Chapter 41: Heroic Rescue of the Emperor
Minister Zhang’s eyes burned with a fire that turned into sorrow.
He looked at the troupe leader’s corpse on the bed, as if foreseeing that some things were beyond saving.
The heavy rain beat against the roof, pattering like war drums. Whether he wanted it or not, the horn had been sounded, and he was inevitably going to fight Feng Gao, and fight against the surging undercurrents in the imperial court that opposed him.
The young emperor on the dragon throne was unpredictable in his moods.
The road ahead would surely be paved with blood.
“Sang Yu—” he called out to me, then suddenly stumbled.
I quickly stepped forward to support him: “Minister.”
Zou Cheng, kneeling on the ground, was filled with trepidation.
Minister Zhang struggled to stand steady, pointing at the storm outside, and said to me, “Sang Yu, when the rain subsides, I will send someone to escort you back.”
I replied, “Minister, please do not worry, the truth will always come to light.”
“I fear that some people do not want the truth to come to light. The seabed is full of jagged rocks, and I never want you younger ones to be hurt.”
His gaze was like withered grass in the wind, swaying precariously: “In my life, I have done nothing to betray my conscience. The only regret I have is for Qingyao and the child. I never expected that, in my old age, this matter would still become my weakness. This is a debt. Perhaps I deserve to repay it.”
At this moment, Minister Zhang was kind and sorrowful, like an ordinary elder to me.
I comforted him, “The world is heartless, and fate plays tricks; it is not your fault for being unfeeling.”
“I cannot fail him. I owe him so much. If I had been willing to sacrifice my reputation back then, without regard for anything else, and brought Qingyao here, how could my child have become what they are today? It is a sin, a sin.”
Minister Zhang did not explicitly state who “he” was.
I seemed to have a vague guess, but was not entirely certain.
The faces of Feng Gao, Madam Qin, and Minister Zhang intertwined in my mind.
The lyrics of the jade dragonfly seemed to echo in my ears: Better to be cursed by thousands, but the life of my beloved must be preserved. May my child ascend to a bright future without disaster or hardship, and from now on, cast aside all parental love…
“Sang Yu, more than twenty years ago, I failed to protect your parents, and they died tragically in Dongchang Prefecture. Today, I must ensure your safety and well-being.” Minister Zhang sighed deeply: “You and he must both be safe.”
The sudden downpour came quickly and left just as fast.
In a moment, the bright sun was out. The world was renewed.
The puddles on the ground were like mirrors, reflecting the pedestrians.
I left the Zhang Manor, got into the horse carriage, and returned home.
As if infected by Minister Zhang’s emotions, or perhaps shaken by his revelation of my origins, I sat under the eaves of the East Courtyard, drinking tea poured by Xiao Yin, motionless for a long time, until night fell.
“Second Young Mistress, there is a letter from Yangzhou,” a servant boy announced, entering.
I took the letter and opened it. The handwriting was crooked, simple, and unpolished.
It was from He Hua.
“This servant misses Second Young Mistress and prays for her safety every day. I water the flowers in Second Young Mistress’s room daily, and it always feels as if Second Young Mistress is by my side. I am pregnant, and Wu Bi treats me very well, and he treats Song Guo very well too, so Second Young Mistress can rest assured. If Second Young Mistress is blessed with a child, please inform this servant so I can rejoice early. Sincerely.”
I put down the letter and smiled.
He Hua’s pregnancy was truly excellent news.
That cautious and self-possessed woman had found peace in the latter half of her life. Her second marital fate had been a gamble that paid off.
I ordered Xiao Yin to fetch some red threads, preparing to make a pair of Ruyi knots for He Hua.
May life always be filled with joy, and do not let worldly affairs furrow your brow.
In a short while, Cheng Huaishi returned.
His face was somber, as if he had a heart full of unspoken worries. He ate a hasty dinner in the Main Courtyard with the Old Madam. He stirred his chopsticks distractedly, barely eating anything. When the Old Madam spoke to him, he forced himself to respond, managing a smile, but his sorrow remained.
After dinner, he returned to their room and lay on the bed fully clothed, listless.
I asked cautiously, “Second Master, has something happened in the imperial court?”
He shook his head.
“Then what is it? We are husband and wife; perhaps I can offer Second Master some advice.” I sat beside him and said softly.
He took my hand and said, “Madam, I… I feel so guilty… this feeling is unbearable…”
I lowered my head, understanding three parts.
He said slowly, “Miss Xun’s engagement has been approved today.”
“Then, shouldn’t Second Master be happy for her?”
He sighed, “If it were a good family, it would indeed be a joyous occasion. But she has chosen the second son of General Qian of Xuanwu. Madam, do you know that Young Master Qian is congenitally disabled, deaf and mute, as everyone in the Capital knows… She… she must be acting out of spite to demean herself like this. Last time, at the Zhang Manor, she clearly promised me she would live well and find a good husband. Who knew… alas. I always remember the late Minister Xun’s entrustment; how can I stand by and watch her jump into such a fire pit?”
I remained silent.
He continued, “She has always been a sensible person, how could she become so muddled? I had no choice but to try and persuade her, and finally managed to make her change her mind. But then she said she wanted to shave her head and become a nun, to live a life of solitude with Buddhist scriptures.”
“The Buddhist temples are places of purity. If Miss Xun truly has a heart of ‘enlightenment,’ it is a rare Buddhist affinity. Second Master should not worry about this.”
Seeing me say this, he closed his eyes with a wry expression.
I woke up in the middle of the night.
I vaguely heard him murmuring in his sleep.
His words were full of self-reproach.
This self-reproach disturbed the happy union that he and I had finally longed for.
The bed was as vast as the sea.
In the morning, he feigned ignorance, smiled, and bid me farewell.
I watched his receding white-robed figure, always feeling a void in my heart, with the wind blowing in.
Our intimacy was so fragile. A slight gust of wind would make it sway.
His “I will not fail you.”
My “virtuous wife and good companion.”
We each strived to create the affection we desired, the most fitting affection. That mirage was so beautiful, so beautiful that both he and I believed it.
Someone from the Twelve Bureaus came to the manor to summon me. The winter plum blossoms in the Imperial Palace bloomed in summer, which Empress Dowager Ci Sheng took as an exceptionally auspicious sign and ordered me to enter the palace to paint.
I accepted the decree and entered the palace.
As the horse carriage passed Donghua Gate, there was a commotion.
I lifted the carriage curtain and saw Qin Mingxu speaking with guards at the entrance of the Eastern Depot. The guards were driving him away, but he refused to leave. I had never seen him so irrational, his face flushed red.
I said a few words to the coachman, got out of the carriage, and walked over, saying, “Young Master Qin, what has happened?”
He looked surprised to see me: “Sang Yu, it’s nothing, you don’t need to concern yourself.”
I said sternly, “Does Young Master Qin not consider me a friend?”
He pulled me to a secluded spot, while the guards from the Eastern Depot continued to curse at him from behind.
He said in a low voice, “Sang Yu, I truly do not wish to cause you trouble, you should leave here quickly.”
I asked, “Why did you trespass into the Eastern Depot? What exactly happened?”
Seeing that he could not dissuade me, he hesitated repeatedly before speaking: “Sang Yu, the matter is of great importance, and I can no longer be concerned about it. My mother is missing. At first, my father thought she had come to the Capital City, but Minister Zhang had people search the entire Capital City, and found no trace of her. My father said that the servants in the manor had seen people from the Eastern Depot loitering outside the manor. This matter is most likely the work of the Eastern Depot. I suspect that the people from the Eastern Depot discovered something and intend to use my mother as bait to deal with Minister Zhang. I cannot bear to see my mother in danger.”
Qin Mingxu’s filial piety towards his mother was known throughout Yangzhou City.
It was no wonder he had lost his composure when Madam Qin was in trouble.
I knew that Feng Gao had finally made his move.
I said to Qin Mingxu, “I will find a way.”
Then, I took my leave of him, got into the horse carriage, and entered the palace.
Someone from the Twelve Bureaus led me to the Imperial Garden. Empress Dowager Li was sitting before a plum tree in bloom, with a throng of eunuchs and palace servants behind her.
She smiled when she saw me, “Look, how lovely these plum blossoms are. I have been waiting for you to paint them. I have already thought of a name for it, I shall call it ‘Heavenly Auspiciousness Painting.’ I believe that now, with the unrest in Shidian and Shunning, His Majesty has ordered General Deng to lead troops to quell the rebellion. At this critical juncture, for winter plums to bloom in summer, is it not a sign of heaven aiding the Great Ming? In a few days, we will surely receive news of victory from the southwest.”
Upon hearing this, everyone knelt down in unison: “The Empress Dowager speaks wisely. Heaven blesses the Great Ming, Heaven blesses the Empress Dowager, Heaven blesses His Majesty.”
A palace lady in colorful attire said enthusiastically, “Your humble concubine dares to suggest to the Empress Dowager that on the ‘Heavenly Auspiciousness Painting,’ a portrait of Your Majesty could be added, to show that Your Majesty cares for the four seas and prays for the nation. Our Great Ming is blessed with such a holy mother, like a reincarnation of Guanyin; when facing hardship, auspiciousness will surely appear.”
The Head Eunuch beside her quickly said, “Empress Dowager, Consort Zheng’s words are indeed most fitting.”
Then, he led everyone in another bow: “Holy Mother Empress Dowager, reincarnation of Guanyin, the Great Ming’s destiny, eternally prosperous.”
Consort Zheng, it was rumored, was currently the most favored concubine in the Imperial Harem. Her influence even surpassed that of the Empress and Lady Wang, who was carrying the dragon’s lineage.
Empress Dowager Li was overjoyed and nodded, “This idea is excellent, we shall proceed as Consort Zheng suggests.”
“Yes,” I replied, bowing.
Here, I picked up my brush and began to paint.
Stroke by stroke, solemnly and reverently.
Unknowingly, I heard a strange buzzing sound.
My heart told me something was wrong.
I looked up and saw that several bees had flown onto the plum tree at some point. The bees were enormous and vibrantly colored, attracted by the nectar, lingering there. One bee wobbled and flew towards the Empress Dowager.
I suddenly lunged towards the Empress Dowager, using my paintbrush to drive away the large bee.
My hand was stung unexpectedly.
Eunuchs and guards rushed over to catch the bees, creating a chaotic scene.
However, I felt dizzy and fainted.
In a daze, I heard the Empress Dowager’s stern voice: “Guards! Summon the Imperial Physician! Painter Zhu is loyal and brave, and has rendered meritorious service in saving the empress. She must be cured!”
I had a very long dream.
There were many strange scenes in the dream.
I seemed to be in a temple, and a frail little boy was crying on my chest: “Elder Sister, please, don’t die, I can’t live without you.”
At Guangyue Tower in Dongchang Prefecture, the crowds were bustling. The little boy said to me, “Elder Sister, I’ll go and lure the Feng family away. You wait for me here, don’t leave.”
He took a few steps, then looked back: “Elder Sister, you must not leave, wait for me.”
The scene shifted. In a cold body of water, Cheng Huaishi stood on a boat, covered in blood. Miss Xun lay at his feet, pierced by several arrows. He waved at me, his eyes full of grief: “Madam, I am leaving. I do not wish to fail the country or you. I leave my love for you, and my ideals for Yi Tang. I have done my best.”
No.
No.
I shook my head desperately.
My consciousness scattered.
