Chapter Sixteen: The Sudden Bad News
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Jiang Zhuo had originally intended to return to the palace ahead of the other court musicians, but an unexpected incident on the way delayed her, and she ended up arriving even later than Director Qin and the others.
Fortunately, she made it back before the palace gates were locked, so no serious trouble arose.
Yet in the space of a single night, one misfortune had followed another: confinement, drugging, escape through a window, falling into the water, a frightened horse, and accident after accident.
That very night, Jiang Zhuo developed a fever.
Thankfully, Tonghua was still by her side to care for her, and Director Qin had helped summon an imperial physician. The physician said only that she had been frightened and chilled after falling into the water, and that she needed several days of rest.
The weather had not been pleasant these past few days, either. The sky remained gloomy, with great banks of black cloud hanging overhead. There was no wind, yet the rain could neither properly fall nor clear away, leaving people restless and irritable. Jiang Zhuo thought it was just as well that she did not have to report to the Music Office for a few days.
After lying in bed for two days, however, she found herself unbearably bored. Unable to sit still, Jiang Zhuo coaxed Tonghua into taking her outside for a stroll, hoping to get some fresh air.
When they reached a bed of peonies, Jiang Zhuo overheard several palace maids discussing the selection of a consort for Prince Jing.
“Her Majesty the Empress Dowager has not only chosen Miss Shangguan as his principal consort, but has also taken a liking to the legitimate daughter of the Shen family as his secondary consort. Eunuch Liu just went to deliver the two imperial marriage edicts.”
“The Shen family? Which Shen family? I have never heard of them.”
“The daughter of the Shen family who composed lyrics and music with Director Jiang at the Qionghua Banquet. I think her name was Shen something-zhi…”
Shen Guanzhi.
Jiang Zhuo reached her own conclusion in silence. The selection of Prince Jing’s consorts was indeed proceeding just as it had in her previous life.
“Miss Jiang—”
Someone suddenly called out to her from the flower bed. “There you are!”
Only then did the two young palace maids notice Jiang Zhuo behind them. Realizing that their words and behavior had been improper, they hurriedly bowed in alarm.
Jiang Zhuo waved a hand indifferently and said nothing. Instead, she turned to look at the newcomer.
“Greetings, Madam Li. What brings you here today?”
Jiang Zhuo noticed that Madam Li had still addressed her as Miss Jiang. She supposed this meant that the choice of Prince Jing’s consorts had been finalized, and there was no longer any need for her to remain in the palace.
“Her Majesty the Empress Dowager has summoned you to the Palace of Celebrated Longevity. She says she has something to tell you.”
Madam Li’s eyes darted away, and her words were vague, as though she knew something but dared not say it.
A sharp flash of light tore across the sky. Several breaths later, a dull rumble of thunder rolled through the clouds.
Jiang Zhuo frowned. A faint unease stirred within her, but she merely said that she would first return to her room to fetch her pipa before accompanying Madam Li.
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“You need not fetch the pipa this time, Miss. I fear…” Madam Li stopped her. “You have only just recovered from a serious illness and will have no leisure to play.”
Then, perhaps afraid Jiang Zhuo would not believe her, she added, “It is Her Majesty’s order.”
“Is Her Majesty in a bad mood today?” Jiang Zhuo asked cautiously.
Madam Li shook her head, her expression complicated, and refused to say anything more.
Jiang Zhuo did not press her.
When she arrived at the Palace of Celebrated Longevity, she was not kept waiting this time. Madam Li announced her presence, then immediately ushered her inside.
Before stepping through the palace gate, however, Jiang Zhuo looked up at the dark clouds hanging so low beyond the eaves that they seemed ready to descend upon the palace. The ominous feeling in her heart grew ever stronger.
“You have come?”
The Empress Dowager still sat high upon her couch, but this time the screen had been removed.
At the Qionghua Banquet, the Empress Dowager had sat behind a curtain, and with men from outside the palace present as well, Jiang Zhuo had never dared raise her head.
This was the first time she had seen the Empress Dowager’s true appearance.
The Empress Dowager wore her hair in a high coiffure crowned with a jeweled ornament shaped like nine dragons. Silver threaded through her temples, while the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes spread like the tail feathers of a phoenix. Yet her warm, gentle eyes gave her an air that was both benevolent and imposing.
“Your servant pays her respects to Her Majesty. May Her Majesty enjoy good health and be blessed with everlasting fortune and longevity.”
“Your servant?” The Empress Dowager took a sip of tea brought by Madam Li. “It seems that you have grown accustomed to your office as a court musician these past few days.”
“Your Majesty, I have only recently arrived at the Palace Bureau of Rites and have little seniority. But whatever Your Majesty commands, I shall certainly do my utmost to learn and fulfill it.”
The Empress Dowager made no comment on Jiang Zhuo’s changed form of address. Instead, she ordered someone to bring Jiang Zhuo a memorial.
“Read this.”
It was a memorial submitted to the Emperor by a local official. In principle, Jiang Zhuo had no right to read it.
But since it had been placed before her…
The unease in Jiang Zhuo’s heart intensified. She dared not speculate further, nor did she pause for formalities. Almost in a panic, she took the memorial and opened it.
“I respectfully report that the former Councilor of State, Jiang Dun, retired from office and returned to his native home. Unexpectedly, on the twenty-seventh day of this month, while passing through the territory of Xinan County in Quzhou Prefecture, he was intercepted and robbed by vicious bandits and tragically lost his life. Upon hearing this shocking news, I have hastened to report it. I humbly beseech Your Majesty to order the Regional Surveillance Office to apprehend the bandits within ten days and deliver them to the Court of Judicial Review for sentencing and execution.”
Jiang Zhuo had never had a private tutor when she was young. Her father, Jiang Dun, had taught her every stroke of every character himself. Yet now she felt as though she could no longer make sense of the writing.
Perhaps it was because she had been ill these past few days.
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She should have asked Madam Li to read it aloud. Jiang Zhuo lifted her head, intending to seek her help.
But great tears suddenly spilled from her eyes, soaking and blurring the ink of the memorial.
The torrential rain that had been gathering for days began to fall as well, pattering against the blue-gray stone slabs beyond the corridor and stirring up the heat and dust that had accumulated over the past several days.
When the sons and daughters of families once beneath her had mocked her as a mere entertainer, Jiang Zhuo had not cried.
When the Marquis of Wuwei had locked her in a hidden chamber and drugged her, Jiang Zhuo had not cried.
When a debauched ruffian had driven his horse through the streets after her, blocking her path and giving chase, Jiang Zhuo had not cried.
But now, Jiang Zhuo wept.
“…The dead are beyond grief, Miss Jiang. You must not sorrow too deeply.” Madam Li handed her a handkerchief and sighed. “You have only just recovered from your illness. If Deputy Chancellor Jiang has any spirit in the world beyond, he would certainly not wish you to ruin your health over this.”
Jiang Zhuo stared at Madam Li in disbelief. She did not understand what the older woman was saying.
Her father could not possibly be dead. In her previous life, after his household had been confiscated and he had been exiled, he had traveled north. In this life, he had resigned from office and returned to his native home, traveling south instead.
Unless—unless someone had meant to harm him.
Jiang Zhuo fixed her gaze upon the words vicious bandits in the memorial.
Whatever else might be said, her father had been a high-ranking official of the second grade. The Jiang household was large, and it was impossible that he had returned home without taking servants and guards with him.
What sort of bandits would dare rob a former deputy chancellor? And what sort of bandits could have killed every guard accompanying the Jiang household?
“His Majesty was deeply grieved upon learning of Deputy Chancellor Jiang’s death. He also heard that you have suffered considerable hardship at the Music Office these past few days, and has therefore bestowed a special favor upon you.”
The Empress Dowager’s gentle, compassionate voice carried an authority that allowed no doubt or dissent.
The young eunuch who had always attended her side cleared his throat and proclaimed:
“By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Jiang Zhuo, daughter of the late Councilor of State Jiang Dun, is gentle in temperament, dignified in conduct, and has served the Empress Dowager with utmost devotion. As her father was slain on the road, she is hereby granted special relief and conferred the title of—”
Kneeling upon the floor, Jiang Zhuo was dazed and heard nothing that followed.
The summer cicadas in the palace were crying with unbearable desolation, their shrill voices as fine and piercing as silver needles driven into her ears. Yet after listening for long enough, she felt as though all the world had fallen utterly silent.
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