The Last Concubine

find me pretty, Hüi?” she asked anxiously.
    “I could never find you anything but pleasing to look at. You are the mother of my children. You have given me fine sons and daughters as pretty as you.” Hüi looked at her with a troubled expression. “You need not fear the loss of my regard, no matter how many concubines join this household.”
    “I miss going upstairs with you,” Mei Ju said.
    He got up and came to her, brushing a tear from her cheek and putting his arms around her. “I miss that too, but you know we must not.”
    “It would be worth death to feel you bearing me down into the mattress once more,” she whispered, clinging to him.
    “It would not be worth it to me,” Hüi said firmly. “I cannot lose you, and my children need their mother. The doctor said you cannot take the chance of another pregnancy, and I will not put you at risk, no matter how much I may desire you.”
    “It is my fault that you took Ci’an into this household,” Mei Ju said mournfully.
    “Let us not speak of her,” Hüi said. “It was never your fault. I need you here to rule my household. Do you think I don’t know that you are mother to all my children, no matter which wife bore them? Besides, I need your counsel and the security of your loyalty. I have no one else I can trust.”
    “Except Lord Jiang,” Mei Ju reminded him.
    “A very different thing. He doesn’t think as you do, being male.” Hüi drew her to the divan and put his arm around her. “Tell me everything.”
    “I hope you know that I did not need Jiang to remind me to welcome the Princess Zhen Lan’xiu to the household,” Mei Ju started.
    “I hope he did not remind you. I merely requested him to ask you to find out a specific bit of information; that was all. I meant no offense by sending him rather than coming myself.”
    “I understand.” And Mei Ju did. Whatever Hüi did was noticed and commented upon. Despite Lan’xiu’s obvious allure, Hüi would wait a judicious amount of time before taking notice of her existence because news of his visit would be instantly broadcast far and wide. “Whatever her brother, Wu Min, intended by sending her here, the princess is not privy to the plot.”
    “You’re sure,” Hüi asked.
    “She is terrified and knows not what to expect. I imagine that before she came here, she had no thought of being a mere seventh concubine—”
    “Of a minor official,” Hüi put in dryly.
    Mei Ju slapped his arm playfully. “Nonsense. There is nothing minor about you. Princess Lan’xiu does not speak much about herself. I could not even find out whether she likes to sew!”
    “Surely you found out something.”
    “Of course, although not from her lips. My maid has spoken with her eunuch. He keeps the hand of discretion before his mouth, but she knows how to gossip and drew him out. Eunuchs love intrigue.”
    “Which is why I keep them below stairs,” Hüi agreed.
    “The northern province of Liaopeh was once ruled by Wu Chao, who sired both Wu Min and Lan’xiu, but they were born of different mothers. He had only the two children: Wu Min, his son, who inherited his rule, and this daughter who is much younger. Wu Min’s mother died young in childbirth with a stillborn male, so when Wu Chao took another woman, she became first wife. When Wu Chao died, there was a period of unrest within the court. Apparently Lan’xiu’s mother died of a sudden and mysterious illness. The eunuch believes Wu Min caused her to be poisoned, and that the same fate awaited Lan’xiu. He is fiercely protective of her.
    “There was some sort of disturbance within the women’s quarters at some point before the mother’s death, but Lan’xiu was not harmed. It was then that Wu Min started a campaign to get her wed, shopping her to any official who could render him aid.”
    “I would not think that would have been a difficult task to marry her off. She seems a pretty enough girl.” Hüi shrugged.
    “Are you blind?” Mei Ju demanded. “I have never seen a more beautiful girl in my life, and I have lived longer than you!”
    “Always rubbing that in,” Hüi joked.
    “Respect your elders,” she reminded him. “Have you looked at her?”
    “Only a glance when she was first presented,” Hüi said. “I would not give Wu Min’s envoy the pleasure of my reaction to report. I left the other gifts on the floor where the servants set them.”
    Mei Ju giggled. “I hope that rankled with him. Well, when you do find the