Later in the afternoon, Bingquing was sewing in her room, when a maid of the manor came to gossip.
"You are the daughter of Official Chu who was thought to be dead, but was rescued and brought back to him? The whole palace harem is buzzing with the news of such a strange miracle to brighten up our days. Such a legend has heavenly implications so it is thought that you are a divine being who has come to earth. Since you are here in the harem it is throught that you are bringing a light to the palace."
Bingquing was embroidering a sleeping black cat on a white background. The imaging was calming to her, as she would often a black cat that she would feed in her previous manor. She smiled wryly. "A family reunion is always joyous. But how do you know of such things inside the palace?"
The maid was known as Du Ni and was the daughter of her old nanny so the two had played together and been tutored together as children. They were as close as sisters, but had been separated when Du Ni had returned home. Bingquing had supposed Du Ni was killed along with the rest of the staff, but had been delighted when she had found not. They had slept together crying for the first few days, but otherwise their relationship had improved.
A lot of the manors servants were elderly as they had retired but had resumed work once they had heard of their masters need for servants. Some were younger and had escaped because they had hidden themselves. Everyone had joined in her father's joy that she was alive.
Du Ni blushed, "There's a handsome guard in the palace that I always see when I go get you things you need from the market. He always keeps me up on the latest goings on. You know the idiot king is actually a very good king?"
Bingquing laughed, "Father always assumed it was an elaborate act. Jungpi always has the best harvests and goods. It didn't make sense because the country was not poor as idiots usually are."
"Did I tell you about how your father was in the dungeon for a month. He didn't eat anything so he lost weight. The emperor had to punish him because they thought your father had something to do with the rebels, but once they found the house in shambles they realized they made a mistake. The courtiers didn't even know where your father lived because they considered him a minor official. This house has a dukedom. It was such a scandal. Your father did ask to be sent to Jungpi because he wanted the gossip to die down so he could work how he used to."
"Du Ni, this is old news. I heard all of this at uncle's place. Tell me about what happened after he became an official in Jungpi."
"Oh dear, the Jungpi officials didn't like that someone so notorious from Caiwong Empire was joining them so they petitioned to have him executed. You know the queen is the only one who does the affairs? It's so scandalous in other countries, but she manages everything in the state affairs. She thought it was ridiculous and gave your father to manage a small locality to please them."
"If the queen is in court, who manages the harem?"
"There is a noble consort or two who have children, but they were all childhood friends. Only one has a young son whom the other dotes on. The queen has been unable to get pregnant for many years. She does have a daughter who I hear will get married to a prince of Caiwong. I don't think the king is too worried about succession just yet."
"What about the king?"
"He's in the harem or tending the garden. He's a big fan of hedges and flowers. I think he paints as well. He's a man of leisure. Your father was saying how hard it is to get an audience with him. Everyone just ignores him as the queen makes decisions anyways."
"That sounds refreshing. I would love to meet the queen."
"You probably won't have to wait long, mam. Official Chu was thinking of presenting you in court."
"Father has said nothing of that to me."
"Maybe you should go ask him."
At dinner, Bingquing was unusually quiet. Official Chu set down his chopsticks for a second and glared at her. He sighed, before picking up a piece of meat and placed it on top of her bowl with a defeated expression."Ah, you spent a month at some strange place without me. You need to put on some weight so that I can start to feel like my daughter is coming back to me.""Why are you presenting me at the Jungpi court instead of the Caiwong court? Haven't you said that one of the most traits in a men is his dedication to the country of his birth? What happened with this truth which you made me memorize? What is the point of memorizing morals if no one bothers to follow them?""Who said that?" Official Chu looked at Bingquing's long face with some amusement. "Sometimes for survival there must be some sacrifices. The dynasty has continued in Caiwong, this is much more important than there to be continue to be an
"Your majesty," A eunuch kneeled low in front of the queen of Jungpi as her maids buzzed around her. Her hair was done half up so that the hair hung down in cascades of shine so whoever stood behind her would be looking at a scenic waterfall. The scene was punctuated with four phoenix hairpins which were arranged in the four cardinal directions. In front, right abover her forehead was a small nest replete with a phoenix couple and a nest of eggs. It was a haven reprieve from the business of the golden array of clouds and valleys. Her eyes were winged with setting clouds made of shadows of purple, orange, and yellow. The sun itself set red in a painted mark between her delicate eyebrows. The scene was set so it would appeal to the court, but she was under no illusions about her looks.She was by no means beautiful. Her own mother, the former queen, had always referred to her as having the misfortune of her father's brutish face.&
Bingquing bowed before the Queen of Jungpi with a care to the position of this strange bow. She had never thought before that someone would change simple things like the way a person should prostrate themselves in a bow had done since she was small. But the book of Jungpi womanly virtues that her tutor had given her was full of strange positions and placements. There were resting positions for hands even which were irritating to hold as her fingers would cramp. But she did them as her father watched. Her head was starting to ache from the metal nest of birds she had been made to wear by her maids with an assurance that it had been granted to her from the palace. It looked absurd, but it was a mirror of what the queen had chosen for herself. She knew her father was relying on her to made a good impression so she was making painsaking efforts to please. Bingquing hoped it would not all go to rot.The queen's look was made to look
Official Chu sighed, "Alright if you are threatening me in front of my daughter, I should really betray my confidences to the fullest as a good example to her. Your highness, you've made me no more promises than the food that fills this table. After this meal, how will I know that I will have my life? I'll gamble that you'll take my life in exchange for keeping my daughter. The imperial house of Caiwong is as simple as you think. Ning Ren is the least influential. Ning Qu is a drunkard. Ning Zhuo is a killer. The weakness of Caiwong is in that it's line of succession is weak. None of the princes despite their training are ready or set for the crown. None of them has the right temperment as all are young and spoiled by their mothers who are slowly going mad in the imperial city. I'm assuming Ning Yu has not offered because he is a child who has yet even to ride a horse."The king nodded, "Then my source was corr
"Nothing." Queen Langhua stood in front of Bingquing as she looked longingly in the direction of her father's retreating carriage. Tears poured down her face as her arm was jerked by the queen's hand. Langhua's nails were sharp against her forearm as she turned Bingquing to face her.Bingquing feeling the aforementioned nails claw into her arm turned to face the queen. Her clothing now was much more simple than before, but the odd bird nest in the center of her hair remained. Bingquing on the other hand wore a simple set of hydrangea pins that had come as a gift after the letter had been sent to the palace. She was adamant as she tried to wave to the retreating carriage. "Why can't I say goodbye? If this is the last time that I will be allowed to see him, why are the rules changing so quickly? It's not fair for it to be different when I know no one or nothing about anything. Who decided that things were going to be l
It was darker and colder inside than the outside she had just left.Bingquing felt around the box and could feel objects protruding out of every side of the box. It was strange to have her sense of proprioception be highened over her other senses. It was strange to think that it wasn't something that she could see, but she still knew where everything was. Some were smooth and knobbed. Other things were sharp and would toggle as the carriers of the box shifted the weight on their shoulders. It was a precarious exploration as she couldn't see much and her body was completely exposed. She could feel the air from outside filtering in through some imperceivable gaps in the box. She shivered as the outside air was cold on her bare skin.She felt around the floor of the box and found two opposing knobs that were widely spaced. If she bumped into one it would jostle the other kind of like they were meant to be moved. She pu
"Announcing completion of the first trial by the candidate." A palace eunuch shouted shrilly as the box was held sideways as it went up a pair of steps. Bingquing was pushed back as the box was shifted downward and the clock face opened to reveal a door.Bingquing blinked in the brilliant light before her eyes adjusted to a change in scenery where it was indoors and well lit. It was a few moments before she could open her eyes widely and she could see. The box had been placed inside of a bathing chamber where everyone was standing stiffly and waiting for her. She got out slowly and was surprised to see that all of the maids bowed to her. There was a lone monk who did as well, he averted his eyes with a solemn hand as he gestured her in a respectful manner.Bingquing looked around the room and was surprised to see Langhua bathing in a pool of white fluid. She got up when Bingquing made eye contact. The liquid streamed down
Bingquing woke up in pain. Her back had felt extremely tender to the touch as she tried to get up. There were pins and needles in her head and hands as she tried to sit up properly on the bed. There were bandages wrapped around her whole midsection and head that she disturbed as she tried out of habit to find something to pin her hair with. Now she did not really have any hair at all to really even wrap around herself. She touched the bloodied clothes with a wonder for what her skin would look like underneath the work that she was sure the monks had continued on while she was sleeping but Langhua's hovering form stopped her with an expression that looked like the queen was visibly unsettled by Bingquing's presence there. Her word though were as close to kindness as she was sure the queen could manage."It's probably better if you don't bend your body for a couple days so the healing will be easier. I'd prefer it actually if you did no