Chapter 6
It was my third month at Qingyin Convent.
Life there was austere: morning bells and evening drums, coarse food and weak tea. Even paper for copying sutras had to be used sparingly.
Lühe wept over my hardship. I did not mind.
The harder my life, the more that man would pity me.
News from court arrived without interruption.
Yao Mingzhu was pregnant.
Yuan Xiujin had petitioned at court for His Majesty to make her crown princess.
The Yao family seized the opportunity, sending memorial after memorial to the emperor.
But Yuan Zhaoyu never agreed.
His decision to retain the memorials without acting meant two things.
To the court, it meant the emperor was displeased with the Yaos.
They had stretched their hands too far these past years, using the Eastern Palace’s influence.
If they produced a crown princess as well, who could say whether the empire would belong to the Yuans or the Yaos?
The other meaning was that the man still could not let go of the Meng family.
He wanted to leave a road open for me, and for the crown prince too.
I rose and walked to the window.
Mountain wind swept dead leaves inside. It was time to add fuel to the fire.
After spring began, the mountain winds grew warmer.
I heard Yao Mingzhu’s pregnancy was stable, and that she had begged the crown prince to come pray with her for their unborn child.
When the news arrived, Lühe stamped with anger.
“Of all the temples in the capital, they have to choose ours!”
“They’re doing it on purpose.”
I kept my head lowered over the sutra I was copying. “Of course she’s coming.”
“She’s at the height of her triumph. How could she be satisfied without seeing me?”
Over the following days, the convent suddenly bustled with activity.
Several young nuns replaced every prayer cushion, inside and out.
The abbess herself led the others in scrubbing the main hall three times.
Even the ritual vase before the Buddha was replaced.
The abbess gave me particular instructions. “Her Highness says she knows you. On the day she offers incense, you are to attend her in the main hall.”
I nodded.
In fine spring sunlight, Yao Mingzhu descended from her sedan chair step by step, supported by a maid.
The jewels filling her hair shone in the light. She did look rather like a future crown princess.
“Miss Meng. It’s been a long time. You’ve grown quite thin.”
I bowed with my head lowered. “Greetings to the crown prince and Consort Yao.”
Yuan Xiujin glanced coldly at me and gave a faint snort.
Stroking her belly, Yao Mingzhu smiled lazily.
“The late empress always said Miss Meng had the finest handwriting.”
“Since you are cultivating your faith here, why not copy a few sutras to pray for my child?”
She looked down and stroked her stomach, her eyes full of triumph.
“This is a very precious child, after all.”
“He will be the Eastern Palace’s eldest legitimate son.”
I bit my lip, drew a deep breath, and agreed.
Yao Mingzhu’s smile deepened. She turned to her maid. “Bring the brush and ink. Let her kneel here and write.”
Several noble ladies covered their mouths and laughed.
“So the Meng girl has come to this.”
“She used to be so proud, with the empress backing her.”
“Now the empress is dead. Who does she think she is?”
Yuan Xiujin stood nearby with his hands behind his back, without a trace of pity in his face.
He looked as though some old grievance had finally been satisfied.
“Mingzhu honors you by asking you to copy them.”
“Praying for the Eastern Palace’s legitimate heir is an immense blessing.”
The incense in the shrine grew thicker and thicker.
Brush in hand, I knelt on a cushion.
My stomach churned faintly, but all I could do was grit my teeth and endure it.
Yao Mingzhu ate a segment of orange from Yuan Xiujin’s hand and glanced down at me.
“Miss Meng and I are old acquaintances, after all.”
“When the baby is a month old, why don’t you join the celebrations?”
She smiled as if the invitation were sincere.
Yet everyone knew that an abandoned, untitled girl hiding in a convent
had no place at the Eastern Palace’s feast celebrating a baby’s first month.