“Speak.”
“This spring, I went to pay my respect to our ancestors in the Altar House on the Day of Qingming,” she said. “I perhaps shouldn’t say this, but I happened to hear the prayers the Most Adored said in a corner after you left.”
I was not sure what the Noble Lady had in mind. The Day of Qingming was when people gathered their families to pay respect to the deceased. Most families went to the graves to sweep the ground, light incense, and offer fruits and meat. On that day, the Noble Lady and the other ladies had lit the incense in the Altar House after they visited Emperor Gaozu’s mausoleum, while I had offered my prayers to Father in front of the tablet I made, since I was unable to travel to Wenshui.
“What is this? It was a long time ago. Why do you bring it up?” Jewel interrupted, as if sensing something ominous. “Besides, the One Above All, I left with you. Do you recall?”
The Emperor ignored her. “If this is what you came to say, Noble Lady, I’ve heard it.”
“The One Above All, allow me to speak more. I shall not repeat the details here. I happened to hear Most Adored express her undying thoughts and affection to the deceased. But her prayer was not offered to Emperor Gaozu.”
The Emperor straightened. “To whom did she offer?”
“I’d rather not speak his name.”
“Noble Lady, I wasn’t aware you were capable of spinning vicious lies as well as silk,” Jewel said. “Do you think our most sage ruler will believe such a despicable tale?”
“The dead are powerful, Most Adored, and both you and I understand their vengeance can expel the fruit of love that we try to conceive.”
She was clever to weave the Emperor’s fear of the dead into Jewel’s tragedy. The Emperor shook slightly. Jewel rose and stepped close to the Noble Lady.
“You should watch your tongue, Noble Lady.” Her eyes narrowed, but her face was stark white.
“Alas, Most Adored, we fear them, worship them, and yet we are still unable to be rid of them.” The lady kept her perfect, serene demeanor. “And most astonishing of all, we keep a token from them, hoping to preserve a piece of the past.”
My heart stopped. It was risky. What if there was no handkerchief? What if it turned out to be a gift from the Emperor?
Her eyes pouring hatred, Jewel leaned over. “Shame on you, Noble Lady. How can you lose your sense of honor and accuse the innocent?”
The Noble Lady did not flinch. “If Most Adored claims no affection for the dead, then why have you never parted with his handkerchief?”
“Handkerchief?” Jewel faltered. “How…how…”
“What handkerchief?” The Emperor shot to his feet.
Jewel stepped back, her hands clutching her gown. “I don’t know what she’s talking about.”
“Where is the handkerchief? Give it to me.”
Jewel looked as if she was going to flee. The Emperor grabbed her. “Where is it?”
Before I realized what was going to happen, he ripped the gown off her with one yank. He kept tearing, cursing, slapping, until a piece of fabric dropped onto the ground.
I stared at it, my mouth open. The handkerchief was made of fine, transparent silk, beautifully embroidered with a pair of nestling love ducks. But what was most astonishing was the stitched inscription: To My Most Beloved, I send you my undying love. Jiancheng.
Screaming, the Emperor threw it on the floor and stomped on it. “You have his handkerchief. And his name! His name!” He grabbed Jewel’s neck, choking her. “How dare you! How dare you show his name before me!”
“I…I…would…be honored…to…explain.” Jewel’s face turned crimson.
“There…is…nothing…to…explain!” he bellowed, thrusting Jewel aside. And Jewel’s pink skirt flying before me, she crashed near the door.
It all happened so fast. Before I could blink, the Emperor roared, and many servants rushed in the chamber and dragged Jewel out to the courtyard. A deafening uproar shook around me. Jewel screamed, the men shouted, footsteps pounded, and the maids and eunuchs gasped. I scrambled to my feet and ran to the door. From the corridor flooded many men holding their clubs and swords. I winced, my back knocking into the door. Guards usually were not allowed inside the Inner Court, let alone guards carrying weapons.
The Emperor shouted something, and they dove at Jewel. Her skirt was torn with a sharp rip, followed by a hysterical shriek that resonated in the sky.