A Crane Cries in Huating

Xiao Dingquan was playing with a Gaoli paper[1] folding fan at that moment. 

When the eunuch approached, without raising his head, he asked lazily, “Did you find someone?” 

The eunuch replied softly, “Yes, Your Highness. She is a maid at the laundry house.” 

Xiao Dingquan moved his eyes from the lacquered fan, glanced sideways at the beautiful court lady beside him, and with words full of grievances, said, “Nowadays, this West Garden really makes people want not to live here anymore. Look, even a laundry slave knows to offend her master.” 

The court lady smiled wide without answering. But on the other hand, Senior Maid Li, who had heard of the lord’s temper, was so panicked that she wasted no more time falling on her knees and repeatedly kowtowing: “This lowly slave girl offended His Highness, she deserves death for her crime. However, this was also because of this old slave who failed to discipline her strictly enough. I hope Your Highness will forgive us. She has not been in the palace for too long, and is still young and ignorant.” 

A-Bao, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly interjected, “This has nothing to do with the Senior Maid. I did it alone, so I shall bear the responsibility alone.” 

Nervous, Senior Maid Li lowered her head and angrily scolded: “Wretched slave! Did you already forget the manners you were taught? A porcelain vase resting on any table also has two ears. Even if you don’t know how to write the letters in the word ‘Crown Prince’, you must definitely understand human language, correct? Is this your place to speak? You talk too much. Do you not want all those teeth to remain in your mouth anymore?” 

Dingquan laughed at her abusive words, consequently turning a glance at A-Bao to see how she looked in grief. For some reason, he felt a little amused in his heart. He was not in a bad mood today, so instead, he just smiled and said to Senior Maid Li, “Forget it; take her with you. Punish her and discipline her well. If she repeats the same again, you will also be held guilty of her crimes.”

Senior Maid Li never expected a bloody trial to be decided so lightly. Seeing that A-Bao didn’t say anything, she hastily pushed her and said, “Why don’t you thank His Highness?” 

Kneeling aside, A-Bao refused to open her mouth despite Senior Maid Li’s repeated urging. 

Dingquan had already gotten up to leave, but when he saw this, he stopped and said with a slight smile, “You must be thinking, since I want to punish you, why should you thank me, right?” 

A-Bao refused to make a sound. Senior Maid Li, very angry and terrified, hurriedly tried to mend the situation, “Your Highness, she must have been scared silly.” 

Dingquan asked with a smile, “Really?” Seeing that A-Bao was still silent, he smiled again, “Seems like she doesn’t share your sentiment.” 

Senior Maid Li mumbled indistinctly, not knowing how to defend her; but in the meantime, Dingquan’s face went dark in a blink of an eye, as he said angrily, “Go bring the staff and teach this vile slave a good lesson.” 

The eunuch wiped a cold sweat and obliged at once. In a moment, he brought two people over with wooden clubs in their hands. Dingquan stood up, walking slowly towards A-Bao, and held A-Bao’s chin up using his folding fan. Not expecting this sudden action of his, A-Bao’s face flushed red. She closed her eyes tightly and turned her face away. Dingquan examined her for a moment, pulled the corner of his mouth lightly before letting go of her, and said to Senior Maid Li: “You said that she is an untrained fledgling, but I also think she is dirty. If she was like this in front of the emperor, his imperial court officials might already lose their temper. She has to lose her arrogance. If so, I’m afraid that if they beat her rashly, she may not accept it.” He smiled and asked A-Bao, “Well?” Without waiting for her answer, he sat back, pointing at Senior Maid Li, and ordered, “Flog her.” 

The attendants on both sides complied and stepped forward to pull Senior Maid Li, who was so panicked that she incessantly implored for help from the crown prince’s attendants. 

A-Bao’s recently recovered complexion became blood red again; she gritted her teeth for a few moments before pleading in a low voice: “This slave girl knows her mistake. I implore His Highness to pardon this slave girl.” 

Dingquan had never encountered such a thing before; he saw the base of her ears and neck turn red before his eyes. He suddenly felt amused and asked, “Really?” 

A-Bao sobbed, “Yes. This slave girl will never do it again.” 

This was never a big deal anyway, and now that it came to this point, Dingquan felt rather dull and uninterested in doing any further investigation. He got up and waved his hand, “Hand the matter over to Supervisor Zhou.”

After Senior Maid Li finished kowtowing in thanks, she saw A-Bao hanging her head, saying nothing. Fearing that the crown prince would get angry again, she hurriedly tugged her sleeve and said, “A-Bao, why don’t you thank His Highness?” 

Dingquan had already walked two steps ahead, yet hearing this, he suddenly turned around and asked abruptly, “What’s your name?” 

Senior Maid Li quickly replied in her stead, “Your Highness, her name is A-Bao, Bao of pearls and jades.” 

Dingquan was stunned for a moment, then asked, “What’s her family name?” 

Senior Maid Li replied again, “Gu, Gu from to look back.”

The attendants from both sides saw Dingquan going silent. They could not figure out his actions, nor did they dare to move. After a long while, they heard him command again, “Leave the matter to Supervisor Zhou.” Being ordered, his attendants quickly complied, going in to apprehend her when they heard Dingquan turn around and say to the court lady, “Ask Supervisor Zhou to find out when she was admitted into the palace. You should completely mould— teach her and send her to serve at the palace in the future.”

The beautiful woman abided and followed behind Dingquan. She had only taken a few steps before suddenly peeking back, just about the same time when A-Bao had also raised her head. She saw the woman dressed in a plain silk coat and colourful cheongsam. Her hair was wrapped in a fake topknot with no pearls on it. Her forehead and temples were decorated with jadeite flowers; her whole get-up differed from the noble concubines and wives. Sensing A-Bao’s gaze, the court lady’s lips showed a slight, tender, and charming smile. As if pitying her, as if mocking her.

TN Notes↲1高丽纸 Gāo lí zhǐ – Goryeo paper. It is made of mulberry bark and has a tough and durable texture, hence used for multiple purposes like making windows. It’s called Goryeo Paper because it’s made in the Korean peninsula