Feigning Death

"Say that again?"

Shen Lümian rubbed her eyes, thinking her ears must be playing tricks on her.

Liu Ruyan shoved a cloth bundle into her arms and spoke rapidly: "A death-feigning drug. One packet per dose, taken with warm water. Within half an hour, your pulse will grow weak and your breathing barely perceptible. You'll look just like a corpse. The effects last six hours, and then you'll wake up naturally."

Shen Lümian looked down at the bundle. It was gray and drab, tied with a red string—no different from the shoddy snack packets sold on the street.

"Are you sure this is a death-feigning drug and not a laxative?"

Liu Ruyan ignored her, turned, and handed another bundle to Zhang Xiuyi, who was standing nearby. Zhang Xiuyi received it with both hands, her fingers trembling, her eyes red-rimmed and nose pink—looking like a startled rabbit.

"Sister Ruyan, will this... will this really work?"

"Whether it works or not, do you have another choice?" Liu Ruyan countered.

Zhang Xiuyi opened her mouth but couldn't get a word out.

Shen Lümian surveyed the people in the room. Besides herself and Liu Ruyan, there were five others—Zhang Xiuyi, Wang Jieyu, Sun Guiren, Zhao Daying, and one concubine whose name she couldn't recall, a stranger who must have crawled out of some obscure corner. Seven people crammed into her bedchamber, which was less than ten paces wide. The air was stifling, thick with the mingled scents of face powder and sweat, making her temples throb.

"Everyone's here," Liu Ruyan said, closing the door and sliding the bolt. She pulled the curtain shut, confirming no light could be seen from outside, then lowered her voice. "I'll say this only once. Listen carefully."

Everyone looked at her.

"Tonight, at the chou hour, we leave in two groups. The first group of four enters through the hidden passage behind the rockery in the Imperial Garden. The second group of three enters through the hidden passage beside the well at the Laundry Bureau. The two passages converge outside the palace walls. From the meeting point, go east for three li—there's a river with a boat waiting. Once on board, follow the current downstream, and we'll reach the ferry thirty li outside the city before dawn. At the ferry, everyone goes their separate ways. No one knows anyone."

She spoke quickly and clearly, as if she'd recited it a hundred times.

Shen Lümian couldn't help asking, "How do you know about the passages?"

"I spent six months mapping them out." Liu Ruyan glanced at her. "Did you think I spent all my days embroidering in the palace?"

Shen Lümian thought about it. She really hadn't seen Liu Ruyan embroidering at all. This woman was always either visiting people or gathering information—she'd assumed it was just the daily pastime of palace women, never realizing she was scouting the terrain.

"It's dark in the passages," Liu Ruyan continued. "Bring your own light. Candles will do. Don't bring oil lamps—they'll spill easily. There are three forks along the way—"

"Wait," Shen Lümian raised her hand. "Three forks? Which way do we go?"

Liu Ruyan pulled a slip of paper from her sleeve. On it were crooked lines that vaguely outlined the palace grounds. She pointed at the drawing. "First fork, go left. Second fork, go right. Third fork, go left again. Got it?"

Shen Lümian glanced at the drawing. The lines were dense and the forks poorly marked. Looking at it for two seconds made her head ache.

"Got it," she said.

She hadn't actually memorized it. But she figured she could just follow the crowd—no need for her to lead the way.

Liu Ruyan's gaze lingered on her face for a moment, as if she'd noticed something, but she said nothing. She turned to the others. "Let me stress the usage of the death-feigning drug again—take it with warm water. Takes effect in half an hour. After taking it, find a place to lie down and don't move. While the drug is active, your body will stiffen, but your consciousness will remain. You'll be able to hear sounds and feel pain—you just won't be able to move. After six hours, the effects wear off, and you'll wake up as if from a nap."

"You can hear sounds?" Wang Jieyu's face turned pale. "Then... what if someone comes to collect the bodies..."

"The body collectors won't come until the chen hour tomorrow," Liu Ruyan said. "We take the drug at the chou hour, enter the passages at the yin hour. By the time the drug wears off, we'll already be on the boat. The timing fits perfectly."

"And if it doesn't fit perfectly?" Zhao Daying's voice was as thin as a mosquito's whine.

Liu Ruyan didn't answer that question. She folded the map, tucked it back into her sleeve, and swept her eyes across everyone's faces.

"One more thing. About tonight's operation—once you walk out this door, not a word to anyone. There are still over twenty concubines in the palace who don't know about this. I can't guarantee none of them will inform on us. So—keep your mouths shut."

Everyone nodded like chickens pecking at rice.

"Dismissed. Back to your rooms. Gather at your respective passage entrances at the chou hour. Group one, don't forget—behind the rockery, at the chou hour."

The women began filing out. Zhang Xiuyi reached the door, then turned back and grabbed Liu Ruyan's sleeve. "Sister Ruyan, I'm scared."

Liu Ruyan patted the back of her hand. "If you're scared, think about that posthumous edict. Between fear and death, you pick one."

Zhang Xiuyi bit her lip and left.

Only Shen Lümian and Liu Ruyan remained in the room.

Liu Ruyan gathered the scattered drug packets from the table, counted them, and pulled one out to hand to Shen Lümian.

"This one's yours."

Shen Lümian took it, weighed it in her hand, and thought it felt a bit light.

"Is this stuff reliable? Who got it?"

"Imperial Physician Chen from the Imperial Medical Bureau." Liu Ruyan tidied the things on the table without looking up. "He owes me a favor."

"What kind of favor?"

"You don't need to know."

Shen Lümian brought the packet up to her nose and sniffed. There was a faint bitter smell, like burnt herbs.

"What about the dosage? How much do I take?"

"Take the whole packet."

"The whole thing? This entire packet?" Shen Lümian weighed the bundle again. "Isn't that too much? I'm frail, what if—"

"Imperial Physician Chen prepared it according to each person's constitution. Your packet is your dose—don't overthink it." Liu Ruyan finally looked up at her. "Lümian, were you not listening?"

"I was listening, I was listening." Shen Lümian tucked the packet into her sleeve. "Take with warm water, takes effect in half an hour, wears off in six hours. Three forks: left, right, left."

"Left, right, left."

"Right. Left, right, left."

Liu Ruyan stared at her for two breaths and sighed.

"Come with me. I'll go over the route with you again."

"No need, I'll just follow you—"

"I'm taking a different passage." Liu Ruyan's voice cooled slightly. "I'm in the first group. You're in the second group. We're not entering through the same entrance."

Shen Lümian was stunned. She'd assumed she'd be going with Liu Ruyan.

"Why?"

"Too many people on one route is asking for trouble. Split into two groups—if one group gets caught, the other still has a chance." Liu Ruyan walked over to her, bent down, and looked her straight in the eyes. "Shen Lümian, listen to me carefully. The second group enters beside the well at the Laundry Bureau. Once you're inside—"

"Wait, let me get something to write this down."

Shen Lümian found a piece of paper and a stub of charcoal, ready to jot down the route. Liu Ruyan watched her fumbling for paper and pen, the corner of her mouth twitching.

"Forget it. I'll draw it for you."

Liu Ruyan took the paper and pen, and in a few swift strokes sketched a simple map. Much clearer than the last one—the passage's course, the direction of each fork, and the exit's location were all marked plainly. She also drew a circle at the exit and wrote beside it: "Boat by the river."

"Keep it safe. Don't lose it."

Shen Lümian took the paper, glanced at it, folded it twice, and tucked it into her sleeve—the same sleeve as the drug packet.

Liu Ruyan's brow furrowed slightly, but she said nothing.

"It's getting late. Go rest for a while, and get up at the chou hour to move." She walked to the door, then looked back at Shen Lümian. "Lümian."

"Hmm?"

"Don't oversleep."

Shen Lümian yawned. "Don't worry, I set an ala—" She paused. There were no alarm clocks in the palace. "I'll have my maid wake me."

"Can your maid be trusted?"

"My maid's name is Chunxing. She comes to wake me every day at the mao hour, rain or shine."

"She won't come at the chou hour."

Shen Lümian thought about it. She supposed that was a problem.

"Then... I stay awake?"

Liu Ruyan looked at her, a look that clearly said, "Can you handle that?"

"Up to you." She pushed open the door and left.

After the door closed, the room fell quiet again. Shen Lümian sat by the table, staring at the candle that was nearly spent. The flame flickered, casting a wavering shadow on the wall.

She pulled the drug packet from her sleeve and set it on the table. A gray, drab cloth bundle tied with red string, looking almost like a joke. This was her hope of survival—a packet of mysterious powder, a map drawn on scrap paper, and a route she hadn't memorized.

She should have been afraid. But fatigue came faster than fear.

Shen Lümian rested her head on the table, burying her face in her arms. She'd just doze for a little while, get up at the chou hour. It wasn't like she'd sleep that long...

She closed her eyes.

In that moment, she fell into a dead sleep.

Shen Lümian was jolted awake by urgent knocking.

"Cairen! Cairen! Wake up!"

She sat up sharply, nearly falling off her chair. The candle on the table had gone out. The room was pitch dark, with only a sliver of moonlight filtering through the paper window. She had no idea what hour it was, but her whole body was sore and numb—clearly she'd been sleeping for a while.

"Who is it?" she asked in a low voice.

"It's me! Sun Guiren!" The voice outside was frantic and hushed. "It's the chou hour! Why aren't you gone yet?"

Shen Lümian's mind buzzed. The chou hour? It was already the chou hour?

She scrambled to her feet, banging her knee against the corner of the table. She gasped at the pain. The drug packet—where was the drug packet? She felt around the tabletop, touched the gray cloth bundle, grabbed it, and stuffed it into her sleeve. The map—where was the map? Her hand groped across the table, found the folded paper, and stuffed that into her sleeve too.

"Coming, coming!" She answered in a hushed voice, hurried to the door, and pulled it open.

Outside stood Sun Guiren, wrapped in a dark cloak, her face as white as paper.

"Hurry up. I'll wait for you at the Laundry Bureau."

"Okay."

Shen Lümian grabbed a random outer robe, threw it on, and followed Sun Guiren out. Yong Alley was silent. White lanterns swayed in the night breeze, casting shadows all over the ground. She walked quickly, stepping on her hem and nearly tripping. Sun Guiren turned back and steadied her.

"Careful!"

"Mm-hmm."

The two pressed against the walls, rounded two bends, passed through a narrow lane, and arrived at the back courtyard of the Laundry Bureau. In the yard stood a well, with several wooden buckets piled beside it. Sun Guiren walked behind the well platform, crouched down, felt around for a moment, and found a loose stone slab.

"Here."

She pushed hard, and the stone slab shifted, revealing a pitch-black opening. A gust of cold, damp air rose from the hole, carrying the smell of earth and mildew.

Shen Lümian peered into the opening. She couldn't see a thing—it was like the gaping mouth of a monster.

"You go first." Sun Guiren stepped aside.

Shen Lümian pressed her lips together. She didn't want to go first. She didn't want to go down at all. But staying above meant death; going down at least offered a slim chance at survival.

She pulled out the drug packet from her sleeve, untied the red string, and poured the gray powder into her mouth. Bitter. So bitter her entire face scrunched up. She hadn't brought water, so she had to choke it down dry. The powder stuck to the base of her tongue, the bitterness shooting straight to her brain.

"You didn't bring water?" Sun Guiren frowned.

"I forgot." Shen Lümian swallowed, her mouth still bitter. "It's fine. It went down."

She tossed the empty cloth bundle aside, crouched by the opening, and felt for footholds with her foot. The walls had chiseled steps—narrow and slippery. The soles of her shoes slid on them.

"Did you bring a candle?" she asked, looking up at Sun Guiren.

"Yes." Sun Guiren pulled a candle and a flint from her bosom, and lit it. The faint flame revealed the mossy, damp walls of the opening.

Shen Lümian took the candle and started down the steps. Twelve steps in total brought her to a narrow passage, wide enough for only one person. Water seeped through the earthen walls on both sides, and tree roots occasionally protruded from the dirt ceiling like withered fingers.

"Let's go." She took a deep breath and stepped forward.

The passage was long and winding. The candlelight only reached three steps ahead. Shen Lümian walked slowly, muttering in her mind: left, right, left. Three forks. Left, right, left.

Behind her came Sun Guiren's footsteps and heavy breathing.

"Are you scared?" Shen Lümian asked without turning back.

"Yes." Sun Guiren's voice echoed dully through the passage. "Are you?"

"I'm tired."

Sun Guiren said nothing more.After walking for about the time it takes to finish a cup of tea, a fork appeared ahead in the tunnel. Shen Luman raised her candle to look—the left path was narrower, the right one wider. Recalling Liu Ruyan's words, "Take the left at the first fork," she turned into the left passage.

She walked further and reached the second fork. Turn right.

She turned into the right passage. This path was even narrower than before; in some places, she had to sidle through. Behind her, Sun Guiren got stuck for a moment, and the sound of tearing fabric echoed sharply through the tunnel.

"It's fine," said Sun Guiren. "My clothes got caught on something."

"Mm."

They continued. The third fork.

Shen Luman stopped.

She raised the candle to look—the left was an upward slope, the right was flat ground. Liu Ruyan had said, "At the third fork, go left again." She remembered it clearly. But the left slope looked wrong—it was very steep, with fresh cracks in the earthen walls, as if it had recently collapsed.

She hesitated.

"Why did you stop?" Sun Guiren asked from behind.

"The third fork… go left." Shen Luman muttered to herself, reciting it again. "Left, right, left. That's right, go left."

She stepped onto the slope, holding the candle. The soil underfoot was loose—for every step forward, she slid half a step back. She had to brace herself against the tunnel walls to climb. The moss on the earthen walls was slippery, and her fingers left imprints with every touch.

After climbing a dozen or so steps, the slope grew steeper. The candle flame flickered violently in a draft coming from somewhere unknown. Shen Luman's heart sank—this path was wrong. The secret passage should have been level, or sloping slightly downward, leading out beyond the palace walls. But this path kept going up, getting narrower, and the air was growing thinner.

"Wait." She stopped and looked back at Sun Guiren. "I think this path is wrong."

Sun Guiren's face flickered in the candlelight, her forehead covered in sweat.

"Did you misremember the route?"

"No… Left, right, left. What I remember is left, right, left." Shen Luman reached into her sleeve to feel for the map, her fingers brushing the edge of the paper—

Just then, a wave of intense drowsiness struck her.

It wasn't ordinary fatigue—it was a heaviness like her whole body had been filled with lead, spreading from her feet to the top of her head. Her eyelids grew unbearably heavy. The candle in her hand began to tilt, and the flame licked her fingers, but she didn't even have the strength to pull her hand away.

The drug was taking effect.

But that was wrong—Liu Ruyan had said it would take effect in half an hour. She had taken the medicine barely the time it takes to finish two cups of tea ago. This was too fast.

"Sun Guiren…" Her voice grew slurred, her tongue feeling tied. "Something's… not right…"

Her knees gave way, and she pitched forward. The candle slipped from her hand, the flame flickered twice against the earthen wall, then went out.

Darkness swallowed everything in an instant.

Just before her consciousness faded, Shen Luman's last thought was—the red string on the medicine pouch. She remembered that when Liu Ruyan gave her the medicine pouch, it was tied with a red string. But the cloth pouch she had just pulled from her sleeve—the red string was tied in a different direction than Liu Ruyan's.

Liu Ruyan's habit was to tie the string with the left end over the right, but that pouch was tied with the right over the left.

She had taken the wrong medicine pouch.

Or had someone switched her medicine?

The thought flickered only for a moment, then went out like a candle flame.

Shen Luman lay on the slope of the secret passage, her body sliding a few inches down the loose soil before lying still. Sun Guiren called out to her twice, but there was no response. The tunnel was so quiet that only the sound of water droplets falling from the earthen walls could be heard—drip, then another drip.