“Hui Xiang, did you really hear it or were you dreaming? You can’t speak carelessly!” Nanny Zhang grew anxious.
Talking at midnight wasn’t merely passing messages—it also carried suspicion of adultery.
“This servant dares not lie.” Hui Xiang trembled. “The night before last at midnight, this servant had stomach trouble and went to the eastern privy. Returning past Qun Qing’s chamber, thinking the candles had run out, I wanted to borrow one. But approaching the window, I heard private whispers between a man and woman, as if discussing something. This servant looked through the window crack—the lamp was out, but no one was on the bed. Perhaps they were hiding in… hiding in that large bamboo grove behind the chamber! That’s a secluded spot.”
Hui Xiang finished in one breath. When she paused for air, she was no longer so flustered. “Mosquitoes and flies are thick outside. Since we’re not usually close, this servant didn’t want to meddle and just returned myself.”
Supervisor Pei’s sinister gaze swept toward Qun Qing, seeing only her chignon: “Who were you talking to? Discussing what matters?”
Qun Qing kept her head properly lowered, silent for a moment before following Hui Xiang’s account: “Hui Xiang says ‘not usually close’ because this servant has a cold temperament and isn’t good at conversation. Therefore, ordinarily no other palace maids dare associate intimately with this servant.”
As she spoke, Supervisor Pei didn’t look at her but observed the other palace maids’ expressions. Seeing no abnormality, he confirmed Qun Qing’s words were true. He heard Qun Qing continue: “If she didn’t dare speak during daylight, would she dare randomly wake me at midnight to borrow candles?”
Supervisor Pei’s expression changed. That Hui Xiang’s words did contain some contradictions. Just as Hui Xiang was about to explain, Qun Qing had already continued: “There’s another matter that puzzles this servant: Supervisor Pei said that Lateral Court palace maids who privately exchange messages receive thirty lashes, but at the start of the year His Majesty showed clemency to subordinates, reducing the thirty lashes to seven so punished palace maids could recuperate and continue working. The maximum punishment is merely twenty lashes.”
“Eunuch, you’re a supervisor—you know palace regulations best. Falsely reporting punishments must be to intimidate us. If the informant clearly saw who it was, they’d just arrest them directly. Why would you bother accompanying us under the sun for mutual accusations? Those without guilty conscience aren’t flustered answering any questions. Whoever reacts most strongly has a guilty heart.”
Hui Xiang immediately raised her head and wailed: “This servant did not! This servant is just a menial worker, born timid. When the supervisor mentioned thirty lashes, I was frightened into confusion—how could I remember legal codes? This servant absolutely dares not lie. I truly heard talking sounds…”
“Perhaps she did pass by this servant’s chamber that day, but definitely not to borrow candles, nor to use the privy.” Qun Qing interrupted her words. “This servant guards the northern storehouse, living remotely. Returning from the eastern privy to the maids’ quarters, one can take a shortcut. If mosquitoes and flies were too thick to endure, why take the long way around? What was she doing in the north at midnight that she’d blurt out immediately—unless it’s inconvenient to speak of, requiring the risk of fabricating lies?”
Hui Xiang never imagined she could turn the tables. For a moment she was caught in the trap. When she realized, panic instantly flooded her eyes. Supervisor Pei waved his hand. Several inner attendants came from all directions.
As Hui Xiang was dragged away, she finally broke down: “This servant was wrong! This servant only exchanged a few jokes with the east gate guard, did nothing else! This servant dares not lie—I truly heard talking sounds in Qun Qing’s chamber, truly heard talking sounds…”
Then came the sound of striking rods and screams. Those wails grew increasingly agonized and feeble, leaving the palace maids silent as cicadas.
Nanny Zhang hadn’t expected such a thing to happen: “This servant’s supervision was inadequate. Hui Xiang is usually timid—who’d think she’d dare frame others… This servant will definitely select someone new.”
“That Hui Xiang’s courage is indeed small—one trick and she revealed everything.” Supervisor Pei spoke leisurely, yet his little finger pointed at Qun Qing as he smiled. “Her courage is large though—she remembers clearly which year His Majesty changed which laws. Material for great undertakings!”
Nanny Zhang’s mouth opened: “The supervisor overthinks. She grew up in the Lateral Courts, so she’s familiar with palace regulations…” As she spoke, she hurriedly signaled with her eyes to Qun Qing.
But Qun Qing acted oblivious. Under Nanny Zhang’s anxious, fearful gaze, she placed her hands together and suddenly performed a joyful bow toward Supervisor Pei, startling him back half a step: “Supervisor Pei’s appreciation is this servant’s fortune! Though this servant was born in the Lateral Courts, I attended four years of palace education. Not only do I know palace regulations by heart, I most love historical theory and law. In childhood I once…”
“Shut up, shut up! Who praised you? Can’t you understand human speech? Give you an inch and you take a mile!” Supervisor Pei angrily beat his whisk, determining this was an idiot—appearing composed but actually a fool with a screw loose.
There were reasons why Lateral Court palace maids remained in the Lateral Courts.
He took a deep breath, still uneasy, pulling Nanny Zhang aside: “Recently the inner court is investigating Nan Chu spies—people are on edge. That Hui Xiang took a beating but still won’t relent. I don’t think she’s lying. Just send both her and that Hui Xiang to the Ministry of Justice for interrogation—don’t implicate you and me.”
Seeing Nanny Zhang’s lips show a grave curve from afar, Qun Qing tightened her fingers and suddenly said: “This servant was indeed outside that night and did indeed speak with someone.”
Nanny Zhang’s lips trembled. Supervisor Pei was also astonished. Both looked at her: “Who?”
“Palace Education Scholar Eunuch Jin.”
Nanny Zhang: “That’s an inner attendant—how can you call him an outside man? Besides, Eunuch Jin is over seventy years old…”
“Exactly. So Hui Xiang didn’t hear wrong, but this servant also didn’t privately exchange messages.”
Supervisor Pei was confused: “You don’t sleep at midnight but whisper with a deaf, dim-eyed palace education scholar about what?”
Qun Qing said: “In reply to the supervisor: shortly we’ll meet the noble masters, and we must present gifts to them. This servant works in the Embroidery Bureau, so I prepared embroidered pieces as gifts. But Lateral Court palace maids each receive only five night candles monthly—additional work is completely insufficient. This servant waited until the moon was at midnight, embroidering outside by moonlight. I also had a selfish motive—to wait for Eunuch Jin to pass after his night duty and have him guide my needlework.”
“The night before last, I finally encountered Eunuch Jin. He saw this servant’s plight and gave guidance—that was the discussion Hui Xiang heard. If you don’t believe me, go to this servant’s chamber. On the table in the sewing basket is a wooden box containing this servant’s embroidered pieces, precisely what this servant prepared to present this time.” Qun Qing said.
Moments later, the wooden box and embroidered pieces reached Supervisor Pei’s hands. Opening them, he couldn’t help but fall silent.
The embroidered pieces were about palm-sized, thin as cicada wings, cut into irregular shapes, sewable onto skirt tops—decorations popular among noble women. Qun Qing’s piece used silk as base, embroidering orchids and a spread-winged phoenix-tailed butterfly. She’d used some unknown needlework technique—the butterfly wings had an iridescent effect under sunlight that immediately captured one’s gaze.
Another piece showed pink silk tree flowers on thin gauze—presumably Qun Qing’s original preparation. Though not stunning enough, it was still quite exquisite.
Supervisor Pei stroked the embroidered pieces back and forth, holding them to the light for careful examination before speaking strangely: “Our Lateral Courts actually has such a talent? Your handiwork isn’t inferior to the Shangfu Bureau. Staying in the Lateral Courts is beneath your abilities.”
Under the palace maids’ gazes, Qun Qing lowered her head: “All thanks to Eunuch Jin’s excellent guidance.”
Supervisor Pei smiled but wasn’t appeased: “What level our Lateral Courts’ Embroidery Bureau is—doesn’t this servant know? It doesn’t even deserve to carry the Shangfu Bureau’s shoes! Teaching a phoenix from a chicken coop is also a remarkable occurrence.”
Qun Qing raised her head at these words. A simple chignon without adornments was an extreme test of natural appearance. Qun Qing’s features weren’t eye-catching, but compared to other palace maids, one could see the difference in bearing.
The light jacket-skirt on her body billowed in the wind. Her neckline and straight shoulders—the more one looked, the more one could see the bearing of upright bamboo, neither servile nor arrogant:
“This servant entered the Lateral Courts at age four. I washed clothes for three years, scrubbed chamber pots for four years before getting the opportunity to enter the Embroidery Bureau. For eight years, not a single day passed without cherishing this. Day and night I held needles, not daring to slack, only fearing removal from the Embroidery Bureau. The Lateral Courts can’t compare to the Shangfu Bureau, but for one piece of embroidered cloth only a few inches in size, if one person does only this one thing for eight years—how could it not be done well?”
Her voice was clear and slightly trembling. All around fell silent for a moment, making people feel that if Supervisor Pei continued doubting, it would become a kind of insult.
Just then a young inner attendant reported: “Eunuch Jin says there seems to have been such a matter.” Supervisor Pei raised his hand to dismiss it. “This servant sees you’re diligent, so I’ll let it go. Don’t violate regulations again in the future, or I definitely won’t be lenient.”
Nanny Zhang’s face showed joy, but Qun Qing’s body suddenly swayed. The palace maid behind her supported her shoulders, preventing her from fainting to the ground. When her sleeve slipped, spots on her arm were seen. The palace maid exclaimed: “Nanny Zhang, she’s developed itching hives!”
Itching hives were a type of allergy that usually subsided within days. Some encountered willow catkins and developed rashes, some encountered silkworms and developed rashes. Sudden fright or excessive fear could also cause rashes—large red patches would quickly spread over the entire body.
“Worthless thing! Acting so composed.” Supervisor Pei’s anger found no outlet. “Nanny Zhang, change the person. So unsightly—don’t frighten the noble masters.”
Nanny Zhang had just thought circumstances were turning, her smile freezing on her face. Supervisor Pei had already decided: “This servant will add one person for you. Selected from Chang’an and entered the palace, recommended by the Lateral Court administrator—sixteen years old, clever and bright. Have her replace Qun Qing. Bao Shu, come meet Nanny Zhang.”
A young palace maid who’d been standing behind him came around—black hair and red lips like a skylark. She lifted her skirt and knelt beside Qun Qing, her collar emanating the scent of fresh oranges.
This fresh fragrance never before smelled drilled into the palace maids’ noses, making their bellies rumble with hunger. But Qun Qing knew—only Chang’an’s noble ladies would carefully distill orange peel into this fragrance, having maids steam it into clothes overnight as a fashionable practice.
Supervisor Pei staged this great performance today precisely to take the opportunity to insert someone. Nanny Zhang’s gaze carved at the ground like knives. She clenched her hands without speaking.
Bao Shu smiled: “This servant joined the selection urgently and hasn’t yet had time to prepare a greeting gift for the noble masters.” Born beautiful with a small mole beneath her eyes, she fearlessly regarded Nanny Zhang.
Nanny Zhang glared at her, too angry to speak for a long time: What now? Should she, the managing palace maid, prepare it for her?
In the silence, Qun Qing held the box above her head: “This servant’s prepared embroidered pieces can be presented on her behalf.”