The Golden Hairpin

In the Taiji Palace, though there were numerous halls with carved beams and painted rafters, it still couldn't compare to the grandeur of the Daming Palace. However, after Empress Wang moved in, the palace maids became extremely meticulous. The pavilions, terraces, and gardens were all neatly maintained, completely dispelling the previous air of decline when she first arrived. Though the palace no longer gleamed with freshness, three hundred years of weathering had endowed it with an incomparable sense of ancient elegance.

Empress Wang had indeed summoned her regarding the matter of Consort Guo.

She remained the same peerless beauty who could captivate all. When Huang Zixiao arrived, Empress Wang was standing in the glow of the summer sunset, teasing the parrot on the corridor. From the doorway, Huang Zixiao gazed at her from afar—her silken hair cascading like flowing silk, dressed in plain white robes as ethereal as an ink painting. Even from a distance, where her features were indistinct, Huang Zixiao was still entranced by her extraordinary grace.

A woman like Empress Wang ought to live exceedingly well. Even when the present seemed devoid of hope, even when adrift on a small boat in the dark sea facing unseen currents, she remained composed and serene, living her best life.

Changling whispered something in her ear, and when she looked up and saw Huang Zixiao, she draped her apricot-colored shawl over her arm and, leaning on Changling, slowly walked along the corridor toward her.

Huang Zixiao studied Empress Wang as she approached. She seemed in excellent spirits, a faint smile playing at the corners of her lips, making it almost impossible to believe she was a woman in her mid-thirties. There was not a trace of the melancholy one might expect from someone exiled to a distant palace.

Empress Wang didn’t stop before Huang Zixiao but merely gestured for her to follow as they strolled toward the rear garden.

Though the evening glow had risen, the summer heat still lingered. Even in the shade of the trees, they could feel the warm breeze.

All unnecessary attendants had withdrawn to the rear. Empress Wang sat on the stone railing beneath the trees, and Huang Zixiao quickly said, "Congratulations, Your Majesty!"

Empress Wang glanced at her. "What is there to congratulate?"

"This servant sees Your Majesty in high spirits, radiant and joyful. Surely you will soon return to the main palace!"

Empress Wang smiled faintly. "There are some developments, but I still need your assistance."

Hearing her words, Huang Zixiao sensed she already had a plan in mind and quickly bowed her head to listen attentively.

"I heard the Emperor personally assigned you to investigate the case in the princess’s residence. Is this true?"

Huang Zixiao replied, "Yes. But the case remains unclear at present."

"I don’t believe there’s any case Eunuch Yang can’t unravel." Empress Wang gazed at the drooping branches of the crape myrtle before her and added casually, "Of course, if this case could reveal Consort Guo’s true nature—or perhaps uncover some unspeakable scandal—that would be even better."

Huang Zixiao carefully considered her words, not daring to respond.

Empress Wang’s gaze shifted back to her. "Eunuch Yang, what do you think? Does this case have such potential?"

"The case is still unresolved. This servant… dare not speculate."

"Why hesitate? If you find it difficult, I can point you in the right direction." Empress Wang reached out and gently pulled down a branch of the crape myrtle, examining it closely as if speaking to herself. "Since the princess married, Consort Guo has frequently visited under the pretext of seeing her daughter. I’ve heard the princess’s husband never avoids such gatherings, often dining and drinking with them…"Huang Zixiao hadn't expected to receive such a crucial lead from her, and she felt a pang of alarm, momentarily too stunned to speak.

"And another thing—has Princess Tongchang recently taken a male consort? If you're interested, you might investigate that as well. Perhaps you'll uncover something useful."

A male consort... Huang Zixiao knew Empress Wang was undoubtedly referring to Yu Xuan.

The rumors about him and Princess Tongchang had indeed spread like wildfire through the capital, reaching even Empress Wang's ears.

Huang Zixiao lowered her eyes in silence, feeling a surge of scorching blood twist through her chest like a convulsion. She forced herself to reply softly, "This servant... will certainly take note."

"Of course you should. I’ve heard you’re quite skilled at piecing together the truth from the faintest traces, aren’t you?" The empress shielded half her face with a flowering branch, but the faint upward curve at the corner of her lips remained visible. "Huang Zixiao, Consort Guo is currently drunk on her own success—this is the perfect opportunity for me to return to Daming Palace. Once I reclaim Penglai Hall, the first thing I’ll do is reward you handsomely."

Huang Zixiao immediately bowed her head. "This servant dares not presume. I will devote myself fully to the task."

With that, she waited, expecting further instructions.

But Empress Wang merely waved a hand. "Go now. I’ll await your good news."

Huang Zixiao was slightly puzzled. If these were the only words the empress had for her, why summon her personally? A messenger could have relayed them.

Yet she could only wonder silently. She bowed deeply before turning to leave.

Clusters of crape myrtle blossoms hung heavily before her eyes, their petals gilded by the last rays of the setting sun, casting the garden in hues of gold and violet.

When she glanced up, she spotted a man in purple robes standing at a high palace window in the distance, his hawk-like gaze fixed intently upon her.

Even from afar, even with his features indistinct, she could feel his scrutiny—slow, deliberate, tracing the contours of her forehead, down the bridge of her nose, to her chin, then her neck. His gaze was sharper than a blade's edge, more piercing than a needle's point. The sensation of being watched by something venomous sent a chill through her despite the summer evening, raising goosebumps along her arms.

Noticing her stiffened posture, the man suddenly laughed. The distance made it indistinct, little more than a whisper of amusement. His hand rested lightly on a transparent glass vessel beside him, and only then did Huang Zixiao notice the large, foot-wide glass bowl at his side. Inside, small fish darted about—some black, some white, but mostly red.

The sight of the man and those fish filled her with an oppressive dread. She turned away, quickening her steps as if fleeing, and soon left the small garden beside Lizheng Hall.

She moved too hastily to notice that Empress Wang soon appeared at the man’s side.

Standing beside him, the empress watched Huang Zixiao’s retreating figure and murmured, "That’s Huang Zixiao—the one serving Prince Kui under the name Yang Chonggu."

"Hm." He responded absently, his gaze still fixed on Huang Zixiao’s departing form. She walked swiftly, as though escaping.

"Can she truly be of any use to us?" Empress Wang asked again.He smiled faintly and finally spoke. His voice was slightly high-pitched, yet his tone was low, carrying a contradictory and oppressive lingering charm: "What's the hurry? You'll find out when you return to the palace."

Empress Wang raised an eyebrow slightly and asked, "Can she really succeed?"

"Even if she fails, you have me, and she has Prince Kui. If that still can't ensure your return to Daming Palace, then who else could?"

Empress Wang pressed her lips together slightly. The peach-blossom hue of her lips, now flushed with vitality, took on a vivid crimson that made her beauty almost unbearable to behold.

Yet the man didn't even glance at her, merely lowering his head to observe the small fish in the aquarium before murmuring to himself, "Oh... it seems the fish are hungry."

He raised his hand and bit his index finger. Blood immediately welled up.

He placed his hand into the aquarium, and as the blood diffused, the small fish inside suddenly became lively, gathering around the source of the blood and greedily licking at the wound on his finger.

Empress Wang stood beside him, watching coldly.

The fish clustered around his pale, slender fingers, the faint red of the blood and the bright red of the fish resembling large, blooming blood flowers.

Suddenly feeling slightly uneasy, she turned her gaze away, fixing it once more on Huang Zixiang in the distance.

Huang Zixiang, dressed in the crimson robes of a eunuch, walked briskly to the end of the palace wall. As dusk fell, she resembled a drop of cinnabar dissolving into ink, on the verge of being completely swallowed.

Sometimes, Huang Zixiang truly admired Li Shubai.

If nothing else, the fact that one person could oversee everything, concern himself with every government office, and handle all foreign affairs could indeed be considered a miracle.

Lost in such thoughts, she curled up in the Ministry of Revenue, cracking melon seeds while holding the case files she had just retrieved from the Dali Temple. She pondered the case, all the while watching Li Shubai at his desk, processing various documents.

"Magistrate Wang, this is the legal commentary you drafted the day before yesterday. There's an error in the month on page thirty-seven, and name mistakes on pages sixteen and fifty-four. Please proofread it again. Magistrate Xu, retrieve the records of Jiang Weixu's promotions over the years. They should be in the twelfth row of the first section, fourth archive room of the storage area. The Emperor intends to promote him during tomorrow's morning court session, so remember to present it for imperial review. Magistrate Zhang, inform Vice Minister Cheng tomorrow that the transfer of Shi Chengyao to Yunzhou Prefecture is rejected. Shi Chengyao's uncle once committed a crime in Yunzhou, so by precedent, he must avoid the post. Liang Tingfang, who served as Yanzhou Prefecture's governor three years ago, will soon complete his mourning period and can take the position..."

Huang Zixiang found she could no longer continue cracking her melon seeds.

Holding a seed between her fingers, she silently wondered if his terrifying memory even retained how many leaves were on the tree outside his window on a random morning ten years ago.

Before long, the Ministry of Revenue's affairs were settled, and he led her to the Ministry of Works.

The officials at the Ministry of Works were overjoyed to see Li Shubai. The Minister of Works, Li Yonghe, who had stayed late specifically waiting for Prince Kui despite only needing to work half a day, was no exception—even the stable hands at the gate beamed with delight.

The moment Huang Zixiang saw the stacks of ledgers filled with red ink, she immediately understood their suffering. Being saddled with an emperor who loved constructing palaces and retreats was truly the greatest misfortune for the Ministry of Works in this dynasty!Every time Li Yonghe went over the accounts, it pained him deeply: "Last year, the construction of Princess Tongchang's residence upon her marriage nearly emptied the treasury. Then early this year, we began building Jianbi Palace, and even now its pavilions and towers remain incomplete. I truly don’t know where to find the funds anymore. But now, we’ve reached a point where spending is unavoidable—during the heavy rain two days ago, several low-lying wards in the southern part of the capital were completely flooded. The drainage system simply couldn’t handle it, with the deepest water reaching over ten feet! Your Highness knows as well as I do—while the surface canals are manageable, the underground channels are a different matter entirely. The workers dig haphazardly underground, and those in charge of the waterways can only inspect from above. As long as the surface appears tidy, they demand payment, but who knows what’s really going on below? Just last month, we cleared those very waterways, and now they’re clogged again. Yesterday, Lu Zhishi, an official under my department, actually fell into the water and drowned! The capital is abuzz with talk, blaming our Ministry of Works for reaping what we’ve sown. It’s utterly humiliating!"

Li Shubai frowned slightly, took the ledger, but said nothing as he sat down to review it.