A-Jiao held the lantern in her arms for a moment before drifting silently into the room.
Lin Gao was not there. Only his wife, Qu Yunxu, and their two children were inside. Qu Yunxu was busy preparing a meal while the elder daughter leaned over a table practicing her calligraphy. The younger child, a boy, looked as though he had only just learned to walk.
A-Jiao circled the room once and stepped back outside, realizing that this Papermaking Department was quite different from what she had imagined. The courtyard was filled with numerous bamboo racks with things drying upon them. Several large pits had been dug into the ground, and several massive cauldrons had been set up.
She wandered about with great interest until she finally located Lin Gao in a workshop. Though it was late winter and the air outside was biting, the interior was sweltering. A burly man, stripped to the waist and drenched in sweat, stood atop a wooden ladder stirring a great cauldron.
Peering into the vat, A-Jiao saw a mass of extremely fine, thread-like fibers, though she could not identify the material.
After a moment’s thought, she summoned her official tablet and performed a Spirit-Summoning Incantation. Deep within the workshop, Lin Gao, who was moving supplies alongside the laborers, suddenly froze. He patted the shoulder of the man beside him and walked out.
A-Jiao followed him back to his living quarters. Qu Yunxu looked up in surprise, wondering why her husband had suddenly returned.
Lin Gao frowned. "It feels like there's business from the Underworld. Oh, heavens, I hope it’s not more trouble."
Qu Yunxu’s face also clouded with worry. Then, to their utter shock, a woman suddenly materialized in the middle of the room.
"You... you..." Lin Gao slapped his forehead. "You're Lady Chen, aren't you?"
A-Jiao gave a graceful smile. "It is I. I’ve come to check on the progress of your papermaking."
"Please, My Lady, have a seat." Qu Yunxu became flustered and nervous. she hurried to fetch a clean cushion, shaking it out before offering it with a shy smile. "Divine Lady, we only have such coarse things here. Please do not take offense."
A-Jiao waved her hands dismissively. "Please, don't be so formal. I don't mind at all. And there's no need to call me 'Divine Lady.' In the grand scheme of things, my official rank might not even be as high as Lin Gao's in the future! I could easily call you 'Big Brother' and 'Sister-in-law.'"
After a few pleasantries, A-Jiao inquired about the state of the Papermaking Department and learned that the newest batch of paper had not yet been produced. She then asked, "Brother Lin, the lanterns hanging from your eaves... are they covered in paper?"
Lin Gao laughed. "Indeed. Back where I come from... well, they were obsolete things we didn't use anymore. But they don't exist yet in the Western Han. So, I took some paper from the last batch, brushed it with tung oil, and made several lanterns. They’ve been hanging for a few days and seem to hold up well."
A-Jiao was astonished. "Such wonderful lanterns are considered obsolete where you come from?!"
A touch of pride appeared on Lin Gao's face. "We had other lights there—much brighter. They were fixed to the ceilings and feared neither wind nor water. Alas, it’s something you likely couldn't imagine in this lifetime."
A-Jiao: "..."
Lin Gao suddenly sighed. "A pity I can never go back." Qu Yunxu placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, and he turned to clasp her hand in return.
"..." A-Jiao thought for a moment before asking, "Could you give me a few of those lanterns? Or perhaps send a larger quantity to the Longmen Palace?"
"Longmen Palace?"
A-Jiao nodded repeatedly. "Yes. The Emperor's Beauty Yan is staying at Longmen Palace to await her delivery. I thought that since the winter days turn dark so early, having these lanterns hanging outside would be much more convenient."
Lin Gao replied, "Of course. After all, technically everything here belongs to the Emperor anyway."
*The Emperor...* A-Jiao wondered why Lin Gao seemed to lack even a shred of reverence for the Son of Heaven.
A-Jiao reminded him, "Actually, His Majesty is currently out on an inspection and lacks such... er, oil-paper lanterns. Why don't you send some to the Emperor by fast horse before the imperial procession gets too far?"
Lin Gao slapped his thigh. "Right! That rascal—cough, I mean, His Majesty—has surely never seen a paper lantern! I'll give orders immediately to take down all the finished lanterns. We'll send some to Longmen Palace and the rest to His Majesty."
He hurried out happily and returned a moment later carrying two lanterns. Handing them to A-Jiao, he grinned. "Lady Chen, thank you for the reminder. I'll give you two in advance. These are the 'Longmen Limited Edition.'"
A-Jiao took the lanterns and looked at them. When she saw that there was writing on them and read the content, her mood soured instantly.
Unaware, Lin Gao asked, "By the way, Lady Chen, what is your name? Since you've called me 'Big Brother,' let's not be strangers. Once we're dead in this life, we'll be colleagues—I mean, fellow officials—in the Underworld."
A-Jiao spoke in a low, haunting voice. "Chen Ajiao."
***
Liu Che had arrived in Lantian County today and planned to rest there for a day.
Lantian had a secondary palace; though small, it had been cleaned and prepared in advance. However, as night fell and the Emperor finished his solitary dinner in his room, A-Jiao had still not returned.
Just as Liu Che was about to find Huan Jun to ask for an update, he heard the door creak. He saw that A-Jiao had returned to Chen Wan's body and was walking in, clutching two lanterns.
Liu Che went to meet her, his voice displeased. "You finally decided to return? What are you doing with those lanterns?"
A-Jiao shoved the lanterns into Liu Che's arms and went to lie down by the brazier. "I'm hungry. Serve the food."
Liu Che nodded to Yang Deyi, who withdrew to find the Imperial Chef.
The Emperor picked up the lanterns that had rolled across the floor, curious to see what was written on them.
"*'A Lady's Unhappy Fate'... The Han Emperor prized A-Jiao...*"
He paused, looking up, only to see A-Jiao give a cold sneer.
He coughed twice, feeling a bit awkward. "What kind of lanterns are these? Where did they come from? I'll have someone throw them away."
A-Jiao’s eyes flashed with resentment as she recited:
"*The Han Emperor prized A-Jiao, enshrining her in a golden house. Her coughs and spit fell from the nine heavens, turning to pearls and jade in the wind. When favor reached its peak, love began to fade; as jealousy deepened, affection grew sparse. Longmen is but a step away, yet he refuses to turn his carriage for even a moment. Rain falls but returns not to the sky; spilled water is hard to reclaim. The Emperor's feelings and the lady's intent each flow their separate ways. The lotus of yesterday is now the rootless grass of today. Serving another with only beauty—how long can such favor last?*"
"There is another poem on the back called 'Lament of the Longmen Palace,'" she continued. "*The Big Dipper hangs over the western tower as heaven turns; the golden house is empty, save for the drifting fireflies. Moonlight seeks to reach the Longmen Hall, but only adds to the sorrow of the deep palace. The Cinnamon Hall is filled with eternal grief, unmindful of spring; autumn dust rises within the four golden walls. At night, a bright mirror hangs in the blue sky, shining alone upon the person within the Longmen Palace.*"
"And the other lantern has yet another 'Lament of the Longmen Palace'! *In the Weiyang Palace, a night of flowers and moonlight; songs and dances with raised cups, heaven feels but a foot away. One always relied solely on the King; if slander arises one day, who will speak the truth? The heaven that was a foot away is now ten thousand miles distant; though still within the single city of Chang'an. The spring breeze occasionally brings the sound of imperial music, but I alone cover my face with a silk scarf, my tears like a washing tide. Tears like a tide, yet Heaven knows not; in this life, seeing him again is surely beyond hope. Better to be an envoy to the Southern Yue or the Xiongnu; for even they have a time to return across the seas and mountains!*"
"I have memorized them all! There is no need for Your Majesty to burn the lanterns."
Liu Che turned the two lanterns over and over. He did not recognize the names "Li Bai" or "Lu You" written upon them. He swore, "These two men are definitely not members of my court."
A-Jiao rolled her eyes, closed them, and lay there in silence. Liu Che rubbed his hands together and moved closer to pull her into his arms, coaxing her softly. "Alright, alright. That is all in the past. In the future, I will surely cherish you."
A-Jiao pushed him away. "Who cares for your favor? And who said it was in the past? I will remember it for a lifetime." She paused, then added, "I will remember it for several lifetimes."
Liu Che tried to lean in again. "A-Jiao, those are old stories from years ago. Stop making a fuss!"
A-Jiao gave a cold "Heh" and refused to engage further until Yang Deyi arrived with the food supervisors and palace maids to serve the meal. Only then did she sit up straight.
The maids moved a small table before her and laid out the dishes.
Nanke and Mianfu knelt on either side of her, serving her food. Although traveling could not compare to the variety of the palace, the meal was worlds apart from what she had seen at the Papermaking Department. In winter, the palace always kept mutton in stock; tonight featured a clear mutton stew with radishes and a bowl of dried bamboo shoot and pheasant soup.
A-Jiao picked out a few pieces of meat and drank a bowl of soup. Only then did the anger in her heart dissipate slightly, and she began to eat other things.
Liu Che leaned nearby, watching the lanterns. He realized that these lanterns were not covered in silk or cloth, but were indeed pasted with a layer of paper.
He picked up a cup of water from the table and splashed it onto a lantern. The water flowed slowly down the paper without soaking in at all.
Liu Che felt the surface for a moment and ordered, "Light these two lanterns and hang them under the eaves." He wanted to see just how long these paper lanterns could last.
He then asked A-Jiao, "Where did you get these? They are quite novel."
A-Jiao slowly finished chewing her food, swallowed, and wiped the corners of her mouth with a handkerchief before replying, "What's the rush? You'll find out sooner or later."
Liu Che: "..."
After the meal, they rested for a while before washing up and going to bed together. The secondary palace was not as warm as the Hall of Warmth or the Yunguang Hall, so A-Jiao reluctantly allowed herself to sleep close to Liu Che, whose body was radiating heat.
Early the next morning, someone reported that items had been sent from Chang'an.
A-Jiao didn't bother to wash or dress, instead hiding behind a curtain to peek. Sure enough, it was the lanterns Lin Gao had sent, along with several thick stacks of oil-paper.
The person who delivered them was Chen Xuan.
A-Jiao silently thanked Lin Gao. Outside, she heard the Emperor announcing rewards: gold, coins, and silk were to be granted to the officials of the Papermaking Department.
He also gifted Chen Xuan a piece of jade.
Chen Xuan accepted it joyfully and, following the Emperor's orders, went to teach the others how to assemble the paper lanterns.
Once the outsiders had left, A-Jiao stepped out from behind the curtain. Seeing her without her outer robes, Liu Che couldn't help but scold her. "Stop fooling around. It's cold out here. Go back inside and put on some clothes."
A-Jiao gave a huff and slowly walked back into the inner chamber.
Liu Che followed her and saw her lying lazily on the bed, wriggling around like a caterpillar.
Seeing her look so innocent and carefree, Liu Che couldn't help but smile. He walked over and embraced her from behind. "Either get under the covers or get up and get dressed."
A-Jiao burrowed into the quilt.
Liu Che sat on the edge of the bed and said, "Lin Gao also sent something else. Can you guess what it is?"
A-Jiao squinted her eyes, already knowing the answer. "Cotton clothes."
The Emperor was slightly surprised, but then he remembered that Lin Gao had only managed to see him because of A-Jiao, so he let it go. "I've looked at them. Clothes and bedding filled with cotton aren't as light or thin as our current silk-padded ones, but according to Chen Xuan, they are quite good at keeping one warm."
A-Jiao nodded. "Lin Gao said that this kind of cotton is planted annually. The places suitable for growing it are more numerous than those for kapok trees. In a good year, the harvest is substantial, and it's easier to collect than kapok. Furthermore, he said this cotton can be woven into cloth, which is soft and comfortable. He hopes Your Majesty will promote its cultivation. I was thinking that if cotton is easy to grow and yields well, it could save many commoners' lives in the winter."
"There is logic in that. Fine, don't sleep anymore. I'm going to the government office in Lantian County to have a look. Get up and come with me."
"No, I have things to do."
With that, she lay flat. Liu Che watched as the body's eyes closed, and it fell into a death-like stupor.
"Chen Ajiao! Chen Ajiao!"
Liu Che angrily threw the quilt onto the bed.
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 曲云姁 | Qu Yunxu | Lin Gao's wife. |
| 桐油 | Tung oil | Oil used to waterproof paper and wood. |
| 限量版 | Limited Edition | A modern term used by the transmigrator Lin Gao. |
| 《妾薄命》 | A Lady's Unhappy Fate | A poem by Li Bai (Tang Dynasty) about Chen Ajiao. |
| 《长门怨》 | Lament of the Longmen Palace | A title used for various poems about Chen Ajiao's exile. |
| 李白 | Li Bai | Famous Tang Dynasty poet. |
| 陆游 | Lu You | Famous Song Dynasty poet. |
| 芦菔 | Radish | An ancient term for daikon/radish. |
| 棉花 | Cotton | Specifically referring to Gossypium (upland/tree cotton) as opposed to kapok. |
