Yinchen’s days in the palace were full of boredom.
She woke up in the morning, hoping for box lunch, and after eating, she’d stroll around the various palaces to check if the palace attendants were slacking off. As she passed by, she would extend a finger and scrape it along the windowsill to check for dust. Then, she’d wait for the midday meal, eat it, and take a nap. In the afternoon, she would sit in the sun outside the side hall on the east side, and before long, it would be time for dinner. Afterward, she would zone out for a while, and then Star River would return.
She didn’t have a specific role in the Eastern Palace; it seemed like it wouldn’t matter whether she was there or not. The only time she had made a public appearance was when she climbed into the Crown Prince’s bed, only to be kicked out. At that time, no one said anything, but secretly, they all laughed at her. She didn’t mind, though. When her family sent her to the palace, it wasn’t to get close to the Crown Prince; it was to get close to Su Xinghe. She admired this legendary female official, like Tang Dynasty’s Shangguan Wan’er capable, fond of power, and beautiful. Right now, she was at the height of her power, managing such a treacherous department with ease, so Su Xinghe’s charm was far more captivating than that of the Crown Prince. In her opinion, the Crown Prince was always frowning; being handsome didn’t help him, he was like a relentless ghost. She was the pampered child at home, the only daughter among a dozen or so boys. Entering the palace, she didn’t care about the Crown Prince. What was the point of competing for his attention? But if Star River were with him, she would be willing to team up. But looking at them, their relationship seemed to be going just fine, and it didn’t seem like the rumors from outside were true.
“The man and woman got tangled together, and the woman could no longer remain so strong and unyielding. Upon seeing the man, she had already melted like water. She had seen the way the girl in the room had behaved after getting close to her third brother, and even from two miles away, the sight of flowers swaying and willows trembling made her almost unable to stand. But Sister Su Xinghe had never been like that. She always referred to herself as ‘Your Majesty’ and rarely used ‘I.’ Despite their connection, she could still maintain such clear boundaries. Although Yinchen was young, she was no fool.
After eating the boxed meal today, there was nothing else to do, so they went to the kitchen at the northern end to watch people make sheep horn lamps. The materials for the lamps were brought in from outside the palace, carefully selected best sheep horns. The heads and tails were cut off, and only the middle sections were kept, boiled together with shredded radish in a large pot. The fire was strong, and the smell of mutton wafted in the air. She covered her nose and watched as they used a strainer to fish out the sheep horns. The skilled old eunuch then used a mold to stretch them. It was really strange how such hard sheep horns could be stretched open, and once stretched, they became thin and shiny, allowing any shape to be made. Before, she had only known about the lamps, but never how the covers were made. Today, seeing the process, she marveled at how everything in this world has its own mysterious and wondrous aspects. As for Sister Su Xinghe, she must have been a masterwork of craftsmanship.
Just as she was thinking, she suddenly saw her entering through the gate of Yinchun Palace. Yinchen was filled with surprise and immediately bounced out. ‘Sister Su Xinghe, how come you’re back at this time?'”
” Su Xinghe said, ‘I left the city yesterday and only returned to the capital this morning. I haven’t slept all night, and with all the riding, my eyes are nearly blind.’
Upon hearing this, Yinchen immediately rushed forward to support her and helped her all the way to the Lady’s Court. She told Lan Chu to bring hot water and wrung out a towel to place over Su Xinghe’s eyes. ‘Just warm them up, that should be enough. My brother used to go hunting with the princes, and when he came back, his eyes would hurt. My mother would relieve it like this.’
Lan Chu, standing by, observed and said, ‘The Senior Official knows so much.’
Yinchen grinned, showing her teeth, and took it as a compliment.
‘Do you feel better?’ she asked, sitting on the edge of the kang (a traditional bed-stove).
Once the hot towel was placed, Su Xinghe’s eyes seemed to revive, and she let out a long sigh, ‘That saved my life.’
Lan Chu came over to help her out of her official attire and accidentally knocked into a bulging spot on her chest. When she pressed on it, there was the sound of oil paper crinkling, and she raised an eyebrow, ‘What’s this?’
Su Xinghe quickly covered it and said, ‘It’s nothing. Just some confidential items from the Northern Army, don’t touch them.’ She quickly diverted the topic to avoid suspicion. Otherwise, Lan Chu, the kind of person who would bite into anything that fell into her hands, would have surely taken a nibble.
To distract them, she started talking about something else, ‘The palace was lively yesterday, right? The newly appointed Empress, did the Senior Official go to congratulate her?'”
Yinchen said, “I’m just someone from a famous family, the kind of person who could be kicked off the bed. If I went, it would just be a joke. I’m not going to lower myself like that. But I did hear, in the whole palace, only the Left Noble Consort didn’t go to meet the Empress. Compared to that prickly one, Madam Liang is much smarter. She has a son too, and she went. I heard Madam Liang always goes with the flow. She used to flatter the Left Noble Consort, but seeing there’s no future with her, she’s now making nice with the Empress. The Empress has given her face and even invited her to eat in the Warm Palace. Looks like they’re about to form an alliance.”
With her eyes covered, Sister Su Xinghe heard this and slowly raised her lips, her mouth like a delicate sandalwood curve, sharp like a rhombus. Yinchen smiled along and asked, “Sister, what are you laughing about?”
Su Xinghe replied, “It’s natural for people to flatter those above and step on those below.” But deep inside, she knew that what she had previously advised Madam Liang in the Mountain Pool Courtyard was already starting to be put into action.
The Emperor doesn’t only have one son, and it’s always good to show face in front of the Empress. For now, maintaining balance is crucial. If the Empress has selfish intentions, she would certainly want someone to rival the Crown Prince in order to buy herself more time. As for Madam Liang, the Fourth Duke is busy making moves, and it seems like he’s about to be promoted. Her son, the lowest among her four sons, is stuck doing menial tasks. How could she accept that? So, she has to show her face, flatter the Empress. The Empress, though thin, is still formidable. Plus, the Third Prince has received recommendations from the Cabinet and is now outside collecting grain. If he handles this task well, it could ensure smooth supplies for both the northern and southern campaigns. His future might just outshine that of Huo Qingluan.
“Of the four sons, except for the youngest, Prince Xin, whom the Emperor is reluctant to send out of the capital on official business, the others are each putting in their efforts. The Crown Prince may have the advantage of birth, but honor and disgrace can change in an instant. Who can guarantee that their legacy will last forever? Every prince harbors dreams of becoming Emperor. In the past, with no one to help them, their ambitions were mere fantasies. But now, with people willing to push them along, even if they can’t directly seize the throne, advancing to a noble title would at least spare them from constantly enduring the anger of the eldest. Why not do it?
‘Does the Left Noble Consort know about this?’ Su Xinghe murmured, ‘If she knows, I wonder what she’s thinking. She must be regretting it now.’
Yinchen shrugged, ‘Who knows? The Emperor didn’t make her Empress because of the uselessness of Princess Xialing, but he still has some feelings for her. Maybe she’s thinking that one day she’ll have the chance to push the Empress off the throne and reclaim her glory.’
This little head of hers sure thinks of a lot. Su Xinghe chatted with them for a bit, and as sleepiness gradually overcame her, she fell silent and slowly drifted off to sleep.
She slept until the afternoon, and was roused by the sound of a eunuch pulling the bellows. Glancing at the time, it was already a quarter past the Shen hour. Struggling to sit up, she took a moment to recover, then got off the bed and splashed her face with cold water, finally shaking off her grogginess.
She reached into her clothes and pulled out the oil-paper wrapped bundle, carefully taking out the silver needles to test for poison. After checking, she was still uneasy and bit off a small piece from the edge of each one to try herself. The watermelon rind was still that crisp, crunchy rind. As she chewed, her heart was filled with mixed emotions. Why did she have to do this? Testing for poison so carefully, worried someone was trying to harm him. From her perspective, if anything were to happen to him, it would be better for her, but she was just a servant, used to this kind of thing. If she didn’t do it, she’d feel guilty.”
“Downcast, she washed her mouth several times with cold boiled water, then went to the kitchen, where she found plum wine and sesame oil. She decided to make a simple cold dish, as that was the most authentic taste. When she went to Lizheng Hall, the Crown Prince hadn’t returned yet. The small food box was placed on the kang table, and she didn’t dare let anyone come near it. She anxiously watched over it for nearly two hours.”
“The sky had darkened completely, and the lights started to turn on under the eaves. Through the peach blossom paper, a hazy row of halos rose up, reaching the painted ceiling beneath the imperial seals. The gilded dragons and phoenixes, illuminated by the lights, revealed their blurry beauty. In the cold night, they still shone brightly.
Footsteps echoed from the corridor, and the window grilles looked like the stage of a shadow play. Under the halo of light, a tall figure passed by, followed by several eunuchs with slender waists. She stood up to greet him, and the crown prince stepped into the Lizheng Hall, giving her a fleeting glance without saying a word.
The master seemed in a bad mood, probably having encountered some trouble with affairs of the court. He had been busy day and night these past few days, and his fatigue was no less than hers. The eunuchs withdrew, and she stepped forward to respond: ‘Master, I’m back.’
He still said nothing, sitting on the throne while flipping through his old files. Just as she was almost certain he wasn’t going to pay attention to her, he suddenly spoke: ‘You were out all night yesterday, must have been quite happy, huh?’
She answered obediently: ‘It was alright.’
He lifted his eyes from the documents, ‘Alright? When did you return to the palace?’
She said, ‘I left early and returned before the hour of the snake. When I got back, I slept for a while and didn’t wake up until the sun had set.'”
“After hearing this, he didn’t say a word, but who knew that he was about to explode with frustration. After all his calculations, he had missed the fact that Huo Yan was also a man. Although he was a bit older, his wife had passed away and he had no children. Now, he was in the prime of his life, and the two of them had been in a closed room for so long… nothing happened, right?
The document was unreadable now; it felt heavy in his hands. This was a tricky situation. Huo Yan was not like General Lou Yueting. In terms of seniority, he was the emperor’s brother, and he couldn’t act as a matchmaker for him. Normally, he shouldn’t worry about this Huo Yan wasn’t that kind of person but who could predict matters between men and women? The man was unmarried, and the woman, though unmarried, was already twenty-three, an age where, in the outside world, she would be seen as someone who could only serve as a second wife.
Thinking about this, the crown prince felt a sense of dread, as though he was under a green cloud, unable to sit still.
‘Suxing He, come here,’ he called, and when he was about to explode, he usually addressed her warmly as ‘Su Xinghe using her full name meant he was no longer trying to hold back.
Su Xinghe walked over and obediently said, ‘I am here, my lord. What do you wish to order?’
The Crown Prince took a deep breath and said, ‘The North Army’s archive room stores important matters; outsiders are not allowed to enter, right?’
Su Xinghe confirmed this.
‘The Ministry of Military Control and the North Army are not of the same faction. When you entered the North Army’s camp, you weren’t considered an “insider,” right? So why did you enter the archive room? Couldn’t you have let Huo Yan and his head scribe go in instead?'”
Su Xinghe understood once again, she was getting too worked up over this. She licked her lips and said, “I…”
But the Crown Prince cut her off with a sharp command, “Licking your lips and puffing your cheeks it’s obvious you’re guilty.”
Su Xinghe froze, realizing that he was looking for flaws in everything she did, even something as small as sticking out her tongue was considered a crime. But she couldn’t cross any lines after all, he had the right to act however he wanted; he was the master. Tilting her head slightly, she clasped her hands and said, “Please, Your Highness, don’t rush. Let me finish. I am carrying out the emperor’s orders. I entered the Northern Army’s camp to investigate a case. There’s evidence in that room I need to retrieve, and I must report it to the Twelve Courts in order to convict General Cao Zhan. I went there alone, but no one in the Northern Army gives me any respect. Only with the Privy Council’s help could I get the door unlocked. The archives have been stored for ten years, filling an entire room. I’m the only one who knows which documents are useful. But I couldn’t stay in that room alone. There had to be someone to supervise me to prevent me from leaking secrets. It wasn’t my choice to be in the same room with the Privy Council; it was my duty. Do you understand? So please, don’t be angry. No one will spread rumors saying that you and the Privy Council are in cahoots. You can rest assured.”
She had finished saying everything she needed to, and yet the Crown Prince was left speechless, which was surprising.
Her explanation was flawless, logically sound, and the more perfect it seemed, the more suspicious it became.
The Crown Prince propped his face on his hand, furrowing his brows as he studied her. “I actually think your argument makes sense.”
Su Xinghe smiled. “Of course. It makes perfect sense.”
“But something’s wrong,” the Crown Prince shook his head. “You must have prepared this in advance… Tell me, what’s your impression of Huo Yan?”
If she were to say he was gentle, refined, and graceful, it would be like asking for trouble. But if she portrayed him as utterly despicable, it would raise suspicions of fabrication. So she said, “As for the Privy Council… Well, he seems a bit difficult to get along with. When I work with him, I’m always on edge. When he looks at me, I’m afraid I’ve done something wrong. I’ve never been this nervous, even when I was a child facing a teacher. It’s mostly because of the age difference. If he were just two years older than me, he could be my father, so it’s understandable that I feel this way.”
The Crown Prince found this more agreeable, at least it sounded like something a person would say. But with Su Xinghe’s sharp mind, who could tell if she was deliberately saying what he wanted to hear?
The Crown Prince decided to take the opposite approach. “Actually, he’s not that hard to get along with. But after spending so many years on the battlefield, it’s hard for him to change his tough temperament. He’s skilled, and his martial arts are impressive. You haven’t seen him drill soldiers.”
Su Xinghe responded, “No, no, no… Even if he’s impressive, can he compare to our master? I don’t believe it.”
Hearing this, the Crown Prince felt quite pleased. He said subtly, “Well, one can’t say it like that. Even though she’s a bit older, she still has her charm… Hey, are you suggesting you’d like to go watch him drill soldiers?”
A military general’s most captivating sight was always on the training field, commanding the troops with impressive vigor. Even a girl could easily be left dazed by it. If she really wanted to go, that would not do. The Crown Prince quickly dismissed the idea, “People on the training grounds are all stripped down for their drills. It wouldn’t be appropriate for you to go.”
Su Xinghe glanced at him sideways, clearly unconvinced, and muttered, “I’ve seen men without clothes before. The master himself has been shirtless in front of me…”
This provoked a great deal of dissatisfaction from the Crown Prince. “You brat, don’t compare me to those rough, country bumpkins!”
Su Xinghe awkwardly fell silent. Indeed, one of them had rough, calloused muscles, while the other had finely toned ones. How could they be the same!
Su Xinghe hung her head, her brows and eyes drooping, as though she was fixated on a spot, unable to ignore it but also feeling vexed when she saw it.
The Crown Prince recalled the torment from last night, the endless worry. Ten years. Exactly ten years. There had never been a time in the Eastern Palace without her presence. When he suddenly heard she was absent, he was stunned for a long while. Where had she gone? Then it came to him that she had gone out of the city to the Northern Army camp. Not alone, but with the captain, the foreign soldiers, and a high-ranking official from the Privy Council, Huo Yan. In fact, most people who had met Huo Yan would describe him as “young.” Though his age was not insignificant, his body and face seemed frozen in time. He looked exactly the same as he did ten years ago when he returned to the capital, unchanged even after a decade. If anyone were to mistakenly think he was thirty, they’d easily believe it. At first, when he heard she was traveling with Huo Yan, he didn’t mind. But then, after inquiring with the guards, he learned that Lord Su and the Privy Council had entered the document room together, and stayed there for half an hour. That was when the Crown Prince’s unease grew into full-blown anxiety.
If it weren’t for the pressing national affairs, he would have returned early to interrogate her, questioning whether she had any improper thoughts, if she had taken a liking to him, or even if she had been engaging in immoral behavior, trying to seduce him. In short, he didn’t trust her at all; he couldn’t keep her in the Eastern Palace, and when she was out of his sight, he feared she might develop feelings for someone else. Though, in truth, she had never shown any affection for him.
The Crown Prince was restless, his thoughts a whirlwind. Unwilling to let it go, he decided to probe further. Sighing, he said, “Actually, I have something on my mind that I want to discuss with you. I’m not sure how you’ll react or if you’ll be angry.” As he spoke, he cast a careful glance at her, waiting for her response.
Su Xinghe made a sound of acknowledgment, “What’s this about?” She already knew it couldn’t be anything good.
The Crown Prince hesitated for a moment, slowly clenching his fists under his sleeves. He still wore a smile on his face. “To be honest, with your age, it’s not easy to find someone outside the palace. There was once General Lou Yueting, but unfortunately, he’s already found someone else and can’t wait for you anymore. Now, look at Huo Yan… What do you think of him? He has land, a title, and he’s not bad looking. If you’re willing, we could wait for an opportunity, and I’ll talk to the emperor, explain our situation, and ask him to arrange a marriage for you. Don’t say you’re still a young maiden even if I had an affair with you, a widower like him would be a good match for you.” His tone shifted to a sad one as he continued, “You’ve been in my palace for all these years, and I haven’t been able to give you anything. You’ve spent your youth here with me. I have to think about your future, so that you won’t regret meeting me. Don’t you agree?”
What was she supposed to say to that? Was he really taking her for a fool? Huo Yan was exactly the kind of person who, if brought over, would be like adding wings to a tiger. With him on their side, the entire Five Armies would be under the Su family’s control. Forget supporting Prince Minxing, even supporting the fifth prince, who had no chance, wouldn’t be without hope. Would he really give away the country? She couldn’t believe it, not for a second. Now he was pulling some new trick to trap her. She knew, most likely, he had his eyes set on Huo Yan. But Huo Yan was of an older generation. Aside from making sarcastic remarks here, the Crown Prince had no other move, so he was scratching his head in frustration.
They had been through so many quarrels before that a little bickering didn’t bother her. She put on a thoughtful expression and slowly replied, “If it were possible, that would be great. But I’m afraid he might not be interested in me.”
The Crown Prince sneered, “But you said earlier, if he were two years older, he could be your father.”
She twirled the edge of her sleeve and said, “What’s wrong with someone being a bit older? The older they are, the more they know how to care for others. Didn’t you say that yourself?”
It was as though a giant boulder had fallen from the mountaintop, crushing the Crown Prince beneath it. It seemed she had indeed started thinking about this seriously; she must be eyeing his power, wanting to integrate it with her brother’s forces, and take over the capital in one fell swoop? This woman was too cunning. He had spent the whole night awake, unable to sleep, worrying about what she was doing outside. And meanwhile, she was having a delightful conversation with the Privy Council, a lonely man and woman alone together, and talking about “the older ones knowing how to care for people.” Her heart must not be made of flesh!
The Crown Prince’s face clouded over, as though he had sunk into an abyss. Even nodding was slow and exhausting for him. “So, it’s true girls grow up too fast, can’t be kept anymore. Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to. You’ve had your eye on him from the first time you dealt with him. Spring isn’t even here yet, and you’re already acting like this. Aren’t you ashamed? He’s a widower, you know? He’s a wife-killer. Don’t end up following him around, letting him pickle you like some salted vegetable in a jar, picking you out one piece at a time.”
His words were cruel. She had always known his tongue was sharp, but was there any point in belittling someone like this?
Speaking of salted vegetables, the melon rind was still on the stove table. She glanced at it from a distance and realized she had wasted her time. She had brought it back from such a long journey, only to end up smelling like salt, and now he was using words to stifle her. If he had something to say, why didn’t he just say it all at once? Why did it have to be this slow torture, piece by piece? She sighed and looked at him. “My lord, just to update you, the General Cao Zhan case is almost finished. Tomorrow, I’ll go to the office to wrap it up, put the case through the Twelve Courts, and send it to the military for reporting to the emperor.”
The Crown Prince turned his face away. “Don’t talk to me about the case.”
Well, if not the case, then what? He was already on edge. She had no choice but to flatter him shamelessly, “My lord, has something unpleasant happened today? I know you’re busy with official duties, and that’s why there’s nothing to be done. After all, you’re in your position. As for me, I’m out here working for the court. You see, whoever you want me to deal with, I’ll handle them. Is there anything else that’s bothering you? As for Huo Yan, I do think he’s a good catch. He has both face and demeanor, and any woman would like a man like that. But I’m here in the palace now. Without your permission, I’ll never leave, and marriage isn’t even on the table. I still remember how you wanted me to become a wet nurse. Well, a wet nurse can’t be interested in anyone else, right? I know that.”
But after talking for so long, the only thing she managed to make clear to him was that she indeed found Huo Yan to be a good match. He was so angry that his emotions were in turmoil, and he stood up, pacing in front of her. “So every girl likes some half-old man, huh? Are all you women blind? Look at me if that’s what you’re talking about, then I’d say it applies to me as well!”
He walked back and forth in front of her. In truth, even if he turned to dust, she could still reconstruct him in her mind from memory.
No matter who he compared himself to, even an older man, he still had to measure up. Su Xinghe smiled, looking at him with an air of tolerance. “Well, you’re natural enough, born into such glory, and your looks are complete… but after knowing you all these years, I can’t see your ‘good qualities’ blooming anymore. It’s like…” She extended her hands and waved them around. “Your own hands, right in front of your eyes. Today, you’re holding a pen, tomorrow, you’re cracking walnuts. Can you really say there’s any difference between them?”
The Crown Prince was dejected. “After knowing someone for so long, even something once fragrant becomes stale.” He had hoped to take advantage of the proximity, but in the end, he didn’t get the moon; he just fell into the pit himself. Still, despite his frustration, there were ways to deal with Huo Yan. He said, “Do you like Huo Yan? Well, since there’s a war in both the north and the south, I’ll send him out to fight.”
Su Xinghe was stunned. As expected, the higher the rank, the more ways there were to control others.
“I don’t like Huo Yan. I just think someone like him isn’t bad,” she quickly turned around to grab the food box, lifted the lid, and showed it to him. “I brought you something good. Look, do you know what this is?”
He leaned in to take a look. “Squash?”
She scrunched her face in annoyance, her eyes drooping, and muttered, “Something like that. Do you remember me telling you about the ‘green clothes’? I haven’t seen it in years, but today, by coincidence, I found it in the North Army’s pickle jar. You’ve never tasted this, right? I specially brought it back for you to try. Want a piece?”
“Green clothes?” The Crown Prince frowned. “People actually eat this?” He picked up a piece with his ivory chopsticks, his expression one of distaste. But inside, his heart was overflowing with happiness. This was the melon rind she had brought him from her long journey. Even in the midst of handling the case, she hadn’t forgotten him, and yet she claimed she didn’t care about him? Women, always so pretentious!
