Upon learning of Liu Luowei's death, Zhenzhen took people to inspect, collect the body, and clean up the scene, then proceeded to the Hall of Blessing and Tranquility to report the situation to the Emperor. Everything was handled in an orderly and impeccable manner. Having experienced the death of his young son, the shocking truth of his eldest son's demise, and the conspiracy and death of his favored concubine all in one day, the Emperor was also mentally and physically exhausted. Anger, grief, and pain intertwined, leaving him unable to even cry. In the candlelight, his eyes were sunken, his appearance haggard, as he sat slumped with bowed head, seeming to have aged several years in a single day. After silently listening to Zhenzhen's account, he closed his reddened eyes and, after a long pause, waved his hand to dismiss her. But just as Zhenzhen was about to turn and leave, he spoke again, asking, "And what about Zhang Yunqiao? Have you found out? Where is he?"
Zhenzhen turned back to face him, slowly lowered her gaze, and bowed slightly. "There has been some progress in this matter, but the details still require questioning Madam Ju. I will go ask her now and report everything to Your Majesty tomorrow morning."
It was already past midnight. Zhenzhen ordered Qiu Niang to be brought to the kitchen of the Bureau of Palace Provisions, then dismissed everyone else, leaving only Qiu Niang and herself alone in the room.
After the eunuch who escorted Qiu Niang closed the door and retreated to a distance, Qiu Niang turned to look at Zhenzhen, her eyes brimming with tears as she softly called out, "Zhenzhen." But Zhenzhen merely smiled faintly and, instead of calling her "Mother" as Qiu Niang had hoped, addressed her only as "Madam Ju."
Qiu Niang could easily discern the rationality and distance Zhenzhen intended to maintain from her tone, so her eyes dimmed, and she still respectfully bowed. "Greetings, Palace Commandant."
"Madam Ju, I have found Imperial Physician Zhang," Zhenzhen stated openly, unsurprised to see the shock on Qiu Niang's face. She paused before continuing calmly, "I have found him—Imperial Physician Zhang Yunqiao. I have asked him to wait for us temporarily at the Great Stone Buddha Monastery. Would you like to see him?"
Qiu Niang's face turned pale, and she bit her lip without answering.
Seeing this, Zhenzhen did not press further. Instead, her gaze shifted to a fish tank in the kitchen, as if changing the subject. "The Transport Commissioner of the Eastern Zhejiang Circuit presented some precious ingredients, including many pufferfish. However, the Bureau of Palace Provisions does not prepare pufferfish for the nobility, so they are temporarily kept in this tank. Madam Ju, Grandma Song said she has taught you how to prepare pufferfish. Could you demonstrate it for me? Use the same method you used back then."
Qiu Niang remained silent for a long time before slowly walking to the fish tank. After observing the live pufferfish inside, she finally replied, "Alright."
Zhenzhen prepared the kitchen tools for her. Qiu Niang washed her hands, scooped a pufferfish from the tank, and with one hand holding it down, skillfully used a knife to cut off its fins, tail, and mouth. She then effortlessly peeled off the skin, removed the eyes and internal organs, placed them in a bowl, and set it far away from the cutting board. After rinsing the fish meat, she thoroughly cleaned the cutting board and knife, replacing them with a new set that had not come into contact with the pufferfish. She then sliced the fish meat and simmered the bones for soup. Every step closely resembled what Grandma Song had taught Zhenzhen, without any mistakes.
The ice-silk-like pufferfish slices were arranged by Qiu Niang into the shape of a night-blooming cereus and served to Zhenzhen on a glass plate. In the clay pot, the white broth bubbled and began to emit a delicious fish aroma. Qiu Niang picked up the bowl containing the internal organs, walked to the wooden bucket for kitchen waste, and poured them out. After placing the bowl down with her back to Zhenzhen, she suddenly covered her mouth and coughed violently.Zhenzhen noticed the late hour and the chill in the air, fearing that Qiu Niang might catch a cold. She quickly removed the thin outer robe she wore over her official attire and walked over to drape it around her. Qiu Niang immediately declined, but Zhenzhen insisted, fastening the robe firmly. Qiu Niang then silently accepted it. Once the robe was secured, Qiu Niang returned to check the color of the soup in the pot. After waiting a moment longer, she deemed it ready, ladled out two bowls, tasted one herself first, and then handed the other to Zhenzhen.
Zhenzhen had observed the entire process of Qiu Niang preparing the pufferfish and knew there was no issue. She raised the bowl and took a sip, her eyes fixed intently on Qiu Niang, watching her expression. Seeing this, Qiu Niang forced a faint smile and said, "Don’t worry, it’s not poisoned."
Zhenzhen set down the soup bowl, took out a small porcelain box, and pushed it toward Qiu Niang. Looking directly at her, she calmly asked, "Then why did Imperial Physician Zhang turn into a pile of bones?"
Qiu Niang remained silent, her expression sorrowful. Zhenzhen continued, "I had someone dig up his remains from beneath the golden lantern flower bed in the backyard of Grandma Song’s tavern. To avoid drawing attention, I had to place him temporarily in a wooden box and bring him to Lin’an. He is now at the Great Stone Buddha Monastery, waiting to confront you."
Qiu Niang gazed at the porcelain box for a moment before reaching out to open it. Inside were two aged fish bones, now yellowed and darkened with time.
"These were found near the bones of Imperial Physician Zhang’s right hand. He was clutching this porcelain box tightly when he died. The box was well-sealed, so the fish bones inside have been preserved to this day," Zhenzhen explained before asking, "These are pufferfish bones, aren’t they? Grandma Song said you left Ningguo Prefecture in late spring or early summer—the time when pufferfish are most toxic."
Qiu Niang still said nothing.
Zhenzhen pressed further, "Why did you suddenly leave Ningguo Prefecture? Why did Grandma Song hear you crying the night before you left? And all these years, why have you stopped cooking pufferfish? Why do you forbid others from even mentioning it? Grandma Song said you were already skilled at preparing pufferfish and had made it for Imperial Physician Zhang many times. So, what happened? What are you afraid of?"
"Don’t ask anymore, Zhenzhen," Qiu Niang suddenly looked up, her gaze as gentle as ever, and offered a faint smile to her daughter. "Everything you want to know, I can tell you now. But it’s a long story, and I hope you’ll listen patiently and attentively."
Zhenzhen nodded, sitting opposite Qiu Niang, focusing intently as she awaited the tale that would follow."My name is Ju An, an orphan girl with no parents. Since childhood, I drifted between different foster mothers, enduring endless bullying. Fortunately, I danced rather well and caught the late emperor's favor, becoming the head of the Ju troupe in the Immortal Music Academy..." Qiu Niang calmly recounted her past, her tone even, revealing neither sorrow nor joy, as if speaking of a distant tale unrelated to herself. "The late emperor treated me well, giving me many clothes and jewels, but what I most desired was love. Yet he always kept me at arm's length and never took me as a concubine. Uncertain whether he loved me, I tested him repeatedly—asking for Luoyang peonies, Yangzhou jade flowers, many things not found in Lin'an and difficult to obtain. Looking back now, it was quite childish, but at the time, I didn't know how else to discern whether he truly valued me. I could only make these childish demands again and again. He would find whatever he could for me, but when I asked for jade flowers, he said transporting them would burden the people and waste resources, and even if brought, they would be hard to keep alive—why go to such trouble? I sulked with him. The then Empress, now the Empress Dowager, seized the chance to punish me, so I simply stopped eating, forcing the late emperor to come see me himself and coax me..."
"I've heard a little about this," Zhenzhen said. "Is that when you met Official Liu?"
"We had met earlier, since she was also close to the late emperor," Qiu Niang replied. "But it was after I stopped eating that the emperor sent her to prepare meals for me. At first, I disliked her and often gave her cold looks, but her temperament was somewhat like yours—always cheerful, smiling whenever she saw me, hopping around me like a rabbit, asking what I wanted to eat. When I ignored her, she tempted me with all sorts of delicacies. Over time, I grew accustomed to her silly cheerfulness; if she didn't come one day, I'd actually miss her. Day after day, we gradually spoke more. I initially thought she, like me, was fond of the late emperor, but after getting to know her, I discovered she loved Zhang Yunqiao."
"You knew Imperial Physician Zhang back then too, didn't you?" Zhenzhen asked.
Qiu Niang nodded. "When I quarreled with the late emperor and took to my bed, he sent him to treat me. Other imperial physicians were polite to me, even somewhat respectful, but this man was different. The first time he diagnosed me, he wrote a poem mocking me for feigning illness to seek favor: 'Empty gifts of silk robes, no gift of grace; / Once perfumed, once heartbroken. / Though the dancing sleeves never danced, / Often facing spring breeze, tears stain the traces.' I was furious and tried to drive him out, but he didn't back down, directly warning me to eat properly. Otherwise, he'd give the poem to the other dancers and singers in the Immortal Music Academy to perform, saying it was a cure for my illness... Those wretched women in the academy all wished for my downfall. If they saw this poem, what would become of me? Hearing that, I was livid, but had no way to retaliate. Later, with Official Liu's persuasion, I gradually resumed eating as before."
Imagining Zhang Yunqiao threatening Madam Ju, Zhenzhen couldn't help but feel a little amused, but then a doubt arose: "Did you start noticing him because of this, and gradually develop feelings instead?""Not at all," Qiu Niang said. "At that time, I simply disliked him and couldn't understand why Mingchu would be fond of him. Seeing her love him to the point of life and death, even deliberately tasting poison just to have a chance for him to treat her, I scolded her harshly and spoke countless ill words about Zhang Yunqiao. But Mingchu wouldn't listen at all. Later, I had no choice but to give up, letting them do as they pleased, as long as Mingchu was happy. I even found excuses to summon Zhang Yunqiao for treatment so they could meet, and my relationship with Zhang Yunqiao gradually eased because of this... The late Emperor once said that when I danced the Liangzhou dance in red, with my silk shawl swirling and sleeves fluttering, I resembled a blooming mandarava flower. I didn't know what that flower looked like, so seeing Zhang Yunqiao's extensive knowledge, I asked him about it. Zhang Yunqiao said he hadn't seen it either but would search for this flower for me... Mingchu nearly died from tasting poison, and Zhang Yunqiao saved her. They were already fond of each other, and this incident led them to confess their feelings and pledge themselves to each other in secret, but the late Emperor discovered it. With the help of the prince, who is now The Emperor, they eloped and hid in a small courtyard in the mountains. At that time, because I had repeatedly offended the Empress Dowager and was frequently punished, I requested to leave the palace for peace and quiet. The late Emperor agreed, granting me a garden to live in and promising to visit me from time to time... After leaving the palace, I gradually reconnected with Mingchu, exchanging messages occasionally. Later, Zhang Yunqiao conspired with the prince, pretending to elope with Official Liu and seeking refuge with Qi Xun for protection. Qi Xun demanded that he kill the remonstrance official Lin Yu as proof of loyalty. After accomplishing this, Qi Xun indeed took him in and had him treat his illness. Zhang Yunqiao seized the opportunity to cure Qi Xun to death, which led to him and Mingchu being hunted down by the Qi family. As for me..."
At this point, Qiu Niang's thoughts grew distant, her eyes dimmed. After a long silence, she continued: "Once, while offering incense at Lingyin Temple, I encountered the Empress Dowager. Because I didn't bow to her, I was beaten by the eunuchs around her. I sneered at the Empress Dowager, saying that every scar on my body would become a reason for The Emperor to despise her. The Empress Dowager then had me taken to a meditation room and asked me privately, 'Do you know why he has never taken you as a consort?' I didn't answer. She asked again, 'Did he tell you that he treats you like a sister?' I was surprised because the late Emperor had indeed said that. The Empress Dowager then smiled mockingly at me and whispered in my ear, 'What he said is true. He only sees you as a sister.'"
"A sister?" Zhenzhen pondered, recalling what Pei Shangshi had previously mentioned about the late Emperor getting drunk on the eve of the princess's engagement, and began to understand. "Does the Empress Dowager mean that the late Emperor saw you as a substitute for the princess?"Qiu Niang gave a bitter smile and said, "When I met the late emperor, the Eldest Princess had already passed away many years before. It was said she was merely a commoner woman who impersonated the Eldest Princess—who had disappeared in the northern war—to seek wealth and status, and thus was beaten to death. However, the late emperor's close attendants occasionally still referred to her as the Eldest Princess, saying she possessed an elegant demeanor and a proud, unyielding spirit like plum blossoms, and in their words, they did not believe she was an imposter... It was only after hearing the Empress Dowager say so that I realized others might indeed see some similarities between me and that Eldest Princess... Seeing me momentarily stunned, the Empress Dowager triumphantly laid it bare, saying, 'You think you are the treasure in his heart and eyes, showered with boundless favor, but little do you know, you are nothing but a worthless counterfeit. You have no parents, no status, no power. The love you once thought you possessed is nothing but a joke. From beginning to end, you have always had nothing. I was once an imperial consort, now I am the Empress, and in the future, I will be the Empress Dowager, respected by subjects for generations, honored in the ancestral temple. What right do you have to mock me? What confidence do you have to threaten me?'"
Zhenzhen instantly understood that this was the heart-piercing remark the Empress Dowager had previously mentioned to her, the one she had said to Madam Ju. Seeing Madam Ju's sorrowful expression as she recalled it now, it was not difficult to guess how devastating those words had been to her back then.
Qiu Niang lowered her eyes in gloom and continued, "I was utterly despondent, feeling that the favor I once believed I had was nothing but an illusion, shattered the moment she pierced it... I no longer wished to see the late emperor. Coincidentally, Mingchu came to bid me farewell before leaving Lin'an, and I begged her to take me with her. She agreed and persuaded Zhang Yunqiao to let me accompany them... At that time, she was already pregnant..."
Qiu Niang raised her tear-filled eyes, looking into Zhenzhen's eyes that so resembled Mingchu's, and said with a faint smile, "Yes, the child in Mingchu's womb was you. She is your true mother."
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