Chapter 26:
Bitter Frost

 

IMPERIAL CONCUBINE WEI looked around nervously as she followed the eunuch to her audience. Seeing only unfamiliar palace walls around her, she asked, “Gonggong, where are we? Where is Her Majesty the Empress Dowager?”

The eunuch leading the way ignored her.

The eerie silence made her hair stand on end. She stopped in her tracks and complained of a stomachache, making a great scene about wanting to head back. This eunuch before her was one she’d never seen. His face was young and unfamiliar when he turned back to look at her. “We will be there soon,” he said gently. To the eunuchs accompanying them, he said, “Support Lady Wei as she walks. We mustn’t let her fall.”

The eunuchs on either side immediately grasped Imperial Concubine Wei’s arms. She struggled, raising her voice to yell, but more hands gagged her mouth. The eunuchs nimbly hoisted her off the ground and sped down the corridor.

In a small, deserted courtyard lay a well; some water remained at the bottom. The eunuch craned his head and looked in. “Right here. Send the lady in.”

Imperial Concubine Wei fought with all her might. Her manicured fingernails scratched the arm of the leading eunuch, her hair disheveled as she shook her head and sobbed, clinging to the edge of the well.

The eunuch stroked her pretty hand. When he told the men to lift the stone over her fingers, his voice held pity.

Far below, there was a plunk. The sound startled the birds on the branch overhanging over the vermilion wall, and they scattered in flight.

 

The Xiande Emperor lay inside the carriage. Li Jianheng knelt by his side, cradling a bowl of medicine. The emperor’s breaths came so weak he hadn’t even energy to cough. He beckoned to Li Jianheng, who quickly put the bowl aside and shifted over.

“Imperial Brother, are you feeling better?”

“Jianheng,” the emperor croaked, placing a hand on the back of Li Jianheng’s.

“Your subject and brother is here.” Li Jianheng started crying again. “I’m right here.”

“The late emperor, in his final years, ruled under the control of others. At that time, our eldest brother was the crown prince of the Eastern Palace, while we…” The emperor met his eyes. “We were like you, an idle prince. The whims of fate are unpredictable. In the end, this empire fell into our hands. But since our ascension, we have been constrained at every turn. Each move was like a puppet dancing before a screen. If Imperial Mother wanted us to laugh, we laughed. Now she wants us to die, so we must die.”

Li Jianheng was choked with emotion.

“In the future,” the emperor continued, “just as our father was, and just as we have, you will become that same lonely man on the throne.”

Li Jianheng burst into tears. He held the emperor’s hand and pleaded, “Imperial Brother! How could I rule? I’m but a worm in this Li Clan’s empire. How can I possibly sit at its peak? Imperial Brother, I’m scared, I’m so scared.”

“Don’t be.” With a sudden surge of energy, the emperor gripped Li Jianheng’s hand and opened his eyes wide. “You are different from us—the empress dowager’s kin have lost! Death is all that’s left for Hua Siqian and Pan Rugui. Kill them, and the empress dowager will have no one left to aid her! Power will fall back to you, and you will be…the ruler of all lands under heaven! What we couldn’t do…you can… We…”

The emperor coughed so violently, his whole body shook, but he was unwilling to release Li Jianheng. He continued with blood in his mouth, “Eliminate the empress dowager’s kin and keep close watch on the court officials. The Hua Clan has lost today, but there are…others…you must bear in mind. Allow no one to sleep too soundly in the bed of imperial power! Those…who save you today…can kill you…tomorrow! Military power is like a tiger… Xiao…”

The emperor vomited fresh blood, sending Li Jianheng into a panic.

“You must not…” The emperor gasped for breath and gripped Li Jianheng’s hand so hard it bruised. “Must not…release…A-Ye…”

You must not release A-Ye back to Libei!

It didn’t matter if he was an idle young master or an extraordinary prodigy. The Xiao Clan would only remain a loyal dog if he remained in Qudu. Even if the empress dowager’s kin had been defeated, it didn’t mean the frontier garrisons would never consolidate their power and assemble an army to challenge the throne. Without the Hua Clan, who could hold the Xiao Clan in check? If Xiao Chiye had the capacity to endure in silence for five whole years in Qudu, making a miracle out of the degenerates in the Imperial Army, imagine if they gave him another five years in Libei. He would surely become their most lethal threat!

“Imperial Brother.” Li Jianheng was dazed. “How can we do that? Imperial Brother!”

“Strip the territories of their power and reduce their troops,” the emperor said weakly. “If necessary…kill…kill…”

Kill him.

When Li Jianheng saw the emperor close his eyes, he let out a wail. Until the very moment of his death, the Xiande Emperor never released his hand; the resentment and gloom between his brows never dissipated so long as he lived.

He had sat upon the throne for nine years, yet never had he made a single decision without a nod from the empress dowager. It was the empress dowager who had final say over his meals, clothing, expenses—even over which woman would spend the night in his bedchamber. The boldest move he made in this life was to establish covert communication with Qidong and draw Xi Gu’an over to his side to pave, at the Nanlin Hunting Grounds, what seemed like a smooth path to the throne for his brother Li Jianheng.

As soon as the emperor’s death was known, the long procession making its way to the capital stopped, and cries of grief and sorrow rent the air. The crowd of ministers went to their knees. At their fore was Hai Liangyi, wracked with sobs. His devastated cries of “Your Majesty!” were the final honors accorded to the Xiande Emperor.

The funeral bell in Qudu tolled without end, and the nation mourned.

 

Empress Dowager Hua sat on her settee, feeding the Xiande Emperor’s parrot with a wooden spoon. At the sound of the bell, the parrot screamed, “Jianyun! Jianyun! Jianyun is back!”

The eastern pearls dangling from the empress dowager’s ears swayed as she nodded. “Jianyun is back.”

The parrot screamed, “Imperial Mother! Imperial Mother!”

Empress Dowager Hua remained motionless save for the rhythmic tapping of her spoon. As she sat within the slanting shadow, the streaks of white in her hair could no longer be covered, and the fine lines at the corners of her eyes resembled the cracks on a prized porcelain antique.

The parrot screeched a few more times before falling headlong from its perch, permanently silenced. The empress dowager set the spoon aside and sat quietly until the bell rang no more. “Where is Imperial Concubine Wei? What’s taking her so long?”

 

With the death of the Xiande Emperor, Xiao Chiye’s return to the capital was so busy he could hardly breathe. For several days, he knelt together with hundreds of other officials; by the time he could finally lie down, he was exhausted.

But exhausted as he was, he still had to bathe. As Xiao Chiye wiped his body, he saw that the wounds on his shoulders and arms had already scabbed over. He pulled on a clean robe and came out to ask Chen Yang, “Where is he?”

This time, Chen Yang knew who he meant. “The Embroidered Uniform Guard is being reorganized, so he’s been in the process of re-enlistment the past few days. He’s barely been home.”

“I was asking,” Xiao Chiye said, “about Ji Lei. Whom are you talking about?”

Chen Yang scratched his head abashedly. “Oh, Ji Lei. He’s been detained. He’ll probably face beheading after the new emperor ascends the throne. But Your Excellency, weren’t you the one who locked him up a few days ago?”

Xiao Chiye shrugged on another layer and said in all seriousness, “I forgot.”

 

Shen Zechuan, Ge Qingqing, and Xiao-Wu were eating noodles at a street stall. They were halfway through their meal when Xiao-Wu suddenly looked up and stared fixedly ahead.

Shen Zechuan turned to see Xiao Chiye tossing some silver to the stallkeeper. He lifted his robe to sit beside Shen Zechuan as he called, “Two bowls of noodles.”

Xiao-Wu slurped his meal down. Taking hold of the bowl, he shuffled his butt away to another table like a hunted quail. Under Xiao Chiye’s gaze, Ge Qingqing took his own bowl and joined him.

Shen Zechuan picked at his noodles. “I’m full.”

“Finish it.” Xiao Chiye pulled out a pair of chopsticks and clacked them at Shen Zechuan. “Afraid to see me? Look how anxious you are to flee.”

“Of course.” Shen Zechuan slowly took the last bite. “Anyone who’s been pinned down once would be afraid.”

“You ran off pretty fast the other day, too, when we were protecting the new emperor.” Xiao Chiye’s noodles came, and he poured vinegar into the bowl. “It was a great opportunity for a promotion. Why did you run?”

“I didn’t do anything.” Shen Zechuan blew at the soup and drank it. “So there was no reason for me to stay.”

Xiao Chiye ate his noodles in silence. When he had almost finished the bowl, he said, “Come to think of it, you must’ve crouched behind me for a long time that night, mustn’t you? Deciding whom to choose? Why not play it by ear? If Xi Gu’an captured Qudu, you’d give me a stab. If he failed, you’d give me a hand. Keeping an eye out for the perfect opportunity, just waiting for me to take a fall before you made your move.”

“Then you’re lucky.” Shen Zechuan turned to him with a smile. “You’re still alive.”

“You wouldn’t be the one who shot that arrow at me, would you?” Xiao Chiye wondered aloud. “If I weren’t in such a perilous position, how could you have emphasized the significance of your favor?”

“I haven’t even asked for anything in return. Why do you assume I’m plotting against you?”

“Not asking for anything in return is the problem.” Xiao Chiye still seemed hungry. He set down his chopsticks and said, “You couldn’t risk appearing before Prince Chu that day. Was it because you were afraid of Ji Lei, or because you were afraid Hua Siqian would let something slip?”

Shen Zechuan stacked his copper coins neatly on the table, then leaned close to Xiao Chiye and whispered, “Wrong. I was afraid of you.”

“Afraid of me?” Xiao Chiye echoed.

“Of that hard thing.”

The sounds and voices around Xiao Chiye seemed far away. All that remained in his ears was this warm puff of hard. He realized that Shen Zechuan was wearing a collar that fastened high on his neck today, denying him the chance to lay wanton eyes on it again. His face moved through several expressions; finally, he looked at Shen Zechuan and squeezed out through clenched teeth. “You don’t need to worry.”

“Er-gongzi has come of age now.” Shen Zechuan straightened. “It’s about time you find yourself a wife.”

“What do you know of it? Your Er-gongzi is more seasoned than you realize.” Seeing Shen Zechuan rising to leave, Xiao Chiye grabbed his wrist and pulled him back into his seat. “You’re always trying to go before I’m done talking. That’s against the rules.”

“And you’re always laying your hand on me at every turn,” Shen Zechuan said. “Tell me again about the rules.”

Xiao Chiye released his wrist. “I’ll repay you for the favor.”

“Call me Master and I’ll consider it even.”

“But first, there’s something you owe me. Surely you don’t want me to keep chasing you for that thumb ring, right?”

Without another word, Shen Zechuan tossed the bone thumb ring to him.

Xiao Chiye caught it and looked at him skeptically. “What kind of gimmick is this? Returning it the moment I ask for it?”

“This is the way honest people handle matters,” Shen Zechuan said. “Quick and straightforward.”

At this point, there was nothing more to say.

Xiao Chiye watched Shen Zechuan rise to his feet. He turned the thumb ring in his fingers, thinking it had been far too easy.

“Going home?” Xiao Chiye asked behind him.

“I’m on duty tomorrow.”

“The Embroidered Uniform Guard is being reshuffled; what duty?” Xiao Chiye asked. “Winter is bitter in Qudu. Take care.”

“Small fry like me drift with the current and go with the flow.” Shen Zechuan turned around. “I’m not the one who needs to take care.”

Xiao Chiye rubbed his knuckles. “While you’re at it, send my regards to Ji Gang-shifu.”

Shen Zechuan paused mid-step and swiveled to face Xiao Chiye.

Slipping on his thumb ring, Xiao Chiye smiled carelessly. “So, Lanzhou, want to come play with me?”