The city of Chang'an was generally higher in the south and lower in the north, with rivers originating from the Zhongnan Mountains flowing north into the Wei River. The lakes and ponds in the northern palace grounds and the forbidden garden often became stagnant and foul, especially unbearable during the height of summer. Therefore, in peaceful years, by the third or fourth month, the Son of Heaven would take his close family members and ministers to leave the capital and retreat to a cooler palace built on higher ground, often staying there until the autumn winds cleared the skies before reluctantly returning to the capital.
After the fourth year of the Zhenguan era, with external threats quelled and internal stability restored, the fields flourished, and displaced people returned to their homes. Both the Emperor and Empress suffered from respiratory ailments and dreaded the summer heat, making their annual retreats a routine. According to palace officials, before the imperial procession departed the capital, the Emperor and Empress had personally invited the Supreme Emperor to accompany them to the Jiucheng Palace to escape the heat. However, the Supreme Emperor, firstly, was too old and reluctant to move; secondly, he detested the Jiucheng Palace as an "ill-omened place"—thirty years prior, the last Sui emperor, Yang Guang, had murdered his father, Emperor Wen (Yang Jian), there; and thirdly, his residence at the Great Peace Palace was already situated on a hill, where the terrain was high, the winds brisk, the woods dense, and the springs clear, making it naturally less humid and stuffy. Thus, he firmly refused to go.
As filial children, they could not force their elderly father, so the matter was dropped. Over the next few years, upright ministers at court began to voice criticisms, arguing that the Emperor’s prolonged absence from his aging father violated the Confucian principles of filial piety and care. Memorials and petitions piled up like snowflakes, filling several large boxes and giving the Emperor a headache.
Since the Supreme Emperor refused to go to the Jiucheng Palace, the logical solution was to build another summer retreat for him. However, given the post-Sui turmoil and the strained state treasury, the court had to prioritize frugality and minimize public disruption. Renovating an existing Sui-era palace was deemed more economical. Moreover, the new palace couldn’t be too far away, or the Supreme Emperor would again refuse to travel long distances. After much deliberation, the Ministry of Works and the Directorate for Palace Buildings selected the site of an old Sui retreat, the Guande Hall, on the eastern Longshou Plateau in the forbidden garden. Though the layout was modest and the buildings dilapidated, the foundation was solid, saving considerable labor and materials.
After submitting a detailed proposal, the Emperor approved the construction of a summer palace for the Supreme Emperor on this site, renaming it the Eternal Peace Palace. Work began after the autumn harvest last year, gathering laborers and preparing materials. However, the harsh winter made construction difficult, and shortly after spring arrived, the Supreme Emperor passed away. His final edict halted the project, leaving the Eternal Peace Palace barely started—only the unusable materials from the old Sui ruins had been cleared, with no new construction underway before the work was suspended.
Wei Shufen sat with Chai Yingluo in a long-canopied open carriage, traveling through the shaded paths of the forbidden garden, listening to the clamor of cicadas while engaging in sporadic conversation with the plainly dressed Daoist priestess. After setting out from the Purple Void Monastery, they first headed north, then circled around the corner tower of the Western Inner Garden’s wall before turning east. Naturally, Wei Shufen asked, "Where are we going?" Chai Yingluo replied, "The Eternal Peace Palace," and proceeded to explain its background as detailed above.
The Master of the Purple Void Monastery had been bedridden for nearly twenty days and had finally regained about seventy to eighty percent of her energy. Her appearance now resembled her usual self, no longer alarming at first glance. Still, her stamina was weak, and prolonged speaking left her breathless. Wei Shufen dared not let her talk too much at once and cautiously asked:
"If the Eternal Peace Palace has already halted construction and barely anything has been built, why are we going there? Is His Majesty there? What would the Son of Heaven be doing at a construction site full of scattered materials?""To be honest, I don't know either," Chai Yingluo chuckled. "It's just that an acquaintance from the Hall of Established Governance told me these days, apart from keeping vigil before the coffin, the Son of Heaven frequents Eternal Peace Palace the most. Actually, it's not just recently—he's been going often since last year. At first, people thought it was due to his filial piety, personally overseeing the construction work. But later, it didn't seem so... As for His Majesty's filial piety..."
The Female Taoist Priest covered her mouth with a laugh, unwilling to continue, though there was no need to elaborate. Wei Shufen joined in the laughter. Those in the know held no great expectations for the current Son of Heaven's filial devotion.
The oxcart moved slowly, but fortunately, the forbidden garden was filled with towering trees, tall grass, and winding streams, providing ample shade along the paths. Even in midsummer, the heat wasn't unbearable. After rounding another palace Corner Tower, Wei Shufen gradually found the mountain paths somewhat familiar. After a moment's thought, she asked:
"Are we nearing that peach grove cottage where Ouyang Shuleng lives in seclusion?"
"Ah, yes!" Chai Yingluo slapped her knee. "I'd forgotten—that place is indeed very close to Eternal Peace Palace."
Wei Shufen craned her neck, scanning the surroundings until she spotted the peach grove. By now, the blooming season had long passed, leaving only a lush green haze where the blossoms had once been.
A sudden vision flashed before her eyes—a sky and earth veiled in pink like morning clouds, petals falling like snow. A slender young man turned to her, his dark eyes brimming with bright joy and affection...
Startled by the abrupt illusion, the eldest daughter of Chancellor Wei shook her head violently, dispelling the fantasy. She clenched her fists, nails digging into her palms. What she needed to focus on now was serious business, with no time to spare for youthful melancholy.
As if reading her thoughts, Chai Yingluo reached over and patted her forearm, about to offer comfort when a sudden explosion erupted in the air ahead.
The sound was startling, somewhat like firecrackers tossed into a bonfire during New Year's, but a thousand times louder—and coming from midair. Their entire party, including the ox, cart, and the attendants following behind, jumped in fright. The ox panicked, bolting wildly in all directions, dragging the unprepared eunuch driver to the ground, nearly trampling him. The cart jolted violently, but fortunately, the two women were agile enough to avoid disaster, tumbling awkwardly off the open cart just in time.
Amid the shouts and the ox's bellowing, the explosions in the sky continued relentlessly, one after another, with a force rivaling thunderclaps. Regaining her composure, Wei Shufen stood and brushed off the dust, suddenly recalling she had heard similar explosions before—at Ouyang Xun's peach grove cottage, though from a greater distance and not nearly as terrifying.
Chai Yingluo reacted faster, already exclaiming, "So that's what we heard at Old Monkey Ouyang's place—" But she didn't get to finish. Their commotion had drawn immediate attention—footsteps and sharp queries approached as a small squad of guards, spears in hand, came running to investigate.
All six or seven wore red headbands, dressed in Garrison Guard uniforms. After a brief exchange with Chai Yingluo, the captain, recognizing her as a Female Taoist Priest from the Inner Sanctuary, remained courteous. He confirmed that "the imperial carriage is here" and agreed to relay their presence. The two women waited under the shade of a tree, and before long, the Son of Heaven summoned them.
Wei Shufen was still dressed in the plain Palace maid attire she had changed into that day at the Crown Prince's Palace, her hair tied in twin buns to pose as a young attendant. Supporting Chai Yingluo, she followed the guard captain forward slowly. After rounding a mountain bend and passing through several layers of barriers, the view suddenly opened up before them.On a gently sloping terrace stood an enormous tent, its overlapping high eaves making it resemble a brick-and-tile palace at first glance. The scorching heat had prompted several of its curtains to be rolled up and propped open with wooden poles, forming shaded canopies. Outside, connected by arched awnings, a group of people sat or stood in the expansive shade, pointing and gesturing into the distance.
Another thunderous boom echoed—this time, both women were somewhat prepared and didn’t startle as badly. After a brief lull, the sound returned, closer than before, sending Wei Shufen’s heart pounding wildly in her chest.
Looking ahead, several arrow-shots away from the terrace, stood towering wooden structures resembling well-sweeps, though their sheer size was staggering. Even from this distance, they loomed imposingly.
She couldn’t quite make out the motion, but one of the long beams on a wooden frame was slowly descending, while a cloud of dust billowed over a dozen square zhang in front of it, as though something massive had crashed down. Wei Shufen gaped in astonishment, murmuring aloud:
"What in the world is that...?"
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