EWRN - Chapter 47
Chapter 47: Autumn Hunt (II)
The imperial carriage, though large, could hardly be called spacious. The four of them sat facing each other, separated by a small table in the middle.
Yan Xi's palace maid was a perceptive one. Seeing the tense atmosphere in the carriage, she quickly arranged the pastries she had brought from Jinxiang Palace's small kitchen on the table. For a moment, the sweet fragrance of delicate desserts filled the air.
It was Di An who first broke the silence. "This servant greets Your Ladyship, the Noble Consort. This servant pays her respects," Di An said with deference and courtesy.
When you're under someone else's roof, you have to bow your head. Hua Ying followed suit, saying, "Greetings, Your Ladyship, the Noble Consort."
Both had read tales of palace intrigue. Yan Xi had been a princess of a nation, her status exceptionally noble. This was their first formal, face-to-face meeting aside from the Rite of Heaven banquet. They assumed that the highborn Princess Yan, who had entered the palace before them, would not deign to give them a proper look.
But to their surprise, Yan Xi simply pressed her lips into a small smile, a silent response. The cold, unapproachable demeanor they had imagined was nowhere to be seen; instead, she revealed a hint of her innate aristocratic grace. Only then did Di An and Hua Ying slowly relax.
The carriage swayed along for another moment. Seeing that the atmosphere had eased, Yan Xi spoke up. "You two sisters should try the pastries from my Jinxiang Palace's kitchen. I heard Jinyu say he specially sought out the chef."
As soon as she finished speaking, Yan Xi calmly studied the two women across from her, trying to read something in their expressions. These were the girls Huo Jinyu had personally brought back from a brothel at great expense. Surely, they possessed something more than just pretty faces. Yan Xi's words had been a test to see if they were the jealous sort.
Hua Ying didn't have the mind for such things; her thoughts were entirely consumed by her beloved An'er. Thus, she failed to detect the probing nature of Princess Yan's words and had no significant reaction.
As for Di An, her feelings toward Huo Jinyu were more of respect and gratitude. She saw him only as her benefactor and never dared to covet the idea of the reigning emperor being her husband. Moreover, in recent days, her attention had been mostly captivated by Hua Ying, so she too missed the deeper meaning in the words.
"Your Ladyship is truly fortunate to be so deeply favored by His Majesty," Di An replied politely. After Yan Xi picked up a small pastry, Di An gently took one as well, but instead of eating it herself, she offered it to Hua Ying. Seeing her An'er actively feeding her, Hua Ying's heart felt as if it had been smeared with honey. She opened her mouth and took a small bite, a look of contentment spreading across her face. Looking closer, Yan Xi was surprised to see a hint of doting affection in Di An's eyes.
Yan Xi felt a sense of strangeness. The two women's behavior was not like that of a master and servant, nor was it like sisters. It was the first time she had encountered such a discordant feeling, yet it wasn't difficult to accept. For the moment, Yan Xi truly couldn't see through the relationship between the two before her.
While the atmosphere inside the carriage was one of "harmonious joy," outside, Huo Jinyu rode her horse, draped in the robe Yan Xi had personally placed on her shoulders. She felt the robe and the horse were a perfect match. Truly, it was so heartwarming. Astride her tall, date-red steed, Huo Jinyu was in high spirits. The dignitaries and nobles following her felt as if a light was radiating from her, incomparably dazzling. This person, she was truly worthy of being their emperor.
The massive procession, consisting of dozens of carriages and a thousand riders, moved along the official road in fits and starts. To accommodate the delicate female family members, the pace was not fast, but they still reached their destination, the Jiangbei Hunting Ground, shortly after nightfall.
In the eastern part of the Jiangbei Hunting Ground was a temporary palace built specifically for royal hunts, a sprawling complex in its own right, known to all as Jiangbei Villa.
Jiangbei Villa covered an area of over one hundred mu. To its north lay Jiangbei's Yuxiao Mountain, and to its south, it bordered the Luo River. Within the villa grounds was a sizable lake. With a history spanning several hundred years, Jiangbei Villa was the largest structure in the Great Yuan Kingdom aside from the imperial palace itself. The villa was heavily guarded and highly secure, allowing the dignitaries and nobles to rest without a worry.
The Jiangbei Hunting Ground had been the royal family's premier choice for hunting for hundreds of years. The grounds encompassed dozens of mountains in the Jiangbei range, with vast plains and abundant game. Further to the west of the hunting grounds lay a stretch of primeval forest. Though beautiful, it was fraught with danger. Some years prior, a young nobleman, seeking amusement, had nearly lost his life in the old forest. To prevent such incidents from recurring, the western forest was designated a forbidden area. Without an imperial decree, entry was absolutely forbidden. To enter the "forbidden zone" meant forfeiting all guarantees of safety and putting one's life at risk.
Jiangbei Villa.
Though Jiangbei Villa was not often inhabited, it was staffed by a considerable number of servants. Back during the Rite of Heaven, the villa's steward had anticipated that this year's Autumn Hunt would be attended by numerous dignitaries and nobles. Most importantly, the current emperor would be present. His Majesty had only recently ascended the throne, and this being the first year of the Jinxi reign, the Autumn Hunt was of great significance. With a new emperor on the throne, the surrounding nations were all looking to test the waters and gather intelligence. The reigning emperor had to be served well, and the envoys from various nations could not be neglected, lest the entire Great Yuan Kingdom lose face.
The young ladies from the various families were also delicate and could not be subjected to any discomfort. Therefore, starting from the day of the Rite of Heaven, the servants at Jiangbei Villa had set to work, beginning a comprehensive cleaning, not even sparing a single speck of dust on the ceiling beams.
The half-month of cleaning yielded remarkable results; the villa could be said to be completely refreshed. It was now just waiting for its masters to arrive.
The carriages stopped in an orderly fashion in the wide, open space outside the villa. Lined up one after another, it was a magnificent sight. The young ladies' maids jumped down and carefully helped their mistresses alight. The hour was late, and the air outside, unlike the fur-and-velvet-cushioned interiors of the carriages, carried a distinct chill. The maids quickly retrieved robes to drape over their mistresses, warding off some of the cold wind.
The young masters of the noble families also dismounted, and villa servants immediately came to lead their horses away to the stables, where they would be well-fed with the finest hay and lake water.
The young ladies and gentlemen lined up politely outside the villa's main gate according to the official ranks of their fathers. Only after His Majesty, Huo Jinyu, entered first with her two noble consorts did they proceed into the villa one by one, led by servants to their respective courtyards.
Huo Jinyu's tall, straight figure led the way, and behind her, three women followed with varying gazes. Yan Xi's eyes rested gently on Huo Jinyu, filled with a hint of hope, but she said nothing. Di An stole a glance at Yan Xi and saw that her mind was entirely on the emperor, her expression not as cold as the rumors claimed. This made her curious about what kind of person the emperor was, to make such a cool woman let down her guard to approach and admire them. With that thought, Di An also turned her gaze to Huo Jinyu, her eyes filled with inquiry and curiosity.
Hua Ying's gaze, however, had never once left her An'er. Seeing Di An now staring at Huo Jinyu's upright figure with an unreadable expression, she suddenly felt a sourness in her heart. Was all the warmth in the carriage just a moment ago an illusion? When on earth would her An'er finally understand? It was truly exasperating.
Hua Ying's good mood from the carriage vanished completely. She felt aggrieved. She had been so obvious, so when would this dense An'er of hers finally get it? Hua Ying gently tugged on Di An's sleeve, but Di An merely continued walking forward mechanically, lost in her own world, and didn't notice the small gesture.
Hua Ying was truly about to die from frustration. She let go of the sleeve and quickened her pace, deliberately moving to walk diagonally in front of Di An. She straightened her back, determined to walk even more upright than Huo Jinyu, lest her An'er fix her entire gaze on the emperor whenever she was present!
The move was indeed effective. Di An nearly stepped on Hua Ying's hem before she snapped back to her senses, realizing what she had been doing. She had been staring at a man—her husband in name only—for a long time. She suddenly felt a little ashamed, a blush creeping onto her cheeks. It felt truly improper. Then she saw Hua Ying walking ahead of her with a stiff back and couldn't understand why. Just then, Hua Ying turned her head, and their eyes met. A look of heartbreak flashed across Hua Ying's face before she quickly turned away again. But Di An had been quick enough to catch it.
Hua Ying had thought her actions would surely draw An'er's attention back to her, but she never expected that when she turned around, she would see a blush on An'er's face because of Huo Jinyu. She was a little angry, yet she understood that feelings were not something one could control. She was just heartbroken. Had several months passed without Di An's heart being moved by her, even a little?
Di An looked with some concern at the dejected Hua Ying before her. She didn't know what was wrong, so she could only harbor her worry and plan to coax her properly that night. Didn't she always love sleeping with her the most?
They walked the rest of the way in silence. Soon, led by the servants, the group arrived at the "East Palace." The East Palace was located in the eastern part of Jiangbei Villa. According to ancestral legend, Jiangbei Villa was situated on a dragon vein, with the eastern part being the dragon's head. The "East Palace" thus symbolized the place where the dragon rises. For this reason, every successive emperor had stayed in the East Palace when visiting Jiangbei Villa for the Autumn Hunt.
Huo Jinyu arranged for Yan Xi and Di An to stay in separate side chambers. Hua Ying, her face full of grievance, followed Di An into her room. Yan Xi stood outside, looked at Huo Jinyu as if wanting to say something, but ultimately held her tongue. In the end, she simply said goodnight and turned back to her room, leaving Huo Jinyu standing alone in the courtyard with a look of utter confusion. What was wrong with everyone today?
Considering that everyone had been jostled on the road all day, the steward had prepared dinner well in advance. The food was cooked the moment the masters arrived, and once they had all settled into their rooms, servants brought the evening meal to their chambers. There were not many dishes, but to the young masters and ladies who had been traveling all day, it was an exquisite delicacy.
After a simple evening meal, the various young masters and ladies engaged in the elegant pastime of admiring the stars and moon, composing poems and couplets for a while before bidding their companions farewell and returning to their own rooms for a good night's rest.
That night, everyone was lost in their own thoughts. Some fell into a deep slumber, while others tossed and turned, unable to find sleep for a long, long time.
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