The day of Murong Xuan’s fifth birthday happened to coincide with the birthday of the Second Prince, Murong Dui.
With the two princes born so close together, every servant in the palace was watching intently. Queen Jiang Bilan was now isolated and without aid; the Jiang family had been uprooted, leaving her with nothing. On the other hand, although the Third Prince was born to Zhitong, everyone knew he was being raised under Zuo Canglang’s name.
Now that the old subordinates of the Wen clan had been purged and Zuo Canglang had long ceased to involve herself in military or political affairs, she was like a flowering tree that had been pruned of its branches and leaves. In such a state, where the Emperor’s heart leaned became matters of the utmost importance.
That evening, Murong Yan ordered a stage to be set up at the Phoenix Palace for puppet shows and acrobatics, instructing Zuo Canglang to bring Murong Xuan there. While this gesture seemed to show no favoritism, a closer look suggested that the primary consort was, after all, still the primary consort.
Zhitong dressed Murong Xuan in beautiful new clothes. Zuo Canglang selected a set of palace attire for her, casually picking out jewelry from her own dressing table and ordering a maid to style Zhitong’s hair and makeup. After a while, Zhitong was fully prepared, looking unexpectedly radiant. She turned to look at Zuo Canglang, feeling somewhat uneasy. "General, are you not going?"
"You are Xuan’er’s biological mother," Zuo Canglang said. "On an occasion like this, it is enough for you to go." Zhitong hesitated as if to speak, but Zuo Canglang smiled. "Are you afraid the Queen will make things difficult for you?"
Zhitong lowered her head. "General, I was originally just a palace maid. I am not worried about what the Queen might do. It is just that His Majesty’s intention was for the Third Prince to belong to you. If I am the one to take him there, I fear... he will be displeased."
Zuo Canglang slowly placed her hands on Zhitong’s shoulders. "Straighten your back." Zhitong instinctively stood taller. Zuo Canglang continued, "You are the biological mother of the Third Prince; there is a place for you in this palace. Do not be afraid. I am behind you. If anything happens, I am here."
Focus returned to Zhitong’s eyes. Zuo Canglang said, "Go!"
Zhitong pressed her lips together and finally nodded, taking Murong Xuan’s hand. Murong Xuan turned to look at Zuo Canglang. "You aren't celebrating my birthday with me, so you must at least give me a gift, right?"
Zuo Canglang knelt down and straightened his clothes. "My little ancestor, is there anything you lack?"
Murong Xuan spoke with surprising gravity and solemnity. "Does what I lack have anything to do with what you give?"
Zuo Canglang became equally serious. "That makes sense."
Murong Xuan wouldn't let it go. "Then what are you giving me?"
Zuo Canglang said, "When you return from the Phoenix Palace, if you have listened to your mother and haven't been naughty, I will give you something. How about that?"
"You have to keep your word," Murong Xuan said. Zuo Canglang extended her pinky and hooked it with his.
At the Phoenix Palace, Murong Yan was testing Murong Ze on his lessons when Zhitong arrived with Murong Xuan to pay their respects.
He glanced over, and seeing that Zuo Canglang was absent, his brow furrowed slightly. Nonetheless, he said, "Sit."
Zhitong walked to a seat behind Ban Yang. Keqing happened to be sitting right next to her. These days, Keqing’s opportunities to see Murong Yan were few and far between, so she had arrived early. She glanced at Zhitong with complex emotions—in terms of seniority, she was older than Zhitong. Now, both of them had borne princes, yet she remained a Ninth-rank Lady. If not for her son, she wouldn't even have the right to be here to celebrate the princes' birthdays.
Yet Zhitong had suddenly leaped to become a Fourth-rank Consort.
Sometimes, Keqing couldn't help but wonder: if she had stayed by Zuo Canglang’s side back then, would her situation be different now?
But in the end, there were no "ifs."
Once most of the guests had arrived, the troupe began the shadow play, and acrobats performed around the stage. The various performances delighted the young princes. Murong Ze and Murong Dui both ran up to the monkey trainer, insisting on touching the monkey. The palace attendants, fearing the monkey might scratch them, hurriedly tried to stop them.
Murong Xuan also ran out, and Zhitong’s maid quickly followed. But he ran like the wind and vanished in the blink of an eye. The maid grew frantic and began searching everywhere. Eventually, even Zhitong became anxious. After searching for a while, they found him perched atop one of the pillars of the stage, squatting like a monkey himself.
The attendants were pale with fright, trying every kind of coaxing, but he wouldn't listen. Murong Yan found it interesting and leaped up, squatting beside him. "Why did you climb so high?"
"I can see further from here," Murong Xuan said.
Murong Yan looked down; indeed, the entire troupe and all the various acts were in full view. He nodded. "Aren't you afraid of falling?"
"Since I climbed up, I won't necessarily fall," Murong Xuan replied, "but I can certainly see everyone's tricks down there."
Murong Yan fell silent for a long time before asking, "But standing this high all by yourself, with no one to talk to, won't it be very dull?" ...Won't it be lonely?
"If it gets dull, won't I just go down?" Murong Xuan said.
Murong Yan looked thoughtful. "What if you can't get down?"
Murong Xuan giggled. "If I could get up, why couldn't I get down? Besides, even if I can't, Ah-Zuo will carry me down, and so will Father. Though Mother can't, Uncle Dongting, Uncle Lan, and Uncle Zhou—they all can."
Murong Yan reached out and patted his head. "What exactly have you been learning by her side?"
Murong Xuan leaned gently into his embrace. "Father, it's very fun here, isn't it?"
With such a small child leaning into his arms, Murong Yan’s heart softened. "Yes."
"It's a pity Ah-Zuo isn't here," Murong Xuan said.
"Yes," Murong Yan replied. "It is a pity."
For some reason, a sliver of heartache began to spread. He ruled the world, and everything was as he wished, yet she was not there.
The pain became increasingly sharp. Murong Yan slowly clutched his chest. Murong Xuan noticed something was wrong. "Father? What's wrong?"
Murong Yan shook his head and carried him as he swept down from the dragon-carved pillar, his steps already unsteady. Jiang Bilan and the others noticed and cried out, "Your Majesty? What is happening?" Before he could speak, Bi Dongting had already gone to find the imperial physician.
Before long, the physician arrived. However, after checking his pulse, he could find no cause. Finally, Cheng Han said hesitantly, "Your Majesty, according to my diagnosis, this is a lack of blood supply to the heart. It is easily triggered by overwork or intense emotion. Fortunately, Your Majesty is in his prime, so it is not a major concern."
Murong Yan frowned. "Since my accession, though state affairs have been busy, I have never neglected my martial arts or archery. Why would such a condition appear?"
Cheng Han couldn't provide a definitive explanation; an imperial physician's diagnosis always prioritized caution. He said, "Your Majesty, the human body is inherently complex. It is difficult to see the internal state from the outside."
Murong Yan stared at him for a long time. "Is it possible it was caused by other factors?"
Cheng Han naturally understood his meaning, but this was not something to be said lightly. If a genius like Yang Lianting or Jiang Xing had used some method, would he truly be able to diagnose it?
In all honesty, he felt he couldn't. He could only brace himself and say, "From the symptoms and the pulse, there are no signs of poisoning. If Your Majesty is uneasy, please allow me to thoroughly re-examine Your Majesty’s food, drink, and clothing."
"Investigate everything," Murong Yan said in a low voice. "Now."
His martial arts were inherited from Master Xue Zhan, and his internal energy was quite strong. By circulating it regularly, he could usually sense any physical discomfort in time, but this sudden chest pain had come without warning.
Cheng Han acknowledged the order and returned to the Imperial Academy of Medicine to fetch various tools for detecting poison. Zhitong lowered her head and whispered to Murong Xuan in her arms, "Xuan’er, do you know the way back to Nanqing Palace?"
"I do!" Murong Xuan said.
"Then go back now and tell the General that His Majesty suspects he has been poisoned and has ordered the physicians to investigate, alright?"
Murong Xuan thought about it. "Alright."
He was small, and the scene was chaotic. He slipped out amidst the lanterns, and no one stopped him.
At that time, Zuo Canglang was feeding her gyrfalcon. When she saw a small figure running out of the night, she thought she was seeing things. Murong Xuan reached out his arms toward her from a distance. She looked helpless. "My little ancestor! It's so late and you ran back all by yourself! Where is your mother?"
Murong Xuan hugged her neck. "Mother told me to come and tell you that Father suspects someone poisoned him."
Zuo Canglang was slightly stunned. "Did they find the culprit?"
Murong Xuan shook his head, then asked her, "Why are there so many culprits in this palace? There was a culprit last time, and a culprit this time. It's like they never end."
Zuo Canglang affectionately stroked the top of his head. "That is too profound. You can only understand when you grow up a bit more." Having said that, she patted his shoulder. "Wait here for a moment, alright?"
Murong Xuan liked her very much. Every time she spoke to him, she would look him in the eye, and she never brushed him off. No matter how trivial the question, she would answer seriously. This made him feel that he wasn't just a child, and that his words were being listened to.
He nodded solemnly. "Okay."
Zuo Canglang walked quickly into the palace rooms. A set of cups and utensils for Murong Yan’s exclusive use was kept in every palace. She casually picked up a wine cup, tucked it into her sleeve, and then hurried back out. She took Murong Xuan’s hand and said, "Let's go."
Murong Xuan had been playing for so long that, being young, he was already tired. "Can you carry me? I can't walk anymore."
"I can," Zuo Canglang said.
Murong Xuan thought for a moment and added, "Mother said your shoulder was injured. Can you carry me?"
"I can try my best," Zuo Canglang replied. Murong Xuan was worried. "Will you get hurt again?"
"Maybe, maybe not. But as long as our Third Prince is happy, anything is fine."
Murong Xuan pursed his small lips, thought for a long time, and said, "I'll walk myself. It's not that far."
Zuo Canglang smiled. "Mm."
She led him through the palace courtyards, where lanterns hung high but the atmosphere was cold and silent. For some reason, she thought of the Murong Yan of years ago. He was still that child, already rotted away in the palace courtyards of the past. When still, he was like a walking corpse; when moved, he would vanish like flying ash.
What she had thought was a meeting at the right time had, in fact, already missed so many years.
At the Phoenix Palace, Murong Yan’s expression was still dark when Zuo Canglang entered. Cheng Han had just returned and was examining the food and drink from the banquet. Zuo Canglang walked to Murong Yan’s side; Bing’er, standing below, was already pale.
"What has happened now?" she asked softly, sitting beside him as her sleeve brushed the table. Her fingers were as fast as lightning; using her sleeve as cover, she swiftly swapped a cup on the table. Murong Yan asked, "Why are you here?"
"I was late because I was preparing a birthday gift for the Third Prince," Zuo Canglang said. "But it seems Your Majesty does not welcome me."
Murong Yan suddenly grabbed her wrist, nearly touching the cup hidden in her sleeve. Zuo Canglang reached out with her left hand and grasped his wrist. "What is wrong with Your Majesty?"
Murong Yan sneered. "Wang Yunzhao!"
Wang Yunzhao was startled and hurried forward. "Your Majesty?"
"Listen well," Murong Yan said. "After I have passed away, take this person, cast her in bronze and iron, and stand her within the Imperial Mausoleum. Let her hold a lantern and a halberd, and guard my tomb for eternity!"
Wang Yunzhao was terrified. "Your Majesty!" He wanted to offer comfort, but seeing the Emperor’s towering rage, he didn't dare say much. He could only say, "This old servant obeys."
Only then did Murong Yan release Zuo Canglang’s hand, his face still clouded with anger. In the current palace, Jiang Bilan had already been frightened out of her wits; the others had no motive. If anyone truly dared to strike at him, it would undoubtedly be Zuo Canglang!
Naturally, she was his first suspect.
However, after Cheng Han and the others had searched for a long time, they found nothing unusual. Murong Yan also became somewhat doubtful; after all, the symptoms were truly hard to explain. He lost all interest in continuing the celebration and ordered everyone to return to their respective palaces.
Upon returning to Nanqing Palace, Zuo Canglang immediately washed the cup and put it back. Within moments, the Imperial Academy of Medicine began re-searching every corner of the palace. Of course, they still found nothing. Murong Xuan leaned in Zuo Canglang’s arms, his head nodding with sleepiness, yet he still asked, "Where is my gift?"
Zuo Canglang gave a whistle. A gyrfalcon circled down from the sky. Zuo Canglang said, "I am giving him to you."
Murong Xuan stared at the bird. It looked almost as big as he was. It tilted its head, its eyes fixed unblinkingly on him. He was a little afraid. "Are you scared?" Zuo Canglang asked.
He said, "Does... does it eat people?"
"I don't know," Zuo Canglang said. "Why don't you try for yourself?"
Murong Xuan said angrily, "If it eats people and I try, won't I just be feeding it?"
Zuo Canglang couldn't stop laughing. "Then think carefully: would it eat people? If you can't decide, I won't give it to you."
Murong Xuan thought hard, counting on his fingers. "You and Mother like me very much. If it ate people, you definitely wouldn't want me to be eaten by it. Since you aren't saying anything, it definitely doesn't eat people."
"Is that the only reason?" Zuo Canglang asked. "What if you guessed wrong?"
Murong Xuan thought bitterly for another while. "The palace wouldn't allow a man-eating bird to be kept. Otherwise, Uncle Dongting and the others would have caught it long ago! It definitely doesn't eat people."
"And?"
Murong Xuan’s eyes darted around. "I'll find a eunuch to tease it and see if it eats him!"
Zuo Canglang kicked his backside. "Get out of here!!"
Murong Xuan laughed uncontrollably, then reached out to touch the bird’s tail. As he stroked it, he said seriously, "Don't eat me, okay? I'm only enough for one meal. If you don't eat me, I can give you lots and lots of meat. You can eat for a long, long time—for a lifetime!" He nodded his small head emphatically, his face full of sincerity. "I will raise anything Ah-Zuo gives me for a lifetime!"
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
栖凤宫 | Phoenix Palace | Xifeng Palace; the residence of the Queen.
南清宫 | Nanqing Palace | The residence of Zuo Canglang.
良人 | Lady | A 9th-rank imperial concubine.
宫妃 | Consort | A general term for imperial concubines; here referring to Zhitong's 4th-rank status.
海东青 | Gyrfalcon | A large bird of prey, often used in hunting; literally "Haidongqing."
帝陵 | Imperial Mausoleum | The burial site for the Emperor.
铜浇铁铸 | Cast in bronze and iron | A method of creating a permanent statue, often used for funerary figures.
提灯执戟 | Holding a lantern and a halberd | The traditional pose of a tomb guardian.
