Spring in the Hall of Paintings

The young women who advanced to the second round of the selection process were all outstanding in family background, beauty, and talent. They would stay in Chuxiu Palace for a period until the selection and marriage appointments were finalized. The scrutiny for these candidates became even stricter upon entering the Forbidden City. At the palace gates, another scene of “killing the chicken to warn the monkey” played out—one of the young women was dragged away as an example. Yun Wei listened as the sharp-voiced eunuch recited the palace rules, her gaze landing on the grand yet oppressive sight of the Forbidden City. To her, its splendor held no color—only a heavy weight.

Yun Lan pursed her lips and stood beside Yun Wei. Since that past incident, Yun Lan had felt a sense of guilt whenever facing Yun Wei, so she avoided conversation with her. But deep inside, she kept reminding herself—in the future, she must take care of Yun Wei and ensure she lived a life of honor and happiness.

Rongxuan, the Baron of Zhongyong, was a rising noble, and it was clear to all that he was destined to become a trusted minister of Emperor Kangxi. His future was boundless. While the imperial court and harem were traditionally kept separate, Emperor Kangxi was a ruler with a strong sense of control. He would never allow the harem to interfere in political affairs. However, with the empress’s position still vacant, the affairs of the imperial harem were currently managed by Imperial Concubine Yi, Imperial Concubine De, Imperial Concubine Rong, and Imperial Concubine Hui. These four women, each raising grown princes, kept each other in check. Though they maintained the appearance of sisterly harmony, behind the scenes, schemes and rivalries were inevitable. In the Forbidden City, every woman wore a mask—it was difficult to distinguish sincerity from pretense.

A candidate’s family background determined her status and the attention she received. By all logic, Yun Wei should have been the most prominent of the selected women. However, standing in front of her was the strikingly beautiful Yun Lan. As a result, Yun Wei, who deliberately kept a low profile, found herself avoiding much unnecessary trouble.

Yun Lan seemed to be intentionally shielding Yun Wei from prying eyes, placing her under her protective wing. The rumors that the Tong family would produce the primary consort for a prince had spread across the capital. The imperial family would only choose the best daughters-in-law. Yun Lan had the reputation, the charisma, and the skill to navigate social affairs. Even when other candidates deliberately caused trouble, Yun Lan resolved matters with ease. Naturally, in the eyes of many, Yun Lan was the true choice for a prince’s primary consort.

Yun Wei, having learned from the initial selection round, no longer appeared overly reserved. Unlike the first round, where all candidates wore identical attire, the second round allowed them to dress as they pleased. As a result, the young women competed in a dazzling display of beauty and elegance.

Yun Lan’s outfit was a perfect blend of the grace of ancient women and subtle modern styling techniques. She did not drastically alter the traditional qipao design—after all, while beauty was universally appreciated, aesthetic standards varied across eras. Just as those from the 1980s might not understand the fashion of the 1990s, Yun Lan, living 300 years ahead of this time, knew she had to be careful. Thus, she only made slight improvements in hair accessories and small details, making her style unique without appearing too avant-garde. However, when it came to makeup techniques, no one could surpass Yun Lan.

From light and shadow techniques to natural makeup, evening makeup, and formal styles, she could create vastly different looks that highlighted her various charms. Among the selected women, she stood out as undeniably beautiful.

Back in the Tong residence, Yun Wei had already understood—even if she were betrothed to her cousin from the Fucha family, she would still be tied to the imperial clan and high-ranking officials. If she continued to act too dull and uninteresting, she would attract suspicion. Whether in the palace or noble families, all these women were intelligent. If they sensed she was deliberately hiding her abilities, they would feel deceived and resentful.

Thus, Yun Wei began to reveal her own beauty gradually. She positioned herself steadily within the upper-middle ranks of the selected women. Compared to Yun Lan’s brilliance, Yun Wei’s transformation was subtle enough not to cause too much disturbance. To the observant figures in the palace, her change seemed natural. After all, who would believe that the daughter of Rongxuan was a dull and lifeless girl?

To stand out too much or to remain too inconspicuous—both were mistakes. Sometimes, blending in was the best disguise.

For the second selection, the candidates were once again divided into the Upper Three Banners and the Lower Five Banners. Those of the Upper Three Banners were given well-lit, spacious rooms, typically shared by three or four women. In contrast, the Lower Five Banners had more cramped quarters, with six women per room.

Regardless of her looks, Yun Wei was the daughter of Rongxuan—and status determined everything. She was placed in a prime spot by the window, with a private storage cabinet for her personal belongings. Her laundered clothing was always returned first by the palace maids, a privilege the other women of the Lower Five Banners did not have.

Yun Lan was assigned to the room next to Yun Wei. After dismissing the other women who had gathered around her, she lay down on her couch, exhausted.

“So… this is the selection process? This is the Forbidden City?”

Yun Lan realized—it was not quite what she had imagined.

Yun Lan turned to the side and saw Yun Wei first place her bundle of clothes into the cabinet. The knot tied on it was both familiar and complex. She asked, “Sixth sister, why did you use the cat’s paw knot?”

“Grandmother Guo taught me,” Yun Wei replied, “Sixth sister, one must always act cautiously. I don’t want to think badly of others, nor do I want to fall into someone’s trap and tarnish the Tong family’s reputation, or bring shame to father and mother.”

“Are you worried that they…” Yun Lan sat up, realizing that the cat’s paw knot was something she had taught Yun Wei. “You’re right, Sixth sister. You’ve reminded me—being careless now could affect the future.”

Yun Lan began to reorganize her bundle. The competition among the young women was something that couldn’t be ignored. If anyone were to sneak extra items into their belongings, it would be impossible to detect without modern technology, such as cameras. No matter how wronged one might feel, what could be done if there was evidence of guilt? Yun Lan knew she couldn’t always stay locked in her room, constantly watching her own bundles.

Yun Wei smiled gently. After arranging her jewelry and bundle, she casually took out a book and began flipping through it. After a while, Jing Yi’s voice came from the other side: “Fourth sister, among the young women in this selection, besides you, there’s also Guo Luoluo, the daughter of a Mongolian prince, and Dong E Shi. I’ve heard that you will all be married to the emperor’s sons.”

“Jing Yi sister, you mustn’t speak carelessly. Until the emperor issues a marriage decree, these are just rumors,” Yun Lan retorted. She believed that Yinzhen would ask Emperor Kangxi for her hand in marriage. The more rumors spread, the worse it would be for her. Yinzhen’s suspicious nature meant that Yun Lan didn’t want to give him any reason to doubt her. She said sternly, “Only the emperor can issue marriage decrees. Jing Yi sister, speculating about royal favor is inappropriate. If you want a good future, it’s best to remain silent.”

Jing Yi’s jealousy and envy were barely concealed. She had secretly considered that Yun Lan was most likely going to be betrothed to the Eighth Prince, the prince she had always admired. She believed that such a noble man like Yinti deserved true affection, not someone like Yun Lan, who was never content and kept her heart on someone else. Just as Jing Yi was about to say something, Yun Lan seized the opportunity to grab her wrist, her eyes carrying a warning but smiling as she said, “Jing Yi sister, I suppose you wanted to talk about embroidery? In that area, neither of us is as skilled as Sixth sister. She can do double-sided embroidery, and we should ask her for guidance. It’s better to put in some last-minute effort than to be clumsy.”

Yun Lan almost pushed Jing Yi toward Yun Wei, her smile becoming much more sincere. “Sixth sister, would you mind giving us some guidance?”

Yun Wei glanced at Yun Lan, put down the book, and replied, “As long as Fourth sister doesn’t mind.” In truth, Yun Wei had a small amount of admiration for Yun Lan, particularly for her dedication to the Fourth Prince. At the same time, she felt some resentment toward Yun Lan—her persistence seemed to involve the whole family. These two conflicting feelings left Yun Wei unsure of how to behave toward Yun Lan. She decided to go along with whatever felt right.

Whether Jing Yi was willing or not, Yun Lan and Yun Wei teamed up to discuss embroidery, leaving Jing Yi with no chance to speak. Moreover, with the second round of the selection tomorrow, embroidery was something they had to practice. Yun Wei’s skill in embroidery was something Jing Yi had to admit. Since there was no hope for the Eighth Prince, Jing Yi could only hope to catch the attention of the Empress or other high-ranking ladies in the palace and marry someone with a high status. She therefore listened attentively to the techniques of embroidery.

Though embroidery required hard work, there were shortcuts when it came to the layout, patterns, and stitching techniques. Both Jing Yi and Yun Lan had some foundation in the craft, and with Yun Wei’s generous teaching and her personally drawing two patterns suitable for them, Yun Lan felt grateful to Yun Wei. She said, “Sixth sister, thank you.”

“No need to thank me, Fourth sister. We are all sisters from the same family. When you are well, everyone is well.”

Yun Wei didn’t want to give a long-winded lesson to Yun Lan, but through their conversation, she subtly conveyed some family matters. Family is the foundation. A woman without a solid foundation will be like a drifting reed in her husband’s house, no matter how favored she is. No one can remain young and beautiful forever, and no love lasts forever either. Yun Lan thought carefully, suddenly realizing that Yun Wei was more perceptive than she had initially thought. Would she become faded and unloved over time? Yun Lan shook her head. No, Yinzhen and Emperor Yongzheng were not so shallow. She would help Yinzhen, and in his heart, she would become increasingly important. Like a well-aged wine, their feelings would deepen over time. She would be happy, as the most cherished woman of Yinzhen.

At the Ti Yuan Hall, during the selection of the lower five banners, the four imperial concubines sat in a high position. The newly appointed Liang Concubine quietly sat beside the Imperial Concubine Hui. The slightly lowered face couldn’t conceal her stunning beauty, surpassing all others in the palace. Compared to the four consorts, each with their own distinct charm, Liang Concubine had a soft and gentle temperament like flowing water, clear and warm. Her eyes, as clear as a deer’s, contained a hint of shyness that could make any man feel protective.

Imperial Concubine Hui, who was dressed elegantly and exuded an air of scholarly refinement, smiled and gently patted the hands of Liang Concubine that were nervously resting on her lap. “Liang Concubine, this is your first time participating in the selection. Don’t worry. Just look at these young women, so delicate and beautiful. We’ve already been surpassed.”

Imperial Concubine Hui sighed at the passage of time. Both Imperial Concubine De and Imperial Concubine Rong also felt a sense of melancholy. No matter how magnificent their appearance, it couldn’t resist the erosion of time. The young women’s fresh beauty and slender figures were their greatest asset for gaining favor. Emperor Kangxi had never neglected his four imperial concubines and often called them to his side. However, with age, the emperor favored the new Han Chinese women from the imperial palace.

The elegant and free-spirited Imperial Concubine Yi, playing with the pearl bracelets on her wrist, said, “Imperial Concubine Hui, no matter how good these young women are, they can’t compare to the time we’ve spent with the emperor. The emperor is sentimental, isn’t he?”

Imperial Concubine Hui smiled generously. “Imperial Concubine Yi, you’re right.” She didn’t want to argue with Imperial Concubine Yi any further; saying more wouldn’t help. The emperor had his sentimental attachments, but who exactly was he attached to? Imperial Concubine Hui didn’t quite understand. As the earliest concubine to enter the palace, having given birth to the emperor’s first son, the eldest prince, and having raised the Eighth Prince, Imperial Concubine Hui, who was older than Imperial Concubine Yi and the others, had been through many ups and downs in the palace. After experiencing the rise and fall of Empress Hesheri, Empress Niu Gulu, and the third Empress of Kangxi who had raised the Fourth Prince, there was nothing she couldn’t accept. Who Kangxi favored wasn’t that important to Imperial Concubine Hui. As long as she had raised the eldest and eighth princes well, teaching them to understand the hardships of women and respect their legitimate wives, she had no regrets. Imperial Concubine Hui didn’t know much about court affairs. With the fall of Mingzhu, Imperial Concubine Hui had retreated from the political scene, and with the complex political situation, she was even more unsure. Plus, Imperial Concubine Hui, born into the Eight Banner Manchu nobility, had studied a bit but was known for her straightforward temper. She had sometimes spoken without thinking, though in recent years, she had mellowed somewhat.

“Dear Concubine Liang, that one is Tong Jia Yun Lan. In terms of appearance, Tong Jia Yun Lan is the most outstanding,” Imperial Concubine Hui knew the reason why Concubine Liang was observing the young ladies. Otherwise, with Concubine Liang’s temperament, it would be hard for her to come out. A mother’s heart is connected to her son’s, and Imperial Concubine Hui never blocked the Eighth Prince from meeting with Concubine Liang. Sometimes, she would even allow them to be alone together.

Following Imperial Concubine Hui’s indication, Consort Liang looked toward Yun Lan, a satisfied smile appearing on her lips as she softly said, “She is indeed very beautiful.”

———————-

Author’s Note: Imperial Concubine Hui in Qing palace fiction is often portrayed as a tragic character, and it’s not the author being unconventional. After reading a detailed review by a young lady, I felt she made some valid points. Historically, the best husbands were the eldest prince, who exclusively favored his legitimate wife for over ten years, and the Eighth Prince, who had only one legitimate wife. Both were raised by Imperial Concubine Hui, and their upbringings were inseparable from her education. Interested readers can look up the review for more insights.