Chapter 6 - A mother's letter
The next day, Qian Long visited Jing Yang Gong just as he had promised. Xiao Yan Zi hadn't been looking forward to seeing him, expecting to be chastised about behaving herself outside the palace. She wasn't wrong either.
"The Emperor is here," announced the guards as Qian Long stepped into the residence after court was adjourned for the day. Yong Qi came out to greet his father.
"Huang Ah Ma jixiang."
"Ahh, Yong Qi. How is Xiao Yan Zi today?"
"She's much better, though she still has a headache. She's well enough to lament the rest that the physician prescribed already."
Qian Long chuckled, shaking his head at the memory of Xiao Yan Zi's numerous attempts to get out of bed rest whenever she was unwell.
"Let me see her then."
Yong Qi led Qian Long into the bedroom where Xiao Yan Zi was laying on the bed, her eyes closed, a cooling towel resting over her bruised forehead. Qian Long had just crouched over to shake her when she suddenly threw out a fist, only narrowly missing him.
"Who's there?" she demanded, opening her eyes and whipping the towel off from her head.
"What were you trying to do? Take your Huang Ah Ma's life again?" he scolded, gulping down the breath that had caught in his throat at the surprise attack.
"Huang… Huang Ah Ma? It's you?" stammered Xiao Yan Zi when she saw him.
Yong Qi quickly rushed over to help her.
"Huang Ah Ma, please don't blame her. She doesn't cope well at being surprised when she's napping."
"Not being surprised involves attacking the nearest person?"
"Huang Ah Ma, I thought you were an assassin. I must have dozed off..." said Xiao Yan Zi.
"You're even fighting in your dreams? When are you going to stop being so troublesome? You're a girl you know?"
Xiao Yan Zi pouted remorsefully at him.
"Now, what is this I hear about you fighting again?"
"Oh that… that's nothing."
"What do you mean by nothing? Look at that bruise on your head. What should I do with you? Perhaps I should never let you out of the palace again."
Xiao Yan Zi's eyes grew wide at the threat.
"You can't do that Huang Ah Ma, I'll die!"
"'Die' again? How many times do I have to tell you not say 'die'? Why would you die? The palace isn't that horrid a place is it?"
"But… but… I'm a Xiao Yan Zi (little swallow)! You can't lock me up. I promise I won't get into a fight again when I'm out. Well… unless I have to of course."
"What do you mean 'unless you have to'?"
"Well, if I see something that's not right, I can't be expected to just stand there like a wooden person now."
"Yes, I expect you to stay out of it."
"But that's just jian si bu jiu (refusing to save someone in need)!"
"Beijing City has law enforcers to do that."
"But they never do anything. Huang Ah Ma!"
Qian Long smiled, shaking his head in resignation.
"Alright, I won't take away your going out privileges on one condition."
"What is it?"
"You have to tell me why you got into a fight in the first place."
"Well…" answered Xiao Yan Zi, biting her bottom lip in contemplation. "It was with a girl, when she tried to steal from the shopkeeper."
"Trying to steal was she?" asked Qian Long, raising his brow sceptically. Xiao Yan Zi gulped.
"Kind of. Well, you see, I saw this really nice sword I wanted, but the girl wanted it too, so we-"
"You got into a fight over a sword?" shouted Qian Long. Seeing his reaction, Xiao Yan Zi pulled up her covers to bury her head under.
"It's a very nice sword," she defended sheepishly.
Qian Long took a deep breath to calm himself.
"Huang Ah Ma, here is the sword," Yong Qi spoke up, showing it to Qian Long. "She wanted to purchase it as a gift for you."
Qian Long took the sword from Yong Qi, admiring the engravings on the sheath. Sliding the blade out, he nodded, impressed with the smoothness of the action.
"See, I told you it was a nice sword," Xiao Yan Zi mumbled from under the covers.
"Don't think you're forgiven just because it's a nice sword, but, seeing that you did have good intentions, I won't ban you from going out."
"Huang Ah Ma wansui!" cried Xiao Yan Zi, happily popping out from her hiding place.
"But," continued Qian Long, "for punishment I want you to write me a thousand character piece on why you will no longer get into fights when you're by yourself."
"But…"
"But what?"
"But Huang Ah Ma, you see, the physician prescribed a lot of rest, and my head already hurts."
"Oh? Is that so? Well, if you're not feeling well, we better have the physician to come and treat you again. Quick, send for Physician Hu-"
"No, no, that won't be necessary," Xiao Yan Zi quickly cut in, shuddering at the thought of the imperial physician prescribing more disgusting concoctions for her to drink, or even worse, if he decided it necessary to carry out his acupuncture treatment on her.
"But you're not feeling well. We can't be too callous when it comes to health," Qian Long told her, trying his best to hide the teasing smile on his face.
"I think I feel better now," she answered him sheepishly.
"Alright then. In that case, you shouldn't have any trouble writing your essay."
"Yes, Huang Ah Ma," said Xiao Yan Zi, sighing deeply.
"Good. Now, I do need to visit Lao Fo Ye, so I should be on my way. I will be checking your composition in two days time, so you better get started."
"I'm dead," whispered Xiao Yan Zi under her breath.
"What was that?"
"Nothing. Xiao Yan Zi sees Huang Ah Ma off," replied Xiao Yan Zi gloomily.
"Yong Qi sees Huang Ah Ma off too," said Yong Qi.
"Yong Qi!" whined Xiao Yan Zi as soon as the Emperor had left.
"Alright, don't worry, if you get stuck I'll help you through it," he quickly reassured her, sitting down beside her to pull her into his arms.
"That's what you always say," she complained, sulking as she leaned into his embrace. "But Huang Ah Ma knows when you've written it instead of me and I get in trouble anyway."
Yong Qi smiled, cuddling her closer.
"How's your head?" he asked, picking up the cool towel and placing it back over her bruise.
"It's okay," she answered. She suddenly turned her head, her eyes lighting up.
"Oh yes, I was just thinking about the riddle before, and I think I remember it. You didn't tell me it was a poem!"
Yong Qi's heart skipped a beat. Sister Jing Hui had it correct then, Xiao Yan Zi really was the owner of the mysterious box?
"What is the poem?" he asked.
"Now that I think of it, it's a very strange poem," she began, dramatically clearing her throat.
"Birds don't eat grass, snails don't fly, bears eat people,
Butterflies are pretty, flowers can dance, clouds are white,
One, five, two, three, seven, six, four, eight,
Red is nice, yellow is big, green is small,
Cakes and dumplings, duck and grapes."
"And then it matches the words here," she finished, beaming proudly and showing him the matches on the sheet of paper.
The next day, while Xiao Yan Zi was stuck inside writing, Yong Qi went to Hui Bing Lou to find Xiao Jian.
"She knows the poem to open the box, she recited it to me yesterday."
Xiao Jian almost dropped the flute he was holding.
"Are you sure? It's a poem?"
"Well, we'll have to try it out on the lock to be sure, but she recited a poem to me that has all the characters to match it."
Xiao Jian took the box out from his drawer again, handing it over to Yong Qi. Both men stared at it for a moment in anticipation.
"Here goes," Yong Qi whispered under his breath, turning the wheels to match the characters as Xiao Yan Zi had told him, his nervousness building with each click.
Beads of sweat appeared on Yong Qi's forehead by the time he got to the last wheel. With trembling hands, he slowly twisted it in place. Holding his breath, he pulled on one end of the box, gasping when it opened, an inner tube sliding out neatly like a drawer.
"Wait," said Xiao Jian. "Shouldn't we let Xiao Yan Zi open it? It was meant for her after all."
"I know, but I'm worried about what's actually in it. I mean, what if it's something unbearable?"
Xiao Jian nodded, understanding.
"You're right. If it is unbearable, we need to protect her. Even so, she will need to know some time, if not of her actual background, of the fact that she isn't Fang Ci."
Yong Qi sighed.
"We can think about what we'll do when the time comes. Right now, let us find out if it is good news or bad news."
Yong Qi slid the box open againn, glancing at Xiao Jian as he pulled out a folded letter tucked inside. The letter was addressed "To my daughter, Xiao Yan Zi".
Taking another breath to calm his nerves, he carefully opened the letter.
Xiao Yan Zi,
No matter how many words I use, I will not be able to express my sorrow in having to let you go, but I must, and I hope that when you read this letter, you will understand. Do not ever think that you are unwanted because that is far from the truth. You have many people who love and adore you, and giving you up will break all of their hearts, but most of all mine. However this is the only way to protect you.
Your true name is He Zhen, Aisin Gioro He Zhen. Your official title is Xin Yan Ge Ge, born in the year of ren xu, on the 28th day of December.
Yong Qi stopped reading in shock.
"He Zhen? Xiao Yan Zi is Zhen'r?"
"You knew her? She was a princess?" questioned Xiao Jian.
"She… she was my sister," Yong Qi gasped.
As much as I would like to keep your introduction at that, the heavens have not granted us such benevolence. My daughter, do not for a moment think that you are to blame for what life has dealt us, because if anyone is completely innocent of blame in the matter, it is you. No, as much as we all play our part in the circumstances, the fault lies mostly with your father.
To everyone else, your father is none other than Qian Long, our current Emperor. Taking you away from him pains my heart as much as losing you does. He loves you very much, more than I ever imagined possible. Your father by blood, however, is a man by the name of Zhang Li Ming. Painful memories flood my mind even as I write this name down, but watching you sleeping so peacefully beside me forces me to acknowledge that despite all, he did give you to me. I don't know if he even realises that you are his daughter, but I am certain that he is your father.
Your conception is an incident I would very much like to forget, and to be truthful, the details are blurry. I was accompanying the Emperor on a short incognito trip at the time. On that day, the Emperor and other advisers had left our residence for some business when Magistrate Zhang came to me. He had claimed he was unwell that morning, and had stayed behind. He served me some strange tea, and that is all I remember. Next thing I knew, I was lying in my own bed, my head fuzzy, my heart empty. Magistrate Zhang told everyone I had an unexpected reaction to the tea, and he had helped me to bed, but I knew my body enough to know more than that had happened, though I was terrified to speak out.
Nine months later, I gave birth to you at a temple in the Tibetan regions. Within those months, I had requested to leave the palace and go on a pilgrimage, the excuse being to devote myself to prayer for the devastating drought sweeping through the southern regions at the time. In truth, I wanted to withdraw myself from the palace for fear that anyone would find out what had happened. The only one who knew my secret was Hua Lan, my trusted maid and closest friend.
I must admit to you my child, I despised you when I laid eyes upon you for the first time. Throughout my pregnancy, I had always clung to the hope that your father was the Emperor, that whatever had happened with Magistrate Zhang could disappear and never be spoken of again. I knew though, as soon as I saw your face, and the resemblance you have to him, it was not to be. I didn't want to see you, and I ordered them to take you away. It was a few days later before Hua Lan finally convinced me to hold you. I still recall the moment, as I felt your weight in my arms, refusing to look at you for fear of being reminded of him. Thankfully, I eventually did, staring into your big bright eyes that were piercing through mine as though you recognised me, the way you calmed down immediately, your small smile that greeted me. You were my daughter, and in that moment that was all that mattered to the both of us.
The palace decreed your title as Xin Yan Ge Ge (Princess of "new continuation"), instead of your lineage as fourth princess, under the advice of the royal priest to have you as an offering to the heavens for relief from the drought that had worsened. The palace was reluctant to comply. However, with famine beginning to threaten our army, our country was desperate. Perhaps you did save us, as heavy rains began to fall in the affected regions soon after, nourishing the lands. To me, I felt it fitting as mercy to the Emperor, that you were not recognised as his lineage by title. Not that the fact ever lessened the Emperor's or my own love for you in any way.
Aside from a short trip back to the palace while you were still an infant, you spent most of your first three years with me at the Tibetan temple. Later, when your younger brother, Yong Cong, was born, it became the three of us. Even though I was Empress of China, and the two of you were officially titled heirs, we were in our own world where I was free to love and cherish you both without restraint.
My pilgrimage ended a few months after your third birthday, due to the unexpected passing of your younger brother. In grief, we were summoned back to the palace for him to have a proper burial. I didn't know what to expect upon our return, but I had made the decision to withdraw myself as best I could from His Majesty's attentions for your sake, resolving to live the rest of my life in relative peace from the politics of the palace. Never in my wildest dreams would I have guessed that you would be the one to draw the Emperor back into our lives, for since the very first day he met you on our return, rarely has a night passed without him coming to visit. Through his love for you, I found our love rekindling. Maybe this was heaven's mercy, and you were sent to heal my wounds.
Now, I must let you go. The truth is in danger of being revealed, and I fear for your safety. Whether the palace is able to accept a child born out of such a violation is a question I cannot risk finding out the answer to. Whether the Emperor will be able to accept that you are not of his blood is also a question I fear with all my heart.
I hope that by the time you read this, my daughter, you have found happiness in your life. I wish for you to understand that you were not abandoned, that it is with great despair I am parting with you. I am placing you in Hua Lan's care, she will be taking you to Nanjing. I know that she will take good care of you always and provide you with the love that I owe you. I have also given you the name Xiao Yan Zi to hide your true identity. You have always reminded me of a little swallow, free and joyful.
Remember my dear Xiao Yan Zi, you will always be in my heart.
With love,
Huang Er Niang (royal mother)
"Xin Yan Ge Ge is Xiao Yan Zi? And she isn't Huang Ah Ma's child?" whispered Yong Qi as soon as he finished reading the letter.
"The Empress was violated? How can that be?" asked Xiao Jian.
"Magistrate Zhang was a well trusted official. Even today he is a part of my father's court."
"You know him? You know Xiao Yan Zi's father?"
"It's hard to believe, but now that I think about it, she does resemble him. I still can't believe Xiao Yan Zi is Zhen'r though."
"Yong Qi, what is this I hear of you running away during your archery lesson?" Qian Long questioned his five year old son when he saw him in the imperial gardens.
"Huang Ah Ma, I…"
Yong Qi didn't know what to say. How could he explain to his father how bad he felt after he saw Yong Zhang shoot the deer on their last hunting trip.
"Don't you wish you to improve your skills to beat your brothers on our next trip?"
"I…"
"Huang Ah Ma! Huang Ah Ma!" an excited voice suddenly sounded out, interrupting him. Yong Qi looked over and saw a young girl with big bright eyes, dressed in princess attire running towards them. He didn't recognise her, and immediately guessed that she was the new princess who had arrived back with the Empress recently. The girl raced up to them and stood before the Emperor raising her arms up to him in a bid to be carried. To Yong Qi's surprise, his father smiled and scooped her up into his arms.
"Who's this, Huang Ah Ma?" asked the small girl, turning to look down at Yong Qi.
"This is Wu Ah Ge (fifth prince), Yong Qi, your brother," answered Qian Long.
The young girl struggled to get down again and Qian Long allowed her to the ground.
"Nice to meet you, Wu Ah Ge! I am He Zhen," she said brightly, beaming at him.
Ignoring her, Yong Qi glanced up fearfully at his father.
"I… I don't want to kill animals," he blurted out.
He Zhen looked at him in surprise.
"Neither do I. Why do you think I kill animals? Do you kill animals? You better not kill any swallow birds," she told him sternly.
"Zhen'r, Yong Qi wasn't talking about you," said Qian Long, chuckling at the princess, surprising Yong Qi who had been expecting a stern reprimand from his father.
"Do you kill animals then, Huang Ah Ma? You don't kill swallow birds do you? They're so cute, you can't shoot them!"
"How else do you think we get to eat meat?"
He Zhen's eyes widened in shock, and her lip began to tremble.
"But… but…" she countered, tears beginning to form at the edge of her large eyes.
Qian Long quickly picked her up into his arms again.
"Hush now," he comforted. "Do you know when animals are born they are destined to offer themselves to us. By eating them, we're helping them fulfil their destiny. That's just how life works."
He Zhen quickly wiped her tears away with her hands.
"Can we not eat any little swallow birds?"
"Okay, I promise, we won't eat any little swallow birds, they don't have much meat anyway. We'll only eat the big ones," Qian Long joked playfully, bouncing her in his arms when she pouted at him. She looked like she was about to retort when Master Fu Lun appeared before them, kneeling down to bow before the Emperor.
"Your Majesty, some urgent matters must be discussed, it concerns the Burmese border," he reported.
Qian Long frowned, pausing to affectionately tweak He Zhen's nose before placing her back down onto the ground.
"Where is your nanny, Zhen'r? Yong Qi, take her back to Kun Ning Gong for me," the Emperor ordered as he left with Fu Lun.
"But Huang Ah Ma, what about archery?" asked Yong Qi hesitantly, though his father continued to walk away. Suddenly he felt a small tug at his sleeve.
"Wu Ah Ge, have you been to my residence? Come on, I'll show you where it is," said He Zhen grabbing his hand and pulling him away.
"What should we tell her then?" asked Xiao Jian, interrupting Yong Qi's memories.
"I don't know. How can it be? Is she really Zhen'r?" said Yong Qi, shaking his head in disbelief.
"She must be, she knew how to open the box. This letter is addressed to her. How many girls named Xiao Yan Zi do you think there are? It all matches. The lady whom Sister Jing Hui said brought Xiao Yan Zi to her must've been the maid, Hua Lan, and they never made it to Nanjing."
"She said she died, right? After bringing Xiao Yan Zi to her?"
Xiao Jian nodded.
"Sister Jing Hui said she was badly injured, and that Xiao Yan Zi was deathly ill and they were starving. Yong Qi, do you remember anything else about this Xin Yan Ge Ge? Anything we could use to identify her?"
Yong Qi and He Zhen peeped into the storage room at the back of Consort Chun's residence.
"Come on, let's go," whispered Yong Qi, attempting to pull his sister away from the door.
"But I want to go inside and see," she retorted, her eyes shining in mischief. Yong Qi frowned, recognising that look on his sister's face that so often got them into trouble.
"We'll get caught and be in big trouble. You might have already forgotten the beating you got last time from Lao Fo Ye, but I sure remember how sore my hand was after writing a thousand lines for helping you."
He Zhen pouted at him, frowning as she rubbed her behind that had been the target of the Empress Dowager's punishment only last month.
"But this isn't Lao Fo Ye's palace. No one will know we're here," she argued. "Come on," she beckoned, pulling away from him and disappearing through the door.
All Yong Qi could do was utter a "that's what you always say", before following her in, the door closing behind them with a thud.
"Wow, look at all these things!" gasped He Zhen in awe. The room had various odds and ends, in particular many objects painted in red and gold, with the character 'Xi' that Yong Qi recognised meant happiness in marriages. Her eyes wide in excitement, He Zhen walked over to open one of the wooden crates, pulling out the bridal headdress from inside.
"These things are for marriages. That's what the bride wears," said Yong Qi, proud of the fact that he had seen these objects in use before. "I saw the bride wearing it when Eldest Prince got married."
"Why do people get married?"
"My Huang Er Niang says it's because people want to join together as a family," said Yong Qi, shrugging. "Then they become husband and wife."
He Zhen placed the huge headdress on her head, giggling as it wobbled dangerously.
"Look, Yong Qi ge ge (elder brother)," she exclaimed. "We can get married!"
Yong Qi couldn't help but laugh at the sight of his sister disappearing under the headdress.
"We can't get married silly, you're my sister."
"Why not? I am your family."
"My mother said that we can't marry our family."
"But you just said people got married to be family. I don't care, you're going to be my husband," she demanded stubbornly.
"Fine," said Yong Qi, shaking his head gently. "We can get married."
"So what do we have to do?" asked He Zhen.
"Well, you wear the headdress, and this red cloth over your face. And then, wait," he told her, rummaging through the crate. "Here it is. I'll wear this big ribbon, and you put on this robe," he continued, dressing up both himself and He Zhen in the oversized wedding frocks.
"Yong Qi ge ge, I can't see anything. How am I supposed to get married?" asked He Zhen, using her hands to lift the veil off her face.
"You can't do that. That's what I do later," he told her.
"Alright." She shrugged, obediently dropping the veil over her head again.
"Good. Now we have to kneel on the cushions," he instructed, pulling out two cushions to lay them onto the floor. "I'll lead you so you won't fall. Trust me, I'll be your husband soon," he continued cheekily. He Zhen tightly held onto his hand, allowing him to lead her over where one of the cushions were.
"Kneel here," he directed, pushing her down onto her knees.
"Now we bow three times."
"I still can't see anything!" complained He Zhen. "When are you going to lift the cloth?"
"After we bow, then the groom and bride go into a room and the groom lifts the veil."
"Okay then, hurry up!"
They both bowed three times to the wall.
"Okay, now we have to go into the bedroom."
"But we don't have a bedroom here?"
"We will have to do it here then."
"Are you going to lift the cloth so I can see?" complained He Zhen.
"You're not supposed to talk. I'm looking for the special stick to lift it up. Found it!"
Yong Qi picked up the stick and placed it under the veil.
"One, two-"
"Hurry up!"
"Fine."
He lifted the veil to reveal half of his sister's face. He Zhen quickly used her hands to push the rest of the heavy headdress up from her eyes.
"Are we married yet?" she asked.
"Yes, I think so."
"Yay, Yong Qi ge ge is my husband," she cheered, throwing the headdress off her head and letting it fall to the ground with a loud 'clang'. "What do people do after they're married?" she asked.
"After people are married, they have babies," answered Yong Qi.
"Oh, let's have babies! Then we can play with them. How do we have babies?"
They both scratched their heads in confusion.
"I know!" spoke up Yong Qi. "I saw Eldest Prince doing it to his new wife a lot when they got married last year, and they just had a baby."
"What did he do to his wife?"
Yong Qi bit his lip, his cheeks growing red.
"Close your eyes first, you'll find out."
"Does it hurt? I don't want to have babies if it hurts."
"It doesn't hurt, just close your eyes!"
"Okay, but you better not bully me while my eyes are closed."
"I won't," reassured Yong Qi. "Since when have I ever bullied you anyway?"
He Zhen shrugged, but obediently closed her eyes. Yong Qi smiled, before leaning over to give her a small kiss on her lips. He Zhen's eyes flew open as soon as she felt him.
"Eww! Yong Qi ge ge, you got your spit on me!" she complained, spluttering.
Now it was Yong Qi's turn to shrug.
"But that's what they did, for a lot longer too," he told her earnestly. "Do you want to have a baby to play with or not?"
"Well, where's the baby?" she asked after a pause.
"Not yet. Your stomach has to get big first. Eldest Prince's wife got a really big tummy before their baby was born."
"But… I don't want a big tummy!"
"You have to, how else do we have a baby?"
"Then you can have the baby."
"Boys don't have babies!"
"Well, they do now!" He Zhen declared. "I'll kiss you back and give the baby back to you!"
"You'll have to catch me first," said Yong Qi, backing away from He Zhen.
"I'll get you!" she shouted, chasing after him.
Soon the both of them were shrieking and giggling as they chased each other around and around the room in their oversized bridal wear. Suddenly a green and silver gown halted Yong Qi in his path, causing He Zhen to bump into him from behind. The two of them toppled to the ground, looking up to see Consort Chun and Nanny Wang glaring at them.
"Yong Qi greets Consort Chun," said Yong Qi, immediately getting up onto his knees. He could feel He Zhen hiding her face behind him.
Consort Chun ran her eyes coldly over the two children.
"What are you two doing in here?" she asked them, glancing around at the mess before her.
Mistaking the question for a friendly gesture, He Zhen immediately stepped out from behind Yong Qi.
"Me and Yong Qi ge ge are married. We're going to have a baby. Well, Yong Qi ge ge is anyway," she exclaimed. Yong Qi was still on his knees, and knew enough to keep silent.
"Nonsense!" said Consort Chun sharply, causing He Zhen to hide behind Yong Qi again. "How dare the two of you commit such unthinkable acts? Yong Qi, I expect you to know better than that. Nanny Wang, take Wu Ah Ge to the devotion room."
"Yes, Your Highness," replied Nanny Wang, taking Yong Qi's arm to drag him out. Yong Qi kicked and fussed with all his might while He Zhen tried her best to pull him back with her little hands.
"Help! I don't want to go there, it's dark and smelly!" cried Yong Qi as loud as he could, hoping that maybe someone would hear him.
"No, don't take Yong Qi ge ge away, we didn't do anything wrong," cried He Zhen, struggling.
Consort Chun saw that He Zhen was only pulling on the tail of Yong Qi's oversized gown, and immediately grabbed a pair of scissors nearby. With a snip, she used the sharp blade to pierce through the fabric, detaching He Zhen and making her fall backwards, her head banging hard onto the corner of a table. Everything was silent for a moment, before He Zhen released a loud wail, her hand reaching behind to hold the back of her head.
"He Zhen," cried Yong Qi running to her side. Nanny Wang had released him by now, knowing that Consort Chun hadn't really intended to put Yong Qi in the devotion room to begin with.
"Zhen'r, are you alright?" asked Yong Qi, trying his best to comfort his sobbing sister. He felt sick at the redness gushing out of her wound.
"Yong Qi ge ge, it… it hurts," cried He Zhen, choking over her words.
"How dare you, I'm going to get Huang Ah Ma," said Yong Qi, turning to Consort Chun.
"What disrespect from a child. Does Consort Yu not teach you any manners?" said Consort Chun.
"You hurt Zhen'r!"
"Why, I didn't lay a finger on her, she fell herself. Nanny Wang, did you see me so much as lay a hand on Xin Yan Ge Ge?"
"No, Your Highness. You did not lay a finger on Her Highness. Her Highness accidentally fell over herself."
"But-" started Yong Qi, but was interrupted by the sound of the guards announcing the Emperor's arrival.
"The Emperor is here."
Qian Long soon appeared, his expression stern, pausing for a moment before rushing over to pick up the crying He Zhen into his arms.
"What has happened?" he asked, taking out his handkerchief and pressing it down onto her wound. "Shhh," he reassured when she wailed louder at the renewed pain.
"Your Majesty, why have we been granted the pleasure of your presence?" greeted Consort Chun at once, bowing down to greet him.
"One of Yong Qi's servants came to Consort Yu's residence just as I was visiting. He said that Yong Qi was in trouble," answered Qian Long, frowning as he inspected the scene before him, his two children dressed in oversized wedding frocks, objects misplaced all around the room.
"Yong Qi, what is this?" he said to his son sternly, making Yong Qi kneel before his father.
"Huang Ah Ma, I'm sorry, our ball rolled in here, and we were just planning to get it back. Then we came past this room, and Zhen'r wanted to explore. Though don't blame her, she's only little, and doesn't know any better. Yong Qi should've been responsible enough to stop her."
Qian Long took a deep breath at his son's confession.
"Yong Qi, I expected better from you. You're not little anymore, and you should've known that sneaking into Consort Chun's residence was wrong."
At his father's admonishment, Yong Qi bit his lip tightly to hold back his tears.
"Huang Ah Ma, don't be mad at Yong Qi ge ge. I was the one who made him come in here," spoke up He Zhen, sniffling as she lifted her head from the Emperor's shoulder.
"Oh? Should I punish you for being naughty then?" asked Qian Long, sighing when she answered him with a heartbreaking pout. She sniffled again, burying her face into his shoulder once more.
"That still doesn't explain what happened to He Zhen," he said, frowning at the blood that had seeped through his handkerchief.
"Consort Chun wanted to take me to the devotion room, and when He Zhen was trying to help me, Consort Chun made her fall over and she hit her head on the corner of the table," said Yong Qi.
"Consort Chun, is that what happened? You purposely harmed the child?"
"Your Majesty, that is not true. You may ask Nanny Wang, I didn't even touch Xin Yan Ge Ge, she fell by herself."
"But she cut the end of my gown that He Zhen was holding onto, making it rip so she would fall," accused Yong Qi.
"Your Majesty, how can you allow me to be insulted like that by a child? I was only fulfilling my duty. I love these children as my own, and it pained me to discipline them. But as the saying goes, spare the rod, ruin the child. I was teaching Yong Qi a lesson. It was unfortunate that an accident happened to He Zhen."
"Hush Yong Qi. Do not interrupt while adults are speaking," Qian Long scolded his son, before turning to face Consort Chun sternly. "Consort Chun, as imperial consort, you not only have the duty to discipline the children, but more importantly, to take care of the children and keep them from harm. I am willing to let you go with a warning this time, but I better not see any harm come to either He Zhen or Yong Qi because of you again. Is that clear?"
Consort Chun bowed her head.
"Yes, Your Majesty, I apologise," she answered, casting an envious glare at He Zhen in the Emperor's arms.
"Huang Ah Ma, my head hurts. I want my Huang Er Niang," He Zhen whimpered, lifting her head from Qian Long's shoulder. Qian Long's heart melted at the sight of his daughter's tear stained cheeks, the wet tears dressing her long eyelashes.
"Yes, let's go back to your Huang Er Niang" he told her, unbuttoning the bridal gown from her to let it fall to the floor.
"Come on, Yong Qi," he beckoned to his son, holding out his hand for him. Seeing his father's gesture, Yong Qi quickly unbuttoned his own gown, and ran to take Qian Long's hand, walking out with him into the courtyard.
"Huang Ah Ma, me and Yong Qi ge ge got married. Yong Qi is going to have a baby so we can play with it," He Zhen told the Emperor.
"Oh, is that so? You'll have to listen to everything Yong Qi says then. A wife shouldn't disobey her husband," Qian Long mocked her, laughing at his children's innocence.
"Her head! She hurt the back of her head once. It was quite bad, the physician had to stitch it up," said Yong Qi, biting his lip as he remembered hearing his sister's heart wrenching sobs from the bedroom as he waited in the hall, and knowing that it had partially been his fault.
"The scar should still be there."