Double Queens GL - Chapter 19

Chapter 19

“Thank you, Your Highness!” Yu Changping said, her face lighting up with genuine joy.

Ye Guichen watched Yu Changping’s transparent delight. In the past, she would have looked down on using material objects to buy people’s loyalty, finding it a bit “low-class.” But now, she felt she could reconsider that stance. If loyalty could be traded for things, it was actually the lowest-cost method—even if it was the least stable.

“I am glad you like it, Changping,” Ye Guichen said with a faint smile.

“I do, I like it very much.” Yu Changping made no effort to hide her obsession with the hundred-year-old ginseng. Since entering the palace, she had consumed plenty of ginseng, and she felt her health had improved over the last year or two specifically because she was being “sustained” by such precious medicinal herbs. Back home, her family had been tight on funds; buying even one or two stalks was difficult. They only bought ginseng to “save her life” when she was at death’s door. Since entering the palace, she could eat it frequently, but ginseng of this age was usually beyond her reach—especially a hundred-year-old one. She hadn’t even seen one before.

Ye Meng soon brought the ginseng from the storehouse. It was contained in an exquisite large wooden box. The moment Ye Guichen opened the lid, a rich, clean fragrance of ginseng filled the room.

Yu Changping’s eyes were practically glued to the root. What “Restoration Pill”? That didn’t matter anymore; this ginseng was far more lovable. Her eyes shone as she looked at the large, human-shaped root with its numerous fibers covered in “pearl spots” and its long “reed head.” Having been sick for so long, she had become something of an amateur physician with a keen eye for herbs; to her, this ginseng was simply perfect.

From the moment the box opened, Yu Changping hadn’t looked away once. Shou’er felt her mistress’s undisguised hunger for the root was becoming a bit undignified, so she discreetly poked Yu Changping in the back.

Startled by the poke, Yu Changping snapped out of her trance. She reluctantly withdrew her glowing gaze from the ginseng and sat up straight, trying to regain her composure. However, she figured that showing her appreciation wasn’t necessarily a bad thing—after all, doesn’t a giver feel better when the recipient is clearly thrilled?

Seeing the undisguised love for the herb, Ye Guichen’s lips curled up slightly. She had heard that Lady Yu cherished her life above all else; it seemed the rumors were true. In other palaces, there were always leftover medicinal quotas at the end of the month, but this Lady Yu used more than anyone else and still had to “borrow” from the Imperial Academy of Medicine. The Academy had even complained to Ye Guichen several times. Ye Guichen had instructed them to divert the unused quota from Xiyu Hall to Anshou Hall. Lady Zhang of Xiyu Hall had a robust constitution; until her recent fever, she had never been sick since entering the palace.

Ye Guichen closed the box and handed it to Yu Changping, who accepted it with both hands with the utmost reverence.

“Thank you, Your Highness!” Yu Changping cradled the box as if it were a holy relic, her voice dripping with gratitude.

“You are going to the Central Palace to pay respects to the new Empress next, correct?” Ye Guichen asked.

“There is no rush. I would like to sit in Your Highness’s hall a bit longer, if you don’t mind.” On the surface, she was showing extreme loyalty to the Eastern Palace, but in reality, the charcoal fires in Changle Hall were so warm she simply couldn’t bear to leave. The thought of the freezing wind outside made her want to linger as long as possible. Since she had already pledged her loyalty, she decided to be thick-skinned and stay.

Ye Guichen watched as Yu Changping poured her third cup of tea and wondered: First Liu Hening refuses to leave, and now this Yu Changping is doing the same. However, since she didn’t dislike Yu Changping, she let her stay.

“Very well. Your father was a famous scholar in his day; surely his daughter’s literary talent is not lacking?” Ye Guichen asked, since she had some free time anyway.

“I have been weak and sickly since childhood, mostly confined to my bed. I haven’t read many books, I fear I’ll make a fool of myself before you,” Yu Changping said modestly.

“It’s no matter, just something to pass the time. I read a piece of classical prose a few days ago and struggled with its meaning. I wonder if you have heard of this passage…” Ye Guichen recited an obscure piece of ancient text and looked to Yu Changping.

“I didn’t expect Your Highness to have such wide interests. When I was young, I happened upon this passage by accident. My understanding, however, is quite different from yours…” Yu Changping proceeded to explain her interpretation. Having spent years in bed with no entertainment, she used books to pass the time. According to her father, she was “too clever for her own health.” Yu Changping resented that; what was the point of being clever if she was half-dead in bed? She would have traded her intelligence for health in a heartbeat.

“For someone who is constantly ill to have read such a book, you are more than just ‘clever’.” Ye Guichen smiled, her eyes searching. She wasn’t actually interested in a scholarly debate; she was testing Yu Changping’s depth.

“It was just a coincidence!” Yu Changping’s heart skipped a beat under that gaze. She realized Ye Guichen wasn’t looking for answers but was measuring her. She gave a dry laugh, thinking she had definitely chosen the right team. This Ye Guichen was not simple; she had peeled back her layers in just a few sentences. As a woman raised in the palace, her depth was unfathomable. Yu Changping began to feel a little worried for the new Empress.

“No need to be so modest. Though people say ‘a woman’s lack of talent is a virtue,’ I do not agree. I believe it is better for a woman to be wise and live with understanding,” Ye Guichen remarked, feeling a sudden resonance. She immediately regretted saying it, realizing she saw Yu Changping as she saw herself—a woman who hid much beneath the surface.

Yu Changping nodded in agreement, though she felt a bit apprehensive. Was she sharing her true thoughts with me? The Emperor surely didn’t know Ye Guichen felt this way; perhaps he didn’t know his Empress at all.

“I still have some palace affairs to finish. You may come to Changle Hall to sit with me often in the future,” Ye Guichen said. This was a polite dismissal, but it welcomed future visits.

“If my health allows, I will certainly come to pay respects frequently.” Yu Changping stood up, feeling a wave of relief. She had pledged her loyalty, but she didn’t want to become the Empress’s confidante. She was afraid—of what exactly, she couldn’t say. She just felt the power dormant within Ye Guichen was terrifying. When she thought about how Ye Guichen had navigated the palace for over a decade, she felt a chill. If the Emperor really managed to depose her… Yu Changping had a sudden, haunting thought that the Emperor might not live much longer. After all, Yang Zhao had only been in this palace for five or six years. Despite the warm fire, Yu Changping suddenly felt cold. It was time to leave.

…

“Finally out,” Yu Changping sighed once they left Changle Hall, speaking as if she’d survived an ordeal.

“Weren’t you just lingering because you didn’t want to leave?” Shou’er pointed out, confused by her mistress’s change in tone.

“It wasn’t lingering! Didn’t we just join the Eastern Palace’s side? I stayed longer to show my closeness to her.” Yu Changping felt “lingering” was a bit too blunt a word for it.

“I don’t understand why we didn’t wait to see the new Empress’s strength before choosing a side,” Shou’er said. Currently, the new Empress seemed more favored, given that the Emperor had already considered deposing the old one.

“The Empress’s Seal is in the Eastern Palace. No matter how favored the new Empress is, she has no real power,” Yu Changping said, stating the common view.

“But the Emperor’s favor is power!” Shou’er insisted. She believed favor allowed one to bypass all rules. The Central Palace could override etiquette precisely because she was the Emperor’s favorite.

“On the surface, yes. But things are not that simple. Even a powerful dragon cannot suppress a local snake.” The Emperor had replaced many court officials, but the palace servants were still under Ye Guichen’s control. Ye Guichen didn’t reach into the court, knowing that would make the Emperor wary. While she might not be able to overturn the world, killing someone within the palace walls wouldn’t be difficult for her. This was a realization Yu Changping had just come to. Of course, she didn’t think Ye Guichen would do it unless necessary, mainly because she didn’t have a son yet. If the Emperor died, someone else would take the throne; it was better to keep her husband there—provided he didn’t humiliate her too much. Currently, there were three princesses but no princes. Ye Guichen was anxious, and the Emperor even more so. His recent habit of spreading his favor was likely a desperate attempt to “sow many seeds” in hopes one would fruit. And given Ye Guichen’s stunning beauty, how could a man truly cold-shoulder her forever? But with so many women to rotate through, it was hard not to feel neglected sometimes.

Rumor had it that before their engagement, the Emperor had checked Liu Hening’s horoscope, and it predicted she would “bring fortune to her husband.” Right after they were engaged, Yang Zhao became the heir. So he likely truly believed in her. Yu Changping thought the nickname “Little Guanyin” wasn’t for nothing. If Liu Hening got pregnant before Ye Guichen, things would be difficult. Having sided with the old Empress, Yu Changping hoped Ye Guichen would conceive first—or, failing that, that Liu Hening really was as “Bodhisattva-hearted” as the rumors said.

Shou’er couldn’t think as deeply as her mistress, but she understood the “local snake” logic.

“So cold!” After walking just a short distance, Yu Changping began to shiver again. She regretted coming out. If only her Anshou Hall were as warm as Changle Hall.

“The Central Palace isn’t far from here,” Shou’er said. The distance from the West Palace to the East was vast, but from the East to the Center was only about half that distance.

Yu Changping forced herself to walk faster, hoping the movement would keep her warm. But her constitution was weak; even her “fast” pace was slow. After a while, they reached the Central Palace. Upon entering Changqing Hall, Yu Changping discovered it was even warmer than Changle Hall. She felt a twinge of regret for siding with the Eastern Palace so quickly—her hall was so far from Ye Guichen’s, but so close to here. It would have been much easier to “borrow” warmth from this palace in the future.