Unveil: Jadewind

"High Truth Master, forgive my intrusion. I am Lady Pei of the Wei family. May I ask if my daughter Shufen is here?"

The voice of her mother's inquiry and her father's cough came through the window simultaneously, striking like a bolt from the blue. Wei Shufen's legs turned as weak as noodle soup, and she swayed, about to collapse. Fortunately, Chai Yingluo beside her was quick to react, catching her in one swift motion.

Another person in the room abruptly stood up, retreating two steps to lean against the wall, as if instinctively avoiding Wei Zheng and his wife outside the window. Wei Shufen glanced over and saw it was the slender young Prince Wu, Li Yuangui.

At this moment, she naturally had no mind to pay attention to anyone else, clinging desperately to Chai Yingluo and whispering like a mosquito, "Sister Ying, save me... please save me..."

Chai Yingluo called out to the window, "Madam Wei, please wait a moment," then turned back and asked Wei Shufen in a low voice, "What exactly is going on? Quickly tell me the most important details!"

Wei Shufen knew her act of fleeing the marriage was shameful, and with a man present in the room, it was even more inappropriate to air the family's dirty laundry. But given the circumstances, she could no longer afford to care about face. Steadying herself, she briefly explained how her parents had sought a marriage alliance with the Cui family for their eldest son, only to be asked for a dowry of thirty thousand bolts of silk. To cover this, they planned to marry her off as a second wife to Cheng Yaojin in exchange for fifty thousand bolts, and how she had fled the marriage and accidentally ended up in the Chai family's bridal procession.

Fortunately, though troublesome, the matter wasn't overly complicated, and Chai Yingluo, being from a noble family herself, understood immediately. Even so, by the time Wei Shufen finished explaining, Wei Zheng and his wife outside the window had grown impatient. Her father, Wei Zheng, raised his voice and declared, "Forgive my rudeness," before pushing open the door and entering the room.

Wei Shufen was terrified out of her wits, hiding behind Chai Yingluo as if she wished to shrink into an ant or vanish into the ground. Shadows flickered across the floor, suggesting a large group had entered the room.

Inside, the Chai siblings now stood up to greet and pay respects to Chancellor Wei and his wife. Amidst the shifting figures, Wei Shufen caught sight of someone behind her parents—the towering young man Yang Xinzhi, who had also entered the room, awkwardly explaining:

"I was ordered to dismiss the bridal procession and happened to run into Chancellor Wei and his wife on my return. Unintentionally, I mentioned that the young lady Wei was also here..."

So it was he who had let slip the truth. But upon reflection, she couldn't blame him—from start to finish, he seemed unaware that Wei Shufen was hiding from her parents.

"Chancellor Wei and Madam, forgive me," Chai Yingluo's voice remained calm. "Your daughter has confided in me the reason for her presence here today. Please calm your anger, Chancellor. This matter can be discussed at length—"

"This is a private family matter of the Wei household! There is nothing to discuss!" Wei Zheng cut her off sharply, his voice dark with anger. "I have failed in disciplining my daughter, bringing disgrace upon our family and troubling the High Truth Master. My wife will come later to apologize—A Fen! Come here! We're leaving!"

Each call grew louder than the last, the final one erupting into a furious shout.

Wei Shufen's legs could no longer support her, and she collapsed behind Chai Yingluo, tears streaming down her face. Yet she clenched her teeth and refused to answer. If her father intended to drag her away and beat her to death on the spot, so be it—she would never yield willingly.

"Chancellor Wei, please calm your thunderous rage. Tonight was originally the Chai family's wedding, but with the bride's tragic and bizarre death, matters are complicated, and the High Truth Master cannot oversee everything. It is inconvenient for all of us to crowd into Yi Niang's chamber. Perhaps we should find a quieter place to discuss this properly..."This was Yang Xinzhi's voice, trying to persuade Wei Zheng. Though unaware of the full situation, the young man was adept at reading expressions and mediating tensions. Wei Zheng had just angrily confronted Chai Yingluo, creating an awkward atmosphere in the room. Yang's interruption prompted Madam Pei to add:

"Exactly. There are so many people crammed in here, there's hardly room to stand. Perhaps we should step outside for some air... Oh, what's that on the bed... the Princess's..."

The warming chamber in Yi Niang's boudoir wasn't large, and now it was packed with seven or eight people. Madam Pei caught sight of the corpse lying across the bed and seemed about to vomit again. With a swish of her skirts, Chai Yingluo swiftly stepped forward to support her, inadvertently exposing Wei Shufen who sat collapsed on the floor behind her.

In the flickering lamplight, Wei Shufen saw her father Wei Zheng's dark expression—clearly furious. However, Yang Xinzhi standing beside him was subtly holding his elbow with a restraining grip, preventing the chancellor from lunging at his daughter—which would have been an undignified scene.

"Young Lady Wei cannot leave," a voice suddenly spoke from the corner.

Everyone turned to look—it was the Fourteenth Young Master, Prince Wu Li Yuangui, who had been standing against the wall. He'd remained silent since Wei Zheng and his wife arrived, now speaking in an icy tone:

"Princess Linfen was murdered. The killer hasn't been identified yet, but we know it must be someone who was near this eastern chamber during the wedding. Considering the timing, location, and those present, Young Lady Wei is highly suspect..."

Several gasps sounded simultaneously in the room. Wei Shufen inhaled sharply, her mind in turmoil. Madam Pei retched violently into the handkerchief covering her mouth.

"That can't be—"

"I don't think so—"

Yang Xinzhi and Chai Zhewei spoke almost simultaneously, but their voices were drowned out by Wei Zheng's furious roar:

"Absolute nonsense! How could my family be involved in Princess Linfen's death?"

"Whether there's involvement isn't for Chancellor Wei to decide," Li Yuangui replied coolly. "Yi Niang's death concerns multiple parties with far-reaching implications. She was the eldest daughter of the former Crown Prince, and you, Lord Wei, were once an official of the former palace. Who knows what interests might be entangled here? Your daughter mysteriously appeared at the wedding and was the first to discover the Princess's hanging. Extricating herself won't be so simple."

Was this man's specialty offending people and making himself hated whenever he spoke?... Wei Shufen felt both indignant and slightly afraid. She'd never imagined any connection to this murder, yet Li Yuangui's words sounded disturbingly logical.

So now in addition to being an unfilial runaway bride, she was also a murder suspect?

"You..." Wei Zheng was similarly stunned by Li Yuangui's words. After collecting himself, he demanded sternly: "Prince Wu, may I ask why Your Highness is present here?"

Wei Shufen saw Li Yuangui's lips tighten as he lowered his gaze, looking somewhat guilty as he muttered vaguely: "I was ordered by imperial decree to preside over Yi Niang's wedding..."

Traditionally, the bride's father should officiate weddings. Since Princess Linfen Li Yiniang's father—former Crown Prince Li Jiancheng—was deceased, and no one would expect her uncle the current Son of Heaven to perform the duty, it made sense to appoint one of her younger uncles for the task.

Taking a deep breath, Chancellor Wei pressed further with grave intensity:"At the end of last year, Prince Wu's birth mother, Lady Zhang, unfortunately passed away. Although the mourning was not publicly announced, it has not yet been a hundred days. How could Prince Wu openly wear festive attire and attend a wedding ceremony while still in mourning?"

Wei Shufen gasped in shock, momentarily forgetting her own predicament.

In their society, filial piety was the most revered of the five cardinal relationships. If what her father said was true, and Prince Wu's mother had recently died, he should be wearing mourning garments and observing the mourning period in seclusion. To dare appear in purple robes and a jade belt as the officiant was nothing short of "utterly depraved." Not only would a young prince like him be condemned for such behavior, but even if the current Emperor dared to do so, Chancellor Wei would remonstrate to his face and submit memorials behind his back, surely shaming him into retreat and leaving him infamous for eternity.

Li Yuangui also seemed unable to answer the question, shrinking back further and casting a pleading glance at Chai Yingluo.

Chai Yingluo, still supporting Madam Pei, sighed and spoke up:

"Lord Wei, please forgive me. There are many complexities behind Prince Wu officiating this wedding, which cannot be explained in detail at this moment. Yingluo can only say this: it was an imperial decree conveyed by those close to the Supreme Emperor at the Great Peace Hall. The Supreme Emperor's current condition is something you are aware of, Lord Wei. Fourteenth Uncle had no choice but to endure his grief in loyalty and filial piety. I beg you to let this matter rest for now."

Wei Zheng snorted, his gaze sweeping over Li Yuangui and the Chai siblings before he said slowly, "The imperial family hails from the old Guanlong clans, never as bound by ritual propriety as our Shandong gentry. For Prince Wu to officiate his niece's wedding while in deep mourning is truly a spectacle for the ages! Our Julu Wei clan has upheld purity and strict discipline for generations—we dare not imitate such disgraceful behavior! As for my daughter's misconduct, we need not trouble the High Truth Master to discipline her. My wife and I will take her home and correct her ourselves—"

"I killed Yi Niang!"

The words burst out before Wei Shufen could stop herself. She froze, hardly believing she had spoken them. But... it wasn’t wrong, was it?

Better to die than be dragged home by her parents and sold off to Cheng Yaojin. At least death would end everything.

Silence fell over the room as everyone was stunned by her bold declaration.

Her father, Wei Zheng, gaped wordlessly, while her mother began dry heaving again. Chai Yingluo frowned and tried to intervene, "Feniang, don’t—"

"For a young lady to confess to murder takes remarkable courage," Li Yuangui cut off his niece, addressing Wei Shufen with feigned seriousness. "In that case, may I ask when you killed Yi Niang?"

Wei Shufen hesitated, then began weaving her lie as she spoke:

"I... I followed Prince Wu into the courtyard... Yang Dalang went to find the High Truth Master, and Prince Wu left too. I was scared being alone, so I walked toward the east wing... Um... Yi Niang heard my footsteps and called me into the room... Then, then we argued, and in a fit of anger, I strangled her..."

Her parents both shouted "Nonsense!" at once, but Li Yuangui's voice overpowered theirs:

"And how exactly did you kill her?"

Hadn’t they spent the last while in this room discussing exactly that? Wei Shufen glanced at her parents, her heart pounding, then gritted her teeth and repeated the earlier deductions—how she had strangled Yi Niang from behind, used three connected straps to hang her, and staged the scene to look like suicide.

As she spoke, she noticed her mother’s face growing paler, her father’s darker, while the corners of Chai Yingluo and her brother’s lips twitched as if suppressing laughter. Li Yuangui, however, remained solemn and earnest.As the argument continued, Wei Zheng could no longer bear to listen and angrily shouted, "Enough! Where did a young girl like you hear such absurd nonsense? How dare you slander yourself and tarnish our family's reputation!"

"Please calm down, Lord Wei," Yang Xinzhi, standing beside him, advised. "The truth is unclear, and the young lady is emotionally distraught, even confessing to murder. If we press her further, it will only make matters worse."

Chai Yingluo also interjected, "Shufen happened to stumble upon the case of Yi Niang's death. Since she insists she committed the murder and her account aligns with the evidence, I cannot conceal this when reporting to the palace tomorrow. For now, Lord Wei and the young lady should both calm down and discuss this rationally. Losing your temper won't help at all."

Both were eloquent and skilled at persuasion, and their coordinated efforts finally silenced the chancellor, who stopped his angry outbursts. Madam Pei, her face pale, finally found a chance to speak and quietly asked Chai Yingluo, "Will the High Truth Master report this case to the Son of Heaven and the Empress tomorrow? How... will it be presented?"

"With such a grave matter, how could I dare deceive Their Majesties? I must report the facts as they are," Chai Yingluo sighed. "This case involves the Empress and is an internal palace affair, so it may not be handed over to the judicial authorities. Their Majesties might appoint a trusted minister to investigate, and Shufen will undoubtedly be questioned again."

"Then let the investigator question my daughter at our home," Wei Zheng said coldly. "My entire family is in the capital—do you think I would flee with them?"

Chai Yingluo hesitated, glancing at Li Yuangui, who immediately picked up the thread: "That might not be convenient. The young lady is innocent and naive, while Lord Wei is... seasoned and wise in state affairs."—his lips seemed to swallow the words "crafty" and "scheming" before they escaped—"Since the young lady has confessed to murder, taking her home now would not only raise suspicions of collusion but also reflect poorly on our duty. It would be difficult to explain to Their Majesties later..."

"Collusion? What collusion!" Chancellor Wei flared up again. "This so-called 'confession' is nothing but the reckless words of a foolish girl in a moment of panic! And you youngsters are encouraging her nonsense! Truly, the world is declining—each generation worse than the last! Fine, I'll speak to the Son of Heaven, Prince Consort Chai, and Prince Consort Yang tomorrow!"

Her father was now playing the elder card... Wei Shufen sat up straighter on the ground, casting a worried glance at the Chai siblings and Li Yuangui. The threat of "talking to their parents" unsettled the three youths, but the tall and sturdy Yang Xinzhi remained composed and continued to mediate:

"Lord Wei, consider this—if you insist on taking the young lady home now, every member of your household who speaks with her will be implicated in Princess Linfen's murder case. The investigator would have to question each of them about what was said, her demeanor, any hints she might have given... Your household would be thrown into chaos for days. Why subject yourselves to that?"

Chai Yingluo added, "Why not let Shufen stay in the forbidden garden for a day or two? Once the case is clarified and your family is cleared of suspicion, she can return home with her innocence intact, without implicating anyone. Wouldn't that be better? Madam, you don't look well—why exhaust yourself over this mess? It would be best to go home and rest, don't you think?"Unable to refute this reasoning, Madam Pei could only cast a sorrowful glance at her daughter, stirring a pang of guilt in Wei Shufen. Wei Zheng's expression softened slightly as he pondered, but Madam Pei had already asked:

"If A Fen doesn't return home, where can she go? Surely... she won't be treated like a prisoner and locked up?"

Wei Shufen was taken aback. She hadn't even considered this question yet.

"Madam, what are you saying?" Chai Yingluo laughed. "Who would dare disrespect the daughter of a chancellor? Why doesn't Sister Fen stay with me at the Purple Void Monastery for a few days? You're familiar with it too—it's nearby, within the forbidden garden, with guest quarters and servants ready at hand."

"High Truth Master's suggestion is excellent," Yang Xinzhi immediately chimed in. "If the young lady spends a few days in the Inner Sanctuary practicing fasting and prayers for her parents' well-being, anyone who hears of it will only be moved by her filial piety. There will be no room for rumors, and it would bring great honor to Chancellor Wei."

Chai Yingluo nodded and continued, "Chancellor Wei and Madam are aware that my master, Sun Yaowang, has vowed to compile medical prescriptions and treatments for women and children's ailments into a medical text. I've been assisting him in this boundless merit in recent years. Though the Purple Void Monastery has scribes, they can only copy characters—none can draft or compose. Sister Fen, having been educated from childhood, is exceptionally talented. If she could spare a few days to help me organize prescriptions and compile the medical text, it would not only benefit my master and me but also serve as a great act of compassion to aid the world..."

Their back-and-forth gradually painted Wei Shufen's escape from home as both justified and noble. Listening to them, Wei Shufen straightened her back unconsciously, and her tears had dried without her noticing.

Staying at the Purple Void Monastery to help organize and transcribe medical texts... It was like a sesame cake falling from the sky.

She had long admired Chai Yingluo's medical skills. Though the Master of the Purple Void Monastery was only a young woman in her twenties, she had studied for years under Sun Simiao, the "Medicine King Immortal." Several years ago, she had even saved the Supreme Emperor from the brink of death with miraculous elixirs, earning her the increasingly legendary reputation of "Female Hua Tuo." In recent years, Madam Pei had often been bedridden due to childbirth-related illnesses, and Wei Shufen had often wished to learn the art of diagnosis and prescription to better care for her mother.

Madam Pei seemed to share the same thought, her expression softening considerably, though she hesitated to speak without her husband's approval. Wei Zheng snorted darkly and muttered:

"Going to the Inner Sanctuary to copy medical texts—what good will that do? A Fen is already of marriageable age. She'll have to wed within the next two years. How long can she hide?"

Wei the Imperial Secretary's vision and reasoning remained sharp and clear. He understood that, no matter how many excuses were made, the core of today's uproar was still "the daughter trying to escape marriage."

A hero who had struggled through the chaos of the world and the hell of mortal suffering wasn't so easily fooled by a few youngsters. As a father, he held the power of life and death over his children. No matter how eloquently Chai Yingluo and the others argued, if Chancellor Wei refused to yield, even an appeal before the emperor would still end in his favor.