Chapter 25

Linfeng Yuan is not located within the palace but instead sits in the western suburbs of the capital.

It was originally a retreat for the late emperor’s foster mother, the virtuous Queen Mother Xiaoxian, and even when Yiling was young, she had heard of the lotus pond at Linfeng Yuan, which was renowned as one of the capital’s greatest scenic spots.

During the summer heat, the lotus leaves stretched across the entire pond, swaying in the wind, intertwining endlessly. Even the air carried the fragrance of lotus flowers.

Unfortunately, Yiling never had the chance to see the lotus pond at Linfeng Yuan. By the time she was born, the concubine of emperor Xiaoxian had already passed away.

After being left unused for more than twenty years, the court was taken over by the current Queen Mother, who made it her own imperial residence and had it renovated by the Crown Prince.

The renovation took three years, and the court was finally completed in the summer of this year.

As for the rare sight of the winter-blooming lotus flowers, Yiling had never heard of it.

During those two years, she had been in Qingyang, almost cut off from the world. Any news from the capital never reached her ears.

When the carriage rolled into Linfeng Yuan, Yiling followed the palace maid into the imperial residence, her heart filled with curiosity. She wanted to see how the lotus flowers could bloom in winter.

But the further she went inside, the more something felt off.

Though the imperial residence was grand and magnificent, built against the mountain, the landscape had not been overly sculpted. The open gardens seemed warmer than usual, and Yiling could feel a subtle difference.

There was also a constant rumbling sound in the air, which she couldn’t quite identify, despite glancing around quietly.

The palace maid quickly noticed Yiling’s confusion and smiled as she explained, “The Crown Prince knows that the Queen Mother loves lotus flowers, and every year at the end of summer, she would become melancholic when the flowers wilted.”

“As a sign of filial piety, he put a lot of thought into the renovation of Linfeng Yuan. He diverted all the water from the pond and heated it using a boiler, continuously supplying warm water to the pond, so that the lotus flowers can bloom even in the winter, just like in the spring.”

“The sound comes from the boiler room.”

As the maid finished speaking, they had already reached the Lotus Pond.

On this cold and still day, the white jade fence around the pond seemed to have a layer of frost, making it feel chilling just to look at.

But the pond itself was vibrant, with dense and flourishing lotus leaves completely covering the water.

The lotus flowers bloomed wildly, as if a touch would make the fully ripe petals fall away.

The palace maid pointed to the east, “The boiler room is hidden over there. During extreme cold, the heat will be increased. Not only will the lotus flowers bloom with the help of the gardeners, but the entire Linfeng Yuan is kept as warm as spring because of the pond.”

“Viewing the lotus flowers in winter is truly a grand spectacle.”

The palace maid spoke with such enthusiasm, as though she were the master of the garden, taking great pride in it.

Yiling’s curiosity and interest in the lotus pond quietly shifted into an indescribable sense of fear as she listened.

She couldn’t say exactly why, but seeing the lotus flowers bloom in winter felt strange and eerie, sending a chill down her spine.

Perhaps because, after all, she was an ordinary person, and she felt that seeing lotus flowers in summer and snow in winter was the natural order—she couldn’t appreciate the pleasure of such an unnatural reversal.

Thus, Yiling nodded along with the palace maid’s praises of the spectacle but quickly averted her gaze, following her forward without looking at the flowers again.

The reason for Yiling’s summons was to admire the lotus flowers, so a banquet was set up by the pond in a pavilion.

Hot drinks and food had already been prepared, and the palace maids, dressed in winter attire, moved gracefully around the area. When they saw Yiling arrive, they stopped and greeted her.

Yiling maintained her composure, giving only a slight nod of acknowledgment. Anyone who didn’t know her would think she was the mistress of this imperial residence.

However, as expected from Xie Hengzhi, his name was already well-known, and the palace maids dared not comment on his wife. They quickly went inside to invite the Queen Mother.

On the way here, Yiling had already prepared herself mentally.

Since she had to rely on Xie Hengzhi’s power to refuse the Queen Mother’s meddling, she needed to make a strong impression from the start.

While waiting, Yiling kept a cold expression, repeatedly mimicking Xie Hengzhi’s arrogance in her mind.

Fifteen minutes later, the Queen Mother finally arrived, surrounded by a crowd of eunuchs and palace maids.

The palace maids accompanying Yiling here were all feeling nervous upon witnessing the situation.

They all knew that the Queen Mother had come with ill intentions today, and Mrs. Xie was as arrogant as her husband. They couldn’t help but worry whether Mrs. Xie’s behavior would provoke the Queen Mother’s anger and bring trouble to them, the innocent bystanders.

Yiling, hearing the announcement, indeed turned around at her own pace, still holding her chin high, looking down at others through her nose.

However—

Before even seeing the Queen Mother’s face, just catching sight of her luxurious palace attire made Yiling’s knees go weak, and with a thud, she kneeled down perfectly.

“Your Imperial Majesty, the Queen Mother, I pay my respects to you. May the Queen Mother live in peace!”

The palace maids: “…”

They could finally relax.

When her knees started to ache, Yiling came to her senses from the posture of kneeling.

W-Why won’t my knees listen to me?!

The moment she saw the Queen Mother, they just buckled on their own.

How can she still imitate the prideful aura of Xie Hengzhi now?

Yiling lowered her head, frustrated and wishing she could smash her knees.

How disgraceful!

Unfortunately, the Queen Mother remained silent for a long time.

After a while, Yiling finally heard the soft voice coming from above her head.

“Good child, get up; there’s no need for such formalities.”

Thanks to the Crown Princess, Yiling had already imagined the Queen Mother’s sharp and sarcastic personality without even meeting her. 

Now that she looked up and saw the Queen Mother’s prominently hooked nose and the deep, aging wrinkles etched into her high cheekbones, Yiling wasn’t surprised.

It’s said that one’s appearance reflects one’s heart, and Yiling could tell the Queen Mother was not an easy person to get along with.

Remembering the seemingly kind tone the Queen Mother had just used, Yiling couldn’t help but feel it was as out of place as seeing a lotus flower in winter.

“Feng Yuan, show Mrs. Xie to her seat.”

The Queen Mother’s gentle voice was enough to make Yiling feel a sudden chill in her bones. “I have heard for many years that the merchant’s daughter is exceptionally talented and the most outstanding woman in Great Liang Dynasty, second to none. Now that I see her, it’s true.”

Yiling pretended to obediently rise, taking the chance to sneak a glance at the Queen Mother.

Unfortunately, the Queen Mother was also looking down at her, and their eyes met. Immediately, Yiling’s gaze faltered.

She suddenly felt lucky that she hadn’t put on a show earlier.

To try and play a game with such a noble figure, Yiling knew well enough her own limitations.

“Your Imperial Majesty, you flatter me.”

After sitting down, Yiling lowered her head and kept her eyes modestly downcast, maintaining a respectful and graceful demeanor.

But some people may appear composed on the surface while their minds are in turmoil.

Her strong spirit from earlier had already faltered—how should she now reject the Queen Mother?

If the Queen Mother used her status to suppress her, would she dare to resist?

If she had known, she would have listened to Xie Hengzhi’s advice and stayed home.

While Yiling was flustered and unsure, the Queen Mother remained calm, not bringing up the real issue, instead chatting with Yiling about trivial matters for quite some time.

She first asked how Yiling was adjusting to the capital and then inquired about her family’s elders and their health.

Afterward, she led Yiling to the pond, showing her a curious sight, and only after a while did she finally take her hand and get to the point.

“You are from Jiangzhou and fond of poetry. I suppose you have little time to attend to family matters.”

“Mrs. Xie has only a widowed mother and a younger sister, both with their own difficulties. It must be hard for you to care for them alone.”

The Queen Mother paused, observing Yiling’s expression.

Seeing Yiling’s eyes flicker as if she didn’t fully understand her meaning, the Queen Mother decided to clarify.

“I have a capable maid who can read and knows how to serve people. If you find her suitable, you may take her back to your house. She can assist you and help with looking after Mrs. Xie.”

After finishing her words, a woman appeared from behind the Queen Mother.

Yiling, however, kept her head lowered, her lips pressed tight, and her eyes darting around.

The Queen Mother thought to herself that Yiling must have understood, though her anxiety was palpable and she could hardly speak a word.

A renowned talented woman, and yet she seemed so uncertain.

The Queen Mother had originally prepared several arguments to avoid being outsmarted, but it seemed she had overestimated things.

Still, though she was confident in her success, the delay in Yiling’s response made the Queen Mother somewhat impatient.

“I know you’re newly married, but sooner or later, you’ll need someone to help. You…”

Before she could finish, the Queen Mother saw Yiling finally raise her head, though she appeared hesitant to speak.

After a moment of silence, Yiling still didn’t speak, her mouth opening and closing as though she had something difficult to say.

Their gazes met, and neither of them spoke for a long time.

Unable to wait any longer, the Queen Mother dropped her kindly mask and frowned, “If you have something to say, just say it.”

Yiling still didn’t immediately speak. She carefully surveyed her surroundings, then raised her hand to cover her mouth and nose, speaking in a hesitant tone, “It’s not that I don’t want to, but…

My husband is really too busy.”

The Queen Mother didn’t quite hear her clearly. “What?”

“Ah, my husband, he’s busy with state affairs every day; it seems he’s exhausted all his energy on national matters.”

Yiling sighed, unable to hide her embarrassment. “So every night when he comes home, he’s so tired that he has no strength for anything else.”

“Mrs. Xie does work hard for the country; it is indeed tiring.”

The Queen Mother took Yiling’s hand warmly, continuing with her words, “That’s exactly why; it’s even more important to have one or two capable people to…”

Suddenly, her words stopped mid-sentence.

Seeing the embarrassed look in Yiling’s eyes, the Queen Mother finally understood.

The Queen Mother: “Ah.”

Yiling quickly glanced at the Queen Mother, looking as if she didn’t want to say another word.

The Queen Mother: “You two…”

Yiling: “We write poetry, compose essays every night, and go to bed early.”

The Queen Mother remained silent.

After a long pause, she gave Yiling a look: Is this the meaning you intended?

Yiling: “Mm…”

The silence in the room was deafening.

The two of them stood facing each other in silence, and it seemed as though time had frozen.

Suddenly, the Queen Mother pulled her hand away and took two steps back, nearly losing her balance.

Having lived for most of her life, she’d seen all kinds of storms and tempests.

But hearing these words from the wife of Xie Hengzhi, even just a few words, conveyed far too much information.

In her awkwardness, the Queen Mother couldn’t immediately figure out how to press the issue further.

She steadied herself and forced a smile. “Well, then, you should return and take care of Xie Qing.”

Yiling breathed a sigh of relief and immediately stood up to perform a salute.

“Then I will take my leave.”

The sky was unusually gloomy, as if snow was imminent.

By noon, the heavy clouds seemed to press down upon them, and the steps of the pedestrians had slowed. Xie Hengzhi, however, returned unusually early.

The Queen Mother had sent a decree to the Xie residence early in the morning, and Xie Hengzhi knew exactly what the old woman was scheming.

He had originally planned to have Yiling stay at home, but who knew she would be so timid?

If he had truly prevented her from going, she would have spent days pacing around the house, worrying about having turned down the Queen Mother’s request.

If she had to go, so be it. Her nature made her no match for the Queen Mother.

Thus, during court in the morning, Xie Hengzhi found himself frequently thinking of Yiling nervously rejecting the Queen Mother.

Yet, by the end of the day, even the Queen Mother had returned to the palace, and there was no word from Yiling.

It seemed she hadn’t suffered any humiliation today.

Upon entering Linfeng Yuan, he saw a group of maidservants gathered in the main hall around Yiling, chattering away about something.

Not only had she not been wronged, but she appeared to be in a good mood, so much so that she didn’t even notice his return.

It wasn’t until he coughed a couple of times that Mallow turned around and saw him. Her smile immediately vanished, and she hurriedly led everyone in bowing.

Suddenly, the lively front hall became as silent as a grave at Xie Hengzhi’s presence.

Even Yiling, upon seeing him, froze her smile, her surprise evident as she asked, “Why are you back?”

Her tone made it sound as though his arrival had dampened their spirits.

He lifted his robe and sat beside Yiling, saying, “I came back to see what kind of beauties you’ve brought me.”

As if he’d believe that.

Yiling picked up her teacup and blew at the floating tea foam.

“Next time. The women this time are rather average.”

After a while of silence and not hearing Xie Hengzhi speak, Yiling turned to see him staring at her intently.

“What are you looking at me for?”

“You’ve improved.”

Xie Hengzhi’s gaze landed on her face. “This time, you didn’t fake fainting?”

“…”
Yiling gave a light snort. “You really think so little of me. Rejecting the Queen Mother is just a few words. Why would I need to fake fainting? I spoke, and the Queen Mother was left speechless.”

She was feeling a little guilty, so she quickly changed the subject. “But that Linfeng Yuan was too strange. It’s the dead of winter, yet they’re blooming lotus flowers. They say the pond water is heated. I wonder how much manpower and resources they’ve spent to manage it.”

Despite saying all that, Xie Hengzhi still focused on her earlier comment.

“How did you leave the Queen Mother speechless?”

Yiling’s heart skipped a beat, and she cast a glance at Xie Hengzhi from the corner of her eye.

Sure enough, he was staring at her, his gaze deep, as though waiting for the answer he wanted.

The surrounding wind seemed to stop.

The atmosphere was not good.

Did he already know?

After a long silence, Xie Hengzhi lowered his gaze and noticed her fingers nervously rubbing her sleeve, unable to hide her tension.

“Are you mute now? Speak.”

Yiling swallowed hard, forcing a nervous smile.

Just as she was thinking of how to dodge Xie Hengzhi’s question, Mama Cao suddenly walked over with a smile and bowed to Xie Hengzhi.

“Sir, the Queen Mother sent someone to deliver some tonics for you!”

Xie Hengzhi: “What kind of tonics?”

Mama Cao gestured, and several palace servants entered, carrying gifts in procession.

It was either deer antlers or bear paws, with piles of expensive medicine and pills that looked like cheap sugar cubes. There were even two young eunuchs carrying a jar of live, hopping stone frogs. Every item was a precious tonic meant to strengthen the kidneys and enhance vitality.

Xie Hengzhi slowly turned to look at Yiling.

Yiling: “Mm.”