Your Majesty is Poisonous – Chapter 140
by Little PandaThe Empress Dowager Refuses
When Wan Bi woke, daylight was already bright. Eyes still closed, she reached out habitually to scoop the space beside her, wanting to hold Yao Xi, only to find the spot where Yao Xi should have been lying empty.
Right. They had slept apart last night.
Wan Bi opened her eyes and gazed at the canopy for a while, wistful. Then she pushed herself up, slipped on her shoes, and headed toward the warm pavilion. She wanted to see Yao Xi — otherwise the hollow ache in her chest would not go away. Rounding the screen, she found the warm pavilion empty. The pillow and bedding on the narrow couch had already been neatly made.
“Where is Yao Xi?” Wan Bi walked into the main hall, robes draped loosely over her shoulders, hair still down, and called a palace maid to ask.
“Your Highness,” the maid replied. “Eunuch Yao left the palace at first light, leading his men out.”
“Mm…” So she had gone to tell stories. Wan Bi’s sense of loss deepened. “Issue this bereaved one’s Imperial Decree. Go to Prince Kang’s mansion and invite Prince Kang to the palace.”
She could not bear this continued distance from Yao Xi. Yao Xi’s origins had to be settled without delay.
It would be best if Yao Xi were not Feng Qing’s daughter — then she and Yao Xi could carry on as before, and everything these past two days had brought about need not even be mentioned to Yao Xi. If she were Feng Qing’s daughter, things would be far more complicated… Even if Wan Bi could overcome the hurdle in her own heart, what about Yao Xi?
As the old saying goes: “Cousins through the paternal aunt, cousins through the paternal aunt — break the bones and the sinew still binds1.” Marriage between relatives was not uncommon among common folk, but that was between those of the same generation. Cross-generational romance was not something everyone could accept. If paternal aunts and nephews, or maternal uncles and nieces, could simply be together as they pleased, wouldn’t the hierarchy of seniority collapse? The imperial family, above all, had to set an example for the people.
She did not care about the world’s judgment, but she cared deeply about what Yao Xi thought.
And accepting Yao Xi as a daughter of the Feng family would be far harder than accepting that Yao Xi was a eunuch. In her teens she had lived through the Wan family’s extermination. Soon after, the Late Emperor brought her into the palace as Noble Consort, and within a few years she was installed as Empress. Then the Late Emperor passed away and she became Empress Dowager…
Though she and the Late Emperor had never shared marital relations, she truly considered herself a Feng from the bottom of her heart. How could a Feng love a Feng? Take Feng Qian, for example — she would never see the Emperor as a man. A son was a son.
But fate was cruel. She and Yao Xi had already fallen in love! So either Yao Xi was not a daughter of the Feng family, or she would rather cease to be a Feng woman herself. Either way, she would be with Yao Xi, no matter what!
By the time Feng Qing received the decree and entered the palace, it was already past midday.
Wan Bi had the midday meal served and sat in the dining hall, waiting for the maid to lead Feng Qing in.
“What matter does the Empress Dowager require this subject-brother in the palace for?” Feng Qing entered the dining hall uneasily, bowing with clasped hands to Wan Bi. To him, Wan Bi was not only the Empress Dowager but also his elder sister-in-law. No matter how young the Empress Dowager was, proper etiquette could not be neglected.
“Sit, and let us speak.” Wan Bi rubbed her temples.
Seeing the Empress Dowager so burdened with worry, Feng Qing grew even more anxious. He was merely an idle prince — he neither schemed for power nor oppressed the people. Why had the Empress Dowager fixed her gaze on him? Could someone in his mansion have offended her without his knowledge? Feng Qing sat down on the edge of his chair, trembling.
“Is this your house?” Wan Bi produced several rolled paintings from beside her and handed them to Feng Qing.
Feng Qing unrolled the paintings and examined them. “It is…” He had heard. The Empress Dowager had sent people the day before yesterday to measure this house and bring artists to paint many pictures. Could the Empress Dowager have taken a fancy to the property?
“This bereaved one recalls you have always lived at Prince Kang’s mansion?” Wan Bi asked again. She was hoping the house was something Prince Kang had recently purchased, hoping Yao Xi was not Feng Qing’s daughter.
“Yes. This house is where my family’s third lives.” Feng Qing spoke with careful respect.
“Did you acquire this house as soon as you left the palace, or…”
Feng Qing answered truthfully: “In reply to the Empress Dowager: this house originally belonged to Yao Hezheng. My family’s third studied under Yao Hezheng as his master. Fearing that after his teacher’s downfall, the Yao family ancestral home might fall into other hands, he asked His Majesty for it.” Feng Qing did not shy from speaking on Yao Hezheng’s behalf. He knew Yao Hezheng’s character — otherwise he would never have let his son become his disciple. It was only a pity that he held no court position and could do nothing to help with the Yao family case.
Wan Bi’s eyes lit up, and her voice rose considerably. “That house is Yao Hezheng’s ancestral home?” So after all the twists and turns, Yao Xi was very likely a daughter of the Yao family after all? That was wonderful! Wan Bi was so overjoyed she nearly wept.
“Has the Empress Dowager taken a fancy to that house?” Feng Qing was somewhat troubled. If it were an ordinary house, he would certainly have the tact to offer it to the Empress Dowager of his own accord — he was not foolish enough to cross this formidable ancestor over a trifle. But that house was Lord Yao2‘s ancestral home. Several generations of his family had been born there and died there. The house carried the memories of generations of the Yao family!
What if the Empress Dowager seized the property and tore it down to rebuild?
“No, no, no. Just have your family’s third take good care of that house.” Wan Bi smiled and shook her head. She was in such fine spirits that she made the rare effort to urge Feng Qing to eat.
Feng Qing demurred, saying he had already eaten at his mansion before entering the palace, and only drank some tea to keep her company.
After Prince Kang left, Wan Bi began anxiously awaiting Yao Xi’s return.
Yesterday she had been so stunned by the terrible news that for a moment she hadn’t known how to face Yao Xi. She had only wanted to be alone and sort through her thoughts. But her sudden coldness had deeply hurt Yao Xi. Even now, the memory of Yao Xi crying and asking whether she still loved her made her chest ache.
She wanted nothing more than to pull Yao Xi into her arms this instant and tell her, clearly and plainly, how much she loved her. She also wanted to tell Yao Xi about her origins — perhaps Jieyu Lan was truly her older sister.
“Did Yao Xi say when she would return?” The longer Wan Bi waited, the more anxious she grew. She wanted to leave the palace and search for Yao Xi at the teahouse, but feared she might miss her on the way. Yao Xi’s outings usually lasted about two shichen. Today, four shichen had already passed and there was still no sign of her. Wan Bi could not help worrying.
The palace maid replied, “Your Highness, he didn’t say.”
“Send someone to the teahouse at once and bring Yao Xi back!” Wan Bi could not wait any longer. She and Yao Xi had had an unpleasant night, slept apart, and hadn’t even seen each other this morning. This had already far exceeded the limit of how long she could endure being apart from Yao Xi. She had to see Yao Xi this instant, or she would go mad.
Several eunuchs received the order and rushed to the teahouse. They returned in about half an hour, but without Yao Xi.
“Where is she?” Wan Bi grew more agitated by the moment. Dark thoughts began to surface. Had something happened to Yao Xi?
“Your Highness,” the eunuch reported. “The teahouse proprietor, Miss Tao, said Eunuch Yao never came today.”
Yao Xi didn’t go to the teahouse? Wan Bi’s heart kept sinking. “Send people to find her at once! Mobilize everyone — palace staff and shop hands alike. Turn the entire capital upside down if you must, but find her for this bereaved one!” Last time Yao Xi disappeared, at least it was inside the palace — and the palace, however large, was still finite. But this time she was outside. The world beyond the palace was so vast — finding one person was undoubtedly like finding a needle in the ocean3.
Wan Bi had barely given the order when one of the eunuchs sent to search came running back at full speed. “Your Highness! Eunuch Yao has returned!”
Yao Xi and the two little eunuchs who had accompanied her were chatting and laughing as they crossed the stream. From a distance, she spotted the Empress Dowager standing at the entrance of the main hall, surrounded by a large crowd of people. Had something happened in the palace? Yao Xi quickened her pace.
“Your Highness. What has happened?” When Yao Xi reached the hall, the maids and eunuchs automatically parted to make way.
“Get in here!” Wan Bi was both relieved and furious. She stepped forward, seized Yao Xi’s hand, and dragged her into the hall, slamming the door shut.
Yao Xi’s face had been wreathed in the sort of brilliant smile that only appeared when she’d found silver. Seeing the Empress Dowager’s blazing temper upon her return, she shrank her neck. “Your Highness, don’t be angry. I know I was wrong.” She had indeed stayed out longer than usual today.
“What happened to your voice?” Wan Bi’s fear that something had happened to Yao Xi had barely faded when she noticed Yao Xi’s voice was frighteningly hoarse.
Yao Xi cleared her throat and grinned sheepishly. “Nothing much. I just told stories a bit longer today.”
“Stories? This bereaved one sent someone to the teahouse. Tao Xiaolin said you never went there at all.” Wan Bi’s heart ached for her. She picked up a cup of tea and handed it to Yao Xi, then called out loudly to the maid waiting outside the hall: “Ping’er. Have the kitchen make some Snow Pear Soup and bring it here at once.”
Yao Xi accepted the tea, moistened her throat, and said, “I didn’t want to upset Your Highness, so I didn’t go to Miss Tao’s. I found a new teahouse over on East Street and struck a deal with the proprietor — tea money split sixty-forty in my favor.” Yao Xi then pulled a small cloth pouch from her robe, proudly fished out its contents, and presented them to the Empress Dowager. “I told stories for four or five shichen today. With the tips from the audience, I earned a full 12 taels and 7 mace!”
“If your throat hurts, talk less.” Wan Bi pulled Yao Xi into her arms, aching for her. “Just treat storytelling as a bit of fun. It’s not your livelihood — why go and talk for four or five shichen straight?”
Yao Xi nestled against the Empress Dowager without speaking. If she didn’t give it her all, when would she ever earn enough 10,000 taels of silver? She’d be waiting till the year of the monkey and the month of the horse4!
Wan Bi also remembered mentioning the 10,000 taels last night. Torn between gratitude and guilt, she cupped Yao Xi’s face and asked, “Was it because of what this bereaved one said?”
Yao Xi blinked her large eyes and nodded.
“This bereaved one was only speaking in jest. If you want this bereaved one, then take this bereaved one. 10,000 taels is no easy sum to earn. Are you truly going to refuse to touch this bereaved one until you’ve saved enough silver?”
“But I was afraid Your Highness would feel wronged. I gave Miss Tao 1,000 taels, yet I’ve never given Your Highness anything. I’ll do my best for that 10,000 taels — I’ll give Your Highness an answer no matter what.” Yao Xi wrapped her arms around the Empress Dowager’s waist and murmured, “I understand why Your Highness was angry yesterday — in the end, it was because of Miss Tao. I’ll prove that Your Highness is a thousand times, ten thousand times more important to me than she is. Please, let go of your anger. Don’t make me sleep alone anymore, all right? I can’t sleep without you.”
“Neither can this bereaved one.” Wan Bi cupped Yao Xi’s face and kissed her…
“Your Highness, the Snow Pear Soup is ready.” Ping’er stood outside the door with the tray. “Your Highness…”
Yao Xi, lying on the floor in disarray, pushed the Empress Dowager away with all her might.
Wan Bi thought Yao Xi was in pain again and stopped at once. “Does it still hurt so much?”
Yao Xi shook her head, raised a bare arm, and pointed toward the door. “Ping’er-jiejie is bringing the pear soup.”
“Good, as long as it doesn’t hurt.” Wan Bi bent down and kissed Yao Xi again. All the worries of yesterday and today dissolved into desire. Yao Xi was hers, and nothing that happened in the future could change that.
A long time passed. The sky was nearly dark. Yao Xi lay weakly on the floor, cushioned beneath by all her clothing and the Empress Dowager’s outer robe. Wan Bi held Yao Xi in her arms, breathing quietly, and gazed up at the high ceiling beams. “Xiao Yaozi. There is something you need to know. Do you remember the house this bereaved one asked you to look at yesterday? It truly exists.”
The author has something to say:
I’ve been quite busy these past few days and can only write in the small hours. Please bear with me~
Footnotes
- A Chinese folk saying about the strong bond between cousins related through the father's sister. Even broken bones remain connected by sinew — close kinship cannot be severed.
- 'Daren' (大人) is a respectful Chinese title for an official or dignitary, equivalent to 'Lord' or 'Excellency.'
- A Chinese idiom (dà hǎi lāo zhēn) literally meaning 'fishing a needle from the great sea,' describing a search so difficult it seems nearly impossible.
- A Chinese idiom (hóu nián mǎ yuè) literally meaning 'the year of the monkey, the month of the horse.' The Chinese zodiac cycle takes twelve years, so this phrase refers to a time so distant it may never come.
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