Su Xi-er’s eyebrows were curved. Although she was smiling, her tone was laced with a thinly veiled ferocity. “Eunuch Sun, you don’t need to carve my name. If someone asks about the matter, just tell them to look for me.”
Eunuch Sun had managed the Beauty Palace for a long time, and for the time he had done so, no woman had ever been treated differently. Regardless of what their previous positions were, once they arrived here, all of them would dress up prettily and expectantly wait for Prince Hao to enter their room, but none had ever dared to speak like this.
“Eunuch Sun, these drawers are not simply used for hanging Beauty Plaques right?”
Eunuch Sun placed the plaque in his hand down. “If you’re that unwilling, then forget about it. You coming here wasn’t something decreed by Prince Hao anyways. However, if Prince Hao comes back from Nanzhao and officially accepts you into the Beauty Palace, that is a different story. When that happens, you must carve your name onto the plaque.”
Su Xi-er nodded. “I know, but what does the drawer contain?”
“Every woman’s birth date and which type of family they are born in. There are also some records pertaining to which woman’s room Prince Hao enters.”
There are so many women in the Beauty Palace that the way they are managed imitates the imperial palace’s imperial harem. It’s just like an emperor’s imperial harem, yet there is no mention of Pei Qianhao.
Faced with this, Su Xi-er finally came up with another reason for the existence of the Beauty Palace. Perhaps this is Pei Qianhao’s interest; locking up beauties and enjoying the feeling of watching them fight. After all, he is perverted enough to do such a thing. That said, perhaps there is also another possibility ー he established the Beauty Palace as a warning to those who would challenge his dignity.
Beimin’s little emperor is like a puppet. Otherwise, no one would dare to brazenly establish a Beauty Palace with supervision methods so similar to the imperial palace’s Imperial Affairs Division[1].
Su Xi-er pursed her lips. Is my imperial younger brother, Ning Lianchen, also the same as Beimin’s little emperor, completely stifled by Yun Ruofeng?
When Yun Ruofeng flies into a rage, would he punish imperial younger brother fiercely? Or would he not even allow that? Perhaps he would go as far as to place him under house arrest and seize control of the imperial throne, becoming emperor himself?
“Miss Su, since you will not be carving your name onto the plaque, let’s go out. This old servant will take you to where you are staying.”
“Alright,” Su XI-er responded softly before glancing at two plaques that had been discarded to one side.
One was empty, while was engraved with the words ‘Shi Liu’. I suppose this ‘Shi Liu’ is the woman who passed away.
~~~
Outside the door, Hong Li and Ruo Yuan were very anxious as they waited. She has gone in for so long and is still not coming out. What exactly are they doing inside? What does the ‘Beauty Plaque’ on the signboard mean?
Ruo Yuan was born of humble background and was illiterate. It was Hong Li who informed her about the words ‘Beauty Plaquet’.
Only when the two saw Su Xi-er walking out did they relax.
Eunuch Sun didn’t speak, choosing instead to directly head towards another path.
Hong Li and Ruo Yuan continued to stare in awe at the surrounding scenery. There was even a small lake, and a pavilion to go with it.
A few beauties were in the small pavilion. Their manner of dressing was very eye-catching; donned in light gauze dresses and singing as they played the zither.
“Miss Su, every woman will personally name the place they stay in. The place you are about to move into was inhabited by the woman who passed away previously. The signboard with the name she came up with has already been taken down to make room for yours. Once you decide what you will use for a name, you can inform me so that I can have someone hand up the sign for you.”
Su Xi-er replied unhurriedly, “I won’t be troubling you, Eunuch Sun. A name will not be necessary, as I’m only staying for a short while. ”
1. It is part of the Imperial Household Department. The Imperial Affairs Division is mainly in charge of the matters of the eunuch and palace maids. One of its duties is overseeing and recording which imperial consort the emperor visits which is similar to the system in the Beauty Palace, thus the reference to the Imperial Affairs Division in this case.