“Two days ago, His Majesty favored Hanxiang,” Cheng Zhixiang said lightly, her voice drifting as if from afar. “The family does not yet know. I want you to take a message back… tell them that Hanxiang should remain in the palace with me from now on and not return.”
Cheng Yunxiang turned the words “favored” over in her mind, then narrowed her eyes and examined Cheng Hanxiang closely, her gaze traveling inch by inch from her hair down to her waist. Under such scrutiny, Cheng Hanxiang grew increasingly uneasy and lowered her head further. “It was my foolishness.”
On the night of the twenty-fifth day of the fourth month, Song Yu had been drinking and feasting with Consort Chen and others in Jiaofang Hall, indulging in music and revelry until the third watch before the banquet finally dispersed. Consort Chen, drunk, fell into a deep sleep. The maids attending in the inner hall gradually withdrew, leaving only Kong Yu behind, who herself was drowsy from drink and nodded off.
Yet after lying down, Song Yu found his head aching and could not sleep. Afraid that his tossing and turning would wake Consort Chen, he moved to the outer chamber and lay there, waiting for the effects of the wine to pass. In his hazy state, he sensed someone enter.
“Since Your Majesty cannot sleep, allow me to dance for you to ease your boredom.”
Song Yu forced his eyes open. “Mm.” It should be the third young lady of the Cheng family, he thought vaguely.
He dimly remembered that Consort Chen’s third sister was staying in the palace and had been placed in a side chamber. It was the middle of the night. Why had she come to his sleeping quarters?
He wanted to ask whether she was looking for Consort Chen, but his mind soon sank into deeper confusion.
Cheng Hanxiang, dressed in flowing silks, began to dance. Her long sleeves moved like rippling water, at times her waist swayed gently in a soft, enchanting allure, at times she spun like a whirlwind, dazzling and radiant. As she danced, she sang:
“On the green waters drift floating duckweed,
Carried by waves, swaying with the wind.
Lotus blooms release their fragrance,
Graceful petals bow in beauty…
There is a lady fair,
Her elegance as pure as clear sunlight.”
Her voice was melodious, like an oriole emerging from the valley, delighting Song Yu. Half-conscious, he asked, “Who are you?” He did not recall such a woman in the palace and had long forgotten Cheng Hanxiang’s presence.
After so many days in Jiaofang Hall, he did not even recognize her. Cheng Hanxiang was startled, realizing he was drunk, and heavily so. She tested him. “Your Majesty may call me Yaoji.”
Yaoji.
The goddess of Mount Wu.
Song Yu closed his eyes and chuckled softly. “You say you are the goddess Yaoji? Then I must be dreaming.”
Confirming his drunkenness, Cheng Hanxiang pressed further. “I, Yaoji, have long admired Your Majesty’s talents and have come to meet you in a dream.”
Drunk and drowsy, Song Yu could no longer distinguish dreams from reality. A faint fragrance drifted to him, seven parts tender longing, three parts playful allure. It was the scent Consort Chen often used. He suddenly smiled. “You are Zhiniang in disguise, aren’t you? My beloved always likes to tease me this way.”
At times, Cheng Zhixiang would indeed dress as a celestial maiden to amuse him.
He reached out, pulling her into his arms. “Come, my love, let us journey together to Mount Wu.”
His long fingers clasped her waist and drew her close. She was overjoyed.
Yet when her robes loosened, Song Yu opened his eyes slightly, glanced at her, and pushed her away, frowning. “You are not Zhiniang.” Though he soon fell back into unconsciousness, Cheng Hanxiang was so frightened that she hurriedly climbed off the imperial bed and stood outside, lost in a daze.
Only after the cold seeped into her bones did she grit her teeth, scratch open her wrist, and watch as bright red blood flowed. She smeared it across the bedsheets before slowly returning to the outer chamber.
At the end of the fourth watch, Kong Yu emerged with a palace lantern to get some air and suddenly saw Song Yu sleeping in the outer chamber, while the imperial bed inside was in disarray, stained with blood. Her heart jolted in shock. The emperor had not summoned anyone that night. Then… she suddenly recalled that Consort Chen’s younger sister was staying in the palace, and dizziness overtook her.
Fearing discovery, she immediately woke Song Yu. “Your Majesty, Your Majesty…” As he turned over, she hastily covered the bedding and ordered a maid to bring sobering soup.
After drinking it, Song Yu gradually regained clarity. Fragments of the previous night surfaced in his mind, and his face darkened, anger flickering in his eyes. After a long silence, he said, “Remember this. The one who attended me last night was still Consort Chen.”
The court diarists were not to record what had happened between him and Cheng Hanxiang.
In other words, Song Yu would not grant Cheng Hanxiang any status.
Kong Yu’s heart churned with turmoil. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
Song Yu dressed in his court robes and went to morning court, his expression grim.
…
“You may leave,” Cheng Zhixiang said calmly.
Cheng Hanxiang glanced at Cheng Yunxiang, murmured “Yes,” and withdrew with a pitiful air.
“That night, the record states that I attended His Majesty,” Cheng Zhixiang said softly. “He does not wish to acknowledge it publicly… If Hanxiang becomes pregnant, I will claim the child as mine.”
She let out a bitter laugh. “Yunniang, I did intend to borrow a womb, but I had planned to choose someone outside the family. When Father sent Hanxiang into the palace under the pretext of delivering a fertility prescription, I had my suspicions… but before I could confront it, things had already gone this far.”
Cheng Hanxiang had acted too quickly. It was also her own fault for hesitating.
She felt both uneasy toward Cheng Hanxiang and dissatisfied with her father’s actions.
“If this matter spreads beyond the palace,” Cheng Zhixiang said, tears falling, “what will people say about His Majesty…” The emperor and his sister-in-law, how disgraceful that would sound.
She should never have entertained the idea of borrowing a womb. Regret consumed her.
Cheng Yunxiang gently wiped her sister’s tears with a handkerchief. At this point, there was nothing left to say.
After crying for a long while, Cheng Zhixiang said helplessly, “Yunniang, I don’t know what to do anymore.”
“You need not blame yourself too much,” Cheng Yunxiang said, her emotions tangled. “Father and Hanxiang are the ones at fault.”
Perhaps Consort Zhou had a hand in it as well.
Whether Old Madam Cheng and Chen Baomiao knew was uncertain, though they likely suspected something.
Only then did Cheng Zhixiang stop crying. “I will treat Hanxiang well.”
“Elder Sister,” Cheng Yunxiang sighed, “you only need to take care of yourself.”
With Cheng Zhixiang’s nature, she would never mistreat Cheng Hanxiang. What worried Cheng Yunxiang more was whether Cheng Hanxiang would behave herself in the palace or resort to schemes against her sister.
The rain outside had stopped. Cheng Yunxiang did not wish to linger in the palace. “Elder Sister, I’ll return now. I’ll visit again another time.”
“Are you accustomed to living at Ganquan Temple?” Cheng Zhixiang asked.
Cheng Yunxiang replied cheerfully, “The scenery there is beautiful and spacious. I like it very much.”
Cheng Zhixiang laughed. “You really have no sense of hardship.”
“Do the attendants obey you?”
“I’ve only seen one young eunuch sweeping and guarding the gate. His surname is Shen.”
“Shen?” Cheng Zhixiang asked in surprise. “What is his name?”
“Shen Lanzhi.”
“It’s him? The Grand Princess didn’t take him back when she returned to the palace?” Cheng Zhixiang was astonished.
“You know him?”
“His Majesty mentioned him to me.”
So even the emperor had spoken of him. Cheng Yunxiang said, “On my first day at Ganquan Temple, a female official tried to use me to drive him away, but I did not respond.”
“You were right,” Cheng Zhixiang said. “I heard he and the Grand Princess were a pair of ill-fated lovers. He was of low birth yet dared to covet her and was forced by the late emperor to become a eunuch. After the princess married, her husband disliked him, so he could not follow her. Ganquan Temple was left as his refuge. Do not drive him away.”
Cheng Yunxiang nodded slowly. “…I understand.”
When she left the palace, it was already afternoon. The rain had cleared, leaving a serene scene.
Instead of returning to Ganquan Temple, she went back to the Cheng residence. Chen Baomiao was overjoyed to see her, pulling her into an embrace and looking her over. “My Yunniang looks beautiful even dressed as a Daoist.”
“I was just saying I would visit you soon. Why did you come home today?”
“I came from the palace,” Cheng Yunxiang said. “I saw Elder Sister and Hanxiang.”
“Hanxiang…” Chen Baomiao’s expression darkened. “Your father must have listened to those concubines and found a way to send her into the palace.”
After a moment of silence, she asked, “Did she… succeed?”
“Elder Sister asked me to bring word back,” Cheng Yunxiang replied. “Two nights ago, His Majesty favored Hanxiang.”
Chen Baomiao’s expression shifted rapidly. “Your elder sister…?” Without consulting Cheng Zhixiang, the family had forced a concubine’s daughter into her side. It weighed heavily on her heart.
“At this point, what can the Elder Sister do?” Cheng Yunxiang thought.
“She said she would treat Hanxiang well.”
Chen Baomiao scoffed. “She should be guarding against her instead.”
“I thought the same,” Cheng Yunxiang said. “Hanxiang is quite capable.” After all, she had managed to climb onto the imperial bed in just a few days.
Chen Baomiao spat. “Just like her fox-spirit of a mother.”
Cheng Yunxiang did not know what to say and simply drank her tea.
Hearing that she had returned, Old Madam Cheng arrived with the household women. Startled, Cheng Yunxiang quickly knelt. “I was just about to pay my respects to you, Grandmother. Why did you come?”
Old Madam Cheng frowned. “You’ve never left my side before. Now that you’ve moved out, how could I not worry day and night?”
Afraid she would become too distressed, Cheng Yunxiang smiled. “Grandmother, don’t I look like I’ve gained weight? Without Mother keeping me in check, I’m quite at ease.”
Chen Baomiao laughed. “Trying to win your grandmother’s favor by blaming me.”
“That’s good,” Old Madam Cheng said kindly. “As long as you don’t feel wronged. If you lack anything at the temple, send word home. Don’t worry about trouble.”
“Yes, Grandmother. Thank you for your care.”
Hearing she had come from the palace, Old Madam Cheng dismissed the servants and asked quietly, “Hanxiang… did she meet His Majesty?”
Cheng Yunxiang replied solemnly, “Two nights ago, His Majesty favored Hanxiang. Elder Sister asked me to inform the family.”
As you wished.