Chapter 3

Chapter 3

After dismissing the palace messenger who wanted to give me a hard time, my husband took my hand with his left hand, and Songya’s with his right, while I held Songqing’s hand. The four of us, a family of four, just swaggered through the palace as if we owned the place, and unimpeded we entered Wenzheng Hall.

Good grief, I had never seen such a huge and yet so empty room.

Stepping onto the black and red carpet interwoven with totems, I felt a surreal sense of walking on air, as if I were treading on clouds.

At the very center, on the highest imperial throne, my imperial father sat waiting for us, his hands resting upon his knees.

To his left stood a tall, robust man and two gorgeously attired women. Their features were somewhat similar, each appearing to be in their twenties.

To his right stood a middle-aged beauty clad in a purple ceremonial robe with cloud motifs, a young maiden with her hair done up in an ingot-shaped bun and a light yellow gauze skirt, her cheeks plump and rosy, and a young boy who looked only a few years older than Songqing.

As I walked further inside step by step, I could distinctly feel the scrutinizing gazes from all around the hall upon me.

The palace herald sang out, “The legitimate eldest daughter of the Yao Clan comes to pay respects to His Majesty. Kneel-”

I was a bit worked up, my mind wholly focused on recalling how the etiquette matrons taught me to lift my skirt, how to step back, and how to kowtow. It was only when my knees made contact with the carpet that I realized I had knelt down too soon.

How to describe it… the young palace maid holding the kneeling cushion beside me was so scared she was on the verge of tears.

I truly wanted to tell her, “Little sister, it’s not your fault. I forgot to wait for you to put the kneeling cushion down.”

One of the gold-robed women to the left of my imperial father let out a derisive snicker.

The woman next to her, outside of the imperial father’s line of sight, tugged at her sleeve.

She reined in her ridicule, but still cast a glance my way from beneath lowered eyelids, the provocation in it heavy.

The purple-clad beauty across from them said, “Quickly help the Grand Princess up.”

I noticed that the moment she uttered the title “Grand Princess,” the sleeve-tugging woman’s brow furrowed, an expression of loathing on her face.

I didn’t wait for the palace attendants to come assist me; I got up on my own.

“It’s fine. Just put the cushion down. I’ll perform the kneeling all over again.”

The little palace maid, as if a great weight had been lifted from her, placed the cushion before me. Then, in succession, a few other attendants set cushions in front of my husband and children.

At last, we went through the ritual of paying our respects to our imperial father as the palace attendants had instructed.

He didn’t look the least bit emotional. With a blank countenance, he pronounced, “The eldest daughter of the Yao Clan, born of my principal wife, is hereby designated the legitimate eldest princess of Da’an, enfeoffed as Princess Fengguo. She shall be granted dwelling at the Princess Mansion, awarded three thousand taels of gold, and her stipend and fief shall be equivalent to those of a top-ranked inner court lady. The mother of Princess Fengguo is posthumously honored as Empress Renjing, and her remains shall be relocated into the imperial mausoleum…”

“Imperial Father!”

The tall, sturdy man on his left interrupted his words.

“You once promised my mother that you would be buried together with her!”

The imperial father replied calmly, “I did not, however, promise that I would be buried only with her. The First Prince has committed a breach of decorum in court; he is fined three months’ salary.”

The First Prince, unwilling to let the matter rest, seemed about to speak further and took a small step forward, but was held back by the woman standing at his side.

“Imperial Father, please forgive him. He only misses his mother.”

The imperial father said, “It is precisely my intention to make all of you understand that you are not the only ones in this world who have mothers, nor are your mothers the only ones who have endured bitter hardships and borne countless grievances. Look upon Princess Fengguo and Empress Renjing, and see how they have lived!”

The moment these words were spoken, the six people on both sides all displayed remarkably colorful expressions.

But I had absolutely no clue what was so remarkable about them!

It was just like when all the young wives in the village gossip about Widow Xing at the end of the village and some so-and-so from the neighboring village having shady, tangled dealings, and yet you alone are left in the dark!

And they won’t tell you anything!

I almost couldn’t help asking what had happened. Fortunately, my husband drew close to me in time and said, “This has nothing to do with you. Just express your gratitude.”

Like a simpleton, I complied and addressed my imperial father, high above on his throne, “Your child thanks Imperial Father.”

The tense, saber-rattling atmosphere was broken by me.

My imperial father seemed a bit taken aback, probably not expecting that his tool of a person would also grow a mouth.

“My mother told me that when you left, you said you’d return in the spring of the following year. And so she named me Yao Xiaochun. You can call me Xiaochun, just as she did.

“This is my husband, Gong Jiqing, and these are my two children, Gong Songqing and Gong Songya. One is seven years old, the other five.

“I’m sorry. You never asked us what our names were just now, so I told you on my own. Otherwise, the next time you see the children and can’t call them by name, they’d be sad.”

“Um… I’ve actually been doing alright these years, not bad enough to be a cautionary tale.” I turned to my husband and asked, “Right?”

Gong Jiqing smiled and nodded.

Songya interjected, “Exactly! Third Master Sun, who collects night soil in the county town, says our family lives better than many in the county! Grandpa, don’t look down on us!”

The emperor’s frown eased at Songya’s words. His stern, gloomy face cleared like clouds parting, and he beckoned Songya over with an outstretched hand.

Bold as ever, Songya lifted her skirt and ran over, circling around the emperor’s feet. She looked up at him curiously and said, “Grandpa, you smell so nice!”

The emperor picked her up. “That’s ambergris, which I use.”

Startled by being lifted, Songya clung nervously to the emperor’s neck and then murmured, “Grandpa, you really look like Mama.”

“Your Mama looks like me.”

“Oh.”

“Come, Songya, let Grandpa introduce you to the relatives.”

“This is the second imperial princess, Princess Juanyu.”

“Hello, Second Aunt!”

Princess Juanyu, Yao Ruoling, was the one who had tugged at my sleeve earlier-the emperor’s second daughter.

In fact, before I appeared, she was the eldest daughter, and she’s probably feeling very upset right now.

“The third imperial princess, Princess Jianyu.”

“Hello, Third Aunt!”

Princess Jianyu, Yao Ruozhun, was Yao Ruoling’s younger sister, the woman in gold who had laughed at me earlier.

“The eldest imperial prince, Prince Xian.”

“Hello, Eldest Uncle!”

Prince Xian, Yao Zhan, was the emperor’s eldest son.

The mother of those three was Lady Zhou, whom the emperor married after leaving home.

The three on the other side were Noble Consort Xun, the legitimate daughter of the powerful Xun clan; Princess Jia Zhao, You Shuo’er, the emperor’s adopted daughter and Noble Consort Xun’s child from her previous marriage; and Prince Fu, Yao Shou, the second imperial prince born to Noble Consort Xun.

In Songya’s words, they were “Great-Aunt,” “Auntie,” and “Young Uncle.”

Songya is too straightforward; she addressed a whole family of imperial relatives as if it were some village landlord’s family reunion.

But thanks to Songya sparking the emperor’s interest and getting him to introduce everyone himself, I also figured out a few things.

I’d wondered why he, already a southern overlord for years before becoming emperor, only came looking for me now.

Now I knew.

After becoming emperor, the old man found himself with two sets of children from Lady Zhou and the Xun clan-Lady Zhou was his late wife, and the Xun clan his new favorite. Both were dear to him, and he couldn’t bear to see either side hurt in a fight.

So he brought me back.

The gist was: I’ve decided to make my wife who died decades ago the empress, and bring back her daughter to be the legitimate princess, so you lot don’t have to fight over whose mother should be empress or who should be the legitimate heir.

Suddenly I felt not the least bit guilty about getting the Princess Mansion, the stipends, the gold, and all the rest.

It was all well-deserved for a proper shield.

Gong Jiqing noticed my dejection. While everyone’s attention was on Songya and the emperor, he slipped his hand into my sleeve and hooked his finger around my palm.

“Xiaochun, don’t look so glum. It ruins your pretty face.”

I forced a smile, then sighed.

“So it wasn’t because he missed me at all.”

“But I miss my wife so much. These past days, being kept away by those people, I haven’t been able to hold you properly, kiss you, or help you put on makeup and do your hair…”

Songqing said helplessly, “Father, I’m still here.”

Gong Jiqing glanced sideways at his own son. “Learn from your sister. Go find Grandpa.”

Songqing shuddered and hurriedly left the two of us.

All in all, the audience at Wenzheng Hall went smoothly. When we left, the emperor gave Songqing and Songya many gifts, all of which looked expensive. Though the old man was using me, he treated the children well.

I wouldn’t ask for more. One should be content, and contentment brings happiness.

–

Unofficial History of Emperor Wu, Vol. 7: Princess Fengguo

Princess Fengguo returned to court and was received at Wenzheng Hall. At that time, Princess Fengguo’s daughter Yanluo was five years old. She circled before the hall and said to the emperor, “Grandpa, you have a strange fragrance. How curious!” The emperor, delighted by her cuteness, gave her a piece of ambergris.

Editor’s note: Emperor Wu favored Princess Yanluo above all others, and no other child could compare. It all started with the ambergris.