Author: Yue Xia Die Ying

NOTES:

  1. Fǔ – household; official residence; mansion
  2. Hou Shizi – Viscount; Marquis’ heir
  3. Xiangjun (Country Lord) – Title given to wives or daughters of high ranking noblemen
  4. Gōng zǐ – title used for sons of officials or nobility (I’ve translated this as Lord)
  5. Tanhua – Third ranked candidate in the Imperial examination system
  6. Jùn jūn – Title given to female members of the imperial clan; 2 ranks above Xiangjun; Translated as “Lady of a Commandery” or “Lady of the First Rank” (I will be using the term Jun Princess for this rank)
  7. Fief – Under the Chinese feudal system, the Emperor could award land and the farmers who worked on it to favoured courtiers or relatives. Those who received this land could levy rent and taxes. 
  8. Qinwang – Prince of the first rank or Prince of the Blood; Highest ranked nobleman just one rank beneath the Emperor; Usually a title given to the Emperor’s brothers or half-brothers (In the context of this novel, it refers to Kangning Princess’ father who is the current Emperor’s brother.)
  9. Jiāng hái shì lǎo de là – Literal translation is “old ginger is hotter than young ginger”. Idiomatic meaning is that experience counts

Chapter 7 (Part 2) – Jun Princess

No sooner had the emperor returned to the palace after the court session had ended, when a palace maid came to report that the Eldest Princess had come to request an audience.

The Emperor had a deep affection for the Eldest Princess. His mother, the Empress, had not been favoured by his father, the previous Emperor, who had instead favoured a concubine and her son. If it hadn’t been for his aunt’s continued support, his princely position would have been taken away by that concubine’s son. In addition, through all these years, the Eldest princess had neither coerced favours nor schemed to get advantages as compensation for her help. Therefore, the Eldest Princess has always been highly respected by the Emperor.

Now, hearing that the Eldest Princess had come to meet him, he immediately asked the eunuch who served at his side to invite her in.

“Your Majesty,” as soon as Princess Dening entered the inner hall, she bent her knees to salute the emperor. The Emperor quickly reached out his hands and held her up, “Aunt, what are you doing? Between you and I, as aunt and nephew, what’s the need for so much etiquette? “

The Eldest Princess straightened her body. Although she was nearly 60 years old, her body was still in pretty good condition and one could see the dignified atmosphere of a Royal Princess in her every move.

“Today, I came on behalf of my disappointing granddaughter to report her wrongdoing,” the Eldest Princess drew out a handkerchief, wiped the tears at the corner of her eyes, and choked out, “I didn’t teach her father well and he’s grown to such a big age without having a proper demeanor. Now, his two children too have followed his temperament and started behaving like him. “

Speaking out her sadness, the eldest princess couldn’t even cry out loud, but only covered her face with a handkerchief, crying silently.

“Aunt, please don’t be sad.” The Emperor knew that his aunt had married a general who only knew how to fight in order to strengthen his Emperor father’s grasp on the throne. It is precisely because of this relationship that his aunt was able to protect him and his Empress mother later and make him an Emperor raised high above all others.

It was not his aunt ’s fault that his cousin had developed his current temperament, but rather because that vulgar man, Jingting Gong, didn’t teach his son well. When he thought that his aunt had sacrificed her whole life for their family, but now in her older years, he had even allowed a petty Imperial Censor to scold her only granddaughter in the court, the Emperor was unhappy.

“Aunt, this matter has nothing to do with your niece. It can only be blamed on Shen Yu’s incorrect thinking.” 

“Your Majesty doesn’t need to comfort me. My Ban Family’s tutoring was not strict enough so that now you have been embarrassed by her in the court. “

“The cousin is a good girl. Even in the palace, all who see her speak well of her and I like her very much. It was because I didn’t take care of her well that she has suffered such grievances.” 

In the end, the Eldest Princess was personally helped into her carriage by the Emperor. The deep feelings between the aunt and nephew were observed by the entire palace.

Princess Dening sat in the carriage and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes with a grim smile on her face.

Born in the royal family, she knew better than anyone that there were no real feelings at all in this Imperial city, but only calculated schemes. For example, when the previous Emperor had plotted against her husband back then so that he had suffered from pain and torment in the latter half of his life. Yet another example is that she now has a good nephew who respects her and gives her honor and glory but only because she is discrete and her son doesn’t have any ability to intervene in Imperial affairs.

The previous Emperor had plotted against her husband and she had ensured that the son he had loved most could not become the emperor in return. This too could be considered fair.

On the second day after the Imperial Censor’s accusation of Ban Hua, a decree was sent to Jingting Hou Fu. The central concept of the decree was to declare that the Emperor’s niece was very good and the Emperor loved her very much. He felt that the title of Xiang Jun was not worthy of her stature and so she was promoted from Xiang Jun to Jun Princess and bestowed a fief of 700 households*.

At the same time that Ban Hua was promoted to a Jun Princess, Shen Yu was dismissed from his official post due to a lack of personal ethics. Even the Imperial Censor who had accused Ban Hua was deprived of his office on the grounds of “improper conduct”.

“Sister, was there such a chapter in your dream?” Ban Heng looked at the decree in Ban Hua’s hand, “Promoted to Junjun and even granted a fief… Not even the Qinwang’s daughter has such a privilege. Still, Grandmother is awesome.”

The day before yesterday his sister didn’t return directly to their own house after whipping Shen Yu, but instead went to the palace of the Eldest Princess.

Afterwards, his sister not only brought home a large box of precious gems, but also picked up a Jun Princess title and a fiefdom. Old ginger truly was spicier!

“I don’t remember,” Ban Hua passed the imperial decree into his hands. “You take your time and look at this.”

“Bright and virtuous young lady, pure in heart and elegant in character ……” Ban Heng pointed out a few sentences on the decree and shaking his head, said: “His Majesty also doesn’t have it easy having to speak such barefaced lies.”

Ban Hua grabbed the imperial edict from him and placed it on the altar in the main hall, so that the edict was lying with those bestowed before.

“His Majesty is wise and brilliant. His eyes are all-seeing and illuminating like a torch!”

Ban Hua suddenly thought that it seemed like this hadn’t happened in her dream. Since it was a big event that concerned her status, she wouldn’t have forgotten it even in her dreams.

So … had reality changed because she flogged Shen Yu with a whip?

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TL’s Meanderings:

The book was quite light till now but from this chapter onward we start seeing hints of the darker side of things. The Eldest Princess is a tragic yet amazing figure. She lost her husband to her own brother’s scheming but she took her revenge while still making sure that her family would thrive.

Also in this chapter, we start seeing hints of Ban Hua realizing that her actions are changing the events she saw in her dream.

I like that Ban Hua didn’t need to be rescued by Rong Xia here. She went to her grandmother and started working on her own plan to deal with the consequences of her actions which resulted in her getting a higher ranked title and other rewards.