Perhaps it was the cold wind on the way, but as I returned, my forehead ached slightly. Looking down, I noticed my dress and shoes were also soaked with tea.
The dress was one thing, but these shoes, embroidered by Xiaoshan with lotus flowers and mandarin ducks at play, would surely earn me an earful if she discovered their state.
In my foul mood, my steps grew harsh, making the floorboards thunder with each stride. Just as I turned down the corridor – bang – this time I truly collided with someone.
Clutching my forehead, I couldn’t help but reveal my true nature, blurting out: “Don’t you have eyes? Go play in your own home!”
A sharp intake of breath came from the other person, likely also hurt from the collision. Then they laughed: “Empress, what a coincidence.”
It was Li Hongqing again. Perhaps because of my casual outburst, this time he didn’t perform the customary bow. Instead, he stepped back and smiled: “That’s the second time, isn’t it? Your Highness and I seem quite fated today.”
This Li Hongqing – if his words were heard by those with ulterior motives, who knows how they might be misconstrued.
Since no one else was around, I felt free to be casual, laughing: “We are quite fated indeed, though I’ve now experienced firsthand how hard Deputy Commander Li’s head is.”
“I wouldn’t dare, I wouldn’t dare. Your Highness’s imperial head is equally firm as stone – quite educational for this humble servant.” Li Hongqing gave as good as he got, not losing an inch in the banter.
Looking at each other holding our foreheads, we suddenly both dropped our hands and burst out laughing.
After the laughter, the atmosphere grew even more relaxed.
Li Hongqing looked at me and asked: “Is the Empress returning from His Majesty?”
I nodded with a smile: “Indeed. Is Deputy Commander Li playing detective now?”
He smiled too, but then lowered his head and said softly: “You’re not the type for such things, Your Highness. Don’t force yourself too much.”
After speaking, without even a formal farewell, he merely waved casually and walked past me toward Yangxin Hall.
What did he mean by forcing myself? What things wasn’t I the type for? What things?
By the time he had walked some distance, I finally recovered my senses and turned around angrily to retort, but Xiaoshan’s voice came from behind: “Miss? Were you just talking with Hongqing?”
I turned back: “Since when are you so familiar with that man who speaks without restraint that you call him ‘Hongqing’?”
Xiaoshan shot me an unimpressed look: “As if you show any more restraint?”
I was instantly speechless. Though I may be your miss, I’m the Empress now, aren’t I? Not even a shred of face left for me.
Three days later, Xiao Huan kept his promise and had someone escort Xian Xue out of the palace.
In the following days, I occasionally received news from outside the palace, learning that his injuries were gradually healing, which put my mind at ease.
Not long after Xian Xue left the palace, the empire’s situation grew tense.
It was late summer when continuous heavy rains hit the Jianghuai region. The river breached its banks, turning formerly fertile fields into vast expanses of water. Millions of disaster victims were displaced, and reports of the flooding continued to reach the capital.
The Cabinet and Six Ministries were in constant chaos. Swift horses carrying the latest disaster reports frequently galloped along Vermilion Bird Street outside the Great Wu Gate. Even in the deep of night, the muffled sound of hoofbeats could be heard in the inner palace.
Misfortunes never come alone. Soon after the Jianghuai disaster, the Jurchen tribes in the Changbai Mountains, long reluctant to submit to Great Wu’s rule, seized the opportunity to revolt. Within half a month, the flames of war reached Shanhai Pass.
The empire had enjoyed nearly forty years of prosperity and peace, rarely facing both internal and external crises simultaneously. To handle the urgent disaster relief and war situation, my father remained in the Cabinet chambers day and night. Those who saw him said the Prime Minister had aged considerably in just days.
Xiao Huan, who had been biding his time until now, suddenly demonstrated swift and decisive leadership. He issued several surprising imperial edicts in succession, replacing the respected veteran general Chen Wei with the unconventional Fuzhou General Qi Chengliang as commander at Shanhai Pass. Simultaneously, he dismissed the moderate Minister of Revenue Ren Qian and extraordinarily promoted Hanlin Academy Editor Zhang Zhuduan to Deputy Minister of Revenue to oversee Jianghuai disaster relief.
Officials privately held mixed opinions about their young emperor’s moves, but I was secretly alarmed.
Both Qi Chengliang and Zhang Zhuduan, whom Xiao Huan promoted, were capable officials favored by my father. Zhang Zhuduan was even my father’s protégé. At this perfect opportunity to undermine my father’s influence while building his power base, his unorthodox promotion of talent and the breadth of vision he displayed before the court officials was enough to win many over. Moreover, in just a few days, every edict was precise and skillful. His astounding familiarity with and grasp of court officials’ abilities and temperaments surely didn’t go unnoticed by the entire court.
However, regardless of the turbulent situation in the outer court, the inner palace maintained relative calm. Since Xiao Huan frequently worked through the night handling state affairs with no time to summon concubines, I had even less to do. I spent my days playing Nine Cards with Xiaoshan and Li Hongqing in Chuxiu Palace.
After those two chance encounters in the corridor that day, Li Hongqing and I bumped into each other several more times in the palace. Through our verbal sparring and subtle mockery, we gradually grew familiar.
Finding his temperament agreeable, I took to inviting him to the palace on a whim. Being quite the layabout himself, he took advantage of his special access to the forbidden palace, never refusing an invitation, coming whenever called.
Hongqing was an interesting person who knew all sorts of unseemly tricks. Whether it was Nine Cards, dice, hand games, or drinking, he was skilled at everything. Xiaoshan and I practiced our skills with him daily.
“After apprenticing under me, you’ll have no problem making your way in the jianghu,” he would boast proudly at the card table.
“Hmph, you can only fool us here,” I expressed my disdain while carefully turning over my newly dealt cards. Good luck – a face card. I could win back my losses.
“Whether I’m fooling anyone will be clear soon enough.” Hongqing pushed all his chips forward. “I bet on Heaven’s Gate.”
Heaven’s Gate meant himself. I was the banker, and Xiaoshan, having lost all her chips already, had come to my side to look at my cards.
Was he that confident? Did he also have a high card?
I didn’t believe it. Most cards had already been played – it was unlikely there was another card higher than a face card.
“Heheh,” I laughed twice and pushed all my chips forward too. “I bet on the banker.”
“Good! Good!” Xiaoshan cheered from the side. “Go all in and take him down! Hongqing’s best at bluffing – his cards must be small, he’s just putting on an act.”
Hongqing smiled unhurriedly: “Want to show cards?”
I began to doubt my judgment, but it was too late to back down now: “Show.”
He flipped his cards with a grin: “Heaven card.”
Xiaoshan and I let out two cries of despair.
“Feints are necessary, but you need a real move once in a while, or you won’t last long,” Hongqing lectured smugly while pulling all the chips to himself.
I was gnashing my teeth at the loss, finding him quite unbearable to look at.
“Again, again!” I rolled up my sleeves and took off my white jade bracelet. “I bet this.”
“This doesn’t seem right… People will say I’m taking advantage of two ladies,” Hongqing said with a roguish smile.
“As if I’m afraid of you! I’ll crush you completely!” I rolled up my sleeves and waved my hand. “Xiaoshan, deal!”
Just as I was ready to wage another fierce battle, the palace maid Jiaoyan brought over a bowl of ice-cold watermelon to help us cool down.
Seeing beads of sweat on her face too, I called out: “Jiaoyan, come have a few pieces too.”
She quickly shook her head: “How could I? This servant…”
I had always been casual, and with Xiaoshan the head palace maid setting such an informal example, over time the palace maids, though not as familiar as Xiaoshan’s shouting and carrying on, had also relaxed somewhat, no longer as cautious and timid as before.
“Don’t stand on ceremony, Chuxiu Palace doesn’t have so many rules,” I grabbed her hand and sat her down on a small stool nearby. “It’s so hot, and you’ve been busy all day. Have a few pieces to quench your thirst.”
Jiaoyan didn’t refuse again, perching on the edge of the stool.
Still holding her hand, I stroked the calluses at the base of her thumb and smiled: “Jiaoyan, you practiced martial arts before entering the palace, didn’t you?”
“How did Your Highness know?” Jiaoyan was flustered, her bright eyes showing confusion.
“It’s easy to tell if someone has practiced martial arts,” I smiled.
Over there, Xiaoshan had already dealt new cards. Now gambling-fevered, she shouted without any regard for propriety: “Miss! Stop the idle chat and come look at your cards!”
I smiled at Jiaoyan and returned to gambling.
Even while absorbed in the heated gambling, I could still feel a gaze constantly falling on me.
Late summer nights were still hard to endure. Besides the mosquitoes, there were often one or two crickets or cicadas in the corners of walls or treetops, crying out a few times in the middle of the night like sleep-talking, particularly annoying.
This night I was awakened again by the talkative cicadas. Unable to fall back asleep and seeing Xiaoshan sound asleep on the small couch outside, I quietly got out of bed without disturbing the other palace maids, planning to take a cooling walk in the courtyard.
Just as I reached the corridor, I heard some faint sounds from the front hall and went to investigate out of curiosity.
Moonlight poured like water over the stone steps, where a slender figure was practicing palm techniques.
Her arms moved in flowing circles, her figure like swirling wind and flowing snow, tracing smooth arcs through the air. Her sleeves caught the wind, creating subtle palm forces that lingered in the air.
“Excellent palm technique,” I clapped softly.
“Who’s there?” The person quickly brought her palm up to protect her chest, asking in a low voice. The moonlight illuminated her delicate profile, and I saw it was Jiaoyan.
Her bright eyes flickered, and after much hesitation, she finally lowered her arms and called softly, “Empress.”
“Still practicing martial arts so late, aren’t you tired?” I walked over smiling. “Your palm technique is quite good. Did your master teach you?”
Jiaoyan shook her head: “It was my father.” She bit her lip, “Empress, you are a good person.”
I couldn’t help but laugh: “You’ve decided I’m good so quickly? Then who’s bad?”
Jiaoyan lowered her head, fidgeting with the hem of her clothes. After a long struggle, she suddenly burst out: “His Majesty!”
Her exclamation was rather loud, startling me. After checking that no one else had been disturbed, I smiled at her: “Why do you say that?”
Jiaoyan hesitated again but finally gritted her teeth and spoke: “My father wandered the jianghu in his early years, but after marrying my mother and having me, he settled down to farm near the capital. Our family lived very peacefully. But two years ago, some people from the palace came, saying they were requisitioning our fields. My father had always been hot-tempered and knew some martial arts – how could he submit? He argued with them, and those people, without distinguishing right from wrong, grabbed him and beat him, saying he was committing the crime of defying authority, and if he argued more it would be a capital offense affecting nine generations of relatives.
“My father was old and couldn’t fight so many of them. They beat him until he fell ill and didn’t recover, passing away within half a year. Without the fields and a father, our family couldn’t go on. Later when the palace was recruiting maids, my mother sent me in.
“Those officials always talk about loving the people like children and being considerate of the people’s conditions – it’s all lies! When they forced us into desperate straits, did they ever consider us? I hate these high and mighty lords to death!”
I listened carefully, and after Jiaoyan finished, I held her hand, patting the back of it, “Jiaoyan, you still practice martial arts after entering the palace – could it be you want to seek revenge against His Majesty?”
Jiaoyan froze, then lowered her head without a word.
I knew I had touched her heart. Remembering Xian Xue’s assassination attempt from some time ago, I sighed: “I advise you not to fight a hopeless battle… against His Majesty, you have no chance of winning.”
Jiaoyan looked up at me in surprise: “My father said this palm technique was taught to him by an otherworldly master, rarely matched in the jianghu. Even though there are many palace guards, if I just seize the right opportunity, surely I can kill one pampered emperor?”
I smiled at her and stepped back: “Attack me with your strongest move. Don’t be afraid, use your full strength.”
Jiaoyan was even more surprised: “Empress…”
I nodded to her: “It’s alright, just come at me.”
Jiaoyan raised her palm and called out: “Here I come!” Then struck with a palm strike.
This move was indeed a formidable killing technique, not only imposing with its broad sweeping momentum but also concealing countless follow-up moves. Before her palm even arrived, a fierce wind had already reached my cheek.
As she attacked, I lightly raised my hand.
Jiaoyan stared in disbelief as I firmly gripped her arm, stammering: “This, this… how is this possible…”
I released her arm: “This is the gap between us. The gap between His Majesty and me is even greater.”
“His Majesty?” Jiaoyan had somewhat recovered her senses. “He knows martial arts too? How skilled is he?”
I paused, Xiao Huan’s deep, bottomless black eyes appearing in my mind: “Unfathomable.”
Jiaoyan seemed dazed. I patted her shoulder in comfort: “So even if you managed to avoid all the imperial guards and got close to the emperor, you still wouldn’t have the slightest chance.”
Even Xian Xue, the world’s top assassin, hadn’t succeeded in the end, let alone a palace maid who knew some martial arts.
“But…” Jiaoyan struggled to speak as if just waking from a dream.
“Forget about this matter. When you can’t sleep at night, you can still come here to practice. If anyone discovers you, just say I taught you the palm technique.” I smiled at her and turned to leave.
“Empress,” Jiaoyan called after me, “do you hate His Majesty?”
“Hmm?” I turned back, puzzled.
“Do you hate His Majesty or not? You’re such a good person, and he doesn’t treat you well. Do you hate him?” Jiaoyan asked me.
I’m such a good person. Come to think of it, this was the first time anyone had called me good. If Xiaoshan heard this, she’d be the first to object, bringing up all my misdeeds against her since childhood.
I smiled: “Jiaoyan, sometimes the human heart isn’t as simple as we imagine. It’s not just like or hate – many times, we don’t even know what we’re thinking ourselves, whether we like or hate something, or perhaps feel neither.”
I wasn’t sure if this simple-minded girl understood, as she stood frowning in the moonlight.
I smiled at her again and turned to walk along the long corridor. The corridor was very dark, and my body gradually disappeared into the darkness. After walking for a while, I looked back – Jiaoyan still stood in the frost-like moonlight, her figure clear.
The political situation showed no signs of improvement, and before the tree leaves had even begun to yellow, Consort Xing Yiyong sent someone to invite me to a banquet at Yikun Palace before the evening meal.
I smiled contemplatively at the respectful expression on the face of the palace maid she sent, thinking this might be a trap.
Ready for whatever might come, I told Xiaoshan not to prepare evening meals and went with Jiaoyan.
The Western Six Palaces were all close together, and we quickly reached Yikun Palace. Entering the spacious front hall, Xing Yiyong had already set out a table of delicacies. Seeing me enter, she hurried over: “This consort pays respects to the Empress.”
I quickly helped her up: “Sister, what are you doing? We’re sisters, no need for such formality when there are no outsiders.”
Xing Yiyong rose with a smile: “Even if the Empress is close to this consort, the order of ranks must still be maintained. The Empress is still the Empress.”
I smiled too: “Sister is just too formal. With our relationship, why mention such things?”
Xing Yiyong continued smiling: “Actually, this consort has long wanted to invite the Empress for a chat, firstly to thank you for the gift of books, and secondly because I admire your virtue and have been hoping to have heart-to-heart conversations with you.”
I exchanged a few polite words with her, and we sat down together.
Since Xing Yiyong had invited me, naturally the three talented ladies of her Yikun Palace were also present.
As the banquet began, Xing Yiyong and the three talented ladies took turns toasting me. When it came to Talented Lady Wu’s turn, she first glanced at me, then quickly lowered her head and lifted her wine cup: “Empress, please.”
She had given me quite a hard time recently, and although Xiao Huan had comforted her afterward, since then he no longer favored her as before. Without imperial favor, her days would not be easy now, and she probably understood many things better.
I smiled faintly and asked her: “How has Talented Lady Wu been these days? Have you made any new clothes?”
Thinking I was going to mock her again, Talented Lady Wu hurriedly shook her head: “I wouldn’t dare, I wouldn’t dare, this consort wouldn’t dare.”
“Wouldn’t dare what, wouldn’t dare make new clothes?” I smiled.
“Huh?” Talented Lady Wu was stunned.
Having teased her enough, I smiled and reached for the wine cup in her hand.
“Your Highness, you can’t drink that!” Jiaoyan suddenly snatched the cup away and held it up to examine. “It’s poisoned.”
“Jiaoyan knows how to detect poison?” I was somewhat surprised.
“Your Highness, I learned some tricks of traveling the jianghu from my father when I was young.” She showed me the cup. “This wine has a phosphorescent glow – one look and you can tell it’s been poisoned.”
Changing the angle slightly, indeed one could see a faint blue phosphorescence reflecting off the clear wine. I nodded: “So it’s that simple.”
Over there, Talented Lady Wu had already fallen to her knees with a thud: “Your Highness, I didn’t poison it, I didn’t poison it, I wouldn’t dare, Your Highness…” Her voice trembled with fear.
“How dare you! That day the Empress merely disciplined you slightly, yet you would try to harm Her Highness with poison – truly a heart like that of a snake or scorpion.” The usually gracious and magnanimous Xing Yiyong suddenly slammed the table and stood up, her face full of anger. Looking at me, she said, “Your Highness, after you disciplined Talented Lady Wu in the Imperial Garden that day, she came crying to me, saying Your Highness was narrow-minded and vindictive. I severely punished her then and didn’t tell Your Highness, not wanting to trouble you with such small matters. Who knew she would dare to try to harm Your Highness today – truly ungrateful!”
Xing Yiyong spoke with righteous indignation, but I understood her true meaning. She knew Talented Lady Wu had offended me, and to maintain good relations, she was offering up this Talented Lady Wu to curry favor with me. Regarding today’s poisoning, I believed she didn’t have the courage to directly move against me – even if Jiaoyan hadn’t discovered it, she surely would have stopped me before I drank it.
It was slightly strange – Xing Yiyong had the Empress Dowager’s favor and could be said to be increasingly powerful in the palace. She had no real need to specifically curry favor with me, the Empress.
Moreover, I’d heard that her father Xing Yu had recently reversed his political views and attitude of many years, showing many gestures of goodwill toward my father.
This father and daughter pair had some unknown agenda, their machinations extending from outside the palace to within.
I sighed inwardly but put on a magnanimous appearance: “Then what does sister suggest we do with this Talented Lady Wu?”
“Of course, we should report the truth to the Empress Dowager and grant her three feet of white silk. Attempting to harm Your Highness is naturally a capital offense!” Xing Yiyong spoke decisively.
Talented Lady Wu, who had already collapsed to the side, cried out when she heard the words “capital offense”: “Noble Consort Xing, how cruel you are… you…” She began sobbing uncontrollably.
I lightly tapped the table with my fingertip, watching Talented Lady Wu cry convulsively on the ground, her full round shoulders trembling. I looked up and said: “Sister, although Talented Lady Wu is detestable, I didn’t drink that cup of wine. Why don’t you do me a favor and let this poisoning incident pass? As for this Talented Lady Wu, another day I’ll tell the Empress Dowager I don’t like her and have her demoted to the Cold Palace. What does sister think?”
Xing Yiyong was startled – she probably hadn’t expected me to let Talented Lady Wu off: “Your Highness is kind-hearted, which makes this treacherous person seem all the more despicable.”
Though I wasn’t a kind person, I didn’t have the heart to watch a woman in the prime of her youth perish because of me. Moreover… Heaven values all life, even though we in this deep palace are not masters of our fate.
After all this commotion, looking at the table full of wine and delicacies, I had lost my appetite and was about to leave for my palace. But a young eunuch came running in a panic, not even knowing to pay proper respects, and stammered: “Bad… bad news, something’s wrong with His Majesty…”
Already irritated, I scolded him: “What do you mean ‘bad news’? Is that something to say so casually?”
The young eunuch finally knelt, panting: “Really… really bad news. Someone saw His Majesty coughing blood and fainting in Yangxin Hall… it’s terrible…”
“What?” I stood up immediately and turned to see Xing Yiyong also looking panicked. We looked at each other and rushed out the door together.
Hurrying to Yangxin Hall, the situation there was already somewhat chaotic. With both natural disasters and war recently, people’s hearts were already unsettled, and now with the emperor’s condition, there were actually several eunuchs and palace maids running around like headless flies in the corridor.
Angry, I stood in the middle and shouted: “The sky hasn’t fallen yet! What are you all running for?”
Those few eunuchs and palace maids probably had just lost their heads for a moment. Seeing someone scold them, they immediately knelt where they stood.
“Return to your posts! Anyone caught running around will receive twenty strikes!” I commanded sternly.
“Follow the Empress’s orders, everyone returns!” Hongqing ran in with a squad of imperial guards, shouting before he even reached us.
Seeing Hongqing, I hurriedly asked when he came near: “What happened to His Majesty?”
Hongqing shook his head, also looking anxious: “I just heard His Majesty was unwell and rushed over from home.” He glanced at Xing Yiyong behind me. “Noble Consort Xing is here too. Don’t worry, Your Highnesses, please follow me.”
The inner hall was even more chaotic, with the courtyard packed with trembling old imperial physicians from the Imperial Medical Bureau, many disheveled, looking as if they’d just been dragged from their homes. Hongqing led me through the crowd, and as soon as we entered the hall, we saw Shi Yan standing guard with a stern face and sword at the East Warm Chamber door. The chamber door was closed, and we couldn’t see the situation inside.
In the lamplight, I noticed dark bloodstains on the sleeves of Shi Yan’s guard uniform. Remembering that day in the West Warm Chamber when I saw Xiao Huan bent over the table, coughing so hard he couldn’t straighten up, my heart skipped a beat – had something happened to him?
Just then, the door to the East Warm Chamber creaked open, and Li Mingshang, the Chief Imperial Physician, walked out carrying his medicine box, brushing dust from his shoulders.
Li Mingshang was probably the most carefree official in the current dynasty. Although he held the position of Chief Imperial Physician, a rank-four position, he was never seen on duty at the Imperial Medical Bureau. He spent half his time wandering the jianghu, but now even he had returned – it seemed Xiao Huan’s condition was truly serious.
I went to intercept him, blocking his path, and called out: “Master Li.”
Li Mingshang had known me before I entered the palace and greeted me with a smile: “Little miss, you’re here too?”
I cleared my throat, glanced around to make sure no one was paying attention to us, and pulled him to a quiet corner of the hall: “Master Li, how is His Majesty?”
“I’ve been asked this countless times today. How do you want me to answer?” Li Mingshang smiled lazily, stroking the three strands of his beautiful beard.
“Master Li!” At a time like this, he was still being cryptic – I was too angry for words.
“Alright, I’ll tell you,” seeing I was truly anxious, Li Mingshang finally agreed to speak, though still swaying his head unhurriedly. “Little miss, why are you so eager to find out? Afraid you’ll become Empress Dowager before you’ve barely been Empress?”
He had no sense of propriety – such words would be considered treasonous if they reached other ears, yet he dared say them to me just as he would to others. If not for his exceptional medical skills in saving people from death’s door, he would have lost his head countless times by now.
With someone like him, being polite clearly wouldn’t work. I made to leave: “If you don’t want to tell me, fine.”
“You want to know?” Li Mingshang suddenly grabbed me, his face growing serious.
I stopped and nodded.
“Very well, for the sake of our past friendship, I’ll tell you. Besides the Empress Dowager, no one else knows this.” Li Mingshang sighed and lowered his voice. “This lad’s illness is complicated.”
I knew the “lad” he referred to was Xiao Huan and listened intently.
“The Imperial Medical Bureau tells everyone the lad has a cold illness, but if it were just that, I would have cured him long ago.” Li Mingshang sighed deeply again. “He carries cold poison in his body – the world’s most extreme cold poison, the Ice Snow Love Curse, brought from the womb. If not for this lad practicing martial arts since childhood, plus my treatments, he likely wouldn’t have lived past fifteen.”
Shaking his head repeatedly, he continued with some irritation: “This lad is truly reckless! His constitution is already much weaker than normal people’s. Recently he fought someone and injured his internal energy, yet didn’t hurry to call me back, instead taking some medicine himself to deal with it! And he keeps going for days without sleep! Now look what’s happened! Happy now? I have to stay in the palace watching him, unable to go anywhere for a month or two!” Thinking about having to stay in this stifling forbidden palace for so long, unable to wander freely, Li Mingshang’s beard quivered with anger.
I made a sound of agreement, feeling compelled to say some words of comfort: “There have been so many matters lately, troubles both internal and external – even if he wanted to rest, he couldn’t.”
Li Mingshang grunted, stroking his beard without speaking further, his anger seemingly somewhat dissipated.
He suddenly smiled, stroking his beard, and patted my shoulder: “Little miss, if you want to be Empress Dowager, you’d better hurry and bear this lad a son.”
I was taken aback, and smiled: “What kind of talk is that?”
“It’s the plain truth.” Li Mingshang smiled. “If this lad keeps pushing himself like this, he won’t live many more years. If you don’t hurry and bear a son, how will you become Empress Dowager?”
Just then, the door to the East Warm Chamber opened again, and Du Tingxin walked out. In the candlelight, her eyes appeared red and swollen as if she had been crying. She spoke softly to Shi Yan: “Brother Huan says it’s too noisy, tell everyone to leave.”
Shi Yan immediately called out sternly to those outside: “By imperial command, everyone returns home today.”
Shi Yan was tall and strong, with a loud voice. At his sharp command, a chorus of farewell responses rose from the crowd as many dispersed. Looking around, I saw Xing Yiyong and several other consorts still on the steps outside the hall, not immediately leaving.
This was the moment for all the consorts to show their concern for their imperial husband – should I also learn from them and continue keeping vigil here?
Though it was early summer, the night dew was heavy – was I going to foolishly stand on the steps like those women?
Before I could decide, Li Mingshang suddenly grabbed my arm: “Little miss, since you’re here, how can you not go in to see the lad?”
With that, he opened the door to the East Warm Chamber and pushed me inside with a wave of his hand.
“No, Master Li, there hasn’t been a summons…” Before I could finish speaking, I was already pushed into the chamber.
The door quickly closed behind me. That old fellow! I was quite helpless, so I could only straighten my somewhat disheveled appearance and tentatively took a step inside.
The chamber was empty and quiet, the lamplight dim, casting dark shadows from the curtains. A heavy smell of medicinal herbs hung in the air.
I waited a while but heard no other sounds, so I slowly walked further in.
Turning past the inner chamber door, I could see the bed with its blue curtains. Unlike the luxury of the rear palace sleeping quarters, this bed that Xiao Huan usually used was surprisingly plain.
“Xin’er?” Xiao Huan suddenly spoke from the bed, his voice very soft. “I said you don’t need to stay here either… go back to your palace and rest.”
I walked into the inner chamber, turning to the bedside and first paying my respects: “Your Majesty, it is your humble consort.”
There was silence from the other side. After a while, Xiao Huan coughed lightly and laughed: “Ah, it’s the Empress… you may rise.”
I thanked him and stood up. Only then did I see Xiao Huan propped up half-sitting, his face frighteningly pale, long hair falling somewhat messily over his shoulders.
Come to think of it, this was the first time I’d seen him since that night when I secretly ran to Yangxin Hall to plead for Xian Xue.
He looked rather disheveled like this, didn’t he? I only glanced once before averting my gaze.
Probably feeling awkward as well, Xiao Huan leaned lightly against the bed frame and smiled: “How did the Empress come in?”
“It wasn’t my idea to come in, Master Li pushed me in…” I quickly explained, then suddenly felt annoyed – why was I rushing to explain myself to him?
Fortunately, Xiao Huan seemed not to notice and just smiled: “I see.”
After those words came a long silence. The dim candle at the bedside sputtered and flickered twice.
The atmosphere was oppressively heavy. I waited a while, then spoke first: “Why didn’t Your Majesty take better care of yourself, ending up in this state?”
“Ah, this,” he hadn’t expected my question and paused briefly, then smiled. “It’s nothing. Just that the young eunuch who happened to see me was frightened and ran out screaming – I couldn’t even call him back… and ended up alarming so many people.”
Li Mingshang said he had injured his internal energy some time ago – so since that night when I saw him unconscious in the West Warm Chamber, his health hadn’t been good?
I responded casually: “So just like that night, if no one had discovered it, this would have been kept secret?”
He paused again, then smiled: “There have been many matters lately – no need to add to the troubles.”
I smiled, my tone unconsciously carrying some mockery: “Your Majesty truly thinks of the realm, serving with utmost dedication.”
He smiled and raised his eyes to look at me: “Which emperor shouldn’t serve their subjects with utmost dedication? It is our duty – the Empress overstates it.”
Those excessively black eyes of his always held an icy depth that made people uncomfortable.
I avoided his gaze, suddenly feeling impatient, and spoke without thinking: “Master Li says he fears Your Majesty’s mandate from Heaven may not be long. Next time Your Majesty summons this consort, please don’t reject me – I wish to bear Your Majesty a prince.”
His gaze flashed sharply and returned to my face, watching me silently.
Having finished speaking, I suddenly felt alarmed – early death was usually a great taboo for emperors, yet I had thoughtlessly brought it up. Would he be angry?
Before my cold sweat could break out, he laughed lightly, his breathing somewhat heavy, but seeming unangered: “Very well.”
“It’s a promise then,” I quickly said.
“Mm… it’s a promise.” He laughed softly with a cough, apparently growing tired, and closed his eyes as he leaned against the headboard.
The courtyard had grown quiet too, with only his somewhat ragged breathing remaining. I looked at his face, seeming even paler in the candlelight, then turned to look out the window.
Two people with nothing to say, even sitting together, could only speak words that wounded each other.
After what seemed like a very long time, he finally spoke again: “The Empress may withdraw.”
I stood up and made my farewell, walking toward the exit.
“Eat something when you return, don’t sleep on an empty stomach or you’ll wake up in the night,” he suddenly said behind me after I had taken two steps.
“How did Your Majesty know I hadn’t eaten dinner?” I turned back, somewhat surprised.
“Your complexion isn’t very good… I know some medicine too,” he seemed to smile.
“Mm, I’ll remember,” I nodded, waited a moment, and seeing he had nothing more to say, walked out.
Du Tingxin was waiting outside the door and smiled at me as I came out. I smiled back at her and walked through the main hall to the steps.
The consorts who had been waiting here earlier had probably been sent away by Shi Yan. The entire courtyard was empty. I looked up at the new moon that had just risen to its zenith, listening to the low drone of summer insects in the corner of the courtyard, and suddenly thought: How did I end up married to such a person?