Chapter 27: 16.1: 16.1

“What’s the rush?” Teng Yuyi closed her eyes and said, “First, ask Cheng Bo to inquire if there are any prestigious Taoist temples or Taoist priests in Chang’an City. If there isn’t any, then it is still not too late to prepare a carriage tomorrow morning.” 

She said and yawned: “I’m going to sleep first, and remember to call me when Cheng Bo comes.” 

Chun Rong and Bi Luo complied, and quietly retreated. 

Teng Yuyi has constantly been on the move these past few days, and has long felt very tired and weary. Her eyelids dropped down, and she soon fell asleep. 

Perhaps it was because her jadeite sword lost its spiritual powers, but when she fell asleep, the long ago demons and monsters in her dreams once again came back. 

When she opened her eyes again, she suddenly found herself back in the Teng Mansion. 

The moon was bright and luminous outside of the blue window, and there was a lamp faintly lit in the room. On the long narrow table in front of the window, there was a letter. 

Teng Yuyi was startled and looked around her. She lowered her head and saw that she was wearing a white-silk mourning dress. Judging from this dress, it was around the time when her aunt had died. 

It seems that she had dreamed back to her previous life, it was so clear that it did not seem like a dream. 

Teng Yuyi raised her hand and touched around. There were still undried tear stains on her cheeks, and her heart was aching and indescribable. It was clear that she had just cried. 

She read the letter on the table: “Father, we meet again. I learned that the Eastern Palace is looking to choose a concubine these past few days, and children are also among the selections. One does not know if this is true or not?” 

Teng Yuyi only took a quick glance and was shocked. Why doesn’t she remember writing a letter to her father in her previous life? 

Ever since her mother passed away, her relationship with her father can be called as cold as ice and frost.1‘cold as ice and frost’ = means in an icy manner and frigid, idiom Don’t talk about writing letters to her father, she even rarely looked at the letters that were sent by her father. 

She read the letter over and over again three times, and finally remembered that this was the early winter of the eighteenth year of Longyuan. At that time, there were only two months left before she was killed by someone. There was a rumor in the capital that she was one of the candidates for the crown princess, and her father seemed to have already accepted this matter. 

She remembered that she was very startled and angry at the time. The words in the letter were each like a knife. 

“That year father had forced his wife to die back then, and now even his daughter will be harmed?” 

After father received the letter, he never replied to it, and instead immediately set off to return to Chang’an. He was too anxious so he spent the night in the open outdoors, and when he came back, his robe was covered in dust. 

“This matter is still undecided, and since you are not willing, father will think of a way to avoid this matter.” Teng Shao untied his cloak and handed it to Cheng Bo behind him. He waved his hand to dismiss his subordinates. 

Teng Yuyi sneered: “Why has father never asked about his daughter’s opinion before deciding on his daughter’s marriage?” 

Teng Shao was silent, and removed the sword from his waist and placed it on the wall: “A while ago, the Duan Ningyuan matter happened, and father knows that you were wronged. I have long had the idea of helping you find a husband that is a hundred times better than Duan Ningyuan. It happened that the Empress and Princess Consort Cheng held a flower appreciation banquet, and father thought that this was a good opportunity to find a good son-in-law, so I took it upon myself to comply on your behalf. In honesty, the empress had a good impression of you at that time, and that is why the chancellor would arrange for you to be one of the candidates for the selection of the crown princess this time.” 

Teng Yuyi was stunned. At that time, it really was her father who arranged for her to meet wealthy nobles. 

It was at that flower appreciation banquet where she saw the crown prince and Prince Cheng. 

The crown prince’s appearance followed the King, dense and thick eyebrows, naturally born with a good-natured appearance. 

Prince Cheng…

Hmph, Prince Cheng faced her portrait and said: “Not marrying.” 

This matter was her lifetime shame. She glared at her father: “It turns out that father has long planned to have his daughter marry into the imperial family?” 

“Not consulting with you beforehand is indeed father’s fault.” Teng Shao weakly smiled and sat on the couch next to the window, “However father still has a good impression on the crown prince’s character. That year, the crown prince had also trained in the army, and it was precisely father who led the troop. What a lonely and dangerous place Congling2Congjing = refers to the pamir high plateau and mountains on the border between Xinjiang and Tajikistan is. If it was changed to the other wealthy nobles and princes, they would not even be able to endure for one to two months. The crown prince has never been afraid of hardships and difficulties, and it is rare to see one treat the old and weak soldiers equally…To be such kind hearted, he is simply the exact same as the Emperor.”  

“I advise father to give up on this idea as soon as possible.” Teng Yuyi said coldly, “This daughter will not marry into the imperial family even if she dies.” 

The father and daughter parted on bad terms like this. Teng Yuyi originally thought that this matter was completely settled. Who knew that not long after, the Empress would suddenly summon her. 

Teng Yuyi was very anxious in her heart. She dressed herself according to the system of clothes. After arriving at the Daming Palace, she waited to be called in while waiting in front of the red steps of the palace. 

At that time, it was already winter, and Chang’an welcomed the first scene of snow. 

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The northern wind gradually raised up, and the fine snow whirled around, floating downwards towards underneath the corridor. She was wearing scarlet-red deer-skin long boots, only being able to stand for a short while before feeling the icy-coldness of her toes. 

Fortunately, the Empress did not have her wait long. The palace servants came out and led her inside.  

There was a fire burning in the main hall, and a quiet and warm fragrance was directly in one’s face. In the warm palace, there was a woman’s voice heard and there were many juniors who were talking to the empress inside.

“In this way, Brother A Da has agreed to this marriage?”

“How could he, Chengyou only agreed to meet this Lady Xu from Shangzhou. It was heard that this Lady Xi had often lived in Yangzhou when she was a child. There was a time when she returned to Chang’an to attend the banquet, she inadvertently saved Chengyou’s life. Her nickname is A Gu. Chengyou has looked for that little girl for many years, and at the moment, has finally found her so it is inevitable that one would be a little curious.” 

Teng Yuyi’s mind was like a string being plucked, ringing for a while. 

There is actually such a coincidental thing in this world. Around the time her mother passed away, she felt lonely and exhausted, and has also called herself “A Gu.” 

Moreover, she had returned to Chang’an with her father when she was a child. At that time, her mother had just passed away due to an illness, and she became depressed all day long. There was a time when father was not at home, and the steward took her to a banquet. After she returned, she had a cold, and the fever did not subside. She was sick for fully two whole months. 

During this period, she would occasionally wake up, only to remember her father’s bloodshot eyes. When she was almost well, her father took her back to Yangzhou. At that time, she couldn’t remember a single thing that happened in Chang’an. 

However, she did have some impressions of the Lady Xu they were talking about. At the flower appreciation banquet held by the Jade True Lady temple a while ago, she had seen Lady Xu once.  

Lady Xu’s appearance is not outstanding, but because of her fair and delicate appearance, she had a very quiet and calm-like beauty to her. At that time, Lin Chengyou had passed by the garden, carrying a bow and arrow on his back. Lady Xu stared at him for a long time, and afterwards, Lady Xu intentionally or not inquired about Lin Chengyou. Teng Yuyi had also heard a few words because she was sitting nearby. 

As Teng Yuyi was thinking, the palace servant reported: “Niangniang3Niangniang = a term for use when addressing an empress or a consort, Lady Teng is here.” 

The hall quieted down, and dozens of eyes fell on her. Teng Yuyi walked leisurely, stepped forward and bowed her head: “Your servant, Teng Shi, pays respects to the Empress.” 4“氏, shì” = represents a clan name

The Empress’s voice was gentle: “All of you are dismissed, Bengong5(本宮, Bengong = is a way a royal family member address him or herself, basically saying “I, who owns this palace) wants to talk to Lady Teng.” 

After dismissing everyone, the Empress called her to come closer: “Good child, come here and let me take a look.” 

Teng Yuyi complied and got up. Every step she took was very cautious and careful. 

The Empress smiled cordially, and held Teng Yuyi’s hand and said: “Bengong has seen your mother back then. Your mother is already a rare beauty, and I didn’t expect that you are even more outstanding. Bengong is not going to talk around in circles. I summoned you here today because I heard your father has been wanting to discuss a marriage for you these days, but you said that you wanted to choose a husband yourself. You also said, ‘My husband can only have one person his entire life, and I will hold the most importance out of everything’?” 

Teng Yuyi felt a chill down her back. This was said when she was angry, and she did not expect that it would reach the ears of the Empress. It seems that the matter of the crown prince choosing a concubine is already pressing in on one’s eyelashes6“pressing in on one’s eyelashes” = near/approaching. She decided to refuse this matter, not knowing if it would offend the Empress or not. 

However, the Empress had a very straightforward temper which was better than putting on a false appearance, so she only said truthfully: “I do not dare to deceive Niangniang. This servant has indeed said this before. These foolish and blunt words had made Niangniang see ridicule.” 

The Empress smiled and said: “Your father also refused the emperor like this, responding very boldly and confidently. It has long been spread inside and outside of the imperial court.” 

Teng Yuyi was stunned. It turns out that father had already expressed her attitude for her. She said embarrassingly: “These words were said when this daughter and father were casually chatting. This servant is young and superficial, speaking without thinking so one hopes that the Empress will not mind.” 

The Empress said: “You, father and daughter are chatting at home, speaking out words from the heart. I listened and only thought that it was interesting. How could you be blamed? I summoned you here today because I wanted to ask you in person again. You won’t allow your husband to take a concubine, and this viewpoint hasn’t ever changed, right?” 

When the Empress said this, the volume of her voice was slightly raised. Teng Yuyi was bewildered. There were only the two of them in the hall. To have raised her voice so loudly, it seems as if she was speaking for a third person to hear.

Her gaze slightly moved, and caught a glimpse of a black object hidden under a six-bent folding screen outlined in gold on the right. She realized that it was a man’s black leather six-seam boots, and hurriedly looked away. 

She didn’t know who it was, but to be able to freely enter and exit the Empress’s residence, it is most likely either the emperor or a certain prince. 

The Empress did not wait for Teng Yuyi to reply after a long time, thinking that she was afraid. She said consolingly: “You don’t have to be so restrained in front of Bengong. If you have anything to say, feel free to just say it.” 

Teng Yuyi’s face was red. She said: “Replying to Niangniang words, it has never changed.”

The Empress smiled meaningfully, and said softly: “Summoning you here to speak for half a day, you are probably cold. After drinking this cup of hot wine to warm up the body, you may go back.” 

She rewarded Teng Yuyi with a sachet, and let the palace servants lead her out. 

Hi! so basically things did not go as planned and I caught Covid last week while having finals… But I am feeling better now and I am done with finals so I am now back to translating! Thanks everyone for the patience!

1‘cold as ice and frost’ = means in an icy manner and frigid, idiom2Congjing = refers to the pamir high plateau and mountains on the border between Xinjiang and Tajikistan3Niangniang = a term for use when addressing an empress or a consort4“氏, shì” = represents a clan name5(本宮, Bengong = is a way a royal family member address him or herself, basically saying “I, who owns this palace)6“pressing in on one’s eyelashes” = near/approaching

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