Three days later, the young boy met his adoptive father again. Li Gonggong spoke little, only urging Huang Se to diligently learn the medical arts from the imperial physicians. Then, he led Lan Se towards the Imperial Library Department. Along the way, they encountered numerous low-ranking officials, palace maids, and eunuchs. All bowed deeply, yielding the path for Li Gonggong to pass. Li Gonggong, in turn, nodded subtly to each of them, never displaying arrogance despite being the Empress Dowager's trusted confidant.
The young boy gazed at the old eunuch's back with profound admiration, vowing in his heart that one day, he too would become like Li Gonggong.
"You've been in the palace for several months now. How do you feel?" Li Gonggong asked, without turning to look behind him.
"Initially, your son felt afraid, missing Mother who remains outside the palace. Your son wept almost every night. But once your son came to terms with it, and began to learn the palace rules as Mother instructed, your son found much comfort. Though learning palace etiquette is no simple task, it is not beyond your son's ability. Moreover, compared to when your son was in Goguryeo, your son is now quite comfortable. Your son doesn't have to go hungry, nor worry about lacking clothing, and receives a stipend each month."
"Good. That you think so means I wasn't mistaken in my judgment."
"May your son ask Father a question?"
"Speak."
"Why... did you choose to adopt your son?"
"I told you before, I felt an affinity with you."
The young boy pressed on, "And why did you send your son to be a eunuch in Imperial Consort Lii Fei's palace?"
"Imperial Consort Lii Fei is currently favored," Li Gonggong replied succinctly.
Lan Se attempted to comprehend. Did this mean his adoptive father had chosen a master of power and fortune for him? If the master prospered, so too would the servant gain prestige. In the future, perhaps he might indeed become like Li Gonggong, a servant with wealth and universal respect.
"Yes, Father. Your son will serve Imperial Consort Lii Fei well."
The old eunuch and the young eunuch arrived at the entrance of the Imperial Library Department. Pushing the door open, the young boy found a Dà Tài Jiàn waiting to greet them.
"This is 'Zise' (meaning 'purple'), my seventh adopted son," Li Gonggong introduced. Lan Se quickly bowed to the eunuch before him. "He is assigned to this Imperial Library Department. Should you wish to learn anything or have any questions, ask him. I have other matters to attend to. If you lack anything, you may inquire among my other adopted sons. You are now brothers; they will assist you."
The two younger eunuchs bowed in farewell. "Father, may you walk safely."
Once Li Gonggong departed, Lan Se turned to introduce himself to Zise, stating his desires without hesitation. "I wish to learn this book. Brother Zise, could you please teach me?" Lan Se extended the Thousand Character Classic to the eunuch before him.
"This is the very book I gave to Huang Se. Has he now passed it to you?"
"Yes, Esteemed One. Please, Brother Zise, teach me. I can even kowtow to you as my master." The young boy was about to kneel and kowtow, but Zise swiftly reached out to stop him.
"No, no, no. Rise. What 'master'? I possess no such knowledge or skill. Besides, did Father not say we are family? Why stand on ceremony?"
Zise turned and retrieved the four treasures of the study: a brush, ink, paper, and an inkstone. "Here. Consider this a welcoming gift. Though not of the finest quality, it is useful for learning."
"Thank you, Brother Zise," Lan Se said, his voice trembling.
"Hey, you... don't cry. You'll wet the paper. Come, sit here. I shall teach you how to write."
Lan Se wiped his tears, revealing a pearly white smile. He felt fortunate amidst misfortune. Though separated from his mother, he had found a good adoptive father and brothers. Who was it that whispered to young boys that the imperial palace was a place that devoured people? It didn't seem true at all.
The young boy sat on a chair, watching Zise sweep various books aside. "Forgive my untidy desk. Compiling historical records is truly no easy task."
Zise placed the paper and began to grind the ink for him. Then, he deftly moved the brush, demonstrating the stroke order of characters slowly for the young eunuch.
Lan Se was a clever child. In no time, he had memorized the stroke orders, pronunciations, and meanings of many characters.
"By the way, which department are you assigned to?"
"I am a eunuch of Jingren Palace, serving Imperial Consort Lii Fei."
"Oh! You are truly blessed with good fortune. I've heard that no one is as favored as Imperial Consort Lii Fei now."
"And the Empress, Esteemed One?" The young boy recited the ranks by heart. "Isn't it the Empress who holds the highest authority in the inner court?"
"Authority is one thing, favor is another. The Empress, she ceased vying for favor with other consorts long ago. Her Highness cares not who is favored, for the First Imperial Prince was appointed Crown Prince on the day of his birth. As long as the Empress and the Crown Prince conduct themselves well and without disgrace, the Empress's position will never waver."
Lan Se nodded understandingly. He still didn't grasp much of the adult world. Though he had heard of the rivalries within the imperial palace, the young boy thought such matters were distant from him.
Emperor Wu Dinggao had numerous imperial consorts, bestowing his dragon seed widely, resulting in a total of eight imperial princes. Two imperial princes were born to the Empress: the First Imperial Prince named 'Wu Shuochuan,' who held the position of Crown Prince and resided in Donggong Palace, and the Fifth Imperial Prince 'Wu Shuoyu,' who resided in another palace.
However, there were only two imperial princesses: the First Imperial Princess 'Yu Rao,' born to Noble Lady Wan of the Wan clan, and the Second Imperial Princess 'Yu Rong,' recently born to Imperial Concubine An Pin.
As for Imperial Consort Lii Fei, she currently had no children. Sun Yunzhi said Her Highness had only served for a few years. The Imperial Consort diligently consumed nourishing tonics brewed by the imperial physicians, and the Emperor was still in robust health and young. Good news was surely to come soon.
***
It was late in the ninth month. The imperial procession had returned to the Forbidden City. The air grew cooler, and the maple leaves (Feng) turned from green to golden, signaling the approach of autumn.
Xian Danting, or Imperial Consort Lii Fei, was a breathtaking beauty capable of toppling kingdoms. Her figure was graceful, her demeanor elegant. The first time Li Lan Se beheld her, he forgot to blink, behaving improperly in her presence.
Imperial Consort Lii Fei wore a casual garment the color of eggshell, its pleated skirt hem embroidered with birds encircling blossoms. Her jet-black hair was styled in a topknot, adorned with silver hairpins embellished with tiny sapphires strung together to form nascent flowers. Her slender wrists, like plum branches, were adorned with jingling silver bracelets that chimed with every movement. Her waist was cinched with a tasselled sash, engraved with soaring phoenixes crafted from fine mutton-fat jade.
Yet, there was something about her that seemed incongruous, though Lan Se couldn't quite place what it was.
"Your humble servant Li Lan Se, a Shòulǐng Tài Jiàn of the Seventh Grade, bows to Imperial Consort Lii Fei. May Your Highness live long!" The young boy swiftly knelt and kowtowed when Sun Yunzhi gestured to him. The young boy dared not glance at the high-ranking woman before him again, seeing only the tips of her glistening pearl-adorned shoes.
"Surname Li? Hmph. Eunuchs are fond of forming cliques, yet they dare use such fancy words as 'adoptive son'."
Lan Se felt a chill run down his spine. This was his first encounter with the Imperial Consort, the master he was to serve. The young boy had imagined Imperial Consort Lii Fei would be a beautiful and benevolent woman, kind and magnanimous. He never thought the first words she spoke to him would be such cutting remarks.
"Shall I send him back to the Eunuch Bureau, Your Highness?" Xi Ying, the palace maid beside her, asked.
"Li Gonggong is the head eunuch of the Empress Dowager's Palace, is he not?"
"Yes, Your Highness," Wan Ying, the palace maid standing to Imperial Consort Lii Fei's right, replied.
"Never mind. Mother is fond of sending people to keep watch on every palace. If I dismiss this one, she will simply send another." Lii Fei reclined languidly on her couch, slowly closing her eyes, signaling the end of the conversation. Seeing this, Lan Se quickly rose and backed out of the palace hall.
Send someone to keep watch? Even if he truly was Li Gonggong's adopted son, Li Gonggong hadn't given him any special instructions, nor asked him to report anything. He had merely told him to serve the Imperial Consort well, with no command to keep watch.
"Brother Yunzhi, does the Imperial Consort dislike me?"
"Don't think too much of it. The first time I met the Imperial Consort, I was rebuked more harshly than you," Yunzhi turned to comfort the distraught young boy. "The Imperial Consort is simply like this. She can be somewhat willful because she is favored, but she isn't one to arbitrarily punish servants. You'll understand in time."
"Understood, Esteemed One."