东宫 Eastern Palace: Full of Roses with Fragrance Overflowing the Entire Courtyard (Part 1)

The title of this side story is from the poem, Summer Day at the Mountain Pavilion, which is written by Gao Pian, a military governor of the Tang Dynasty. The poem describes a beautiful scenery during a summer day, which you can read it here.

......................

A'Mu came back from hunting and gave me a bunch of wild roses. 

The roses are extremely delicate. When you touch the petals, they fall off one after another. I quickly ordered people to put the roses in the crystal vase. Despite the fact that these roses were grown in the mountains, they are fragrant and unique.

Later in the evening, Yao Niang came to talk to me. Seeing the vase of wild roses, she asked where I got them. Once she found out that A'Mu had given me these roses, she couldn't help but smile, "His Majesty must be joking with you." 

I pretended not to understand what she had said. 

I am the only girl in my family. I have seven or eight elder brothers. My father was forty years old when I was born. Naturally, I am too spoiled. When I was a child, I was playing with boys, fighting mischievously, and doing all kinds of things. Until I was well over the age of 10, I beat up Prince Qi, who flirted with women on the street. This Prince Qi was a very lustful person. Hearing that I was Pei Yu's daughter, he gave me the nickname "Ye Qiang Wei[1]," which meant fragrant and white, but also unfortunately prickly. 

Gradually, this nickname was spread out publicly. Of course, I did not approve of this nickname, but I never thought or expected that my father would be so angry that he thought I would not be able to get married in the future. So he decided to change my temper by locking me up at home and invited several teachers who forced me to learn embroidery and to write while almost boring me to death.

In the end, the late Emperor saved me. When I was fourteen years old, I was betrothed to be the Crown Princess. I heard the late Emperor said with a smile, "Pei Qing, don't worry. Noble ladies always have difficulty getting married, just marry into our family as the bride."

My father almost fainted when he received the imperial decree. Although he was worried that it would be difficult to marry me off, he did not want to marry me to the Emperor's family because the late Emperor only had one son. A'Mu was the Crown Prince, and he would become the Emperor in the future. My father thought that I was not suitable to be even a Crown Princess, not to mention being the Empress.

However, there was no way to resist it, because the late Emperor had already issued the imperial decree. So my father could only invite more teachers to teach me, who reluctantly taught me to become a better person for the position of Empress.

To be honest, I didn't think I would get married to A'Mu because I knew him too well. My second brother, Pei Zhong An, often goes to the Eastern Palace, as he grew up alongside the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince has no other brothers -- only a sister, Princess Chaoyang. The late Emperor loved Chaoyang deeply, so he would often summon me into the palace to play with her. When I was a child, I often saw the Crown Prince and bullied him. I was not his opponent because he was a boy and his strength was greater than mine. We have fought countless times. Countless times, I have put a dead snake and half a mouse into his book bag. Countless times, he would give me all kinds of strange insects in return. Chaoyang always said with a smile that A'Mu and I were natural enemies. Chaoyang and I were really close. We both have no sisters, but Chaoyang always said to me, if she had a sister, she would be like me. Since the late Emperor had bestowed me with the title of Crown Princess, Chaoyang was even more happy, because in the future, we would be able to spend more time together. 

But by the time I got married to A'Mu, Chaoyang was already dead. 

The death of Chaoyang made the late Emperor so depressed that he fell ill for several years on and off. He was ill when he attended our wedding. At that time, he has been ill for a very long time and all the imperial doctors were worried. At this time, I was married into the Eastern Palace. Some people in court said that the royal family taking in a bride was like bringing joy to the commoners. 

I was a Crown Princess for six years before the late Emperor had passed away. After his death, A'Mu  ascended the throne and bestowed me with the title of Empress. Now it was the fourth year of Chengping [2], making it ten years since A'Mu had married me.

In the past ten years A'Mu and I had grown up, and I gradually understood that being willful was a privilege of childhood. To be an Empress, one cannot be willful. A'Mu and I have endured hardships together for the past ten years. Coupled with our childhood friendship, we got along with our relatives. Although I have not done a good job as an Empress, I have not made any big mistakes. 

Based on my personality, I was already lucky enough to not make any big mistakes.

Yao Niang accompanied me during dinner. The soup had not been brought to the table when suddenly someone called out, "His Majesty has arrived."

According to the old rule of the palace, the Emperor comes to the Empress’ palace every date with the number five. However, A’Mu and I were a young married couple and we never followed these kind of rules; instead, A’Mu would always come whenever he wanted to.

Before I could stand up, A’Mu had already come inside. The evening sunlight reflected through the window, shining on his tall body. I do not know why, but I suddenly felt that he was a little different today. Perhaps we have been together for too long. I have known him since I was four years old and have been married to him for ten years. I have spent more days with him than with anyone else in this world.

I should have stood up and bowed to pay respect to him. I got up in a hurry, but he pressed down my shoulder and motioned me to sit back at the table. This was also a common thing between us as when I first entered the Eastern Palace, we were already familiar with each other. Whenever I disregard these kind of palace rules, my teachers would teach me a lesson.

When A’Mu sat down, he saw the fruits on the table. He said, "I wanted to have dinner with you, but you have already eaten it."

"It's not finished yet." I ordered people to bring new dishes, cups, and chopsticks. Sometimes at night, A'Mu would drink a glass of wine and talk to me about court affairs. Sometimes, we would not say anything and quietly go to the Taiye pond to row a boat when the palace servants were not around. Today, however, A'Mu obviously had something on his mind. I poured him a glass of wine, and he soon finished drinking it. I poured another cup for him. He stopped his chopsticks and said to me: "There's something..." 

Seeing that he was stuttering, I couldn't help but laugh and asked: "Husband, what's the matter? Is it possible that you want to confer the title of concubine to a certain beauty?" 

A'Mu couldn't help but laugh after he heard me say this. Maybe because of the way the late Emperor had taught A'Mu, he has no interest in beauties. Occasionally, there would be people within the harem who would try to get his attention, but A'Mu was always too lazy to take another look at them and that is why I made fun of him. However, a moment later, he stopped smiling and said to me, "Shi Liu Niang, Princess Zhao is returning to the Capital."

I thought about it before I understood why A’Mu would especially mention about Princess Zhao to me. 

Princess Zhao was Yuan Shan. 

I haven't seen Yuan Shan for ten years.

When a person is young and ignorant, they would always do a few absurd things. When I was young and ignorant, I did more than hundreds or thousands of absurd things. However, A'Mu was different. During his youth, the only thing that was not expected of him was that he liked Yuan Shan.

A’Mu was different from me. From the day he was born, high expectations were placed on him. Although his own mother was of low status, the Empress had no children herself, so she raised him in her own palace. His birth mother died of illness a few years after the Empress had passed way. The late Emperor was indifferent to females, so there was no favoured concubine in the harem. A’Mu does not even have any brothers. All the officials knew that he was going to be an Emperor in the future, and the late Emperor used great efforts in selecting a Grand Tutor [3] for him. Therefore, A’Mu was a calm person and has won many praises from the ministers when he was a teenager.

However, the late Emperor did not like Yuan Shan. After vaguely guessing A’Mu’s worries, the late Emperor had sent Yuan Shan far away to marry Prince Zhao.

At that time, we were still young. I even heard A’Mu say to Chaoyang, "It is my fault that this has happened to Shan Niang[4].”

Childhood sweethearts are indeed unforgettable.

So I thought about it and said calmly, "Don’t worry, I will take good care of Shan Niang."

A’Mu seemed to have a lot to say, but in the end, he said nothing.

At this time, it was already dark, and the palace maids insisted on lighting the lamps. The bright full moon rose, and the bright rays of light scattered on the steps. The candle lights gradually lit up, and the moonlight became brighter and brighter, like a thin layer of silk that was trapped in front of the palace hall. On that evening of early summer, the night wind carried a fragrant scent. A’Mu asked, "What kind of incense is this? It smells like the scent of flowers."

I told him with a smile, "It’s the fragrance of the wild roses."

A’Mu looked at the crystal vase at the bottom of the curtain. Under the dim candle light, the petals of the wild roses drooped like delicate jade. With a touch of his hand, the petals fluttered and fell.

I couldn’t help but say, "Ah." Although this kind of rose was grown in the mountains, it is the most delicate and tender type of rose. Not even one day has passed, but yet the flowers in the vase have already withered.

A’Mu seemed to be quite sorry and said, "Tomorrow, I'll give you some more wild roses."

I laughed and said, "Okay."

A’Mu sat here for another moment, drank some tea, and then returned to Gan Lou palace hall.

The tea set was still scattered on the table. I lifted it with one hand and watched the palace maids pack up the tea box. Yao Niang came and sat quietly beside me.

When all of the servants have left, Yao Niang said, "Now that Princess Zhao is a widow, I'm afraid the reason she is coming back to the Capital is because she has intentions of getting remarried. Your Ladyship is very silly; there is no need to help others prepare wedding clothes.” 

It was very quiet at night. I didn't know there was a bug, which was constantly chirping. When Yao Niang saw that I didn't pay attention to what she said, she became more and more anxious, "Your Ladyship has been in the palace for ten years, could it be that you still don't know people are vicious?"

 
I listened to the bug chirp and then yawned, "Yao Niang, I am sleepy."

Yao Niang saw that I seemed sad, so she held back all the words she wanted to say and let me be.

 
When I went to sleep, the palace maids blew out the candle outside the curtain. I fell asleep on the pillow, thinking about the words Yao Niang had said. The ten years in the palace seemed like a moment that passed by in a flash. When I first entered the Eastern Palace, my father was extremely worried. However, A'Mu treated me very well. His Majesty was already very ill at that time. Although he was still strict to A'Mu, he was tolerant and loving towards me. He often said to A'Mu, "You are married now, so you should try your best to take good care of her." 

A'Mu naturally took good care of me. Chaoyang was very frail, so as her elder brother, he was very considerate of her and others.

 
A'Mu and I have known each other since childhood, and there were a lot of things we can't hide from each other. For example, the only person A'Mu loved in his teenage years was Yuan Shan. When I was a child, I actually wanted to marry Han Zhi, the most famous and handsome man in the Capital.

But how many girls in the Capital do not want to marry Han Zhi? After I became the Crown Princess, Han Zhi was the Crown Prince's guest at that time. One time, A'Mu had summoned him into the palace to play a round of go [5] just to let me have a look at that handsome youth, who now had grown a beard, looking like a average elderly man.

After I saw him, I was very disappointed. I said to A'Mu, "Han Zhi's handsome face now looks very ugly with that beard. You can never grow a beard in the future." A’Mu laughed and immediately agreed with me. I don't know if he was being serious, but he didn't have a beard for so many years.

I fell asleep while thinking about these moments of the past and only woke up when it was the morning. The early morning grooming was very tedious. While I was combing my hair, A’Mu ordered someone to bring a bunch of wild roses, which have dew on it, to me. I took the wild roses and placed them in the crystal vase. Yesterday's flowers have withered even more while in contrast, the flowers today were more beautiful and fresh.

"It's so early, where did His Majesty get these flowers?" 

The man sent by A'Mu replied, "This morning, his Majesty went to Chenghui Palace and picked these flowers from there."

I couldn't help but be stunned. Chenghui Palace is a quiet place. It was said that when the late Emperor was still the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace, the Crown Princess lived in Chenghui Palace. During the Qin He Era, a fire destroyed many palaces. Some of them were rebuilt but others were demolished and changed into pond gardens. Some of the other palaces, however, were abandoned for some unknown reasons. When I married A’Mu, the Eastern Palace had been renovated and the place where the Crown Princess lived was far away from the Chenghui Palace.

I don't know why, but I suddenly wanted to go to the Chenghui Palace and take a look. Seeing that I was so passionate, Yao Niang had no choice but to accompany me.

Chenghui Palace is not far from where I live. The time it takes to get there by carriage is the same amount of time it takes to cook tea leaves twice. Despite the fact that all the palaces in this area were not badly damaged, the walls still were blackened. The dark blue glazed roof tiles were still shining brightly in the sunlight. There were a lot of pine trees growing in the area with birds flying around. Under the bright sun, it was quite desolate to look at them.

Because A’Mu had been here in the morning, the front of the palace was already roughly cleaned. I walked into the courtyard along the corridor. There were long rose vines climbing on the rockery, and the white and pink flowers were in full bloom. The flower shelf on the other side had collapsed. This place was surrounded by wild grasses, which revealed that there was no trace of any human living here for a long time.

I stood in the corridor for a moment as the cool morning wind was blowing at my clothes. Yao Niang said to me, "Your Ladyship has a smooth life since childhood. Everything has been going well. Up to now, you have never encountered difficulty, so you treat everyone with kindness. But you don't know that the people in the palace have vicious hearts. The late Emperor’s Empress Mingde had been harmed to death by others."

I have never heard of Empress Mingde at all. Yao Niang told me that Empress Mingde was the first wife of the late Emperor during his time at the Eastern Palace.

I stood in the corridor surrounded by the fragrance of wild roses, listening to Yao Niang tell of a story about the deep palace that made me absolutely horrified.

A foreign woman, who married into the palace of the Central Plains as the Crown Princess, was naive and did not know about the dangers in the palace, while there was another concubine who was deeply loved by the Crown Prince. In order to win the position of Crown Princess, the concubine poisoned the Crown Princess.

Yao Niang sighed, "Later, the Crown Prince found out about this matter, so he demoted the concubine to the status of a commoner and then put her to death, but the Crown Princess was already dead."

I said disapprovingly, "But A’Mu doesn't have a favoured concubine."

Yao Niang was so angry that her eyebrows were almost vertical, “Your Ladyship, how can you refer to his Majesty by his name at your own will? You should be planning ahead to prevent something from happening.”

After all, she still taught me to guard against Yuan Shan.

But if a person’s heart has someone else, you can't prevent it.

I faintly said a few words to Yao Niang and picked a bunch of wild roses before turning around to leave.

I placed the flowers into the crystal vase and now, the roses in the vase are squeezed tightly together, which made it very beautiful. A large amount of fresh roses covered yesterday's roses. Although petals were constantly falling to the bottom of the curtains, the fragrance of the flowers is fragrant and they flourish the more you look at them.

Yao Niang tried to persuade me, but I still decided to send someone outside the city to escort Yuan Shan into the palace.

Because she was widowed, Yuan Shan had refused me once. She only came into the palace when I wrote a letter to her in person.

I haven't seen Yuan Shan for ten years. She was born of noble status. Her father is Liang Zhang, who is the Emperor’s son-in-law and has a military rank, while her mother is Princess Yongshou. Yuan Shan was a famous girl in the Capital and also my playmate. A lot of people don't know how Yuan Shan and I became friends. After all, Yuan Shan and I have totally different personalities.

I sat in my palace and watched Yuan Shan slowly walk up the steps from afar. Her figure still looked tall and beautiful, her footsteps were light. The breeze was blowing at her sleeves, which made her look like a cloud that was coming closer and closer.

I could gradually see her face clearly. So many years have passed yet she seemed to not have changed, still so delicate and gentle, like a piece of jade. Because of her widowhood, she was dressed solemnly, but her beauty seemed to be replaced by a restrained brightness, becoming more and more dignified and beautiful.

My conversation with her was a little strange at first, but gradually, it got better. When I asked about the scenery of Qingzhou, Yuan Shan answered very briefly, but it was very interesting. I have hardly ever left the Capital, so I was more curious about other places. Yuan Shan said, "If Your Highness does not mind, I have a few items I brought with me from Qingzhou, which I would like to gift to Your Highness."

Notes:

[1] 野蔷薇 Ye Qiang Wei- Wild rose

[2] 承平 Chengping- The name of A'Mu's reign.

[3] 太傅 Grand Tutor- Along with Grand Preceptor and Grand Protector, Grand Tutor was one of the Emperor's closest advisors.

[4] 珊娘 Shan Niang- Another way of referring to Yuan Shan.

[5] 圍棋 Go- A strategy board game that consists of black and white stones, played by two players. The objective of the game is to capture the opponent's stones. The game ends when one of the players could no longer make a move. Whoever captures the most stones wins the game.

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