Chapter 47: Imperial Palace, Bai Family, Sheng Family【Yesterday

“Oh?”

Since the Empress bore a son, her face has been wreathed in smiles every day.

The lady-in-waiting below continued:

“It is said that their third son, Jing Ge, obtained a rare flower from the maternal family of Lady Bai of the Ningyuan Marquis’s household—anciently called Bai Die—which blooms pure white as snow. Jing Ge cherished it deeply and planted many more.”

Upon hearing Xu Zaijing’s name, the Empress’s smile deepened.

“Oh, is Jing Ge asking me to see his flowers?”

“Your Majesty, the Xu family says that, according to the Marquis’s eldest son, Yu Ge, this flower grows in the northern reaches of Baigaohebei. Jing Ge consulted several Hu merchants and learned it can be woven into cloth, so he and the household servants studied it and produced this bundle of cotton fluff. It is said to be warm, insulating, light, and snug against the skin.”

The Empress’s lady-in-waiting asked:

“Have you verified it?”

“Your Majesty, we examined it thoroughly. The Xu family also says that several newborn nephews and nieces of Lady Sun’s maternal family used it last year.”

The Empress on the couch, her eyes filled with thought, said:

“The Xu family is not afraid.”

None of the ladies-in-waiting or palace maids dared reply.

After a moment’s contemplation, the Empress left the bed where her son lay and stepped before the maid:

“Place it aside.”

Then she waved her hand, and her personal attendant stepped forward to untie the bundle.

Inside was a mass of snow-white fluff.

The Empress pondered a moment longer, then waved again.

The lady-in-waiting carried the bundle of Bai Die fluff away.

“Send for someone.”

The lady-in-waiting stood to one side.

“Have the Xu family bring Jing Ge to me.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Sun Shi felt that since giving birth to her younger son, she had visited the palace more times in these few years than in all her life before.

She came to the palace alone with Xu Zaijing.

The Empress received the mother and son in the outer chamber of her sleeping quarters.

The half-person-high brazier in the center burned fiercely, warming the hall thoroughly.

They say giving birth to a second child is like being reborn; since bearing her son, the Empress radiated maternal grace, making even heavenly fairies seem less radiant.

After exchanging pleasantries with Sun Shi, the Empress called Xu Zaijing forward again and gently took his hand.

“Jing Ge, good child, I hear you’ve planted many Bai Die flowers?”

Xu Zaijing looked at the woman before him, her eyes like water, and nodded.

“The clothing you wear now is made from Bai Die flowers?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. It is very warm.”

“Lady, your nephew and niece used it last year?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. The children loved it dearly.”

The Empress’s eyes sparkled with amusement, then she said:

“Bring me my purple lamb-skin cloak. Jing Ge, shall I trade you this cloak for the Bai Die cotton garment you wear?”

Xu Zaijing paused, his mind racing—he understood. He smiled at the Empress: “Yes, Your Majesty.”

As Xu Zaijing moved to change clothes, the Empress smiled: “You’re no longer a child. I’ve seen the wild boys of the Cao family—change here.”

“Yes.”

At that moment, a lady-in-waiting approached with snug inner garments.

Though warm, the new clothes were noticeably heavier than his own cotton attire.

“Jing Ge, if you ever find anything good, have the palace gate send it straight to me—no need to go through others.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Look at your hands—your horsemanship and archery have not slipped. But they’re no longer so rough.”

“It is thanks to Your Majesty’s skin-softening ointment.”

Sun Shi watched all this, and after a moment’s thought, understood the Empress’s concern.

New things are novel, but many hands have touched them between the Xu family and her—there is risk of tampering.

No one would think the Empress would let her son wear clothes worn by Xu Zaijing.

The Empress was not curious about the new Bai Die garments—she feared the subtle, unseen dangers.

Since she grew close to Xu’s third son after a few words from Princess Pingning, good fortune has followed her without end.

She conceived, gave birth safely to a son, now nearly two years old, healthy, rarely ill, rarely needing medicine.

Of course, the Empress did not know if this act would truly help—she merely guarded against the many clever minds in this world.

Who knew if something harmful had been sprinkled into this fluffy cotton?

Perhaps she suffered from paranoia—but three children had not survived; she could not afford to be careless.

The thoughts and deeds of courtiers in this palace were always more venomous than imagined.

The Great Zhou Emperor, after court, did not go straight to affairs of state but changed into plain robes and entered the Empress’s quarters.

By the time the palace attendants announced him, he had already entered the inner chamber.

Seeing his son on the couch, the Emperor frowned: “Empress, why is the child wearing such old clothes?”

The Empress smiled slightly: “They are from Xu’s third son. They recently presented some rare items.”

“I summoned Lady Xu to bring Jing Ge here, and he wore a garment made of Bai Die fluff.”

“He’d worn it only two or three days—I took it, traded it for my purple lamb-skin cloak.”

“You’re generous. You once treasured that cloak like your own eyes—no one dared touch it. Now you give it away so easily?”

The Emperor laughed.

The Empress’s expression darkened, her voice soft:

“Precious things are easy to find; a child’s health is not.”

The Emperor froze, his eyes flickering with sorrowful memory.

He stepped forward and took the Empress’s delicate hand: “These years have been hard on you.”

“My lord, with our son, what hardship matters?”

The Emperor sighed deeply, gently squeezing her fingers.

That night, the Emperor stayed in the Empress’s quarters.

When Xu Zaijing came to the palace to meet the Empress,

Bai Wanshu, the old patriarch of Baigaohebei, long settled in Bianjing, was examining several items.

Fully mature, golden corn, corn stalks, a bundle of cotton fluff, and a thin cotton-padded jacket roughly his size.

Beside him stood the Daoist Yuan, holding cornmeal, puzzled:

“Is this the great omen—or this?”

He then looked at the pure white cotton fluff.

Bai Laoyezi said nothing. Before him lay objects so rare they were unmatched in Bianjing, or even all of Great Zhou.

All had been sent by the Xu family to the Ningyuan Marquis’s household; a portion was also prepared for the Bai family, delivered by Bai Shi as a token of gratitude.

Over the past year, the Xu family gained much income—half from Lady Wu’s help, half from Bai Shi’s; the Bai family’s share was even larger.

“Lady Xu also sent word that corn may be prepared like sorghum,” Bai Laoyezi said, sniffing the corn.

“Corn? Grain as beautiful as jade—aptly named. Perhaps a physician or herb collector should identify it.”

“Naturally. If it has medicinal value, it could bring profit.”

“Then the Bai Die flower is the true treasure.”

“Today it is still precious, but if planted widely, many will survive the winter.”

“A great virtue. Perhaps we should plant it abundantly on our family estates.”

Bai Laoyezi: “The Xu family must have mastered the Bai Die’s nature. To plant more, we must consult them.”

Yangzhou

The northern wind brought white snow, coating Yangzhou’s rooftops in white.

Fewer people walked the streets, yet shops along the avenues still called out to draw customers.

On a street beside the Assistant Prefect’s residence,

a horse snorted, exhaling white steam,

a six-horse cart, dusty and laden with goods, halted before the Sheng family’s main gate.

Sheng Wei stepped out of the cart, holding a bundle wrapped in animal hide,

light in weight but evidently precious.

(End of Chapter)