May 20th was the Wanshou Festival, the Empress Dowager’s fiftieth birthday. The current emperor ruled with benevolence and filial piety; the Empress Dowager’s slightest illness could not be neglected. A few years back, the emperor barely celebrated his own birthday, but the Empress Dowager’s would be lively. She also considered her son’s well-being: the palace had thinned, and the selection of consorts had been postponed several times to avoid wasting resources. This year was special, Jing Wang had gathered troublemakers in the south. To avoid a somber impression, the court, always calm and measured, staged a lively selection of consorts. Could the Empress Dowager’s birthday be spent quietly?
Both inside and outside the palace, the expectation was festivity. The Empress Dowager said there was no need to lavishly honor her, her mouth could only eat so much. It was better for the court to reduce taxes and grant amnesty, accumulating merit for her. The more Jing Wang stirred trouble and prolonged the war, the more the court acted benevolently and prioritized the people. His military momentum had been strong, taking twelve cities in the Wu dynasty, but the political winds shifted rapidly. He had underestimated his imperial nephew and the southern officials who had survived the collapse of their state. The rebels’ courage was sky-high, but the defenders’ determination was strong too.
Those originally unwilling to serve the new dynasty were prompted by Jing Wang’s treachery to side with the court. Several disheartened generals of Yan Dynasty gathered, finally stopping Jing Wang’s army a thousand miles from the capital at Liaozhou. The battle had been stalemated for over twenty days. For the court, it was reassuring. After all, Jing Wang had no legitimate claim; illegitimate means lead to failure.
Jing Wang’s advantage was speed, but rebellion in peacetime required courage and overwhelming force. His reasons were weak, and many Donghu defected. Advancing northward against the current was not easy. The court, seizing the occasion of the Empress Dowager’s birthday, granted favors, and loyalty was reinforced.
The palace was lively this year. The Empress Dowager’s banquet was grand. The harem and court were united. Meng Guqing even saw a surprising guest, someone who had never appeared at a Wu dynasty banquet. Despite a remote seat, many eyes were drawn. Princess Yang’a, a lover of beauty, kept glancing. Noticing her attention, her sister-in-law looked puzzled: “That is Xiao Shizi. You, secluded in the palace, probably haven’t seen him. He was sent from Fulan as a hostage. He rarely appeared publicly. I never thought anyone could be more handsome than my imperial brother… no, better described as beautiful. If you won’t get jealous, I’d say even more beautiful than you.”
Meng Guqing blushed faintly. If this got back to him, she suspected the speaker would be in trouble. She wasn’t surprised Princess Yang’a kept looking, but puzzled why Xiao Shuo was suddenly invited as a Wu dynasty guest.
Princess Yang’a explained: Jing Wang had marched to subdue Yan Dynasty, abandoning the former Yan court and turning against his own. Wu feared retaliation. Fortunately, Yan was weak, and Fulan eyed the east. Wu ordered Fulan to intervene, so the Shizi, though a hostage, had to be treated like nobility. The Empress Dowager invited him to her birthday banquet.
Fulan produced many beauties. Xiao Shizi, secluded and rarely seen, immediately drew attention. Princess Yang’a, though thirty, had well-maintained skin, still glowing like the moon. She said casually: “If Xiao Shizi had come six months earlier, I wouldn’t have reconciled with the princess consort. They were already persuading me; better to start anew. I think Xiao Shizi is excellent.”
Meng Guqing scrutinized Princess Yang’a: “This? Could it work?”
Princess Yang’a laughed: “I’m joking. It’s just to surprise you. Even if I wanted it, the Shizi may not wish to be in the spotlight. He’s a prince of a kingdom. Wu still relies on Fulan; I wouldn’t jeopardize the Empress Dowager or emperor’s plans.”
Meng Guqing didn’t worry for Xiao Shizi, only for the princess. Watching him sit, a flower-like beauty, she noted he was a black-hearted lotus; cross him, and you’d never know how it ends. Still, the princess had little need for worry: a few present had it harder than her. She kept her eyes on her wine, feeling two strong gazes, one from the crowd where she had been talking with Princess Yang’a, the other from the honored seat above. Near her ear, Consort Xian, newly entered, spoke sweetly in elaborate style, this was Huang Xian.
Huang Xian had entered by the Empress Dowager’s decision. Huang Gusheng, traveling south for studies, had coincided with Jing Wang’s rebellion. He wrote a scathing essay, revealing the crimes of Jing Wang and the Donghu, amplifying the court’s proclamations. The effect was striking. The Empress Dowager, impressed by Huang Xian, had her admitted.
Whether one or ten joined the palace, Zhao Donglin felt nothing; the person he cared for was distancing herself. He ignored others, staying alone in Huangji Hall. The harem remained peaceful. The emperor, absent, left only the Empress Dowager and Noble Consort Xu aware that he worried about war and something else.
After Consort Xian’s toast and the Empress Dowager’s reward, she respectfully offered a toast to the emperor. Zhao Donglin obliged, returning the Empress’s gaze subtly, lowering his eyes to his cup. The brief loneliness passed as Noble Consort Xu led the new consorts in toasting. The emperor accepted all, then personally led the toasts to the Empress Dowager.
Meng Guqing blended in, inconspicuous. The banquet concluded smoothly; guests departed satisfied. She planned to leave after the Empress Dowager departed. Princess Yang’a, unusually attentive, stayed by the Empress. Seeing the emperor, slightly drunk, glance their way, she grew anxious. Soon the Empress Dowager noticed the emperor and summoned the three, smiling, speaking to him for a while before saying: “Yang’a, if you want to invite the Empress to your residence, you should leave early. It’s unsafe to travel at night. Be careful.”
When had she ever agreed to visit the Princess’s residence? It wasn’t a festival, nor was there any such custom. Meng Guqing glanced at the Empress Dowager, whose expression was strange, then felt Princess Yang’a tug lightly at her sleeve from behind. She prudently held back her questions, and Princess Yang’a timely said with a smile, “Yes, my birthday is coming up soon. I was thinking of how life was back in Gaochang when I was young, truly nostalgic. Royal Mother sees the Empress every day and must have heard thousands of her stories about home. I’m already thirty and don’t even know if I’ll ever have the chance to return. I’d like to invite Her Majesty the Empress over to my residence for a day to ease my gloom. Surely His Majesty wouldn’t object?”
“You child, you pick a day like this just to irritate me. I’m already fifty, yet I haven’t said a word about whether I can still return to Gaochang. You love to fool around, and it’s a good thing that you’re close with the Empress and get along well. It’s only a single day, how could the Emperor possibly forbid it?”
With both the Princess and the Empress Dowager speaking this way, what could the Emperor still say? He had originally been stifling with frustration, and with a bit of courage from a few cups of wine, he had planned to come see the Empress. She was the softest-hearted; in the past, whenever he drank, she would always give him gentle care and comfort. He thought that perhaps today, if he acted recklessly under the influence of wine and clung to her, they might return to how they once were. But even that foolish hope was shattered.
Zhao Donglin looked at no one else, only at the Empress. It seemed like drunken sluggishness, but in truth, he was merely waiting for her answer, waiting for her to take one step toward him. If she did, he would take her hand and never let go again. He would shoulder everything.
But Meng Guqing did not look at Zhao Donglin. She only clearly saw Princess Yang’a’s hinting glance, the Empress Dowager’s stern face, and even the marquises at the side who were actually paying close attention to the new favored consort. Among them, Consort Xu and Consort Xian were at the forefront, smiling this way. They had reason to smile, after all, their fathers and brothers were now pillars of the court.
She noticed everything, everything except the one person whose eyes were full of nothing but her. Not only could she not step toward him as he wished, stand firm with him, she instead had to comply with everyone’s expectations and step back, and then back again.
She nodded and heard her own voice say, “I already made arrangements with the Princess, how could I back out at the last minute? Let’s go.”
The Empress Dowager smiled, and Princess Yang’a breathed a sigh of relief. Under the immense gaze of her imperial brother, she led the Empress toward her carriage.
As the carriage exited the palace and entered the bustling West Main Street, Princess Yang’a realized she was covered in sweat. She dared not recall the emperor’s gaze just now. The last time she had seen such a piercing look was when she had spoken ill of the Empress; even then, her brother’s eyes, though intense, hadn’t carried the heartbreak she saw today. She watched with sympathy and sighed: “I’ve always envied my brothers, thinking the life in their three palaces and six courts must be more comfortable than mine. Looking back now, few of the rear palaces were truly peaceful. Even having the princess consort by my side feels more tranquil. Of all of them, the emperor’s family life is least turbulent, yet he suffers the most. I remember when he was a child, reading at six, required to recite an entire Three Hundred Thousand, his tutor strict, the Empress Dowager never allowing slack. He was so exhausted he’d fall asleep mid-meal, still mumbling the text in his mouth…”
Princess Yang’a had watched Zhao Donglin grow step by step into the man he was today. She also resented Jing Wang for stirring trouble out of nowhere and disagreed with the Empress Dowager’s strictness toward her brother. That day, upon entering the palace, the Empress Dowager had summoned her to escort the Empress for a two-day outing. At first, she didn’t understand why, only instinctively obeying. Later, Fanchun Gugu explained: several new consorts hadn’t yet consummated their unions with the emperor, over a month now! That was improper. The emperor had grown childish and capricious since reconciling with the Empress. In an ordinary family, the Empress Dowager wouldn’t mind, but with the Zhao family throne at stake, indulgence was unacceptable.
She didn’t know what stubbornness the emperor was displaying, but he mustn’t falter at critical moments. Unsure if the Empress was the cause, the Empress Dowager first sent her away for a few days. Princess Yang’a, having kept company with her princess consort for over ten years, understood well the discomfort of having others inserted between two people. She knew her brother was a man of temperament, like her, and the difficulty lay in that the emperor couldn’t simply act on his own.
She looked at the Empress’s serene face, shining like jade under the pearl-lit carriage walls. Even she found it beautiful. No wonder her brother clung to her, unwilling to approach anyone else. Feeling rare sympathy, she spoke bluntly: “While at my residence, consider it your own Fengyi Palace. Wait…” Wait, once the new consorts at the palace had received favor, she could return. That couldn’t be said aloud. “Anyway, you haven’t been outside the palace in ages. The outside world is lively. I’ll accompany you and let you enjoy it properly.”
Meng Guqing nodded with a smile. She had been feeling stifled in the palace lately, with troubles mounting. The invitation from Princess Yang’a came just in time. Now, the two women could grow a little closer, planning where to visit the next day, including the ‘luxury’ shops the princess often frequented. Meng Guqing took note of several suggestions, chatting with the princess until evening. Even after dispersing, she didn’t idle, wanting to avoid thinking about palace troubles. She discussed with Caiwei a relaxing petal bath. Fusang remained behind in Fengyi Palace, while Caiwei recorded a list of items to bring back, allowing Meng Guqing to finally drift into sweet sleep.
The next day, their chance to roam vanished unexpectedly. The reason: the Empress Dowager had dreamt of the late emperor, who was angry and helpless seeing that external wars remained unresolved while her son and grandson fought each other. This unrest disturbed the dead. The Astronomical Bureau advised visiting the imperial tombs to pray for the late emperor’s spirit and the nation’s prosperity. Such rituals required the emperor’s presence, but the Empress Dowager, worried, insisted on visiting the famous White Horse Temple herself. Her health was fragile, and the summer heat made even a day’s journey to Shanglin Palace impossible. Who in the former palace dared insist she go out? Any misstep would be disastrous.
Someone suggested the Empress could represent the Empress Dowager in the ritual. Being both the mother of the nation and her aunt, either could go. The Empress’s itinerary was thus arranged. Representing the Empress Dowager in worship was a state matter; none dared neglect it. Princess Yang’a hurried to fetch the Empress, cheerfully optimistic: “White Horse Temple isn’t far. With the seven-day ritual, it’ll be at most half a month. Afterward, we can resume our shopping. I’ll reserve the new, popular items for us.”
Meng Guqing was mentally prepared. Leaving the palace was easy; returning was hard. This wasn’t personal; given the circumstances, her departure was necessary. She didn’t dislike Zhao Donglin; being with him was pleasant. Yet practical as always, knowing she could never monopolize his heart, she kept her emotions in check. Thankfully, her feelings matched her actions, better to separate now before matters became difficult. She could organize her complicated emotions; he needed time to soberly face reality and clarify what he truly wanted.
Upon receiving the Empress Dowager’s decree, Meng Guqing did not delay. She prepared to leave the city that day, leaving a message for Fusang to lock her small study before joining her outside the palace. Initially, she expected a one- or two-day outing and had left Fusang to guard the house. Now, leaving for a month, it was unreasonable to leave her alone. Most of her valuables were in the study; she carried little money, relying on the ancient bank if needed. She’ll just think of it as a trip.
