Now, Bao Xing, escorting the Empress Dowager, rode at the head as outrider and came to the Nanqing Palace. Today was grander still than the day before. Most of those arriving came in closed sedan chairs, with servants to keep onlookers back: imperial concubines, Noble Consorts, the consorts of princes and the titled wives of high officials came and went in an endless stream. But Bao Xing knew the proper form. He spurred on ahead to the gate of the prince’s palace, dismounted there, tied his horse to a hitching post and went up the steps to the palace gate. There, as luck would have it, was Bald Third Master Wang. Bao Xing hurried up to him with his hands clasped in greeting. “Third Master, our Old Madam has arrived.” At this Third Master Wang ran inside as fast as his legs would carry him. Before long two eunuchs came out from within and announced to everyone at the gate, “You gentlemen who announce the callers, hear this! Her Highness sends word that all the ladies who have come are thanked for their trouble and asked to withdraw. She will receive only the Old Madam from Kaifeng.” Everyone answered with a chorus of yeses. Hearing this, Bao Xing at once hurried the bearers from the yamen to carry the chair up to the palace gate, where the two eunuchs took charge of it and led it in. Then Third Master Wang came out to look after Bao Xing and took him to the study for tea. Today he was even friendlier than he had been the day before.

Our story turns to Her Majesty. Her great sedan chair was carried as far as the second gate1, where four eunuchs came out and took over from the bearers. They carried it on to the third gate and through the ceremonial gate, and only then set it down. Steward Ning was already there. He came up to the chair, lifted the curtain and said, “My respects to the Old Madam.” He hurried to take away the front bar, and the maids who had come with her helped her out of the chair. Her Majesty glanced at Steward Ning in her turn and returned his greeting: “And how are you, sir?” Steward Ning led the way to the inner apartments, where Consort Di was already waiting outside the door to receive her. Seeing the Old Madam in the distance, Consort Di gave a start and found herself wondering: the face looked familiar, someone she knew well, yet for the moment she could not think who. When Her Majesty came up to her and was about to make her obeisance, Consort Di quickly stopped her with a hand. “No need for ceremony.” And Her Majesty did not insist. Hand in hand, they went in and sat down together. Her Majesty saw that Consort Di looked much older than in the old days. Consort Di, studying her now face to face, was suddenly reminded of Consort Li. But Consort Li had been put to death, and it never crossed her mind that this was the mother of the realm herself. Still, she could not shake off a feeling of unease. When tea had been served, they began to talk. Her Majesty answered every question with ease, calm and unhurried in her bearing — truly the manner of a great lady. Consort Di was delighted beyond words, and they got on so well that she asked the Old Madam to stay the night in the palace and keep her company a few days longer. The invitation was just what Her Majesty wanted, and she accepted at once. So Consort Di had the eunuchs pass the word outside: “The chair, the horses and the men need not wait. Her Highness is keeping the Old Madam for a few days more. The attendants are all to be rewarded in the usual way.” The eunuch on duty answered with a string of yeses and passed the message out.

Inside, the meal was called for. Consort Di insisted that the Old Madam sit side by side with her, so that they could talk more easily. Her Majesty did not make a show of declining, which made her seem all the more frank and gracious, and Consort Di was more delighted than ever. Over the wine Consort Di praised Lord Bao warmly for his loyalty and integrity, his wisdom and goodness. “All this comes of your good teaching, madam,” she said. Her Majesty modestly demurred. Then Consort Di asked the Old Madam her age. “Forty-two,” Her Majesty answered. “And how old is your son?” That one question struck Her Majesty dumb. At once she flushed scarlet with alarm and could find no answer at all. Seeing this, Consort Di thought it best not to press her, and passed the moment off by asking whether the wine was warm enough. Her Majesty would drink no more wine after that. So the rice was served, and when they had eaten they sat about at their ease and chatted. Then the guest was shown round the palace to admire it, with Consort Di keeping her company everywhere. The more Consort Di looked at her, the more she looked like the late Consort Li, and she grew deeply suspicious. She thought to herself: “Just now, when I asked her son’s age, why couldn’t she answer? She even flushed scarlet with alarm! What mother in the world doesn’t know how old her own son is? There is something truly suspicious here. Can she really dare to be deceiving me? Very well. Since I’ve kept her here, I’ll have her share my room tonight. To all appearances I’ll just be showing her warmth and friendship, but underneath I’ll question her closely.” While these thoughts ran through her head, her eyes never left her guest, and every gesture and movement Her Majesty made was more surely Consort Li’s than ever, until Consort Di could not make up her mind at all.

When evening came and they had eaten supper, they sat about chatting as before. Consort Di gave orders: “Have the quiet room swept clean, and lay out pillows and quilts in there too. I mean to have a long talk with the lady, to while away the night.” Seeing this, Her Majesty was well pleased: it was just what she wanted. When it was time for bed, all who waited on them (Her Majesty’s own maids among them) were sent to their own quarters, and none dared come in unless called. Consort Di had not stopped wondering why the lady did not know her son’s age, so she began her questioning there. “Madam,” she said, “you are deceiving me on purpose. What does it mean?” Every word pressed her harder. Before she knew it Her Majesty cried out, “Sister2, do you truly not know Us?” But even as the words came out, grief had broken her voice. Consort Di was astounded. “Madam — can you be Her Majesty, Consort Li?” Tears streamed down Her Majesty’s face; how could she say a word? Consort Di urged her anxiously, “There is no one in the room now. Why not tell me everything?” Her Majesty checked her sobs, and only then did she tell her the whole story in detail: how she had been wronged in the first place; how Yu Zhong had died in her stead; how she had been sent to Chenzhou; how she had met Lord Bao, who had claimed her as his mother in pretence; how she had been living in the quiet room at the Kaifeng yamen; how she owed it to Lady Li, who had knelt to Heaven and prayed for dew, that her eyes had been washed and could see again; and how she had come today with birthday greetings for her sister, meaning to reveal the truth. And she very nearly burst out sobbing aloud.

Consort Di listened, staring and dumbstruck, and before she knew it she too was in tears. After a long while she said, “But what proof is there?” At once Her Majesty took out the gold ball and handed it to her. Consort Di took it and made sure of it by the lamplight. Then, trembling, she hastily handed it back and fell to her knees. “Your handmaid did not know that the phoenix carriage had come to her door,” she said. “I have given you great offence. I beg Your Majesty the Empress Dowager to pardon me!” The Empress Dowager hastily returned the bow and raised her up. “Sister, you mustn’t,” she said. “What we need is some way to let His Majesty know.” Consort Di thanked her. “Set your mind at rest, Your Majesty. Your handmaid knows what to do.” Then she told what had happened in those days: how Empress Liu and Guo Huai had laid their plot and swapped a civet cat for the crown prince; how it was thanks to the personal attendant Kou Zhu that the prince had been carried out and handed to Chen Lin, who brought him in a carrying case to the Nanqing Palace to be raised; how later, when Empress Liu’s son died of illness, Her Majesty’s own son had filled the empty place in the Eastern Palace; how the crown prince, making the round of the palaces, had seen Her Majesty in the Cold Palace and, through the bond that nature sets between mother and child, had come away with tears on his face; how Empress Liu had grown suspicious and had Kou Zhu tortured, and Kou Zhu, loyal to the last, had dashed her head against the steps and died; and how Empress Liu had then slandered Her Majesty to the late Emperor, so that she was sentenced to die. When all this had been told, the Empress Dowager was like one waking from a dream, and grief overcame her. Consort Di comforted her again and again until at last the Empress Dowager dried her tears. “Sister,” she asked, “how can we let my son the Emperor know, so that mother and son may be together again?” “Your handmaid will pretend to be ill,” said Consort Di, “and send Steward Ning to report it to His Majesty. His Majesty is sure to come himself, and then your handmaid will tell him the truth.” Her Majesty said it was a good plan. Of that night there is nothing more to tell.

Early the next morning Consort Di sent Steward Ning to court to report to His Majesty: “Her Highness Consort Di was suddenly taken ill in the night, and gravely.” Steward Ning knew nothing of what lay behind it, but he dared not refuse; obeying Her Highness’s command, he set off for court. Consort Di also told the Prince of Liuhe what was afoot.

At the fifth watch Renzong was about to hold court when the steward of the Renshou Palace3 came to report: “The Empress Dowager was taken ill in the night and has not slept at all.” At this the Emperor went first to the Renshou Palace to ask after her, quietly ordering that no fuss be made, for fear of disturbing Empress Liu. Treading softly, he went into the bedchamber, where he could already hear moaning. Suddenly he heard Empress Liu say, “Kou Zhu, how dare you be so insolent!” and then a cry of pain. By now a palace woman had lifted the embroidered curtain. The Emperor slipped inside and came up to the bed. Empress Liu woke with a start and saw the Emperor at her side. “It is good of you to trouble yourself about Us, my son,” she said. “We have only caught a chill. It is nothing serious — please set your mind at rest.” When the Emperor had asked after her health, he at once sent for the imperial physicians to treat her. Afraid that a long visit would only weary Empress Liu, he said a few words of comfort and withdrew.

He had only just left the Renshou Palace and reached the Fengong Tower when the steward of the Nanqing Palace knelt before him and said, “Her Highness Consort Di was taken gravely ill in the night. Your slave has come specially to report it.” This was no small shock to Renzong, and he at once gave orders to go to the Nanqing Palace in person. The Prince of Liuhe came out to receive His Majesty, who first asked how Consort Di had been taken ill. The prince gave a vague answer: “Her Highness was taken ill in the night, but she is a little better now.” His Majesty felt somewhat relieved. He ordered his attendants all to wait outside and took only Chen Lin in with him.

This order was just what the Prince of Liuhe had secretly hoped for. Stepping aside to lead the way, he brought the Emperor into the inner apartments. All was hushed and still; there was not a single attendant or maid to be seen. The brocade curtains of the bed hung high, and Consort Di lay inside with her face to the wall. Renzong hurried forward to ask how she was. Consort Di turned over and abruptly asked, “Your Majesty, of all that is weightiest and greatest under heaven, what comes first?” “Nothing comes before filial piety4,” the Emperor answered. Consort Di heaved a sigh. “If filial piety comes first, can there be a son who does not know whether his mother is alive or dead? Or a son who rules the realm and does not know that his mother is drifting homeless outside?” These two questions left the Emperor utterly at a loss; he still thought it was the raving of her illness. Consort Di went on, “Your handmaid knows the whole truth of this. I only fear that Your Majesty will not believe it.” When Renzong heard Consort Di call herself his handmaid, he was dumbfounded. “Mother, why do you say this?” he said. “I beg you to make it plain to me.” Consort Di turned and drew a yellow box out from inside the curtains. “Does Your Majesty know where this came from?” Renzong took it and opened it. Inside was a dragon cloth stamped with the jade seal, and on it an inscription in the late Emperor’s own hand. When he had looked at it, Renzong hastily rose to his feet. And there beside him old Chen Lin, the Companion, was overcome at the sight of it: remembering those long-ago days, his face was already streaming with tears. When the Emperor turned suddenly and saw Chen Lin weeping, he was more astonished than ever, and he pressed to know where the cloth had come from. Only then did Consort Di begin the story: how Guo Huai and Empress Liu had schemed for the Empress’s throne and laid a plot to destroy Consort Li. “In all of this we owe everything to two loyal and righteous people: one was Kou Zhu, personal attendant in the Jinhua Palace, and the other was Chen Lin. On Empress Liu’s orders Kou Zhu carried the crown prince out of the palace, wrapped in this very cloth, and secretly handed him to Chen Lin.” At this Renzong glanced at Chen Lin again. By now Chen Lin was quite dissolved in tears. Consort Di went on: “It was Chen Lin who braved who knows how many dangers to carry the crown prince out and bring him here to the Nanqing Palace, where he was raised for six years. When Your Majesty was seven, you were made the late Emperor’s heir and filled the empty place in the Eastern Palace. But then, by the worst of luck, Your Majesty saw your mother in the Cold Palace and wept, and that roused Empress Liu’s suspicion and jealousy. She had Kou Zhu put to death without mercy, and then sought to have your royal mother put to death as well. Here again we owe everything to two loyal servants. A young eunuch, Yu Zhong, chose to die in the Empress Dowager’s place, and so Qin Feng was able to get your royal mother out in his stead and send her to Chenzhou. Later Qin Feng burned himself to death, and with no master in that household she could not stay on there; she was reduced to begging for her food and living in an old kiln. Happily, Minister Bao came to Chenzhou to give out relief grain, and at Caozhou Bridge he recognized your royal mother. To deceive prying eyes, they passed themselves off as mother and son. Yesterday she came for your handmaid’s birthday, and so at last I could meet the mother of the realm.” When Renzong had heard her out, he was utterly aghast, and his tears fell like rain. “If this is so,” he said, “then where is Our mother now?” From behind the partition came the sound of bitter weeping, and out stepped a lady in the robes of the first rank. Renzong stared at her, dazed.

Afraid that the Emperor would doubt her, the Empress Dowager quickly took out the gold ball and gave it to Renzong. The Emperor took it and looked: it was exactly like Empress Liu’s gold ball, except that it was engraved with the words “Yuchen Palace” and, beneath them, Her Majesty’s name and title. Renzong rushed forward a few steps and fell to his knees. “Your son has been unfilial! Mother, how you have suffered!” At this he could not help bursting into loud sobs. Mother and son held each other and wept, their grief without end. Consort Di had already got down from the bed and lay prostrate on the floor, begging pardon, and the Prince of Liuhe and Chen Lin knelt beside them too, pleading tearfully with them to be comforted. For a long while mother and son grieved together. Then the Emperor kowtowed to Consort Di in thanks and helped her to her feet; and he took Chen Lin by the hand and said through his tears, “If not for your loyalty to the realm, would We be here at all?” Chen Lin was past speaking; he could only weep and give thanks for the imperial grace. Then they all rose. Renzong said to the Empress Dowager, “Mother, you have suffered so — and your son calls himself the Son of Heaven! How can I face the civil and military officials of the court? Have I not sinned against all under heaven?” As he said it, he was filled with bitterness and fury. Consort Di, at his side, counselled him: “When Your Majesty returns to court, issue a decree and send Guo Huai and Chen Lin together to the Kaifeng yamen to read it out. Academician Bao will know what to do.” This was in fact Lord Bao’s plan. He had had Lady Li put it to the Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager had told Consort Di, and so Consort Di now proposed it.

Renzong granted her request there and then, and spoke many more words of comfort to the Empress Dowager before returning to the palace. At once he drafted a decree with his own brush, sealed it up securely and appointed Guo Huai and Chen Lin to take it to the Kaifeng yamen and read it out. Guo Huai, sure it must be some new honour for Lord Bao, set off happily with Chen Lin and made straight for the Kaifeng yamen.

Now, after Lord Bao had seen Her Majesty off the day before, it was not long before Bao Xing came back escorting the empty sedan chair. “Consort Di has kept the Old Madam with her for a few more days,” he said, “so I’ve brought the empty chair back. They gave the attendants twenty taels of silver and the bearers twenty strings of cash5.” Lord Bao nodded and gave him his orders: “Tomorrow at the fifth watch, go to the officials’ waiting rooms6 and find out what you can — quietly. If anything has happened, hurry back and tell me.” Bao Xing said he would. At first light the next day he was back. Knowing that Lord Bao was still in his bedroom, he hurried inside and gave a soft cough out on the veranda. “You’re back?” said Lord Bao. “Did you hear of anything?” Bao Xing reported, “I heard that Empress Liu was unwell in the night, and His Majesty went straight to the Renshou Palace to ask after her. Then word came that he was going to the Nanqing Palace in person at once — they said Her Highness Consort Di was ill too. I expect His Majesty hasn’t come back to the palace yet.” When Lord Bao had heard him out, he said, “I see.” Bao Xing withdrew. Lord Bao talked it over with Lady Li: “The Empress Dowager must have told her the truth, and this is a scheme of Consort Di’s.” Husband and wife were quietly overjoyed.

They had only just finished breakfast when word came that an imperial decree had arrived. Lord Bao hurried into his court robes and received it in the court hall. Guo Huai came in front and Chen Lin behind, bearing the decree. Considering that as chief steward it was his place to read it out, Guo Huai broke the imperial seal and unrolled it. When Lord Bao had cried ‘Long live the Emperor!’ three times, Guo Huai began to read: “Receiving the mandate of Heaven7 and carrying on the turn of fortune, the Emperor decrees: ‘Whereas the eunuch Guo—’” He had read only that far when he saw his own name, and he could read no further. Chen Lin, beside him, took the decree and read it out: “‘Whereas the eunuch Guo Huai, given to treason and wickedness, harbours a treacherous heart beyond all fathoming: when the late Emperor lacked an heir, he gave no thought to the loyalty that would make the dynasty endure; when the Empress Dowager was with child, she fell at once to his secret plot of a monster birth. Clasping the dragon cloth to her breast and defying the phoenix’s command, the palace woman Kou showed a resolve that reached to heaven; leaving the northern towers of the palace and going straight to the Nanqing, Steward Chen showed a loyalty that could pierce the sun. From a trace of tears sprang suspicion and jealousy, and a bright, shining pearl8, newly brought to light, perished at once beneath the rod. With false charges of curses and slander whispered in the ear, the proud and loyal Yu Zhong — a last drop of loyalty — died in another’s stead, hanging from a beam. And so the august mother of the realm has lain under a hidden wrong these twenty years, and tasted every bitterness of one driven far from home. Were it not for steadfast Minister Bao and the loyal ardour that fills his breast, how would the day have come for the pearl to return9 and the jade disc to be restored? Crimes that so destroy the bonds of human duty and defy all reason must be strictly tried and closely examined. Let him be questioned as this decree directs and punished severely according to law. The matter touches the laws of the realm, and nothing weighs more than sovereign and parent. It is hereby committed by imperial command to Kaifeng Prefecture for strict trial. Respect this!’ Give thanks for the imperial grace!”

Lord Bao cried “Long live the Emperor!” and rose to his feet. He received the decree and gave a single command: “Seize him!” At once the Madcap, Zhao Hu, went straight for the good Companion Chen Lin and reached out to grab him. Lord Bao shouted to stop him: “How dare you! Get back!” Zhao Hu stood there gaping. In the end it was Wang Chao and Ma Han who stripped Guo Huai of his robes, cap and boots, hauled him before the bench, where the decree had been reverently set up, and made him kneel facing it. Lord Bao had his official seat placed to the left10, with another seat set to one side, and had Chen Lin sit there. Then Lord Bao took his official seat and said to Guo Huai, “Confess the whole truth of what happened in those years, and be quick about it!”

To learn whether Guo Huai confessed or not, read the next chapter.