Chapter 3

The Turks mustered a great army to avenge their young prince’s beheading.

Grandfather took Lin Jingfeng with him, overruling every objection to place him in command of a light cavalry unit.

Mother was then at the height of Father’s favor and more than seven months pregnant.

Before leaving, Grandfather joked that he would bring back the brightest jewel from the Turkic king’s tent as a gift for his new grandson’s first-month celebration.

He was absolutely certain Mother was carrying a little prince.

The Imperial Astronomical Bureau had calculated that Ziwei, the imperial star, would be reborn in the palace that year. And of all the consorts, only Mother was pregnant.

We all believed Grandfather would continue his undefeated legend. This battle, surely, would be another victory.

The army had been gone a month. Reports arrived constantly from the front, each one good news.

The Marquis of Zhongyong had taken eight Turkic cities in succession.

The marquis had cut down the Turkic King of the Left on horseback.

Young General Lin had faced a thousand horsemen alone and severed the Turkic royal standard with one stroke.

Father was delighted. Reward after reward went to Grandfather’s residence and to Mother’s Linyu Palace.

Then a new dispatch arrived. The Turkic King of the Right had launched a surprise attack. Grandfather was gravely wounded, and Young General Lin was missing.

A heavy silence settled over the court. Even the laughter in the inner palace grew scarce.

Father ordered that the news be kept from Linyu Palace. Consort Lin must not be distressed during her pregnancy.

Mother seemed to sense something. “Has there been trouble at the front?”

Ah Ling linked arms with her and picked up a piece of osmanthus cake for her. “If there were trouble, would all this gold and jade still be pouring into your palace?”

She was quiet for a moment, then pushed his hand away and looked at me. “Ah Ling, you’re the worst liar. You tell me.”

Oh, Mother. Did you not know that people who seldom lied were the most convincing liars of all?

I answered with a mixture of truth and falsehood. “It’s Lin Jingfeng. Grandfather made him commander of the vanguard, and he went and vanished with the light cavalry. The most ridiculous rumor says he’s a Turkic spy. The whole business has made Grandfather lose face.”

Mother’s shoulders relaxed. She took the cake and smiled. “We investigated that boy’s background thoroughly before taking him in. A Turkic spy? Their doom, more like!”

I let out a breath, knowing she believed me.

Ah Ling and I exchanged a glance. He followed her lead. “Why did Grandfather take him in, then?”

Mother thought for a moment. “There’s a secret force in the northwest that takes in war orphans aged four or five and trains them until they’re fifteen. They look like ordinary people, but their martial skills and strength of will are extraordinary. They excel at assassination and battle alike. Lin Jingfeng is the finest of his generation.”

“Apart from his looks,” Ah Ling said sourly, “I’ve never seen what’s so special about him.”

Mother flicked him lightly. “Why else would your grandfather ask him to look after your sister instead of you?”

Ah Ling pretended to be furious. “I’d look after her whether he asked me to or not!”

The palace doors opened a crack. Cold wind rushed in, and Ah Ling, so full of bluster a moment before, clutched his chest and coughed until he could hardly breathe.

I laughed at him even as I ordered the maids to close the doors.

Instead of closing, they opened wider.

I rose angrily, shielding Ah Ling behind me. “Have you grown tired of living?”

A woman in palace dress emerged slowly through the doorway, her hair ornaments a festive profusion of deep and pale reds.

It was Consort Yuan, Mother’s longtime enemy.

Her voice was sweet as an oriole’s song. “Who are you cursing, Your Highness? Could that be a prophecy about your own grandfather?”

Fury seized me. I swept out my sleeve. “Mind your words, Consort Yuan!”

Mother drew me behind her, her smile mild. “Have you honored us with a visit simply to provoke me?”

Still smiling, Consort Yuan bent to examine Mother’s face. “Consort Lin, you’ve been the emperor’s favorite for so many years, but your beauty has long since faded. Do you truly not know, or only pretend not to, that you’re still able to conceive only because you have such a fine father? Now that he’s dead, what will you use to compete for favor?”

Mother went deathly pale, but her voice remained steady. “Peirou, invite His Majesty here. Tell him Consort Yuan would like to know why I am his favorite.”

Consort Yuan’s expression changed at once. She swept out.

The draft rushed through the hall. Ah Ling coughed harder, clutching his chest, unable to speak. The long, wheezing sounds in his throat terrified me.

I hurriedly loosened his collar and pressed a cushion against his chest. “Peirou! Summon the imperial physician!”

Consort Yuan left laughing, her hair ornaments swaying and ringing. “Lin Zhidi, will your son and your father share a death anniversary?”