有車鄰鄰、有馬白顛。
未見君子、寺人之令。

He has many carriages, giving forth their lin-lin; he has horses with their white foreheads.
Before we can see our prince, we must get the services of the eunuch.

Fragment of《車鄰 - Che Lin》Odes of Qin

***

"As you can see the courtyard is to the left of us, the palaces of the concubines are situated around it. You will see those better when the occupants have arrived."

The Matron and Head Eunuch were finishing up the tour through the Imperial Palace, Xiān Chí and Jīn Sù had been subjected to the moment they had arrived. It had been a long day and even longer journey and neither woman was all that interested in the amount of Peony trees located in the courtyard of Tranquility.

"Now this is where both of you will reside before the wedding ceremony. I'll leave you to explore it in your own time as it is time for dinner."

They were left alone in the big soulless palace, the clicking of shoes the only indication there had been other people with them moments before. Maids and eunuchs would arrive soon enough with their dinner, while other servants would take their luggage to place in the appropriate places. There would be very little work left for Xiān Chí and even less for Jīn Sù, apart from lying back and letting it all happen.

"What do you think, it is quite beautiful here, isn't it?"

It truly was a magnificent place to live. Xiān Chí was no stranger to extraordinary sights, the Heavens were a place of wonder after all, but the Imperial Palace was truly above and beyond her imagination.

"Yes, it is, though I wonder if it will stay that way after being here an eternity."

The maids served dinner before making themselves scarce again, far enough away to give the illusion of privacy and close by enough to hear a command for assistance.

"So you believe the legend regarding the peaches? I did not see any garden that could pass for the Orchard of the Peaches of Immortality."

Xiān Chí chose a particular nice looking piece of meat before handing it to Jīn Sù for her to eat. Only after she was sure the other had enough did she choose something for herself.

"Of course, how else what Xīwángmǔ be able to reign for as long as she has. It is only logical to assume the legend is true. Though if we will be able to reap the benefits of those fabled fruit is the more important question. Or to better phrase it, do you want to live for all eternity?"

The conversation had gone to dangerous waters within a moment, Xiān Chí threw a quick glance at the maids around them, and though none of them seemed to be listening to their conversation, did she knew it a lie. Everything they said here, especially things that could be seen as rebellious would be reported to the Queen Mother.

"I do not think so, what would I do for all eternity? I know that that is the purpose of life, to reach for immortality, but what when you have reached that state. Everyone you knew and loved are long gone and only you remain."

It was something her master had warned her about. His master before him had reached immortality after a centuries long struggle, only to realise that the people he had fought so hard for were long gone. It had made him realise immortality was a lie to sell the desperate.

"No, I would prefer to live short and hard, to treasure every day and leave this world when the time is there. In the knowledge that the people I treasure the most will be left a better place than I grew up in."

That was the most important thing he had taught his followers, and a creed Xiān Chí's own master was still rigorously following; don't strive for immortality. Strive to make the world a better place, even if you think your resources are too limited to matter in the long run.

Jīn Sù seemed to think long about the ideas Xiān Chí had offered before she spoke her own mind.

"Though you could say, that that is an excellent reason to live forever. How else could you gather enough power to create the changes necessary for that."

And once more they had breached those dangerous waters. It didn't take more than a moment for Xiān Chí to realise Jīn Sù had been coursing for that very destination all along and was eagerly waiting for her to answer the loaded question.

"No, I do not want to. I wouldn't say no, if the opportunity arises and my loved ones join me on that road. But if it will be just me alone, no, then I wouldn't wish for the curse of immortality. Though it might sound weird for me, a cultivator, to say so; it is the truth."

Once more silence fell between them, only the soft chirping of the birds outside the palace walls penetrating the silence. Till at once Jīn Sù turned around and stood up to stand next to where Xiān Chí was laying on her lounge. Her hand resting on Xiān Chí's shoulder, the only contact they were permitted under the watchful eye of the maids.

"Thank you."

For what, it wasn't too clear, her honesty, Xiān Chí hoped. That was all she could give Jīn Sù. Nothing more nor less, after all, her loved one was the one who would decide in the end. Xiān Chí could only follow and hope for the best.

***

"How long do you think it will take before we will see the Crown Prince?"

It had been months since Xiān Chí had arrived in the Imperial Palace, and though there had been several times Jīn Sù, and therefore Xiān Chí, had been invited by the Queen Mother; the Crown Prince was yet to show his face.

"I do not know, I had imagined we would have been introduced already."

Jīn Sù was his betrothed and though the Prince was yet too young to properly marry, it was strange his bride had not yet seen him. It wasn't exactly proper for betrothed to meet often before the marriage, but to live in the same space and never meet, was even more strange.

"Maybe something is wrong with him, maybe he can't meet you because he is too sick."

There were several other reasons Xiān Chí could come up with, but none of them sounded good enough to out loud where others could hear them. Maybe the reason Jīn Sù had been chosen as the bride truly was because no one else wanted to give their daughter to the Crown Prince.

"No, I do not believe something is wrong. For all we know he is just younger than we thought and not ready to be faced with the woman he will marry."

That sounded like a far better option than Xiān Chí had been fearing for. Gratefully she nodded along to Jīn Sù's stream of thought as they walked around the Imperial Palace Courtyards.

They had been living in the palace since last Autumn and everyday they still found new places to explore. This particular Courtyard was the latest find, one Xiān Chí was very pleased about.

It was near Jīn Sù's Palace of Luminous Deportment, and it was truly a miracle they had never walked in it before. Encompassed by Peony trees and a small pond with Koi fish, made it a truly captivating sight that would never bore.

Xiān Chí readied herself to remind Jīn Sù that it was time to return to the Palace of Luminous Deportment if they wanted to have some privacy before the banquet Xīwángmǔ had announced, when they heard the voice of a young man closely followed by thunderous footsteps on the gravel.

"You'll never catch me Xuán Hú!"

"Not fair! I am not allowed to run and you know it!"

"Like that ever stopped you."

Two boys of around fifteen appeared from behind a garden wall and ran right into Xiān Chí and Jīn Sù. Pushing the latter one on the ground before Xiān Chí even knew what was happening, so much for being on guard every moment.

"Hey! Watch where you are going."

The boy startled, but quickly stood up to continue on his flight from his assaulter who was speed-walking and had just appeared from behind the very same wall.

"Chéng Tù! You are in so much trouble once I catch you, let alone when I tell—"

He looked just as startled and, just like the other boy, ignored their presence completely to continue pursuing the other.

"Well, that was surprising."

Jīn Sù didn't look one bit startled at being run into the ground by adolescent males.

"It brings life to the Imperial Palace, something we should treasure."

The boys' screams could still be heard, though they became fainter every second. Xiān Chí was sure that if they weren't caught by someone and admonished she would see them again soon enough. Maybe that time there would be time for an introduction, because what child dared to do what they just did without the assurance no one would harm them.