CH 50

The Palace was a huge place, but sometimes it could feel small too.

Ban Hua had too much tea in the afternoon, she had to go to the rear palace to answer the call of nature. After passing water, she hadn’t walked far when she ran into Rong Xia.

She carelessly asked, “Count Rong, did you just pass water too?” Once it was out, Ban Hua felt her brain must had problem, it was so awkward.

“Yes, what a coincidence.” Rong Xia laughed lightly as if what she said was ‘the weather is great’. “There is a trouper show outside, Junzhu is not interested?”

“We keep some performers in the residence. After watching many times it is not that interesting anymore.” Ban Hua saw Rong Xia acted natural so the awkward feeling disappeared, “I was going to join in the fun, but it had turned odd.”

Since the prince of the vassal country’s proposal, the atmosphere on the women’s side had become uncomfortable, especially because Shi Feixian’s face had turned so cold that it was close to dropping ice blocks.

Ban Hua didn’t like Shi Feixian much, but that prince was definitely not a good match for the beauty, it was understandable that the faces of Shi family members had become so unsightly.

She stole a glance at Rong Xia, did he really not know that Shi Feixian liked him? Even she could see that Shi Feixian had some feelings for Rong Xia, so he couldn’t be completely unaware.

“It would be good for Daye if that prince is willing to marry a Daye lady and live here.” Rong Xia knew Ban Hua was glancing at him, his smile became even warmer, “But it’s not appropriate for this person to choose Miss Shi.”

A Right Minister’s daughter couldn’t be given to a foreigner as a wife, unless the Emperor didn’t think the family important.

Rong Xia guessed Ban Hua was not interested in that topic so he didn’t continue. He suddenly said, “Junzhu is very beautiful today, Rong-mou almost lost my soul when you appeared at the gate.”

Ban Hua smiled until her eyes narrowed, “The set of jewelleries you sent me is very beautiful.”

“Beautiful jade to suit the beautiful person. If it wasn’t Junzhu, they wouldn’t have looked as beautiful.” Rong Xia’s eyes fell on the earrings Ban Hua wore, he smilingly said, “The real beauty here is the beauty that Junzhu gives the jewelleries.”

Ban Hua had heard plenty of praises, but a conscientious ones like this only came from her father and little brother, Rong Xia was the third male ever.

“Are all scholars with a belly full of poetries like you very good at talking?” Ban Hua wanted to laugh with closed mouth but she was afraid to ruin the newly put-on lipstick, so she could only pursed her lips.

“Rong-mou is not good at talking, I only said what’s in mind.”

The wind started to blow, Rong Xia was worried the snow on tree branches would fall on Ban Hua so he reached out to put his hand on top of her head. He only withdrew once they were of some distance from the trees. Cupping his hands at Ban Hua, he said “I have overstepped.”

On the backside of Rong Xia’s hand there were clumps of snow from the tree branches, Ban Hua felt bad and pointed at it, “Do you want to wipe it off?”

“It is fine.” Rong Xia shook his hand, he kept a certain distance from Ban Hua as if his covering her head just now was an honest chivalry without any other meanings.

Ban Hua didn’t think much of it, she was thinking that getting up early to dress up was worthy because even Rong Xia had praised her. A man who was revered by many in the Capital should have a good sense of aesthetic.

—

Xie Wanyu was standing under the corner of the corridor, she couldn’t believe her eyes upon seeing the pair of man and woman walking in the snow.

Clutching her handkerchief tightly, she subsconciously stepped back a few from not wanting them to see her. A little guilty, she didn’t know herself why she wanted to hide.

“Miss?” The maid behind her asked in a lowered voice, “What happens?”

“Nothing.” Xie Wanyu shook her head, turned and hurriedly ran to the garden. The performance’s stage was in the garden, many people were there waiting.

“Wanyu, why are you hurrying?” Shi Feixian saw Xie Wanyu returned and handed her a hand-warmer, “When will you stop being forgetful. Are your hands cold?”

“Not cold.” Xie Wanyu shook her head, there was still a thin layer of sweat on her palms. Shi Feixian’s smiling face made her remembered the way the Second Prince looked at Shi Feixian in the great hall just now. She didn’t say what she had just seen outside.

T/N – (Refresher) The Second Prince Jiang Luo was to marry Xie Wanyu as decreed, but his eyes were on Shi Feixian. Xie Wanyu was  hurt by it, so she wouldn’t tell Shi Feixian that the guy Shi Feixian liked was alone with Ban Hua.

“You’re really not cold, even your forehead is sweaty.” Shi Feixian used a handkerchief to wipe Xie Wanyu’s forehead, Xie Wanyu lightly inclined her face to avoid it.

“I am fine. What’s on the stage?” Xie Wanyu picked up her tea to sip, the tea was slightly cold but her heart also calmed down a little. “Looks quite interesting.”

Shi Feixian looked up at the stage, a laosheng singer was singing ‘yi yi ya ya’ on the stage, she remembered Xie Wanyu never liked laosheng opera. Seeing there was almost no steam coming out from Xie Wanyu’s tea cup, she smiled and ordered the palace maid to change it with a hot one, then she quietly sat besides Xie Wanyu to watch the singing.

* laosheng 老生 = an opera male singer character who normally wear fake beards. Nowadays there are female laoshengs too.

The sky was getting darker, despite the ample braziers, sitting outdoor to watch performances was still chilling. People just didn’t want to let others know they felt cold.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when someone said the dinner banquet was starting. For some reasons this year’s winter was extraordinarily cold, even while wearing thick fur outside, the cold still seeped through the clothing and brazenly pierced into the bones.

After a whole afternoon of swallowing cold wind, everyone’s appetite at dinner was better than at lunch, even noble ladies with the strictest manner also moved their chopsticks more.

The Imperial Kitchen staff tried many ways to ensure the meals were served hot without affecting the taste. Whatever they had done, the dishes that appeared in front of Ban Hua were all piping hot, making people’s index fingers tingled. The only fault was the portions were small.

Ban Hua ignored the many variety of dishes, she ate more of what she liked and wouldn’t even touch the ones she didn’t like.

“Hua Hua this child, she is a picky eater.” The Empress said to the Grand Princess who was sitting on her right, “But she is getting more and more lively each year.”

“Her parents spoiled her too much.” The Grand Princess laughed, “Even His Majesty and niangniang also spoil her, which is why she is not disciplined and unruly.”

“It is good for a daughter from noble family to be spirited.” The Empress didn’t deny what the Grand Princess said about herself spoiling Ban Hua, “She is Aunt’s only granddaughter, however she is spoiled is not too much.”

“Niangniang is biased.” The Grand Princess laughed and shook her head, “This is not spirited, this is unruly. Not sure who she inherited this temperament from.”

The Empress wanted to say it was obviously from the old Duke Jingting, but the Grand Princess and old Duke Jingting were very devoted, and the person had passed away from illness for over ten years, the Grand Princess would be sad if he was mentioned again, so the Empress swallowed the words.

“Hua Hua carries the bloodlines of our royal family and the martial aristocratic family, she must have followed the ancestors of both families.”

The Grand Princess raised her teacup in a toast with the Empress, “You are biased towards her again.”

After drinking that tea, the Grand Princess wiped her lips. She suppressed the coughing itch in her throat, her face became flushed as if she had been a young woman in her twenties or thirties.

—

When the dinner banquet finished, the Palace was lit with dazzling fireworks. Ban Hua stood with Yin-shi in the main hall along with other noble ladies to bow to the Emperor and the Empress again, then Ban Hua supported Yin-shi walking out of the warm main hall.

Cold breeze hit her face the moment she stepped out of the Great Hall, she pulled her cloak and whispered to Yin-shi, “I really want to go home and have a hot bath.”

Sitting in the Great Hall with earth dragon lit up for a long time, she felt her body was roasted dry.

T/N – Earth dragon = the heating system where long tunnels dug under the floor to circulate hot air coming from the stoves at the end of the tunnels fitted outside the main house.

Yin-shi broke into a laughter, “Don’t worry, I have ordered warm water to be prepared.”

Ban Hua clung to Yin-shi like a child of seven or eight years old.

“Miss Shi, please wait!.”

“Miss Shi, please could you wait!”

The strange accent came from behind, Ban Hua curiously looked around. Shi Feixian was still inside the Main Hall when Ban Hua left, how fast was she that she could catch up already?

“Miss Shi!”

A young man with slightly dark skin and curly hair suddenly stepped in front of her, bowed with one hand on the chest, “Miss Shi, zaixia doesn’t know Daye custom, if zaixia was impolite this afternoon, please Miss Shi forgives.”

Originally everyone around were whispering in their own groups, but suddenly all stopped in unison like struck by some supernatural phenomenon, fixed their eyes with a strange look at at Ban Hua and the vassal country prince.

The vassal country prince saw the peerless beauty didn’t speak, he thought she was still angry, he busily explained, “Zaixia surnamed Tupo’er named Akeqi, the second prince of Aipo country. Before coming to Daye, Imperial Father gave me a Daye name, Miss can call me Tu Aqi.”

Ban Hua measured this prince who had mistaken her identity. This young man wasn’t bad looking, his eyes were deep and they shone brightly like sapphires, the only disadvantage was his skin wasn’t fair enough. Ban Hua preferred a man with fairer skin.

“Prince Akeqi,” Wang De was full of smiles as he come forward, politely explained, “You are mistaken, this is not Miss Shi.”

“What?” Akeqi’s eyes widened in surprise. Such a beautiful woman like this was still not Daye’s number one, then how beautiful Miss Shi was?

“I wonder, which beauty is Miss Shi?” Akeqi was a straightforward young man, he gave Ban Hua an Aipo style deep bow and turned to Wang De, hoping to be led to the real Miss Shi.

Wang De gave a slight smile and turned around, bowed in front of Shi Feixian, “This Old Slave greets Miss Shi.”

“Wang-gonggong, you are too polite.” Shi Feixian dared not offend the Emperor’s most trusted eunuch, she smiled and returned Wang De’s with a half salute.

From the start she had never looked at Akeqi at all, as if she hadn’t known Akeqi was looking for her, or that he had mistaken her with someone else.

Shi Feixian was a beauty, a veritable beauty with fair skin, willowy waist, lotus feet. Noone could say she wasn’t a beauty, but she definitely wasn’t Daye’s number one, even if she was reputed to be.

Everyone could see why Akeqi had mistaken, so noone said anything.

Akeqi looked at the outstanding woman in front of him, then at the other woman not far away who was as striking as a flame, he fell silent too.

Imperial Father, I never thought the first thing I have to correct as soon as I am in Daye is my sense of aesthetic.

Daye was really the number one country in the world, even their aesthetic standard was different.

Ah, he still had a lot to learn.