewhat baby-faced. Zi Yu has been promoted as the Emperor’s confidant and it seems just appropriate to give his designation to a young man like Yonghe who had humble roots.
“Look. Archery has just begun.” Xiaozhuang looked at the platform with excitement. The men all stood in front of a drawn line to inspect their bows and arrows, the drums suddenly playing in loud rhythm.
“You may all go as well! This one will give lots of rewards!” Xiaozhuang told the girls who were also eager to try. “Yonghe, tell the eunuchs that Suying’s bow should be particularly light. She is weak and should not be hurt.”
“Thanking Lao Zuzong’s grace.” A soft and sweet voice said. Mei Li could not help but look at the face of the speaker and found that just like her voice, the person is also very beautiful. No wonder the Grand Empress Dowager was particularly worried about this Suying. She looks very delicate.
“Girl[7], you go as well!” Xiaozhuang patted on Mei Li’s shoulder.
In the platform, the girls have a very large target, its distance is closer. Seeing the girls come out of the canopies, the Emperor looked at them with a smile, not in a hurry to play.
Mei Li’s target was at the far end by the men’s field with Jingxian by her side. As Mei Li did not want to talk to her, she immediately grabbed the bow held by the eunuch to try. In the past, she has not tried archery well because she has been busy running around Jingxuan. It was only now that she found out that each of them had six arrows to begin with.
“Hideous! Only she is delicate?” Jingxian sneered coldly.
At first, Mei Li thought Jingxian was talking about her. But when she looked back, she found that she was staring at Suying who was placed at the middle. She was frowning, her delicate little face was even more pitiful. She even carefully wore gloves for fear of scratching her frail hands.
Jingxian cursed again as she started firing her arrows. Several cheers were heard men’s side.
But Suying with her gloves radiated a heroic posture, her release sultry. It turns out, this weak girl could actually hit a target. Even the Emperor clapped and cheered for her. The cheers of the men rumbled in one piece and Jingxian’s expression became even more disdainful.
“Of course, she is the daughter of the Governor of Yan. Even her spit is fragrant.
Mei Li smiled and drew her bow. With a harder effort, she pulled her bow. But the light bow especially prepared for the girls sounded with a big “pop” as it broke. Mei Li was startled, and then there came a sharp pain behind her ear. She could not help but reach out to it and found there was blood. The bowstring snapped and hit her.
“Ah!” The girls stopped and looked at Mei Li with different expressions. “She broke her bow!”
“How can you be so energetic. Is the food in the cold palace very good?” She did not know whether it was just honest or mean, but it drew a few laughs from the crowd.
Mei Li smiled apologetically. She forgot that she was no longer the same as before. When she entered Anning Hall, she was put into hard labor and tried her best to lift buckets of water.
“Are you alright?” Yonghe who was about to walk to the men’s platform came instead in their direction with a bow on his back. He glanced at the wound on her neck with worry.”
“It’s okay, it’s okay!” Mei Li did not expect his presence and was a little embarrassed.
The little eunuch quickly handed Mei Li a new bow. As her heart is now lingering with fear, she could not exert any more effort, afraid it would break again.
“Use mine!” Yonghe smiled and took off his boor, handed it over with a grin. Mei Li could refuse it so she could only smile awkwardly as she took over the strong bow.
This time, with a sturdier sting, she was no longer afraid. But as she was pulling the bow, Yonghe cried, “No! Not like that!” But as he was embarrassed to correct her stance, he could only grab his ears. His child-like gestures made Mei Li smile.
“Don’t touch the feathers…”
Mei Li stopped.
Don’t touch the feathers. Jingxuan said the exact phrase to her a long time ago. His impatient tone still ringing in her ears.
She loosened his bow, the arrow flew aimlessly, gliding cross the edge of the target. It then fell on the grass behind.
“Oh…” Yonghe sighed regretfully. “You are too anxious. Focus your aim.”
“Thank you…” She returned her bow to him and spoke to the little eunuch. Pretending that she was going to attend at her wound, she left the competition platform.
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Notes:
[1] 太和殿 (Taihe Dian) Hall of Supreme Harmony
[2] I will use this frequently over the term “Ancestor” which is the literal term they use to refer to the Grand Empress Dowager.
[3] 老爷 (nubi) The woman is self-abasing in front of the Grand Empress Dowager. It means this slave but she is not in any way a slave but of noble background hence she is here in the Spring Hunt
[4] 老爷 (laoye) it is also how a slave calls her master but also how a woman call the her husband as a master of the house
[5] 夫人(furen) wife / Madam
[6] 少爷 (shaoye) young master
[7] 丫头 (yatou) was the term used which in this case is a playful way of saying girl
Kaye's Ugly Translations 