#i love this changyi of hers

[duhdumb89]

A Forbidden Happiness | Chapter 31

She was weighed down in silks, precious jewels, and furs, but Xiang gui ren–

Ah.

Xiang pin had never felt lighter.

"Lai Huifen," The female official cried out, "Has served His Majesty as an earnest and virtuous wife. On account of Her Highness The Empress' grace and Her Highness De gui fei's care, she is to be promoted to Imperial Concubine Xiang,"

Xiang pin accepted the Imperial rites from the official and smiled up at De gui fei. Her jiejie woke at the crack of dawn to help her into her very own Imperial Concubine chaofu. Now, she sat at The Empress' elbow, beaming right back at her. For the happy occasion, De gui fei wore a  fuchsiaoutfitembroidered with golden chrysanthemums. The Empress sat at the head of the room in a bright red changyi peppered with yellow and white peonies, the white fox fur edging her waistcoat shining brilliantly. The only one dressed more festively than they were was Yikungong itself. Swaths of red and green fabric draped the pillars and windows. Fat bows of red silk dotted the room. The gold and yellow tables glowed.

Lai Huifen, an orphaned prostitute, had somehow become an Imperial Concubine. She could hardly believe it. As horrible as these last few months had been, Xiang pin chose to see this as an auspicious sign. The New Year would be different as an Imperial Concubine. Fewer people could look down on her and would think twice before trying to start trouble. With this promotion, everyone could see what a risk they were taking trying to attack her. His Majesty loved her enough to risk wagging tongues and promoted her anyway. She was no longer an easy target.

The ceremony came to an end with the deep bang of a gong. She and De gui fei took their leave and, arm in arm, began to walk back home.

"I had the Imperial Kitchen make us our own New Year's feast to celebrate," said De gui fei.

Xiang pin smiled, "Hmm, jiejie is so eager to fatten me up. Trying a new technique to steal His Majesty away from me?"

"Fatten?" Said De gui fei, "If this breeze blew any stronger, you'd fly away!"

"Aiyo! Jiejie is such a smooth talker, but I know the truth! Ah, but who can blame her when His Majesty speaks of her beautiful neck and elegant hands that copy scripture so delicately?"

The servants tried to stifle their laughter. Molan was doing a particularly terrible job of it.

Xiang pin pretended to swoon into Jiayi's arms, "How could she want to be away from His Majesty when he always speaks of her soft, clear voice that soothes even the King of Hell himself? How–"

De gui fei's ears and neck were as red as Yikungong's auspiciousdecorations.

"Stop–stop this nonsense at once! How dare you speak like this in public!"

"Eh? Nonsense? I would never! Hupo, don't you think His Majesty would say something like that about your mistress?"

Hupo nodded, her cheeks pink from mirth, "Of course! Her Highness is all that and more!"

"You! You! All of you are ungrateful!" De gui fei said. She pulled her arm away and walked ahead, "I'll have the servants throw the food away,"

Xiang pin tugged her back, laughing, "Jiejie, don't be mean!"

Their laughter stopped abruptly when a raised chair approached them from a distance. It was Shen huang gui fei.

"Wishing Your Highness peace," they greeted.

"Rise,"

"Xiang meimei," Shen huang gui fei said from her perch, "I hope my congratulations aren't too late,"

Xiang pin smiled, "A kind word from you is always right on time, Your Highness,"

Shen huang gui fei laughed, "You really have the bearing of an Imperial Concubine now. We should all be scared of you. Before we know it, we'll have to call you Xiang fei," her eyes cut to De gui fei, "Maybe even Xiang gui fei,"

Sly bitch.

Xiang pin laughed, "I'm not worthy. If someone like me stood next to De jiejie, wouldn't it cheapen the title?"

"Hmm, De meimei looks different today. I haven't seen you in that sort of thing for years. Did Huahuan have a hand in it?"

"It is fashionable, isn't it, jiejie?" Said Xiang pin, "De jiejie had it made for my promotion ceremony. It's the latest fashion in the capital,"

"It has been lively in Chengqiangong, hasn't it? I should thank you, Xiang meimei. I don't think De meimei has had a single friend since marrying in. Though, things will quiet down when you move into your own palace,"

Own palace?

As excited as Xiang pin was for her promotion, she never thought about the fact that as an Imperial Concubine, she was entitled to that. The thought of living away from De gui fei made a pit open in her stomach.

"I–"

"I thank Shen jiejie for her concern," De gui fei said, stopping Xiang pin's words,  "I admit, I've grown used to meimei's company and will find myself out of sorts when she leaves,"

Then a smile that Xiang pin had never seen appeared on De gui fei's face, "Huabao was left in Mongolia all those months ago, and Shen jiejie is always so rosy and chipper. If you could instruct me on the best way to fill an empty palace, I would be grateful,"

The temperature cooled further as De gui fei and Shen huang gui fei locked eyes.

Shen huang gui fei eventually dipped her head.

"De meimei is too kind. When it comes to loneliness, wouldn't someone with a tag as pristine as yours be the expert? Well, the cold is getting to me. I'll be on my way,"

"Sending Your Highness of with respect,"

"Jiejie..." Xiang pin said, reaching out to touch De gui fei's arm, "I'm not leaving. I don't care about those silly rules, I–"

De gui fei shook her head, "Let's hurry back before the food gets cold,"

The rest of the walk back was somber, but at the sight of The Emperor's raised chair parked outside of Chengqiangong's corridor, raised her spirit. 

"His Majesty is here!" Said Xiang pin, tugging De gui fei along.

The eunuch at the gates announced their arrival, and Zhang Wei came to meet them.

"Your Highnesses, His Majesty is waiting inside for you,"

De gui fei pulled her arm away, "I'll–"

"Let's go jiejie. We shouldn't keep His Majesty waiting," Xiang pin said, taking custody of De gui fei's arm again.

"Er–meimei, I think His Majesty only means to have a meal with you," said De gui fei.

"Aiya, how can I kick you out of your palace?" Said Xiang pin, ignoring De gui fei's whispered protests and walking inside, "His Majesty won't complain! He's having dinner with two beautiful women instead of just one!"

As eager as she was to greet The Emperor, Xiang pin was struck dumb when she walked inside. It looked better than Yikungong. Frankly, Yikungong couldn't hold a candle to the decorations in here! Every surface was bursting with red, green, and gold sashes, curtains, and flags. Auspicious poems and scrolls dotted the room. Lao zí* of all kinds hung from the ceiling. And right in the center was the largest portrait of herself that she'd ever seen! She sat in the center, donned in her chaofu, Yiqiang by her side and Thunder by her feet. Xiang pin turned to Jiayi.

"You! You! Are you a witch? When did this happen?"

Jiayi blushed, "De gui fei asked the moment you told her of your promotion, Your Highness. I've had plenty of time,"

"And look at all these knots," said Xiang pin, "there have to be hundreds! Jiejie, you didn't do this all by yourself, right? You only have two hands!"

"She did,"

His Majesty strolled towards them with a soft smile on his face. Xiang pin's knees didn't have the chance to hit the ground before His Majesty waived away the formalities and helped her upright again. He walked over to one of the knots and ran his thumb over one of the thick red cords.

"When it comes to lao zí, no one can rise above De gui fei," he said.

"Your Majesty exaggerates," De gui fei replied, "Anyone could do this with a bit of work,"

The Emperor shook his head and lifted up the golden knot hanging below the scent pouch tied to his waist. 

"A dragon?" Xiang pin gasped, "Jiejie, made a dragon knot?"

"Almost 20 years ago,"

"It looks brand new," Xiang pin said, running her fingers over the pristine thread, "Jiejie–"

De gui fei couldn't stand any more of their praise because she quickly ushered them to the table filled with their small banquet. De gui fei stepped back to take the seat across from The Emperor but Xiang pin suddenly had an idea. She plopped herself down, leaving De gui fei to sit next to His Majesty. 

Shen huang gui fei was right, His Majesty rarely flipped De gui fei's tag. But she planned on changing that.  All the two needed was a push in the right direction. 

After Jiayi filled her cup, Xiang pin raised it.

"I'd like to make a toast,"

De gui fei filled her and The Emperor's cups.

"I toast to His Majesty for giving me the honor of becoming an Imperial Concubine. I toast to jiejie; a woman so perfect she only comes second to The Empress. May your New Year be filled with health, longevity, and peace,"

The Emperor laughed, "Of course!" He said and drank.

De gui fei gaped at her for a moment before sipping her wine. Xiang pin kept polite conversation with The Emperor as they began their meal. She didn't personally place food on his plate or feed him from her own hand. What questions he asked, she managed to steer them back to De gui fei. When the meal was over, De gui fei looked flustered. By the way she was wringing her hands, Xiang pin knew De gui fei was going to try to make an escape. 

"Your Majesty, jiejie has beaten me soundly in every weiqi† game we've played. Will you avenge me?" she asked with a pout.

"Always," He replied,  "Prince Han isn't much of a challenge these days,"

"Lovely! I'll even play for you both,"

When her guzheng arrived, Xiang pin plucked out a sweet tune, glancing up occasionally. His Majesty and De gui fei moved the stone pieces across the board, gently grazing fingers. The sharp tang of betrayal curled Xiang pin's lips as she watched The Emperor give De gui fei a look that she'd privately claimed as her own. 

Taking a deep breath, she continued her song. The pain surprised her. She wasn't ignorant of the fact that His Majesty spent his days and nights with women other than her. She was more than well aware that she occupied only the smallest piece of his heart. She just hadn't expected it to hurt so much to see him look that way at someone else. When the final note fled from her strings, Xiang pin stood.

"I won't take any more of jiejie's time. I'll take my leave,"

"You've had a long day," The Emperor said, "Rest well,"

She walked away carefully, ignoring the tickle in the back of her throat when His Majesty didn't walk away with her.

✺

Shen huang gui fei let the icy wind whip across her face as she stared at the eunuch scurrying out of the courtyard. His Majesty would  be spending the night with De gui fei, he informed, so she need not wait on his arrival.

She curled her lips into an ugly smile.

"De gui fei, De gui fei," she said, "You should've stayed in the background where you belonged,"

✺

The Empress Dowager scrutinized the ring on her finger. A diamond the size of a quail's egg was nice, but not nice enough. She handed it to a maid.

"Bring me the pearl ring, the one with the jade band," she said.

Jerjer tucked another golden chai into her dianzi**, adding to the dazzling array, of jade, coral, amber, and pearls. It was the one time of year when the other dowagers still in the capital would see her again and she was determined to remind them of their place. Every year they had to suffer and bow their heads to the woman they used to think was nothing. So no, she couldn't just look good, she had to look amazing.

"Your Highness, the banquet will start soon," a eunuch said.

"The banquet starts when Her Highness arrives," replied Jerjer.

The Empress Dowager admired herself in the mirror for a few moments longer before sighing, "Let's not deprive them of my presence any longer,"

She stood and allowed Jerjer to wrap her in a golden cloak edged with black mink before walking to her raised chair. The cool air cleared her mind. So what if she took a chance on a maid who was too stupid to do what she was told? There would be many more before her and after her. That Xiang woman may have become an Imperial Concubine but it seemed that luck was still on The Empress Dowager's side. Xiang pin was barren. All that time in His Majesty's bed and not a single sign of a child. 

Early that morning, the shamans came and danced to wash away the bad luck. Jerjer hand picked each maid and eunuch who set foot in Cininggong, ensuring that what happened to Huaguang would never happen again. The Empress Dowager could feel it in her bones.

This year would be her year.

Jerjer helped The Empress Dowager descend from the chair and the eunuchs announced her.

"Her Highness The Empress Dowager has arrived!"

The banquet hall doors opened and every single person dropped to their knees. They chorused their greetings to her, eager to curry favor with the most powerful woman in the world.

She slowed her strut to her place at the head of the hall when she noticed a woman standing defiantly in the crowd. The woman raised her head and a flash of fear sliced at The Empress Dowager so powerfully that it jellied her knees. It only took one weak step for The Empress Dowager to plummet to the ground. Pain lanced through her body, hot and white.

The room devolved into hysterics. Through the commotion, only one thought ran through The Empress Dowager's head.

Dowager Noble Consort Ling had come back to finish the job. 

––––––––––– *The art of Chinese knotting † Strategy board game that originated in China **In the manchu language is literally translated as a "hat ring". this "hat ring" referred to the kind of hat supported by a circular iron wire in its rim. The base of a dianzi is usually made of thin rattan strips or wires wrapped with black silk, and woven into check or coin patterns, or other auspicious designs. gemstones and pearls are fixed onto the hat base in various auspicious patterns. dianzi is usually worn by noble women for special occasions, like weddings and birthday ceremonies, and traditional festivals.

[shangyangjunzhu]

legend of ruyi: outfit appreciation

[gongdouenthusiast]

guzhuang appreciation month: week 2 - favorite fashionistas

[love-me-a-lotta-whump]

与君初相识 - The Blue Whisper - Whump List - 🇨🇳

Whumpee: Chang Yi played by Ren Jialun

Synopsis: Changyi is a merman who is forcefully brought into the Valley, courtesy of the cruel Princess Shunde who commands Yun He to tame Changyi and make him loyal. In time, Yun He will have to make the fateful choice between the merman’s freedom and her very own. (MDL)

Genre: Fantasy, Period, Romance

Watch On: Viki, DramaCool, KissAsian

💙: For those requesting this one, I hope y’all enjoy. It definitely took way longer than expected to finish!

Note: This contains both part 1 and part 2!

WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILERS BELOW!!!

1.01 : captive in a box (not shown), magically fought, surrounded, magically fought, restrained (magic), tail stabbed, in pain, concern for him, struggling, defiant

1.02 : captive, restrained (magic), tail impaled, bloody wound on his stomach, defiant, magically tortured in an attempt to tame him, screaming ::: still captive, restrained (magic), tail impaled, bloody wound on his stomach, weak, heavy breathing ::: asleep, struggling, wounds treated, flinching, struggling, scared ::: magically tortured , pushing his powers, passed out, fell out of his restraints, barely conscious ::: shaky breathing ::: weak, struggling to stand, leg wound treated ::: looked after (fed), struggling to use powers

1.03 : overheated, feeling unwell ::: overheating, weak, concern for him, heavy breathing, rescued, defiant ::: very thirsty, looked after ::: protected ::: hurting himself to save someone, weak, collapsed, concern for him ::: asleep in a bed, woke up, looked after ::: crying (comical) ::: protecting someone, magically fought ::: captive, weak, heavy breathing, concern for him, growing weaker, heavy breathing

1.04 : protected ::: looked after

1.05 : asleep ::: worried about someone, magically helping her, sweating, shaking, concern for him

1.06 : none

1.07 : in a collapsing cave, concern for him, protecting someone, using himself as a shield ::: unconscious, woke up, wound reveal (back burned and bloody), concern for him, magical attempts to heal him failed ::: wounds treated, asleep

1.08 : captive, attacked, protecting himself

1.09 : (recap: captive, attacked, protecting himself), trying to escape, failing ::: trying to escape multiple times, failing ::: asleep, woke up ::: still captive, taken, pushing his abilities to save someone, collapsed, barely conscious, weak ::: weak, stumbling, shaking, saving someone, wound reveal, concern for him, passed out, collapsed into loved one’s arms ::: asleep, looked after

1.10 : none

1.11 : cut hand, concern for him

1.12 : surrounded, protected, defiant ::: captive, restrained (magic), concerned for someone, defiant, giving in, concern for him, manhandled, taken ::: captive, concerned for someone ::: captive, refusing to eat, concern for him

1.13 : captive, someone attempts to restrain him, backing away, protecting someone, someone is told he’s been tamed

1.14 : magic used on him, passed out, held, laying on a bed, magic used on him ::: concerned for someone ::: fought ::: cornered on a cliff, heartbroken, teary-eyed, crying, stabbed, in shock, pushed off the cliff

1.15 : found unconscious in the water, looked after ::: asleep in a bed, seeing himself being stabbed in his dream, looked after, weak, helped to sit up ::: emotional, weak, concern for him, upset

1.16 : surrounded, attacked, stabbed in the chest with an arrow, protected, bleeding, in pain, sweaty, holding his wound, weak, defiant, knocked out (magic) ::: unconscious, healing, crying in his dream, woke up

1.17 : still unwell, treated ::: concern for him ::: someone tries to mind control him, threatened, attacked, using his abilities, feeling unwell, wincing, concern for him ::: treated, told he looks pale

1.18 : retained (magic), sword held to his throat, defiant, saving someone, surrounded, resisting captivity ::: attacked

1.19 : fought, overexerting himself, weak, concern for him ::: weak, nearly collapsed, concern for him, refusing help ::: in pain, wincing, collapsed, concern for him ::: unconscious in bed, treated, “His condition is much worse than I thought.” ::: treated ::: treated, loved ones updated on his condition, concern for him ::: weak

1.20-1.24 : none

1.25 : angry, emotional

1.26-1.27 : none

1.28 : concerned for someone ::: concern for him

1.29 : none

1.30 : fought briefly, pushing his abilities, concern for him, growing weaker, concern for him

1.31 : protecting someone, concerned for someone ::: scared, concerned for someone, crying, shaking, grieving, sobbing

1.32 : grieving

1.33 : concern for him, not sleeping, keeping busy to avoid feeling anything ::: traumatic flashbacks ::: crying

1.34 : emotional (drinking)

1.35 : asleep, woke up

1.36 : angry ::: (flashbacks to whumpy moments)

1.37 : drinking, concern for him ::: self sacrifice, concern for him ::: pushing his abilities, concern for him, concerned for someone ::: concerned for someone, pushing his abilities, concern for him

1.38 : pushing his abilities ::: pushing his abilities, concern for him ::: emotional

1.39 : fought, protecting someone, fought, concern for him, pushing his abilities, concern for him, held ::: concern for him, someone tries to heal him, told that he’d accepted he was going to die, concern for him

1.40 : concern for him ::: wincing, feeling unwell, treated, coughing, told he’s quickly dying ::: crying, freezing, dying

1.41 : unconscious, frozen ::: treated for his illness ::: concern for him, unconscious ::: concerned for someone

1.42 : fought ::: concerned for someone

-------

MORE WHUMP LISTS >>> {x}

Want more from Ren Jialun? Check him out in:

Miss Crow with Mr. Lizard >>> {x}

NOTE

[audreydoeskaren]

History of Chinese standing collars (part 1: Ming & Qing)

So, a lot of people nowadays refer to a certain type of standing collar as a “Mandarin collar” but I'm not sure if that’s legit, because standing collars throughout Chinese history looked different. I was confronted by this topic when I was writing my post on 1950s Chinese fashion and felt like I had to make a separate post. I’m gonna do a quick break down of all the different types of standing collars in historical Chinese fashion from the 16th century to the present and how they developed.

Ming Dynasty  (1368-1644)

The first mature 立领 liling standing collars were applied to women’s robes in the late 15th/early 16th century. Before any garment with a standing collar was invented, both men and women in Ming China wore garments with either a 圆领 yuanling round collar, 直领 zhiling parallel collar or 交领 jiaoling crossover collar, with crossover collars being the more common in womenswear.

Source here

Early Ming Dynasty portrait of a lady in a crossover collar robe.

The development of a standing collar was in large part thanks to the invention/adoption of the 子母扣 zimukou metal clasp button. I wonder why the fabric knotted buttons used on round collar robes were not used on standing collars in this period? They were awfully similar to the pankous of later. Anyway, at one point in the 15th century, some women thought it would be cool to add zimukou to their clothes and it resulted in this (they were also used on 比甲 bijia, 半臂 banbi and 短衫 duanshan but those are irrelevant to collars):

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Part of 明宪宗元宵行乐图 (a painting depicting various Lantern Festival activities at the court of Emperor Xianzong), 1485. This lady is wearing a crossover collar robe with a zimukou at the middle.

Source here

Modern reproduction zimukou. You could buy these for cheap on Taobao if you want to sew your own Ming style hanfu btw.

In the 16th century a fashion revolution took place in China: the standing collar, which came out of nowhere, began to suddenly dominate women’s clothing. This OG Chinese standing collar was very tall and form fitting, usually covering all of the wearer’s neck. It had sharp, rectangular edges and was closed by two zimukou, one placed at the bottom of the collar where it meets the bodice and another slightly above, not reaching the top of the collar. An important feature that set this apart from the collars of the 20th century is that it was unstiffened and made of the same fabric as the robe, meaning it was soft and could be worn with the top bit folded over, showing the lining which could be of a contrasting color. For archival purposes let’s call this collar style 1.

There are various theories as to why the standing collar was invented, e.g. because of colder climate during the little ice age, which peaked in the late 16th/early 17th century. Methinks it was just a fad which stayed.

Source here

Late Ming Dynasty portrait, collar style 1.

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Late 16th century/early 17th century aristocratic lady wearing a standing collar robe underneath a round collar robe. The top of her collar is folded over. Collar style 1 variation 2.

Qing Dynasty (1644-1911)

This style of collar became the norm for Han Chinese women’s fashion in the mid to late 16th century and stayed that way throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. While the clothing silhouettes and accessories changed, the shape of the standing collar remained the same.

Source here

Late 17th century illustration for pornographic novel 肉蒲团 (1657). Collar style 1, but it became fashionable in the 17th century to have rows of piping around the neck for each button, so variation 3. Oh and wlw pride come throoouuuugh

Source here

Early 18th century court painting, collar style 1 variation 3.

At some point in the late 18th century Han women decided it would be cool to use 盘扣 pankou, this fabric braided/knotted button of Manchu origin (more on Manchu dress later) on their collars instead of zimukou. The decoration also became more extravagant, with often rows of thick binding, piping or trim, corresponding to the decorations on the rest of the robe. It’s also slightly shorter, the upper button being at the very top of the collar. Let’s call this collar style 2.

Source here

(Presumably) late 18th century reverse glass painting showing collar style 2. The late 18th century deserves more attention, it’s such an important transitional period but also charming in its own way. This is true of European fashion of the period as well, I honestly love both places in the late 18th century.

In the beginning of the 19th century, the fashionable collar shape suddenly changed for some reason. It became extremely low, approximately only 1-2cm tall, only tall enough to accommodate one button. It still had crisp, rectangular edges. You could say this is another variation of collar style 2 but it is so iconic to the 19th century I think I’ll call this collar style 3.

Source here

Reverse glass painting ca. 1830. Han lady wearing a robe with collar style 3.

Now a brief look at Manchu womenswear.  I am not an expert on Manchu historical fashion so tell me if I’m wrong. So the Manchus, who were apparently a confederation of Jurchen tribes from the area in what is northeastern China nowadays, invaded China successfully in the 1640s and remained the rulers of China until 1911 when they were replaced by the Republic of China. Throughout most of the Qing Dynasty Manchu women wore collarless robes, it was not until the mid 19th century that some Manchu women started to wear detachable collars to emulate Han women’s fashion, and not until around 1908 (!) when standing collars were actually added to their gowns themselves. Yes, period dramas did Manchu women dirty, poor gals have been dressed in the wrong costumes this, entire, time. The misrepresentation of Manchu historical fashion in the media in general is just fucking infuriating, but well, topic for a future post.

Source here

Late 17th century/early 18th century portrait of a Manchu lady. She is wearing a 衬衣 chenyi, a robe with straight sleeves, no slits and closed at the right side. It’s a casual gown worn for everyday activities. Her chenyi is collarless and the collar is closed by binding.

Source here

1840s/1850s court gown.  She is wearing 氅衣 changyi (the bottom part of the first character should be 衣 not 毛 but this character is so obscure that it literally DOES NOT EXIST in the Chinese language anymore omg), a more elaborate style developed in the early 19th century with slits down both sides and wide trims along the collar, cuffs, side closure, side slits and hem. I have yet to see an extant example with a standing collar, all the changyi from the 19th century I’ve seen in museum collections are collarless, so the collar seen in paintings must’ve been detachable. Maybe some Manchu women liked Han women’s fashion and wanted to wear a detachable collar. I have, however, seen Manchu women’s vests and jackets with standing collars. These were similar to late 18th century Han women’s collars, so collar style 2.

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1890s/1900s women’s vest with collar style 2. 

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Ca. 1908. Chenyi with standing collar. If the passage of time is still not clear, notice the Western fabric used. Collar style 2.

At first glance this might look like a cheongsam but it is not. Chenyi did not have slits down the sides, unlike most 20th century cheongsam. It may have been a source of inspiration for cheongsam though, as I have explained in one of my 1930s posts, although the more obvious prototype for cheongsam was the changyi with slits and standing collars.

Let us now turn our attention to Manchu menswear, which is where things get complicated. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Manchu riding habit, 行服袍 xingfupao, was a form fitting calf length robe with form fitting long sleeves and 马蹄袖 matixiu “horse hoof cuffs”, closed at the side with pankou. It was constructed in the same method as Han Chinese clothing. This original Manchu robe was collarless----I cannot stress this enough. The Manchus did not come barging into China wearing robes with standing collars goddamnit, get your facts right period dramas.

Source here

Portrait of Emperor Kangxi in a xingfupao. This is from the early 18th century already but the style didn’t change much so you get the idea. I love this color btw I think he looks great in it.

The xingfupao was an informal riding habit and only one small part in the gigantic system of Manchu court dress, the rules of which are well documented but I don’t bother to look them up. If you would like to do that, Google 大清会典.  At one point in the early 18th century some Manchu dudes decided it was cool to add a collar to their xingfupao (like... Han women??) and it resulted in this:

Source here

An early example from the Kangxi era (1661-1722), a xingfupao with a standing collar of a contrasting color. The hem is detachable for horse riding (horse riding was an important aspect of Manchu culture and that influenced many of their fashion decisions). Judging by the fur lining I assume the standing collar was added for warmth in winter? I also saw some xingfupao with fur trim attached to standing collars so maybe that was the purpose.

Standing collars on xingfupao was constructed in a similar way to Han women’s collars, with rectangular edges and closed by two buttons. Pankous, which were unique to Manchu dress, were used instead of the Han zimukou. It appears that this collar was also soft and unstiffened, so it could be worn with the top bit folded over like in ye olde times (the 16th century). It’s important to note that xingfupao with a standing collar were not common at all, maybe a 1/20 probability to see in museum collections. Construction wise it’s similar to collar style 2 but it appeared earlier and was exclusive to menswear, so let’s call it collar style 4.

Source here

Qianlong era (1735-1796) portrait, xingfupao with standing collar of the same color folded over. Collar style 4 variation 2.

Another garment with a standing collar was the dress of the officials, known by white people as “Mandarins”. From the artworks and photographs I’ve seen, the collar only appeared in the outfit with a 行服褂 xingfugua, a button down tunic with straight, wide sleeves and slits at the front, back and sides. It was usually worn in combination with xingfupao, like how a shirt and vest are fixed combinations in European menswear. However, the collar of this kind of outfit was separate from the tunic itself. A plastron with an attached collar was worn underneath the robe and tunic (completely detachable collars were also used I think??) and the collar was buttoned from the inside. Not sure if this qualifies as a standing collar at all since it isn’t even attached to the robe itself, but anyway let’s just call this collar style 5.

Source here

19th century portrait of an official. He is wearing a blue xingfupao, an indigo xingfugua and a blue detachable collar; a standard ensemble (well he’s also wearing pants and boots and stuff but that’s not the focus here). Collar style 5.

Oh I forgot to mention, after the Manchus took over China, they enforced their dress code on Han Chinese men but not Han Chinese women, so in the Qing Dynasty Han and Manchu menswear were one and the same but Han and Manchu womenswear were not.

I’ve only been talking about court dress so far, educated/well off civilian Han men would wear 长衫 changshan, a floor length robe, sometimes with a 马褂 magua, a short riding vest (derived from xingfugua), whereas poorer Han men would wear 短打 duanda, a short button down shirt, and pants. Well people who wore changshan also wore pants underneath but they’re not visible. All men wore pants tbh (incoming tangent), a while back when Harry Styles in a dress (which I stan) was making the rounds on social media some well meaning people were trying to find historical precedents for men wearing dresses and they named Chinese historical clothing as an example. I just wanna say, while I appreciate the sentiment, the harsh reality was that historical Han Chinese fashion was extremely gendered (except for a few brief time periods and a few select garments). Pants were reserved for men and skirts for women, the long gown like garments seen on men in historical portraiture were all robes, not dresses; you wouldn’t consider a long coat or bathrobe a dress nowadays, would you? Men always wore pants as undergarments while women wore petticoats. However I think that’s great for illustrating how our perception of whether a garment is masculine/feminine could change over time and that gender is socially constructed. Back to the main topic, to my knowledge, magua never had collars because it was a vest, changshan commonly had collars and duanda sometimes did too. I’m not sure when the standing collar began to appear on changshan, maybe when the court xingfupao gained collar style 4 it stuck in civilian fashion, maybe it was some point in the 19th century.

Anyway, fast forward to the late 19th century, the men’s changshan had a tall standing collar but again it was different to everything we’ve seen so far. It was exceptionally tall and had a smoothly tapering edge closed by only one pankou at the bottom. This resulted in a huge v shape gap down the middle. It’s still unstiffened but because of the lack of a rectangular edge it couldn’t be worn folded over. Let’s call this collar style 6.

Source here

Late 19th century/early 20th century portrait of a man. Changshan with collar style 6.

Let’s finish this part with Han women’s collars in the 1890s and 1900s. Around this time Han womenswear began to modernize and become simpler, but that trend did not apply to collars: the collars of Han women’s robes suddenly became unnaturally tall. They were so tall that they touched the wearer’s cheeks and couldn’t be closed at the front at all, kind of resembling Regency era European men’s collars?? This style of collar was oftentimes called 元宝领 yuanbaoling, ingot collar, or 马鞍领 ma’anling, saddle collar, after the object it resembles. Let’s call all of these tall collars that touch the wearer’s face collar style 7, but bear in mind these had a lot of variations.

Source here

Photograph from the 1900s. This could be categorized as a cursed variation of collar style 6 judging from how it only has one pankou and a tapering edge instead of a rectangular edge. But like, belle époque Chinese collars are a whole other species, so let’s comfortably call it collar style 7.

Source here

More collar style 7 representation. This collar style will never stop being funny to me, like just look at it it’s so tall.

So, in summary:

Collar style 1: OG Ming Dynasty standing collar, in fashion from the 16th to mid 18th century. Tall, unstiffened, rectangular edges. Closed with two zimukou. Could have piping (17th & early 18th century). Could be worn with top bit folded over (16th & early 17th century). Worn by Han women.

Collar style 2: developed from collar style 1, popularized in the late 18th century. Medium height, unstiffened, rectangular edges. Closed with two pankou/other fabric buttons. Commonly has binding, piping or trim. Worn by Han women in the late 18th century, partially adopted by Manchu women in the late 19th century.

Collar style 3: developed from collar style 2, exclusive to the 19th century. Extremely short, unstiffened, rectangular edges. Closed with one pankou. Commonly has binding, piping or trim. Worn by Han women.

Collar style 4: collar style 2 but simpler, appeared in the late 17th/early 18th century. Tall, unstiffened, rectangular edges. Closed with two pankou. Commonly plain. Worn by Manchu & Han men.

Collar style 5: detachable standing collar, a staple of official’s uniforms throughout the Qing Dynasty. Medium height, unstiffened, rectangular/rounded edges. Buttoned from the inside. Always plain. Worn by all officials (exclusively men in this era).

Collar style 6: civilian men’s collar characterized by v shape gap at the front, I don’t know when it first appeared, some point in the Qing Dynasty. Tall, unstiffened, rounded and dramatically tapering edges. Closed by one pankou. Worn by civilian Manchu & Han men.

Collar style 7: cursed belle époque (1890s & 1900s) women’s collars that touched the wearer’s face. Extremely tall, stiffened, both rounded and rectangular edges existed. Closed by one pankou at the bottom but sometimes had more pankou for ornamental purposes. Worn by Han women in this period.

Join me next time as we dive into the Republican era where things get extra complicated.

[dangermousie]

OK, I am a quarter in and it’s official - if it keeps up, The Blue Whisper will end up as both my favorite het web novel and the first genuinely high quality one I read. (I have nothing against trashy delights; the bulk of my reading is that, but this is almost unique in that I would recommend it to someone who doesn’t read web novels or is even not familiar with it. It’s just a really solid romantic fantasy.)

1. I love young valley master meeting her and offering her to join together to kill his father. And she turns him down because she needs the antidote but also, as she points out to her friend (who I love btw), she can’t trust him - a man who is willing to kill his own father does not make a trustworthy ally (even if it’s real and not a ploy to expose her and get daddy to end her.) But the thing I love is her weary disgust at herself - the valley changed her almost as much as it did him because yes she wants vengeance but not without safety but she’s never been this way initially.

2. I love her chats with ChangYi. I am so into how you get the sense of both how alien he is and yet how compatible they are. When he describes his life under the sea and it’s so different but you also get the sense of how starved she is for outside of the valley, for exploring and freedom. Also, I love how huge it is that she feels comfortable to be vulnerable around him because life has given her this huge armor and she never lets it down.

“It’s okay, just a flesh wound.” “Does it hurt?” Ji Yunhe instinctively wanted to say no, but when she met his gaze and saw his sincerity, she suddenly felt that it was unnecessary to act tough and strong. “It hurts.” Unprecedentedly, the iron walls and steel fences around her heart opened up a crack and allowed some vulnerabilities to show through. “It hurts very much.” She did not cry in pain previously because it was not worth it. But now, she saw him as someone worth crying to.

I love this so much!!! And it’s huge not just because she reveals her vulnerability, but because she knows he’s hurt even worse but he means his concern and it gets to her; in her world only the powerful can afford compassion and they don’t usually bother. Yet he’s as hurt as she is but still cares for her hurts and this wakes something long dormant in her in answer.

3. I love this bit!

“No, but I can feel it.” “Feel what? That I like you?” Ji Yunhe said this as a joke, but Changyi’s hand trembled slightly and spilled some water onto his leg. It took him a while to react and wipe his pants. He just started wearing pants recently and was still not used to it, so he always kept both legs together. When the boiling water spilled, it soaked into both of his pant legs. Ji Yunhe reached out to wipe them with her sleeves. “Does it burn?” He shifted his body back a bit. “What’s wrong?” Ji Yunhe asked him. “Do your legs still hurt?” “No…” Changyi looked at Ji Yunhe, tilted his head, and hesitated for a moment.

Yeah, he clearly likes her and is physically aware of her, but my favorite bit (other than the fact that the author does not feel the need to beat us around the head) is continuing alienness - he’s had a tail forever and so his treating his legs as a tail is such a telling detail - about his otherness but also about how crippled/taken apart he’s been - none of this is is choice or natural or anything but a disability to be honest.

4. LHQ killing his father so quickly was so unexpected yet so awesome! And JY actually ended up helping when she walked in since if she had to choose sides, she was never going to pick the old man. And his being fine with her leaving for good but not with her taking CY because princess would hunt down everyone in the valley. (And it’s CY who is the sticking point for her, not the fact that she would die since nobody knows where the antidote is. I love her yearning for freedom. But at the cost to herself is fine but not at the cost to CY.) Honestly, LHQ and JY killing him and hiding it and working together is very much brother and sister uniting against their abuser and it’s oddly healing. LHQ is far from OK but he’s already a million times more functional with that murder. (I bet the drama will not have him be a parricide since gotta stay positive but it’s a pity. I peeked at the end of the novel and one of the things I love is LHQ and JY getting to be siblings again and taking big bad out as part of a team.)

5. We meet Princess Shunde and she’s an utter terrifying monster.

Jade-like feet without shoes and socks stepped forward, but before they landed on the ground, maids with flower baskets had already covered the mud and stones with a thick layer of flower petals. Princess Shunde did not look at her servants at all. She walked toward Lin Haoqing and Ji Yunhe while the busy maids laid out an entire floral path before her. The perfume of countless flowers overflowed the main gate. Ji Yunhe looked at the petals being stepped on, and only felt pity. So unfortunate for these late spring flowers. They had spent the entire winter germinating, an entire spring growing, but in the end, their blossoms only served this.

If this isn’t symbolism, I don’t know what is.

“You are someone who cherishes flowers,” Princess Shunde said. “The heart is kind.” Ji Yunhe bowed her head. Just as everyone was thinking that was a compliment, the smile on Princess Shunde’s face disappeared. “But I am not.” The red flower embellishment between her eyebrows suddenly formed a stern look. “I am the one who picks flowers,” she said. “I love to pick flowers in full bloom. All of the beauty in this world, ninety percent are trampled under my feet, and ten percent are worn on my body.” She reached out with her slender fingers and held Ji Yunhe’s chin, making her look up. “All the land in this world, half of it is mine, and these hundreds of flowers, they are also mine. You, the one who cherishes flowers, is still mine.” Princess Shunde’s sharp nails gently stroked over Ji Yunhe’s face. “I don’t like flowers that don’t bloom, and I don’t like people who talk too much.”

I can’t wait for you to be drop-kicked into a volcano!

[therainroguefanfiction]

❉ 139 Dreams (Baiyang Zhang) Annoyance

📑 Table of Contents

Genre: Slice of Life, Angst, Fluff, School, Friendship

Word Count: 2,323

Pairing: Reader x Baiyang

World: The Prince of Tennis Match ~ Tennis Juniors

☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ: *⋆.*:･ﾟ .: ⋆*･ﾟ: . ☁

You glanced at your watch and sighed, picking up your school bag before leaving the coffee shop. Baiyang was supposed to meet up with you so you could discuss your history project, but two hours have passed and he still hadn’t shown up. You knew he took tennis seriously, but he had promised to meet with you and you knew for a fact that practice had already ended.

You frowned as you walked down the quiet street, the moon glowing down on you. Only one person knew about your true feelings for Baiyang, but your friends certainly weren’t opposed to shipping the two of you together, something that he always vehemently denied. You knew he was a reserved person by nature, preferring to keep his feelings to himself, but you were beginning to think he just didn’t like you – not even as a friend.

When the teacher had announced the partners for the project, he had been visibly upset, even going so far as to question the pairing, but the teacher was firm in her decision. After that, you caught him after school to arrange a meeting time to start working on it but it took some prodding on your end before he finally agreed. You made him promise to be there but, thinking back on it, you realized he probably only agreed to get you to leave him alone.

‘Maybe I should just do it myself…’ your frown deepened as you entered your house.

☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ: *⋆.*:･ﾟ .: ⋆*･ﾟ: . ☁

“You’re kidding.” Changyi, your best friend, frowned at you. “I can’t believe you waited for two hours. I would have left after fifteen minutes!”

You smiled at her as you pulled out your notebook from your bag, setting it on your desk. “It’s alright, I pushed him into it, so it makes sense that he didn’t show.”

“It’s still rude,” she huffed in annoyance, folding her arms over her chest. “He could have at least called!”

“He probably doesn’t have my number.”

“Why do you keep making excuses for him, Y/N?” She groaned. “There’s no shame in calling him out for being a jerk!”

You frowned at the notebook, scribbling down ideas for the project, but none of them really clicked. Rain was gently pelting the window beside your desk, the morning sky dark and dreary. It did little to inspire you.

“Ugh, don’t tell me you’re gonna do it by yourself and let him skate by.” Her eyes narrowed at you. “Y/N, that’s -”

The shrill sound of the bell cut off her words, followed by Qiao Chen and Baiyang rushing into the room. Changyi glared at the latter, shooting out of her seat. “Oi, Baiyang!”

“Changyi, don’t!” You hissed, grabbing at her arm and trying to tug her back down.

Baiyang narrowed his eyes at her, clearly annoyed. The entire class had gone silent, looking between the two second-years, wondering what was going to happen. The teacher stepped into the room before Changyi could reply, clearing her throat.

“Is there a problem here?”

You tugged on her arm again and she huffed, finally falling back down. The boys exchanged a look before heading to their own desks.

“Now, before we begin class, I want to hear what each of you has chosen for your upcoming project.” Aiko-sensei clapped her hands with a smile. “Qiao Chen, Zhang Baiyang. Since you both came in late, let’s start with you both, shall we?”

Chen stood up, offering a goofy grin to his partner. “We’ve decided on Lionel Sternberger, the creator of the cheeseburger!”

The class laughed at his enthusiasm and Aiko-sensei smiled. “Excellent. Baiyang?”

You felt eyes boring into you and you lowered your head, feeling your heart pick up speed. Did he expect you to answer for him? The thought annoyed you.

When he didn’t answer, Aiko-sensei sighed. “It’s been two days, you should have at least chosen your subject. Work harder, both of you. Understand?”

“Yes, ma’am.” You responded softly, lowering your head further. Why didn’t you just choose whatever popped into your head? You should have but, for some reason, you couldn’t bring yourself to do so without your partner’s input.

When the teacher turned her back to the class, Changyi slid a piece of paper on your desk, ‘Ask for a new partner! >[‘

You frowned at the note, turning your attention back to the window. ‘Maybe I should…’

☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ: *⋆.*:･ﾟ .: ⋆*･ﾟ: . ☁

When class ended, you quickly packed up your things and left the room, choosing to spend your lunch period at the library. You had spent all morning pondering your options and had decided that it would be easier just to fight through the project, even if it meant preparing it alone. The hardest part, in your opinion, was choosing a point in history to write about.

You headed for the history section at the back of the library, running your fingers along the spines of the books. World leaders, inventors, philosophers… each person great in their own right, but none appealing to you. ‘Oh, what’s this?’ Curious, you pulled down a book called The Cat Who Ruled the Town by May Nakamura. It was a children’s book and quite short, but the story was adorable. Content with your choice, you headed back down the aisle but stopped short when a thought struck you.

How would Baiyang feel when you presented a history report about a cat? You assumed he wouldn’t be very happy about it. Embarrassed, even. Shaking your head, you returned the book to the shelf with a frown. ‘He’d hate me for sure. Back to square one, I guess.’

The rest of your lunch break was spent in the history section, pulling out a random book to read the synopsis on the back before returning it to its place. Several other students visited the section, but they knew exactly what they needed, spending less than a couple of minutes there. The warning bell finally rang and you sighed, leaving the library feeling defeated.

‘Maybe I should just take the bad grade for not doing the project.’ You pondered that thought for a moment before shaking your head. ‘No, I can’t do that. If Baiyang gets a bad grade, he’ll be removed from the first team and he’ll blame me for it. A teenager can’t handle this much responsibility, ugh!’

A hand roughly grabbed your shoulder and you nearly jumped out of your skin, whipping around to face the chest of none other than Baiyang himself. Your eyes slowly trailed up, meeting his hard stare. He grunted, “After school, meet me at the tennis courts.”

Your eyes followed him as he stepped around you, continuing on to class. Your head tilted to the side. For a moment, you thought of all the shonen anime you had seen and you wondered if he wanted to challenge you to a fight, but that seemed quite silly. This wasn’t an anime, after all.

Another hand landed on your shoulder, much softer this time, but you still jumped, hand over your racing heart. Changyi giggled at your reaction, “Didn’t mean to scare you, Y/N. Sorry!”

“It’s okay.”  You let out a puff of air, mentally ordering your heart to calm itself.

“So~ I heard what Baiyang said.”

“Oh yeah?”

She nodded. “The way I see it, one of two things will happen this afternoon. Number one – the shonen anime route. Or number two – the shojo anime route.”

You wanted to laugh at how the two of you seemed to share the same brain.

“If it goes the shonen route,” she continued with excitement. “He’s going to challenge you to some kind of fight to settle your differences!”

“That seems highly unlikely.”

“Well, given the context, it’ll probably be a tennis match rather than a fistfight or anything.”

“But I don’t know how to play tennis, remember?”

She waved you off. “The shojo route is where it gets really interesting. He’s going to confess to you!”

You hummed thoughtfully, holding your chin. “Confess his sins?”

“No!” She smacked her forehead before giving you a pointed look. “His undying love!”

The word love bounced around your brain and you could imagine Baiyang telling you that he loved you. Your face grew hot and you quickly waved your hand, closing your eyes. “Impossible, impossible! There’s no way he’d ever do that.”

But Changyi didn’t miss the steam practically rolling off your heated face, making her laugh.

☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ: *⋆.*:･ﾟ .: ⋆*･ﾟ: . ☁

You took a deep breath to calm your nerves, tightening your grip on your school bag. Baiyang had ordered you to meet him at the courts, but he hadn’t said whether or not you were actually allowed to be there. Plus, it would probably raise questions with his teammates. ‘Should I just wait here instead?’

“Excuse me?”

You turned around, coming face-to-chest with Chi Dayong, vice-captain of the tennis team. A bead of nervous sweat rolled down your cheek as you looked up at him. ‘Why are these guys so damn tall? More importantly… he’s even cuter up close! Don’t blush, don’t blush!’

He smiled kindly and the world seemed to get a bit brighter. “May I help you?”

“Oh, umm…” you realized you had been staring at his beautiful face and red spread across your face to the tips of your ears. “I -”

A strong hand wrapped around your wrist and Baiyang didn’t spare a word as he pulled you away from the handsome boy and the tennis courts. You remained silent, chewing on your bottom lip as he continued toward the school gate.

Finally, you forced yourself to speak, but your voice was soft and unsure. “Won’t you get into trouble for skipping practice?”

He glanced at you over his shoulder. “Coach says it’s important.”

“Oh.” Your eyes moved to rest on his hand, still wrapped tightly around your wrist. ‘His hand is so big and warm.’

Silence settled between the two of you as the school grew smaller until you couldn’t see it anymore. You considered asking him where he was taking you, but he seemed calm at the moment and you didn’t want to ruin that. How often did you get one-on-one time with him where he didn’t act like he was annoyed by your very existence?

Baiyang came to a stop two blocks down from the cafe where you were originally supposed to meet, his gaze moving to the alleyway you both stood in front of. He seemed to be having an internal debate with himself.

You frowned at his back, “Bai -”

Mreow.

Your ears perked up at the sound and you turned your own gaze down the alley.

Mre~ow.

You pulled your arm from his grasp and slowly stepped down the alley, eyes scanning the cramped space, looking behind garbage bags and overflowing trash bins for the source of the sound.

Mreow.

You caught movement from the corner of your eye, noticing the head of a small tabby kitten peeking out from behind a cardboard box. With a smile, you squatted down, holding out your hand as you spoke softly to the creature, “It’s okay, sweety. I won’t hurt you.”

The kitten hesitated, ears twitching at the sound of your voice.

Baiyang came to squat down beside you, holding his hand out beside your own, little pieces of dry cat food resting against his palm. The kitten sniffed the air, its nose twitched cutely before he cautiously stepped out from behind the box. His striped tail swished behind him as he approached the food, glancing at the two of you before finally taking the food, gobbling it up like there was no tomorrow.

‘Poor thing, he must be starving.’ You frowned, resisting the urge to reach out and pet him. ‘…wait a minute.’ Your gaze shifted to the male at your side, surprised by the soft smile playing on his lips. “Baiyang, why are you carrying around dry cat food with you?”

His body tensed beside you but he kept quiet, the smile quickly being replaced with a frown. When the food was gone, the kitten started rubbing its head against his hand, purring contently. You slowly reached forward, fingers brushing against the damp orange fur.

“I didn’t forget.” Baiyang suddenly grunted as his thick fingers stretched at the kitten’s ears.

“What?”

“Our meeting at the cafe. I didn’t forget.”

“Oh.” You frowned, feeling your heart skip painfully. “Does that mean you didn’t want to meet with me? You could have just said so…”

“No, that’s not -” He struggled to properly express what he wanted to say, his cheeks dusted with color. “I was on the way, but… I got distracted.”

It took a minute, but as you glanced between him and the kitten, realization struck you and you had to stop yourself from awwing at him. You had never realized he could be so soft. With a smile, you told him, “Given the circumstances, I guess I can forgive you.”

He glanced at you with a frown. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to stand you up.”

“It’s okay. I’m just glad that you don’t hate me.”

Baiyang’s eyes widened in surprise. “You thought I hated you?”

You rubbed the back of your neck sheepishly, avoiding his gaze. “Kind of… You always seem so annoyed around me, so I just assumed…”

“I could never hate you.” He scowled, refusing to turn his gaze away from the kitten. “And you’ve never once annoyed me. I… enjoy being around you.”

The words were so soft, you questioned if you had heard him right, but judging from the red dusting his cheeks, you were sure that you hadn’t misheard him. With a smile, you told him, “I enjoy being around you, too. But next time, maybe text me and let me know.”

“I need your number for that.” Baiyang’s dark eyes met yours and you grinned, pulling your phone from your pocket.

“I guess we should solve that problem, huh?”

He smiled softly at you, making an already beautiful man look that much more so.

☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ: *⋆.*:･ﾟ .: ⋆*･ﾟ: . ☁

📜 Read more by checking out my masterlist 📜

[unworthy-stars]

Chapter One- “Ai Ya Ya”

Chapter One "Ai Ya Ya"~ Crimson Red

第一章 "哎呀呀" ~ 深红色

There was a beneficial and great era of my country called the Qing Dynasty, ...

When is that Wang?

It is...hm...remember Catherine the Great?

Da! Such an enlighting and heroic era, the Russian Enlightment was? She is one of my favourite bosses!

Around then...

~*~

A holy day of February, the day of the Yuanxiao Festival. Always one of the happiest and most cheerful festivals in China. People from all social rankings gathered together to spend the day, creating simple lanterns to join the emperor and his family together with the noblemen in the game the children were triggered to play each year.

China was taking a stroll before the official beginning. He would join Emperor Qianlong and the rest of the noblemen in the official start, but he didn't care. He could appear decently in a matter of seconds, in contrast with most of the fine class men. His official chaofu wasn't that hard to wear by himself even in his age he wouldn't be alive if he wasn't a country. His hair wasn't that bad, and a simple but elegant semi-ponytail would do.

Walking around the peaceful but loud scenery of Beijing and watching the people of his country happy and united made him smile and enjoy the rest of the day. Seeing everyone excited was his first and only priority. And that specific day, he always achieved it. Everyone seemed happy and strong, for his eyes...the best thing that had ever happened.

A few children trying to guess riddles to prepare for later. Women gossiping about the passengers, including himself, while they were preparing the family lantern. Men doing the last preparations for the dinner with an expression of combined tire and love. Elders play with and riddle the new generation and recall memories of their own tasks.

It was a day of joy all over China. But Beijing was the most outstanding.

China remembered he was asked by the emperor to attend his palace before the event because they had to have their usual talk before everything important for the country. All emperors seemed to be more dramatical than the other. They could barely smile. But this certain one's severe and kind-hearted personality was enough to make China like him and consider him a great ally, boss and companion.

Our protagonist arrived earlier than the supposed time of the arrangement, but a sweet and polite servant informed him the emperor didn't rush and he could wander around freely in the Forbidden City, in which he had full access since the first time as he was the country but he prefered a more common life among the simple residents with the difference that he had the financial power to live under better conditions.

He had always found the Forbidden City an interesting place, and a shame that it wasn't open to the public. The beautiful trees and majestic lakes were only available for the emperor's eyes. The temples were designed delicately and were seen ritualistically. There was almost no one giving them a purpose, other than the servants that respectfully took care of them. It was such a disgrace to see them in a beautiful position without someone admiring them properly.

He was so devoted to his surroundings that had forgotten where he was heading too. He asked a female passerby the location that stunned him so much, even if it was the same with all the other parts of the city. Beihai Park. He would dream of the time he would be able to wander again in this wonderful location.

He saw a free boat, floating on the lake and immediately entered so fascinated to see the island in the middle of it. Jade Flower. The named sounded like music in his ears. Or he was just so obsessed with sight-seeing he didn't care how the sights were actually named. The only thing in his mind was to reach the island and capture with his memory the beauty of the park.

When the edge of the boat touched the wooden pier, China hoped outside. He took a deep breath and continued his little trip merrily. The trees seemed as old as him, even if nothing could ever reach his record. Their shadows made a darker, but mysterious and enchanting path. China looked around and noticed a small marsh at the end of an earthen alley through the wood. Curious to find the end of it, he followed it. And at the end, a pond of green waters and white lilies repaid his tire of the journey. A quick peek around was enough to realise the place was magical. He sat down by the lake and stared at the beauty he could easily pass the rest of his endless life.

'Ni hao.' a pitched voice echoed.

'Who is it?' China asked furiously because it interrupted the peace of the location.

'I-I should go...I don't know you, stranger!' the voice seemed scared, it was a child.

'You know me! Come here, I don't bite! I am an old man!' he tried to comfort it.

Out of the tree behind him, a small head appeared. Slanted eyes, specifically olives for eyes and a tiny nose were drawn on that precious pale face. The hair was left untouched and messy, touching the shoulders. The kid wore a black changyi decorated with golden and white flowers. They weren’t binding shoes, probably because it already had small feet or...

She was a Manchu.

'You don't look like an old man to me!' the little girl took a step back.

'Compared to you, I am older! Can you explain me this place?' China tried to look friendly to the frightened girl.

'I-It's just a normal marsh I come to relax. It is widely common all over China,' the girl started to approach him and when she did reach him sat beside him to connect with their surroundings together 'I am Gurun Princess Hexiao, daughter of the Emperor Qianlong and the Consort Dun,' she introduced herself.

'How can you be a Gurun princess without being a child of the Empress?' the title confused China.

'Love, I guess.' she responded 'It was a pleasure to share this moment with you, sir, but I am afraid I must prepare myself for the festival. It would be an honour to meet again, but based on my busy schedule as a princess I am afraid I don't have as much time as other ladies you could easily approach. I hope you enjoy this year's yuanxiao festival,' she wished and disappeared of China's eyes.

China saw her ran away, really fast for a girl of her age but he supposed that the cause was the binding shoes other girls wore. He tried to get up, but his back hurt. After some minutes he finally managed to stand by himself and walk to the room he possessed in the Forbidden City.

There his elegant red and gold chaofu was waiting for him and all the rest of his formal clothing were laid by it. He would be pleased to see the Emperor once more. He'd love to ask about his tenth, if he counted well, daughter too. She seemed a gentle and respectful girl the people would love.

'The Emperor waits for your presence in the main room, sir,' a servant informed him and he followed him with trust.

Seems this Emperor was different like his personality had changed since the last time they had spoken to each other. He seemed happier, maybe because of the event. And surely more open-minded. After their short talking about these years of wealth and luck that headed, the rest of the Emperor's noted men and his family, including China, entered the balcony where the event's beginning would be announced.

The routine was the same, but China enjoyed to see the excitement of all people in Beijing and other cities that came here for the festival. Every year it was a refreshed one, full of hope and pride. The elegant lantern representing the royal family was lit up and its crimson red colour filled China's heart with a warm feeling and a strong connection with his people. The cheers were the only thing China wanted to hear. The children's giggles joined them.

After the end of the event, China walked in the dark through the same path to the same hidden marsh, he had found before. This place filled him with a strange pioneering feeling.

 Weiyan.

'People who witness this marsh, don't usually come back to witness it again.' the same pitched voice was heard by China who turned to the left to see her painted face and worn in an elegant bun hair.

She seemed completely changed. The previous messy, boy-like and clumsy girl was transformed into a beautiful dragon. Her face was paler than before and her cheeks took a bold shade of pink. Her slantied eyes had the same shade as the cheeks, but a long black line was separating the garnet-coloured eyes with the cheerful pink of her cheeks. The pink paint on her lips formed a heart shape.

Her changyi differed from the rest of the royal family's. She wore a purple one with pink and gold delicate butterflies and a dragon, representing the family of course. But the rest of her relatives wore the casual black and red with gold features formal clothing. Her bun had a white lily as an accessory and her nails were white.

'I am not like the others!' he replied with a smile and she giggled.

'I am not like the others too!' she left her hair fall down on her shoulders, despite the royal dressing and manners code 'I have also this!' she handed me a crimson red lantern and revealed her own too 'I haven't written riddles as the tradition says, I never liked riddles!'

The two lanterns gave a spark in the dark. The fireflies gathered too and let us experience the magic of the marsh on the Jade Flower Island at night.

The little princess touched his hand with her soft small hands and let the lantern move to his right hand. She led it upwards like the lantern would fly. And it did indeed after he let it fall of his hand. She did the same with hers and stared at the sources of light fly away together.

'The continuing radiance of crimson flames... Will never end and will continue to move forward aru!' I sang on a cheerful tune and the little one clapped.

'You sing really well! I could persuade my father change your status from a simple servant to royal singer! If you play the erhu too, I will definitely find you a job!'

I laughed really loudly 'I am happy with the position I am now,  xiexie!' I messed with her hair and she smiled 'Xiexie for the amazing event, aru! I think you should head back to your room, princess Hexiao!'

'My name is Ori Sasithorn Wei,' she ran away.

~*~

Ah! And so this little girl was the one who ran away from you Wang!

Yes, but the yuanxiao festival that year didn't happen to fall on a lunar eclipse!

Oh...so when did she left?

I have a lot to explain! It isn't a short story! Be patient!

[dangermousie]

“Young Valley Master split his tail, very well done.” Princess Shunde’s voice interrupted Ji Yunhe’s thoughts. Once again, all eyes were gathered onto her. “It’s just a pity that there is no giving without taking in this world. Having legs means I will never see that beautiful fish tail again.” She sighed as she studied Changyi, like admiring a beloved plaything. “Still, the Young Valley Master will be rewarded. I prefer legs.” When Ji Yunhe heard those words, she thought of that bloody night, and Changyi’s pale, lifeless face. All that pain and suffering, the thin line between life and death, just because she…preferred legs. Her preferences sure were valuable.

I love this passage!

Even more I love when Princess Shunde orders JY to make Changyi speak, she refuses and Princess orders her whipped and she still is all nope. And then Changyi speaks because he can’t bear to have her hurt. They are levers against each other others can use. And Princess Shunde is all excited and totally wants to take him out for a spin. GROSS.

Kneeling on the ground, Ji Yunhe tensed up. Plaything. Princess Shunde’s attitude pretty much said it all. Changyi was her plaything, while others were her slaves. She could beat them, kill them, cut their tongue, or pluck out their eyes. The mountains and rivers were hers, and the world was hers.

Anyway, I totally see where the big angst is coming from. JY knows he won’t escape because he won’t abandon her so she decides to supposedly deliver him to the court and have her quasi-brother convince CY she lied and manipulated him so he’d escape. She would be outside the valley so people in valley won’t be blamed. She will be but she has no antidote and is going to die anyway, so she will at least die for a good cause. I love it!

The reason he was still here was not because he could not go, but because he also wanted to take her with him. Ji Yunhe closed her eyes and held back her tears. After suppressing her emotions, she stared firmly into Changyi’s clear blue eyes. “Changyi, I’ve been living this life for a long time, so I always look forward to something different. I resist, persist, and fight back, because I want to make myself worthy of every flower I’ve enjoyed and every bite of food I’ve tasted. I want to live, and I want to live happy and free! But if in the end I don’t get what I want, then that’s my life. Do you understand, Changyi? This is my life!” She paused and said, “But it’s not your life.”

[dangermousie]

“Lin Haoqing was not like this before,” she said. “When I first met him, he was very gentle and kind. He treated me like a sister, and I treated him like a brother. At that time, he had a puppy given to him by Lin Canglan. He named the puppy Flower, because the puppy loved to go and bite those flowers in the garden, and toss them into the air.”

She smiled as she reminisced about the good times.

“Soon after, Lin Canglan asked him to kill the dog. He wouldn’t do it. He took a good beating, and still wouldn’t do it. Then Lin Canglan threatened him that if he didn’t kill the dog, he would have to kill me. And if he didn’t kill me, then Lin Canglan would kill me himself.”

Ji Yunhe’s voice was flat, as if she were telling someone else’s story.

“Lin Haoqing choked Flower to death while he cried up a storm.”

Ji Yunhe waved her hand, and the rain in the dungeon fell a little heavier. “There was a thunderstorm that night, he was soaked to the skin when he strangled Flower in the courtyard. The dog did not bite him back...Lin Haoqing was so upset he fell ill the next day. Lin Canglan cooked Flower and fed it to him spoon after spoon. He ate while vomiting. At the same time, he had to listen to Lin Canglan’s scolding, calling him a wimp, useless, good for nothing, and weak like a woman.”

“Lin Canglan said the future master of the Demon Valley has to be ruthless. Not only must he eat the dogs he raises, but he also has to be able to eat the people he raises.”

Changyi looked at Ji Yunhe, and although he was too weak to react, his eyes stayed on her and did not move away.

“When Lin Haoqing got well, I went to see him and asked if he hated me. After all, he killed the puppy he loved so much for me. But Lin Haoqing said no. He said I did nothing wrong. He said the one thing in this matter that still allowed him to find a little comfort was that he saved me.”

Jesus H. Christ on a pogo stick!!!!

Valley Master Jr is a psycho but what chance did he have, when his father literally abused him into it.

THE HELL!!!!

And then he makes YJ push him into a pit of snakes because it’s his greatest fear so he will feel betrayed by his quasi-sister and have no attachments (that is why he poisoned her so he could control her through the antidote. And when she still refused, he framed her for it, and by then she decided, she’d go along because it was clear daddy was gonna torture his kid until he did become a psycho so might as well spare him some suffering.)THE HELL!!!!

But then this happens!!!!

For years, I believed I had made the right choice that day. Because Lin Haoqing was never forced to suffer again by his father. But Changyi…” Ji Yunhe looked up at him.

He hung on the wall, his body had been washed clean of the blood, and the withered fish scales that stuck to his skin like scabs were also washed away. But he was still of a pale, bloodless color.

“The choice I made back then brought you great suffering today,” Ji Yunhe went on. “I was wrong…I am so sorry…This is all my fault.”

The dungeon stayed quiet for a while. Finally, Ji Yunhe heard a faint and gentle reassurance.

“Not your fault.”

I love this not so much because of Changyi’s gentleness (he is as straightforward as a plank and refuses to blame her with unerring sense of justice even though he’s been mangled) but because of how JY owns the consequences of her choices, the cause and effect, and does not try to wiggle out of it - her decision to spare LHQ back then led to CY’s suffering today and she knows that, she accepts that, she is sorry for it and carries the burden and the culpability inside herself.

After three whips, Ji Yunhe’s back was already a bloody mess.

But she did not cry out in pain. She believed as long as a person could bear the consequences, there was nothing he or she could not do in life. She chose to visit Changyi, beat Lin Haoqing, and stay out overnight. Some of these were impulsive and some of were deliberate.

But they all pointed to this outcome.

So she received it silently and without a blink.

It’s that unflinching acceptance of consequences that is so rare in rl and novels. She and CY are very different in many ways, but the same in this.

[unworthy-stars]

Epilogue “Ai Ya Ya”

Epilogue "Ai Ya Ya"

'And...in the future? What do you do? Are you still a merchant?' Ori asked.

Her wrinkles were a nice stroke on her face. There was no reason to wear that unnecessary makeup and useless clothes. Her slanted eyes hid great pain, but also an overwhelming happiness to feel Wang Yao's body for the last time.

'The future is same as the past and the present for an old man like me,' he kissed her neck 'I loved you, I love you and I will love you.'

With these words said and Wang's promise to love and think of her, Ori closed her eyes taken by the most peaceful sleep she had in ages.

~*~

Wang Yao was at first surprised by the failure of the spell. But when you are old, you aren't surprised by anything. You experience more thus you know more. You are wiser.

'Oh China, what a surprise to find you here!' Yuan Shi, a green dragon with gold features, approached him.

'Ai ya ya! If I weren't by the marsh of the Jade Flower Island, I would be sick!' he claimed 'The air is always fresh here!'

The Jade Flower Island had surely more visitors. Different faces, foreigners, were sightseeing. But the marsh was still unknown to everyone except China.

'What concerns you?' the dragon looked him in the eyes.

'My-'

'Say no more. The only thing yours is Ori Sasithorn Wei.'

The dragon was bored of the same story. Ori did this, was that. Only she could make him shut up.

'What if I gave you a...moment with her? Travel through time and meet her?'

China had already sat on him, stroking his moustache and thanking him. Always with his smile reaching his ears. The dragon sighed. This man would never grow up.

With an incredible speed, the dragon rocketed in the air. Over the clouds, everything looked the same for China. Nothing was different, and everything was covered by this sheet of gases. How everything looks so peaceful when you look it from another point of view.

Within a second of constant twirling, the dragon let Wang Yao fall on the ground. Yes, angels hurt when they fall from heaven. He woke up with a terrible pain on his back, exactly where Japan had gifted him a scar.

Around him, the abeles of the Jade Flower Island bowed to his presence. The wind hit Wang right on his forehead, softening his headache. The water started its festy dancing like a rope in a girl's game. The sun was nowhere to be found, and that reassured Wang for his ensured return.

He picked up a flower. A pink chrysanthemum. Kiku, in Japanese. What a funny name his little brother had. He shoved it in his chest, through his chaofu.

If Wang wasn't a merchant, he would never know where Ori lived after he returned in Beijing (Eighteen ten, if he remembers well). All this negotiating turned out to be useful. Other people in the business had been called to personally deliver goods at her residence.

Her house was neither luxurious nor shanty. A mere house similar to his own. Well with a garden extension, but he knew it was useless. Ori's garden was miles away.

Her daughters shouldn't be around. He had received information, while he was in that era, that her children were educated by their aunts. What a stupid decision.

Wang knocked on the door. There was no way Ori wouldn't open, she was too kind.

And there she was. Her presence was radiant, despite all her physical flaws. Her pink changyi made her small garnet eyes stand out. The blue ribbon on her head hid her white hair. As white as Wang remembered her having that night before her wedding. Her wrinkled fingers covered her mouth in excitement and surprise. Her cheeks forming a physical red.

'Ni hao ma?' she sang.

'Achikochi karada itai aru...'he replied with a sigh.

'You really are Wang,'

'Of course, I am.'

'Don't leave.'

'I have no intention to.'

The elder rose at the tip of her toes and kissed Wang on the cheek with elegance.

'I am from the future, today is the day you die. Are you sure you want to do only that?'

Ori formed a smile of relief. Her torture would end today, forever. She was happy Wang had come to be by her side. Because he was the only one understanding her enough to feel her needs.

'Yes, I think this is fine' she said hinting her shy side was awakening. Like he was some kind of stranger.

'Well...I, in the future, am not happy. Because you won't be alive in three hours, twenty-seven minutes and three seconds. And in three hours, twenty-seven minutes and three seconds my misery begins. I want these three hours, twenty-seven minutes and three seconds to be the most fantastic moment of my four thousand years,'

Wang took of his chaofu. Ori wondered how he didn't shiver, the weather was freezing cold. The pink chrysanthemum fell on the ground and with quick, almost martial, moved he picked it up and placed it on her ribbon.

Ori put her arms around his neck. She shoved her head into his chest like they were in a romance novel.

'I am afraid Wang, I don't have efficient amounts of energy to function the ways you had imagined,'

'Three hours, twenty-six minutes and one second. Of course and you can eat a nice bowl of noodles and lie off'

As he said, she did. Wang cooked for her one last, delicious, dish. They lay off on her bed, till the eternal sleep grabbed her under Wang's pinched nose.

~*~

Wang woke up to find himself under Ivan's arms. He felt so warm that Wang refused to break apart. Ivan's jaw rested on Wang's head, while his scarf slightly touched Wang's naked back. Ivan reminded Wang so much of Ori in a strange way.

China smiled.

[unworthy-stars]

Chapter Three (Three) “Ai Ya Ya”

Chapter Three (Part Three) "Ai Ya Ya"~ The Emperor's last minute

第三章（第三部分）"艾亚亚"〜皇帝的最后一分钟

So...Hulai Lan was...

Nevermind! Go on with the story! We don't have much time!

Hao, hao...what happened next?

Oh, bloody hell, of all times you remember everything because of your excellent memory you chose this particular one to forget everything?

Hush England...the Emperor's name will be mentioned now

~*~

China saw Hulan Lai's dedication and kindness and started to feel loved. For once he felt loved without Her. And She was far away, somewhere beyond his borders.

Maybe it was fate not to ever meet again, and live in a futile affair.

But with her chao fa and tea brought him also something priceless, something that no one dared to give him before. She gave him light. A simple raze of sunlight filled him with hope and determination. The sun was shining and the clouds didn't prevent him from sending his warmth and brightness to the simple earthbound commoners.  He could shine brightly too and send his sunbeams to his beloved woman. If not by his fame, by his persuasive skills.

China prepared his formal outfit to visit the Emperor the very same day. His chances to meet Ori were so little, he might as well didn't even try. But the thought he had tried, would fill him with gratitude. At least his efforts would be recognised, and he wouldn't feel useless.

The Forbidden City seemed darker without the princess's presence. Everyone wasn't as cheerful and energetic as they used to be when they served under the rules of the princess. Several servants smoked or gossiped instead of working, and it was quite reasonable. Her presence was a key to the working system. Therefore they couldn't concentrate without her.

Only the special elite of servants, the one who had an immediate direct view of the Emperor and some had the honour to speak to him, were trying their best. But they seemed to struggle more than everyone to keep their sense of pure boredom and pressure hidden.

'Ni Hao your Majesty!' he greeted the Emperor like he had seen him recently.

The Emperor had aged sharply, which was quite expected. His wrinkles were more apparent and his skin was paler than before. His white hair was starting to fall off his head and his pointy beard was loose. He started to show signs of a little hunch on his back too, but his formal red changyi covered it smoothly.

'Ni Hao ma China?' he asked in return with a small smile.

'Better than before my Emperor!' he showed his respect with a simple bow and smiled back 'There is this little favour of me to ask!'

'Go on, you've done much for me China. I wouldn't mind repay you and award you for your efforts!" he sat on his throne.

'How would you react if I told you I want to marry your daughter, Gurun Princess Hexiao?' he said in a frisky tune.

The Emperor cringed for a moment but saw that China wasn't fooling around.

'But she is already married, and if I decided to break their wedding, it'd be a huge disgrace, dishonour and it would cause a rebellion!'

'Yes, as you say, but if I steal her it'd be even worse for her and your family,  wouldn't it?'

The wrinkled man agreed with China's point. But there wasn't the option of not letting them see again. He thought China's lust had finished a year ago. Afterall Fengshen marrying Ori was part of the plan of not letting them get over-attached. Nations and humans shouldn't be close to each other.

'You'll have one moon to meet her and say goodbye. Then everything you two had built, is gone with the fresh morning wind,' he reached a decision. China tried to protest against it but realised that his boss's words must be immediately taken seriously.

'Arrange it.' he said and walked away.

It could go worse, he thought as his formed his hands into fists, much worse.

~*~

Oh, last minute kissing stuff? Ha...how extraordinary!

Oh, you know nothing about Asian culture you white European scu-

This is not the right moment to fight with each other, da?

Russia is correct. How is the Bloody Moon connected? Is this the time she leaves you?

Yeah, what about that bloody moon you keep talking about?

Oh well...we would get to that bloody point sometime, right?