Chapter 051
Chapter 51: Entering the Palace
Xia Meng Yan could not figure it out, so she shut herself inside her courtyard.
These days, Old Madam Xia put on one show after another. She pretended to hang herself, to jump in a lake. When nothing worked, she started a hunger strike.
Xia Ping Yuan was unmoved. He only told the steward to carry a message to the old madam: if she kept making a scene, he would resign and return to the countryside.
Enraged, Old Madam Xia smashed everything in her room to bits. When she turned to drink tea and found not even one intact teacup, she had another fit.
At mealtimes, Chun Yue would report the outside news to her. When Xia Meng Yan heard that the second branch still had not shown their faces, she let out a cold laugh.
Nanny Song hurried in with news: “Eldest Miss, people have come from the Imperial Palace.” She lowered her voice. “The steward is leading them to see the old madam.”
Consort Ping flashed through Xia Meng Yan’s mind.
Right then Su Ran came to the door and announced: “Eldest Miss, the old madam asks you to tidy up and enter the palace with her.”
Nanny Song knew exactly what had been happening. The old madam could not force the main branch to hand over the main-street shops, so now she wanted a Your Highness in the Imperial Palace to pressure the main branch. Nanny Song’s face went pale. She urged at once: “Eldest Miss, you must not go.” The Imperial Palace was like a dragon’s pool and a tiger’s den. Consort Ping could punish her for the smallest excuse.
Su Ran waited outside, calm even though the room was quiet.
Xia Meng Yan shook her head: “She most likely named me to go.” [Two purposes: to warn, and to test.]
For days she had turned it over in her mind. Compared to Qing Yao, she herself was the true key to controlling the Lin Family and her father. Yet Consort Ping had not moved against her directly. Instead, she granted a marriage for Qing Yao. It looked foolish, but it was really a way to test the waters. Because Father promised two hundred thousand taels, outsiders might only envy it, but insiders had already fixed their eyes on the Xia Family.
She thought, quiet and cold: [It is like a famous rare flower. If it just sits there, people can still live in peace. But once the balance is broken, the crowd rushes in to fight over it. Right now I am that flower. Consort Ping wants to own it, but she will not risk her good name. So she probes and circles instead. Qing Yao is not yet at hairpin age. A betrothal with the Lu Family can be changed at any time.]
Chun Yue blurted, panicked: “Then what do we do. Going or not going both sound like death.”
“Don’t say death,” Nanny Song scolded as she spat three times at the floor for luck, then pushed Chun Yue’s head down. “Hurry, spit for luck too.”
Chun Yue realized her mistake, spat in a rush, and dared not speak unlucky words again.
Xia Meng Yan smiled and steadied them: “Go tell them I will change my clothes and come.”
Since she could not dodge it, she would see what trick they wanted to play.
A quarter hour later, Xia Meng Yan stepped out the main gate. Waiting there, besides the old madam, was Xia Qing Yao.
Old Madam Xia waved impatiently: “Get in the carriage. Do not keep Consort Ping waiting.”
Xia Qing Yao wore a light blue long dress. Her eyes shone with playful spirit. When she saw Xia Meng Yan, she quickened her steps and greeted her sweetly: “Elder Sister.”
In the last life, Xia Meng Yan and Xia Qing Yao got along well. When either of them had something tasty or fun, she saved a share for the other. When Xia Meng Yan quarreled with Lin Ye Lan, Xia Qing Yao helped her gather news.
Xia Meng Yan nodded: “Second Sister.” The two helped each other into the carriage.
As the carriage rolled forward, Old Madam Xia looked at them and lectured: “You are both true-born sisters. You should love one another. Our Xia Family has shallow roots in the capital. When you marry, the only people who can stand up for you are your blood kin. Everything else is outside things.”
She stopped just short of saying the word shops.
Xia Meng Yan smiled without answering. Her relationship with Xia Qing Yao was not so deep that she would give away more than a dozen shops.
Xia Qing Yao protested, a little shy: “Grandmother, what marriage. I have not even reached hairpin age.”
She knew the Lu Family had chosen her, and that Consort Ping herself was acting as matchmaker. But to her, marriage still felt far away.
Old Madam Xia favored the second branch, and by extension, their children. She snorted: “Girls must marry sooner or later. Do not learn from your sister.”
Xia Qing Yao pouted and argued, half teasing, half serious: “Many girls in the capital envy Elder Sister. They want to seek divorce but lack her nerve, so they can only waste away in their husband’s homes.”
“You know nothing. What they show is that they understand the bigger picture,” Old Madam Xia said, tapping Xia Qing Yao’s forehead, angry that she did not get it. “When a divorced woman returns to her maiden home, the marriages of the other young ladies in that home all get affected. You know so much and yet think so little.”
“I do not care about others. My bond with Elder Sister will not change,” Xia Qing Yao said, hugging Xia Meng Yan’s arm with a proud little smile.
Old Madam Xia cast a sideways look at Xia Meng Yan and gave a faint snort, as if to say: Such a good sister, can you really bear to break her heart.
Xia Meng Yan ignored the provocation and listened to Xia Qing Yao chatter on.
Soon, the carriage stopped at the palace gate. Palace maids were already waiting.
Consort Ping received them with a gentle tone. The nanny beside her helped Old Madam Xia rise as Consort Ping said: “Since we will be one family, I asked you here today just to chat.”
Xia Meng Yan rose with the old madam, head bowed and eyes lowered. She looked like she was afraid. In truth, she was making herself small on purpose.
Consort Ping’s gaze fell on Xia Qing Yao. Smiling, she said to Old Madam Xia: “This is your house’s Second Miss.”
“Yes. Please forgive her if she has poor manners. I have spoiled this child. She is a bit bold,” Old Madam Xia answered, pleased to see Consort Ping’s fondness. If Xia Qing Yao could win Consort Ping’s favor, she would have more to lean on after entering the Lu Family.
Xia Qing Yao blushed and bowed: “Xia Qing Yao pays respects to Consort Ping.”
“Good, good, good. You are the kind of girl one likes at a glance,” Consort Ping said, then took a brocade box from her nanny. “This was my favorite gold hairpin when I was young. Now that I am old, it is of no use to me. It suits you best.”
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“Thank you for Your Highness’s reward,” Xia Qing Yao said as she received the box and bowed again.
Xia Meng Yan stood at the back, silent the whole time.
Consort Ping glanced at Old Madam Xia. The old madam understood and stepped aside to introduce: “Your Highness, this is my other granddaughter, Xia Meng Yan.”
Xia Meng Yan stepped forward at once and bowed: “Xia Meng Yan pays respects to Consort Ping.”
Even the palace maids could hear the unease in her voice.
Consort Ping smiled: “Are you afraid of me.”
“I would not dare. I am of low status. Meeting Your Highness for the first time makes me nervous,” Xia Meng Yan said, head lowered and back slightly bent, hiding any trace of emotion.
“Old Madam Xia, you are blessed. Both of your granddaughters are charming,” Consort Ping said. She seemed to have other matters to discuss with Old Madam Xia, so she told a nanny to take the two girls to stroll in the Imperial Garden.
Xia Meng Yan felt a flicker of surprise. No threats. No pressure. Strange. The nanny led them out toward the Imperial Garden. Xia Meng Yan followed a step behind, quietly observing everything around her.
Everyone knew you must not wander about in the Imperial Palace. Yet Consort Ping told the two of them to go walk around. Xia Meng Yan’s guard went up at once.
Even in winter, the Imperial Garden bloomed with rare flowers.
The nanny stopped in a prominent spot and said kindly: “I will wait here. You two may walk wherever you like.”
Puzzled, Xia Meng Yan did not go far. She chose to remain near the nanny.
She turned to call out, but in the blink of an eye Xia Qing Yao was gone. A bad feeling surged up in her chest. The nanny’s face showed displeasure as she urged: “The palace is full of nobles. If Second Miss bumps into some noble person, it will be terrible. Eldest Miss, you should hurry and find her.”
Xia Meng Yan stayed where she was, eyes sharp with caution: “Please come with me to look for my sister.”
The nanny’s warmth vanished. She flipped her sleeve and sneered: “Eldest Miss truly is cold-blooded. Even now you want to drag an old servant down with you.”
“You misunderstand, Nanny. I just—”
“No need to explain. What little tricks have I not seen—”
“Ah—”
Xia Meng Yan jolted at the sudden cry. [Something is wrong.]