Let the Years Sculpture Our Love

Step Into a Fairy Tale

Yong Qi – Huang Shang, Xiao Yan Zi forced herself to call him, even in her head, though she knew it was an effort doomed to fail – had worked late the night before. He had tried to persuade her to go to bed before him, but she told him there was no point for him to come to her palace if she was going to just leave him on his own for half the night. There had been little conversation between them while he worked, but the quiet company while she wrote a letter to Xiao Jian and Qing Er in Dali was soothing. She knew that he glad she was there to occasionally tempt him into taking short breaks, when she was able to make him relax for a few moments before letting him return to the paper work.

That morning, Shun Gong Gong seemed to have taken upon himself to let them sleep in, so it was later than usual when she heard his voice rouse her from her sleep.

"Niang Niang, it's time to wake up."

"All right," she said and listened to him retreat from the room and closing the door behind him. She sat up and pushed aside the bed curtains, letting in the light, feeling the early morning drowsiness slipping away from her as she became more alert.

Yong Qi (oh, for Heaven's sake, Huang Shang, she should be used to this by now, it had been nearly three years) was still asleep beside her. She gently shook him.

"What time is it?" he mumbled, blearily squinting up at her in the morning light.

"Time to get up."

He groaned and made an attempt to sit up, but then only dropped his head onto her lap and closed his eyes again. She laughed softly and shook him again. "Come on, you will be late if you don't get up."

"The emperor is never late," he said sleepily.

"Well, I can be," Xiao Yan Zi said, pushing him off her back onto the bed. "And I can't be late this morning, so up!"

He sat up finally but only held his head up for a moment, before dropping it down and pressed his face against her shoulder. "How could you be so awake? I feel like I've hardly slept at all."

"I wasn't up half the night trying to prevent a war," she said dryly. She couldn't help giggling as he looked up at her with an exaggerated long face. She leaned in and softly kissed him, which succeeded in making him smile. He would have deepened the kiss but she pulled away. "No, no, if you start, we'll never get out of bed."

He gave her a smirk that plainly told her that wasn't a bad idea at all, but she just rolled her eyes and pushed him away lightly. Any other day, she could allow them the indulgence, but today wasn't the time.

They got dressed and he lingered over the skin of her back when he helped her tie her bellyband around her neck as she held her hair in front of her. He placed a gentle kiss on her shoulder and buried his face in the curve of her neck. She shivered at the pleasure of the touch and only reluctantly pulled away, turning around.

"Are you trying to drive me mad for the rest of the day?" she asked playfully.

"I'll make it up to you, I promise," he said, smiling, tracing a slow line down her neck with a single finger. She gripped his wrist tightly as goosebumps rose on her arms.

"When? Certainly not tonight." she asked listlessly despite the intense sensuality of his touch. Her own swift change in mood startled even her.

He frowned in confusion at her words, clearly not understanding their implications. She sighed. "Xiang Guiren," she reminded him softly.

"What?"

"She's coming today, remember?"

"Right." For a moment, he looked thrown off by the realisation. "I forgot."

"Of course."

She supposed she couldn't blame him for pushing the idea out of his mind. She would do it if she could. It was easier for him than it was for her, however. Unfortunately, the addition to the inner court was not something that anyone let her forget.

She gave him a tight, forced smile that she was sure he saw through, because he pulled her to him again. There was a sense of desperation in his touch.

"I love you," he whispered firmly and earnestly; at the same, he pressed a soft kiss against her neck.

A rush of emotions coursed through her so suddenly that she found her lower lip trembling against her will. She had to bite down on it to stop the tears that were threatening to come. "I know," she said. She buried her face in the warmth of his arms and breathed in his scent, as if trying to absorb his love into her very being. "You don't have to remind me so often." Though, the truth was, she was glad he did.

"Yes, I do," he said, pulling away to cup her face in his hands. One of his thumbs brushed gently against her cheek. "If we are going to do this, I can never afford to lose sight of you, of us, I can never have you doubt my feelings for you. I need you too much, I depend on you too much now for something like doubt to come between us again."

She reached up and wrapped her hand around his wrist, stroking the back of his hand with her thumb. She tried to smile reassuringly at him, but it turned out rather watery. "I know. Don't mind my moods and think that I somehow forgot how much you love me. It's just self-pity and silliness that cause them. I should be used to this feeling by now."

"No, you shouldn't," he said firmly. "Because if you could get too comfortable with the idea, it would mean that you loved me a little less. And I am terrified of when that day comes."

"Oh my love," she said, moving to wrap both her arms around his neck, "you must know by now that it won't."

"Do I?" he asked her in a tone that told her that his fear was, if rare, still very real. "All the things I promised you once, I never could give you now. I cannot expect you to stay."

"But here I am anyway," she said gently.

"And for that, I am grateful. Every single day."

He leaned down and pressed his lips against hers in a kiss that was tender, loving and yet containing a passion that threatened to overwhelm her. His hand slipped to the small of her back and pulled her in; she felt almost lost, pressed against the warmth of his body. For that moment, she allowed herself to be surrendered to his love.

"I love you," he said again, pulling only slightly away from her, staying close enough so that she could still feel his breath on her cheek. He brought up a hand and stroked the soft skin where her neck met her collarbone. "You are wonderful and I will never cherish anything so much as I cherish the day I met you."

"I know," she whispered, closing her eyes for a moment and resting her head against his shoulder.

It was ironic how it was the presence of other women that allowed her to no longer doubt this, to believe so whole-heartedly that he was sincere.

Moments like this reminded her of something Ling Fei said to her and Zi Wei once – that what a woman needed was not to be unforgettable to a man's heart, but to be irreplaceable. Back then, she was too angry at Huang Ah Ma, too young, too naïve of the ways of the imperial harem to understand what those words truly meant. Now, she understood it all: the words and the desperate love and pain that can hide under such words. She was grateful that, to his heart, she was not only unforgettable and irreplaceable, but she was the one and only, and that he took pains to reassure her of that, every single day.

The warmth and comfort of their embrace was interrupted by a soft knock on the door, reminding them that they still had the day to get started on. Swiftly, they got dressed and she opened the door to let in the servants with the wash water. As soon as that was done, she would have to let him go, and somehow it was more difficult that morning than in other mornings. He understood, however, and took her hands, pressed kisses on both palms and whispered goodbye before walking out of the room. She held back the slightly melancholy sigh until he had disappeared down the hallway and she heard Shun Gong Gong announcing his departure.

Ming Yue and Cai Xia slipped into the room quietly as she sat down at her dressing table.

"Niang Niang," Cai Xia said, "seeing as there will be someone new today, I think you should look your finest and most stately. After all, the new mistress should be aware of your position."

Xiao Yan Zi nodded her assent. By now, she had stopped fighting against the dress code of the palace, and learnt to simply accept it.

In her younger years, when she first came into the palace, she indulged in the adequate and warm clothes that her new life offered, but hated what she perceived as display of vanity in the efforts of dolling yourself up in make-up and over-complicated hair-dos. Eventually, she came to understand that she moved in a circle where looks mattered (and sometimes it was the only thing that mattered). People judged and changed the way they treated you depending on what you wear and how you look. The make-up and the pageantry was not so much a personal preference as a costume, a mask for the part that you were to play. The clothes, the make-up, the jewels, jade and hairpins were all a woman's arsenal, a statement of power and strength, as powerful as her sword. She had learnt to adapt her choice of weapon for the battle that she did not wish to take part in but was in by default regardless.

It was for that reason that this morning, she allowed Ming Yue and Cai Xia to dress her in the best Suzhou silk the palace had to offer in colours that flattered her natural beauty. She did not protest against the lipstick and rouge and let them weave the jade and kingfisher-feather hairpins in her headdress.

When Ming Yue and Cai Xia declared themselves pleased with their handiwork, they made their way to Huang Hou's Yi Kun Gong.

If Huang Shang held court over his officials every morning, so did Huang Hou with the ladies of the inner palace. As a princess, very much spoiled by Huang Ah Ma, she got away with the morning greeting rituals then, but no longer could now, not when the entire inner palace was looking towards her, and the concubines came to Yi Kun Gong each morning to pay respects to her as much as to to Huang Hou.

By the time she arrived, most of them were there already. At the doorway, she braced herself and plastered at vague smile on her face before entering the room, heading towards Huang Hou sitting on her throne at the head of the room. As usual, she had to fight to not feel discomposed by every other person in the room except Huang Hou standing up and curtsying to her.

"Huang Hou Niang Niang jixiang," she said, glancing up with a less plastic smile.

"Rise," Huang Hou said in her usual calm voice, but Xiao Yan Zi knew there was warmth there that would not be present when she spoke to the room at large.

She rose and received the chorus of "Yi Fei (怡妃) Niang Niang jixiang" from everyone else in the room. She walked to her chair, opposite where Wen Fei (文妃) was holding her curtsy. Xiao Yan Zi dipped her knees slightly in greeting, which on made Wen Fei sink slightly lower still. She held back a sigh. An antagonistic Zhi Hua she could take in her stride, because she had never expected anything different, considering how their acquaintance began. A Zhi Hua who was so obviously going out of her way to make amends, however, was quite unsettling. Still, Xiao Yan Zi could not ignore or otherwise refuse to greet her now; it would be looked upon as impolite. Just because Zhi Hua went out of her way to defer to her now didn't change the fact that they were still of the same rank and Zhi Hua must be afforded the respect due to the mother to Huang Shang's eldest son (eldest living son was always the reminder after such thought and it never failed to make her heart ache).

"You may rise," she said to the room and sat down, nodding to Zhi Hua who now stood before her. They all waited for her to sit before sitting down themselves.

This entire ritual must had played out before her hundreds of time, and yet the whole thing still seemed so very wearying.

(Eighteen-year-old Xiao Yan Zi would have laughed at this scene, once she got over the aspects of this life, complete with a full inner court, which would have been appalling to her then.)

What followed were general enquiries after Huang Hou's health, inane gossip and flattery of women who were forced to keep company with each other while also competing with each other. Xiao Yan Zi tried not to tune out, in case someone spoke to her, and forced herself to listen to what Huang Hou was saying.

If Xiao Yan Zi ever made plans for her life, the plans would not have consisted of this. Even when she married Yong Qi (for that was who he was then to her, and if she were being truthful, he would always be just Yong Qi to her), she never considered what would happen to her once he became emperor, even though she always knew in the back of her mind that it was a very real possibility. In retrospect, perhaps the lack of consideration for her own future status was more Xiao Yan Zi being foolish than an innocent lack of mercenary incentives. Love, of course, was all well and good as a foundation for their marriage, but to ignore his position was probably not the wisest thing to do. It led to moments when she was taken by surprise and the surprises weren't always pleasant. Zhi Hua had merely been the first.

Yet when Zhi Hua came into the picture, both Xiao Yan Zi and Yong Qi had been more caught up in the reason that brought her to their life. Afterwards, when Xiao Yan Zi had finally resigned herself to Zhi Hua being in her life, they reached a point when it became clear that Yong Qi was walking around with the role of a crown prince without the actual title. By that time, it dawned on everyone that neither of his wives would suit fit the bill for the position of empress that would eventually need to be filled. When Zhi Hua married him, Xiao Yan Zi knew Lao Fo Ye more or less promised her the position of empress one day, but by the time it became an issue, the tension between her and Xiao Yan Zi was such that Yong Qi was too wary to even consider Zhi Hua. Lao Fo Ye, as it turned out, was not so devoted to Zhi Hua that she could not bring herself to consider an alternative, especially when she now had the luxury of time to choose a proper Manchurian-born candidate.

Zhu Ying was pretty, demure, modest, educated, and of the Manchurian Tongjia clan which had provided the Emperor Kang Xi with an empress and a beloved consort. To Qian Long and Lao Fo Ye, she was the model future empress. By that time, Yong Qi had made difficult peace with the destiny that he was heading towards. Thus he simply saw the marriage and anything else that might follow as the necessary…not evil, exactly, but baggage that came with that destiny. Xiao Yan Zi then wished that she was still childish enough to allow herself to indulge in a temper tantrum. But by then, she had endured Zhi Hua, and accepted Mian Yi with a heavy heart, throwing a fit then seemed so very pointless, especially when it would achieve little but pain Yong Qi in the process.

(Sometimes she wondered whether this marriage to Zhu Ying, too, was another sacrifice she was making for her brother's life and happiness. Lao Fo Ye's health was failing rapidly when the idea of Zhu Ying was brought forwards, and by then, Xiao Jian and Qing Er were still unwed. Lao Fo Ye, by now, was desperate enough to see Qing Er married and settled before she died that she no long objected to the idea of Xiao Jian. Yet she wasn't above holding out her permission and blessing as a bargaining piece to pressure both Yong Qi and Xiao Yan Zi into considering Zhu Ying, either.)

So when Lao Fo Ye brought up the idea to Xiao Yan Zi, she was not so much annoyed at the expectation of accepting it, but more because she was expecting to grit her teeth a lot around this woman, who was suddenly now in a position of authority over her, and that authority would only one day increase. She had expected…well, all the stereotypical bullying of a principal wife over one who was in a lower position, but more favoured by the man they both called husband. Heaven helped her if she was expected to be subtle and delicate in her dealings with this woman, because those were two words never associated with Xiao Yan Zi.

In an oddly fated meeting some days before the wedding, however, both Yong Qi and Xiao Yan Zi found out that apparently Zhu Ying wanted the marriage about as much as Yong Qi wanted it. She had, as it turned out, already given her heart to another man who had since died, and when she married Yong Qi, it was only on the command of Lao Fo Ye and for the benefits of her family. In the end, it was on the basis of this understanding that the three of them agreed to this arrangement.

Even armed with this information that Zhu Ying only revealed to the two of them, Xiao Yan Zi still found it bizarre to witness Zhu Ying in the first few months, when she showed no sign of interest in keeping Yong Qi to herself. She was unfailingly and sincerely polite to both Xiao Yan Zi and Zhi Hua, somehow managing to both acknowledge their positions in the household as those who came before, striving not to step on their toes, yet at the same time making a clear stance for herself as the primary mistress in the servants' eyes. Xiao Yan Zi wasn't even aware that such a balance could be reached so gracefully. In some ways, Xiao Yan Zi found all her obvious attempts at establishing harmony in the household and her disinterest in Yong Qi's affection even harder to deal with than if they had been involved in some struggling for his attention. In those first few months, Xiao Yan Zi also couldn't help thinking, despite all she had learnt so far about Zhu Ying's general feelings and her past, that it was still foolish to trust her implicitly from the very beginning.

Perhaps because Xiao Yan Zi had all these initial hesitations, that it felt strange, when over the time, they did develop a peaceful friendship, in all the truest senses of the word. It was not an act to create an illusion of a happy family. Xiao Yan Zi honestly came to like Zhu Ying, the more she got to know her. As time went on, she came to realise that Zhu Ying was far from the kind of jealous, shrewish woman who would resent her for being the one Yong Qi loved. Instead, Xiao Yan Zi found that her first impressions of Zhu Ying, as someone kind and full of heart, were entirely reliable. She also proved to possess a keen sense of humour, which Xiao Yan Zi appreciated. Over the years, somehow Zhu Ying became fonder of Xiao Yan Zi than she was of Yong Qi, though the relations between them were amicable enough. Both were glad that they did not expect anything from each other. To put it another way, they both wanted the same thing from each other.

Now that they found themselves in the inevitable future, in their respective positions in the inner palace, Xiao Yan Zi appreciated Zhu Ying's friendship more than ever. Xiao Yan Zi was sure that with the support from both Yong Qi and Zhu Ying, her position and status would always be secure enough to protect her from any malice from the other women. This was necessary because Xiao Yan Zi had long learnt that struggles in the inner palace were rarely physical and based on strength, in which she was more than capable of taking care of herself. It was the subtle wars that hid under beautiful smiles and pretty words that exhausted Xiao Yan Zi. She would now be the first to admit that she was ill-equipped to deal with the thorny, winding paths of the palace. She dreaded the idea of having to force herself to trek deeply down those paths. She feared that it would lead her to battles which would make her lose herself and come out permanently altered and scarred.

For Yong Qi, Zhu Ying and her neutrality in the inner palace was a blessing in an entirely different manner. It made life much less complicated than it would otherwise be for him. In the eyes of the court and the public, she was a good and generous empress. It was a position that Xiao Yan Zi neither wanted nor was suitable for; she wouldn't begin to know what to do with it. For all Zhi Hua's artly accomplishments, she had never been raised for this enormous responsibility either, and in her hands, power would be used to serve her own purposes first of all. If anything, this went against the entire point of the seat of empress. Zhu Ying, on the other hand, was born, raised and trained for positions like this. She understood that if she had power at all, it came with responsibility to use it benevolently. Her duty was to keep peace among the women and ensure that Huang Shang did not need to worry about wars in the inner palace on top of wars at the border, and this was a job at which Zhu Ying was extremely competent. The fact that she particularly kept Xiao Yan Zi safe was also a bonus, as far as Yong Qi was concerned.

The types of conversation that usually ensued during a morning visit to Yi Kun Gong was usually stale and bored Xiao Yan Zi to tears. That morning was different, however, and she could sense a shiver of anticipation in the room, even if everyone pretended that all was as normal. They were all waiting for the new arrival to the inner palace in the form of Xiang Guiren of the Fucha clan.

Her father was a general stationed in Yunnan and to reward his good work, Huang Shang had bestowed the title upon his daughter. Xiao Yan Zi should be bothered that, despite being the one bestowed a title, the Fucha girl herself was almost an afterthought throughout this whole elaborate ritual which really served to reward the father more than the daughter. However, having lived this long in the palace, Xiao Yan Zi managed to resign herself to choosing the kind of battles she could fight, and this was not one of them. This was only one of the many acts Yong Qi was forced to carry out as an emperor. The inner palace could not simply remain consisting of an empress and two consorts, and if additions to the inner palace was a foregone conclusion – an unavoidable duty – then Yong Qi had decided that they would at least serve political purposes as well. After all, that was half the point of having multiple consorts and concubines in the first place. It had started with the first round of imperial concubine selection held in the palace a year after the start of the new emperor's reign. The ladies chosen from the rigorous selection process were all from prominent banner families with power in the political court, families from whom Huang Shang needed support. It naturally continued now, with the addition of Fucha Wan Yun.

If this whole method of selection, based not on who the girls were, but what their families could offer, was heartless because some of these girls entered the palace so very young, so starry-eyed and possessing all the naïve, romantic notions of life in the palace, then Xiao Yan Zi had managed to convince herself that it was a necessary evil of his position. The good that he would do for the country and its people would far outweigh the emotional struggles of girls who were born to be pawns in the political game anyway, regardless of whether they came into the palace or married someone else.

(Xiao Yan Zi was glad, though, that Yong Qi took pains to tell Huang Hou to find out and eliminate girls who expressedly did not wish to enter the palace, or whose hearts were otherwise occupied. It would be too much of a tragedy if they found out later that they had another Han Xiang on their hands. Strangely enough (or perhaps not strange at all), the number of girls who did wish to enter the palace to be an imperial concubine was much more overwhelming.)

Of the ones who were chosen, Xiao Yan Zi only hoped that they could exist together with minimal conflict. Years of rubbing against Zhi Hua the wrong way had made her so tired of being always on edge, of the constant tension and unease. It was different now than before, of course. Now, she had status over them all, and they all deferred to her; he would not allow them to be any different. It was a blessing she never thought she'd feel and appreciate.

The buzz of conversation in the room pulled Xiao Yan Zi out of her thoughts. She looked around the great room at Yi Kun Gong and caught sight of Shen Changzai sitting a couple of chairs down from her. She looking pale and drawn still. Shen Yi Ling was one of girls chosen in that first selection round, and she was the only one that Xiao Yan Zi had gotten to know and actually liked without reserve. She was so kind, so pure and completely lacking ill-intentions that she reminded Xiao Yan Zi in many ways of Zi Wei. She was also incredibly shy that at first Xiao Yan Zi was afraid that Yi Ling was terrified of her. Now, she looked up to Xiao Yan Zi as a sister and Xiao Yan Zi could not help but be fond of this innocent soul who depended on her for protection because left alone, she would probably most definitely be bullied by the other, more ambitious concubines.

It would seem quite perverse, then, that it was because of this that Shen Changzai received more favours from the emperor. Xiao Yan Zi would be jealous if she could bring herself to be, but the truth was, she knew too well that though Yong Qi was fond of Yi Ling, because she was kind and gentle, and if truth be told, the least fawning of them all, he was not in love with her. And, if any of them were to be promoted in ranks closer to hers, as it would be inevitable, Xiao Yan Zi would rather it were ones that she got along with and who would not be plotting her death.

Aside from herself, Huang Hou and Wen Fei, the other ladies had all come into the palace at the same time, so now the first arrival of a single new person was causing a palpable mixture of excitement and wariness all around the room. Amidst all their seemingly normal conversation, there were furtive looks and bated breaths. Huang Hou, on the other hand, merely looked calm. Xiao Yan Zi admitted she was at least slightly curious. Wen Fei's face was unreadable. Before this last year, Xiao Yan Zi would have bet that Zhi Hua felt disturbed and displeased, but now, Xiao Yan Zi no longer knew how to judge Zhi Hua's feelings. As rocky as their relationship had always been, she always thought she had learnt to understand Zhi Hua's feelings fairly well, but the change in her in the last year was unsettling to the point of being alarming.

When the eunuch outside finally announced the arrival of Xiang Guiren, it was as if everyone in the room was holding their breath and turned their eyes towards the door.

A young girl of sixteen, who would have looked slender and willowy even without her long gown and flower-pot shoes, gracefully glided into the room, before stopping in the middle and sinking down into a low curtsy.

"Fucha Wan Yun pays respect to Huang Hou Niang Niang, may the Heaven bestow health and happiness to Huang Hou Niang Niang. Wan Yun pays respect to her new sisters. Wan Yun is young and stupid and hope to be able to receive instructions and many lessons from her new sisters."

"Raise your head," Huang Hou said.

Her face was almost too sharp to be attractive, if it was not for her porcelain complexion and the light, perhaps natural, blush that streaked across her cheeks that gave her a look of delicate beauty. Soft eyebrows arched gracefully over almost feline eyes, a deepest black, and long lashes brushed her cheeks every time she blinked. Her lips, coloured a deepest red, were plump and luscious, and on those lips was a confident, almost arrogant smile. Her hair was swept up in a way that emphasised the elegance of her neck, even when partly covered by the high collar of her gown. Xiao Yan Zi imagined her hair would fall in a thick, dark river down her back if it was let down.

Xiao Yan Zi supposed that she could not have expected anything less than a beauty. She looked at Fucha Wan Yun and could almost start picking out the features that he might find attractive, but then, that was much too disturbing to consider.

She looked to Huang Hou for her reactions instead. Huang Hou was nodding in satisfaction before gesturing for Xiang Guiren to stand up. "You may rise."

She rose with a confidence beyond her years and stood there, elegant as a painting.

Huang Hou turned to her head eunuch, Xie Yuan, and asked him to introduce Xiang Guiren to everyone in the room so that she might greet them individually.

Xie Yuan stepped forward and bowed to her. Then, gesturing to Xiao Yan Zi first, he said, "Xiang Guiren, this is Yi Fei Niang Niang, of Cheng Qian Gong. Please pay your respect."

The most extraordinary thing happened, and Xiao Yan Zi wondered whether she should have seen it coming. The girl gave Xiao Yan Zi a searching look, smirked, then turned her head away in disdain. Xiao Yan Zi nearly laughed at the obvious snub, because if older, the look would probably have been imposing. As it was, she only managed to look young and arrogant. Huang Hou raised an eyebrow at the girl's audacity and from all around them, the humming of shocked gasps and whispers rose like the sound of leaves rustling in the spring breeze.

Xie Yuan was flummoxed for a moment and blinked at the new concubine, before repeating his introduction pointedly. The girl remained silent still.

This time, Xiao Yan Zi let herself smile in irony. Was this some strange kind of karma?

She was pleased that her smile apparently discomposed the girl because she glanced once at Xiao Yan Zi and scowled. The scowl did not last long, because Fucha Wan Yun soon realised what she was doing and immediately schooled her feature to neutral again.

Huang Hou was either too shocked or too curious at the startling behavior because she did not say anything yet. Poor Xie Yuan looked lost, not knowing how he should persuade this new mistress to observe the necessary etiquettes.

Xiang Guiren turned directly in the opposite direction of Xiao Yan Zi, to face Wen Fei instead, which meant that she turned her back directly towards Xiao Yan Zi. She nearly laughed at the too obvious attempt at making her point.

"If that is Yi Fei, then Jiejie must be Wen Fei Niang Niang," she said to Zhi Hua, and began to sink down into a curtsy. Zhi Hua fairly leapt out of her seat to a standing position and out of the receiving way of Fucha Wan Yun's curtsy.

"Meimei, you have not greeted Yi Fei Niang Niang," Zhi Hua said with a barely concealed frown of disapproval, looking towards Huang Hou for help. By now, Xiao Yan Zi was sure that Huang Hou was curious because she still did not say anything and just waited for Xiang Guiren's answer. Xiao Yan Zi did not waste time in being offended at this obvious hostile attitude. She certainly did not need validation from a curtsy from Xiang Guiren. Rather, if anything, she was looking forward to the drama that was sure to unfold. It certainly would make the morning much more interesting than the dull greetings and flatteries that she expected to witness.

"No, I have not," Xiang Guiren said, as if that was all right.

"Huang Hou Niang Niang, Yi Fei Niang Niang," Zhi Hua said breathlessly, kneeling down, "I would like to apologise for Xiang Guiren, especially to you, Yi Fei Jiejie. I hope you forgive her and her youth and lack of understanding can only be an excuse. I cannot receive Meimei's greeting when Jiejie has not."

After waiting for a beat, and Xiang Guiren still said nothing, Huang Hou finally spoke. Her words were simple and her tone calm, but there was a hint of a warning in it that no one missed. "Xiang Guiren, pay respects to Yi Fei."

Nothing.

By now, even Xiao Yan Zi was somewhat thrown off, not by the girl's apparent stubborn grudge (or whatever it was) against herself, but the fact that she would not obey even Huang Hou. Surely someone would have taught her that obliging Huang Hou was the very least she could do if she wanted to survive in the palace, even if she wished to be so rude to other consorts?

Wen Fei by now had risen up and faced Xiang Guiren. She spoke in her most imperious tone, "Meimei, I would advise you to not shame your family and the education you undoubtedly have received. You asked your sisters for instructions just now and this is it. You will pay your respects to Yi Fei Niang Niang before anyone else. In this room, Yi Fei Niang Niang ranks lower than none except Huang Hou Niang Niang herself."

Truth be told, Xiao Yan Zi was more surprised by Zhi Hua's speech than Fucha Wan Yun's continued lack of response. By now, everyone in the room was looking around nervously and restlessly, not knowing what to make of Xiang Guiren's behaviour.

"All right, all right," Xiao Yan Zi finally spoke up, not sure whether she wished to spare herself or the girl from this prolonged farce. "If Meimei does not wish to greet me, for whatever reason, for the sake of convenience, I will gladly let it go. Wen Fei Meimei, thank you for speaking on my behalf, but you should just receive her greeting and have it over with."

For a second, there was a triumphant smirk on Fucha Wan Yun's face, before Huang Hou spoke. "No. Yi Fei, you are wrong. You are a consort, she is a lower ranked concubine, she must pay her respect to you. It is not a matter of whether she wishes to or not. Rules and etiquettes are not invented to be either of your inconvenience. Xiang Guiren, pay your respects to Yi Fei, now."

"Addressing Huang Hou Niang Niang, I cannot," she said, turning around to face Huang Hou.

The impudence of the declaration caused a deep frown to appear on Huang Hou's features, of which a wiser person would choose to feel very disturbed and afraid.

"Why not?" Huang Hou demanded.

"My father is a greatly respected general who has done great for this country, and bears Huang Shang's own honours and favours. Who is her family that I must lower myself to her?"

The collective shocked gasp rang around the room. Xiao Yan Zi, for the first time, felt the twinge of annoyance and scowled. So that was what this was about. Her origins had long been a cause of gossip in the inner palace, and she knew Xiang Guiren was not the only one who held such disdain, though she was certainly the first one stupid enough to voice it so boldly. Xiao Yan Zi said nothing in protest, however, because that would probably only raise the suspicion that she had something to protest about her own family history. She did not wish to invite questions from these women about her past if she could help it. Aside from Zhi Hua, no one in the room knew the whole truth about her family. Even Huang Hou only knew certain selected truths. She knew others both in the outer and inner court posed many questions about how someone without any connection or any origins at all to speak of such as she could rise so high in the inner court. It was something that she would be glad to let people wonder at and not get into details. Of course, now with Yong Qi on the throne, she was no longer in any danger of losing her life if the truth did somehow come out, but she would rather everyone else kept the fantasy that somehow she might still be the daughter of a great duke. It was much simpler that way.

"Your father's merits are great," Zhi Hua said, her voice cold with contempt, "but they do not pass over to you automatically. Yi Fei Niang Niang has served Huang Shang longer than any of us here, even Huang Hou Niang Niang, and of the five princes and princesses, three are Yi Fei Niang Niang's children. Her service and merits to Huang Shang and to the Crown are great, and you will acknowledge them as such."

Fucha Wan Yun pursed her lips and turned away. It was so very childish that Xiao Yan Zi felt the urge to laugh.

"We'll see how much favours and honours you receive, Meimei, when Huang Shang hears of this," one of the others, He Guiren, chimed in.

"Xiang Guiren, kneel down, now!" Huang Hou ordered, her patience having ran out. She did not raise her voice very much, but the force was evident and the room suddenly became very silent. Xiao Yan Zi could hear clearly the rustle of silk as Xiang Guiren, apparently not so foolish that she would ignore such a direct command, knelt down. Beside her, Zhi Hua slowly sat back down in her seat now that Huang Hou had taken command of the situation.

"You are now in the imperial palace, not your mother's sewing room," Huang Hou said coolly. "If you wish to live here, to take full responsibility for the title that has been bestowed on you, then you will do everything that is required of you this morning. This is not a game, nor is it a situation where you can use your father to threaten anyone. Your father holds command over thousands of men, do you believe he would take well to the crime of insubordination from his soldiers? You cannot think he would intervene on your behalf on such a matter as this. You might have forgotten how to properly greet your imperial sisters, so I will get my maid Jiu Zhu to demonstrate. Jiu Zhu!"

Jiu Zhu stepped forward. "Show Xiang Guiren how to properly greet Yi Fei Niang Niang."

Jiu Zhu curtsied slightly to Huang Hou to acknowledge her order. She then turned to Xiang Guiren, said, "Xiang Guiren, please observe," before moving to stand in front of Xiao Yan Zi's chair. Xiao Yan Zi bit back a sigh but she knew that this display was necessary, after everything that had gone on so far. Huang Hou had to take charge of the situation if she was to demonstrate to Xiang Guiren her power in the palace. It would do much harm to allow Xiang Guiren to think she would be given free reign in the inner court.

Jiu Zhu knelt before Xiao Yan Zi and said in a clear voice, "I, Xiang Guiren of the Fucha clan, pays respects to Yi Fei Niang Niang. Yi Fei Niang Niang jixiang."

"Xiang Guiren," Huang Hou said imperiously when Jiu Zhu had moved away, "go on."

The girl apparently has by now understood that she would not get away with this, so she knelt down, looking and sounding like she was forced at knife point (which, in a way, she was), intoned the words. The motions were there, but the grace certainly was not, but by then, it didn't really matter anyway. It took all Xiao Yan Zi's willpower not to grimace as she received the greeting.

The rest of the ceremony was decidedly unpleasant, and as soon as Xiang Guiren has greeted everyone, without any further glitch, Huang Hou quickly dismissed them all except Xiao Yan Zi.

"What on earth was that?" Huang Hou asked, bewildered, when everyone else had left. "I don't even know what just happened."

Xiao Yan Zi could not help laughing. Overall, it was still too silly a thing to get angry over.

"Zhu Ying, considering how, at her age, I threw shoes into the late Emperor's face, rocks at the current Emperor, and tried to drown the then Empress in bath water, oh, and I also set Lao Fo Ye's clothes on fire with firework sparklers, all that was almost tame. I'm not bothered by it all, honestly."

"I know you don't care for all these ceremonies, but it's not a matter of whether you mind her attitude or not," Huang Hou said, frowning. "It's the principle of things. You cannot allow her to treat you thus, not when it would be bad example for the others."

Xiao Yan Zi sighed and nodded, knowing that Huang Hou had a very good point in all of this, and it was useless to argue against it.

"In any case, I should think she'll change her tune soon enough when Huang Shang hears about this. She'll be lucky if he'll let her meet him then," Huang Hou said thoughtfully.

"Please don't tell him!" Xiao Yan Zi interjected quickly.

"Really, Xiao Yan Zi – "

"Honestly, Huang Shang has enough to worry about now without having to deal with trivial things like this. Besides, I think with that attitude, she won't make many friends in the palace as it is. Let's just let this go."

"You want to let this go? She just insulted you to everyone!"

"Zhu Ying, I should think my self-esteem or reputation isn't so weak as to be tarnished by that," Xiao Yan Zi said, smiling. "And I think…if that is what she is like, you probably don't have to say anything to Huang Shang. If he speaks to her, he'll see it himself and then she can't accuse anyone of bad-mouthing her to him."

Huang Hou raised an eyebrow but Xiao Yan Zi knew she saw her point, because she seemed willing to let the subject drop.

"To be honest, I am more confused about Wen Fei's attempts at speaking for me," Xiao Yan Zi admitted.

To that, Huang Hou chuckled. "Yes, well, I think we agree that that was unexpected, though not as shocking to me as it apparently was for you."

"No?"

"You did save her child's life. Not many would do so much in your position, especially when there is as much uncomfortable history as between you and Wen Fei."

Xiao Yan Zi sighed. It was a somewhat old argument.

A year ago, around this same time in early winter, Er Ah Ge Mian Yi was in the garden with his nanny. The ground was covered in snow, so it had been hard to tell where the ground ended and the lakes which were thinly frozen began. Mian Yi had wandered away from his nanny and the maids into one of the frozen lakes, the ice on which soon broke under even his small weight, pulling him into the dark depths of icy water. Xiao Yan Zi had been nearby, heard the ice crack, and rushed over. Even now, she couldn't quite remember if any coherent thought was in her mind at all at that moment, or if she simply, unthinkingly dove into the freezing cold water. It had been easy enough to fish Mian Yi out of the lake with help from his nanny, Xiao Deng Zi and Ming Yue who were with Xiao Yan Zi at the time. However, after that was managed, Xiao Yan Zi's own clothes were so heavy with half-frozen water and her body was so numb that it took longer for Ming Yue and Xiao Deng Zi to pull her out.

Xiao Yan Zi honestly didn't remember much after that, except cold. When she finally came to, it was to a tired-looking but immensely relieved Zi Wei, and Yong Qi, who threw himself onto her in such a frantic hug that all her servants and Zi Wei had to pry him from her lest he suffocated her. Zi Wei told her later that after they pulled her out of the cold water and rushed her back to Cheng Qian Gong, she was so cold that she passed out, which made everyone panic even more. She was unconscious for days after that. Apparently, at one point, the physicians couldn't be sure she would live, which explained Yong Qi's reaction to her becoming conscious again.

Though Mian Yi had suffered from the cold too, it hadn't been nearly as badly as what Xiao Yan Zi went through, and he recovered quickly. She, on the other hand, was bedridden for nearly half a month after the incident.

To say that Zhi Hua was grateful and shamed would probably be an understatement.

"The child is Huang Shang's, even if I could care nothing for him, and cared nothing for Chen Zhi Hua, I wasn't about to just do nothing and let him die. What else was I supposed to do? I didn't think about it like that, I just couldn't – "

"I know," Huang Hou said gently. "And it is this kindness that is the main reason everyone who knows you loves you so much, especially Huang Shang. Even if you would not take credit for it, Wen Fei could not fail to be grateful, and you should be glad that she has conscience enough to feel that. Surely you can't be unhappy that she has been less confrontational to you ever since."

"Yes, less confrontational, but I didn't think it would lead to this!"

"Is it a bad thing?"

"Well, no," she said hesitantly. "But we've never – I mean, I don't know how to deal with Zhi Hua when she's like this. She's never been…nice to me, ever."

"Be glad that she is," Huang Hou said. "Now that he can decide the power dynamics for himself, Huang Shang would never let her lord over you, either in spirit or in position, but if you ask me, the more peaceful existence between the two of you this last year has been a lot less stress to me compared to before, when I feel like every time the two of you are together, I'm bracing to mediate an argument."

"I am sorry if it was that uncomfortable for you," Xiao Yan Zi said.

"For me, being in between you, it was never as uncomfortable, I am sure, as it was for Huang Shang, " Huang Hou said with a reassuring smile, "but I suppose that is a different matter altogether. Now, I think you should just take her offers of good will in the spirit that it is given."

Xiao Yan Zi had just arrived back at Cheng Qian Gong when the arrival of Wen Fei was announced from the eunuchs outside. She wasn't sure whether she should be on her guards, when it was clear that Wen Fei must have made careful calculations in order to predict when she was likely to leave Yi Kun Gong and be back in her own palace.

"Jiejie jixiang," Wen Fei greeted her.

For a moment, Xiao Yan Zi looked at her. Before, Zhi Hua had always played the part of lower rank, always deferring to Xiao Yan Zi and calling her Jiejie but Xiao Yan Zi knew, for a long time, it had all been a show. In the past year, however, it seemed that the show had somehow ceased, and her deferral was a sincere gesture. If even Zhi Hua had ceased to be churlish in their relationship, Xiao Yan Zi wished to be civil, as well, but it always felt like she was waiting for the second shoe to drop.

Belatedly, she realised that she was simply staring at Zhi Hua and not giving her any indication to rise, which Zhi Hua did not do without her leave. (That was different from before, too.) Only a slight nudge from Ming Yue reminded her to clear her throat and said, "Meimei, please rise. There is no need to observe so much ceremony."

The truth was, Xiao Yan Zi no longer remembered when she herself started calling Zhi Hua Meimei either. Before, it was Zhi Hua, then Wen Fei.

"I hope I am not disturbing Jiejie," Zhi Hua said as Xiao Yan Zi invited her to sit down.

"No, not at all."

The effortful politeness was, truthfully, very wearying, but Zhi Hua was just trying so hard that Xiao Yan Zi could not bring herself to do any different.

"I just wanted to tell Jiejie, to make sure Jiejie knows, that everything I said today at Yi Kun Gong was sincere. I didn't want Jiejie to think that it was all lip-service."

Xiao Yan Zi sighed. It was because she was sure Zhi Hua was sincere that made the entire concept that much harder to grasp.

"I know," she answered. "Believe it or not, I could tell the depth of your sincerity before, too."

Too late, she wondered whether that comment was too frank. Zhi Hua only looked shamed, however.

"Jiejie has every right to censure my behaviour before. But I have had to do a lot of self-reflection ever since Jiejie saved Er Ah Ge's life and even more when Shen Changzai recently lost her child. I am ashamed to admit that I have never treated Jiejie right. You must know by now that all those years ago, when I first overheard the story of your family's past, all that happened after were my suggestions made to Lao Fo Ye."

Xiao Yan Zi pursed her lips and remained silent. She would much rather not revisit this part of their lives and relationship, or the reasons that led to them sitting here together at all.

Zhi Hua actually rose and knelt down in front of her. If anything, the gesture made the room seemed suddenly claustrophobic and Xiao Yan Zi flustered. She tried to get Zhi Hua to stand up, but she refused.

"I know… I know I bring Jiejie pain to speak of it, and perhaps it is much too late, but I feel I have done you such great wrong that I don't dare hope to be able to beg for your forgiveness. It was, after all, I who suggested to Lao Fo Ye to sedate you all to lock you up and find out more details, causing you to miscarry then. Marrying Huang Shang then in exchange for your brother's life was also my idea. I realise now that I have always tried to steal from Jiejie, always tried to bully Jiejie, rejoiced when Jiejie lost Da Ah Ge – "

"All right, you don't have to continue listing what you perceive as your crimes anymore," Xiao Yan Zi said, probably more sharply than Zhi Hua's humble tone deserved. In her own defense, she was using all her strength to concentrate on pushing firmly aside the pain at the mention of her eldest son. "Besides, if you think that, in all those years, I was stoically thinking charitable thoughts of you, waiting for you to treat me with kindness, then you would be incredibly wrong. Neither of us got off on the right foot with each other. Let's just leave the past be, shall we? Will you please stand up now?"

"Zhi Hua will not stand until everything has been said. I have never treated Jiejie well, but if it was not for Jiejie, my son would not be here today. Everything I have now is due to Jiejie's goodness. I don't know what would have happened that day if you have not helped save Er Ah Ge out of that lake; if he had been in there longer, perhaps he would not have lived. I know you didn't put your own life in danger then out of consideration for me. I know that Jiejie's love for Huang Shang that allowed you to do all this, and I have always been jealous of that love, but I cannot any longer. I can only be grateful. In my entire remaining life, I will never be able to repay Jiejie this debt. I just want Jiejie to know that you do not have to worry about me anymore. I will not be trying to fight for what is not mine any longer. I hope Jiejie really believes me."

"I believe you, now please stand up. It would not do for people to see this scene."

To Xiao Yan Zi's relief, Zhi Hua did finally stand up. The sorrowful look she gave Xiao Yan Zi now was making her distinctly uncomfortable. Then again, most encounters with Zhi Hua these days made her uncomfortable.

There was one truth: she and Zhi Hua would never be friends. They could never be as warm with each other like Xiao Yan Zi could be with Huang Hou, let alone anything close to what Xiao Yan Zi had with Zi Wei. But these months past had shown that they could live peacefully with each other. Zhi Hua must accept by now that Yong Qi's heart was not a prize she could take or win. Xiao Yan Zi was glad that Zhi Hua had become so mellow, especially when she was still, basically, in the same rank as Xiao Yan Zi. In some way, Zhi Hua's position was even slightly higher still, as long as her son remained Huang Shang's eldest living son. Xiao Yan Zi thought that as long as Zhi Hua's position was secure, as long as Er Ah Ge lived, she no longer had much reason to get into a power struggle with Xiao Yan Zi, especially when it would be clear now to Zhi Hua that Huang Shang could now freely put Xiao Yan Zi in a status that was high enough to protect her. There could be peace between them, she supposed, while the princes were young enough for the throne to be a non-issue (and then that was another issue altogether that she would much rather not think about).

"I should thank you for your support today with Xiang Guiren," Xiao Yan Zi said slowly.

"Xiang Guiren is…" Zhi Hua trailed off. It was clear that Zhi Hua, who usually so excelled at hiding her feelings, especially when they were feelings of resentment and jealousy, found Xiang Guiren impossible to understand. "Who does she think she is?"

"Yes, well, it is of little importance to me," Xiao Yan Zi said dismissively. "I hope you will not be too uncomfortable with her impertinence, as it would be sure to continue in the future."

Zhi Hua sighed. "Huang Shang would hardly tolerate her insolence to you," she said. The way she said this was entirely matter-of-fact, and there was no longer the trace of jealousy that Xiao Yan Zi had been so used to hearing. "And she will have to learn, as I have done, that snubbing Jiejie will be the least wise course of action she could take to get Huang Shang's attention."

Xiao Yan Zi smiled wryly. She didn't think a comparison between Zhi Hua and Xiang Guiren was apt at all. How ever much they disliked each other before, Xiao Yan Zi could never deny that Zhi Hua was always clever and subtle and knew how to hide her fox's tail, as unflattering a description as that was. She would never foolishly wear her heart on her sleeves as Xiang Guiren was doing now.

"I hope you would not say anything to Huang Shang," Xiao Yan Zi said earnestly. "As unlikely as it is, I do understand that what her father does is important, and that she is important to keeping her father happy."

"So you would push Huang Shang into her arms when she already insults you?" Zhi Hua asked.

Xiao Yan Zi laughed. "I think that turn of phrase is a bit overdramatic. I merely meant that I would not want to drive a wedge between her and Huang Shang so immediately. As I said to Huang Hou already, I would simply prefer for Huang Shang to learn that he does not like her on his own."

"And you are sure Huang Shang would not like her? She is very pretty."

Xiao Yan Zi gave her a sardonic look. If it was only as simple as that, their own relationship would never have been so complicated.

Zhi Hua smiled wryly. "Though I suppose this is Huang Shang we're talking about. Her looks won't matter."

"Not if he actually…well, spoke to her, then no, her looks won't matter," Xiao Yan Zi agreed.

"Poor girl," Zhi Hua said with a laugh. "She has no idea what she is getting into, crossing you."

Xiao Yan Zi thought, the fact that she ended up sharing this joke with Zhi Hua was probably the most bizarre thing to happen of this already very bizarre day.

Author's Notes: A reader once (a long, long time ago…) asked for a story where Yong Qi becomes Emperor. I've always hesitated writing this for reasons that basically sum up to: no one in their right mind would make Xiao Yan Zi empress (not even Yong Qi, not even with my fanfic Xiao Yan Zi who is arguably less of a brat than in HZGGII; Xiao Yan Zi would loath it; as popular as she can be, realistically the officials who are nosy old men would go up in arms against the idea for oh, so, so many reasons). So, I would have to have someone else as empress over Xiao Yan Zi, and it makes me uncomfortable to put Zhi Hua in that position.

But I have to admit I have thought about it. Too much. The general ideas might have been born as early as writing Unfogging the Past so some of this might sound familiar. If there are echoes to Legend of Zhen Huan then I can only say I've been rewatching it too many times.

Twisting of historical timelines is a must, since the real Qian Long lived so long. Miscarriages and infant mortality rates were sky high back then and I will include it as appropriate. Also, I want to write these characters as products of their time, so as much as HZGG would like to think that it is possible for Yong Qi to remain monogamous, it is not, not especially when you put him on the throne.

Palace hierarchy: At any given time, there could be: 1 Huang Hou, 1 Huang Gui Fei, 2 Gui Fei, 4 Fei, 6 Pin, as many as possible/desired Gui Ren – Chang Zai – Da Ying.

PS: I'm sorry if this story in any way ruins your idyllic vision of Yong Qi and Xiao Yan Zi.