Walking about thirty meters down the sloping tomb passage, the first tomb door also sealed shut before Mu Chun. He burned piles of spirit money for each of his parents, then knelt before their joint burial tomb and said in a low voice:
“Mother, they say that after death, once the forty-ninth day passes, souls drink Meng Po’s soup and reincarnate. Counting the days, Mother should now be twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, perhaps one of our new immigrants in Yunnan. People should look forward – when someone dies, their lamp goes out. Your remains have resided here for twenty-nine years, but your soul has already been reborn, probably not knowing you now have such a detestable neighbor. Mother has now been posthumously granted the title Princess Zhaojing, but these are all empty honors, useless to your current life. Your son only hopes that in this lifetime, Mother will be happy and joyful.”
Mu Chun left with the massive funeral procession, leaving behind paper money burned to ash and offerings of wine and meat. The tomb keeper dragged a broom to clean up the scattered mess, stirring up flakes of ash that danced like black butterflies across Guanyin Mountain’s vast expanse.
Deep into the night, wild cats and dogs came in packs, drawn by the smell. They held a feast atop the grave, fighting over wine and meat. Initially, the tomb keeper would wave sticks to drive away the wild dogs and arrange the offerings properly, but before long, the stray cats and dogs returned. After several rounds of this, the tomb keeper grew tired and slept soundly in his bedding, letting them make their noise.
By morning, the grave offerings had been consumed. Several drunken dogs still lay sprawled on the spot. The tomb keeper cursed as he drove away the beasts, washed the grave clean without leaving a trace of grease, placed a few pots of flowers, and finally achieved peace.
Through wind and rain, through a hundred years of vicissitudes, the Mu family kept their promise, generation after generation guarding Yunnan. One by one, Mu family men and women died in Yunnan or Beijing and were transported thousands of miles to be buried at their ancestral grave on Guanyin Mountain in Jiangning County, Nanjing. Even after three hundred years when the Mu family perished along with the Ming Dynasty, tomb keepers still protected this place.
Another two hundred years passed. The Chinese landscape was shattered under foreign powers’ gunboats and cannons. Ritual and music collapsed, the Chinese land became a living hell. The Mu family tombs were visited by waves of grave robbers. Local Nanjing grave robbers and the infamous “Jiangning Great Thief” Tang Yonghai finally set his sights on Mu Ying’s tomb, smashed open Mu Ying’s coffin, and extracted the most valuable burial item – a Yuan dynasty blue and white porcelain vase depicting Xiao He pursuing Han Xin under moonlight.
Nanjing Mayor Liu Bocheng ordered the capture and execution of this Jiangning Great Thief. The Xiao He pursuing Han Xin vase that had accompanied Mu Ying for over five hundred years was sent to the Nanjing Museum and became the treasure of the entire collection.
Today’s Guanyin Mountain has transformed from the Mu family cemetery into a scenic area and university town crowded with tourists, from forbidden ground into a popular travel destination accessible for a fee. Some well-preserved Mu family grave sites were even illegally seized and destroyed by real estate developers to build so-called ecological villa districts.
Just as Ming poet Tang Bohu wrote: “Others laugh at my madness, I laugh that they cannot see through – no flowers, no wine at heroes’ tombs, only hoes working the fields.”
No matter how brave and fearless Mu Ying was, no matter how many generations of Mu family members sacrificed themselves one after another to protect the homeland, the Mu family produced countless heroes and countless scoundrels, heroic praise songs and sordid scandals, bustling and clamoring for over three hundred years.
When all dust settled, even such heroic tombs as the Mu family’s became fields worked with hoes, without flowers or wine.
History is always so coincidental – Tang Bohu’s poem prophesied the future of the Mu family cemetery. In the eleventh year of Hongzhi reign, Tang Bohu participated in the Yingtian Prefecture provincial examination. His brilliant talent caught the attention of a Guangdong examiner who ranked him first. The first place in provincial examinations was called “jieyuan,” so Tang Bohu was known as Tang Jieyuan.
This examiner from Guangdong was also an academic genius. In the fourteenth year of Chenghua reign, he placed first in the metropolitan examination. After the palace examination results were announced, he ranked first in the second tier as “chuanlu” and was selected as a Hanlin Academy probationer. His official career flourished smoothly afterward – he entered the Inner Cabinet and eventually became the Chief Grand Secretary of the Ming Inner Cabinet.
His name was Liang Chu – the grand-nephew of Hu Shanwei’s… colleague Huang Weide.
After Tang Bohu was ranked first in the Yingtian Prefecture examination by Liang Chu, he thought this was the starting point of his life’s peak. In reality, it was his life’s peak – afterward, during the metropolitan examination, Tang Bohu was innocently caught up in an exam question leak scandal and was banned from taking exams for life, ending his official career path.
Having seen through everything, Tang Bohu gained enlightenment about fame and fortune, writing the immortal lines: “Others laugh at my madness, I laugh that they cannot see through – no flowers, no wine at heroes’ tombs, only hoes working the fields.” Yet this also prophesied the future of the Mu family cemetery. In the mysterious workings of fate, how many human joys and sorrows are merely endless cycles repeating.
The human world was thus, and the imperial court – the greatest arena of fame and fortune – was even more so. On her way back to the palace, Hu Shanwei was summoned to the Jinyiwei headquarters by Commander Mao Qiang.
“Is this what you hired an escort agency to send me?” Mao Qiang pushed a brocade box toward Hu Shanwei.
Hu Shanwei nodded. “To be precise, I had Haitang send it from an escort agency in Yanzhou.”
Mao Qiang: “Then you immediately had Ji Gang dispatch Jinyiwei secret agents to watch the ten escorts, seeing who would switch or peek at the contents of this small box along the way.”
Hu Shanwei: “Correct.”
Fearing accidents, the escorts traveled almost day and night in shifts, so the box reached Mao Qiang five days earlier.
Mao Qiang opened the small box – inside was a red pill and two pages of letter paper. He shook the letter: “This letter states that Prince Lu Huang died from arsenic poisoning from pills, that it was accidental. Prince Lu Huang miscalculated his formula and poisoned himself. This pill is the evidence. Look through it yourself – has anyone imitated your handwriting and switched the letter?”
Hu Shanwei unfolded the letter and read carefully from beginning to end. “That’s correct. This is what I wrote – nothing deleted, nothing changed or added.”
Mao Qiang asked: “What you wrote in the letter isn’t the complete truth, is it? Otherwise, why would you have Ji Gang assign surveillance?”
Hu Shanwei said: “I wrote half the truth in my letter. The other half I concealed – someone added pure arsenic to the white alum that Prince Lu Huang always used for alchemy. Court Physician Ru identified this. Her medical skills and character are well known to you, Commander Mao. Since white alum and arsenic look similar, Prince Lu Huang didn’t notice. So whoever poisoned Prince Lu Huang is the person interested in this small box’s contents.”
Mao Qiang remained very composed, his face showing no emotion: “During the escorts’ journey, someone tried to switch the contents but was captured by the Jinyiwei. After several days of interrogation and torture, they confessed that their mastermind was Prince Qin. Prince Qin poisoned Prince Lu Huang to frame the Crown Prince, sowing discord between the Eastern Palace and Noble Consort Guo, as well as between the Eastern Palace and the Guo family. Using the Guo family’s hand to trip up the Eastern Palace and depose the Crown Prince. With the Crown Prince removed, Prince Qin as the second prince would naturally enter the Eastern Palace due to his senior status.”
Hearing this result, Hu Shanwei laughed bitterly in extreme anger.
Mao Qiang raised an eyebrow. “What are you laughing about?”
Hu Shanwei restrained her smile: “Prince Qin is utterly evil – he’s like a heavy-flavored hotpot that throws in any meat, vegetables, tofu, real or fake, everything gets cooked and eaten regardless of taste. But Commander Mao, this hotpot’s heavy flavors can’t fool my taste buds. I cannot ‘swallow’ this result.”
Previously, Hu Shanwei hadn’t failed to consider the deranged Prince Qin. With Noble Consort Guo about to become Empress, Prince Lu Huang would be the only legitimate son, threatening Crown Prince Zhu Biao who was the eldest illegitimate son. When the snipe and clam fight, the fisherman profits – Prince Qin was only one year and two months younger than Crown Prince Zhu Biao, ranking second.
However, Prince Qin’s previous misdeeds showed he only cared about satisfying his desires without any sense of the bigger picture. Emperor Hongwu had given up on him, treating him merely as a vassal prince guarding the northwest.
Emperor Hongwu had over twenty sons – he could choose another son as Crown Prince.
Moreover, the Eastern Palace had four imperial grandsons, with Zhu Yunwen and Zhu Yunting both already fifteen and of age – they were also candidates for succession.
Based on Hu Shanwei’s understanding of Emperor Hongwu, he was accustomed to monopolizing power and grew more suspicious with age. Between a son in his prime with strong military forces and a newly adult grandson with no power who depended entirely on his arrangements, whom would he choose as heir?
Naturally the obedient grandson! Given Emperor Hongwu’s personality, how could he tolerate being a retired emperor?
So Prince Qin’s risk in poisoning Prince Lu Huang wouldn’t make him the beneficiary but would instead make wedding clothes for others.
Mao Qiang stared intently at Hu Shanwei as if trying to penetrate her thoughts: “If you don’t accept the Jinyiwei investigation results, then who do you think is the real culprit?”
Hu Shanwei said: “Actually, I wasn’t certain before – only guessing. But now hearing your words, Commander Mao… Even His Majesty would cover for him and frame another son to deceive Noble Consort Guo and stabilize the military-powerful, battle-tested Guo family. So… I don’t need to speak this answer aloud, do I?”
It could only be the Crown Prince.
Only the heir apparent would make Emperor Hongwu frame another son.
If Noble Consort Guo and the Guo brothers learned that Prince Lu Huang died from the Crown Prince’s poison, the consequences would be a shaken succession and national turmoil.
If it were just a prince with an evil reputation, Emperor Hongwu wouldn’t execute Prince Qin – stripping his title, reducing him to commoner status, and confining him to Fengyang would suffice.
This was imperial statecraft.
Indeed, she cannot be deceived. Mao Qiang sighed inwardly while his expression grew stern: “Imperial decree from His Majesty – Court Lady Hu Shanwei of the Palace Bureau kneel to receive the edict!”
Hu Shanwei quickly stood and knelt: “Subject Hu Shanwei receives the edict.”
Mao Qiang proclaimed: “Prince Lu Huang’s death grieves me deeply. However, the heir apparent is the nation’s foundation – pulling one hair moves the whole body. I must consider this carefully. This matter is a state secret. Hu Shanwei must not reveal it to outsiders, only saying Prince Lu Huang died from alchemy mistakes and self-destruction. If you disobey this edict—”
Mao Qiang glanced at the kneeling Hu Shanwei: “Your entire clan will be executed.”
Emperor Hongwu’s threats against Hu Shanwei escalated – first gouging out her eyes, then killing her to accompany Empress Xiaoci in death, now outright killing her entire family!
Hu Shanwei’s heart jumped. She looked up sharply to meet Mao Qiang’s gaze. He nodded at her: “The emperor’s word is bond. Will you not accept the edict?”
Hu Shanwei’s palms were cold with sweat as she kowtowed: “Subject… Hu Shanwei… accepts the edict. Long live His Majesty, long live, long long live.”
After receiving the edict, Hu Shanwei remained kneeling for a long time.
Until Ji Gang came to help her up: “Please return to the palace, Court Lady Hu. If you delay too long, Noble Consort Guo might become suspicious.”
Shen Qionglian had already returned to the palace. Hu Shanwei couldn’t stay at the Jinyiwei headquarters too long.
Slap!
Hu Shanwei knocked away Ji Gang’s hand: “Get lost.”
Ji Gang had known the results all along but kept them from Hu Shanwei, only reporting to Mao Qiang and Emperor Hongwu.
Hiss! Ji Gang sucked in cold air, looking at his fair hand: “Lighter! You’ve left red marks. I am Jinyiwei after all. How could I dare decide on my own to tell you such life-threatening matters? I had to report to Commander Mao first for His Majesty’s decision.”
They were all working people. Hu Shanwei understood Ji Gang’s predicament, but she couldn’t accept reality: speak the truth and face clan execution; remain silent and how could she face Noble Consort Guo’s trust?
Hu Shanwei forcefully pushed away Ji Gang’s hand. Her hand also hurt, but her inner turmoil made her ignore the pain.
Ji Gang advised: “Commander Mao wants you back at the palace soon. Come, I’ll escort you back.” He extended his hand again.
Hu Shanwei dodged aside: “I’ll go myself.”
Hu Shanwei stood up. Without realizing, she had knelt too long – her legs were numb, her knees weak. She nearly fell, but Ji Gang caught her firmly, exclaiming: “Oh my, you’re heavier than I expected.”
Hu Shanwei sat in a chair, rubbing her numb, aching legs.
Ji Gang handed her ginseng tea and continued advising: “It’s just lying, isn’t it? We servants lie nine times out of ten sentences daily. What’s difficult about one lie? Listen to me – His Majesty isn’t leaving the Crown Prince untouched, just waiting for the right time. Today he dares kill his brother, tomorrow he might dare commit regicide. But this has nothing to do with us. Let the Zhu family fight for power while we watch coldly. A Zhu family member will be emperor regardless, and we’ll all depend on the emperor for our livelihood. Any emperor is the same.”
“As they say, there are no fathers and sons in gambling halls. In power struggles, especially imperial power, it’s even more… ahem, I only dare speak such deadly words to you. You must understand – your entire family’s lives are in His Majesty’s hands. We Jinyiwei know clearly when your father goes to the Entertainment Quarter for tea. If His Majesty decides to act, I alone cannot stop him.”
“I’m tired,” Hu Shanwei said wearily, her gaze somewhat unfocused.
Ji Gang thought she was frightened and comforted her: “Don’t worry. As long as you don’t expose the Crown Prince, His Majesty will continue valuing you. Do you know what kind of people in the palace have short lives and what kind live long?”
Hu Shanwei remained silent.
Ji Gang answered himself: “Those who know imperial secrets have short lives, but those who know many imperial secrets live very long. It’s like gambling debts – if you owe someone ten taels of silver, they’re your master. But if you owe someone 100,000 taels, they have to call you master. You won’t have problems – I guarantee it. You’ll be safe until I’m not.”
Hu Shanwei snorted coldly: “Men’s words can’t be trusted. I trusted you so much, yet you immediately sold me to Mao Qiang.”
Ji Gang scratched his head embarrassedly: “You and Commander Mao are equally important to me. You’re my friend, Commander Mao is my… anyway, very important to me. Don’t make things difficult.”
Hu Shanwei asked Ji Gang: “After being Jinyiwei for so many years, doing so many unspeakable things, don’t you feel tired?”
“Tired,” Ji Gang said. “Sometimes I really don’t want to continue, but aside from being Jinyiwei, I can’t do anything else. Besides looking good, I have no other advantages. In other government offices, people would bully and look down on me. I’ll never have another superior who truly cares for me and appreciates me like Commander Mao. Besides, if I left, Commander Mao would be very lonely.”
Hu Shanwei said dejectedly: “No matter what I do, the imperial court won’t change. Life and death, like rising and falling tides, flowers blooming and withering – all follow natural timing, not subject to human will. What’s the meaning of everything I’ve done?”
Ji Gang mocked: “What misunderstanding do you have about the imperial court? The court has always been a place of mutual deception, bullying the weak, heartless and faithless. Everything has rules. You can change the surface but not the essence.”
Hu Shanwei was struck speechless. Had everything always been my wishful thinking, like seeking fish in a tree?
A small voice in Hu Shanwei’s heart whispered: “Just because it’s always been this way, does that make it right?” But it lasted only an instant before being overwhelmed by surging fatigue and helplessness.
Hu Shanwei stood up: “Return to the palace.”
In the palace, spring light was beautiful. Silken threads floated by spring pavilions, fallen catkins lightly touched embroidered curtains. Swallows carried mud, flying into drooping willows. Catkins wanted to settle but wind wouldn’t stop, cuckoos called among countless mountains.
Almost sick with accumulated depression, Hu Shanwei seemed to hear thousands of cuckoos crying in unison: “Better to return home! Better to return home!”
Back at court, after brief rest, Hu Shanwei changed into plain clothes to visit Noble Consort Guo at Zhongcui Palace.
Along the way, Hu Shanwei repeatedly convinced herself: even if Noble Consort Guo knew the truth, what could she do? She was about to become Empress with the powerful Guo family behind her – what could she do to the Crown Prince?
Noble Consort Guo would be caught between revenge and endurance. Each time she saw the Crown Prince respectfully greeting her, calling her “Mother,” she would suffer unbearably, thinking of her son who died in agony from poison-blinded eyes.
She couldn’t avenge her son yet had to play loving mother and filial son with her son’s killer. For a mother, how cruel would that be?
Concealing the cruel truth might actually be good for Noble Consort Guo…
Hu Shanwei tried hard to convince herself, but seeing Noble Consort Guo after two months’ separation – her hair completely white, her appearance haggard – guilt, remorse, helplessness, and self-disgust flooded over her like a deluge, making her forget all prepared explanations.
Noble Consort Guo spoke first: “Court Lady Hu has returned. You’ve worked so hard. I see you’re very tired – go rest well. No need to rush paying respects.”
Noble Consort Guo had changed tremendously in nine years – from precarious palace power struggles to gaining recognition from court and country, about to become Empress. She was no longer the repeatedly foolish, death-courting Noble Consort Guo Ning.
Hu Shanwei snapped back to attention and bowed: “I sat in carriages the whole journey – not tiring. I thought Your Highness would be anxious to know about Prince Lu Huang’s funeral and grandson’s health, so I came to report in detail first.”
Noble Consort Guo granted her a seat and listened to Hu Shanwei describe what she had seen and heard at Prince Lu’s mansion in Yanzhou. Hu Shanwei only concealed four matters: Court Physician Ru extracting poison from white alum, the “Alchemy Notes,” the Crown Prince’s threats and enticements in the peach grove, and Haitang placing bait at the escort agency.
No matter what Hu Shanwei said, Noble Consort Guo didn’t interrupt, only occasionally sighing “oh” or “alas.” When Hu Shanwei mentioned the Crown Prince giving the grandson a pet name “Little Guo,” Noble Consort Guo finally spoke: “That’s a good pet name with warning significance. However, when he reaches his first birthday and is entered into the imperial registry, His Majesty, the Ministry of Rites, and the Imperial Clan Court should decide on a formal name early.”
Hu Shanwei spoke for nearly half an hour about the Yanzhou trip.
Finally, Noble Consort Guo shed tears: “My son was truly foolish – poisoning himself. It’s all my fault for not protecting him properly. At fourteen or fifteen, he was led astray into taking pills, becoming addicted beyond cure. If I had been more careful, perhaps this wouldn’t have happened.”
Hearing this, guilt nearly broke Hu Shanwei’s spine. Her face felt as if slapped twice, burning with pain.
Hu Shanwei dared not look directly at Noble Consort Guo’s tears. She took out her handkerchief and offered it: “Your Highness should not blame yourself. Little Guo is healthy. As the eldest legitimate son, whether he can successfully inherit Prince Lu’s title will need your help. You must take care of your health.”
“Thank you.” Noble Consort Guo’s own handkerchief was already soaked with tears. She accepted Hu Shanwei’s handkerchief, dried her tears, and said: “Your trip to Yanzhou was long and carried heavy responsibility. Actually, as a palace court lady, attending a prince’s funeral isn’t your duty. I was too willful, insisting you make the trip.”
Hearing this, Hu Shanwei wanted to slap herself twice, quickly saying: “Serving Your Highness is naturally my responsibility. You’re too kind. The days ahead are long – if Your Highness has any orders, please command freely.”
Noble Consort Guo said: “You haven’t visited Xiaoling to pay respects to Empress Xiaoci in a long time. You must miss the deer and phoenixes at Xiaoling – you raised those animals with your own hands and have feelings for them. Tomorrow I’ll give you leave to stay at Xiaoling for several days as compensation for your distant journey.”
Actually, without Noble Consort Guo’s suggestion, Hu Shanwei would have found an excuse to request leave to meet Mu Chun at Xiaoling. With Noble Consort Guo offering, Hu Shanwei went with the flow: “I’ll go to Xiaoling tomorrow and burn incense for Empress Xiaoci on Your Highness’s behalf.”
Early next morning when palace gates opened, Hu Shanwei’s carriage went to Xiaoling.
Before departure, Noble Consort Guo gave Hu Shanwei several scrolls of scripture: “These are sutras I copied by hand. Please help burn them before Empress Xiaoci’s memorial tablet – they represent my sincere feelings.”
Hu Shanwei solemnly accepted them. Noble Consort Guo watched her figure disappear beyond the palace gates, lost in thought. After a long while, she said to Nanny Guo beside her: “The Crown Prince personally handled Dan’er’s funeral. I heard from Court Lady Hu that the funeral was beautifully arranged and the burial site has excellent feng shui. The Crown Prince worked so hard – I shouldn’t treat him poorly. Write an invitation to send to the Eastern Palace. Tonight I’ll host a vegetarian banquet to welcome the Crown Prince back.”
“Yes.” Nanny Guo assented.
In brilliant spring light with all things growing in splendid beauty, Noble Consort Guo walked to the imperial garden pavilion where the vast palace spread before her eyes.
All palace rooftops were golden glazed tiles sparkling in spring sun, except the Eastern Palace used green glazed tiles, rippling like clear pond water.
Noble Consort Guo smiled silently at that unique patch of green representing the Eastern Palace.