Dinner was held in a huge tent with a long low table where the desks where connected. Everyone sat cross-legged on the leather mattresses to eat. Two rows of desks are adjacent to each other. One for men and one for women.
Young people who were occupying the back-to-back row seem to especially like this particular arrangement.
Mei Li was lead at the second seat to the right of the Grand Empress Dowager. She sat down quietly, her business is only to eat. Jingxian has always wanted to take the position closest to Lao Zuzong, and tonight was not an exception. She sat at the first seat at the left grand seat, glancing at Mei Li from time to time as if her position elevated her in heights and gave her an advantage.
Mei Li has always been unable to get along with Jingxian’s group because of her relationship with Zi Qing. Jingxian has always targeted her to which did not come off as a surprise.
Everyone has almost arrived, even the emperor and Lao Zuzong has already sat down, but the seats next to Mei Li remained empty when the servants started serving hot meals.
Led by a maidservant, Suying followed Jingxuan into the tent and sat on the righthand side closest of Lao Zuzong, just beside Mei Li with Jingxuan sitting behind her.
Mei Li be becomes a little embarrassed, because it was a little cramped and she was too close to him, so close that his sleeves brushes in her direction whenever he talks to Suying or at the Grand Empress Dowager.
Then, she finally smiled with ease when Lao Zuzong asked Suying about her injury, and Jingxuan about the results of the hunt. As if none of them is going to pay her any attention, which is good.
Ot the other hand, Yonghe is busy outside the tent and did not sit down until the banquet has started. The Kangxi Emperor asked him to sit next to Jingxuan.
Yonghe smiled when he saw Mei Li slightly gesturing for him to sit down and thanked her softly.
When she turned around, Mei Li saw Zi Yu on the other side. If Yu did not come, she will really be alone. So she smiled at him and Zi Yu nodded.
She was keenly aware of the pity in Zi Yu’s gaze, so she retracted her gaze silently. Although she was used to it, it was still uncomfortable especially coming from a familiar person.
“Mei Li, you may need to tend your make up. Your face does not look good.” Xiaozhuang, who had just been speaking with Suying suddenly led the topic to her.
Because of Lao Zuzong’s words, Mei Li felt the gaze of the surrounding people. She only nodded respectfully, not really wanting to say any more.
Sang Zhu who was on the other side always moved around carelessly as she speaks with Fuchen Beizi[1] behind her. Whenever she accidentally hits Mei Li, she can only frown slightly. It turned out that the things she used to do in the past were really so troublesome. No wonder those who have sat next to her would always stare at her with furrowed brows.
When the the main course was finally ready, the Emperor and Lao Zuzong said a few words and opened the banquet. And because there were so many people, there were no personal servants.
Mei Li looked at the bowl in front of her in embarrassment. Her left arm was injured, so she could not carry the bowl and scoop from the banquet. Fortunately, there was a plate of small pastries in front of her. She took one and ate it slowly. It was delicious and there were meat fillings.
“Why are you not eating vegetables?” A low and beautiful voice rang clear in the hum of whispers. It was so familiar to her that it made a momentary illusion as if he was asking her, making her instinctively tremble.
“Aiya…” Suying hummed delicately, asking Jingxuan what he meant. Jingxuan smiled as he tenderly takes her bowl. He grabbed some dishes from the banquet before handing it back to her.
Mei Li stared at the pastry in her hand. But in her peripheral vision, she can see the intimate gestures of the two, whispering softly, even with their heads down.
She suddenly became a little angry with herself. So she put down the pastry to pick up her chopsticks. Only to realize that the dishes in front of her were big fish and big chunks of meat.
She actually wanted some vegetarian dishes, but it was so far away. No wonder Suying would let Jingxuan help her grab some. She has already raised her chopsticks, so she can just casually pick up the big piece of meat before her.
Perhaps because it looked too awkward munching on a big meat, hence Jinxian and Yindi who were on the opposite side laughed as they stare at her with contempt.
Mei Li looked at them coldly. She was no longer as impulsive and as competitive as before, and she did not want to pay attention to their repeated provocations, but it doesn’t mean that she would let them continue to be aggressive[2].
After such a glance, Jingxian and Yindi were both stunned. They seem to not expect that she would have the courage to retort a bit.
Mei Li then picked up her half-eaten pastry and was about to take a bite, when Fu Chen behind her made Sangzhu laugh enough for her to twist her body and hit her again.
Mei Li was unprepared and dropped her pastry on the table when she was hit. Mei Li casually picked it up and took a bite without too much thought. But she found the group of women in the row of desks in front of her in silence. Even the people who actually did not notice what she did all glanced up on her just because of the inexplicable stare the others were giving.
She suddenly froze. Yes, the pampered nobilities at those desks felt that the food that fell on the table was no different from those that fell on the floor. If someone else does this, they will just sneer at the behavior, but because she is the Princess Mei Li who just came out of the cold palace, everything that she does is suspected to be a trick— a gimmick.
Sure enough, someone did not let this opportunity pass.
“The people who have been in the cold palace are different.” Jingxian sneered and grinned. “They cherish food so much.”
Everyone reacted at the joke and looked at her with varying degrees of coldness. Xiaozhuang’s face sank, but it was also difficult for the old one to say something at this time.
Mei Li pursed her lips and just ate half of the pastry in her hands in front of all the mocking eyes. After, she smiled coldly and said, “Yes, it is fortunate if I can eat meat in the Anning Hall in three days. Unlike you, having all the mountain delicacies, and seafood dishes is just like having dirt, you can just waste it.
Mei Li heard Yonghe behind him chuckled.
“You!” Jingxian choked and stared at her. She became even more embarrassed with Yonghe’s laugh. She wanted to continue retorting but she felt the heavy gaze from Xiaozhuang. She was stunned and was unable to open her mouth anymore.
“If you think it’s delicious, then eat more. This child is so thin it is so heartbreaking. Yu’an gugu, give Mei Li a bowl of pheasant soup.”
Everyone then continued to eat. And although there were still some whispers, the derisions weren’t as disconcerting as before.
After finishing the bowl, Mei Li thanked Xiaozhuang for the soup. Later, when many people started leaving the banquet, she also withdrew without attracting any attention.
A big bonfire welcomed Mei Li outside the tent, its blazing flames made her tremble. She found a quiet corner and forced herself to stare at the fire believing that by doing this, the trauma would pass. She should not allow herself to live in this fear.
The kids Qiu Quan and Qiu Yuan did not finish their meal and also left the table early. They jumped around , excited about the bonfire.
This time, Jingxuan and Suying also came out of the tent. The fire was too bright and as she was hidden in the corner, the two walked by without noticing her.
Mei Li already breathed a sigh of relieve and was about to move to the other direction when the sharp-sighted Qiu Quan noticed her and shouted, “Mei Li Jiejie!”
Jingxuan and Suying who had already walked past both stopped and turned around. Mei Li sighed lightly, mustered to present a calm facade, and calmly walked into the bright spot. Before, she will always expend a lot of effort just to meet him. But now that she wanted to avoid him, he always appears.
Qiu Quan and Qiu Yuan ran over and held her on both hands. They are not as excited as they were earlier and looked like they were about to say something serious.
At this time, Jingxian also finished her meal and was looking impatiently at her arm being dragged by Yindi who was chasing Yonghe. Jingxian could not understand why she is being used as a cover.
“Mei Li Jiejie…” The older one, Qiu Quan said hesitantly. “I heard that you have been in the cold palace for two years. Were you scared?” Like all children born in noble families, they were always stunned and curious about legends such as the scary cold palace.
Jingxian listened, shook off Yindi’s hand, and came over with a mocking expression, “Yes, Mei Li. Tell the children that it’s scary there so they won’t grow up and be like you.”
Mei Li glanced at Jingxian and tried to suppress her bubbling anger.
The younger one, Qiu Yuan understood this and glared at her brother as if warning him that these things should not be asked. Although she wanted to know, these things were so distressing.
“Mei Li Jiejie, I want to give you a delicious snack.” Qiu Yuan interjected and hurriedly opened her purse. She took out a few candied fruits and gave it to Mei Li. She was still so young and thought that delicious food can make people happy. Mei Li looked at her with a smile.
“Qiu Yuan can eat it by herslef. Jiejie does not like candied fruits.” Mei Li gently said as she touched Qiu Yuan’s chubby face. Only children can have such sincere sympathy.
“Eat it!” Jingxian sneered nonchalantly, “Haven’t you not eaten for more than two years? Don’t you want it?”
Mei Li finally snapped and stared at Jingxian. But just as she was about to say something, Zi Yu came in the scene and walked in her view. He frowned and shook his head.
She lowered her head forebearingly. She understood what Zi Yu meant. If she and Jingxian started a conflict right her, no matter who was right, she would only suffer. Worse is, the Emperor might blame her being unrepentant.
What was wrong with her? In the cold palace, she can turn a deaf ear even at the most vicious ridicule. But how can she unconsciously care about Jingxian now? Probably, it is because this used to one of her habits developed from the past— clashing with Jingxian.
Habits… So many habits. She thought she has changed, but in fact, within her it is still there. Really… old habits die hard.
She smiled coldly, half-self-depracating, and half-indifferent. “Yes. It has been a long time since I have eaten, so I don’t want to eat anymore…”
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Notes:
[1] 贝子 (beizi) it literally means shellfish but in here it is used as a title in the Qing Dynasty of Manchurian nobility.
[2] The phrase that was used here is actually 得寸进尺 (decunjinchi) give them an inch and they would take a mile aka taking advantage
Kaye's Ugly Translations 