Cining Palace.
Through the gauze curtain, the figure on the couch was indistinct; only the Empress Dowager’s heavy voice came from behind the canopy: “The emperor has come.”
“Yes.” Emperor Jinglong sat on a round stool before the couch and asked, “How is Royal Mother’s health?”
The Empress Dowager then asked, “Where is Cheng’er?”
“—Your son is here.” Yu Wang strode into the bedchamber, saluted the emperor, then sat on a round stool on the other side. “Since Royal Mother summoned me in urgency, I dared not delay a moment.”
“Lift the curtain,” the Empress Dowager said.
At once, a palace maid went forward, rolled the curtain up, and hooked it onto a jade peg. The Empress Dowager reclined against the raised headrest. She bore no signs of illness on her face, only a gloom of melancholy. Normally her makeup was splendid and exquisite, and though past fifty, she looked no older than a woman in her forties. Now, with her paint removed, the fine lines at her brows and eyes could not be concealed.
Seeing this, Emperor Jinglong was somewhat surprised, though as if he had already expected it, and asked: “What urgent ailment afflicts Royal Mother? I have summoned Director Wang of the Imperial Medical Bureau and two physicians to give a thorough consultation.”
The Empress Dowager propped her forehead with her hand and sighed softly: “A sickness of the heart.”
“What heart-sickness could make Royal Mother neglect even her adornments?” Yu Wang dragged his stool closer, leaning forward to look. “But even without makeup, Royal Mother is beautiful. That I take after Royal Mother is truly my good fortune.”
The Empress Dowager was nearly amused into laughter. “You glib tongue! When will you learn steadiness and propriety, like your elder brother?”
“No, I daren’t imitate him.” Yu Wang glanced at the emperor, who sat upright. “What heart-sickness troubles Royal Mother? Tell me, and your son will share your worries.”
The Empress Dowager said: “Do you know what day it is today?”
Yu Wang thought and thought, then asked uncertainly: “Some Bodhisattva’s… or some Immortal Lord’s birthday? Royal Mother believes in too many gods and Buddhas—your son truly cannot tell nor remember them all.”
“All jest and frivolity!” The Empress Dowager tapped the back of his hand in rebuke. “On this day, twenty-seven years ago, my younger sister was hurried into marriage—wed to Wei Yan, who was twelve years her senior.”
Both the emperor and Yu Wang knew of the past affairs of Qin Wang’s household.
At that time, their Royal Mother faced the crisis of concubines vying for position. Their father, still only Qin Wang then, also faced both peril and opportunity—
The elder brother of Qin Wang, Emperor Ming Taizong, had died only three years after ascending the throne, leaving no heir. With the elder brother gone, the younger brothers—more than ten sons of Emperor Taizu—became legitimate candidates for succession.
Excluding those of low birth or mediocre talent, there were still seven princes with the strength to contend for the imperial vessel. Their father was one of them.
The aunt’s marriage secured the allegiance of the entire Qingzhou army for Qin Wang.
Qingzhou bordered the Tatars, not yet fully subdued, its stance always wavering with frontier wars—a force of passes and borders which the border princes strove to win over. At that time, the Qingzhou army was commanded by Wei Yan’s father, Wei Tu.
Wei Tu, though aged, remained strong and battle-seasoned. Because of the marriage alliance with Qin Wang’s household, Wei Tu resolved to lead his troops in allegiance, and ultimately escorted their father onto the Dragon Throne.
His merit in aiding the ascension, second only to founding the dynasty, was indispensable.
“The day my sister married, she held my hand and said, ‘Elder sister, it doesn’t matter whom I marry. What matters is that you remain Qin Wang’s principal consort, that either Tang’er or Cheng’er may become heir. Only then will we have a future.’ I still remember her forcing back tears as she spoke. I knew she already had someone in her heart, but for my sake she cut her feelings with a sword.” The Empress Dowager’s gaze grew hazy, as if sinking into distant memory. “Later, the Wei family did indeed fulfill her hopes. Wei Yan was mediocre, but he indulged her in everything. Because of that, Wei Tu re-evaluated your father’s weight, and in the end became the strongest force to push him to the throne.”
Emperor Jinglong was silent for a long time before saying: “Royal Mother, I know the Wei family’s past merits. That is why, all these years, they have enjoyed wealth and honor to the fullest. When they wanted land and stipends, I granted them. When they wanted to send daughters into the palace, I took them. For twenty years, Royal Mother—for their countless unlawful deeds, I have given light punishments, even turned a blind eye. Yet they know no restraint, becoming more brazen, more greedy. Must I hand over the state itself before their past merits are satisfied?”
The Empress Dowager slapped the couch, her tone severe: “—Emperor!”
“…Your son misspoke. May Royal Mother’s anger be calmed.” The emperor conceded.
The Empress Dowager drew a deep breath. When she spoke again, her voice carried a hint of age: “I can tell the greater from the lesser! I speak of this today only to urge you not to push matters to the absolute limit. Leave the Wei family a way to live. I will personally admonish that couple to stop, to be content with a lifetime of glory and riches—that alone is a vast imperial grace. They must not covet further.”
“And what of the crimes already committed? Has Royal Mother not read the memorials from the censors, listing their offenses—those common folk who died unjustly—”
“The common folk are in their multitudes,” the Empress Dowager cut him off, “but I have only this one family!”
The emperor fell silent.
Seeing tension build between the two, Yu Wang stepped in to mediate: “Royal Mother has always been protective. Does elder brother not know? When the two of us fought with Xin Wang in childhood, no matter the cause, did Royal Mother not always take our side, facing his Royal Mother head-on?”
The Empress Dowager shot Yu Wang a less-than-satisfied glare. “Protective? I was guarding my own cubs! And now it is the same. The Second Prince has only just turned one. He needs a birth Mother in the harem who has a voice, and a maternal clan at court with footing. Strip these away, and how is little Zhao’er to stand in the future?”
“Stand?” Emperor Jinglong slowly turned the weight of that word in his mind. “He is a concubine-born, and the youngest son. Where can he stand? Or perhaps—where does Royal Mother wish him to stand?”
“Emperor!” the Empress Dowager said in grief, “A gourd vine may bear a whole string of fruit, yet people still pick and choose, leaving the biggest and sweetest for seed. You, with only two fruits—how can you neither pick nor choose, but simply keep whichever sprouts first? What if that one is sour and bitter, while the other you have already cut away too soon—what harvest will there be in years to come?”
Emperor Jinglong was silent for a long while before saying: “Royal Mother’s likes and dislikes have truly been the same for fifteen years.”
“Judging by temperament, learning, and character, Royal Mother’s eye has not erred by much. And if you look again at the matter of the stone pillar that came out recently—doesn’t that prove the divination sought in those years has now come true?”
“Divination? What divination? What came true?” Yu Wang asked curiously.
Emperor Jinglong shook his head: “Words of ghosts and gods—listen to them as tales, but do not place full faith in them.”
The Empress Dowager said: “Whether you believe or not, I believe!”
Yu Wang still wanted to press further, but the Empress Dowager gave a look to Qiong Gu, the senior palace maid. Qiong Gu at once led Yu Wang aside and whispered: “Your Highness, best not pursue this with the Empress Dowager, lest you touch upon her grief.”
“Then what on earth is it? Tell me.” Yu Wang persisted.
Qiong Gu, helpless, could only briefly explain: “When the Late Empress first entered the palace, at first sight the Empress Dowager was shocked and displeased—because she bore a striking resemblance to the late Emperor’s concubine, Madam Mo.”
“Madam Mo? The birth Mother of Xin Wang and Ning Wang—the one who once contended with Royal Mother for the position of principal wife?”
“Exactly. The Empress Dowager even inquired into the Late Empress’s birth date and hour, only to find it was identical to the day Madam Mo died—down to the very hour, not a hair’s breadth different—”
“Wait!” Yu Wang interrupted, “I heard that after Madam Mo’s disgrace, Royal Father confined her, and she died depressed in captivity—when the servants discovered her, she had already been dead two or three days. How could Royal Mother have known her exact hour of death—”
Yu Wang suddenly fell silent, his gaze turning deep and unreadable. He thought of the only possibility: that Madam Mo had in fact died at his Royal Mother’s hand…
Qiong Gu pretended not to hear, and continued: “The Empress Dowager was restless, unable to eat or sleep, and sought out a great master to divine her fate. The omen was dire. She had even wanted to send the Late Empress out of the palace, but His Late Majesty was pleased with her temperament, conduct, and learning, and finally confirmed her as Empress. On the wedding night, the Empress Dowager feigned illness and did not attend—in truth she drank heavily, and drunk, she cursed Madam Mo again and again, and spoke over and over with the Third Prince…”
“The Third Prince—you mean my third brother, who died young?” Yu Wang asked in surprise. “Royal Mother has never stopped thinking of him…”
Qiong Gu’s eyes reddened, and she sighed: “That is the Empress Dowager’s deepest wound. The Third Prince’s early death—Madam Mo was the culprit. Just think: the reincarnation of the enemy who killed her son, now marrying another of her sons, and bearing a grandson who so closely resembles them—how could she swallow such a grievance?”
“Talk of reincarnation is vague and illusory. I don’t believe it.” Yu Wang shook his head.
“But the Empress Dowager believes! And this servant believes as well,” Qiong Gu said. “Because I know, as long as the Empress Dowager looks at tha…that face, she recalls the Late Empress, recalls Madam Mo, recalls the early death of the Third Prince. For her, every moment is torment!”
By the couch, the Empress Dowager clasped the Emperor’s hand and said earnestly: “Tang’er, Royal Mother asks for little. Only that you wait a few more years. When the Second Prince is grown, then compare again and see how matters stand. If before then his maternal family should fall in disgrace and ruin, then he would truly have no hope at all. They are all your sons—the flesh of your palm or the back of your hand, all the same flesh—don’t you understand this feeling?”
Emperor Jinglong let her hold his hand, but remained silent.
The Empress Dowager, nearly despairing, said: “When I chose you as heir, it was not only because you were older, more suitable!”
The words that slipped out, and the unspoken subtext behind them, pierced the Emperor’s heart like an arrow.
Not only because you were older, more suitable— But because, between two brothers, I favored you. Thus I have had to bear the pain and guilt of “the flesh of palm and back are both flesh,” to bear your younger brother’s hidden resentment and dissatisfaction. Now, as repayment, can you not place more weight on your own young son?
The Emperor’s face flushed green, then turned to a bloodless waxen white. He first gripped the Empress Dowager’s hand so hard the bones creaked, then swiftly released it, withdrawing as though scalded.
For an instant, he cast an indescribable glance at Yu Wang, who was speaking with Qiong Gu. In that look seemed to hide some profound anguish—or perhaps only cold detachment toward a settled fact.
He replied in a level voice: “Royal Mother’s kindness, your son cannot repay. It is only right that I heed your counsel.”
“Then how should the many impeachments against the Wei clan be handled?” the Empress Dowager asked.
The Emperor’s clenched teeth suddenly relaxed, and he gave the faintest smile: “Of course, they will all be dismissed.”
“And how will you answer the ministers’ doubts?” she asked again.
“Did Royal Mother not already teach me the words?” the Emperor said. “‘I have but this one kin—there is no need to raise this matter again.’”
The Empress Dowager smiled in relief. She patted his hand fondly: “Royal Mother has not loved you in vain. At present your aunt is gravely ill and cannot bear agitation. Once her condition improves a little, I shall personally rebuke her and her husband, and have the Wei clan restrain themselves, so as not to trouble you again.”
The Emperor rose, bowed with clasped hands: “Your son will not disturb your rest further. May Royal Mother enjoy peace—your son takes his leave.”
When Yu Wang finished hearing the old story from Qiong Gu, and saw the Emperor also taking his leave, he thought a moment and also made his farewell.
Leaving the Cining Palace, he quickly caught up with the Emperor, and mischievously studied his elder brother’s calm yet heavy face: “Elder Brother, Royal Mother deliberately sent me aside to speak private words to you. If anyone should be wearing such a face now, it ought to be me, not the other way around.”
The Emperor stopped, turning his head to look at Yu Wang.
Yu Wang raised his brows, not retreating in his gaze.
The Emperor scrutinized him for a moment, then suddenly lifted his hand and plucked a few flecks of willow catkin from Yu Wang’s shoulder. “Catkins are vexing, yet they mean that spring has arrived,” he said.
“Indeed. The Longevity Festival has passed, Elder Brother, and you’ve grown another year older,” Yu Wang replied.
The Emperor did not take offense. Instead he smiled faintly, and flicked the catkins from his fingertips. “This thing appears white as snow, yet is so frail it cannot endure a touch… If it is to turn to duckweed and float upon water, better that it cling to mud as catkin fluff. Let it go where it ought to go!”
The balled-up catkin fell to the ground, quickly blending with the grass and soil—no more than an ordinary seed.
Yu Wang gazed at the drifting willow fluff with a thoughtful look and snorted, “The more they have, the more they pose and the more pretentious they become.”
