The Emperor, supported by the eunuchs, departed. The Crown Prince and Prince Qiyang followed close behind.

Wang Yunhe and Shi Kun issued an order: “Censors! Record all the names!”

They surveyed the entire hall. From behind the pillars, figures in crimson and purple came popping up one after another. Zhù Ying briskly tucked her hand tablet back into her waistband. In an instant she went from a ruffian who had looked ready for trouble to a warm-hearted soul helping others. With one hand she scooped up Luo Sheng by the arm.

Wang Yunhe issued another order directing each office to return to its own post, with no wandering about or forming groups, and to wait for the medical officer to come document and treat injuries. He looked at the various princes and then asked them to move to a separate hall to the rear, had the imperial physicians summoned to treat their wounds, and separated the princes from the officials.

Shi Kun turned to face the officials and barked, “Have you all disgraced yourselves sufficiently? If not, go outside and make a spectacle! If you have, close every mouth!”

He turned around and found that Liu Songnian had already followed the Emperor away. Shi Kun and Wang Yunhe had the Censors note down the names, then also went to the rear, leaving behind a crowd of crimson and purple.

Very shortly, the crimson and purple crowd dispersed, each going their separate ways.

Zhù Ying continued to haul Luo Sheng along. She turned and saw Shen Ying, his face swollen on one side, limping his way over. With just the three of them from the Court of Foreign Affairs, she waited for Shen Ying to approach and asked, “You — who exactly did you take on?”

Shen Ying gave a rueful smile. “If I had, I’d at least know who to settle accounts with. An innocent bystander, just an innocent bystander. What about the Prince Consort?”

Luo Sheng said, “I can’t quite recall.” He only remembered taking a few blows from two of the brothers-in-law; after that he had been so dazed he couldn’t tell who was hitting him anymore. Besides, it was not suitable to publicize that two certain brothers-in-law had beaten him, so he could only say in general that he hadn’t seen clearly.

The patches of crimson and purple thus spread out across the broad pale courtyard of the imperial palace, like fragments of bruises left on flesh after a beauty had been beaten.

Zhù Ying, one hand on each of them: “We should head back too.”

Shen Ying said, “Zizhang looks to be doing fine.”

Zhù Ying answered casually, “Probably because people still remember that I hit back.”

“Hss —” A sharp intake of breath came from nearby, and Xian Jing walked over. This gentleman had initially intended to step forward and stop the brawl, to provide support for his teacher Wang Yunhe, but when the princes also joined in, he had shrewdly retreated to another pillar to look after the senior officials, and thus had escaped without injury.

Xian Jing, unscathed, came to check on Zhù Ying partly because he had thought of something — had Zhù Ying been hit? He didn’t want this young fellow, if struck, to chase someone all the way to their death without letting up. It wasn’t as though it hadn’t happened before, after all?

The three from the Court of Foreign Affairs turned and greeted Xian Jing in kind. Seeing that Xian Jing was also completely unharmed, they had to admire his ability to escape in one piece. Xian Jing asked, “Are you all all right?”

The three nodded together. Zhù Ying, seeing his gaze settle on herself, said quickly, “Don’t worry — I’m fine.”

Xian Jing said, “Then hurry back and wait for the medical officer. I’ll head back to the Court of Ceremonies.” The two parties parted ways. Zhù Ying resumed hauling Luo Sheng and Shen Ying, one on each side, and led them to the Court of Foreign Affairs.

The court session, which should have been a mere formality, had been held up for a long time by this mass brawl. The sun had already risen high; all three of them had worked up a full sweat. The officials and clerks of the Court of Foreign Affairs had been waiting for the three to return and were all guessing: why so late today? Could something major have happened?

Deputy Administrator Ruan had assigned two clerks: “You two, go out front and keep watch. When you see the superiors coming back, run in and report immediately. Everyone else, go wait under the eastern corridor — don’t scatter. The moment there’s news, we’ll all go out together to receive them.”

The two clerks trudged miserably out and stood in the sun for quite a while, the glare of the sun on the pale ground dazzling their eyes. When they spotted the three of them walking back together, seemingly attached to one another, they thought their eyes were playing tricks. They shaded their eyes with a hand and looked carefully, then immediately split up — one ran back to report, the other ran over to help.

Zhù Ying handed Shen Ying over to him and continued pulling Luo Sheng along herself.

Not ten steps further, the officials and clerks of the Court of Foreign Affairs surged forward in a group. Luo Sheng’s clerk hurried to the front: “Sir, let me.”

Zhù Ying released him and said, “There will be time to talk inside.”

Once back inside the Court of Foreign Affairs, Luo Sheng said, “Today’s events — no one is to breathe a word.”

This was rather garbled, and aside from the three of them, the others only knew that Luo Sheng and Shen Ying were sporting injuries, while Zhù Ying looked as if nothing had happened. Not speak of his injuries?

Zhù Ying added: “You may look, you may listen, you may guess in your heads, but you may not ask questions, and you may not speak of it outside. Keep your mouths closed. Quiet. That’s all — disperse.”

The staff knew she had a saying, “Keep quiet and prosper.” The moment they heard “keep quiet,” they all stopped asking questions.

She then said to Luo Sheng and Shen Ying: “Do either of you have a change of clothes here? If so, change. If not, send someone home to fetch some — and tell the person you send not to gossip. We don’t know when today will end. As for those attending to the two of you — go and bring water for the two of them to wash up. The medical officer will be coming shortly, and to be seen like this is not presentable. As for today’s official correspondence, I’ll go through it first and report everything together to the superior.”

Luo Sheng said, “Good.”

Luo Sheng had clothes on hand; Shen Ying did not, so someone had to be sent home for them. The two went to tidy up.

The injuries were many; even if all of them were high-ranking officials, there was still an order of precedence, and the Court of Foreign Affairs was near the tail end. Before the medical officer arrived, Prince Qiyang had already sent someone to deliver medicine for injuries. Luo Sheng accepted it and had a portion of it sent over to Shen Ying.

Zhù Ying heard the news and came to see. The messenger proved to be an inner attendant she had seen before in Prince Qiyang’s presence. She said, “Hold off on applying the medicine — wait until the medical officer has looked at the injuries, recorded them, and issued a statement. If the dressings are already done and then have to be undone again, it’ll be unnecessary trouble.”

Luo Sheng said, “Then… all right.”

Zhù Ying indicated for the inner attendant to receive a red envelope: “You’ve come all this way in the heat — thank you for your trouble. Go back and have some tea.”

The inner attendant accepted it with a smile. “Thank you, Magistrate.”

Zhù Ying said, “May I ask one more thing — does the Princess Consort know that the Prince Consort has been injured?”

Luo Sheng grew tense. “Was she told?”

The inner attendant said, “How could we dare? The Princess Consort was not disturbed at all. She should be at her zither lesson right now.”

Luo Sheng let out a breath of relief. Zhù Ying gave the inner attendant another red envelope. The inner attendant pushed back with two fingers and pulled with three: “How could I accept this? The Magistrate has already rewarded me.”

“This is a different matter entirely.”

The inner attendant deftly pocketed the envelope. “Thank you, Magistrate — thank you, Prince Consort. Are there any words the Magistrate and Prince Consort wish sent back?”

Luo Sheng said, “Please convey our gratitude for the medicine.”

Zhù Ying said nothing. The inner attendant said, “Your servant takes his leave.”

Luo Sheng collapsed back onto his cushion; he had been struck by several people and his whole body ached.

A little while later, the medical officer arrived. He first had Luo Sheng’s one arm put in a sling and his ankle wrapped; he then went inside to examine the bruises on his body. After that, he went in and adjusted Shen Ying’s jaw back into alignment and examined his body as well.

When the medical officer finished, Zhù Ying asked, “Is this medicine suitable to use?”

“Oh, this is a secret palace formula — of course it’s suitable.” The medical officer said this quite naturally. After all, Luo Sheng was the Prince Consort; he found nothing odd about it.

Zhù Ying said, “Thank you for your trouble. Old Wang.”

Deputy Administrator Wang smiled brightly and produced a small packet. “Thank you, thank you.”

The medical officer was momentarily surprised, then understood at once that this was a token of appreciation, and smiled. “The Magistrate is too kind.”

Zhù Ying said, “You came to help the Court of Foreign Affairs — it’s only right. The Court of Foreign Affairs never lets those who help us go unrewarded. As for the medical record of these two gentlemen…”

“Rest assured.” The medical officer said this.

Zhù Ying said, “Thank you. Write up the prescription here.”

The medical officer had already gone to see Minister Zhong, who had also been injured and was not young. This Minister had not wanted to fight; out of nowhere a punch had found him, and helplessly he and Yao Zhen had met the enemy together. The medical officer, now knowing of the brawl, deliberately described the two men’s injuries in exaggerated terms — while making no note of their knuckles being bruised, to show that neither of them had struck anyone.

Zhù Ying personally walked him to the door. On returning, she said, “The two of you should send word home to reassure your families — don’t let them worry for nothing. We should all stay until the end of the work day — in case something comes up midway and there’s no one to be found, and we get another reprimand. And don’t tell your families you’ve been injured; I’m worried the Princess might storm the palace, which at this moment absolutely cannot happen. Just say that because of the incident, everyone is being kept in the palace to discuss matters.”

Luo Sheng said, “Good.”

The midday meal the junior clerks ate rather well; Luo Sheng and Shen Ying barely ate anything; Zhù Ying ate heartily.

Outside it was all bustle and commotion. After the midday meal, a Censor and an evaluating official from the Court of Final Adjudication came by. Zhù Ying received them. This evaluating official was a newer face — Zhù Ying had only met him once in passing when she hosted old colleagues from the Court of Final Adjudication — and the Censor was a complete stranger. Both of them were courteous upon entering and first looked Zhù Ying over — completely unscathed. The Censor said, “The Deputy Director doubtless knows why we two have come. The Deputy Director did not participate in the brawl, I take it?”

Zhù Ying spread her arms to show she was unharmed. The Censor nodded. “We also need to see the Prince Consort Luo and Director Shen.”

“Please. Our Prince Consort Luo has suffered terribly — unprovoked, completely unprovoked.” Zhù Ying said.

The two went to see Luo Sheng, and Zhù Ying said, “You go ahead and talk — I’ll step aside.”

After a while, the two had finished their questions and came back out to question Shen Ying, then departed.

Zhù Ying said to Luo Sheng and Shen Ying, “The questions have been asked — the two of you rest.”

Zhù Ying kept the Court of Foreign Affairs running in quiet and orderly fashion, not a thread out of place, all the way to the end of the work day. The nearby offices also included some quiet ones — such as the Court of Ceremonies under Xian Jing’s supervision, which was also well-organized. Others were in a muddle — the Ministry of Rites, for instance, with Minister Zhong having been beaten, had staff running around everywhere trying to gather information.

The Court of Final Adjudication was in an even sorrier state; its own Chief Justice had joined the brawl, and while one hand dispatched people to work alongside the Censors in taking statements, on the other hand the Chief Justice himself was reprimanded by the Emperor. The Court of Final Adjudication officials sent out to conduct questioning returned to find their immediate superior gone.

Zhù Ying left at the proper time. She checked in on tonight’s duty clerk, walked out of the imperial city with Qi Tai, handed the cat off to Qi Tai to take home first, and said, “You head back. I’ll escort Magistrate Luo home.” Luo Sheng was certain to be unable to hold back his mother and wife.

——

The vast majority of people left the imperial city at the end of the work day; the various princes remained in the palace, none willing to stray too far from the Emperor.

Zhù Ying had Hu Shijie find a carriage, bundled Luo Sheng into it, and escorted him back to the Princess’s residence. The household had vaguely heard some news about a brawl, but assumed Luo Sheng was fine, and waited anxiously for him to return with word. When Luo Sheng arrived home, only then did the household realize something was wrong.

Princess Yongping said hurriedly, “Have the chief steward accompany the Deputy Director for me.” Then she went to see her husband and ask what had happened.

Shi Yin made a gesture to Zhù Ying: “Deputy Director, please.”

Zhù Ying sat and drank a cup of tea with him, telling him about the brawl at court. Shi Yin studied Zhù Ying curiously; Zhù Ying just smiled and said nothing. Princess Anren and the old Prince Consort soon came hurrying over as well. Luo Sheng gave a reasonably clear account of events, telling his family about the people he remembered hitting him, and added: “You must all be careful of them too. I used to doubt it, but after today I can see plainly — they’ve gone red-eyed. Do not underestimate them.”

Then he added, “It was all thanks to Zizhang’s help.”

Princess Anren asked, “And the Crown Prince and Yaoshi?”

“I believe they’re both all right.”

Princess Yongping was finally free to come and see Zhù Ying. Princess Anren, incapable of sitting still, had her husband watch over her son, and she came over too, wanting to hear the details.

The moment she saw Zhù Ying, Princess Anren was thoroughly startled. She pointed at Zhù Ying and demanded, “Wasn’t there a brawl? How are you unscathed?”

Zhù Ying said, “Probably because people still remember that I hit back, Your Highness, so no one thought much of targeting me. Your Highness, let me be brief. Now is not the time to go into the palace and weep to His Majesty. Today the palace has been consumed all day with treating wounds and investigating the matter. In a day or two, there will certainly be an imperial edict. At that point there will be a great storm, and we cannot yet know on whom it will land. Right now, do not act in anger.”

Princess Anren said furiously, “So we just take this?”

Zhù Ying said, “His Majesty’s wisdom illuminates all. In meting out punishment to those who caused the trouble, do you think you could surpass His Majesty? One’s honor and disgrace rest entirely with His Majesty’s blessing. No matter what is done, His Majesty’s approval is required. I ask that Your Highness leave a little room for your own father and brother — do not press too urgently.”

Princess Yongping had taken it in, and said to Princess Anren, “There’s sense in this.”

Zhù Ying rose and took her leave.

Princess Anren ground her teeth. “When Yaoshi…”

Princess Yongping hastily stopped her. Princess Anren grumbled and complained, but no longer said anything ill of her nephews; she turned instead to berating her husband for not handling the matter well enough.

Luo Sheng tried to comfort her. “Don’t blame Father.”

Princess Anren sighed. “Who knows how things are in the palace right now.”

——

The atmosphere inside the palace was oppressive. As Zhù Ying had guessed, some of the punishments began that very night. The Chief Ministers worked overtime through the night — not one of them made it home. The Crown Prince and Prince Qiyang were also unable to return to the Eastern Palace; both remained before the Emperor. The Chief Justice’s punishment was handed down that same day.

The Chief Ministers, relying on their excellent memories, first identified those who had not participated in the brawl and set them aside. Then they had the instigators — the brothers-in-law of the Prince of Lu and the Crown Prince — imprisoned for strict investigation. After that, they worked through the participants in the brawl by category.

Those who had been innocently injured — bystanders such as Luo Sheng — were deemed victims: no punishment, and leave granted to recuperate.

Those who had struck first: no room for negotiation. The most enthusiastic fighters among each faction were dismissed from their posts — about ten or so people in this category.

Those who had been forced to defend themselves and had ended up fighting fiercely: discussed on a case-by-case basis, reduced by three grades.

Those who had been forced to defend themselves but had not escalated the conflict: reduced by three grades but retained in their current posts.

Then there were those like Zhù Ying, who had engaged in what might be called “rescue” behavior, and those like Xian Jing, who had attempted to stop the fighting without success — no punishment, all retained as before. That you couldn’t keep things under control — you all bear some responsibility for that! As for a reward — forget about it.

The Chief Ministers were deliberately cautious, inclined to treat the Eastern Palace faction lightly and press the various princes’ factions harder.

Then Liu Songnian took up his brush and drafted an edict that roundly cursed all these “pillars of state” in one breath. Things like “deeply failing Our grace,” “not thinking of repaying Our favor,” “having only private calculations in your hearts and no sense of what a great minister owes,” “being incapable of preventing this” — rhymed prose in the four-six style, sweeping down like a mountain torrent. Drenching everyone equally, with no one spared.

In sum: you are all scoundrels! And the majority of you are, moreover, useless.

The Chief Ministers did not touch the princes, instead handing that to the Emperor with the phrase “a family matter.” In their own hearts, they would have been most pleased to crush all the princes’ ambitions entirely! But the Emperor evidently had other ideas.

The Emperor summoned his sons and berated them at length. When he reached the words “neither loyal nor filial,” the Crown Prince and Prince Qiyang could no longer remain standing and also knelt. The Emperor could not see for himself; let the sons and grandsons kowtow as they would, he kept right on scolding.

The Prince of Lu opened his throat and wept out loud: “Father! Please don’t be angry! I won’t make you angry anymore! Beat me or scold me however you like! Just don’t let them trample over me! They accuse my in-laws — what are they after? Isn’t it already perfectly clear?”

Prince Qiyang felt a jolt in his heart. Seeing that his own father only knew how to request forgiveness placidly, he also cried out: “Grandfather, please do not let your temper harm your health. The fault lies ten thousand times over with your sons and grandsons. Whatever burdens there are — we can bear them. What we cannot bear as a sin is tiring you and making you angry.”

Wang Yunhe said, “Your Highnesses, please wait for His Majesty’s decision.”

Prince Qiyang fell silent and only whimpered quietly. The Prince of Lu kept on: “Father, save me!”

Liu Songnian lowered his hand and pressed it firmly down on Prince Qiyang’s shoulder; Prince Qiyang let out a sharp “ow.” The Crown Prince asked in quick succession, “What’s wrong? What’s wrong?”

Prince Qiyang said quietly, “Just caught a couple of blows a little while ago — it’s nothing.”

The Prince of Lu also cried out loudly that he was in pain.

The Emperor struck his couch armrest forcefully. Lan Xing stepped forward half a pace and said, “Your Highness, please be quiet.”

Even his words had some small effect; the Prince of Lu’s voice also subsided.

The Emperor had already decided what to do. He did not punish the Eastern Palace — he only scolded the Crown Prince and Prince Qiyang for failing to maintain stability. With the princes he was less lenient: although their ranks were not stripped, each man’s granted households were cut in half. They were also each commanded to write a letter of contrition.

The princes prostrated themselves.

The Chief Ministers also knelt to beg the Emperor’s pardon. The Emperor said, “It is not your fault. See that the demoted and dismissed are replaced quickly.”

The Chief Ministers obeyed.

The Emperor then issued an edict rewarding the Imperial Guards.

Liu Songnian raised an eyebrow.

The princes and the Crown Prince still had to remain behind to attend upon the Emperor. The Emperor said, “When you are not here, I live a better two days longer.”

His sons continued to beg for pardon. The Emperor said, “Get out.”

——

When Prince Qiyang and the Crown Prince “got out” back to the Eastern Palace, it was deep in the night. The women of the Eastern Palace had all stayed awake; they sat with the Crown Princess waiting.

Father and son were not in a particularly wretched state — the Crown Prince especially, who after seeing the Emperor often came out looking somewhat out of sorts; tonight, strangely, he didn’t look much different from usual. The Eastern Palace was not very alarmed.

The Crown Princess stood composed and graceful and asked, “Was there some matter at court?” The children had come forward as well, calling “Father.”

The Crown Prince stroked the soft fine hair of his youngest child and said, “Nothing. All of you go and rest.” He signaled for the Crown Prince’s concubines, children, and attendants to disperse, with only the Crown Princess remaining.

Prince Qiyang said to Luo Yi, “Don’t worry — aren’t we both perfectly fine? These past few days have been hot; once the weather cools, we’ll go and visit Aunt.”

Luo Yi, barely holding her eyes open with sleep, said, “Brother is busy with affairs at court — you don’t have to go out on my account. I’m all right.”

Prince Qiyang smiled. “Go and rest.” He signaled the ladies-in-waiting to take her away.

Father and son exchanged a look. Prince Qiyang said, “Father, regarding the matter of my maternal uncle — I wish to submit a separate memorial requesting punishment for him.”

“Ah, I’d better do it — you’re young; your memorial requesting punishment would be of no use.”

The Crown Princess asked Prince Qiyang, “What happened? What is the matter with your maternal uncle?”

Prince Qiyang said, “Let Father explain it to Mother. Whatever you do, don’t be anxious, and don’t cry and plead on his behalf.”

The Crown Princess looked at the Crown Prince in trepidation. The Crown Prince said, “Truly a constant worry — he had it coming, receiving a lesson like this.”

Prince Qiyang bowed to his parents and quietly withdrew. He did not sleep, but sat in his study staring at the flame of a candle, turning the events of the day over in his mind again and again. The more he thought, the more unsettling it was.

He had never imagined that his own flesh and blood would come to such a pass — how could he bear it?

In the past, his father was Prince Zhao, and his grandfather’s affection for his own family was far less than what he had shown the former Crown Prince or his cousin the Prince of Chenyi. But the pressure he had himself felt was also small — that grandfather had been a figure who could make any wish come true. All he had had to think about was: his father was a Prince of the First Rank, and “in the future” his own branch would grow increasingly distant from the main line — how to preserve his family’s dignity and not let his descendants fade gradually into obscure kinsmen. He was the eldest son; his younger brothers and sisters were also his responsibility; he had to work hard and prove himself. Beyond that, there had been nothing else to worry about.

Now everything had changed.

Before his very eyes, officials had beaten one another into a shambles, and someone had even taken advantage of the chaos to strike from ambush. How could anyone lose all propriety in the Emperor’s own presence — how could anyone dare to be disrespectful to the Heir Apparent?

The Prince of Lu had once been nothing more than an unreasonable uncle. He was somewhat arrogant toward his own family, but that was a senior to a junior — it was normal for an elder to put on a little airs. He could remember when, as a child, this small uncle of his used to take him along to play. Once, he had really wanted to go to the imperial garden, and someone had scolded him for it; it was this small uncle who had used his status to overbearingly stand in front of him and say: “Who do you think you are? Daring to lecture us?” The small uncle had taken him by the hand and told him: “They’re here to serve us — we can’t let them turn around and manage us.” The small uncle had taken him to play for an entire afternoon. How happy it had all been! Back then the small uncle had been so much taller than him, tall and sturdy, standing in front of him like a barrier, more vivid than his own father.

Now that status had shifted, “a bit overbearing” and “putting on airs” had become a thorn pressing into his side at every moment.

His grandfather had also changed. His grandfather had never dealt so sternly with his own family before. He had once supposed that this was because now that the Eastern Palace had greater responsibilities, people’s expectations of it had risen, and grandfather still cared about the Eastern Palace — whenever the Prince of Lu went too far, grandfather would stand up for the Eastern Palace.

Thinking again of the former Crown Prince, and then of himself and his own father, the mixture of feelings was even harder to sort out.

“The Emperor is a father; the Crown Prince is also a father” — ah, so it was like this. Truly, like this.

He had thought that the difference between Prince Zhao’s household and the Crown Prince’s household was only the distinction between a concubine-born and a principal-born son, only the distance from that chair. He had not known there were other worlds within. The same person — still his grandfather — and yet before the enthronement of the Crown Prince and after it, the way his grandfather treated their branch was entirely different. This, too, was something that could not be understood without living through it firsthand.

So that was why the Emperor dispatched inner attendants to “assist” the Eastern Palace. So that was why he himself could not make arbitrary use of the Eastern Palace’s officials.

Thinking over all that had happened since he moved into the palace, he could find no one he could pour it out to. In the natural order of things, at a moment like this, the closest person should have been his wife. But his young wife — best to leave her out of it…

In a matter like this, was there anyone at all to whom he could speak?

How should he conduct himself going forward?

“This is a contest of who makes fewer mistakes.” The phrase leaped suddenly to the front of his mind.

Prince Qiyang’s heart felt stifled. He wanted to reassure himself that Prince Zhao’s household had always been harmonious, and would never produce someone like the Prince of Lu; his own father was not like his grandfather. And yet, for some reason, the image of his father gently stroking his younger brother’s head pushed its way into his mind.

An inner attendant asked softly, “Your Highness, shall we bring a meal?”

It was late, and he was rather hungry — these past two years he always took a supplementary meal at this hour. He said, “Set it out.”

The lightest of footsteps approached from the distance; a line of palace servants entered carrying food boxes and arranged the dishes one by one on a nearby table. A palace maid served his meal, her slender pale hands passing back and forth before him, carved it seemed from white jade.

Prince Qiyang quickly finished the supplementary meal. An inner attendant stepped forward and knelt, holding up a basin of water. Prince Qiyang washed his hands and rinsed his mouth; looking up, he saw the palace maid still tidying the bowls and dishes.

Prince Qiyang reached out his hand and took hold of those soft fingers.

The inner attendants and palace maids kept their heads bowed, swiftly and deftly lifting the entire dining table away; two remained to attend; the rest drew the door quietly shut behind them.

The candlelight swayed.

——

That night, many people were destined to be very busy.

Among them, Duan Ying and the Prince of Lu.

Duan Ying had already heard of the mass brawl and hastened through the night to the Prince of Lu’s residence.

The Prince of Lu was in a fury, and kicked over a lamp stand — the light in the room dimmed a little, and the inner attendants rushed to light more candles.

When he saw Duan Ying, the Prince of Lu said with ill temper, “Come to laugh at me?” He smashed a plate, then stopped.

The inner attendants’ hearts relaxed. Once Duan Ying came, the Prince of Lu’s temper always improved a little.

Duan Ying looked the Prince of Lu over and said, “Your Highness has suffered.”

“It’s all because of that…” The Prince of Lu panted heavily and finished the remaining half of his sentence silently, mouthing it.

Duan Ying said, “What else happened to Your Highness in the palace? Could you tell me about it?”

The Prince of Lu nodded and recounted his experience one detail at a time. Although he could not fully reproduce it and mixed in his personal feelings, the broad outline of events still came through.

Duan Ying said quietly, “Endure this moment of anger and spare yourself a hundred days of regret.”

“Endure? Endure who?” The Prince of Lu let out a strange cry. “I’ve already choked one Crown Prince to death — I can choke a second!”

“What a pity the Emperor’s health is failing,” Duan Ying said softly.

The Prince of Lu’s face fell. “What do you mean by that?”

Duan Ying said, “Your Highness, tomorrow you must submit a letter of contrition to both the Emperor and the Crown Prince.”

“What?”

“Think, Your Highness, about how His Majesty has always behaved. When you are in a weaker position, His Majesty shows you favor; if the Crown Prince is pushed and suppressed too hard, His Majesty actually turns around and protects the Crown Prince. Is that so or not? Did Prince Qiyang also take a few hits today?”

“Pfft! That sly little fox — all he does is put on an act!”

“And so… make a request for pardon. Tell His Majesty that you were frightened; let everyone know that you fear the Crown Prince’s retaliation — while you, by your very nature, are straightforward and blunt, and have never harbored any disrespect toward your elder brother. Did you do anything to the Eastern Palace? You didn’t strike first, did you? Beg the Crown Prince to be magnanimous.” He pressed especially hard on the word “retaliation.”

The Prince of Lu said with a sullen face, “Father has already ordered me to write a letter of contrition to him.”

“To whom?”

“To Father, of course!”

Duan Ying said, “Write both.”

The Prince of Lu rolled his eyes.

Duan Ying reached into his robe and produced two booklets. “I’ve already written them.”

The Prince of Lu was no longer so angry. “Fine — we’ll do it this way.”