In the thirteenth year of Emperor Zhengde's reign, a massive cold front swept in from the north, making this winter even colder than the previous years.
Nevertheless, Chu's kingdom was in a state of national celebration. Everywhere was bustling with excitement. Even within the usually solemn and deep palace, there were signs of cheerfulness. The palace was adorned with lanterns and streamers, and the large red palace lanterns were hung. All of this was because, in a few days, the 16-year-old crown prince was about to marry the daughter of the current prime minister as his princess.
After the Emperor of Chu announced this, the prime minister's mansion quickly became as busy as market. It goes without saying that by climbing this royal beam, one's status would be elevated. And with the aid of the prime minister as the prince's father-in-law, the royal court's foundation would be solid, and the ascension to the throne would be just around the corner.
For the commoners, the grand wedding of the crown prince brought imperial amnesty and tax reduction, which were rare good news.
However, to Fang Ling, this event had absolutely nothing to do with him. He was standing anxiously at the gate of the Ice Flower Palace, waiting for the imperial physician's arrival.
The lazy sun climbed over the city walls and shone on his clean face. The 16-year-old boy's black eyes were deeper than those of the adults.
He was wearing a coarse cotton robe with an old white jacket on top. Even the servants beside the top officials did not dress as poorly as he did. Yet, this shabby figure was the biological elder brother of the crown prince, the Grand Prince who had royal blood flowing in his veins.
Sixteen years ago, Consort Su and Consort Song were pregnant at the same time. The Emperor promised that whoever gave birth to a prince would be made queen.
However, as the due date approached, Consort Su was involved in a treason case and was sent into the cold palace. The emperor was so angry that he didn't care about the royal offspring she was about to give birth to. Eventually, Consort Su gave birth to a prince in the cold palace and named him Fang Ling.
The afternoon after Fang Ling was born, Consort Song also gave birth to a son, who was immediately declared the queen by the emperor. The earlier-born Fang Ling was deliberately forgotten, and nobody in the court would blame the emperor for breaking his promise over a disgraced consort.
The Ice Flower Palace, known as the cold palace, has been standing for hundreds of years since the establishment of the Chu Emperor's palace. Despite its towering main hall and expansive courtyard, there was neither luxurious furniture nor maids to serve.
The tall walls isolated this place from the world. Overgrown with weeds and always eerily quiet, at night tomcats would yowl and rats ran amok, as if the consorts who died here over the centuries were crying out their grievances.
The daily meals for the mother and son were delivered by the eunuch of the Department of Internal Affairs. In the beginning, the eunuchs delivered the meals on time with careful service.
If it had been just the banished concubine, the eunuch wouldn't have been so attentive. But there was also a prince here, and if the emperor suddenly felt nostalgic, Consort Su might regain favor.
However, as the years passed, the emperor disregarded this elder son, while the power of Queen Song grew increasingly, and her son was crowned prince. The eunuchs of the palace naturally took sides, and the situation of Consort Su and Fang Ling worsened rapidly.
For eunuchs, serving neglected concubines was a thankless task. Natural compensation was expected in return.
Every month, the Cold Palace received a meager sum of ten Taels of silver. For the sake of her child, Imperial Concubine Su endeavored to stretch it. Nevertheless, ten Taels wasn't nearly enough to sate the greed of the eunuchs.
This eunuch wanted a share for offering food, that one asked for a cut from laundry chores. Ten Taels or even fifty wouldn't be sufficient.
Therefore, breakfast would only arrive in the late morning, and lunch wouldn't come until late afternoon. Cold and leftovers were the norm.
Fortunately, Bodyguard Dong, once favored by Imperial Concubine Su, often brought some silk cloths. Being from a noble family, Su excelled at embroidery. She would finish the embroidery and pass it to Dong to secretly sell outside the palace. With time, this added some extra silver each month. Consequently, some useful furniture and textbooks for her son, Fang Ling, began to appear in the Cold Palace.
Fang Ling grew up in such environment. Intelligent from a young age, he learned patience from his mother. Despite his deep dislike for the arrogant, imperious ministers and oppressive eunuchs, he wore a poker face. He didn't take his royal status as pride.
With no fancy clothes or food, no servants serving diligently, and no companions, Fang Ling survived with his mother, studying diligently and practicing martial arts taught by Bodyguard Dong. Sixteen years passed this way.
Three days ago, mother fainted while embroidering, diagnosed by Senior Doctor Chen as being physically weak. A few rounds of medicine didn't bring improvement. Senior Doctor Chen promised a better prescription the next day, but it was late in the morning and there was still no sign of him.
Seeing it was getting late, Fang Ling decided to go to the Imperial Medical Bureau himself.
The Chu Imperial Palace was divided into the inner and outer palaces. The inner palace was where the Emperor and his wives resided and was heavily guarded, while the outer palace was where ministers worked and met with the emperor. The Imperial Medical Bureau was a special area, situated between the inner and outer palaces, only a short journey from the Cold Palace.
The Medical Bureau was the only place Fang Ling was allowed to visit outside the Cold Palace. From early childhood, he knew his mother's health was not good. The medicine prescribed to her was seldom effective. Often, Fang Ling personally fetched the medicines from the Medical Bureau.
Arriving at the Medical Bureau, two guards were chatting leisurely. Upon seeing Fang Ling, they quickly repositioned themselves, mockingly bowed their heads.
Everyone, from the senior doctors to the guards, knew Fang Ling's identity. Although he was of royal blood, he was powerless and penniless. With the Crown Prince nearing his wedding, his chance of turning things around got slimmer. If not for the strict hierarchy at the palace, they would even abstain from performing their courtesy.
Fang Ling dismissed their indolence without a second thought. He had gotten used to people's attitudes towards him. In this palace, where status mattered, everyone's sense of smell was more acute than a dog's, knowing exactly who to flatter and avoid.
He looked around as he stepped through the gate, surprised to find the usually bustling Medical Bureau was empty. He asked, "Why isn't there anyone here?"
One of the guards replied leisurely, "The Empress contracted a cold this morning, and all the doctors have gone to see her."
Fang Ling huffed silently to himself. When his mother caught a cold, he had to personally invite a doctor, yet when the Empress fell ill, the entire medical team was dispatched. Such grandeur.
Then, as if remembering something, the guard added, "Oh, Physician Chen instructed that if Your Highness arrives, please head to the pharmacy in the backyard to collect your medicine. He has already brewed it."
Fang Ling nodded. Among these doctors, Physician Chen was relatively better, although he was slow in his deeds. However, he wasn’t as arrogant as the other physicians.
He entered the pharmacy located within a courtyard. On the stove was a long row of pottery jars filled with brewed medicine. Under every jar was a paper indicating whose medicine it was.
Fang Ling found the small jar that belonged to his mother, picked it up and left. Initially, he had planned to leave directly. However, upon sighting the unlocked door of a herbal medicine room, he changed his mind.
Usually, these physicians were reluctant to use high-quality medicinal herbs on his mother. Every time he came, they would glare at him like they were guarding against a thief, fearing that he would steal some herbs.
Today, with not a soul in sight, wasn't this the perfect opportunity to help himself to some herbs? He didn't believe that these doctors, even after he had taken some herbs, would dare to do anything to him.
They were not naive to bring up such a trivial matter with his never-met-before Emperor Father.
Fang Ling pushed open the half-open door and walked in, immediately smelling the strong scent of herbs. This medicine room was lined with tall cabinets full of drawers, each labeled with the names of different herbs. Further in, there was a passage leading further inside.
In the inner room, the set up was identical, but the herbs displayed here were evidently more valuable. Inside it was another smaller room, sadly locked. That room clearly held the most valuable herbs.
Seeing the rare opportunity, Fang Ling took a sheet of yellow paper and recollected the prescription given by Dr. Chen yesterday. He picked the long-aged and good quality ginseng, and the best deer velvet when written.
Finally, he opened the smallest drawer at the bottom right corner to take some cordyceps but found that very few were left. Consequently, he scooped up all of them at once, found it only sufficient for a few days, so he removed the small drawer and reached his hand underneath to rummage for any that might have slipped into the cracks. As he did, he felt a stinging sensation.
Quickly, Fang Ling withdrew his hand to see a cut in his palm, unknown to him of what had caused it. Blood was oozing out.
He bent over and cautiously extended his hand again, feeling around. To his surprise, he pulled out a dagger.
The dagger was only palm-sized, looking very ancient. Strange patterns were etched on its old bronze body. With Fang Ling's fresh blood on it, it emitted an eerie glow.
Without much thought, Fang Ling stuffed the dagger into his pocket. Such a sharp object was always useful in some way.
Then he picked up the cordyceps that had slipped through, packed the medicines, and then satisfactorily left.
