When the Grand Princess arrived, everyone naturally knelt and prostrated themselves to receive her. When the Grand Princess departed, it was equally natural that she was surrounded by a galaxy of attendants — countless people clustered around her like stars around the moon. Madam Wei personally escorted her to the gate, and that was not all; countless titled ladies, official wives, and daughters of noble families all knelt to see her off at the entrance as well. The procession was layered and imposing, the atmosphere solemn and grand.
Yet this air of perfect ceremony was shattered by a single little maidservant.
Whenever a person of high rank traveled, an escort was indispensable in addition to the ceremonial procession. As the hosting family receiving the royal visit, the Wei household naturally had to correspond in kind — so there was also a row of little maidservants, attending not even to the Grand Princess herself, but to the Grand Princess’s attendants, helping them into their carriages.
The Wei household had no house-born servants, so the little maidservants were somewhat uneven in bearing. Though dressed in matching festive garments, their inexperience still showed. When the Grand Princess was being assisted into the royal carriage, the little maidservants were all kept apart by the palace women, attending to the outer perimeter. No one expected that from the back of the line, a little maidservant would come rushing out, drop to her knees on the ground, and cry out in a loud, clear voice: “Please, Grand Princess, Your Highness, save the orphans of the Northern Garrison Army!”
The little maidservant was slight in build, yet her voice was both high and bright, cutting through all the clamor and startling everyone present. Lu Wenyin reacted quickly, immediately saying: “Drag her out at once — where did this wild girl come from, daring to make a scene before Her Highness!”
If one were to be fair, what she said was genuinely said with the Wei family’s interests in mind. Unfortunately, this was not a place where she had any authority to speak. The female official surnamed Su who served under the Grand Princess immediately furrowed her brow and cast her a glance. Lu Wenyin also knew herself that she had gone too far, and hurriedly looked toward Madam Wei.
Even if Madam Wei were cruel-hearted and bold enough to drag this little maidservant away before the Grand Princess, she might not have gotten her wish — and besides, she was still unfamiliar with the depths and shallows of the capital’s circles of nobility. She could only kneel and beg pardon: “This subject-wife’s servant has been disrespectful. Please forgive her, Your Highness.”
The Grand Princess paid her no mind. An inner attendant had already stepped forward to take hold of the little maidservant, and the Grand Princess only said lightly: “Who are you? Come forward and speak.”
The little maidservant appeared to be no more than eleven or twelve years old, thin as a rail, with the look of a scraggly yellow-haired country girl. She was prostrated on the ground, her slight back trembling beneath the festive red garments — yet every word she spoke remained clear and distinct.
“In answer to the Grand Princess, Your Highness — I am a descendant of the Northern Garrison Army. My father was a centurion in the Lin Company, by the name of Lv Jingguo. Three years ago, he died in battle at Falling Eagle Gorge. My childhood name is Second Girl; my mother calls me Second Niangzi. We live in Ping’an Lane, and we have nearly reached the end of our means. Please, Your Highness, save us.”
“From the Lin Company?” “Truly from the Northern Garrison?” The people around could not help but murmur among themselves. In truth, the capital ladies did not dare to murmur — it was rather the family members of the Northern Garrison soldiers themselves, being unfamiliar with the strict rules of the capital, who spoke up. Among them, Luo Yong’s wife was the most astonished, and she stepped forward saying: “Little girl, if you are truly an orphan of our Northern Garrison, why did you not tell us about this…”
As she spoke, she made to step forward and help the girl up — but before she even drew near, an inner attendant shot her a glance and said: “Insolence.” She had no choice but to step back.
In truth, she was not necessarily so genuinely candid — more likely she feared the girl might say something awkward and wanted to quickly pull her away.
“If you are truly an orphan of the Northern Garrison, why did you not seek Marquis Wei for help, but instead came to us?” the Grand Princess asked, her tone calm and unhurried.
Not only the Grand Princess — every noble lady and young miss in the capital gathered at that gate, as well as the people of the Marquis Wei household and the Northern Garrison, were all waiting for this little maidservant’s answer.
And Lv Second Niangzi knelt on the ground, her voice now tinged with tears.
“In — in answer to Your Highness — I truly had no other recourse. My father has been dead three years already. The condolence money is all spent. My mother says that the war is not yet over, and this is a time when money is needed; she will not allow us to cause trouble for the court. But my grandmother has fallen ill, and my mother’s hand is injured. They say neither of them will make it through this winter. I heard that Marquis Wei had returned to the capital, and I wanted to go to his door to seek help — but I was turned away at the gate. So I signed a short-term contract on my own and entered the marquis’s household as a maidservant, hoping to earn money for my mother and grandmother’s treatment. Everyone says that Marquis Wei will not concern himself with matters of orphans like us — but Your Highness believes in Buddhism and is compassionate by nature. Perhaps you could save us. And so I summoned my courage and rushed out.” She raised her head, her face streaked with tears, pitifully pleading: “I know I have committed a transgression, rushing before Your Highness in this manner. I beg Your Highness to punish only me, and to save my mother, my grandmother, and the more than one hundred households in Ping’an Lane. Otherwise, this winter, we will all starve to death.”
Though she spoke while weeping, her account was orderly and every word rang with sincerity. Among the ladies, those whose hearts were softer were moved to sorrow. Madam Shen also said: “Your Highness, to hear this child’s manner of speaking, she is a filial and kind-natured girl. She surely would not lie.”
The Grand Princess listened calmly, as if weighing the truth and falsehood in her words. Just as Ye Qinglan had said, as a member of the imperial family, being stopped and petitioned in this manner was neither the first time nor the last — how to handle it, she had her own judgment.
An experienced senior matron had already leaned close to her ear and murmured a few words. The Grand Princess glanced at the female official Su, who gave a nod, and then unhurriedly said: “You say there are still over a hundred households in Ping’an Lane — are they all orphans like yourself?”
“In answer to Your Highness — before, there was the wife of General Yan of the Huo Company, the elder general. After General Yan passed away, she continued to live in Ping’an Lane, providing for these displaced orphans of the Northern Garrison. Later, my mother moved there as well, and people gradually gathered — some from the Northern Garrison, some from the local auxiliary troops of Liangzhou, totaling over a hundred households. Everyone helps one another, and we have lived this way for three or four years. But this winter is especially cold, and everyone is at the end of their rope…”
Second Girl’s answers were sensible and fitting, never exceeding the knowledge one would expect of a girl of ten-odd years. It was already seven or eight parts believable.
“To hear that the wives of the Northern Garrison soldiers look out for one another — so it turns out only the survivors remain. Those who truly died for the country in battle were already scattered long ago to such places.” Someone in the back said something faint and cool in tone.
With so many people present, one could not tell who had spoken — but every female member of the Northern Garrison flushed with shame. Madam Wei hurriedly said: “Your Highness, since this is the Northern Garrison’s failing, naturally we will make amends—”
“Now that they have entered the capital, there is no more distinction of Northern Garrison or otherwise — they are all subjects of the court.” The Grand Princess said mildly: “Since they are orphans of soldiers who gave their lives for the country, and they have come to petition before me, naturally I shall handle it. Rise — your name is Lv Second Niangzi, is it not?”
A palace woman came forward and helped Second Girl, who was still trembling, to her feet. With tear-stains not yet dry on her face, she answered nervously: “Yes.”
“If I investigate and find everything as stated, I will naturally arrange for the households in Ping’an Lane. Dividing some farmland and estates for them to manage would not be a difficult matter.” The Grand Princess’s gaze fell over her like moonlight: “But you must not have lied…”
Second Girl immediately dropped to her knees again, raised her hand, and swore: “Your Highness, if there is half a word of falsehood, Second Girl will certainly be struck by thunder and lightning, to be dealt with however Your Highness sees fit.”
“If you have already been struck by thunder and lightning, what else would there be left for me to do with you?” The Grand Princess said with a smile.
The gathered ladies immediately and astutely laughed along, laughing at the Grand Princess’s wit.
“Rise. You are a filial and good child, and also very brave.” She said lightly: “If the investigation confirms all is true, then remain by my side, and let the female officials teach and raise you. It is no long-term solution for the families of martyrs who died in service to the country to be left wandering among the common people.”
Second Girl was still in a daze. The female official Su had already pressed her down, saying: “Silly child, why have you not yet given thanks?”
Second Girl came to her senses and hurriedly knelt on the ground, performing a proper and formal bow: “This one thanks Your Highness, may Your Highness live ten thousand years and ten thousand times ten thousand years, blessed with fortune and longevity without end.”
“How compassionate our Highness is!” “Is it any wonder even a child knew — Your Highness’s reputation for benevolence has long been known throughout the world!” “With Your Highness raising this child, her future is surely assured.” The gathered ladies immediately all came forward with congratulations. Those who reacted quickly even produced gifts on the spot for Second Girl — gold bracelets and white jade pendants were all placed upon her. The Grand Princess only said mildly: “The matter has not yet been investigated — perhaps the Northern Garrison has not actually been remiss in the matter of providing for its orphans…”
At these words, Second Girl immediately made to plead her case again, but was pinched by the female official Su, who murmured “silly child.” Second Girl was also quick-witted enough to understand that the Grand Princess’s words were not directed at her, and so she said nothing more, her clear, black-and-white eyes only looking toward Madam Wei.
Madam Wei immediately felt as though needles were pricking her back. Steeling herself, she stepped forward: “It is because this subject-wife’s health has been poor, and I was too preoccupied with affairs within the household, that I neglected to visit these orphans. I beg Your Highness to forgive my transgression…”
“That also shows you have been diligent in keeping to your proper place — think nothing of it.” The Grand Princess said lightly, accepted the support of the female official’s hand, and stepped into the royal carriage. She beckoned to Second Girl. Second Girl, bold as she was, truly followed and climbed in, sitting beside her, gazing with curiosity at the phoenix carriage adorned with gold, jade, and silk.
“We respectfully see off Her Highness’s royal carriage returning to the palace.” The gathered ladies immediately knelt to see her off. Their inner feelings naturally varied considerably — those close to the Wei family, those distant from the Wei family, each with their own private calculations. Those skilled in political affairs naturally understood that the Wei family had not actually done anything wrong — Madam Wei, upon returning to the capital, could hardly go visiting orphans; would that not be tantamount to cultivating old associates and rearing loyal fighters? That would be a path to one’s own destruction. By comparison, today’s offense — earning a reputation for being callous and ungracious before the assembled crowd, losing face before the Grand Princess — was actually a minor matter.
Wrong either way — yet the truly formidable party was not the Grand Princess, but whoever had been working behind this affair: someone with miraculous, world-reversing hands, who at such a perfectly timed moment, using such a perfectly crafted matter, in such a grand setting, had both made the Wei family lose face and demonstrated the Grand Princess’s benevolence, handed the Wei family such a tremendous silent defeat, and yet left them with nothing they could say in response.
Everyone said the Wei family was brilliant and scorching hot with influence. Yet in truth, within the capital, the old established families had long been watching with covetous eyes. The Shen family cultivating ties with the Huo Company, and the young Madam Chen being close with Madam Wei — this game of chess was growing clearer. As for today’s move — which mastermind had descended onto the board?
The crowd buzzed with speculation, and the suspicions that followed need hardly be said. As for the Grand Princess’s royal carriage — it passed through the southern city and had barely returned to the princess’s residence when, before she had even stepped out of the carriage, news had already arrived.
An inner attendant came hurrying over, threading through the crowd attending the Grand Princess’s descent from the carriage, and said something to the senior matron. The matron then whispered it to the Grand Princess. The Grand Princess heard, looked at Second Girl, who was still gazing at her with an expression of candid honesty.
“Your Highness — I did not lie, did I?” she asked the Grand Princess earnestly.
The Grand Princess smiled. She reached out and touched Second Girl’s head, the jeweled rings on her slender fingers carrying a faint chill — but Second Girl, obedient, did not flinch.
“You have not lied — but I have somehow heard that a kind-hearted young lady from a noble family was planning to provide for your group, and had even found work for you to do?” She stroked Second Girl’s head at an unhurried pace and said: “That does not quite sound like the situation of someone who cannot survive the winter, does it?”
“I did not deceive Your Highness.” Second Girl stood up with determination: “My mother said that a person must have backbone. Charity from others — such relief cannot be accepted. The households in Ping’an Lane all say the same. Miss Ye owes us nothing. My father died in battle for the country. If we are to seek help, we must seek it from Your Highness. That is why I came to Your Highness!”
“All right, all right — I know you have backbone.” The female official Su watched with a smile and stepped in to smooth things over: “You dare to put on airs even before Her Highness, and you still have not apologized to Her Highness? How will you ever learn proper conduct?”
Second Girl stubbornly bit her lip, but obediently apologized to the Grand Princess: “Second Niangzi should not have been so bold before Your Highness. I beg Your Highness to forgive me.”
“You learn quickly.” The Grand Princess was not displeased in the least, and actually smiled. She waved a hand at the female official Su, who understood immediately, pulled Second Girl away, and as they walked could be heard saying things like: “Look at how thin you are — like a little monkey. How old are you exactly, twelve? You had better not lie…”
It had been over ten years since the Grand Princess’s residence had seen any new faces — no wonder the female official Su found a little child so novel, treating Second Girl like a new toy that had just come into her hands.
Princess Minghua stepped down from the royal carriage. The senior matron came to support her arm and said in a low voice: “That Miss Ye…”
Before she had finished speaking, the corner of the Grand Princess’s lips curved upward. The senior matron, understanding, could not help but smile as well, and said: “What sort of matter is this, really.”
“It is said that Ye Zhongqing, the Tanhua-ranked scholar, is full of clever schemes — so it is only natural that his daughter would be a little more clever than most.” A nearby attendant also remarked with amusement.
One daughter conducted herself with upright propriety and feminine virtue, offering remonstrance with all the ceremonial propriety of Wei Zheng advising Emperor Taizong of Tang — and remarkably sincere, concerned only with the greater good, regardless of whether the Wei family or the Shen family gained from it. The other daughter, by contrast, took an unconventional path — quietly, without a sound, landing the Wei family in such a tremendous stumble.
The capital’s Flower Announcement Banquet this year was truly growing more and more interesting.