De gui fei's confession sucked the air out of the room. The Empress's breath quickened.
"That is a heavy crime," said The Empress, "Have you told anyone about this?"
"No," replied De gui fei, "No one,"
That was good, then. If anyone else heard, they would assume De gui fei was showing signs of possession. De gui fei could be stern and overbearing, but murderous? That was unthinkable. Shen huang gui fei had been vying for more power year after year, but even then, The Empress hadn't gone far enough to think like this.
"De gui fei, if Shen huang gui fei was troubling you, you should've come to me instead of letting your feelings fester like this. Having these thoughts can harm your body," said The Empress.
"I know this. I've prayed. I've fasted. I've transcribed scriptures. My mother even sent me five blessed amulets, but the thought won't leave my mind," said De gui fei, "After what she did to Huabao and Huahuan, how can I live peacefully with that sort of woman?"
"What are you talking about?" Asked The Empress.
"The lewd paintings," De gui fei said, her eyes clouding with rage, "She helped Jiang gui ren with the plot to frame Xiang gui ren and damage you,"
At The Empress' confused face, De gui fei continued.
"The bamboo paper, Your Highness. It was huang gui fei's,"
"How could that be? Royal Mother ran out of those papers months before. Did she lend some to Shen huang gui fei?"
"She stole it from Dafuge. A few weeks ago, I went to pray in the early morning and bumped into Shen huang gui fei's A'Fang. The girl was so nervous and clumsy. She tried to cover the papers with scriptures, but I saw them. I assumed His Majesty told Shen huang gui fei to take from Dafuge and not make a scene. If I had known she took the papers to scheme with the reputation of Huabao and Huahuan on the line...I would've chopped her into pieces right there!"
"De gui fei!" The Empress scolded, "This behavior is unbecoming. The event is over. Huabao and Huahuan are safe and sound. Why are you still riled up like this?"
"Your Highness, these last years, I thought Shen huang gui fei was too proud and too arrogant but harmless. But knowing that she put our daughters' virtue in harm's way to suppress Xiang gui ren made it clear how far she'll go. I couldn't stop thinking, wasn't it strange how every woman that His Majesty favored is gone now?"
"His Majesty is monogamous. He favors all the women here at one point or another, you included. You're still here aren't you?" said The Empress.
"I'm not dead because I'm not a threat," said De gui fei, "Mu pin and Shu pin were different, they were your friends. The more His Majesty loved them, the more he loved you."
The Empress fiddled with the pearl and jade prayer beads in her hand. It was true. De gui fei and The Empress weren't friends. The Empress wasn't friends with anyone. She had no equals, no companions, only servants.
"I care for you just as much, De gui fei," replied The Empress. She sighed. "Mu pin's death was tragic, but she had always been frail. Shu pin forgot her place and dealt with accordingly. If His Majesty didn't still favor her, she would be dead now,"
"His Majesty only spared her for Yiqiang's sake," replied De gui fei.
Shu pin dug the knife deeper into her heart as she described the lurid affair between The Empress and Imperial Physician, Lou Ru. The same doctor whose marriage she arranged as a reward for diligently treating The Empress Dowager and The Emperor.
Swallowing the bitterness on her tongue, The Empress said,"Shu pin, you're by side day and night like a good servant. You know Lou taiyi and I speak infrequently. How can you have the nerve to dirty His Majesty's ears with his nonsense?"
Shu pin glared up at her, the warmth gone from her eyes, "It's because I serve you diligently that I dare bring this to His Majesty's attention,"
The Empress had taken Shu pin under her wing when the girl stepped into the back palace. Being from Mongolian clans, the bond was instant. The Empress gladly let Shu pin call her 'jiejie'. Who would've known a few years later that the girl she whispered and giggled with would have no difficulty splashing dirty water *on her?
The Emperor sat beside her, eyes closed, and head pillowed on his fist. To the untrained eye, he was relaxed, maybe even bored. But The Empress could see the anger roil through his body. On his other side was Shen huang gui fei, watching Shu pin's confession with wide eyes.
A woman, who identified herself as Lou Ru's maid, claimed that he had commissioned countless love tokens for The Empress over the years. Each one was smuggled into the house in the dead of night before going missing the next day when Lou Ru went to work at the Imperial Hospital.
"I unpacked master's work bag one night and found a gold and red jade ring. When he saw me with it, he threatened to sell me if I spoke of it," said the maid.
Shu pin squared her shoulders, "Hasn't Her Highness worn a ring like that lately?"
The Emperor sighed, "Is that all? A ring that looks alike? You're willing to bet your life on that?"
"Your Majesty, why don't we call Lou taiyi and Lou furen here and see what they say?" Suggested Shen huang gui fei, "If they don't feel much like talking, we can send them both to the Office of Careful Punishment,"
"Huang gui fei is wise," said Shu pin, "I've already called them both here to speak before Your Majesty and Your Highnesses,"
"Your Majesty, Lou furen is pregnant now," whispered Zhang Wei, "Will this interrogation be too harsh?"
"If Lou Ru committed such a grave crime while his wife is in a delicate way, then he is only to blame," said Shen huang gui fei.
"Bring a chair for Lou furen," ordered The Emperor.
Before her marriage, Lou furen was a hot house maid in the palace. When Lou Ru needed fresh herbs, she often attended to him. Her status wasn't lofty enough that marrying a physician was a step-down, so The Empress granted the marriage when Lou Ru asked this of her.
The husband and wife duo kneeled to greet them, their bodies stiff and tense. Lou Ru helped Lou furen to her feet and helped lower her into the chair. Lou furen cradled her hands around the modest bump of her belly.
"Lou Ru, I've troubled you to ask you a simple question. Are you having an affair with The Empress?" Asked The Emperor.
"I would not dare!" Replied Lou Ru, dropping back down to his knees.
Shu pin scoffed, "Is that so? What of this embroidery that was found in your workbag?"
A eunuch presented the cloth to The Emperor.
Shen huang gui fei hid her mouth behind her fan, "That..style of embroidery does seem familiar,"
It was more than familiar. It was an exact copy of an embroidered handkerchief that The Empress had finished years before. It had been missing for some time but The Empress assumed that had been thrown away.
Lou furen rubbed her belly nervously, "Replying to Your Highness," she said "That's mine,"
"Lying to The Emperor is a crime that warrants death," said Shu pin.
Lou furen shook her head, "I'm not lying. Her Highness The Empress is the mother of the world and model to all women, so when I still worked in the palace...I took it. Only so I could copy it! Because Her Highness' work was so good. It took me many years to copy it well, so I gave it to my husband,"
Lou furen struggled down to her knees, "May Your Majesty forgive me,"
"Such a neat little story. I'm curious how you two will explain what your maid found under a floorboard in Lou Rou's study," said Shu pin.
This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.
A maid entered the room and presented a pure white dudou†. Pale white peonies blanketed the edges while a flaming Phoenix curled elegantly throughout the middle. Beautiful as it was, it was small. The Empress had been pregnant many times, and some of the weight was hard to shake. She was lucky that her face rarely gained weight and the flowing gowns she was so fond of, camouflaged any changes.
"Phoenix and peonies?" Asked Shen huang gui fei, "Lou furen, are you saying this belongs to you?"
Lou furen nodded.
The Emperor sat straight up and curled his lip in disgust. Shu pin's face brightened.
"Zhang Wei," he called, "Send my word. Shu pin is devious, black-hearted, and committed the crime of slandering her master. Have her whipped 50 times and thrown into the cold palace,"
Shu pin paled and dropped to the ground.
"Your Majesty–I don't–" Shu pin struggled to get the words out as she was wrenched upright by a pair of eunuchs.
"Stuff her mouth. I won't hear any more of her nonsense,"
The Empress watched The Emperor's face as Shu pin was dragged away. He didn't bat an eye and quietly munched on the salted walnuts on the side table. Only days ago, he was discussing Shu pin's promotion. A strange heaviness settled in The Empress's stomach.
The maid Shu pin called as a witness, cowered when The Emperor turned to her.
"Lou furen, this maid's been your property for some time, so I'll send her back to you to deal with,"
Lou furen shook her head"Some time? I only bought her six months ago,"
With a nod, Lou Ru said, "Your Majesty, I think it would be better to send her to The Office of Careful Punishment to see if anyone else is behind this,"
"You've always been prudent," said The Emperor, "Fine. Take her,"
In the end, Lou Rou was fined two months' salary for using symbols of the imperial family. When Lou Rou sent a message about needing a private audience, The Empress almost turned it down. A gut feeling made her order Shiyi to play sick so she could send for him.
"Your Highness, I've got to speak the truth to you today," he said.
Lou Rou admitted to paying closer attention to The Empress if only to bring copies back home to his wife. However, he'd never be so blatant or disrespectful to have something like that dudou made. Lou furen had lied on the spot about it.
"It was all the work of that maid on behalf of Shu pin, then," The Empress concluded, "Where on earth did you find such a person?"
Lou Yanched sighed, "It's my incompetence. I knew furen would need help with the baby coming soon. A nearby family was moving out of the capital and selling some cheaply, so I took advantage. It was foolish,"
The bombshell comes shortly after The Empress sends a few people to investigate. The family that fled fell into a sudden fortune and often kept company with Shen huang gui fei's father.
"Didn't Shen huang gui fei order the interrogation to be so fierce that the maid died before they could even ask questions?" Asked De gui fei, "You didn't think that was strange?"
"The matter is over and done with," The Empress replied.
"And Mu pin? She–"
"That's enough! What's done is done!"
De gui fei pursed her lips and tucked her chin into her chest.
"I understand that you're afraid but, you can't think like this. Even if you managed to do this, could your spirit handle it?"
"I would learn to handle it," said De gui fei, her voice shaky.
"Go back and rest. If anyone asks, say I scolded you for the way you spoke to Shen huang gui fei during our prayers," said The Empress
De gui fei nodded weakly before excusing herself.
The Empress leaned back in her chair and rested her chin in her hand. Truthfully, she didn't need anyone to point out the connection between Shen huang gui fei and Shu Pin and Mu pin's misfortunes.
It had been some years since The Empress had kneeled before The Emperor like this. He had at least given her the dignity of clearing the rooms of servants before scolding her.
"We'll say Mu gui ren died of a blood deficiency. That way, no one can connect it back to you,"
The Emperor looked haggard and much older than his years. The Empress knew he had held Mu gui ren during her final moments last night, weeping quietly.
"I thank you for Your Majesty's grace," she replied, "I'll never make this sort of mistake again,"
He stared down at her.
"So it was a mistake, then?"
The Empress didn't expect very much from The Emperor. They were more partners than lovers. Affection during the years could be counted on one hand, but at the very least, they trusted each other.
"Of course, it was a mistake, Your Majesty. I was ignorant about the herbs Mu gui ren was taking. I should've consulted with the Imperial Hospital before suggesting she take something else. I added the herb to my morning herbs and felt the benefits, so I tried to share it. I never meant for this to happen,"
"You're The Empress, not a doctor," he snapped, "Don't play pretend again,"
Later, but still too late, The Empress realized something. She hadn't been aware of the herbs Mu gui ren had been taking, but Shen huang gui fei was. She managed the prescription records, marking the costs and reporting it to The Empress. The conversation replayed in her head repeatedly that night until she realized something. Wasn't Shen huang gui fei the one who suggested that Mu gui ren would benefit from those herbs?
✺
Prince Han didn't like The Empress Dowager. Call him petty, but he never felt the need to warm up to the woman who famously declared that it would be better to drown him in a well than let him tarnish the Imperial family's reputation. However, The Empress was sharing a meal with her, so Prince Han came so she could have someone on her side.
The Empress Dowager's beady eyes stared at him, "That bruise on your face is still ugly as ever. It's been a week now. Didn't you use the ointment I sent you?"
Of course not.
"Replying to Your Highness, My Lord has been applying it diligently day and night," said Sang'er.
Prince Han reached for a plate of osmanthus cake, but The Empress Dowager snatched it away.
"Enough of that already. You aren't a child,"
Prince Han locked eyes with The Empress across the table. By the quirk of her eyebrows, he knew that several plates of cakes would be sent to his rooms tonight.
"Royal mother, a few of your birthday gifts have already arrived," said The Empress, "Would you like to see them?"
"The light is better in the receiving room, come," said The Empress Dowager.
Prince Han frowned as The Empress placed her chopsticks back on her plate. The Empress Dowager had enough time to eat two plates of food. The Empress was so busy filling her cup dishing up morsels that she barely ate one. Prince Han stuffed two osmanthus cakes into his mouth when he was sure The Empress Dowager was out of eyesight. Only to wince in pain as the bruise on his cheek smarted.
Sang'er poured a cup of tea, "My Lord, if you won't use the ointment The Empress Dowager sent, could you please try not to aggravate your bruise any more?"
Prince Han washed down his treats and poked at the sort inside his mouth with his tongue. It had been some time since he'd taken a punch to the face. It was the first time that he'd ever taken a punch from a girl and a maid, no less.
He never thought much of the maids in the Forbidden City. They were The Emperor's property, so there was no point in Prince Han looking at what didn't have a chance of belonging to him. They were interchangeable, faceless things in assorted matching costumes.
Before their late-night encounter, Prince Han had only begun to recently consider Wei Jiayi as a person rather than a thing, due to his nieces' reverence of her. Now that he was recovered, he saw them less, but each time was the same. Wei shifu painted them something beautiful. Wei shifu helped them bind books. Wei shifu is so good at kicking the shuttlecock.
Wei shifu could throw a punch.
Prince Han dusted off his hands and followed The Empress into the receiving room. The Empress Dowager was inspecting a pile of gifts with a critical eye. She tsked at a jade sculpture of a peony, turning it to and fro.
"Such low quality," she said, tossing it back at Jerjer, "It's like they want to insult me,"
"Please don't fret, Royal Mother. A letter from my mother arrived today. Twelve fat-tailed sheep should be arriving for your birthday banquet. Cousin Omida said that a fleet of chefs is coming to prepare them for you," said The Empress.
"You've told the kitchens to ready themselves for hot pot?" The Empress Dowager asked.
"Of course,"
The Empress Dowager returned to her gift, not bothering to give The Empress a thank you. Prince Han frowned. With her health, The Empress Dowager hadn't been able to travel to Mongolia and taste the cooking of her natal clan in quite some time. The Empress toiled to have 12 of those ugly sheep brought to The Empress Dowager's doorstep and she couldn't spare an ounce of gratitude. An unfilial thought crossed Prince Han's mind but snuffed it out.
"Empress Dowager, Empress, Xiang gui ren's maid is here," a eunuch announced.
"Xiang gui ren? Why is she sending people to darken my doorstep?" Asked The Empress Dowager.
"Replying to Your Highness, Xiang gui ren has a gift for you,"
Prince Han watched as The Empress Dowager struggled to respond. The woman was a magpie; if there were something shiny and expensive, she wanted it. Unfortunately, that shiny new thing may be coming from a prostitute.
"Fine, bring her,"
What a coincidence the woman of the hour was the maid that Xiang gui ren sent to deliver The Empress' gift.
"This servant wishes Her Highness The Empress Dowager and Her Highness The Empress peace. This servant greets Prince Han," said Wei Jiayi
Prince Han didn't miss the way Jiayi's eyes widened at the sight of him.
"Rise," said The Empress Dowager, "What little thing has your mistress brought for me today?"
Jiayi bowed and held out the tray in her arms. Jerjer took presented it to The Empress Dowager, who didn't look impressed.
"Full Branches?" The Empress read the title of the book aloud before flipping the page open.
The Empress Dowager's eyes widened.
"Fetch my spectacles. Quickly!"
The Empress went to The Empress Dowager's side. She gasped at the sight of the book.
A maid returned with The Empress Dowager's spectacles, and she wasted no time peering closely at each page.
"Prince Han, come look," beckoned The Empress.
With one look, Prince Han understood why The Empress and The Empress Dowager were so stunned. Each page had a perfect rendition of his nieces and nephews. There was Huabao, sitting daintily with a pipa in her lap, Yijian pulling a bow tight, and even Yiqiang, sitting in a study surrounded by books and scrolls. Each child had signed their portrait, except Huaguang.
The Empress looked at Jiayi, "You painted these, correct? I remember you had some talent for this,"
"Yes, Your Highness. Xiang gui ren knows that Your Highness is learned and your knowledge is vast. The only thing she could hope to give you to bring you joy for your birthday is portraits of the prince and princesses,"
"It's not too bad after all," replied The Empress Dowager with a nod, "Not a bad idea,"
"The Empress often speaks about your love for each prince and princess. My mistress felt like only this gift would be appropriate," replied Jiayi.
The Empress Dowager set her spectacles asides and closed the book, running her hand across the cover. She nodded to Jerjer, who stood before Jiayi and held out a tael of silver. Prince Han expected her to accept it immediately and thank The Empress Dowager for her grace. Instead, Jiayi shook her head.
"I don't dare accept this. Your Highness' happiness is more than enough," she replied.
"These new servants have a way with words, don't they?" The Empress Dowager said to Jerjer, "Return to Xiang gui ren, then,"
Jiayi backed away and left. Prince Han swore the girl made a point not to look at him on the way out. Wei Jiayi was really strange.
–––––––––––––––
*Spreading rumors
†A traditional Chinese form of the bodice, originally worn as an undershirt