Chapter Text
The Sacred Garden was filled with wondrous plants. Trees that blossomed and bore fruit all year round, flowers whose fragrance brought joy to the heart, and succulent berries that gleamed in the sunlight like precious gems.
The Dragon was the master and sole ruler of this garden. Yet neither the sweetness of the fruit, nor the beauty of the flowers, nor the tartness of the berry juice held any allure for him.
The dragon lay beneath a peach tree and slept. He had not slept for merely a hundred years, but perhaps a thousand. The garden grew ever denser and more beautiful, yet even the vines that wound themselves around his mighty body could not disturb his divine slumber.
But one day, a rosy peach broke from its branch and fell directly onto the dragon’s nose. In that very instant, the dragon awoke and looked around. What had disturbed his endless rest?
Everything around him was still in bloom. Only a small sweet peach lay upon a cushion of grass beside the dragon.
***
The rising spring sun illuminated a quiet village surrounded by dense bamboo groves. Despite the early hour, life was already in full swing. The villagers emerged from their humble huts to begin another day of labor: drawing water from the stream, scattering grain for the geese, turning the cows out to pasture, and heading for the rice fields.
Everyone here knew one another, as though they lived in a tiny world apart from the rest. Generation after generation, people remained where they had settled, with no desire to see what lay beyond this village forgotten by the gods. And why should they? The soil was fertile, the waters pure, and the forests rich with game. A true paradise far from political intrigue, the noise of war, and the filth of the cities.
Beneath a blooming peach tree sat a young ash-haired man, carefully carving a flute from a length of bamboo. All of his peers had long since gone to work, but he preferred idleness. Nearby, a stream murmured and crickets chirped. The pleasant coolness of morning and the fragrance of blossoms still lingered in the air. Pink petals drifted slowly upon the water, and the sun had only just begun to warm the earth. On such a wonderful day, it was hard to feel like doing anything at all.
A few final touches, and the bamboo flute was finished. The young man set down the knife and admired the result of his work. Just as he raised the flute to his lips, preparing to draw its first note, the peaceful atmosphere was suddenly shattered by the thunder of hooves and the loud whinnying of horses.
Several riders and wagons raced along the village’s only road and came to a halt in its center. The newcomers were richly dressed, and banners bearing the image of a golden dragon fluttered atop the wagons. Could it be... envoys from the capital?
The villagers abandoned their work and gathered around the strangers in astonishment. The village lay so far from the capital that no one even remembered which state it belonged to. Even the elders were seeing imperial banners for the first time in their lives.
The bamboo flute quickly lost its appeal for the idle young man. Tucking it into his belt, he sprang to his feet and joined the curious onlookers.
One of the riders dismounted and unfurled a long scroll, holding it high above his head so that everyone could see the imperial seal.
“In the name of the Emperor, I greet the people of this land. By our ancient tradition, every three years concubines are selected for His Majesty’s harem from all corners of the Empire. Let all unmarried young women between the ages of fifteen and nineteen form a line. We shall take three of them to the capital!”
The crowd immediately erupted into noise. Some protested indignantly, declaring that they would never give up their daughters, while others hurriedly urged their female relatives to step forward. Though the custom took place every three years, the Emperor’s servants had not reached this remote village on the frontier for half a century. Unaccustomed to such things, the villagers were deeply unsettled.
In the end, however, the rebellion that had scarcely begun was swiftly crushed. After all, what could ordinary farmers do against armed soldiers? Who were they to defy ancient traditions and the will of the Emperor?
And so all the village’s young women lined up as ordered. The man who had proclaimed the decree inspected them as though selecting livestock at a market. He peered into their mouths to examine the straightness of their teeth, ruffled their hair in search of parasites, and checked that their skin was clear and their legs straight.
Those who appeared sickly or physically flawed were dismissed at once. Then the less attractive girls were eliminated. At last, only three remained. Strong, healthy young women regarded as the greatest beauties in the village. The young men who had once courted them sighed in disappointment. Mothers wept, while younger children clung to the hems of their sisters’ dresses.
Caelus—that was the name of the ash-haired youth—watched the entire selection process. He knew all of the girls, of course, though he was not particularly close to any of them. Even so, he felt sorry for them.
They were still so young. None of them wished to leave their homes and families and travel to the far side of the world. The prospect of becoming a concubine in the Emperor's harem held no appeal for any of them.
The sobbing girls were led toward the wagons. The mother of one of them, tears streaming down her face, rushed forward, crying out and begging not to take away her only daughter. But the Emperor’s men stopped the distraught woman, paying no heed to her desperate pleas.
Caelus’s heart tightened. He knew that woman as well. A widow who had lost her husband young and devoted her entire life to caring for her beloved daughter. Now she would be left completely alone, with no one left to care for her in return...
“Wait!” Caelus shouted before the thoughts in his head had even formed into a coherent idea. “She—”
Everyone turned to him in surprise. Panicking, he began inventing a story on the spot.
“She can’t have children! She lost a baby last year and is barren now!”
The lead rider narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
“Is that true?” he asked the trembling girl.
She glanced uncertainly at Caelus and finally nodded. Then her mother began nodding as well, insisting that it was true and that she had lost an unborn grandchild the previous winter.
The rider cast a heavy look over all three of them. He was no fool and understood perfectly well that it could be a lie. But if it turned out to be true and a “tainted” woman entered the harem, disgrace and punishment would surely follow.
Seeing the man hesitate, Caelus took another desperate step and moved forward.
“Take me instead! I’m perfectly healthy!”
Silence hung in the air for several seconds before the rider burst out laughing.
“You? But you’re not a girl.”
That was true enough. Caelus scratched the back of his head awkwardly. Sometimes he acted faster than he could think.
“Then again...”
The man suddenly released the trembling girl and approached him. Taking hold of his chin, he turned his face from side to side and let his gaze travel over curves softer than one would normally expect of a man.
“You’re quite pleasing to look at. And there are young men in the Emperor’s harem as well. You won’t bear any heirs, but perhaps you can at least entertain His Majesty.”
Everyone knew that the current Emperor favored both women and men. Yet the young men of the harem were regarded merely as ornaments, and for them, beauty alone was enough. More was required of the women—each had to be capable of bearing a child. That was why barren women and those who had previously lost pregnancies were considered “tainted” and forbidden from entering the harem.
“You’re coming with us,” the rider finally declared, nodding to Caelus. “The tainted one may go.”
The weeping mother and daughter threw themselves into each other’s arms. Then they turned toward their savior, their eyes filled with silent gratitude. Caelus smiled. His ridiculous lie had helped keep a family together.
As for himself, he was not particularly troubled. The Emperor’s harem? So be it. He had nothing to lose. No family, no relatives, no close friends—Caelus was an orphan who had once been found in a basket floating down a stream. The villagers had raised him together, but in nineteen years of life he had never truly grown close to anyone. He had always been somewhat solitary, preferring to wander alone and shirk his work whenever he could.
His life had not been a bad one, but he felt no bitterness at leaving home behind. Deep down, he had always wanted to see more. To leave this forgotten little village and visit new places. To see the world beyond the bamboo forests and rice fields.
And most importantly—to try lots of different new foods.
So he climbed into the wagon in remarkably good spirits, unlike the two other girls, who continued to weep.
They cried for a long time. Caelus felt awkward, having no idea how to deal with tears. He tried to comfort them by painting fanciful pictures of how wonderful life in the imperial palace would be. But the girls only shook their heads and insisted that no palace could make them happy so far from their families.
He attempted to frighten them by warning that if they did not stop crying, their faces would remain swollen and red forever, and the Emperor would never even look at them. The girls only cried harder, wailing that they had no need for any Emperor and that they would be perfectly happy if he never looked at them at all.
Then Caelus suddenly remembered his treasure. Pulling the bamboo flute from his belt, he began to play a soft, gentle melody. By then dusk had begun to fall, and exhausted by a day spent in tears, the girls finally drifted off to sleep.
But Caelus continued to play as he gazed through the wagon’s small window. He watched fields give way to flower-covered meadows, dense forests, and other small villages. And for some reason, his heart felt lighter than it ever had before. Somehow, he was certain that a good life awaited him ahead.
**
The journey to the capital was unbearably long. By the third day, even the ever-optimistic Caelus had begun to grumble, echoing the girls’ complaints. They were given little food, and the wagon was cramped, hard, and constantly rattling. It was impossible to get enough sleep or eat one’s fill—who could enjoy that?
And yet, when the walls of the capital finally appeared beyond the window on the fifth day, all three of them forgot their complaints and homesickness for a moment.
Never in their lives had they seen anything like it.
Streets paved with stone and illuminated by hundreds of lanterns, richly dressed citizens riding in luxurious carriages, ponds filled with lotus blossoms and golden carp, towering pagodas, and imperial banners fluttering everywhere.
And above all—the palace.
The Imperial Palace was breathtaking in its splendor. An immense complex resembling the body of a colossal dragon coiled upon a hill. The sun blazed above crimson pagodas, terraces and galleries disappeared into lush gardens, and gleaming golden statues of divine beasts inspired awe. Surely this was the dwelling place of immortals.
Caelus sat with his mouth hanging open, twisting his head in every direction and nearly risking his neck. His two companions seemed to have forgotten all their sorrow in an instant as well. They chattered excitedly, constantly pointing at whatever caught their attention.
At last the wagon came to a stop before the section of the palace reserved for the harem, where several servants and eunuchs greeted the new arrivals.
The first thing they did was escort them to the bathhouses, which delighted Caelus beyond measure. The prospect of finally washing after nearly a week on the road felt like a true blessing. The baths were divided into separate sections for women and men, so Caelus was parted from the girls from his village.
In the bathhouse, he encountered several other newcomers, but all of them seemed to be in poor spirits and showed little interest in speaking with him.
Well, friends could always be made later. For now, there was the long-awaited pleasure of being clean.
The bathing chamber pleasantly surprised Caelus. He was accustomed to bathing in icy river water or pouring water heated over a fire onto himself, but this... this was entirely different.
A spacious bathhouse built of pristine white marble, stone tubs filled with hot water from copper boilers. The humid air was rich with the scents of osmanthus and lotus. And the grime of the road could be washed away with soap-root lather instead of simply being scrubbed off by hand.
But his moment of relaxation and communion with the element of water was interrupted by a less pleasant procedure. Just as Caelus was about to apply some pleasantly scented oil he had discovered, a physician entered the bathhouse.
The old man inspected each youth with painstaking thoroughness, examining every conceivable and inconceivable place to ensure the health of their bodies.
“With hips like those, you ought to have been born a woman. You could have given birth to a great many children,” the elderly physician teased, casting an approving glance at Caelus’s plump thighs.
Caelus was just about to thank him for the compliment when sarcastic snickers arose from nearby. Evidently, the other young men did not consider being compared to a woman a compliment. All of them were taller and more heavily built than he was.
Caelus merely shrugged. He had never harbored any doubts about his appearance, and a few mocking glances certainly were not going to change that.
After the inspection and bathing, they were all given fresh, clean clothing. Caelus’s mood improved even more. The soft, flowing fabrics were so light and pleasant to the touch—nothing like his usual coarse homespun shirts that made his skin itch. And his stiff leather boots were replaced with comfortable silk shoes.
The clothing for both girls and boys was very beautiful. The girls wore long skirts and embroidered robes with wide sleeves, all in different colors, like buds blooming in spring. The boys were given slightly more restrained colors and simpler cuts.
Caelus was a little confused about how to properly tie his belt, couldn’t arrange his hair nicely, and kept catching his sleeves on everything, but he still liked his new appearance. When all the newcomers had finally tidied themselves up and gathered in the main hall of the harem, the senior eunuch Zhao Wei began instructing them in the rules of their new life.
Caelus could not bring himself to listen attentively. He was too interested in examining the surroundings. They stood in a spacious room used for general gatherings or rest. Maple floorboards creaked nobly, flowers in porcelain vases filled the air with fragrance, and freshly brewed tea was already steaming on small tables.
“…Attentiveness and the ability to listen are but a few of the many virtues you will have to learn,” eunuch Zhao raised his voice slightly, noticing that some were drifting off instead of listening to his instructions. Unfortunately, Caelus was too absorbed in looking at a scroll of calligraphy on the wall.
“Boy!” the eunuch finally could not restrain himself and shouted at the top of his voice. Caelus almost jumped in place. “Do you take my words for empty sound? Are the instructions of this old servant unworthy of your ears?”
Caelus blinked rapidly and shook his head. He did not wish to anger eunuch Zhao, but listening to an endless list of rules and duties was indeed very boring.
“What is your name?” the eunuch asked, approaching him.
“Caelus.”
“What a strange name…”
Caelus shrugged. Why the people of his native village had chosen such a name for him remained a mystery to him as well.
Seeing no remorse in the golden eyes, Zhao Wei sighed and, wagging his finger, said:
“Stop standing there with your mouth open, boy. This is not your village. The concubines of His Majesty are expected to be modest, to listen, and to respect their elders. If you misbehave, you will be thrown out in an instant. Understood?”
Caelus reluctantly nodded. He liked misbehaving, but he did not want to be thrown out.
The introductionary speech of the eunuch finally came to an end, and at last dinner began. Other concubines entered the hall as well—those who had already lived here for years. The moment they crossed the threshold, tension settled into the air.
Competition and hierarchy. They considered themselves better, higher than those who had just entered the palace today. Even if they were only concubines of the lowest rank, each of them now felt like a true empress. After all, at last there were others in the harem beneath them.
Caelus was not particularly bothered by the arrogant gazes of some or the envious looks of others. Before him lay freshly steamed buns with various fillings, candied fruit, dumplings in broth, and hot tea. Who cared about palace intrigues when such a feast was spread across the table?
But the appetizing mantou never made it to his mouth.
“How dare you?!” a sharp voice rang out directly above him.
Caelus looked up, meeting the gaze of an unhappy young man.
He was handsome, but his refined features were twisted with anger and contempt.
“You took my seat, village mutt. Your table is over there—with the other refuse.”
The young man gestured somewhere to the side. Caelus looked in that direction and saw that all the newcomers were indeed gathered in one place, and the food on their tables was far more modest.
He had not realized the seating was assigned! He had simply chosen an empty spot… Why insult him right away?
“Oh, I see,” Caelus said, still putting the mantou into his mouth, which made the beautiful face of the concubine twist even further. “But your food looks so delicious. Don’t you want to share it with a new friend?”
“Share?! F-friend?!” The concubine’s eye twitched at such audacity.
But before he could erupt into another wave of righteous fury, a pretty girl with unusual fiery-red hair approached them.
“Qi Yang, leave the boy alone. Do you want to poison him with your venom on the very first day?” The girl smiled kindly at Caelus, then took him by the arm and pulled him away. “Come with us to our table. The company there is much nicer. My name is Guinaifen, and this is Sushang.”
Sushang turned out to be the friend of the red-haired savior. Caelus introduced himself and gratefully joined them for lunch. After observing the people around him for a while, he noticed that Guinaifen and Sushang were different from the rest. Although both were clearly not newcomers, there was no arrogance in their gaze.
The easygoing nature of the girls helped Caelus quickly feel at ease in their company. The concubines were pleased to have a new listener and immediately began their favorite activity in the harem—gossip.
“You’d better not get involved with Qi Yang. He has a terrible temper. Though you’ve probably already realized that,” Guinaifen whispered, nodding toward the arrogant young man who had refused to share his buns.
“He thinks he’s better than everyone because he comes from a noble family. And also because the Emperor summoned him three times. Now he struts around the harem like a peacock, looking down on everyone as if they were dirt,” Sushang added.
Caelus cast another glance at the “peacock.” Qi Yang was not sitting—he was perched upon his silk cushion as though it were a royal throne. He ate slowly, with dignity, carefully picking up small bites with chopsticks and chewing thoroughly. Beside him sat two younger boys, but they did not eat with him; instead, they poured his tea and held out embroidered cloths to wipe crumbs from the corners of his mouth.
A piece of mantou even fell from Caelus’s mouth at the sight. The scene… was mesmerizing. But then Sushang’s words finally sank in, and he asked in surprise:
“The Emperor summoned him three times? Is that a lot?”
“More than a lot! Most people only step into the Emperor’s chambers once in their entire lives. He and one other concubine are the only ones who have been there more than once.”
Caelus even stopped eating his mantou. Could it be that the Emperor was so particular that he did not wish to see anyone more than once?
“Don’t all of you visit the Emperor’s chambers all the time?” he asked in even greater surprise.
Guinaifen and Sushang exchanged glances, then suddenly burst into laughter.
“What are you talking about? We’ve lived here for four years and have never even seen His Majesty. Those lucky enough to meet him are true favorites of fortune.”
This completely defied Caelus’s understanding. So there was a chance that, for his entire life, he might never even catch a glimpse of the Emperor? What kind of man was he, anyway? Caelus suddenly realized he knew absolutely nothing about him. Not what kind of person he was, not how old he was, not even his name. To him, a poor boy from a remote village, the Emperor was like a celestial being—untouchable, as though he did not truly exist at all.
And yet now he was here, in the imperial harem, but the ruler was no closer—still somewhere beyond the reach of imagination.
While Caelus was lost in thought, Sushang sighed gloomily.
“Ah, we really are an unlucky generation. They say the previous Emperor was quite the pleasure-seeker. But this one is like a monk. He never summons concubines of his own will, only receives those brought to him by eunuchs.”
“He does receive them, but he still doesn’t touch them,” Guinaifen added. “Last month, a girl returned from his chambers and said he spent the entire night over military maps. He told her to practice calligraphy instead—he didn’t even look at her!”
“Yes, yes. And in the morning he gifted her a jade bracelet and sent her back. Oh, how she cried! And she had hoped to bear an heir and become Empress!”
Caelus listened, sipping his tea. Life here was interesting! In his village, he could never have dreamed of such gossip.
“And it’s like that with everyone,” the girls sighed in unison. “They leave for the night, and in the morning return with a gift of jewelry. And they are never summoned again.”
The image of the Emperor began to take shape little by little. An uninterested, impotent old man who gave gifts as a polite form of rejection.
Caelus did not share the lamentations of his new friends. Even if he never saw the Emperor—so what? He would be perfectly content remaining a concubine of the lowest rank. Even that unremarkable status promised a comfortable life.
From Guinaifen and Sushang’s further stories, he learned about the duties and privileges of life in the harem. No hard labor in the fields or on farms—only minor tasks like helping in the kitchen or with cleaning. Concubines were expected to study, take care of themselves, and follow the rules. That was all. The last point did not appeal to Caelus much, but he decided it was a small price to pay for the chance to eat well, sleep softly, and dress beautifully.
He had no intention of getting involved in palace intrigue or competing for the Emperor’s attention. Let Qi Yang and the others dreaming of becoming Empress deal with that. He would live quietly and peacefully.
So he decided.
**
He could not sleep. Whether it was the excitement of the eventful day or a growing hunger, he could not tell. Caelus already regretted refusing a second helping at dinner. Unfortunately, all the tables in the dining hall had been cleared completely, leaving no chance of finding a midnight snack.
Perhaps some fresh air would help him clear his head?
Caelus silently rose from his bed and slipped out of the shared dormitory. Earlier that day, he had noticed a door often used by servants. Passing through it, he found himself in a long covered corridor connecting two pavilions. To the left stretched a wonderful garden.
Stepping quietly along the wooden planks, Caelus breathed in the scent of flowers and freshness. The harem had been rather stuffy, the air saturated with perfumes, incense, and food. The night coolness was a welcome relief after a whole day spent indoors.
As he was nearly reaching the end of the corridor, Caelus suddenly noticed a true treasure. A tall tree with spreading branches. Unlike its companions, it had long since shed its blossoms and was covered in lush green leaves. And most importantly—between the foliage, fruit could be seen.
Ripe peaches the color of warm creamy jade, with blushing sides. The branches bent under their weight, and moonlight illuminated their velvety skin, making them seem to glow in the darkness.
Caelus’s mouth watered. Peaches at this time of year? The flowering season had not even ended yet, and yet here were such large, perfectly ripe fruits!
Glancing around furtively, the young man rubbed his hands in anticipation. Then he nimbly jumped onto the lowest branch and began to climb the tree.
He had no idea that he would soon be caught…