The Ant Woman Ch. 14

The physician that had been tending to Kumi had been interrogated. He’d admitted that Kumi had bribed him into lying about her mental state. She’d never been unstable in the first place. When she’d stabbed Kumi in her belly, she was likely trying to kill the child in earnest.

Pollen Lady Kumi was first demoted to the rank of Seafoam Attendant, which meant she was no longer allowed to manage any palace, not that it mattered. She was sent away. Off in some nearly forgotten corner of the Tree Cage, there were a few houses that the Emperor never visited. This area was called the Ice Corner. It was where the most rejected concubines lived, assuming they weren’t about to be put to death. That was where the Emperor sent Kumi.

To Wen’s surprise, the Emperor never made the whole “framing Bora for attempted murder” plot public. He said the reason he was punishing Kumi was for her actions against Wen. After Kumi would give birth, the child would be given to someone else to raise as her own.

The motive was simple and easy. Wen had been in the Emperor’s good graces for a long time, any child of hers would be coddled by him, and if it was a boy he’d likely choose that one to be his Crown Prince. Kumi wanted her own child to have the glory instead.

This was all what Wen had heard, but she’d hadn’t seen the Emperor since she’d confessed everything to him. It was as if he didn’t want to see her, and she understood how that could be true.

Ordinarily, Wen would be made the madam of the Sweet Carrot Palace. That didn’t happen. One of the lower ranking concubines had a lucky day. She was promoted to a Pollen Lady and given the palace. As for Wen, something even stranger happened, or it was strange to Wen.

Wen was promoted to Wood Consort.

And she was told to immediately move off to a small palace, the Ginger Steam Palace. There, a handful of kneeling maids and eunuchs waited to pledge their loyalty to her. There weren’t any more lower ranking concubines. Wen was the only concubine assigned there. She was the only one to be catered to.

It was a place that seemed to exude easy going attitudes. There weren’t any busy carvings nor complex patterns. The columns were plain yet shiny. The roof had minimal decorations but it was in excellent shape. The exterior walls had a pale cream color, similar to a plain wheat pancake that was only just cooked enough to be ... well ... done. No browning.

And Wen entered this palace as the Madam.

Inside her blouse, there was a silver badge. As for that blouse, it was a pale pink color with a rich pattern of blue and silver blooms. Her gown, which protruded along with her belly, was such a fine mixture of silver and pale blue that it almost looked like a waterfall.

There were four sticks in her hair, each one eleven inches in length. Four necklaces were around her throat and resting on her collarbone. Each wrist had four bracelets. Her fingernail guards were silver with sections of openwork and tiny, pale green stones. Her fingernails were a bright red. Her makeup had seven symbols, but no gold colors.

The dishware Wen was given were white with blue and black designs. The handles of her chopsticks and other utensils had mother of pearl handles. The food allowances were much more extravagant that what Wen was used to. She was even given extra milk and swiftlet nests. The garden at her palace was tiny was but still sweet smelling and pleasing.

Yet, even though the Emperor had promoted her, giving her a fairly luxurious lifestyle, he didn’t visit her, and he certainly didn’t summon her to his palace.

Doctors were regularly sent to her to note the progress of her healing and her pregnancy. She even had some eunuchs taste test her medicine and food for the longest time. Physically, Wen was fine.

But she tended to sleep with one of the Emperor’s boots pressed between her thighs instead of a pillow.

As for Lien and Yuwei, they were suddenly in much higher positions than before. They were the highest ranking maids in the Ginger Steam Palace. They could tell the other maids, and the eunuchs, what to do and how to do it. Out of respect for Lien’s honesty and practical nature, Wen decided she was the highest of all the servants in the palace, even higher than Yuwei. Still, Lien often didn’t seem comfortable, especially with Yuwei.

In secret, Lien would often whisper to Wen something like, “Why must you keep Yuwei? It’s clear that she’s easily manipulated. She’s already betrayed you. Please dismiss her and find another.”

Wen’s response would often be, “I’m better able to protect her now, and she’ll come to me the next time someone abuses her. I’m not worried.”

Even with Wen’s assuring words, Lien would still look at the blithely smiling Yuwei with distrusting eyes.

At first, quite a few concubines of ranks lower than her visited. They still assumed the Emperor was giving Wen most of his favor, and that was reasonable.

But after a while, as Wen’s belly grew and grew and her wound healed, the amount of visitors trickled down.

And then Wen knew to expect nobody.

She supposed she could’ve asked to visit someone, but she knew she’d likely be refused.

Without the Emperor’s attention, a concubine didn’t have much clout in the harem.

However, one particularly powerful visitor came to the Ginger Steam Palace on a hot morning. The Empress Consort herself. There was an odd pout in her lips, and she sighed a bit too often. Wen got the feeling that the Empress was feeling impatient and didn’t want to be here. When the Empress was settled in Wen’s fancy chair in the pale blue reception room, Wen sat in a shorter, dark wood chair and asked, “Now why is this concubine suddenly so honored by Her Majesty’s goddess-like presence?”

Taking a bored breath, the Empress picked up a cup of tea and puled out, “The Emperor’s made a decision about you and that concubine in the Ice Corner.”

Trying to pretend she didn’t care very much, Wen idly gripped the handle of her cup’s lid and rose it a bit to look at her tea. “That’s quite an important statement. This concubine hopes Her Majesty will share the decision.”

“He thought I should be the one to tell you.” The Empress took a brief sip of tea here. “When Seafoam Attendant Kumi’s child is born, it will be given to Seed Consort Miseo.”

Her lid clacking down, Wen said, “The Emperor is truly wise. The Lovely Seed Miseo has experience raising children and she is a consort of great reputation.”

Putting her cup down on a table, still wearing an uninterested expression, the Empress Consort said, “As for your child, it will be given to Pollen Lady Hayun.”

Wen wanted to chew on something. She pressed her tongue against her molars. Her eyes went down to her lap, where her hands tightly folded against each other.

“You’ll hear the decree soon,” continued the Empress. “The official reason is that you’re mentally unwell, even traumatized, and unable to properly care for a child. And if the Emperor says something is true, then it’s true, or that’s how we’re meant to behave.” She didn’t sound like she was trying to insult Wen. She still sounded quite bored. “I don’t know why he’s angry with you, but I can’t honestly say I care to know.”

“Even so,” Wen said with a forced calm, thinking that the gums in her mouth were suddenly tender and sore, “His Majesty will give my child to a concubine lower in ranking than me.” It was nearly an insult, but Wen knew better than to say anything hateful about the Emperor. “I’ve truly disappointed His Majesty. All this concubine can do is reflect on her mistakes and live as righteously as possible.”

As if her patience had dried up, Empress Atsuka abruptly rose and fiddled with one of the hair sticks in her tall coiffure. “I’ve done my duty. I should go now.” She took a step, then her eyes widened and she turned a bit towards Wen, her clothing and dangling ornaments swinging. “Ah, by the by, His Majesty has declared that the Empress Dowager is no longer unwell. She’s no longer confined to her palace, and she may have as many visitors as she likes.”

Slowly getting out of her seat, one of her maids helping her, Wen sighed and said, “I’m glad to know His Majesty has reconciled with his Royal Mother.” Clumsily, she got down to a kneeling position and said, “Please walk safely, Your Majesty.”

Later in the day, Wen sat at her new writing desk in her fancy little office. It was a room with huge windows with sliding wooden shutters, which had several animals carved in their surfaces. When she was alone, she wrote something on a piece of paper.

“You hate me. I know. I understand why. It’s all my doing. Still, I’m suffering. This bitterness pains me. I’ll endure, however. This is a difficulty I willingly stepped into.”

Wen burned the paper on a candle’s flame.

***

Stacks of paper were laid on on the dining table. Lien and Yuwei’s poor, unskilled arms and wrists were trembling as they hopelessly tried to imitate the outstretched position required for writing. Nearby, Wen was trying to encourage them. The maids’ words still occasionally rose in her mind.

“We are nothing but servants,” Lien had said. “We have no use for such fine learning.”

“Please don’t let us waste our time with this,” Yuwei had said. “We must tend to you instead.”

Wen had been quite stubborn in this matter. Now that she had her own palace and servants, Yuwei and Lien had more spare time on their hands. Their own duties would be much less than before. Wen wanted to use this opportunity to show her maids a little bit of very helpful kindness. It would be useful for them to be literate, and this was a fine opportunity to teach them the most beloved aphorisms in Junshun culture.

Lien seemed to struggle the most. Her limb trembled as if in unbearable pain, and her face scrunched into something ugly. Wen had to help her readjust her arm several times. Yuwei seemed mostly fine, and only having difficulty where Wen expected.

Her palm on her belly, her feet aching, Wen soon sat down and groaned at the relief. “This child is far too heavy on me.” She looked over at a waiting maid. “Do we have any ice? I’d love to have someone fan ice towards me.” It was summer, and the heat wasn’t very kind. At least it was perfectly bright for writing.

As that maid went off to find some ice, Wen suddenly bit her tongue as warning contractions signaled to her.

That was when the panicking started.

The Empress Consort and Pollen Lady Hayun both patiently waited in the Ginger Steam Palace’s reception room, sipping tea and likely not saying much to each other, while Wen toiled in childbirth. The previously hired wet-nurse waited in the bedroom, nervously watching the midwife and maids assist Wen at her bed. It was loud. It was bloody. Nobody had much control over the situation.

But when the child came, it was a little boy, and Wen was so pleased.

And ...

The midwife was a bit surprised at Wen’s body. She gripped one of Wen’s thighs and announced, “There’s more! Another child!”

If Wen wasn’t in so much pain, she would’ve laughed.

The second child was also a boy. Little twin princes. Little screaming bundles of innocence. They were soon washed and dried, and when Wen was finally done, some mercy was given to her. The princes were cradled in both her arms once she was propped up on some pillows. The boys had calmed down. Instead of blood, mucus, and other things, they now smelled like soap and freshness.

So warm and soft! Delicate little darlings!

Wen was too tired to cry, but she felt like she might do so later.

The Empress Consort and Pollen Lady Hayun entered the bedchamber, and both spoke to her very gently, although the Empress had a touch more boredom in her tone.

The Emperor couldn’t be disobeyed, but Wen was granted the right to name the little ones.

Wen’s nose felt prickly. Her throat felt thick and full.

She coughed a bit.

“The boy on my left, his name is Fuguo. The boy on my right is Kaitao.”

“Those are lovely names,” Pollen Lady Hayun said with a nod and a tense smile. There was a reluctance in her gold eyes. She turned to the Empress Consort. “Your Majesty, I’d like to stay here for a while, to ease the pain.”

Shrugging, Empress Atsuka left without a verbal response. Wen got the feeling that the Empress wasn’t very interested in the little princes.

“Goodbye, Your Majesty. Be well,” Pollen Lady Hayun said as she went to her knees. Then, she got back up and took a seat near Wen. Her black hairstyle reminded Wen of boulders with a waterfall. “Wood Consort Wen,” the the concubine said with almost a whisper, “I know this will be horribly upsetting, but I do have an idea.” Her smile lightened up a bit. “The Emperor never said you couldn’t visit your children, and he never said I couldn’t visit you with them at my side.”

Wen had never thought much of Hayun before.

But on that day she decided Hayun was her new favorite person.

***

Plump and wriggly, innocently smiling, cooing and sighing, lovely dark blue eyes and soft tufts of brown hair, twitching pointed ears and kicking legs. These were the little princes, Fuguo and Kaitao.

They each had their own cots in the Moonbeam Palace (when it was discovered that Wen had twins a second cot and nurse-maid had to be found quickly). Those cots had been carried off the the reception room so that Pollen Lady Hayun and Wood Consort Wen could enjoy the sight of them, as would might do for beautiful scenery or interesting weather, while they played a board game. Other concubines would often pass by to cheerfully grin down at the cute little babies. Sometimes, they’d ask permission to hold one only for a moment.

Hayun turned out to be a lovely foster mother. She had a decent knowledge of medicines and could nearly rival a physician’s set of skills in medicine making. Anytime one of the babies had a disturbing cough Hayun could figure out what sort of medicine could help. She even knew how to make special incense that could soothe certain ailments, especially for clearing sinuses and breaking up mucus in the throat.

Wen liked to discuss these topics with her, even ask questions to learn some things. It was useful for both storytelling and practical applications.

During this game, however, Hayun was absolutely itching to speak of a non-medicinal topic. It was about the Empress Consort and Seed Consort Miseo.

“Something unheard of has happened in this Tree Cage,” Hayun said as she slid a game piece across the board. “The Empress Consort went to visit Seed Consort Miseo, and what do you suppose happened?”

Wen couldn’t think of anything, and she said as much.

“Well,” Hayun said as she put a hand fan in front of her lips, “that Seed Consort actually refused the Empress Consort!”

Wen’s fingers tightened over the game piece in her palm as she gasped. “Could that ... could that even be done? Wouldn’t the Empress punish her? And why would the Seed Consort refuse the Empress? Aren’t they on good terms?”

Her black eyelashes quivering a little, Hayun said, “I don’t know why such a thing happened, but the Empress Consort hasn’t issued a punishment for the Seed Consort. If she did, the Empress Dowager or even the Emperor might wonder if she’s being abusive. Seed Consort Miseo is well thought of by both of them, and she might even have more affection from their hearts than the Empress Consort has. And when one considers the situation where a maid of yours was put to death ... some have dared to whisper that the Empress Consort isn’t properly managing the harem in the first place. One more scandal and the Empress Consort could be deposed.”

Wen shuddered to hear this odd news, but she also wondered why Seed Consort Miseo dared to refuse the Empress Consort. Wouldn’t it be more beneficial for her to continue her life with the Empress on pleasant terms? What could possibly make her want to avoid the woman?

Halfway into the game the high ranking concubines were playing, a maid interrupted them and said the Empress Dowager was demanding a visit with her grandsons.

It wasn’t the first time this had happened.

Preemptively, Wen left her seat to kneel down on the floor. So did Hayun. Then, some moments later, the Empress Dowager and her favored pair of maids entered the reception room. Both Hayun and Wen greeted her, but the Dowager only looked at Hayun. Her old face was still sharp and unforgiving.

“Rise, Pollen.” The shriveled but richly ringed hand gestured towards Hayun. As Hayun obeyed, the Dowager said, “Tell me of these boys’ health and growth.”

While Hayun excitedly held one of the princes for the Dowager’s examination, a nurse-maid taking the other prince, Wen had no choice but to stay in her kneeling position. She hadn’t been allowed the right to get up. Close by, Lien was there, also kneeling, and not looking very pleased about it.

This was how it had been ever since Wen had been “promoted.” The Empress Dowager never summoned her and never went to visit her. When she visited Hayun and the princes, and when Wen was there too (and she often was), the Dowager never allowed her to get up from the polite kneeling position. She’d never even speak to her.

Just when the Empress Dowager was about to leave, a eunuch hurried into the room and knelt down. “Please forgive the intrusion, but this servant has urgent news!”

Raising an eyebrow, the Dowager said, “Go on, then.”

The eunuch obeyed. “Seafoam Attendant Kumi has given birth, and unfortunately she has died during the process. The child was a boy, but tragically, he died too. He was far too weak to be preserved.”

Silence, only silence. Then a low sigh coming from the Empress Dowager as she lowered her head and put the back of one hand to her brow. Without any words, the old woman simply left the room, her maids following. Only when everyone was certain that the Dowager was gone did all the kneeling people get to their feet.

The babies were put back into their cots, but Wen wanted to take one for a moment.

Wen walked over to the cots and sadly looked down at her happy little babies. Then she reached into a cot to put a son into her arms.

She’d never wanted Kumi’s child to die. Never. But it happened. It was far too cruel.

In particular, on a more personal level, Wen had never wanted Kumi to die early in her life. She’d wanted Kumi to quietly live in the Ice Corner with no luxuries. Even her diet would’ve been restricted after her child would’ve been born. Wen’s spite was so strong that she’d wanted Kumi to continue to live in disgrace, suffering for the rest of her existence.

Wen sighed as she looked down at her child’s silly little face, and she silently chastised herself for caring more about her selfish revenge than about a baby’s death.

She stayed with Hayun for some hours more, and then someone came in to announce, “His Majesty’s here to see the princes.”

Wen knew what to do.

She bid Hayun a gentle farewell and left through an exit in the back of the palace, and then she waited until she knew the Emperor was inside the palace before walking around and going through the wall’s gate.

The Emperor didn’t want to see her. Wen knew and respected that. The last thing she needed was to rile him up with her presence, especially not around the babies.

Her imagination rolled around with what she thought would be the Emperor’s behavior with the babies. He’d probably wave toys before one’s face. Or he might affectionately flick one’s ears. His words would be soft and playful. He might even smile.

Despite the digging pain in Wen’s heart, she was comforted by these thoughts. She even smiled as she looked down at the road.

***

During the special meetings in which the concubines had to pay respects to the Empress Consort, Wen was normally unusually quiet. It fell in line with her being “mentally unwell” but her behavior was so inoffensive that she could safely appear instead of hiding in her palace.