The Empress was a right bitch, wasn’t she?
Shen huang gui fei glared at the eunuch as she backed away and practically ran away. Had she not wanted to give The Empress the satisfaction she would’ve had him beaten to death right then and there!
“Worthless dog,” muttered A’Fang, “How could The Empress be so cruel? You’re raising 10th and 11th Prince; you should get double the rewards! It’s not like Guang pin can use any of it,”
Jingse glared at her and A’Fang snapped her mouth shut.
Shen huang gui fei remembered the rewards she received after Huabao was born. There were so many stacks of silks, jewelry, pottery, and money that none of her servants could walk until they were all put away. Now, she had not one but two sons, and The Empress was determined to snatch all the joy from it.
A maid arrived with the account book for the back palace. Shen huang gui fei yawned loudly, “Send it back to Her Highness. I’m just too tired from looking after my princes,”
She huang gui fei smiled as the maid retreated. At least she finally relieved herself of all the low-class tasks The Empress liked to pawn off on her. Jingse leaned close and whispered, “Prince Han never arrived at his villa,”
The bit of mirth disappeared into dust.
Jingse shooed the other servants out of the room.
“What do you mean he never arrived?” Shen huang gui fei asked.
“The boy sent word that his carriage never arrived. Should we send someone up there?”
Shen huang gui fei shook her head. There was no point in that. There was nothing worse than missing the perfect opportunity. And Prince Han being away from The Empress’s teat was the perfect opportunity. Shen huang gui fei had planted a boy in the villa and promised him a low-paying job in the ministry if he succeeded in getting rid of Prince Han. Shen huang gui fei didn’t really care how he planned to do it; it just needed to be done. Now, it had all just been a waste.
“What should we do with the boy then?” Asked Jingse.
11th Prince began to cry.
She huang gui fei picked him up and rocked from side to side.
With a shrug, she said, “Get rid of him,”
✺
An pin was so angry that she could spit venom.
Two sons.
Shen huang gui fei had snatched up two sons in one go. How could that black-hearted bitch be rewarded in such a way while her son wasn’t even allowed to take his first breath?
It was disgusting. It was unfair!
An pin wanted to wash her mouth out with soap after spending all morning at Zhongcuigong. All that fawning and twittering about Shen huang gui fei's good luck–pah! What luck? Shen huang gui fei had probably killed Fan gui ren herself!
“Shen huang gui fei will ruin 10th and 11th prince, anyways,” said Weiwei, “She’s never kept a prince alive. Why would they be any different?”
“I’m sick of talking about her,” replied An pin. She lowered her voice, “Have you kept tabs on Cao taiyi?”
Weiwei nodded, her eyes bright, “Wang chang zai called for him the day after the banquet, saying something about feeling sick about how worried she was about The Empress Dowager. He’s gone back every day since alone, with no assistants or eunuchs,”
An pin rolled her eyes, “An old woman needing the doctor often. Who cares about that?”
“But I’ve seen Wang chang zai’s medical records. There’s only one visit from Cao taiyi recorded this year, and the eunuchs at the Imperial Hospital say that he spends his time in the hothouse when he’s not working. I asked the maids at the hothouse. Cao taiyi only checks up on the medicinal herbs once a week,”
No.
Wang chang zai wouldn’t…
“Around what time does Cao taiyi leave the Imperial Hospital to go to the hothouse?” She asked.
“Early afternoon,” replied Weiwei, “And then he returns to the Imperial Hospital early evening,"
An pin glanced up at the sun. Wang chang zai’s palace was quite a walk from Zhongcuigong. Calling it a palace was a stretch, though. The Emperor stuck Wang chang zai in one of the North Five Halls, where the female officials lived. The story is that he claimed that once the excitement from his coronation died down, he'd put her in a proper palace. The day had never come. With the female officials out doing work all day, Wang chang zai was all alone.
Well, maybe not so lonely anymore.
If she walked quickly, she could drop in on Wang chang zai and any…guests of hers. An pin sent her servants away and continued the journey with just Weiwei. The trip was long and seemed to be never ending. The roads became more and more deserted and less pristine the farther she went. The courtyards for most of the halls were empty. The only reason An pin could tell which hall was Wang chang zai's was from the silver New Year's decorations that were peeling away from the doors and windows. The Imperial Household department would never grant such things to a female official.
Wang chang zai’s maid was sweeping the courtyard quietly when they arrived. She paled and rushed to meet them.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness, my mistress is feeling very ill and can’t see you,”
An pin smiled, “Really? I’ll check on her,”
She tried to walk pass but, the maid stuck herself in An pin’s path again and bowed her head, “The sickness is very contagious. I can’t let you go inside in case you harm your health, Your Highness,”
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Weiwei darted from An pin's side and wrestled the maid to the ground, stuffing a rag in her mouth to shut her up. An pin continued to Wang chang zai’s door and gave it a little push. It opened with a slight creak.
Incredible. Not only was Wang chang zai brazen, but she was stupid, too!
The front room was empty, curtains drawn and candles burning. A place like this didn’t get much light in the first place. A modest meal was on the table, with two place settings; half eaten. Wang chang zai’s bedroom was only a few feet away behind a set of doors, also unlocked.
An pin pushed the door open and wrinkled her nose at the smell of sex, wine, and incense. The gauzy lace curtains were drawn, but the lantern light made the figures of two people lounging on the bed unmistakable.
“Xiaofan, didn’t I tell you not to bother us?” Wang chang zai called.
Silently, An pin stepped closer to the bed. She wrenched the curtains apart.
Wang chang zai and Cao taiyi gaped up at her in horror, completely nude. They scrambled to cover themselves with the sheets.
“What?” Said An pin after the two cowered under the covers, “Nothing to say for yourselves?”
Neither of them dared to open their mouths.
An pin smiled, “I’ll be waiting outside,” she said before letting the curtains drop closed.
She settled herself at the table and called for Weiwei. Xiaofan ran inside and into the bedroom. There was the sound of a slap before she slunk back out.
Wang chang zai had a lot of nerve to be so heavy-handed with her maids. As if she were any better than them, giving it up to the first man who looked at her.
“Is there any tea in this place?” Asked Weiwei.
The red-face Xiaofan nodded. By the time Wang chang zai and Cao taiyi had made themselves presentable, there was a cup of subpar tea cooling by An pin’s side. The two love birds kneeled in front of her.
An pin looked around and spotted an iron poker propped up against Wang chang zai's singular brazier.
“Bring me the poker,” she ordered Weiwei.
Cao taiyi looked up at her in shock. Wang chang zai didn’t have the courage to lift her head. An pin stood up and held the hefty iron rod in her hand.
“You’ve dirtied my eyes with the things you showed me today, Wang chang zai. For what you’ve done, you deserve death. However, I’m a merciful mistress. I’ll only teach you a lesson,”
An pin cracked the rod against Wang chang zai’s back. The older woman let out a shriek of pain. The sound of it gave An pin a thrill. It made her blood pump to know that no matter how much she suffered, there always someone else to grind under her shoe. She doled out one hit after the other, relishing in the sound of Wang chang zai’s screams that grew sharper and more shrill with each strike.
“What’s going on in there?”
An pin whirled around to see a female official poking her head inside the door.
“Your Highness, An pin,” the female official greeted her at the sight of her, “I apologize. I didn’t realize it was you in here,”
“Rise,” An pin said with a sweet smile, “Wang chang zai offended me the other day, and I brought along Cao taiyi to tend to her after her punishment. If the noise is too much, I’ll stop now,”
The female official shook her head, “Your Highness is too kind to stop on my behalf. Please continue. I’ll make sure you’re not disturbed. I’ll take my leave,”
She backed out and shut the door behind her. An pin turned back to Wang chang zai, who had slid face down on the ground, blood pouring from her mouth and nose. An pin lifted the iron poker to continue playing but Cao taiyi threw himself over Wang chang zai.
“Your Highness, please! Please stop! She can’t take anymore!”
An pin sighed and let Weiwei take the poker away. She sat down and let the maid massage her aching hand and shoulder, “Wow, simple gratitude is really out of fashion these days. I kept your nasty little secret from that official who would’ve reported you at once, and I don't hear a single word of thanks,”
Cao taiyi held Wang chang zai in his arms and bent until his head touched the ground, “This slave is grateful for Your Highness’ mercy,”
“What? Is Wang meimei not grateful?” Asked An pin. She pulled her hand back and flicked it at Wang chang zai’s limp body, “Weiwei, Xiaofan, go help her,”
“Your Highness–“
An pin went on speaking as if she didn’t hear Cao taiyi at all, “Quickly now. Any longer, and I’ll stop feeling so generous,”
Cao taiyi let Weiwei shove him to the side so she could pull one side of Wang chang zai upright.
“Hurry up!” She snapped at Xiaofan.
Xiaofan did as she was told and helped lift her mistress upright before Weiwei gripped her hair and bashed Wang chang zai's forehead to the ground.
An pin nodded, “Take care of her, Cao taiyi. I have big plans for Wang meimei,”
She stepped over Wang chang zai. As Weiwei opened the door, An pin looked over her shoulder and locked eyes with Cao taiyi.
“And don’t go anywhere, Cao taiyi. I caught you once. Don’t think I can’t catch you again,”
✺
Xiang pin made her way around her table for what felt like the hundredth time. There were four plates of teacakes, stacked just so, ready to make the trek to Cininggong. It was obvious that The Empress Dowager had something up her sleeve to finally invite Xiang pin to her palace. The Empress Dowager had only given her two days' notice about the tea party and her task to bring something along.
The Empress Dowager would find more joy in kissing Dowager Noble Consort Ling’s bare feet than being in the room with Xiang pin, so she knew that she was walking into some kind of trap. Something was bound to go wrong and be her fault. So Xiang pin supervised every step that went into the teacakes. Each grain of flour and sugar was hand picked and each cake was assembled and cooked by her own hands. The molds were boiled to be rid of any residue and they set with her watching over them like a hawk. No one besides herself and De gui fei was allowed to handle them. No one would be able to accuse her of tainted food, but she couldn't predict what they would accuse her.
As she rearranged the plates for the umpteenth time, Xiang pin wished that Jiayi was again by her side. She knew in her heart that Jiayi was safe with Prince Han, but she was smart and sensible She saw things that others couldn't. Molan, Pie’er, and Ping’er were lovely girls, but they were just that- girls. Lucky little things that life hadn’t beaten into shrewdness.
Xiang pin had played her role of green country bumpkin well enough that everyone assumed that Jiayi was the only thing keeping her head away from the chopping block. Now that she was gone, they were swarming around her like vultures.
She sighed, “These silver plates look like I’m trying too hard. Bring the painted porcelain bowls, the ones on feet,”
“Cakes!”
Yiqiang darted into the room, a sparkle of mischief in his eyes.
“Stop right there,” said Xiang pin, “These are for your Royal Grandmother. And you’ve just woken up! You can’t have cakes for breakfast, you silly thing,”
Ah, at least Yiqiang was here to ease her troubles. Raising a child, even a Royal one, was easy. His world was filled with the harsh reality of princedom from morning to night. When he came back to her, all it took was a kiss, a cuddle, and a soft word to calm him.
“She won’t be able to eat them all,” replied Yiqiang as he sat down in front of his breakfast.
“That doesn’t matter. It’s an honor for Her Highness to even gaze upon them,” said Xiang pin, coming to his side and adding more food to his plate.
“What about the honor of feeding and Imperial heir?”
“Fine,” said Xiang pin, plopping the red bean-filled cake on his plate, “Just this,”
Yiqiang pouted up at her, “What if I get hungry later?”
“Aiya! You’ve turned into a taotie!*”
Despite her grumbling, Xiang pin wrapped up a few more cakes for Yiqiang to take to his lessons. With Prince Han off taking care of Jiayi, Yiqiang was in the Imperial Study with the other princes.
The cake stacks were now uneven, and Xiang pin would have to rearrange them again. Hopefully this would be the last of the troubles the cakes gave her.
Yiqiang finished his breakfast and with a kiss on his forehead, left for his studies, Bolin trailing behind him.
Xiang pin looked back at the cakes on the table. She sighed.
“I changed my mind. The Empress Dowager will definitely think those plates are tacky. Bring the porcelain plates with the purple flowers,”
–––––––
*A demonic beast in Chinese mythology, famous for its never-ending appetite.