Chapter Twenty-Two: Transforming into a Little Sparrow

Although Yuan’er had long grown numb to Lingran’s ignorance, she still couldn’t help but be stunned by the increasingly shocking questions Lingran asked. Fortunately, Biqing had stronger nerves and replied softly, “You don’t know Princess Gu’an? She is the only biological sister of the current Emperor. Our dynasty still has eight princesses left by Emperor Yingzong: Chongqing, Jiashan, Chun’an, Chongde, Guangde, Yixing, Longqing, and Jiaxiang. But since the Crown Prince Zhu Jianshen was deposed and confined to the Southern Palace, you can imagine what status those princesses have. I think Grand Eunuch Liu’s attitude earlier was because the late Emperor didn’t favor them.”

Lingran only heard a string of place names and felt a strong disdain for the Ming princesses’ titles. In truth, their titles were all auspicious words, and it wasn’t strange that they overlapped with place names of later generations, but as a half-baked “history buff,” she hadn’t figured that out yet.

From Biqing’s explanation, she finally understood something: Princess Gu’an’s status was unique, being the Emperor’s only biological sister. At the very least, everyone had to show her respect, right?

As the princess’s carriage passed the three coaches carrying the “Thousand Gold Ladies,” Lingran was still spying. Suddenly, a matron walking beside the eight-pole phoenix sedan pointed at their carriage and shouted harshly, “The princess asks who is inside this carriage? Even Liu Yongcheng stepped out and bowed, so why are the people inside unmoved?”

Liu Yongcheng, standing with hands clasped by the roadside, looked up with a face full of helplessness.

Liu Ju seemed already unable to tolerate the princess’s airs, his face dark with anger, like storm clouds gathering before a deluge.

Liu Yongcheng, however, maintained his composure and said a word to Peng Lun, who immediately called out loudly, “Ladies, please come down and pay respects to the princess.”

From within the carriage, nine beauties of varied appearances stepped out, lighting up the whole street. Even the common people kneeling by the roadside couldn’t help but whisper among themselves.

The nine “Thousand Gold Ladies” knelt together by Liu Yongcheng’s side.

Unexpectedly, two heavy stomps resounded from the princess’s sedan, followed by a sharp voice, “Stop, stop!”

Lingran thought, judging by this, she must be a spoiled and willful princess.

The bright yellow, dragon-and-phoenix-embroidered eight-pole sedan stopped in the middle of the street. From inside, the princess called loudly, “Liu Yongcheng, I had my matron ask you who these people are, but you haven’t answered me yet. Do you think you can brush me off so easily?”

Liu Yongcheng’s thick, long white brows twitched as he bowed his head and replied, “Your Highness, these nine ladies are ‘Thousand Gold Ladies’ purchased by my nephew Liu Ju. Tomorrow is the Prime Minister’s birthday, and they are prepared as gift dancers for his household.”

The sedan was silent for a moment, then Princess Gu’an screamed, “You scoundrel! You say they’re a gift for the Prime Minister, so why did you pick so many? Are you planning to send some to Prince Xiang’s mansion?”

Lingran was dumbfounded; the princess’s manner of speech rivaled that of a modern street tough.

Liu Yongcheng seemed at a loss for how to handle her, but still explained patiently, “No, Your Highness, I have absolutely no intention of sending them to Prince Xiang…”

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“Not allowed! I said no! Choose other gifts, do you hear me?” Princess Gu’an paid no attention to Liu Yongcheng’s words and shouted fiercely.

Lingran secretly laughed; with such a princess making trouble, would Liu Yongcheng dare to go against her wishes and send them to the Prime Minister, or would he obediently change the gifts?

The princess kept shrieking, and though Liu Yongcheng didn’t verbally agree, sweat covered his forehead.

As both sides were stuck, Liu Ju stepped forward and protested, “Your Highness, the gift list has already been sent to the Prime Minister’s mansion. If we change gifts mid-way, it might displease him, and if he hears it was by your order…”

Before he could finish, Princess Gu’an interrupted again.

“Why must you say it’s my order? Are you trying to slander me before Grand Tutor Chu?”

Liu Ju was left speechless by her unreasonable behavior, glancing at Liu Yongcheng and Peng Lun, his forehead veins bulging, jaw clenched and released repeatedly, clearly at his limits.

“Your Highness, rest assured. Grand Eunuch Liu and Commander Liu are loyal to the Emperor and would never harm you. Besides, you know a son should not consort with his father’s concubines. These ladies are a birthday gift for the Prime Minister, and judging by Prince Xiang’s character, even if they were ten times more beautiful, he would not accept them. Wouldn’t you agree?” It was Peng Lun who spoke.

Lingran thought Peng Lun’s casual words would have no effect on such a willful princess, yet Princess Gu’an calmed down and asked suspiciously, “Really? You’d better not deceive me!”

“I wouldn’t dare, Your Highness. You should beware other ministers in court; they scour the land for beauties to send to Prince Xiang’s mansion. My mentor Lord Liu and Commander Liu have never done such things to undermine you.”

Peng Lun’s words seemed to strike a chord with Princess Gu’an; she agreed readily, saying, “Since you put it that way, I’ll let it go today. But if I find out someday you are defying me, don’t blame me for getting angry!”

“We obey your command. Sending the princess off,” Peng Lun bowed at just the right moment.

Princess Gu’an’s entourage finally passed by with great pomp.

Liu Ju muttered a curse under his breath, and Liu Yongcheng rebuked him quietly, “Ju’er!” as if disallowing any disrespect toward the princess.

Peng Lun ordered the girls back into the carriage. Once inside, Biqing complained, “I don’t want to serve that infamous Prime Minister in his mansion. The princess clearly admires Prince Xiang herself, so why won’t she let others near him?”

Yuan’er’s face turned pale with fright and scolded, “Are you trying to get yourself killed?”

Biqing pouted and turned away, nearly pressing herself against the curtain, sulking.

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Lingran observed Biqing’s temperament and guessed she must have been spoiled in her family as a child; otherwise, she wouldn’t have turned out so headstrong. Thinking of her own parents, worlds away, she sighed.

“Lingran is even younger than you, and sometimes acts out, too. She may not know as much as you, but she knows her limits. Biqing, you really must be careful in the Prime Minister’s mansion!” Yuan’er advised sincerely.

Biqing still didn’t turn around. Lingran couldn’t stand it and spoke up, “Enough! Clever girls don’t do foolish things. We’re all alone in this world. You always talk about becoming sworn sisters—is that just for fun? We should look out for each other and make sure we all have good days ahead, right?”

Her words were sterner than Yuan’er’s, but justified. Biqing was embarrassed, turned around, and threw herself into Yuan’er’s arms. “I understand, thank you both.”

Lingran thought of the unpredictable future that lay ahead. She opened her arms and embraced them both, knocking their foreheads together, saying, “It’s settled—no matter what happens, the three of us sisters must never turn against each other. If one day we leave the Prime Minister’s mansion, we’ll open a grand shop together and live our lives to the fullest!”

“As if!” Yuan’er retorted, but her face blossomed with a smile. Biqing, moved by sisterhood, just nodded repeatedly, unable to utter a complete sentence, almost dissolving into tears again.

That night, they stayed at Liu Ju’s mansion. Before bed, Lingran took advantage of the darkness, wrapping her waist with strip after strip of cloth until she felt as stout as a barrel. Unfortunately, it was the height of summer, and the heat left her breathless, half-awake until dawn.

Early the next morning, a host of gorgeously dressed women came to help them prepare. Lingran used the excuse that their makeup was ugly, and, enduring pain, plucked her originally elegant eyebrows until they were nearly invisible, then took up a brow pen and drew two heavy, slightly drooping “eight-shaped” brows.

Looking at the mirror, her figure now slightly bulky and her expression somewhat mournful, she winked in satisfaction.

Special thanks to zhouzhaojion for the reward—this is the first reward for this book. 99 auspicious wishes, thank you! Also thanks to friends like Tianzhihen for the pink votes!

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In this chapter, “consort” means to have relations with a woman of one’s father’s generation. “A son should not consort with his father’s concubines.”