The Emperor in My Bed, the Eunuch Behind Me - Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The Emperor’s health improved with each passing day. Once he regained consciousness, his first decree was to elevate me to the rank of Noble Consort.

The Palace Domestic Service submitted several potential titles for my selection, but the Emperor insisted I pick whichever I preferred.

None of those flowery names-Bao, Rou, Shu, Zhen-appealed to me. “Your Majesty, I rather like the character ‘Wan’.”

“What meaning lies behind ‘Wan’?”

Since the Eastern Depot already exists, why not add a Consort Wan to complete the picture? “May ten thousand matters all go according to Your Majesty’s heart,” I said with feigned bashfulness.

The Emperor’s dragon heart soared with delight, and he laughed heartily. “Wonderful, wonderful! May my Beloved Consort and I both have all things go as we wish… cough, cough…”

I hurriedly patted his back to ease his breath.

Even as he coughed as if his lungs might give out, he still managed to soothe me: “I am fine.”

He then ordered me to move into his personal chambers and share his living quarters.

Though this clearly violated proper rites, everyone with eyes in both the court and the inner palace could see how exhilarated the Emperor was these days.

To spare the Emperor from draining his energy on such trivial matters, everyone tacitly held their tongues.

The weather grew colder and colder, while my belly swelled larger and larger.

The floor heating in the bedchamber burned warm and cozy. The Emperor sat on the cushioned daybed, reviewing memorials.

I leaned against his back, lost in thought, dozing, or nibbling on snacks.

Sometimes I would idly pick up an already-approved memorial, glance through it, and offer a comment or two.

The Emperor thoroughly enjoyed my novel ideas and always encouraged me to say more.

He even began recording my words directly in the memorials, passing them off as his own annotations.

Eventually, I too sat before the low desk, the memorials divided into two stacks, as we bent our heads together over the documents.

Gradually, the situation reversed, and I wound up reviewing all the memorials alone, while the Emperor leaned against me dozing or daydreaming.

This year’s winter dragged on especially long, with one heavy snowfall following another. I overheard a palace maid whispering to her companion and caught a snippet of their conversation.

They said the snow this winter was unusually abundant, which might signal floods come next summer.

The Emperor’s health fluctuated between good days and bad, often lapsing into his customary standby mode. I had long grown accustomed to it. Whenever I woke fully rested, I simply got up.

One afternoon, I was deep in thought over a case sent up from the Supreme Court when the Emperor, having awakened at some unknown moment, suddenly spoke:

“Jiayao, if this child is a boy, I shall make him the Crown Prince.”

“And what if it’s a daughter?” I responded offhandedly.

“A daughter would surely be a clever woman just like you. I have it in mind to establish her as the Crown Princess.”

I set down the memorial and turned to look at him.

This little emperor truly made me view him in a new light.

Even in the 21st century, there are those who would rather adopt a boy with no blood relation than entrust the family legacy to a daughter. With thinking this progressive, were we sprinting straight toward communism?

I probed tentatively: “If this child is a daughter, we could certainly keep trying for more children.”

The Emperor coughed twice and said, “Childbirth is perilous for women. I will not permit you to undertake that risk a second time.”

Inwardly, I gave him a thumbs up-a fine husband, a fine father.

How could I not reward such a good man?

That night, after extinguishing the lamps, I rubbed against the Emperor, my hints laden with meaning.

Abruptly he sat up, shouting, “Guards! Guards! I shall sleep in the side hall tonight.”

In the darkness, I rolled my eyes. If he didn’t want to sleep together, then so be it-what need was there to act like some chaste martyr?

Deep in the night, drifting in and out of sleep, I suddenly felt a warm body beside me, so I pulled it into my embrace and slept soundly till morning.

In the hall, the braziers blazed vigorously; the years stretched long and leisurely, and facing each other was pure joy.