Chapter 428: Han Yunxi finally stumbles (2/2)
Letting down your hair in public was a serious offense for a woman. It was equivalent to stripping one’s clothes, an absolute taboo outside out the bedchambers! If news of this spread, everyone would laugh at her for the fact. Even His Highness Duke of Qin’s reputation would be smeared. Coldness flashed through Han Yunxi’s eyes, while Chu Qingge suddenly grew energized in turn. She really had to thank the old dowager for making such a brilliant move!
“Chenqie accepts the empress dowager’s decree!” Chu Qingge purposely made a grand bow, elevating the empress dowager’s words to that of a supreme command. Han Yunxi was very clear that the dowager’s instructions wasn’t a suggestion but an order. If the empress dowager said such things, she had no way to refuse her.
Although the Duke of Qin held immense power, enough to make Emperor Tianhui yield three steps to him, the relationship between sovereigns and their subjects were immutable. They had yet to take off the masks of their roles, so they had to follow imperial will. Sometimes they’d win their battles, and sometimes a loss was unavoidable. Han Yunxi knew that today’s trial would be very difficult to avoid.
She had never liked wearing too much jewelry, thinking it a nuisance. Aside from the ornament on her head, she only had the white jade crystal bracelet hidden in her sleeves. That was the first gift that Long Feiye had ever given her. Even if it wasn’t so valuable, she still wouldn’t part with it to give to another woman!
What to do?
She could hardly tear off a corner of her sleeves to make a makeshift hairtie in a place like this. Nor was it appropriate to borrow a hairpin from her servant girl, Su Xiaoyu. Although neither of these things was a big deal to her, these imperial harem women would definitely spread gossip about it if she did them. When the world’s people heard about Qin Wangfei being left in such a pathetic state after exchanging jewelry with Noble Consort Chu, she’d lose enough face to last ‘til modern times. Who knows how far Long Feiye’s prestige would fall with it?
By now, Chu Qingge had already taken off one of her bracelets. She presented it to Han Yunxi with both hands and said, “Qin Wangfei, this is a purple gold 1 bracelet handmade by the famous Jiangnan craftsman Yan Ruyu2. It’s also my favorite bracelet, but I’m giving it to you. I do hope you won’t mind our old grudges and instruct me in the future.”
Because Chu Qingge was in a good mood, her words had even turned modest and self-effacing. Han Yunxi stared at the bracelet for a long time without accepting the gift. By now, everyone else was staring at the bracelet too, waiting for her to make a move.
Soon enough, Mu Liuyue said coldly, “Imperial Qin Aunt, you’re really putting on airs in front of Imperial Grandmother. What, are you bullying Noble Consort Chu because she’s new to the palace?”
Here was the dangers of battles in the imperial harem. One second, Han Yunxi was on top; by the next, she was the one struggling. There were only two paths before her now: either accept the gift and return it with one of her own, or be accused of bullying and humiliating Noble Consort Chu and get punished by the empress dowager instead. Han Yunxi knew that the second option was infinitely worse!
She resolutely accepted Chu Qingge’s bracelet with a smile. “It’s very beautiful, thank you, Noble Consort Chu.”
The silence around her was almost frightening now. It seemed hard to even breathe, because now it was Han Yunxi’s turn to return a gift. Everyone was waiting anxiously for the results. Behind Han Yunxi, even Su Xiaoyu subconsciously felt nervous for her mistress’s sake. For a high and mighty Qin Wangfei to lack even a single jewelry to spare as a gift and be forced to let down her hair in public like this was truly shameful.
“Imperial Qin Aunt, what do you plan on giving Noble Consort Chu? Hurry and let us see!” Mu Liuyue smiled happily. This was the first time she’d called Han Yunxi by her title so willingly.
“That’s right, Qin Wangfei, everyone’s waiting! We know you have something good, so don’t keep us in suspense,” Noble Consort Xue was smiling too. Chu Qingge was anticipating the moment, her cold face cracking into a rare grin. This was the first time she’d felt so glad in the past six months.
Han Yunxi, I, Chu Qingge, want you to taste the flavor of humiliation today!
Han Yunxi’s eyes were gloomy. She deeply regretted the fact that she hadn’t decked herself in jewelry. She’d already sailed past countless tempests and waves, only to trip over a little mishap like this? Soon enough, a few more idle concubines gathered to see the show. Han Yunxi was very clear that there was no getting out of this now. She looked towards Su Xiaoyu. Although borrowing a hairpin from a servant girl could only lower the status of her title, it was the best choice in this situation. Compared to ripping her own sleeves to make a hair tie, it’d be less shameful to ask Su Xiaoyu, right?
As soon as Han Yunxi turned around, Empress Dowager Li, Noble Consort Xue, Chu Qingge and Mu Liuyue all began to grow excited. Finally. We can finally make Han Yunxi stumble this time! However, none of them expected an announcement right before Han Yunxi asked for the hairpin.
“His Highness Duke of Qin arrives!”
1. purple gold (紫金) – zijin, another name for copper. Pure copper appears purplish in appearance, so in Chinese it’s call ‘purple-gold.’ More information on the origins of the name can be found here.
2. Yan Ruyu (颜如玉) – nice pun here, the name literally means “jade-like face.”