The Golden Hairpin

by Qinghan CeCe

  The man laughed. “I can’t tell you. It keeps food on the table.”

  Huang Zixia turned and looked at Li Shubai. He gave her a piece of silver. She put it in the man’s hand. “Sir,” she said sincerely, “to tell you the truth, my master has a bet. You must have heard about what happened last night. The bird who disappeared from its cage outside Xianyou Temple?”

  The man took the money and smiled. “I hadn’t heard, but making a bird disappear from its cage is easy as pie.”

  “My master has a friend who says it’s impossible. They made a bet. He has to demonstrate it within three days. Would you be able to teach my master how?”

  “It’s basic stuff,” he said. “The bird is trained to go to a certain part of the cage when it hears its owner’s verbal command. There’s a mechanism in place so when the owner presses a rod, a trapdoor opens, and the bird flies into his sleeve pocket.”

  “Oh! So that’s it,” Huang Zixia said. Li Shubai passed her another silver ingot. “So since you know this trick, you must have such a birdcage, no?”

  “We did,” the man said, looking sad as he saw the silver. “We sold it a few days ago.”

  “I told you,” the woman said. “That bird was from our master and worth a lot more than five ingots. Even twelve would have been too little.”

  “Was it a starling? Could it learn a trick like that in a few days?”

  “No,” he said. “It was but a white one. Gorgeous.”

  “Ah, shame you sold it,” Huang Zixia said as she gave the man the silver. “Do you know who bought it? Maybe I could find them. We’ll try our luck at getting it ourselves.”

  “That I really don’t know. He learned the trick and left. Didn’t even get his name.”

  “Do you remember what he looked like?”

  “Yes, a young fellow around twenty years old, medium height, good-looking. He had a red mole on his forehead.”

  “The mole was right in the middle,” the woman added. “He was really good-looking. With that birthmark, he was just like someone in a painting.”

  Huang Zixia was wondering about the details of the whole thing. The strange clues weren’t coming together. She looked up and found that Li Shubai was already far ahead of her. She hurried to catch up. It was dark, and the streetlight had been lit. Two rows of lanterns lined the street, shining like red halos. Li Shubai glanced back at her. His cold face had a touch of warmth from the orange light, and his eyes took on a misty look. She realized she cared for him and felt a little embarrassed.

  When she caught up to him, she finally said, “I don’t think this was the work of Pang Xun’s ghost like the rumors suggest. I don’t think it was a street performer either.”

  “Yes, he couldn’t have anything to do with Pang Xun, and couldn’t have hidden from everyone at Xianyou.”

  But he could have let others into Xianyou, they both thought. “Not to mention, he had plenty of followers who could have shown up for him, no need to go learn from a couple of street performers himself.”

  The street was bright as day. As they stood silently, a carriage began approaching slowly. It was full of a group of eunuchs and guards sitting in neat rows. They stepped aside in order to avoid being seen, but someone looked out the window and saw them.

  The carriage stopped, and the door opened. It was Li Run.

  He was a handsome, elegant, and gentle man who always had a smile on his face. With a bright-red mole on his forehead, he looked like a man in a painting.

  Li Run walked over to them. “What are you doing here, brother?” he said with a smile.

  Li Shubai nodded slightly. “Brother.”

  Li Run nodded at Huang Zixia. “Clear weather tonight. The lamps are like stars. Good for a walk. But going out with just a eunuch isn’t very safe. You should have guards.”

  “If I’m with too many people, I wouldn’t be able to enjoy the quiet.”

  Li Run looked around at the empty streets and nodded reluctantly. “That’s true. We grew up amid hustle and bustle. This kind of setting is a sight.”

  Li Shubai didn’t want to say too much. “It’s almost curfew time. You should be heading back.”

  He nodded, then seemed to think of something. “If you have time, you could come to my palace for a little gathering. Dong Tinglan’s protégé, Chen Nian, is serving as music master.”

  “She didn’t go back to Yangzhou?”

  “Li Rui took her to the palace to show her skills to Lady Zhao. The Emperor and Empress were there too. Lady Zhao loves pipa, and the Emperor doesn’t love guqin. You know the Empress prefers quiet. Chen Nian wanted to stay in the capital and keep looking for Feng Yi, so we asked her to stay.”

  Huang Zixia and Li Shubai looked at each other a moment. Li Shubai stayed calm. “I see. I’ll be free in a few days and will head over.”

  “Good. I’m looking forward to it.”

  It wasn’t until after Li Run’s carriage had vanished in the distance that Li Shubai looked at the lanterns in front of him and slowly asked, “What do you think of him?”

  She thought it over. “If he wanted to disguise himself, it would be difficult. I think that may be why he was picked to distract us.”

  “Is there another possibility?”

  “The other possibility is that Li Run naively went to the West City to learn the trick on his own, then went and taught whoever scared your Princess.” She leaned against the willow behind her and said casually, “Regardless, I think the first possibility is more likely.”

  “I know that wasn’t him, because I don’t believe he would move against me,” Li Shubai said slowly in a tone colder than usual. “I just want to know who wants me to suspect him. Who really wants to deceive me?”

  The ninth day of the fifth month. Seven days until the Prince of Kui’s marriage.

  It drizzled all night, and the capital was enveloped in misty rain. En route to the Wang household, Huang Zixia lifted the carriage’s thin bamboo curtain and saw flowers hanging heavily from the rainwater. The peach blossoms had already bloomed, and the scholar trees were in the process, which gave the air a faint aroma. The strings of white flowers in the branches seemed almost colorless. Every now and then, she’d heard something hitting the carriage. Now she realized it wasn’t water but flowers.

  The Wangs’ people were already waiting at the entrance with umbrellas. When they saw her, they hurried to bring her one. “Mr. Yang, so nice of you to come. The Empress has already called Wang Ruo into the palace. She’d like you and Ms. Su to join the audience.”

  “Yes, of course,” Huang Zixia said with a nod. The rumors in the capital were intense and had already spread to the Empress, who’d long lived in the inner palace. Her calling them in meant she’d have a lot to say. The Empress was kind, but stern. The Emperor adored her and would always do what she said. As Huang Zixia thought this over, she took an umbrella, entered the antechamber, and walked through the corridor.

  Wang Ruo’s courtyard was covered in orchids, and a few long banana leaves stuck out. Her wooden-lattice window lacked warmth, given the weather. Huang Zixia gently opened the umbrella and stood outside the window near a large vase with three or four red-and-white carp swimming in the water. She watched the rain hit the banana leaves and splash into the vase. During a quieter moment, she heard the vague sound of voices inside, as if people were whispering about something.

  Huang Zixia looked out the window and saw Wang Ruo sleeping restlessly on the couch. She was frowning and had a panicked look on her face. Her hands clutched the edge, and her forehead was covered in sweat, as if she were being tortured. Huang Zixia wondered if she should wake her up when she heard her murmur, “Scarlet . . . scarlet.” She was surprised and leaned closer to listen. Wang Ruo’s tone turned to pleading. “Feng Yi, don’t blame me. You shouldn’t . . .”

  The rain suddenly intensified and hit Huang Zixia’s upper body. She moved to get shelter and heard Wang Ruo shout and wake up. Huang Zixia calmly brushed the water off her clothi
ng and knocked on the door. “Princess,” she said quietly.

  There were two girls sitting inside. One named Xian Yun came over and opened the door. “Mr. Yang, it’s you. The Princess was just having a nightmare.”

  “Oh, I was outside and heard her wake up.” Huang Zixia brushed more rain off herself as Wang Ruo slowly sat up. Their eyes met, and Wang Ruo still looked somewhat terrified. Huang Zixia went over to her and said quietly, “What was the Princess dreaming about?”

  “Chonggu!” Her young eyes filled with tears. “I—I dreamed that I actually disappeared from this world.”

  Huang Zixia sat next to her. “Dreams are the mind thinking. Whatever the Princess was thinking about during the day, she’ll dream about at night. If you don’t think about what that man said, you won’t have such a dream.”

  “Really?” She trembled as she gripped Huang Zixia’s sleeve. “Chonggu, the Prince will protect me, right?”

  “Right,” Huang Zixia said without hesitation. She thought of what Li Shubai said—It doesn’t matter. If she’s deceiving me, then she must be exposed. But Huang Zixia’s response put Wang Ruo at ease.

  She breathed a gentle sigh of relief and leaned on the cushion quietly for a while. “Right,” she murmured, “the Prince of Kui will protect me. I have no reason to be afraid.”

  Eight

  TILTED WORLD

  The Penglai Hall of Daming Palace

  Three levels above the ground floor was the Empress’s living quarters.

  Huang Zixia followed the palace attendants, along with Wang Ruo, Su Qi, and some of the Wangs’ ladies up the white jade steps to the ninth doorway. The door was a twelve-panel agarwood screen. The top of each was carved with flower gods surrounded by clouds that faced their Queen Mother in the Kunlun Mountains. Wang Ruo stopped and stood with her head bowed. All was silent.

  Huang Zixia wondered about what she’d heard Wang Ruo raving about in her dreams. It seemed that the woman who looked like Feng Yi definitely was Feng Yi. But what does “scarlet” mean?

  A thick, red piece of Persian silk appeared, and everyone put their hands together in salute, not daring to raise their gazes. The Empress must be coming, so Huang Zixia bowed too and looked at the clouds on her clothing.

  The Empress walked behind the screen with her ladies and sat on the exquisite couch surrounded by burning incense. She picked up a light-green teacup and thought awhile before finally saying in a clear, bright tone, “Wang Ruo, you don’t look so good. The wedding is in only seven days. Aren’t you excited?”

  Wang Ruo sat next to her on the couch. “Some silly things happened recently that have me worried,” she said quietly. “Nothing worth troubling you with.”

  The Empress looked at her and held her hand without speaking. The Empress looked indifferent but also gentle.

  “There’s bound to be something trying to bother you. Why pay it any mind?” The Empress gently held Wang Ruo’s right hand as if it were a baby bird. Huang Zixia felt something indescribable, something like fear. “Who was sent here by the Prince of Kui?”

  Su Qi and Huang Zixia quickly said, “Your servants.”

  The Empress looked at them a moment. “The Princess is young and will need a lot of care when she moves to the palace.”

  “Yes,” they responded.

  “Chonggu and Su Qi are loyal servants,” Wang Ruo said. “They have been so good to me.”

  “All right. Tell us if there’s anything you don’t like,” the Empress said, standing up with Wang Ruo’s hand still in hers. “In seven days, it will be your send-off. We’ve prepared some things for you. Go to the inner palace and look.”

  The group waiting outside in the inner palace could be heard, if you listened closely. Soon the Empress and her attendants left and asked everyone to follow them to a small room for a meal. Huang Zixia took a few bites and put her chopsticks down. The girl next to her, Xian Yun, tapped her and said, “Mr. Yang, why don’t we go to the hall entrance and look around? You can see the whole lake, and it’s incredibly beautiful.”

  Huang Zixia had been to the Wangs’ as a eunuch many times now and knew Xian Yun well. She was chatty and had a reputation for being mischievous, so people who knew her very well didn’t like her. Huang Zixia didn’t want to eat anymore, so she left with Xian Yun and stood at the railing of a balcony facing north.

  The weather was nice. Small waves rippled on the nearby lake. The island in the middle looked mythical, a light embellishment on the flickering water. “How beautiful, no wonder they say it’s the most beautiful place on earth.” Xian Yun reached out her hand as if trying to grab the beauty.

  “Yes, really beautiful,” Huang Zixia said. If anything, it was too beautiful. It seemed unreal, like the jade palace on the moon.

  One of Empress Wang’s officers, Yan Ling, came and said, “The Empress has asked everyone to the side hall. The Princess would like to rest awhile. If you want to enjoy the palace sights, you can go to the lake, but not too far.”

  “Really?” Xian Yun said. “Amazing!”

  Yan Ling called to an older lady named Yao Yue and asked her to take them for a walk along the lake. Huang Zixia and Xian Yun went with Yao Yue to the lake. They looked up and saw a boat with an old servant shouting from the bow. Someone called, “Lady Zhou has arrived. Make way.”

  The boat stopped, and several eunuchs and ladies came ashore. A girl with a round face and almond eyes got off. Huang Zixia was surprised to see it was Princess Qi Le. She remembered the rumors about how Princess Qi Le copied scripture for Lady Zhao to get ahead in the competition to marry Li Shubai. It was also said she was sick over losing. Huang Zixia couldn’t believe she’d come today.

  The servant let Lady Zhao out of the cabin. She entered the palace as a concubine at thirteen and had children at fifteen. At twenty-four, she became concubine of the late Emperor. She even had her own room in Daming Palace. Compared with the others, who were dispatched to Taiji and Xingqing Palaces after the Emperor’s death, she was obviously favored.

  Huang Zixia and Xian Yun hurried to greet her. Hearing they were the Prince of Kui’s people, she asked their names and sized up Huang Zixia. “You’re the Yang Chonggu who broke the Four Directions Case?”

  “Yes,” Huang Zixia said with her head bowed.

  “I see, well done. The Prince of Kui has always had good taste,” she said. “You’re accompanying the Princess to the palace today? This widow will see her too.” Lady Zhao laughed heartily and went with her people to Penglai Hall. Huang Zixia waited for them to get ahead, then followed. Suddenly someone pulled on her sleeve. A girl next to her pursed her lips and said quietly, “We meet again, Mr. Yang.”

  It was that pipa player from the academy who was with Li Rui last time. Huang Zixia nodded. Jin Nu smiled. “Lady Zhao wanted to hear pipa today, so Li Rui sent me.”

  Huang Zixia remembered that Lady Zhao was Li Rui’s mother. The Empress came out to meet Lady Zhao personally. Huang Zixia stood at the foot of the steps and watched the Empress escort Wang Ruo and her attendants.

  Empress Wang looked down at Huang Zixia and the others waiting. The water in the lake was suddenly stirred by the wind. The Empress’s skirt rolled up, its gauzy layers like peony petals adding to her weightless grace. Her face shone like the moon, and even Wang Ruo’s beauty couldn’t compare.

  Huang Zixia couldn’t help but stare. She felt small and ashamed. She heard Jin Nu let out an almost imperceptibly quiet sigh.

  Empress Wang’s gaze passed easily from them to Lady Zhao. “Welcome, my lady.”

  “Oh, this widow doesn’t care much for decorum. You’re in charge now. If it weren’t for your generosity, this old lady would be out on the street.” Lady Zhao smiled and took the Empress’s hand as they walked inside.

  Lady Zhao and the Empress laughed quietly as Huang Zixia went with the group to Penglai Hall. Three white marble levels above, the lady and Empress looked closely at Wang Ruo and spoke to her, laughing from time to time. The inner palace
bustled. Huang Zixia and those who weren’t part of the family stood quietly outside. Beads of sweat ran down Jin Nu’s face, nearly washing all her makeup away. “You okay?” Huang Zixia asked.

  “I’m . . . pretty hot,” she said hoarsely.

  Huang Zixia looked at the spring sun and felt the wind blowing over the water. It didn’t seem very hot to her. She took out her handkerchief and gave it to Jin Nu.

  Jin Nu’s hands shook as she took it.

  She wiped her face and forced a smile. “I could be getting sick. I’ll go back and get some rest and be fine.”

  Huang Zixia nodded.

  Jin Nu hesitated a long time before quietly asking, “That one in red must be the Empress?”

  “Yes,” Huang Zixia replied with a nod.

  “So the one behind her is the Princess of Kui?”

  Huang Zixia nodded again and studied Jin Nu’s expression. There was something she couldn’t put her finger on. A sense of recognition, maybe.

  Jin Nu seemed dazed. “Impossible,” she muttered. “How could the Princess of Kui be her?”

  Huang Zixia knew there had to be a reason Jin Nu had so many questions, but Jin Nu was just a pipa player who was new to the palace. Maybe that was why she was so curious.

  She was about to ask another question when the Empress’s attendant Yan Ling came and asked, “Which is Jin Nu?”

  “Me . . . ,” she said, holding the pipa.

  “The lady wants you,” Yan Ling said, glancing at Huang Zixia. “Why aren’t you waiting on the Princess?” she asked.

  Huang Zixia hurried ahead. Jin Nu hesitated, then took Huang Zixia’s hand. Jin Nu’s hand felt weak and cold with sweat. Huang Zixia knew Jin Nu didn’t have the strength to carry the pipa, so she helped her carry it inside the hall. Jin Nu bowed as Huang Zixia gave her the pipa and her jade pick back. Then she went to Wang Ruo and stood by Jin Nu.

  Wang Ruo’s face was as pale as a wilting flower. Her eyes were downcast, as if she didn’t dare to face anyone, especially Jin Nu.