东宫 Eastern Palace: Hibiscus by Taiye Pond and Willows by the Weiyang Palace (Part 2)

He sat silently in the Chaoyang palace alone, ignoring everyone.

A'Mu had been kneeling outside the palace for a long time, but still was not summoned by his Majesty.

His Majesty had passed down an imperial edict to have Chaoyang be buried in the Yuling tomb [1].

That was to be his own tomb, all built according to the imperial ritual, but because it was a huge construction, it had not been completed, and now he had to use the tomb to bury his beloved daughter. This caused a huge uproar among the people. In the end, his Majesty only removed a part of the stone statue that was in front of the tomb, and shortened the passage to the tomb to calm down everyone.

His Majesty did not work for ten days. The country mourned for Chaoyang for one hundred days. His Majesty used all kinds of methods to mourn for Chaoyang. From then on, his Majesty did not attend court.

The reports submitted by government officials to the central department piled up, and teacher couldn’t help but sigh to A’Mu. A’Mu entered the palace several times, but was still not summoned by his Majesty. I know that A'Mu was very worried, I could only console him: “Wait until his Majesty stops grieving, then everything will be fine."

It was just that everyone in the palace knows his Majesty's grief will never pass. He was like a completely different person, not showing interest to anyone and any matter. If he was a cold and ambitious emperor before, then now he is just a grieving father who’s cold heart had turned into ashes.

His Majesty's health also declined day by day, and for a while he was very ill. One time, he sent someone to summon the special envoy of Western Liang.

Western Liang is the most peculiar country that is governed under the Celestial Empire, a small and weak country that has repeatedly suffered from desertification. Other foreign countries would send their princes to the Capital to learn the etiquettes of the Central Plains, but actually they were sent there to be held as hostages. However Western Liang was the only country that did not send a hostage because the King of Western Liang was arrogant and rude, he would often not come to offer tribute to the emperor.

Strangely, his Majesty treats Western Liang with great respect. His conquest to the Western Regions, pacifying all countries with the exception of Western Liang.

I had once heard an old servant whisper saying that perhaps the reason must be because of Empress Mingde.

A’Mu and I know that Empress Mingde is a big taboo that must not be mentioned.

Empress Mingde was already the wife of his Majesty before he had ascended the throne, unfortunately she died of illness in the twelfth year of Yuan Qing [2]. His Majesty treated this Crown Princess who died early with little affection, until the ninth year of Qin He with repeated reminders from the Minister of Rites, he unwillingly passed down an imperial decree to appoint her as Empress Mingde. When the imperial decree was issued, it has already been twenty years since Empress Mingde had died. His Majesty did not issue an imperial decree to rebuild the tomb for the Empress, he also did not issue an imperial decree to be buried with her.

Before and after the the imperial decree was issued to appoint her as Empress, his Majesty did not visit the tomb of the Empress.

According to what the people in the palace have said, his Majesty did not like this wife. Because of the arranged marriage that year, he was forced to appoint a foreign woman as Crown Princess which was always regarded as a disgrace to the royal family. As a result, the history book only used ten words to describe the life of Empress Mingde.

A’Mu remember this matter as taboo, because once Princess Chaoyang had worn a non-Han clothing out of nowhere and she was very pleased to wear it to see his Majesty. As a result, his Majesty was furious, sentencing all people serving Chaoyang to be caned to death. Chaoyang was so frightened that she cried and was sick for the next ten days. His Majesty did of course regret his actions, and remained by her side until she had recovered from her illness.

Noble Consort Chen was deposed as a result, it was said that she had persuaded the princess to wear non-Han clothing.

As I accompanied A’Mu to visit Chaoyang, the elderly nanny secretly told us that his Majesty dislikes it when someone looks like Empress Mingde. Noble Consort Chen had encouraged the princess to wear non-Han clothing, such an action would certainly result in punishment.

A'Mu was very daring, he even asked the nanny: "Well, does A'Huang look like Empress Mingde?"

Because Chaoyang's birth name was Feng Huang [3], A'Mu called her A'Huang.

The nanny shook her head, said: "They do not look alike, Empress Mingde was not as beautiful as the princess."

I also don't think it was possible for them to look alike, how could a foreign woman have this kind of beauty?

The nanny also said: "Empress Mingde have fair skin, petite figure, although she was quick-witted, but she does not have the beauty that Central Plains' women have." Suddenly she said: "Almost thirty years have passed, I didn't think......"

She didn't say anything, I looked at A'Mu, he seemed to be thinking of something quietly.

That was the first time his Majesty was angry at Chaoyang, it was also the last time.

A'Mu had once said that Chaoyang was the only person that his Majesty really loves in this world.

Deep down in my heart, I thought that this was correct.

However Chaoyang died.

Ever since Chaoyang had passed away, his Majesty's tired attitude towards handling government affairs was growing worse day after day. His health was also getting worse day after day, besides being tired of dealing with government affairs, he was also tired of living. He no longer went hunting, no longer held banquets. Although he often sit alone in the palace, no longer drink wine nor indulged in women, his health was still declining day by day.

It was as if the death of Chaoyang had taken away his will to live. Not only did his hair turn white, even his heart was already dead. I have never seen a person who could be this sad. A'Mu and I were deeply hurt by the death of Chaoyang, but it seems that his Majesty was even more hurt.

My father had personally entered the palace to persuade his Majesty. Father's health has been poor, many years of fighting have left him with numerous internal injuries. He was so sick that he was unable to get out of bed, but he was still determined to enter the palace.

Our family was unable to change his mind, they could only prepare a light carriage to lift him into the palace. Many of the servants in the palace have been dismissed, so I was the only one helping him kneel down to pay respect to his Majesty. I could feel his whole body trembling. I couldn't let go of my father's hands because I know that once I let go, he would fall at any moment. I know that I should have left, but my father was weak, so I was unable to leave. His Majesty treats my father differently, he personally reached out his hand to help him get up.

Father was faintly panting, he was holding onto his Majesty's hand, just like how I usually hold A'Mu's hand. He said: "Wu Lang [4], she's already dead."

My father's voice was shaking, the way he spoke was unclear, I could hardly hear it. However his Majesty seemed to be in a daze, I could see his grey hair on his temples and his opaque eyes, he was slightly trembling as he held onto my father’s hand. When did his Majesty turn into a depressed old man?

Father was panting, said: "Thirty years ago, she’s already dead."

Father seemed to have tears in his eyes, he said, "Wu Lang, wake up, she's already dead."

I have never seen his Majesty with this kind of expression, he always treated my father warmly. It was only this time that he became fierce, even the muscles in his face twisted. He grabbed the lapel on my father’s clothes, I could see the blue veins on the back of his hands, his voice was so fierce that it almost became hoarse: "You are talking nonsense!"

My father was trembling so much that he was unable to breathe, I also didn’t dare to breathe. In the palace only the sound of my father's coughing could be heard, one sound after another, like the sound of a crushed bellow. However his Majesty's voice had eased down, he even smiled: "Ah Zhao, you know, she went back to Western Liang. She tricked all of us, even someone as smart as you was also tricked by her.”

Father coughed, calling out in a low voice: "Your Majesty......" The expression in his eyes was sorrowful and hopeless, he said: "Princess Chaoyang is not her daughter, nor does the princess have half of her looks. You know the princess’s birth mother is Consort Xian, Li Shi. Crown Princess had already died thirty years ago......I visited her grave more than ten years ago, her grave was already covered with grass......."

This was the first time I saw his Majesty cry, large teardrops silently rolled down to the lapel of his robe. The lapel was embroidered with fine patterns. Those bright teardrops landed on the dragon head embroidery, as if the teardrops were going to roll down from the embroidery but not at the same time. Father held his Majesty's knees, as if he was trying to coax him, as if he was trying to comfort him, as if he pities him. His Majesty was like a child, finally cried out loud.

Notes:

[1] 裕陵 Yuling tomb- The tomb in which Emperor Qianlong (the sixth emperor of the Qing Dynasty) was buried.

[2] 元庆 Yuan Qing- The name of the previous emperor's reign.

[3] 凤凰 Feng Huang - This means Phoenix.

[4] 五郎 Wu Lang - 五 means five (he was the fifth prince before ascending the throne), 郎 noun prefix denoting status.

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