Chapter 105 - 86: Receiving Imperial Favor While the Tea is Warm
The Emperor put down the token and walked over to the self-sounding clock.
He discovered that the magpie that popped out was holding not just a slip of paper, but also a small, exquisite sachet.
Bright red flowers bloomed dazzlingly on the sachet, a crimson-gold dragon pattern winding through them. The Emperor immediately thought to compare Jiang Xian to this resplendent flower, with himself as the golden dragon, passionately entwined with her. The embroidery was done with extreme care. The style didn’t quite resemble the popular techniques of the dynasty; it seemed to be a stitch Jiang Xian had developed herself, looking so vivid under the candlelight it seemed ready to leap off the fabric.
The magpie carving was not large to begin with. With the sachet now hanging from it, it looked like a tiny messenger, pitiable and cute, struggling under the weight of its burden yet still delivering a token of affection for the Emperor.
He opened the slip of paper:
"I’ve noticed that the Emperor always has an endless supply of sachets. I wanted to make one for the Emperor to carry with him, but unfortunately, I’m not skilled at needlework. As I write this, I still haven’t managed to create a single satisfactory sachet. The eunuchs from the Imperial Household must think I enjoy tearing up fabric in my palace for fun. That’s not it at all—I’m just chalking it up to tuition fees... It would be nice if the ruined sachets could be sent back to the Imperial Household to be sold."
’What an adorable thought.’
The Emperor knew Noble Lady Gu was always serious about her tasks. She had a stubborn kind of diligence; anything she took on had to be finished, done well, and perfected. He couldn’t help but wonder how many sachets Xian’er had ruined in private. He asked, "Is Noble Lady Gu in Changle Palace right now?"
"Yes. Noble Lady Gu is with the Lady, accompanying the Empress Dowager in her Buddhist prayers."
"Send someone to Yizhu Pavilion..." The words were on the tip of his tongue when he felt it would be a shame to have someone else describe it for him. He changed his command: "Prepare the imperial procession. We’re going to Yizhu Pavilion."
Sun Zizhong, who was holding the tray of jade tokens nearby, was suddenly dumbfounded.
The Empress Dowager was still nagging the Emperor to flip other concubines’ tokens more often, to spread his favor evenly.
Even if he didn’t pick Guo Cairen, the top "contributor," picking anyone else would have been fine. It would save Sun Zizhong from getting an earful from the Empress Dowager every time he went to Changle Palace. So why Yizhu Pavilion again? ’That place has gone from a forgotten stove to a sizzling wok.’
’Oh well. At least it’s someone different...’
’As long as I have an explanation for the Empress Dowager.’
Liang Yuyin bowed. "I will go at once and have Chen Daying prepare."
"Have Chen Daying prepare for what?" The Emperor looked blank, then remembered that socially inept simpleton also lived in Yizhu Pavilion. "There’s no need. I am simply going to see where Noble Lady Gu lives."
Now it wasn’t just Sun Zizhong; Liang Yuyin was also a little surprised.
’It seems this Noble Lady Gu is truly special in the Emperor’s heart.’
No one could question the Emperor’s decisions, so Sun Zizhong returned to the Service Room with a regretful look on his face.
Liang Yuyin followed to prepare for the Emperor’s departure. Stepping outside, he shot Sun Zizhong a sideways glance.
"Look at you, all anxious on someone’s behalf. How much silver did you accept?"
Sun Zizhong was a man of some standing in the Service Room, but in front of Chief Liang, he was a nobody. Not daring to hide anything, he immediately lowered his voice and reported the amount. Liang Yuyin was surprised. "Who’s that generous? Lu Ronghua?"
"Guo Cairen wanted her jade token placed on the first tray for five consecutive days. This is the amount that made it to my hands." Sun Zizhong didn’t care how many hands it had passed through or how much of a cut others had taken along the way; that was his safety net. Getting rich alone would only lead to trouble sooner or later. "It makes sense. After being demoted from Noble Lady to Talented Woman, she’s naturally anxious. And it’s not like she’s short on money. It didn’t work out today, so she’ll just try her luck again tomorrow."
With that, Sun Zizhong tried to give him a cut, but Liang Yuyin slapped his hand away with a playful curse.
"Don’t you go insulting your gramps with that!"
※
Over at Yizhu Pavilion, Chen Daying heard that she would soon have to go out to receive the Emperor.
Even He Xiang thought her mistress was about to be graced with the Emperor’s favor.
"The very lives of everyone in Yizhu Pavilion and our entire clans are hanging on what comes out of your mouth! I’m begging you, my lady, please, please don’t say the wrong thing," He Xiang urged, nagging in her ear.
"I seem to recall you were the one egging me on to go fight for favor in the imperial court, weren’t you? Well, here’s my chance, isn’t it?"
Chen Daying brought up the past.
"I was foolish for a moment! My lady, please just forget I ever said that!"
"Hmph, not a chance," Chen Daying said, patting her chest and boasting to her palace maid, "Just you wait. I’ll go receive the Emperor. You go brew a bowl of hot tea now. I’ll have the Emperor utterly captivated in the time it takes for one incense stick to burn and get him to favor me in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. By the time the Emperor is dressed and ready to leave, the tea will still be warm."
’In the Three Kingdoms, there was the tale of slaying Hua Xiong while the wine was still warm.’
’Today, there is me, receiving the Emperor’s favor while the tea is still warm.’
’The motto: Every Second Counts.’
Chen Daying felt quite clever and was expecting praise from He Xiang. But when she finished speaking and looked up, she saw He Xiang staring behind her as if she’d seen a ghost before dropping stiffly to her knees. "He Xiang, are you also captivated by your mistress’s literary genius? Quick, write that down for me. I have to tell Noble Lady Gu later."
The words had barely left her mouth when a bone-chillingly cold male voice spoke from behind her:
"Who told you I only have time for a single cup of tea?"
※
For Noble Lady Gu’s sake, the Emperor didn’t pursue Chen Daying’s crime of gossiping about him behind his back, merely telling her to speak more carefully in the future.
’After all, Chen Daying has never received my favor and is still a maiden; she couldn’t possibly know how much a man’s pride is tied to his bedroom stamina.’ The Emperor was slightly irked. ’Every time I spend ages with Noble Lady Gu, she remains full of energy. It’s both as thrilling as meeting my match and slightly disappointing.’ He made up his mind that next time, he would absolutely wear Noble Lady Gu out until she collapsed into an exhausted sleep.
"Help your mistress back to her rooms to rest,"
the Emperor said. "I came to see the sachets Noble Lady Gu has been making."
Chen Daying asked, "Then couldn’t Your Majesty just have had Liang Yuyin deliver them?"
The Emperor was at a loss for words.
’She had a point, but he just wanted to see the place where his Xian’er lived.’
The Emperor had only a faint concept of "missing" someone and didn’t even realize it himself, yet his every action was an expression of his longing. He shot her a glare. "A woman has no place to comment on how I do things."
Fortunately, Chen Daying didn’t argue back.
When the Emperor said his actions had a deeper meaning, she actually believed him.
Chen Daying said, "I will take Your Majesty to see them... Oh, and we must bring Liang Yuyin along to protect you."
The Emperor just assumed she was spouting nonsense again.
A moment later, arriving before a side room, Chen Daying said solemnly, "Your Majesty should stand back a little. It would be best to cover your mouth and nose, too."
The Emperor, unconcerned, ordered Liang Yuyin to pull open the door.
The door was pulled open, and a mountain of sachets nearly two meters high came pouring out. A metric ton of different fragrances slammed into the faces of everyone present. The Emperor, with his keen sense of smell, was instantly stunned. Liang Yuyin threw himself in front of the sachets, shouting, "Protect His Majesty!"
"These... were all made by Noble Lady Gu?"
"Yes. That’s why she couldn’t give them to anyone."
Sachets made by a noble mistress couldn’t be gifted to just anyone.
Besides, Jiang Xian kept to herself in the palace, so she had no choice but to store all of them in the side room.
The Emperor, though dizzy from the overwhelming fragrance, still walked forward and scooped up a few sachets to inspect them. The flower pattern was indeed identical to the final version, but a closer look revealed flaws. The workmanship on the ones at the bottom of the pile was poor, but the higher up one looked, the newer and more exquisite they became. Jiang Xian had held herself to an exacting standard, ensuring that the version she ultimately sent to the Emperor was the most perfect one.
"For something like this, why did she have to struggle with it herself? She could have just had an embroideress do it," the Emperor frowned.
"I advised her the same," said Chen Daying, "but once Noble Lady Gu sets her mind on something, she won’t give up."
Once again, the Emperor was struck by Jiang Xian’s tenacity.
The sachets were soft, but the character of their maker was as unyielding as a pine.
He had to admit, being the object of this "stubbornness" filled him with the pleasant feeling of being cherished. "Yizhu Pavilion is only so large. With this side room occupied, it must be disturbing Chen Daying’s rest. Liang Yuyin, have all of these moved back and stored away properly."
The imperial presence came like the wind and left just as quickly.
It was as if he really had come only to see the sachets Jiang Xian had embroidered.
He Xiang, still shaken, asked, "What on earth did the Emperor come here for?"
"Beats me," said Chen Daying.
And so, she sent someone to Changle Palace with a message for Jiang Xian.
The first rule of latching onto a powerful patron: when you don’t understand something, report it to said patron immediately.
That evening, Chen Daying received a reply from Jiang Xian—
He probably just came to collect the rejects. Don’t overthink it.