Lady Ling rose gracefully from her seat and approached the Imperial Noble Consort, presenting a Longevity Jade Pillow, beautifully constructed and known to relieve headaches and pain, and to encourage sound sleep. She bowed lightly, bending her knees a bit
"Your Grace, I heard from my husband that you were constantly having a hard time sleeping, so I prepared this specially for you. I hope it relieves your pain and gives you the comfort you need."
"Thank you, Lady Ling. That is very thoughtful of you," the Imperial Noble Consort said delicately.
"That reminds me, where is your daughter? I've been told she's fully recovered, the Emperor said."
Ruyi's heart skipped a beat at the mention of her name; she felt so disorganized as flashes of her past life came rushing back. It was in this same room that she had been condemned, that fingers had accusingly pointed at her, that she had been labeled with a name that was never hers. It was in this same room that she had been put to death, and now here she was again, sitting in the midst of all these pretentious people.
"Congratulations," the Imperial Noble Consort announced, and gestured to the Head Maid to pick up the gift. "I appreciate your thoughtfulness," she uttered, smiling brightly.
"Indeed, such thoughtfulness is rare," the Emperor added.
"Her illness took a toll on both of you. It wasn't easy at all. Thanks for a job well done. I've been wanting to meet her. Did you bring her with you today?" the Emperor asked, his face softening.
"Yes, Your Majesties, thanks to the heavens, Ruyi is now fully recovered," Lady Ling responded gratefully, then she turned to Ruyi and whispered gently, "Come."
Ruyi rose from her seat and approached Lady Ling; her steps were hardly heard as she walked slowly. Every eye in the room turned towards her, and it felt like she was being mocked over again. Through her veil, it was as though she could see and hear them again, laughing and pointing at her. Her whole
body trembled, and her eyes were filled with tears.
She wanted to run away; she wanted to be far away from it all. Her face was masked with sheer hatred and anger, but her expressions were hidden away beneath the veil.
"Did you hear?" One of the guests whispered to another, "Minister Xu's daughter used to be bedridden."
"Yeah, I heard that she's been cooped up at home since she was a little girl while her mates attended school. I can't believe it's her first time outside. Nobody really knows what she looks like," the other guest replied.
"What a pity. Do you think she's hiding her face because she's not good-looking?" the first guest inquired.
"Or maybe she's hiding something," a third party suddenly joined the gossip.
"It's a miracle she recovered," the first guest said again.
"Exactly," the second guest supported. "Lady Ling and Minister Xu must have spent a fortune to treat her."
"Maybe she's not even Xu Ruyi," the third guest speculated.
The second guest was taken aback and inquired, "What are you implying?"
"Think about it; no one knows what she looks like. Wouldn't it be easy to switch her? How can someone who used to bedridden all her life suddenly recover?" the third guest reasoned.
"That's absurd," the first guest retorted. "Don't you think they would have done that a long time ago if they wanted to switch her?"
"You're right," the second guest agreed, prompting the third guest to back out, which finally silenced the gossip.
Lady Ling held Ruyi's hands reassuringly. "Don't be afraid."
Ruyi bowed her head, placing one hand on the other. "Ruyi greets Your Majesty, Your Grace; may you live a long and prosperous life."
The hall went silent as everyone stared down at her.
"Who's this?" a guest said harshly. "How dare she greet His Majesty and Her Grace so casually?"
"Does she not understand the palace rules?" another added.
Ruyi immediately sank to her knees and bowed her head, her voice trembling. "Pardon my stupidity, Your Majesties. I've never been outside; I couldn't learn the palace rules due to my poor health. May Your Highnesses forgive me." Her voice shook with emotion and fear as she spoke.
The Imperial Noble Consort's face softened. "It's alright, I don't blame you. I applaud your parents for their care all these years. You should visit the palace more often."
"Y-Yes, Your Grace," Ruyi responded.
"Stand up," the Emperor ordered.
"What's the reason for wearing a veil? Is everything okay? Do you fear that others might say something hurtful when they see you? Don't worry, they dare not. Take off your veil so I can see your face," the Emperor said, a smile tugging at his lips.
Ruyi's heart pounded in her chest, as she looked at her mother for help.
Lady Ling squeezed her hand and whispered, "I'm here."
Ruyi reached for her veil and attempted to remove it when an eunuch hurried into the room and whispered into the head eunuch's ear. The head eunuch nodded and announced, "His Highness, the crown prince, has arrived."
With curiosity, all eyes turned towards the entrance, as the crown prince, Sun Jingxuan, made his rare appearance. He was seated in a shimmering golden wheelchair, its polished surface bright and reflective. His robe was rich, and his dignified air spoke of royalty. Two assistants followed him: one carefully moved the wheelchair along the carpeted way, while the other carried a small, carved wooden box in his hands, following closely behind.
Whispers began among the guests—some sympathetic, others curious.
"I heard he hasn't walked since the Empress died."
"Yes, they said in spite of his condition, he's extremely intelligent."
As the crown prince approached, he placed one hand on the other in reverence and bowed his head deeply. "This son greets Father, Mother."
The Emperor smiled genuinely, his earlier cheer returning. "My son, you're here."
"Jingxuan," the Empress called, her face lighting with affection, "you should have rested; there was no need to trouble yourself."
"It is Mother's special day, how could I not attend?"
he said, a gentle smile playing on his lips.
The Imperial Noble Consort's eyes gleamed. "You, you're thoughtful as always."
"Happy birthday Mother. I wish you a happy and healthy life," Sun Jingxuan said, presenting the gift to the Imperial Noble Consort.
The Imperial Noble Consort beckoned to the head maid to accept the gift, who then handed it to her.
She carefully opened the case, and her eyes widened in surprise as she murmured gently, "Yinghao." She traced her fingers along the item while a smile graced her lips. Lying inside was a brush of high-quality artistry— the Yinghao Brush (颖毫笔). Its head was crafted from the finest weasel hairs, while the handle was designed from durable, classic porcelain: a perfect tool for the Imperial Noble Consort's creativity.
"I heard you've been looking for this brush, so I specifically found it for you. I hope you like it," Sun Jingxuan said.
The Imperial Noble Consort smiled brightly. "I like it, thank you."
The Imperial Noble Consort loved painting. Before her marriage to the Emperor, she was a talented artist, but she hardly had time to paint anymore.
Ruyi's eyes widened in recognition as she looked at the crown prince. "It's him!" she murmured almost aloud. "He is the man from the fabric store—he…he's the crown prince?" Her eyes landed on another familiar figure, "Liu Yi?" The very man who had argued with her the other day was standing behind the crown prince with a calm demeanor.
What's happening? Why is he sitting in a wheelchair? She clearly recalled the crown prince's ability to walk that day; why was he now in a wheelchair today? Her mind raced.
"Ruyi?" her mother's voice startled her, bringing her back from her trance. "Come on," Lady Ling held her hand, and they both headed to their seats.
Liu Yi wheeled the crown prince to his seat; Sun Jingxuan's expressions were collected despite the piercing eyes.
"Let the dancers begin!" The Emperor's voice rang out with a loud laugh, and the dancers resumed their dancing. The party returned with pomp as the hall filled with dinning, laughter, and the cheers of the guests.
Ruyi tried to stay focused on the performance, but her gaze kept returning to the crown prince. Why did he conceal who he was? Why did he pretend to be a nobody? Why is he sitting in a wheelchair? Who is he exactly? What is he trying to hide? She pondered as she stared at him through her veil.
As Li Mei, she had never seen the crown prince up close. He had always lived a secluded life and had always been in a wheelchair, for all she knew. He was known to avoid public events and occasions. She had heard that he became crippled after his mother, the Empress, passed on, while others gossiped that he was mysteriously involved in an accident.
No one really knew what happened; their paths had never crossed then, and she had barely even noticed him. Yet now, as she looked at him, she couldn't help but ask herself one question: if he had always been like this, then how was he standing that day?