Fu Ye returned to his palace and found a few more people there.
He looked at Qingxi, who was dressed in a green robe, bowing slightly as he waved his hand. A round-faced young eunuch stepped forward, leading the others to kneel and bow, saying, “This servant, Shuangfu, and the others are here to serve Sixth Prince, by the order of Her Majesty the Empress.”
Fu Ye had anticipated that the Empress would send someone.
She had previously warned him to be cautious of the people the emperor sent to him, mentioning that Qingxi was “the Emperor’s most loyal servant” and that he would send a few “people of his own.”
With that, his palace had become overcrowded.
The new people from the Empress had nowhere to stay in the East Wing and had to be placed in the neighboring Changqing Palace.
He wasn’t sure if there were regulations regarding how many attendants different ranks of officials or royals could have. If there were, he had definitely exceeded the limit.
Because the number of attendants by Fu Huang’s side was certainly nowhere near this many.
But given the power struggle between them, Fu Ye could only remain neutral.
He nodded, his gaze falling on the young eunuch named Shuangfu.
The boy had a likable appearance, a stark contrast to Qingxi.
Qingxi, despite his cheerful name, had never smiled a day in Fu Ye’s presence. He was strangely quiet, his face almost expressionless, always slightly bowing, at the ready.
Shuangfu, on the other hand, was much younger, nervously biting his lip and glancing up at Fu Ye before quickly lowering his gaze again, looking anxious and out of place.
He had more life in him than the eunuchs from Qingyuan Palace.
Fu Ye felt tired but had no desire to sleep. He spent some time reading medical books about insomnia.
He had also asked Xiao Ai to gather the most recent research on sleep disorders.
With the wealth of medical knowledge accumulated over five thousand years, he was confident his acupuncture skills surpassed those of the palace physicians. But sleep problems, like headaches, were much harder to treat. Fu Huang’s condition was likely caused by toxins, with sleep deprivation and psychological stress creating a vicious cycle that was complicated to break. If this cycle continued, it wouldn’t just require medical treatment but also mental health care, as Fu Huang’s mental state was clearly troubled.
The next day, Eunuch Qin came once again, silently signaling Fu Ye. He grabbed his medical kit and went over.
This time, Fu Huang cooperated much more, likely because his headache was unbearable. He didn’t speak a word the entire time.
After the acupuncture session, Fu Ye believed the headache had eased considerably.
The reason he said “believed” was because Fu Huang seemed the type who would never show weakness unless he absolutely couldn’t endure it.
But his brow had deepened with the passing days, the frown making him look even more sinister.
Fu Ye had always thought of him as a cold, emotionless figure—a tyrant, unpredictable, and striking, as though he could take someone’s life at any moment. But after witnessing Fu Huang suffering from his illness firsthand, Fu Ye couldn’t help but think that even tyrants were just flesh and blood in the end.
When he applied to study medicine, it was because he had a heart that wanted to heal and save people. His teacher had taught them that the duty of a doctor was to treat illness and save lives, with only life in their eyes—not distinguishing between good and bad, rich or poor.
But the teacher also said that this was very difficult to achieve, and it was hard to live up to that ideal.
Xiao Ai said, “I think, even if someone tried to kill you, you’d still save them.”
Fu Ye replied, “I’m not that noble. It’s not about earning goodwill for myself.”
By all rights, Fu Huang had begun to show him more kindness, but Fu Ye hadn’t noticed it at all.
The food he ate every day was still the same—dishes provided by the Empress. He didn’t need these particular dishes, but in the palace, offering food was a way of expressing affection, like showing concern, telling someone to eat more. The Empress never gave food to the Emperor, and he never gave food to her either.
He still had many black-armored guards in his palace, constantly rotating shifts. The black armor wasn’t as glamorous as the golden armor, but occasionally, a guard standing outside at night might scare him, as they looked like ghosts standing motionless in the darkness.
The Emperor still didn’t allow him to leave the palace. Despite the vastness of the Three Palaces and Six Courts, he had never even taken a walk.
But as it grew colder, he found staying inside wasn’t so bad. It also spared him from the daily court greetings.
By the third day, Eunuch Qin hadn’t come to summon him again, which probably meant that Fu Huang’s headache had improved significantly.
In his palace, Qingxi was meticulous and perceptive, though he didn’t speak much. He was almost mute, so Fu Ye found himself conversing more easily with Shuangfu. Shuangfu, unlike the others in this dreary palace, was one of the few lively and active eunuchs, a stand-in for Xiao Ai in some ways.
Shuangfu had been in the palace for a short time but already knew a lot.
“Your Majesty enjoys peace and quiet,” Shuangfu said. “That’s why most of the attendants around him are mute servants.”
“They’re all specially trained,” he continued, “they can read and write, help His Majesty review memorials, and they’re paid much more than us.”
“Where did they get so many mute servants from in the palace?”
Did they do it on purpose, turning them mute?
It was so cruel!
“When His Majesty conquered Zouzhu, the wealthy families there made it fashionable to raise mute servants. After Zouzhu was recaptured, these mute servants, being incomplete bodies, had nowhere to go, so they were brought to the capital and assigned to serve the royal family.”
It wasn’t enough to castrate people, but they also made them mute. That was truly cruel.
“There are also Kunlun slaves,” Shuangfu added. “I’ve heard they’re born from evil spirits.”
“They’re still human, just with darker skin,” Fu Ye replied.
According to historical records, some nobles in the Tang Dynasty liked to keep Kunlun slaves, along with Silla maids and Bodhisattva barbarians, treating them as fashionable accessories in wealthy families.
Because Shuangfu came from the Empress’s palace, he particularly liked speaking highly of her. When he told stories, his voice had a rhythmic rise and fall, making it quite captivating.
He spoke about Empress Dowager Zhang’s background, noting that she was born into the Zhang family of Hedong. The Great Zhou Dynasty had been established for a hundred years, but the glory of the Hedong Zhang family could be traced back more than two hundred years. The father of Empress Zhang, Marquis Wu Ping Zhang Song, was a man of great military achievements, and her mother was Princess Huaiyang. It was said that when the princess was pregnant, she dreamt of the irises in the courtyard blooming, plucked one, and ate it. Later, she gave birth to Empress Zhang. It was said that when she was born, the entire room was filled with a red glow, and as she grew, astrologers predicted that she would have an illustrious future.
Empress Zhang had shown maturity and filial piety beyond her years. When she was six, her father, Marquis Wu Ping, passed away. For months afterward, she often cried alone in her room, which moved all who saw her. At sixteen, she married the late emperor and became a princess. She moved with grace and earned much praise among the royal family, particularly from her parents-in-law, Emperor Ren and Empress Dowager. After the Emperor ascended the throne, he grew increasingly indulgent, and as Empress, she often advised him, which led to his displeasure, though she bore no resentment. Later, when the barbarian forces invaded, the Emperor led the people south to flee. Whenever they camped, Empress Zhang would stand before the Emperor holding a sword. If they set up camp, she would personally lead the concubines in sewing clothes and cooking meals for the soldiers.
Fu Ye’s admiration for Empress Dowager Zhang grew substantially after hearing this.
After praising the Empress Dowager, he also praised the Head of the Imperial Household, Lady Sun.
“Lady Sun comes from a noble family; she is the daughter of the Duke of England. She married the Marquis of Anping and was granted a first-class official title. From a young age, she showed great talent, had extensive knowledge, and once memorized and transcribed hundreds of volumes of family heirloom books that were destroyed in the chaos caused by the barbarians. Her manner and bearing set the standard for noble women, which is why the Empress Dowager summoned her into the palace to serve as the supervisor of the palace women. She wrote the ‘Instructions for Women’ that became famous nationwide. Now, she holds the position of Head of the Imperial Household and is the highest-ranking female official in the palace.”
At this point, Shuangfu added, “By the way, I heard from the ladies-in-waiting around Lady Sun that this year, the Empress Dowager plans to take the Prince to the Temple of Ancestors for a memorial ceremony. The Department of Clothing is busy making new clothes for His Highness.”
Since Fu Ye had returned suddenly, the clothes he wore didn’t fit properly and weren’t up to ceremonial standards.
“Though you haven’t been officially crowned as a prince yet, you are still a royal son. Our royal sons and princes often wear purple or deep red dragon robes, with sun, moon, and stars embroidered on the collar, to highlight their noble status.”
No wonder there had been people from the Department of Clothing coming by to measure him for new clothes these past few days.
“But the ceremony at the Temple of Ancestors is in the outskirts of the capital. The journey will be long, and the ceremony itself is complicated. I heard the ceremonial robes for this event are so heavy that an attendant must help carry them. You’ll need to rest well in the next few days to prepare for it; it will be very exhausting.”
Fu Ye’s life seemed to have stabilized all at once. His status as a prince had been solidified. Shuangfu said that after the memorial ceremony, Fu Ye would likely be granted a title as a king and allowed to establish his own residence outside the palace.
As the only remaining brother of the Emperor, he would be one of the most honored princes in the dynasty.
Now that he had such a distinguished title, other aspects of his life needed to match this newfound status.
The Empress Dowager had sent officials from the Department of Sleeping Quarters and the Department of Decorations to decorate his bedchamber.
Royal grandeur, just like Emperor Fu Huang’s decisive actions, was another form of power display. Nobility was all about showcasing wealth and prestige. However, Fu Huang didn’t care for these things, and look at how his palace was left empty!
The Emperor’s personal preferences weren’t his concern, but Fu Ye, just returning to the palace, needed these things to establish a respectable facade.
The Empress Dowager firmly believed that grandeur could be built with gold and silver!
The official from the Department of Decorations brought a list and plans of furniture and decorations for Fu Ye to choose from.
Since he was quite bored, Fu Ye, who loved beauty, thought that, as a fake prince, he didn’t know how long he would hold the title. He might as well treat it like a game of “scripted murder” and experience royal wealth and luxury properly.
He began designing his bedchamber.
He replaced the canopy on his bed with a golden brocade fabric featuring a lotus pattern, ordered a twelve-panel folding screen with a red lacquered base and gold inlaid designs of court ladies and concubines engaged in daily activities, which was very elegant and exquisite—perfect as a partition for his changing room. In front of his bed, he placed an intricately carved floral screen inlaid with jade to welcome spring.
He put a Huanghuali wood-inlaid with mother-of-pearl Kang table by the window, and under the window, he placed a jade vase shaped like elephant legs. Originally, he intended to put some fresh flowers, but there were hardly any good flowers in the palace. It was said that the palace’s plum blossoms hadn’t bloomed yet.
Additionally, he acquired a long table made from rosewood, decorated with gilded flowers and vines, and a red lacquered table with inlaid mother-of-pearl and compartments for valuables. He paid extra attention to small decorative items, and the palace certainly had no shortage of these. For example, there were golden baskets with floral patterns, enamel-painted mirrors with handles, honey jade flower vase pen holders, and flower baskets and desk lamps made from jade and agate. He even changed the color of the ropes used to tie the bed curtains.
It was a display of wealth and opulence, all designed to showcase a lavish lifestyle.
Eunuch Qin had seen the servants coming and going from the adjacent rooms. He went to take a look and then reported back to the Emperor, asking whether he should send something over.
“His Highness has arranged the East Pavilion so splendidly, it’s almost like a place fit for immortals!”
He thought the Emperor should take a lesson from him—look how well the Sixth Prince knew how to enjoy life!
But then Fu Huang said, “Call him here.”
Fu Ye was hesitating whether to change the paper on the windows as well when a young eunuch entered, saying, “Your Highness, His Majesty summons you.”
It had been several days since he had last seen Fu Huang, and he hadn’t heard that the Emperor had fallen ill again.
However, Fu Huang still looked the same as ever, his expression gloomy as he sat there reading memorials.
This was the Western Pavilion, but it looked more like a royal study. The room was divided by a screen, which was exquisitely made. The frame was carved from red sandalwood, inlaid with green jade, and the jade was carved with a map of the vast rivers and mountains of the empire. It was grand and magnificent. Behind the screen, Fu Ye could vaguely see a group of eunuchs in red robes sitting at desks, reviewing memorials, making the room resemble a collective office.
He remembered Shuangfu mentioning that the Emperor employed a group of mute slaves to work for him. These mute slaves had been specially trained to act as the Emperor’s brain, almost indistinguishable from his actual presence in the office.
The evil capitalist.
But with Fu Huang, how come he hadn’t created one of those notorious, power-hungry eunuchs?
The only eunuch with any real presence around Fu Huang was Eunuch Qin. Aside from taking care of the Emperor, it seemed he didn’t have any other power, and he was very polite, unlike those ministers who would ride on the Emperor’s back.
But then again, Fu Huang was the kind of man who wouldn’t allow anyone to show off under his nose. His leadership skills were undoubtedly very effective.
But why had the Emperor called him over?
He was ignored for quite some time.
Fu Ye stood there feeling a bit bored, his peripheral vision scanning the surroundings. He didn’t see any guards, but Fu Huang, seated at his desk, had the posture of a bow, his body strong and his height nearly eight feet. Though lean and sickly, he exuded an aura that made him seem unapproachable.
“Can you read?” Fu Huang suddenly asked.
To be honest, Fu Ye had at least graduated from university; he could do more than just read!
Xiao Ai (a voice in his head): “You’d better not stand out too much. You’ve been in a foreign land for many years, your education shouldn’t be too advanced.”
Fu Ye: “I can read a few characters.”
“Can you write?”
Fu Ye humbly replied, “A little.”
“Copy a passage.”
Fu Ye walked over carefully to take a look.
“…With respect, we offer sacrificial animals and wine to honor the year’s events… We humbly request the divine wisdom and guidance…”
Fu Ye guessed the Emperor might want to test his level of education, so he rolled up his sleeves, took up the brush, and began copying. His handwriting wasn’t particularly beautiful, but it wasn’t too difficult to deliberately write in a crooked manner, considering he was good at calligraphy.
As he continued, he realized this might be a piece related to a sacrificial ceremony.
Fu Huang went to the next room. Occasionally, Fu Ye glanced over at him, seeing the Emperor casually flipping through a memorial.
The Emperor was still dressed loosely, his hair unbound. The eunuchs around him, however, were impeccably groomed, eerily quiet, like a group of soulless puppets—purely working machines.
Once Fu Ye finished, he obediently stood to the side.
Fu Huang had a peculiar way of making people feel cautious and careful.
Suddenly, Fu Huang threw a memorial onto the desk. Immediately, an older eunuch, looking like a small leader, picked it up with both hands, glanced at it, and then another young eunuch knelt down, prostrating on the ground.
Such a stifling work environment! Was this a random check?
“Eunuch Qin,” the voice of the Emperor suddenly broke the silence, soft but commanding, “His Highness has finished copying.”
Fu Huang stepped out, looked at Fu Ye’s crooked handwriting, and tossed it onto the desk.
Fu Huang seemed to be very picky, and Fu Ye thought he would say, “This is ugly.”
But Fu Huang didn’t say that. He merely said, “Take it back and memorize it.”
…
That was a life-saver.
Fu Ye wanted to leave as quickly as possible. He took the sacrificial text he had copied in both hands and bowed respectfully. “Your Imperial Highness, I will take my leave.”
After speaking, he backed away respectfully and only turned around to exit once he had reached the door.
His overly obedient manner actually gave off a rebellious air, which wasn’t true submission.
In this palace, there was no shortage of truly obedient and submissive servants.
He was the exception, the one and only anomaly in this palace. Eunuch Qin had noticed this too, but he still spoke kindly to Fu Ye. “Your Highness has been in foreign lands for many years, so it’s natural that your temperament is not easily bound.”
Once Fu Ye returned to his courtyard, he felt much more at ease. The female attendants from the Wardrobe Bureau arrived again, asking him to choose patterns and designs for his clothes. Aside from formal attire that followed strict rules, there were many things he could select for his daily wear.
Fu Ye stood in front of the copper mirror, draped in fabric, his colorful clothes accentuating his refined and noble appearance, like a young lord lost in his own intoxicated reverie.
Shuangfu, holding the fabric, said, “When Your Highness wears this at the ancestral ceremony, they’ll finally understand what it means to have the grace of a dragon and the elegance of a phoenix!”
Since it had been confirmed that he would attend the ancestral ceremony, the next day, he was allowed to go out to the Empress Dowager’s residence to learn the proper rituals.
Royal etiquette was complicated. Because the Emperor was too indulgent and unruly, there was a tendency for royal rites and music to decay. The Empress Dowager was very strict with him, sternly instructing, “The reputation of our Ming clan has greatly declined. You must bring us some pride!”
She continued, “The ancestral ceremony is the day you formally acknowledge your royal heritage. On that day, the streets will be filled with people, and you must show them the grace and bearing that a descendant of the Fu family should have!”
“You are no longer just yourself; you represent the dignity of the imperial family!”
It was as though she had already disowned Fu Huang from the royal bloodline.
Speaking of the Emperor, the Empress Dowager coldly remarked, “Although he is the Emperor, this year’s ancestral ceremony, you are the one who will truly capture the world’s attention.”
The Empress Dowager subtly hinted that Fu Ye should surpass the Emperor in fame.
The Empress Dowager’s actions were dangerous. A power-hungry Emperor like Fu Huang would surely never allow a younger brother to outshine him in reputation!
Fu Ye started to question whether the Empress Dowager’s affection for him was genuine.
However, it was clear that the Empress Dowager disliked Fu Huang. Her disdain was blatant and unhidden. If someone could replace Fu Huang, she would likely be the first to issue a decree supporting it.
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