C25 Part1

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Murong Ci had grown up in good wealth since childhood, and all the things she saw and used were the best in the world.

Therefore seeing this filthy, dirty, and dark hell on earth at this time, she felt very moved.

People had different backgrounds, different statuses, and different fortunes, creating all kinds of people.

Poverty and wealth, dirtiness and cleanness, humbleness and honor, they all coexisted and went hand in hand.

Therefore, some people were unwilling to fight against their own fate and climb up for fame and fortune, unscrupulous and desperate.

Qin Ruo suggested:

"Your Royal Highness, it is better to ask the maid chief in charge of the Palace for details."

Murong Ci nodded in agreement, and after a while, Qin Ruo called for Madam Li.

The Spring Wuyuan Courtyard was a gloomy place forgotten by the world.

Occasionally people from the Palace would come to ask questions, and the person with the highest status in the Palace that had ever come was the maid next to the Imperial Concubine.

Today, the Crown Prince came in person.

Madam Li was shocked; happy and horrified at the same time.

She lowered her head and did not dare to raise her eyes.

"Please let me lead Your Highness and go to a proper room where the servants will do their best to serve them."

"No need."

Qin Ruo spoke in behalf of His Royal Highness and replied, standing next to the Prince, and asked high up,

"I heard that someone died in the Spring Wuyuan Courtyard a few days ago.

Is there such a thing?"

"The Spring Wuyuan Courtyard is no better than outside the Palace.

People here are sick and die every day."

Madam Li replied respectfully, without hesitation.

"Last night, the servants dragged two corpses out.

Those two corpses..."

Qin Ruo glanced at His Royal Highness and continued.

"His Royal Highness wants to ask if they are related to the people who were demoted as concubines 20 years ago."

Madam Li bent down, her eyebrows lowered, and she was very docile.

"Noble Lady※, Concubine Bai and Talented Lady※, Concubine Mo were the Noble Court Ladies that the Emperor Father used to dote in the past, right?"

Murong Ci suddenly asked.

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※※ (N.B.) In the Imperial Harems of China there were several ranks for concubines, consorts and court ladies serving the Emperor.

It is said that the Emperor could have for himself (in order from high rank to low rank):

1 Empress, 1 Queen Noble Consort, 2 Imperial Noble Consorts, 4 Consorts, etc...

Depending on the Dynasty, the names and number of consorts would change.

This is a little summary to explain the titles in details, the allowed numbers for each rank(in a parentheses) and the mentioned characters in the story as an example:

commonly used Titles:

1・Empress (皇后 Huánghòu) (only 1) << Murong Ci's mother.

2・Queen Noble Consort/ Concubine (皇贵妃 Huáng Guìfēi) (only 1) << no mentions for now.

3・Imperial Noble Consort/ Concubine (贵妃 Guìfēi) (only 2) << Imperial Noble Consort, Concubine Xiao, the current favorite of the Emperor;

4・Consort/ Concubine (妃 Fēi) (max. 4) << (Currently Concubine Qiao(Princess Zhaohua - Murong Chang's mother) and Concubine Rong are regarded this title).

5・Virtuous Lady/ Concubine (嫔 Pín) (max. 6) << no mentions for now.

6・Noble Lady/ Concubine (贵人 Guìrén) (unlimited number) << Noble Lady, Concubine An and Noble Lady, Concubine Bai were regarded this title, but lost this title. Also, the only two court ladies in Murong Ci's East Palace, Liangdi Ye and Liangdi Wei in charge of cooking and serving the Prince are regarded this title.

7・Lady of Beauty/ Concubine (美人 Měirén) (unlimited number; lower concubine ranks for court lady beauties) << no mentions for now.

8・Lady of Talent/ Concubine (才人Cáirén) (unlimited number; lower concubine rank for talented court ladies) << Talented Lady, Concubine Mo was regarded this title before losing this title.

Given the great number of ranks and titles of concubines/consorts in the harem, I will just refer to them as mere "Concubines" or else naming them with full rank name every time would make it too long and confusing.

Their official titles will be mentioned only at the beginning. ><; sweats

Later when more characters will show up, I'll update this list again.

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Murong Ci's cold gaze slowly swept across those walking dead-like people around them.

There were all kinds of people among those who were imprisoned there.

All they had in common was those hollow and dull eyes without hopes.

Madam Li replied:

"Concubine Bai and Concubine Mo have indeed served Your Majesty in the past and have been locked up here for 20 years.

Yesterday, two Palace officials found them dead in the backyard of the Spring Wuyuan Courtyard.

Surprisingly they had been dead for several days already.

When this servant learned of this, I immediately reported to the Internal Attendant Bureau.

At dusk yesterday, several officials came to drag the corpses away."

Qin Ruo asked,

"After a few days of death, why were they found out so late?"

Madam Li was speechless, her face filled with panic.

There was no need to explain.

Murong Ci also understood it perfectly well.

'Whether the people in the Spring Wuyuan Courtyard were alive or dead, who of them all would care?'

People here didn't care if they haven't seen someone for a few days.

Most of them would guess that they were either dead or sick in bed, and unable to get out of bed.

Their lives were like that of 'walking corpses'; and their deaths would be a lonely and desperate death.

Whenever a dead body was found, it was a usual routine for the Palace servants to report it to the Internal Attendance Bureau, so that they'd send someone to drag the body away.

Still, although this kind of things was a usual routine for the Spring Wuyuan Courtyard, and the Internal Attendance Bureau would not question it at all, but at this time, the maximum authority, the Crown Prince, was now in front of her,

'How could Madam Li, who was in charge, tell this Prince everything so boldly and shamelessly, about their negligence?'

"Is there anything different here recently?"

Murong Ci asked.

At that moment she saw a person sitting in a simple mottled wheelchair passing across them, being pushed away from where they were standing...

"Recently... Except for the deaths of Concubine Bai and Concubine Mo, there is nothing else.

Everything is as usual."

Madam Li replied.

The middle-aged woman in the wheelchair was wearing a gray-black robe that was washed and became like white, and a long cloth towel of the same color covered her head and face.

Only a clean forehead and a pair of black eyes were exposed.

Murong Ci found her peculiar...

She could be described as quite tidy, like a broken well found in this desert of 'walking-dead'.

Like the winter jasmine in full bloom and the white hibiscus were swaying in a muddy ground, left pure and clean.

Her appearance was outstanding, especially compared to those muddy and hollow 'walking-dead' people.

Pushing the wheelchair was a woman about her age, dressed in a neat pony bun.

Her hair was jet-black, and she was also wearing a grey-black robe.

They seemed to sense that someone was watching them and turned to look over.

Murong Ci felt that they were aliens who didn't belong at all to this hell Spring Wuyuan Courtyard was.

'Isn't it weird that the middle-aged woman wraps her head and face with a long cloth towel on such a hot day?'

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END of CHAPTER 25 PART 1

.....................to be continued