To Be A Virtuous Wife

Some of you commented just how much He Heng didn’t care about his concubines. We get some slight into him this chapter. I like Qu Qing Ju’s philosophy of dealing with men. It’s humorous regardless of if it’s true or not.

Chapter 21 A Coquettish Smile

When Qu Qing Ju walked out of the study, it was more than an hour later. She adjusted the slightly askew hairpins and narrowed her eyes to smile at the western sunset at the doorway. When she turned back, she saw the shadow of He Heng standing straight by the desk.

A person in the dark, a person in the light. They always will find the other exceptionally dazzling. When He Heng raised his head, it just happened that he saw the smile and his eyes were blinded. Unexpectedly, feelings of amazement rose. He seemed to understand "a beauty melt's one's heart with her coquettish smile." 美人一笑百媚生: the phrase is actually a variation on 回眸一笑百媚生 which is part of the lyrics of the Song of Everlasting Regret (or Sorrow). The particular lyrics are at the beginning of the song describing the beauty of the Imperial Noble Consort Yang Yu Huan of the Tang Dynasty who met a tragic end as the Emperor was forced to kill her. The entire line is 回眸一笑百媚生,六宫粉黛无颜色 which, loosely translated, meant "when she gave a coquettish smile, the six palaces paled in comparison". The six palaces referred to the Emperor's group of concubines.