Chapter 7: Gift

 

In the imperial study, Wei Zhu stood aside, enduring the drowsiness that was rising. He glanced at the emperor sitting in front of the desk and lowered his head to look at his toes.

 

“Wei Zhu, what time is it?” Kangxi put down his imperial pen, closed the booklet in his hand, and leaned on the back of the chair, rubbing his forehead lightly, he couldn’t hide his tiredness.

 

“Answering back to the emperor, it’s already Hai Shi [1],” Wei Zhu took two steps closer, and stopped a few steps away from the table, “Is the emperor going to bed?”

 

[1] 亥時.  亥 hài 时 (時) shí. 9-11 pm (in the system of two-hour subdivisions used in former times).

 

Kangxi’s eyes darkened, “Report this to concubine Cheng, tonight she will serve.”

 

Wei Zhu bowed, “Yes.” 

 

After exiting the room, Wei Zhu changed his face slightly. Today the emperor went to Wuyizhai but did not show his face, probably because he heard the words of the seventh brother. Concubine Cheng hasn’t served the bed for nearly a month, afraid tonight was because of the seventh brother’s blessing.

 

The seventh brother was smart, but it’s a pity...

 

He looked into the yard: the trees, flowers, and plants looked particularly terrifying at night time. Wei Zhu suddenly woke up. He was merely thinking too much. He retracted his eyes and ordered the eunuch who was waiting in the side hall to go deliver the imperial order.

 

***

 

Since the first day, Yinyou arrived at Wuyizhai later than the other brothers, Yinyou’s arrival time every morning seemed to be neither early nor late among the several brothers. After a month, he became accustomed to the habit of getting up at three o’clock every morning and going to bed before eight o’clock every night. He didn’t know if it was his illusion but after such a amount of tossing, he actually felt that he was a lot stronger.

 

There was a saying that made sense, that is, “to go to bed early and get up early is good for your health”.

 

At the end of October, the weather gradually cooled down. Fourth brother’s birthday was approaching [2], and the palace masters sent their servants to send gifts.

 

[2] Yongzheng Emperor’s birthday was December 13th, 1678 (which was 343 years ago). Yo, he was a Sagittarius. 

 

Yinyou was walking on the bluestone road, and the wind made his fingertips a little cold. Today, Beijing still counted the days according to the traditional lunar calendar [3], and there was no Gregorian calendar. Following the Gregorian calendar, they would be able to celebrate New Year’s Day in less than one month, now, all those festivals were gone.

 

[3] Chinese calendar, a lunisolar calendar, is formed on the movement of the moon and the sun. It is also called the Lunar calendar, Yin calendar, Xia calendar or the old Chinese calendar. Each Chinese calendar year has a zodiac sign, 12 or 13 months and each month has 29 or 30 days. 

 

“Master, is it cold?” Seeing Yinyou like this, Fu Duo secretly blamed himself for his dereliction of duty, “The servant will go back and get a cloak for Master.”

 

“No need,” Yinyou glanced at the sky, “it’s getting late, the wind in Wuyizhai is not too strong, and besides, Master is not so delicate.” After saying that, he didn’t stop for a minute, and walked straight to Changchun Garden.

 

As soon as he entered Changchun Garden, he heard a cry from behind him, “Seventh brother.”

 

Yinyou’s figure paused. In this Changchun Garden, only one person could call him seventh elder brother. With a smile on his face, he turned around. “Eighth brother, you’re early.” 

 

The eighth brother Yinsi smiled slightly, and walked quickly to Yinyou's side, slightly half a step behind Yinyou, “Seventh elder brother is one step ahead of younger brother, wouldn’t you be earlier?”

 

When Yinyou heard this, he smiled, but his heart was secretly startled. The eighth brother was only six years old, and he has this style when he smiles. Don’t know what he will look like ten years from now. No wonder some girls in later generations will say that he was a gentleman “as gentle as jade [4].”

 

[4] 宛如月華，溫潤如玉 wǎnrú yuè huá, wēnrùn rú yù: to describe a person as gentle, soft, and lustrous as a beautiful jade. Usually describes a man’s character and the feeling he brings to the people around him. A modest gentleman, as gentle as jade, with a flying and jumping personality does not belong to a modest gentleman, because the light of jade is stern inside rather than outside. With a graceful look, open-minded and unrestrained demeanor, he does not show his edge, he does not publicize, he has no great sorrow or joy, and he has no paranoia or madness.

 

Children living in the deep palace, there was none who was as clean as the moonlight. His eyes narrowed slightly, and then he saw the fifth brother who was not far in front of them. He quickened his pace and caught up with the fifth brother, Yinqi, in a few steps, “Brother, greetings to the fifth brother.”

 

“Old [5] seventh?” Yinqi glanced at him and then at Yinsi, “Seventh brother, eighth brother.”

 

[5] 老 lǎo - old. Chinese like to put “old” in front of the person they are addressing (my name or by title), to emphasize closeness and respect. At home, we call our fathers “lao ba” (“old dad”), and our mothers “lao ma” (“old mom”). Husbands would be called “Lao gong” (“old hubby”, or more literally, “old man”), and wives would be called “lao po” (“old lady”). When you call someone “old so-and-so”, it is like in English calling someone “good ol’ so-and-so” or “good old friend”. (Quora).

 

“Greetings to the fifth brother,” Yinsi bowed to Yinqi with a smile on his face.

 

“We’re all brothers, so there’s no need to be so polite.” Maybe it’s because the fifth wasn’t raised by Concubine Yi’s side, but he didn’t have the temperament of his mother. The fifth brother always treated everyone politely.

 

The fifth elder brother took his two younger brothers into Wuyizhai. There was a quarrel between the eldest brother and the Crown Prince, and the three of them paused. Everyone knows that now was not a good time to go in, but they have already come here, and it seemed deliberate not to go in.

 

The eldest brother had been very favored recently. In addition, the emperor pointed out the daughter of the Ministry of Household [6], Keerkun, who belonged to the Yellow Banner [7] for him to marry, and he went out of the palace to build a mansion a year later, so he was quite happy, and his behavior was inevitably a bit arrogant.

 

[6] The Ministry of Household's primary purpose was to manage the internal affairs of the Qing imperial family and the activities of the inner palace (in which tasks it largely replaced eunuchs), but it also played an important role in Qing relations with Tibet and Mongolia, engaged in trading activities (jade, ginseng, salt, furs, etc.), managed textile factories in the Jiangnan region, and even published books. This department was also in charge of the ceremonial and spiritual activities of the Qing imperial household. These activities include the maintenance of the mausoleums of Qing emperors, polytheist worships and posthumous affairs of the royal family (the giving of temple names and posthumous names). Read more here.

[7] The Eight Banners were administrative and military divisions under the Later Jin and Qing dynasties of China into which all Manchu households were placed. In war, the Eight Banners functioned as armies, but the banner system was also the basic organizational framework of all of Manchu society. At the highest level, the eight banners were categorized according to two groupings. The three “upper” banners (both Yellow Banners and the Plain White Banner) were under the nominal command of the emperor himself, whereas the five “lower” banners were commanded by others. Read more here.

 

Yinyou sighed inwardly, how could the elder brother forget that although he is the eldest brother, Yinreng was the Crown Prince, and was taught personally by the emperor himself? Even if the emperor loved him recently, the eldest brother should not be overjoyed, like this he would only anger the Crown Prince and make Huang Ama unhappy.

 

After the three of them entered the door, they could no longer hear the noisiness just now. Yinyou just pretended that he didn’t hear anything and bowed, “Yinyou greets the Crown Prince and the elder brothers.” 

 

The eldest brother sat on the side and ignored him, but the Crown Prince didn’t. He waved his hands to the three younger brothers in a good manner, “There is no need for such politeness among brothers, let’s all sit down.” 

 

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The three thanked the Crown Prince and sat down at their desks. Yinyou took out the “Four Books” and buried his head in reading. When he turned the pages, his fingers felt a little stiff. Hearing that there was no sound in the entire study, he felt a little emotional in his heart. He didn’t expect that the conflict between the prince and the eldest brother would have arisen so early.

 

Then, his knee was grasped by a warm hand. Yinyou tilted his head and saw Yinzhen’s comforting eyes. Yinyou understood in his heart that Yinzhen was comforting him because he was worried that he would be frightened.

 

During lunch, the eldest brother pleaded guilty to the Crown Prince, and the Crown Prince hurriedly said that he did not dare to accept his apology. Yinyou knew in his heart that the eldest brother’s move was made for Kangxi’s people to see and whether the Crown Prince might hold a grudge over this matter or not wasn’t his concern.

 

He picked up a chopstick, picked a sea cucumber, and ate it expressionlessly. All of this had nothing to do with him. Anyway, in the end, the two of them lost.

 

After the meal, all the elder brothers sat in the wing to digest their food. Yinyou held a teacup and listened to the prince telling the allusions and legends in the “The Classic of Mountains and Seas” [8]. His eyes were wide open, obviously very curious about these ghosts and gods telling stories.

 

[8] 山海經 shānhǎi jīng. “The Classic of Mountains and Seas”, probably compiled c. 500 BC-200 BC, contains a wide range of geography, mythology, witchcraft, popular customs, etc.

 

 

Later, when the Crown Prince talked about some academic issues, Yinyou also looked curious, but he looked ignorant, obviously, he didn’t understand much.

 

The Crown Prince had noticed Yinyou’s expression for a long time and secretly rejoiced in his heart from it. Feeling comfortable now, and after a while of talking, he stopped.

 

When he got up to continue studying, he seemed to hear the seventh brother whispering to the fourth brother, “Fourth brother, the Crown Prince’s brother is very powerful and knows a lot of things.” 

 

The Crown Prince was overjoyed, sat down in front of his desk, and opened a manuscript. It was densely written with his daily reading notes. He naturally knew a lot, otherwise, Huang Ama would not praise him for being smart. Because he was the Crown Prince, of course, he must be smart.

 

Perhaps it was because he was a Han Chinese in his previous life, Yinyou had a hard time learning Manchu, and every day after he left Wuyizhai, he had to ask Yinzhen a lot of questions about the subject. Today was a little different. After Yinzhen and Yinyou left Wuyizhai together, they looked hesitant, and only spoke after walking a distance.

 

“Huang Ama has given us an extra hour of rest tomorrow at noon,” Yinzhen said.

 

“Oh”. Yinyou nodded obediently.

 

“Tomorrow E-Niang wants everyone to go to Zhongcui Palace for dinner,” Yinzhen said with anticipation.

 

“Will there be delicious snacks?”

 

“Yes,” his tone of voice gradually lowered.

 

Yinyou was amused. How could he not know that tomorrow was Yinzhen’s birthday? He had already prepared his gift. Just, seeing Yinzhen’s lost appearance, he suddenly felt he was in a good mood, wasn’t he really a strange uncle?

 

Yinzhen looked at the child’s oblivious appearance, and said with some disappointment, “You have nothing to say?”

 

Yinyou opened his eyes wide and asked blankly, “What are you talking about?”

 

Yinzhen looked at his lovely face and gritted his teeth secretly. It turned out that he was actually kind to a little white-eyed wolf [9]. 

 

[9] 白眼兒狼. A metaphor for an ungrateful person. Also, a person who is inhuman,  cruel, and cold-blooded.

 

After walking a certain distance, the two were about to split up. Yinzhen only took two steps, and suddenly his sleeve was pinched. He turned his head a little resentfully and looked at the little hand that grabbed his sleeve, only to see Yinyou’s big black eyes. Suddenly, he felt a little soft-hearted, Seventh brother was so young, what can he know?

 

Just as Yinzhen was softening, a lifelike jade puppy statue was stuffed into his hand. Yinyou smiled so much that he couldn’t see his eyes, “Fourth brother, this is my gift to you.” After speaking, he said, “I just wanted to make fun of fourth brother. It’s not that I forgot fourth brother’s birthday.” After speaking, he seemed to be afraid that Yinzhen would be angry, so he ran away quickly. Because of the disease on his feet, his back was a bit upside down when he ran, and he looked a bit cute.

 

While smiling, Yinzhen looked at the jade dog in his hand that was warmed by Yinyou’s hand previously. He recognized this jade dog. It was given to little seventh by the Empress Dowager after the New Year’s Eve banquet last year. Little seventh liked it so much that he treated it like a baby on weekdays, he didn’t expect him to be willing to give it to him.

 

Holding the puppy in his hand tightly, Yinzhen said to the little eunuch beside him, “Go and send the string of sandalwood beads and the jade pendant in the house to little seventh, Master remembers that little seventh really liked those two gadgets.” 

 

The eunuch buried his head and said “yes”, but he thought to himself: Master, this puppy is just made of ordinary jade, but the jade pendant in your house was made of warm jade. Yet, these rare things have actually become gadgets in your mouth.

 

That night, Yinyou took the string of sandalwood beads and the warm jade, tossing and turning on the bed for more than an hour before falling asleep.

 

***

 

 

▲ Footnotes 

[1] 亥時.  亥 hài 时 (時) shí. 9-11 pm (in the system of two-hour subdivisions used in former times).

[2] Yongzheng Emperor’s birthday was December 13th, 1678 (which was 343 years ago). Yo, he was a Sagittarius. 

[3] Chinese calendar, a lunisolar calendar, is formed on the movement of the moon and the sun. It is also called the Lunar calendar, Yin calendar, Xia calendar or the old Chinese calendar. Each Chinese calendar year has a zodiac sign, 12 or 13 months and each month has 29 or 30 days. 

[4] 宛如月華，溫潤如玉 wǎnrú yuè huá, wēnrùn rú yù: to describe a person as gentle, soft and lustrous as a beautiful jade. Usually describes a man’s character and the feeling he brings to the people around him. A modest gentleman, as gentle as jade, with a flying and jumping personality does not belong to a modest gentleman, because the light of jade is stern inside rather than outside. With a graceful look, open-minded and unrestrained demeanor, he does not show his edge, he does not publicize, he has no great sorrow or joy, and he has no paranoia or madness.

[5] 老 lǎo - old. Chinese like to put “old” in front of the person they are addressing (my name or by title), to emphasize closeness and respect. At home we call our fathers “lao ba” (“old dad”), and our mothers “lao ma” (“old mom”). Husbands would be called “Lao gong” (“old hubby”, or more literally, “old man”), and wives would be called “lao po” (“old lady”). When you call someone “old so-and-so”, it is like in English calling someone “good ol’ so-and-so” or “good old friend”. (Quora).

[6] The Ministry of Household primary purpose was to manage the internal affairs of the Qing imperial family and the activities of the inner palace (in which tasks it largely replaced eunuchs), but it also played an important role in Qing relations with Tibet and Mongolia, engaged in trading activities (jade, ginseng, salt, furs, etc.), managed textile factories in the Jiangnan region, and even published books. This department was also in charge of the ceremonial and spiritual activities of the Qing imperial household. These activities include the maintenance of the mausoleums of Qing emperors, polytheist worships and posthumous affairs of the royal family (the giving of temple names and posthumous names). Read more here.

[7] The Eight Banners were administrative and military divisions under the Later Jin and Qing dynasties of China into which all Manchu households were placed. In war, the Eight Banners functioned as armies, but the banner system was also the basic organizational framework of all of Manchu society. At the highest level, the eight banners were categorized according to two groupings. The three “upper” banners (both Yellow Banners and the Plain White Banner) were under the nominal command of the emperor himself, whereas the five “lower” banners were commanded by others. Read more here.

[8] 山海經 shānhǎi jīng. “The Classic of Mountains and Seas”, probably compiled c. 500 BC-200 BC, contains a wide range of geography, mythology, witchcraft, popular customs, etc.

[9] 白眼兒狼. A metaphor for an ungrateful person. Also, a person who is inhuman,  cruel, and cold-blooded.

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