Lu Ying fell silent for a moment, then said, "The Forbidden City isn't our Lu family's vegetable garden where we can come and go as we please. Besides, it's the imperial harem that summoned Doctor Wei. The only men allowed in the harem are eunuchs—and it's too late for you to get castrated now."
Wang Daxia persisted stubbornly, "Don't the Embroidered Uniform Guard patrol within the palace compound? Just assign me to patrol for one day. I'll just check on Doctor Wei and come back."
Lu Ying picked up a twig and began drawing on the ground. "These are the Eastern and Western Palaces, collectively called the imperial harem where consorts and selected imperial concubines reside. The Emperor lives in the Western Park near Taiye Lake, far away from here. The Palace of Heavenly Purity has been empty for nearly twenty years, reeking of urine everywhere. The Embroidered Uniform Guard primarily protects the Emperor in the Western Park and doesn't patrol the harem. The Emperor hasn't set foot in the harem for almost twenty years."
"The distance between the harem and Western Park is twice that of Gulou West Diagonal Street, separated by multiple high walls. Even if I use my connections to temporarily assign you to patrol within the palace, you'd only be permitted in the Western Park, not the harem."
Wang Daxia's gaze grew distant, his mind still stuck on the previous topic. "What? The Emperor hasn't entered the harem for nearly twenty years? Why? What's the point of maintaining the harem then? Why does he still hold Imperial Concubine Selections?"
Lu Ying explained, "Have you heard of the Renyin Palace Rebellion? The Emperor nearly died at the hands of palace maids. From that day on, he stopped visiting the harem to consort with his concubines. He moved to the Western Park to distance himself from the harem."
Wang Daxia exclaimed in surprise, "So you're saying the consorts in the six palaces have been living like widows for the past twenty years?"
Lu Ying lowered her voice, "Don't talk nonsense. The Emperor does summon consorts from the harem to accompany him in the Western Park, but they never stay overnight."
During the Renyin Palace Rebellion, the Jiajing Emperor had gone to the harem to consort with two concubines. Afterward, exhausted, he fell into a deep sleep. Palace maid Yang Jinying and others seized the opportunity to strangle him with a white silk cord, but in their panic, they tied a slipknot. The Emperor woke up suffocating and struggled desperately. The commotion was heard by the Embroidered Uniform Guard standing watch outside, who immediately reported to Lu Bing—because the Jiajing Emperor often lost his mind after taking elixirs, violently beating palace maids, causing similar disturbances in the palace. This time, however, the Emperor was struggling to breathe and couldn't cry for help.
Being milk siblings who had been nursed by the same woman, Lu Bing sensed something was wrong and rushed in with the Embroidered Uniform Guard to rescue the Emperor.
Afterward, the Jiajing Emperor became excessively suspicious. He stopped taking elixirs made from virgins' menstrual blood and rarely went mad anymore, but he never set foot in the harem again. Occasionally, he would summon favored consorts to the Western Park but would have them returned to the harem immediately after intimacy, never allowing them to stay overnight.
The Jiajing Emperor trusted no one—not even the palace maids, nor the women who shared his bed.
Wang Daxia only knew about the Renyin Palace Rebellion but was unaware of what followed. Only those like Lu Ying, who frequently entered and exited the palace, knew the true workings of the imperial court.
Hearing this, Wang Daxia finally realized that even if he entered the palace, he wouldn't be able to see Wei Caiwei. He hung his head, dejected.
Seeing him as listless as a sick chicken, Lu Ying said, "I'm also concerned about Doctor Wei. I can have the Embroidered Uniform Guard brothers on duty in the palace pass along a message to reassure us. That much I can do."
Wang Daxia perked up slightly at this.
Persistent longing will always elicit a response. When Lu Ying and Wang Daxia finally received Wei Caiwei's message—"I'm serving as a doctor in the Palace of Gathered Elegance. All is well. Don't worry"—several pages arrived from the palace, saying the Emperor had summoned Lu Ying.Lu Ying quickly changed into a fresh Flying Fish Uniform and spotless boots, instructing Wang Daxia to do the same and wear a black official hat as they entered the palace together. "I'm allowed to bring an attendant, so this is a perfect chance to take you inside and broaden your horizons."
The closest Wang Daxia had ever been to the Forbidden City was when he escorted Wei Caiwei to the western gate for her palace examination. Now that he was actually entering, he grew nervous, even putting his hat on crooked. "Will this humble subordinate get to see the Emperor? Do I need to perform the three kneelings and nine prostrations?"
Seeing his inexperienced demeanor, Lu Ying said, "Someone of your rank isn't worthy of gazing upon the imperial countenance. You'll wait outside while I enter, holding my Embroidered Spring Blade—everyone except my father must surrender their weapons before seeing the Emperor."
Despite this, Wang Daxia remained excited. His feelings mirrored Li Jiubao's—though he wouldn't get to see her, merely being closer to her presence filled him with satisfaction.
The Forbidden City, Western Garden.
The Western Garden boasted beautiful scenery, featuring Taiye Lake and Qionghua Island. Willow trees lined the lakeshore, lotus leaves as large as bathtubs dotted the water, and clusters of reeds swayed where flocks of birds nested, chirping as they flew in and out.
Everything was tranquil, with hardly anyone in sight. Wang Daxia followed closely behind Lu Ying as if stepping into a vast landscape painting.
They first arrived at Wuyi Hall, where ministers' Duty Rooms were located. Officials took turns here day and night, awaiting summons from the Jiajing Emperor. There were twenty-four Duty Rooms in total, occupied by nobles, military officers, and Grand Secretariat ministers. Having not held court for over thirty years, the Emperor relied on these officials to issue decrees.
Beyond Wuyi Hall lay an entirely different scene—a stretch of rice paddies!
The autumn rice had ripened, golden and full, its heavy heads bowing in the autumn breeze like golden waves.
For a moment, Wang Daxia thought he had been transported to the rice fields of Jiangnan.
He whispered, "Does the Emperor farm?"
Lu Ying replied, "The eunuchs plant and tend to it. The Emperor enjoys watching the rice. He spent his childhood and youth in Anlu, Hubei, where there were many paddies."
So it was to comfort his homesickness.
So even an emperor was human, yearning for his hometown and nostalgic for his carefree childhood and youth.
Wang Daxia suddenly felt the Jiajing Emperor wasn't as fearsome as the legends claimed.
Past the rice fields, they finally reached where the Jiajing Emperor practiced Taoism and alchemy. Instead of the expected splendor, it resembled an elegant Taoist temple, with octagonal incense altars everywhere. Only eunuchs served here, all dressed in Taoist Robes and styled as Taoist priests—not a single palace maid in sight.
It seemed the palace rebellion nineteen years ago had left the Jiajing Emperor with trauma regarding palace maids, too fearful to let them near.
The Jiajing Emperor was in Qingyi Studio. The melodious sound of a Qing stone chime could be heard from afar. Lu Ying softened her footsteps, moving as quietly as a cat toward Qingyi Studio, while Wang Daxia behind her hardly dared to breathe.
Lu Ying handed her sword to Wang Daxia and waited silently outside. When the chime ceased, a eunuch in Taoist Robes came to escort her inside.
The Jiajing Emperor, dressed in a black octagonal Taoist Robe and wearing a bamboo crown but no shoes, sat cross-legged on his throne in meditation. Seeing Lu Ying enter, a smile touched his eyes. "How a girl changes as she grows! Little Cherry Blossom has blossomed."
Cherry Blossom was Lu Ying's childhood name, given because she was born in spring when cherry blossoms filled the air.Lu Ying had initially intended to bow as a military official, but when the Jiajing Emperor addressed her by her childhood name, she immediately changed her approach. Adopting the demeanor of a female junior, she performed a curtsy and said, "This common maiden pays respects to Your Majesty."
Dressed in men's attire yet executing a distinctly feminine curtsy, Lu Ying created a comical sight that amused the Jiajing Emperor. "No need for such formality with me," he chuckled. "Come, take a seat."
A eunuch brought an embroidered stool and placed it slightly below the emperor's position. Lu Ying swept aside her robe and settled onto the stool with legs apart, assuming a horse-riding stance that radiated stability. Though she had performed a woman's curtsy, her movements and posture remained characteristically masculine.
The emperor laughed again, studying her carefully. "Your father looked much like you in his youth—you resemble him most. How is his health now?"
So this was the reason for the summons. Lu Ying replied, "Father can move about without difficulty and has stopped taking medicine. When there are no major matters at the yamen, he rests at home to recuperate. His spirits are quite good."
"That's reassuring." The Jiajing Emperor expressed genuine concern for his milk-brother Lu Bing. "He nearly lost his life capturing the White Lotus Sect members, leaving me so worried I couldn't eat or sleep. He must focus on recovery. I haven't summoned him to the palace for over a month, fearing he might overexert himself. This empire cannot spare him for even a single day."
Lu Ying responded, "Thank you for Your Majesty's concern. Father is recovering well and should be able to pay respects at the palace this month."
The emperor waved a hand. "A serious injury requires a hundred days of recovery. He should rest properly and not worry about me. I'm perfectly fine. I dislike excessive ceremony—I don't even require my princes to pay daily respects. Everyone should just attend to their own affairs."
Lu Ying acknowledged the instruction, though privately she preferred her father staying away from the palace. What if the emperor kindly bestowed another Elixir? Would her father have to consume it?
She would never forget how her father had glared at her with bloodshot eyes, teetering on the edge of rationality, after taking the medicine given by the Jiajing Emperor.
The notorious Taoist who had collected virgin menstrual blood to brew violent elixirs—causing the emperor's irritability and the brutal flogging of palace maids—was long dead. The current favored Taoist was Lan Daohang, recommended by Grand Secretariat minister Xu Jie, whose elixirs were comparatively milder.
But Lu Ying remained skeptical. The emperor's decades of elixir consumption had built up his tolerance, akin to fighting poison with poison. Lu Bing was different—he normally avoided such dubious substances. For someone recovering from a stroke, taking these elixirs would be tantamount to hastening death.
The Jiajing Emperor continued, "Lately I've been dreaming of my early reign—of the suburban palace catching fire, and your father carrying me out of the burning building. I also dream of those vile women strangling me with white silk, unable to breathe, until your father rushed in to rescue me."
"He is my destined Amulet. His illness keeping him from the palace leaves me unsettled, plagued by recurrent nightmares. You're his daughter and look just like him. Serve at the Western Park these coming days—seeing you will feel like seeing your father, perhaps bringing me some peace."
So he intended to use Lu Ying as a talismanic guardian, stationed at the entrance to ward off evil.
As long as it didn't involve her father, she was willing to comply.
Lu Ying promptly replied, "This humble official will fulfill the mission with honor."
Since the emperor was addressing her in her capacity as a commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, she immediately switched to speaking as an official receiving imperial orders.
That very day, Lu Ying and Wang Daxia began their duty rotation at the Western Park.Wang Daxia's body was in the Western Garden, but his heart remained in the Palace of Gathered Elegance. Human greed knows no bounds—at first, he had been content just to be closer to Wei Caiwei, but now he longed desperately to see her face.
Lu Ying saw through his thoughts and said, "Stay put and behave yourself in the Western Garden. If you don’t, get out of the palace."
Perhaps it was a psychological effect, but on the very first day Lu Ying was on duty in the Western Garden, the Jiajing Emperor slept soundly through the night without any nightmares.
Meanwhile, the Imperial Concubine Selection was in full swing, with candidates being eliminated day by day.
After ten days of rigorous training, Li Jiubao had shed the nervousness and provincial air she had when she first entered the palace. Like refined gold, she now radiated brilliance—stunning in appearance, gentle in temperament, and graceful in demeanor. She had clearly emerged as the top candidate among the maidens, and her reputation had spread beyond the Palace of Gathered Elegance, circulating among the consorts of the Eastern and Western Six Palaces.
Li Jiubao vowed to secure her place in the palace, so she and Chen Jingji could watch over each other.
As for Shang Qinglan, she managed to scrape by each time, barely avoiding elimination with a last-place ranking, teetering on the edge but never quite falling.
By September, the weather had turned increasingly chilly. The maidens were issued four sets of lined garments, more exquisite than the previous batch. Shang Qinglan, now in possession of eight new outfits, grew even more reluctant to be eliminated. She began to dream of the future:
"Next time they distribute clothes, will there be fur-lined garments? I love squirrel fur—that is, sable. If I can save up two sets of fur clothes to take home, my father can tailor them into a grand fur robe to wear for the New Year. He’d wear it to pay visits, showing off everywhere so people know he has a good daughter."
Driven by the desire to extract as many benefits as possible from the palace before leaving, Shang Qinglan persevered through round after round. Each time she wobbled precariously on the narrow bridge of selection, she somehow managed to steady herself in the end.
Finally, only forty-eight maidens remained in the Palace of Gathered Elegance. These forty-eight now faced the ultimate test: the judgment of Lu Jingfei, the de facto mistress of the inner palace.
The Jiajing Emperor had had three empresses. Both Empress Chen and Empress Zhang had been deposed by him. The last, Empress Fang, had died under mysterious circumstances in a fire at the Palace of Earthly Tranquility—rumored to have been set on the emperor’s orders to kill her.
All three empresses met tragic ends, making "harsh and ungrateful" the most fitting description for the Jiajing Emperor.
Lu Jingfei was the highest-ranking consort currently alive in the inner palace and the only one who had borne a son. Frequently summoned to the Western Garden to attend the emperor, she was entrusted by him with managing the inner palace.
The emperor had not set foot in the inner palace for nearly twenty years. Moreover, he favored Prince Jing, Lu Jingfei’s son, while showing indifference toward Prince Yu, who was only a month older than Prince Jing and had lost his mother early. Rumors spread that the emperor intended Prince Jing to be the crown prince. Thus, Lu Jingfei’s word was law in the inner palace—arbitrary and absolute, wielding the power of life and death. Though she lacked the title of empress, she held its authority.
One day, Prince Jing entered the palace to pay his routine respects to Lu Jingfei. "Mother," he said, "I’ve been married for several years, yet my princess consort and concubines haven’t even managed to raise a single princess. In this selection, you must choose a few fertile maidens for me. If I can bear a son before my third brother, my position as heir will be secure."
Author's Note: The antagonists are in place. Let the showdown begin.
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