Spring Message in the Snow – CH 002

Chapter 2

Surou hesitated for a moment. “My lady, have I done something wrong?”

Zheng Xiuyuan said no, “You’ve done everything perfectly, better than anyone else. Precisely because you are so good, I cannot bear to let you waste your life in the palace. While I still have some influence, I will let you out. You will be grateful to me in the future.” Getting excited, she said urgently, “How about this? I will immediately send someone to your residence to inform them that first thing tomorrow morning, when the palace gates open, you can leave the palace and go home.”

Leaving the palace and going home—this was something Surou never dared to dream of. Originally, palace servants like her had no future but to grow old and die in the palace. Heaven knew how much she longed for the prosperity of the capital. Just a wall away, during festivals like the Mid-Autumn Festival and the Lantern Festival, she would sit quietly and listen to the bustling crowds in the marketplace—what a vibrant and lively life that would be!

Zheng Xiuyuan’s words suddenly ignited a spark of hope in her. In the centuries-long history of this dynasty, there had only been two precedents for dismissing palace servants—either for praying for blessings after natural disasters or to cut unnecessary expenses. If she could truly leave the palace at such a young age, it would not be a bad thing at all.

However, Zheng Xiuyuan was capricious; her decision now might not be valid tomorrow. Perhaps it was a test to see if the Emperor’s conversation with her today would give her any improper thoughts. After all, Zheng Xiuyuan was notoriously jealous and vying for favor; she had to carefully consider the situation to ensure everything went smoothly.

So Surou knelt down, bowing her head and saying, “My lady means well, but I am a registered palace attendant. Leaving the palace without cause would make it difficult for me to live a normal life. I will serve you even more diligently from now on. Please reconsider your decision and allow me to remain in the palace, at your service.”

To her surprise, Zheng Xiuyuan chuckled, her phoenix eyes flashing with sarcasm, “Female Official Zhang refuses to leave the palace. Is there something in the palace that you cherish? I was once someone’s adopted daughter, and even with someone to take care of me, I still suffered grievances. How much more so you! Are you addicted to being a palace attendant? Or do you have lofty ambitions, certain you will rise above others?”

Surou said no, “I only wish to serve my lady and watch her rise in rank.”

Zheng Xiuyuan dismissed her words, waving her hand dismissively. The silk ribbons rippled like water. “You are not telling the truth.”

Surou was silent for a moment, then continued, “A palace attendant’s reputation is paramount. If I leave the palace, I am afraid the whole capital will think I was expelled…”

“How could that be?!” Zheng Xiuyuan immediately interrupted her, delighted to have caught the loophole in her words. She reached out and helped her up, saying, “I will have someone inform your family that Female Official Zhang has rendered meritorious service. I pity you for leaving home at a young age, and I have granted you this special favor, allowing you to return home to reunite with your family. Besides… was your father not just enshrined in the Imperial Ancestral Temple? Now is the perfect time to go out; no one will gossip.”

Surou looked up at her, full of hope. After all, she had spent so much time and effort, and her interest had been piqued. The more unwilling she was, the more determined Zheng Xiuyuan became to have her leave the palace.

Adding fuel to the fire, Surou hesitated, “Then, tomorrow I will first inform the Head Attendant and the Chief Steward…”

Zheng Xiuyuan said it was not necessary. A Junior Palace Attendant was not an ordinary servant; the Chief Steward would surely alarm the Empress. The Empress was a wise woman; if she found out the Emperor had feelings for Zhang Surou, the matter would be ruined.

It was better to act first and report later. She smiled. “I can make that decision. You may leave now; I will handle the rest, and you will have a legitimate reason.”

Surou still seemed reluctant, but finally, with a few tears in her eyes, she bowed her head and said, “I will leave everything to Your Majesty’s decision.”

Zheng Xiuyuan was pleased. Looking at her closely, she thought that such a beautiful woman, even in the narrow purple robe of a Junior Palace Attendant, possessed a breathtaking power when she was tearful. If she were dressed in the fine clothes of a palace lady, her hair adorned with gold hairpins, what an irresistible beauty she would be!

Fortunately, she had acted decisively, not giving the Emperor a chance to promote her. Feelings between a man and a woman would often arise from these interactions; once contact was severed, even a man like the Emperor, who frequented brothels, would forget about her in the blink of an eye.

With everything settled and no worries, Zheng Xiuyuan casually raised her chin. “Alright, go back and pack your things.”

Surou bowed and said yes, then retreated outside the pavilion. Looking around, it was dusk; a slight warmth carried on the breeze, and the setting sun was serene and vast, its boundless orange-yellow bathing the entire palace grounds—today’s sunset seemed different from usual.

Back at her quarters, life within the palace was uneventful, so the news of her impending departure quickly shocked her fellow palace servants.

They secretly felt sorry for her and understood why Zheng Xiuyuan was so determined to get rid of her; it was simply because the Emperor had spoken a few words to her that day.

Lady He said, “Go and plead with the Emperor or the Imperial Concubine. You have not done anything wrong; why should you let Consort Zheng decide your fate?”

Surou remained unassuming, smiling faintly, “The Emperor and the Imperial Concubine would not risk offending Consort Zheng for a mere palace attendant. I am Consort Zheng’s lady-in-waiting; since she wants me to leave, I have no choice but to go.”

The palace attendants were insignificant, a sentiment everyone shared. The underlying sorrow stemmed from the fact that most palace attendants did not fare well after leaving. Having left home at a young age, so many years had passed, and everything had changed. Even their closest parents might be unable to protect them due to various difficulties. A young girl without support faced a gamble with every step. Lady He knew Surou had lost her parents, and her stepmother had her own children. Her precarious situation meant her future was inevitably fraught with uncertainty.

“Is Consort Zheng in such a hurry for you to leave the palace tomorrow?” Lady He asked, pulling her hand. “If it could be later, so the Emperor knows…”

Surou chuckled. “The Emperor would not concern himself with the trivial matters of palace servants.” She shook her head as she spoke. “Never mind, let it be.”

She seemed to have never considered having any connection with the Emperor. Even when he spoke to her, she did not feel she held any special place in his eyes.

The next day, the young palace attendant came to help her with her dressing as usual, but upon entering, she found the room empty. All her usual belongings were put away, as if she had never been there.

“Where is Female Official Zhang?” The young palace attendant paused, turning to ask a passerby.

The passing palace attendant replied indifferently, “She left the palace by grace.”

In the deep, straight alley, the person carrying the bundle walked slowly forward. Several palace attendants emerged from the Linhua Gate halfway there, silently accompanying her to the Gongchen Gate.

Not knowing what to say, they simply clasped hands tightly and said, “Take care.”

Surou nodded, softly saying, “We will meet again someday. When you have a bright future, do not forget me outside the palace.”

These words only deepened the sorrow of parting. In truth, if she had waited a little longer, it would have been her who had a bright future.

Everyone bid her farewell with tears in their eyes. Surou hesitated, then stepped out of the palace gate.

One moment, she was filled with grief; the next, the sorrow in her eyes melted away as frost, and a grand, fervent joy leaped forth.

Finally, she was out!

The clear sky and vast expanse rushed towards her, bringing with it the exhilarating joy of a drowning person rising from the water. She took a deep breath; ten years of confinement felt like a dream. Now that she could leave, she did not care about the future and would throw herself into it wholeheartedly!

Her steps were light as she passed through the passageway into North Wazi Street. She could vaguely hear the lively voices of people shouting and laughing without restraint. She walked quickly, eager to return to life and step into the mortal world. She also reasoned that since her father had been enshrined in the Imperial Ancestral Temple, the Zhang family should still exist. Such a large family would not leave her homeless.

Sure enough, in the distance, she saw a seven-fragrance carriage parked by the street, with a young man and woman standing in front of it. They tiptoed and peered in their direction, hesitatingly taking two steps forward. Once they recognized the newcomers, they cautiously inquired, “Is my lady Zhang Surou, Young Lady Zhang?”

Surou confirmed, carefully observing them. The young woman wore a jade-colored half-sleeved robe and a red skirt with gold flowers; the young man wore a round-necked robe with a silver belt. Their features were very similar, both strikingly beautiful. Seeing her acknowledge them, a wide smile spread across their faces. The young woman cried out, “Elder Sister, Third Master and I have come to take you home!” Then, childlike, she rushed forward and wrapped her arms around Surou’s neck.

Surou stumbled from the impact, and only after regaining her balance did she realize, “You are Zhirou?” She then looked at the young man. “Jiezhi, Third Brother?”

The young man blushed, cupped his hands, and bowed deeply to her, “Elder Sister.”

It had been so long since she had seen them, so long that she had almost forgotten what they looked like. Zhang Jiezhi and Zhang Zhirou were her half-siblings. Surou’s mother, Lady Min, died in childbirth shortly after giving birth. Two years later, her father married Lady Pan, who gave birth to twins—the two children standing before her. Surou entered the palace at the age of eight. That year, Zhirou and Jiezhi were just five years old. Five-year-olds had not fully grown and spent their days chasing after their older sister. Ten years was enough time for them to become strangers, yet today, it was the two of them who had come to fetch her.

Surou was overjoyed. Upon seeing her sister, she was preoccupied with reminiscing, but a maidservant stepped forward and advised, “Everyone in the mansion is waiting. Why do we not welcome the Second Young Lady back first? We can talk more later when we get home.”

Jiezhi agreed and quickly mounted his horse, whipping it to lead the way. A maidservant waiting beside the carriage brought down a footstool and helped the two ladies into the carriage. Once seated, she shyly called out, “Young lady, do you still remember me?”

Surou turned to look at her. The Zhang family was a prominent family; their young masters and ladies had been assigned servants from birth. Before entering the palace, she had two personal maids, one named Qinglan and the other Quelan. Although many years had passed, she still vaguely remembered her from childhood. She smiled. “You are Quelan.”

Quelan’s eyes reddened. “Young Lady has not forgotten me. I am indeed Quelan.”

Zhirou said, “After you entered the palace, the maids from your original courtyard were all reassigned. Quelan was given to me, and now that you are back, I am returning her. As for Qinglan… a few years ago, she contracted malaria, and her brother and sister-in-law took her away to recuperate. Later, I heard she encountered a fake physician and died…” She paused, sighed, and said, “So much has happened in these ten years. Grandfather is gone too… but Grandmother is in good health. She was overjoyed to hear you were coming home, Elder Sister.”

Surou could not help but feel melancholy. Ten years! So many things had quietly changed. Life and death—how could anyone control them? Fortunately, everyone who was alive was well. After inquiring about the current situations of her uncles, Zhirou learned that her eldest uncle, Zhang Ju, was now serving as the acting Military Governor, and her third uncle, Zhang Zhi, was serving as the Xuanfushi of Youzhou. Because her father had rendered meritorious service to the court, their official careers were also going smoothly. Apart from some trivial matters, the family’s life was relatively stable.

As they spoke, they arrived at Old Caomen Street. The Zhang Mansion was the largest Mansion on the street, and the familiar porch was visible almost immediately upon entering the alley.

Since their young lady, who served in the palace, had returned with honor, they were determined to make a grand return. Therefore, lanterns and decorations were hung, and several servants waited at the gate.

Finally, the carriage they had sent out returned. The group hurriedly stepped forward to greet her, excitedly announcing inside, “Quickly inform the Grand Madam that Second Young Lady has returned!”

Translator’s Note:
Xuanfushi (Pacification Commissioner)