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1.
When the First Princess Xiao Zhenying is born, the Emperor is already in his silver years. Her mother, Concubine Sin, is young and beautiful; the Emperor is enamoured and welcomes his first daughter much more warmly than he would have welcomed another son (nine princes are more than enough). Within days, he grants a title to the girl — she becomes Princess Jinyang — and raises her mother to the rank of Consort. At this time, the Empress is long dead and can’t interfere but senior Consorts are, of course, not pleased with this turn of events. However, the fight for the position of the Crown Prince is already going full force, and a Princess, even a beloved one, is not actually a threat, and they are sure that Consort Sin will lose the Emperor’s interest soon enough.
They are right: when, three years later, Consort Sin falls victim to a next plague the Emperor doesn’t shed a single tear. But Princess Jinyang is still her Father’s favorite; and, more importantly, she is her Grandmother’s favorite, and the Empress Dowager takes her in and raises her herself. Thus, Princess Jinyang grows up safe and sheltered from the intrigues of the Inner Palace. Or, at least, most of them.
She doesn’t see much of her older brothers, save for the Ninth one. Prince Ji, son of Consort Shen, is only six months her senior, and the two are very close. They play weiqi (Jinyang wins four times out of five, but Prince Ji doesn’t mind) and listen to music, read classic poetry (and try their hands in composing), and play elaborate jokes on poor eunuchs (and on some of the more obnoxious Consorts). They never get caught — or even suspected — and nobody takes them seriously. This is why, once the Emperor dies and the Strife of Five Princes washes Jinglin with blood, they are the only ones of the Emperor’s children who will be safe no matter the outcome.
2.
It is the Third Prince Xiao Xuan who ascends to the throne, and Princess Jinyang has mixed feelings about that. On the one hand, after Prince Ji, the Third Brother is her favorite; on the other — he is Consort Bai’s son. And Consort Bai is the woman Jinyang hates with all the passion a thirteen-year-old girl can be capable of. The feeling is mutual, and it is Consort Bai who started the feud.
Six years ago, she gave birth to the Second Princess, and expected it would give her a lot of advantages in the Inner Palace. When that didn’t happen and the Emperor didn’t show much attention to the newborn girl, Consort Bai for some reason decided to blame Princess Jinyang and tried to take it out on her. She couldn’t do much, and for the last couple of years Jinyang has been successfully fighting back, but still. It’s a pity Princess Liyang is such a charming child, as she surely doesn’t deserve a mother like that. Jinyang fully intends to befriend the Second Sister once she is old enough: nothing will spite Consort Bai more.
“Younger sister should be more cautious,” Prince Ji admonishes her one day. “The Empress Dowager can make your life very difficult.”
“Holy Mother Empress Dowager,” Jinyang corrects in an icy tone. Unlike Grandmother, Consort Bai has never been an Empress, and back then her rank was no higher than that of Consort Sin or Consort Shen. They don’t owe the woman any extra piety. “She might try, but she won’t succeed.”
3.
In the second year of the new reign — once the dust has settled and the delegations of the neighbouring lands start to arrive, seeking alliances — the Holy Mother Empress Dowager tries indeed.
For three days, Jinyang is really worried that she might be married off to that barbarian prince, but she should not have doubted her Grandmother. The Grand Empress steps in, and the Western Xia gets the hand of one of the distant Imperial cousins.
“I do not wish to have this fight every year,” Grandmother says after the delegation leaves. “Zhenying, my child, you need a proper betrothal.”
And thus, the same month Lin Yueyao enters the Palace, a betrothal is announced between Grand Princess Jinyang and Marshal Lin Xie, the Emperor’s childhood friend and most trusted general, one of those who put him on the throne. The wedding is supposed to take place in five years, once the Princess is old enough.
Unlike most young women, Jinyang gets to meet her betrothed. Lin Xie is easily the most handsome man in the new court, and he is much more than just the uncouth soldier that some of the palace ladies take him for. They are officially allowed to exchange letters — providing, of course, that Grandmother will read them — and the Marshal writes dutifully. But he is busy forming a new army, and so his letters are few and, frankly, rather boring. Jinyang doesn’t mind — she has years till the actual marriage, and she doesn’t plan to spend them dreaming and sighing. She has finally had her first real taste of the Palace intrigue, and she enjoyed it tremendously - and now, she plans to use all the advantages of her status and engage fully.
Older brother Prince Ji calls her insane, but still helps every now and then, as does his mother, Consort Dowager Shen (Jinyang is doing her best not to involve Grandmother unless it’s absolutely necessary, though she always shares her successes). The Princess plays these games partly for her own amusement, but mostly — for the sake of sister Yueyao.
Of course, at first Jinyang tries to spend time in the Changle Palace because she is curious about Lin Xie and the Lin family in general, but these conversation themes quickly fade in the background, and true friendship blossoms, despite the age difference.
Lin Yueyao comes from the long line of generals, and doesn’t even pretend to be a delicate palace flower. Jinyang can easily imagine her riding on a horse, leading troops into battle, or arguing with ministers at court. She is brilliant and fascinating and different from every other woman Jinyang has known. But the very same qualities that Jinyang admires so, also make Yueyao vulnerable in the poisoned intrigues of the Inner Palace. And so Jinyang makes it her duty to make sure neither Empress Yan, nor the Holy Mother Empress Dowager could ever harm her dear sister.
4.
The Heaven is fair, and it is Lin Yueyao who gives birth to the First Prince. The Emperor grants her the title of Consort Chen (there wasn’t a Consort Chen in the Palace for at least three generations!) and Jinyang is happy. But days pass, and Yueyao is still weak and frail after the childbirth; when days turn to months, Jinyang starts to really worry. She is not ready to accuse anyone of any malicious intent or doing (yet), but she is very angry with the Imperial physicians. And a little bit with Consort Chen herself. Sister Yueyao is proud and stubborn, and doesn’t want to complain or demand extra attention.
“A big war is brewing in the north,” she says. “I can’t distract His Majesty and Older Brother with trifles.”
The war is, indeed, brewing and even Jinyang knows it might be big, but she refuses to consider Consort Chen’s health a trifle. She agrees that writing to Marshal Lin, who has already left the capital, doesn’t make much sense, but she talks with the Lin Aunts and they decide: if the situation doesn’t change by the time the war is won (any other outcome is unthinkable), something will have to be done.
The war is won by the end of the summer, though not by soldiers and generals, but by a single man with a magical tongue — Ambassador Yan. Jinyang doesn’t think much of the Empress, but Yan Que is not only her brother, but a schoolmate of both the Emperor and the Marshal, despite being few years younger, and their close friend. Sister Yueyao speaks of him fondly, and Jinyang hopes to meet him properly one day. The good news lift up everyone’s spirits, and for a couple of months Yueyao is almost well. But then the winter starts with its cold and snow, and she gets even worse than before. Fortunately, the army and Marshal Lin finally come back to Jinglin.
The Marshal loves and knows his younger sister — once he has visited her in the Palace, he doesn’t need any extra urgency.
“Everything possible and impossible will be done,” he reassures them, and Jinyang believes him.
5.
Fourth year of Xiao Xuan’s reign comes, and an official selection is announced. For days, it’s everything the Palace and the whole of Jinling can speak about. The Emperor is still young and has only one son, who was not born by the Empress. The rumours about Consort Chen’s ill health aren’t confined to the Palace walls, and the fact that the Empress doesn’t hold much of the Emperor’s affections is not a secret either. Every other family hopes to gain power through their daughter, and the competition is fierce.
Most of the gossip, Jinyang gets from older brother Prince Ji, who has officially left the Palace after the New Year. Much to his mother’s chagrin, the Prince spends most of his time in pleasure houses (though of the highest quality), but even Grandmother can’t deny: this is the best way to know what is going on in the capital.
The selection is finished, and in the beginning of the third moon six new girls will enter the Palace. Five of them are indeed from noble, powerful and rich families — Jinyang doesn’t even bother to remember their names. She is only interested in the sixth one, who is just a commoner, and a provincial at that. And no, His Majesty didn’t happen to meet her somewhere and fall in love, and eunuchs didn’t find her name on the Langya List of Beauties. Tao Ilin is a healer, and her entering the Palace is a compromise between the pride of the Imperial Physicians, the protocols of the Palace and the worry of the Lin family about Consort Chen’s health.
Most people think the Lins have found a female healer in one of their estates in the eastern provinces, and Jinyang is probably the only one, besides the Lins themselves, who knows the truth. Tao Ilin has been a wandering healer — she is Marshal Lin’s sworn sister from the jianghu world — and Jinyang can’t wait to meet her. Of course, above all she just wants sister Yueyao to finally get better, but she is also curious; a woman who has seen Da Liang from East to West and from North to South, met all kinds of people, seen all kinds of things… Jinyang herself grew up in the Palace, and even Yueyao has hardly ever left Jinglin — no wonder the Princess is curious and excited. Very excited.
As always, she can’t hide her excitement from the person who knows her best — and having listened to her, Grandmother shakes her head.
“Zhenying, my dear, sometimes you are still a child. It is likely that this girl has a lot of stories to tell you, but at first, she will be busy with her healer’s duties; and when, by Heaven’s mercy, she succeeds… for a person like her, it might be very hard to get used to the Palace’s life. Be sure your interest will do more good than harm.”
That’s not something Jinyang has spared much thought until know, but she will from now on. “Don’t worry, Grandmother,” she says. “Your granddaughter will do her best.”
6.
Concubine Jing’s status in the Inner Palace is a little complicated. Officially, she has the lowest rank, and the Emperor hasn’t even shared the bed with her yet. That is not surprising — there are plenty of other concubines in the Palace and Concubine Jing, with her background, needs to learn a lot before she will be deemed worthy of serving His Majesty. Unofficially, as a personal healer of Consort Chen, she lives in the Changle Palace, and also inadvertently shares some of the other privileges that Consort Chen — though she slowly does get better — can’t yet fully enjoy herself.
Most of the Palace ladies see Concubine Jing as just a shadow of Consort Chen. In some cases, it means she gets treated with respect and sympathy; in others — the opposite. Many of those who wouldn’t dare to try anything against the mother of the First Prince consider her friend and healer a fair game. Jinyang tries to keep an eye on the situation, but, surprisingly, her interference is rarely needed. It turns out that kindness and serenity can be also used as a weapon. Concubine Jing and Consort Chen are different as night and day, but the inner strength is one thing they undeniably have in common. Jinyang hopes that she herself has it, too.
For her first months, Concubine Jing is indeed busy taking care of Consort Chen, and learning the proper ways of an Imperial Concubine. It is difficult to get anything other than politeness out of her, but gradually, as Consort Chen recovers, Concubine Jing and Grand Princess Jinyang become friends and sisters in their own right. Jinyang finally hears all the stories she has been anticipating and she is more than a little envious, but she knows better than to show even a shred of that envy. Grandmother was right. Jinyang will soon leave the Palace, and while the life of a Marshal’s wife has many restrictions they are nothing compared to the life of the Imperial Concubines. Jinyang quietly promises herself, that, when the time comes, she will visit often and will bring as much of the outside world to her beloved sisters as she will be able to.
7.
The year of her marriage comes at last, and the auspicious day is chosen — the twenty-third day of the sixth month. For the Empire, it has been a peaceful year, but two of their neighbours — Western Xia and Donghai — have some sort of unrest going, which could spill over Da Liang borders at any moment. To prevent this, a strong military presence is needed; the Chiyan Army will be that presence, and so Marshal Lin’s time in the capital is limited. Jinyang can’t help but feel bitter about that, but two days after the ceremony an Imperial decree is delivered to the Lin Manor.
“The Chiyan Army is needed at the western borders,” Gao Zhan reads. “The thought of his brother and sister parting so soon after their wedding saddens the Emperor’s heart. Thus, from this day an Imperial Residence in the Lanfang District, the Yushui Palace, is granted to Grand Princess Jinyang so that she can live there as befitting her status, if she wishes so.”
Lanfang is the District the Chiyan Army will be stationed in. Save for the marriage decree itself (which was mostly Grandmother’s doing, but still), it’s the best gift her brother the Emperor has ever given her.
The Yushui Palace is near to the District’s main town, and about a day’s ride from the main encampment of the Chiyan Army. The Grand Princess runs the Palace and learns how a borderland District lives; so far, Langfang’s Judge seems like a promising official, and Jinyang makes a note to remember his name. Marshal Lin is, of course, busy with training, tactical exercises and inspecting of the garrisons, but despite all that he takes every opportunity to spend nights — and sometimes days — in the Yushui Palace. And the first year of Jinyang’s marriage is indisputably, blessedly happy.
8.
The situation in the world slowly changes. The Chiyan Army is needed elsewhere and, after celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival in Langfang, they come back to the capital. It’s time for Jinyang to fully step in as the Lady of the Lin Manor - although she has enjoyed the simpler life at the border, someone has to keep an eye on both court politics and Jinglin while the Marshal is busy with the military affairs and the good of common people. And she has missed her sisters and Grandmother.
When they arrive and Jinyang goes to visit the Inner Palace, she discovers there is news no one wrote to her about. Concubine Jing is now living in her own Palace, aptly called the Zhiluo Palace, and finally has her own herbal garden. And — which is ten times more important — she is pregnant. The Seventh Prince is due to appear in three months.
Jinyang is happy for her sister and the first thing she wants to ask is — did Concubine Jing find the same pleasure in the arms of His Majesty as Jinyang herself finds in the arms of the Marshal? She is dying to know, but she won’t ask. Yes, the trust between the three women, connecting the Lin family to the throne, is implicit and they can openly discuss court politics and Palace intrigues as well as many other things, but when it comes to His Majesty… Both Consort Chen and Concubine Jing know their duty all too well. So Jinyang just says:
“Congratulations, beloved sister! You will be an excellent mother. And Jingyu could use a little brother following him around.”
“There are four other princes in the Palace.”
“They don’t count, and sister Jing knows it.”
Consort Yue and the Empress are too ambitious, and the mothers of the Third and the Sixth Princes are too afraid for any of their sons to ever become really close to Jingyu. Yueyao can’t bear another child, so it’s up to Concubine Jing and to Jinyang herself to make sure in the future Xiao Jingyu will have the support he needs.
Sister Jing smiles and shakes her head.
“Can I touch?” Jinyang asks, looking at her swollen belly. “For luck?”
Concubine Jing nods, and the charm works. The day Grand Princess Jinyang meets her seventh nephew for the first time is also the day she becomes sure she is expecting herself. Sister Jing listens to her pulse and confirms, and sister Yueyao smiles warmly.
“It is a good sign.”