Empress of Bright Moon

by Weina Dai Randel

  I raised my head. I knew he had thought of denouncing the boy many times since the news of the Regent’s rebellion reached us, and finally Pheasant had decided to do it. “I think this is the time.”

  If Zhong was denied the throne, then we would cut the root of the support on which the Regent and the Empress relied.

  Pheasant sighed. “The boy is speaking like he is already the Emperor, have you heard? I must stop them. I ordered Minister Li Yifu to draft the edict this morning.”

  “You have no choice but to push him aside, but renouncing Zhong is risky too,” I said. “Especially at this moment.”

  “I understand. But the imperial weaponry chambers are empty. We do not have enough weapons for every guard. When the attack comes, it will be a disaster. We need to take action now, before it’s too late, and this is all I can do at this moment.” He rubbed his eyes.

  Pheasant looked tired. His face slackened, and his right eye looked askew, the eyelid drooping, like an inflated leather bag that had lost its elasticity. “Are you all right, Pheasant?”

  “You will not believe this, but I am getting old.” He shook his head and blinked hard. “I don’t see very well anymore.”

  My heart sank. His father had lost his sight too. “You’re tired. That’s all.” I patted his shoulders. I would have the physicians examine him later. “It must be the weather. You need a warm cape. It’s spring, but it’s still very cold these days. I can’t leave my chamber without a fur cape. I’ll tell your attendants to bring you one.”

  “Never mind the fur cape.” He rubbed his temples. “I’m going to invite my uncle over for supper. I shall be courteous, and if he declines the invitation, I will order him brought to me, and then I shall corral all of his servants.”

  Of course the Regent would refuse to come. “Bring him to you? How?” Months ago, we could have taken the Regent’s life quietly and successfully, but with him surrounded by his mercenary army, arresting him would be difficult.

  Pheasant flexed his fingers. They seemed rigid. “I shall hire some skillful guards. They will go around the rogue guards who protect him.”

  I nodded. I had to think about the plan. I was not comfortable with it. It could go awry.

  An announcement came. Minister Xu Jingzong requested to see Pheasant.

  “Let him in.”

  The old minister limped into the hall. Holding his cane, he bowed to Pheasant three times and then lowered his head toward me. “Luminous Lady,” he said.

  I nodded to acknowledge him. “I hope Minister Xu has had a smooth recovery.”

  “These old bones don’t break easily, Luminous Lady.” He laughed.

  I liked his spirit. “I’m certainly very pleased to hear that. But it is late, minister. Are you still on duty?” There was a dark ink smudge on his thumb.

  “Your Majesty, Luminous Lady.” He bowed again. “Indeed, I have been on duty at this late hour, for I have a most urgent matter I’m eager to discuss with you.”

  “What is it?” Pheasant asked, leaning back.

  “It is my understanding that many people are confused with some rumor they have heard. Yet I question the nature of the rumor. I believe the Empress is responsible for throwing the palace into confusion, and her behavior has put many people’s lives in danger. As a fifth-degree minister, I feel it is my duty to question this matter, and thus I propose a team be set up to conduct a formal inquiry into this rumor.”

  “Be more specific, Minister Xu.” I could not fully understand the meaning of his words. “A team to inquire about this rumor. Does it mean you will set up a trial against the Empress?”

  “Precisely, Luminous Lady, and, Your Majesty, I beg you to give me your permission to lead this investigation. It is my conviction that whoever is guilty must be impeached and brought to justice at all costs.”

  Pheasant nodded. “Yes, Minister Xu. You have my permission to lead the investigation.”

  “Why are you doing this, Minister Xu?” I asked. He was inviting another beating from the Regent’s men. “Don’t you fear the retaliations of the Empress? And the Regent?”

  He straightened. “Luminous Lady, Your Majesty, of course I do. Last time they beat me, I lay in bed for a month. I could have died like the others.” His voice, always loud and clear, filled the hall. “I have eight wives, fourteen children, six grandchildren, and two of my father’s concubines to care for. What will they do if I die? But I am sixty-three years of age. I will not live forever. Sooner or later, I will go to the Yellow Rapids. But I’m sick of the Regent. He ruined my life, banishing me to the South, and he will never let me live in peace. As long as he’s the Regent and I’m the minister, I will live like a worm in this palace and die like a worm. I do not wish to live like a worm or die like a worm, Luminous Lady. I want to die in glory, or better, to live in glory.”

  I recalled the same words he had said to me in the library. He was indeed the boldest minister I had seen in the court. “You said you will impeach her.”

  “Yes. And depose her, if she is guilty of murdering an innocent child.”

  “She is. I give you my word.”

  He sighed. “Luminous Lady, regrettably, your word is not enough. It has to be proven.”

  Proven? I stood, my heart racing fast. Suddenly, I had an idea of how to defeat the Empress and the Regent.

  I had to expose her lie and reveal to the kingdom what had really happened and what kind of an empress she was. If I could do that, if I could show the people the truth, the Regent would lose his support, his army would dissolve, and the palace would be saved.

  Minister Xu would try the Empress, and she would face justice. And my child’s death would be avenged.

  All I needed to do was to get her to confess.

  I was so excited I could hardly contain myself. I went to the minister and bowed. “I thank you, Minister Xu. You have heard the Emperor’s order. Please do form an impeachment party. Choose ministers you trust, and I’ll prove to you she is guilty. I will get you the Empress’s confession.”

  “I do not understand, Luminous Lady.” He looked confused. “The Empress’s confession?”

  “Do what you need to do. Leave the rest to me.”

  “Of course, Luminous Lady. I shall not doubt you.” The minister bowed and left the library.

  If everything succeeded, I would promote this man. I would appoint him Chancellor and reward him beyond his wildest dreams.

  “How will you get her confession?” Pheasant asked, looking confused. “She’ll die rather than confess.”

  I went to the hall’s entrance to make sure no one was around to overhear. Near the pillar in the corridor, in the pool of red lantern light, Apricot was rocking Hong, who had fallen asleep sucking his thumb.

  Several eunuchs yawned at the far end of the forecourt, and near them, a few servants unhooked the lanterns under the eaves and changed the candles inside. Dozens of guards, their hands on the hilts of their swords, paced solemnly along the corridor.

  I closed the door behind me. “We will capture her,” I said in a low voice and told Pheasant of my plan. “It’s from The Art of War,” I added.

  He shook his head. “Too dangerous. Anything can go wrong. What if someone warns her?”

  Of course, the Empress had many spies hidden in the palace, who spun large, sticky webs in the dark. And those who did not yet work for her could be easily wheedled by her gold and influence. Anyone—a greedy eunuch, a vengeful servant, a cowardly minister, or even an ambitious guard—if any of them heard what I was intending to do, that person could become a loose hinge on the wheel of my plan.

  But I could use the very nature of these lowly people and make them work for me.

  “You must trust me,” I said.

  Pheasant sighed. “Sweet face, you know it’s not that I do not trust you. But you have no idea what will happen.”
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  “We have the General, Pheasant.”

  “I know, but…”

  I put my hand on his arm. “Do you remember Taizi’s rebellion? Do you remember how many died? This is our only chance to stop the war. If this plan succeeds, we will have her confession. The people will know she is a liar, and it will be all over for her, and for the Regent.”

  He walked to the table and put his hand near the candle’s flame. “Do you know you are walking through the fire? And what could happen if you fail?”

  I stared at the flame. It looked like a ruthless, orange heart, its smoke dark and ominous. I wondered what my friend Princess Gaoyang would have said to me if she had been here. “Are you afraid, Luminous Lady?” she would ask me.

  Yes. I was. I was very afraid.

  What had she said about fear? “Fear is a roof, Luminous Lady. Once you break it, you shall see the sky.”

  I thought I had understood what she meant, how a pavilion built with fear would get smaller and smaller and hotter and hotter inside. But now I understood more.

  I nipped the flame with my thumb and forefinger. “What we fear is not the fire, Pheasant, but rather the fear itself.”

  He let out a heavy sigh, and then with his hands crossed behind his back, he paced in the hall. He reached the threshold of the hall and returned. After two more rounds, finally, he nodded. “I shall summon the General.”

  34

  While Pheasant ordered his eunuch announcer to summon the General, I went outside to see Apricot. She was humming something, rocking Hong in her arms. Beside her, my four maids, Chunlu, Xiayu, Qiushuang, and Dongxue, were leaning against a pillar, sleeping. There was something sweet and comforting about seeing them safe and content, and my eyes wandered to search for my Oriole.

  I caught myself.

  “Luminous Lady.” Apricot tugged at Chunlu and Xiayu beside her. They jerked awake, glancing up at me in fear. Ever since I had ordered Apricot to be beaten, they often looked at me this way. Apricot, however, stood straight, patting Hong in her arms.

  “Apricot,” I said softly. “Come. I need to speak to you.”

  “Yes, my lady.” She gave Hong to Chunlu and followed behind me.

  I led her to one of the buildings near the library, where the ministers and scribes reviewed petitions. I dismissed them. When the footsteps faded away in the corridor and we were alone in the chamber, I asked Apricot to sit on a stool.

  “I have a favor to ask, Apricot. It’s very important, and only you can help me,” I said.

  “Of course, Luminous Lady. Anything, anything you wish me to do. I shall be happy to oblige.”

  “I need you to betray me.”

  She raised her head, looking confused. “Luminous Lady?”

  I put up my hand to stop her before she could speak more. “I trust you. You would never truly betray me. But I need you to do this for me.” I paused. “You will spread the word that I am planning on capturing the Empress. You will tell her how I curse her, and you will incense her.” Carefully, I told her what I would like her to do. “And you will also make her believe I am vulnerable. You will expose me to her.”

  “Why?” Apricot’s mouth fell open in horror.

  “This is a secret plan. It’s very important, and my life depends on you,” I said. The Empress’s men would trust Apricot’s every word, believing she was betraying me for revenge because I had beaten her. “Will you do it?”

  She was thinking, biting her lip, wringing her hands, and when she raised her head again, she looked somber. “Yes, Luminous Lady, if this is your wish. I will follow your order. I will do everything you told me. I’ll go to the Empress’s uncle.”

  I was surprised to hear how quickly her mind worked, and I was proud of her. “I am grateful that you have made a proper decision, Apricot, and meanwhile”—I wanted to stroke her hair again but refrained—“you must be careful.”

  “Yes, Luminous Lady.”

  “Now go.” I watched her open the chamber’s door and leave.

  When I stepped out of the building, the ministers and servants in the corridor were eyeing me. I straightened, pulled my cape around me, and passed them.

  Apricot was the first arrow I let loose, and I prayed it would fly well in the air.

  • • •

  The General was waiting in Pheasant’s library.

  “You returned at a good time, Mei.” Pheasant raised his head. “Would you like to tell the General yourself?”

  I nodded. “General Li.” I gave him a bow. He returned another but looked cautious. He was not cold toward me anymore, but I could tell he was not accustomed to listening to my orders. “Perhaps you already knew this: the Emperor and I have been thinking about how to stop the war.”

  He nodded. “How?”

  “We will force the Empress to confess her crime. When the people know the truth, when they understand she has murdered my daughter and instigated the rebellion, they will back off. They will not support her, or the Regent.”

  “She will not confess.”

  “We have a plan.”

  The General folded his arms across his chest, frowning. I could not afford to have him doubt me, or worse, betray me. He was loyal to Pheasant. Would he be loyal to me? “Do you have a family, General Li?”

  “A son.”

  I folded my sleeves across my lap. “The Regent is not a kind man, General Li. You know him better than I do.”

  The General waved his hand. “Luminous Lady, if you don’t mind, let me hear what you have to say. What is the plan?”

  “We will capture her.”

  He looked up to the ceiling. “We would have done that days ago if it were that simple. We do not know where she’s hiding, Luminous Lady.”

  Pheasant spoke sharply. “General, I command you to listen to Luminous Lady. That is an order.”

  He dipped his head. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

  “Here is what you are going to do,” I said, trying to sound calm and assured. “The Emperor has ordered the edicts drafted. He has renounced the heir. You will order your men to post the bulletins of the heir’s denunciation in the city the moment you leave this hall. Make certain you watch how the crowd responds to the message. Have your men follow anyone whom you suspect may be her spies.”

  The Empress’s own men would lead us right to her.

  The General shifted his feet, the hem of his cape swinging in the candlelight. I could not see his face, hidden in the dark, but I could sense his surprise. “Renounce the heir? This will cause an uproar.”

  “Are you afraid?” I challenged him.

  He snorted, waving his hand.

  I breathed out in relief and explained the second part of my plan. The General would send a messenger bearing Pheasant’s invitation to the Regent’s house, and meanwhile, he would secretly order another group of his trusted men to leave the palace quietly and wait outside the Regent’s heavily guarded ward. As the messenger delivered the invitation to the Regent, the masked guards would seek an opportunity to break into the ward and bring the Regent to the palace.

  These two plans, to borrow the master Sun Tzu’s words, used the strategy of striking the west by making noise in the east. There was also a chance that one of them would fail, but if one succeeded, we would have either the Regent or the Empress in our hands.

  The General gave me a long look.

  “Of course, much depends on the General’s service,” I said calmly.

  The man’s face thawed. “I shall give the orders to my men right away.”

  I shook my head. I was not finished yet. I went into the most important part of the plan, in which I commanded his service and loyalty. I looked straight into his eyes. “Are you a good swordsman, General?”

  I reminded him of what he had told me on the watchtower, “A good sword serves his lord; a good swordsman belie
ves in his lord.”

  “Of course, Luminous Lady.”

  “I want you to believe in me.”

  The General held my gaze. He looked surprised, and I waited for him to digest the message—so far he had always obeyed Pheasant, and I wanted him to obey me. “You must serve me. You must follow my orders. Our kingdom’s future depends on you. There is no mistake about this. Do we understand each other?”

  He did not answer, and I was worried that he would refuse. Then he turned around and headed toward the hall’s entrance, where he paused. “You must be careful, Your Majesty and Luminous Lady,” he said. “The Empress is not in the palace, but her spies are everywhere.”

  I relaxed. He did understand. “Thank you for your warning, General. You may go now.”

  With a curt nod, the General pushed the doors open and left the hall. His heavy footsteps pounded in the courtyard, echoing in the thick curtain of the night. Both Pheasant and I sat down with a sigh.

  “Now we wait,” he said. But he was too nervous to sit. Instead, he steadied his hat, crossed his arms behind his back, and walked all the way to the threshold and back to the large table. Back and forth, he paced in the library.

  I went to the corner of the hall and sat down. Then I closed my eyes and began to meditate.

  Breathe. Breathe the scent of the night. And listen. Listen to the silence of the air, for when I opened my eyes again, I would feel as calm as the mountain pine, and I would stand high, steadfast, and victorious, like the rising moon.

  • • •

  An hour later, a guard sent by the General informed Pheasant and me that the announcement of the heir’s dethronement had been posted on city gates and market walls across the city. They were now on the watch for any suspicious men who might inform the Empress.