Chapter 9

  The Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching. The mansion is filled with joy and excitement. Because I have to enter the palace for a banquet, my sister lectures me on etiquette every day. Where to change clothes, where to sit in a pavilion, where to receive courtesy calls, where to start the banquet, where to rest, she makes me recite again and again. She is afraid that my behavior will not be proper on that day.

  By the fifteenth day in the afternoon, Beile Ye and my sister were all dressed up, I was also packed up, so a group of people got into their sedan chairs and headed to the Forbidden City. Because I took "History of Scroll Painting" as an elective course when I was in college, there are often painting exhibitions in the Palace Museum, so I go there frequently, but I'm only familiar with a few places near the Painting Gallery, it's too big, I've never walked through it all before. Today, I will see this palace in its heyday, and I must say that I am excited.

  One gate after another, one layer of ceremony after another, row upon row of guards, I was completely dizzy and highly tense in spirit, afraid of making a single mistake. There was no time to look at the surroundings. Fortunately, my sister's training had been good. After finally sitting down, I felt my feet were a bit soft. After taking a deep breath, I looked around: lanterns hung everywhere, shining brightly like daytime, silver light and snowy waves, jewels radiating brilliance, the fragrance of dragon censers and the scent of evergreen flowers in vases. I secretly sighed: what a majestic imperial atmosphere, something that modern TV dramas couldn't possibly depict.

  The various consorts, princes, and princesses gradually arrived and took their seats. After a short while, a group of eunuchs came quickly, each standing in their designated position. A voice echoed from afar, "The Emperor has arrived!" Everyone stood up and after another moment, they saw a middle-aged man with an average build, wearing a yellow robe, adorned with beautiful jade on his hat, having a simple yet elegant face with a hint of a smile, walking slowly towards them. Everyone knelt down to the ground in unison. I thought to myself, the legendary emperor, Emperor Kangxi!

  Although the people had all knelt down, not one of them let out a big sigh. When Kangxi was seated, a eunuch standing beside him loudly called out, "Rise!" Only then did everyone get up and stand. Kangxi smiled as he looked around at the people below him and said, "You may all be seated! It's rare to have a holiday, so let's relax a bit!" Everyone responded in unison, "Yes!" and took their seats. As I see it, everyone was careful to observe the proper etiquette, not daring to be the slightest bit remiss. Alas, this is the majesty of the Son of Heaven, under whose rule all are subject.

  After three rounds of wine, the atmosphere on the seat finally became a bit lively. Several young brothers also started teasing each other and laughing, all raising their glasses to each other. Among them, the tenth brother's voice was the loudest. The crown prince, fourth brother, and eighth brother were also chatting and drinking. I was looking around when I suddenly met Mingyu Gege's gaze, she stared at me with hatred. I immediately flashed her a brilliant smile, thinking, die from anger! She glared at me even more hatefully, but suddenly seemed to react to something, pursed the corners of her mouth, and also gave me a charming smile before turning away. I immediately felt a chill run down my body, shivering. Sighing in my heart, indeed, smiling tigers are still the most terrifying.

  Eating and drinking, sipping and stopping, laughing and looking around, although no one is paying attention to me, I am still very content. Fortunately, it's a grand occasion, how can I not fully enjoy myself? Just as I was lowering my head in delight, suddenly everything became quiet, and when I raised my head, I saw everyone staring at me. Then I heard the eunuch say: "Ma Er Tai, Yu Xi, come forward to pay respects!"

  I was startled and couldn't react for a moment. Suddenly, I had an idea, quickly got up, went forward, knelt down, and bowed my head, saying in a crisp voice: "Long live Your Majesty!" Kangxi said: "Get up and talk!" As I stood up, I thought to myself, what's going on? Kangxi smiled and said: "So this is the 'Daring Thirteenth Sister'?" A concubine standing beside him chimed in with a smile: "I really didn't expect her to be such a delicate little girl!"

  Everyone's eyes were on me, and I felt extremely nervous. Kangxi looked at me with a smile and asked: "You see me, very nervous?" I thought that if I didn't speak up, it would be bad, so I replied: "Yes!" Kangxi seemed to think it was quite amusing and continued to ask: "Why?" After thinking for a moment, I replied: "It's the first time I've seen Your Majesty, and I feel infinite majesty, so I'm nervous." Kangxi hummed in response and asked again: "Do you think I'm very majestic?" I thought to myself, oh no! How can this not end?! Carefully considering how to respond, one wrong answer might be the end of me.

  The Emperor Kangxi saw that I didn't immediately respond, and continued to smile as he asked: "Are you afraid of me?" I thought to myself, only a tyrannical ruler would hope for everyone to fear him, whereas a wise ruler has always sought to win people's hearts. Not daring to hesitate any further, I hastily replied: "No, Your Majesty is a great and wise ruler, how could your humble servant be afraid? It's just that this is my first time entering the palace, and I feel a bit tense due to the grandeur of the imperial court." The Emperor Kangxi smiled and asked: "A great and wise ruler? Why do you think I am a great and wise ruler?" Oh, the distress in my heart! Why? History has already made its evaluation. But I didn't dare directly mention things like ascending to the throne at eight years old, capturing Ao Bai, pacifying the three feuds, recovering Taiwan, or quelling the rebellion of Galdan... because those were the Emperor Kangxi's own boasts in his later years, and I didn't dare steal his thunder. I could only frantically think, my brain racing through several circles, and what came out was actually from the high school textbook "Qing Yuan Chun. Snow". My heart also felt it was quite fitting, but I couldn't care about that much anymore, as saving my life was urgent, so I loudly said:

  Alas, Qin Shi Huang and Han Wu Di slightly lost in literary elegance; Tang Taizong and Song Taizu were somewhat inferior.

  A generation of heroes, Genghis Khan, only knew how to shoot eagles with a bow.

  "All have passed on, many heroes of the past; now look at today."

  Kangxi nodded and smiled, saying: "I'm used to hearing about Yao Shun Yu Tang, but today's words are quite refreshing!" I sighed inwardly, wondering how I could have forgotten Yao Shun Yu Tang. But now it seems the effect is great, this flattery is not bad! Kangxi said: "It looks like you're not just a 'desperate' person!" He then turned to the eunuch beside him and said: "Reward him!" I quickly knelt down again. After receiving the reward, I retreated. Sitting back in my seat, I found that my palms were sweating. Looking up, I realized that the Crown Prince and Fourth Brother were carefully examining me, so I hurriedly lowered my head.

  After the commotion, Kangxi's mood seemed to have greatly improved, and the accompanying concubines also followed suit with lively conversations. The princes all came forward to offer Kangxi wine and words of good fortune. After Ninth Prince returned to his seat, he only saw Tenth Prince walking up, holding a cup of wine and saying: "Imperial Father, my elder brothers have already said all the auspicious phrases, I don't have anything good to say, I just wish Imperial Father good health." He finished speaking and downed the wine in one gulp. Kangxi shook his head and said: "Can't remember any elegant phrases or words, only knows how to speak colloquially." A concubine with a delicate appearance beside Kangxi smiled and said: "Although it's colloquial speech, what he said is indeed true!" Kangxi nodded in agreement. Looking at Tenth Prince, he thought for a moment before saying: "He's already seventeen this year!" The concubine smiled and chimed in: "Ninth Prince was established as the Crown Prince at this age, it's time to establish Tenth Prince as well!"