“Are you saying that child could possibly be Feng Jing?” Zhao Ai speculated in surprise, but quickly denied this idea himself. “What utter nonsense!”
Zhao Xi said: “My initial reaction was the same as yours, but later, Wang Muze explained the whole sequence of events to me in detail… Consort Li was very young at the time, with a narrow pelvis and poor health. The imperial physicians always said that if she gave birth, the situation would be very dangerous, but she still very much hoped to have her own child. At that time, our mother had already given birth to two sons and was about to have a third. When Consort Li became pregnant, she naturally regarded this child as the greatest hope of her life and was determined to give birth no matter what. Her natal family also frequently came to see her, and even in front of others, they often openly said that she must give birth to a son…” At this point, Zhao Xi revealed a cold smile. “Because our mother’s health was poor, and after multiple births she was declining further, the Li family believed that if mother met with misfortune, Li Shi would be most likely to replace her. A son would be the most important condition supporting her future elevation to principal wife. She had to give birth to a son before the other concubines. Although father was only a prince at that time, everyone in court and beyond understood that he would sooner or later become heir apparent, and even emperor. Therefore, the position of his principal wife became especially important.”
Zhao Ai began to understand: “You’re saying Consort Li was encouraged by her natal family to switch the babies?”
Zhao Xi nodded: “After she became pregnant, she was never very stable, with constant health problems. She also fell in the snow, and every time the imperial physicians examined her, they said her pulse was poor… In the later months, she basically spent all her time lying in bed. Whether by coincidence or not, her sister who had married into the Feng family was also pregnant, with a due date similar to hers… When birth was imminent, she labored for three days and nights. On the last night, it’s said she lost consciousness several times – very dangerous. During those two days, father was summoned to the palace by grandfather to discuss state affairs and hadn’t returned. People in the prince’s residence only saw several midwives and serving maids going in and out of the birthing room carrying soup and water, all with serious expressions. The Li family also sent people several times, conveying news about Li Shi’s sister’s delivery. In the latter half of the night, baby cries could faintly be heard from the birthing room, but they quickly stopped. An imperial physician surnamed Zhou came out saying that Li Shi had given birth to a son. The palace eunuchs in Li Shi’s pavilion were overjoyed and immediately had someone take the customary gifts for royal relatives’ births – ‘bathing bundles’ – to the Li family to announce the news. Soon after, the Li family sent people with various gifts to visit, saying that Li Shi’s sister had given birth to a daughter today… The gifts they exchanged included not only gold and silver, but also much wine, food, dried fruits, and fresh fruits. It was already close to the third watch. Wang Muze saw them transporting gifts near the prince’s residence gate and felt something was strange. Normally when royal relatives have children, whether giving or returning gifts happens during the day – who would rush to deliver gifts at the third watch?… Most of those gifts were packed in lacquered boxes, but seasonal fruits were packed in bamboo food containers – the standardized containers provided by the inner treasury, about a foot tall. Muze said that when the bamboo food container being sent to the Feng family passed by him, he seemed to hear a baby’s cry, but when he listened again there was nothing. He only suspected he had misheard and didn’t inquire further.”
“So they used the bamboo food container to switch the children – actually Consort Li gave birth to a daughter, and her sister gave birth to a son?” Zhao Ai asked. Seeing Zhao Xi nod, he frowned. “But didn’t that child die? How could Consort Li trade a perfectly good daughter for a dead baby?”
“It was alive when put in the container. It might have suffocated from the container, or the Feng family might have given it medicine to prevent crying during transport, causing the newborn’s death… This is also Muze’s speculation after later inquiring with the imperial physician.” Zhao Xi said. “In any case, when father returned the next day, he heard the news that Li Shi’s newborn son had died… Li Shi’s calculations fell short of heaven’s will. She sent away her daughter but didn’t get a son either. Moreover, she couldn’t bear children afterward and could only place her hopes on you.”
Zhao Ai lowered his eyes in thought, then pressed further: “How did Wang Muze come to know these things? Since he knew, why didn’t he inform father?”
Zhao Xi answered: “He said that first he discovered that some of the midwives and serving maids from the birthing room had disappeared, some had requested to return home, and all had left Lin’an to settle in distant places. Recalling the untimely gift-giving and baby cries from the food container, he became increasingly suspicious and went to question that Physician Zhou. Physician Zhou tacitly acknowledged the baby-switching affair but reminded him never to reveal it, because since no one had spoken up at the time, it would now be very difficult to find witnesses and evidence. Father was exclusively favoring Li Shi, so if evidence was insufficient, it would be easy to be accused of framing her instead… When Muze spoke of this, he wept uncontrollably, saying: ‘This old minister’s death would not matter, but at that time Empress Anshu was bedridden with illness, Your Highness and your brother were still young. This old minister worried that if something happened, there would be no one trustworthy left by Your Highness’s side. This old minister dared not gamble.'”
Zhao Ai pondered, then said after a moment: “This matter now has only Wang Muze’s word – it probably can’t be entirely trusted.”
“I checked the records of people entering and leaving the prince’s residence that day,” Zhao Xi quickly responded. “Li Shi and the Feng family did indeed exchange gifts at an unusual time. In all these years, among royal relatives having children, this is the only case of choosing the third watch for gift-giving. Tell me, what necessity was there for these foods and fruits to go through the great trouble of opening residence gates for transport in the dead of night?… Of the two imperial physicians who treated Li Shi back then, one has already died. I questioned Physician Zhou – though he dared not speak plainly, upon hearing of this matter he trembled and knelt begging for mercy, clearly acknowledging everything as Muze described. Moreover, you should also remember how strongly Consort Li opposed when Feng Jing was initially listed among the Crown Princess candidates.”
Zhao Ai asked again: “Since elder brother believes this is true, why not explain to father and restore Feng Jing’s princess status?”
“It’s too late. Now everyone thinks I had improper relations with Feng Jing…” Zhao Xi raised his head to look at Zhao Ai, a tear sliding down his face that bore a bitter smile. “How could I tell father, or even the world, that the woman who met privately with me multiple times at Jifang Garden is my sister? I can die to atone, but I cannot disregard Feng Jing’s situation and the royal family’s reputation. Moreover, if this matter were made public, Consort Li’s attempt to confuse the imperial bloodline would mean that even if father wanted to protect her, the ministers wouldn’t allow her to live. If Consort Li died because of this, how painful would it be for Feng Jing? She would feel that death was preferable to life.”
Zhao Ai thought about it and felt the same way, looking at Zhao Xi with sympathy and asking softly: “Then why is elder brother willing to tell me this?”
“You’re the next prince who should choose a wife,” Zhao Xi silently wiped the tear tracks from his face. “I hope you, or father, won’t list Feng Jing as a candidate.”
Zhao Xi said nothing more and immediately got up to leave. Zhao Ai respectfully saw him out, then quickly returned and faced Zhenzhen, who had stepped out from behind the screen, in wordless confrontation for a moment before saying quietly: “Don’t tell anyone else.”
“I understand.” Zhenzhen knew the seriousness of this matter and solemnly promised to keep it secret. After a moment, she asked Zhao Ai: “Do you believe it?”
“Right now the key isn’t whether to believe it or not,” Zhao Ai looked at her intently with a serious expression. “We need to find evidence. Whether this matter is true or false, we must find evidence to prove it.”
Zhenzhen returned to Laifeng Pavilion and carefully observed Consort Li’s every move, but found her consistently kind and amiable. When mentioning Feng Jing, her tone was natural, and she showed abundant care for Zhao Ai. It was truly difficult to detect any signs of pretense. In her heart, she was unwilling to believe Consort Li would do such things, but if she were to find evidence as Zhao Ai suggested, she was completely at a loss and truly didn’t know where to begin.
After several days, joyful news came from the palace: Consort Liu was with child, already three months along.
No one in the palace had given birth for over ten years, so this was undoubtedly tremendous joyful news for the Emperor. According to palace custom, when imperial concubines were pregnant, birthing pavilions would be arranged when approaching seven months, and silver, silk, and other items would be taken from the inner treasury as gifts. But after the news spread, the Emperor didn’t wait until seven months – he immediately ordered people to take wealth, related supplies, food, and fruits from the inner treasury and send them continuously to Hibiscus Pavilion where Consort Liu resided.
All the palace pavilions, upon learning the joyful news, also prepared gifts for Consort Liu. Consort Li naturally wouldn’t be negligent. She personally selected gold, silver fruits, agate patterned silk, preserved meats, dried fruits, fine vegetables, and other items early on, ordering Zhenzhen to take several young eunuchs to deliver them to Hibiscus Pavilion.
Hibiscus Pavilion was built in a corner of Phoenix Mountain in the back garden. When Zhenzhen had passed by before, she had felt this pavilion was different from the others – four stories tall with broad terraces for viewing stars, moon, and mountain scenery. Now stepping inside, she felt even more that everywhere were carved railings and jade-like architecture, with ingeniously designed pavilions and towers that made Laifeng Pavilion pale in comparison, clearly showing the depth of imperial favor.
Consort Liu’s wet nurse, surnamed Yu and called Granny Yu, was around fifty years old with delicate features – one could tell she had been a beauty in her youth. At this moment, Granny Yu came out with a welcoming smile, telling Zhenzhen that Consort Liu had risen late today and was still washing and grooming by the hot springs in the back courtyard. If Zhenzhen didn’t mind, she could follow her inside to meet the consort.
Zhenzhen followed Granny Yu through two layers of pavilions to the back courtyard, where she saw ahead a water pool built with smooth mountain stones, divided into two tiers from top to bottom, each with water outlets. Hot spring water gurgled forth, mist swirling over the pool surface, with lush forest behind – like a fairyland.
Consort Liu was still wearing white sleeping robes, sitting on the edge of the upper tier pool amid the steaming mist, her bare feet soaking in the hot spring water, her small calves exposed above the water surface white as congealed fat. Her long hair seemed freshly washed, hanging damp and loose, pulled over her left shoulder to the front, being slowly combed with a jade comb.
Below her on the poolside were seven or eight palace women also grooming themselves by the water. On the terrace of a nearby pavilion sat two musicians – one playing the zheng, one playing the sheng, performing “Qingping Melody,” while beside them stood a singer responding to the music: “One branch of rich beauty, dew condensing fragrance; clouds and rain of Wushan mountain cause heartbreak in vain. Who in the Han palace could compare? How pitiful is Flying Swallow in her new makeup.”
Consort Liu closed her eyes toward the morning sun brushing her cheeks, smiling faintly, continuing her hair-combing motions. The palace women by the pool all smiled hearing the song, and someone called up to the terrace: “Xiangli, this song suits the scene well – sing another!”
Looking up, Zhenzhen discovered that the singer was Xiangli, who had previously told her about Consort Ju’s story.
Xiangli happily agreed and continued singing: “Famous flower and toppling kingdom both bring joy, earning the emperor’s smiling gaze. Dispelling spring wind’s infinite regret, leaning on railings north of Agarwood Pavilion.”
After she finished singing, Granny Yu walked to Consort Liu and chided with affection: “My lady should take extra care of herself now and can’t be as playful as before. Though this water is warm, you shouldn’t soak too long. Please return to the pavilion.”
Consort Liu laughed: “I haven’t come to play in the water for two or three months. I finally waited until three months were complete and only played for a little while, yet you’re already urging me back.”
She had been in the palace for many years and should be twenty-five or twenty-six now, but her voice was soft and sweet like a young girl’s, her tone charming and very pleasant to hear.
Though expressing dissatisfaction, she still slowly rose, her black hair falling like satin behind her, walking barefoot along the pool’s round stones toward the pavilion.
Her feet were delicately shaped, her toenails pink and lustrous like peach blossom color. Stepping on the mountain stones with her soft white silk skirt hem brushing past, she left several curves of moist footprints on the stone surface. This behavior carried a hint of seduction, but her serene and natural expression gave the impression of one who “bathes in clear ripples without being bewitching.” Even Zhenzhen felt her heart stir, instantly understanding why she could now receive His Majesty’s exclusive favor.