On the way back, Shen Miao pondered the words of Xiande Huanghou, her heart unsettled for a long while.
Consort Jing had indeed "delivered safely with both mother and child unharmed," and Xiande Huanghou had not been implicated in any trouble. On the surface, it seemed like a perfectly happy ending, yet Shen Miao couldn’t shake the feeling that something was amiss. By the time they returned to Prince Rui's Estate, the sky was nearly bright. It was too late to sleep now, and besides, Shen Miao was in no mood to rest.
Seeing this, Jing Zhe and Gu Yu instructed the small kitchen to prepare some sweet soup for the two of them. Shen Miao and Xie Jingxing entered the room, closed the door behind them, and sat down at the table. Shen Miao looked at Xie Jingxing and asked, "Consort Jing is pregnant. What will the Lu family do now?"
Logically speaking, since the Yongle Emperor had no other heirs, the child Consort Jing carried would be precious. If it turned out to be a son, then barring any unforeseen circumstances, the future throne would naturally belong to the child in Consort Jing’s womb. That should have been the case, yet Xiande Huanghou’s tone had been dismissive, which was rather thought-provoking. Unless the Yongle Emperor had other children, why would she react that way? The Lu family, emboldened by Consort Jing’s pregnancy, now acted without fear. Would the Yongle Emperor’s plans to deal with the Lu family be shelved because of this?
Shen Miao found that hard to believe.
Xie Jingxing replied calmly, "His Majesty has already moved against the Lu family. Whether the child is born or not makes no difference now."
His words implied that Consort Jing’s child was one matter, and the fate of the Lu family another. At most, Consort Jing might temporarily spare her own life because of the child, but the Lu family would still meet their demise as originally planned.
Shen Miao frowned. "I spoke with the Empress earlier and found it rather strange. I heard that the Empress once suffered a miscarriage because of Consort Jing. Whether it was intentional or not is beside the point, but no matter how magnanimous the Empress is, how could she have watched Consort Jing live peacefully all these years without consequence?"
Xie Jingxing, who had been pouring tea for her, paused at her words.
Shen Miao stared at him. "Tell me honestly—why has the Emperor remained without an heir until now? Was it deliberate or unavoidable?"
She had thought it over and found the Yongle Emperor’s lack of heirs exceedingly peculiar. Every ruler, whether wise or foolish, desired as many heirs as possible. More princes meant mutual checks and balances, stabilizing the imperial court. Even someone like Fu Xiuyi never lacked heirs. Shen Miao had previously wondered why the Yongle Emperor, despite his outstanding governance and the people’s prosperity, still faced an unstable court. Later, she realized it was precisely because he had no heirs. This alone would draw criticism from the courtiers. In truth, the Yongle Emperor was already remarkable. Had it been an ordinary emperor without an heir, they would have long been stripped of their imperial robes and overthrown, let alone maintaining balance for so many years.
After a long silence, Xie Jingxing finally looked at Shen Miao, his gaze somewhat peculiar. "Do you really want to know?""When you returned from the Royal Hunting Ground unconscious, I had a premonition that something was about to change. But I had just arrived in Longye and didn’t understand the situation in Great Coolness well enough to be of much help. Other than seeking out that 'master' at Phoenix Head Manor, I couldn’t assist in anything else," Shen Miao said. "I don’t like being so passive. If one day you also have important matters to attend to, I don’t want to be useless. But if I know nothing, how can I help even if I want to?"
Xie Jingxing looked at her for a moment, then suddenly sighed and patted her head, half-amused and half-touched. "Our Jiaojiao not only schemes against others but also knows how to be considerate."
Shen Miao brushed his hand away. "You can’t expect me to be a useless parasite who only knows how to eat."
"I wouldn’t dare underestimate you," Xie Jingxing chuckled. "Since you want to know, I won’t hide it from you. You once told me about a dream that felt real—a tragic one. What I’m about to tell you isn’t a dream but something that truly happened."
"The journey from Longye to Fixed Capital takes nearly half a year even at full gallop. Have you always wondered why I became Lin'an Hou’s son back then? Why, despite knowing my true origins all these years, I never returned to Great Coolness? It wasn’t because I didn’t want to—it was because I couldn’t." His gaze gradually sharpened.
Xie Jingxing’s real name was Xie Yuan, styled Jingxing, derived from the phrase 'High mountains inspire awe, noble paths guide conduct,' reflecting the hope of the one who named him that he would become a person of lofty character. Whether this aspiration was ever fulfilled is another matter, but the name itself carried deep affection from the one who bestowed it.
His father, Emperor Xiaowu Xie Yilong, gave him his given name, while his mother, Empress Jingxian of the Xiao clan, chose his courtesy name.
Emperor Xiaowu Xie Yilong was once the most outstanding prince of the Great Coolness dynasty, wielding military power, bringing stability to the realm, and exuding heroic charisma. His only flaw was being the youngest son, as the Great Coolness imperial succession traditionally favored the eldest. But Xie Yilong was too exceptional—such men either rise above worldly concerns or harbor insatiable ambition. Unfortunately, Xie Yilong was the latter. Coupled with the fact that the crown prince at the time paled in comparison, Xie Yilong ultimately embarked on the path to seize the throne.
His path to power was smooth, blessed with innate advantages. Born of the Empress and adorned with military achievements, he eventually framed his own elder brother, the crown prince, drove his mother to her death, and manipulated his father to secure the throne as Emperor Xiaowu.
On the road to power, one must inevitably sacrifice certain things—kinship, love. To Xie Yilong, these were trivial. A man of ambition, he married the daughter of the Left Chancellor Xiao. The Xiao family led the civil officials, and marrying their daughter won over half the aristocratic families of Great Coolness. Moreover, the Xiao daughter was breathtakingly beautiful, wise, and dignified—a brilliant match by any measure. The marriage was, in truth, an exceedingly shrewd bargain.After ascending the throne, Emperor Xiaowu and Empress Jingxian maintained a coldly respectful relationship. Emperor Xiaowu was a wise ruler, and Empress Jingxian was renowned throughout the land for her virtue—on the surface, everything seemed perfect. Not long after, Empress Jingxian gave birth to their eldest son, Xie Chi, who was named Crown Prince. At the time, the territory of Great Coolness was gradually expanding, and its national power steadily rose to prominence among the three kingdoms. Everything appeared to be flourishing.
Yet in this world, the hardest thing to preserve is constancy.
Those who endure hardship with you may not necessarily share prosperity with you.
Empress Xiao had married Emperor Xiaowu during chaotic times. The couple complemented each other—Xie Yilong was ambitious, while Empress Xiao was steady; Xie Yilong was shrewd, and Empress Xiao was resourceful.
But when external enemies gradually dwindled, the spearhead inevitably turned inward.
Emperor Xiaowu was a man of ambition. He had used cunning to seize the throne, and his ambition stemmed from deep-seated paranoia. Over time, he grew suspicious that the Xiao family harbored intentions of monopolizing power as imperial in-laws. The more virtuous and intelligent Empress Xiao appeared, the more distrustful Emperor Xiaowu became. To counterbalance the Xiao family's influence, the emperor expanded his harem, filling it with women from aristocratic families opposed to the Xias. He promoted these families, pitting them against the Xiao clan in court while Empress Xiao battled their daughters in the inner palace.
Empress Xiao was wise and dignified. Since her marriage, she had adhered to the family precept of prioritizing her husband. Moreover, Xie Yilong had been an outstanding man, and their relationship had been harmonious for many years. But as those scheming women began desperately vying to bear imperial sons—even threatening Xie Chi's position as Crown Prince—Empress Xiao could no longer remain passive.
Every woman, even the gentlest, can transform into a beast to protect her child. Empress Xiao was no delicate rabbit. Coming from the illustrious Xiao family, she had become their most accomplished daughter precisely because of her sharp intellect. She launched a fierce counterattack.
Having survived tumultuous times alongside Emperor Xiaowu, Empress Xiao's capabilities were formidable. How could pampered, privileged young ladies like Jiaojiao compare? They only humiliated themselves. Xie Chi remained unharmed, while Empress Xiao emerged victorious time and again. Her formidable strength and intelligence effectively intimidated the other women, leaving none daring to act rashly for a time.
Yet even someone as astute as Empress Xiao could make one mistake: the more brilliantly she performed, the more it unsettled Emperor Xiaowu.
His wariness of her grew, and he began seeking ways to find fault. At first, he merely introduced rivals into the harem and watched their conflicts unfold with cold detachment. Later, however, he started instinctively siding against her—everything Empress Xiao did became wrong. He also began openly suppressing the Xiao family without hesitation.
Empress Xiao was deeply saddened, but she still believed Emperor Xiaowu was her husband. Everyone makes mistakes at some point in life. She only needed to protect her position, ensure Xie Chi grew up safely, and witness his smooth succession to Great Coolness's throne.
Who could have imagined those women would set their sights on Xie Chi?
During that period, Emperor Xiaowu suddenly became affectionate toward Empress Xiao again. She didn't understand why—until shortly afterward, when Prime Minister Xiao abruptly resigned of his own accord.Xie Yilong was indeed a man of great cunning, and while the Xiao family was ruthless, they were no match for him. The Xiao family had produced only one Empress in several hundred years, and for her sake, they were willing to sacrifice themselves.
By the time Empress Xiao learned of this, it was already too late. Realizing that the tenderness of those nights had been nothing but Xie Yilong’s calculated schemes, she felt nothing but utter disgust. Yet, to her surprise, she found herself pregnant.
This child in her womb was different from Xie Chi. It had been conceived under Xie Yilong’s deliberate and deceitful machinations. During her pregnancy, Empress Xiao often thought that if it were a son, she hoped he would not be like his father. He could be ambitious, scheming, and endlessly cunning—but he must never exploit another’s sincerity. That was the vilest act, the most contemptible behavior.
After becoming pregnant, Empress Xiao found many things increasingly inconvenient. But she never expected someone would take advantage of her condition to target Xie Chi.
Xie Chi had been poisoned.
A deadly toxin. If not for the head of the Gao family, who had an old friendship with Prime Minister Xiao, and who personally intervened, Xie Chi would not have survived the ordeal. Even so, the Gao family head declared that the poison had already seeped into his organs—it was only a matter of time. Xie Chi would not live past thirty-five, and the toxin would affect his descendants. Any child he might have in the future would inevitably be born weak, carrying the poison in their veins—nothing good would come of it.
The Gao family head was a rare genius in medicine, unparalleled in the realm. If even he said so, Xie Chi’s fate was all but sealed. The perpetrator had come for Xie Chi’s life—if not to kill him, then to ruin it entirely.
Empress Xiao never imagined that she, once the most outstanding daughter of the Xiao family, the illustrious Empress Jingxian, revered throughout the land for her virtue, would one day fall to such depths. Her family had withdrawn from the court of Great Coolness to protect her, and now her two children—one doomed to die before middle age, his body ravaged by poison, and the other conceived under a web of deceit—bore the weight of this tragedy.
The poisoner was uncovered—a newly favored concubine promoted by Emperor Xiaowu. Empress Xiao had the woman bound in the imperial gardens and carved her flesh piece by piece, watching as she drew her last breath. The palace maids and eunuchs present nearly fainted from the horror, yet Empress Xiao found the whole affair strangely hollow.
Emperor Xiaowu, of course, harshly condemned the concubine, personally sentencing her for her crimes, and even comforted Empress Xiao. But as she listened to his gentle words, her heart turned to ice, her mind filled with nothing but wariness and suspicion.
Had Emperor Xiaowu known about this? After so many years as his wife, Empress Xiao realized she needed to reevaluate him. Even if he had been unaware, this concubine had been promoted precisely to undermine her. I may not have killed Boren, but Boren died because of me.
While Empress Xiao feigned listlessness, grieving her son’s misfortune, her heart grew ever more guarded.The fact that Xie Chi was afflicted with an incurable poison remained undisclosed, but who knew if it would stay that way in the future? However, Empress Xiao's greatest concern lay in the days to come. The child in her womb was nearing birth. Emperor Xiaowu had grown estranged from the Xie family due to the Xiao family's influence over Xie Chi. If anything were to happen to Xie Chi later, and if the child she carried turned out to be a son, he would replace Xie Chi as the Crown Prince. Who could say he wouldn't become the next Xie Chi? If it were a daughter, Empress Xiao had no desire for her to remain trapped in the palace, manipulated daily and unable to control her own fate.
Most importantly, Empress Xiao was preparing to strike back. After giving birth, she intended to repay the suffering endured by the Xiao family, Xie Chi, and herself a hundredfold. But with a newborn child, there would inevitably be inconveniences and potential vulnerabilities. Thus, she needed a plan.
The classic tale of "swapping the royal heir with a commoner" usually meant the true heir would lose everything destined for them, while the impostor would gain what was never rightfully theirs.
Empress Xiao handed her swaddled infant to a trusted aide and said, "High mountains inspire awe; noble conduct guides action. His courtesy name shall be Jingxing. If one day he grows into a man of integrity, he may employ schemes and strategies, but he must never exploit another's sincerity." Hardening her heart, she took one last look at her child and commanded, "Send him away."
Two months—a journey of nearly half a year—from Longye to the Fixed Capital, pushing horses to their deaths. It was Xie Yuan's first encounter with the world, yet what greeted him was a life of flight. During those days of escape, he opened his eyes wide, babbled his first words, and learned to navigate this world.
At Marquis Lin'an Manor in the Fixed Capital, Princess Yuqing happened to be in labor.
Empress Xiao's aide had originally intended to follow orders and deliver Xie Yuan to an ordinary wealthy family, far removed from the intrigues of the court. But while scouting the streets that day, the aide coincidentally learned that Princess Yuqing was also about to give birth—and that the child's name had already been chosen: Jingxing.
The aide thought, what an extraordinary coincidence.
That night, a bitter wind and relentless rain swept through the Fixed Capital. The downpour washed away the blood spilled in the courtyard during childbirth, muffled the woman's agonized moans, and drowned out the fading cries of the infant.
The child named Xie Jingxing—destined to share a profound connection with Xie Yuan—died before ever seeing the world. Holding the swaddled baby, the aide hesitated for a moment but ultimately made a decision they would never regret.
They transformed Xie Yuan into Xie Jingxing. From then on, Jingxing became his sole name, with no courtesy name. The young Heir Apparent of Marquis Lin'an Manor, carrying the hopes of both Empress Xiao and Princess Yuqing, would live well in this world.
Not long after, the wealthy family originally chosen in the Fixed Capital was wiped out overnight. Though the reason remained unclear, those in the know understood: Emperor Xiaowu had finally detected traces of the truth and had traveled great distances to silence all witnesses. Whether by fortune or misfortune, the aide's split-second decision had inadvertently spared Xie Jingxing from this life-and-death calamity.
It seemed as though fate had ordained it so.Marquis Lin'an Manor was also plagued by endless scandals, with Fang Shi and her two sons constantly stirring up trouble. The only support Xie Jingxing could rely on was Xie Ding's favor, but even that wasn't necessarily a good thing. Xie Ding was often away on campaigns, leaving the young Xie Jingxing to fend for himself amidst wolves and tigers. Had it not been for the secret assistance of Empress Xiao's trusted aides, he might have long turned to dust, meeting the real heir of Marquis Lin'an Manor in the underworld. Moreover, the Ming Qi emperor covertly suppressed the Xie family.
In such an environment, Xie Jingxing gradually grew up. He was grateful to those trusted aides for placing him in such harsh circumstances, ensuring he wouldn't be too unaccustomed to the rugged path ahead. He became a carefree and mischievous young man, lazily riding through the streets and alleys of Fixed Capital. Though his unruly behavior gave others headaches, he truly grew into the upright and capable man Empress Xiao had hoped for—someone who could stand firm against adversity. He never exploited others' emotions; beneath his casual teasing, he respected every sincere heart, whether it was Rongxin Princess, Su Mingfeng, Marquis Lin'an, or Shen Miao. He thrived in Ming Qi's Fixed Capital, relying solely on himself, and developed the ability to secretly outmaneuver his enemies.
And what of Empress Xiao?
During those years, Empress Xiao longed for her youngest son and grieved over the misfortunes of her eldest. She resolved to strike back.
Weren't you most afraid of this throne falling into the hands of the Xiao family? Wasn't this what you cared about most? Then I will take it from you and trample it underfoot. When that day comes, will you feel even a hint of regret for what you've done today?
Empress Xiao, a daughter of the Xiao family, was as resourceful and shrewd as any man. Fueled by her anger, she grew even more determined, while Emperor Xiaowu began to age. The concubines in the harem distracted him, and his former ambitions faded as he grew complacent.
Born in hardship, dying in comfort.
When Emperor Xiaowu passed, only Empress Xiao was by his side. She said, "Your Majesty, rest assured. As husband and wife, I won't let you journey to the underworld too lonely. Every woman and concubine you favored in this palace, I will send to accompany you. And your children—except for the crown prince—not a single one will be left behind."
Emperor Xiaowu's eyes widened in shock.
"And one more thing," Empress Xiao added, as if suddenly remembering, leaning close to his ear. "Our youngest son is doing quite well. Your Majesty once sent assassins after him to Ming Qi, but they killed the wrong person. In a few years, once the court is settled, I will bring him back to reclaim his heritage. After all, Great Coolness must have someone to inherit its throne. I am soft-hearted, so for now, my sons still bear the Xiao name. But if I were as ruthless as Your Majesty, Great Coolness would truly see a change of dynasty."
"Your Majesty, go in peace. This throne—I will take it for now." Empress Xiao stood by the bed, smiling gently.
Emperor Xiaowu died with his eyes wide open.
Empress Jingxian became Empress Dowager Jingxian.
Xie Chi became the Yongle Emperor.
Xie Jingxing remained in Ming Qi's Fixed Capital, groping through the darkness. He vaguely learned of his origins but was warned that his birth father had tried to kill him, while his birth mother had trapped his father to death. Now, at the height of the storm, he could not act recklessly.The twists and turns of fate are unpredictable. Empress Jingxian truly lived up to her word, purging the harem of Great Coolness until it was spotless. Those who had once been arrogant and oppressive toward her and her son ultimately became companions on Emperor Xiaowu’s journey to the underworld. She said to Xie Chi, who had become the Yongle Emperor: "This old one is weary. I can no longer manage affairs beyond these walls, but a clean harem—this, I can give you. From now on, there will be no petty schemers here. You need only promise me one thing: hold this realm firmly in your grasp and never let it fall into decline."
The Lu family and the Ye family were Emperor Xiaowu’s most trusted confidants—cunning and tenacious, like a centipede that refuses to die even when cut into pieces. Due to their intricate web of influence, they were difficult to uproot entirely. The Yongle Emperor had been quietly devising plans to deal with these two families.
Empress Dowager Jingxian passed away two years later. She collapsed suddenly while reviewing a memorial from the Lu family and never woke again. The Gao family claimed it was due to exhaustion—her lamp had burned out. Yet just the day before, she had been full of vigor, discussing with the Yongle Emperor whether this year’s grand ceremony should feature something new, perhaps even finding a way to bring Xie Jingxing back to Great Coolness for a visit.
Fate is unpredictable. In the end, she never got the chance to reunite with Xie Yuan in this lifetime.
Thus, they were forever separated by life and death.
－－－－－－Author's Note－－－－－－
I really like Empress Xiao (T^T)
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