Chapter 4 Under His Arm
I was not there for the start of it. What I later learned was this.
With a clang, a bamboo slip thrown down by the Emperor rolled beside a eunuch. The eunuch raised his head toward Xie Linmu's dark face and stepped forward with care. "Emperor, the Empress is only jealous. An explanation will do."
"Explain?" Xie Linmu gave a cold snort. "She will not even let me into her bedchamber. How do I explain? And why should I explain. I do not want to be a dog!"
At the same time, wind passed the window of the Imperial Study. A black figure ran in.
The newcomer wore bewitching red. Gold-traced shoes on her feet were embroidered with a few butterflies. A bold light sat between brow and eye. Who but the general of the Southern Kingdom had that presence?
"Does my Imperial Study have no door?"
"I was only afraid of being found out." Qiao Qingmiao came forward in a few steps. The bells at her waist sounded. "Where is Shen Yiluo?"
Xie Linmu rubbed the center of his brow. At the mention of Shen Yiluo, he said, "In Duanyang Palace."
"Duanyang Palace?" Qiao Qingmiao froze. "Is she not the Noble Consort? What is she doing going to Duanyang Palace?"
"She found Songxing Palace too dull, so she stays in Duanyang Palace all day..."
At those words both of them froze. They looked at each other, then ran for Duanyang Palace faster than a thunderclap could cover the ears.
Elsewhere in Duanyang Palace.
Shen Yiluo had one foot hooked on the table, eating grapes at her ease. She looked back at me working to peel a Lychee, and could not help a question. "Did you truly lose your memory?"
I put the peeled Lychee in my mouth and said without shame, "Mm."
Shen Yiluo rose, not fully convinced. She reached toward the Lychee, and her balance failed. She pitched forward and fell straight onto me, where I crouched peeling Lychee. I pitched forward too. My face pressed flat to the ground.
A huge bang. Someone kicked the door of Duanyang Hall open. Shen Yiluo had not reacted before a hand hauled her up by the collar. I had only just caught a breath when someone locked my throat and lifted me under an arm.
"Mind your woman!"
Both voices rose at once. Qiao Qingmiao and Xie Linmu glared, eyes wide. It looked like they would start hitting the next moment.
Shen Yiluo sounded helpless. "What are the two of you doing?"
Qiao Qingmiao's face showed displeasure. "What were the two of you doing?"
Shen Yiluo explained, "I was going to teach her to peel Lychee, and I slipped!"
"Only that?"
"What else?"
"Save me..."
A thin thread of voice rose from under Xie Linmu's arm. I clutched my neck. My face was red into purple.
Xie Linmu gave a start. "Shen Yiluo, did you poison her?!"
Qiao Qingmiao looked displeased. "You are talking nonsense."
I left one line, "Pit...", and rolled my eyes white.
That day, word spread that the Empress had nearly been strangled to death by the Emperor.
Someone in the know even let out that when the Empress could not draw breath and rolled her eyes, the Noble Consort, in front of everyone, had actually been about to beat the Empress to death.
For a time the three of them became a riddle.
In Duanyang Palace, Shen Yiluo was helping me knock the pit out. She sneezed. "Who cursed me?"