Empress Orchid - Anchee Min [158]
I caked my cheeks with powder and then slipped into a mourning gown. I noticed that Nuharoo’s face had grown puffy. Her usually glowing skin had become a dull, dead white. Her tears had drawn two wiggly lines under her eyes.
We were ready to meet Prince Kung, but learned that he couldn’t pass Chief Eunuch Shim, who quoted the household law that it was improper for Imperial widows to be seen by a prince of the same age during the time of mourning.
Prince Kung threw himself on the floor and begged Su Shun to be allowed to meet his nephew Tung Chih.
I suggested to Nuharoo that we go to the coffin room. We dressed Tung Chih and went there. Behind a wall panel we were able to hear the voices of Su Shun and Prince Kung. Su Shun insisted that he was acting on Emperor Hsien Feng’s behalf.
The frustrated prince cursed. “The one who thinks of himself as having the wind at his back and moonlight in his sleeves is nothing but a mite-infested wooden puppet.”
I worried about Prince Kung’s temper. If he angered Su Shun further, Su Shun could accuse him of interfering with the execution of the Imperial will.
“This is about my birthright, Su Shun!” Prince Kung yelled.
Su Shun laughed. He knew his advantage and took his time. “No, this is not about what you are entitled to, Prince Kung. It is about the justification of the most powerful. Emperor Hsien Feng’s will leaves the nation with the impression that you are a weak hen who produces soft-shelled eggs. I don’t know what is lacking in you, but the defect is clear.”
The court laughed with Su Shun. A few of the senior clansmen stamped their feet on the floor.
“Imagine the soft-shelled egg,” Su Shun continued. “A yellow yolk wrapped in a paper-thin white shell. Oh, it is leaking. Can’t sell it and can’t keep it. We have to eat it as family members.”
The laughter shot up to the ceiling.
“Su Shun.” Prince Kung’s voice was dangerously low. “I am not asking much. And I am asking for the last time. I want to see my sisters-in-law and my nephew.”
“You are not going through that door.”
I sensed that Prince Kung was running out of patience. I pictured him pushing Su Shun away. I grabbed Tung Chih and whispered in his ear.
“The Emperor invites his uncle …” My son repeated what I had instructed: “The Emperor invites his uncle Prince Kung to enter the Imperial coffin room. The Emperor also grants permission for Prince Kung to pay respects to Her Majesties the Empresses.”
Upon hearing Tung Chih’s voice, Li Lien-ying, my young eunuch, ran out. He threw himself on the floor between Prince Kung and Su Shun. “Your honored grand councilor, His Majesty Emperor Tung Chih has summoned Prince Kung!”
“Would any of the grand councilors like to accompany me to meet His Majesty and Her Majesties?” Prince Kung turned to Su Shun. “So you can make sure that everything we say or do is appropriate?”
Before Su Shun could respond, Prince Yee, who must have felt that it was his turn to speak, said, “Proceed, Prince Kung, you are the person His Majesty has summoned.”
We lost our words when we saw each other’s white gowns. Tung Chih threw himself at his uncle, who in turn got down on his knees and kowtowed. Watching them on the floor, Nuharoo and I cried freely.
“It has not been peaceful here,” Nuharoo finally said. “We fear—”
I stopped her from speaking further. I hinted that Su Shun and his men were listening behind the wall.
Nuharoo nodded and sat back in her chair.
“Summon the monks,” I said to Li Lien-ying.
Under the cover of the monks’ chanting, Prince Kung and I exchanged information and discussed future plans. We plotted a counter-attack against Su Shun while Nuharoo went off to keep Tung Chih entertained. I was shocked when Prince Kung told me