“Wake up.” A gentle hand lightly patted my cheek.
I opened my eyes groogly to find that the carriage had already come to a halt. Sitting across from me, Wuxiu remained perfectly composed, her hair without a single strand out of place. Beside her, Lady Zhang was meticulously inspecting her daughter’s makeup.
My little mother hauled me upright and began fussing over my hair with frantic hands. Lady Zhang also leaned over to help straighten my skirt. There was no helping it; we had to wake up far too early. With my current level of physical activity, I naturally required more sleep than most.
With my hair held hostage in their hands, I could only look askance at Wuxiu. “Are we at the palace?”
Wuxiu nodded with dignified grace.
Today was the first day of the New Year. The female family members of all court officials of sufficient rank were required to enter the palace to pay their respects to the Empress Dowager and the Empress. As the youngest daughter of the Ji household, I shouldn't have been eligible to go, but because I was the daughter-in-law personally handpicked by the Sixth Prince, the women of the palace were dying of curiosity.
Truth be told, I was curious about the palace as well. In my past life, I had only ever visited the Shenyang Imperial Palace. It was hard to imagine what life was like in such a cold, sterile place, devoid of the warmth of a real home.
My little mother scrutinized me one last time before finally giving a reluctant nod of approval.
After descending from the carriage, we followed a leading eunuch through the towering palace gates, traversing long corridors and gardens until my feet began to ache. Finally, we arrived at the Empress Dowager’s Yuhua Palace.
Wuxiu and I followed dutifully behind our two mothers as we entered the grand hall. Since it was my first time in the palace, I didn't dare bring shame to my father. I didn't even let my eyes wander toward the noble ladies gathered like clusters of flowers around the high throne; I simply followed the older women’s lead, mimicking their movements as we bowed to the Empress Dowager and the Empress.
“Rise.” A majestic voice drifted down from above, sounding like an elderly woman. I couldn't resist stealing a glance. She was indeed an old woman, draped in shimmering gold. Beside her sat a middle-aged woman, also resplendent in gold, though I didn't dare look too closely at her.
We retreated and were led by a eunuch to our designated positions. Only then did I breathe a sigh of relief. The imperial aura was truly oppressive. I quietly surveyed my surroundings; the room was filled with radiantly dressed women standing silently with their hands lowered, each appearing poised, noble, and elegant.
The old woman on the throne turned toward us again, her voice slow and soft. “Which one is the third miss of Vice Minister Ji’s manor?”
Lady Zhang gave me a gentle nudge. Subconsciously, I stepped forward, repeated the bow I had just performed, and replied, “Ji Wuchao greets the Empress Dowager. May you live for a thousand years.”
“Raise your head. Let Us have a good look at you.”
Strangely enough, the moment she spoke, my nervousness vanished. There was really nothing to be anxious about. When you thought about it, these women were locked in this tiny square of land every day with no entertainment; they could only use the New Year festivals as an excuse to gossip. As the family members of court officials, it was our duty to cooperate unconditionally.
When I raised my head, I was genuinely startled. So many pairs of eyes were fixed on me: the curious gaze of the old woman on the throne, the inquisitive look of the Empress beside her, and the inscrutable stares of the group of women below. I later learned those were the female relatives of the Sixth Prince—the Prince Jing household. Though it was only a fleeting glance, two of them left a deep impression on me. One was Princess Consort Jing standing at the very front; her gaze was calm and serene, carrying a hint of approval as she looked me over. The other was a young girl standing behind her, whose eyes were filled with blatant hostility. Her emotions were so intense that it was impossible not to notice. I truly didn't understand, though—when had I managed to make such an enemy?
“Judging by this child’s composure upon meeting Us for the first time, she is indeed worthy of being the daughter-in-law personally chosen by the Sixth Prince.” Having satisfied her curiosity, the old woman began her concluding remarks. “I hear you are also quite skilled in poetry? You must come to the palace often to keep this old woman company.”
I naturally offered the expected polite modesties.
She then bestowed a jade ruyi upon both Wuxiu and me. I had performed the kowtow and received the gift, and was just about to retreat, when a crisp voice rang out from beside the Empress. “Ji Wuchao, I hear you know martial arts. When you have time, let’s have a spar.”
The moment this little princess, as delicate as carved pink jade, spoke these words with such an air of authority, the entire hall fell into a dead silence.
The old woman on the throne pretended she hadn't heard a thing. The Empress pretended to be fascinated by the ceiling. I followed her gaze; there was actually nothing on the ceiling at all. The noble ladies in the hall all lowered their heads deeply, as if terrified of being noticed by her.
Only my reckless voice rang out with unusual clarity. “Since the Princess is interested, Wuchao is happy to oblige at any time.” No need to guess—this had to be the infamous, universally feared Princess Qingrong.
The same eunuch from before led us out, and we followed respectfully. Without the oppressive atmosphere of the grand hall, I could finally take a proper look at the Emperor’s back garden. In truth, there wasn't much to see. It was the middle of winter; the ponds were frozen, and the trees were bare. It was simply that the ground was paved more evenly, the pavilions were more exquisitely built, and the place was kept much cleaner.
Someone grabbed my arm. I turned around and came face-to-face with a pair of bright, phoenix-shaped eyes. I couldn't help but praise her inwardly: *What a beautiful little girl.*
The girl smiled and unceremoniously pinched my cheek. “You really are more fun than the others. Ji Wuchao, you’re a woman of your word, right?”
I looked her up and down in surprise. She was about my age and dressed in the ordinary attire of a palace maid. She looked… a bit familiar. “How do you know my name?”
The girl rolled her eyes at me. Suddenly, it clicked. “Princess Qingrong? Weren't you just…”
Princess Qingrong mischievously draped an arm over my shoulder. “Well? Shall we have that spar?”
I hesitated. She leaned her face in impatiently. “Scared?”
I curled my lip. For a mere child, she was quite arrogant. Seeing the disdain in my expression, she frowned angrily. “What’s that supposed to mean? Say something!”
I thought about it and decided to speak the truth. “Look, you’re a princess. Never mind if I actually hurt you—even if I don't, but I make you trip a few times, that’s still an offense against a superior. It’s a grave disrespect to the Imperial Family. That’s a capital offense. If you were in my shoes, would you dare to strike?”
She stared at me with wide eyes, a half-smile playing on her lips. “You seem very certain that you can beat me.”
Up ahead, Lady Zhang and my little mother had finished their bows and were standing respectfully to the side waiting for me, both looking rather uneasy. I was also getting a bit tired of dealing with this spoiled brat, so I said bluntly, “To answer the Princess: it’s not that I’m ‘certain.’ The outcome isn't even worth questioning.”
I knew that telling the truth wasn't the smartest move at that moment, but I was truly annoyed. She couldn't be unaware that because of her special status, no one dared to actually fight her. Was that why she acted so emboldened? To me, it looked like nothing more than bullying.
Her face darkened as she circled me twice, then stopped in front of me again. “You’re quite arrogant, aren't you?”
I gave her a proper, formal bow. “I am merely speaking the truth. If the Princess does not care for the truth, I can speak lies as well.”
She seemed to choke on her own breath.
I kept my head lowered and remained silent.
She leaned in close again, her tone unfriendly. “Are you saying I’m using my power to bully people?”
I said nothing. That was… exactly what was happening.
Seeing my silence, she seemed to grow anxious. She reached out with both hands, cupped my face, and forced me to meet her eyes. “What if I say I don't want you to hold back? What if I just want to find someone to have a fair fight with? Even if I lose, I won't punish you. How about that?”
I glanced at her skeptically and couldn't help but drop another truth: “Who can prove you’ll keep your word?”
She seemed to choke again, her small face turning beet-red from frustration.
Seeing such a beautiful child so riled up by me, I felt a twinge of pity. I reached out, pulled her into a brief hug, and patted her back. “Fine, fine. But you have to keep your word. Otherwise… I won't play with you anymore.”
She caught her breath and gave me another defiant look. “Of course I keep my word.”
I confirmed once more, “This is a match between Ji Wuchao and Qingrong, not between the Princess and the Vice Minister’s daughter, right?”
She nodded with great solemnity.
That day, our spar could be summarized in two words: “No contest.”
Qingrong was, of course, the first to move. But her fighting skills had likely been learned from the palace guards—they were the definition of "flowery fists and embroidery kicks." They looked pretty, but they were clearly moves the guards had taught her just to keep her entertained. At first, I was cautious, but after a while, I lost interest.
An hour later, Qingrong climbed up from the ground for the Nth time. Clutching her knees and panting heavily, she officially declared the match over.
As we parted, she gave me her final assessment: “You really are much more fun than they are.”
The bruised little princess then tried to negotiate the time for our next match. When I told her I wouldn't be back in the capital for another half-month, she looked visibly disappointed. It seemed the women of the palace truly had no entertainment—whether they were old, grown, or young.
Later, I thought to myself: I suppose this counts as "no friendship without a fight," doesn't it?
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