Xia Niangniang - Chapter 9

Chapter 9

When The Emperor returned to his imperial study, it was already early evening.

Since long ago, there was someone waiting for him inside the study room.

As the Emperor sat on the couch, he asked, “Regarding the matter ‘I’ asked you to investigate, how is the result?”

“Answer, Your Majesty. Your subject had brought the portrait of the Blind Concubine to the Bamboo Pavilion restaurant to make a discreet inquiry. The Bamboo Pavilion’s manager confirmed that he recognized the Blind Concubine’s appearance. He also said about the style of his dressing at that time, his bearing and how he conducted himself, was not like that of an ordinary household’s child. Unfortunately, he couldn’t clearly tell which family’s young master he belonged to.”

The Emperor slightly muttered to himself, “Since when has he no longer visited the Bamboo Pavilion?”

“Answer, Your Majesty. The manager said, it had been roughly seven years he hadn’t seen the Blind Concubine.”

The Emperor closed his eyes, waved his hand. That person bowed and withdrew himself.

………….

"That is to say, you couldn't see starting from five years ago?"

"I think that was earlier, almost seven years ago."

…………..

“The manager said, it had been roughly seven years he hadn’t seen the Blind Concubine.”

Seven years ago, seven years ago…….

The Emperor’s thoughts swirled around in his head, then he opened his eyes.

The Blind Concubine entered the palace seven years ago. Entering the palace less than a year, his eyes became blind.

Initially, for a person who had been banished to the cold palace, nobody would be bothered about or took interest to him. However, he couldn’t become blind without any reason. His eyes had become blind before he entered the cold palace.

The vast and hazy mist little by little dispersed. Every little thing had started to become evident.

Seven years ago, this young man entered the Palace. Not long after he entered the palace, his pair of eyes somehow became blind. It caused him to be banished to the cold palace.

However, what had actually happened to cause that. Why he became blind.

Even weirder matter was, the Blind Concubine said he had met him before. But why he, regarding this sightless young man, had not even a slightest shred of impression.

Seven years ago, exactly what had actually happened…

Seven years ago…

“Brother!”

From the entrance, a clear voice of a child could be heard.

A small roundish and chubby figure charged in. Strode straight towards the imperial seat. Stretched his hands for a hug.

The Emperor remain unmoved, raised a brow as he asked: “Today, have you gone to the Great Teacher for your lessons?”

That child straightened up his waist and back, replied with a clear and loud voice: “Already.”

His voice still the same as a little kid’s voice.

The Emperor opened both his arms and took that child up to a hug, then placed him on his lap.

That child clutched on the Emperor’s front robes. Causing the bright yellow of silks and satins to rolled roll in a curled wrinkle. “Older brother recently hasn’t been in the imperial study room. Right after the court, even the shadow couldn’t be seen. Aren’t you in a somewhat amusing place to play?”

The Emperor laughed, saying: “You only know how to play.”

That child pouted sulkily. Like a spoiled child, he said: “Where are you going, brother? Rui Ze wants to go too!”

“Where else can I go? Only strolling around inside the palace.”

“Brother lied.” That child who wore an expression of disbelief, made an uproar as he yelled, “Must have been in a fun place to play. Rui Ze also wants to go. Older brother must take Rui Ze there!”

The Emperor touched his nose lightly, “Still not so quickly go back and recite the lesson. Tomorrow, after getting hit several times by The Great Teacher, just by then you will be well-behaved.”

The little man pouted his mouth to the point it could be used to hang a kettle. His shining black eyes kept on gliding in a disordered rotation. He climbed down from the Emperor’s knee. Patting his clothes as he said: “If you don’t want to tell me, just say that you don’t want to tell me. I will eventually find it out.”

Making a snorting sound from his nostril, he straightened up his chest and walked away with his hands clasped behind his back. 

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The Blind Concubine was sitting in the small courtyard of the cold palace. The moon had risen up high for quite some times.

The air temperature gradually had become hot. The gentle breeze of the night also had become a very light wave.

Xiao Bao put the watermelon to fully soak in the cold water inside the wooden basin, hanging it under the eaves.

Blind Concubine said, “Don’t be too busy, come, have a seat.”

Xiao Bao said yes, took a stool and sat down beside the Blind Concubine.

Blind Concubine, slowly waving his fan, muttered, “Seems like the mosquitoes are already here.”

Xiao Bao attentively propped up his ears, “Really?”

“Mm*, I hear them.”

(t/n : The’Mm’ here serves the same meaning as yes. The original text is a “mm”)

Xiao Bao said, “Tomorrow, I will go find some wormwood to burn.”

The Blind Concubine nodded, “Do be careful. The vegetation in the cold palace is dense. Snakes and bugs are plenty.”

Xiao Bao replied, “Mm.”

Inwardly, he said : His Majesty had ordered people to trimmed them, alright.

The Blind Concubine told him: “Use that frame inside my room, the ceramic one, it’s shaped like a rabbit. It could be fun.”

Xiao Bao nodded, “So master still had this kind of framed incense burner.”

He tried to figure out, “I wonder, what kind of frame would the Emperor use?”

The Blind Concubine gently stroking Yu Li’s soft and supple back, “The Emperor…uses an aromatherapy filigree enameled furnace, cast with three dragons. The decorative pattern is elegant, it is impressively refined with its dignified air.”

“So it is like that.”  Xiao Bao nodded as if suddenly he saw the light.

The next day, even before midday, The Emperor had come to the Blind Concubine’s small courtyard.

The Blind Concubine asked with a curious tone: “Why so early today?”

The Emperor said, “I have a lot of things to do today. I’m taking advantage of my break to come bring you something. I will leave right away.”

The Blind Concubine asked “What is it?”

Yu Li which on his legs also had been meowing, his ears moved about.

The Emperor took out from behind his back something similar to an article of daily used made of paper. Put it in the Blind Concubine’s hand.

The Blind Concubine realized what it was upon a touch. He couldn’t help but laugh.

“It is a kite.”

The Emperor told him: “Mm… It has a picture of peony.”

The Blind Concubine said: “Thank you …”

The Emperor cautioned, “Be careful when you fly it, do not tumble.”

The Blind Concubine nodded and so the Emperor left.

Not long after, on the small yard gate, a flurry and fluffy little head appeared.

The small head peeked about here, looked around there, almost like an energetic Pekinese dog. Leisurely strolling for quite some time on the gate, finally carefully, reverently and cautiously put one of his feet to enter the gate.

Hesitating for a long while, finally another one of his feet also entered the gate.

The Blind Concubine couldn’t see, also couldn’t hear that extremely light footstep sound.

But Xiao Bao happened to have a glimpse, unable to restrain his “Ehh!” exclaimed: “Whose child is this?”

The little boy was startled upon hearing the voice, turned his body and was ready to run.

The little boy stopped in his tracks, putting all of his energy to vigorously gaze on the tip on his toes. His face slightly turned red.

The Blind Concubine admonished Xiao Bao, “You shouldn’t scare another person’s child.”

The Blind Concubine approached the little boy, squat down and courteously asked, “Whose child are you?”

The little boy remained silent while his whole face blushed. His hands nervously tugged the corner of his clothing.

The Blind Concubine turned his head to where Xiao Bao was standing and said, “See, you have scared this child.”

Xiao Bao glared: “I can clearly see that he is not a bit afraid.”

The Blind Concubine gently stroked his fluffy little head, gently asked: “How did you manage to come here?”

“I… I followed behind my brother to come…..”

The Blind Concubine made an “Ahh” sound, “The man just now is your older brother?”

“Mm!”, The child eagerly nodded, “I wanted brother to take me here to play. He didn’t agree. So I secretly followed him….”

“Is that so….”, The Blind Concubine said, “Then, let me accompany you to play.”

The child suddenly lifted his head, “For real?”

“Of course!!”

“That’s great!” The child jumped up in joy. His soft hair on his forehead was swaying about, “The palace people are so unwilling to play with me!”

This time, it was Xiao Bao’s turn to be surprised: “You are such an unlucky child for you are unable to have fun?”

The young boy grumbled, his eyes downcast and his head drooped. “I want to climb trees, all of the palace maids knelt and begged me to not climb up.  I just wanted them to play the trip and tumble game, (wrestling). In the end, all of them, one by one was like a pile of wooden logs, motionless and unmoved. I shouted until my throat hurt and my voice hoarse, still there wasn’t anybody who came and hurled me……”

Xiao Bao thought: Who told you to have an Emperor as a brother. To change with me, I still wouldn’t dare too.

The Blind Concubine had a slight urged to laugh, he pulled the child’s hand, “Next time, if you want to play, just come and find me here, I will play with you. “

“Mm.” The child nodded his head repeatedly.

He perched up his chest as he ensured: “From now on, whoever dared to bully you, just tell me. I will protect you!”

The Blind Concubine narrowed his eyes into a smile: “Alright.”

Then added: “You still haven’t told me, what is your name?”

The child crossed his waist, straightened his back and puffed his chest, with a loud and clear voice he replied: “My name is Rui Ze. I am a prince!”

The Blind Concubine with an amused smile on his face, knelt down in front of him. Softly and gently said: “Greetings, little prince.”

The little prince followed the standard patterns: “Stand up.”

Xiao Bao inwardly said: Good gracious! He truly looked like the real deal.

The Blind Concubine picked up the kite that the Emperor gave him just now and told Rui Ze, “Let’s go outside and fly this kite.”

The little prince promptly said yes. In the flapping of a wind, he had dashed out.

Xiao Bao still in the middle of feeding the two Acacia birds and called out to them, busily stretched out his head to say: “Be careful!”

Xiao Bao stomped his foot irritatingly, “I’m not worried about him! Let him be. I just want you to be careful. Do not because of bumps against that rice dumpling*, you harm yourself!”

*t/n : Rice dumpling , 肉粽 , Zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) are traditionally eaten during the Duanwu Festival, which falls on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar (approximately late-May to mid-June).

The Blind Concubine amusingly laughed: “I know.”

With his face beaming with a smile, “He is indeed a little prince, don’t be so rude.”

Xiao Bao was about to weep a tearless cry. Earlier, was an Emperor, then came a prince. Not to mention his not allowed to move about master. Why wouldn’t they let them pass their lives quietly.

The Blind Concubine himself, of course he couldn’t see at all. He was purely glad to have a child come to play. Smilingly holding the kite and went outside.  

End of Chapter 9