A Qing princess in the Republican era
From the turn of the new century, the Qing empire has been heralded with ominous impediments one after the other. Their miserable defeat at the boxer rebellion only marked the beginning. Inside the walls of the forbidden city, the power struggle between the emperor and the empress dowager was growing ever intense. Outside the walls, nationalists and revolutionaries were clamoring to overthrow the dynasty. The times have gone tumultuous wherein causes of celebration were fleeting. In 1905, a most welcome news from the inner court came. It has been more than a decade since the emperor married and accepted concubines, but he still did not have a son to inherit the throne. With much anticipation, the emperor looked forward to the birth of a prince. However, much to his disappointment, the child was another daughter. In 1912, despite the edict of abdication being issued, the future of Aisin Gioro Wan Li, once known as Gulun Gongzhu Wan Li or Princess Wan Li of the first rank, was still looking bright. Bound by an internal verbal agreement between her mother and the new president of the republic of China, she was promised to marry the 3rd son of the president, Yuan Kezhen, upon reaching adulthood. However, not everything goes as planned. With the assassination of the president and the short-lived restoration of the Qing dynasty, Wan Li had to escape the forbidden city. Wan Li was a princess, but she was still a maiden born in imperial China. Growing up, she was mostly educated only with the moral principles and social code of behaviour called the three obediences and four virtues. Her personality was gentle, kind, shy, and meek. Instilled to her were traits and beliefs of an ideal wife leaning on dependency to a powerful and influential husband. How was she to survive without the privilege of her birthright during the extraordinary times of the republican era? -- This novel will have at least 3 major arcs. (Yes, I have written that far… at least inside my head. Haha!) 1. Wan Li's childhood in the palace/ forbidden city (qing dynasty until early republican era) Age: 0-12 2. After Wan Li escapes the Forbidden city (early republican era/ Warlord era) Age: 12-16 3. Wan Li in Shanghai. (Republican/ Warlord era) Age 16 onwards — What to expect? This novel will have romance, a lot of it later on but it doesn’t revolve entirely on that. There will be politics. Very necessary as it’s what propels the story forward. Character growth, definitely. For the better or the worse, all there but remember each character would be as human as can be. Drama, face slapping, some darkness, adventure, betrayal, all of it will be in this novel. R-18? There will be but definitely not in the early chapters. Oh and this will have a happy ending, though the roads reaching that would be bumpy. — Cover art: the pictures were grabbed from pinterest then edited by me. Important note to readers: Many events in the novel were based from historical facts. Again, many but not all. Some characters were inspired from historical figures. Take note: INSPIRED. Thus, they definitely have different attributes whether looks or personalities. In this regard, please do not assume that they’re one and the same. The characters here were created by me, so if they’re kinda evil or too kind, don’t think that the real historical figure was. Again, though this is historical, it’s still a work of fiction. So a lot of things and reasons leading to certain factual events may have been romanticized by the author (me).
Chapter 4: The birth of princess Wan Li IV
Emperor Gongxu's hands trembled. It's a girl. The baby was a girl. Not a son, but a daughter. How could that be? Was fate playing another cruel joke on him? No. They must be lying. "Are you telling the truth?"
"Huang shang…" the midwife was about to answer when suddenly, the emperor tried to roughly grab the newborn from her arms.
Out of reflex, the midwife took a step back while still holding the baby.
With his child out of his grasp, Emperor Gongxu spat "How dare you!" out of anger.
The birth attendants, even the one holding the princess quickly kneeled.
"Huang shang… Please show mercy…" the birth attendants echoed.
Emperor Gongxu, remembering that his child was only a few minutes old, realized the irrationality of his action. Besides, they could not replace nor take away his son right before his eyes.
Anyhow, he harrumphed interrupting the midwife, before saying, "If zhen finds out that you have been lying, even the nine familial exterminations would not suffice as your punishment!"
"Yes, huang shang…" they again echoed.
Then, the birth attendant holding the princess came forward. Carefully, she offered the baby to the emperor.
Emperor Gongxu, more rational this time, only lifted one end of the swaddle to check.
He swallowed the lump on his throat. To see was to believe. He dropped the end of the swaddle and staggered two steps back. "This…. This…"
Meanwhile, Empress Ruyi who just gave birth tried to push herself up in an upright sitting position. Fresh tears poured out from her eyes as she began, "Zhuzi, please… it is this nubi's fault… please…"
"You shut up!" Emperor Gongxu exclaimed as he turned his angry eyes upon her. Seeing her miserable appearance did not arouse even an ounce of pity. Instead, it only triggered his pent-up anger and frustration to explode. "You think zhen does not know what you did?"
Empress Ruyi whose heart has just been shattered bit her lower lip. The pain of giving birth overshadowed by the pain in her chest. What words can she say? They both knew what he was pertaining to and even if she did not directly play part in it, her knowledge still made her an accomplice.
"Wah… wah… wah…" The silence was broken by the crying, causing Emperor Gongxu's eyes to zero in on the baby.
The emperor let out a sardonic laugh. "Good. Very good. Still not admitting? Then, how about this? How do you explain being the only one to get pregnant?"
Fear gripped the brokenhearted Empress Ruyi. He wouldn't, would he? "Huang shang, please, I beg you… our child is innocent… she is your flesh and blood…"
Emperor Gongxu wanted to do something. He did not want to let go of everything just like that. Fengwan must have some retribution for all the suffering and humiliation she caused him. He hated her. She must have a taste of her own medicine.
With this thought, he reached for the baby causing everyone in the room to panic.
Empress Ruyi could not take it. In an effort to stop whatever Emperor Gongxu had in mind she fell from the bed. Her blood pooled on the floor, but she could not even feel the pain. She crawled towards him and reached for the end of his robe. "I beg you… please, don't…. please… you can do to me as you will, but our child… our child…"
Emperor Gongxu's hands carrying the baby trembled. He thought of throwing the baby, thought of smothering her to death just to placate his anger. However, that was easier said than done. In the end, he could not do it. Perhaps, that's the reason why he could not hold on to the reins of power. He was still not cruel enough.
"Xiao Wu!" Emperor Gong Xu called, and Eunuch Wu who was standing behind the door finally entered the room.
"Yes, Huang shang…" he answered.
"Issue my edict. Empress Ruyi has worked hard for my child. Therefore, she shall observe postnatal confinement in the palace of gathered elegance indefinitely." Then, he looked at his daughter.
Truth was, it's not that he had no care for her. After all, the circumstance when she came was special. Unlike his other consorts, he accompanied Fengwan throughout her pregnancy. This child, before her birth, made him experience the joy of fatherhood. It's a pity that she was not a son. It's a pity that she was birthed by Fengwan. It's a pity that she represented his dashed hopes and dreams.
He sighed. This was the only time and the only favor he would ever grant her.
Empress Ruyi who has been holding on to the emperor's every word became more panicked with his pause. What about her child? "Huang shang… our daughter…"
Emperor Gongxu looked at Fengwan who was kneeling on the ground, holding on to his robe. He loathed her, yet, at the same time… No. He can not allow himself to waver.
He scoffed. "The princess is graceful and beautiful like her mother, the empress. Zhen confers to her the title gulun gongzhu Wan Li."
Empress Ruyi's tears fell like raindrops. "Huang shang…", although the dangers have passed, for the emperor to bestow this title to his daughter… it was both a mockery and a declaration. A mockery for her (Wan Li, Wan from the empress name which also means graceful, and Li from beautiful, implying that their daughter was the product of her beauty trap), and a declaration that from this point on, he has nothing to do with their child (since he gave the title so early when usually the title is given when the child reaches adulthood).
Emperor Gongxu ignored the empress and placed the baby on the bed. He looked at his daughter's face for a moment before tearing his robe away from the empress' hold as he walked towards the exit.
--
Head Eunuch Li's steps were so quick that he was almost flying. He couldn't wait to inform the empress dowager of the news as he would surely be rewarded handsomely.
Once let inside the empress dowager's room, he quickly kowtowed. "Lao Foye, Empress Ruyi has safely given birth."
Empress dowager Cixui drummed her talons on the table before finally puffing the smoke out of her mouth. "And?"
Head Eunuch Li's chest expanded and to hide the tilting of his mouth wanting to form a grin, he made another round of kowtow, only more exaggerated this time. Then, he announced, "Lao Foye, it's a small happiness."
Cixui's lips tilted upwards as her eyes turned to crescents. Her shoulders shook as she let out a chuckle. Ah… it seems that lady fortune was still smiling her way. All her worries were for naught.
"Deliver zajia's orders, today's a big day. Make sure to give out rewards to everyone present." Empress dowager Cixui instructed with a self-satisfied smile.
--
TBC
Gulun Gongzhu- princess of the first rank
Zajia- first person pronoun used by empress dowager
Lao foye- a mode of address originates from the fact that Tibetan Buddhist monks believed the Chinese emperor to be the earthly equivalent of the Buddha Manjusri, thus lao foye becomes a way to refer and address the emperor. It is later used to address Cixui as a sycophantic way of implying that her position and power is as great as the emperor.