Princess Yueli – A-li
“I’m leaving in the morning.” Jinghua said.
She hiccupped violently, painfully. Jinghua surprised her by suddenly announcing that he had been assigned a task by Jingyuan. He would be leaving tomorrow morning, as he revealed during the family meal.
It was all too sudden. She gasped and choked on her food until her eyes watered. The moist fish she had been savoring moments ago now felt like a dry, unmoveable lump lodged in her throat. He asked if she was okay and worried she had choked on a fish bone.
He fussed over her, despite the approaching servant rushing to her. Jinghua pushed up his sleeve and swiftly refilled A-li’s teacup, handing it back to her. With steady pats, he gently tapped her back until her coughing subsided. In a caring tone, he said, “A-li, please be careful. Here, let me do it for you.” Unaffected by the curious onlookers, he meticulously examined a portion of the steamed croaker, then with his chopsticks, flipping it over repeatedly to ensure it was bone-free. Contented that it was safe, he placed the yellow fish’s meat in the center of her rice bowl and patiently waited for her to take a bite before adding another piece to replace the one she had eaten.
As he fed her, she struggled to control her facial expression. She couldn’t understand how he could act so casually while she felt like she was unraveling and falling apart inside. It was baffling to her he could calmly remove fish bones from her dish after dropping such a bombshell.
Under different circumstances, in any other place, she would have relished such treatment. There wasn’t a single woman in the capital who wouldn’t enjoy being the center of Jinghua’s attention and care. However, in that moment, anger boiled within her. She longed for a private moment so she could express her annoyance by whacking him over the head with her rice bowl. He was damn lucky her parents and the serving staff were present in the room.
But then she wondered if she had any right to feel such hurt and vexation. Apart from their deep mutual affection for each other, there was nothing clearly defining the relationship between her and Jinghua. That was aside from being cousins. However, his departure would be a severe blow, having a profound impact on her. It was hard for her not to feel regret for becoming so dependent on him.
On more than one occasion, Brother Yi Bo had advised her to create distance, explaining it wasn’t Jinghua’s fault. Nonetheless, as a twin with the same face and capabilities as the Crown Prince, he couldn’t stay in the capital for long without causing strife within the court. And she knew this, but she had hoped for more time with him. She had hoped she could be a reason for him to stay longer, but it seemed like nothing would stop him from leaving.
She had countless questions, but the dining room was filled with an unbearable silence, as terrible as Jinghua’s shocking announcement. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, her father broke the silence and asked, “Where are you going? How long will you be gone?” Jinghua softly replied, “I will head to Qingshui. I don’t expect to be away for more than a few months. Two at the most. I can’t bear to stay away any longer.” He responded and affectionately directed his attention towards her.
With the pad of his thumb, he clandestinely caressed her thigh, which was pressed beside his, under the table. The way he glanced at her made her anger dissipate. She released the breath she had been holding in, and she inhaled an air of relief. Knowing he would be gone for two months was a relief compared to his previous two-year absence and it was impossible for A-li to feel resentful at him when he was being so affectionately tender. The fluttering of butterflies in her stomach drowned out any other feelings whenever he glanced at her as he was doing or touched her with his secretive caresses and it had taken all her restraint to quell the urge; she had suppressed herself for as long as she could. However, her concern for his wellbeing ultimately won.
“Will you be safe? Are you involved in anything dangerous?” she asked. Jinghua responded with a charming grin, winking at her and shaking his head, as if to assure her that such worry was unnecessary. “No, my task is mundane. It is paperwork and checking to see if the new magistrate is doing what he’s been assigned. The only danger is me succumbing to boredom,” he replied, while she intently peered looking into and through his dark, intelligent eyes, searching for any signs of withholding or deception, but finding none.
She told herself not to overthink things, but she couldn’t help but frown when her Mother mentioned the unfortunate timing of his absence. “It’s a shame, really. The Qixi Festival, loved by young people, is just a few weeks away. I suppose we can find someone else to celebrate with A-li,” her mother remarked. “However, if you have to be away, Qingshui is absolutely breathtaking at this time of year. Being so close to Shuǐjīng hú, Crystal Lake, you can indulge in the delicious local cuisine like sweet white shrimp that are fat with roe, which I remember being quite extraordinary, and the people in the town are incredibly friendly.” Her mother took tiny dainty sip of her jasmine tea and asked, “Have you made arrangements for your accommodations during your stay there?”
“Gugu, I’ll find something. An inn or any lodge will suffice,” he said, not looking up at his aunt, the Grand Princess. He was distracted, preoccupied with picking out fish bones again.
“Hmm…” Her mother leaned back in her chair, deep in thought. Her movements were so delicate with grace the floor didn’t make a single creaking sound when she leaned forward and rested her elbows on the tabletop. “It’s been many years since we last visited Qingshui, so I can’t be certain of its current state, but we do have a small, intimate family home there. It’s yours to use. My nephew, I insist upon it. A Prince should not stay in an inn. I’ll immediately send a letter to the caretaker to arrange for your arrival,” her mother insisted.
She tried not to sulk, but jealousy, and envy consumed her unexpectedly. A-li couldn’t help but think about how lucky Jinghua was. Jinghua had experienced things firsthand that A-li had only read or heard about. Jinghua had tasted exotic foods, seen wondrous things and been to faraway locations with names that were difficult to pronounce, places that A-li had only fantasized about. This realization made A-li recognize the limitations of her own worldview. She felt unlearned and ignorant. Her time with Wang Gao and his family had restricted her understanding of the world. Despite her royal status, she was disadvantaged and lacked a broader outlook, similar to a servant girl.
Not that she was ungrateful to her family or didn’t appreciate their protective ways, but there were moments that felt suffocating. She often wondered if she could ever see the world as Jinghua had. Maybe someday, she told herself. And in the most unexpected way, that someday became today when her father, in his quiet manner, suggested, “If it’s not a problem, why don’t you take A-li with you? She has never left the capital. How does that sound, A-li?” He asked, and she immediately glanced up at Jinghua, who had tightly pressed lips. “I won’t get in the way. I promise, and having a woman there to care for you will be beneficial.” She pleaded and when he began to shake his head no, A-li stuck out her bottom lip and turned her saddest eyes towards him, resembling a kicked puppy. She hoped it was the kind of face one couldn’t refuse.
But there was unmistakable reluctance until he slowly nodded in agreement. She excitedly got up, ran, and knelt beside her father. Overflowing with joy, she exclaimed in a gush, “I’m going to Qingshui?” She squealed, “Thank you for giving your permission.” Affectionately, she leaned her cheek against his lap, and the general’s eyes shimmered with delight as he chuckled, “Oh my precious girl. I would pluck the very moon for you if I could.”
“No! Absolutely not!” Her mother gasped in disbelief, protesting, “General, it’s too dangerous! It takes two weeks to get to Qingshui. A-li is too frail. She has yet to recover from her ordeal.” Despite witnessing A-li’s obvious disappointment, her mother remained resolute. “General, you do me a great injustice. Why must I be the strict parent who says no?” She sighed, shaking her head, but it didn’t take long, a mere brief moments were all it took for her determination to falter. Her heart and resolve softened, finding it difficult to deny her daughter, who had suffered for too long. Eventually, her mother gave in. “Fine. I’m not one for spontaneity, but if I must. I just need a few hours to pack, and I’ll bring only a couple servants to accompany us.” As she rose from the table, A-li’s father reached out, holding her back, and spoke intimately, causing the servants to avert their eyes. “Madam, I never expected you to be so heartless and leave your poor old husband alone. You know I’m helpless without you.”
“You’re suggesting that we send A-li to Qingshui without an escort?” Her mother re-stood her ground, her dismay percolating again. The dangling hairpins in her hair trembled as she spoke with clenched teeth, “General, your suggestion is completely absurd and irresponsible! It’s far too early for that! I cannot agree with what you’re proposing.” The general was taken aback by his wife’s unexpected outburst, as she was usually calm and levelheaded. He responded sharply, “Are you implying that my decision is unwise and I’m putting A-li in dangers way?”
“Princess, don’t forget how formidable Jinghua is. He’s one of the ten martial arts masters in the pugilist sects and has never lost a fight. Not even once. And despite Shao Qing Yuan’s silliness, his swordsmanship is extraordinary. Our daughter will be safe and protected. To ensure her safety, I will send four of my trusted ghost warriors to accompany her. Even if they encounter an army horde, our daughter’s life will be well-guarded, and she will thrive from such an adventurous journey.”
“Let us not treat her like a prized butterfly in a jar. She deserves to breathe in the fresh air. She needs to spread her wings, expand her horizon and see the world. Let her embrace life’s wonders while she still can,” her father insisted, his voice ringing clear and filled with determination. “If.” He put heavy emphasis on the word if, “If she enters the harem. She will be confined within the palace walls, trapped in the inner palace for the rest of her days, competing with hundreds, maybe even thousands, of other women for Jingyuan’s affection. Only our home and the spring hunt will offer her respite. Of course, her attendance at the hunts will be subject and possible only if she is in favor with the court and able to fulfill Jingyuan’s whims.”
“Fine. A-li may go.” The Grand Princess gently dabbed and wiped the corners of her teary eyes, letting out a soft airy sigh as she reluctantly gave in, yielding to her husband’s strong desire, which she knew was good for their daughter. And just the mention of the harem, the tempestuous place where one had to devour so not to be eaten brought forth a painful reminder of painted forced smiles in a gilded prison filled with the sound of hushed whispers of hate-fueled plotting and intrigues spurred by jealousies that too often resulted in tragedies, forgotten names and more deaths of women and their children than she wanted to remember.
Even if A-li wore the Shierlongjiu fengguan, the imperial crown with 12 dragons, 9 phoenixes, 5,449 pearls, 71 rubies, and 57 sapphire and sat on the coveted phoenix throne as Empress, that didn’t mean those would forever be hers. Nothing in the harem was written in stone. Nothing in the harem was a guarantee.
Having been born and spending her childhood until she married the General within the inner palace, the grand princess knew all too well the suffocating limitations and oppressive constraints that the harem imposed on its inhabitants. The Grand Princess had always dreamed of a different life for her only daughter, one filled with freedom and happiness. However, she could not defy the wishes of the empress and emperor, her royal brother. The long-standing marriage promise between A-li and Jingyuan had been made by the emperor himself, making it an unbreakable edict. As much as it pained her, the Grand Princess knew that only the Emperor had the power to change their daughter’s fate.
Reluctantly, or perhaps she merely needed a subtle nudge to be convinced, she agreed with her husband’s decision. After all, their daughter deserved to experience the thrill of spreading her wings and soaring through the sky, even if it was just once.
Qingshui City
Magnolia Manor on Crooked Hill Road wasn’t really a manor. Nor were there any magnolias anywhere by the mansion, and Crooked Hill Road was actually a straight street that connected into a busy intersection in Qingshui City.
Mr. Wu took great pride in his role as the caretaker of Magnolia Manor. Despite its modest size and lack of grandeur, he treated it with the utmost care and attention, as if he was the owner. The straw broom in his calloused hands was worn from years of use, but it never failed to sweep away every fallen leaf when they aged, curled, and dried, then fell into the courtyard where the plum tree full of rich deep violet-colored leaves, although solitary, stood tall and majestic. Its branches had delicate pink blossoms in the spring and fresh fruit in summer.
Inside the manor, the two bedrooms were impeccably kept, with freshly made beds and spruced wooden furniture, pieces though simple, were the lasting kind that were well made by artisans. The spacious indoor bathtub, a luxury in this part of the city, was meticulously scrubbed and polished and stocked with clean towels. The basic kitchen, though humble, boasted a well-stocked pantry, fresh herbs that grew wild in the garden behind the home and a reliable wood fire stove that could make countless delicious meals.
As Mr. Wu moved from room to room, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of contentment and fulfillment, knowing that he had played a part in maintaining the care and serenity of Magnolia Manor for so many years. Even though the mansion had been empty during that time, the owners were great. They always paid Mr. Wu’s fees on time and even gave him generous bonuses on holidays. The communications had been rare, but when they wrote him they were letters of gratitude on stationary with a crane emblem until two weeks prior. He had received word to ready the home and to expect them on the very day he was sweeping, so he had been there since early morning waiting for the mysterious people.
The owners were indeed a mystery, yet their punctuality was undeniable. Just after three o’clock, when the burning summer sun had moved, creating a cooling shade at the front of the home, a sleek sedan that wasn’t one of the newest models but still expensive appeared into view, accompanied by an open wagon laden with brawny male servants, different sized trunks and personal effects. Mr. Wu observed the horses, noting their fine sturdy condition. Though he had encountered more impressive specimens in the past, still it would cost about a year’s pay to buy such animals, and they had four.
As the sedan door swung open, a tall, slender figure emerged – a youthful, strikingly attractive man with thick eyebrows that resembled sharp swords at the ends, framing his piercing, steely gaze. His hair was in a perfect topknot. There wasn’t a single strand out of place. His features were bold and finely sculpted and refined, emanating an aura of aloofness, icy coldness, and an underlying sense of menace. Clad in a neat, respectable but somber ensemble of deep blue, his attire mirrored his subdued, serious demeanor. Mr. Wu noticed and made a mental note. He needed to warn the other husbands in town. He had encountered men like this before. He could recognize a womanizer when he saw one.
Directly behind him, the second to come unto Mr Wu’s view, as she stepped from the carriage, was a young woman with her hair styled in a bun as the married women wore. She was a head turner. There had not been a beauty like her in Qingshui in ages. Her slender figure accentuated her delicate features, giving her an ethereal beauty. The pale yellow gown hugged her curves in all the right places, highlighting her feminine form. The silk ribbon in her hair that matched her clothes added a touch of innocence, while the white cloak without a fur trim draped elegantly over her shoulders added an approachable yet regal air to her presence. Her smile, warm and genuine. It was as if her inner radiance shone through, perhaps reflecting her pure and kind-hearted nature. Though she appeared young, her aura held a certain wisdom that belied her age.
Very demure, very mindful…
“Mr. Wu?” she asked. Her feminine voice tickled his ears as he stood there staring at her, mesmerized. The baby hairs separating from her lustrous, ebony up swept bun were charming. Her eyes, rounded and captivating, shimmered with the hue of smoldering amber, drawing all attention towards her. The gentle flutter of her long, thick eyelashes added an air of curiosity to her youthful countenance. Her lips were sensually full, effortlessly colored with a hint of rosy rouge, and curled heavenward in an open, amiable smile.
“Are you the caretaker, Mr. Wu?” She asked again, addressing him in a friendly, cordial tone.
“Aya, where are my manners? I’m Mr. Wu the caretaker and you are…” He replied grinning sheepishly. She said A-li, but he heard her say, “My name is a Li.”
“What a coincidence!” He clapped delighted. “Your sir name is Li. My wife has a Li cousin in North Mianzihua. Where is your clan from? Madam Li, perhaps there are some relations.”
There was something mischievous about her when she rolled on the balls of her feet on the dirt ground impishly and fanned herself with a beautiful, jade handled fan. “My family is from somewhere else and not Mianzihua. Unfortunately, there are no relations between your wife’s cousin and me.” She pulled from her silk embroidered purse and handed him a cream-colored envelope with the crane emblem with the house deed inside. “Ah, thank you. I’ve readied the house as you instructed in your letter. Will it be just you and your husband…” Mr Wu paused, having not caught her husband’s name.
“Sir, I didn’t catch your name? He asked and her husband stared at Mr. Wu much longer than he should to give him name and when he did, the gloomy fellow spoke two words only. He mumbled, “Hua Jing.”
“I see. Will it be just you, Madam Li, Mr. Hua, and the menservants?” Mr. Wu asked, but upon overhearing someone faintly clear their throat, he turned to the sound and there was another man, who had been observing the interaction without saying a single word.
“Hello and who are you?”
Mr. Wu bowed towards the other young man dressed in a white and cobalt-blue robe with the flashy silver hair jewelry holding his topknot in place. The jovial man with a pleasant faced man started to introduce himself. “I am..” Madam Li interrupted, cutting him off. She answered for him and finishing his self introduction, “This is my older brother, Big brother Yuan.”
Mr. Wu scratched his head, watching the strange interaction between the siblings who didn’t resemble each other. They looked nothing alike. Big Brother Yuan seemed a bit confused also and even shocked. He pointed to himself, firmly thumping his chest with his fingers, and mouthed to Madam Li, “Who? Me? Am I your older brother, Yuan?”
“Who else would you be but my big brother?” She looked at him sternly. Madam Li playfully pinched her brother’s arm, but it was hard enough that he yelped from the pain, and Mr. Wu winced for him, but she smiled broadly, disarming him. “My older brother is a jokester and my husband, as you can see, is on the quiet side, so they balance each other out.” She suddenly yawned behind her hand. “But it was a long ride, and I’d like to freshen up. By the way, do you know a reliable cook and housemaid?”
“Yes, my wife may not be the greatest cook, but her food is edible, and she is dependable. I’m certain I can find you a respectful housemaid,” Mr. Wu responded. “I have faith in you, Mr. Wu. If you can arrange for them to come tomorrow, their salary will be at your discretion, and as a token of appreciation for your excellent service,” Madam Li said, extending her hand to her husband, awaiting his response.
Mr. Hua Jing glanced at his wife, confused. “What?” he asked, then after finally understanding her out reaching hand’s purpose. He explained monotonously, “I don’t have any money.” Madam Li rolled her eyes, appearing exasperated by his lack of preparedness. She turned to her brother, who was seemingly more resourceful than her empty pocketed husband, and asked for his coin purse. Recognizing the situation, the older brother promptly handed it over to Mr. Wu.
He shook the coin purse. He grinned, pleased with the weight, the heaviness. The owners were indeed generous, but Mr. Wu noticed something different about them. This trio was together, yet disconnected. When Mr. Wu asked why they came to Qingshui, the husband and wife answered simultaneously, but their responses were vastly different. She said “Merchant Business,” while he said, “Just passing through.” However, her brother agreed with her and said they were merchants looking for vacant buildings to expand their business. When asked what kind of merchandise they planned to sell, they all answered at once, but differently. Madam Li said “A tea store,” her husband said “books,” and her brother said “women’s toiletries.”
Mr. Wu thought it was different and modern. He had never heard of a single store that sold such an array of merchandise, and he was excited considering the commission he could earn introducing them to building owners and the threesome was interesting enough. But they were giving him a headache. Mr. Wu thanked them for the money and left, deep in thought. He left behind the odd trio, thinking it was a shame for Madam Li, a fine and beautiful woman, to endure the struggles of having a womanizing, pauper husband. Her husband, the man of few words, had the personality of his broom, and her older brother, though pleasant, might be a tad daft.
Why else would her brother double-check with Madam Li, his younger sister, if he was truly her brother?
A-Li
As they walked away from the heavy wooden main gates and closed the doors behind them, A-Li couldn’t hide her dissatisfaction. She confronted Jinghua and Qing Yuan about their lack of coordination. “What a mistake! We should have planned what to say when people asked us questions. What kind of name is Hua Jing?” A-Li exclaimed, disbelief clear in her voice.
“A-li has a point. It’s true. Small town folks are usually nosy towards strangers,” Qing Yuan said. Then, he remembered feeling slighted and hurt and interjected, “But why am I the big brother? Why couldn’t I be the husband?”
A-li turned to him, her expression matter-of-fact. “Because there isn’t any heat or romantic chemistry between us. It’s hard to fake passion convincingly. People will notice.”
Qing Yuan threw his hands in the air, sulking. “A-Li, that’s unfair. I see you as a woman too, and I would have made a better husband than Mr. I- reversed-my-name-to-Hua-Jing-over here!”
A-Li side-eyed Jinghua. Jinghua side-eyed her back. They couldn’t help but chuckle at Qing Yuan’s exaggerated response.
Jinghua glanced at his companions and spoke over them as a parent would do with unruly bickering children. “Let’s agree to not get too caught up in these roles. They’re just temporary and for appearances. We’re here to stay low key and gather the information we need.” A-li and Qing Yuan nodded in agreement. However, Qing Yuan couldn’t shake off the feeling of injustice he felt and bitterly protested, “I would have been a more convincing husband. You and Jinghua, being cousins, look more like siblings than you and I do. I know how to be romantic, too.”
A sharp echoing sound was created as her jade fan snapped shut against A-li’s palm. “Alright, I’ll take on the role of the older sister, your jiejie,” she proclaimed. She directed her fan towards Jinghua and Qing Yuan, suggesting, “Figure out who will be the husband and who will be the wife.”
Without any hesitation, Qing Yuan boldly stated, “Because I am more beautiful than you, Jinghua. I should be the wife.” Jingyuan’s answer was a single long, lung-emptying, fatigue filled sigh. With eyes shaped like bamboo leaves, he looked up to the heavens and begged, “Please take me now.”