Lu Ying was silent for a moment, then said, “The Forbidden City isn’t our Lu family’s vegetable garden where you can just walk in at will. Moreover, Doctor Wei was summoned to the inner palace, and the only men who can enter the inner palace are eunuchs. It’s too late for you to castrate yourself now.”
Wang Daxia persisted desperately, “Don’t the Brocade Guards also patrol within the palace grounds? Your subordinate could go patrol for a day, see Doctor Wei, and then come back.”
Lu Ying picked up a tree branch and drew on the ground, “This is the Eastern and Western Six Palaces, abbreviated as the inner palace, where consorts and maidens live. His Majesty lives in the Western Garden beside Taiye Pool, very far away. Qianqing Palace has been empty for nearly twenty years and reeks of urine everywhere. The Brocade Guards mainly protect His Majesty in the Western Garden and don’t patrol the inner palace, and His Majesty hasn’t set foot in the inner palace for nearly twenty years.”
“The distance between the inner palace and Western Garden is twice that of West Drum Tower Street, with several high walls in between. Even if I use connections to temporarily assign you to palace patrol, you could only move around the Western Garden and couldn’t set foot in the inner palace.”
Wang Daxia’s gaze went blank, his mind still stuck on the previous statement, “What? His Majesty hasn’t entered the inner palace for nearly twenty years? Why? What’s the point of keeping the inner palace? Why continue selecting maidens?”
Lu Ying said, “Have you heard of the Renyin Palace Incident? His Majesty nearly died at the hands of palace maids. From that day on, His Majesty stopped visiting the inner palace to favor consorts. He moved to the Western Garden, far from the inner palace.”
Wang Daxia said in surprise, “You mean for nearly twenty years, all the consorts in the six palaces have been living as grass widows?”
Lu Ying said quietly, “Don’t talk nonsense. His Majesty summons consorts from the inner palace to attend him in the Western Garden, just doesn’t let them stay overnight.”
The Renyin Palace Incident occurred when Emperor Jiajing went to the inner palace to favor two consorts. Afterward, exhausted, he fell into deep sleep. Palace maid Yang Jinying and others seized the opportunity to strangle Emperor Jiajing with white silk. In their panic, they tied a dead knot. Emperor Jiajing was strangled awake, struggled desperately, and the commotion was heard by the Brocade Guards standing watch outside, who immediately reported to Lu Bing. This was because Emperor Jiajing often lost his mind after taking elixir pills and would go mad beating palace maids, creating similar disturbances in the palace. At that time, Emperor Jiajing was having difficulty breathing and couldn’t cry out for help.
After all, they were milk brothers who had grown up drinking the same woman’s milk. Lu Bing sensed something was wrong and quickly led the Brocade Guards in to rescue the emperor.
Afterward, Emperor Jiajing became paranoid and stopped taking elixir pills made with virgin menstrual blood, so he rarely went mad anymore. But from then on, he never set foot in the inner palace, only occasionally summoning favorite consorts to attend him in the Western Garden. After sleeping with them, he would have them sent back to the inner palace and absolutely would not let consorts stay overnight in the Western Garden.
Emperor Jiajing trusted no one—not just palace maids, but not even those who shared his pillow.
Wang Daxia only knew about the Renyin Palace Incident but had no idea what happened afterward. Only someone like Lu Ying, who frequently entered the palace, knew the true situation of the imperial court.
Upon hearing this, Wang Daxia realized he wouldn’t be able to see Wei Caiwei even if he entered the palace. He hung his head dejectedly, feeling low.
Seeing him listless like a sick chicken, Lu Ying said, “I’m also concerned about Doctor Wei. Having the Brocade Guard brothers on duty in the palace pass along a message to report her safety is still manageable.”
Only then did Wang Daxia perk up a bit.
Those who think constantly will receive a response. Just as Lu Ying and Wang Daxia received Wei Caiwei’s message that “I’m serving as a doctor at Chuxiu Palace, all is well, don’t worry,” several young fire-tenders came from the palace saying His Majesty summoned Lu Ying.
Lu Ying quickly changed into a new flying fish robe and spotless boots, had Wang Daxia dress the same way with a black hat, and took him into the palace together, “I can bring an attendant. Perfect opportunity to take you into the palace to broaden your horizons and see the world.”
The closest Wang Daxia had ever been to the Forbidden City was sending Wei Caiwei to the palace for examinations at Ximen An. Now about to enter the palace, he was somewhat nervous and even wore his hat crooked, “Will your subordinate see His Majesty? Do I need to kowtow three times and bow nine times?”
Wang Daxia looked completely inexperienced. Lu Ying said, “You’re not qualified to see the dragon’s countenance. When I go in, you’ll wait outside and hold my embroidered spring saber—except for my father, everyone must remove their swords when meeting His Majesty.”
Wang Daxia was still excited. His feelings were the same as Li Jiubao’s—though unable to see her, just thinking he could be closer to her made him feel very satisfied.
Forbidden City, Western Garden.
The Western Garden had beautiful scenery, with Taiye Pool and Qionghua Island located here. The lakeside banks were planted with willow trees everywhere, lotus leaves as big as bathtubs, and clusters of reeds where flocks of birds nested, chirping as they flew in and out.
Everything was very quiet with hardly any people visible. Wang Daxia closely followed Lu Ying’s steps, feeling like he was walking into a huge landscape painting.
First they reached Wuyi Hall, where ministers had duty rooms, rotating day and night shifts, waiting for Emperor Jiajing’s summons. There were twenty-four duty rooms in total for meritorious nobles, military generals, and cabinet ministers. Since His Majesty hadn’t held court for over thirty years, these ministers issued imperial edicts from here.
Passing through Wuyi Hall revealed another scene entirely—before them was actually a rice field!
The autumn rice had already ripened, golden full grain heads bending the stalks as they swayed in the autumn breeze like golden giant waves.
For a moment, Wang Daxia thought he had arrived at rice paddies in Jiangnan.
Wang Daxia asked quietly, “His Majesty farms too?”
Lu Ying said, “The eunuchs plant and tend it. His Majesty likes watching rice. His Majesty’s childhood and youth were spent in Anlu, Hubei, where there are many rice paddies.”
So it was to comfort homesickness.
It turned out the emperor was also human, also missed his hometown and cherished memories of his carefree childhood and youth.
Wang Daxia suddenly felt Emperor Jiajing wasn’t as terrifying as legends claimed.
Past the rice fields, they finally reached where Emperor Jiajing cultivated immortality and refined elixir pills. It wasn’t as magnificently golden as imagined, but rather like an elegant Taoist temple with Eight Trigrams incense altars everywhere. All the attendants were eunuchs with no palace maids, and the eunuchs all wore Taoist robes, dressed as Taoist priests.
It seemed the palace incident nineteen years ago had given Emperor Jiajing post-traumatic stress regarding palace maids, no longer daring to let them approach.
Emperor Jiajing was in Qingyi Studio. From far away they could hear melodious chime sounds. Lu Ying lightened her steps like a cat, slowly approaching Qingyi Studio with Wang Daxia following behind, not daring to breathe loudly.
Lu Ying handed her saber to Wang Daxia and waited quietly outside. After the chime sounds stopped, a eunuch in Taoist robes came to escort Lu Ying inside.
Emperor Jiajing wore dark Eight Trigrams Taoist robes and a bamboo crown, barefoot, sitting cross-legged on the throne meditating. Seeing Lu Ying enter, his eyes showed a smile, “How girls change as they grow up—little Cherry Blossom has grown up.”
Cherry Blossom was Lu Ying’s pet name, given because she was born in spring when cherry blossoms danced in the air.
Lu Ying had intended to bow as a military official, but when Emperor Jiajing immediately called her pet name, she changed approach and curtsied as a female junior, “This commoner woman greets Your Majesty.”
Lu Ying wore men’s clothing while performing a woman’s curtsy—quite comical, making Emperor Jiajing laugh, “Why be formal with me? Come sit.”
A eunuch brought an embroidered stool and placed it at Emperor Jiajing’s right hand. Lu Ying lifted her robe hem, spread her legs like assuming a horse stance, and sat steadily on the embroidered stool. Though she had curtsied as a woman, her every gesture was a man’s habitual reaction, including her sitting posture.
Emperor Jiajing laughed again, studying her carefully, “In youth, your father looked somewhat like you do now. You resemble him most—how is his health now?”
So this was the reason. Lu Ying said, “Father can walk, sit, and lie down without problems. He’s stopped taking medicine. When there are no major matters at the office, he rests at home to nourish his body. His spirits are quite good.”
“That’s good.” Emperor Jiajing was very concerned about his milk brother Lu Bing’s health, “To catch the White Lotus sect, he nearly lost his life. I couldn’t eat or sleep peacefully, wanting him to properly rest and recover. For over a month now, I haven’t summoned him to the palace, fearing he’d be too exhausted. My empire cannot do without him for even a day.”
Lu Ying said, “Thank Your Majesty for your concern. Father is recovering well and can enter the palace to pay respects to Your Majesty this month.”
Emperor Jiajing waved his hand, “Injuries to bones and tendons take a hundred days to heal. He should still rest well and not worry about me—I’m fine. I dislike complicated ceremonies. I don’t even require the princes to come pay respects. Everyone should just live peacefully.”
Lu Ying agreed. Actually, she didn’t want her father entering the palace either—what if Emperor Jiajing kindly bestowed immortality elixir pills on her father? Should father take them or not?
Lu Ying would never forget how her father looked when he became angry after taking Emperor Jiajing’s bestowed medicine—eyes bloodshot, on the edge of losing his sanity.
The wicked Taoist priest who once collected virgin menstrual blood to refine violent elixir pills, causing Emperor Jiajing’s irritability and mad beatings of palace maids, was already dead. The currently favored Taoist priest was named Lan Daoxing, recommended by cabinet minister Xu Jie. The elixir pills he refined were relatively mild.
But Lu Ying didn’t believe it. Emperor Jiajing had taken elixir pills for many years and his body had adapted—like fighting poison with poison—so effects didn’t show. But Lu Bing was different. He normally didn’t touch these evil substances. With his stroke-weakened body taking elixir pills was practically hastening death.
Emperor Jiajing said, “I’ve been having dreams lately, dreaming of when I first ascended the throne, in the suburban palace when the palace caught fire and your father carried me out of the blaze. I also dreamed those vile women strangled my neck with white silk until I couldn’t breathe, and your father came to rescue me.”
“He’s my destined protective talisman. With him ill and unable to enter the palace, I feel uneasy, sometimes having continuous nightmares. You’re his daughter and look like him. Stay on duty in the Western Garden these few days. Seeing you is like seeing your father—perhaps then I can be at peace.”
So she was being used as a door god, standing at the entrance to ward off evil.
As long as it didn’t involve her father’s affairs, anything was negotiable.
Lu Ying quickly said, “This minister will certainly not fail in her mission.”
Since Emperor Jiajing demanded her service in her capacity as Brocade Guard Chiliarch, Lu Ying immediately changed her address, accepting the imperial command as a subject.
That day, Lu Ying and Wang Daxia remained on duty in the Western Garden.
Wang Daxia’s body was in the Western Garden, but his heart was at Chuxiu Palace. The human heart is insatiable—initially he was content just wanting to be closer to Wei Caiwei, but now he desperately wanted to see her.
Lu Ying saw through his thoughts, saying, “Behave yourself and stay put in the Western Garden. Don’t move around or I’ll kick you out of the palace.”
Perhaps it was psychological effect, but on Lu Ying’s first day on duty in the Western Garden, Emperor Jiajing didn’t have nightmares that night and slept peacefully.
The maiden selection proceeded in full swing, with people eliminated daily.
After ten days of tempering, Li Jiubao had lost the nervousness and petty air she had when first entering the palace. Like pure gold, she radiated brilliance with stunning beauty, gentle character, and dignified graceful manners. She was clearly the leader among the maidens, her reputation spreading beyond Chuxiu Palace and circulating among the consorts of the Eastern and Western Six Palaces.
Li Jiubao vowed to definitely remain in the palace to watch over each other with Chen Jingji.
Meanwhile, Shang Qinglan managed each time to barely scrape by with the lowest ranking, narrowly avoiding elimination and barely maintaining her position.
By September, as the weather grew cooler, the maidens received four sets of lined clothing, even more exquisite than the previous distribution. With eight new outfits, Shang Qinglan was even more reluctant to be eliminated. She looked forward to the future:
“Next time they distribute clothing, will there be fur coats? I like gray squirrel fur (that is, sable). When I’ve collected two fur coats to take home, I’ll have father alter them into a big fur robe to wear during New Year’s. When father wears it to pay New Year calls, he can show off everywhere, letting people know he has a good daughter.”
With the mindset of extracting as much benefit as possible from the palace before leaving, Shang Qinglan persevered through one test after another. Each time she swayed precariously on the verge of falling from the narrow bridge, she ultimately managed to steady herself.
Finally, forty-eight people remained at Chuxiu Palace. These forty-eight maidens would face the final test—the examination by Noble Consort Lu Jing, mistress of the inner palace.
Emperor Jiajing had three empresses. Empress Chen and Empress Zhang were both deposed by him. The last, Empress Fang, died very mysteriously in a fire at Kunning Palace, allegedly because Emperor Jiajing ordered her burned to death.
All three empresses met tragic ends. Using “harsh and ungrateful” to describe Emperor Jiajing couldn’t be more fitting.
Noble Consort Lu Jing was the highest-ranking among currently living consorts in the inner palace and the only one with a son. She was also frequently summoned to attend the emperor in the Western Garden. Therefore, Emperor Jiajing entrusted management of the inner palace to her.
The emperor hadn’t set foot in the inner palace for nearly twenty years. Additionally, the emperor greatly favored Prince Jing, born to Noble Consort Lu Jing, while being very cold toward Prince Yu, whose birth mother died early and who was only one month older than Prince Jing. It was rumored the emperor intended Prince Jing as heir apparent. Thus Noble Consort Lu Jing held absolute power in the inner palace, acting autocratically with power of life and death. Though lacking an empress’s title, she wielded an empress’s authority.
This day, Prince Jing entered the palace to routinely pay respects to Noble Consort Lu Jing, “Mother Consort, your son has been married several years, yet the princess consort and concubines haven’t even managed to raise a single princess. During this maiden selection, Mother Consort must choose several fertile ones for your son. If your son can produce a son before Third Brother, the heir position will be secure.”
Author’s Note: The villain is in position—the real conflict begins now.