The Empress Dowager let out a breath and felt a year's worth of stress disappear from her body. While the Mulan hunting grounds weren’t Mongolia, it was the closest she would get for the rest of her life, so she made due.

  After two weeks in a horrid carriage, His Majesty’s retinue had finally arrived. The fresh air invigorated her. The beautiful blue skies and vast open space, free from the hustle and bustle from back home, cleared her head like never before. Which is why the moment Jerjer told her that Shen huang gui fei had decided to collude with Dowager Noble Consort Ling, it was easy to make up her mind.

  “Her eyes were always bigger than her stomach, Your Highness,” said Jerjer as she placed a plate of dried cheese curds on the side table, “She was bound to betray you,”

  “Hmph! Betray me, indeed! And after all I’ve done for her. Does she think her merits made her an Imperial Noble Consort? Huh? Does she think she held off The Empress all these years by her lonesome? Ridiculous!”

  Jerjer offered a cup of fermented mare’s milk, “Don’t fret, Your Highness. Your maiden clan is represented beautifully at the hunt this year. Not to mention all the Mongolian gêgês. His Majesty is young and has many more years left to reign. It shouldn’t be hard to find one or two good girls to sponsor,”

  The Empress Dowager picked through a bowl of sliced peaches as she mulled over the suggestion. It was easier said than done. Things usually ended one of two ways. The girls became stupid and useless, like The Empress, or arrogant and useless, like Shen huang gui fei. She didn’t know if she could find someone worth the effort. Even if she did, would His Majesty be fond of her? And for how long?

  It had been over a year since Xiang pin’s arrival, and she was still stuck in his side like an annoying splinter. At this point, The Empress Dowager could dangle a million of the best girls in his face, and they wouldn’t have a hold on him like that woman.

  “I don’t want to think about this anymore,” she said, “It’s giving me a headache,”

  “Then think of it no longer, Your Highness. Didn’t Grand Princess Lijin write that she and her husband would be at the hunt? Shall I send for her?”

  As if The Empress Dowager was ever in the mood to see her daughter's weepy face. Before she could tell Jerjer to do away with the idea, a eunuch interrupted them.

  “Your Highness, General Solontu is here,” he announced.

  “General Solontu? Of the Yele-Nara?” Asked The Empress Dowager.

  Jerjer nodded, “I believe so, Your Highness. He’s not very close to any one of ours in the ministry. I can’t imagine his reason to speak with you,”

  The Yele-Nara clan wasn’t a group of slackers. There were more than a few Yele-Nara clansmen in the court. As much as she wanted more Mongolian clans to take up power, it wouldn’t be bad to form stronger connections with the Manchus.

  “Let him in,”

  General Solontu was a man who was as broad as he was wide. He was barrel-chested, and from the few feet he walked to her seat, he had a decent limp on one side. He looked to be some decades younger than The Empress Dowager herself.

  “General Solontu,” she said after his greeting, “I can’t decide if I can say it's good to meet you,”

  “Replying to Your Highness, I will do everything in my power to make you believe so,”

  A flatterer. She liked that, “Rise. Take a seat,”

  ?

  It had been years since Prince Han had sat across from The Emperor and shared a meal. The Emperor often called for his assistance in state affairs, but they rarely shared this one-on-one intimacy. When Prince Han realized that The Empress wouldn’t be joining them for breakfast, he was ecstatic.

  But at the same time, he felt a tremor take hold of his spine. Prince Han admired The Emperor as a ruler, husband, and father, but something about him always made Prince Han straighten his back. His Majesty had great expectations for all of his sons, even a pseudo-son like Prince Han.

  “The ranchers have spotted wolves, Your Majesty. I think Her Highness would enjoy the fur,”

  The Emperor shook his head, “Her Highness has enough wolf pelts to cover the world,”

  “Of course, Your Majesty. Perhaps something exotic like a leopard would be more to her liking?”

  “The Empress is The Empress. Her gift should be far above the others. Last year, I gifted De gui fei a leopard pelt. There are bears on the preserve. That will be our prize,”

  “Yes, Your Majesty,"

  While Prince Han was more than happy to help The Emperor with this endeavor, he was still planning to keep an eye out for something good. He was sure Jiayi could make something handsome with a wolf pelt or a few white rabbits.

  “Do you think Yiqiang and Yifu will be ready for the hunt next year?” He asked.

  “You’ve done well putting Yiqiang on the right path. He’s skilled with a bow, and he's just started riding. Poor as he is now, it's miles ahead of Yifu,” The Emperor sighed, “He’s 10 years old already, and his tutors say he’s behind in everything. Such a waste,”

  “Don’t fret, Your Majesty. I’ll take on Yifu along with Yiqiang. Perhaps he needs more attention,”

  The Emperor paused momentarily, his eyes narrowing in a way that made Prince Han’s breath catch. The look didn’t last long, The Emperor busying himself with filling his plate with roast rabbit.

  “You’ve been back at the palace for nearly two years,” said The Emperor.

  “Yes, Your Majesty,”

  “It doesn’t bore you?”

  “Never. Assisting you with matters in the court and caring for Yiqiang is my honor, Your Majesty. I wish to support you and nothing more,”

  “Nothing more?” Echoed The Emperor.

  “Nothing, Your Majesty,”

  “That’s good,” said The Emperor before calling Zhang Wei to his side.

  “Flog Sang’er 30 times,” he ordered.

  Prince Han stared at The Emperor in shock as his eunuchs surrounded Sang’er.

  “Your Majesty,” he said as he fell to his knees, his heart thundering, “Please forgive Sang’er for his crimes. As his master, it’s my responsibility to discipline and teach him,”

  Sang’er went to his knees as well, kowtowing and asking for forgiveness.

  The Emperor ignored the begging, opting to pick through his plate and wash the food down with wine. He wiped his mouth and finally looked at Sang’er.

  “Do you know your crime?”

  “This eunuch is dimwitted,” Sang'er's trembling voice said, “May Your Majesty inform me,”

  “Your master stated very clearly that he is fulfilled and happy with his tasks in the Forbidden City and wants for nothing, yet you still dared to smuggle a prostitute dressed like a maid into the Hall of Jade clarity to district him,”

  Prince Han felt the ground sway beneath his knees, “Your Majesty–“

  The Emperor held out a hand to hush him, “Your master is upstanding and moral. Had Her Highness not stopped this story from leaving Yikungong, you would have sullied his and the reputation of the Forbidden City. Do you understand your crime?”

  Prince Han swallowed, thinking of his next words carefully. Sang’er was loyal and would admit to it all despite none of it being true. The Emperor knew a prostitute hadn’t been smuggled in, and he knew that Sang’er hadn’t acted alone. It was all to send a message:

  Remember your place.

  The Emperor had the right to punish Prince Han for committing an adulterous act with one of his women from the back palace but was giving him some face. Prince Han took a deep breath.

  “Your Majesty. I agree that Sang’er actions were grave and deserve punishment, but please hold your anger. A public flogging would ruin the peace and harmony of the preserve and possibly taint the air of your hunting trip. Please extend your grace to him on my behalf. I beg of you,”

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  Prince Han ended his plea by kowtowing to the ground and digging his forehead into the wool carpet that covered the ground. He squeezed his eyes shut, his heart pounding in his ears. He knew it couldn't have been long before The Emperor spoke, but it felt like a fortnight to Prince Han.

  “Fine,” The Emperor said, “I won’t let this stain my morning,”

  A boulder lifted itself from Prince Han's chest.

  “Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty. I will teach Sang’er properly in the future,”

  “Rise,”

  Prince Han stood, breathing quickly to ward off the nausea that came upon him as he stood tall again. Prince Han had been in battle before. He had tasted his death on his tongue, and yet, it could not compare to the fear His Majesty could invoke. He needed to escape.

  “I’ll take–“

  “Sit. Eat,”

  Whatever excuse Prince Han planned to let pass his lips died at the dark look in The Emperor's eyes. Prince Han returned to his seat.

  Smiling, The Emperor reached over to drop a slice of horsemeat on his plate. Prince Han took a bite. It turned to ash in his mouth.

  “Good?” Asked The Emperor.

  Prince Han forced the food down his throat before nodding, “Delicious, Your Majesty,”

  ?

  “Jiayi is looking spritely,” De gui fei said.

  Xiang pin chuckled, “Really? She looks quite nervous to me,”

  The horse that was oh so patiently standing for its portrait tossed its head with a snort, the shock of it making Jiayi flinch so hard that her paintbrush nearly went flying. In the cool breeze of the bright morning, Xiang pin and De gui fei were relaxing just outside the Imperial village that had been constructed. There was a parasol above to shield them from the sun and interesting milk tea that seemed to be De gui fei’s favorite.

  De gui fei tsked quietly, “You know what I mean, meimei. She used to bend like there was a weight wrapped around her neck. Now, she stands so tall. Is there something going on?”

  “Something?” Xiang pin echoed, “Like what?”

  “You know what I mean,”

  Xiang pin did know what she meant but didn’t think much of it. It might be stupid, and perhaps, one day, it would come back to bite her, but Xiang pin was sure that Jiayi wouldn't betray her. In their time together, she had more than enough opportunities to do so but continued to remain loyal. Whatever it was that was putting Jiayi in such a light-footed mood, Xiang pin was glad for it.

  “Jiejie, don’t you think you’re a bit hard on her after all this time? You know her situation with The Emperor was The Empress Dowager’s doing. Jiayi’s clean,”

  “It’s foolish to let your knife dull in a place like this,”

  “Sharpen it for someone sensible, jiejie. Like our dear huang gui fei,”

  De gui fei sighed, “I don’t know what to expect from her. With the way His Majesty spoke to her, you'd think she'd strike at once,”

  “Really?” replied Xiang pin, “She may not have His Majesty’s favor, but she’s managed to pull some good backers to her side. She wouldn’t be desperate enough to ruin that, would she?”

  “Of course, she would. She’s crazy now, right?”

  Xiang pin rolled her eyes at the sound of Lu chang zai. She was one of the many that Xiang pin introduced to His Majesty to thwart Shen huang gui fei's attempts to get his attention. After serving The Emperor in bed a few times, most of the other girls would pull away, thinking themselves too good to associate with Xiang pin. However, the more favor His Majesty bestowed on Lu chang zai, the more she clung to Xiang pin.

  Not in friendship, oh no, in competition. Now, Xiang pin was aware that eventually, her breasts and the ground would grow closer as the years passed, and His Majesty would prefer more fragrant pastures. The idea wasn’t her favorite, but she knew there would always be affection between them, even after she had ceased serving him in bed. Maybe she would be jealous in the future, but Xiang pin knew better than to let that cloud her sense now.

  Lu chang zai assumed that as her status rose, that Xiang pin’s anger would follow. It was all very childish but not surprising. Lu chang zai was maybe 16 or 17. As she came to stop in front of her and De gui fei, Xiang pin understood what the interruption was about. His Majesty had given her a traditional Mongolian outfit to swan about in.

  How nice.

  Lu chang zai greeted them and sat in a chair that her maid had pulled from out of nowhere.

  “Lu chang zai, is that how you speak of someone so far above you?” De gui fei scolded.

  “Only in name,” Lu chang zai replied, “Everyone knows His Majesty doesn’t want her anymore, and she’s lost her mind over it. Zhang gui ren and Mao chang zai said she screamed like a lunatic when they just brushed against Yizhong! I heard that she plans to seal off Zhongcuigong when we return to make sure no sickness gets in,”

  Before De gui fei could scold Lu chang zai again for gossiping about her betters, Xiang pin said, “What else have you heard?”

  Lu chang zai beamed, “I heard that all morning, she went to His Majesty’s yurt every hour to beg to see him. Each time, he sent Her Highness to tell her to go away. She went back so much that Her Highness threatened to demote her,”

  “Is that so?” Asked Xiang pin.

  Nodding, Lu chang zai continued, “His Majesty even sent Wang gugu to her yurt to lecture her about her behavior!”

  Xiang pin exchanged a glance with De gui fei.

  “And! Hu Shi's father went by her yurt just now, and she turned him away! Can you imagine how she’d behave if something happened to Yiru–“

  “That’s enough, Lu chang zai,” interrupted De gui fei.

  Before Lu chang zai complained, Xiang pin added, “Yes, don’t let us keep you. I’m sure you were on your way,”

  With a pout, Lu chang zai bid her farewell and walked off.

  De gui fei turned to Xiang pin, “Do you think she’s desperate enough, now?”

  Xiang pin watched as Jiayi and a few other maids fed the horse under the watchful eye of the stablehand holding its reins.

  What was Shen huang gui fei’s next move?

  ?

  Shen huang gui fei’s heart stuttered in her chest. She looked around The Emperor’s spacious yurt and couldn't feel the familiar comfort that the luxury brought. She shook her head at the snacks that Jingse offered her. The smell of savory food on the table turned her stomach. After she snapped at A'Fang for trying to massage her shoulders, Shen huang gui fei tried to get a hold of herself. A single mistake could ruin everything.

  “His Majesty arrives!”

  Shen huang gui fei clenched her fists. With a nod of her head, Jingse and A’Fang sprung into action. As Shen huang gui fei slipped the small silver bottle from her sleeve, they placed His Majesty’s wine and tea on the low table before her. She uncorked the bottle and emptied half in each. Jingse and A’Fang shook them gently and returned them to their original spots on the dinner table. Jingse hid the empty bottle in her skirts just as the doors were pushed open.

  The countdown started. She had no more than 15 minutes before the decoction began to curdle the liquid it was mixed with. It would give any drink a distinctly sour taste.

  “This concubine wishes His Majesty peace,”

  The multitude of decorations in her hair swayed as she bowed. His Majesty may not find the idea of her pleasing anymore, but she knew he still liked the look of her. She wore her most pleasing outfit and made up her face to stamp out any wrinkles or spots.

  His Majesty walked past her without sparing a glance, handing off his riding gear to his eunuchs.

  “What are you doing here?” He asked.

  “I heard Your Majesty was hunting all afternoon. I asked the kitchen to prepare your dinner. I was hoping to serve you, Your Majesty,”

  “Fine,” he said, emerging from behind the divider in softer, well-worn clothes, “Rise,”

  Shen huang gui fei kept her mouth shut as she wiped his hands with a damp silk cloth. She fought frantically to keep her hands steady as she served him. As the seconds went by, she became more and more panicked.

  How long had it been?

  Had she missed her chance?

  “You’re quiet today,” The Emperor said, finally lifting his cup.

  “I’m embarrassed by my actions today,” Shen huang gui fei replied, praying that her voice didn’t shake as she picked up the wine, “I want to apologize and not anger you any further with my foolish mouth,”

  She dropped her eyes to the table as The Emperor brought the small gold goblet to his lips. If they managed to lock eyes, Shen huang gui fei was afraid he would see right through her. When The Emperor did nothing but go back to his meal, her muscles untensed, but only for a moment.

  “You should apologize to Her Highness,” he said, nodding towards his empty cup, “You disturbed her morning,”

  “I’ll do that once I finish serving you, Your Highness,”

  Shen huang gui fei poured again, subtly lifting the jug to her nose to see if the scent had changed. It should’ve only taken one glass to take effect, but The Emperor looked fine. When he finished his drink, she moved to pour again, but he moved the cup away.

  “Enough,”

  Continuing to place small bits of food on his plate, Shen huang gui fei grew frustrated and anxious. If this didn't work…

  The Emperor slammed his hand on the table, making the dishes tremble. Shen huang gui fei jumped. The Emperor held his hand to his throat, sweat beading at his brow.

  “Your Majesty, are you alright?” Asked Zhang Wei.

  The Emperor sat up and shook his head. The skin on his cheeks and under his beard was blooming pinkly.

  “That wine was over-fermented,” He replied, his eyes shut tight, “Get rid of it,”

  A’Fang swooped in to remove it. Jingse quickly brought a cup of tea close to The Emperor’s swaying body just in time for him to knock it out of her hands.

  “Idiot!” Shen huang gui fei scolded, “Get away! Take away the food as well,”

  Jingse bowed and did as she was told. The Emperor’s eunuchs came and removed his dinner.

  “Your Majesty, you look tired. Here, let me help you lie down,”

  By now, The Emperor was truly red in the face, his eyes permanently half-mast.

  “Fine, fine,” He muttered, lifting his arm.

  Luckily, The Emperor wasn’t so affected that he couldn’t stand. She helped him stumble towards his bed, where he flopped down bonelessly.

  Zhang Wei came after him like the annoying fly he was to ask, “Your Majesty, are you alright?”

  The Emperor waved him away with a grunt.

  Still, he didn’t go away, “Your Majesty–“

  “His Majesty said you can go,” Shen huang gui fei snapped.

  Zhang Wei pursed his lips before he backed away. Shen huang gui fei stared at the empty air for a moment before sitting down at the edge of The Emperor’s bed.

  She put a hand on his face, “Do you feel well, Your Majesty?”

  Her heart fluttered as he turned his face into her palm.

  “It’s too hot,” He muttered.

  Running her fingers across the buttons keeping his jacket closed, she said, “Let’s take this off and see if that cools you down, Your Majesty,”

  She had only undid the first button when The Emperor grabbed her hands and stared up at her with unfocused eyes.

  “Huifen?” He murmured.

  A film of ice blanketed her heart.

  In the delirium of an aphrodisiac, in his most honest fantasies, The Emperor only called for that woman.

  “Yes, Your Majesty," she whispered, "It’s me,”

  The smile that graced The Emperor’s face startled her. It was confusing. Strange. When was the last time he looked at her like that?

  The Emperor laid a gentle hand on her shoulder and pulled her to his lips. A kiss from The Emperor used to send fire licking down her spine, but now, it made her skin crawl. But she couldn’t wallow. She sunk into the kiss.

  Time and time again, since she had set foot into the Old Manor, Shen huang gui fei had set aside her feelings to do what needed to be done.

  Why would it be any different now?