Now that had her attention. She turned to stare at her cousin. “Assassins? Truly?”
Li Fei tsked as she pulled Ling Xin out of bed. “He manages the empire’s gold. Do you not think there are people who might be angry about that? About who gets the gold and who doesn’t?”
“Of course there are,” Ling Xin said. The poor were everywhere in the city. “But that is not father’s fault. He spends the money according to the emperor’s command.” And he was doing his best to fight the corruption of the eunuchs who stole constantly from the coffers. Or so she had heard her father grumble more than once. “None of that is his fault.”
“The poor don’t know that.” Li Fei shook her head. “What is wrong with you lately? You’re so distracted, so unfocused.” She started pulling off Ling Xin’s night clothes. “You cannot meet the emperor in such a state. He will toss you aside for sure.”
“Would that be so bad a fate?” she muttered under her breath. Unfortunately, Li Fei was close enough to hear.
“What has gotten into you?” she gaped.
“Have you heard what it is like in the Forbidden City?”
Her cousin snorted. “Yes, I have. There is always food and good clothing to wear. Servants help you with everything. The cares of the world do not enter there.”
“Neither do other men. What if I end up in the lower harem? I will never see the emperor, never bear his child. I’ll be surrounded by eunuchs for the rest of my life.” She shuddered at the thought. “At least when you marry, you will have children and a full life.”
“If not a full belly,” Li Fei countered. “The Forbidden City does not sound so bad to me.”
“Married on the outside does not sound so bad to me.”
The two cousins stared at each other, both aching for the other’s fate. If only they could choose for themselves, but they both knew that was not the way in China. Not for the daughters of high-ranking bannermen.
Eventually, Ling Xin took her wishful heart in hand and stuffed it away. She had to be on her best behavior when making her gifts to the ancestors. If she could not learn more from Zhi Hao, then at least she would be the best daughter possible. She would show her devotion to her ancestors, and they would bless her.
“Come on,” she said as she tugged on her cousin’s sleeve. “The water will be cold soon.”
“The water is cold now,” her cousin retorted, but the two rushed away.
Two hours later, the household was headed for the Song family tomb. Not just herself, but her parents, and Li Fei. Her father brought a few retainers along as well, older men good with a sword. Her brothers and their families would meet them there.
It was a good morning for a gathering, and Ling Xin relished the spring heat in the air. The world was coming alive, and she would soon as well, according to her father. She would be a spring bride for the emperor, even though the Feast of Fertility wasn’t until summer.
Ling Xin didn’t argue. She had on all her best clothing, cosmetics, and adornments. In truth, she felt like a weighted down doll, but she could wear no less when she presented her gifts to the ancestors. Worse, it was difficult to walk in her shoes and almost impossible to see through the curtain of jade beads set before her eyes that was part of her hair piece.
Still, she managed it, shuffling behind her mother to the Song tomb, until she heard gasps all around her. Not gasps of fear, but ones of surprise. She tilted her head to see better.
And then had to pull the curtain of jade away from her eyes just to be sure.
Zhi Hao stood beside the Song tomb, his head bowed respectfully. Master Gao was with him, but Ling Xin only had eyes for her nighttime tutor. He stood taller than his master, his muscles slightly obscured by his student robes. He’d clearly been working because she saw beads of sweat on his forehead, but that was the only indication of toil.
Except for the sparkling stone edifice, cleaned of dirt and debris. The family tomb looked spotless.
Zhi Hao had done it all, she was sure, though Master Gao appeared mussed as he made his bows to her father.
“Greetings, Earl Song. I have come to show my devotion to your family, honoring your ancestors even before my own.”
At the front of their procession, her father grunted, though Ling Xin knew he wasn’t angry. If anything, he was pleased by that act, though he would never admit it out loud. Sure enough, a moment later, she heard her father’s gruff voice.
“And why would I ask you to do my duty?”
“You did not, honored earl. And I have left the place of honor for your honest toil.”
At this, Zhi Hao stepped aside to show a small square in the very center of the edifice that was still marked by dirt. Bowing his head, he held out a coarse bristle brush to her father.
Her father took the implement, but he didn’t kneel to work. Instead, he glared at Zhi Hao. “Who is this?” he demanded.
“My newest student, honored earl.”