I Am This Type of Woman

“She really said that?”

“Yes.” The Imperial Guard’s Commander saw His Majesty’s face was complicated and unreadable, “Also, weichen’s subordinates found that the conflict between the Second Prince Consort and Fule Junzhu is not new.”

“You’ve forgotten that Second Xie had a marriage contract with Fule Junzhu. After the Second Xie eloped with someone else, the contract was annulled and the two families became enemies.” During the feud between the two families that time, he, this emperor had pulled some strings to secretly protect Ban family, since the incident Xie family’s reputation had significantly deteriorated.

“Xie family lacks resolution, yet full of of ambition and guts.” Emperor Yunqing put his hands behind the back, “If it wasn’t that the Second Prince is too senseless, zhen wouldn’t have given him such in-laws.”

He despised Xie family, and yet he picked for his own son a main wife from that family, it vaguely felt as if the Second Prince had been a child that he picked up from the street somewhere outside the Palace.

If it was said that he biased towards the Crown Prince, the fact was, the Crown Prince was not having a good time either. He was confined in the East Palace, and was being the target of criticism from four sides and eight directions.

The Commander of the Imperial Guard kept his mouth shut, knowing that His Majesty preferred his subordinates to be silent. Being the Commander of the Imperial Guard was not his sole position, he was also the Commander of His Majesty’s Secret Service.

The assignments that could not be paraded in public’s eyes were his to execute.

They were called the Black-Clad guards, they made no sound when doing their duties, they were clad in black clothing and black mask so they could not be recognised.

It was difficult for him to comprehend that the eldest son of Xie family, Xie Chongjin, had ordered the assassination of Ban Huai. Since when had the noble clans’s feud been reduced to such basic crudeness?

What had puzzled him more was, why had His Majesty helped Xie Chongjin obscured the horse footprints? There were plenty of methods available for an emperor to sort out unruly officials, why did he pick this? This had dragged Ban family and Shi family into the water, while the real murderer was let to scot free.

Didn’t everyone say His Majesty favoured the Bans?

Using Ban family to drag Shi family into the sewer while protecting Xie family from any splash of the dirt, this did not look like a pampering.

“Zhen has many juniors in the family, only Fule Junzhu is to zhen’s liking.”

Right, the Junzhu was to your liking, but wouldn’t screwing her father be equal to harming her?

“Ay.” Emperor Yunqing suddenly sighed, the old face was full of weariness. “Pity she wasn’t my son, not even a boy. Otherwise zhen could have had one more great general to command.”

“Fine. Second Prince is too ridiculous. It’s time that he behaves.” Getting zero response from the Commander, Emperor Yunqing lost the mood to talk.

T/N – Even his trusted guy could not understand him!

—

The next day, Emperor Yunqing drafted two decrees and ordered the Ministry of Rites to announce them. The Second Prince was made Ning-wang, while Count Cheng’an was promoted to be Marquis Cheng’an.

T/N – Ning-wang = The King of Ning (or Ning King, I never know which).

T/N – A king (wang) could be the emperor’s direct sons, or relatives. In many novels the direct sons have 1 single name such as ‘Ning-wang’, while relatives have double names such as ‘Changqing-wang’. Read somewhere it’s based on some convention in some dynasties (not sure which one, lost my notes), but many authors create their own realms with made-up dynasties so things aren’t exactly scientific – however this may help when you read/watch Chinese novels with many wangye’s, you can probably see which of them are the sons.

As a regent, it was only a matter of time that the Second Prince would become a Wangye. However Count Cheng’an ….. how could someone who was just punished with beatings became a Marquis? If there was really such a shortcut to promotion, everyone would also like some beatings.

Unfortunately a title was not something that anyone could simply ask for. Noone could wrap their mind around how in just a little more than ten days after beaten until he was bed-ridden, His Majesty gave Rong Xia a higher title. Was it a remorse, or a compensation for the beatings?

This did not sound right either. Minister Yao was also beaten, but only Rong Xia received a compensation. His Majesty couldn’t possibly be biased just because Rong Xia was good-looking, could he?

“All of you should just stop guessing.” Changqing-wang played with a fan, he looked suave and elegant. “I’ve heard something.”

T/N – (Refresher) Changqing-wang (lit. King Changqing) was the nephew of the previous Emperor, which made him a cousin of Emperor Yunqing’s. He was the one almost implicated by a talking mynah bird in chapter 29.

“What is it?” The officials turned around curiously, their curiosity intensified to see the speaker was Changqing-wang.

At any rate Changqing-wang was a royal relative, he might know something that non-royals did not.

At the curious faces, Changqing-wang folded his fan, lightly tapping it on his palm. With a mysterious expression, he said, “I heard, yesterday His Majesty summoned Fule Junzhu.”

Summoning Fule Junzhu, what did it have to do with Count Cheng’an….. no, it’s Marquis Cheng’an now?

The audience did not get it right away, but Changqing-wang’s mysterious smile prompted them to the fact that as Fule Junzhu’s future husband, Marquis Cheng’an could be said to be half a Ban.

Everyone in the Capital knew Fule Junzhu was one of a few youths that His Majesty liked. Even those few Junzhu’s surnamed Jiang, or some concubine-born Gongzhu’s did not have as much presence in His Majesty’s eyes. Her title had even one same character as His Majesty’s favourite daughter Anle Gongzhu’s. Was this something an ordinary royal could wish for?

T/N – Ban Hua’s title is Fule Junzhu, the same ‘le’ 乐 (= cheerful) character as Anle Gongzhu. Gongzhu and Junzhu both mean princesses, but Gongzhu’s were emperor’s daughters, while Junzhu’s were often relatives or daughter of meritorious officials. Junzhu’s surnamed Jiang implied they were closer to the Jiang royal family than Junzhu’s who were of different surnames (such as Ban Hua).

Ban family was already in a position where any additional title was of no use for them, so what could His Majesty do if he wanted to reward due to his fondness of Fule Junzhu? Then it should fall on Rong Xia as Fule Junzhu’s future husband. A husband’s glory was his wife’s splendour, the higher Rong Xia’s title was, the better it was for Ban Hua.

A Count title was too low, and after the beatings, was it not a slap on Fule Junzhu’s face?

Not a problem, lift up the title then!

Everyone who listened were both envious and jealous. A man with a stellar wife could really save himself a decade of struggles.

Comparing the obvious benefits that fell on Rong Xia with Xie family who almost became the Ban’s in-laws, some people could not help secretly sneering inwardly. Apart from that one daughter who became a Wangfei, the rest of the Xie’s were elderly, or disfigured, or wasted. Unless the Second Prince could ascend the throne and grabbed the power in his hand, this was the limit of what Xie family could ever be.

In the past, the two sons of Xie family were thought to be promising. Who expected that the eldest has lost his officialdom as soon as he was back at the Capital, while the second son turned out to be extremely ridiculous. The elopement that offended Ban family and evoked His Majesty’s displeasure, with their reputation plummeting in a nosedive, which good miss dared to join their family?

As for the likelihood for the Second Prince to ascend the throne and having a complete control of the Court, afraid that was …… difficult.

—

At Cheng’an residence, Rong Xia found his doctor has changed to a younger one. He had never seen this one, had this doctor not come with Ban family guards, he would not have believed he was a Ban family doctor.

“Zaixia’s Teacher and Doctor Cao are currently at Minister Yao’s place. Master Count recovers faster, so Teacher ordered zaixia to come here to change the medicine.” As the doctor applied the medicine, he whispered, “Master’s wounds have almost healed, so Teacher prescribed a medicine to nourish energy and blood.”

“Thank you.” Rong Xia nodded to him.

“Dare not.” The doctor returned the gesture, and turned to put medicines back to the box. Before he could say his farewell, a Rong family servant came to report that a messenger from the Palace has arrived.

Rong Xia put on an outer robe and went to the main hall supported by the servants.

The official messenger came from the Ministry of Rites. After a salute, he said, “Rong-daren, congratulations first.”

“Not sure…. what congratulations?” Rong Xia noticed the imperial decree in the messenger’s hands, he was about to kneel down when the messenger prevented him to.

“Rong-daren, His Majesty said you are allowed to accept the decree while standing due to your injuries.”

“It’s not appropriate.” Rong Xia tried once more to kneel, but the messenger held him up, “Rong-daren, this is His Majesty’s order. If you kneel, wouldn’t that be against His Majesty’s kind intention?”

“Ay.” Rong Xia cupped his hands towards the messenger. “Thanking His Majesty for the graciousness.”

The official of the Ministry of Rites smiled, he shooked open the decree in his hands, and read it out melodiously.

The first part of the decree was full of praises for Rong Xia’s virtues and abilities, and the second part was the main point, which was promoting Rong Xia to be a marquis.

Rong Xia did not expect it to be such a decree, after a moment of bewilderment, he performed a salute to express his gratitude.

“Congratulations, Marquis Rong,” The official saluted Rong Xia, his smile was exceedingly warm.

“Have troubled Daren to make this trip.” Rong Xia returned the salute, Du Jiu behind him started to hand out purses to the official and his entourage, it was a practice that was nicely called tea money. Such gratuity should not be refused, it meant sharing the joyous occasion.

The messenger happily left, Rong residence servants saw him off to the main gate. He climbed up his horse, said to the eunuch behind him, “Marquis Rong’s bearing is not affected even though he is injured.”

“Isn’t that so.” The eunuch was only in his twenties, he had a very pleasant smile. Not many people in the Palace dared to offend him because his teacher was the Chief Steward of the rear courtyard, Wang De. It was said that his eunuch name Wang Xizi was given by Empress Niangniang herself. “Zajia thinks Marquis Rong is someone truly impressive to the bones.”

T/N – Zajia 杂家, an address used by a eunuch to call himself.

The two exchanged a look and smiled, none of them brought up Rong Xia’s punishment.

“Aiyo.” Wang Xizi suddenly exclaimed, he patted his horse and moved to the side. The eunuchs behind him also moved aside even though they did not know why.

The official messenger was surprised to see the highly regarded Wang-gonggong gave way in a great hurry. Then he saw Fule Junzhu was riding up ahead.

The messenger was only a fifth-ranked minor official, he had not seen Fule Junzhu much, but seeing that white horse he knew the rider must be someone high up. However they wished to, noone whose status was not sufficiently high dared to ride such a tribute horse on the streets, even if they could get their hands on one.

“Nubi meets Fule Junzhu.” Wang-gonggong jumped off his horse, he saluted Ban Hua with full care regardless of whether Ban Hua could hear him or not.

“Yu.”

T/N – ‘Yu’ is a sound a rider made to command the horse to stop, often heard in dramas.

Ban Hua’s horse stopped, she gazed down at the young eunuch garbed in dark blue, tilted her head and thought. She said, “You are the Empress’ Wang Xizi Gonggong.”

“Junzhu still remembers nubi, it’s nubi’s fortune in three lifetimes.” Wang Xizi was happily surprised, his eyes shone as he looked up at Ban Hua, “Nubi dared not be called Gonggong, Junzhu can just call nubi Little Xizi.” Bluntly said, to have Fule Junzhu remembering their names was an honour for them the eunuchs.

Was there anyone in the Palace who was not constantly observant and watchful. Any savvy eunuchs and palace maids would be very clear of the tidbits such as which niangniang was being favoured, which princes and princesses were less kind, what were His Majesty’s dislikes, which royal relatives were influential

For example, this Fule Junzhu belonged to the untouchable group. Offending anyone of this category was more dangerous than offending a concubine-born princess. Two years ago, an ignorant palace maid gossipped about Fule Junzhu’s marriage. Fule Junzhu said nothing, she merely gave her a look, and the palace maid was demoted into a rough-job maid. He met that maid a few days ago, she looked old and ugly, there was no trace of the youthful girl of two years ago.

Not that Fule Junzhu herself made any fuss, but someone who saw her being unhappy had reported this to the Empress in the attempt to please the Empress and Fule Junzhu. The ending of those with uncontrollable mouths was not a surprise to anyone.

Gossipping and clothing and jewelleries were for noble misses, for a palace maid it was akin to a servant mistaking her place as if she had been a mistress. Such a servant had not even the right to pick her own day of death.

His Chief Eunuch teacher had given him a rundown on the list of people who could not be offended, Fule Junzhu was one of them. Teacher had also specifically and earnestly told him to be respectful and attentive in front of Fule Junzhu.

He had no idea of the why, but Teacher’s instruction was never harmful to him, so he did as he was told.

“In just a few years I will have to call you Big Xizi.” Ban Hua could not help laughing at his earnest face, “What are you all doing?”

“Nubi was serving at the Great Moon Palace and had the fortune to accompany the Sir of the Ministry of Rites to announce a decree for Marquis Cheng’an. We are just back from Marquis Cheng’an residence.” Wang Xizi made another salute, “Congratulations, Junzhu.”

Ban Hua was stunned, then she caught on what was being said, “Marquis Cheng’an, he’s been promoted?”

“Replying to Junzhu, that is correct.” Wang Xizi said with a face full of smiles.

“So that’s how it is.” Ban Hua pulled out a purse and throw it to Wang Xizi, “For you to drink tea.”

“Thanking Junzhu for the reward.” Wang Xizi held the purse with his both hands. When his head was raised again, Fule Junzhu has ridden away with guards following neatly behind her, it was an impressive sight.

This was how a noble lady should be, they should be generous with money.

Read this for free at SleepyPrawn site. Add to my viewer number and I will translate more happily!

—

Back in the Palace, Wang Xizi went to find Wang De, telling him what he encountered today. After that he took out the purses from Marquis Rong and Fule Junzhu to present to Wang De.

“Marquis and Junzhu gave these to you, just take it.” Wang De did not accept the purses, he only smiled, “It’s good that Fule Junzhu remembers you, this is your luck. She …..” He said meaningfully, “… is a benefactor.”

Wang Xizi thought, with an prominent background, a noble lineage, a famous fiance, she certainly was not someone they could afford to offend.