Work Text:
Concubine Jing and the Seventh Prince were permitted one brief meeting before the Prince was dispatched to the Borders, following the closure of the Chiyan Case. The spies reported back to their masters that both Mother and Son remained dry eyed throughout heir meeting. Despite the Prince’s indecorous behaviours on his first return to the capital, it seemed that both were able to restrain inappropriate passions.
*
Quietly, unnoticed, Concubine Jing took up weaving,
*
Lie Zhanying brought him onions, but they only made water his eyes water, like sharp cold winds or sudden bright lights.
Jingyan sent his second to stand guard and in the privacy of his tent grimly tore his heart apart with memories and guilts and foolish wishes until true tears ran down his face and clinked musically into the plate he held in his lap.
Supplies for his army were always slow to come, and usually insufficient. Jingyan would be damned before he allowed his men to die for lack of money when he could provide the cure.
*
The shuttle whispered through the silk warp threads as Concubine Jing passed the shuttle from hand to hand.
Long, long ago, it said, there was young mermaid who was very curious.
Click-thunk went the heddle, as she raised the warp threads.
She was curious about the deep sea, about the hidden caves, about the secrets hidden in the fishes and sea-plants and their power to harm and heel
Hiss. Click-thunk.
She learned and she practised and she was admired and honoured for her knowledge and skills.
Hiss. Click-thunk.
But she was still curious. She was curious about the land, about the strange animals and plants and people who inhabited it, about the stories carried back by those brave and daring enough to go exploring.
Hiss. Click-thunk.
So she left behind the sea and her family and her white and silver tail and walked the land on two legs. She learnt many things, and found new teachers, and healed many people who admired and honoured her.
Hiss. Click-thunk.
But she also found people who didn’t admire and honour her. Or perhaps better to say they found her, and they were curious too. Curious enough to recognise what she was.
Hiss. Click-thunk.
But then Li Shimin saved her. And she was still curious. So she followed him back to the capital, to experience a strange new life. She had learnt her lesson and was careful and silent and safe. But without her noticing friendship and respect and love wove their threads about her heart, and she was caught.
Hiss. Click-thunk.
She entered the Palace for curiousity, for love of her sister.
Hiss. Click-thunk.
The Emperor honoured her with his attention.
Hiss. Click-thunk.
She loved her son, and her friends, and she told herself that love could compensate for many things.
Hiss. Click-thunk.
The streams and pools of the the Palace were soft and gentle things.
Hiss. Click-thunk.
She packed her curiosity away, and she forgot to watch for the undertow.
Hiss. Click-thunk.
Hiss. Click-thunk.
Hiss. Click-thunk.
*
Concubine Jing was weaving. Not even the Palace spies thought that this was something to be curious about.
*
The Seventh Prince was of little consequence, and the military force he commanded was small. The Marquis of Ning was not yet so secure, or so far from his own rise, to have forgotten how small advantages could be leveraged into victories, or to dismiss potential enemies no matter how weak.
A particularly clever spy in the Ministry of War noticed the discrepancy between the funds allocated to the Seventh Prince’s army, and the weapons and supplies that army was able to field. He brought this to his commanders attention.
*
The Seventh Prince was imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice. His interrogators got no answers to their demands to know who his secret sponsor was, what promises he had made in return.
They were granted permission to intensify their questioning.
They got blood, but no answers, and no tears.
*
Hiss. Click-thunk.
Snip.
*
The woman who is no longer Concubine Jing releases her son’s crab general first and sends him to secure their retreat.
Her son stumbles when she urges him to his feet and wraps her cloak of sea mist and spray about them both. She brushes his lank hair out of his eyes and kisses his forehead, her heart full of storms. He whispers mother and when she steps away he follows.
They pass through the doors of his cell, through the dark passage ways of this human ministry, and the crab general salutes her with his sword and leads them out into the city she hasn’t seen for twenty-one years.
Twenty-one years, she has given her son to the humans.
The sea-mist from the river rises to greet them as they race through the streets. The alarm sounds and a hue and cry of pursuit is raised. Arrows pass through them, insubstantial.
The bridge is before them, and they leap.
*
A good story spreads faster than official reports.
The people tell how an Imperial Concubine and her son leapt to their deaths in protest of the Emperor’s policies.
Exactly which policies vary, according to the tellers’ preferences.
*
Langya hall receives both versions.
A recently reanimated and renamed ghost holds the paper in a hand that trembles. He doesn’t have enough strength in his fingers to crumple it like he clearly wishes to.
Lin Chen watches that blank face and wonders, idly, what will be necessary to re-light Changsu’s will to live this time.
Then, suddenly, Mei Changsu’s face clears. He lets out a groan which is half a laugh.
“Dumb water buffalo,” he rasps. “How am I meant to make you Emperor now?”