The old eunuch, hearing him say this, believed him and said, “It seems these old eyes of mine were mistaken.”
Tantai Yi said, “Leaving that aside, how is my younger brother now?”
The old eunuch replied, “Prince Gong is certainly well behaved, perhaps too well behaved. In court, everyone says that Prince Gong is courteous to the worthy, gentle and modest, treating people kindly without the slightest princely airs. Among the common folk as well there is nothing but praise for him. Your Majesty, Prince Gong is only sixteen, yet he already possesses such depth of scheming. In this old servant’s view, it would be better to send him out of the capital.”
Tantai Yi said, “Why should I send him out of the capital? From the way he is building up his reputation, he means to pull the rug from under me and replace me. I would like to see just how far he can go. If this is all the trickery he has, I will send him and that woman down to the Yellow Springs to apologise to my mother.”
By now, all the old palace servants who had once attended the Grand Princess of the Northern Domain and the late Emperor had been slaughtered by Tantai Yi. Even those who were kept on had their tongues cut out so that not the slightest trace of the old secrets could leak out. The nobles of Yanjing had some vague suspicions, but seeing Tantai Yi act in such a manner, none dared speak of it.
Yet the woman most suspected in those days had now ascended to the position of Empress Dowager. She was a thorn lodged in Tantai Yi’s heart. He had wanted her dead for far too long, but the woman was clever. For all these years she had never revealed a single flaw. In front of him she continued to behave like a loving mother. Even her own son, Prince Gong, could not compare. She treated Tantai Yi as though he were her own child. During festivals she even personally sewed shoes and socks and sent them to him.
At this point Tantai Yi rarely revealed a trace of genuine feeling. He looked at the old eunuch, his voice softening slightly. “Uncle Qin, you are the only person I can trust.”
The old eunuch instinctively reached out as though to pat his head like before. Then he remembered that Tantai Yi’s status was no longer the same as in the past. His hand paused halfway and withdrew.
“Your Majesty may rest assured. Even if this old servant dies, I will protect the Grand Princess’s only bloodline.”
The words were not entirely appropriate, yet they reassured Tantai Yi. He smiled faintly. “With Uncle Qin saying that, I am at ease.”
*
A few days later another day of leave arrived, yet Song Pu still rose very early.
Qingmei brought him breakfast. Seeing that his brows were tightly drawn, she could not help asking.
Song Pu replied, “I am going to visit someone who is ill this morning. Qingmei, help me fetch some tonics from the storeroom. The best ones.”
Qingmei froze for a moment. “Are you going to see Young Master Shen?”
Song Pu gave a short acknowledgement. Qingmei immediately agreed. “Rest assured, Young Master. This servant will fetch the finest ones.”
She worked quickly. By the time Song Pu finished breakfast, several young servants had already carried out a few chests filled with the best medicinal herbs and ointments.
Song Pu was startled when he saw them. “So many?”
Qingmei smiled. “Young Master has been ill for so long he does not know. After Young Master Shen’s accident, the Master already had someone send gifts once. He simply waited for Young Master to recover before visiting personally again.”
Song Pu understood immediately. Duke Song had prepared another set for him so he could deliver it himself.
When Song Pu arrived at the Shen residence, it happened that Chang Jiangming, Xie Nuoyu and Li Zongyi had just arrived as well. The four of them ran into one another at the gate.
Song Pu had not seen Li Zongyi for quite some time. He actually looked much more spirited now. Seeing Song Pu, he greeted him with a smile.
Song Pu smiled in return and asked, “Zongyi-ge, have you been practising well these past few days?”
Li Zongyi gave a wry smile. “Overwhelming strength defeats all techniques. Even if I train well, I may still not defeat His Majesty.”
Song Pu felt sympathy but comforted him.
“It’s fine, Zongyi-ge. You are destined to be a general. Commanding armies is your true strength. Besides, losing to His Majesty is perfectly normal. Who is His Majesty? He is practically a celestial being. And who are we? Mere mortals. How could mortals possibly defeat a celestial? So do not feel inferior or discouraged. Train well under His Majesty. Perhaps one day you may even surpass your father.”
Li Zongyi’s brows relaxed when he heard this. “I heard from Jiangming that you are quite favoured by His Majesty. I did not believe it before, but now I do. Ah-Pu, with that mouth of yours you could talk the dead back to life. I truly must thank you. I feel much better now.”
Song Pu was about to reply when Chang Jiangming impatiently interrupted. “What are you doing standing at the gate chatting? Let’s go inside and talk.”
Song Pu closed his mouth and went in with them.
The servant leading the way spoke softly as he walked.
“Our young master has improved greatly in recent days, but he still cannot leave the house. He is resting quietly and must avoid many foods. He can hardly eat anything and has grown much thinner. However, since the young masters have come to visit lately, his spirits have improved a great deal.”
The servant escorted them to the door, opened it for them thoughtfully, and only closed it after they had all entered.
Shen Yonghe’s bedchamber was rather dim. None of the windows were open. As soon as Song Pu stepped inside he smelled a heavy scent of medicine.
Shen Yonghe’s gentle voice sounded. “You have come.”
Chang Jiangming said, “Yonghe-ge, guess who I brought!”
Shen Yonghe’s voice carried a smile. “Is it Ah-Pu?”
Chang Jiangming laughed. “Nothing can be hidden from you. He has been serving beside His Majesty these days and only just found the time to come.”
While they spoke they walked closer. Shen Yonghe was sitting on the bed. His face was wrapped completely in gauze, not a trace of skin visible. Only a pair of beautifully shaped eyes remained uncovered.
Those eyes were warm and gentle. A single glance was enough to inspire goodwill.
In Song Pu’s memory Shen Yonghe had been extremely handsome. Yet he had never seen him personally before. The image in his memory was vague. He only knew that he had been good looking but not exactly how he looked. Now, gazing at those beautiful eyes, Song Pu suddenly felt a deep sense of regret.
With eyes like these, how could the rest of his face possibly have been anything but striking?
Shen Yonghe looked at him. “Ah-Pu seems somewhat different from before.”
Song Pu met his gaze. Hearing those words startled him slightly, yet his face showed only innocent confusion. “What makes you say that?”
Shen Yonghe smiled. “Compared with before, you seem more composed, calmer. More like an adult now. Someone capable of standing on his own.”
Chang Jiangming said, “Yonghe-ge, you have no idea. Ah-Pu has grown incredibly bold before His Majesty. He can even joke and laugh with him without being punished.”
Song Pu said calmly, “That illness helped me see many things more clearly. His Majesty is not as frightening as I once imagined. On the contrary, he is someone very worthy of respect and admiration.”
Chang Jiangming and the others fell silent.
If they themselves had not served beside His Majesty, they might have believed that nonsense.
Shen Yonghe gazed at him. A faint trace of sorrow flickered in his gentle eyes, but it vanished so quickly that no one noticed.
“His Majesty’s temperament is indeed not as cruel as the rumours say. You may serve him with peace of mind. At the very least, your lives will not be lost. However, you must be extremely cautious with your words. Do not say what should not be said, and never overstep your bounds. Keep firmly to the line between ruler and subject. Only then will you avoid ending up like me.”
Chang Jiangming grew anxious. “Yonghe-ge, what exactly happened between you and His Majesty? Now that Ah-Pu is here you might as well say it, so he can be careful too.”
Shen Yonghe smiled. “Are you not afraid of punishment? If His Majesty finds out, he might have your tongues cut out.”
Hearing this, Chang Jiangming finally shut his mouth in frustration.
Shen Yonghe continued, “His Majesty has already treated me with great kindness and benevolence. It is only a face. If it is ruined, then it is ruined. My father placed too many expectations upon me. Now he can see reality clearly. I was never suited for officialdom.”
He seemed completely at peace with it. His eyes remained gentle, without resentment or anger towards Tantai Yi. They were as clean and clear as a still lake.
Seeing him like this made Song Pu feel even more genuine regret. “Yonghe-ge, what do you plan to do in the future?”
Shen Yonghe thought for a moment. “I have not decided yet.”
People born into their background rarely had control over their own lives. One either entered officialdom or maintained the family legacy. Now that his face was ruined, entering officialdom was impossible. For the moment he could think of no other path.
Song Pu considered it as well but could think of nothing. In ancient society there were strict social divisions. Shen Yonghe belonged to the highest ranks. People always sought to climb upward. No one willingly descended. With his face ruined, Shen Yonghe’s path upward had been cut off entirely.
Thinking about it, the emperor had truly committed a sin. If one struck someone, one should never strike the face. Yet he had done exactly that.
The thought made Song Pu feel slightly guilty. Even with his gift for words, he did not know how to comfort Shen Yonghe.
Yet Shen Yonghe did not need comforting. His state of mind was strong. He smiled faintly again.
“I am not in a hurry. If I cannot think of anything, I will simply find a place with clear mountains and rivers and live there in seclusion. I have never had grand ambitions anyway. To live freely and without restraint in this world would also be a kind of blessing.”
Because of Shen Yonghe’s calm attitude, Song Pu and the others even stayed for lunch at the Shen residence.
When it was time to leave, Shen Yonghe stopped Song Pu alone.
Li Zongyi and the others departed, leaving only Song Pu in the room. Song Pu did not feel awkward around him and had a good impression of him, so being kept behind alone did not make him nervous. He casually walked over and opened the window, letting the cool breeze blow in and disperse the medicinal smell filling the room.
Noticing that Shen Yonghe’s gaze had not left him, Song Pu said calmly, “It is best to air the room regularly. Fresh air improves the spirits.”
Shen Yonghe smiled. “You are right.”
Song Pu sat down opposite him and spoke gently. “Did you want to speak to me about something?”
Shen Yonghe nodded. “There are some things that can only be said to you now.”
Song Pu leaned closer. “What is it?”
Shen Yonghe said, “Li Zongyi and Chang Jiangming are both too straightforward and naive. They do not know how to adapt. They often anger His Majesty and are punished without even understanding where they went wrong. Now that you have His Majesty’s favour, I hope you will look after them more. Guide them and help them when you can.”
Song Pu replied, “We have worked together for so long that they are like brothers to me. Do not worry. I will keep an eye on them.”
After saying this, he could not help sighing inwardly at Shen Yonghe’s almost motherly nature. At the same time he felt a trace of wariness and reproach towards Tantai Yi.
He hesitated for a moment, but could not hold it back. Lowering his voice almost to a whisper, he asked, “Yonghe-ge… could you perhaps tell me why you angered His Majesty?”
Shen Yonghe tilted his head slightly as he looked at him. “Perhaps because I am too clever.”
Then he added, “Perhaps you will never have that problem.”
Ah?
Song Pu was completely baffled.
Author’s Note:
Ah-Pu: I feel like you’re implying I’m stupid, quq
Ah-Gou: I like the way you’re a bit silly. Sending hearts.jpg
