Moma Liangshan

Chapter 73 Within the Palace Walls, Princess Zhao Huan

Under a clear blue sky and bright sunshine, in the imperial palace of the Song Dynasty, in the bedchamber of Consort Su, a girl of about ten years old was crying and running around frantically, covering her head. Two matrons and three palace maids followed closely behind. Not far away, a woman in palace attire, leaning against the wall, panting, slowly said, "Huanhuan, listen to your mother, don't run!" Hearing her mother's voice, the girl suddenly turned around and squeezed through the gaps between her pursuers. The rules within the palace were numerous, and the palace maids' clothing was extremely cumbersome; even five adults couldn't catch a ten-year-old child. The girl hid behind a pillar and said to the woman in palace attire, "Mother, Huanhuan doesn't want her feet bound!" The woman leaning against the wall was none other than the mistress of this bedchamber, Consort Su, Wang. Consort Su and Empress Wang were from the same clan; the two had known each other since childhood and were like sisters. After reaching adulthood, they entered the palace to serve Emperor Huizong, and their relationship was very close. Consort Su gestured for her servants to hold their course, saying, "It's not that your mother is heartless, but several of your sisters, let alone your older sisters, have already started binding their feet. A girl has to get married eventually; without binding your feet, how will any man marry you?" The girl slowly moved to what she considered a safer spot and said, "Your mother isn't a man, how would you know that men only like small feet?" Then, looking involuntarily at her bare feet, she said, "When I was little, Father said my feet were the smallest of all the princesses!" Consort Su sighed deeply and said, "It's precisely because everyone said you were born with small feet that I kept putting it off, not taking the plunge to bind them for you. Now you're ten years old; even in the common people, girls started binding their feet much earlier than you, let alone in the capital!"

Just then, a eunuch outside the door called out, "Her Majesty the Empress has arrived!" The little girl breathed a sigh of relief and whispered, "Finally, I've escaped this ordeal!" Consort Su turned around abruptly and said, "I'll deal with you later. Come with me to pay your respects to Her Majesty the Empress!" The Empress quickly entered the hall and, seeing everyone covered in sweat, asked, "Sister, what happened in the palace? Why does everyone look like this?" Before Consort Su could answer, the little girl blurted out, "Reporting to Mother, they wanted to arrest me!" Empress Wang pulled Consort Su up and they walked together into the hall, asking as they went, "Has Huanhuan made a mistake again? Why are they arresting her?" Consort Su looked helpless and said, "Sister, you don't know. This girl is already ten years old and absolutely refuses to have her feet bound. As her mother, I had no choice but to order the palace maids to hold her down and forcibly bind her feet. Who knew this girl was prepared and ran away!" Upon hearing this, the Empress burst into laughter. The little girl suddenly became very obedient, following the empress's side, muttering to herself: "Don't begrudge the lotus-like steps of the fragrant ointment. Longing for the silk stockings that tread the water. Only the swirling wind is seen. There is no trace of her whereabouts. Stealthily wearing the palace dress, she stands with her legs crossed. Her delicate beauty is hard to describe. It must be seen in the palm of your hand."

Empress Wang stopped and looked at the little girl, saying, "Huanhuan, you've even memorized Su Shi's 'Bodhisattva's Lament on Feet'?" The little girl replied, "My mother tries every day to trick me into binding my feet, so to appease her, I naturally need to study more!" Empress Wang said, "Your father has many daughters. If you don't bind your feet, how will your mother and I find you a suitable husband?" The little girl immediately said, "Whoever likes me without bound feet will be my ideal husband!" Consort Su exclaimed helplessly, "What kind of young master can marry a wife with big feet?" Empress Wang pulled Consort Su to sit down on a chair and said, "Sister, do you know why I've come today?" Consort Su pulled the little girl aside and said, "I'm not a mind reader, sister, so..." "How could I possibly guess?" Empress Wang looked at the little girl and said, "There's a very fine young man. Have you heard of him, sister?" Consort Su said, "Sister, you've been in the palace for so long, do you know the young man's name?" Empress Wang said, "Wang Hao." Consort Su shook her head and said, "He's also surnamed Wang. Is he a member of a collateral branch of our family?" Empress Wang smiled slightly and said, "Sister, you must know about Eight Immortals Wine, right?" Before Consort Su could react, the little girl said from the side, "It's that guy who invented hot pot!" Consort Su suddenly realized and said, "It's that Wang Hao who had the Emperor feed you in front of all the civil and military officials?" Empress Wang blushed and said, "The Emperor intends to make Wang Hao his consort and has specially ordered me to choose a suitable candidate from among the many princesses."

Consort Su was quite puzzled and asked, "Sister, have you taken a liking to our Huanhuan?" Empress Wang nodded and said, "Both of my daughters are betrothed, so I came to discuss this with you!" Consort Su was even more confused and said, "Sister, you're so fond of Wang Hao? Besides, Huanhuan is only ten years old. Isn't it a bit too early to be betroth her now?" Empress Wang nodded and said, "His Majesty specifically instructed a month ago to select a princess around ten years old to be engaged to Wang Hao, with a formal marriage to take place five or six years later. I asked Chief Eunuch Chen and my family to investigate this person, and we found that Wang Hao is indeed quite good." Consort Su unconsciously grasped Empress Wang's hand and said, "I only have Huanhuan as my child. Please tell me in detail, sister!" Empress Wang said, "His Majesty told me that Wang Hao has repeatedly performed outstanding feats and should be rewarded, but he is ultimately only a fifteen-year-old boy, so we shouldn't bestow too heavy a reward on him for now." A princess was engaged to him because Wang Hao was worthy of the title of consort. The princess was chosen from among those who were only ten years old because the boy's character was still developing and needed more training. If, within five years, Wang Hao could continue his efforts, share the Emperor's burdens, and contribute to the Song Dynasty, the marriage would proceed as planned. If Wang Hao failed to achieve anything and stagnated, the engagement could be dissolved on any pretext.” Consort Su said, “The sons of high-ranking officials, at fourteen or fifteen years old, are all diligently studying and researching literature. Wang Hao is quite amusing, brewing wine and eating hot pot; he has none of the demeanor of a scholar.” Empress Wang said earnestly, “The Song Dynasty has no shortage of scholars, but those scholars only know how to opportunize and scheme, switching factions daily, shirking responsibility and causing trouble for the Emperor, or being greedy, lustful, and exploiting the people.”

Consort Su said, "Sister, are you sure Wang Hao isn't a greedy and lustful man?" Empress Wang said, "Wang Hao is just a country bumpkin. It's impossible for him to gain the Emperor's favor without an introduction! Sister, do you know who recommended Wang Hao to the Emperor?" Consort Su pondered for a moment, then suddenly said, "Wang Hao brewed the Eight Immortals Wine. Could it be that he's using Miss Li's connections?" Empress Wang nodded, saying, "Sister, you are indeed wise. It is indeed Miss Li's connections. Although Miss Li has no official title, the Emperor's favor towards her is unmatched by either of us. And you know our Emperor's temper. If Wang Hao and Miss Li are truly involved in something improper, would our Emperor turn a blind eye?" Consort Su nodded in agreement, saying, "Isn't he also obsessed with wealth?" Empress Wang said, "Empress..." "Heavenly, Wang Hao will be auctioning off his shares in the Eight Immortals Winery at Fanlou." Empress Xiao asked, "Why?" Empress Wang replied, "His Majesty has established a new county in Jiaozhou Bay and appointed Wang Hao as its magistrate. The purpose is to rebuild the Jiaozhou Maritime Trade Office and then form a maritime alliance with the Jurchens to attack the Liao Kingdom from both sides. A single Maritime Trade Office involves a vast amount of resources. Eunuch Chen said that even two million strings of cash would only be enough to build a basic framework. The Ministry of Revenue refused to allocate funds, citing an empty treasury. Wang Hao had no choice but to raise the funds himself. His Majesty, recognizing his loyalty, promised that the income from the Jiaozhou Maritime Trade Office for fifteen years after its completion would be Wang Hao's private property. If Wang Hao were obsessed with wealth, how could he make such a great sacrifice for the Song Dynasty?" Consort Su said, "Didn't His Majesty promise to give him the Jiaozhou Maritime Trade Office's income for fifteen years as compensation?"

Empress Wang was speechless and said, "The Jiaozhou Maritime Trade Office originally existed, but it was later discontinued due to financial difficulties. Therefore, whether it could be profitable after its establishment was completely unknown." Consort Su was puzzled and said, "I remember my father saying that Dengzhou is the closest to Liaodong, not Jiaozhou. Why not just send ships directly from Dengzhou? Why go through all this trouble and start from Jiaozhou?" Empress Wang said, "My sister only knows one side of the story. Dengzhou has a naval camp but no navy. It was initially established only to defend against Liao's sea attacks. The Song Dynasty's maritime trade is thriving; the ships built can reach Persia and the Abbasid Caliphate directly, not to mention..." Liaodong. In other words, our ships can reach Liaodong from Jiaozhou, but Liao ships cannot reach Jiaozhou from Liaodong. This way, even if the situation changes, the Eastern Route of Jingdong can remain unharmed.” Consort Su finally understood and said, “Once the Jiaozhou port is completed, His Majesty’s grand plan can be implemented, and regardless of the future outcome, the court will not suffer any losses. However, the money and provisions consumed will have to be replenished by Wang Hao himself.” Empress Wang said, “That’s right.” Consort Su said, “Building a family fortune is incredibly difficult; isn’t his risky approach somewhat prudent?” Empress Wang said, “That’s why His Majesty intends to observe him for five years.” "Aftereffects!" Consort Su said, "Wouldn't that be unfair to Wang Hao?" Empress Wang laughed and said, "He's not even our son-in-law yet, and you're already showing favoritism, sister?" Consort Su realized her mistake and quickly said, "Sister, please forgive me!" Empress Wang looked at the little girl and asked, "Is Huanhuan satisfied with the husband your mother chose for you?" The little girl wasn't shy and looked up, saying, "As long as he doesn't make me bind my feet, I'm satisfied!" Empress Wang looked at Consort Su and said, "Wang Hao is a prodigy and cannot be judged by ordinary standards. This matter can be entrusted to Eunuch Chen to inquire on your behalf!" Consort Su looked troubled and said, "As his mother..." "How can you be so biased towards your own daughter?" Empress Wang said. "If you were so kind as to do this, you would have bound Huanhuan's feet two years ago. How could you wait until now? Wang Hao has always respected his elders. If you can't bring yourself to do it, I'll inquire for you!" Before Consort Su could react, the little girl interjected, "No need to trouble Mother, Huanhuan will inquire herself." Empress Wang asked, "How will you inquire?" The little girl replied, "Huanhuan will write a letter and have a eunuch deliver it outside the palace." Empress Wang said, "That's good. If there's any mistake, we elders can step in to mediate!" Consort Su said, "I will follow your instructions, elder sister!"