HMAM CH 60 Harem Affairs
As the urgency of the war intensified, the Wuhuan emissary quickly agreed to Jing Ye's conditions. Although they deviated somewhat from their ideal terms, they were sufficient to resolve Wuhuan's pressing needs.
This emperor, not yet twenty and seemingly weak and gentle, demonstrated a firm and uncompromising stance when discussing terms, leaving the Wuhuan emissary both troubled and reassured.
At the very least, the other understood the stakes involved, so while the Wuhuan people might not win the war, they certainly would not lose it.
As for the future… there are no eternal enemies, and no eternal allies.
Jing Ye watched the Wuhuan emissary take the proposed terms, then ordered a curved dagger to be brought forth by his attendants. The hilt was worn from heavy use, and as the blade was drawn from its sheath, the emissary lightly brushed his thumb against the sharp tip, staining it with blood.
Pressing his thumb down, he left a blood imprint on the paper.
The Wuhuan emissary knelt on one knee and said, “Your Majesty, on behalf of the Wuhuan King, this humble subject thanks you.”
Jing Ye replied, “Please rise. The supplies and troops will be delivered to your king promptly after zhen issues the decree. And you may stay in the capital for a while longer to see your princess married.”
The Wuhuan emissary smiled and bowed his head, “Your Majesty’s kindness is overwhelming, but this humble subject has a small request outside the terms we discussed, and hopes Your Majesty can fulfill it.”
Jing Ye responded, “Speak.”
The Wuhuan emissary said, “This humble subject heard that when Your Majesty led an expedition to the southwest, there was a young general who commanded an army of three thousand and defeated tens of thousands of cavalry from the Xijiang. This humble subject hopes this time the reinforcements to the north can be led by this general.”
Jing Ye was taken aback for a moment, realizing that he was referring to Li Tingqiu.
The Wuhuan emissary waited for a while, but there was only silence. He looked up at the young emperor, who had spoken decisively during the negotiations, now biting his lip and appearing uncertain.
The Wuhuan emissary asked, “Your Majesty…?”
Jing Ye paused and said, “That battle was indeed brilliantly fought, but zhen's soldiers suffered considerable casualties as well. That General Li you mentioned has already been dispatched to defend Bixue Pass, and it hasn’t been long since the conflict has passed; he still needs to recuperate.”
The Wuhuan emissary burst into laughter and said, “Your Majesty, our young men from Wuhuan can take to the battlefield with just a curved dagger and conquer the land once mounted. Since that General Li was able to defeat the fierce Xijiang warriors, why would he mind some minor injuries?”
Jing Ye thought to himself that what that was called was reckless, but after a moment of silence, he replied calmly, “Since you insist, zhen cannot be seen as stingy with talented individuals. Let him lead his troops north.”
The Wuhuan emissary bowed and smiled, “Thank you, Your Majesty.”
As Jing Ye left the imperial study, he faintly heard the sound of music, so he asked, “Where is the music coming from?”
Ye Mao listened for a moment and said, “It seems to be coming from the direction of the Yihu Lake.” After some thought, he added, “The nearest palace to Yihu Lake is Fengyang Palace.”
Fengyang Palace? That “Bright Moon over the ”... Jing Ye recalled her height, which was even taller than his own, and he felt a twitch at the corner of his eye. “We will return to the palace.”
Ye Mao promptly assisted him into the imperial sedan.
Meanwhile, several palace maids were accompanying Lin Min around to enjoy the sights.
With the emperor lacking consorts, sisters or daughters, the palace staff understood that Lin Min would be the future mother of the nation, and they behaved with utmost respect, not daring to speak out of turn.
One of the palace maids supported Lin Min and pointed to a nearby palace gate, saying, “Once you are officially conferred, recognized with the phoenix seal, you will reside in this Changle Palace. This was specially built for the empress by the founding emperor, and the subsequent emperors have also made numerous renovations. No other place in the palace, except His Majesty’s personal quarters, is as grand and luxurious.”
Lin Min asked, “Does His Majesty usually rest in his personal quarters?”
The palace maid responded, “Yes, aside from attending court and dealing with documents in the imperial study, His Majesty mostly stays in his personal quarters, though… he often visits the several gongzi.”
Lin Min’s eyes flickered, and she took the palace maid’s hand, smiling gently, “I am new to the palace and still need to learn many customs and practices, not to mention the preferences and habits of everyone residing in the palace. Since you are an experienced palace lady here, I shall need your guidance.”
The palace maid smiled, saying, “His Majesty ordered this servant to assist the noble lady in becoming familiar with palace matters and to maintain appropriate decorum; this is my duty.”
Lin Min looked at her thoughtfully and asked with a smile, “I heard that there is a young prince's heir residing in His Majesty’s personal quarters?”
The palace maid replied, “He is the young prince. His Majesty treats the young prince as if he were his own child.”
“Oh?” Lin Min stopped in her tracks and inquired, “Then the heir to the throne…?”
The palace maid glanced at her, bending slightly, “This servant dare not speculate, but the legitimate firstborn son is traditionally the stipulated heir according to ancestral customs.”
Lin Min’s finely drawn brows furrowed.
This silence did not last long; a gentle breeze blew, and over the palace walls, the sound of a pipa could be faintly heard.
Lin Min lifted her head, and the palace maid listened carefully, chuckling, “It must be coming from Fengyang Palace.”
Lin Min asked, “Which direction?”
The palace maid smiled, “The noble lady may simply follow this servant.”
Yihu Lake was a lake dug out following the river’s course within the palace, lined with peach and apricot trees. There was a waterside pavilion constructed along the bank with a name personally written by the previous emperor, called “Crossing Fragrance.”
Lin Min followed the palace maid from behind the rockery; the pavilion was open on all sides. From a distance, she could see someone reclined on a soft couch, surrounded by several exquisitely featured maidservants—some were playing the qin, others the pipa, all laughing and playing freely without restraint.
One of the young maids glared in indignation, exclaiming, “These women from the barbaric lands don’t know the rules or proper conduct; how can they be fit to be His Majesty's consort!”
Lin Min shot her a glance, her gaze carrying an imposing demeanor, and the maid quickly fell silent.
Lin Min smiled and said, “In the future, we will all be sisters in the palace; we should meet and get to know each other early on.”
As they approached, Lin Min noticed that the Wuhuan princess was still veiled. The accompanying maids rose to greet them, but the princess remained leaning back, not offering a seat, merely raising her eyelids to appraise Lin Min from head to toe.
This behavior was quite arrogant and disrespectful. Although Lin Min did not reveal it on her face, she smiled faintly while one of the maids fetched a brocade stool for her to sit upon.
Lin Min softly said, “May I ask how old the princess is? Since we both belong to His Majesty, we ought to refer to each other as sisters.”
One of the nearby maidservants playfully responded, “The princess has just turned sixteen; may we inquire about your age, my lady?”
Lin Min’s maid retorted angrily, “Who are you? How could you interrupt when the noble lady is speaking!”
The maidservant did not take offense and continued to smile, “The princess is naturally shy and speaks Han poorly, which is why since entering the palace, this servant has spoken on her behalf. This sister has quite a temper; may I ask who you are?”
Lin Min, feeling irritated, said, “No need for more words,” and her maid stepped back behind her.
Lin Min continued, smiling, “I just turned seventeen this January, so I shall call you little sister.”
The princess appraised her for a moment more; her veiled face obscured her expression, but it was still that same maid who smiled and remarked, “The princess has only one elder brother, the Wuhuan King, and now with a sister, she is not alone in the palace.”
Although Lin Min was still smiling, her eyes conveyed some displeasure. Even if the princess spoke Han poorly, she should at least speak up a little; this air of arrogance—did she really believe she would have the emperor’s exclusive favor in the future?
Come to think of it, she was merely a sacrificial pawn sent from the border tribes seeking peace.
While contemplating this, Lin Min also forgot that she was simply a pawn of the Lin family, used to secure their standing in the capital.
Their interaction was quickly relayed to Jing Ye’s ears by the people in Qingyu Pavilion. He found it amusing that the eldest daughter of the Lin family seemed to be treating his palace as her own private residence.
He then recalled the “Bright Moon over the Mountain,” who was taller than himself, feeling rather distressed as he asked Gu Gongzi, “Are all Wuhuan women this tall?”
Gu Hong chuckled and said, “This subject once read in the ‘Records of the Four Directions’ that the Wuhuan people are indeed taller than those from Central Plains. Moreover, this princess has practiced dance for many years, so her tall physique is not surprising.”
Jing Ye pinched his arm, feeling somewhat disgruntled. “Is it too late for zhen to practice now?”
Gu Hong placed his hand on Jing Ye’s back, sliding down his spine and waist. “What is Your Majesty planning to practice?”
The most attractive features of Jing Ye were his butterfly bone structure, waistline, neck, collarbone, and chest—the skin was delicate, and the muscles well-balanced.
Gu Hong tenderly kissed the exposed skin at the back of Jing Ye’s neck, thinking that before long, this person would be toasting and tying the knot with a woman. Even if they had agreed it was just a formality, he still felt a twinge of dissatisfaction.
“Later… zhen still has to review documents… perhaps later tonight…”
“Tonight, it won’t just be this subject around.”
In the southwestern city of Bixue, Li Tingqiu returned from the military camp to find the imperial envoy had been waiting for quite some time.
After the imperial edict was read, the envoy smiled and said, “General, this mission is a certain victory. When you return from the victorious campaign, you will undoubtedly be rewarded; congratulations.”
Li Tingqiu’s lips curved slightly, yet the coldness in his expression deepened. Even his smile felt intimidating.
With a hint of flattery, the envoy said, “If the battle can be resolved quickly, you might be able to return to the capital in time for the empress’s appointment…”
“Empress’s appointment?” Li Tingqiu fixed his gaze on him.
“Yes, yes… His Majesty intends to establish the eldest daughter of the Lin family as the empress, and the Wuhuan princess will also be taken as a consort after the ceremony to signify goodwill between the two nations.”
“Establishing an empress and taking consorts…” Li Tingqiu bit out these words, then chuckled, “It seems I really need to hurry.”