evening the emperor suddenly felt a vague anxiety. After some time, without warning, he stood up and went to his wife in the women’s half o the palace. His wife, Yu Wang, greeted him with a reserved smile, she was unhappy as she had expected him to spend the night of the holiday with her. But he was gone for three whole nights. She already knew everything he talked about with the concubines, but she waited for her husband to start the conversation himself.
Several times Yu Wan tried to remind him about his son, asking him to meet with him more often, at least once a week. However, all her requests only irritated the Emperor. The eunuchs were involved in raising the young man, and Yu Wang saw that they did nothing except have fun. It was easy to play because their son liked it and he did not get upset, as he did during the meeting with the numeracy and calligraphy teachers.
– We sent Chen Tang to serve in the province with Governor Xiao. But now we began to worry about these Xiongnu women, who work in the gardens. They’re disturbing us… – the Emperor fell silent, thinking of what else to say. His wife was also silent, with her head down. A barely noticeable smile touched her lips, since she knew, who really cared about this problem, but she waited for her husband to offer her a solution. The problem was so insignificant and stupid and was not worthy of his attention. But he was a man and wanted to please his soul. She kept waiting. However, Yuan Di remained silent, walking from corner to corner.
– Maybe we should send them away, too? – she suggested carefully. The Emperor stopped and looked at her with an attentive gaze. He was waiting for the continuation. She added: – Along with the pale slaves. They are also not needed here. By the way, that year the water destroyed all the bridges and many villages on the Wo River. Let Bao Shi send them all there. There’s a lot of work for them there. Men need women, so they won’t disturb the locals.
– Perhaps, it can work. We’ll think about it.
– The Son of Heaven solved the problem with General Tang so wisely, but Zhi Zhi’s brother is still alive. He can become dangerous, too… Not now, but one day…
– Huhanye? But he signed the agreement and is now our servant, – the Emperor objected dissatisfied.
– You’re right, Ruler of Heaven. Previously, his older brother held him back. Now he’s gone. And Huhanye is free. During this time, the Xiongnu tribes had many children. One of them may attack the Empire, which is protected by the Wise Ruler.
– It might attack… – Yuan Di frowned in puzzlement and sat down in a chair. Yu Wan waited patiently. Two days ago, when the maids informed her that concubines Fu and Fang reminded the Emperor about the last concubine, she was seriously scared.
It was a terrible secret. And now she was threatening her directly. When two years ago a fifteen – year – old girl named Wang Zhaojun was brought into the Emperor’s harem28, Yu Wang was one of the first to hear and appreciate her playing the seven – stringed qixianqin instrument. Even then, this girl made a strong impression on the Empress. This young creature was the ideal of harmony and beauty.
Unable to restrain herself, Yu Wan told her about this with moved feelings. Apparently, taking the Empress’s words as the highest praise, the girl flatly refused to pay the senior eunuch Shi Xian a large sum for helping him present her to the Emperor. Everyone paid, so such behaviour was an unheard – of impudence and violation of the unwritten rules of the harem. And, naturally, punishment had to follow.
It so happened that after a few days the Empress cooled down and realised the threat that the beauty of the new concubine posed. And the offended senior eunuch Shi Xian was seething with anger, coming up with one punishment more terrible than the other, but they were all too straightforward and ended in death. However, there was one maid in the harem who, as if by chance, complained that no one depicted her beauty in paintings, and yet she was in no way inferior to this new young concubine. And if she were an artist, she would definitely disfigure her face.
Shi Xian was distinguished by a cunning mind, so a plan of insidious revenge immediately arose in his imagination, and he was sure that he had come up with it himself. He immediately visited the court artist, who, according to custom, painted pictures of all the new concubines for subsequent presentation to the Emperor. He drew the young beauty Wang Zhaojun with moles on her cheeks and neck. Therefore, when the senior eunuch brought her portrait to the Emperor, he turned away with disgust and never again remembered “the last concubine”. She was given the name Mingfei, after which she was completely forgotten. The girl did not know about this, but she was so pride that did not tell anybody of herself and did not turn to the eunuchs to correct her situation, believing that the Emperor would sooner or later remember her. The Emperor’s wife sighed with relief and also forgot about her. And now, having heard about the “last concubine”, she was afraid again.
– But Huhanye doesn’t bother us yet, – the Emperor finally said and turned his gaze to her.
– The Son of Heaven is right, as always, – Yu Wang answered tenderly and bowed her head. – The last time Huhanye came here, he asked to become related to the Emperor…
– Yes, we remember.
– Why not give him one of the concubines as a sign of highest gratitude? – — her cooing intonation did not lull him to sleep, and Yuan Di immediately asked warily:
– Who do you mean?
– Mingfei. “The last concubine.”
– Let them bring her portrait! – he ordered and, waiting for the eunuch with the picture. As the paining was brought, he grinned disdainfully. – Huhanye will not be very happy about such a gift.
– A gift from the Emperor is always a great honour. Especially the concubine from his harem, – Yu Wang added in tone with him, with slight irony.
– By the way, that ugly barbarian with the scar suits her face very well. – There’s a threat coming from him. I can feel it. He killed your brother’s servant… and I don’t like him. Like those singers, who sang under the canopy. Blind and young. They are strangers. And unpleasant ones. Yes, you are right, all these terrible slaves are similar to each other and may appeal to the Xiongnu. The Xiongnu love everything scary, – Yuan Di laughed for the first time in a long time, and his wife decided to remain silent so as not to influence the decision made.
Immediately after this conversation, a messenger was sent to Governor Bao Shi. He was ordered to take all the slave women from the gardens of the inner city and remove them from the capital Chang’an along with the pale slaves. A second messenger was sent to the Great Wall, to the north, to notify the new Chanyu Huhanye about the great gift from the Emperor.
CHAPTER XII. MEETING CONCUBINE MING FEI
The Romans were glad when they learnt that they were being sent to build a city. The news that all the surviving Xiongnu women would be brought there, among whom they hoped to find their wives, caused indescribable delight – everyone excitedly told each other where and when they left women in the capital of Zhi Zhi, who they saw during the transfer, and life now seemed to them not as terrible as a few days ago.
About thirty people were unable to move due to wounds received in the inner city, but no one was killed. This also seemed like a miracle. However, a day later another news came – Lacius, Paul Domician, and Zeno were left in the capital. They were supposed to be sent to the new Chanyu Huhanye. Nothing more was known yet. However, that same night the old guide Goju appeared again. He told Lacius what awaited him.
The Emperor’s order stated that he would give a slave with a scar and two singers to the new Chanyu of the Xiongnu along with one of the concubines, as a sign of the greatest mercy. The woman will have to become Huhanye’s wife and strengthen the peace. There were many rumours about this, but they were all strange. One thing was clear – the Emperor wanted to bring the new Chanyu closer and avoid attacks on the Han Empire. But why