Empress Orchid

“Zah!” the crowd responded in Manchu.

Boxes were opened one by one, revealing pieces of ruyi. Each ruyi was a scepter that had three large mushroom- or flower-shaped heads interconnected with a stem. The heads were made of gold, emeralds, rubies and sapphires, and the stem was carved jade or lacquered wood. Each ruyi represented a title and a rank. Ru meant “as” and yi meant “you wish”; ruyi meant “everything you wish.”

Emperor Hsien Feng took one ruyi from the tray and walked toward us. This ruyi was of carved golden lacquer with three entwined peonies.

I continued to hold my breath, but I was no longer afraid. No matter what kind of ruyi I would receive, my mother would be proud tomorrow. She would be a mother-in-law to the Son of Heaven, and my siblings Imperial relatives! I regretted only that my father hadn’t lived to see this.

Emperor Hsien Feng’s fingers played with the ruyi. The flirtatious expression on his face had disappeared. He now looked unsure. He hesitated, frowning with his eyebrows. He shifted the ruyi from one hand to the other, and then, with flushed cheeks, he turned to his mother.

She gave him an encouraging nod. The Emperor began to circle us like a bee dancing around flowers.

Suddenly the youngest girl in our line broke out with a muted cry. She looked to be no more than thirteen years old.

Emperor Hsien Feng walked up to her.

The girl choked and then began to weep.

Like an adult giving a crying child a piece of candy, Emperor Hsien Feng put the ruyi in her hand.

Gripping it, the girl dropped to her knees and said, “Thank you.”

Chief Eunuch Shim pronounced, “Soo Woozawa, daughter of Yee-mee-chi Woozawa, is selected as the Imperial consort of the fifth rank. Her title is Lady of Absolute Purity!”

From that moment, things began to flow. The Emperor took little time to bestow the rest of the ruyi.

When it was my turn, Emperor Hsien Feng walked up to me and placed a ruyi in my palm.

Like a rooster Shim sang, “Yehonala, daughter of Hui Cheng Yehonala, is selected as the Imperial consort of the fourth rank. Her title is Lady of the Greatest Virtue.”

I looked at my ruyi. It was made of white jade. Instead of looking like mushrooms, the heads were carved floating clouds interconnected with a divining rod. I remembered my father once telling me that in Imperial symbolism the floating clouds and the rod represented the constellation of the dragon.

The next ruyi went to the girls named Yun and Li. They were pronounced Imperial consorts of the second and third rank and both titled Lady of Superiority. Their ruyi had the shape of a lingzhi mushroom, the fungus known for its healing power. The heads were decorated with bats, symbols of blessing and prosperity.

After Yun and Li were Mei and Hui. They ranked sixth and seventh, Ladies of Grand Harmony. I had difficulty remembering who was who, because Mei and Hui looked alike and dressed like twins. The heads of their ruyi carried a stone chime, the symbol of celebration.

Nuharoo was last. She was pronounced Empress and was given the finest ruyi. The scepter was made of gold inlaid with chunks of jewels and jade. The ornamented stem was carved with symbols of the harvest: grains and fruit-bearing branches, peaches, apples and grapes. The three heads were gold pomegranates, signifying numerous offspring and immortality. Nuharoo’s eyes glowed and she bowed deeply.

Led by Nuharoo, the seven of us got up and then went down on our knees, over and over. We kowtowed to Emperor Hsien Feng and the Grand Empress. We sang our drill in one voice: “I wish Your Majesties ten thousand years of life. May your luck be as full as the East China Sea and your health as green as the Southern Mountains!”

Five

AFTER SUNSET I was brought back to my family on a palanquin escorted by a group of eunuchs. I was wrapped in a golden dress like an expensive gift. The head eunuch told my mother that until the day of the Imperial wedding ceremony I was to stay home.

Also coming home with me were gifts from the Emperor to my father, mother, sister and brother. My father was given a set of eight feather fasteners for a mandarin’s court hat. Each hollow porcelain cylinder was used to fasten a peacock feather, with a ring on top of the tube to connect it to the hat. The gift would pass to my brother.

My mother was given a special lacquered ruyi carved with auspicious designs. The top showed the three star gods, who granted blessings, wealth and longevity. The center showed a bat carrying a stone chime and double fish, signifying abundance. On the bottom were roses and chrysanthemums representing prosperity.

Rong received a gorgeously carved sandalwood good-luck box, which held a set of green jade carvings. Kuei Hsiang was granted a set of enameled belt hooks with dragon heads ornamenting the tops. On the hooks he could hang his mirror, pouch, seal, a weapon or a money purse.

According to the court 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