for the Imperial ladies, although I know plenty about the eunuchs.”
“It will be my pleasure to share my knowledge with you.” Her eyes glowed.
Someone yelled, “On your knees!”
A group of eunuchs rushed in and lined up in front of us. We dropped to our knees.
Chief Eunuch Shim appeared through the arched door. He struck a pose, lifting the side of his robe with his right hand. He made a single step and came into full view.
From my knees I saw Chief Eunuch Shim’s blue boat-shaped boots. He held the silence. I felt his power and authority. Strangely, I admired his manner.
“His Majesty Emperor Hsien Feng and Her Majesty the Grand Empress Lady Jin summon …” Pitching his voice, Chief Eunuch Shim sang out several names. “… and Nuharoo and Yehonala!”
Four
I HEARD THE SOUND of my dangling headwear and earrings. The girls in front of me swayed gracefully in their magnificent silk robes and high platform shoes. The eunuchs walked back and forth around the seven of us, constantly responding to the hand signals of Chief Eunuch Shim.
We passed through countless courtyards and arched doors. Finally we arrived in the entry hall of the Palace of Peace and Longevity. My inner shirt was soaked with sweat. I was afraid I would humiliate myself. I glanced at Nuharoo. She was as calm as a moon in a pond. A lovely smile hung between her cheeks. Her makeup was still immaculate.
We were led to a side room and given a few moments to freshen our appearance. Inside the hall His Majesty and Her Majesty were said to be sitting. When Shim went in and announced our arrival, the air around the girls intensified. Our small movements made our jewelry clatter like poorly made wind chimes. I felt a slight dizziness.
I heard Chief Eunuch Shim’s voice, but was too nervous to figure out what he was announcing. His syllables sounded distorted, like those of an opera singer playing a ghost, speaking in a stylized tone.
A girl next to me suddenly dropped. Her knees had given in. Before I was able to assist her, the eunuchs came and removed her.
Buzzing noises filled my ears. I took several deep breaths so I wouldn’t lose control like the other girl. My limbs were stiff and I didn’t know where to place my hands. The more I thought about calming my-self, the worse my composure became. My body began to tremble. To distract myself, I stared at the art works around the doorframe. Calligraphy written in gold on a black wooden board featured four giant characters:
cloud, absorption, star
and
glory.
The girl who had collapsed returned. She looked as pale as a cut-paper doll.
“His Majesty and Her Majesty!” Chief Eunuch Shim announced as he entered. “Good luck, girls!”
With Nuharoo leading and me as the tail, the seven of us were guided through a wall formed by the eunuchs.
Emperor Hsien Feng and the Grand Empress Lady Jin sat on a
kang,
a bed-sized chair covered with bright yellow silk. Her Majesty was on the right side and His Majesty on the left. The rectangular room was spacious with a high ceiling. There were two potted orange coral trees on each side of the room against the walls. The trees looked too perfect to be real. The court ladies and the eunuchs stood against the walls with their hands folded before them. Four eunuchs, each holding a long-handled peacock-feather fan, stood behind the chair. Behind them was a huge tapestry with a rainbow-colored Chinese character—
shou,
longevity. Looking closer, I noticed that the character was made up of hundreds of embroidered butterflies. Next to the tapestry was an ancient fungus, as tall as a man, in a golden pan. Opposite the fungus was a painting entitled
The Immortal Land of the Queen Mother of the Middle Kingdom.
It had a Taoist goddess riding a crane in the sky, looking down at a magical landscape of pavilions, streams, animals and trees, under which children played. In front of the painting was a carved red sandalwood container. It had a riotous mass of double
“It will be my pleasure to share my knowledge with you.” Her eyes glowed.
Someone yelled, “On your knees!”
A group of eunuchs rushed in and lined up in front of us. We dropped to our knees.
Chief Eunuch Shim appeared through the arched door. He struck a pose, lifting the side of his robe with his right hand. He made a single step and came into full view.
From my knees I saw Chief Eunuch Shim’s blue boat-shaped boots. He held the silence. I felt his power and authority. Strangely, I admired his manner.
“His Majesty Emperor Hsien Feng and Her Majesty the Grand Empress Lady Jin summon …” Pitching his voice, Chief Eunuch Shim sang out several names. “… and Nuharoo and Yehonala!”
Four
I HEARD THE SOUND of my dangling headwear and earrings. The girls in front of me swayed gracefully in their magnificent silk robes and high platform shoes. The eunuchs walked back and forth around the seven of us, constantly responding to the hand signals of Chief Eunuch Shim.
We passed through countless courtyards and arched doors. Finally we arrived in the entry hall of the Palace of Peace and Longevity. My inner shirt was soaked with sweat. I was afraid I would humiliate myself. I glanced at Nuharoo. She was as calm as a moon in a pond. A lovely smile hung between her cheeks. Her makeup was still immaculate.
We were led to a side room and given a few moments to freshen our appearance. Inside the hall His Majesty and Her Majesty were said to be sitting. When Shim went in and announced our arrival, the air around the girls intensified. Our small movements made our jewelry clatter like poorly made wind chimes. I felt a slight dizziness.
I heard Chief Eunuch Shim’s voice, but was too nervous to figure out what he was announcing. His syllables sounded distorted, like those of an opera singer playing a ghost, speaking in a stylized tone.
A girl next to me suddenly dropped. Her knees had given in. Before I was able to assist her, the eunuchs came and removed her.
Buzzing noises filled my ears. I took several deep breaths so I wouldn’t lose control like the other girl. My limbs were stiff and I didn’t know where to place my hands. The more I thought about calming my-self, the worse my composure became. My body began to tremble. To distract myself, I stared at the art works around the doorframe. Calligraphy written in gold on a black wooden board featured four giant characters:
cloud, absorption, star
and
glory.
The girl who had collapsed returned. She looked as pale as a cut-paper doll.
“His Majesty and Her Majesty!” Chief Eunuch Shim announced as he entered. “Good luck, girls!”
With Nuharoo leading and me as the tail, the seven of us were guided through a wall formed by the eunuchs.
Emperor Hsien Feng and the Grand Empress Lady Jin sat on a
kang,
a bed-sized chair covered with bright yellow silk. Her Majesty was on the right side and His Majesty on the left. The rectangular room was spacious with a high ceiling. There were two potted orange coral trees on each side of the room against the walls. The trees looked too perfect to be real. The court ladies and the eunuchs stood against the walls with their hands folded before them. Four eunuchs, each holding a long-handled peacock-feather fan, stood behind the chair. Behind them was a huge tapestry with a rainbow-colored Chinese character—
shou,
longevity. Looking closer, I noticed that the character was made up of hundreds of embroidered butterflies. Next to the tapestry was an ancient fungus, as tall as a man, in a golden pan. Opposite the fungus was a painting entitled
The Immortal Land of the Queen Mother of the Middle Kingdom.
It had a Taoist goddess riding a crane in the sky, looking down at a magical landscape of pavilions, streams, animals and trees, under which children played. In front of the painting was a carved red sandalwood container. It had a riotous mass of double
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