Chapter 16: What is True Nature

The crescent moon hung in the sky, casting its gentle radiance, and at a glance, the entire palace was ablaze with light. Yet wherever there was brightness, shadows lingered; amidst the swaying trees, in nameless corners and cramped rooms, darkness prevailed.

The window was half open. A slant of moonlight shone down, illuminating a kneeling figure with dark hair and a pair of red embroidered shoes.

"You did well. Her Highness is pleased. She has instructed me to tell you that the rest will be handled by others. Your work is done; now you must retire."

The bowed head trembled, a strangled sob escaped, and a single tear fell, stirring the dust.

The woman's voice was young—not melodious, but icy in tone.

She bent to take up a basket woven from straw, and continued, "Her Highness knows your loyalty, so rest assured: your parents and family will enjoy riches and honor for the rest of their lives."

At last, the silent figure responded, pressing her forehead to the dusty floor and choking out, "Thank you for Her Highness's grace."

The woman gave a cold acknowledgement and turned to leave. Behind her, the kneeling figure slowly rose, untied her sash, tossed it over the beam, climbed onto a stool, placed her chin into the loop, kicked her legs—and with a dull thud, the stool toppled. The moonlight cast a wavering silhouette on the wall, thin and frail.

In Yao Hua Palace, the Imperial Concubine lay with a warm cloth pressed to her forehead, eyes closed, still shaken.

Ronghe and Fenghe knelt at her feet, faces full of guilt.

"Rise. The matter came unexpectedly; you could not have foreseen it. Besides, like me, you fear those creatures, your legs go weak at the sight. How could you rescue me? It’s enough you didn’t drag me down."

"Thank you, Your Highness, for your understanding."

The two maids were deeply moved, feeling they had chosen their mistress wisely.

"Help me think—what was Lady Lü's purpose? Was it merely to kill a eunuch from my palace?" The Imperial Concubine frowned, fingers unconsciously tapping.

"Your Highness, perhaps summon them for questioning? Sudden events always have a cause," suggested Ronghe.

"No need. Two eunuchs fighting—any excuse will do. The key is not with them, but what the Noble Consort aims to achieve: to frame me, or to draw me into muddy waters. The snake house was thrown into chaos, so many venomous snakes released—several maids and eunuchs died, a few rare snakes perished, and the deadliest Imperial Flat-necked Snake King escaped."

As if struck by inspiration, the Imperial Concubine smiled and relaxed, reclining again. "So that's it. Whether the snake truly escaped or not, perhaps where it ends up is what matters. After the Empress miscarried, His Majesty disposed of some maids and eunuchs, but the real culprit, he has yet to find. In such circumstances, any further schemes would be walking into a trap. But if it's a 'natural disaster,' whoever is bitten can only blame their own misfortune. Lady Lü was clever this time. Yet she must hurry—this war with the foreigners has lasted two years, and if General You achieves another great victory, he’ll be titled king. Then the Empress’s position will be even more secure, and Lady Lü will find it harder to shake her."

"Your Highness is truly a reincarnation of Zhuge Liang," Ronghe flattered.

"Your Highness saw through the Noble Consort's plot so quickly—truly unparalleled in wisdom," added Fenghe.

The Imperial Concubine smiled lightly. "I was merely present and thought carefully; no need for such praise. Save your sweet words for your future husbands."

The two maids blushed, falling silent.

Within Qian Yuan Hall, deathly silence reigned. Apart from Ji Ye seated high above and Li Fuquan standing nearby, all others knelt on the floor.

"Suicide out of guilt?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," stammered Summer Blessing, chief eunuch of Yong Le Palace.

"Very well." Ji Ye rose, hands clasped behind his back, voice cold. "One died from a snake bite, another by their own hand. Dead is good—dead means silence. The dead cannot speak. Wouldn't you agree?"

"Your Majesty, please quell your anger," all those kneeling pleaded, trembling.

"When have I ever been angry? Dust and scraps such as you cannot provoke my wrath. Since both principal offenders are dead, shall I punish all by association? Li Fuquan, listen."

"Your servant here."

"All eunuchs and maids serving Yong Le Palace and Yao Hua Palace are to be sent to the prison bureau. Each receives fifty strokes. Those who survive will labor for the bureau; those who do not, wrap them in a mat and toss them in the mass grave."

"Your Majesty, what of the attendant maids who accompanied the Noble Consort and Imperial Concubine?" Li Fuquan asked with trembling hands.

"Treat them all the same." Ji Ye flicked his sleeves and strode away. Though he was somewhat annoyed, he paid little mind to the affair. His thoughts were on the two ministers waiting in the Xuan Zheng Hall, and whether the new policies he had instructed Chancellor Liu to propose would pass the Privy Council.

Compared to affairs of state, palace intrigues were mere theatrics—petty jealousies among women, in Ji Ye's view. When amused, he indulged; when displeased, he might slap the Noble Consort and Imperial Concubine as warning. Thunder and rain alike are imperial favor. Both consorts were shrewd, knowing well when to stop, especially when His Majesty was vexed by state matters.

This time, the Imperial Concubine lost two loyal maids, and she surely took note.

Several days passed in a rush, and still the Imperial Flat-necked Snake King was not found. To prevent unrest, Ji Ye ordered all palaces to search thoroughly; if found, so much the better, if not, at least safety would be ensured.

The Empress Dowager, long absent from affairs, now issued an edict to safeguard the consorts and calm the palace: every palace was to be sprinkled with realgar wine.

All but the Empress's palace rejoiced, for the Empress herself was troubled—she had been allergic to realgar since childhood.

The four attendant ladies had harbored doubts about the current Empress, but once the realgar was applied and red spots appeared on her skin, they nearly wept with relief. Now, convinced she was truly their mistress and not some demon in disguise, they felt remorse, hastily searching out balm to soothe her.

Upon hearing of the snake house, Lady Dai Dai was excited at the prospect of finding kin, but as soon as she left Ganquan Palace, the pervasive smell of realgar, which she detested, drove her to sulk in the rear garden.

Fortunately, since deciding to adapt to this troublesome human life, she gradually discovered pleasures never enjoyed as a snake demon—such as eating.

No matter what creature becomes a demon, it cannot escape its own limitations. As a snake, she had no sense of taste—even after gaining intelligence, still none. But as a human, all five senses were hers.

Her greatest delight now was eating—sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, salty—every dish must be tasted, her little belly often filled round.

See, it had only been a few days, and she had made Lady You Dai Dai's body plumper and fairer.

Were it not for the realgar scent permeating the palace, she would have remained at the table, eating away, instead of languishing in the waterside pavilion, indulging in self-pity.

To say she indulged in self-pity is to notice she now cared about beauty. Since acquiring a head of lustrous black hair, and seeing You Dai Dai's several chests full of sparkling gold and silver ornaments, she experimented with adorning herself, favoring all sorts of coiled and twisted accessories, as homage to her snake heritage.

One night, she saw Qiuyun weaving animals from colored thread in the lamplight. Instantly, she wrapped herself around Qiuyun, rubbing against her, angling for a little black snake to wear.

Another evening, after sleeping too much by day and feeling lively at night, she wandered Ganquan Palace with a bag of pastries and stumbled upon the sewing room, where maids stuffed bolster pillows. Her imagination ran wild, and she gestured for the seamstresses to craft a long, serpent-shaped bolster. The soft, round, dark green creation, lifelike and vivid—Qiuyun and the others called it a 'toy,' and it became a permanent fixture on their mistress's bed.

For Dai Dai, ever since acquiring this toy, she found comfort; no more headaches, no aching waist, vigor returned—even eating two braised carp at once was no challenge.

With their doubts dispelled, the four attendant ladies now ached with sympathy at their mistress's odd behavior.

Her fondness for snake-shaped objects, naturally, was because His Majesty favored snakes;
Her ceased mourning and refusal to quarrel with other consorts—she now understood the need to preserve her family, sacrificing her own desires for their sake;
Her clinginess, her neediness—having given up what she loved, she now craved affection;
And her voracious appetite and confusion—her mistress, wounded to the core, had regressed to a childlike innocence, carefree, once again the beloved treasure of her clan.

At this realization, Qiuyun's eyes reddened, Chunmo wept aloud, Dongcang suppressed her pain, Xiaji's eyes brimmed with tears. Thus, their care for Dai Dai became ever more devoted, indulging her endlessly.

If only she could remain in Ganquan Palace, untouched by the palace's shifting intrigues, she would know peace and joy. But the tree longs for calm, while the wind refuses to cease.

Once crowned Empress, she was caught in the mire—a hunter, and prey to others.

When it comes to hunting, who can match the patience of a snake demon?

Stripped of her powers, what remains for the snake demon?

Her true nature.

And what is that nature?

It is the same ruthlessness humans revert to when cornered; beneath the veneer of civility, they are no different from snakes—both animals.

Fur and blood, swallowing prey alive, survival at the cost of another’s life.