Free Empress Orchid by Anchee Min

astrologer, I was to enter the Forbidden City on a particular day and hour—the Imperial Guards would fetch me when the proper moment arrived. The head eunuch gave my family a set of instructions to follow regarding court ritual and etiquette. He pa-tiently went over the details with us. Kuei Hsiang would stand in my father’s place. And Rong would be given a dress for the day. My mother was granted ten thousand taels to furnish the house. Her mouth fell open when she saw the taels being carried into the room in cases. She quickly became afraid of robbery. She asked Kuei Hsiang to keep the windows and door locked at all times. The head eunuch told my mother not to worry, since the house was already heavily guarded. “Not a fly will get in, mistress.”
    I asked the head eunuch if I was allowed to visit friends. I wished to say goodbye to Big Sister Fann.
    “No,” he told me.
    I was disappointed. I asked Rong to return the dress I had borrowed from Big Sister Fann, and to take her three hundred taels as a farewell gift. Rong went immediately and came back with Big Sister Fann’s blessing.
    For many days Mother and Rong shopped while Kuei Hsiang and I cleaned and decorated the house. We hired laborers to do the heavy work. We put on a new roof, repaired the old walls, installed new windows and fixed the broken gate. My uncle took the opportunity to order a brand-new redwood door, elaborately carved with the image of the god of money. We replaced the old furniture and painted the walls. We hired the best carpenters and artists in town. Everyone took his job as a great honor. Fancy patterns were created on window frames and doorsills, mimicking the Imperial style. The craftsmen made incense holders, altar tables and staircases. Sometimes they had to work with toothpick-sized knives in order to fashion the desired details.
    The head eunuch came to inspect the house after the work was completed. He made no comment and his expression revealed little. He showed up again the next day, however, and brought with him a group of people. They tore apart the whole place and said that they had to start from scratch. The roof, the walls, the windows, even Uncle’s new door—all of it had to go.
    “The decree will not be delivered if your door faces the wrong direction!” the head eunuch said to Mother and Uncle.
    Nervous, Mother and Uncle begged for advice.
    “Which direction do you think you should kneel to thank His Majesty?” the eunuch asked, and then answered his own question. “North! Because the Emperor always sits facing the south.”
    My family followed the head eunuch as he walked around the house, pointing his finger at everything.
    “The shade of paint is wrong.” His hand drew circles in the room. “It should be a warm beige instead of a cold beige. His Majesty expects cheerfulness!”
    “But Orchid told us that His Majesty would not be present in our house,” Mother said. “Did Orchid misunderstand?”
    The eunuch shook his head. “You must learn to see that you are no longer your old self. You have become part of His Majesty, and you represent the Imperial aesthetics and principles. What you did with your house could ruin the appearance of the Son of Heaven! My head wouldn’t be where it sits if I allowed you to do whatever you like. Look at your curtains! They are made of cotton! Didn’t I tell you that cotton is for ordinary people and silk is for the Imperial family? Did my words go through your ears like the wind? It’ll bring your daughter bad luck if you try to be cheap!”
    At my repeated pleading the head eunuch agreed to let us get out of the house while his men conducted the renovation. Mother took us to Peking’s most prestigious teahouses, in an expensive shopping district called Wangfooching. For the first time Mother spent like a rich lady. She tipped the busboy, the kitchen hands, even the stove man. The owners themselves brought the finest wines to our table. I was glad to see Mother