An arrow, just missing the tip of his shoes, lanced Prince Han from his thoughts. He looked up from the hard-packed dirt of the archery grounds to glare at Yiqiang. Yiqiang glared back.

"You're not watching,"

Prince Han rolled his eyes, "I'm tired. Do it again, I'll watch this time,"

Yiqiang threw his bow to the ground.

"Tired from what? Hanging around Third brother and the rest of them? Fine! Piss off! I don't need you. I'll go back, and Mother will find a new tutor who's better than you!"

Sang'er picked the bow back up, "Sixth Prince, my lord, has been assisting His Majesty with court affairs for long hours every day. Even so, he comes to see you every day to assess your progress,"

Yiqiang said nothing. He grabbed the bow and turned back to the targets.

"Your drawing arm is too low," Prince Han called, "Straighten up,"

Sang'er returned to Prince Han's side, casting worried glances at him, "My lord, are you alright?"

"I'm fine,"

"You–"

"I said I'm fine," Prince Han hissed, "Drop it,"

"Yes, my lord,"

Prince Han focused on Yiqiang. When that was finished, he focused on the memorials that The Emperor had sent to his rooms. He then focused on clearing his mind and chasing the sleep that eluded him.

"My lord," Sang'er said after hours of silence and no sleep, "You must contain yourself. There's nothing you can do,"

Prince Han rolled over and drew the covers. He didn't need Sang'er to remind him of this.

"...Meimei may tolerate a maid that crawls into The Emperor's bed, but I won't,"

De gui fei's words sliced at his chest like a burning knife like they did days before. Jiayi was trying to become His Majesty's concubine. When he heard De gui fei leave the room, Prince Han wanted to pry the window open and crawl back in. He wanted to shake Jiayi and tell her she was making a mistake. He wanted to spew all his pent-up resentment for His Majesty at her. That His Majesty was fickle and paid no mind to anyone's feelings, even his difujin's. If Jiayi displeased him at all, he would happily let her waste away in misery or be cruel enough that she would end it all herself.

But he didn't do that. He picked himself up and avoided Sang'er's eyes.

Truthfully, that would never happen to Jiayi. Once His Majesty had the chance to know her, there was no way he wouldn't favor her. The arts always entertained His Majesty. The fact that Jiayi could draw anything you could imagine in moments would always be fascinating. The Emperor would be refreshed by Jiayi's unadorned beauty and captivated by her in rouge and silks.

But the idea of Jiayi becoming The Emperor's concubine made his stomach clench. However, he had no right to it. His Majesty did like he did every unmarried woman in The Forbidden City. It was only natural, anyway. The Emperor was the Son of God. Who wouldn't want that over the almost-bastard child of the Late Emperor? No matter how much His Majesty favored Prince Han, he could never compare. What could he do for her family that His Majesty couldn't do ten times over? Not to mention, Jiayi had never promised him anything. He had not spoken a word of his feelings to her. Sly glances and blushing smiles were nothing when you added them all up. They were just friends.

Sleep eventually dragged Prince Han down into the darkness. He doesn't go to court that morning and sends Sang'er to tell The Emperor the cold is making his old wounds ache. He ate his lunch until he was full despite the food tasting like ash in his mouth. However, he couldn't hide and lick the wounds he truly didn't have. He was a 4th rank Prince, personally titled by His Majesty. He had been wounded more fiercely than this before and would again.

Fate was not in his favor. He would make peace with it.

"I'll go see His Majesty," Prince Han said after Sang'er fastened his cape.

"You haven't greeted Her Highness The Empress in some days. Shall we visit her instead?" Said Sang'er.

Prince Han sighed, "Do you want me to avoid His Majesty forever?"

"I would not dare. It's just–about Wei guniang–,"

"I'm not a child. This isn't heartbreak or a broken promise. I haven't been betrayed. There's no point in throwing a tantrum. Come,"

The walk to Yanxindian was quiet and solitary. The bitter winter winds had forced the forbidden city into hibernation. Prince Han was grateful. He wasn't in the mood to make small talk with a wayward minister or nosy noblewoman. However, he would have preferred that to the torture of seeing Jiayi walk down the stairs of Yanxindian. It was like seeing her in another life.

Not a maid, but a gêgê.

Instead of her plain cotton maid's uniform, Jiayi wore a warm yellow changfu that glowed like the sun. Her pink and blue waistcoat was trimmed with white fur matching the muff she tucked her hands into. Instead of the dew drop earrings she so happily wore, simple gold earrings dangled by her ears. Gold and silver dotted her hair. Her face was softly powdered and rouged. Prince Han froze as Jiayi raised her head and looked in his direction. But there's no recognition there, no bright smile that Prince Han had begun to think was only reserved for him. She looked right through him.

It happened.

Prince Han stared as she turned a corner and disappeared.

✺

Jiang pin waved her freezing hands over the brazier. His Majesty had already announced that she would be released, and she was still treated like a criminal! Why hadn't the Imperial Department sent over more coal and returned her servants? What was taking so long? Were they going to keep her locked up like this until the new year? She paused and looked up. Where was Susu? The eunuch took her to get more charcoal almost an hour ago.

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

Useless dogs.

Jiang pin looked up at the sound of the lock jostling open.

"Jiejie?"

Oh, it was only An gui ren–er–An pin.

"So you've finally remembered me?" asked Jiang pin.

"Jiejie, it's not my fault," said An pin, shutting the door behind her, "His Majesty was so upset after you attacked Xiang gui ren–"

"I did nothing!" Jiang pin snapped, "That bitch scratched herself!"

"Of course, of course," An pin said, simpering as usual.

"That whore better count her days. When I get out of here, The Empress Dowager is going to help me put that bitch in her place,"

An pin's lip quivered, "I don't think it'll be so easy jiejie, His Majesty is promoting her for the New Year,"

"What? What for?"

Jiang pin's anger rose to levels that she'd never known before in her life. That whore was going to become an Imperial Concubine? That bitch was given Yiqiang and would be his official foster mother? How could that bitch rise that far above her in just a few months?

"His Majesty has lost his mind!" She said, "How can The Empress Dowager allow this to happen? How could Shen huang gui fei?"

An pin handed her a cup of tea, "The Empress forced Shen huang gui fei to leave Huabao in Mongolia, and The Empress Dowager is trying to find someone new to put at His Majesty's side. There's no time to deal with her,"

Jiang pin gulped down the tea before huffing, "I have to get out of here. I can't let her win,"

She would have to send Susu out with some of the silver she saved to bribe a few people. Maybe she could get the eunuchs at her door to set her free to speak to The Empress Dowager in person at night.

"Jiejie," An pin began, pulling Jiang pin from her thoughts, "Can I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

Jiang pin motioned for An pin to refill her cup. The least that woman could do is make herself useful.

"Do you remember what Her Highness did to deal with Mu pin? I'd like to see if we can deal with Xiang gui ren before her promotion,"

Jiang pin was impressed. An pin didn't usually show this sort of initiative. She probably had a hard time without Jiang pin to lead her all these months.

"Do you have anyone in the Imperial Hospital?"

An pin shook her head.

"Well, you'll have to get her records and throw a little silver around to alter them. Mu pin had 'weak blood,' so no one was shocked by her prescription. Then, all you have to do is add a few extra herbs here and there. That's not very hard, is it?"

"That's it?"

Jiang pin rolled her eyes, "It's not that complicated. But I won't save you if you're stupid and pick the wrong person. If he turns tail when you tell him to add an abortifacient, it's your problem,"

"Did Mu pin need that?"

"Of course!" Jiang pin replied with a scoff, "As uppity as she was, had she been pregnant, Shen huang gui fei would've never been able to get rid of her. You should triple Xiang gui ren's dose. If she got pregnant, she'd have a litter like the bitch she is,"

Jiang pin drained her cup again and held it out. An pin, suddenly deaf, ignored her. Rolling her eyes, Jiang pin grabbed the pot, but An pin held steady.

"What's wrong with you?" She snapped, "Can you stop sitting there like an idiot and serve me?"

The faraway look on An pin's face disappeared and was replace with a dumb smile, "Ah! Of course, jiejie,"

A strong gust of wind shook the walls. Jiang pin shivered.

"You'll have to bring me some coal. That dog Fang gonggong will get what's coming to him when–"

"You watched me,"

It took a moment for Jiang pin to make sense of An pin's words. Watched her? Jiang pin massaged her temple. An pin had barely been there for an hour and had already annoyed her into a headache.

"What are you talking about?" Jiang pin's mouth was dry and tacky. She drained her teacup before tossing it on the nearby side table.

"You and Shen huang gui fei didn't tell me anything. You told me to make nice with Mu pin. To not behave like anything was different," An pin rose to her feet, "We had lunch with her so often. If I remember, you never ate much,"

Jiang pin rubbed her eyes. It was suddenly hard to keep them open.

"Why are you harping on this? I didn't like her food. Was that a crime?"

"But you piled food on my plate. That food was meant to kill Mu pin and any children that lingered. What about my child? Did you ever think about him?"

Jiang pin's head slumped forward. She twitched. Why couldn't she move? An pin's skirt drifted into her eye line before her head was jerked up.

"Did you like the tea?" An pin's soft voice asked, "I put something special in there just for you,"

Jiang pin strained to do something, anything at all!

"Urk...erk!"

An pin laughed and leaned forward, "Did you say something, jiejie?"

Jiang pin felt something dribble down the side of her lips. Was it drool? Was it blood? A sharp, stinging pain stabbed her stomach. It came in bursts and waves, each one more painful than the last. She couldn't even open her mouth to groan.

An pin stroked Jiang pin's sweaty face, "Does it hurt? Weiwei told me that His Majesty only reserves this poison for the worst criminals. I feel like it suits you so well,"

Even though white hot pain was lancing through her body, Jiang pin's eyes still widened when An pin's hands closed around her throat.

"Your Highness! Your Highness!"

An pin whirled around at the sound of Susu's voice.

Hope bubbled in Jiang pin's chest. Susu would find her and help her. When Jiang pin recovered, she would slit An pin's throat! As if she could read Jiang pin's thoughts, An pin turned around and smiled darkly at her. She unwrapped Jiang pin's longhua* and backed away into a darkened alcove near the door.

"Your Highness!" Susu cried, running into the room, "5th Princess– Your Highness, what's wrong?"

Susu!

Turn around!

Jiang pin watched in horror as An pin crept up behind and wrapped the white scarf around Susu's neck. Susu frantically scratched and fought, only for An pin to pull tighter, a toothy smile on her face. Susu's face blushed red, her eyes white and wide. The whites of her eyes began to dot with red splotches, the veins in her back bulging grotesquely. An pin yanked Susu's head back, forcing a wet, croaking cough out of her mouth. The terrifying flush of blood on Susu's face soon gave way to a ghostly pale, and like a puppet cut from its strings, she fell limp. An pin wrenched the scarf tighter still, holding it taut until she was satisfied. Jiang pin desperately wished she could shut her eyes from the sight of Susu's body collapsing on the floor.

The pain was nearly unbearable now. It was like her blood was replaced with the fire from hell itself. She felt something trickle down the side of her face. Was it blood? Was it tears?

"Weiwei!" An pin called.

The maid scurried through the door, uncorked a jar, and then splashed a foul-smelling liquid in Jiang pin's face atop Susu's body, and on every surface of her rooms. Through her dizziness, Jiang pin recognized the smell. It was oil.

An pin picked up a burning candle on a nearby table.

Dear God.

An pin was going to burn her alive. Jiang pin prayed that the poison would take her before the fire did. Jiang pin knew she was a sinner, but even the worst criminals weren't burnt alive. Her body would be in ashes! An pin couldn't be so cruel!

"Don't look so scared, jiejie," An pin said, backing away to the door, "You won't be alone. I gave Huaguang something to guarantee she'll be by your side,"

When the black smoke began to her and the flames brought her palace down around her, did she understand An pin's parting words.

––––––

*The hanging white scarf worn by women. Longhua first serves the purpose of keeping the neck warm and also covering women's neck for modesty.