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  Copyright © 2016 by Weina Dai Randel

  Cover and internal design © 2016 by Sourcebooks, Inc.

  Cover design by Laura Klynstra

  Cover images © Allan Jenkins/Trevillion Images, Molostock/Shutterstock, 100ker/Shutterstock, tomertu/Shutterstock

  Sourcebooks and the colophon are registered trademarks of Sourcebooks, Inc.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—without permission in writing from its publisher, Sourcebooks, Inc.

  The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious or are used fictitiously. Apart from well-known historical figures, any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

  Published by Sourcebooks Landmark, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc.

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  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Randel, Weina Dai.

  The empress of bright moon / Weina Dai Randel.

  pages ; cm

  (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Wu hou, Empress of China, 624-705—Fiction. 2. China—History—Tang dynasty, 618-907—Fiction. 3. Empresses—China—Fiction. I. Title.

  PS3618.A6423E47 2016

  813’.6—dc23

  2015022864

  Contents

  Front Cover

  Title Page

  Copyright

  AD 649: The Twenty-Third Year of Emperor Taizong’s Reign of Peaceful Prospect—Late Spring

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  AD 652: The Third Year of Emperor Gaozong’s Reign of Eternal Glory—Spring

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  AD 652: The Third Year of Emperor Gaozong’s Reign of Eternal Glory—Late Winter

  Chapter 8

  AD 653: The Fourth Year of Emperor Gaozong’s Reign of Eternal Glory—Spring

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  AD 653: The Fourth Year of Emperor Gaozong’s Reign of Eternal Glory—Summer

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  AD 653: The Fourth Year of Emperor Gaozong’s Reign of Eternal Glory—Autumn

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  AD 653: The Fourth Year of Emperor Gaozong’s Reign of Eternal Glory—Winter

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  AD 654: The Fifth Year of Emperor Gaozong’s Reign of Eternal Glory—Early Spring

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  AD 654: The Fifth Year of Emperor Gaozong’s Reign of Eternal Glory—Autumn

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  AD 654: The Fifth Year of Emperor Gaozong’s Reign of Eternal Glory—Winter

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  AD 655: The Sixth Year of Emperor Gaozong’s Reign of Eternal Glory—Early Spring

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  AD 655: The Sixth Year of Emperor Gaozong’s Reign of Eternal Glory—Autumn

  Chapter 37

  Epilogue

  Author’s Note

  Reading Group Guide

  A Conversation with the Author

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Back Cover

  For Mark, as always.

  AD 649

  The Twenty-Third Year of Emperor Taizong’s Reign of Peaceful Prospect

  LATE SPRING

  1

  Would he die tonight?

  The thought flickered in my mind as I dabbed at a brown stain on the Emperor’s chin. He did not respond, not even to twitch his lips or blink. He lay there, his mouth open, his gaze fixed on the ceiling. The right side of his face was a ruinous pool of skin, and his good left eye was opaque, like a marble that the light of candles failed to penetrate. Now and then, there seemed to be a spark in that eye, as though his old valor was struggling to come to life, to surface, to fight the fate that conquered him, but the light flashed like a fish in a murky pond. It was there, swimming, but it did not come up to the surface, not even for a breath of air.

  He did not see me. He was gone, I could tell—a once-powerful whirlwind of wrath and will, now a bag of slackened skin, a shell of vaunting vanity.

  I straightened, and an ache shot through my back. How long had I been kneeling at the bedside, watching him? I could not remember. All of us—the Talents, the Graces, and the Beauties, once the bedmates of the Emperor—had been his caretakers for the past ten months. Every day, we took turns feeding him, cleaning him—for he had long ago lost the ability to control his fluids—and carefully we watched him, listening to his every labored breath and every painful groan.

  When the Emperor had announced Pheasant as the heir of the kingdom last year, he had been frail, and he had collapsed a few days later, shaken by the mysterious hand that had tormented him all these years. Writhing, gushing white foam from his mouth, he fell out of a stretcher on the way to his bedchamber and had not wakened since.

  The water dropped in the water clock beside me. Nine. Where were they? They must hurry…

  I rose, patting the side of my Cloudy Chignon, the elaborate hairstyle I had finally mastered. A few strands had fallen on my shoulders, and the loose knot that should have sat on top of my head had slumped sadly to my right ear. I wished I could make myself look more presentable, but we were not allowed to leave the chamber. The physicians had ordered me and the other Talents to stay with the Emperor at all times. I had not bathed for two months, looked at myself in the bronze mirror, or put on my white face cream. My hair, which had once been soft and fragrant, now felt heavy and lumpy on my neck, and the green robe I wore had turned brown, stained with splashes of herbal remedies.

  The thought whispered to me again. I peered at him. What if he died tonight? What would happen to me and the other women who served him when he did die? I quickly smothered the thoughts. I should not think of those questions, for it was treason to ponder on the Emperor’s mortality…

  But all the titled women in the Inner Court must have wondered about their fate these months while he lay there unresponsive. After all, it was the unspoken law that we, as the Emperor’s women, should never feel the warmth of another man’s arms again after the Emperor’s death. There must have been a plan for us. Yet no one openly talked about it, even though the ladies gathered together in the courtyard every morning, whispering, their eyes misty with tears.


  I wished I could listen to the Duke and the Secretary, the two highest-ranking ministers, when they came to visit the Emperor. But they had many important matters to discuss and did not seem to pay attention to us. And Pheasant. He was busy too, and I had not yet had an opportunity to ask him about our fate.

  But no matter what the plan was for us, I knew one thing was for sure: after the Emperor’s death, Pheasant—my Pheasant—would be the ruler of the kingdom. He would look after me and my future.

  And he had promised… The empress of bright moon, he said…

  My heart warm with joy, I glanced at the doors. Pheasant and the Duke should have arrived by now. I wondered what the delay was.

  A soft drizzle fell outside, light, persistent, carrying a pleasing rhythm that reminded me of the sound of baby silkworms devouring mulberry leaves. It was the fifth month of the year, a good time to have some rain. I yearned to go outside, feel the raindrops on my face, and smell the fresh air, for the bedchamber was veiled with the thick scent of incense, ginseng, musk, clove, dried python bile, and the unpleasant odor of death. I had been inside for so long, I supposed I smelled just like the chamber. I knew my fellow Talent, Daisy, did, as well as the others who yawned in the corner. Each time one of them passed me, I could name the herb in her hair.

  Footsteps rose in the dark corridor, and red light from many lanterns poured through the doors. Finally, Pheasant and the Duke entered the chamber, their wet robes clinging to their chests. The physician, Sun Simiao, followed behind.

  I retreated to the corner, giving them space, as they had asked each time they came, although I wished to stand right beside them and listen to what the physician had to report. When he examined the Emperor earlier, he had sighed heavily.

  The men whispered in low voices, their eyes on the Emperor. The Duke sighed and sniffed, running a hand over his face. Pheasant, surprisingly, looked somber, although his eyes glittered.

  “Crown Prince,” the physician said, stepping aside to the screen, and Pheasant and the Duke followed him. “We have done the best we could. But I’m afraid I must tell you the dreadful news. The One Above All will not see the dawn’s light.”

  My heart jerked. I tried to remain motionless.

  “I understand.” Pheasant’s voice was soft and sad, and I stole a look at him. His eyes sparkled in the candlelight near the screen. His face was thinner, his jawline more refined than ever, and he had grown a beard.

  I remembered how grief-stricken Pheasant had been when he learned the Emperor had become ill last year. For days, Pheasant had stood by the bedside, with us women scurrying from the physicians’ herb chamber to the courtyard, carrying bowls of medicine. When we fed the Emperor, Pheasant, careless of his own life, would taste the liquid first, to ensure it had not been mixed with any pernicious ingredient by a vicious hand. When some of us fell down in fatigue after days without sleep, he would tell us to rest and watch the Emperor himself. He was a dutiful son, and I was not sure the Emperor deserved him.

  “If there is anything you need, Crown Prince,” the physician said, “we’re here to serve you.”

  “You have my gratitude, Physician Sun.” Pheasant nodded solemnly. His gaze swept over me. A swift look, but long enough to warm my heart. We had seen each other more often recently, as he came to visit his father almost every day. Sometimes, when the other Talents were not watching, he would brush my arm or hold my hand, and sometimes, when he went to use the privy chamber, I would follow him. There we would share some precious private moments, and it would be the highlight of my day. “Uncle?”

  The Duke bowed slightly. “Nephew.”

  The old man looked his usual self, his face long and hard and his gaze arrogant. I wondered how the Duke managed to stay in good health. He was the Emperor’s brother-in-law, and they were the same age, but while the Emperor was in the throes of death, the Duke still stood strong. For the past three years, he had been the Emperor’s close assistant, taking direct orders from him, writing edicts for him when he lost control of his arm. Since the Emperor had become ill the year before, the Duke had acted on the Emperor’s behalf, giving orders to the ministers. At the moment, he was the most powerful man in the kingdom.

  “I must prepare for the inevitable,” Pheasant said. “I would like you to arrange a meeting with the astrologers, Uncle, and report to me the auspicious dates for burial in the coming months. Also, summon the mausoleum’s mural painters for me, as well as the craftsmen who will build the four divine animal statues for the burial. I would like to examine their works and make certain all matters regarding the funeral are taken care of.”

  His voice was loud and steady, full of command and authority. I was proud of Pheasant. During the past months, he had shown a strength that was unknown even to himself. He had learned the rituals of worshipping Heaven and Earth and the judicial and penal processes, and familiarized himself with the governments of the sixteen prefectures of the kingdom. He had gathered ministers together, charmed them, and even won the support of the General, the commander of the ninety-nine legions of the Gold Bird Guards, who safeguarded the palace.

  “Of course, Nephew,” the Duke said, looking hesitant, “yet I would advise you not to tell the women of this devastating news at the moment.”

  “Why?” Pheasant looked surprised.

  The Duke coughed, and when he spoke again, his voice was so low I had to strain to hear. “For the women are most petty minded and troublesome… If they know their fate…”

  “What fate?”

  “Naturally, your father’s women shall never be seen or touched by any other men, and he has ordered that those who have borne him children must dwell in the safe Yeting Court for the rest of their lives.”

  Pheasant frowned. “I see. But what about the women who have not borne a child?”

  “They will be sent to the Buddhist monasteries around the kingdom, where they will pray for the Emperor’s soul. This is for the best and a fine tradition that dynasties follow.”

  I froze. Buddhist monasteries? He was banishing us. He was demanding we become Buddhist nuns, the ones who severed their secular ties to the world, the ones who forsook joy and desire, the ones with only past and no future. If we were banished there, scattered to the remote corners of the kingdom, we would hear nothing but the sound of misery, feel nothing but sorrow, see nothing but death. Our lives would end.

  A chill swept over my body. The Emperor’s death would be my noose.

  “Buddhist monasteries?” Pheasant sounded shocked. “You can’t mean that.”

  “Yes, it is their duty. Our Emperor, praise him, who is most merciful, told me of this tradition some time ago. This order shall be effective once the unfortunate moment arrives.”

  “But there are so many women…hundreds. He wants all of them to spend the rest of their lives in monasteries, praying?”

  I could feel Pheasant’s eyes on me, and the Duke’s too. I turned away and fumbled among a pile of clothes I had worked on earlier. I found Pheasant’s coronation regalia, which I had embroidered during many nights while tending to the Emperor. I had put my heart and love into every stitch, imagining how splendid Pheasant would look when he sat on the throne. My hands trembling, I clutched the silk fabric tightly.

  The Duke’s voice rose. “In old times, these women would have been buried alive in the mausoleum.”

  Pheasant was quiet for a moment, and then he said, “I am glad that was in the ancient time only, and yet banishing them to the monasteries still seems to be a dated tradition. I shall not agree to that.” His resolute voice calmed me. Of course Pheasant would not let such a terrible fate befall me.

  “You must, Nephew,” the Duke said sharply. “As the future Emperor of the kingdom, you have a duty to fulfill your father’s wishes and continue carrying out the tradition.”

  I did not like the way the Duke spoke. He sounded so assertive, as thou
gh he were the Emperor himself. Perhaps he thought he was. He was used to the power he had acquired over the past years.

  “Uncle.” Pheasant sounded calm. “I believe, as the future Emperor of the kingdom, I am also entitled to make exceptions to the rules.”

  There was a sharp intake of breath from the Duke, as though he could not believe Pheasant’s open defiance. “Nephew!”

  This was not the first time Pheasant and the Duke had disagreed. Last night, I had heard them arguing about who should conduct the Emperor’s burial rite when the moment came. The Duke insisted on Taoist priests, as he claimed the Emperor would have wished, while Pheasant favored Buddhist monks.

  “I shall consent only if they express their wish to live in the monastery, Uncle. Otherwise, I would rather my father’s women spend the rest of their lives with their families. They have lived away from them long enough,” Pheasant said.

  That would be marvelous. And merciful. The ladies would be overjoyed. Some must have been separated from their families for more than twenty years. As for me, however, I had no home. My father, a wealthy governor who had believed I would grow up to be a ruler and bring my family glory, had died protecting me. After his death, I had lost my family’s enormous fortune, my ancestral house, and even my sisters. Now my mother, a cousin of a late empress, was destitute and homeless, a nun living in a dilapidated Buddhist monastery far away from the palace.

  Would the Duke send me to the same monastery where Mother lived? That would never happen, I realized. The Duke wanted us to die in loneliness, not to rejoice in family reunion. He would certainly send us to monasteries far away from Chang’an if he had his way.

  “Living with their families? And have them seen and touched by other base men? This is most unconventional and outrageous! Your father would not agree to this. None of the ministers will agree to this!”

  “If you wish, Uncle, we shall discuss the matter with the Secretary.” Secretary Fang, I knew, was on Pheasant’s side, and he would defend him against the Duke. “Come. They are waiting outside.” Pheasant waved and headed toward the bedchamber’s door. The Duke followed reluctantly.