《康熙大帝》英文版[05]

Prelude

No matter what the common folk discussed among themselves, one thing was very obvious: every staff member of the Imperial Household Department was dressed in plain clothes starting from the eighth day of the first lunar month. Along the Horse Pavilion outside the Meridian Gate one could see a long line of black sedan chairs. Those low-ranking eunuchs who frequented tea-houses with caged quails had stopped coming since the beginning of the Spring Festival. This strange turn of events aroused the suspicions of Beijing residents. Those older Beijing residents who had witnessed the funeral procession of the late Ming Dynasty Emperor Wan Li could not help feeling surprised and confused at the secretive imperial activities. However, they dared not make any comment in public.

Meridian Gate, the southern entrance of Forbidden City

As a bookworm, Wu Ciyou stayed indoors and spent his time reading beside the stove since it was rather cold. On the other hand, once Ming Zhu started to regain his strength, he started to grow restless and finally pulled himself together for a walk outside. He trudged to the east of Zhengyangmen Gate to take a look at what was going on. Among the long line of sedans chairs, the first six large green woolen ones stood out and a half-chi of snow had accumulated on their tops. After some quiet inquiry, he learned that ever since Prince Jie Shu, elderly Minister Suo Ni, Ye Bilong, Suke Saha, Ao Bai and Hong Jinglue paid a visit to the Emperor in the Palace on the third day of the first lunar month, they never left the Palace. Everyday their servants would deliver three meals packed in food boxes into the Palace. While Ming Zhu was still in a daze looking at this scene, he felt someone pat him on his back. Turning around, he saw in the light of the snow a handsome young man with his hand on his waist-sword smiling at him.

Zhengyangmen, an important geographical marker of Beijing situated to the south of Tiananmen Square and once guarded the southern entry into the Inner City. The city's central north-south axis passes through Zhengyangmen's main gate.

“And you are…oh, it’s you, my old buddy!” Filled with surprise and joy, Ming Zhu threw his arms around the young man after a moment of hesitation. He recognized at an instance that the young man standing before him was his cousin Wei Dongting, the only son of the third Imperial Prince’s wet nurse Madame Sun. It was five years ago since they had last seen each other.

In the past five years Wei Dongting had grown into quite an impressive-looking man. He was dressed in a round neck official robe embroidered with zigzag wave patterns. His broad waist sword had a one-chi long dangling crimson tassels. Above his riding boots was a pair of brand-new black silk pants. MingZhu couldn’t help being overwhelmed by the glaring contrast posed by his cousin’s costume.

Holding Wei Dongting by his hand, Ming Zhu sized him up from head to foot for quite a while before asking, “My cousin, you look completely different from five years ago. Are you still serving at the Imperial Mansion in Chengde?” Wei Dongting replied with a smile: “I didn’t come to Beijing until recently. My mother pulled a lot of strings to get me transferred to the Patrol Agency. But my post is just nominal and I am not really in charge of anything. My mother says I’m still young and thinks it will still take a few more years of hard work before a young man like me can be of any real help to the Emperor!”

After Ming Zhu heard this, he could not help but lower his head and sigh, “My brother, I am so miserable right now! My family has been broken up and destroyed. It looks like I am predestined to live a life full of twists and turns. What can I do about it? Alas, my life has become so utterly meaningless now.” Before Ming Zhu could make any more complaints, Wei Dongting grabbed him by the sleeve and said, “Let’s go to a restaurant called Immortal Gathering Mansion. Don’t you know that out of extreme misfortune comes prosperity? So there is really no reason to feel so sad. Besides, I have a feeling something big is going to happen soon. Maybe another imperial exam may even be administered.” Ming Zhu said, “Where did you hear that?” Wei Dongting smiled, “What I said is not without cause. Do you think I am making fun of you?” He looked around and said in a whisper, “My brother, Shunzhi Emperor has passed away!”