The Last Concubine

your service.”
    “I would not insult any but my closest friend so, Jiang.” Hüi rose and placed his hand upon Jiang’s shoulder. “We shall see this through together as we always have, come what may.”
    “We shall,” Jiang agreed.

Chapter 2

    P RINCESS L AN ’ XIU followed the soldier in the lead, conscious of the second soldier, sword in hand, trailing her and her servant. She cast covert glances about her, taking in the strong walls of stone about the palace, too high to scale and too smoothly fitted to offer a toehold if one dared to try their luck in climbing them. And beyond that was a similar wall around the city to be gotten past, if one did manage the first.
    Armed guards patrolled every method of egress to prevent any intruder from getting in. Great artistry had been employed within the walls to encourage the inmates to feel they were within some beautiful park. Trees and bushes had borne flowers in the proper season, although just now a slight powdering of snow lay upon the ground. In despair, Lan’xiu noted the footprints left in the mantle of white that made a stealthy escape impossible.
    She followed docilely to another securely guarded square, a sort of fort within a fortress, and her heart sank when she recognized that this was the harem. It was walled off with great iron gates always kept locked. The soldier used a key to permit them entry, and she heard a bar being lifted from the inside in response to his knock. The soldier locked the gates again once they were inside. However, instead of one great building with communal facilities, she saw twelve separate houses positioned around the square. Bare peach and plum trees stood within the center of the park, surrounded by brown bushes stripped of their leaves by the season. Six benches were set out within the open space.
    Each house was identical, save the first. Where the roof tiles on all the other homes were of cobalt blue, the most splendid home was crowned with brilliant crimson tiles, to bring auspicious fortune to those residing under it. This house was bigger, more magnificent, with ceramic temple dogs set at each sweeping corner of the roof to guard that the good luck did not escape. A covered walkway led to the front door and light shone from within, giving the red curtains a warm glow. Shadows moving behind the curtains suggested a family within, enjoying an evening’s entertainment.
    Lan’xiu looked at this house with longing. It was suitable for one of her birth, but her rank accorded her no perquisites any longer. She knew that despite the destiny foretold at her birth, her fortunes had been turned onto a darker, more sinister path.
    Each house in the square had a lantern hung to the right of the door. The lantern was lit at only the fifth house, gleaming through the cold blue dusk. As they passed the house where the lantern shone, one of the soldiers grunted.
    Correctly assuming this inarticulate commentary had nothing to do with her, the Princess Lan’xiu continued to follow the soldier in silence until he paused in front of the seventh house, producing a huge iron key. The lock screeched in protest when the key turned, and the hinges groaned as the soldier pushed the door open.
    Lan’xiu gathered her cloak together to step into the dark, cold hallway, steeling herself for whatever might come next. For all she knew, the soldiers had been given orders to bring her here and execute her. She could feel the warmth of his body as Shu Ning, her eunuch, positioned himself between her and the soldier following them. It did not comfort her to realize he entertained the same suspicions as she.
    She controlled her instinctive impulse to jump when the first soldier spoke, not wanting the man to see how frightened she was.
    “Your Ladyship, my Lord Jiang extends his apologies. We had no prior knowledge of your coming, and the house is not prepared for you. If your Ladyship will be patient, servants will be here presently to light the fires and the lamps. The house has been kept clean, so it is habitable. Your luggage will be brought to you.”
    “Jiang? I thought the general’s name was Qiang Hüi Wei?” the eunuch questioned the soldier sharply.
    “Lord Jiang is the General’s second in command. He sees to the smooth running of General Qiang’s establishment. It is to him that you would address any complaints or requests.”
    Lan’xiu waved a graceful hand but did not speak. A lady of her status did not give direct orders to