The Times Spent in Pretense

Near the Period of Wu, Hua Liuli sat in the carriage that would enter the imperial palace. In high spirits, she looked for the empress dowager.

Stepping foot within Shoukang Palace, Hua Liuli caught sight of the crown prince; he was accompanying the empress dowager and sitting next to her. After she had gone forward and greeted them, Hua Liuli said to him with a smile, “Your Highness, you’ve come to Her Majesty the empress dowager’s again to freeload on food?”

“Since you’ve made a trip to the palace today, Grandmother would definitely prepare delicious food. How could I miss this opportunity?” said the crown prince, putting on an act. “Commandery Princess should visit more often in the future. That way, I can taste more of these culinary delicacies.”

The words of the two coaxed the empress dowager into a state of pure happiness. She said to the servants, “Why haven’t you people brought out the culinary delicacies yet? Otherwise, these two children will blame this grieving one for not bringing them food and drinks.”

“Your Majesty the empress dowager, this official’s daughter is different from the crown prince. As long as it’s by your side, this official’s daughter will be happy even when eating food that isn’t good quality.” Hua Liuli performed a curtsy and tilted her head, all smiles. “It’ll be good if you just disdain the crown prince.”

“That’s right, that’s right. Our Liuli is as close as a little flowery vest to us,” said the empress dowager. Hua Liuli had made her so happy that she couldn’t stop laughing. When it came time to eat, she did not pay particular attention to palace etiquette, and listened to Hua Liuli recount interesting stories from outside the palace.

Hua Liuli understood well how to coax elderly people to happiness. Although someone could talk about the same topic, she could make it even more interesting. In fact, the empress dowager was so amused that she drank half a bowl more of soup meant to nourish the body.

Once the tableware had been put away, a female official brought over a cup of tea to the empress dowager, one that aided digestion. “The more than ten of us cannot compare to one Commandery Princess. Normally, Her Majesty dislikes drinking the nourishing soup due to finding the taste not to her liking, putting the bowl aside after one sip. But with Commandery Princess around, Her Majesty actually finished an entire bowl of soup. This slave really wishes that Commandery Princess can live in Shoukang Palace every day.”

The female official was called Hongmian. She was the empress dowager’s capable personal attendant. Hua Liuli was somewhat close to her. And so, she smiled and nodded, before replying, “Then I will remember these words. In the future, I’ll run to Her Majesty the empress dowager’s abode every two to three days. Even if Your Majesty the empress dowager grows annoyed at me, this official’s daughter will stay there shamelessly.”

“Stay, stay. Even if you live here from now on, this grieving one will like it,” said the empress dowager, tone intimate. “Later on, if your husband’s family treats you poorly even the slightest bit, find this grieving one. This grieving one will give you support.”

The silent crown prince, whom no one paid attention to, sat at the side and raised his head to glance at the empress dowager. Then he dropped his head again.

“With such a great person like Your Majesty the empress dowager supporting me, what’s the use of marrying?” joked Hua Liuli, half serious. “How great would it be to stay single? That way, this official’s daughter can come visit your honored self at will. And no one would say anything should this official’s daughter stay at Shoukang Palace for an extra few days. But if this official’s daughter gets married, one must consider the thoughts of one’s father and mother-in-law. Not to mention, one’s husband and children. This official’s daughter is not interested in such things.”

Shaking her head, the empress dowager smiled in a helpless fashion. “You still have a child’s way of thinking.”

Despite her saying this, a thought entered her heart, faint in its appearance: There was some truth to Hua Liuli’s words. But as the empress dowager, she could not declare this aloud. Otherwise, if news of that thought spread, it would bring about inconveniences.

“Commandery Princess, if there is a man in this world who respects your interests and allows you to live freely, would you be willing to marry him?” asked the crown prince.

“A man like that shouldn’t exist, no?” Hua Liuli thought, If there really is a man that would allow me to raise handsome male pets in a villa, I wouldn’t have the heart to hurt him like that.　　

Good men were for women to cherish. Not for her to abuse.

Forgive me, forgive me. I can’t even think of such a thing.　

“Why won’t they exist?” A smile graced the crown prince’s lips. “Love forgives all.”

Dumbstruck, Hua Liuli looked at him. “Love can make someone endure that much?”

You can love a person to the point where you’d like the green hat they give you?　　

Is love that terrifying?　

Sure enough, it was better if she didn’t marry, if she didn’t like anyone.

The crown prince noticed that not only did his words fail to move Hua Liuli’s emotions or give her a sense of yearning, it caused her to expose a certain expression. One of remaining at a respectful distance. He could not help but to reflect upon things. Did a misunderstanding arise between the two of them?

“Your Highness, the news is out,” said a palace maid as she entered the room full of joy. She saluted Lin Wan. “Congratulations, Young Miss Lin. Your esteemed elder brother has acquired the great achievement of seventh place on the imperial exam.”

“He’s truly worthy of being Sir Lin’s son. Sure enough, he did not  tarnish the Lin family’s reputation,” said Consort Xian, elated by the news as well. “Hurry and send Sir Lin and Young Master Lin a congratulatory gift.”

“May Your Highness not spend the unnecessary effort.” Lin Wan’s cheeks were dyed red from excitement. But in Consort Xian’s presence, she was able to remain a bit calm. “My elder brother merely achieved seventh place. How could he deserve such treatment from Your Highness?”

Consort Xian felt too embarrassed to tell her future daughter-in-law this: The members of her Tian family had absolutely no literary talent. Let’s not mention seventh place on the metropolitan imperial exam taken in the spring. If anyone in the family passed the county-level exam, they’d thank the heavens and earth.

For almost thirty years, the Tian family had not had anyone place in the top twenty of the spring exam.

“Young Miss Lin, no need to be so modest. Your older brother achieved something great. It’s worth being happy about.” Consort Xian patted Lin Wan’s arm. She had her personal attendant make for her personal storage room to prepare a gift.

Consort Xian thought of how, when the Lin family had first arrived at the capital, they did not possess much land or properties. Thus, apart from items scholars used, she also added gold, silver, and precious jewels to the mix to be sent.

The Tian clan’s ancestors were imperial merchants. They had many properties, lacking little, and what they had most was money.

Once Consort Xian finished preparing the gift list, she suddenly recalled that the Hua family’s third young master had also participated in the spring exam. Without thinking, she said, “Did that Hua Changkong pass?”

“Reporting to Your Highness, Third Young Master Hua passed the imperial exam,” said the palace maid, her voice growing much softer than earlier.

“He actually did?” Consort Xian snickered. “What a surprise that Wei Mingyue and Hua Yingting could raise a son like that. How hard to come by. What’s his placement?”

In a furtive fashion, the palace maid shot a glance at Consort Xian and Lin Wan. She hesitated, too afraid to open her mouth.

“What? Is his rank too hard to say?”

“Your Highness, Third Young Master H-Hua placed first on the spring exam…”

“What did you say?” Consort Xian almost tore the gift list in her hands in two. “Hua Changkong actually got first place?

“Qinghan Prefecture was able to produce a first-ranker?” At that moment, she wanted to return to the Tian family and beat up all her nephews. Look at Hua Changkong, some other family’s son. He’s able to place first on the spring exam. But these people couldn’t even pass the county-level exam. Isn’t that shameful? Isn’t that embarrassing?

Seeing how large Consort Xian’s reaction was, Lin Wan found it somewhat hard to bear. One ought to say that after she learned Hua Liuli had almost become Prince Ying’s fiancée, she could not help but to compare herself invidiously with Hua Liuli.

It was to the point that Lin Wan could no longer stop herself from wondering whether or not Consort Xian would regret not making Hua Liuli Princess Consort Ying, and whether or not she would start to disdain her.　　‌

Big Brother has studied since his childhood. He didn’t take breaks even when it was hot or cold. Why couldn’t he score better than Hua Changkong?

After Consort Xian had heard such bad news, her good mood dropped by half. And Lin Wan grew even more apprehensive. She kept feeling that although the palace maids still treated her with respect on the surface, inside they were mocking her.

Mocking her brother for having a zhuangyuang father, yet was unable to beat the son of a general.

Due to the torment of such embarrassment, she couldn’t sleep the whole night. It wasn’t until early the next morning, when Lin Wan accompanied Consort Xian in paying respects to the empress dowager, and caught sight of Hua Liuli sitting by the empress dowager’s side smiling and chatting, that her embarrassment grew into resentment and envy.　　‌

If Hua Liuli didn’t exist, then she probably wouldn’t have to experience so many embarrassing situations.

When Consort Xian started discussing Prince Ying’s marriage with the empress dowager, she had Hua Liuli and Lin Wan step out to play. When all was said and done, it proved somewhat inappropriate to speak of such things in the presence of young girls.

Feeling ill at ease, Lin Wan followed behind Hua Liuli as they left the room. Her gaze fell upon the dressed-to-the-nines Hua Liuli. She wanted to say something but hesitated. Last night, after asking a palace maid, she learned that the empress dowager was fond of Hua Liuli to an immense degree. As long as she entered the imperial palace, the empress dowager would prepare many good things for her each time without fail, treating her better than she would her own daughters.

When Lin Wan thought of the ordinary way the empress dowager treated her, she felt very unhappy. Did the empress dowager dislike her, or was she unsatisfied with her family background?

“The Lin family’s daughter seems to have a bit of a boring personality,” said the empress dowager. She did not really approve of Consort Xian setting the day of the wedding around the Mid-Autumn Festival. “This grieving one is worried that Minghao and she don’t share a harmonious relationship. Why don’t we observe them for a few more days?”

“Empress Dowager, this child Minghao has a bit of a straightforward personality. In fact, it’s a gentle-natured young lady like Lin Wan whom he can get along with. If he’s with women with frank or delicate personalities, then wouldn’t they be sharply opposed, quarreling every day?” said Consort Xian with a smile. “What’s more, men and women should marry once they are grown up. It’s not good to drag out the engagement.”

The empress dowager knew whom Consort Xian was referring to when she mentioned women with “frank” and “delicate” personalities. In her opinion, it was more suitable for Prince Ying to marry either Jiamin or Liuli than it was for him to marry Young Miss Lin.

That wasn’t to say that Young Miss Lin was no good. Rather, it was that no matter how the empress dowager looked at it, these two children did not match one another.

A sigh left her lips. “This grieving one is old. Such energy-requiring things should be left in the hands of you and the emperor.”

If father and mother-in-laws didn’t act deaf or mute and meddled too much, they would bring forward disdain from others. She merely felt sorry for the children. People only lived for a few short decades. If a person wasted their youth, then they could never regain it for the rest of their life.

Meanwhile, Lin Wan and Hua Liuli traversed on a palace path. High above their heads stretched the skies. “Commandery Princess is in great spirits,” said Lin Wan. “Congratulations to your esteemed elder brother for achieving first place.”

“Thank you,” replied Hua Liuli, nodding in an aloof manner.

“My elder brother did not perform well this time, allowing Commandery Princess to witness a joke.”

Silent, Hua Liuli shifted one step to the side, making some distance from Lin Wan. What does Young Master Lin’s exam results have anything to do with me? Why should I feel sad or happy?　

“Young Miss Lin is joking. My elder brother isn’t the only one who performed better than your esteemed elder brother. I don’t think anyone would laugh.” Then, Hua Liuli stopped in her tracks. With an indifferent tone, she said, “I think Young Miss Lin seems to have a misunderstanding toward me. When views are irreconcilable, it’s a waste of a breath to continue discussion. Young Miss Lin, after you.”

To which Lin Wan’s expression grew unsightly to the extreme. Face pale, she said, “It’s not that I am purposely making things difficult for Commandery Princess. One would fear that it’s the other way around.”

Hua Liuli sized up the other party from head to toe. She sneered. “Young Miss Lin, what do you think you have that I would purposely give you a hard time for?”

Not a word escaping her lips, Lin Wan stared at Hua Liuli.

“I have always admired your esteemed father’s talent and bearing. As a daughter of the Lin family, Young Miss Lin should not be impetuous and tarnish the reputation of your father and brother,” said Hua Liuli, expressionless and tone grave. “On account of Young Miss Lin’s father, I will not tell anyone of your actions today or settle accounts with you. But not only am I a timid person, I am also petty. I hope this won’t happen again.”

Following that, Hua Liuli turned around and walked in the opposite direction.

Translated by Sleepchaser at https://sleepchaser.wordpress.com/ If you read it anywhere else besides Sleepchaser’s wordpress, that copy was stolen.

“The glory you have now is all because of your household’s ancestors. How long do you think your Hua family’s glory can last?” said Lin Wan in a loud voice, unable to hold onto reason any longer due to Hua Liuli’s words. “Don’t be so proud of yourself.”

Hua Liuli’s footsteps paused. She turned her head. Looked at Lin Wan. At that moment, a smile appeared on her lips and she put a hand to her forehead, soft moans as she uttered, “My head really hurts and I almost can’t breathe.”

“Commandery Princess, is your honored self alright?” said Yuanwei, rushing over in one large stride to support her.

Hua Liuli’s eyelids trembled, and her head fell back as she fainted.

“Quickly summon an imperial physician.”

“Somebody come.”

Certain that the empress dowager wouldn’t interfere with her son’s marriage, Consort Xian felt assured. Just as she was preparing to ask to leave, her ears caught a racket coming from outside.

“What happened?” asked the empress dowager.

“Your Majesty the empress dowager,” said Hongmian, rushing into the inner palace hall. She glanced at Consort Xian before saying to her master, “Commandery Princess fainted from anger.”

“What?!” Worry struck the empress dowager’s heart. “She was fine just a while ago. How could this have happened? Didn’t this grieving one tell you people to serve her well? Are you all blockheads?”

“Please forgive me, Empress Dowager.” Hongmian dropped to a kneel before her.

With the support of a servant girl, the pale-faced Hua Liuli entered the palace hall. “Your Majesty the empress dowager,” she said, forcing a smile on her lips. “This has nothing to do with other people. It’s my weak body that is at fault. After resting for a bit, this official’s daughter will feel better.”

“Quickly sit,” said the empress dowager. She had the palace maids support Hua Liuli to a seat. “Do you feel unwell anywhere?”

“This official’s daughter simply couldn’t breathe in properly for one breath. The palace maids and court eunuchs that waited on me served me excellently. They thought this official’s daughter had fainted from anger, so were more nervous than usual,” said Hua Liuli, voice coming out somewhat weakly. “This is just the result of a chronic illness. After taking some medicine, this official’s daughter will be fine.”

When the empress dowager noticed the word “anger,” her brows furrowed tensely at once. “Just who is this thoughtless? They clearly knew your health was poor, yet still provoked you to anger?”

“It doesn’t have much to do with the other person. This official’s daughter just has a bad temper…”

“Nonsense. How could this grieving one not know your personality? If they didn’t provoke you, how could you have gotten so angry?” said the empress dowager. Noticing that Hua Liuli seemed unwilling to speak, she said to Hongmian, “Tell this grieving one. What happened just a while ago?”

And so, Hongmian relayed the events to the empress dowager, saying, “Young Miss Lin asked Commandery Princess how long the Hua clan could remain proud, and so forth. Then Commandery Princess fainted from anger.”

“Outrageous!” The empress dowager was so angry that she slapped the table.

To which Hua Liuli rushed to grab her hand. “Your Majesty the empress dowager, the table is hard. Don’t hurt your hand from slapping it.”

“You child…” The empress dowager felt both angry and happy. “From now on, if anyone says such things again, don’t keep your anger to yourself. Order a servant to slap her. This grieving one will support you.”

“Your Majesty the empress dowager, Young Miss Lin is kneeling outside begging for forgiveness…”

“She is Sir Lin’s daughter. There’s no need to kneel and humbly apologize because of a quarrel between young girls.” The empress dowager’s proved tone icy. She turned her head toward Consort Xian. “Have people send her back.”

Able to discern the empress dowager’s inner discontent, Consort Xian didn’t even have the tears to cry if she wanted to.

This matter had nothing to do with her. She didn’t teach Lin Wan to say those words. There were no grudges or grievances between the Lin and Hua families, so why did Lin Wan target Hua Liuli?

If she were the empress dowager, she would probably also suspect that a future mother-in-law like herself had secretly mentioned these words often in front of Lin Wan.

This truly was snow falling in June. Even if one had grievances, there was no place to explain it.

The crown prince rushed to Shoukang Palace. When he caught sight of Lin Wan kneeling by the palace doors, he said with an expressionless face, “Scram.”

Lin Wan’s shoulders trembled. She did not raise her head.

Author’s Note：

Consort Xian: If I say I’m innocent, would anyone believe me?

Answer: Nope.