Empress Dowager Yide sighed deeply, "Ungrateful descendants, spouting nonsense."
Today's imperial interrogation would undoubtedly become a joke once the events in the grand hall spread—a scandal that tarnished the imperial family's reputation. Ye Lang's actions had practically trampled the Emperor's dignity underfoot. Shu Fei slumped weakly into her chair, drained of strength. She had believed today's events were orchestrated by Jiang Ruan, but now that Ye Lang's guilt was confirmed, while she loathed him, she also felt a deep unease about her own future.
Princess Heyi was dead, and after all these years in the palace, she had failed to bear even a single child. With new consorts soon entering the palace, what favor could she hope to retain? Without support for her later years and with the Emperor now suspicious of her, what future did she have? Noble Consort Chen had once enjoyed the Emperor's utmost favor, nearly capturing half his heart. Yet what did it matter that she reigned supreme in the harem? In the end, she was cast into the cold palace without hesitation. How long could such glittering but fragile favor last?
Perhaps she and Noble Consort Chen would soon meet in the cold palace. A faint, bitter smile tugged at Shu Fei's lips. She cast another deep glance at Jiang Ruan. If she couldn't see that someone had been aiding Jiang Ruan behind the scenes today, she would have wasted all these years of life. How could a mere Jiang family daughter command so many people to act on her behalf? Today's scheme had been flawless, leaving no trace, yet it achieved its goal perfectly. How fortunate her fate was.
The imperial interrogation had reached its desolate conclusion, though the undercurrents of intrigue were not lost on the officials. This would undoubtedly stir significant waves in the court—realignments, defections—but those were matters for another day.
After Ye Lang was taken away, the Emperor's face darkened like storm clouds. He dismissed the court and left, supported by Eunuch Li. Empress Dowager Yide, after a moment's thought, instructed Yang Gugu to ensure Jiang Ruan returned safely before heading back to Cining Palace herself.
As the officials gradually dispersed, Xiao Shao strode to Jiang Ruan's side, studying her with a frown. "Are you alright?" he asked.
"I'm fine," Jiang Ruan shook her head, her gaze shifting to Ye Pei, who stood nearby watching her with a smile. After a pause, she walked over to him and asked directly, "What did you do?"
Ye Pei grinned at her—a dazzling, guileless smile that belied his earlier composure, making him seem like nothing more than an innocent child playfully coaxing his mother. Mother?
Jiang Ruan froze momentarily, as if time had slipped backward to her past life in the palace, when mother and son had laughed and teased each other. Ye Pei's bright, radiant smile as he acted spoiled before her.
"The princess once helped me out of a predicament," Ye Pei said earnestly, though his eyes unconsciously held a hint of that same playfulness. "A drop of kindness deserves a flood in return. This humble prince merely offered what little assistance he could."
Xiao Shao lowered his gaze, giving Ye Pei a meaningful look before frowning slightly. He pulled Jiang Ruan behind him, shielding her from Ye Pei's intense stare, and said coolly, "Meddlesome."
Ye Pei, displeased by Xiao Shao's action, glared at him with clear hostility. "What business is it of yours?""She is mine, and her affairs are under my jurisdiction," Xiao Shao said.
Zhao Guang, who had just approached to inquire about Jiang Ruan's condition, overheard this and nearly collapsed from anger. He strode forward and snapped in a low voice, "What nonsense are you spouting, you brat from the Xiao family? If you keep spouting such reckless words and tarnishing our Ruan girl's reputation, don’t blame this old man for being impolite!"
Ye Pei blinked and looked at Zhao Guang, sweetly saying, "General Zhao."
Zhao Guang also gave Ye Pei a suspicious glance. He could tell that today, Ye Pei had deliberately stepped in to help Jiang Ruan. Moreover, this Thirteenth Prince, who was rumored to be practically invisible, was far from as simple as he appeared on the surface. Having spent decades navigating the imperial court, Zhao Guang had sharp judgment when it came to people. He didn’t dare underestimate Ye Pei, and since he had saved Jiang Ruan today, it was likely Ye Pei had his own motives. Zhao Guang bowed respectfully and said, "Thirteenth Prince." But inwardly, he was puzzled—why did Ye Pei look at his Ruan girl with the gaze of a fledgling bird? If he lacked maternal affection, he should seek out the Empress Dowager or the Empress. What did Jiang Ruan have to do with it? She was still an unmarried young lady.
The Crown Prince also walked over, glanced at Jiang Ruan, then gave Ye Pei a meaningful look before saying, "Congratulations, Princess, on safely escaping this ordeal."
"Thank you, Your Highness, for speaking up for me," Jiang Ruan replied with a smile.
The Crown Prince chuckled. "No need for thanks. If you want to express gratitude, direct it to Thirteenth Brother. He and I merely had a mutual exchange of interests. He seems quite fond of you." With that, he turned and left without another word.
His words sent another ripple of surprise through the crowd.
Xiao Shao turned to Xia Qing, who was still standing to the side organizing his medical kit, and called, "Xia Wu."
Xia Qing startled, as if he had only just noticed Xiao Shao, and hurried over to stand beside him, exclaiming, "Third Brother!"
The two had both studied under Yaqi Xiansheng (Mr. Yaqi) on Mount Canaan as fellow disciples. However, while Xiao Shao specialized in poison-making, Xia Qing was a genuine practitioner of medicine, having read through all the medical texts on Mount Canaan. As the saying goes, sincerity leads to enlightenment, and he had inherited a remarkable legacy.
Now, the baby-faced young man looked excited, but Xiao Shao said coldly, "Why did you enter the palace?"
"The Crown Prince summoned me," Xia Qing replied. "His Highness promised that if I came to examine the corpse, he would give me the 'Shinan Medical Codex' from the palace archives. Third Brother, you wouldn’t know—Master once said the 'Shinan Medical Codex' is an extremely rare medical text documenting human skeletal injuries. I’ve searched for it for ages but never found it. Who knew it was in the palace? The moment His Highness mentioned it, I rushed here without delay. You see—"
Once Xia Qing started talking about medical texts, he became unstoppable, oblivious to the astonished looks from those around him. Xiao Shao cut him off. "Why did the Crown Prince ask you to examine the corpse?"
"I don’t know," Xia Qing admitted. "But Third Brother," he glanced around, "I didn’t expect you to be here too. Why don’t we call Old Seventh and go out for a drink?" If there was anyone here who remained completely unfazed by the earlier tension, it was him.
Xiao Shao looked at Jiang Ruan, who gave a slight nod. He turned back and said, "Fine."
...In the private room of the East Wind Pavilion, Xiao Shao, Mo Cong, and Xia Qing sat together. Mo Cong, who had likely just arrived from outside, looked travel-worn as he plopped down onto a chair the moment he entered and poured himself a cup of tea from the pot on the table, gulping it down in one go. Only after finishing the tea in one breath did he pant and say to Xiao Shao, "Third Brother, everything's arranged. Ye Li is also prepared. There won’t be any issues this time—just wait to win the beauty’s heart."
Xia Qing, who had been listening on the side, was thoroughly confused and quickly asked, "Win whose heart? Third Brother has a sweetheart? Which family’s daughter is it? And how is Ye Li involved?"
"You fool," Mo Cong rapped him on the head. "You’re so unconcerned about Third Brother’s lifelong matters. Don’t you know he’s finally taken an interest, but unfortunately, while the flower is willing, the brook is heartless? The girl’s cold toward him, so Third Brother’s trying every way to win her favor. But she’s quite the beauty, and with Elder Brother holding some military power, Ye Li also has his eyes on her. Third Brother’s fury for the fair maiden has led him to trip Ye Li up."
Though Mo Cong spoke teasingly, Xiao Shao merely sipped his tea in silence, paying no heed to his words. Instead, he seemed lost in thought, though no one knew what was on his mind.
Upon hearing this, Xia Qing dramatically exclaimed, "What? Who is it? ‘The flower is willing, the brook is heartless’—Third Brother actually got rejected? Seventh Brother, don’t lie to me."
Who was Xiao Shao? Since the age of five, he had received countless embroidered pouches from admirers—his face was simply too captivating. Of course, the end result was always his martial brothers benefiting from the gifts. Later, after becoming a disciple on Mount Canaan, countless girls with ulterior motives clamored to join the mountain to "study martial arts." Naturally, this was impossible—Mount Canaan had a formation personally set by Mr. Yaqi at its base. Once trapped in the formation, danger lurked everywhere. Back then, how many noble young ladies risked their lives just to get close to Xiao Shao? Yet he had always ignored them, leaving his martial brothers to clean up the mess. At the time, Xia Qing and Mo Cong were still young, and their daily routine mostly involved earnestly consoling the heartbroken girls.
Consoling them was one thing, but the disappointed looks in those girls’ eyes became a nightmare for every disciple of Mount Canaan—it was downright humiliating.
Truth be told, among their martial brothers, there were plenty of handsome young men. But Xiao Shao’s looks were simply too outstanding, and his aloof, detached demeanor set him apart from the crowd of brash youths, giving him a unique charm. While the others chased after pretty girls in their youth, Xiao Shao remained unmoved, exuding an air of transcendence. His martial brothers had even privately speculated that he was destined to become a monk at the Shaolin Temple someday.
Who would have thought that Mo Cong’s words today would shock Xia Qing so? He didn’t know what to feel—probably never imagining that the godlike figure in his heart had finally descended from his pedestal and even hit a wall. Though the baby-faced young man was kind-hearted by nature, he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of schadenfreude. Truly, the wheel of fortune turns—what goes around comes around. Just look up, and you’ll see the heavens spare no one."Right, you saw her today," Mo Cong said with a teasing grin, immediately recognizing Xia Qing's expression. "The one who narrowly escaped disaster thanks to your help with the autopsy—Princess of Great Peace. The one you saw being framed."
"It's her!" Xia Qing was stunned. He recalled the young woman in prison garb standing in the golden hall, her beauty and charm undiminished despite her predicament. Yet, it was her calm and composed demeanor that sent an inexplicable chill down his spine. After a moment of thought, he said earnestly, "So Third Brother likes beautiful and charming women. I understand now. I'll write to Fourth Brother about this later."
Mo Cong rolled his eyes. The fact that Xiao Shao had fallen for a girl was now truly becoming public knowledge. He couldn't even imagine what expression Mr. Yaqi would wear upon hearing this. Turning to Xiao Shao, he dropped his playful tone and asked seriously, "After the imperial marriage decree, you'll be heading to the border to suppress Celestial Jin, won't you?"
"Yes," Xiao Shao replied, then cautioned, "You'll be coordinating in the capital. Be careful."
"Ye Li will definitely scheme behind your back," Mo Cong mused. "Even if you've made arrangements, he holds the advantage in the capital. How will you allocate the hundred thousand Brocade-clad Guards?"
"The hundred thousand troops will follow me. I'll leave some behind in the capital," Xiao Shao said. "The Western Rong are restless—there's a risk of being caught between two fronts. If Ye Li makes a move, he'll seize this opportunity to act." After a pause, he added, "While you're in the capital, protect her for me."
"Her," of course, referred to Jiang Ruan. Mo Cong wasn't sure how he felt about this but simply nodded. "I know. You take care as well."
"Western Rong, Eastern Barbarian Country, Celestial Jin, and the traitors in court. If we don't root them all out this time, trouble will multiply later. I've already written to recall Qi Si. The two of you will stay in the capital. After I leave, there will likely be major upheavals in court—don't let your guard down. Keeping Ye Li alive is to lure out bigger fish, but if he truly loses his mind, just kill him outright." A flash of ruthlessness crossed Xiao Shao's brow. "If anything happens, I'll take responsibility."
Xia Qing blinked in confusion. "What are you two talking about? I don't understand."
"Xia Wu, you'll stay in the capital too. After entering the palace today, Ye Li will likely have his eye on you. Returning to Jinling isn't safe—at least in the capital, you'll have protection. I'll assign you some men. With you here, you can also help look after Jiang Ruan for me," Xiao Shao said, turning to Xia Qing.
"Ah?" Xia Qing scratched his nose. "I'm a miracle healer, not your personal physician. How can I be assigned to just one person? Besides, why would the Eighth Prince target me? I performed an autopsy—I acted with integrity—"
Before Xia Qing could continue, Mo Cong cut in, "Shut up. If you want to die, go back to Jinling now. Third Brother is doing this for your own good. If you end up dead without anyone knowing why, don't blame us for not caring about our fellow disciples."
Xia Qing, being a simple-minded medical enthusiast, immediately fell silent under Mo Cong's stern words and mumbled, "I was just saying. I'll listen to Third Brother."
...
Just when Jiang Ruan's murder charge seemed impossible to refute, a sudden twist emerged. The appearance of the Crown Prince and the Thirteenth Prince brought a turning point to the case, and the Golden Mausoleum Master Hand uncovered inconsistencies in the evidence. After a direct imperial trial, numerous doubts surfaced, proving Jiang Ruan's innocence, while the Fourth Prince, Ye Lang, became the prime suspect in the murder.In the following days, the Emperor personally presided over the trial once more. For reasons unknown, Ye Lang voluntarily confessed to the crime. The Ministry of Justice's investigation indeed uncovered incriminating evidence—both testimonies and material proof were irrefutable, leaving Ye Lang with no room for denial. He was immediately imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison. Speculations ran rampant about the severity of his impending sentence, especially since Princess Heyi had once been deeply favored by the Emperor. Noble Consort Chen would not let her daughter's death go unavenged and spared no effort to ensure Ye Lang's demise.
However, before the verdict could be delivered, Ye Lang committed suicide in the Heavenly Prison by poisoning himself. Given the heavily guarded prison, foul play was impossible, yet his sudden death remained highly suspicious. Despite the doubts, with no evidence to uncover, the matter had to be dropped. In his fury, the Emperor struck Ye Lang's name from the imperial records, demoting him to a commoner, and denied him burial in the imperial mausoleum.
The day after news of Ye Lang's death spread, Noble Consort Xian hanged herself in the palace. The mother and son's consecutive deaths stirred another wave of turmoil in the court. The Emperor, harboring resentment by association, showed no sympathy for Noble Consort Xian's suicide. He ordered her family to handle the burial, though out of lingering regard for her years of companionship, he permitted her to be buried alongside Ye Lang.
Noble Consort Xian's death seemed to devastate Noble Consort Chen as well. With Princess Heyi gone, only Noble Consort Chen and Noble Consort De remained of the once-powerful Four Consorts. While Noble Consort De still had Ye Hua as her support, Noble Consort Chen was childless. Moreover, during the trial, Ye Pei's words had planted seeds of distrust in the Emperor's mind toward Noble Consort Chen. She keenly sensed his growing distance in recent days and knew her days of favor were numbered. A pragmatic woman, Noble Consort Chen, seeing nothing left to cling to in the palace and fearing she might meet the same fate as Noble Consort Chen and Noble Consort Xian, requested to leave the palace and become a nun to pray for Princess Heyi.
The Emperor offered no objection, and the next day, Noble Consort Chen moved to a temple outside the palace, vowing never to return. Empress Dowager Yide, moved by her devotion, bestowed upon her the Buddhist name Qinghong—though this was a later matter.
The court and the harem were always intertwined. The downfall of the Fourth Prince shattered the decades-long balance in the harem. With three of the Four Consorts gone, only Noble Consort De remained. The Empress suddenly became the center of attention, and Noble Consort De grew even more cautious, leaving no room for criticism. Yet, to restore equilibrium, the Emperor began selecting suitable candidates from the newly arrived palace ladies.
The young ladies, aware of this rare opportunity, spared no effort to catch the Emperor's eye, each hoping to secure a glorious future. They spent increasingly more time on their appearances. One day, they gathered to discuss the matter of Princess Heyi.
The daughter of Vice Minister Wang, a sixteen-year-old maiden of delicate beauty and skilled in playing the pipa, nibbled on pastries and remarked, "The palace has grown eerily quiet these days. The eunuchs and maids all wear such solemn expressions—it's quite unsettling." Naturally fond of liveliness, she found the tense atmosphere in the palace draining her spirits.The woman beside her patted her hand and handed her a cup of tea, saying, "Sister Wang, don't speak like that. Be careful someone hears you." She lowered her voice, "I heard the Emperor has been in a bad mood these past few days, always losing his temper. That's why everyone is being extra cautious."
Miss Wang glanced at the woman opposite her and sighed, "I know, but being confined in the palace at our age is simply stifling."
The woman across from her, dressed in a delicate yellow blouse and narrow skirt that accentuated her willow-like figure, was none other than Jiang Dan. Jiang Dan smiled and said, "We're much luckier than some. At least we still have our lives. Take the Fourth Prince from a few days ago, for example. Noble as he was, a member of the imperial family—what good did it do him? In the end, he couldn't even keep his life. The wealth and status of the imperial family come with hidden dangers."
Miss Wang immediately looked frightened and clutched her chest, "Don't even mention it. Just thinking about it sends chills down my spine. The Fourth Prince was the Emperor's own son, and yet he was gone just like that. We can't compare to his noble status. If we make even the slightest mistake, we might end up with no place to be buried. This imperial wealth—I wouldn't dare to seek it."
Jiang Dan patted her hand and offered a few more words of comfort, though a flicker of amusement flashed in her eyes. Miss Wang's father, Minister Wang, held a modest but not insignificant position in court. Though he seemed unremarkable, his wife's family was backed by the Left Guard Office, giving Miss Wang a powerful maternal lineage. Moreover, she was beautiful and skilled at playing the pipa. If she were to catch the Emperor's favor, it would be hard for her not to rise in status—making her a formidable rival in the palace.
Unfortunately, Jiang Dan thought with a glint of cunning in her eyes, despite her advantages, the girl was a fool. She believed everything she was told and could be easily manipulated with just a few words. By reinforcing the idea of the palace's dangers, Jiang Dan ensured Miss Wang would grow increasingly nervous in the Emperor's presence. And what man would favor a woman who feared him? Such women were the least appealing. If Miss Wang displeased the Emperor, how could she ever gain his favor?
Though her mind raced with schemes, Jiang Dan's smile only grew sweeter, prompting Miss Wang to grasp her hand and say, "Dear sister, you're the only one who truly cares for me in this palace. You're the only sincere one here."
As they spoke, another candidate for the imperial harem, Miss Li, entered and sat down at the table, her expression indignant. "Hey, have you heard? The Empress Dowager has arranged a marriage for Jinying Wang."
"Jinying Wang?" Miss Li's words immediately drew the attention of the other candidates, who crowded around her and asked, "You mean that Traitorous Subject, Jinying Wang Xiao Shao?"
Though they called him "Traitorous Subject," a faint blush rose to their cheeks at the mere mention of his name, as if it alone could send their hearts aflutter. This was only natural—the aloof, handsome, and powerful young man was the dream of countless noble daughters across the empire. Even as women of the Emperor, they couldn't help but cling to the romantic fantasies of their maiden years.
"Exactly," Miss Li said. "But do you know who the Empress Dowager has chosen for him?"Everyone shook their heads. Miss Wang said, "Jinying Wang is peerless in grace and elegance. The person the Empress Dowager has chosen for his marriage must be a celestial being. Let me guess, could it be the young lady from the Cheng family of the Coastal Governor's residence?"
The young lady from the Cheng family had an excellent background, outstanding beauty, virtuous character, and remarkable talents—a one-in-a-million match. If there was anyone in the Da Jin Dynasty worthy of Xiao Shao, it would surely be such a celestial being.
Miss Li shook her head, unable to conceal the sourness in her tone, "No, the one the Empress Dowager has betrothed to Jinying Wang is the legitimate daughter of the Jiang family, now the Princess of Great Peace—Jiang Ruan!"
At these words, everyone froze in place. Even Dong Yinger, who had been embroidering quietly in the distance, couldn't help but jerk her hand, causing a drop of blood the size of a grain of rice to well up from her index finger. Slowly, she brought her finger to her lips and sucked away the blood. Yet her gaze involuntarily drifted toward the speaker.
Jiang Dan frowned, her tone laced with hesitation. "This... how could Da Jiejie suddenly be betrothed to Jinying Wang?"
"Who knows?" Miss Li shot Jiang Dan an annoyed look, perhaps redirecting her anger toward Jiang Ruan onto Jiang Dan. "Though she's a county princess, it's only because the Empress Dowager granted her the title—she's not truly of royal blood. And while she may be somewhat pretty, her features are far too fox-like, hardly the picture of grace and virtue. Who knows what the Empress Dowager was thinking, passing over the perfectly suitable Miss Cheng from the Cheng family to choose the eldest daughter of the Jiang family instead."
Jiang Dan's eyes flickered slightly, easily detecting the resentment in Miss Li's words. In truth, it wasn't just Miss Li who was displeased—most of those present harbored some degree of dissatisfaction toward Jiang Ruan. People always believed that if they couldn't obtain something, others shouldn't either—or if they did, it should only be someone far more deserving. Yet among those gathered, there were some whose status and family background were no less than Jiang Ruan's, and whose talents in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting were no worse. Yet none of them had become the Princess of Brocade Glory. How could envy and bitterness not arise?
(End of Chapter)
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