755 - I Am This Murim’s Crazy B*tch

[Journal of the Forbidden City] Long live His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince, for thousands of years! A thunderous chorus echoed from all directions. After all, it was only fitting to shout such praises when His Highness, the Crown Prince, had personally graced us with His presence. Naturally, one must kneel, bow their head to nearly touch the ground, and chant 'Long live the Crown Prince' three times. Because of this, the spectators did not witness Qing's blunder. Instead, isn’t there usually a point when the shouting should cease, following a command? How long must one match the rhythm and chant 'Long live, long live, long live for thousands of years'? The issue lay with the Crown Prince himself, who was supposed to signal to desist, yet he furrowed his brows, looking down at the guest with clear discontent. From Qing's perspective, what is this? Why does he wear such a scowl upon first meeting, shouldn’t he say something like, "Hello" or "Welcome" to greet someone arriving at the palace of the Central Plains? Why is he being so obstinate, and wait, did he just click his tongue? “Click.” The Crown Prince clicked his tongue, tapping his forehead lightly with his fingers. Forehead? Qing unconsciously raised her hand to touch her forehead and realized, oh, the veil is flipped up. No wonder it felt so bright. While she was sleeping, the veil had gotten wet from touching the stone floor, obscuring her vision, making the world appear distorted. Regardless, knowing the area beneath her feet was clear due to her spatial perception through the Enlightenment Divine Arts, seeing wasn't necessary. Once Qing finally adjusted her veil, the Crown Prince sharply lifted his arm in a perpendicular angle. Only then did the chanting of 'Long live' cease. Everyone fell silent, as if they never uttered a word, leaving only the sound of rain in the serene silence as the Crown Prince spoke. “Young hero Ximen Qing, welcome to the Forbidden Region of Purple Palace(紫宮禁域).” Huh. Welcome where? Qing's eyebrows twitched. But then she realized that Purple Palace referred to the celestial palace where the Heavenly Emperor resided, and the Forbidden Region was a forbidden area where none could enter except for the Emperor. Thus, the amalgamation of these two places referred to the Forbidden City(紫禁), giving the Forbidden City its name. “You must be weary from the unpleasant weather, so first enter your quarters to refresh your body and spirit. Hear ye, guide Ximen Qing to, ahem. Lead this guest to, ahem.” The Crown Prince suddenly spoke with reluctance, and that reluctance felt like humiliation, as if his pride took a severe blow. But what could be done? In the Central Plains, the Crown Prince was not an individual of practical power. He held authority as the future absolute ruler, yet his actual duties involved following the orders of the Emperor, executing them obediently. “Guide Ximen Qing to Hirbangjeon.” Hirbangjeon! To the south of the Eastern Palace, Namgoong was located, consisting of three significant palaces known collectively as 'Namsamso.' Amongst these, the Hirbangjeon served as the abode for the Crown Prince's consorts. However, marriages in the Central Plains were rarely matters of personal decision. Such significant unions required the permission of the elders from both families, making it a major family affair. Thus, the Crown Prince couldn’t carelessly offer accommodation in Hirbangjeon. Therefore, the Crown Prince's statement essentially implied: I find you exceedingly pleasing. Stay close to me. An entirely one-sided flirtation! The Crown Prince gritted his teeth. Of course, Qing was oblivious to such intricacies. How could Qing know the count of buildings within the Forbidden City, their names, or purposes? As the Emperor changed, the purposes were often altered according to the Emperor’s residential preferences and the favor of existing residents, making it the knowledge of only palace attendants. The Crown Prince shuddered once, clenching his fist tightly before abruptly turning his body around. Feeling as though he hadn't experienced such a disgrace in his life. And so, he walked decisively away, with flustered attendants following closely behind. Somewhere in the distance, Qing caught snippets of the conversations amongst the eunuchs. Your Highness, what are you saying, letting a lady from the martial world stay in Namsamso? Please change your mind, Your Highness. Regardless of her beauty, it’s ephemeral, like a lamp passing by on horseback; even if she catches your eye— Silence! What do you perceive her as? I have eyes, you know! But Your Highness…… It seemed the Crown Prince had shouted vehemently. If it weren't raining, she might have eavesdropped using her superhuman hearing, but the cheerful sound of rain drumming on the stone floor made it difficult, and frankly, she had little interest in overhearing idle gossip. --- When a giant boulder is thrown into a lake, it causes massive ripples as the waters churn violently, the surface bustling with big and small waves. As the boulder had been cast into the Forbidden City, the news of young hero Ximen Qing staying at Hirbangjeon rapidly spread within half a day. One might question the security of the Forbidden City, but rumors spread proportional to population density. And the Forbidden City was teeming with people. Home to over ninety palaces, nearly nine hundred structures aside from the main palaces, the Forbidden City comprised nearly a thousand buildings within the massive walls. Therefore, the rooms within the Forbidden City numbered around nine thousand. The residents, their caretakers, the eunuchs, and court ladies dwelling there, the larger and smaller officials with their families, and the servants residing there permanently contributed to an uncountable number. Add to that a story too captivating to resist. The Crown Prince greeted a lady from the martial world personally summoned by the Emperor, and directly had her led to Hirbangjeon. That lady is the Heavenly Sword Flower, isn’t she? From the legend of the Heavenly Flower Amidst the Flames. A master indeed, and a complete beauty, they say. A vixen who dares approach His Royal Highness...! Vixen or not, you never had a chance anyway! No matter how much you loiter around, do you think His Highness will ever spare you a glance? Why do you have to be so harsh? Maybe she’ll be noticed for being unusual. He’s probably used to seeing only beautiful people, so perhaps her unique appearance might pique his interest, and he’ll call her. Oh, you vile woman, you’re an absolute wretch. To be frank, the dreams of the palace maids consist of only two outcomes. To catch the Emperor's eye and receive an imperial favor. Catch the Emperor's eye and receive his favor. However, life as a consort under the strict hierarchies and disciplines meant that what court ladies saw and heard were often the tear-filled lives of secondary wives, so without a very ambitious aspiration, it wasn't particularly popular. It's the princes who are seen as the best. Once they leave the Forbidden City to become feudal princes, they'll be able to escape this stifling and dangerous palace intrigue. As for His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince, what more is there to say? Even if it's a western palace, upon ascending to the throne, he would claim the second best position among the Eastern Six Palaces, starting from the best as they are already occupied. The reason it's second-best is because the top position in the Eastern Six Palaces is reserved for the main wife, the consort. Therefore, among the court ladies, jealousy and keen observation are paramount. Could she be someone with the semblance of becoming the Crown Princess? If you get taken under such favor, wouldn't your life take a significant turn for the better? For reference, while there is no formal position of "Crown Prince" in the Central Plains, there is indeed the position of Crown Princess. The successor to the throne is called the Crown Prince, not the Crown Prince. The first wife of the Crown Prince is the Crown Princess. Is the Crown Princess an issue? Since the Crown Prince is already enchanted, imagine what levels of favor she must hold. Don't you know that affection ranks higher than official rank? Thus, the hostesses who came out to greet the guest and the court ladies managing the Namsamso found themselves facing each other in fierce gazes outside the Hirbangjeon. Why are you here? This is Namsamso, after all. Do you even know where anything is, and have you come to assist her without knowledge, my goodness. If such a noble guest dines here, isn't it natural that we serve them? What do you know? We are the masters of hospitality, the pinnacle of hosting. Really, now. In this eye of the storm, absorbing all attention within the Forbidden City like a black hole, Qing was being polished and made presentable after quite some time. And how many people are in here just to help with the bath, exactly? How many hands are there right now? Head, shoulders, knees, and toes, like some human barrier, not like some lucky artifact promising health and offspring by touch, why are they all crowding like this? “How is the water? Would you like more hot water?” “Oh my, how can your skin be so soft? It's like white jade. Or perhaps white jade was modeled after your skin.” “Oh, whoops, it’s torn—oh no, it’s not silk, it’s your hair. How could it be so soft, it feels like touching a precious fabric.” Hmm, even the court ladies can be quite flattering. Though they pale just a bit compared to our Divine Maiden Sect's disciples. ‘My lord, this is a Unae Fragrant Oil reserved only for special occasions. It’s something I specially brought from the Western Palace because a lady of courage you admire has arrived. Only a few vials are presented each year. Isn’t the aroma truly delicate?’ A court lady whispers slyly while rubbing a fragrant oil exuding a subtle milky aroma. Not sure what the Western Palace is about, but isn’t that embezzlement then? Is it alright? But, hmm, it does feel nice... They dip their hands into warm water to heat their palms before applying aromatic oils to softly massage every part of the body, and just how many people are there? Ah, I'm melting, melting away... Then they soak again in the hot water. Apply more aromatic oil and start a full-body massage once more. Just by being still, one is washed, dried, dressed, and upon regaining awareness, lying relaxed on a soft "chaise longue" like a bed, receiving simultaneous scalp massage, hair treatment, and mani-pedi. One might say this is indeed a charmed life. But there is a cause for Qing's reluctance as well. For there were no other actions to partake in aside from enjoying such luxury. Being in the palace meant indulging in such opulence for at least three days doing absolutely nothing. The precise reason being, it’s a process of purifying the body and mind before meeting the Emperor. Isn't it customary when visiting someone’s home to first meet and greet the owner? However, the Emperor is not someone you can meet just because you want to. Time is needed for mental and physical purification. Hence the unlimited massages. The court ladies, having secured their turns through intense competition, put their all into serving the prospective madam. “Hmm, I’m feeling a bit peckish...” “Oh dear! I’ll prepare something for you right away! Would you prefer pheasant or porridge, or perhaps snacks, no, please, forget I said that—I'll have everything prepared for you!” “Well, no need to go to such lengths. Thank you...” Qing never refused a snack. In any case, as always, when Qing entered a friendly environment with amiable people, she relaxed completely. Nibbling on dried snacks, dried meat, dried fruits, clustered snacks, clustered meat, clustered fruits, fried snacks, fried meat, fried fruits without ceasing, being asked, ‘Is this refreshing?’ ‘Oh, here, around your waist, my goodness, how slender, truly perfect for a lady of delicate elegance.’ And so she dozed off. And then, at some point, another court lady would come in to swap places. Upon seeing the entire room filled with snacks, she'd momentarily be taken aback but quickly resumed serving with coquettish expressions and tones, in a cycle of rotational duty. Among them, some made attempts to curry favor. Flattery was a basic measure. Some court ladies offered gifts despite appearing to have little income, claiming them to be precious. Others provided information. Mentioned the Empress being exceedingly strict, so much so that even a strand of hair out of place would incur her wrath, advising caution. Was the Empress really that strict? She didn’t seem so at all. That the Noble Consort has more power than the Imperial Noble Consort (the Emperor's second wife), offering to guide her in paying respects if desired, or that recently, the Eastern Palace has been rife with tension between the concubine and noble lady. Furthermore, Qing learned that the Crown Prince favored sweet, salty, and tender meats. He knows how to eat; indeed, he does. And then there were the tidbits about the Crown Prince’s preferences, like what colors he might like, his hobbies involving reading, the paths he often strolls on, and at what time of day he can usually be encountered – details Qing hadn't asked for and wasn't particularly interested in. And then, there was more. Qing looked at the newly swapped court lady who had entered. Central Plains, quite surprisingly, is a rather harmonious multi-ethnic society. To be precise, except for Han Chinese, everyone else is regarded as barbarians equally, as though it's a fair treatment. The society is bound by communities, villages, cities, and castles, so except for a few minor ethnic groups actively discriminated against, they generally coexist well. Thus, a court lady resembling a classical Indian beauty wasn't particularly novel. Nevertheless... “Madam, there's a fascinating study I’d like to share.” Of course, Qing isn't officially a “madam” yet. However, from Qing's standpoint, hearing several court ladies naturally refer to her as “madam” led her to accept the title casually. “A study?” “Oh dear, how do I explain this? It's genuinely beneficial for a lady, truly, but there’s no proper way to express it, and it feels awkward to explain directly...” “Well, the more you say that, the more curious I get. What is it?” “Um, have you ever heard of ‘Aijing’?” “Aijing?” “A study from India, truly beneficial.” The court lady smiled slyly, exuding a certain charm as she began to explain. Aijing(愛經). From Qing's hometown, it’s often synonymous with India, precisely that well-known study recognized worldwide, readily referred to in Sanskrit as ‘Kama Sutra.’ “As you can see, I am of Indian descent, madam. And the guide young women in the court study is derived in part from Aijing, barely touching a fraction of the pleasures Aijing aims for. Master it, and you’ll be able to captivate any man in this world. If you’re interested, madam…” Captivate any man? How exactly? Certainly, Qing isn’t the least bit interested in such things. However, Qing is definitely interested. Kama Sutra? How could one resist knowing more about that?