Eastern Palace

Biodata

Location and Layout

• Surroundings: The palace stands beyond a long passage and multiple vermilion walls. Although near the Hall of Mental Cultivation, it is secluded enough that festival celebrations seem distant 6.
• Route to the emperor: Xiao Huaijin’s route passes through Chongwen Gate and Rijing Gate before reaching the white marble square outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation 10.
• Nearby residence: The Palace of Nurtured Elegance lies two long lanes away 22.
• Main hall: Used for reading, resting, and daily life. It is smaller than the main hall of the Hall of Mental Cultivation 19 30.
• Courtyard: A small courtyard contains parasol trees, a stone table and stools, and straw archery targets. The targets are required by the rites governing the crown prince’s training 9 17 27.
• Covered walkway: Hung with bronze bells and lanterns; Xiao Huaijin also studies and receives visitors beneath it 9 19 25.
• Bedchamber: Contains a low bedside table and storage cabinet used for personal keepsakes 6 12.
• Old-book storeroom: A small, disused side room, normally locked throughout the year, is presented as a “secret chamber” during the sorcery accusation 8.
• Service exit: A narrow back door used to remove chamber pots opens onto an alley leading directly to the rear kitchen of the imperial kitchens. It is wide enough for only one person to squeeze through sideways 10.

Distinguishing Features

• Height marks: Zhou Rucheng carves Xiao Huaijin’s height into a walkway pillar from ages four to seventeen. The highest mark reads “Autumn, twenty-first year of Jianxi” 10.
• Sword scar: A wall bears a mark left by Xiao Huaijin’s practice at twelve; Zhou praises the stroke as showing something of Xiao Lin’s youthful strength 10.
• Iron-birch door bar: Installed during a renovation on Zhou Rucheng’s instructions. Its hardness makes it suitable for use as a weapon, despite Xiao Huaijin initially questioning why the palace needs it 10.

History

Original Timeline

The Eastern Palace is Xiao Huaijin’s home throughout his childhood. At four, he studies late in the hope of earning his father’s affection, while Xiao Lin watches the palace’s burning lights from the Hall of Mental Cultivation. At ten, he sits on its steps and asks Zhou Rucheng whether his father truly dislikes him 2 3.

Xiao Lin’s concern usually reaches the palace indirectly. After an attendant disparages Xiao Huaijin’s policy essay, Liu An investigates and the offending study companion is replaced. A new iron-core bow also appears on Xiao Huaijin’s desk, officially described as a routine replacement by the Imperial Household Department 4.

At fifteen, Xiao Huaijin returns to the Eastern Palace after two years supervising the Huainan embankment works. His attendants welcome him, but Xiao Lin refuses to receive him immediately. Later, after withdrawing an invitation to the sacrifice to Heaven because Xiao Huaijin has a cold, the emperor takes Xiao Yu instead, leaving the crown prince to hear the ceremonial bells from his residence 5.

When Xiao Huaijin becomes gravely ill, Xiao Lin orders the Imperial Medical Academy’s chief and deputy physicians to keep night duty at the Eastern Palace. He also authorizes all necessary medicines without prior reports. Xiao Huaijin’s fever breaks on the Lantern Festival, which he spends watching distant fireworks without festive lanterns outside his own doors 6.

Framing and Confinement

The Eastern Palace becomes central to the accusations against Xiao Huaijin. Imperial Guards discover a five-clawed dragon robe that he denies possessing. A later confession by Palace Attendant Wang leads investigators to a curse doll bearing Xiao Lin’s birth date and hour, hidden behind a cabinet in the old-book storeroom. Xiao Huaijin is stripped of his position and confined to the palace 8.

In spring of the twenty-second year of Jianxi, the Imperial Guards chain the gates from outside and affix a seal bearing the stamps of the Ministry of War and Imperial Clan Court. His eunuchs, maids, and guards are replaced overnight. Only his wet nurse remains, refusing to leave even when the other attendants are removed 9.

Provisions arrive in full during the first month, then begin to dwindle in the second. Guards seize Xiao Huaijin’s books and papers, although he retains Zhou Rucheng’s copy of the Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Governance. Zhou manages to visit him despite the restrictions. A subsequent Ministry of Justice report finds no evidence of factional plotting in the seized correspondence 9.

Escape, Death, and Restoration

On the eighth night of the twelfth month, Xiao Huaijin hears a frontier horn and sees firelight toward the Hall of Mental Cultivation. The guards outside his residence have disappeared, but the main gates remain chained. He takes the iron-birch door bar and escapes through the narrow service door, whose opening has not been effectively sealed 10.

After a year of hunger, cold, and illness, he reaches Xiao Lin and fights the coup’s soldiers with the door bar. He is fatally stabbed while shielding his father 1.

Three days later, Xiao Huaijin’s body is returned to the Eastern Palace’s main hall for placement in a coffin. After the funeral procession, the gates are repaired, the chains removed, the door bar refitted, and new lanterns hung. Before departing on campaign, Xiao Lin visits the restored but empty palace and takes away his son’s faded dragon-embroidered cloak 11.

Reborn Timeline

After returning to the eighth year of Jianxi, Xiao Lin begins taking a direct interest in his four-year-old son. Liu An brings an unprecedented decree to the Eastern Palace: the emperor will personally begin the crown prince’s education. Xiao Lin also appoints Zhou Rucheng as grand tutor and investigates the residence’s compromised security 12 13 14.

On Xiao Huaijin’s fifth birthday, Xiao Lin teaches him to shoot at the courtyard target using his own childhood horn bow. He subsequently orders the bow rack lowered to suit the child’s height 17.

The residence becomes a gathering place for Xiao Huaijin’s siblings. Xiao Lan visits to draw and practice writing; Xiao Yue plays in the courtyard and seeks pastries at the stone table. Xiao Yu receives permission to visit without separate approval, and Xiao Rui later joins the children with her dragon drawings 18 19 22 27 28.

When Xiao Huaijin’s wet nurse falls seriously ill, he remains at the Eastern Palace to care for her. Xiao Lin sends the director of the Imperial Medical Academy, but she dies three days later. After comforting his grieving son, he prepares a warm chamber for him at the Hall of Mental Cultivation 29.

Xiao Huaijin moves into the emperor’s side hall with his belongings. Liu An explicitly assures him that the Eastern Palace will not be locked and that he may return whenever he wishes 30.

Security

Guard Detail

Kong Wu’s investigation in the reborn timeline identifies twelve guards, all transferred from the Imperial Guard 13 14.

Infiltration and Countermeasures

• Falsified records: Zhao Bao’s registered birthplace is false. He was raised by Shen Boyong’s steward and previously guarded the chancellor’s residence; his Shen recommendation was erased from official files 13 14.
• Inside assistance: Xiao Lin recognizes that planting the dragon robe and curse doll in his previous life required assistance within the Eastern Palace 13.
• Covert surveillance: Rather than add guards inside and alert Shen Boyong, Xiao Lin places personal attendants outside the walls. They rotate daily and record contacts with the Palace of Nurtured Elegance or the chancellor’s residence 14.
• Service-alley repairs: Xiao Lin quietly orders the broken bricks beside the rear gate replaced 13.
• Supply inspections: Food, charcoal, incense, and clothing fabrics are secretly checked on Xiao Lin’s orders after his rebirth 29.

Associated People

• Xiao Huaijin — Principal resident; studies, practices archery, and receives his siblings here. In the original timeline, the residence becomes his prison 9 17 28.
• Xiao Lin — Emperor and Xiao Huaijin’s father. His reborn self visits and protects the palace before bringing his son to live beside him 14 17 19 30.
• Xiao Huaijin’s wet nurse — His long-serving caregiver; refuses removal during his original confinement and tends the household in both timelines 9 19 29.
• Zhou Rucheng — Grand tutor; teaches Xiao Huaijin, records his growth on a pillar, and arranges the iron-birch door bar 10 14.
• Liu An — Delivers imperial decrees, gifts, medical instructions, and Xiao Lin’s concealed expressions of concern 3 6 8 12.
• Kong Wu — Investigates the guards and organizes covert protection after Xiao Lin’s rebirth 13 14.
• Xiao Lan, Xiao Yue, Xiao Yu, and Xiao Rui — Sibling visitors whose drawing, writing, archery, and play make the palace a shared meeting place in the reborn timeline 18 22 27 28.