Chapter 475: The Deep Palace

At daybreak, the west side of the North Depot inside the Imperial City was already bustling with people. This was one of the flea markets within the Imperial City. Before work began anywhere at dawn, people came early to trade. Some eunuchs and palace maids even paired up, browsing the goods on the stalls together.

Lin Dengwan held a bowl of congee in his right hand and a steamed bun in his left, ambling slowly out of the North Depot. He leaned against the wall and tried to squat down, but halfway through bending his knees, his face twitched. He quickly straightened his knees again and merely rested his back against the wall.

Meals in the palace were supplied communally, with portions calculated per table based on the head eunuch or palace maid in charge. The North Depot counted many tables, but that only determined the total amount of food. The deliveries never came arranged on plates and dishes; as long as the total quantity was roughly enough to eat, that sufficed. But those who came late got nothing.

In winter, the food from various places was basically cold by the time it arrived. But the Fuel Office had one advantage: no shortage of firewood. Inside the North Depot, they set up their own stoves, so Lin Dengwan could still get a mouthful of hot congee after his shift.

His eyes roamed over those palace maids, and after looking at them, he turned to watch the eunuchs, eating as he watched.

People continued to arrive behind him, and the wall gradually filled with laborers from the Fuel Office. But two empty spaces remained beside Lin Dengwan, making him seem rather out of place.

A newly arrived eunuch carrying a bowl walked over. Seeing an empty spot here, he took a couple of steps in this direction, then suddenly realized it was Lin Dengwan. He hastily veered off and hurried toward the back.

Lin Dengwan pretended to focus on eating his bun, watching for movement out of the corner of his eye, hoping someone would stand beside him. But no one ever came.

"This bun is all chaff."

A eunuch nearby cursed. Lin Dengwan turned his head to look. Though separated by an empty space, that eunuch was the closest person to him. He quickly chimed in, "All chaff, truly awful."

That eunuch glanced at him, then suddenly lunged over and swatted the bun from Lin Dengwan's hand. "If it's awful, then don't eat it!"

Laughter erupted all around. Lin Dengwan dared not show anger. He hurriedly picked up the bun, buried his head, and took a sip of congee. The hot congee went down warm, and a sense of comfort immediately spread through his chest and belly.

The eunuchs nearby ate for a while, then began talking among themselves, exchanging the rumors they had heard. Lin Dengwan could not easily join in, so he could only listen intently.

"Yesterday, I heard from the meal-delivery people that the Tartars broke through dozens of prefectures and counties along the way. That Lu Doutang, the Supreme Commander of Xuan-Da, is truly dead."

"The purchasing people came back from outside and said Lu Doutang was burned to death. His body couldn't even be identified. A grand Supreme Commander, and you say he met such an end."

"What do you mean the body couldn't be identified? I heard they never found the body at all. They fought a battle at Julu County, and afterward no one saw where Lu Doutang went. Perhaps he slipped away and is living somewhere under an assumed name."

"Even if the body wasn't found, neither the Ministry of War nor the Cabinet dares to confirm his death. If the court here held memorial rites and he turned around and came back, the esteemed old gentlemen would lose immense face."

The eunuch who spoke first continued, "What do you mean turn around and come back? Dead is dead. I heard that Elder Yang was displeased. The day before yesterday, during the audience at the Platform, he said Lu Xiangsheng died to shirk responsibility, leaving behind only a mess. Now the various troops are even more afraid of the Tartars. Can this war still be fought well, you tell me? The Emperor is naturally also displeased. What's urgent right now is that the Tartars are still rampaging. The Emperor is so angry he doesn't even want to eat. You tell me, who dares bring up Lu Xiangsheng's matter at this critical juncture? If you bring it up, can you convict him? No, he died fighting the Eastern Invaders. Then can you honor his merit? Also no. He was the Commander-in-Chief of Relief for the rally to the king effort. Dozens of cities were lost in the south, and the Relief Troops suffered a great defeat and lost the army. What merit can be determined? You tell me, what merit?"

Everyone shook their heads. Hearing how clearly he laid it out, many eunuchs from the Fuel Office gathered around. That man grew even more pleased with himself and clapped his hands together. "No matter how you argue it, the Emperor is displeased, and no one wants to touch this bad luck. Don't even mention it in front of the Emperor. Right now, the south is still at war. News of Lu Xiangsheng's death cannot be spread by anyone. Even if his body were laid out right before them, no one would dare say this is Lu Doutang. No matter what, they must wait until the Tartars leave the passes to discuss it. Only then will merit and guilt be known."

The surrounding crowd sighed one after another. Lin Dengwan memorized all these words. That man had spoken at great length, and some parts were already fading from memory. Just as he was trying to recall them, voices over there grew loud again. It seemed someone who had delivered charcoal to the Imperial Stables Directorate had returned.

"Eunuch Zhang, did the Tartars ever go to Hejian Prefecture?"

"The Tartars passed through Hejian Prefecture. I heard even the Prefectural City was taken."

"Eunuch Zhang, exactly where did the Tartars strike? Did they go to Cangzhou?"

"What about Suning? My family is from Suning. Does anyone know how Suning is..."

"Did Eunuch Zhang hear anyone mention Danger County?"

The area by the wall suddenly buzzed with noise. Lin Dengwan involuntarily edged closer, staying on the outer fringe, and asked cautiously, "Is there any news from Daming Prefecture? Daming Prefecture..."

The surroundings were a cacophony. His voice drew no one's attention whatsoever. Lin Dengwan anxiously circled twice but still could not break into the crowd. He could only hear voices inside incessantly talking about something.

At that moment, a warm sensation spread through his crotch. Lin Dengwan froze for a moment, then hastily retreated to the wall. His eyes darted left and right. After confirming no one was paying attention to him, he quickly glanced down and pressed his legs together a little tighter.

He could no longer spare the attention to ask for news. Leaning against the wall, he brushed the dust off his bun a few times, then swallowed it in a few gulps. Lin Dengwan then fished out chopsticks from behind his belt and poked around in the congee bowl, only flicking the rice grains into his mouth. Though extremely thirsty, he still did not drink a single sip of water.

After poking around for a short while, Lin Dengwan suddenly sensed someone watching him from the front. He looked up and peered carefully. Two palace maids stood not far away. One of them looked somewhat familiar, seemingly the bell-ringing palace maid from last night. Only then did he recall telling her during the fourth watch that he would be at the North Depot in the morning. He had not expected her to actually seek him out.

Now he could see her more clearly than in the evening. That palace maid had delicate, refined features. In the daytime, her skin looked somewhat rough, but her eyes were large and full of spirit, though still a little red.

That palace maid beckoned to him. Some eunuchs nearby who saw this jeered mockingly.

Lin Dengwan stood up somewhat nervously and walked over to her. The palace maid held out the hand warmer and said with her head lowered, "Let me return this hand warmer to you. When you boil water at night, don't catch cold."

Lin Dengwan did not take it. He looked at the woman and asked, "What were you punished for?"

Tears streamed down the palace maid's face. She turned her head away and said nothing. The task of ringing the bell in the palace was not a fixed duty; it was usually assigned to palace maids who had made mistakes. This duty allowed no rest regardless of rain, snow, wind, or storm. One had to walk slowly in formal steps, making one round each watch from the first to the fourth. During spring and autumn it was tolerable, but what they feared most were the rainy, snowy winter nights.

After a moment, the palace maid said quietly, "I've been constantly worried about my family suffering at the hands of the Tartars, and I accidentally broke an item in the Imperial Consort's palace."

Lin Dengwan sighed. "Then where is your family from?"

"From Guanxiang in Qingdu County, Baoding Prefecture." Tears streamed down the palace maid's face again. After a long while, she said between sobs, "I heard people say the city was breached, and the Tartars killed so pitifully. The bodies in the city have no one to bury them. I don't know if my family..."

"What people say are all rumors. Hearsay cannot be taken as truth." Lin Dengwan paused, then said, "My family is over in Daming Prefecture. I heard Lu Doutang died nearby there. Some say the Tartars headed that way. Both my younger brothers are still at home. I have no news either."

The two stood facing each other in silence. Lin Dengwan lowered his hand, shielding his crotch area.

From the wall behind him, someone was making strange noises. The palace maid showed a somewhat uneasy expression. Lin Dengwan quickly said, "I have a fellow townsman outside. If I can get out, I'll help you inquire about news from Qingdu. Does your family's place in Guanxiang have a street name or anything?"

The palace maid raised her eyes to look at Lin Dengwan, her gaze full of gratitude. She then told Lin Dengwan the street and her surname.

Lin Dengwan silently memorized it twice, then said, "Keep the hand warmer. It's terribly cold when you ring the bell at night. I still have others there. You can return it to me when you're no longer ringing the bell."

The palace maid hesitated for a moment, then took back the hand warmer. She looked at Lin Dengwan gratefully and headed west together with the other palace maid.

Lin Dengwan stood in place, staring blankly at the palace maid's departing figure until someone behind him shouted.

"To the Warm Pavilion at the Middle Left Gate, deliver ten baskets of Red Basket Charcoal. This morning the Emperor added a Ministry of War audience. Many people are waiting at the Platform today. Leave two extra men to add charcoal. Go over and await Junior Director Wang's assignment."

The moment Lin Dengwan heard the words "Middle Left Gate," his entire body jolted. He quickly turned back and edged closer, wondering if he might be chosen. The foreman did not even glance at Lin Dengwan, picked a few men, and left directly.

After the night shift, no work was assigned during the day. Any tasks done were private errands for the supervising eunuchs. Seeing that no one had assignments for him for the time being, Lin Dengwan walked straight into the market and soon found a stall selling wooden wares.

Lin Dengwan squatted down, picked up a wooden basin, and said while examining it, "Last night, news was rushed into the palace overnight. They say a Vice General from Anqing in Nanzhili beheaded over a hundred Eastern Invaders and also took the head of some Tartar General Officer. It was sent into the palace before the palace gates even opened. They say the news was reported by Liu Zhongtang and is credible."

The stall-keeping eunuch asked in a low voice, "What did the Emperor say?"

"Everyone says the Emperor was pleased. After receiving the news, the lamps in the Western Warm Pavilion stayed lit all night. Today's Platform audience originally didn't include the Ministry of War, but this morning Yang Sichang was added. Presumably, it's to ask about the matter of those Nanzhili troops."

The stall-keeping eunuch frowned and said, "These matters have already spread throughout the palace. Everyone knows them; what's so special? What the Emperor actually said is what matters. I told you to find a way into the Platform Warm Pavilion. Those Grand Secretaries and Ministers are all waiting there for the Imperial Summons. If you pay attention, you can hear important news. If you keep being this perfunctory and the master gets angry, don't say I didn't warn you first..."

"I can't get in. Tending the charcoal inside the Platform is a good assignment—not tiring and warm. Who would willingly give it up?" Lin Dengwan raised his eyes to look at the eunuch. "Tell the master this: right now, whether men or women, everyone in the palace is most anxious to hear news from their hometowns. Only if I can help them with that can I get into the Platform to work. The eunuch managing the Platform Warm Pavilion is from Physics Pu, Zhang Ge Zhuang, in Suning County, Hejian Prefecture. There's also a managing eunuch from Guanxiang in Qingdu County, Baoding Prefecture. And there's Daming Prefecture..."

The eunuch's eyes showed some doubt, but he did not interrupt Lin Dengwan. Lin Dengwan felt a bit nervous. Just then, someone else came over, and Lin Dengwan seized the opportunity to stand up and walk away.

Outside the market was the outer wall of the North Depot. Suddenly, a crisp ringing sound came from overhead, followed by a dense fluttering. Lin Dengwan looked up. A flock of pigeons was flying overhead, and the ringing sound spread throughout the vicinity of the North Depot with their flight.

These had flown out from Yikun Palace. A Pigeon-Release Platform was set up there. On days without rain or snow, they released the pigeons. The lead pigeon often carried a bell, so the ringing could be heard throughout the entire Imperial City.

Lin Dengwan stopped walking. Subconsciously, he placed his hand over his crotch area, tilted his head back, and stared blankly at the flock of pigeons. Amid the melodious ringing of the bells, the pigeons soared gracefully above the Imperial City, passing over layer upon layer of palace halls and city walls. Beneath them, the tier upon tier of palace roofs were piled high with white snow, forming a stark contrast with the dark-colored city walls.

Lin Dengwan's gaze grew distant. His eyes slowly followed the pigeons until they vanished behind the walls of the Forbidden City.