Song Pu had more or less reconciled with his ge. The next day Duke Song happened to take leave and remained at home, so it was Song Lingyun who escorted him to Qingquan National Temple.
On the way they passed a restaurant. Song Lingyun had the carriage stop and went inside to buy a beggar’s chicken*.
(*TN: Beggar’s Chicken, known in Chinese as 叫化鸡 (jiàohuā jī) , is a traditional Jiangsu dish from Changshu, China . It’s famous for its unique cooking method: a whole chicken is stuffed, wrapped in lotus leaves, coated in clay, and then slowly baked for hours .)
Song Pu asked, “Are you hungry?”
Song Lingyun said, “Denglong told me you overslept this morning and barely ate. Qingquan Temple is far away, and once you get there it will be all vegetarian fare, with no meat at all. Better eat some now.”
Song Pu couldn’t help laughing. “I’m only going for a day.”
Song Lingyun sat down beside him, unwrapped the beggar’s chicken, and carved it with a small clean knife before holding a slice to his mouth. “Eat. I’ll feed you, so you don’t dirty your hands.”
Song Pu opened his mouth and accepted the piece of meat. His eyes lit up at once. “It’s delicious!”
Song Lingyun smiled. “This is Yuelai’s signature beggar’s chicken. It’s tasted the same for more than ten years. You loved it when you were little.”
Song Pu said guiltily, “I don’t remember.”
“That’s normal,” Song Lingyun said. “You were very young then.”
As he spoke, his hands never paused, carving more slices of chicken and feeding them to Song Pu to line his stomach.
When Song Lingyun saw he had eaten enough, he took out a handkerchief to wipe his mouth.
Song Pu hurriedly said, “I’ll do it myself.”
Song Lingyun handed him the handkerchief, letting him wipe the grease from his lips.
Song Pu tidied himself up properly and drank a cup of tea to moisten his throat before saying, “Ge, once you’ve dropped me off, you should head back.”
Song Lingyun replied, “I also intend to offer incense. I’ll return with you.”
Song Pu felt a little uneasy.
The chances of Song Lingyun encountering the emperor were small, but Song Pu knew he was probably deeply dissatisfied in his heart. If he happened to see Tantai Yi, he might well show it on his face… and that would not do.
Thinking this, Song Pu gently reminded him, “Ge, if you happen to see His Majesty later, don’t be discourteous.”
Song Lingyun laughed. “What are you saying, Ah-Pu? Of course I know that.”
Song Pu also felt that Song Lingyun should not cause trouble. After all, he was a clever man.
When they arrived at Qingquan National Temple, the two stepped down from the carriage. It was still early, yet Li Zongyi, Chang Jiangming, and the others had already arrived. Tantai Yi, however, had not yet come.
Because the emperor had not arrived, none of them dared enter the temple first. Seeing Song Pu approach, they all smiled.
“Song Pu, you’re not the first to arrive this time.”
The one who spoke was Li Zongyi. He had recently returned to palace service, but Tantai Yi had seemingly forgotten him and no longer summoned him for contests. He had therefore relaxed considerably and looked much more spirited.
Song Pu asked, “When did you arrive?”
Chang Jiangming rattled off, “Only a little earlier than you, Ah-Pu.”
Xie Nuoyu, however, first noticed the man behind Song Pu. Surprise flickered across his face and he smiled. “Is that your brother?”
Song Pu smiled. “My own da-ge*, Song Lingyun.”
(*TN: da = big, eldest)
Then he turned and said to Song Lingyun, “This is Xie Nuoyu, Chang Jiangming, and Li Zongyi.”
Song Lingyun naturally knew who they were. He did not put on airs; a warm smile appeared on his handsome face. “I’m a few years older than you all. You may call me ge if you like.”
Xie Nuoyu looked at him and smiled. “Song da-ge.”
The others echoed the greeting.
As they spoke, a lavishly decorated carriage slowly approached them.
Song Pu and the others immediately straightened their expressions, craning their necks as they waited for the carriage’s master to step down.
Just as the carriage drew level with them, a breeze lifted the thin curtain. A beautiful hand caught the fluttering fabric and lifted it aside. The coachman stopped the carriage and set down a stool for the noble passenger.
Song Pu then saw a strikingly handsome young man step down.
He wore a brocade robe embroidered with cypress patterns. His skin was pale as jade, his lips red and teeth white, and his eyes were a light amber shade. His appearance was dazzling. It was one of those faces impossible to forget.
Yet that face seemed strangely familiar.
Song Pu could not quite place it at first. But when the young man turned his head, noticed them, and walked closer, Song Pu saw the small tear-shaped beauty mark beneath the corner of his eye. Only then did recognition dawn.
“Zhiyun,” the young man said with a reserved yet gentle smile, “what a coincidence to meet you here.”
Song Lingyun cupped his hands in greeting. “Your Highness, Prince Gong.”
Only then did Song Pu realise. So this was Prince Gong.
Prince Gong and Tantai Yi were half-brothers. Not only did they share the same father, their mothers were sisters, so the two brothers resembled each other by six or seven parts. The difference was that Tantai Yi possessed a beauty as dazzling as the sun itself, brilliant and overwhelming, whereas Prince Gong was bright and handsome, his brows and eyes steeped in gentleness, like an elegant young nobleman.
Prince Gong was now sixteen. He had grown much taller and looked even slightly taller than Song Lingyun. He treated Song Lingyun with great warmth, yet Song Lingyun’s attitude towards him was somewhat cool, maintaining only a surface courtesy.
Prince Gong, however, seemed not to mind Song Lingyun’s indifference. Smiling, he shifted his gaze and looked at Song Pu. “This must be your didi, Song Pu?”
Song Lingyun said, “Yes. This is my didi, Song Pu.”
Knowing that Song Pu had not yet met him, he lowered his voice slightly and said to Song Pu, “This is His Highness Prince Gong.”
Song Pu quickly greeted him. “Your Highness Prince Gong.”
Prince Gong said gently, “Since you have not yet received a courtesy name, I shall call you Ah-Pu, as Zhiyun does.”
Song Pu replied, “I am greatly honoured.”
Prince Gong was about to say a few more words when another carriage approached. This one was even more magnificent, drawn by six fine horses and adorned with gold, silver, and jade ornaments, displaying the full grandeur of imperial rank. This time no one mistook it. Only the emperor could ride in a carriage of such splendour.
Sure enough, this time it truly was Tantai Yi.
The moment Tantai Yi stepped down from the carriage, he spotted Prince Gong. A smile that did not quite reach his eyes appeared on his face. “It seems I forgot to consult the almanac before leaving the palace. A good outing has turned unlucky.”
Prince Gong smiled. “Greetings, xiong zhang*.”
(*TN: formal address for one’s elder brother.)
Tantai Yi said, “I recall telling Prince Gong that when we meet again, he is not to call me ‘xiong zhang’. It seems Prince Gong still fails to remember.”
As he spoke, his golden eyes narrowed and a biting chill spread from him. “Cao Xi.”
Cao Xi hurried forward. “What are Your Majesty’s orders?”
Tantai Yi said, “Bring me my riding whip.”
Cao Xi immediately turned and fetched it. Tantai Yi flicked the whip lightly, then smiled softly at Prince Gong. “Prince Gong, I award this whip to you. You know what to do, do you not?”
The smile faded from Prince Gong’s face. After a moment he sighed softly. “Why must Your Majesty do this? If Father Emperor knew, he would not rest peacefully even in the underworld.”
Tantai Yi’s breathing grew sharper. He threw the whip to the ground and laughed. “Prince Gong, I have told you this many times, yet you never learn. It seems you have grown fond of being whipped by me. I shall give you one more chance. If you still refuse to behave, I will send you to the black cells for a few days.”
Prince Gong looked at him, then at the whip lying by his feet. After a pause, in full view of everyone present, he bent and picked up the whip that carried such naked humiliation.
Holding the whip, he glanced once towards Song Pu and the others before walking over. “Zhiyun, may I trouble you to do this for me?”
Song Lingyun fell silent.
Prince Gong smiled gently. “The servants I brought are all soft-hearted people. I fear they would not dare strike hard. If the blows were too light, His Majesty might be displeased.”
Song Lingyun lowered his voice. “This is already the second time.”
Prince Gong lowered his gaze, his brows mild and submissive. “Zhiyun and I are friends of equal standing. I naturally trust you.”
Song Lingyun said nothing more. He simply reached out and took the whip.
The punishment was carried out just outside Qingquan National Temple. Song Pu wanted to speak, but Song Lingyun shot him a fierce glare, and he shrank back timidly.
Even Song Pu felt that Tantai Yi was going too far, behaving so recklessly before a Buddhist temple. Yet he could also see how furious Tantai Yi was. His entire body radiated a tense, suppressed hostility. Song Pu did not dare intervene.
Presumably, this was not the first time.
Prince Gong removed his outer garments with practised ease, revealing a strong body smooth and pale as white jade. A servant brought a cushion and placed it beneath his knees. Then Song Lingyun began.
One lash. Two lashes. Three lashes.
Every strike carried full force, enough to knock Prince Gong slightly forward each time. Yet he would steady himself again and continue kneeling to receive the next blow.
Only when the twenty-fifth lash fell did Tantai Yi give Cao Xi a look, signalling him to stop.
After the whipping, Tantai Yi’s mood visibly improved. Looking at the blood-streaked welts across Prince Gong’s back, he curved his lips.
“I am magnanimous. This time I shall not pursue Prince Gong’s offence further. Twenty-five lashes will suffice. If you offend again, it will be fifty lashes, a hundred lashes. Does Prince Gong understand?”
Prince Gong cupped his hands respectfully. “Thank you for Your Majesty’s instruction. I shall remember it and will not dare offend again.”
Tantai Yi’s smile faded. “Prince Gong said the same thing last time. Yet each time he forgets.”
Tantai Yi was no fool. He knew perfectly well that this younger brother was deliberately provoking him, deliberately forcing him to humiliate him in public. Each time he knew it, and each time he whipped him all the same.
Rather than endure him, he preferred to let him suffer a little.
He had no desire to speak with Prince Gong any further. Walking past him with his hands behind his back, he stopped before Song Pu and smiled again.
“Lord Song, come inside with me.”
Song Pu was not only sensitive to pain; he was also highly susceptible to imagining it. Having just witnessed the flogging, he felt as though he himself had been beaten. His whole body seemed to ache, and his face had turned pale as snow.
Tantai Yi looked at him and suddenly lowered his voice.
“Lord Song, do not be afraid. I would never bear to whip you like that.”
