Hu Shanwei belonged to the Palace Administration Bureau. From the Palace Administration Bureau’s perspective, the book bestowal matter had been completed quite beautifully, and Hu Shanwei had merit.
Just as Supervisor Fan was about to refute, Hu Shanwei stopped her, shaking her head and saying softly, “I’ll handle this myself.”
“Palace Supervisor Cao, dare you speak privately?” Hu Shanwei pointed to an old plum tree by the roadside, its branches bent under heavy snow.
Palace Supervisor Cao said, “Why wouldn’t I dare? I’m a dignified fifth-rank palace supervisor—would I fear a mere seventh-rank assistant like you?”
After speaking, Palace Supervisor Cao ordered her attendants not to follow with umbrellas and, braving wind and snow, followed Hu Shanwei to beneath the plum tree.
Palace Supervisor Cao said, “Do you remember what I told you before you went to Xi’an?”
“I remember,” Hu Shanwei said. “You said I must bring Liu Siyan back, and if something happened to her, I shouldn’t expect a single good day in the palace.”
Palace Supervisor Cao sneered coldly, “You remember quite clearly.”
Hu Shanwei said, “Palace Supervisor Cao is the head of palace female officials. How dare I forget your words? Though Supervisor Fan will protect me, even tigers sometimes doze, let alone Supervisor Fan is only human. You have at least a hundred ways to drive me from the palace—but what use would it be to drive me out? Liu Siyan is already dead, her bones crushed and scattered. I couldn’t even bring back her ashes.”
Palace Supervisor Cao was cold as ice: “Liu Siyan died in your place. Since she can’t return, you shouldn’t return to the palace either.”
Hu Shanwei asked, “Why don’t you want to see me in the palace? Because whenever you see me, you think of Liu Siyan’s tragic death. You’re helpless about Liu Siyan’s death, unable to punish the real culprit or make the culprit pay with their life, so you find a soft persimmon to squeeze, venting your heart’s frustration.”
Her thoughts exposed in one sentence, Palace Supervisor Cao raised her palm: “How dare you!”
Hu Shanwei’s daily military fitness boxing wasn’t learned in vain. She grabbed Palace Supervisor Cao’s wrist, stopping her palm in midair, and said in a low voice:
“Do you know the detailed circumstances of Liu Siyan’s death? She was dragged into an ice cellar where her tongue was cut out, blood gushing from her mouth like a spring. Prince Qin found her screaming unpleasant, so he grabbed handfuls of ice shards to stuff in her mouth, then sealed it with cloth strips. Liu Siyan ultimately choked to death on ice water and fresh blood!”
Palace Supervisor Cao’s eyes widened, her amber pupils seeming ready to break free from their bloodshot sockets. The Embroidered Uniform Guard hadn’t described it in such detail—she hadn’t expected the truth to be so cruel.
Hu Shanwei said, “You red-eyed, hitting me, scolding me, driving me away, making a show of grief and anger—is it only to mourn Liu Siyan? No, you’re performing for others to see. You know who the real culprit is, but your heart has already accepted the result that the culprit, born of noble blood, can escape death. But we are different—I, Hu Shanwei, absolutely will not accept this result!”
“I’m thick-skinned enough to return to the palace so that one day in the future, Prince Qin will receive punishment—a life for a life! Prince Qin is brave and skilled in battle. By exiling him to the frontier, His Majesty clearly intends to give him another chance to atone through merit. The demoted Deng’s suicide note has already taken all blame upon herself. Others will only say ‘beauty brings disaster’—that Prince Qin was merely bewitched by a demon consort. When Prince Qin achieves great military exploits, he’ll definitely make a comeback, remaining a respected feudal prince entrenched in the northwest! But I will absolutely never let Prince Qin die peacefully—who ever gave Liu Siyan a chance to start over?”
Hu Shanwei raised her right hand: “I swear today that when the opportunity comes, I will definitely use Prince Qin’s blood to honor Liu Siyan’s spirit in heaven. I swear that in the future I will proclaim Prince Qin’s countless crimes to the world, write them into history, and nail him forever to the pillar of shame, cursed by people for thousands of generations! He can’t think of using the demoted Deng as a shield to escape punishment!”
“If I violate this oath…” Hu Shanwei swore a poisonous oath to heaven, “may I be struck by five thunderbolts and die horribly!”
Palace Supervisor Cao was shaken by Hu Shanwei’s poisonous oath.
Hu Shanwei dared to swear such an oath; Palace Supervisor Cao didn’t dare. She didn’t even dare think about it—she was just the most handy tool Empress Ma used.
As a good tool, first she couldn’t have too much self-awareness or too many thoughts. Within the scope her master allowed, she could show off, embarrass favored consorts, and receive the best rewards, but she absolutely couldn’t question, let alone resist, her master’s decisions.
Last year at thirty-three, Palace Supervisor Cao was promoted to fifth-rank palace supervisor, while all previous palace supervisors had been over forty. How could Empress Ma favor someone so young?
Because Palace Supervisor Cao thought least and did most—she was simply too useful.
Palace Supervisor Cao also knew why Empress Ma valued her, so she put on airs in the palace, acted arrogantly, wanted to be first in everything, and bullied other “Shang-rank” female officials. She understood that her performance must meet Empress Ma’s “expectations.”
Everyone secretly called her shallow, not knowing that “shallow” was precisely her protective coloring, her shield.
For the first time, Palace Supervisor Cao looked directly at this newly appointed female official famous for her stubborn intelligence and astonishing good luck. She had the fine appearance of flowers for heart and snow for skin, yet her eyes held the force of wind, rain, thunder, and lightning.
For a moment, Palace Supervisor Cao felt that the satisfying revenge she described might actually succeed.
Palace Supervisor Cao asked, “Every sentence you just spoke could kill you once over. Aren’t you afraid?”
Hu Shanwei pondered Palace Supervisor Cao’s expression and felt she had bet correctly. If Palace Supervisor Cao disagreed with her thoughts, she would have already shouted loudly and ordered someone to arrest her for defying the imperial decree.
Hu Shanwei said, “Afraid? Of course I fear death. But I’m more afraid of encountering the same tragedy as Liu Siyan in the future with no one to protect her, avenge her, or punish the real culprit.”
Palace Supervisor Cao was also a female official. In the power center of the Great Ming Empire, being swept into political whirlpools and dying inexplicably was common, both inside and outside the palace. For example, this spring’s case of Prime Minister Hu Weiyong’s treason—how many officials went to imperial prison, and how many, unable to withstand torture, made wild accusations?
Hu Shanwei had been in the palace less than a year yet had such awareness and courage. Perhaps she really could avenge Liu Siyan. Perhaps her future was far more than just being a handy tool for the Empress like herself…
Palace Supervisor Cao said, “You must remember every word you said today. If it’s just talk, I won’t let you go even as a ghost.”
Hu Shanwei was used to Palace Supervisor Cao’s various harsh words, thinking that though Palace Supervisor Cao was fierce-faced and sharp-tongued, her scheming and methods weren’t as good as Supervisor Fan’s.
Liu Siyan belonged to her Palace Supervisor Bureau. If she could remain calm and fair toward her after learning of Liu Siyan’s tragic death, saying it wasn’t her fault, then Palace Supervisor Cao would be too frightening—who knew when she might stab her in the back.
Palace Supervisor Cao, who was used to fighting directly herself without using underhanded methods or pushing subordinates forward to kill with borrowed knives, was more endearing.
Previously, the demoted Hu from Yanxi Palace who wanted to deal with Hu Shanwei and resist Empress Ma always pushed eunuchs and palace maids forward first, sacrificing others.
Supervisor Fan, knowing the book bestowal matter would offend people, pushed her, a newborn calf unafraid of tigers, to bear it.
But Palace Supervisor Cao did everything herself—drew hatred herself, bore infamy herself, and kept everything in the open, absolutely never letting middlemen “earn the difference.” This was unique in the palace, no wonder Empress Ma used her with confidence.
Hu Shanwei was a twenty-year-old “old woman” who had experienced various worldly changes—she could distinguish good from bad.
Hu Shanwei said, “If Mu Chun’s supply army hadn’t appeared timely in Zhouzhi County, I would have died under Prince Qin’s butcher knife too. This enmity is already formed. If I spare Prince Qin, given Prince Qin’s violent and vengeful nature, would he spare me in the future? Both publicly and privately, I will strive to fulfill my promise.”
Palace Supervisor Cao said mockingly, “After all this talk, you’re still doing it for yourself.”
Hu Shanwei asked back, “Doing it for myself would make Palace Supervisor Cao feel more at ease, wouldn’t it?”
Hu Shanwei was so straightforward that Palace Supervisor Cao was choked and had nothing to say.
At this time, Supervisor Fan and attendants from the Palace Supervisor Bureau in the distance were frequently looking their way. Palace Supervisor Cao said loudly, “You remember this! This time you owe our Palace Supervisor Bureau a life, and in the future you must repay double!”
Her voice was loud enough to shake snow from the plum tree, and even distant Supervisor Fan heard clearly, attracting sideways glances from passersby.
After speaking, Palace Supervisor Cao strode away aggressively while two attendants hurriedly chased after her with umbrellas.
Supervisor Fan walked to beneath the plum tree and asked Hu Shanwei, “What did you two just talk about?”
Hu Shanwei brushed falling snow from her eyelashes: “Nothing more than cursing me as a disaster star and wanting to drive me away. I said when the Palace Supervisor Bureau can interfere in Palace Administration Bureau matters, I’ll leave immediately.”
Supervisor Fan said, “You really dare to say anything.”
Hu Shanwei smiled bitterly, “What else could I do? Kneel and beg for mercy? Palace Supervisor Cao doesn’t buy that, and besides, our Palace Administration Bureau exists to establish rules for palace people. Knees are worth their weight in gold—how can we kneel easily? After I return to the palace, Her Majesty the Empress will definitely have rewards to calm my nerves. Palace Supervisor Cao temporarily doesn’t dare do anything to me.”
Supervisor Fan asked, “What about the future?”
Hu Shanwei said, “Future matters, we’ll discuss in the future—don’t I still have you, Supervisor Fan, to support me?”
After three days’ separation, one should look at someone with new eyes. After Hu Shanwei’s two-month absence, even Supervisor Fan didn’t dare underestimate her transformed bearing and temperament.
Supervisor Fan looked Hu Shanwei up and down, saying, “First go wash off the dust. Her Majesty the Empress will definitely summon you today.”
Hu Shanwei agreed. Supervisor Fan continued, “This year’s winter palace maid examination results just came out. Mei Xiang passed as a female scholar. Today’s welcome banquet is also a teacher appreciation feast, all arranged by Mei Xiang alone.”
Hu Shanwei raised an eyebrow: this could be said to be the only good news recently.
The palace maid examination was entirely conducted by Female Instructor Shen Qionglian—questions set and papers graded by her alone. Results were announced the same day with no one questioning them. Mei Xiang ranked fifth from the bottom, but as the oldest at thirty-eight, this kitchen servant’s achievement caused quite a sensation in the palace.
Empress Ma had always encouraged women’s education, believing reading made people reasonable, cultivated character, and avoided ignorance. She herself never put down books and established a promotion path in the palace from female scholar to female official. With willingness to learn and talent, there were opportunities for advancement.
Mei Xiang’s success was truly an inspirational model of “learning until old age.” To encourage the palace’s learning atmosphere, after learning that Hu Shanwei was Mei Xiang’s “teacher,” Empress Ma specially summoned this teacher-student pair together today.
Empress Ma asked what rewards they wanted. Hu Shanwei, as the teacher, spoke first: “Mei Xiang studied by the stove, progressing from illiteracy to female scholar. This subject feels ashamed in comparison. Mei Xiang is a name others casually called her when she was a servant. Now that she’s a female scholar, this subject boldly wishes to request from Your Majesty the Empress a proper formal name for her.”
Empress Ma asked Mei Xiang, “What is your family surname? Where are you from?”
Having the Empress bestow a name was a great favor. Mei Xiang was ecstatic and quickly said, “Surname Huang, originally from Guangdong. Lost contact with family during wartime as a child and was sold as a servant.”
Empress Ma pondered for a moment. Moved by recent events at Prince Qin’s palace, she said, “Both learning and virtue require lifelong pursuit and persistence—neither can be lacking. Your diligent study, leaving the kitchen and stepping onto the official path, is truly remarkable. I shall bestow the name ‘Weide’—Huang Weide.”
Huang Weide kowtowed in thanks: “Thank you, Your Majesty the Empress.”