My Darling, Coax Me.

CHAPTER 30: Select A Concubine.

　　Emerging from the study, Yun Ling immediately saw the terrified expression on Grand Eunuch An's face.

　　The conversation she had just had with the Crown Prince in the study must have been overheard by him.

　　Seeing Yun Ling emerge, he wiped the cold sweat from his brow, hastily approaching her and whispering, “Yun Shanggong, you are usually the most cautious and courteous person. Just now... just now, how could you dare to anger His Highness the Crown Prince so!”

　　That was the Crown Prince of the Great Jin Dynasty, not only wielding imperial power and immense authority, but also a cruel and violent heir apparent, capable of taking a life in an instant.

　　How dare she talk back? She must have been possessed by a demon!

　　Yun Ling also knew she had made a terrible mistake, losing her composure completely. Provoked by his mockery, she hadn't been able to restrain herself from retorting.

　　Actually, she wasn't without fear.

　　She was afraid that in his anger, he would kill her.

　　And even so, the responsibility for the flower viewing banquet still fell upon her, which was truly unfair.

　　What on earth is she doing?

　　Letting out a soft sigh, Yun Ling felt exhausted. “Thank you for your reminder, Grand Eunuch An. I overstepped my bounds, and I will reflect on my actions.”

　　Grand Eunuch An, listening from outside, was terrified, breaking out in a cold sweat.

　　Watching Yun Ling's departing back, he suddenly realized that even so, His Highness hadn't yet issued any punishment.

　　Then he turned to look at the tightly closed study doors.

　　He shook his head, suddenly afraid to continue thinking any further.

　　……

　　Yun Ling had barely returned to the Shanggong Bureau when the list of eligible ladies for flower-viewing banquet arrived.

　　This flower-viewing banquet—she absolutely had to hold it.

　　Since she couldn't refuse, Yun Ling could only muster her spirits and begin preparations for the flower-viewing banquet. After reviewing the dossiers of each eligible noble lady, noting their family backgrounds to be fully informed, Yun Ling then began planning the banquet's proceedings.

　　But, having only read halfway—likely due to overwork that day, her energy flagged. In any case, the flower-viewing banquet wasn't urgent, so Yun Ling closed the register, got up, and returned to her courtyard to rest.

　　Dismissing her two young maids, Yun Ling bathed and returned to her bedchamber. Lighting a lamp, she selected a travelogue from her bookshelf and began to read.

　　In her free time, she would read travelogues of mountains and rivers, exploring the magnificent landscapes of the Great Jin Dynasty within the pages of books.

　　She happened upon a passage describing a place called Zezhou, boasting thousands of miles of interconnected lakes and rivers. Located over a thousand miles from the capital, it was a land of gentle streams and bridges, a tranquil water town—a place most beloved by ancient scholars and poets.

　　At this point, Yun Ling suddenly remembered her master mentioning this place before. She had been learning to write characters at the time and had even written down the name of this place.

　　She got up to search for her old calligraphy practice papers. To call them ‘papers’ was a stretch; they were actually an old, worn book her master had somehow found. Yun Ling had used charcoal to practice writing characters on its pages.

　　She found the practice book and, turning to the last page, saw the characters for ‘Pengze’ densely written there.

　　Zezhou... many years ago, its original name was Pengze. She wondered why it had been changed.  

　　It was also her master's hometown.

　　As she looked, something tucked into the pages suddenly fell out. Yun Ling knelt to pick it up—a flattened, old, yellowed amulet.

　　Yun Ling opened the amulet and found two characters inside: Yun Ling.

　　The characters were faded and blurred with age.

　　So this was why her master had named her Yun Ling. Because of the characters on this amulet?

　　It seems likely that the amulet belonged to her.

　　Yun Ling stared at the amulet for a long time, her head swimming, a sudden, faint ache blossoming in her temples.

　　Closing her eyes, she shook her head, carefully putting the amulet away, deciding not to dwell on it further.

　　Perhaps she'd simply overexerted herself today. Yun Ling blew out the lamp, climbed into bed, and then, remembering the task the prince had given her, felt utterly exhausted. She covered her eyes, sighed, and fell asleep.

　　She'd worried too much, resulting in unsettling dreams, and hadn't slept well at all.

　　When she woke the next morning, there were faint, bluish shadows under her eyes.

　　……

　　Xie Jue set down his vermillion brush, rising from his desk. Grand Eunuch An hurried forward, asking, “It's getting late, Your Highness. Shall I arrange for the palanquin?”

　　Xie Jue waved a hand. “No need.”

　　The hour of ¹Xu had already passed; the moon hung high in the sky.

　　Deep, heavy night enveloped everything.

　　Xie Jue stood with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing at the treetops beneath the night sky, lost in thought. Only his sharp, aloof profile remained clearly visible in the hazy moonlight.

　　Behind him, a group of palace servants waited respectfully, none daring to speak a word. A chilling silence hung in the air, heavy with unspoken tension.

　　Then, a shrill, unpleasant birdcall pierced the night, startling the waiting servants. Their hearts trembled, fearing they had somehow displeased the Crown Prince.

　　It was plain to see that the Crown Prince was in a foul mood this night.

　　And among the palace servants and eunuchs present, perhaps only Grand Eunuch An knew the true reason behind the Crown aPrince's ill temper.

　　But he dared not speak.

　　A cool night breeze swept by.

　　Xie Jue gazed at the cold moonlight, his voice calm and even as he asked, “What did she do?”

　　Grand Eunuch An knew exactly who ‘she’ referred to.

　　As the chief eunuch of the East Palace, if he lacked even this level of discernment, he might as well retire. Grand Eunuch An immediately replied, “Yun Shanggong returned to the Shanggong Bureau to attend to some matters. She should be preparing for the flower-viewing banquet, but…”

　　“But what?”

　　“But Yun Shanggong returned early today after only a short while, retiring early to bed without even having supper.”

　　Silence descended again.

　　Xie Jue's jaw tightened. “You're saying she was in low spirits?”

　　Grand Eunuch An replied, “This servant dares not speculate.”

　　Was she unhappy about organizing the banquet, or was it his intention to choose a consort that caused her such resistance?

　　He recalled how she had dared to defy his orders and brazenly contradict him this evening upon hearing of his intention to choose a consort.

　　A mere Shanggong, how utterly presumptuous!

　　He would not tolerate such insolence!

　　His long fingers clenched tight. After several deep breaths, Xie Jue said in a low, heavy voice, “Return to the palace.”

　　——

　　Spring was in full bloom, a riot of color; the flowers in the Imperial Garden were breathtakingly vibrant.

　　Even more captivating than the flowers were the dozen or so young and pretty girls who had been added to the Imperial Garden's population.

　　Each of them came from prominent families, their backgrounds impeccable. That's why they were present at this ‘Spring Appreciation Banquet’. These girls were well aware that from among their number, a Crown Princess and several concubines would be chosen.

　　Before entering the palace, their parents had repeatedly instructed them to behave impeccably and make a good impression on the Crown Prince.

　　Each girl was dressed beautifully and elegantly, each possessing unique charm.

　　Among them, the most prominent was the eldest daughter of the Duke of Qing, ²Anfu Junzhu, Murong Xue. She held the highest status among these noble ladies, and thus was the most arrogant. Upon arriving at the Imperial Garden, she ordered others to do this and that for her.

　　Others clustered in groups of three or five, giggling and chatting merrily.

　　In a corner sat a single girl in a pale yellow dress, gentle and serene, seemingly untouched by the world's clamor. Anyone who approached her was greeted with a soft smile and a gentle voice, leaving them feeling refreshed and peaceful.

　　She was Mu Lanru, the eldest daughter of the Yongsheng Marquis's mansion.

　　While the Yongsheng Marquis's mansion wasn't currently among the most prominent families, her maternal uncle was the renowned Duke Chen.

　　She was also the Crown Prince's cousin.

　　That connection was one that no one else present could rival.

　　The name of the Duke Chen's mansion alone was impressive; the Crown Prince wouldn't dare slight them, ensuring she would at least become a concubine.

　　Moreover, it seemed this Mu Lanru had known the Crown Prince since childhood.

　　Thus, whether she would ultimately become the Crown Princess or a concubine remained uncertain.

　　……

　　Although ostensibly an invitation for the noble ladies to admire the flowers in the Imperial Garden, everyone knew this flower-viewing banquet was merely a pretext; the real purpose was the selection of the Crown Princess. Everyone carefully watched their words and actions, vying to make a good impression.

　　The Crown Prince hadn't yet arrived, and the noble ladies were gathered together, chatting to ease their nerves.

　　Zhou Xiangjun, the daughter of the Minister of Personnel, brought several handkerchiefs she had embroidered herself. While she claimed it was to amuse her sisters, the fine stitching and exquisite craftsmanship rivaled that of the city's most skilled embroiderers; the butterflies were incredibly lifelike. It was clearly an attempt to show off her embroidery skills and make a name for herself.

　　Murong Xue glanced at it and disdainfully curled her lip. She had an intolerant personality and immediately retorted with sarcasm, “Such petty behavior.”

　　Zhou Xiangjun's face flushed with embarrassment at being so openly and bluntly mocked by the Anfu Junzhu.

　　Her desire to show off vanished, and she instantly regretted her actions.

　　Turning to the other noble ladies, she saw they had all turned away, pretending not to notice. No one was willing to help her out of her predicament. Just as she felt lost and helpless, Mu Lanru, who had been sitting in a corner, walked over, took the embroidery from her hands, examined it carefully, and praised, “The stitching is truly exquisite. I must ask for your guidance on this sometime, Miss Zhou.”

　　Zhou Xiangjun immediately said gratefully, “Certainly, Miss Mu, feel free to ask me anytime you need to.”

　　Then she immediately gave Mu Lanru one of the handkerchiefs.

　　Mu Lanru accepted it with a smile.

　　Her kind act of rescuing Zhou Xiangjun was witnessed by everyone. Compared to Murong Xue, who deliberately embarrassed others in public, Mu Lanru appeared far more graceful, intelligent, and kind.

　　Someone whispered, “Miss Mu is so kind and virtuous. She truly embodies the demeanor of a noble lady.”

　　“I heard that Miss Mu entered the palace and met the Crown Prince when she was a child. I guess the position of Crown Princess will fall to Miss Mu.”

　　These words reached Murong Xue's ears, making her face flush with anger.

　　Time passed slowly, and it was already noon, yet the Crown Prince still hadn't appeared. At this time, two female officials from the ³Shangyi Bu (Imperial Department of Etiquette) came forward and announced, “His Highness is busy with state affairs and cannot come. Please proceed to the Wen Shui Pavilion to rest and dine.”

　　No one dared to complain, and they all responded in unison.

　　Upon arriving at Wen Shui Pavilion, they found exquisite lunches already laid out, and resting places had been prepared for all the young ladies.

　　Everyone had gotten up early that morning to enter the palace and had spent the entire morning in the chilly autumn air of the Imperial Garden; they were all exhausted. After lunch, they each returned to their rooms to rest.

　　Zhou Xiangjun was extremely grateful to Mu Lanru and specifically chose the room next to hers. “Sister, please feel free to call for me if you need anything.”

　　Mu Lanru nodded gently. “Good.”

　　After closing the door, Mu Lanru's maid, Cuì Lǜ, immediately went over and poured her a cup of tea, saying with disdain, “Were one unaware of the circumstances, it might be assumed that her presence was for the selection of an embroiderer rather than the election of the Crown Princess.”

　　Zhu Hong chimed in, “Exactly. How dare she send such things to our Miss.”

　　Mu Lanru stopped them. “Alright, don't speak of others like that.”

　　Zhu Hong then said, “Miss, do you think His Highness the Crown Prince will come this afternoon?”

　　“I don't know,” Mu Lanru mused. Although the Crown Prince hadn't appeared this morning, the palace maids and eunuchs surrounding the Imperial Garden were all his eyes and ears; everything that happened had likely already reached him.

　　Cuì Lǜ praised, “Miss, your beauty is like a flower, and you are virtuous and kind. Compared to that Anfu Junzhu, she doesn't even compare to half of you. This position of Crown Princess belongs to you, Miss.”

　　“And Miss, didn't you frequently enter the palace to accompany His Highness the Crown Prince when you were young? His Highness hasn't been close to women for so many years, perhaps it's because he still keeps Miss in his heart. It's just that the palace was dangerous in the past, so it was not easy to show it. Otherwise, he wouldn't have chosen Miss to enter the palace first when selecting a consort.”

　　Mu Lanru covered her mouth with her hand, unable to help but laugh, and didn't refute her maidservant's words.

　　When she was a child, her mother and father's concubine fought fiercely, and she was fostered at her maternal grandparents' home for a period of time; she was only five years old at the time.

　　Although her mother was a concubine's daughter, her maternal grandfather, pitying her mother for not having found a good husband, doted on her quite a bit. He often had her cousin Chen Zhan take care of her. Sometimes her cousin, the Crown Prince, would come to play with Chen Zhan, and sometimes she would go along.

　　Later, she also went into the palace several times with her maternal grandfather.

　　Her advantage over others was her relationship with and past experiences with the Crown Prince.

　　She believed that even to this day, her cousin, the Crown Prince, still remembered their childhood friendship.

　　……

　　The events of the morning, relayed by the female officials of the Shangyi Bureau, all reached Yun Ling's ears.

　　“Miss Mu is His Highness the Crown Prince's cousin, of high moral character, gentle and generous.” One of the female officials praised her incessantly, “Her manners, appearance, cultivation, and bearing are all outstanding.”

　　Yun Ling wrote down everything the female official relayed, meticulously noting each detail.

　　The words and actions of each noble lady were meticulously recorded; that was the purpose of holding this Spring Appreciation Banquet.

　　This Guanyan Lu (Observation Record) would ultimately be compiled by her and presented to the Crown Prince. Although the Anfu Junzhu had the highest status among the noble ladies present, perhaps Miss Mu was the most suitable to be the Crown Prince's wife.

　　Not only was she the Crown Prince's childhood sweetheart, but she also possessed a virtuous and benevolent nature, and was both beautiful and intelligent.

　　She is the perfect candidate for Crown Princess.

　　Liang Sibin, who was also the daughter of an official before entering the palace, knew a bit more. Hesitating for a moment, she said, “I heard that when Miss Mu was a child, her mother often brought her in and out of the palace. She and His Highness the Crown Prince should have a deep bond.”

　　Yun Ling nodded; she was also somewhat surprised.

　　She had thought that with his aloof and cold personality, seemingly impervious to ordinary people, he would be feared by all. She hadn't expected him to have a childhood sweetheart and cousin.

　　In that case, Miss Mu is truly the best choice for Crown Princess. However, if Miss Mu is chosen as Crown Princess, Anfu Junzhu's status would make it absolutely impossible for her to become a concubine.

　　This is quite a difficult situation.

　　But these are not matters for Yun Ling to consider; the choice of who to select is his own to make.

　　After finishing the observation record, Yun Ling closed it carefully and put it away. Because it concerned the future Crown Princess, containing evaluation criteria and scores for each noble lady, it had to be kept safe.

　　In the Shangyi Bureau, after everyone finished their tasks, they began to prepare for the afternoon's arrangements.

　　If the morning was merely basic observation of the various young ladies…

　　Then the afternoon would be a comprehensive evaluation of their virtue, speech, appearance, and accomplishments.

　　After the preparations were complete, Zheng Shangyi sighed, “The East Palace is about to welcome its mistress.”

　　“Once the Crown Princess enters the palace, the burden on Yun Shanggong's shoulders will also be lighter.”

　　Yun Ling not only manages the Six Bureaus, but also handles matters concerning the inner court. The Crown Princess will be the future mother of the nation, so naturally, the affairs of the inner court will fall under her purview.

　　Yun Ling nodded and said, “That's good.”

　　She wasn't someone who clung to power; her position as a Shanggong was sufficient. When she reached the appropriate age, she would happily retire.

　　As for the Crown Prince's insignificant and abnormal affections for her—affections she wouldn't even reveal to outsiders—she found them utterly repugnant.

　　He was the lofty future monarch, with an ingrained arrogance and a sharp, critical eye. Coupled with the bloody feud between his mother and the palace maids, a chasm separated him from her, and he would never allow these feelings to be known to the world.

　　Therefore, once he establishes the Crown Princess, it will all naturally fade away.

　　She also thought this was excellent.

　　Therefore, she also hoped the Crown Princess would arrive soon.

　　What troubled her, however, was that she had defied him during the last selection of concubines, fearing it had displeased him. And now, she needed to carefully report the observations from the records to him.

　　Rubbing her aching temples, she still hadn't figured out how to face him.

　　Yun Ling took a deep breath, steeled herself for a moment, and slowly stood up.

　　——

　　Inside the Benevolent Heart Pavilion (善心亭 - Shàn Xīn Tíng)

　　Having finished with matters of state, the Crown Prince finally had a moment to spare and came to the Benevolent Heart Pavilion for a brief rest.

　　Dealing with state affairs for so long had left Xie Jue somewhat weary. He rested his long fingers, clenched into a fist, against his cheek, closing his eyes to rest.

　　The palace servants and eunuchs waited respectfully and quietly outside the pavilion, not daring to make a sound.

　　A young eunuch ran over and whispered something in Grand Eunuch An's ear. Grand Eunuch An hesitated for a moment before entering the pavilion and bowing. “Yun Shanggong requests an audience,” he said.

　　His Highness had a terrible temper in the study a few days ago. Grand Eunuch An wonder if he's calmed down now.

　　When he returned from Qingzhou, he could tell that His Highness was no longer angry with Yun Shanggong. Yun Shanggong also seemed very concerned for His Highness, often coming to dress his wounds. Then... it seems like their relationship soured again since His Highness began the process of selecting a Crown Princess.

　　Several days have passed, and Yun Shanggong hasn't visited the East Palace again.

　　And His Highness has not summoned her.

　　Xie Jue slowly opened his eyelids, his brows furrowing slightly. “Summon her,” he said.

　　When Yun Ling arrived at the Benevolent Heart Pavilion with the Guanyan Lu (观言录), she found the Crown Prince standing by the water, casually scattering fish food. His expression was unreadable, and his mood was impossible to discern.

　　She tightened her grip on the book, stepped forward, and performed a courtesy. “Your Highness,” she said.

　　Xie Jue tossed a handful of fish food. “What is it?”

　　“Your Highness,” Yun Ling reported in a measured tone, “I have invited all the young ladies on the list to the palace for the flower banquet you tasked me with organizing. This Guanyan Lu records their words and actions. Please review it, Your Highness, and let me know if it is satisfactory. Should I make any further adjustments?”

　　She prepared this flower viewing banquet very thoroughly and thoughtfully.

　　Everything went perfectly.

　　However, her report is rather late.

　　Xie Jue lowered his eyes. “Were you unwilling to do it?”

　　Yun Ling's body stiffened slightly. “Your Highness's command... I dare not disobey.”

　　Xie Jue curled the corner of his lips, nodded, and chuckled derisively. “Since you knew this, why did you initially act so stubbornly towards me? I personally promoted you. Your thoughts, actions, every word and deed, your grace and glory, even the storms and sunshine—all are within my control,” Xie Jue stated.

　　To him, she was nothing more than a small bird he could easily control, molding and shaping her at will, her life and death in his hands.

　　The power and grace of the Eastern Palace did not allow her any resistance or refusal.

　　Even less did it allow her to become spoiled and arrogant.

　　“Do you understand?”

　　Yun Ling sighed softly and bowed. “This servant understands.”

　　How could she forget? This was a powerful man who brooked no opposition.

　　Xie Jue stopped his hand, his voice cold and low. “Put it on the table.”

　　Yun Ling placed the booklet on the stone table, but then Grand Eunuch An went over and collected it.

　　From beginning to end, he didn't even show any intention of looking at it.

　　Although the selections were largely based on regulations, if he didn't review it, how would Yun Ling know how to proceed, or whether he was satisfied?

　　After a pause, Yun Ling still asked, “Your Highness won't even glance at it?”

　　Xie Jue: “Leave it there.”

　　His tone was flat, yet it was enough to make one's body go cold.

　　Yun Ling clenched her hands, unsure why he insisted on treating her this way, and unsure what she had done wrong.

　　Since he had tasked her with organizing this flower viewing banquet, and she had put her heart and soul into it, creating the detailed guest list, yet he wouldn't even glance at it.

　　Really…

　　That temper of his... Instead of ‘Pavilion of Benevolence,’ it should be called the ‘Pavilion of Unpredictable Moods and Elusive Temperament.’

　　After a moment of silence, unwilling to say more, she said, “Forgive my transgression. If there's nothing else, then I shall take my leave.”

　　She turned and left.

　　Long after Yun Ling had left, the Pavilion of Benevolence remained deathly silent.

　　Even Grand Eunuch An hung his head, not daring to breathe too loudly.

　　Until——

　　Xie Jue, his expression unchanging, slowly crushed the fish food box in his hand before throwing it forcefully into the water.

　　Grand Eunuch An hurriedly knelt down, “Your Highness, please calm yourself.”

　　Xie Jue's brows were furrowed, his eyes dark and stormy. His Adam's apple bobbed. “Where did she go?”

　　Grand Eunuch An replied, “I heard that this afternoon, Yun Shanggong is inspecting the virtues, appearance, speech, and accomplishments of the young ladies.”

　　“Mm.”

　　Xie Jue's eyes darkened.

　　Regardless of her intentions, she would remain under his control.

________________

Glossary:

¹In the traditional Chinese time system, the day was divided into twelve two-hour periods, each named after an animal. The hour of Xu (戌时 - Dog) is from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM. So, when the text says ‘戌时已过’, it means that it's already past 9:00 PM.

²安福郡主 (Ānfú Jùnzhu) translates to Anfu County Princess. 郡主 (Jùnzhu) is a title indicating a princess of lower rank than a princess with the title 公主 (Gōngzhǔ). Still a very high-ranking noblewoman, though!

-Junzhu (郡主): Title for a County Princess, a noblewoman of lower rank than a princess (公主, Gōngzhǔ).

-Gongzhu (公主): Title for a princess of higher rank. Usually reserve for the Emperor's daughter.

³尚仪局 (Shàngyí Jú): Bureau of Etiquette - Oversees the etiquette and ceremonies of the court, including royal weddings and banquets. ‘Department of Ceremonies’ in ancient China was indeed referred to as ‘Shangyi Ju’ (尚仪局) or ‘Shangyi Bu’ (尚仪部).

- Shangyi (尚仪) - means ‘to be in charge of ceremonies’ or ‘master of ceremonies’.

- Ju (局) - Bureau, office

- Bu (部) - Department

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