Qi Yu had spent four whole days lying on his stomach in the bedchamber of Xuanzheng Hall. He felt as though he was about to start growing mushrooms. The dressing on his ankle had been changed four times, and ointment had been applied to his backside no fewer than ten times. The medicinal porridge Chun He brought him each day had changed from pork rib to longan, then to Chinese yam. Whenever A Ping helped him relieve himself, he all but wanted to take a ruler to measure the height of the pewter pot relative to the bed. Even the two rabbits had been brought over from the Side Hall by De'an to keep him company for two afternoons. The gray rabbit dozed beside his pillow, while the light gray rabbit trod back and forth over his back, making him yelp. The imperial physician said he was recovering well and would be able to get out of bed and walk in a few more days. He could not wait a few more days. He wanted out. If he did not get out soon, he was going to put down roots, sprout, flower, and bear fruit on this imperial bed.
So he hobbled toward the West Warm Pavilion on the crutch A Ping had found for him. De'an had dug it out of the storeroom. It was made of red sandalwood, carved with auspicious cloud patterns, and had once belonged to the late emperor. Qi Yu thought the cloud patterns looked too old-fashioned, but he could not afford to fuss over that now. As he made his way along the covered corridor on his crutch, the young eunuchs beneath the eaves lowered their heads and bowed, all suppressing smiles. He wore a bamboo-green everyday robe with fluffy rabbit fur at the