The Emperor paused in his work as Zhang Wei came to his side.

"Wang gugu has returned,"

The Emperor returned to the memorandum on his desk while Langhua kneeled to greet him.

"Rise," he said, "News?"

"De gui fei's was indeed inside the shed with a man but by force. Eunuchs confessed to kidnapping her and locking her inside with Prince Han,"

The Emperor's eyes snapped up, "Prince Han?"

Langhua nodded, "Yes. A maid said she was ordered to put a strong aphrodisiac into Prince Han's wine. Luckily for him, they misjudged the dose, and he lost consciousness instead,"

"Where was his eunuch?"

"Arrested," said Wang gugu, "He walked in front of Prince Han to call for the raised chair and was wrongfully arrested by a guard for stealing. The guard claims it was a case of mistaken identity and released him this morning,"

The Emperor sighed, "Have him flogged 20 times for abandoning his master,"

Langhua nodded her head.

"Huifen's maid helped him escape?" He asked.

"She explained the situation to me clearly. A nearby guard carried him back to his quarters while she thought up a lie to save the situation,"

"Who was the guard?"

"Chang Lingxiu, Your Majesty,"

"Reassign him. He is to stay at Prince Han's side day and night,"

Langhua nodded, "Your servant understands,"

"Huifen's maid. Slap her 40 times across the mouth,"

Langhua bowed deeper, "Your Majesty is merciful,"

The Emperor stood and began to pace, "Who's the mastermind of this?"

"All hands point to Jiao gui ren,"

The Emperor paused. Jiao gui ren? It was far-fetched even for her. Like most young girls, she was silly and arrogant, but she wasn't stupid enough to try to offend The Empress and De gui fei. A puppet master was pulling the strings, but they'd hid their hands well.

"Take my decree," he said, "Jiao gui ren infected with disease. Remove her servants and bar the doors to her room so she may recover in peace,"

"Yes, Your Majesty,"

Langhua dashed out, quick to follow orders.

The Emperor returned to his desk and called for Zhang Wei.

"Have someone watching Jiao gui ren during her recovery. Make note of every servant that goes in or out. Inform The Empress of anything unusual,"

The Emperor put the incident to the back of his mind and returned to his work. The Empress was smart and made fewer mistakes as the years went on. She would understand what to do.

"Your Majesty," a eunuch said, "Dowager Noble Consort Ling is here,"

The sound of his little mother's arrival took the weight from his shoulders. Of all his father's women, Dowager Noble Consort Ling was the one he was closest to as a child. By the time he was born, her only child, Prince Xianliang of the 2nd rank, had been dead for some time. Looking back, Dowager Noble Consort Ling was an ambition-less concubine. Perhaps she just realistic. Even if Prince Xianliang lived, no minister would agree to a Han prince on the Qing throne.

The Emperor was sure that a bit of the affection Dowager Noble Consort Ling showed him so often was an effort to rile up The Empress Dowager, but it was still always welcome. Because of her feet, she spent much time in her palace, collecting precious things and reading. Royal father kept her entertained with personal Operas and performers. She wouldn't say a word if he snuck around to her courtyard to watch.

Soon after his coronation, it became apparent that The Empress Dowager wanted to be the only elder in the back palace. Each day, they would come to him begging for something to be done. The Emperor sent them all away. Dowager Noble Consort Ling didn't beg. In fact, she personally requested that living out her days in The Summer Palace would be good for her health. Embarrassingly, he denied it. He even accused her of abounding him during the most stressful time of his life. Dowager Noble Consort Ling didn't bat an eye. She went back to her palace and packed. She left for the Summer Palace, leaving a farewell letter that took the Emperor far too long to read.

The Dowager Consort was in fine form that afternoon, wearing a black outfit embroidered with silver and gold wan zí.* The Emperor caught her before she could bow to him.

"I have no right to receive your bow," he said, helping her straighten.

Dowager Noble Consort Ling smiled at him, a twinkle in her eye, "I see your sweet mouth hasn't changed," she said, leaning on him as they walked over to take a seat.

"Have you settled in well?" He asked.

"Of course," she replied, "How could I not with The Empress taking care of me? All the little sisters are very comfortable in Shokanggong.† Your Majesty is too kind,"

The Emperor shook his head, "You served Royal Father well. Your comfort will be spared no expense,"

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

Dowager Noble Consort Ling fanned her hands in the air, "Enough, enough! Too much honey will attract flies, even in this weather,"

"The Summer Palace has been good to you," said The Emperor, "You look just the same,"

"Yes. It was very good to me. It makes me wonder if your Forbidden City will be up to the challenge,"

"The Empress isn't young anymore, but you're the elder still. To have so many of the older generation leading her, will make her feel secure,"

"Oh?" Dowager Noble Consort Ling said, tilting her head, "The Empress Dowager isn't enough?"

The Emperor sighed, "The Empress Dowager is in the twilight of her life. I want her to live with peace and honor. But she worries for The Empress and for the back palace as a whole. To have her sisters here to ease the strain would be for the best. Ling niangniang, I've come to burden you,"

Dowager Noble Consort Ling raised her hand and let her maids lift her to her feet, "I'm leaving now. His Majesty is making my teeth ache. How impudent. I only have a few left,"

The Emperor beckoned a eunuch over as Dowager Noble Consort Ling hobbled away, "Make sure she takes a raised chair. If she takes one step in the streets, beat her servants to death,"

It would be good to have Dowager Noble Consort Ling as the mistress of Shokanggong. She was shrewd and levelheaded. It would give his mother something to do besides sticking her nose into his court matters.

✺

Say something, Xiang pin wanted to scream.

She did no such thing. Instead, she sat silently in Yikungong's warming room with De gui fei as The Empress digested the news of Shen huang gui fei's treachery. She was far calmer than Xiang pin was when Jiayi told her what happened that night at the banquet.

"I already know," The Empress said at last.

"You know?" Said De gui fei, "What are you going to do about it, Your Highness?"

They were all speaking freely here with no one but Shiyi gugu to listen to their frustrations.

"Nothing,"

Xiang pin surged in her seat, "Your Highness–"

The Empress stopped her protests with a raised hand, "His Majesty had Wang gugu investigate the situation and found Jiao gui ren to be the culprit,"

How could anyone believe that? That girl was such a non-factor! There was no way she could coordinate so many people to corral such a plan. Not to mention, she would gain nothing from this scheme succeeding.

De gui fei shook her head, "That doesn't make any sense," she said echoing Xiang pin's thoughts.

The Empress pursed her lips, "It doesn't. But it doesn't matter. For me to punish Shen huang gui fei out of the blue after His Majesty's investigation would be unjust,"

Xiang pin scoffed, "Unjust? What about Hupo? The things that would have happened to that poor girl all because of Shen huang gui fei would be more than unjust! Jiejie's reputation would've been tarnished as well! Even if you don't care about those things, what about Prince Han? Bolin said he heard some kitchen girls whispering about a nobleman getting caught having sex with one of a loose during the banquet. You and I both know that that was supposed to be about Prince Han and Hupo,"

"Your Highness," said De gui fei, "You–"

"The Empress Dowager has arrived!"

The Empress Dowager limped into the room, her beady eyes staring down at them as they kneeled before her.

"Rise," she said.

Xiang pin kept her eyes pointed at the ground as The Empress Dowager walked past to take The Empress' recently vacated seat at the head of room. Xiang pin knew the moment she caught a glimpse of the sling on The Empress Dowager's arm, she would burst into laughter. She needed as much time as she could snatch to compose herself.

"I didn't think you would be up and walking about so soon, Royal mother," said The Empress.

"Well, my royal daughter-in-law hadn't greeted me in some days so, I to see what had kept you so occupied," replied The Empress Dowager.

Xiang pin pinched herself to stop from rolling her eyes. The Empress Dowager had made herself very clear that she wanted no visitors while she recovered from her fall.

"Your daughter apologizes," The Empress replied, pouring a cup of tea for The Empress Dowager, "The Imperial physician advised that peace and quiet would be best,"

The Empress Dowager pointedly looked away from the cup The Empress offered her, "That won't be happening anytime soon now, will it? My meimei are making the most of their time here,"

A bubble of joy tickled Xiang pin's lips at the sight of The Empress Dowager's misery. It was outrageous. How could that woman go around stepping on anyone and everything and still believe that there would be no consequences? To become an Empress Dowager was a blessing, but this Empress Dowager certainly wasn't a blessed woman.

Before Xiang pin could stop herself, honeyed words passed through her lips.

"Your Highness, our lovely elders don't have to do that. They have all the time in the world,"

The Empress Dowager turned towards her, "What exactly do you mean, Xiang pin?"

Xiang pin continued, her voice light and dopey, "Your Highness, you must know His Majesty loves you above all others. He felt very sad that you had no bosom buddies or good servants like The Empress to ease your burdens. So he brought them here to stay! I hear Shokanggong has been fixed up so nicely for this Dowager Noble Consort Ling and the other dowagers. Your Highness, His Majesty said you've been close to Dowager Consort Ling for many years. What's she like?"

A lesser person, or maybe a smarter person, would've dropped to her knees and begged for forgiveness for the way that her words made the room thick with tension. But alas, Xiang pin was a silly whore. How could she possibly know what she said was offensive? A lowly person like her wouldn't know those sorts of things.

Nose flaring, The Empress Dowager sprang to her feet, "The cold air is making my arm ache," she said before stomping out of the room.

"Sending Your Highness off with respect," Xiang pin simpered at her back.

Xiang pin straightened and turned to find The Empress staring at stonily. Xiang pin didn't think anything she did warranted such a look. The Empress should be laughing too, for goodness' sake! Everyone knew the old bat treated The Empress like a servant.

"Kneel,"

Xiang pin blinked in confusion.

The Empress peered at her, eyes cold, "What? You found the gall to behave atrociously in front of The Empress Dowager, so now you don't have to obey me? Kneel,"

De gui fei came to Xiang pin's side, "Your Highness, meimei didn't mean to behave like that. She–"

"Don't trouble yourself, jiejie," Xiang pin said, following The Empress' order, "I'll accept whatever punishment Her Highness gives to me,"

If The Empress wanted to pretend that The Empress Dowager didn't deserve every single word from Xiang pin's mouth, then so be it.

"So you admit your fault?" The Empress asked.

"If Your Highness finds fault in me," replied Xiang pin, "Then there is fault in me,"

"You're very flippant for someone so stupid," The Empress said, taking her seat, "Do you think you've done some great thing? That you've put The Empress Dowager in her place? Let me be very clear. All you've done is paint an even larger target on your back. At best, you were an annoyance, a mosquito in her ear. Now–"

"I don't care," Xiang pin interrupted, her head held high, "Why shouldn't she have at least one thorn in her side for what's she done? To me? To you? To us all?"

The Empress reared her head back, "You've lost your mind. You've been in the back palace for the less than a year. What do you know of The Empress Dowager?"

"I've seen her kind before. Give or take a few strings of pearls and Her Highness would fit right in at any brothel,"

"Xiang pin, that's enough," De gui fei hissed in a tone so cold that Xiang pin clamped her lips shut.

The Empress glanced between the two of them before shaking her head, "Take her and go, De gui fei,"

De gui fei bowed her head, "Your Highness–"

"Go,"

_______

*Chinese name for the 卍 symbol which is widely used in Buddhism and other cultures

†Palace of Longevity and Good Health