Chapter Six: Master of Acting

Zhu Hao and Wei Xiaobao lay prone at the threshold of their room, furtively poking out their small heads to observe the unfolding events outside. Zhu Hao saw that his new father, after his crossing, wore a look of deep displeasure. With a flick of his robe and a cold snort, he addressed the elderly eunuch, "There's a fire in the Empress's palace, and you aren't hurrying to extinguish it. Why come to me? Do you expect me to put out the flames myself?" With that, he turned to leave. The eunuch, trembling on the ground, wore a helpless expression, wishing to call out to Zhu Changluo but fearful of defying the emperor.

Zhu Hao saw the eunuch's predicament and sighed inwardly: his father truly cared little for his eldest brother. Had his father shown more concern, perhaps his brother would not have become so obsessed with carpentry. If his father really refused to go to the Empress's palace, the Empress would surely blame their mother and him, making their days in the palace even harder. Thinking thus, Zhu Hao leapt out of the room and, feigning a childish plea, said to Zhu Changluo, "Father, it's been so long since I've seen my elder brother. Would you take me to see him?"

Zhu Changluo looked upon Zhu Hao's hopeful gaze and felt a twinge of compassion, his expression softening. He took a deep breath and spoke indulgently, "Rare indeed is brotherly affection—very well, I shall take you to see your brother now." Turning to the eunuch still prostrate, Zhu Changluo barked, "Stop pretending to be dead! Get up and lead the way. I will come with you to the Empress's palace." He picked up Zhu Hao and followed the eunuch toward the Empress's quarters.

The eunuch sprang up with surprising agility, belying his age, and cast a grateful glance at Zhu Hao. Zhu Hao knew that his actions had earned him another good turn in the palace. On the way to the Empress’s quarters, Zhu Hao sat obediently in his father’s arms. Zhu Changluo questioned the eunuch, "Why is the Crown Prince not in his own palace but here with the Empress?"

The eunuch, trembling, recounted the events, and Zhu Hao, nestled in his father’s embrace, listened intently. It turned out the Empress had invited the Crown Prince to dine with her that evening. After the meal, she kept him in her palace to play and instructed that he stay in a side hall for the night, to foster their bond. But at midnight, a maid noticed faint firelight and smoke coming from the side hall. Upon checking, they found the hall ablaze, and the Crown Prince had not yet emerged. The eunuch had come at the Empress's command, and when he left, the fire was still raging.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Changluo realized he had underestimated the situation. The Crown Prince was the heir to the throne; if he died in a palace fire, it would disgrace the emperor and shatter the court's authority. With this thought, Zhu Changluo unconsciously quickened his pace.

Zhu Hao sensed his father's urgency and said, "Father, you've been carrying me for so long—it must be tiring. Please put me down; I can walk on my own." Zhu Changluo stroked Zhu Hao's head affectionately and replied, "You’re a good boy! I’m not tired." Nevertheless, he set Zhu Hao down and hastened his steps.

The Empress's quarters lay at the heart of all the consorts' palaces. Lady Liu, favored by the emperor, lived nearby. The group reached the Empress's palace in the time it takes an incense stick to burn. Even before arriving, Zhu Hao smelled the acrid scent of burning, though the flames were gone and only wisps of smoke remained.

Outside the Empress's palace, the eunuch cried out loud, "His Majesty has arrived!"

With the eunuch’s announcement, a noblewoman in her thirties, resplendently dressed, knelt and greeted, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects and hope for your well-being."

Zhu Hao thought silently, "This must be my father's Empress—the notorious Lady Guo." Zhu Changluo snorted and didn’t even glance at her, delivering his response in clipped tones, "I am not well!"

Everyone present drew a sharp breath. Greetings about the emperor’s health were usually mere courtesy; the emperor would always respond, "I am well." But now, Zhu Changluo replied, "I am not well!" revealing his fury and confirming to Zhu Hao how sour relations between his father and the Empress had become.

The noblewoman hurriedly pleaded, "Your Majesty, please do not be angry; I am terrified." Zhu Changluo snorted again, "Terrified? What use is your terror? Where is the Crown Prince? I wish to see him—I'll settle accounts with you later. Stand up!"

The noblewoman stood, trembling, but Zhu Hao noticed a venomous glint in her eyes, especially as she glanced at him. That look chilled his spine, and he shuddered involuntarily. Though Zhu Hao had never liked Lady Guo, before or after his crossing, palace etiquette demanded he bow respectfully. "Your son greets the Empress," he said.

Lady Guo forced a smile through her sorrow, "So it’s you, Youjian. You’re here as well—no need to be so formal." She reached out to support Zhu Hao, acting the loving mother. Zhu Hao cursed inwardly, "What a vile old woman! If she were in the twenty-first century, I’d award her the Oscar for Best Actress for life. Her performance is truly remarkable!"

Despite his distaste for Lady Guo’s act, Zhu Hao could only endure it. Any misstep now would damage his father’s impression of him, which was not worth the risk. After playing the role of kind mother for a while, Lady Guo turned to Zhu Changluo, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince has been rescued! He only inhaled some smoke; the imperial physicians have examined him and say he is unharmed. Please be at ease."

Zhu Changluo snorted, "Be at ease? How am I to be at ease? I think the Crown Prince should no longer stay in the Empress's palace, lest the imperial line be extinguished!"

Entering the inner court, Zhu Hao saw a side hall, nearly collapsed from fire damage, with maids and eunuchs busy with cleanup.

Turning to the main hall, Zhu Hao saw imperial physicians gathered around a boy of fifteen or sixteen, his face streaked with soot. Without asking, Zhu Hao knew this was his elder brother, the future "Carpenter Emperor" Zhu Youxiao, now the Crown Prince.

Though Zhu Changluo disliked the Empress, Zhu Youxiao was his son. Seeing him in such a miserable state, Zhu Changluo felt uneasy. Because he disliked the Empress, he had always been cold toward the Crown Prince. If not for ancestral law requiring the heir to be legitimate and eldest, Zhu Changluo would have long since deposed him.

But now, seeing his son so wretched, Zhu Changluo’s eyes reddened. Zhu Hao, noticing his father’s emotion, knew it was time for his own performance. He burst into tears and rushed to Zhu Youxiao, crying, "Brother! Brother, what happened to you? Please wake up! I’ve come to see you—please get up!" The innocent voice of a child tugged at everyone’s heartstrings; many imperial physicians secretly wiped away tears to avoid impropriety before the emperor.

Zhu Changluo sighed, looking up to hold back tears and preserve his dignity, yet still furtively wiped his eyes. He then approached, the imperial physicians kneeling aside to clear a path.

He stroked Zhu Hao’s head, gazed at Zhu Youxiao, and said, "Such brotherly affection! Your brother is unharmed—he’s just tired and sleeping. Don’t cry, Youjian; don’t wake him."

Zhu Hao, eyes brimming with tears, looked at his father, "Is that true, Father? Please don’t deceive me! I love playing with my brother the most!"

Zhu Hao had truly mastered the art of shamelessness. Though it was his first meeting with Zhu Youxiao after crossing, he brazenly claimed to love playing with him. Zhu Changluo, unaware of the truth, took it all at face value, patted his head again and said, "I am the emperor, and the emperor never lies. Of course I’m not deceiving you! Tomorrow, I’ll have your brother play with you—is that good? It’s late; you should rest now." He ordered, "Someone escort the Fifth Prince to rest!" At his command, a pair of Imperial Guards entered and escorted Zhu Hao back to his quarters.

Zhu Hao had no idea what transpired after he left. The next morning, he heard that Lady Guo had been confined to her quarters by his father, forbidden to leave. Zhu Hao realized this ordeal would only deepen Lady Guo’s resentment toward their family, and he would have to be even more cautious.

As Zhu Hao pondered, Wei Xiaobao entered excitedly, "Your Highness, the Crown Prince has come to see you!"