The Dowager Consorts of Cining Palace had fallen utterly in love with square dancing.
They frequently summoned musicians from the Music Bureau to come and play.
The eldest, Dowager Consort Liang, secretly practiced extra every night just to keep up with her old sisters.
Qu Dubian often visited, and occasionally would bump into Consort De—the birth mother of the First Prince.
It wasn't a deliberate attempt to encounter him and ask him to put in a good word for her son with the Emperor, especially since she had already been reprimanded by the Emperor last time.
She genuinely loved square dancing. Whenever the musicians left the Music Bureau and their music faintly reached Cining Palace, Consort De would invariably arrive promptly.
Even though her residence was quite far from Cining Palace.
Consort De actually wished she could have the musicians play in her own palace, but there was no way. Throughout the entire rear palace, only Cining Palace had received the Emperor's special permission to invite musicians for dancing and music.
Even Consort Wen, who wasn't much for crowds, would occasionally come.
Cultural activities in the rear palace were always scarce. Apart from daily greetings, bickering, and scheming, everyone would meticulously ponder whether what the other said today was aimed at them.
Gradually, their minds grew more sensitive, and complicated emotions, like moss in the corners of the palace, crept damp and dark across the walls of their hearts.
Qu Dubian thought to himself, herding one sheep is a job, herding two is just the same.
The saying might be crude, but the reasoning wasn't. Why not promote the Cining Palace square dancing, mobilize the interested consorts and concubines to join? That would make it even livelier for the old dowager consorts.
He had barely mentioned the idea at Cining Palace when the eyes of the four Dowager Consorts lit up, giving their wholehearted approval.
Always dancing just with their own palace attendants and Consort De grew stale after a while.
Their old bones were already quite familiar with several dance tunes. Cining Palace was their domain, and they naturally longed to lead the younger, flower-like consorts in a dance or two.
Having obtained permission, Qu Dubian planned to drag Zhiyi and the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Princes to deliver flyers to various consorts' palaces after finishing his studies at noon.
The flyers were handwritten by themselves and the attendants from Shunning Palace and Cining Palace, each with different handwriting.
Every sheet bore the line: "Hot Dancing at Cining Palace! Dusk, Emperor Away, Love You to Come."
Qu Dubian stood at the gate of Shunning Palace, patting the money pouch at his waist. "If palace attendants went to deliver flyers, they'd likely be chased out immediately. We have the advantage of our status, and we must make good use of it. A reward of ten copper coins for each flyer successfully delivered."
"When delivering flyers, be polite. If the ladies are unavailable, do not disturb them under any circumstances. Explain in detail the... palace culture of our Cining Palace. If a lady clearly expresses no interest, withdraw immediately."
"Note down any ladies who hesitate for a second round of promotion."
Sixth Prince: "Little Seven, we're not short of money. Helping you deliver them is just for fun, no charge."
"No, Sixth Brother, how can you say you're not short of money?" Qu Dubian declared righteously. "You are extremely short! Think about it, isn't your money all given by your mother and the Emperor? Have you ever earned any yourself?"
Fifth Prince thought for a moment and said, "Sixth Brother, we've never earned money ourselves. Only Little Seven gets a twenty percent share of the monthly milk tea earnings."
Qu Dubian: "Exactly! If you make them angry, won't they stop giving you money? With no money, how can you give bonuses to the attendants serving you? The key point is losing face!"
Sixth Prince was deeply enlightened: "True."
"Now it's different. The money you earn from delivering flyers is your own. Money earned through your own labor, you can do whatever you want with it."
Sixth Prince fell into thought, then immediately had an epiphany.
He tightly hugged his stack of flyers.
"Little Seven, thank you for giving your brother this opportunity. I will work hard."
Qu Dubian then looked at Fifth Prince, who waved his hand, "I'll go."
Fourth Prince tried to negotiate, "I'll deliver half."
Qu Dubian: "Fourth Brother, don't slack off. Don't you want to buy a little pillow with your own earned money?" He leaned in, blinking. "A soft little pillow, bought with your own money~"
Fourth Prince: "..."
Even though he knew this was his younger brother's trick, he couldn't help feeling a bit tempted. How annoying.
Qu Dubian: "Didn't Concubine Yi forbid you from making little decorations on your own bed? If you earn the money yourself, she surely won't have anything to say, right?"
Fourth Prince silently straightened up. "I'll try my best."
Qu Dubian: "Great! Elder Sister!"
Zhiyi raised her hand: "Yes!"
Qu Dubian solemnly handed Da Hei over to her. "You are the patrol inspection team, randomly supervising them to see if they're slacking off. This important task is for you to complete."
Zhiyi: "Don't worry, leave it to me."
After his speech to motivate his "staff" concluded, the flyer delivery team officially set off. Qu Dubian watched them walk away, then turned and went back into Shunning Palace.
He lounged leisurely in the rocking chair placed beside the vegetable plot, sprawling out.
Ye Xiaoyuan sat on a small stool beside the rocking chair and couldn't help but laugh: "Your Highness, you're not going out?"
Qu Dubian winked at him: "They're young. The young should do more work. Besides, since when does the person paying also have to do the work?"
Ye Xiaoyuan chuckled: "Yes, Your Highness is right."
Spending a few taels of silver to have princes work for him—probably only the young prince could manage that.
"Come, Xiaoyuan, let's have some fruit."
Qu Dubian plucked a bunch of grapes and handed it over, then plucked another bunch and casually tossed it backward: "Liuliu!"
Yi Shier caught the grapes and landed beside a tree some distance from the vegetable plot, sitting down cross-legged.
-
Over the course of the afternoon, the three princes ran all over the rear palace.
There were few consorts in the highest positions, but the number of lower-ranking ladies, such as Noble Ladies and Constant Attendants, added up to quite a few.
Some of them had long given up hope on the Emperor, only wishing to live peacefully until the new emperor ascended the throne.
Only Dowager Consorts and Dowager Concubines could remain living in the palace. Those of lower rank than Dowager Concubine, especially those without children, either left the palace to be supported by family, received grace to return to their clans, or followed to guard the imperial tombs.
To live out their remaining years.
When they received the promotional flyers, what first caught their eye wasn't the princes' rambling explanations, but the slogan on the sheet: "Hot Dancing at Cining Palace! Dusk, Emperor Away, Love You to Come."
The Consorts and Concubines: ?
They had heard about the occasional dancing at Cining Palace, but why emphasize "Emperor Away"?
Could it be a reminder that those genuinely interested in dancing could come, but those with other intentions, like hoping to encounter the Emperor, should not?
Was that the hint?
Those interested politely asked: "When should we go?"
Zhiyi replied: "Little Seven is currently training the musicians. The preparation phase will last three days. You may all gather at Cining Palace at dusk three days from now."
-
While Zhiyi and the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Princes delivered flyers, Qu Dubian had people in the palace collect clothes of different styles.
Finally, on the morning three days later, he sprang into action.
Most of the musicians in the Music Bureau were women—family members or descendants of disgraced officials, or families who had been musicians for generations. There were also men, but unless the Emperor was present, male musicians generally could not enter the rear palace.
Qu Dubian had been quite disappointed at the time. How much fun was lost because of that?
With so many beautiful sisters, aunties, and even the Dowager Consorts in the rear palace, all of them devoted to just my cheap father and the late emperor alone, what's the harm in letting them see some fresh young faces?
They're just looking, not courting, how stingy.
Since male musicians couldn't enter, he turned his ideas to the female musicians.
Qu Dubian borrowed Madam Su from the Cining Palace. This matron had served many consorts and was proficient in all kinds of makeup techniques; her skill was truly breathtaking.
Madam Su took some kohl and extended the chief female musician's eyebrows.
Qu Dubian directed from the side, "Yes, yes, let them soar towards the temples, sharper. Later we'll tie it up with a high ponytail... Hmm, dashing! This pretty sister already has heroic features; later she'll change into a guard's uniform."
The chief female musician lowered her head shyly.
Qu Dubian walked to another musician. "Concubine Guo, steady your hand a bit. This sister's features are delicate and refined; heavy makeup doesn't suit her. Later she'll wear a scholar's robe."
There were also musicians who knew how to do their own makeup. Once they roughly understood what the Seventh Prince was going for, they began applying makeup on each other.
Qu Dubian strolled around with his hands clasped behind his back, squinting his eyes.
It felt like being backstage before a performance in his previous life.
Amidst the flying powder, Madam Su heaved a melancholy sigh.
She had originally served the Dowager Consorts, and by the way instructed newly entered consorts, princess consorts, and princesses in etiquette and rules. In her later years, she had settled into leisure.
Never did she imagine that, nearing the end of her life, she could be pressed by the Seventh Prince into forging a new career path.
When their makeup was nearly done, Qu Dubian clapped his hands. "Pretty sisters, later you must entertain the Dowager Consorts well. Also, the consorts in the rear palace are very lonely, not as free as you all. My imperial father isn't exactly the most reliable man. If you can bring them some joy, I have rewards here!"
The chief female musician asked, "What counts as bringing joy to the Dowager Consorts and the consorts?"
Qu Dubian replied with a smile, "You'll find out soon."
-
Afternoon.
Dusk.
The weather wasn't so sweltering anymore.
Holding flyers, some consorts walked in twos and threes towards the Cining Palace, feeling rather apprehensive.
Noble Lady Rong was among them.
Actually, it was mainly because the Seventh Prince had roped in the other princes for promotion, piquing the curiosity of the high-ranking consorts. But for the moment, they found it a bit hard to swallow their pride—dancing in front of their elders was really too embarrassing.
So Noble Lady Rong was sent by Consort Lan to see what was really going on.
She also dragged along the newly arrived Constant Attendant Ding, who had enjoyed quite some favor over the last two months and was here purely for the fun of it.
Constant Attendant Ding said, "I saw quite a few sisters on the way, all heading here. Will it be too crowded later?"
Noble Lady Rong: "What does it matter? They're all just bored and coming to see the spectacle. Some are also giving face to the Seventh Prince."
Constant Attendant Ding asked curiously, "Is the Seventh Prince very favored?"
"Hmph, no matter how favored, he can't compare to my son, the Fifth Prince, in terms of future prospects," Noble Lady Rong didn't want to discuss this further with her and quickened their pace, arriving at the entrance of Cining Palace.
A stall was set up at the entrance, displaying various flowers.
Qu Dubian, ever polite, extended a small hand: "Honored consorts, please choose the flower you like. Later, if you find any musician sister pleasing to the eye, give your flower to her."
Noble Lady Rong: "We give flowers to them?"
Qu Dubian: "Yes."
Noble Lady Rong and Constant Attendant Ding each selected a stem. "Let's see just how beautifully they can play."
After all the consorts who had come had chosen their flowers, Qu Dubian stepped aside with a beaming smile. "The Cining Palace Square Dance Orchestra welcomes your arrival!"
The gates of Cining Palace instantly swung open.
Several pairs of hands reached out, pulling the stunned consorts inside.
There were handsome guards, dashing scholars, shy literati, domineering generals, aloof zither masters... At first glance, all dressed as men, but upon closer look, the soft hands, the necks without Adam's apples—
They were clearly women.
These individuals gently tugged at the consorts' sleeves, smiling and praising:
"Consort, you look so beautiful today."
A finger lightly tapped the flower stem in their hands. "If I can bring you joy later, may I have your flower?"
Warm, fragrant, and soft, their gazes brimming with tenderness.
The cheeks of Noble Lady Rong and the other consorts instantly flushed crimson.
If they were men, this would definitely be improper, a violation of palace regulations, but, but—
