Chapter 504 — A Single Branch
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 1 of 4
The Jinwu Guard was responsible for security within the forbidden palace; beyond a single gate, the Five Barracks Army took charge. But the palace gates were barred at night, so the so-called patrol amounted to nothing more than a single circuit around the Hall of Heavenly Purity.
Song Yan made his unhurried way from the Gate of Moonlight Splendor toward the Gate of Abundant Prosperity.
When he reached the Gate of Phoenix Radiance, he saw Wang Ge standing beneath the eaves of the Hongde Hall, waving him over.
Song Yan considered a moment, then smiled and walked over to cup his hands in salute to Wang Ge.
Wang Ge returned the greeting with a smile and gestured toward the side rooms adjoining the Hongde Hall.
Song Yan nodded, and the two of them went in one after the other.
Wang Ge let out a long breath, and even straightened his back: "This autumn tiger—cold one moment, hot the next—has put the Emperor in a foul mood, and the rest of us have to be on our toes every waking second."
To attend the sovereign was to attend a tiger. In years past the Emperor would stay at the Western Park until the eighth month before returning to the palace. This year, in mid-seventh month, Consort Liu—who had accompanied him to the Western Park to escape the heat—suddenly fell gravely ill and died, and the Emperor lost all taste for the mountain retreat. He returned to the palace in late seventh month, leaving every one of them who served at his side trembling, terrified of provoking his wrath by the slightest misstep.
The side room held only a bed, a chair, and a table.
Song Yan sat down unhurriedly in the room's single armchair and said with a smile, "By the Double Ninth Festival, the Emperor's mood will improve."
Perhaps it was a matter of advancing years: the Emperor, who once treated the Double Ninth as a day for climbing mountains, had for two years running hosted banquets for retired ministers at the festival, and each year the occasion grew grander than the last.
"And that means more trouble for the likes of us in the Twenty-Four Offices," said Wang Ge, more openly than usual, a faint arrogance creeping into his tone. "I'd sooner His Majesty went climbing. At least then the Jinwu Guard, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and the Banner Guard would share the burden—there'd be a few fellow sufferers."
Song Yan smiled faintly.
Wang Ge smiled and steered the conversation elsewhere: "I asked you here, Heir Apparent, because I have something to show you." As he spoke, he drew from his sleeve a hairpin wrapped in a handkerchief.
The pin was no more than three inches long, of pure gold, set with a sapphire the size of a pigeon's egg, and around the sapphire a ring of rubies the size of grains of rice.
Under the dim yellow lamplight it glittered brilliantly.
Song Yan's expression changed drastically. He sprang to his feet, his gaze shooting toward Wang Ge like a blade, like an arrow.
Wang Ge could not help flinching, but quickly steadied himself and said with a smile, "It seems the Heir Apparent and the Heir Apparent's Consort are indeed as devoted as everyone says—you recognized her belongings at a single glance. Then I'll speak plainly, as one sensible man to another. His Highness the Prince of Liao means nothing else by it—he has merely invited the Heir Apparent's Consort and young He to stay a few days at the Prince of Liao's estate. Once His Highness has had his audience with the Emperor, he will send the Consort and the boy home. I ask the Heir Apparent to make things easy."
Song Yan gave a cold laugh, the veins standing out at his pale temples: "To bargain with me—you are not nearly qualified enough!"
Wang Ge resented above all being looked down upon, and a flicker of rancor crossed his eyes.
Then a voice, faintly smiling and thus seeming almost genial, sounded in the room: "Am I qualified enough?"
Song Yan's eyes narrowed, a needle-sharp glint flashing as he turned toward the sound.