Li Jiubao exposed Consort Zheng's intentions, "She has her sights set on the heir apparent position, wanting to push the third prince forward. According to ancestral rules, if there is a legitimate heir, they should be established; if not, the eldest should be appointed. Empress Wang is still alive. Even if something like 'Illustrated Guide for Women' were to be compiled, it should be Empress Wang who oversees it. Does she want the emperor to favor a concubine over his wife? With the eldest prince present, it is not the third prince's turn."
The Wanli Emperor said, "But the eldest prince is the son of a lowly palace maid. How can he inherit the throne?"
Li Jiubao replied, "The emperor himself is also the son of a palace maid."
The Wanli Emperor immediately knelt to beg for forgiveness and dared not argue further.
Having taken a scolding on behalf of his beloved consort, the Wanli Emperor returned in frustration and ordered that no further inquiries be made regarding "Illustrated Guide for Women." Thus, the case of the seditious book came to an end.
Consort Zheng had originally intended to use this book to burnish her reputation, hoping to become the next empress in the future. Unfortunately, she had plagiarized someone else's work, was merely a concubine, and with Empress Dowager Li keeping a close watch, Consort Zheng had no choice but to give up. Every night, she whispered in the Wanli Emperor's ear, complaining about how unfairly she and Prince Fu, Zhu Changxun, were treated.
The Wanli Emperor had ascended the throne at the age of ten. Every day, before dawn, his mother would splash cold water on his face to wake him for court. Burdened with state affairs and studies, his childhood and adolescence were extremely oppressive. His rebellion began when he took personal control of the government. He purged his tutor Zhang Juzheng and the eunuch Feng Bao. The more Empress Dowager Li demanded something of him, the more he resisted, deliberately opposing his mother. Since Empress Dowager Li disliked Consort Zheng and Prince Fu, he insisted on favoring this mother and son, stubbornly refusing to appoint the eldest son, Zhu Changluo, as crown prince.
Chen Jingji was tasked with suppressing the case of the seditious book to avoid implicating too many innocent people. As the head of the Eastern Depot, he surprisingly acted with compassion and was called "the Buddha." He was the only "Buddha-like" Depot Director in the history of the Eastern Depot, commanding respect both in the Forbidden City and the court. Even the rebelliously middle-aged Wanli Emperor trusted him deeply.
After handling the case, Chen Jingji went to Cining Palace to report to Li Jiubao. Li Jiubao said indifferently, "I understand."
Chen Jingji could not help but advise, "Your Majesty, do not let a woman with overly ambitious desires damage the bond between you and the emperor. No matter what, the ancestral laws will not change. The emperor will not act against heaven's will. He is just struggling with his stubbornness—he was controlled too strictly as a child and inevitably holds some resentment."
Li Jiubao still replied, "I understand."
Li Jiubao understood the reasoning perfectly. But in a political climate where the ruler was young and the country unstable, if she did not strictly discipline the young emperor, how many would harbor thoughts of rebellion? She had no choice but to mold the young emperor according to the template of a wise ruler, hoping he would become a model monarch. The emperor had always been obedient and well-behaved, but after she returned power to him, everything changed.
It turned out the emperor was most skilled at endurance and disguise.
The emperor grew more and more like his grandfather, the Jiajing Emperor, showing such extreme favoritism that it seemed to emanate from his armpits. He constantly thought about deposing the eldest and establishing the younger. The imperial family, going round and round, had begun a new cycle...
Chen Jingji coughed lightly twice and said, "Your Majesty, this servant has been unwell recently. After the seditious book case, I must retire due to illness. I will no longer be able to accompany you, and I hope you take care of yourself. As for the matter of appointing the eldest prince as crown prince, do not rush it. Be at ease, Your Majesty. Everything will turn out as you wish."
Li Jiubao suddenly looked up, her lips trembling slightly. After years of steadfast vigilance, she had grown accustomed to it, thinking it would continue this way for a lifetime. But each person's lifespan is predetermined by heaven, and there is nothing one can do about it.Li Jiubao gently took Chen Jingji's hand. "What would I do without you?"
Chen Jingji held her hand in return and said, "Death is but a beginning. Through endless cycles of rebirth, if fate denies us in this life, this servant will await the Empress Dowager in the next."
With this thought, parting no longer seemed so sorrowful.
That very night, while meditating in the Eastern Depot's duty room, Chen Jingji passed away—remaining in seated posture until the end, and was ultimately buried in an upright coffin with a stone pagoda marking the grave.
While the imperial lineage continues endlessly, all gatherings must eventually disperse. After attending Chen Jingji's funeral, the two families bid farewell, making plans to meet again in another ten years.
Ding Weiguo invited Xia Qiwu to open a shop at the border market. "...Since you already have a store in the capital, why not tour the eleven border markets? The love for beauty is universal—even grassland maidens appreciate cosmetics, so business will surely thrive."
Though tempted, Xia Qiwu declined: "You and your parents should first reopen the border trade. I must escort my aging parents back to Nanjing—they'll need my care on the journey."
Each family went their separate ways. Half a year later, Xia Qiwu traveled to the frontier, establishing Rouge Beauty cosmetic branches in Datong, Xuanfu, Bansheng City, Hohhot and other locations. With the Beijing store, this made ten branches in total.
Five years later, Xia Qiwu married Ding Weiguo, uniting their families through matrimony.
A decade after that, when Xia Qiwu became pregnant, Wei Caiwei and Wang Daxia rushed from Nanjing to the capital to care for their beloved daughter.
By this time, both San Niangzi and Empress Dowager Li had passed away, marking the end of the era of female dominance. Lu Ying and Ding Wu, aged and ailing, had also withdrawn from border duties to retire in the capital.
When Lu Ying and Ding Wu went to Tongzhou Port to welcome their in-laws, they found the capital under strict martial law—even passing through city gates required showing household registration documents, the atmosphere thick with tension.
"What happened?" Wang Daxia and Wei Caiwei asked.
Lu Ying explained: "An intruder stormed the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace. The unpopular prince had only two feeble old eunuchs as guards. The madman nearly beat the prince to death with a club. After this 'Palace Strike Case,' the court and commoners are shocked, hunting for the mastermind."
Wei Caiwei remarked: "Either Consort Zheng is making desperate moves, or the Crown Prince is staging a false-flag operation. The Ming imperial family's power struggles grow increasingly disgraceful—resorting to such clumsy tricks."
Wang Daxia snorted coldly: "Each generation worse than the last."
Under Wei Caiwei's meticulous care, Xia Qiwu safely gave birth to a daughter. As the birth occurred on Qixi Festival during summer, all six elders agreed to name her Xia Qixi.
Half a month after Xia Qixi's birth, the Wanli Emperor passed away and the Crown Prince ascended the throne, adopting the era name Taichang.
During Xia Qixi's full-moon celebration, the newly enthroned Taichang Emperor—who had reigned merely ten days—fell gravely ill. Inexplicably, despite his condition, he followed his grandfather Longqing Emperor's example by treating himself with potent aphrodisiac "Red Pills."
On the day of Xia Qixi's hair-cutting ceremony, the Taichang Emperor—having reigned only one month—died of drug overdose. This "Red Pill Case," along with the "Demon Book Case" and "Palace Strike Case," formed the three inexplicable major scandals of Ming Dynasty, truly an era breeding absurdities.Two emperors died within a month, making Wang Daxia feel the Ming Dynasty was unreliable. He gathered his family for discussion, "We're all growing old, but our children still have long futures ahead. The capital is a place of trouble, and Nanjing isn't safe either. I've long purchased property in Yunnan - let's all relocate there to retire together and raise our grandchildren. What do you think?"
Wei Caiwei agreed. Having lived two lifetimes, she had witnessed how Wang Daxia's judgments always inadvertently helped them avoid political purges. She trusted him.
Ding Wu said to Lu Ying, "Yunnan has spring-like weather all year round. The warm climate will be good for your injuries."
Lu Ying nodded, "I have no regrets after a lifetime of military service. Retiring to the countryside in my later years seems like a good destination."
Xia Qixi had passed her hundredth day, growing fair and sturdy. The group set off, leaving the capital behind.
As Wei Caiwei carried her granddaughter out of Zhengyang Gate, she turned back for one last look at the majestic city gate.
Sixty years ago, when she first came to the capital from Tieling, she had entered through this very gate.
Back then, she arrived alone - lonely, isolated, filled with resentment and discontent.
Sixty years later, as she left the capital, she was accompanied by six family members, her heart peaceful and content.
This lifetime, finally without regrets, without remorse.
The End.
OpenNovel