Page 60 of Forest of a Thousand Lanterns

“You lie!” Lady Sun hissed, turning desperately to the Emperor. “He lies. I would never dare poison her. Believe me, my love, please...”

Empress Lihua stiffened at the term of endearment addressed to her husband.

But Emperor Jun ignored them both, focusing his attention on his eldest stepson. From her vantage point, Xifeng could only see his profile, but it was enough to see that the man with the jovial manner had disappeared. In his place stood a king of cold and ruthless anger. “Where is your proof?” he asked, and though he spoke quietly, his voice rang out through the crowd. “If I have her searched and I don’t find evidence of poison, what will that tell me about you, my son?”

The Crown Prince, to his credit, did not quake. He lifted his chin and looked his stepfather directly in the eyes. “It will tell you I at least sought to protect what is yours.”

Several of the ladies-in-waiting covered their mouths, horrified and fascinated, while the eunuchs fluttered their fans faster. Kang stood among them, his simper gone for once.

Emperor Jun came closer. “No. It will tell me you dared to criticize me. Speak against Lady Sun and you speak against me. You accuse her of treason, of the darkest deed against a sovereign, but she represents me. I chose her, you see.”

Xifeng’s stomach dropped at the triumph on Lady Sun’s face.

“I did not intend disrespect to Your Majesty,” said the prince with a flicker of unease, as though he were starting to doubt himself.

“And yet you accused my concubine before all the court without a shred of evidence. You might have spoken to me confidentially.”The Emperor tilted his head, surveying the younger man. He took a menacing step closer, then another. “Your brash behavior tells me a different story. It tells me you think little enough of me to insult me before my family and all my court.”

Xifeng watched them, jaw tensed. The prince had laid bare Lady Sun’s deepest aspiration, the truth everyone else already knew, and still the Emperor would protect her. He would take the concubine’s side without attempting to see his stepson’s reasoning, without considering that his wife’s life might have indeed been in danger.

Xifeng’s plan had failed. Hopelessly.

“We will discuss this further in private, as we should have done from the start.” The Emperor clapped his hands for the music to begin once more, but it was several long moments before the courtiers began moving and whispering among themselves again.

Lady Sun, smiling now, pushed her little boy toward the Emperor. “My love...”

But His Majesty ignored her, his face stony. “Search her,” he said in a low voice to the guards, and the concubine’s jaw dropped as he stormed back inside the palace.

Xifeng knew the search would come up empty, but still the words were music to her ears, evidence of a crack in the bond between Emperor Jun and his most cherished concubine.

Lady Sun gasped. “Your Majesty!” she called after his retreating back. She glared at the Crown Prince just in time to see him look at Xifeng. Her eyes moved from him to Xifeng and back, and realization dawned on her features as the guards escorted her through the doors.

•••

To Xifeng’s surprise, the festive air returned as soon as the Emperor and Lady Sun had gone. The guests continued to sip wine and mingle as though nothing had happened. Xifeng wished she too could escape, to reflect in private, but she didn’t want to raise suspicion.

It wasn’t long before Kang materialized beside her. “Well, that was certainly interesting.”

“The Emperor knows the prince spoke the truth,” Xifeng said, some of the bitterness in her mouth receding. “Lady Sunhatesthe Empress and would take her place tomorrow if she could. He was only putting on a show for the court to protect his dignity.” Still, it didn’t sit well that His Majesty—the man destined forher—had defended the Fool. She watched the prince speak a few words to his mother, then retreat back inside.

“What a delight it was to see Lady Sun whimper and cower so. I wonder who had the ingenious idea to suggest poison to the prince,” he whispered, his voice rippling with glee, but Xifeng didn’t respond. “Lady Meng is staring at you again.”

The younger concubine stood near the space the prince had vacated, watching Xifeng with undisguised intensity. Xifeng gazed back, her emotions warring between pity and disdain. “She’s just a sad, strange girl who needs something to cling to.”

“Speaking of something to cling to,” Kang continued in a whisper, “I’ve delivered a message to Wei on your behalf.”

Her eyes locked with his, the Emperor and Lady Sun vanishing from her mind. “How could you take such a risk? Do you want us both killed?”

“Have a little faith in me, Xifeng. Do you think I’d do anything to endanger you?” He seemed so ruffled that she apologized. “He expects you in the main palace gardens tomorrow night, outside the entrance I took you through on your first day.”

Xifeng pressed her damp hands against her sides. “Tomorrow night?”

“Yes, but you can tell me if that’s inconvenient for you,” he said stiffly.

“I’m sorry, Kang. I don’t mean to be ungrateful. I just don’t want anything to happen to you because of me.” She turned back to the river without really seeing it. She and Wei had been apart for two months, ever since their horrible argument at Akira’s house. Had his feelings for her changed in all that time... and did she want them to?

“You worry too much about me. As long as you come unseen, after the Empress’s household has gone to sleep, there isn’t a soul who has to know besides us.” Kang’s eyes danced at her as he returned to his usual good humor. “I’m on guard duty at that entrance for three nights with Chou, who has a weakness for rice wine. He’ll be asleep within the first few sips.”

“Why does Master Yu allow him to be on guard duty, then?” Xifeng asked, appalled.

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