The Empress of Salt and Fortune

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death, physical abuse, and gender discrimination.

While continuing their work on the inventory, Chih discovers a birch bark scroll wrapped around a piece of dark hair and a feather. Rabbit angrily snatches the scroll out of their hands. When Chih replies that they thought the scroll was trash, Rabbit retorts that trash can reveal more than other objects about the past.

Rabbit’s story continues. In-Yo gave birth to a son named Kau-tan, whom palace officials quickly separated her from. Wrought with grief from the forcible separation and the physical exhaustion from giving birth, In-Yo asked Rabbit to stay with her in bed and told stories about her childhood in the West. After a few days like this, the birch scroll arrived with a message from the emperor. The hair, dark and long, belonged to In-Yo’s mother and indicated her death. The feather, from a jacana bird, indicated that In-Yo was to be sent into exile. After giving birth to an heir, the emperor saw no need for In-Yo anymore.

Chih says that they think they understand this story. Noticing Rabbit’s continued anger, Chih tells Rabbit that the scroll is trash and that trash should be burned.