Empress Orchid - Anchee Min [139]
Despite his behavior Tung Chih had grown into a handsome boy. He had my bright eyes and smooth skin. The rest of his features were from his father. He had a full forehead, a straight Manchu nose and a lovely mouth. His expression was usually serious, but when he smiled it was the sweetest. I couldn’t bear the thought that Tung Chih would lose both his father and mother at the same time.
As far as I could see, two people would be destroyed if Hsien Feng took me with him. One would be my son, and the other my mother. Tung Chih would be given no discipline, which Nuharoo would do innocently, but Su Shun purposely. The result would be the same—by the time Tung Chih grew up, he would be ill suited to rule. As for my mother, she would be in no condition to stand the blow. My death would spell her own.
Su Shun would lie straight-faced if Tung Chih had questions regarding my death. Su Shun would prove to him that I was a bad mother, and my son would be taught to hate me. He would never realize that he was Su Shun’s victim. Su Shun would do everything in his power to seduce Tung Chih, and my son would regard him as his savior.
What could be more evil than molesting a child’s mind? Tung Chih would be stripped of his birthright. Su Shun would eventually achieve his own ambitions through Tung Chih. He would run the empire in the name of Hsien Feng for his son. He would expose Tung Chih’s weakness and then create an excuse to overthrow him and proclaim himself as the ruler.
The clearer the picture of the future became, the deeper I sank into despair. The news of Hsien Feng’s death could arrive at any moment, and this could be my last chance to be with Tung Chih.
I held my son so tightly he complained that I was hurting him.
“Weeping can only cause you to lose more time, my lady.” An-te-hai rose from the floor where he had been kneeling. His usually gentle eyes had become hard.
“Why don’t you escape, An-te-hai?” I said in frustration. “You have been good to me and I shall bless you.”
“I live for you, my lady.” An-te-hai banged his head loudly on the floor. “Don’t give up yet!”
“Who can rescue me, An-te-hai? The Emperor is too far gone, and Su Shun’s spies are everywhere.”
“There are two people who might be able to save you, my lady.”
Rong and her husband, Prince Ch’un, were the two people An-te-hai had in mind. An-te-hai believed that Prince Ch’un could find a way to His Majesty’s bedside. He would take Rong with him so that she could speak for me.
The suggestion made sense. Rong was now pregnant, which added to her status in the eyes of the Imperial family. Prince Ch’un had four daughters but not yet a son. He would do anything to make his wife happy. An-te-hai volunteered to sneak out of Jehol and contact my sister.
A week later, in the early morning, my sister was by my side. Her belly was the size of a lantern. A healthy glow shone on her face. We threw our arms around each other and wept. Rong told me that she had succeeded in her task.
“At first Su Shun wouldn’t let us in,” she recalled. “Ch’un was ready to withdraw after several hours of waiting. I begged him. I said that I had to speak to His Majesty in person about sacrificing my sister. If I couldn’t succeed in making him change his mind, the child in my belly would be affected by my grief. I would have a miscarriage.”
Rong took my hands in hers and smiled. “My husband couldn’t stand the idea of possibly losing a son. So he forced his way in and saw His Majesty lying on the bed.
“I followed Ch’un in and we wished His Majesty good health. My belly was too big for me to kowtow, but I made myself anyway—I had to show him how desperate I was. I didn’t have to pretend. I was truly scared. His Majesty pardoned me and told me to rise. I refused and stayed on my knees until my husband opened his mouth. He told his brother that I was having nightmares, that I couldn’t get over my sadness, that he might lose his son to a miscarriage.”
“What was Hsien Feng’s reaction?”
“His Majesty looked