The first day of the tenth month marked the beginning of the new year.
In the morning, the Emperor received the vassal kings, marquises, and ministers, bestowing gifts upon them. He sent word to A'jiao that he would dine with the officials at Wenshi Hall at noon, and they would depart the palace for the Manor of the Marquis of Changping at the three-quarter mark of the Wei hour.
A'jiao took the opportunity to send a young eunuch out of the palace to the Chen household. He was to inform Lin Gao to find his own way to the Marquis’s manor and wait there.
At the first mark of the Wei hour, A'jiao changed her attire and took a sedan chair from Yunguang Palace to Wenshi Hall, where she joined Liu Che to depart the palace together.
Princess Pingyang had been staying at the Marquis’s manor since the end of the previous year and was now leading the members of the Wei family out to receive them. The imperial carriage entered through the main gate, and prepared sedan chairs awaited them at the inner gate.
A'jiao spotted Wei Yuan standing behind the three Wei brothers and was surprised to see that her belly was already showing a slight, unmistakable swell.
So, it hadn't been a lie after all?
Liu Che went to the main courtyard to visit Wei Qing. Citing the propriety of gender separation, A'jiao went to a side courtyard to rest, accompanied by Wei Yuan, Wei Kang’s wife (Lady Han), and Wei Deng’s wife (Lady Chen).
Wei Yuan looked quite haggard, leaning on Caiyue as she walked slowly at the rear of the group. A'jiao turned back and offered a word of comfort. "Second Sister-in-law, set your mind at ease. The Marquis will surely be fine."
Wei Yuan forced a smile but could not find her voice. Instead, her eyes reddened, and she began to weep. A'jiao sighed, signaling for her attendants to help the woman slowly reach the side courtyard.
A'jiao took her seat first, and only then did Wei Yuan, Lady Han, and Lady Chen dare to sit. This Lady Chen was the youngest daughter of Wei Qing’s sister, Wei Shao’er, and her husband Chen Zhang; it was a marriage that doubled the family ties.
After a brief exchange, A'jiao dismissed Lady Han and Lady Chen to attend to their duties. She then pulled Wei Yuan aside to ask for details. It turned out that Wei Yuan had already been over two months pregnant while at the Shanglin Forest, but for some reason, she had still experienced her monthly cycle. Fearing the child was not viable, she hadn't dared tell Chen Chuo. It wasn't until Liu Qing announced her own pregnancy that Wei Yuan, in a fit of rage, blurted out the truth in front of the Emperor.
Chen Chuo was furious that Wei Yuan had concealed the pregnancy. Their arguments grew increasingly heated until even Wei Qing could no longer mediate. Eventually, Wei Yuan was sent back to her father’s house to focus on her pregnancy in peace. Chen Chuo came to visit her every day, but Wei Yuan largely ignored him.
A'jiao took a sharp breath. She had been in contact with Wei Yuan during those days and hadn't noticed a single sign that she was hiding a pregnancy. A'jiao asked, "Second Sister-in-law, how can you be so sure that what Liu Qing said is true? Do you really intend to remain at odds with my second brother for the rest of your life? Or... yesterday, before the entire court and the nobility, the Marquis requested a title for you..." Did Wei Yuan intend to seek a divorce?
Tears streamed down Wei Yuan’s face, but her expression hardened with resolve. Clutching her handkerchief, she said, "I will not divorce him. I will never divorce him in this lifetime. Isn't Liu Qing just waiting for me to make a scene and leave so she can take my place? I will not give her what she wants. I will hold onto my status as Chen Chuo’s wife, forcing her to watch from afar, never obtaining him as long as she lives!" By the end, A'jiao could hear the literal grinding of teeth in her tone.
A'jiao hesitated. "Then, the child in her womb..."
Wei Yuan let out a cold snort. "If she has the courage, let her give birth. Perhaps she’ll be shameless enough to beg His Majesty, and I might even let that bastard child call me 'Legal Mother.'"
A'jiao suddenly felt a surge of admiration for Wei Yuan. Wei Yuan was Wei Qing’s daughter, and Wei Qing had specifically requested a title for her just yesterday. If Liu Qing’s affair were to be exposed in the future, people would inevitably wonder if the imperial family had somehow persecuted Wei Yuan or failed the descendant of a loyal minister. Liu Che would never allow such a perception to take root.
When A'jiao was twenty, she likely hadn't seen things as clearly as Wei Yuan did now. A'jiao sighed and added, "Though Liu Qing’s story sounds plausible, Second Brother is certain that nothing happened between them. Second Sister-in-law... do you believe him?"
Wei Yuan remained silent for a long time before saying, "Wan’er, do you know? Your second brother has never loved me. I... I don't dare believe him."
She didn't dare believe he loved her, just as A'jiao once hadn't dared to believe that Liu Che didn't love her.
A'jiao patted Wei Yuan’s hand. "Second Sister-in-law, rest assured. As long as you do not divorce my brother, I am on your side. I don't want Liu Qing marrying into the Chen family either." If a divorce were inevitable, A'jiao would have to find a way to grant Wei Yuan more rewards. After all, she couldn't suppress or abandon the Chen family—whom she also cared for—just for the sake of a Wei family member she happened to like.
Wei Yuan was stunned. "You... you don't want Liu Qing to marry into the Chen family? You must know that if Chen Chuo marries Princess Weiyang, he is very likely to be enfeoffed as a marquis!"
A'jiao smiled dismissively. "That is only a 'possibility.' Most importantly, I do not like Liu Qing. Have you forgotten how she tried to make things difficult for me that day?"
Wei Yuan nodded. Suddenly, Nanke entered and whispered a few words into A'jiao’s ear. A'jiao smiled and said, "I see you haven't rested well lately, Sister-in-law. Why don't you go sleep in the side room for a while? His Majesty might be talking with your father for some time yet. If anything happens, I’ll have someone call for you."
Wei Yuan was perceptive; sensing that "Chen Wan" might have business to attend to, she followed the suggestion and excused herself. Yuli led her to the adjacent guest room.
As soon as Wei Yuan left, Mianfu led in a tall man. He wore a long robe of blue cloth and was clean-shaven, bearing a slight resemblance to Mianfu.
Mianfu curtsied and said, "Noble Lady, this is my brother, Lin Gao."
Lin Gao followed suit and bowed to A'jiao. "May the Empress live for ten thousand years without end."
Empress? A'jiao froze, her face flushing slightly. She laughed. "Mianfu, what nonsense is your brother spouting?"
Nanke chimed in from the side. "Noble Lady, I think you have such a kind heart and are so beautiful, just like the Empress. Brother Lin, isn't that right?"
Mianfu blushed and nudged Lin Gao. "Brother, you must call her 'Noble Lady.'"
Lin Gao looked confused for a moment, then obediently corrected himself. "Noble Lady."
A'jiao laughed. "Mianfu said her brother was slow-witted and prone to nonsense; I see he truly is. I am but an ordinary person. How could I dare be addressed as 'Empress' like some goddess or immortal? It’s quite embarrassing!" Especially for someone like her, who had seen the real Empress.
Lin Gao was stunned, thinking to himself: *Wait, do the women in the Emperor's harem not get called 'Niangniang' yet?*
After a moment of levity, A'jiao turned serious. "The item you had Mianfu bring into the palace on the twenty-eighth—did you come up with that yourself?"
Lin Gao looked back at his sister in surprise, only to see the young girl hanging her head low, her ears bright red. He had wondered why the recently favored Sixth Miss of the Chen family wanted to see him; it turned out his sister had let the secret slip!
But then he thought that his sister had only just entered the palace and was likely scared of being caught. Though annoyed, he understood. He followed her lead and answered, "Replying to the Emp—no, Noble Lady, it was indeed my idea."
A'jiao couldn't help but be curious. "Then how did you create paper?" Although she had seen it in the Underworld, she didn't know the specific process of its manufacture.
"Paper? You..." A look of intense joy suddenly flashed across Lin Gao’s face before he forced himself to remain calm. He swallowed hard. "Noble Lady, may I ask you a question?"
A'jiao didn't bother correcting his address this time. "Ask."
Lin Gao couldn't help but step forward a few paces before Mianfu pulled him back. "May I ask... what is the line that follows 'Before my bed, the moonlight shines bright'?"
A'jiao: "..." *What is he talking about? Is this a poetry game?*
Seeing A'jiao’s blank expression, Lin Gao suddenly felt a wave of disappointment. He tried again. "Has the Noble Lady never heard that? Then... what about the phrase: 'Those who offend our mighty Han shall be punished, however far they may be'?" He craned his neck, waiting.
"Excellent!" A shout of praise rang out from the doorway.
A'jiao stood up quickly at the sound. Looking at Lin Gao, she said pointedly, "Your Majesty, why are you here?"
Lin Gao’s entire body tensed up. Despite the cold weather, sweat instantly broke out on his skin.
Liu Che walked in with a smile, sighing in admiration. "What a line! 'Those who offend our mighty Han shall be punished, however far they may be!' My dear, who is this?" Behind him followed the three Wei brothers and Chen Chuo.
A'jiao had no choice but to smile. "This is my maid’s brother, Lin Gao. He was originally a bondservant of my family. He has done good work for our family's business over the years, and I was thinking of what reward to give him."
She glanced at Lin Gao. She had intended to meet him first to keep the upper hand, but that opportunity was gone. Now it depended on whether Lin Gao could seize this chance himself.
Liu Che took the seat of honor, and A'jiao sat beside him. She smiled. "Why has Your Majesty come so soon? Why not sit a while longer with the Marquis of Changping to reminisce?"
Liu Che sighed. "We spoke for a bit, but Zhongqing became quite groggy. The manor’s physicians said he needs more rest, so I came to find you." As he spoke, he took the cup of warm honey water from A'jiao’s hand and drank it all.
Then, he turned to Lin Gao. "Your words are very interesting, worthy of a man of our Great Han. What reward do you seek from the Noble Lady?"
Lin Gao looked up and stole a glance at A'jiao. Seeing her subtly hold up five fingers, he sighed inwardly and said, "This humble subject seeks... for my masters to remove my family from the servant registers."
Chen Chuo, listening from the side, was momentarily surprised. He hadn't even known Lin Gao had come to the Marquis’s manor. He looked around and noticed Wei Yuan was absent, which made his heart feel even heavier.
Liu Che chuckled. "That is a matter for the Chen family. I shall not interfere; you may decide for yourself."
Lin Gao hesitated for a moment, then straightened his back. Summoning his courage, he said, "Your Majesty, this humble subject has an item he wishes to present to Your Majesty." Since this woman knew the word "paper," she definitely wasn't from this era. He had spent years in the Han dynasty investigating, and paper did not exist yet.
However, since she didn't know "Quiet Night Thought," she must be from an era before the Tang Dynasty. He used to think he was the sole protagonist, but now he had to think carefully. If they could join forces, it would be ideal—too bad she was aligned with the Wei family—though given her current background, she really had no other support.
He reached into his robe, pulled out a stack of folded paper, and presented it respectfully.
Huang Yu took it, inspecting it cautiously before presenting it to the Emperor under the astonished gazes of the onlookers. Liu Che flipped through it carefully. He found the material somewhat coarse to the touch, not at all as smooth as silk or brocade. It made a slight crinkling sound when turned and seemed fragile. He couldn't help but ask, "What is this?"
A'jiao spoke up. "Your Majesty, this item is called 'paper.'" She turned to give an order. "Bring brush and ink."
Liu Che looked at A'jiao. Ignoring the aggrieved look from the man standing below, A'jiao smiled. "This was created by Lin Gao. This is coarse paper, not yet perfected, which is why he didn't dare present it to Your Majesty. He originally gave it to me to try out, but I didn't expect Your Majesty to see it by chance."
Lin Gao finally relaxed. He was now even more certain that A'jiao was like him; not only did she know it was paper, but she also knew it was "coarse paper."
Mianfu and Nanke finally found the writing materials and ran back to grind the ink.
A'jiao spread the paper, lifted the brush, dipped it in ink, and wrote the character "Che." Just like last time, the ink slowly bled into the fibers shortly after the brush strokes were made, leaving the handwriting somewhat blurry.
Liu Che remarked, "So it is for writing? Though it seems barely functional." He shot an interested glance at Lin Gao and smiled at A'jiao. "You, you've always been impatient. To think you'd dare present such a thing."
***
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
温室殿 | Wenshi Hall | "Hall of Warmth" or "Greenhouse Hall," a palace building.
云光殿 | Yunguang Palace | "Hall of Cloud Light," where A'jiao (as Chen Wan) resides.
林皋 | Lin Gao | Mianfu's brother, a transmigrator from the modern era.
纸 | Paper | Referred to here as an invention presented to the Emperor.
犯我强汉者，虽远必诛 | "Those who offend our mighty Han shall be punished, however far they may be." | A famous historical quote from the Han Dynasty.
床前明月光 | "Before my bed, the moonlight shines bright." | The first line of Li Bai's famous poem "Quiet Night Thought."
娘娘 | Niangniang / Empress | A formal address for imperial consorts/empresses, used anachronistically by Lin Gao.
仲卿 | Zhongqing | Wei Qing's courtesy name.
黄余 | Huang Yu | An attendant/eunuch serving the Emperor.
