Year 12 of Yongle, September. Beijing.
Three days before the expedition, Zhu Di suddenly announced a family banquet.
The news reached the Eastern Palace while I was changing the water for the Great General. Ruolan rushed in, panting, her face flushed red: "Miss! The Emperor is hosting a family banquet! He wants His Highness to bring you!"
The water bowl in my hand shook, spilling half its contents. "Bring me?"
"Yes! Eunuch Li said so personally. The Emperor specifically named you."
I set down the bowl, my mind racing. A family banquet. Zhu Di. The Prince of Han. The Third Prince. The Crown Prince. The Crown Princess. Zhu Zhanji. And me. An veterinarian of unknown origin, sitting among a table of royalty. The scenario felt wrong no matter how I looked at it.
"Miss?" Ruolan watched me cautiously. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine." I stood up and looked at myself in the bronze mirror. My clothes had been ironed by Ruolan yesterday—a bean-green skirt and jacket. My hair was styled in a simple bun with a single silver hairpin. I looked presentable enough, but sitting next to those clad in brocade and jade, I would likely still look like someone who had walked into the wrong door.
"Don't be afraid, Miss," Ruolan encouraged me. "His Highness will be there."
I didn't speak. I wasn't afraid—I had treated the Governor's horse in Australia; I wouldn't go weak in the knees over a meal. I just didn't know if this meal was Zhu Di's way of looking at me, or testing me.
In the afternoon, Zhu Zhanji came to pick me up.
He had changed into formal attire: a black round-collared robe, a jade belt at his waist, his hair bundled neatly under a small crown. He looked completely different from usual—not the youth who squatted in the side room slicing apples, but the Crown Prince.
He stood at the door, glancing at me. "Ready?"
"No," I answered honestly. "But we have to go anyway."
He smiled slightly. "Let's go. Once we're there, just follow me. Speak when you should, and when you shouldn't—" He paused, "just eat."
"Eat?"
"Mm. When Grandfather Emperor hosts a banquet, the food won't be bad."
I glanced at him; he seemed not the least bit nervous. "Aren't you afraid I'll say the wrong thing?"
"You won't." He turned and walked out, his tone flat. "The way you speak is exactly what my family lacks."
I followed him through corridor after corridor. The path from the Eastern Palace to the Qianqing Palace wasn't far, but it felt like a long journey. Everyone we passed kept their heads down, walking hurriedly as if rushing to something urgent. The atmosphere was entirely different from usual; even the air felt tense.
"Zhu Zhanji."
"Mm?"
"Are the people in your family... easy to get along with?"
He thought for a moment. "Second Uncle has a loud voice, but don't be afraid of him. Third Uncle speaks little, so no need to fear him either. The Crown Princess—you've met her; she's a good person. The Crown Prince—" He paused, "you needn't worry about him at all. Grandfather Emperor—" He paused again, "Grandfather Emperor is in a good mood today."
"How do you know?"
"Because he's hosting a family banquet. When he's in a bad mood, he sees no one."
I nodded, running these words through my mind. Loud voice, no fear. Speaks little, no fear. Good person, no fear. Good mood, no fear. It sounded like there was no one to fear. But I knew he was telling me: Don't be nervous.
In the side hall of the Qianqing Palace, a large round table had already been set.
I stood at the door and took a glance. The table was huge, seating over a dozen people. It was covered with a bright yellow tablecloth, set with gold-rimmed bowls and plates. The chopsticks were ivory, gleaming warmly in the candlelight. Between every two seats sat a small bronze brazier burning charcoal, dispelling much of the early autumn chill.
"Come in," Zhu Zhanji gently pushed me forward.
I followed him inside and sat in a seat near the edge. He sat beside me and poured me a cup of tea. "Drink this if you're thirsty, but don't drink too much wine."
"Why?"
"Because you might not be able to outdrink my Second Uncle."
I was about to ask why I would be drinking with the Prince of Han when footsteps sounded at the door. The Crown Prince, Zhu Gaochi, entered first. He was slightly overweight, walking slowly, with a gentle smile on his face. Seeing me, he nodded without speaking and sat on the other side of the table. The Crown Princess followed behind him, wearing a lotus-colored outfit with only a few pearl flowers in her hair, very plain. She smiled at me; the smile was faint but comforting.
Then came the Prince of Han. Before he even entered, his voice arrived: "Hahaha—what a good day today? Father hosting a banquet, rare, rare!"
He strode in, wearing an indigo robe, his belt镶嵌 (inlaid) with thumb-sized gemstones that sparkled brightly. Seeing me, he paused, then laughed: "Oh, Miss Song is here too?"
I stood up and bowed slightly. "Your Highness, the Prince of Han."
"Sit, sit," he waved his hand. "It's a family banquet today; no need for such formality." He sat opposite the Crown Prince, picked up the wine pot, poured himself a cup, and drained it in one gulp. "Good wine! Father is indeed Father; even his wine is better than mine."
I noticed that when he said "Father," there was no malice in his tone, just a carefree envy. I suddenly felt Zhu Zhanji was right; there was indeed no need to fear the one with the loud voice.
The Third Prince arrived last. He walked in silently, wearing a simple gray-blue casual robe, his hair tied with a bamboo hairpin, looking as plain as a scholar. He sat next to the Prince of Han, nodded at me, and said nothing.
I nodded back. I found he was also right—no need to fear the one who speaks little. But compared to the Prince of Han's "no fear," there was an extra layer of something indefinable. Not a threat, but distance.
Zhu Di had not yet arrived. Everyone at the table drank tea, exchanging a few words occasionally, all in low voices. The Prince of Han had drunk three cups and started talking to the Crown Prince: "Big Brother, have you lost weight these past few days?"
The Crown Prince smiled. "Have I? I hadn't noticed."
"Losing weight is good! Last time I saw you at court, I thought you had gained weight."
The Crown Princess coughed lightly. The Prince of Han shrank his neck, chuckled twice, and took another sip of wine.
I lowered my head, pretending to drink tea. I found the way this family spoke quite interesting—the Prince of Han was the type who spoke before regretting it; the Crown Prince was the type who wouldn't get angry even after hearing it; the Crown Princess was the type who could silence the Prince of Han with a single cough. Zhu Zhanji sat beside me, the corner of his mouth tilting up slightly.
"His Majesty arrives—" A eunuch's sharp voice came from the door.
Everyone stood up. I followed suit, keeping my head down. Through my peripheral vision, I saw Zhu Di stride in. He wore a crimson casual robe today, no crown, his hair simply tied back, looking a few years younger than usual. He sat in the main seat, scanned the people at the table, his gaze lingering on me for an instant before withdrawing.
"Sit," he said. "It's a family banquet today; no need to be拘束 (restrained)."
Everyone sat down. I realized that Zhu Di's "no need to be restrained" and Zhu Zhanji's "don't be nervous" meant the same thing, but the effect was entirely different. After he spoke, the table became even quieter. Even the Prince of Han put down his wine cup and sat upright.
"What's wrong?" Zhu Di glanced at the Prince of Han. "Weren't you drinking well just now? Continue."
The Prince of Han chuckled, picked up his cup, and drank another.
Zhu Di also lifted his cup, took a sip, then looked at me. "Miss Song, have you settled in well in the palace these past few days?"
I hadn't expected him to speak to me first; I paused, then nodded. "Replying to Your Majesty, I have settled in well."
"And the food?"
"The food is fine. The Imperial Kitchen's dishes are excellent."
Zhu Di smiled slightly. "That's good. I hear you feed, change water for, and treat the Great General every day, even more attentively than my imperial physicians."
"I am a veterinarian; this is my duty."
"Duty." Zhu Di repeated the word, as if savoring it. "A fine 'duty'. If my imperial physicians were all as dutiful as you, I wouldn't have to worry."
The Crown Prince smiled beside him. "Father speaks the truth."
"Don't you laugh," Zhu Di glanced at the Crown Prince. "I'm talking about the physicians in your household. Last time you were ill, they prescribed medicine for three days, and you got worse. It was only when I had a formula transferred from the Imperial Hospital that you improved."
The Crown Prince's smile stiffened slightly, then returned to its gentleness. "It is this son's fault. I will strictly discipline them in the future."
"It's not about discipline," Zhu Di waved his hand. "It's that they are all too clever. When prescribing medicine, they first think about whether something might go wrong, not whether it can cure the illness. Every one of them has become an official; few remain doctors."
I sat there, hearing the other layer of meaning in his words. He wasn't just talking about physicians.
The Prince of Han probably didn't catch it; he drank another cup. "Father is right! Those imperial physicians only prescribe harmless formulas. Last time my horse was sick, I called a physician to look. He looked for ages and said, 'Rest and quiet.' If rest could cure it, what use is he?"
The Third Prince lifted his teacup, took a sip, and said nothing.
Zhu Di glanced at the Prince of Han, the corner of his mouth tilting up slightly. "Your horse isn't better yet?"
"Not yet! It's lost several jin!"
"Then let Miss Song take a look. She is a veterinarian; treating horses is also her duty."
The Prince of Han turned to me. "Miss Song, will you come to my mansion tomorrow to take a look?"
I glanced at Zhu Zhanji. He nodded slightly.
"Alright," I said.
"Splendid!" The Prince of Han laughed loudly and drank another cup.
Zhu Di smiled too. When he laughed, the lines on his face softened; he didn't look like an emperor, but like a father watching his sons make a fuss.
Dishes were served one by one. I remembered Zhu Zhanji's words—speak when you should, eat when you shouldn't. So I began to eat.
Drunken goose webs, soft and flavorful, falling off the bone with a suck. Roasted mutton, crispy outside and tender inside, sprinkled with fine salt and pepper. And a steamed Reeves' shad, covered with shredded ham and ginger slices, steaming hot, its fresh aroma drilling straight into my nose.
"Eat this," Zhu Zhanji placed a piece of deboned shad in my bowl. "This was sent by fast horse from Nanjing; it gets fishy if it cools."
I lowered my head and took a bite. Fresh, tender, melting in the mouth. Better than any Chinese restaurant in Sydney.
The Prince of Han drank several more cups, his face flushing red, his voice growing louder: "Miss Song, why are you eating without speaking?"
I put down my chopsticks. "What would Your Highness like me to say?"
"Tell us how you cured the Great General. My 'Iron General' hasn't been in high spirits lately either."
"Inflammation of the right mandible. Changed the jar, adjusted the humidity, applied honeysuckle and dandelion juice for a few days."
"Just that simple?"
"Just that simple."
The Prince of Han paused, then laughed. "I thought there was some secret formula. Turns out it's just this simple."
"This is treating the root cause," the Third Prince suddenly spoke, his voice low and flat. "Second Brother, sometimes medicine isn't about being expensive; it must be accurate."
The table fell silent for an instant. The Prince of Han scratched his head, feeling the words seemed to be about medicine, yet perhaps not just about medicine, but he was too lazy to ponder deeply. "Third Brother is right! Treat the root cause! Miss Song, you must come to my mansion another day to see my horse."
"Alright," I nodded.
Zhu Di glanced at the Third Prince but didn't press further. He turned to Zhu Zhanji. "Is everything ready for the expedition?"
"Replying to Grandfather Emperor, everything is ready."
"And the horses?"
"Three good horses were selected. One for riding, two for carrying supplies."
"Is that enough?"
"It is enough. This isn't the first Northern Expedition; Your Grandson knows what to bring."
Zhu Di nodded, his gaze lingering on Zhu Zhanji's face for a moment. "This trip is not for pleasure. The Mongols are not easy to fight."
"Your Grandson knows."
"Good to know." Zhu Di lifted his cup and took a sip. "Your grandfather is old; I can't fight for many more years. The road ahead, you must walk yourself."
The table fell silent. Even the Prince of Han put down his wine cup, saying nothing. I sat there, clutching my chopsticks, unsure whether to continue eating. I noticed that when Zhu Di said this, his voice was calm, but there was something heavy in his eyes. Not sadness, but an entrustment.
Zhu Zhanji stood up, holding his wine cup. "Grandfather Emperor, Your Grandson toasts you."
Zhu Di looked at him and smiled. "Sit, sit, none of these empty formalities." He also lifted his cup and clinked it with Zhu Zhanji's. "Come back early. Your crickets are waiting for you to return and fight."
Zhu Zhanji smiled. "Yes."
The Prince of Han chimed in: "Right, right! Come back early! My 'Iron General' is still waiting to beat you!"
Zhu Di glared at him. "All you know is winning."
"Of course!" The Prince of Han spoke with justification. "If not to win, why raise it?"
Everyone at the table laughed. Even the Third Prince tilted the corner of his mouth slightly. I sat there, watching this family laugh, and suddenly felt—they didn't look like an Emperor, Princes, or a Crown Prince. They looked like a family. A loud-mouthed Second Uncle, a quiet Third Uncle, a good-tempered Big Brother, an old man who managed everyone. And one, sitting beside me, smiling as he placed food in my bowl.
Zhu Di put down his chopsticks and looked at me. "Miss Song, who else is in your family?"
My hand gripping the chopsticks tightened. "Replying to Your Majesty, no one. My parents passed away early; I have no brothers or sisters."
The table fell silent for an instant. Such a background, at a royal family banquet emphasizing completeness and good fortune, was somewhat desolate.
"Coming from such a far place alone is not easy," Zhu Di sighed, his tone carrying a touch of genuine pity.
I lowered my head, looking at the piece of fish in my bowl, unsure how to respond. Anything I said would sound pretentious; saying nothing would seem dull.
"She used to be alone."
Zhu Zhanji's voice suddenly rang out. Neither abrupt nor loud, it was as natural as stating there was a moon outside the window.
As he spoke, he picked up the teapot and refilled my empty cup with hot tea.
"But she is not anymore."
The wine cup held by the Prince of Han froze in mid-air. The Crown Prince's smile deepened. The Third Prince lifted his eyelids, his gaze circling between the two of us before dropping again.
Zhu Di looked at his grandson, his expression complex. After a long moment, he chuckled and lifted his cup.
"Mm. Adding a pair of chopsticks is simple. The Eastern Palace doesn't lack this mouthful of rice."
I sat there, holding that cup of hot tea, unsure what to say. I just felt that this meal seemed warmer than before.
The banquet ended.
The Prince of Han had drunk quite a lot; his steps were slightly unsteady as he left. A eunuch came to support him, but he waved them away, striding across the threshold himself. Passing Zhu Zhanji, he suddenly stopped, patted his nephew's shoulder, and whispered: "Nephew, the wind is strong in the north; don't twist your waist." Then he laughed loudly and strode away.
The Third Prince left earliest, disappearing silently at the door, leaving only a gray-blue silhouette. The Crown Prince and Crown Princess walked last. As the Crown Princess passed me, she gently squeezed my hand.
"Come visit my quarters when you have time," she said.
I nodded. "Alright."
Zhu Zhanji stood at the door waiting for me. Moonlight fell on his face; his expression was calm.
"Let's go."
We walked back along the corridor. The night breeze was cool, carrying the scent of osmanthus. Walking beside him, I suddenly felt I had many things to say, yet didn't know where to start.
"Zhu Zhanji."
"Mm?"
"You just said—'she is not anymore.' What does that mean?"
He didn't answer immediately. He walked a few steps, then stopped, looking at the moon in the sky.
"It means exactly what it says."
"And what is exactly what it says?"
"It means—" He paused, "that now you have a place to live, food to eat, and someone to back you up. You don't need to be afraid."
I looked at him. Moonlight shone on his face; his expression was serious.
"I'm not afraid," I said.
"I know." He smiled slightly. "But you were alone before; now you are not."
I lowered my head, looking at the bluestone beneath my feet. Moonlight shone on it, reflecting a cold light. I suddenly felt that this stone slab didn't seem as cold as when I first arrived.
"Zhu Zhanji."
"Mm?"
"After you leave, this family—" I paused, "I will watch over it for you."
"Watch over whom?"
"Watch over those jade cups you won so they don't get broken again. Watch over the Great General so it doesn't get depressed again." I thought for a moment, then added, "And watch over the lights of the Eastern Palace, so they don't go out."
He looked at me, for a long time. Moonlight shone on my face; my expression was serious—not polite, but a promise.
Then he smiled. Not a warm smile, not a helpless one, but the smile of someone who has been caught.
"Good."
We continued walking. The moonlight stretched our shadows long, side by side on the bluestone, very close together.
"Song Yu'an."
"Mm?"
"Was the food good today?"
"It was. The shad was the best."
"Then I'll have them make another portion for you tomorrow."
"No need. Wait until you return to eat it."
He paused, then smiled. "Good. Wait until I return."
By the time we walked back to the Eastern Palace, the moon had risen high. I stood at the door of the side room, watching his back disappear at the end of the corridor. The dish of kumquats was still on the table; I picked one up and put it in my mouth. Very sweet.
The kumquat pot on the windowsill sat quietly; the soil inside was still moist, watered by me that morning. I reached out and touched the rim of the pot; it was warm.
"They will sprout," I whispered softly.
This time, I knew I was speaking to myself, and also to his words, "Wait until I return."
(End of Chapter 11)