Chapter 1 Emperor Jing

I, Prince Xiang, have done three wrong things in my life.

First, take Emperor Jing to the brothel.

Second, let Emperor Jing know the little gangsters in  Jianghu.

Third, as the Buddha said, you can’t mention it casually…….

At night in the late summer, taking advantage of the charming moonlight, I wore a single coat and walked to the pavilion in the inner courtyard to enjoy the coolness. While walking, I looked at the purple flowers and the quiet grass, and I felt a whole lot comfortable. The red apricots in the courtyard were fully ripe, and they were hanging high on the branches, as if they were proud, showing off their fruits.

I still remember that when Emperor Jing was still the crown prince, all the princes went to Prince Xi’s residence to play. Their small hands held my clothes. Their soft yet  commanding voices shouted happily. I couldn’t reach the red apricots on the tree. I had to pick them up one by one and let them pick the apricots by themselves. Finally, when Emperor Jing arrived, his small body shrank back, his solemn face was quite like that of the previous emperor. He said that he, the crown prince, didn’t need it, but he kept looking at the red apricots in the tree. He could’ve burned two holes through the apricots just by his stare.

I didn’t know what to say. I smiled and took out a chair from the hall. I stepped on the chair and picked a good apricot for the Emperor . When I handed the picked apricots to him, the child reluctantly received the fruit, which made me think I forced him to take it.

Now, when I think of Emperor Jing’s expression when he was eating apricots, I wanted to laugh, perhaps because the apricots are still a little sour, his small face wrinkled tightly.

Today’s Prince Xi’s mansion is not as lively as it used to be. If you ask the reason, I don’t know.The military power has been taken back countless times by the former Emperor. Maybe my father, who thinks he is righteous and awe inspiring, has offended anyone or made someone with power perturbed with his high merit. Now he is sent far away at the border, and the large and small affairs in the residence are now controlled by my mother, giving me leisure to do as I please. In recent days,I have become more and more unbridled. My mother felt helpless about my situation. Who told me that this rotten wood can’t be carved?

My title is not the Prince of Xi, but the Prince of Xiang. I don’t know why I still stay in the mansion and haven’t gone to the fief. I don’t even have a complete memory. I had some memories when I was a child, and then I lost them later. The old servant of the family said that it was because I had a strange disease. I stayed in bed for several days and didn’t remember them when I woke up. According to him, those lost memories were bland, just like at present; as soon as I had nothing to do, I would be pulled by Feng Yin, the Emperor, to see those folk beauties.

But I don’t think so.

A breeze came and added some coolness. I tightened my clothes, got up, went to the kitchen and brought back a pot of good wine. Sitting in the pavilion, I drank alone to the moon, which added a little solitude.

In the past, Si Ran would accompany me, to drink and get drunk.

After several cups of sake got into my stomach, I was already drunk. Half drunk and half awake, I just remembered, Si Ran… Who is that?

When I woke up the next day, the birds outside the window were chirping non stop, it was annoying. Because of the hangover, I had a splitting headache and touched my dry throat. I propped up my body. Someone on the side helped me lean against the upholster and carefully poured me a cup of tea. I reluctantly pulled the corners of my mouth and smiled. I took a sip of the tea and got it to moisten my dry throat. My voice felt much better.

Last night, I was probably drunk in the pavilion, and was carried back to the room by a servant.

Handing the teacup back to the servant, I said, “Xingyuan, what time is it now?”

“It’s not time yet, Ziqing.” An elegant voice sounded which carried a hint of a smile.

Xing Xing is my servant, he usually calls me master, how dare he be so bold and call me by my name? But this voice, why does it sound a bit wrong?

“It’s now…” I pressed my forehead and glanced casually. The bright yellow material was embroidered with dragons and clouds, and the sunlight shining in from the window blinded my eyes.

I jumped up and hurriedly knelt down to the ground, and couldn’t help but say, ” This subordinate has no eyes, this subordinate did not know His Majesty had come, this sin deserves death, this subordinate begs His Majesty’s forgiveness!”

Feng Yin sat on the edge of the bed, took a sip of the tea cup in his hand, and looked at me in awe. Wasn’t that the tea I just drank a while ago?

“Since Ziqing knows he is wrong, then Ziqing should accept this Emperor’s request.”

“That is, that is, His Majesty has the only say. As long as this subordinate can do it, this subordinate can be smashed and be broken to pieces.” I wiped the sweat on my forehead. Fortunately, Fengyin didn’t call me Imperial Uncle, otherwise it must be bad.

“Imperial Uncle’s words are serious, how can I push Imperial Uncle into the fire pit?” After drinking two more sips of tea, Feng Yin put the teacup on the side table and smiled deeply.

After I listened, my heart throbbed. The Emperor called me Imperial Uncle, there must be something wrong.

“I heard that a beautiful woman has come to Chu mansion recently. She had fallen in love with the city and was always seen with a lovely smile. Ziqing should go with this Emperor to see it.”

The expression on his face when he said this was as if he was asking if you had dinner today, it was so normal!

I pulled the corners of my mouth while scoffing inside.

Alas, the Emperor, princes, and the harem beauties, all wanted  to go to those Qin pavilions and Chu mansions. I don’t think I’ve lost enough of the royal face. Do you know how the rumors of me in court were?

I’m the one who indulges in debauchery, teaches the Emperor rotten things, and peeps into the throne.

I have a great reputation, which is very widespread in court. All good officials want to swallow me alive and scrape me away with thousands of knives.

I changed into a simple Tsing Yi, took care of myself, followed Feng Yin out of the room one after the other, and when I walked to the inner courtyard, the people in the courtyard were in groups of three or five, making noises, some were even weeping. I don’t know what’s going on, Feng Yin obviously noticed it too, he stopped and raised his eyebrows at me, a little curiosity in Emperor Feng’s eyes.

I understood and pushed forward slowly. The servants saw and gave way one after another. I saw my mother with a grim expression sitting upright. Standing on her side was a handmaid, holding the kneeling princess on the ground, whose clothes were untidy and choking. Another servant was tied and knelt on her side with his head down.

I stood there, speechless, like this… I don’t need to think about what happened.

“Ziqing, you came just in time, this woman, as a concubine of the Palace of Xi, dares to do such shameless things, what do you think should be done?” My mother glanced at me and said.

“… it’s up to my mother.” I couldn’t help holding up my forehead. I knew the princess had been scheming something in her heart for some time now, but who expected that she would do such things. I asked myself if I had treated her badly. I gave her what she wanted. She said to the East, I hadn’t been to the West. Now it’s like this. Even if I beg for mercy, nothing can be done. I hate my mother for some reason. How can she disregard my predicament? What’s more, how can such a thing of bad reputation be tolerated by those who are of noble relatives and relatives of the emperor.

“My lord, please beg your mother for the sake of the child in this concubine’s belly. Please forgive this concubine.” Her slender jade hand grabbed the hem of my shirt and touched the slightly protruding abdomen with the other, crying in tears.

Translator’s Notes

Rotten wood can’t be carved=Something that is already bad cannot be made better, or prettier. You cannot change the true nature of such things. An English equivalent would be: “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”

Tsing Yi=plain green dress

Chu mansion=brothel

Imperial Uncle=can either be a title granted to a non-relative by the Emperor, raising their position to royalty, or it refers to the Emperor’s (typically blood-related) brothers

Qin pavilion=Imperial Garden

Jianghu=Literally meaning “rivers and lakes”, is an unsettling concept/expression/sensation/text in Chinese language and culture open for a myriad of interpretations. It is also applied to societies where there is no law and order.