Love in Red Dust - Chapter 62
Chapter 62
He swept his sleeves and performed a bow, respectfully accepting the register. He did not open it, instead setting it aside with equal reverence. His expression was calm, his tone composed, as he addressed the Emperor as "Imperial Older Brother" and gestured for him to sit.
The two brothers sat across from an incense stand. The Emperor observed him, seeing that he had something to say but hesitated, and felt puzzled in his heart. "What is the matter? Did you run into something while you were up north?"
He raised his eyes to look at the imperial countenance, then quickly lowered his eyelids. He shook his head and then nodded, leaving the Emperor utterly confused.
"You are usually a very straightforward person; why have you suddenly become so muddy-headed? This nodding and shaking, what is the meaning of it?"
He laughed at himself. "I am muddled from my illness and have confused you as well; my sin is great. I spoke with the Sixth Prince this morning; I heard you intend to appoint a Fujin for him?"
The Emperor leaned back against the cushions to stretch his limbs and laughed heartily. "There is such a matter. It is his own fault for not making progress; his studies are not good, and whenever his mother tries to lecture him, he bares his teeth at her. He made his mother so angry that she said it would be better to just kick him out and find a wife to straighten him out—that is how the arranged marriage came up. Otherwise, he is still too young. At thirteen, what does he know of responsibility and great righteousness? Forcing a Fujin upon him is like children playing house. If they quarrel every day and then come to the palace to complain, it will be a headache for me just thinking about it. As for you all, you have reached the age as well. Being busy with official duties used to be an excuse, but that won't work anymore. The Changchun Garden is pushing hard. Since the beginning of spring this year, word has been sent down to choose carefully. Everything that needs to be assigned should be assigned; the Old Man (the Retired Emperor) wishes to see you all paired up." As he said this, he rose, turned to the fish tank to watch the two koi, tossed a pinch of food in, and watched their mouths gulping at the water surface, adding slowly, "You know the thirteenth's temper; he is like a young bull. He rebelled as soon as the marriage was mentioned, insisting on choosing for himself. He said the daughters of civil and military officials were not to his liking, and begged his father not to constrain him, claiming he wanted to go out and find someone himself. The Old Man was furious when he heard it, saying, 'Bring a fool home if you want, you are turning the Imperial Genealogy into a storybook!' The two of them ended up at an impasse, and the Old Man was so angry he didn't eat for two days."
Hongce was somewhat surprised. "How can he go two days without eating or drinking? His body won't hold up."
The Emperor waved a hand. "He didn't eat meals, but he had snacks; he wouldn't starve. It was just a way to show his attitude and force the thirteenth to submit."
"And what did Hongxun say?"
"He refused to agree, death or alive." The Emperor sighed. "He said if the Old Man had someone he favored, he should just take her into the Changchun Garden himself; don't drag him into it. Isn't this just trying to force his hand? Now, it depends on you."
Hongce curled his lips slightly. Only those with nothing to fear could openly defy authority. He had been born to a mother but never loved by a father; an arranged marriage was considered a favor. Surely everyone expected he would not refuse?
He slowly rubbed the beads on his Buddhist necklace, his face devoid of any smile. He simply said, "I am afraid I will disappoint Your Majesty. I originally intended to submit a memorial in two days, but since it has been brought up now, I might as well speak clearly. I have met a woman I love, and I wish to grow old with her. I cannot accept the order for this arranged marriage. Firstly, I do not wish to fail her. Secondly, every girl is the apple of her parents' eyes; to let her come to me and hold only a title, living as a stranger to all, would be unbearable for both of us. Why bother?"
He spoke directly, and the Emperor understood. A man ought to stand tall, and it was no disgrace to lose one's composure when faced with matters of the heart. He was an experienced man and could understand the Twelfth Prince's thoughts; he himself had gone through a period of turmoil with the Empress, so he was always inclined to support those who were mutually in love.
"If that is the case, that is fine. The girl's background is secondary; as long as her character and appearance are passable, ask the Empress to have a look, and if it's settled, then let it be settled!" He then asked, "Whose daughter is she? A native of the capital or from the outer provinces?" After thinking, he added, "How old is she this year? What is her zodiac sign? The zodiac sign is important; you cannot have one clashing with the other when living together. A woman who brings prosperity to her husband allows him to succeed in his work. Do not say that I am superstitious; if you think about it carefully, it actually makes some sense."
It went without saying that this theory came from the Empress. The Emperor had initially been a pragmatist who believed in fighting the world with his own two fists, disdaining such ethereal things, but he couldn't stand up to having someone whisper in his ear every day. Women enjoyed researching fortune-telling, divination, and strategy, constantly dividing and combining fifty yarrow stalks. Sometimes he would stand by and watch without understanding the method, knowing only that his Empress loved to play with it. In any case, she governed the harem in an orderly fashion and was a virtuous helper. Since this virtuous Empress said it was because their zodiac signs were compatible that they lived so comfortably, he believed it and moved the logic over to educate his brother.
Hongce pondered the questions one by one. It was not that he could not answer, but that he found it difficult to open his mouth. Dingyi had presented him with a difficult problem; everything else was easy to talk about, but her absence was the hardest hurdle to cross.
He considered for a moment and licked his lips. "She is eighteen this year, born in the year of the sheep, a native of the capital. She comes from an official family, but the family fell on hard times, and she lived a bitter life alone for over a decade. I have traveled to so many places and have never seen a girl like her; no matter what setbacks she encounters, she never complains. She is optimistic, broad-minded, and capable—far beyond what those sheltered young ladies could ever be."
Upon hearing this description, the Emperor found it familiar; she was practically a copy of the Empress. He liked capable girls; back when the Empress was a governess, she could study insects, tame hawks, and even helped handle the funeral of the Empress Kun's father. A woman who was neither pretentious nor artificial was charming; she had walked straight into his heart. They were, after all, brothers; though not by the same mother, the blood running through their veins was the same. He felt that Hongce had good taste and was very clever; being like the Emperor was better than being like anyone else—this would save him a lot of trouble. He considered him fortunate.
A slight smile appeared on the Emperor's face. "She sounds like a good girl. You say she is capable; what can she do?"
Recalling her skills, a sense of pride flowed from his eyes as he counted them one by one. "She can be a musician, blowing the horn for funerals and weddings; she can push a wheelbarrow to transport grain; she can care for birds; she can climb trees to pick mulberry fruits... and there is something even bolder—she was an apprentice to an executioner, cleaning the execution grounds, covering the blood, and moving the bodies. There is nothing she cannot do."
The Emperor was dumbfounded. He had thought someone like the Empress was already quite something; he hadn't expected the Twelfth Prince's taste to be so unique. On second thought, something was wrong. "In that way, her background isn't just a bit poor—it's extremely poor. Where did you find such a person? And how could she apprentice as an executioner? The laws of the Great Qing must not be desecrated. If a woman got involved in that, were the officials in charge all dead?"
In truth, outsiders would find this hard to accept. Seeing the Emperor was about to get angry, he hurriedly tried to smooth things over. "The Emperor understands the nature of all things; there are people in this world who live in bitterness far beyond our imagination. Born into the imperial family, we live in luxury, needless to say. As for her, after her family fell, her relatives treated her as a burden, and no one was willing to take her in. She has been parentless since childhood, living with her wet nurse. The wet nurse's family had her sons and husband there, and fearing it would be inconvenient for her, they dressed her up as a boy to raise her. Since she bore the identity of a boy, she naturally had to do men's work. She had no choice but to keep living. She did nothing wrong. I am being honest with you today because I rely on you, Second Brother. I... have no choice." He lowered his head, slightly choked with emotion when he reached the sad parts. "I want to be good to her and let her live more comfortably in the future. I will not marry anyone else; if I am to take a Fujin, the candidate will surely be her. Even if this marriage appointment wasn't imminent, I would have requested it in ordinary times. I beg the Emperor to appoint her as my Fujin. As husband and wife, we will be grateful for the Emperor's great kindness for lifetimes to come."
How could this be possible? It was simply wishful thinking! Even if the Emperor were sympathetic, he could not allow someone of such lowly status to taint the royal bloodline. It was true that he had said he wouldn't ask about background, but his minimum requirement was a clean history. Being poor was nothing—a Prince did not rely on the Fujin's dowry to sustain himself—even if the girl's father was just a minor seventh-rank official, it would still be a family of poetry and ritual. What was the Twelfth Prince offering now? Could a girl who grew up in a pile of men be any good? Wandering in the marketplace, who knew what bad habits she had picked up? The harder one's life, the more calculating one became; acting one way to one's face and another behind one's back. If he couldn't see through her, he would be waiting for his household to be turned upside down.
He raised his eyebrows and glared. "The union of two families is not your own business alone. 'A hero is not judged by his origins,' but not to this extent. You want to marry an executioner? Do you want the dignity and face of the Imperial House or not? Before the Retired Emperor and the Noble Imperial Consort, how do you intend to explain this?"
Hongce remained steadfast. "I beg Second Brother to grant this. I did not intend to hide this from you; otherwise, I could have forged a status for her—there are plenty of high-ranking officials who would be willing to claim her."
"So you are making things difficult for me?" The Emperor's voice rose, frightening the standing eunuchs and maids into silence.
Hongce was only helpless. In all fairness, if she were by his side now, he wouldn't need to confess those details to the Emperor. He could have just had a wealthy family claim her, and the marriage appointment would have gone smoothly. But now? A pampered young lady raised in a boudoir suddenly went missing—it was truly hard to justify. Other than selecting and confessing the truth, there was no other way.
Just as he was about to explain further, someone entered the room. She wore a stone-blue silk qipao embroidered with golden phoenixes, and hung a tourmaline eighteen-bead bracelet on the buttons of her jacket. A woman in her thirties who had raised two sons, her face still didn't show her age; her eyebrows and eyes remained dignified and delicate, just like a young girl.
Hongce gathered his thoughts and performed a bow. "Greetings, Empress."
The Empress smiled and spoke softly. "The Twelfth Prince has returned? It is hard work to handle official duties outside. I have prepared some snacks for you and His Majesty." Turning, she assisted the Emperor. "I heard your loud voice from outside just now. You are brothers; what could be so difficult to say that you have to be so flushed and angry?"
The Emperor glanced at her, thinking, You’ve been eavesdropping for half an hour, and only came in under the guise of delivering tea because you couldn't hold it in any longer. He didn't want to expose her and pointed at Hongce. "You ask him."
Hongce looked embarrassed; after all, she was his sister-in-law, and some things were not convenient to say.
The Empress waited for a long time, but neither brother spoke. Things couldn't go on like this. She turned to pour tea, and while holding a dish, she said, "Actually, the wind was strong outside earlier and carried the sound over. I heard a little bit... Is it about the matter of the Twelfth Prince's marriage appointment?"
Hongce took the tea cup handed by the Empress and thanked her, bowing his head in acknowledgment.
The Empress poured another cup for the Emperor and said to herself, "I also looked at those twenty maidens. I don't know if they were nervous from being in the palace, or if their families hired the same tutor—if you don't look at their faces, you can't tell who is who by their words and actions. Is this how we teach girls in the Great Qing nowadays? There is nothing profound about it, nothing more than not being frivolous and not showing teeth when laughing. All these young ladies from great families look like they were carved from the same mold; it's quite boring. That girl the Twelfth Prince mentioned... what was her name again?"
Hongce said, "Dingyi, her name is Dingyi."
"Look at that, what a good name. It sounds like she has been through hardships; otherwise, she would be named something like 'Spring Orchid' or 'Autumn Chrysanthemum.' Girls who have suffered are lovable; they know that life is hard, they live more diligently than anyone else, and they cherish happiness more than anyone after starting a family." The Empress had a kind smile on her face as she asked the Emperor, "Do you not trust the Twelfth Prince's eyes? He has handled so many cases; which one has made you feel uneasy? He is twenty-four years old, not a child—cannot he distinguish good from bad? We haven't even met the person, only speculating behind her back. If you don't think of the good, why estimate people so poorly? They have been together for a long time; it's not hard to pretend for a while, but it takes effort to pretend for months or years. To see if a person's character is good, you don't need to look at great matters of principle; just look at the subtle things. Sometimes a single look or expression is enough to see it." She sat by the window; a few stalks of green bamboo were planted in the wall corner, and the bamboo leaves reached into the window. She reached out to pluck one, twisting it back and forth in her hand as she sighed. "For a girl, it is not easy. Doing that kind of work—if it were me, I would have died of fright. She even had to clean up for people; never mind a girl, even a man would find it difficult. And when she was clearly wronged and misunderstood, people still wanted to punish her. Isn't this adding frost to snow? His Majesty is a holy and wise ruler; he wouldn't do such a thing, would he?"
The Emperor was silenced by her. He knew she had a kind heart, but it involved the dignity of the Imperial House. He could compromise, but there were elders above him—would it be fun if they blamed him?
He nodded repeatedly. "People will poke at his spine and say, 'The Prince's Fujin used to dress like a man and wander the alleys, exposing her face to the world. If you ask anyone in the capital, they all treat it as a joke.' Is that good? With so many women in the world, must it be her?"
The matter was not on his own shoulders, so he could advise others to forget it and find someone else. But in truth, how could it be that easy? Once you have identified a person, can you just throw them away after a few words? The Empress felt that the Emperor had not talked about love for many years and had forgotten how he himself had clashed with the Empress Dowager in the past.
She said in a lingering tone, "Do not do unto others what you would not have them do unto you..." She glanced at Hongce. Although he did not argue, the sorrow and determination in his eyes were evident. The men of the Aisin Gioro family were good in this one regard: they could be fickle in their own unique ways, but their infatuation was uniform. Since the founding Emperor, whenever they met the right person, they would dive into a dead end and refuse to come out. Those who found fulfillment were considered fortunate; those who could not were willing to die, carrying a sense of lofty desolation. Knowing that this was their family illness, she had to be cautious regardless. The Empress was kind-hearted; she always felt that making things easy for others was making things easy for oneself—why not do it? Marriage had no standard; as long as the person was right, the family background was secondary. Thus, she persuaded the Emperor, "Don't beat someone down with one stick; let us meet her and see! His Majesty is busy, but I am free. I like meeting my sisters-in-law the most—leave it to me."
The Emperor squinted at her, thinking and thinking, but found no way out. In terms of eloquence, he could not defeat the Empress, and it was not good for the husband and wife to grow distant over other people's affairs. He curbed his temper, tapped his knee, and said, "Has her father ever served in office? What official position did her ancestors hold? Fine, let it be done according to the Empress's wishes. Bring her in for us to see. If she is good, let her stay in the palace to have some gold plating added; it will be smoother for the marriage appointment later."
Hongce had his own calculations. Dingyi's true identity could not be told for the time being. If he told him, the Emperor would inevitably suspect he was biased in the Wen Lu case. If his power were revoked, when would he be able to find the mastermind behind the scenes? But this did not prevent him from being grateful to the Emperor and Empress. He stood up and bowed deeply. "Thank you, Imperial Older Brother, for your magnanimity. Your Highness the Empress's kind heart... your younger brother is deeply moved... But she is not here at the moment, so there is no way for her to enter the palace to meet the Empress. I wanted to request a title first to give her a home, so that when she returns in the future, she will no longer have to drift."
After speaking for so long, the person wasn't even there. The Emperor, who was already less than satisfied, frowned again. He pointed at the twelfth and shouted at the Empress, "Look at this muddled person! In my Great Qing, a title of honor is not so cheap. You go and take one back just to leave it there waiting for this person—I have never heard of such a thing in eight hundred years! I cannot talk to him; I advise you not to waste your energy. Hurry and choose one from this batch to draft the edict; by the time he has a plan, the sky will have already turned bright!"
The Empress, however, hadanother thought, saying not without sadness, "I suspect this is what happened: she didn't want to make things difficult for you, knowing her background was low and she wasn't worthy of you, and she was unwilling to watch you marry someone else. So she thought it was better to leave and not hinder your future—isn't that right? Sigh, women are truly pitiful. For the sake of their beloved, they are willing to suffer any amount of grievance. Such a good girl is hard to find even with a lantern."
The Emperor couldn't listen anymore. No matter how sentimental the Empress was, this matter was absolutely impossible. Unwilling to listen to them sing a duet, he hummed, flicked his sleeves, and left.