Chapter 4: The Inner Court

Kunning Palace.

The palace maid, Luyan, paced back and forth before the palace gate, glancing toward the distance from time to time, her expression filled with unease and tension. Under normal circumstances, such behavior would have drawn a reprimand from the senior maids, and the eunuchs on duty would never have permitted her to loiter near the gates.

But at this moment, with two hundred thousand troops of the Prince of Qian surrounding the city, the imperial palace—while not in total chaos—was gripped by restlessness. The once-strict palace regulations had loosened, and everyone was worried about what fate would befall them, these maids and eunuchs of the former dynasty, once the rebel army entered the city.

"Eunuch Xia is back!"

Someone shouted. Luyan hurriedly turned her head to see Xia Shouzhong, the Chief Eunuch of the Six Palaces, running over in a flurry, followed by seven or eight young eunuchs and maids, all of them looking panicked. Luyan was struck with fear. These attendants moved with such frantic haste, exuding a profound anxiety as if the end of the world were at hand—a scene even more terrifying than what the elders described of an emperor’s passing.

As Xia Shouzhong and his group reached the Kunning Palace, Luyan finally regained her senses and stepped forward to ask, "Eunuch Xia, how did the discussion between the Emperor and the ministers go?" Realizing the impropriety, she quickly added, "The Empress is waiting for your report!" The Empress had instructed her to wait outside and bring him in immediately upon his return.

"This matter... it is hard to say!" Xia Shouzhong replied vaguely. He had intended to go inside to report to the Empress, but the maids, eunuchs, and even the guards surrounding Kunning Palace swarmed toward him.

"Eunuch Xia, please, tell us a bit more. What has become of the situation outside?"
"Eunuch Xia, has the Prince of Qian broken into the city yet?"
"Eunuch Xia, we are trapped in this palace like birds in a cage. Only you can help us survive this catastrophe!"
"Yes, yes, Eunuch Xia, just tell us a little more. At a time like this, who cares about the rules anymore?"

Seeing there was no escaping, Xia Shouzhong cleared his throat and spoke in a sharp, thin voice, "Stop crowding me! Is there no sense of order left in your clamoring?"

The group fell silent, but they refused to move aside. Xia Shouzhong said coldly, "That Prince of Qian has put out the word: he demands our surrender. He even made treasonous statements about declaring the Emperor the 'Duke of Peace and Contentment.'"

Among the panicked expressions of the maids and eunuchs, there was also a flicker of resignation, as if they had expected this. In the past, even hearing such words would have been considered an abominable act of treason, punishable by a slap to the mouth. But nowadays, there were no longer any forbidden topics; some were even whispering in private about the Emperor hanging himself on the back hill.

Luyan watched as Eunuch Xia scanned the crowd and continued, "The Prince of Qian also said that if we do not surrender, for every one of his soldiers who dies, he will execute three of our Great Shun dynasty’s princes to accompany them in death. He will start with the princes and finish by slaughtering every official in the imperial court."

"Ah!"

The crowd gasped. "Does that include us?" An attendant touched his neck, feeling a chill rise from his heels. He had served in the palace for many years and was now an eighth-rank attendant, a man of some standing.

"We should be fine, right?" a eunuch whispered. "Whoever sits on the throne, they will still need us to serve them, won't they?"

The latter part was spoken very softly, but it was still heard. Such words were enough to warrant execution, yet everyone pretended they had heard nothing.

"Disperse, all of you."

Xia Shouzhong pushed past the eunuchs and walked into Kunning Palace. Only then did Luyan remember she had not yet announced his arrival to the Empress, so she hurried into the inner chambers.

Upon entering the Winter Warmth Pavilion on the west side of Kunning Palace, she saw a woman of dignified and imposing bearing, yet possessing a delicate and graceful charm, reclining on a phoenix-carved sandalwood couch covered with bright yellow tapestry cushions. This was the Empress of the Great Shun dynasty, the daughter of the former Minister of Rites, Zhang, who had managed the Six Palaces for ten years.

In the past, the Empress had been admired by all both inside and outside the palace for her filial piety, her orderly management of the Six Palaces, and her gentle, virtuous nature. Though it was a pity she had borne no children, none questioned her grace. But now, Luyan saw the Empress propping her head with her hand, eyes closed in rest, looking so physically and mentally exhausted that it was painful to disturb her.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Luyan is here." The maid inside the East Warmth Pavilion saw her enter and softly awakened the Empress.

The Empress, whose brows were like a painting, slowly opened her eyes. Her phoenix-like gaze fell upon Luyan, and she sat up abruptly. "Luyan!"

"Your Majesty!" Luyan stepped forward and bowed her head.

"What was decided in the court? Where has the Chu rebel prince reached?"

"Returning to Your Majesty, Eunuch Xia is right outside the door."

"Bring him in at once!"

"Yes."

Luyan withdrew to bring Xia Shouzhong into the pavilion, then stood to the side to listen.

"This servant pays respects to Your Majesty." After bowing, Xia Shouzhong reported everything in detail.

After hearing it all, Empress Zhang sat in a daze for a long time before murmuring, "What a cunning strategy from the Chu rebel prince. One soldier for three princes—the blade is pointed directly at those with real power in the court. By starting with them, he forces the civil and military officials to yield."

No one spoke in the pavilion. Luyan glanced at the Empress and lowered her head again, her heart filled with dread.

"Do you know how the Emperor responded?" Empress Zhang asked.

Xia Shouzhong replied, "The Emperor was furious upon hearing it. He cursed the rebel Chu Yanjun, saying that if he must die, he will be the first, but he would never accept the title of 'Duke of Peace and Contentment'!"

Empress Zhang remained silent for a while before asking, "Did the other ministers express their stance? Was it surrender, or a fight to the death?"

"Uh, this servant dares not speculate. There were over a dozen ministers present in the Linjing Hall. The Minister of War and the Minister of Personnel barely spoke. Only the Grand Secretary of the Wuying Hall, Song Zhen, and the Grand Marshal, Luo Gu, were loyal and stood firm with the Emperor."

Luyan found it strange. Why did Eunuch Xia say "stood firm with"? The Emperor and his subjects standing together? What kind of talk was that? Upon reflection, she vaguely understood the implication in his words and felt the phrasing was rather sharp.

A look of contemplation crossed Empress Zhang's dignified, beautiful face. After a long pause, she said, "Since the Emperor has already cursed the rebel prince, even if those ministers had the heart to surrender, they would not dare to say so easily now. But the rebel prince has pressed too hard; he shows no mercy in killing princes and court officials. I predict that at tomorrow’s morning court, the ministers who favor surrender will certainly speak up. If that fails, many will feign illness to avoid court, so they can offer their surrender when the rebel army enters the city to preserve their lives and family properties."

"Your Majesty is absolutely right!" Xia Shouzhong forced a smile and added, "The Emperor issued a decree summoning Prince Wu, but the Prince claimed he was ill and could not attend, which infuriated the Emperor to the point of cursing him for being disloyal and unfilial!"

Luyan scoffed inwardly. A coward as timid as a mouse, yet called Prince Wu! It was fitting, though; this Prince Wu was originally the Prince of Qin, and it was only after Chu Yanjun captured the capital, Yingtian Prefecture, that the Emperor decreed the change in title, hoping to bolster the court's martial spirit—yet it had been of no use, and hundreds of thousands of troops had been routed.

"Your Majesty?"

After hearing no response for a long time, Xia Shouzhong looked up slightly at the Empress. He saw her peerless face, now filled with worry and brows furrowed in a way that stirred pity, yet no one could resolve the sorrow in her heart. The rebel army was right outside the city!

"You may go." A sigh escaped the Empress’s pale, cherry-colored lips. She waved her hand to dismiss Xia Shouzhong and rested her head on the table once more, losing the image of the mother of the nation she maintained before others.

Xia Shouzhong hesitated, then said, "Your Majesty, if there is news, this servant will return to report it!"

Empress Zhang managed a faint smile and praised him, "You have served in Kunning Palace for many years with diligence. In this time of national crisis, your loyalty is all the more evident. Once this catastrophe passes, I will certainly recommend you to the Emperor to be the Head Eunuch of the Palace."

Xia Shouzhong beamed, ecstatic, though he wondered if they would survive this ordeal at all. He kowtowed in gratitude and withdrew.

"Eunuch Xia!" Luyan chased after him, but just as she was about to speak, she saw a woman approaching with the grace of a hibiscus, followed by several maids, walking with hurried steps toward Kunning Palace.

Luyan and the eunuch stood straight. As the elegant and noble woman drew near, they both bowed: "Greetings, Virtuous Consort."