Chapter 23
Chapter 23: Hundred Flowers Event (4)
“Zhao Yang Chang gongzhu[1] has arrived!”
On the densely verdant and thick lawn of the Mudan garden, there were tables orderly arranged that were full of various kinds of delicacies and fresh fruit. The well-bred young ladies in their beautiful, brightly coloured dresses sat down in succession, chatting softly. Hearing the voice that announced Chang gongzhu‘s arrival, they all promptly and simultaneously got up to give salutations, “Greeting Chang gongzhu.”
Zhao Yang Chang gongzhu had on a simple yet elegant palace dress; although she was nearly forty, her youngish, fresh and cool complexion still looked superbly well taken care of. A beautiful pair of long and shapely eyebrows slightly perked up clearly showing that this Chang gongzhu‘s temper wasn’t at all the warm and kind type. Rong Hua junzhu[2] obediently followed from Chang gongzhu‘s side, entirely different from the bossy and domineering look seen inside the garden awhile ago. Also walking together her was an absolutely beautiful young woman dressed in brocade, her smiling appearance curiously studying all the surrounding well-bred young ladies. It’s just that from rummaging through her memories, Ye Li was still unable to guess the ident.i.ty of this young woman and so she may as well not think about it anymore.
“You may dispense with curtseying, please sit.”
Everyone once again stood up to give thanks and then took their seats.
At this, Zhao Yang Chang gongzhu only then opened up and said, “Today’s distinguished meeting is precisely the small leisure gathering of the capital’s unmarried daughters, everyone need not be too restrained. Go ahead and do as you please.”
Although Chang gongzhu said it like that, the ones truly daring to do as one pleased after all still wasn’t many. Contrarily, Rong Hua junzhu who was seated at Chang gongzhu‘s side pulled at Chang gongzhu‘s arm, acting like a spoiled child. Chang gongzhu‘s fresh and cool complexion also had an added bit of gentleness, clearly showing that the childless Chang gongzhu was utterly fond of and doting towards this little niece.
“Who is that guniang[3] beside Chang gongzhu? She is truly beautiful.” The well-bred young ladies vaguely yet curiously sizing up the stunning young lady beside Chang gongzhu, muttering as they exchanged their own opinions with their close friends. There were some that even indistinctively looked at Ye Ying. The smile on Ye Ying‘s face was also somewhat strained; that young lady who was seated at the right-hand side of Zhao Yang Chang gongzhu, her ident.i.ty clearly wasn’t lower than that of Rong Hua junzhu. Not only that but her appearance was far above that of Rong Hua junzhu.
Ye Ying posed as the number one beauty in the capital, but the refined and exquisite appearance of that young woman dressed in brocade was different from that of Ye Ying‘s delicate and slim look and yet was even more able of attract other people’s attention. The very first thing that a beautiful woman would pay attention to will forever be a woman who is more beautiful than h
er.
“Hehe, who is that guniang ah. Ye Ying‘s t.i.tle of being the capital’s number one beauty, only afraid that she won’t be able to maintain it.” Murong Ting held a sleeve to cover her mouth as she laughed and spoke.
Hua Tian Xiang glanced at her and shallowly laughed, saying, “She is Zhao Yang gongzhu‘s fuma‘s[4] niece.”
“Zhao Yang gongzhu‘s fuma…isn’t that…” Qin Zheng was also somewhat astonished, hesitating for a bit and only then said, “She is that junzhu of Nanzhao?” Zhao Yang Chang gongzhu‘s fuma was the zhizi[5] sent by Nanzhao to Da Chu. It was said that in that year, Zhao Yang Chang gongzhu and fuma had a harmonious relationship, unwilling to marry anyone else. The late emperor had no choice but to have his most beloved younger sister married off to a zhizi. After fuma and gongzhu‘s marriage, they were also a harmonious married couple with deep feelings between them; who knew that it hadn’t been over three years yet when the fuma died of illness. Chang gongzhuhad then established an oath in front of the late emperor that she was unwilling to remarry again, to remain faithful lifelong for fuma.
Hearing this, Ye Li also somewhat curiously looked towards Hua Tian Xiang. Hua Tian Xiang was the daughter of Hua Guo Gong[6] fu[7] ; the current empress’ niece knowing some matters that other people didn’t know wasn’t at all surprising. Hua Tian Xiangglanced above at Chang gongzhu and that remarkably beautiful young woman and shook her head, saying, “That is the current Nanzhao w.a.n.g‘s[8] young daughter, who has the t.i.tle of being Nanzhao‘s number one beauty–Xi Xia gongzhu.”
“I heard that Nanzhao produces beautiful women, this Xi Xia gongzhu is indeed extraordinary ah.”
Hua Tian Xiang blinked and looked at Ye Li as though wanting to say something but then hesitating. Ye Li‘s eyebrows raised as she looked at her with a smile and said, “What is it that you cannot say?”
Hua Tian Xiang smiled and said, “Even though it’s our first time meeting each other, I feel that you are a wonderful person. Telling you about it also won’t hurt, this Xi Xia gongzhu…was apparently reported to be planning on residing in our Da Chu from now on.”
“Residing?” Murong Ting also wasn’t in the mood to watch the singing and dancing, not understanding as she looked towards Hua Tian Xiang and said, “This Xi Xia gongzhuappears to be similar in age to us. If it is said that she plans to reside here, doesn’t it mean……” Doesn’t it mean that Xi Xia gongzhu plans on marrying into Da Chu? Marriage[a] between the two countries was a huge matter, why wasn’t there the least bit news about it outside?
Hua Tian Xiang lightly coughed, covering her lips to mutter, “It’s Xi Xia gongzhu who ran over to Da Chu on her own. Do you guys still remember, last year His Highness Li w.a.n.g had once went to Nanzhao on a diplomatic mission…”
“You are saying—-!” Murong Ting was nearly somewhat unable to control her own voice due to her shock; Qin Zheng secretly pinched her, only then did it make her calm down. Seeing that the people from the two tables on the side couldn’t help but look over at them, she promptly pretended to appear calm and composed as she tasted a mouthful of the Hundred Flowers fruit wine[b] in front of her. Seeing that the other people’s sight was no longer directed at herself, Murong Ting only then apologetically smiled towards the other three people. Hua Tian Xiang and Qin Zheng were obviously very much aware of her character; they also didn’t mind as they smiled. Murong Ting‘s eyebrows creased and she looked at Ye Li, saying, “Although I shouldn’t say these words, I still want to say them. Rescinding your engagement with Li w.a.n.g perhaps is truly not a bad thing.”((This translation is originally found on: h t t p : / / g u q i n t r a n s l a t i o n s . w o r d p r e s s . c o m))
Ye Li had a little drink from a cup of faint fruit wine and had a smile on her face as she agreed, saying, “What you said is very right.”
“Which people do you guess will be the judges of this year’s Hundred Flowers Event?” Hua Tian Xiang asked.
Ye Li only had a general idea about the so-called Hundred Flowers Event‘s process, only treating it as a gathering for the capital’s well-bred young ladies to have social intercourse and nothing more. Indifferently shaking her head, the angry Hua Tian Xiangpoked her, “It’s your first time attending the Hundred Flowers Event this year, no matter what you also need to go on stage and perform a skill, so as to avoid letting those chaps with eyes higher than the forehead (refers to having really high standards or metaphor for being arrogant) to belittle you.”
Ye Li blinked her eyes and looked towards the female dancers on stage dancing lightly and gracefully, “You say you want me to go up to sing songs and dance? It’ll frighten people, I don’t dance.” Not to mention, she also wasn’t one who had such an appet.i.te for performing. Nowadays, there also weren’t any celebrity contestant shows ah.
Qin Zheng softly explained, “Well-bred ladies generally wouldn’t choose singing and dancing, but the four arts–zither, chess, calligraphy and painting; writing poetry and songs are also used for competing in. Every year, the top three selected people can get an extremely valuable prize.”
Prize?
“You all are also joining?”
Murong Ting felt embarra.s.sed as she said, “Apart from me, Zheng er[9] and Tian Xiang are both very impressive. In the year before last, Zheng er won in the three categories of poetry, calligraphy and painting and got first place. Last year, Tian Xianggot first in chess and third in zither. Last year’s first place was that fourth younger sister of yours, the future Li w.a.n.gfei[10]. She was first in both zither and dancing, and got fifth in composing poetry.”
Ye Li glanced at a distant table where Ye Ying was seated and who was currently talking with others and smiled, saying, “This I know. Yet I didn’t know that Zheng er and Hua xiaojie[11] were both rarely seen talented girls.”
Hua Tian Xiang waved her hand and said, “Ye furen[12] that year was the capital’s number one talented girl, this year Zheng er and I both won’t be partic.i.p.ating. Us few will just watch you.”
Ye Li felt helpless, “I’m really not good at these.”
Qin Zheng grasped her hand and smiled, saying, “This year Ye Ying for sure will still be joining, Li er shouldn’t let yourself be defeated by her.”
Hua Tian Xiang also became exhilarated, “That’s right, Ye Li has to help me take revenge for my previous defeat. Last year I worked really hard but the result was that I was defeated by Ye Ying, so humiliating.”
Murong Ting also didn’t forget to join in the fun, impatiently looking at her, “When competing in martial arts, I actually can get first place year after year, unfortunately there’s no one to compete with me. Li er, you have to try hard ah.”
Ye Li was fooled with to the point of not knowing whether to laugh or cry by these few chaps she was newly acquainted with; she really wasn’t good at these ah. Although she had obtained muqin‘s[13] guidance since childhood and she can do all these somewhat, but when it comes to competing with those people who especially put in the time and effort and practices diligently, she just didn’t know if she could compare. Take Ye Ying‘s dancing for example, although she hadn’t seen it, it was reported that there were about five or six shifu[14] especially invited to teach Ye Ying to dance. Every single dance were all specially arranged; Ye Ying in this aspect had indeed put in painstaking effort.
As for her, ever since muqin pa.s.sed away and she got back her past life’s memories, her interest towards these things had suddenly dropped completely and incessantly. Not to mention, w.a.n.g shi[15] also wouldn’t especially invite a lot of good shifu to teach her for her.
“This year, I’m afraid that even if you didn’t want to join, it also wouldn’t do.” Murong Ting was on one side eating the exquisite light refreshments on the table, and on one side speaking, “The Hundred Flowers Event‘s compet.i.tion winners are ent.i.tled to choose anyone present to learn from. Believe me, if it weren’t for you not stepping outside your home these years, I only fear that the person who would be challenged the most every year would have been you.” Previously she was Li w.a.n.g‘s fiancée, now she was the future Ding w.a.n.gfei. In the eyes of a lot of people, Ye Li‘s life really made people jealous; only feared that they would be looking forward to have her make a fool of herself.
“Quickly eat something. If you wait until it formally starts, today you probably won’t have the chance to eat anything.” Hua Tian Xiang reminded.
Ye Li had nothing to say as she looked at the refreshments consisting of vegetable and meat dishes before her eyes, feeling that she had dawdled for more than a shichen[16]and yet this so-called Hundred Flowers Event still hadn’t started yet ah.Glossary:Gongzhu (公主 – imperial princess)Junzhu (郡主 – a type of imperial princess lower in rank from a ‘公主 – gongzhu’)Guniang (姑娘 – young lady / girl)Fuma (驸马 – emperor’s son-in-law / consort prince / husband of an imperial princess)Zhizi (质子 – prince sent to be held as hostage by a neighbouring state)Gong (公 – duke)Fu (府 – official residence / family residence compound / household / term for family and home put together)w.a.n.g (王 – imperial prince)Er (儿 – term of endearment for one’s child / child)w.a.n.gfei (王妃 – consort princess / wife of an imperial prince or “王 – w.a.n.g“)Xiaojie (小姐 – Young miss / lady)Furen (夫人 – lady or madam of the house / wife)Muqin (母亲 – respectful or intimate way of addressing mother)Shifu (師傅 – qualified worker / expert / master)Shi (氏 – clan name / maiden surname)Shichen (时辰 – two hours / one of the 12 two-hour periods of the day / time)