After seeing the newly wedded couple out of the palace, Court Lady Chen returned to the East Pavilion to find the Grand Empress Dowager standing at the edge of the fish pond, feeding the fish. She walked over.
“Have they left?”
Jiang Shi tossed a spoonful of fish food into the water and asked.
Court Lady Chen nodded in affirmation. She looked at the plump, round-headed red carp in the water swaying their way toward the food, and smiled: “It seems His Highness the Prince already fed them. These fish are like people — eat too much and they will surely get bloated.”
Jiang Shi handed her the fish food jar, and said: “Such a grown man, still acting like a child — he never forgot his fish. Of all my grandchildren, he was the most mischievous as a child. He messed around with these fish, leaving me stuck feeding them every day to this very day.”
The tone of her words sounded like complaints, but they were full of partiality and fondness.
Jiang Shi herself had never had children of her own. Among all the descendants of the Li imperial house, none had any direct blood relation to her. Yet she was like any ordinary elderly person — privately playing favorites, and her favor had fallen on this youngest grandson, Prince Qin.
From what Court Lady Chen could see, the reason Jiang Shi was fond of Prince Qin was that from childhood he had not only been endearing to look at, but genuinely so in disposition as well — and had struck a chord with Jiang Shi.
The elderly court lady smiled: “Has His Highness not just started a family? From now on with the Princess Consort as his companion, Your Majesty the Grand Empress Dowager need no longer fret.”
Jiang Shi smiled slightly, then said: “What do you make of the Princess Consort of Qin?”
Because of the matter of how she had made Jiang Shi laugh with wholehearted delight today, the court lady had a rather favorable impression of her. She thought it over and said: “Bold. But her temperament is not bad.”
Jiang Shi nodded: “This little girl is bold — I actually knew that some time ago.”
Court Lady Chen was mildly surprised: “How did Your Majesty the Grand Empress Dowager know beforehand?”
Jiang Shi said: “On the night of the birthday celebration, I noticed this little girl lurking in the crowd and watching me, though I had no idea what she intended. Seeing her again today, she is indeed quite bold.”
Prince Qin had once admitted directly that he had affection for the Princess Consort. With that affection transferred to the object of his love, Court Lady Chen’s thoughts instinctively turned toward the favorable: “Looking at how the Princess Consort revered Your Majesty the Grand Empress Dowager today, it did not appear to be pretense. And observing her demeanor, there was much that was charmingly artless and unaffected. Perhaps when she was in He Xi she had heard a great deal of the common folk’s admiration for Your Majesty, and being caught up in the scene of the birthday celebration that night, she lost herself for a moment out of genuine feeling?”
Jiang Shi said: “The first time Pu Youzhi’s granddaughter came to me, she was cautious and concealing her true abilities at every turn — not the sort of person you describe as naturally artless and without scheming. Think about it: she was exiled to the frontier as a child, carrying a criminal charge, and grew up in a place like He Xi. Yet within two days of returning to the capital she was handling everything fittingly and without fault. How could she possibly be someone simple? Concealing one’s brilliance and biding one’s time, using submission to achieve one’s aims — this, I believe, is her true inner nature.”
Court Lady Chen was taken aback.
Jiang Shi continued: “However, I do not consider a woman possessing such qualities to be a bad thing. It all depends on where those qualities are directed, and whether it is the righteous path.”
She paused, and a hint of solitude appeared on her face.
“I am old. One day I will die…”
“Your Majesty the Grand Empress Dowager!” Court Lady Chen’s eyes filled with sorrow, and she immediately spoke out to stop her.
Jiang Shi smiled: “Everyone dies. The common folk compare me to the Queen Mother of the West — surely I would not truly believe I was the Queen Mother of the West? What is there to avoid saying? There is no taboo in speaking of death. Once I am dead, what comes after I cannot see, and even less can I govern. So I only hope the Princess Consort of Qin is a woman who can stand on her own two feet. First stand firm herself, and then if she can further help him avoid disaster and misfortune, and the two of them live in peace into old age together — then I can rest easy.”
Court Lady Chen had served by Jiang Shi’s side for many years and deeply understood all that lay hidden behind her half-lifetime of supreme power and boundless glory — the things that could never be spoken. The corners of her eyes could not help but grow red, yet she said in a light tone: “Your Majesty the Grand Empress Dowager speaks truly. Since the Princess Consort is able to conceal her brilliance and bide her time, use submission to achieve her aims, and she and Prince Qin are in perfect harmony like zither and lute, are they not just a pair made by heaven and earth for one another? Your Majesty need have no worries.”
A leaf drifted down onto the surface of the water, drawing several fat-headed golden carp gliding over to nibble at it, and the water rippled with ring after ring of fine, spreading circles.
Jiang Shi said: “One can only hope. May this not be an ill-fated union, but a fortunate one.”
She gazed at the fish playing with the leaf below the water, lost in thought for a moment, then suddenly said: “I wish to go to An’guo Temple to offer incense and make a vow. Arrange it for me as soon as possible.”
…
The large bathing tub in the bathing room was new, and after being soaked in the hot water, it gave off a faint, clean fragrance of camphor wood. Pu Zhu soaked in it with great comfort, being attended to as she bathed by the two maidservants named Hong’er and Qing’er who had come with Nanny Huang. She also added on purpose to the bath water a perfume she had earlier asked Ju A’mu to make for her using apricot blossoms. When she came out of the bath, her entire person, from her hair to her skin, was enveloped in the floral fragrance she loved.
She combed her long hair until it was smooth and silky, and when it wound around her fingers it felt like holding a length of gleaming black satin — cool and slippery. She was almost reluctant to pin it up into a bun. In the end she chose from her jewelry box a hairpin of unusual but elegant design — a golden hairpin in the shape of a snake holding a raindrop in its mouth — and instructed a maidservant to use it to pin her long hair up.
The reason she chose a gold hairpin rather than a jade one was because she had considered that in the candlelight of the evening, the contrast of her satin-smooth black hair and the gleaming gold of the hairpin would complement each other, showing off all the more her creamy, lustrous beauty.
Her hair arranged, she put on a moon-white gauze jacket, tied a pomegranate skirt woven with gradated brocade, slipped her delicate jade feet into snow-white silk socks, then put on a pair of cloud-tipped shoes to match the skirt, and when she was done dressing, she looked at herself in the bronze mirror once more.
Dew-fresh and newly composed, her graceful figure was reflected in the mirror — she was quite satisfied with what she saw.
Hong’er, following her instructions, had already brought the food box and was waiting outside the door.
Pu Zhu was about to leave, then stopped in her tracks. She took out from the bottom drawer of her dressing case a thin little booklet, opened it, and checked once more the dates listed inside. She calculated in her head the timing of her monthly cycle, confirmed there was no issue, and only then left the bedchamber. She took the small food box from Hong’er’s hand, went out through a rear side door of the bedchamber, passed through a long corridor, and finally stopped before a door at the far end of the corridor.
This was Li Xuandu’s quiet room. Since returning from Penglai Palace, he had been in here all afternoon without taking a single step out.
Luo Bao — that attendant who kept watch — was standing outside the door. Seeing her come, he walked over and bowed with a lowered head.
Pu Zhu stopped: “Is His Highness inside?”
“Yes.”
Pu Zhu stepped around Luo Bao and headed for the door. Luo Bao said quietly: “His Highness has gone to sleep…” The words had barely left his mouth, and seeing the Princess Consort appear not to have heard, he did not dare to stop her either. He turned his head to watch as she walked to the door and knocked.
Pu Zhu waited a moment, received no response, and cautiously gave a light push to open the door, then walked inside.
The sky had gone completely dark. There were no lights burning in the quiet room — it was pitch black.
She stood just inside the doorway for a moment, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the dimness inside. Then she walked in, made her way around a curtain screen, and caught sight of a reclining figure on the cloud-patterned bed across the room. She set the food box down, carefully avoided the obstacles in her way, and finally came to stop with light and careful steps in front of the lamp stand.
She felt for it and lit the lamp. The candle flame cast its light, and the interior of the room was suddenly bright.
Both the north and south windows were wide open. A gust of night wind surged in from the south window, making the candlelight sway and flutter. She looked toward the cloud-patterned bed, but to her surprise found him clearly lying there with open eyes, not getting up, watching her coldly.
Obviously he had not been asleep at all. He had simply left her to fumble around in front of him.
Pu Zhu moved to close the windows, when she suddenly heard the person behind her say: “No need to close them. What have you come for?”
Pu Zhu turned her head and saw Li Xuandu rise languidly from the cloud-patterned bed. He looked down and tidied the wide Daoist robe draped loosely over him, its collar fallen open. Once he had straightened his collar and lapels, he raised his eyes and looked toward her.
Pu Zhu was reminded of that day at dusk in the rain, when he had been drinking alone in the quiet room of the Daoist temple — the image of crimson grape wine running down his throat and along his neck down to his chest.
She immediately did not dare look him in the eye. She pretended to look around at the surroundings and averted her gaze.
This quiet room was arranged and furnished in much the same way as the place he had lived in at the Daoist temple — a cloud-patterned bed, a single seat cushion, a few blue silk curtains, a long table, an incense burner, and against one wall a row of cases full of scriptures and books. That was all. At a glance it was simple and spare.
After surveying the room, she steadied her nerves as well, and looked toward Li Xuandu again. She smiled and said: “I did not see you come for the evening meal — were you fasting? Afraid you might be hungry, and having nothing else to do, I brought some food over. Tonight there is pigeon braised in milk broth — I tasted it and it was quite good, so I specifically set aside a portion for you. It is still warm. You should eat.”
She took the food vessel from the food box, made as if to hand it to him, and heard him say: “No need. I am not hungry.”
This sort of refusal was to be expected. She had not counted on him eating it either — it had only ever been a pretext for coming to find him.
She did not press the matter, set the food down, and walked over to the cloud-patterned bed. She said: “There is something I have not dared to conceal from you. This morning I asked Ye Xiao about the assassination attempt the night before last. I learned you had suppressed the matter and ordered that no one be pursued in search. I am very grateful…”
Li Xuandu’s expression showed impatience. Pu Zhu, reading his face, quickly spoke before he could open his mouth: “Hear me out. I bring this up not only to thank you for your generosity, but more to apologize to you for this undeserved misfortune you suffered. Cui Xuan and I are both descendants of convicted officials. We came to know one another in He Xi and, being kindred spirits in misfortune, formed a friendship. It is entirely my past fault — being vague and unclear in my words — that led Cui Xuan into this misunderstanding. He must have acted out of loyalty to me, and thus committed this grievous error. I am deeply grateful for your tolerance, Your Highness. Please accept my bow of apology.”
Li Xuandu watched her bow before him, his expression unchanged. He said “Go back,” then lay down again on his side, his back to her.
Naturally Pu Zhu did not leave. She looked at his back and said: “Your Highness, I came to find you with another very important matter I wish to discuss — something that cannot be known by outsiders. I fear I cannot command your people, so I must trouble you to first dismiss them.”
Li Xuandu slowly turned his head, his gaze settling on her, and they looked at each other for a moment. Then he frowned slightly, raised his voice somewhat and called out toward the outside: “Withdraw!”
Pu Zhu heard Luo Bao outside answer in acknowledgment, then heard retreating footsteps.
She herself went around closing the open windows one by one. Turning her head, she saw him watching her with a frown, clearly displeased with her behavior. She thought privately that he certainly did enjoy sleeping in thin clothes with windows open — as though he were not afraid of getting aching knees and painful bones in old age. Aloud she said: “Once the matter is spoken, I will open the windows again for Your Highness.”
Li Xuandu made no objection. He watched her shut the windows tightly and come back, then kneel down on the seat cushion in front of him. The two of them were separated by an incense burner between them. She began: “Your Highness, have you ever wondered why the Emperor arranged this marriage between us?”
Li Xuandu looked at her solemn expression, arched his brow slightly — a sign of response.
Pu Zhu drew a slow, deep breath, and said: “I dare not conceal this from Your Highness. Three months ago, on the day after I received the imperial edict of betrothal, I went to the palace to express gratitude for the imperial grace. The Emperor summoned me to the Moon Laurel Hall of the Zichen Palace, and that was when I learned the Emperor’s true intent.”
“The Emperor is on his guard against you in many ways. He knows you are secretly planning something significant, yet without evidence he cannot act openly. He ordered me, in my capacity as Princess Consort, to carry out day-and-night surveillance of you. The Nanny Huang who came with me — she was sent by Shen Gao.”
She finished speaking and fixed her gaze firmly on the figure seated on the cloud-patterned bed across from her, waiting for his expression to change with shock and alarm, for him to negotiate terms with her.
A wisp of night wind crept in from somewhere unknown and stirred the candleflame, causing the shadow cast on the wall behind him to rock and sway without ceasing.
And yet he showed not the slightest reaction she had been expecting. His expression was indifferent, and after a moment of silence he said calmly: “Given that this is so, why do you tell me?”
Pu Zhu was inwardly astonished, for this was not the response she had anticipated. She felt even more disappointed than expected.
But very quickly, she steadied herself again.
Li Xuandu was also a suspicious man — on a par with the Emperor. Since he was planning something great, he would naturally be on his guard in every direction, and would not be easily taken in by anyone. The imperial match had, in all likelihood, already given rise to his doubts. What she had said was no more than a confirmation of what he had already suspected — hence his lack of reaction.
Pu Zhu’s confidence was instantly restored. She answered: “This is precisely what I wish to discuss with you. To be frank, in order to control me, the Emperor promised me lavish rewards, and also placed my A’mu under house arrest. He thought that in doing so, I would obey his commands. What he did not realize is that it doubled my revulsion. I have no wish to be a piece moved at the Emperor’s will, and so I have revealed the truth to Your Highness. From now on, Your Highness may rest assured — I will not only keep Your Highness’s secrets, but at the crucial moment when Your Highness makes your move, using my identity, I could be of great assistance.”
She finished speaking and looked again at the figure across from her.
Li Xuandu said nothing. His gaze rested on her face, scrutinizing her, his expression looking somehow peculiar.
This was the first time, in all their acquaintance, that he had fixed his gaze on her face for such a length of time.
Being watched by him like this, Pu Zhu began to feel a creeping unease inside.
This was too strange.
Tonight, every single one of his reactions had departed from her plans.
In her original plan, after she revealed this secret to him, the two of them would smoothly negotiate their terms, and then… things would follow their natural course, completing the marital rites they had not completed the night before.
The booklet she had consulted before coming had been purchased at great expense from a well-known physician specializing in women’s medicine at the southern market, during those months of waiting for the wedding. The booklet secretly instructed women in the methods of conceiving a son. Besides teaching women how to cultivate and preserve their bodies and nurture their essence, it also guided them on which specific days after the monthly cycle, and at which precise hours on those days, intimate relations were most likely to result in conception. If the auspicious hour was observed precisely, getting a son was by no means a dream. Even if the woman failed to observe the correct hour exactly and could not produce a son, in nine cases out of ten she would still conceive a daughter.
The booklet was said to be widely circulated and very effective. She had calculated the days. Today was the last day this month on which she could achieve conception of a son. After today, even if she and Li Xuandu were together on any of the remaining days this month, it would be to no avail. So this opportunity had to be seized.
She had not expected Li Xuandu’s reaction to be what it was — just staring at her, without a single word.
What on earth was he thinking?
She suppressed the unease rising in her heart, cleared her throat slightly and said: “What do you mean? Do you still not believe in the Emperor’s suspicions of you? I do not mean to frighten you deliberately — the Emperor’s intent toward you is clearly to remove you as soon as possible. I swear to heaven that if a single word of what I say is false, then let me…”
“What are your terms?” He suddenly spoke, cutting off her words.
Pu Zhu relaxed.
At last things were returning to how they ought to be.
“I have taken such risks and given up the lavish rewards the Emperor promised me in order to help you — naturally I require something in return. I demand that you swear a solemn oath: that after you ascend the throne, you will make me Empress, make the son I bear you Crown Prince. Both, without exception!”
“That is my one condition. Given that I am already your Princess Consort, such a condition should not be considered excessive, should it?”
Li Xuandu continued to look at her like that, and after a moment, a smile appeared on his face: “So you have so quickly accepted that you cannot become Crown Princess, and have decided I will usurp the throne in the future, giving you the chance to become Empress?”
In front of him, Pu Zhu had no need to conceal herself.
Back in He Xi, to prevent him from ruining her plans with Li Chengyu, she had already laid bare all her desires before him. Now, things having come to this point, what was there left to conceal?
She chose her words carefully and said: “Your Highness, between you and me there is no feeling to speak of — I know Your Highness even holds considerable distaste for me. If I were to tell you I am devoted to you, you would not believe me, would you? So I will speak plainly. I think this arrangement is best for both of us. We help one another to mutual benefit. Once the matter is accomplished, you will be Emperor, master of all under heaven, while all I will have is that one corner of the inner palace. Surely that is not too much to ask.”
Li Xuandu said: “What you ask is not excessive. But I fear I must disappoint you…”
He gazed at the beautiful face before him, slightly hazy in the curling wisps of incense smoke rising from the burner between them.
“It is a pity — in this lifetime, I am unlikely to be able to help you realize your wish.”
“I have no intention of usurping the throne.”
He said it slowly and deliberately.