Eastern Sun

Chapter 3 | The Crown Prince (Part 1)

有車鄰鄰、有馬白顛。
未見君子、寺人之令。

He has many carriages, giving forth their lin-lin; he has horses with their white foreheads.
Before we can see our prince, we must get the services of the eunuch.

Fragment of《車鄰 - Che Lin》Odes of Qin

***

"As you can see the courtyard is to the left of us, the palaces of the concubines are situated around it. You will see those better when the occupants have arrived."

The Matron and Head Eunuch were finishing up the tour through the Imperial Palace, Xiān Chí and Jīn Sù had been subjected to the moment they had arrived. It had been a long day and even longer journey and neither woman was all that interested in the amount of Peony trees located in the courtyard of Tranquility.

"Now this is where both of you will reside before the wedding ceremony. I'll leave you to explore it in your own time as it is time for dinner."

They were left alone in the big soulless palace, the clicking of shoes the only indication there had been other people with them moments before. Maids and eunuchs would arrive soon enough with their dinner, while other servants would take their luggage to place in the appropriate places. There would be very little work left for Xiān Chí and even less for Jīn Sù, apart from lying back and letting it all happen.

"What do you think, it is quite beautiful here, isn't it?"

It truly was a magnificent place to live. Xiān Chí was no stranger to extraordinary sights, the Heavens were a place of wonder after all, but the Imperial Palace was truly above and beyond her imagination.

"Yes, it is, though I wonder if it will stay that way after being here an eternity."

The maids served dinner before making themselves scarce again, far enough away to give the illusion of privacy and close by enough to hear a command for assistance.

"So you believe the legend regarding the peaches? I did not see any garden that could pass for the Orchard of the Peaches of Immortality."

Xiān Chí chose a particular nice looking piece of meat before handing it to Jīn Sù for her to eat. Only after she was sure the other had enough did she choose something for herself.

"Of course, how else what Xīwángmǔ be able to reign for as long as she has. It is only logical to assume the legend is true. Though if we will be able to reap the benefits of those fabled fruit is the more important question. Or to better phrase it, do you want to live for all eternity?"

The conversation had gone to dangerous waters within a moment, Xiān Chí threw a quick glance at the maids around them, and though none of them seemed to be listening to their conversation, did she knew it a lie. Everything they said here, especially things that could be seen as rebellious would be reported to the Queen Mother.

"I do not think so, what would I do for all eternity? I know that that is the purpose of life, to reach for immortality, but what when you have reached that state. Everyone you knew and loved are long gone and only you remain."

It was something her master had warned her about. His master before him had reached immortality after a centuries long struggle, only to realise that the people he had fought so hard for were long gone. It had made him realise immortality was a lie to sell the desperate.

"No, I would prefer to live short and hard, to treasure every day and leave this world when the time is there. In the knowledge that the people I treasure the most will be left a better place than I grew up in."