Ruyi’s Royal Love in the Palace (Arc1 Chp11)
Chapter 11: Pipa [1]Pipa – Wikipedia
Translator: Tygris
English proofreader: 247Reader
As the Empress instructed Suxin, the sharp and reedy tone unique to eunuchs sounded from outside. “Noble Consort Hui has arrived—”
The Empress nodded. “Allow her in.”
The flower-embroidered silk curtains gently moved between the white rattans. A gust of cold air poured in from the outside as a beauty slowly stepped in.
Suxin had already knelt down, saying, “May Noble Consort Hui enjoy ten thousand blessings and golden peace.”
Noble Consort Hui hurriedly smiled. “Quickly get up. There is no need to adhere to all these rules when we see one another on a daily basis.”
Saying thus, she had her maidservant Moxin take off her cloak, then Noble Consort Hui performed a graceful wanfu bow. “Greetings to Empress Niangniang. May Niangniang enjoy ten thousand blessings and golden peace.”
The Empress quickly smiled and said, “Seat granted. Bengong’s words are the same as yours — there is no need to adhere to all these rules when we see one another on a daily basis.”
Noble Consort Hui thanked her for her grace and sat down upon the bat-motif-decorated pearwood chair beneath her, smiling. “Having just woken up from an afternoon nap, and reflecting that the days are long and there is not much to do, [this concubine] thought to come chat with Niangniang. Has [this concubine] disturbed Niangniang?”
The Empress smiled. “We were just talking about you when you arrived.”
She examined Noble Consort Hui. As the weather had gotten colder, Noble Consort Hui had already put on a set of cotton-stuffed brocade robes decorated with pastel pink thick satin, embroidered with osmanthus and orchids. [2]兰桂齐芳 (lán guì qí fāng) is also a saying that contains the meaning of having one’s descendants achieve prosperity and wealth. Below, a skirt made of fine damask silk decorated with red peach blossoms and branches [3]折枝 (zhé zhī) is a way of depicting flowers in paintings where it is not the whole plant that is depicted, but, rather, only branches broken off of the main trunk. The characters 折枝 directly translate to broken branches/breaking of branches. peeked out. When she moved, it seemed as if the peach-colored flower branches overflowed with endless spring splendor. Outside, the outfit was paired with a peach-red ermine embroidered jacket, just a shade darker, with a pattern of scattered flowers. The collar and cuffs were inlaid with blue-white flank fur with auspicious ‘fortune’ and ‘longevity’ characters, while the edges were trimmed with the finest, lightest, and most delicate layer of mink fur. Brushing across the face, it felt as soft and airy as down and velvet. A phoenix hairpin with wings spread wide, plated in gold, with dangling amethyst tassels, was set against her jet black hair bun, making her small, pink-toned face look all the more like a freshly-bloomed peach blossom.
Noble Consort Hui was curious. “What was Empress saying about this concubine?”
The Empress, seeing that Suxin had brought tea over, said, “That after a few bouts of snow, the days have grown colder. You have always been the most susceptible to the cold. Now, seeing you makes that as clear as ever. You have even already begun to wear fur-lined clothes. When the first month comes, what will you wear?”
Noble Consort Hui held tightly onto a small hand furnace decorated with copper flowers, not willing to loosen her hold for even a moment. “Empress Niangniang knows that I have always suffered from deficiency and cold in my qi and blood. [4]See: https://www.meandqi.com/tcm-education-center/patterns/qi-and-blood-deficiency Winter has always been so unbearably frigid. Every day, my body feels as though it is immersed in coldness. [This concubine] can only wear whatever is available.”
Moxin smiled, “Empress Niangniang may not be aware: though it is the eleventh month and the ground furnaces have already been set up, our Little Mistress still feels unbearably cold. All day long, she holds a hand furnace. Even the foot furnace cannot be too far away.”
The Empress sighed and said, “You are young and should properly adjust your body. The current situation cannot be compared to that at qiandi. Is there a lack of good Imperial Physicians? There are enough to treat your illness. You should adjust and take care of your body, and be like Concubine Chun, adding another prince for the Emperor.”
Once the topic of children came up, Noble Consort Hui seemed somewhat saddened. She hurriedly lowered her head and made a soft sound of agreement.
The Empress called Lianxin forward and said, “Bengong remembers that the warehouse of Chang’chun Palace contains a black fox [5]See: Silver fox (animal) – Wikipedia. pelt offered as tribute by the General of Jilin. [6]吉林将军 (jí lín jiāng jūn) or Girin i Jiyanggiyūn was the title of a first-rank military official during the Qing Dynasty, responsible for most of modern-day Jilin to the Sea of Japan and much of what is Russia’s Primorsky Krai today. It was bestowed by the Emperor just a few days ago. You go retrieve it.”
Lianxin hurriedly retreated.
The Empress, seeing that both the right and left sides of the room were filled with her trusted confidantes, said in sincere tones, [7]推心置腹 (tuī xīn zhì fù) is a metaphor for treating others sincerely or to give your sincere heart to others. This idiom has a positive meaning. “Actually, you are a bit older than Bengong in age, and have served the Emperor for a long time. To say something that cannot be repeated outside, the Emperor stays in your palace most often. Why has there been no movement as of yet? [8]No movement as in not yet pregnant / no movement in her belly. You should keep an eye on this.”
Noble Consort Hui’s eyes were rimmed with red. Quietly, she replied, “This concubine understands that Empress is saying this out of the concern in her heart. But an Imperial Physician has constantly been treating [this concubine’s body], and that Imperial Physician is the Emperor’s personally conferred Yuanpan [9]院判 (yuàn pàn) was a sixth-rank official position during the Qing Dynasty. The official position was divided into the left and right Yuanpans, who were mainly responsible for the actual operation of the Imperial Medical Bureau, and for the supply of palace medicine and the allocation of imperial physicians. of the Imperial Medical Bureau, Official Qi. And it cannot be said that he has not put his utmost efforts into the treatment. It is only this concubine herself who is lacking in fortune.”
The Empress sighed and said emotionally, “The Emperor only has three princes about his knees. Bengong’s Second Prince goes without mentioning, but the Eldest Prince and the Third Prince are both of ordinary birth. Bengong fervently hopes that you can also birth a prince; it goes without saying how smart and lively he would be, and it would also give the Second Prince a companion. They would truly be considered blood brothers!”
Upon hearing these words, Noble Consort Hui’s heart filled with gratitude. She rushed to kneel, and with tears in her eyes, she said, “Empress Niangniang has always favored this concubine. This concubine knows this. These considerate words from Niangniang – even if this concubine died a thousand times, it would not be enough to repay Niangniang’s regard.”
The Empress quickly moved to lift her from her bow. “Those words regard [me] as an outsider. Bengong has interacted with you for many years. Because of our unexpected compatibility, Bengong treats you as a dear sister.” She raised her head to see Lianxin coming in, holding the black fox fur in both hands. The Empress said, “Hand that over to Moxin. Bengong bestows it upon Noble Consort Hui.”
Noble Consort Hui had heard of the saying “The black fox is ranked first. The sable is ranked second. [10]See: Marten – Wikipedia The ermine is ranked third.” [11]See: Well, it’s either Stoat – Wikipedia or Ferret – Wikipedia or another closely related animal. Kinda hard to tell because they are all the same character in Chinese… that described furs and leathers. Seeing that the fox fur was as pitch black as ink with the exception of a silver tuft at the top and that the entire fur was smooth and slick, [12]油光水滑 (yóu guāng shuǐ huá) is used to describe something as smooth and lustrous. and knowing in addition that this was a tribute item sent by the General of Jilin, who in an entire year would only present one or two pieces, [Noble Consort Hui] understood that this item that was the best of the best. She hurried to thank [the Empress] for her grace. “How could this concubine dare to use such a valuable item? Moreover, this was bestowed upon Niangniang by the Emperor.”
The Empress amiably [13]和颜 (hé yán) refers to an amiable or harmonious expression. The term comes from the Biographies of Exemplary Women. replied, “Since the Emperor granted it to Bengong, then, naturally, Bengong can make the decision. You should accept this. Tomorrow, have the Imperial Household Department make a warm piece of clothing for you. When you are warm, your body will not waste away.”
Noble Consort Hui repeatedly thanked the Empress before ordering Moxin to accept the item carefully.
The Empress’s clear, jade-black eyes landed on the fox fur and turned. She suddenly gave a sigh. “Actually, among the items that Bengong bestows upon you, the most valuable would be some sort of tribute item. Even if there is no black fox fur to use this year, then there will still be some to use next year. How can this be compared to other people, whose palace even holds a plaque handwritten by the Emperor?”
Noble Consort Hui did not understand. She quickly asked, “What plaque?”
The Empress was originally going to answer, then, after thinking for a moment, she simply waved her hand. “Never mind. This is not an important matter. Bengong was only mentioning it casually.”
Noble Consort Hui, seeing that [the Empress] seemed to want to keep the matter hidden, became even more unwilling to let things be. “Does Niangniang have words that need to be hidden even from this concubine?”
Suxin, seeing that Noble Consort Hui’s teacup had stopped emitting steam, moved to replenish the water. She said with apparent difficulty, “Why would Niangniang want to hide this matter from Little Mistress? It is just that hearing of it might anger you, and so she would rather refrain from saying too much. But this servant is someone who cannot stand sand in the eyes.
“This morning, the Imperial Household Department came to report that the Emperor personally wrote some large characters for Consort Xian’s Yan’xi Palace, and Consort Xian, without wasting a single moment, ordered people to make them into a gold-laquered plaque to hang in the main hall. Furthermore, along the way, she spread the news as if she thought that this was a manifestation of favor. As this servant sees it, if the Emperor truly wanted to bestow some words to be created into a plaque, he would first reward the Empress and Little Mistress. When would her turn come?”
Noble Consort Hui gritted her teeth and gave a cold huff. “This concubine thought that these days in which the Emperor has failed to favor her would settle her down somewhat. It turns out that she still has the same arrogant temperament. Unbelievable. It is just the Emperor’s personal writing, just a plaque. What difficulty is there?” Saying thus, she rose [from her seat] and urgently paid her farewells.
The Empress gazed at her shadow, and only gave a faint smile. “Bengong is thinking of the Second Prince. You go retrieve the clothes that Bengong has personally sewn for him. Let us go visit a’ge’suo.”
Suxin spoke up. “Did the Imperial Household Department not send over many pieces of clothing this morning? This servant thinks that they are all pretty good. Niangniang always stays up late at night to sew clothes for the Second Prince. [Niangniang] must take care of your own phoenix body as well.”
The Empress glanced at that pile of variously-colored clothes and coldly shook her head. “With regards to the items sent over by others, no matter how good they are, Bengong is not at ease [with using them]. [Bengong] would rather be tired out a bit. Even you all doing this personally would put [Bengong] more at ease.”
Upon hearing these words, Suxin’s face grew serious. “This servant understands.”
Translator’s Note
Dear Readers,
We’d like to share an unexpected development regarding our translation of Ruyi’s Royal Love in the Palace. It has come to our attention that another group/translator has begun releasing their own version of the translation as of yesterday, and is also linked on NovelUpdates.
We value the time, care, and community support that goes into our projects, so this situation has been somewhat disappointing. We have reached out to the other group/translator on July 15th, 2025, to clarify things and hopefully coordinate a respectful path forward.
For now, please know that our commitment to delivering high-quality and thoughtful translations remains unchanged. We’ll keep you updated on this post as things evolve, and as always, we thank you for your continued support.
~ Nyanovels Team
