Wei Shufen's scalp tightened with a sudden premonition of trouble. On the platform, Chai Yingluo responded vaguely before quickly steering the conversation toward the Western Regions and Gaochang.
The Emperor had ordered his niece not to leak any information to Wei Zheng's daughter, but Wei Shufen was already present at the martial arena, having seen and heard everything. There was nothing left to hide from her. It was a twist of fate—Chai Yingluo had originally intended to request an audience with the Emperor on her behalf, but after the Son of Heaven's decree, it seemed unlikely to happen today at least.
After that, the men and women on the platform continued to ramble aimlessly. Wei Shufen surmised that Chai Yingluo probably intended to chat idly before withdrawing, quietly escorting her back to the Purple Void Monastery and waiting for another opportunity. While this approach was feasible and relatively safe, she herself grew increasingly impatient.
She had no idea when Li Yuangui would depart for Gaochang. The fifty thousand bolts of silk had to be settled before his departure to free him from Kang Su-mi's control—otherwise, all this effort would be for nothing.
Having stood guard at the stone steps for quite some time, she was beginning to feel sore in her waist and legs. Just then, distant shouts of clearing the way echoed, with feathered banners swaying and attendants filing in. A palace maid arrived first to announce the arrival of the Empress's carriage.
The Empress's arrival naturally brought her own entourage, instantly bustling the Eternal Peace Palace inside and out. The military officers on the platform bowed to the Emperor and took their leave, while Chai Yingluo declared, "This niece shall greet the Empress." The Son of Heaven, in excellent spirits, stopped her, saying, "I shall walk a few steps with you to stretch my legs," and even led the way down the stone steps.
Wei Shufen hastily retreated with the other attending palace maids and servants, kneeling with lowered heads, catching only glimpses of plain robe hems swaying past her. When the palace servants rose, she caught sight of Chai Yingluo's figure following the Emperor, surrounded by a retinue of maids and eunuchs holding yellow silk canopies and other ceremonial items, advancing toward the Empress's carriage.
At this moment, the area around the steps was chaotic—some attendants guiding the departing officers, others carrying items in the Emperor's wake, and still others ascending the steps for unknown reasons. Another group of palace maids hurried over from the direction of the Empress's carriage. The middle-aged serving woman at the forefront, seeing Wei Shufen standing motionless, grabbed her arm and said, "The Empress is unwell and needs a shaded resting place. We must prepare a comfortable spot for her. Young lady, lead us to a suitable location."
She had mistaken Wei Shufen for a palace maid serving at the Eternal Peace Palace. Just as Wei Shufen was about to clarify her identity, a thought struck her. She answered, "Yes," lifted her skirts, ascended the steps, and led the group of palace maids into the large tent on the platform.
The interior of the tent mimicked a palace hall, divided by curtains into several sections. Past the lifted drapery at the entrance, she saw a sitting bed, a desk, and a screen. One side held a sand table and wooden maps, while the other displayed armor and weapon racks. With just a glance, Wei Shufen felt as though she had stepped into a general's command tent during a campaign. Behind the screen were maps, books, and diagrams. Passing through two more layers of curtains, she spotted a comfortably furnished bed—likely where the Emperor had stayed overnight.
The tent also had attending palace maids, but they assumed Wei Shufen was part of the Empress's retinue accompanying the older serving woman. Both groups were preoccupied with deciding where to prepare the Empress's resting place, paying little attention to Wei Shufen's movements. Seizing the opportunity, she slipped into a corner concealed by drapes, where storage chests and folding stools were kept, and hid herself there.She wasn’t particularly eager to see Empress Zhangsun—in fact, she was somewhat afraid of encountering Chai Yingluo’s second aunt and would rather avoid her. What she truly thought of was how the Son of Heaven had summoned Li Yuangui almost simultaneously with the Empress. Now that the Empress had arrived, Li Yuangui should be arriving soon as well. Even if she couldn’t personally report to the Emperor today, at the very least… she might get to see him?
Having spent enough time in the palace, she had grown bold. Dressed in plain palace maid attire and well-versed in courtly manners, she knew she wouldn’t draw much attention. Once Li Yuangui finished his business here and left, she could pretend to deliver an imperial decree or something and catch up with him…
Just the thought made her face flush and her heart race. Pressing a hand to her chest, she sat on the lid of a wooden crate, holding her breath to listen for movement outside the grand tent. This cluttered corner was some distance from both the entrance and the sunshade canopy, making it impossible to hear any conversations. After a while, the thudding sounds of catapults resumed outside, likely because the Empress had arrived on the platform, and the Son of Heaven had ordered the siege engines to be demonstrated for her viewing pleasure.
He was like a child who had just gotten a new toy, eager to show it off to family, friends, and playmates… Though Wei Shufen inwardly scoffed, she couldn’t help but smile to herself, warmth bubbling in her chest.
She mused—Li Yuangui resembled his elder brother in both appearance and talents, and his stubborn pride was similar too. Perhaps he would also emulate his brother’s deep devotion to his wife?
But who would Li Yuangui’s first principal wife be?
Just as her heart ached and her nose tingled with emotion, another commotion arose outside—this time from the direction of the bed. A group of people hurried about, urging each other to “hurry up.” Peeking out, she saw the remaining maids and attendants all heading out. Summoning her courage, she emerged from her hiding spot, but as soon as she reached the bedside, figures flickered in the outer chamber, their intentions unclear. She hesitated, not daring to venture further.
For a moment, she was the only one lingering near the neatly arranged bed. Two panels of the bed screen were open, the curtains tied back to reveal the cool bamboo mat, jade pillow, and gauze quilt. On the table before the bed sat a freshly replenished incense burner, a few scrolls of documents, and writing tools. Wei Shufen’s gaze caught on a half-exposed brocade pouch beneath the papers, its corner embroidered with a delicate hairpin—a small, elegant design with fine needlework, likely a woman’s possession.
Strange. Was this not the Son of Heaven’s sleeping quarters? Or did some favored consort often attend to him here?
Before she could finish the thought, as if compelled by some unseen force, she reached out to tug the pouch for a better look. But the moment she pulled, footsteps and voices sounded at the tent entrance—someone was returning.
Worse yet, someone was also approaching from the direction of her previous hiding spot among the clutter, making it impossible to retreat the same way. Panicked, Wei Shufen glanced around and squeezed behind the only cover available—the bed screen. And then… she discovered another place to hide.Tents and houses were fundamentally different. The walls of a house stood perpendicular to the ground, with beds usually placed flush against them, leaving no gap between the bed frame and the wall—secure and stable. Tent walls, however, sloped downward where they were pegged to the ground, creating an angle between the fabric and the earth. An ordinary bed couldn’t fit snugly against such a wall, leaving a dark hollow behind it that looked unsightly. To conceal this gap, the attendants had hung a thick curtain behind the bed, creating a false wall. The angled space behind this curtain was just large enough for a slender girl to squeeze into, curling up and hiding with her knees hugged to her chest.
Time was short, and Wei Shufen had no leisure to consider the consequences of her actions. Scrambling frantically, she wedged herself into the cramped space, her ears filled with the pounding of her own heartbeat.
No sooner had she hidden herself than she heard a group of people enter, among them the Emperor and Empress. Palace attendants hurried to serve them, offering seats, water, fans, and towels. The Emperor spoke regretfully, "I shouldn’t have made you come out in such sweltering heat. It was thoughtless of me." The Empress, coughing slightly, laughed softly in response, "It’s nothing. A little rest will do. Those machines are truly awe-inspiring."
Pleased by his wife’s praise, the Emperor brightened and repeated to her the boasts he had earlier made to Chai Yingluo, then grumbled, "Wei Zheng and his lot can’t stand the idea of me waging war—they nag endlessly. And you don’t side with me either, always speaking up for them instead. But today, we’ve nearly perfected both the new weapons and the accuracy of the trebuchets. I’m confident now—we can win this war without conscripting so many men for the frontier. If you happen to meet Lady Wei or any of the other wives, do put in a good word for me. Have them persuade their husbands not to be so stubborn and troublesome."
As he rambled on, the Empress listened quietly, occasionally chuckling softly. Then Chai Yingluo’s voice chimed in again, laughing, "Best not let Lord Xuancheng know about this. Those old scholars won’t appreciate Your Majesty’s efforts to reduce conscription and spare the people. They’ll just seize on some new pretext to submit memorials condemning Your Majesty for indulging in ‘frivolous crafts and wicked ingenuity,’ straying ever further from the ways of the ancient sages. According to their doctrine, there’s only one path to peace: ‘When the Central Kingdom is at peace, the barbarians will submit of their own accord.’ If Your Majesty cultivates virtue and governs with moral rectitude, then—without lifting a finger—the Heavenly Emperor will bring all nations to pay homage."
The Emperor laughed heartily in approval, and the Empress joined in briefly before speaking up, "Yingniang, you little flatterer, don’t just say what your uncle wants to hear—no, take that away—does His Majesty lack people to amuse him? The old scholars’ words may be pedantic and useless, but they suffered greatly during the chaos of the Sui and thus care deeply about the people’s hardships—that’s a good thing. Though their counsel may be unpalatable, His Majesty has always tolerated it, and such magnanimity sets an example for generations to come. As those within the palace, our duty is to soothe the Sovereign’s anger and urge forbearance—never to fan the flames before him. Understood?"
Her tone was gentle, but the reprimand was unmistakable. Chai Yingluo murmured, "Yes," and dared not speak further. The imperial couple chatted a while longer before the Empress dismissed her niece, saying, "Return to your temple and rest. You’re not well either." Chai Yingluo assented and bowed in farewell. Then the Empress added, "Is that your leather pouch left on the table? Take it with you—don’t lose it."
"Which one? That’s not mine—"The female Taoist's voice suddenly cut off mid-sentence, as if severed by a knife. An eerie silence enveloped the bedchamber. Wei Shufen, curled up behind the bed, listened intently. Though she didn't understand what was happening, her heart clenched tightly.
After several heartbeats, the Empress spoke calmly, "Let me see it."
The Emperor let out a rough breath of unclear meaning but remained silent. Chai Yingluo also said nothing—only the rustle of robes and footsteps could be heard, likely as she moved to the desk to retrieve the embroidered pouch Wei Shufen had seen earlier and presented it to the Empress.
Another stretch of silence followed, finally broken once more by the Empress, who said evenly, "You may go." Chai Yingluo immediately kowtowed and took her leave. The Empress then repeated, "All of you may go," and this time, several people bowed and exited the tent in unison—presumably the palace attendants being dismissed.
Now, only the Son of Heaven and his consort remained near the bed... along with Wei Shufen, still hiding behind it.
She dared not even breathe loudly, one hand clutching her throat to prevent any sound from escaping. She heard the Empress, still in that gentle and refined tone, ask her husband:
"Is this from Fourth Brother's wife?"
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