Chapter Forty-Four

  Spring is gone, and summer is coming. The Kangxi emperor moved to the Changchun Garden in the northwest suburbs of Beijing to avoid the heat, and I followed him to serve. This royal garden, later known as the "first avoidance of noise and politics", was looted and destroyed on a large scale by the Anglo-French coalition forces during the invasion of Beijing in the tenth year of Xianfeng. The Changchun Garden also suffered a great calamity, with all its buildings burned down. Overnight, a famous royal garden was reduced to ashes.

  I never thought that I, a person born in the 20th century, would actually see this garden with my own eyes, which has been infinitely admired by later generations of architects.

  "Changchun Garden", meaning "Spring all the time", "Eight winds come to pay respects", and "Six qi are unobstructed". Quoting from historical books, "The wall is not as high as a zhang, the greenery inside is low and misty, with red flowers blooming profusely. The earth is flat and even, without any strange peaks or rocks. The eaves are elegant and simple, without any carvings or paintings." The scenery in the garden is naturally elegant and subtle, with a beauty that comes from nature itself.

  Unlike the imperial palace, Changchun Garden is full of rare flowers and grasses, with flowers blooming in all seasons. I see that the lotus flowers in the pond have just begun to bud, with their petals closed, waiting to bloom, exuding a unique charm. I couldn't help but feel inspired, wanting to paint a few lotus flower pictures and embroider an unopened lotus flower handkerchief.

  While concentrating on observing, Wang Xi hurriedly came over. Before he arrived, his voice had already been heard: "Good sister! I've finally found you!" As he spoke, he had already reached the front. He saluted and said: "The Emperor wants to see Sister."

  I followed him and asked: "Do you know what's going on?"

  Wang Xi hurriedly walked while smiling and replied: "I don't know! But first, let's congratulate Sister! General Ma Er Tai returned to the capital from the northwest to report on his duties, and the Emperor received him in a great mood! He said 'The northwest is full of wind and sand, the scenery is desolate.' So he ordered the several princes who came to see him to take them to the imperial garden. This is a huge honor!"

  I pondered after hearing, what did Kangxi want from me? Thinking back to last month, I heard that the 13th mentioned that this nominal Ama of mine was going to enter the capital. Firstly, there were no feelings involved, and secondly, as a palace resident, it was impossible for me to meet with external officials, at most we could just exchange glances, so I didn't take it seriously, but unexpectedly it has already arrived.

  It seems that his political achievements are excellent, otherwise Kangxi would not have given him such an honor. In my heart, I am delighted, after all, I and he are inseparable, sharing the same honor and the same loss.

  I entered the Qingxi Book House and quickly knelt down to pay my respects to Kangxi. Kangxi smiled and told me to get up, saying: "It's been over seven years since you came into the palace, right? You haven't seen your mother in all that time?" I hastily replied with a smile: "That's right! Your Majesty has an excellent memory! You even remember such trivial matters so clearly!"

  Kangxi looked at me and said: "Your mother is currently strolling in the garden! Go see her! Kowtow to her face-to-face, that's enough to show your filial piety. No need for you to knock your head against the moon this year again!"

  I was moved to tears, and hastily knelt down, thinking that it's rare for Kangxi to still remember the time when Yutan and I kowtowed to the moon. Not for this father. As I kowtowed, I said: "Thank you, Your Majesty!" Kangxi smiled slightly and said: "Go quickly!"

  After getting up and coming out, I couldn't help but feel a little worried. This big garden is so big, how do I know where General Ma Tai is? Can only ask and search, after all, it's both a brother and a general, always attracting attention.

  Asking all the way, searching all the way. After strolling through half of the garden, I arrived at "Lin Xiang Shan Cui" and saw a few people sitting in the pavilion, who seemed to be Fourth Brother, Eighth Brother, Thirteenth Brother, and Fourteenth Brother. I hurriedly took a few steps forward, but hesitated in my heart and slowed down my pace. In a moment, when I see General Ma Er Tai, what should I say?

  As I walked, my footsteps slowed down, and when I reached a nearby spot, I hid behind a tree, even more hesitant. Just as I was pondering with my head down, an eunuch rushed past me, but then hurried back to pay his respects, smiling and saying: "I didn't see the young lady here! This servant is really to blame!" I smiled and said: "I'm standing right here myself, it's normal that you didn't see me!" After hesitating for a moment, I asked: "Is my mother in the pavilion?" He hastily replied with a smile: "Yes, she is!" I nodded and let him leave.

  I waited quietly for a while. Thinking that I had received the imperial edict, this bow was inevitable and couldn't be avoided. Then thinking of my sister, I took a few deep breaths, summoned up my courage, clenched my fists, and strode quickly towards the pavilion. Afraid that if I walked slowly, the air would leak out, and I would lose my courage again.

  Entering the pavilion, I first bowed to each of the princes and greeted them with good fortune. At the same time, I stole a glance around the room. Seeing that there was only one unfamiliar person sitting in the room, about forty years old, with a national face, thick eyebrows and big eyes, majestic and powerful. The fourth prince raised his hand for me to get up. As I stood up, I thought to myself that he indeed had the demeanor of a general, and at the same time, I gritted my teeth and knelt down in front of General Ma Er Tai, saying: "Ma Er Tai, Wu Xue has come with imperial orders to pay respects to Your Highness!" As I spoke, I kowtowed three times with a loud "thud thud thud".

  The middle-aged man sitting on the bamboo stool jumped up as soon as I fell to my knees, and rushed over to support me with a look of shock on his face. His hand had just touched mine when he immediately felt it was inappropriate and quickly withdrew it. His face was shocked, and he kept waving his hands saying "No! No! No!" while the brothers beside him were all stunned, Eight Brother's warm smile disappeared, replaced by a hint of surprise. Even Four Brother, who usually had a calm expression, looked surprised. As for Thirteen and Fourteen, it was even more so.

  My mind went blank with a loud crash, and I suddenly realized that I had mistaken my father!!!! I stood there stupidly, my head buzzing.

  Finally, the fourth brother said in a low voice: "Don't get up yet?" I was suddenly shocked and quickly got up, but really didn't know what to do or how to explain. My face turned bright red, my hands tightly clasped together, and my body stiffened.

  Everyone fell silent for a moment, and then Fourteenth suddenly burst out laughing coldly: "Now it's not just the heart that's gone bad, but the brain too!" Fourth Brother and Thirteen both looked at Fourteenth. I stared at Fourteenth for a moment, his eyes were icy cold, and I turned away my gaze.

  Eighth Brother glanced at Fourth Brother and Thirteenth Brother, a hint of a smile on his lips as he explained: "Before she entered the palace, when she lived in my estate, she fell from the attic and the doctor said she was so frightened that she forgot many things. I just didn't expect that now she can't even remember her own mother." As he spoke, his gaze swept lightly across my face.

  Thirteen dynasties I comforted with a smile, pointing behind me and saying: "Your mother has gone to change clothes, she'll be back soon!"

  I hastily turned around and saw a man in his forties, with long eyebrows and phoenix-like eyes, pale complexion, sporting a long beard, and an air of gentle elegance, slowly approaching. He didn't look like a general at all, but rather more like a scholar from Jiangnan. I lost the courage to rush forward and kneel down, and just stood there stupidly.

  General Ma Yuet-tche saw me, his expression slightly surprised, still unhurriedly walked up, approached the front, first gave a few of his brothers a salute, sat down after. Only then did he focus on me.

  Thirteen looked at me still standing stiffly, and laughed saying: "Time to kowtow!" I let out a long sigh in my heart, stepped forward, knelt down, and said: "Ma Er Tai, Ruo Xi pays respects with imperial orders to Ah Ma!" After finishing speaking, I knocked three loud heads on the ground. General Ma Er Tai looked at me warmly and said: "Get up!" I then stood up.

  General Ma Er Tai glanced at Vice General Zhi Zhi Ge, who was sitting awkwardly beside him, and smiled as he asked Ba A Ge: "What's wrong with him?" Ba A Ge replied with a smile: "Just now, Ruo Xi mistook Vice General Zhi Zhi Ge for the general!" General Ma Er Tai slightly furrowed his brow, looking at me in confusion, and asked: "Didn't Ruo Lan say in her letter that everything was fine? How could I still not remember?"

  I thought I couldn't stay silent anymore, and had to think of a way to deceive heaven and cross the sea. After thinking for a moment, I said: "Some things are remembered, some things are still vague. Just now, looking at General Fu's familiar face, I went forward to pay my respects, originally not wanting to let Ama know about my illness, worrying about me. But unexpectedly, it..."; As I spoke, my voice gradually lowered.

  General Ma Er Tai nodded after listening, looked at me for a while, then stood up and said to the several princes: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for allowing us father and daughter to meet. Take good care of yourself on your way back and serve the Emperor wholeheartedly!" I hastily nodded in response. After responding, I wanted to retreat, but the Eighth Prince called out to me, smiling at General Ma Er Tai and saying: "Since you've come with the Emperor's edict, it won't hurt to stay a bit longer!" He then turned his head to look at the Fourth Prince. The Fourth Prince nodded, looking at General Ma Er Tai and saying: "It's rare for us to meet, so let her stay a bit longer!"

  General Ma Yeta allowed me to stay, but I was very depressed. The Fourth Prince and the Eighth Prince were kind-hearted, but they didn't know that I had my own sorrows in my heart. I couldn't wait to leave as soon as possible.

  There's still Rui Jing Xuan and Yan Shuang Lou that we haven't strolled through, so our group rested for a bit before continuing to stroll around the garden. A few of the brothers intentionally walked ahead, leaving just me and General Ma Er Tai walking behind. I really didn't know what to say, so I could only quietly accompany him. After a while, General Ma Er Tai finally sighed: "It's been seven years since we last met, you're truly like two different people!"

  I was flustered and hastily replied, "We're already twenty, how can we still be like a fourteen-year-old girl?" General Ma Er Tai turned his head to look at me and sighed, "Ama understands in her heart, you are also in the palace! It's just a sigh of emotion!" Only then did I put my heart back.

  He also said: "At first, I heard that our second daughter is very favored by the emperor in the palace, and I didn't quite believe it. Now it seems that the emperor has specially ordered you to see me, this is a rare honor!"; I hastily replied: "This is not the merit of my daughter, but probably because of Ama's outstanding achievements, the emperor granted us this favor!"

  General Ma Yeta frowned and said, "Do you want to talk like that with Ama too?" I was taken aback, thinking to myself, I really don't know how to talk to you, since the more we talk, the more mistakes we make, so I can only walk silently.

  General Ma Er Tai looked at the backs of several A Ge walking ahead, and said in a low voice: "A Ma is not blaming you! It's just that she pities you, it's hard to get through the days in the palace!" After finishing, he let out a long sigh.

  My heart felt a pang, everyone says I've changed, timid and cowardly, but they don't know that ahead of me are wind blades and frosty swords. If I didn't change, what else could I do? I couldn't help but feel a bit more affectionate towards this unfamiliar Amma.