The Last Concubine E-Book

Catt Ford

• Herausgeber: Dreamspinner Press
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 358

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2012

Beschreibung

When Princess Lan'xiu's brother delivers her under duress into General Hüi Wei's harem as a political offering, her only question is how soon her secret will be discovered. She is under no illusions: when the general discovers she is actually a he, death is his only future—though he doesn't plan to make it easy. Lan'xiu has dressed as a woman all his life, but he is no damsel in distress. He can swing a sword with the best of them. General Hüi Wei has everything a man could want: power, wealth, success on the battlefield, and a harem of concubines. At first, he regards Lan'xiu with suspicion, but he finds himself strangely drawn to her. When he discovers the beautiful young woman is actually a man, his first reaction is to draw his sword. Rather than waste such beauty, he decides to enjoy the spirited Lan'xiu's submission—and ignites a passion and desire deeper than anything he's felt with other wives. But court intrigue, political ambitions, and the general's doubts may be too much for their love to overcome. A Timeless Dreams title: While reaction to same-sex relationships throughout time and across cultures has not always been positive, these stories celebrate M/M love in a manner that may address, minimize, or ignore historical stigma.

Leseprobe

By CATT FORD

NOVELS

The Last Concubine

Lily White, Rose Red

A Strong Hand

Dash and Dingo

(with Sean Kennedy)

NOVELLAS

Extreme Bull

Long Way Home

Murder at the Rocking R

Summer Fever

The Untold Want

Published by DREAMSPINNER PRESS

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com

Copyright

Published by

Dreamspinner Press

382 NE 191st Street #88329

Miami, FL 33179-3899, USA

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

The Last ConcubineCopyright © 2012 by Catt Ford

Cover Art by Catt Ford

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the Publisher, except where permitted by law. To request permission and all other inquiries, contact Dreamspinner Press, 382 NE 191st Street #88329, Miami, FL 33179-3899, USAhttp://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/

ISBN: 978-1-61372-599-3

Printed in the United States of America

First Edition

July 2012

eBook edition available

eBook ISBN: 978-1-61372-600-6

To my Bodie

Chapter 1

AND so it came to pass in the Qing Dynasty during the rule of the Sun Emperor Jun that the Lord Wu Min ordered a caravan to set forth on the dangerous journey to the court of General Qiang Hüi Wei, governor of the states of Yan and Qui, bringing a gift of great value, for he was anxious to win favor and high position with the emperor. Whether he was pleased or disappointed that the designated courtiers and soldiers managed to succeed in reaching the stronghold of Qiang Hüi Wei after passing through hostile territory is lost in the passing of time. History only records that the caravan did indeed arrive in good order, and when news of such was brought to General Hüi Wei, he caused an audience to be granted in order to receive the gifts with all due ceremony in observance of the customs of the day.

“WHAT do you suppose Wu Min has decided would be an appropriate gift, Hüi?” Lord Jiang asked as the two men strode through the halls of the palace on the way to the audience room.

Hüi Wei emitted a short, mirthless laugh. “Bribe, you mean. He yearns for notice from the Son of Heaven and hopes I shall procure it for him.”

“You are cynical,” Jiang observed.

“And still breathing as a result.” Hüi Wei gave his friend a wolfish grin and paused before the door. The two soldiers stationed there raised their lances to let them pass and stood with inscrutable faces, as if they could not hear the comments of the two men. “We shall see what clever lies his envoys try to promote to me.”

With that, Hüi Wei nodded and one of the soldiers drew back the curtain to reveal heavy wooden doors with iron hinges. He swung the door back soundlessly, and Hüi Wei preceded his friend and advisor into the room, emerging from behind rich damask curtains upon a dais raised above the gleaming tile floor.

He stood, an imposing figure before the envoys sent to him, muscular and powerful, his impassive face handsome but weathered by his time on the battlefield, his eyes hard as he waited for the company to fall to their knees and bend in obeisance to his commanding presence.

His expression did not change as he took in the incongruous sight of a slender, beautiful girl in the midst of the men, and his gaze moved past her without a flicker of interest. He sat upon his massive throne, rested his hands upon the snarling heads of tigers carved at the ends of the armrests, and waited in silence. As a studied insult to Wu Min’s representatives, Hüi Wei had chosen to receive them dressed in rough clothing more suitable for battle, including his leather breastplate, and wearing his sword at his side.

Lord Jiang’s voice rang out as he announced, “His imperious person, the governor of Changchun province, including the states of Yan and Qui, oath protector to the Son of Heaven, Emperor Jun, General Qiang Hüi Wei has deigned to receive the representatives of Wu Min, lord of Liaopeh province. Who speaks for Wu Min?”

One of the ornately dressed courtiers bobbed his head while still staring at his reflection in the highly polished floor and answered, “His gracious Lord Wu Min has required me to convey both his respect and a small, meaningless token of his allegiance to Qiang Hüi Wei.”

“You will refer to my Lord as the Lord General Qiang Hüi Wei or your master will be pleased to receive you back—cut into a thousand pieces,” Jiang rebuked the man sharply, using Hüi’s military title rather than his civil one as a subtle reminder.

Hüi Wei tried to keep his lips from twitching. His friend Jiang would certainly never have carried out such a threat personally unless he deemed it necessary for the security of this province, but he had convinced many of his ruthless cruelty by use of utterances such as these. Apparently, this courtier was one of them because he cringed visibly and hurried to correct his address.

“A million apologies, your Honor!” he exclaimed, his voice somewhat muffled by the necessity of speaking directly into the floor. “I meant no offense. It was but my miserable ignorance that caused me to address his Excellency the General incorrectly. I pray you will not visit revenge for my abysmal infamy upon my gracious master.”

Hüi Wei dared not glance at Jiang, but he could tell how his friend was enjoying this. “Sit up!” he ordered impatiently. “What does this Wu Min want?”

The courtier sat back upon his heels, red in the face, as if with his girth he was unused to the position of obeisance. None of the rest of his company dared to even look up, but Hüi Wei noticed the four burly soldiers who flanked the girl maintained a tight cluster around her, as if she held some high position and was therefore in constant need of protection.

“Nothing, my Lord! He dares ask nothing of you.” The courtier glanced up slyly and then fixed his gaze back at the floor. “If, in some distant future, you should be moved to grant him some small token of your favor—but he is very aware that he deserves less than nothing from you. No, we have come to present you with a gift of great value, merely to express Wu Min’s loyalty and allegiance to you, Protector of the North, and to the Son of Heaven, Emperor Jun, and—”

“General Qiang appreciates this gracious gesture, but he is an important man. He has much responsibility in the business of serving the emperor,” Jiang interrupted smoothly. “I assure you any gift from Wu Min will be greatly valued.”

The courtier seemed to recognize he was being urged to get on with it, although clearly he would have been content to listen to his own eloquence for many hours. He held up one hand. “If I may have permission to direct these miserable servants to approach the most gracious governor—”

Jiang nodded. “You may. To that line and no further.” He pointed at a line of black stone set into the floor at least ten feet short of Hüi Wei.

The courtier held up one pinkie and a manservant approached the throne on his knees, holding a small chest. He opened the chest to reveal the gleam of many silver tael piled within.

“A small offering of coin,” the courtier said, as if the amount were negligible instead of a small fortune. He lifted the ring finger on the hand still held aloft.

A second servant shuffled forward with another small chest. This time the lid was lifted to reveal the lustrous beauty of pearls of various sizes and colors that ranged from black to pink to purest white.

“Rare pearls harvested from the ocean, at the cost of many lives,” the courtier intoned. He added his index finger.

A third servant came forward to unroll a bolt of shimmering silk.

“The finest silk in all of Liaopeh province. Note the subtle beauty of the orchid flower woven into the pattern.”

Hüi Wei yawned ostentatiously upon his throne to indicate his boredom with these offerings.

The courtier looked dismayed. “These gifts are mere nothings, not worthy of the governor’s greatness. Although garnered through great personal austerity on the part of Wu Min, these tokens are too insignificant to add to your great wealth and consequence. No, the treasure Wu Min wishes to present you with is none of these. It still awaits.” Finally, he raised the middle finger on his hand.

The four soldiers got to their feet, and one held out his hand to the lady who was still prostrated in full obeisance. She rested her hand upon his brawny forearm as lightly as a hummingbird in flight and rose gracefully, her gaze properly cast down and veiled by her lashes. The soldiers led her forward and stood ringing her as if guarding her from imminent attack. Her blue cheongsam was embroidered in gold with dragons and phoenixes, and the dark color served to set off her ivory beauty.

In a hushed voice, the courtier spoke as if so impressed with himself he could hardly bear the significance of what he was saying. “Wu Min has made the most profound of sacrifices to offer you his half sister, the Princess Zhen Lan’xiu, to be your wife.”

Hüi Wei didn’t even glance in the girl’s direction. “Thank your master, but I could not accept a gift that would deliver such cruel pain to the giver. The sentiment is gracious, but the sacrifice is unnecessary. I do not need Wu Min to choose my wife for me.”

The courtier hurried into flustered speech. “He means no offense! It is known that your Greatness already possesses a wife and several concubines! Wu Min had no thought of the Princess Lan’xiu displacing any of these revered ladies. No! In fact, you may use her as you wish and cast her aside if she displeases you!”

Jiang asked, “Does he undertake to accept this gift back if she is found to be defective?”

Shocked, the courtier said, “She is untouched! Chaste and pure! The most beautiful maiden to be found in all Liaopeh! None who see her fail to fall under the spell of her beauty. Her nature is modest and demure! And she has been most carefully guarded. There have been no sly trysts by moonlight to despoil her purity—”

Hüi Wei said in a bored tone, “You will give Wu Min my thanks for his impressive tributes. I am sure it has cost him much pain to part with his sister.”

“Oh, it has, it has,” the courtier assured him in an oily voice. “If only you would agree to accept these humble gifts, it would bring him such pleasure as to negate the torment—”

“We will consider these tokens. You have a memorial?” Lord Jiang cut the man off expertly.

“It happens that I do. Wu Min wished to ensure that your graciousness was aware of his loyalty—”

“So you had mentioned.” Jiang held out his hand for the scroll.

The courtier got to his feet and approached the dais, withdrawing the scroll from the sleeve of his robe. He winced as Jiang gripped his arm with one hand while he accepted the scroll in the other. He glanced at Hüi Wei’s face but could vouchsafe nothing and surrendered the scroll without a struggle.

“The audience is at an end. You may all withdraw,” Jiang announced. “The Princess Lan’xiu is to be conveyed to the harem.” He snapped his fingers at the general’s soldiers, who came forward immediately.

“But—the princess—her guard—she must not be left unprotected!” the courtier sputtered. “Her guards must—”

“I am sure we will be able to protect her adequately. The guards you brought may leave with you, while they still can,” Jiang said, his voice implying he would accept no argument.

“Her servant, then. At least permit her servant to bear her company as she makes a new home here—”

For the first time Jiang examined the short, slim manservant with a soft, slightly feminine face. “You are eunuch?”

Blushing, the servant nodded without looking up, taking a tiny step closer to the princess.

The princess’s beautiful face showed nothing of the emotion to be expected of a noble girl being delivered into an unknown court and a stranger’s bed, but she seemed to sway slightly in the direction of her eunuch servant.

Hüi Wei waved a hand and his soldiers came forward to lead the girl and her servant from the room. The soldiers who had guarded her made no move, as if they had no idea what to do in this unforeseen circumstance.

The courtier’s face wore a frustrated expression as he watched the princess disappear, but he seemed to accept his impotence and, once again, pressed his forehead to the floor. “I shall convey to his gracious Lordship Wu Min the fact that the Lord General Qiang Hüi Wei accepted the gifts he chose with much deliberation and thought for the enjoyment and enrichment of your Lordship’s house—”

Hüi Wei’s shoulders shook as he strode from the room chuckling, accompanied by Jiang. “Do you think he is still speaking?”

“I gave orders to the guards to take note of what he says, but I fear it is in vain to hope for some indiscretion. He is well versed in spewing many words while saying very little. I have no idea what Wu Min hopes to gain with this display.”

Hüi’s lips tightened into a grim smile as he walked through the halls. “Have you not? And you so long-headed, unless you flatter me by allowing me to be the one to elucidate. Answer me this: how did a man who governs a landlocked province many miles from the sea come by such a quantity of peerless pearls?”

Jiang looked much struck as he hurried to keep up. “That is a very interesting question. It would greatly add to his power and control if he had access to a seaport, but I fail to see how selling his sister would gain this for him.”

“At least, not to me. I am well supplied with wives and concubines. One might suppose that another would be a surfeit.”

“The emperor is said to have a harem of hundreds of concubines.”

“The emperor is the emperor and he does not need to ride to war or put down rebellions from upstart provinces,” Hüi Wei snapped. “A plain man like me does not need a different woman to warm his bed every night.”

“Speaking of peerless,” Jiang said, tactfully turning the conversation, “I have never seen a girl more beautiful than this princess.”

“I hadn’t noticed,” Hüi Wei lied.

“Of course you hadn’t, but when you can spare the time, you might have a look at her face.” Jiang sighed in admiration. “Such perfection of form. Her skin is as flawless as those pearls delivered with her. Almond eyes as deep as the night sky, a mouth curved like a—”

“Like a snake in its death throes? Enough! I shall take your word for it that she is a paragon of all female graces,” Hüi Wei said, laughing. “Take care you don’t fall under her spell. It is punishable by death to dally with another man’s concubine.”

“Then you mean to keep her?”

“I have not yet decided,” Hüi said coolly.

“But you’re not sending her back?”

Hüi opened the door to his private chamber. “Come in with me.”

Jiang entered the room, shutting the door behind him. “What game are you playing at? Do not hide your teeth with me.”

“What does he say in that scroll?”

Jiang unrolled it. “If I’m reading between the lines correctly, he is hoping to prevent you from invading his province and hopes you will honor your mutual borders. That means he’s doing something that he doesn’t want you to know about but warrants an invasion. Perhaps he’s hoping to distract your attention with her beauty.”

Hüi flung himself into a chair with none of the deliberate ceremony he had employed in the audience chamber when taking the throne. He poured both of them a cup of huáng jiǔ and took a sip before he spoke. “I shall keep her for a time, if only in order to find out what Wu Min’s plan is. He is ambitious and clever but owes allegiance only to himself. He is a careful man. I have fought on the same field with him, and he does not commit to an attack when it will not benefit him personally, no matter what treaty he’s signed. He resorts to deceit and trickery to get what he wants.”

“And by giving you this girl, he hopes to gain—what? That her beauty will occupy you to the point that he may march past you on the way to the sea?” Jiang laughed at the thought of any woman distracting Hüi Wei to the point of neglecting his sacred, heaven-decreed duty. “He doesn’t know you well.”

“At the very least, if you had allowed her guard to remain with her, he would have planted some spies in my court. Who knows? Perhaps she spies for him.” Hüi Wei held the glass up to the light, gazing at the golden liquor. “He judges others to be lesser strategists than himself. That is Wu Min’s greatest handicap. No, he has some other reason for sending me this girl. Something he hopes to gain by putting me in possession of her. Perhaps she was born under a curse and brings bad luck to whatever roof she resides under, despite her beauty. The gods sometimes amuse themselves by giving a gift with one hand and taking it back with the other.” He laughed. “It must have gone against his grain to give up that tribute of silver, pearls, and silk, simply to disguise his true intent. He must be confident that he will be able to retrieve it all at some point. Wu Min does not open his fist easily.”

“He cannot hope that her presence will lead to strife in your household,” Jiang mused in a perplexed voice. “A man does not concern himself with the petty squabbles of mere concubines.”

“Even Wu Min would not make that mistake,” Hüi Wei agreed dryly. “Have her escorted to the seventh house.”

“When you do see her, do you think she will tell you why Wu Min sent her?”

“She may not know. And I shall not see her, not at once,” Hüi said.

“I thought not,” Jiang said in a satisfied tone. “The news will be conveyed to Wu Min that you have ignored his gifts. Leaving them on the floor as you did when you left the audience room was a stroke of genius. Perhaps it might spur him to an incautious action.”

“Perhaps,” Hüi said. “In any case, have all the tribute cataloged and taken to the strong room.”

“With the exception of the Princess Lan’xiu,” teased Jiang.

“Find out about that family,” Hüi said suddenly. “It must be a most heartless man to send his own sister to endure the fate of becoming a minor concubine in an established household. I could not do it, even if the emperor commanded it. There is something odd behind this whole affair.”

“I shall see that the princess is established in the seventh house with her servant, but I shan’t make her too comfortable just yet. And perhaps I might arrange a meeting between her and first wife, Lady Mei Ju?”

A slow smile crossed Hüi’s lips. “I knew there was some reason I kept a jester in my court.”

“Jester! I am no jester!” Jiang exclaimed in pretended outrage. “The joke would be on you if I took that insult to heart and made humor my primary objective in your service.”

“I would not insult any but my closest friend so, Jiang.” Hüi rose and placed his hand upon Jiang’s shoulder. “We shall see this through together as we always have, come what may.”

“We shall,” Jiang agreed.

Chapter 2

PRINCESSLAN’XIU followed the soldier in the lead, conscious of the second soldier, sword in hand, trailing her and her servant. She cast covert glances about her, taking in the strong walls of stone about the palace, too high to scale and too smoothly fitted to offer a toehold if one dared to try their luck in climbing them. And beyond that was a similar wall around the city to be gotten past, if one did manage the first.

Armed guards patrolled every method of egress to prevent any intruder from getting in. Great artistry had been employed within the walls to encourage the inmates to feel they were within some beautiful park. Trees and bushes had borne flowers in the proper season, although just now a slight powdering of snow lay upon the ground. In despair, Lan’xiu noted the footprints left in the mantle of white that made a stealthy escape impossible.

She followed docilely to another securely guarded square, a sort of fort within a fortress, and her heart sank when she recognized that this was the harem. It was walled off with great iron gates always kept locked. The soldier used a key to permit them entry, and she heard a bar being lifted from the inside in response to his knock. The soldier locked the gates again once they were inside. However, instead of one great building with communal facilities, she saw twelve separate houses positioned around the square. Bare peach and plum trees stood within the center of the park, surrounded by brown bushes stripped of their leaves by the season. Six benches were set out within the open space.

Each house was identical, save the first. Where the roof tiles on all the other homes were of cobalt blue, the most splendid home was crowned with brilliant crimson tiles, to bring auspicious fortune to those residing under it. This house was bigger, more magnificent, with ceramic temple dogs set at each sweeping corner of the roof to guard that the good luck did not escape. A covered walkway led to the front door and light shone from within, giving the red curtains a warm glow. Shadows moving behind the curtains suggested a family within, enjoying an evening’s entertainment.

Lan’xiu looked at this house with longing. It was suitable for one of her birth, but her rank accorded her no perquisites any longer. She knew that despite the destiny foretold at her birth, her fortunes had been turned onto a darker, more sinister path.

Each house in the square had a lantern hung to the right of the door. The lantern was lit at only the fifth house, gleaming through the cold blue dusk. As they passed the house where the lantern shone, one of the soldiers grunted.

Correctly assuming this inarticulate commentary had nothing to do with her, the Princess Lan’xiu continued to follow the soldier in silence until he paused in front of the seventh house, producing a huge iron key. The lock screeched in protest when the key turned, and the hinges groaned as the soldier pushed the door open.

Lan’xiu gathered her cloak together to step into the dark, cold hallway, steeling herself for whatever might come next. For all she knew, the soldiers had been given orders to bring her here and execute her. She could feel the warmth of his body as Shu Ning, her eunuch, positioned himself between her and the soldier following them. It did not comfort her to realize he entertained the same suspicions as she.

She controlled her instinctive impulse to jump when the first soldier spoke, not wanting the man to see how frightened she was.

“Your Ladyship, my Lord Jiang extends his apologies. We had no prior knowledge of your coming, and the house is not prepared for you. If your Ladyship will be patient, servants will be here presently to light the fires and the lamps. The house has been kept clean, so it is habitable. Your luggage will be brought to you.”

“Jiang? I thought the general’s name was Qiang Hüi Wei?” the eunuch questioned the soldier sharply.

“Lord Jiang is the General’s second in command. He sees to the smooth running of General Qiang’s establishment. It is to him that you would address any complaints or requests.”

Lan’xiu waved a graceful hand but did not speak. A lady of her status did not give direct orders to servants. That is what one had eunuchs for.

Once again, Shu Ning spoke. “I am sure the princess will have no cause for complaint. How am I to procure food for her?”

“Food will be brought presently, along with water, tea, and wine.” The soldier appeared to have no wish for more conversation. He and his fellow retreated to stand guard at either side of the door.

The shutters were barred from the outside, and dusk had made the shadows within the house grow deeper. Only the faint light of the moon streaming through the circular window over the door silvered the polished floor as Lan’xiu waited anxiously for some sound, a soft footfall or rustle of clothing, to tell her when the attack would begin.

The assault never came, at least not in the form of violence. There was a tap at the door, and one of the soldiers opened it to reveal a veritable army of servants made up of eunuchs and women dressed in plain but well-made clothing. They bore lanterns, covered trays from which tantalizing odors emanated, and lengths of rich fabrics. One carried a brazier of glowing coals, which he took into the sitting chamber. He went to the fireplace and soon coaxed a fire to life.

Other eunuchs scurried about, placing lanterns, hanging curtains at the windows, sweeping sheets off the furniture to reveal chairs and tables of carved rosewood inlaid with mother of pearl designs. In a matter of minutes, they transformed the cold, barren room into one of comfort and warmth.

Shu Ning spoke with the servants, directing several to prepare the largest bedchamber for the princess, another on how to bestow the luggage, and still another to set up a table with the trays bearing food. Then he ordered them all out of the room.

“Come, Princess Zhen Lan’xiu, sit and eat. You must be weary and hungry.”

“Ning, why are you talking like that?”

Ning jerked his head to the door and cupped a hand to his ear. “Break your fast, my Lady. And then I will escort you to your bedchamber and put you to bed.”

Lan’xiu gave him a rueful smile and sighed. “I fear I am not very hungry.”

Ning sniffed at the dishes longingly and insisted, “You must have something to eat.” He lifted a cover and said, “Here is rice with bits of golden peach.”

“Very well,” Lan’xiu said, resigned. “You may serve me some of that.” She picked up her chopsticks and ate sparingly. Then she stared hard at Ning, whispering, “Eat, you idiot, don’t wait for me. I know you’re hungry. Stop pretending.”

“Yes, my Lady,” Ning said loudly, before hissing, “They must be made to treat you as you have a right by birth.”

“Oh, Ning. What would I do without you?” Lan’xiu stretched out a slim hand and patted his arm. “I am so glad you chose to accompany me.”

“Nothing could keep me from your side, Lan’xiu,” Ning said quietly. Then he began to eat hungrily, choosing pork and rice and vegetables to fill his bowl. When he’d had his fill, he looked up to find Lan’xiu watching him. He placed a finger before his lips. “The bedchamber is upstairs. You need to rest.”

He opened the door and peered into the hall. In their absence, the servants had been busy. The rest of the house was warming up and the lanterns were lit. By their light, he could now see the staircase that curved up to the second story landing. Three eunuchs and three women were lined up silently in the hallway, as if awaiting them. “My lady will now retire to her rest,” Ning announced.

The oldest female servant clapped her hands and the three eunuchs filed to the door. They went outside and the two soldiers followed them. In the silence, Lan’xiu and Ning could hear the grate of the key in the lock and knew that they were now imprisoned within the luxurious house.

“Show me to the bedchamber,” Ning ordered boldly.

The oldest woman dropped into a curtsey and spoke for the first time. “You are her highness’s slave?”

“I am her personal servant,” Ning stressed. “I serve her in all ways.”

“Allowances have been made,” the woman responded. “No male is permitted to stay the night in any of the houses. However, it is seen that your customs are different. My name is Jia, and I shall be the Princess Lan’xiu’s housekeeper. I am at your service. These stupid girls are Din and Miu. You need not concern yourself with them. You will convey any necessary orders to me, and I will have it seen to.”

Ning bowed. “I am Shu Ning. You may address me as Ning. And now, Princess Lan’xiu is weary from our journey and would rest.”

“Of course. Follow me.” Jia flapped her hands at the two younger women, who giggled and fled to the back of the house, peeking back at the princess all the way. “Pay no attention to them, Ning-xiānsheng. They are young and silly, and have never seen a princess before. I, however, have served in the greatest of houses and know how things should be done. Please follow me, Ning-xiānsheng.” She turned and led the way upstairs.

Lan’xiu had to smile as Ning puffed out his chest at the title of respect that Jia had conferred upon him, even though she did not feel very merry. However she did let out a small gasp of pleasure at the sight of the beautiful room designated to be hers.

The rosewood bed was massive, standing in the center of the room with a full canopy and corner boards intricately carved with dragons and phoenixes. Enamel paintings of fields and streams decorated the arched canopy boards overhead. Yellow silk bed hangings glowed in the warmth of the oil lanterns and the small ceramic stove. Matching yellow silk swathed the windows, and the puffy down quilt covered in spring green satin made the room seem cozy. Soft, lavender-colored pillows adorned the bed. A dressing table of rosewood with a matching chair with a yellow cushion stood in the bow of one window. A thick carpet of intricate design woven in tones of cream, yellow, and green, with touches here and there of salmon red and cobalt blue covered the wooden floor.

Jia opened the door to a rosewood wardrobe that extended the length of one wall to show that Lan’xiu’s clothing had been carefully hung up, while more intimate garments had been folded and placed in drawers.

She went to a door concealed behind drapes on the same wall as the bed and opened it to reveal a large, well-appointed bathing room. “The pump brings the water inside. And if her ladyship wishes for a bath, a fire may be lit under the tub to warm the water.” Jia indicated the giant copper vessel. The room was a marvel of ceramic tile and copper, using the most modern of plumbing engineering.

Then she opened another door on the opposite wall that led to a smaller room. “I assume you will wish to sleep within call of her ladyship,” she said, addressing Ning. She had still not looked directly at the princess.

“That will do excellently,” Ning said. “I am very pleased. You have thought of everything to make the princess comfortable.”

“Thank you, sir.” Jia dropped a curtsey and stole a glance at Lan’xiu, stifling a gasp at her beauty. Then the housekeeper withdrew, closing the door behind her.

Lan’xiu and Ning stood still, listening intently. Ning tiptoed to the door and opened it. The hallway was empty. He shook his head at the princess. “I will have a look,” he said, picking up one of the lanterns. He searched both the bathing room and the room designated for him before issuing forth into the hallway.

Lan’xiu wrapped her arms around her body to still her trembling, waiting for him to return. Or worse, for someone else to enter, perhaps splattered with his blood, to bring her news of his death. She was unaware she’d been holding her breath until the door opened to reveal her faithful servant returning to her.

“We are the only ones on this floor,” Ning said quietly. “The attic is empty. I have discovered no way of spying upon us, but we had best be careful.”

“Careful!” Lan’xiu laughed bitterly.

“Shhh,” Ning warned. “You are tired. You would be better in bed. Shall I contrive a bath?”

“No!” Lan’xiu shuddered. “Not here! Not now. And you must find a way out. If neither of us sleep again, you must escape.”

“I will not leave you, my Lady,” Ning said in great distress.

“Even though I have been delivered to my death, there is no need for you to share the same fate,” Lan’xiu said. “You cannot save me. You must save yourself.”

“You never know, this may not lead to your death,” Ning said hopefully.

“Always the optimist, my Ning. For you the teapot is always half-full.” Lan’xiu gave a shaky laugh. “But you know my brother. It would have suited him to simply throw me off a cliff, but in this way he will attain my death with no visible stain upon his hands. You know he will find some way to use my assassination to his advantage.”

“The governor has not chosen to come to you tonight,” Ning pointed out. “That is unusual in a warrior accustomed to claiming all he possesses. Perhaps he already has a favorite and isn’t much interested in you. You heard him in the audience. He said he had enough wives. He may never come.”

“The Lord Qiang Hüi Wei has an intelligent face,” Lan’xiu said. “He will show no unseemly haste in claiming his prize. But he is also too intelligent to ignore my brother’s overweening ambition. He may slay me out of hand without pausing to inquire whether I know the root of the plot. Between them both, I am not safe, and by virtue of being my servant, you are not safe either, my dear friend. I must get you out of here.”

“Perhaps they will let me go out to buy you face powder or some such,” Ning suggested.

“Perhaps. And perhaps one of the soldiers is by no means so content with his lot that he would turn down a fortune in jewels. If only I possessed a fortune in jewels, I would bribe every last man to get you free.”

Ning came to her and sank to his knees, beginning to weep a little. He grabbed her hand and kissed it, unable to speak until he felt her other hand caressing his head. “If you are to die, I will die with you,” he declared.

“What have I ever done to deserve a friend as true and loyal as you?” she wondered. “It would make me much happier to know at least that you survived rather than to have you share my fate.”

“What would I do? Where would I go?” Ning wailed.

“Who else would put up with you?” Lan said, her voice shaking a little with laughter, even though unshed tears glimmered in her eyes.

Instantly, Ning retorted, “Who would put up with you? If Hüi Wei has a brain in his head, he would soon find your beauty conceals the sting of a summer wasp.”

Lan laughed. “Honors to both sides, then. We die together.”

“Or perhaps we live together.” Ning wiped his eyes on his sleeve. “You were an oracle caster, or at least your mother taught you the art. Are you sure we are going to die?”

“You know one cannot read one’s own omens,” Lan said regretfully. “And since my mother’s death, the gods have refused to speak with me, and the way is not clear. Clouds are before my eyes.”

Ning sighed. “At least we are away from your brother’s minions and we can sleep tonight. We will take turns watching.”

“Mind you wake me when you start to nod off,” Lan admonished.

“It was only once that I was so tired I could not keep my eyes open,” Ning protested.

Lan smiled. “I’ll take first watch.”

“I cannot sleep in your bed,” Ning pointed out.

“There is a lovely window seat with a cushion, just your size,” Lan said, pointing at the niche partially hidden behind the curtains. “There seems to be another quilt in your room. You may bring it here and wrap yourself up warmly.”

Ning yawned widely like a cat, not bothering to cover his mouth. “I think I will if you’re sure.”

“I’m sure,” Lan said. She watched her friend and servant hurry into the smaller anteroom and murmured, “I shall have plenty of time to sleep when I’m dead.”

Chapter 3

LADY MEI JUstood by the window, waiting. At times when the winter snows came or the delicate mists of spring obscured the square, she could pretend that instead of looking across at identical houses, she was still at home with her parents and sisters and brothers, with a view of open rice fields to the mountains beyond.

It had been so long since she had been outside these walls that it made her feel old. Mei Ju sighed and then giggled silently. She was old; at least older than the other concubines. And she felt grateful to be. She alone of her family still lived, by virtue of being here when the hordes had overrun her village, razing it to the ground and killing all her family and friends. Those had been terrifying times of rebellion, but her Lord Qiang Hüi Wei had brought stability and peace to the region in the name of the Son of Heaven, emperor of China.

She tried to avoid looking at her reflection in the window as she waited for this new concubine with a heavy heart. Even before she had been designated first wife, she had known that her lord would add concubines to his household, but each time it caused her a pang. For a time, he would be distracted or enthralled with his new possession, and the lantern would not be lit for her. Mei Ju knew her lord’s love of conquest, and knowing the other wives, she tortured herself by imagining that each courtship and eventual capitulation had followed a different course than her own. Qiang Hüi Wei was a very clever man, known for his mastery of strategy and love of battle. Each time he had eventually come back to her, but Mei Ju knew well that his heart had never been hers.

Rumor had flown throughout the compound that the seventh concubine was extremely beautiful, and Mei Ju dutifully celebrated that fact on behalf of her beloved Hüi Wei. He deserved only the best. Besides, beauty alone was not enough for Hüi. Although the second and sixth wives were very pretty, they had not managed to hold his interest for very long.

When she caught sight of the small party approaching her home, Mei Ju turned away from the window and clapped her hands twice. Her servant went to the door, and while she listened to the sounds of umbrellas being closed and stood within draining pots, wraps being taken and hung to dry, Mei Ju seated herself before the fire and composed her face to receive her company.

Her maid appeared in the doorway and announced, “The Princess Zhen Lan’xiu begs for the honor of attending your Ladyship.”

Mei Ju could not hold back a tiny smile. Her maid always pretended to be so respectful when company came to call upon her. It was quite the contrast from her usual manner when they were alone. “I will be pleased to receive the princess. You may escort her here.”

The maid bowed and withdrew.

Mei Ju could not hold back a gasp of astonishment at her first sight of Princess Lan’xiu. If her own skin was white, Lan’xiu’s was like burnished ivory. Her face was exquisite: high cheekbones sculpted to perfection, the pure line of her jaw flowing into a long, graceful neck. Her nose was perhaps a bit large, but it suited her face; her lips were pale pink and curved like the wings of a bird in flight. Her eyes were downcast, as was proper, veiled by lush, dark lashes. Her earrings were silver with long, pear-shaped turquoise drops, and a pale green jade bracelet encircled her left wrist.

She was a slender girl who swayed gracefully like the reed that bends to the wind as she walked, but she stood straight and tall. Mei Ju realized that if she stood beside her, she would be looking up at the princess, and that would never do. Lan’xiu’s cheongsam of lavender and crimson silk set off her beauty to perfection, while her hands hid inside her sleeves, which were lined in turquoise. The daring color combination made Mei Ju remember that perhaps it really was time to have a new dress made for herself. She had grown comfortable and out of touch with the fashions of the day, despite the entreaties of the third and fifth wives to smarten herself up a bit. She always made the excuse that chasing after the children was dirty work, but now she thought she might need to bespeak a new robe after all.

Princess Lan’xiu prostrated herself on the ground and waited, motionless, her head bowed as if aware she was being inspected.