Chapter 25: The Strange Servant-Girl

Chapter 25: The Strange Servant-Girl

The servant-girl Dong Qing E stayed behind in the room to attend to the Emperor. Soon, the bedsheets and blankets were prepared, and she helped the Emperor get into his sleeping attire.

Han Ruzi was long used to being moved around by his attendants, so he numbly cooperated. In his mind, many messy thoughts swirled around. Various people such as the Empress Dowager, Prince Donghai, Meng E, Yang Feng, made their appearances in his mind, refusing to give him any space, to the extent that it was quite a while before he realized that Dong Qing E remained standing by his bedside. However, he had already changed and was about to lie down to sleep — he did not require any one to attend to him anymore.

“Is there something else?” Han Ruzi asked politely. In his mind, he thought that there were quite a few servant-girls with the word E in their names, though Meng E and Meng Che may well be aliases.

Dong Qing E’s face turned red for some unknown reason. She said softly, “I can attend to Your Majesty’s bed rest.”

Han Ruzi had never seen any servant-girl as shy as her. He smiled and said, “You already have.”

“Mm.” Dong Qing E did not move.

“Is this your first time attending to someone?” Han Ruzi was very willing to chat with people. In the past, nobody would engage with him — those eunuchs and servant-girls were quick to run away and no one was willing to stay by the Emperor’s side. This was the first time someone refused to leave after finishing their own duties.

Dong Qing E nodded and then shook her head. “This is my... first time... attending to Your Majesty.”

“I have no special requests. This is fine. Other attendants would usually sleep by that couch. If you think it too small, you can go to the other rooms. I sleep soundly so I do not call on people in the night.” Han Ruzi would actually prefer for others to clear out from his bedroom.

Dong Qing E’s face grew even redder and her soft turned softer. “I can... can... sleep on Your Majesty’s bed.”

Han Ruzi turned around and looked at his bed. It had a large and wide bed frame — it could nearly fill a small room by itself. But for a servant-girl to make such a request seemed to be overstepping boundaries overmuch. Han Ruzi thought for a moment and asked, “You are not used to sleeping on a couch?”

Dong Qing E looked down without speaking.

“I guess so. That couch is quite small. Even I have to curl up when I lie on it, you would find it even smaller.”

Dong Qing E was five or six years older than the thirteen year-old Emperor, and was half a head taller. She had a fuller build, and would therefore take up more space.

“Very well then. You may sleep on my bed,” Han Ruzi agreed. Ever since young, he had never treated his servants poorly, nor would he start in the palace. “But do not tell anyone else. You know, the palace has strict rules. If someone were to discover that you are not abiding by the rules, you may be punished.”

Han Ruzi still remembered the two eunuchs who were harshly punished because they had not seen the Emperor secretly write a message.

Dong Qing E nodded her head lightly, and slowly sat beside the Emperor. She was close to him — so close that they could nearly hear each other’s breathing.

“Then rest and have a good sleep.” Han Ruzi got up and smiled towards Dong Qing E. He strode towards a table and blew out the candle before fumbling his way to the couch. He lay on the couch where small pillows and a thin blanket was already prepared. The weather was not too cold, so it was just right.

“Your Majesty...” From the bed came Dong Qing E’s shocked and confused voice.

“You sleep on my bed, I’ll sleep on the couch. It’s fine, the bed I used to sleep it was no bigger than the couch — I’m quite unused to sleeping on such a large bed. Oh, remember to wake earlier tomorrow morning. We need to switch back so nobody finds out.” Han Ruzi tossed and went to sleep, thinking that this was a truly strange servant-girl. But at least she was willing to speak and even dared make requests of the Emperor, to him, this was a good thing.

The Fiery Emperor was worried at the time. He even prepared to move the Capital to the south. But the war did not last more than four months. The combined armies of the princes, while appearing fierce and overbearing, were blocked at Hangu Gate. After a few minor battles that resulted in a stalemate, the combined rebel armies broke apart. The Chu army seized the chance and fought a decisive battle, securing victory in a single stroke.

After the war, the Fiery Emperor took the opportunity to weaken the princes. From then on, the various fiefdoms of the regional lords started shrinking over time. The Princedom of Qi this day was only half the size it originally was.

Han Ruzi collected his thoughts and listened carefully. He asked, “The princes fell in one hit. Was it because they did not practice benevolence and righteousness?

Prince Donghai snickered. Luo Huan-zhang sternly looked at him, causing him to look down and focus on his book.

“At that time, the five princes treated their followers with dignity, reduced taxes on the people, respected the old and took care of the young. It could be said that they were benevolent and righteous.”

“Then why did they not have a path of escape after their defeat in battle?”

“It is like a blade. When a tough warrior wields a blade, he can fight ten by himself. When a child wields a blade, he hurts himself. Benevolence and righteousness are sharp tools of state. When an ordinary man practices it, he benefits his village. When a lord practices it, he benefits his fief. When the Son of Heaven practices it, he benefits all life. The five princes’ benevolence cannot be compared to the benevolence of the Fiery Emperor, hence their defeat was inevitable. Your Majesty, you sit on the most revered throne. To you, benevolence and righteousness is like the blade to the soldier, the saddle to a treasured horse — integral and complementary. Its importance is indescribable.”

Han Ruzi felt that Luo Huan-zhang was rather pedantic. He suddenly felt a sharp gaze shoot his way. When he turned his head, Prince Donghai was already looking down. Han Ruzi understood something. He looked at the two eunuchs at the door — the two of them did not understand anything, and were just standing blankly.

Luo Huan-zhang was the first official who took the initiative to come into contact with the Emperor. Even though his words were subtle, Han Ruzi understood his meaning.

He did not know how to respond.

Luo Huan-zhang did not probe further. What he spoke of next was all about the Fiery Emperor and how he defeated the five princes.

The morning’s class was shorter than usual. An hour before noon, Zuo Ji entered and asked the Emperor to move.

Han Ruzi arrived at the Hall of Diligent Administration again. From this day, he would have to take some time every morning to sit at the Hall, watching the senior officials deal with affairs of state. He knew his place — the unusually numerous eunuchs around him were a constant reminder — and hence he never spoke, and only watched and listened.

At least this was much better being completely ignorant and trapped within the palace. He was able to understand a little about the progress of the war in Guan-dong, the movements of the military within the realm, as well as the unique cultures and circumstances of each prefecture and district.

But this day, he could not find out where exactly Yang Feng had gone, and when he would be back.

In the afternoon, it was his martial arts lesson as usual. Meng Che increasingly had the demeanor of a wizened instructor. He spoke more than he acted, and only occasionally struck his fist or sword to get a reaction from the Emperor or the young nobles.

For the first time, Han Ruzi felt that the Emperor’s life was a busy one. However, this busyness was a mere illusion. He could gain little from it. Until this night, there was something that he had to do personally and could not dlegate.

At the time, he was already very tired. After washing up and getting dressed, he wanted to quickly go to sleep. As to whether he was to sleep on the bed or on the couch, he did not care.

The servant-girl attending to him was still Dong Qing E. Her face was again very red. But her smile was different from the previous night, and her words were all the more incredible. “Your Majesty is about to get married. Is Your Majesty not interested in the way of husband-wife relations?”

Han Ruzi’s first thought was Luo Huan-zhang’s oft-cited “way of benevolence and righteousness”.