Chapter 1 - The Beginning

“A person’s life is like an extinguished flame, love and hate will be scattered along with the wind.”

 

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The 1^st year of Yanxi era, August 15^th, the period of haishi.

[the period of haishi: 9-11 pm]

 

The autumn insects buzzed. Black clouds concealed the moon.

 

The birth of a legitimate prince should have been a joyous event, but no trace of joy could be found in Kunning Palace.

[legitimate: born from the first/legal wife, in this case, the empress]

[Kunning Palace: The palace of the empress]

 

The palace doors were tightly shut, the eunuchs and the maids were keeping quiet out of fear. It was quiet all around, like the calm before the storm.

 

An Imperial physician from the Imperial hospital, Chang Cenfu, knelt at the side of the couch, his fingers trembled slightly, and large drops of sweat slid from his temples.

 

The apprehension in this room was due to that woman on the couch—the empress of the Great Zhou Dynasty, Su Ling.

 

Separated by layers of thin silk, with a shaky voice, Chang Cenfu said: “Bring over another bowl of decoction.”
A palace maid replied in a hurry: “Yes.”

 

After the medicine passed through the throat, Su Ling’s breath became weaker and weaker. Her pupils gradually slackened, and subconsciously she murmured: “Father… Eldest Brother.”

 

As soon as the voice fell, everyone’s expressions changed abruptly.
Everyone knew that Empress Su was a high-born. Her father was the Duke of Zhen, Su Jingbei, and her elder brother was a high official of the Supreme Court, Su Huai’an. Nobody could compete with her identity and status.

[Duke of Zhen: or Duke Who Guards the State. For convenience, I will keep the Chinese term instead because it is too wordy]

 

However nowadays, these two backings of Empress Su were the two who must not be mentioned in the Great Zhou Dynasty.

 

Many things had to be brought up from half a year ago—
Less than three months after the new emperor ascended the throne, the army of the Qi State invaded the border of Sizhou with great momentum that could be said as unprecedented. The Great General Su led 60.000 elite soldiers to the battle.
However, a month later, the governor of Langzhou came by a fast horse with a report, saying that when the 60.000 soldiers were trapped in Mi River, Su Jingbei had unexpectedly entered the enemy camp and disappeared afterward.

 

The Su family’s military merits had been impressive and they had been known loyal to the Imperial family. Without concrete evidence, who would dare to act rashly.

 

But shortly after, someone had found the evidence of treason of the Su family—inside the estate of Duke of Zhen, there was a secret tunnel that had been built for at least 10 years.
Following the trail, the Ministry of Justice and the Imperial Guards had sealed up several brothels, restaurants, and tea houses in the capital overnight, and captured more than a hundred secret agents. These shops had been doing business as a cover and they had been related to the Su family in one way or another.

 

All of these were concrete evidence.

 

The Great General of Zhen had collaborated with the enemy to treason, and the morning court was in an uproar. When a very old lady in the streets knew that her grandson had died in the battle and would not be coming back, she hit her head against the front door of the Zhen Estate and died.

 

The entire capital voiced their complaints loudly for a period of time.
For the sake of the people’s hearts, Emperor Shaoxi Xiao Yu had personally led the troops into battle.
Whether the Great Zhou’s century-old foundation could continue was still not clear.

[Shaoxi: Xiao Yu’s title. Meaning persevering and prosperous. Xiao Yu is his name]

 

How much medicine was poured in was how much Su Ling vomited out. The sweat on Chang Cenfu’s forehead ticked like the sound of dripping water from the water clock used to mark night watches. He slowly turned his body around and said after repeated considerations: “Informing Empress Dowager, the Empress has been thinking too much lately, it weighed down on the body which led to premature labor and in addition, these past few days she has been restless. In this current state, perhaps we will not be able to maintain this anymore…”

 

Just when everyone was silent, the palace maid Fu Ying suddenly raised her head and spoke to Empress Dowager: “If this servant may be so bold, there is something that needs to be said to Empress Dowager.”

 

The Empress Dowager was sitting on a palm bamboo armchair inlaid with jade, her hand fiddled with prayer beads. She said lightly: “Speak.”

 

Fu Ying took a deep breath, she glanced towards the female official Shangyi Xu and said: “Just now, this servant saw Shangyi Xu hiding a bloodstained kerchief in her sleeve, she was being sneaky and looked suspicious.”
Shangyi Xu, who was pointed out, abruptly replied angrily: “What kind of nonsense are you spouting? Who has incited you to splash dirty water on me?!”

[Shangyi: The head of Shangyi Bureau or the Bureau of Ceremony. Xu is her surname, therefore, Shangyi Xu. More explanations about the Six Bureau below, will be mentioned again in the future chapters]

 

The empress dowager gathered her skirt and said with a serious expression: “So you’re saying, there’s a problem with that kerchief?”

 

“This servant doesn’t know. What this servant knows is, afterward, Shangyi Xu threw the kerchief outside the palace.”

 

“Requesting Empress Dowager to clarify! Requesting Empress Dowager to be the master.”

 

Su Ling had no more strength to open her mouth, from the corner of her eyes she took a look at Fu Ying.
Fool.
To speak out about such things, isn’t it the same as giving one’s life for nothing?

 

In this world, aplenty of people wanted her life, nobody would be able to be her master.

 

After all, collaborating with the enemy was a sin, being born from a high family was a sin, and giving birth to a son was a sin.

 

Shangyi Xu knelt down with a “pu-tong” sound and said loudly: “Empress Dowager is wise, this servant has absolutely never seen any kerchief.”

 

“Someone come.” The empress dowager looked at Shangyi Xu and said: “Bring her down and question with torture. If there’s anything suspicious, send her directly to the head of the prison guard.”

 

“This servant is wronged!”
Two eunuchs directly dragged Shangyi Xu away.

 

The oppressive thunder pierced through the sky, the wind howled, making the lanterns under the eaves swayed back and forth in the bleak wind and icy rain, and then the heavy rain poured down.

 

One did not know how long it took, there was an intermittent crying sound inside the hall.

 

Su Ling closed her eyes slowly, and the memories came thick and fast—

 

The 36^th year of Yongchang era. Spring.
In that year she was 17 years old, a young lady in her boudoir.
Originally thinking that she would be able to marry into a family with well-matched status and a husband who would love her. However, unexpectedly, an Imperial edict decreed to let her marry Prince Jin as his zhengfei. Prince Jin, Xiao Yu, had no means to become the emperor. His birth mother had died early and he was not born of the first wife. Even though he had grown up by the empress’s side, the chance of winning the position was still very low.
This Imperial decree was clearly pulling the House of Zhen to play into the pits of fire.

[zhengfei: legitimate wife of a prince]

 

During those days, she had felt as if the sky was falling down.

 

As the daughter of a general, added with her youth, she had always been courageous.
After asking around about the whereabouts of Xiao Yu, she disguised herself as a white silk trousers childe and dressed in white attire from top to bottom. While shaking her fan, she entered Qingfeng Pavilion, a place where the crooks mixed in with honest folk.

[white silk trousers: child of a rich family]

 

From her sleeve, she handed a large sum of money to Shopkeeper Yu.
Shopkeeper Yu took her to the second floor with a smile, turned left, and seated her in a private room at the western side of the building. Qingfeng Pavilion was a place for watching operas and listening to songs. It was said to be a private room, but in fact, there were only sliding screens to separate the area.

 

She leaned against the screen, held her breath, and began to eavesdrop on the sound coming from the next door.

 

The emperor’s health was good as before and the battle for the heir apparent was close at hand. Su Ling had guessed that these people who were talking arrogantly should be the aids and advisors of Jin Palace.

 

As expected, finally she heard her own name.

 

Su family’s daughter.

 

The sound of the music downstairs gradually faded out. Someone poured Xiao Yu a cup of wine, “Your Highness is now bound to the House of Zhen by marriage. Prince Cheng and Prince Yan will surely become anxious.”

 

Another person heaved a sigh: “Able to win over Duke of Zhen is good. However, the reputation of the Su family’s daughter is not good, her relationship with He Zichen is ambiguous. This is a troublesome matter.”
Nowadays, the aristocrats were prosperous. The four honorable families in the capital were the Xue, He, Chu, and Mu. Everyone knew that the heir of He family, He Zichen, had been admiring Su family’s daughter for a long time. Every day he would walk about the Zhen estate.

 

But how could the troubles of influential officials be as simple as a love affair between children?
He family was a strong supporter of Prince Yan.

 

Su Ling’s heart thumped wildly and she turned around to look through the screen—
Qingfeng Pavilion was lit with red lanterns and green wine, and the shadow behind the screen was charming. She saw Xiao Yu at a glance.

[red lanterns and green wine:  a place of feasting and pleasure-seeking]

 

That person had a sharp outline, his eyes were half-drooped and his hand was fiddling with a wine cup. He swayed it around and suddenly with a slightly cold smile, “What’s so troublesome? Su Jingbei doesn’t have any other daughter.”

 

His voice was very deep. Each word was like a prayer bead falling on a jade plate, hitting her heart.

 

Su Ling’s heart fell like lead.
The 17-year-old girl stared at the folding fan in her hand for a long time.
What about being a noble lady from a high family, isn’t it just being a sharp arrow for others to seize power?

 

She had been extremely unwilling to marry him.

 

Of course, the emperor’s order could not be violated. Even if she was unwilling, she could only put on the wedding gown and marry that Xiao Yu who was talented in both civil and military affairs in her father’s mouth.

 

On the day of the marriage, she had cried until her makeup was ruined.
While she was crying, Su Huai’an wiped the tears by her side. The tears mixed with mucus from her nose and they were all wiped clean by High Official Su’s hand.
As an elder brother, Su Huai’an had to carry her on his back out of the Zhen Estate. He smiled at one time, sighed at another time, and sighed again, “Ah Ling, don’t cry anymore, alright?”

 

She could not help turning her head before getting on the sedan chair.
She could still remember looking at each other with that jade-like youth. Her lips were pressed tightly and her eyes became red in an instant.
He had quietly said, “Ah Ling, Zhen Estate will forever be your home.”

 

She had thought, there was no limit to forever.

 

In fact, after marrying Xiao Yu, leaving aside the tit for tat in the beginning, her life was not as bad as she had thought.
Even though she kept reminding herself that the words of “talented in civil and military” were not for romantic affair but rather for piling up bones of the dead, what could she say?

 

Getting along day after day and night after night of intimacy, at last, she let down of her guard.

 

On that day, the candles were swaying gently, his eyes were deep and bright, looking like the spring water of a mountain stream. It clearly reflected her flushed body.

 

He had bent over her ear and said: “Ah Ling, I know you’re blaming me. You’re blaming me because I married you for benefits, blaming me because I ruined your chance of a normal marriage.”

 

“How should I compensate you?”

 

At that time, she was young. Her love began to lit up like a prairie fire, ignited upon touched.

 

She was moved and had taken it seriously.

 

Things changed with the passage of time. But even after reaching this point, she still had to admit, she was captivated with the Xiao Yu on that year.
He taught her archery and horseback riding, hadtaught her how to live happily and recklessly. Taught her to be his wife.

 

She loved his heroic appearance when he stretched his arms and drew the bow, loved when he shouted her name when he was so immersed in loving her, also loved the sentence he had said when he was ordered to leave the capital to investigate a case. Ah Ling, come with me.

 

He rarely smiled, and his smile was more than handsome.
She had thought that she would stay with him like this forever.

 

Until October 3^rd in the 38^th year of Yongchang era. Emperor Jiaxuan died unexpectedly, and he sat on the Dragon Throne.

 

During the transition, the capital had been in chaos.
In terms of political achievement, the former emperor had reigned for 38 years, and it was not an exaggeration to say that he had ruled muddleheadedly and tyrannically. The Imperial court had been fighting for many years, however, he had been busy building his own Imperial residence, favoriting officials, delegating power to the relatives of his harem, and taxes were getting higher by the year.
Even the emergency relief money for the victims of the huge drought in Henan was taken by him.

 

She suddenly understood. The state of Great Zhou was already full of flaws.

 

Xiao Yu had been busy with political affairs day and night, she could not see the person most of the time.

 

It did not take long before she was diagnosed two months pregnant. The courtiers’ mouths had been busy congratulating her, but they hurriedly advised the new emperor to open the harem in order to spread the branches and open up new leaves.

[spread the branches and leaves: equals spreading seeds equals making babies. hehe]

 

As a result, Xue Lanyi, the sister of Xue Xiangyang of the Ministry of Justice, Liu Guyang, the daughter of Liu Wenshi, the chief minister of the cabinet, and Li Yuan, the princess of Goryeo, entered the palace one after another.

[Goryeo: Modern-day Korea]

 

She had known, as long as he was the emperor, there would be such a day.

 

Time passed, her train of thought returned to one month prior when the House of Zhen was met with a mishap.
The pieces of evidence presented to prove that Su family had committed treason were solid, she had nothing to tell. However, even if you put a knife on her neck, she did not believe that Su Huai’an was involved in this matter.

 

Otherwise, the secret tunnel was there, but why did Su Huaian stay in the capital?

 

She had knelt and had waited for him outside Yangxin Hall, but in the end, Gonggong Sheng supported her up.

 

“Your Majesty the Empress is pregnant with a dragon heir, what is this for.” Gonggong Sheng sighed and said: “This old servant remembers in his heart how Your Majesty usually treats me, so today I dare to advise.”

 

“Your Majesty is the first wife of the emperor, naturally the affection runs deep, but no matter how deep it is, it won’t be able to stand the twist. If Your Majesty comes over for the Su family matter, might as well think about this crime of treason. In the end whose country was betrayed? Is it proper to demand something from it?”

 

“Your Majesty the Empress is not by herself. Does she not think about the child in her belly?”

 

The child.
Xiao Yun. She called him Yun’er. Had been calling him that for 9 months.

 

She really should not have left him to grow up in this huge harem. But it could not be helped that life was like plants withering after the passing of fall, full of regrets.

 

Su Ling felt that her body gradually became lighter as if changing into a mist. She went higher and higher, not knowing where she was going.

 

At this exact moment, the little prince on the couch seemed like he had sensed something and suddenly started to cry.

 

The infant’s voice was very thin, but it became higher with each cry, seemingly able to break people’s hearts.

 

The moon descended and the stars disappeared. The bell rang—

 

The 1^st year of Yanxi era, August 15^th. Empress Chunyi passed away.

[Chunyi: Su Ling’s title. Meaning pure and virtuous]

 

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IMPORTANT TRIVIA

The Six Bureaus of female officials were set up by Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty to facilitate the management of the inner court.
The Six Bureaus are: Shanggong (Bureau of General Palace), Shangyi (Bureau of Ceremony), Shangfu (Bureau of Wardrobe), Shangshi (Bureau of Food), Shangqin (Bureau of Housekeeping), Shanggong (Bureau of Workshops).