When the Bright Moon Shines on Zhaohe - Chapter 4

That night, Consort Shu came upon Noble Consort Wan and a fake eunuch having an affair beside the lotus pond. Clothes lay strewn everywhere. Even Wan’s mandarin duck embroidered undergarment had landed on the artificial hill. They had been rather enthusiastic.

Consort Shu seized them both and brought them before the emperor. At the news, His Majesty was so overcome with rage that he fainted on the spot. The hall erupted into chaos: people calling for help, making excuses, rushing about, and taking the chance to kick the fallen woman.

When I slipped back into the palace at midnight, Weiyang Palace was still ablaze with candlelight. Quite a lively scene.

Later, I heard that the fake eunuch was Wan’s old lover from outside the palace. The child she carried was his. They had fallen into Pei Ye’s trap. After being dosed with the aphrodisiac, they couldn’t wait to meet by the lotus pond, where Consort Shu, stationed there by Pei Ye, caught them in the act.

The evidence was conclusive. Wan lost her title and was sent to the cold palace that very night. When the drug wore off, she lost the child and half her mind with it. The most arrogant woman in the entire harem had fallen in a single night. It was almost enough to make a person sigh.

The next day, Pei Ye rewarded Consort Shu for exposing the affair by promoting her to noble consort. Suddenly she was the star of the harem. The others started another round of flattery, alliances, and backbiting. A lively, foul mess.

Fortunately, remote Shaohua Residence was as quiet as ever. Chunxi and I sat under the eaves cracking seeds.

“Wasn’t Consort Wan always the one most devoted to His Majesty?” Chunxi said. “Was all of that an act, all these years?”

I remembered the mocking look on Pei Ye’s face the day before and couldn’t answer. I’d always thought the women in this enormous harem fought because they wanted a larger share of his favor. He was affectionate with everyone and attached to no one; of course he’d let them all down.

Now I saw it differently. Everyone here had schemes and goals of her own. Competing for his affection was only a pretext. The truth was that none of them actually loved him.

As for me, learning that Pei Ye really was the man who’d saved me from the drug left me deeply embarrassed. Thinking carefully, I seemed to recall saying quite a lot of sweet and dirty things to him in the heat of the moment. Oh, God. That made it even worse. He wanted me to visit him again? Ha. Only a fool would go.

Late that night, just after I’d shut my doors and prepared for bed, Pei Ye’s tall guard appeared. He wrapped me in something like a quilt and flew straight to Weiyang Palace with me.

Was I being summoned to his bed?!

Candles flickered inside the hall. Pei Ye lay behind the curtains, eyes closed and face flushed. Plainly, someone had drugged him again.

I looked at Eunuch Hong standing nearby. “Who did it this time?”

He sighed. “…Noble Consort Shu.”

“This must have happened to my brother before. How did you deal with it then?”

“The imperial physicians prepared an antidote.”

“So where is it? Give it to him!”

Hong looked troubled. “His Majesty refuses to take it. He says the remedy he needs now is with Your Highness.”

“…?”

“Your Highness, please save our emperor! If we delay any longer, the poison may overwhelm him!”

Hong fled as he spoke. The doors slammed shut behind him, firmly barred as though he feared I might escape.

Furious, I pulled back the curtains and shook Pei Ye awake. “Pei Ye! What is wrong with you? You—”

His lashes trembled. When he opened his eyes, they shimmered beneath a mist of tears. Heaven. Was that how I’d looked at him that night, gazing at even a dog as though it were the love of my life?

“Zhaohe… Is that you, Zhaohe?”

His burning hand closed tightly around my wrist. I couldn’t pull free. “Yes, it’s me. Why won’t you take the antidote? Where is it? I’ll fetch it for you.”

His throat moved. He struggled upright, then let himself lean against me. Warm breath touched the hollow of my neck. I went rigid.

“The medicine… is too bitter. Zhaohe… is sweet.”

I shivered.

“Didn’t you say… you wanted to thank me? Zhaohe, save me…”

His lips brushed my ear. His voice was far too seductive. Half my body went weak in spite of me, but my mouth held firm.

“No! You’re terrible at it. I don’t like it. Where’s the antidote? I’ll go—mmph!”

He swallowed the rest of my protest. As he drew me behind the bed curtains, he seemed to laugh softly beside my ear.

“Then teach me again, Zhaohe.”