Chapter Twenty-Two

I froze, and only after a long while did I slowly reach out and wrap my arms around him.

The clothing on him was so thin I could feel the depth of his wounds through the fabric. I absolutely could not cry—Junchen was just outside the door; if he saw me with red eyes he would surely report it to the emperor, making things worse… The more I thought that, the harder it was to hold back, so I clenched my hand into a fist until my nails dug into my flesh, but it did nothing.

After a while he released me and signaled for me to leave. I sat frozen before him, staring deeply at his features, not moving. Wan’er suddenly spoke up: “Thank you, Prince. Wan’er will report every word you said to the emperor without omission,” she paused, then added, “Prince, please take care. Wan’er takes her leave.”

I obeyed her, knowing I could no longer delay. I lowered my head, wiped the corner of my eye, stood up and said, “Prince, take care. Yong’an takes his leave.” After speaking I bit my lip and, steeling myself, walked toward the door without daring to look back.

Only after the door closed again did Lai Junchen step forward from a short distance and salute, “Miss, thank you for your trouble. Please.”

Wan’er glanced at me; seeing that I was composed, she sighed softly and then took me with Lai Junchen to see the Crown Prince. In the prince’s stone chamber Wan’er muttered a few perfunctory words, then withdrew with me. She understood better than anyone that the emperor had sent her to question me only to put on the appearance of a mother’s concern.

After we left the Crown Prince’s place, Wan’er specially instructed Lai Junchen to take us to see the Prince of Linzi. She and I didn’t go inside; when the stone door opened I only stole a glance. The Prince of Linzi lay on the bed with his back to the door; he seemed to stir when it opened but made no sound, turning his back coldly and remaining silent.

Seeing him like that, I remembered how his eyes usually glittered; my heart, already aching beyond pain, was torn again. It was as if I were looking at the same eyes the De Fei had before being ordered to die. Unable to watch any longer, I stepped back two paces and left with Wan’er.

I remained dazed until we walked out of the prison gate, where I saw Yidu standing guard outside. She bowed at once when she saw me and said, “The Emperor summons the Commandery Princess back to the palace.” I stared at her, then exchanged a glance with Wan’er. She gave a slight nod and asked Yidu, “Who else is in the Changsheng Hall?” Yidu hurriedly replied, “The Emperor is somewhat indisposed; only Wei Tuan’er and Physician Shen are here.”

Wan’er nodded, helped me into the carriage, and only then whispered, “In the past few days each palace has secretly had someone on watch. The Emperor will naturally know you left the palace. Remember what I say: I brought you here to see the Prince of Linzi. You must not say anything else.” I nodded; I had no strength left to speak.

When we arrived at Changsheng Hall, it was indeed as Yidu had said — only Physician Shen and Wei Tuan’er were present. But Physician Shen was not Shen Qiu; it was his elder brother.

When I and Wan’er bowed, the Emperor stared at me and said to Wan’er, “When did Wan’er dare defy an imperial edict? Did I let you take Yong’an out tonight?” I didn’t wait for Wan’er to answer; I immediately knelt and said, “Yong’an begged Wan’er. Please, Imperial Great-Aunt, don’t make things hard for Wan’er. Let Yong’an bear all the punishment alone.”

The Long Life Palace was warm as spring, yet I still felt the chill of the dungeon over me, bone-deep and freezing.

The Emperor was silent for a moment before saying, “Stand up; I have no strength left to punish anyone further.” I rose and stood in the hall, not daring to lift my head. Then I heard the Emperor say to Wan’er, “What did the Crown Prince say?” Wan’er hurriedly replied, “The Crown Prince refused to confess.”

The Emperor’s voice grew heavy: “I’m afraid if he confesses, and I’m afraid if he doesn’t. If he confesses, I absolutely cannot spare him. If he doesn’t, then he shows no regard for me and remains stubbornly unrepentant.”

When she finished speaking, Wan’er didn’t dare reply, and I felt even more hopeless.

Her remark made it clear that the Empress Dowager had already decided the Crown Prince harbored treasonous intentions. When Di Renjie was falsely accused of rebellion, Prince of Yongping could still tell him to plead guilty to save his life and prove his innocence later; but when it came to the Li family’s princes and imperial grandchildren, pleading guilty meant death, and refusing to plead guilty meant death too. A prince of the realm, honored above tens of thousands, was, in his own mother’s eyes, worth less than grass—his path to survival long since gone.

The Emperor suddenly coughed twice, then said to Shen Nanliao at his side, “My heart has been burning fiercely these past few days.” Shen Nanliao hurried, “Your Majesty need not worry too much. I have ordered the Imperial Medical Office to brew medicine; it will be delivered shortly and should take effect in two or three days.”

The Emperor nodded and was about to speak again when Yidu suddenly entered, knelt, and reported, “Your Majesty, someone has come to the prison.”

My heart tightened suddenly. Even the imperial grandaunt froze for a moment and asked, “What has happened?”

Yidu looked up at everyone in the hall but didn’t dare to speak plainly. The Emperor urged, “Tell the truth.” I stared at her anxiously, knowing this must be related to the Crown Prince—otherwise Yidu would never have reported so recklessly.

Yidu rose and said, “Someone risked his life to break into the prison, cutting open his chest with a knife to show his sincerity, pleading to prove the Crown Prince’s innocence.” The Emperor’s expression shifted slightly. “Someone actually did that? What’s become of him now?” Yidu hurriedly replied, “His Majesty dispatched Minister Chen, who was overseeing Lai Junchen, to take him to the Imperial Medical Bureau. Minister Chen sent orders asking whether the man should be saved or executed.”

I turned sharply to the imperial grandaunt. She pondered for a moment before asking Shen Nanliao, “If his chest was cut open, is there any chance to save him?” Shen Nanliao quickly answered, “If the physician treats him in time, he might be able to be kept alive.” The Emperor thought silently for a moment longer, then rose and said, “If your brother is a disciple of the Medicine King, he should have that skill.” She told Yidu, “Send word at once; do whatever is necessary to keep him alive.”

Yidu hurriedly bowed and stepped back. The Emperor also rose and said to Wan’er, “Wan’er, accompany me and Imperial Physician Shen to the Medical Bureau.” After speaking, he glanced at me and added, “Yong’an, you come with us as well.”

I quickly bowed in acknowledgment and followed my imperial grandaunt out of the Hall of Longevity.

My grandaunt waved off the dragon carriage and we rode swiftly. I felt as if I had grasped a life-saving straw; all I could hear was the accelerating thud of my own heartbeat. Judging by her expression now, she seemed equally shocked. The fact that she had ordered the person treated and was personally going to the Medical Bureau meant she was wavering—she had begun to doubt her decision.

At that thought, I wished we could arrive immediately, but the road ahead felt endless. My anxiety grew, though I dared not show it; I could only keep pace with my grandaunt. By the time we reached the Medical Bureau, my clothes were soaked through with sweat.

The attendants in the Imperial Medical Office were busy treating the person on the bed; when the Emperor himself arrived, they all immediately knelt.

The Emperor waved his hand and said, “Rise. Do your best to treat him — I will question him myself.” As she finished speaking, Wan’er had already brought a chair for her and, pulling me, stood me beside the imperial grandaunt.

By the bed, Shen Qiu hurriedly resumed his work. From where I stood I saw the person on the bed covered in blood, the court physician beside him holding the wounds closed while Shen Qiu lifted the needle and pierced several places. Taking the mulberry-bark thread handed to him from behind, he began to suture the wounds. He pressed his lips together, his expression more solemn than I had ever seen, yet his blood-stained hands were very gentle as they carefully passed through flesh and gradually closed the wounds.

After finishing, the person at his side hurriedly brought water for him to wash his hands. He roughly cleaned and dried them, then took up the silver needle and continued to prick a few more spots. He quietly instructed the people behind him to prepare the wound medicine, and only then let out a long breath, turned, and bowed, saying, “The five viscera are back in place. Everything depends on tomorrow morning.”

The emperor frowned and looked at him. “I want him to live.”

Shen Qiu respectfully said, “I have done my best, Your Majesty. If this man truly has a sincere heart, naturally he can survive.” The emperor stared at him coldly. “You mean, if he lives, that would mean the Crown Prince was wrongly accused?” Shen Qiu, neither humble nor defiant, said, “I am only a physician. I concern myself with the health of those in the palace; I dare not rashly comment on other matters.”

The Emperor stared at him for a moment longer, then sighed and said, “He has the same temper as Sun Simiao. Oh well, talented people inevitably have some bad tempers.” She glanced at the person on the bed and added, “You just said everything depends on tomorrow morning, which means I have to wait a whole night?”

Shen Qiu nodded and said, “If he can wake at the hour of the tiger tomorrow, he can live.”

The Emperor was silent for a moment, then said, “I will wait here for him to wake.”

After the Emperor finished speaking, Wan’er immediately stepped back and left, instructing the attending palace maids to make preparations. When she returned she cast me a quick look and smiled faintly. I looked at her and managed a weak smile before turning back to the man on the bed. At a time when everything had already reached a dead end, for someone like him to appear felt like fate. As long as he could wake, the Crown Prince’s case would still have a chance to be turned around.

That night felt unbearably long. Apart from Shen Qiu constantly changing his dressings and administering injections, no one dared move an inch; they all stayed with the Imperial Grand-aunt, waiting. The Imperial Grand-aunt never spoke another word, only staring at the person on the bed, lost in thought with an expression that was hard to read.

After an unknown length of time, the Emperor finally turned and asked for tea. Wan’er hurriedly handed him a cup; he took a sip, passed it back to her, sighed deeply and said, “Wan’er, how is Danke?” Wan’er hurriedly replied, “Lai Junchen didn’t use severe torture; his food and drink are passable. On the surface, he seems to be all right.”

The Emperor looked at me next and asked, “Have you seen Longji?” I was momentarily taken aback, then answered, “Your Imperial Grand-aunt, Yong’an has seen the Commandery Prince.” The Emperor nodded and asked, “Did he say anything?” I hesitated for a moment, then said, “The Commandery Prince hasn’t spoken to anyone.”

After the brief questions, the Emperor sank back into silence, his expression growing increasingly dim.

Suddenly, Shen Qiu spoke softly, but it was to the person on the bed.

Awake! I looked at the person on the bed, so happy that I exchanged a glance with Wan’er.

The Imperial Grand-Aunt suddenly stood up and asked, “Is he awake?” Shen Qiu said another sentence to that person, as if testing his consciousness, and after a moment added, “After I fed him a bowl of medicinal soup, he did become slightly clearer. If His Majesty wishes to question him, please do so quickly.” Having finished, someone beside him handed over a jade bowl; Shen Qiu took it and fed the man. When everything was done, he hurriedly bowed and stepped away from the bedside.

The Emperor quickly took two steps forward, leaned over, and asked, “Can you hear me when I speak?”

The man murmured indistinctly in reply. The Emperor nodded, then said, “Since you have opened your heart and speak wisely, I will listen to what you have to say.” The man was quiet for a long time, as if enduring terrible pain. After a while he spoke a few more slurred words to the Emperor, sounding urgent. The Emperor listened in silence, his expression unreadable.

I was too far away to catch a single word; I just watched the Emperor’s face with mounting anxiety. This was the only chance. If Grand-aunt (Huang guzu) believed him, Prince Yongping’s life could be spared. If she did not believe…

The man seemed unable to speak further; he groaned twice and then sank back into unconsciousness.