Composing Poetry

The Double Ninth Banquet was a feast for the emperor and his ministers. The Empress Dowager should not have attended, but she had controlled the court for years and still held half the military tally. If she insisted on coming, the Qi Emperor could not refuse her.

The Qi Emperor had grown increasingly ruthless of late, transferring or demoting the Empress Dowager's connections at court.

Now, the Empress Dowager could only wave that half of the military tally like a grand banner.

As long as the Qi Emperor held steady, he stood a chance of driving her out of court within a year.

So for now, he still had to endure what needed enduring.

The Empress Dowager was a madwoman, forever looking for ways to vex the Qi Emperor.

The Qi Emperor brought the Crown Prince to the Double Ninth Banquet, and the Empress Dowager brought someone too.

The boy, dressed in sumptuous robes, bowed low the moment he saw the Qi Emperor.

"Your nephew Shi Yu pays his respects, Uncle."

The Qi Emperor was bewildered by the greeting. Only after a moment did he remember who Shi Yu was-the Elder Princess's son, the Heir of Annam!

Wasn't the Heir of Annam supposed to enter Chang'an after the Double Ninth Festival?

But on second thought, it made sense that he would hasten his journey after hearing on the road that his mother had been killed.

Still, entering the palace without his knowledge and appearing at the Double Ninth Banquet had to be the Empress Dowager's doing.

The Qi Emperor looked at the Empress Dowager. As though no one else were present, she said, "Shi Yu was only two when he last entered the palace. After five years apart, it is only natural that Your Majesty does not recognize him."

A false smile rose on the Qi Emperor's face. "So it is Yu'er. Get up, quickly."

Holding the Crown Prince's hand, the Qi Emperor took the seat of honor.

After paying their respects, the ministers attending the banquet sat down to listen to those above them cross swords.

"When did you arrive, Yu'er? Why didn't you have someone send word ahead? Were you hoping to surprise your uncle?"

Shi Yu made his position clear. "My mother committed a grave wrong, and my heart aches beyond measure. On the road, I heard that she had already been executed. Ashamed that I could not see her off on her final journey, I hurried into the palace. Thanks to the Empress Dowager's compassion, I was able to pay my respects to my mother before coming to see you, Uncle."

At this, the Qi Emperor laughed heartily. A reasonable Heir of Annam was better than one who came to vex him. Since the boy was not here to disrupt the banquet, he could tolerate him.

"Bring another low table and place it beside me. I have not seen Yu'er for years. I must have a good look at you."

Shi Yu was naturally willing. "Thank you, Uncle!"

The Empress Dowager's expression remained indifferent, and she surprisingly said nothing more.

"Grand Commandant Yin."

Looking somewhat haggard, Grand Commandant Yin stepped forward. "Your subject pays his respects to Your Majesty."

"There is no need for that. We dispense with such empty formalities at the Double Ninth Banquet."

"You are the Crown Prince's maternal grandfather. Though rash, you are utterly loyal to him."

"Zuo'er, pay your respects to your grandfather."

Qi Yuanzuo immediately rose and bowed to Grand Commandant Yin with his hands clasped. "Grandfather."

Grand Commandant Yin accepted only half the bow before helping the little Crown Prince straighten.

"I would never dare accept such honors. I am unworthy!"

"When I heard that the Crown Prince's constitution had been damaged, I acted impulsively and committed a grave mistake."

"Only through the compassion of Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager am I here today. I..."

As Grand Commandant Yin spoke, he began to cry.

If he had not been driven into a corner, who would willingly hand over such a powerful hold on himself? Wonderful-now everyone thought he was aboard the Crown Prince's ship!

Even if Consort Yin later bore another prince, the Yin Family would have to consider how today's "utter loyalty" would come back to bite them before supporting the new prince.

Grand Commandant Yin wept rivers of aged tears, giving his colleagues at court an entirely new view of him. Who would have thought that this wily old fox had a side so utterly loyal?

Why had they never known he loved his daughter so much?

He had risked his very future to protest the injustice done to the Crown Prince.

Once that interlude passed, everyone began composing poems and lyrics about chrysanthemums.

One offered, "Flowers bloom on Double Ninth, their beauty without end; in white, pink, and green array, they face the golden crow."

Another offered, "Dogwood tucked into our hair welcomes a new heaven; every flower we look upon bows in homage..."

Qi Yuanzuo listened for a while. This was nothing but polishing the dragon's backside.

In the past, plenty of people had polished the Empress Dowager's backside. Now they were all polishing the emperor's.

Sitting at the banquet, the Empress Dowager looked considerably more neglected.

As for the Qi Emperor, he praised every line he heard, looking thoroughly pleased and satisfied by the flattery.

Qi Yuanzuo understood perfectly. After all, his imperial father had been the neglected one before this. Now he could hold his head high, brimming with triumph, and was only a step away from shouting, Don't stop! I like it!

Just as the festivities were in full swing, the Empress Dowager suddenly spoke.

"Since the Crown Prince is here, why not have him compose a poem as well, to bring a smile to His Majesty's face?"

The gathering fell silent.

Shi Yu exclaimed in surprise, "His Highness the Crown Prince can already compose poetry? I still cannot recognize all my characters."

The Qi Emperor shot him an icy glance and cursed inwardly. You damn well haven't learned all your characters, so my son must have learned all of his?

You've said everything. What am I supposed to say?!

Before Shi Yu spoke, there had still been room to decline. But his words had invisibly raised the Crown Prince onto a pedestal. Were they supposed to admit that His Highness had not even learned all his characters?

It was the chancellor who stepped forward to ease the tension. "His Highness the Crown Prince is young and has had little exposure to poetry. Even we must rack our brains to compose a verse. I fear His Highness cannot accomplish such a task at a moment's notice."

The Empress Dowager would not stop until she achieved her aim today. In a snide tone, she said:

"The chancellor makes a fair point. Since he cannot compose a poem, reciting a famous poet's verse on chrysanthemums will suffice."

"At the Double Ninth Banquet, surely we cannot leave His Highness sitting all alone until the very end. He should participate a little, at least."

The Qi Emperor's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot. He had brought Zuo'er first to win over Grand Commandant Yin and pave the way for the boy, and second to show off his son.

His son was beautiful and well-behaved, called him "Imperial Father" in a soft little voice, and was not mischievous at all. He had imagined carrying his son through the flowers, surrounded by his ministers, chatting with them on either side.

He had also imagined letting Zuo'er play freely in the garden while he sat with his ministers and watched his beloved son frolic. They would serve a plate of the Chrysanthemum Cakes Zuo'er had made for him, a few baskets of chrysanthemum soup dumplings, and chrysanthemum tea. Then he could casually discuss parenting with his ministers.

My Crown Prince keeps me company like this every day! No crying, no fussing. Can yours do that? Do you even have one like him?

He would surely reap a heap of envious praise.

He had not even begun showing off yet.

And the Empress Dowager had already set a tiger across his path.

The worse the Qi Emperor looked, the happier the Empress Dowager became.

"Surely the Crown Prince is not so old that he still cannot recite even a few poems about chrysanthemums?"

"Emperor, you have been far too careless in educating the Crown Prince. Why don't I appoint a Grand Tutor for him?"

Qi Yuanzuo sighed deeply. He had known this banquet would not be so simple.

He stood and said, "Imperial Grandmother, Imperial Father reads to me every day. I am dull and cannot remember many complete verses about chrysanthemums. A few days ago, I asked Imperial Father for a Green Light Gathering Emerald blossom. Unable to bear its impending withering, I made it into a cake and ate it."

The Empress Dowager gave a mocking laugh. "Was it delicious? Green Light Gathering Emerald, whose beauty crowns all flowers-countless scholars and poets cherish it and paint it, yet the Crown Prince made it into a cake and swallowed it."

"How clever the Crown Prince is, thinking of what no one else could."

Grand Commandant Yin sighed inwardly. However clever he was, he was still a child and could only recite a few things. This time, the emperor's dignity would be dropped straight onto the ground.

Whenever people mentioned the Crown Prince in the future, the word "clever" would become a taunt.

Everyone thought the Crown Prince had made an utter spectacle of himself this time.

Not only had he embarrassed himself, he had dragged the emperor into the humiliation too.

The poor little Crown Prince did not yet know what a miserable reputation awaited him.

The ministers attending the banquet could not help casting pitying looks his way.

The little Crown Prince was still answering with perfect seriousness. "It was delicious. After eating it, I had only one thought."

A thought? What thought? To eat it again?

Some people's tendency to feel embarrassed on another's behalf flared up. Before the little Crown Prince even answered, they had already put themselves in the emperor's shoes, covering their faces in shame and wishing they could stop up their ears.

"What I thought was this."

"Boundless beauty graces the branches; alas, they bloom not for Double Ninth."

The scholars' ears pricked up. Yet however long they thought, they could not recall which poet had written that line.

"And Grandmother is mistaken."

The Empress Dowager instinctively asked, "About what?"

"Scholars and poets show their love for flowers by cherishing and painting them, but there are thousands upon thousands of ways to love flowers."

"If there are those who cherish and paint them, naturally there are also those like me, who believe, 'When a flower blooms ripe for plucking, pluck it straightaway; do not wait until no flowers remain and snap an empty bough.'"

"Besides, I think chrysanthemums are lonely, so I especially like the line, 'If one day I become the Azure Emperor, I shall command them to bloom alongside peach blossoms.'"