The Grand Madam’s weeping brought the Empress up short.
The Grand Madam wept more bitterly still. “Your Majesty is the mother — you may still weep aloud. But a father — even with ten thousand layers of pain, he cannot give voice to a single word of it. I remember when my eldest son passed away — the late Marquis did not eat a single mouthful for three days…”
Before she had finished, the Empress buried her face in her hands and wept openly and without restraint.
The entire room wept along with her.
The Grand Madam could no longer hold back and went to the bedside. “Your Majesty, please compose yourself!”
The Empress suddenly rose and took the Grand Madam in her arms. “Mother… the fifth child, he… he…”
Beside them, a palace maid wearing a purple round-collar narrow-sleeved jacket over a gold-sashed red skirt with embroidered small chrysanthemum branches changed color sharply. Shiyiniang immediately understood — the Empress had committed an impropriety.
She stepped forward two paces and said quietly to the palace maid, “Her Majesty perhaps has things she wishes to say to the Grand Madam in private.”
The palace maid had already realized what was happening and had been signaling to the nearby maids and eunuchs with her eyes. Hearing Shiyiniang put it this way, she immediately replied, “What the Lady says is true.” She and Shiyiniang exchanged a glance, then she took the lead in walking out.
The attending palace maids, ladies-in-waiting, and eunuchs all moved with speed and silence, withdrawing without a sound and taking their places standing far off in the center of the courtyard. The palace maid carefully pulled the hall doors closed. She and Shiyiniang walked down to the foot of the steps, where she curtsied to Shiyiniang. “This servant, Huang Xianying, pays respects to the Lady.”
Shiyiniang quickly returned the courtesy. “Miss Huang is too formal!”
Her eyes, however, quietly took stock.
Not yet past twenty, slight of build, with a composed and elegant appearance. There was a careful wariness in her brow, alongside the assurance of one accustomed to serving in a position of authority.
She appeared to be among the senior female officials of the Palace of Earthly Tranquility.
Shiyiniang slipped a small sachet of silver her way. “We meet for the first time — please accept this, Miss Huang.”
Miss Huang was mildly surprised. She smiled slightly, accepted it, and expressed her thanks. She then excused herself. “This servant must still attend to Her Majesty and cannot keep the Lady company.”
Shiyiniang inclined her head gently. “Please go attend to your duties, Miss Huang. I shall wait here.”
Saying this, she moved to stand beside the western crabapple tree.
Miss Huang smiled faintly and went to wait in the side hall.
Shiyiniang had been standing there a little while when she heard a commotion outside.
“This consort only wishes to come and pay her respects to Her Majesty the Empress…” The voice was soft and feeble, pitifully forlorn.
“The Imperial Noble Consort is asked to pardon this servant.” Eunuch Lei’s voice was steady, neither servile nor overbearing. “Her Majesty the Empress is greatly distraught and requires rest. These are His Majesty’s instructions, and this servant dares not defy them. The Imperial Noble Consort is most welcome to choose another day to visit.”
The tender, pliant voice pleaded earnestly, but Eunuch Lei was immovable. In the end, the Imperial Noble Consort — whose voice alone was enough to inspire compassion — departed with evident reluctance.
Something shifted in Shiyiniang’s heart.
The palace eunuchs were all keen observers with ears tuned to every direction. For Eunuch Lei to dare stand against an Imperial Noble Consort, he surely had someone of standing behind him.
The Great Zhou Dynasty had been established for a hundred years and was in the full flourishing of a peaceful age. She did not believe Xu Lingyi’s reach extended this far. So — the one behind Eunuch Lei was either the Emperor, or the Empress.
Shiyiniang gazed thoughtfully at the eastern warm chamber.
After the Imperial Noble Consort’s departure, more visitors came in succession — the Worthy Consort, the Serene Consort, Imperial Concubine Zhang, Imperial Concubine Song, Beauty Yang, and Beauty Yu each arrived one by one in their turn, all of them turned away at the door by Eunuch Lei.
The sky gradually darkened, and the wind that struck the body was piercingly cold.
A small palace maid brought over a hand-warmer. “My Lady, please take this to ward off the chill.”
Shiyiniang smiled and thanked her, rewarding her with two small silver ingots weighing eight parts each. She then pretended to be idly curious and asked, “I have heard that Imperial Concubine Song is very beautiful — is that so?”
The little palace maid nodded and said quietly, “She and Beauty Yang were formerly musicians in the palace.”
Which was to say — of humble origin, advancing by their looks.
Shiyiniang smiled faintly.
The Yang family truly was relentless in trying to discredit her.
Though methods this crude were transparent to anyone with eyes. No wonder Madam Zhou paid her no mind!
She was still turning this over in her mind when Miss Huang gently lifted the curtain of the main hall and nodded to her. “Her Majesty the Empress asks the Lady to come in.” She then gestured to some palace maids: “Go — bring warm water for the Grand Madam to wash her face!”
Shiyiniang understood from this that the emotions of both women inside had calmed. She followed Miss Huang into the eastern warm chamber.
The Empress was reclining against the large bolster; the Grand Madam was seated on the embroidered stool beside the bed. Both had reddened eyes and noses, and were still dabbing at the corners of their eyes with handkerchiefs.
Shiyiniang stepped forward and curtsied to the Empress in the ceremonial greeting, then stood silent behind the Grand Madam. Palace maids had already brought warm water in; Miss Huang led five or six palace maids in attending to the Empress’s face, while Shiyiniang, assisted by a small palace maid, attended to the Grand Madam. No one spoke. The room was hushed, the only sounds being the water and the wringing of cloths.
Before long, both the Empress and the Grand Madam had been tidied up. The Grand Madam rose and took her leave. “Your Majesty must take care of your health. This old servant will come again to see you tomorrow.”
The Empress looked toward her mother, fresh tears glimmering at the corners of her eyes. “The hour is late — Grand Madam, please take care on your way.”
The two of them reverted to the polite distance of ruler and subject.
The Grand Madam expressed her thanks, and Shiyiniang stepped forward to support her out of the hall.
They came face-to-face with Eunuch Lei. Seeing the Grand Madam and Shiyiniang, he bowed in greeting and said at the same time, “His Majesty and the Third Prince have arrived!” Without waiting for the Grand Madam to respond, he hurried into the main hall.
The Grand Madam let out a long, slow breath. She and Shiyiniang left the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, and at the palace gate they encountered His Majesty arriving in a warm palanquin with a full procession before and behind him. Both women quickly moved to the side of the wall.
The palanquin, however, stopped. The Emperor stepped out and greeted the Grand Madam. “Grand Madam!”
The Grand Madam immediately knelt down. Shiyiniang, with no thought for the cold stone flags beneath her knees, followed and knelt as well — the chill of the flagstones quickly seeped through.
“Grand Madam, please rise!” The Emperor’s voice was warm. A young figure in bright yellow robes with a coiling dragon pattern came striding quickly forward to take the Grand Madam’s arm, and said to Shiyiniang, “Marchioness of Yongping, please rise.”
“This old servant thanks the Third Prince.” The Grand Madam thanked the young man and rose, steadying herself with some trembling.
Shiyiniang added a quiet “My thanks to the Third Prince,” and then rose and took the Grand Madam’s other arm.
The young man addressed as the Third Prince looked at Shiyiniang with curiosity.
Shiyiniang took the opportunity to glance at the Third Prince in turn.
He was no more than eleven or twelve years of age, with a fair complexion and a pair of phoenix eyes identical to Xu Lingyi’s.
A nephew takes after his maternal uncle!
For no reason she could explain, this thought suddenly rose in Shiyiniang’s mind.
“The hour is late,” the Emperor said to those around him. “Have my warm palanquin escort the Grand Madam out of the palace.”
The Grand Madam made to kneel again in refusal.
The Emperor had already said, “Tai’er — you escort the Grand Madam out of the palace!”
The Third Prince immediately bowed in acknowledgment.
The Emperor turned and entered the Palace of Earthly Tranquility.
The Third Prince called for attendants to bring the warm palanquin.
The Grand Madam took hold of the Third Prince’s hand. “There is no need — walk with this old servant for a little while.”
The Third Prince said quietly, “Grand Madam, you would do well to follow my Father’s wishes. You are sometimes a little too cautious, and it makes Father uneasy in his heart.”
Shiyiniang felt a small jolt inside.
She had not expected the Third Prince, young as he was, to have such understanding. Were royal children particularly precocious? She thought of Xu Siyu…
She couldn’t help glancing at the Third Prince.
He happened to raise his head, and their eyes met.
Shiyiniang gave him a perfectly composed nod. The Third Prince’s manner was composed in return; he inclined his head slightly and devoted his full attention to supporting the Grand Madam. “Wait here a moment — the warm palanquin will be here shortly. If we leave any later, the palace gates will be barred for the night. Moreover, the Board of Rites has just petitioned my Father — the fifth brother’s funeral rites are to be held on par with those of a prince; he is to be placed in his coffin tomorrow, and all princes, great ministers, officials, princesses, and inner and outer titled ladies of the fourth rank and above in the capital are to gather and pay their respects. The weather is cold — there is much to be done, and Mother still needs your guidance and comfort. You must look after your health.”
These words moved the Grand Madam to tears. “The Third Prince is right, the Third Prince is right. This old servant will certainly take care of herself — please set your mind at ease.”
The Third Prince offered several more words of comfort. The attendants arrived with the warm palanquin. He personally helped the Grand Madam in, then he and Shiyiniang escorted it, one on each side, to the Eastern Gate.
The Xu family’s carriage had long been waiting at the Eastern Gate. Xu Lingyi and the Fifth Master were both standing by the carriage. Seeing the Third Prince, they came forward at once to pay their respects.
The Third Prince looked at Xu Lingyi, his eyes growing red around the rims. He called out “My Lord!” — and in that moment, there was something of the child about him.
Xu Lingyi said in a low voice, faintly surprised, “How is the Third Prince here?”
The Third Prince replied, “Father and I went to see Mother, and encountered the Grand Madam. He had me see her on her way.”
Xu Lingyi said thoughtfully, “The Third Prince would do best to return early. His Majesty is taken up day and night with affairs of state — such opportunities are not common.” He looked at him steadily as he spoke.
The Third Prince seemed to understand the weight of this, and immediately said, “My Lord, take care of yourself — I will go back to the palace now!” Saying this, he clasped his hands toward Xu Lingyi, then nodded to the Grand Madam and the Fifth Master, and set off at a brisk pace back toward the Palace of Earthly Tranquility with his attendants.
Xu Lingyi helped the Grand Madam up into the carriage. “We can speak when we are home!”
The Grand Madam nodded, and she and Shiyiniang boarded the carriage. Xu Lingyi rode in the carriage ahead; the Fifth Master rode in the one behind. Together they rolled off and disappeared into the darkness of the night.
…
All those of any standing in the Xu household had by now heard of the Fifth Prince’s passing. Everyone went about on tenterhooks, and a heavy, somber atmosphere had settled over the house.
For the evening meal, the whole family gathered — including the Fifth Lady, who had been staying in the rear garden.
They ate the meal in silence. Xu Siqin and his younger brother exchanged a glance, and both immediately rose to take their leave.
Shiyiniang, seeing this, immediately scooped Zhun Ge into her arms and murmured low instructions to Zhen Jie’er: “Soothe him to sleep for me.”
Xu Lingyi glanced at Zhun Ge, lying contentedly in Shiyiniang’s arms, and a flash of surprise passed through his eyes.
And seeing Shiyiniang use this as her excuse to take her leave, the Third Lady also rose to her feet, taking Xu Sijian’s hand. “Jian Ge has an early morning at the study hall tomorrow.”
The Grand Madam nodded, just as she was about to speak, when Xu Lingyi said in a mild, even tone, “Shiyiniang — stay. Zhen Jie’er, take Zhun Ge to rest.”
Everyone except the Grand Madam wore an expression of surprise — including Shiyiniang herself.
Zhen Jie’er, however, seemed to brighten at this. She immediately reached to take Zhun Ge — but being small, she was unable to hold him properly, and he slipped down to the ground. Had it not been for the wet nurse nearby catching him, he might have taken a tumble.
Fortunately, Zhun Ge had always been fond of Zhen Jie’er, and he did not particularly mind the absence of Shiyiniang. He happily took Zhen Jie’er by the hand and went off with her.
The Third Lady gave an awkward smile and left as well with Jian Ge.
The Fifth Master looked toward the Fifth Lady and said quietly, “You go ahead.”
A flicker of displeasure crossed the Fifth Lady’s eyes, but she smiled and nodded, and departed with her maids and attendants clustering around her.