Sitting close, the Empress's body warmth and fragrance subtly enveloped Wei Shufen in a deep, rich aroma. The incense blend in the Hall of Established Governance likely used agarwood as its base—calm and restrained—but after her time at the Purple Void Monastery working with medicinal herbs, Wei Shufen could keenly detect the lingering medicinal scent clinging to the Empress, as if it had seeped into her bones.
This was not a good sign... Gathering her courage, she slightly raised her lashes, daring only to glance at the Empress's chin. Though the neck of this imperial matriarch was elegantly shaped and powdered, it was far too gaunt, with tendons and veins starkly visible beneath the skin—almost startling. The Empress was in high spirits today, her appearance refined after grooming, but it was a beauty best admired from afar, unable to withstand such close scrutiny.
Up close, she was still a long-term patient, burdened with chronic illness and reliant on medicine...
"This lowly one has acted improperly, troubling the Empress with worry. I deserve ten thousand deaths," Wei Shufen bowed her head in reply. "After leaving the palace, I could only burn incense daily, praying to the Heavenly Emperor to bless our Great Tang with peace and prosperity, and to grant the Son of Heaven and the Empress eternal health."
The Empress smiled. "Your kindness is noted, and I appreciate it. But my own body... I know it well. I may not outlast the Supreme Emperor in the Great Peace Palace... But let's not dwell on that. Are your dowry and wedding attire all prepared? I was thinking—your father has rendered great service to the state and the imperial clan. For his first daughter's marriage, I ought to bestow something fitting. Yet I’m unsure what you might desire."
Wei Shufen hesitated briefly, her heart pounding. Unable to resist, she glanced at Chai Yingluo, sensing—or perhaps imagining—encouragement in the female Taoist's expression. At the very least, there was no obvious disapproval. No matter—this opportunity was too rare to miss.
She withdrew her hand from the Empress's slender grasp, rose, and knelt properly before the seated couch, pressing her forehead to the ground:
"This lowly one has but one wish. If the Empress in her mercy would grant it, the Wei family would be eternally grateful, vowing to repay this kindness even in the next life."
Empress Zhangsun remained silent, exhaling what seemed like a soft sigh.
"The Supreme Emperor's Fourteenth Young Master, Prince Wu..." The title nearly choked her, as if spoken with blood. "Though young and reckless, his heart is pure and kind. He never intended harm to the state or his kin, and he once saved this lowly one's life... Now, while I am pardoned, Prince Wu faces judgment in court. My heart burns with anguish—I cannot eat or sleep, wishing I could take his place... The Son of Heaven has always revered and heeded the Empress. If the Empress would plead for Prince Wu, I..."
Wei Shufen could no longer continue, collapsing forward with ragged breaths and stifled sobs, her tears long spent. Above her, she heard the Empress sigh again, but instead of answering directly, she called out:
"Yingniang, come and counsel her."
The rustle of robes followed, along with Chai Yingluo's familiar scent. The Taoist gently lifted Wei Shufen's shoulders:
"A-Fen, you don’t understand. Say no more... Prince Wu's case has already been recorded in the Ministry of Justice, the Imperial Clan Court, and the Supreme Court. Senior officials like Wei the Palace Attendant, Sun Dali, and Li the Clan Head have all personally remonstrated with the Son of Heaven, and their words are now part of the imperial records. This isn’t a matter that can be erased by the Empress’s plea or the Son of Heaven’s mercy. The inner court must not be further entangled, lest it invite accusations of meddling in governance. Your plea only places the Empress in an impossible position."
Trembling in Chai Yingluo's arms, Wei Shufen struggled to breathe, her chest tight. Finally, steeling herself, she blurted out:"I am aware of the Empress's dilemma, but such matters are not without precedent... In the early years of Zhenguan, General Zhangsun of the Right Gate Guard plotted rebellion and should have been sentenced to death. Yet the Empress, setting aside past grievances and repaying enmity with kindness, intervened to spare his family... When Duke of Qi was appointed as chancellor, it was also the Empress who, unwilling to let maternal relatives dominate the court, insisted on his removal... Those were the Empress's brothers, whom she could manage. Prince Wu is His Majesty's brother, and as his elder sister-in-law, the Empress—"
"A Fen!"
The sharp interruption came from Chai Yingluo, who pushed her forcefully. Since their time at Purple Void Monastery, Wei Shufen had never heard her speak in such a stern, reprimanding tone:
"How dare you address the Empress like this? Have you no sense of propriety or decorum?"
Wei Shufen had invoked the precedents of Zhangsun An-ye and Zhangsun Wu-ji, almost directly accusing the Empress of favoring her own brothers and intervening in state affairs only for the Zhangsun family while turning a blind eye to her husband's kin. Such an insinuation was deeply cutting and a grave offense. Having already resolved to disregard her own safety, Wei Shufen raised her head defiantly to meet the Empress's gaze, prepared to face the consequences.
Empress Zhangsun, however, did not erupt in fury or frost over her expression. Her demeanor remained composed, though her eyes shifted away from the two women before her, gazing distantly toward the willow-lined shores of the lake. After a moment of silence, she instructed the palace maids beside her:
"Tell Seventeenth Miss and Zhinu to take a break, have some fruit and refreshments, and prepare to return."
The maids acknowledged the order and carried the dining table from before the seated couch to the children, calling them over to eat and drink. The Empress then turned back to Chai Yingluo and asked:
"Yingniang, have you uncovered any new leads in the case of Princess Linfen at the Temple of Common Vocation?"
The new lead was their discovery of the prime suspect, Consort Yang, Princess of Hailing, hiding in the nunnery—now pregnant. Chai Yingluo had decided against pressing her further and dared not even mention it to the Empress... The Taoist nun knelt with her head bowed and replied, "Not yet." The Empress fell silent once more.
The bright spring sunlight of the third month shone dazzlingly from above, making one's vision swim. Occasionally, a breeze would stir, scattering fallen petals, leaves, and willow catkins into the air, as if even the vast sky and earth were choked with them. The weight of the unbroken silence pressed heavily upon Wei Shufen's shoulders, her waist growing increasingly weak and trembling, unsure how much longer she could endure.
"Delicate hands pluck the branch, petals fall and drift away. I ask you, fair maiden, why must you inflict such harm?" The Empress softly recited a few lines of an old poem before addressing Chai Yingluo: "No discovery is still better than wrongfully condemning an innocent person. I am not pressing you, but Princess Linfen's burial is imminent. Without clarifying the cause of death, it will be difficult to compose her epitaph and memorial inscription. If she meets your mother, the Grand Princess, in the afterlife, she may struggle to explain... As for your capabilities, Lady Chai, others may not know, but do I not? If after so many days you have nothing to report, it is either due to insufficient effort or... there is a reason."
Chai Yingluo could only kowtow in apology, not daring to utter a word. Wei Shufen, standing beside her, also held her tongue. Then the Empress turned to her and spoke calmly:"The private dealings between Wei Niangzi and Prince Wu, though improper by etiquette, are hardly uncommon in the bloom of youth. His Majesty and I have turned a blind eye, pretending not to hear. It's rare for General Cheng to show such magnanimity, making an honorable marriage proposal out of genuine kindness. Born with a meddlesome nature, I worried that after being implicated in the forbidden garden for days and suffering hardships, Fen Niang deserved extra care. I feared you might act rashly, bringing misfortune upon Wei Shizhong's family, General Cheng's household, or even Fourteenth Young Master. Now it seems I overstepped."
Her voice remained gentle and calm, yet Wei Shufen broke into a cold sweat, prostrating herself speechless. The Empress continued:
"In the past, when Yang Shuzi petitioned to attack Wu, most officials opposed him. Yang lamented that eight or nine out of ten things in this world go awry. Such a great man—esteemed for his achievements, beloved by the people, immortalized by the Tablet of Tears—still uttered such desolate sighs. As women, we are born swaddled in cloth, destined only to honor husbands and glorify sons, our lives devoted entirely to our marital families. How dare we cling to petty personal grievances?"
Though these words ostensibly admonished Wei Shufen to abandon selfish attachments and cultivate virtue, their tone felt peculiar... Wei Shufen glanced up to see the Empress wasn't even looking at her critically, but gazing distantly at the horizon with slightly furrowed brows. Less a reprimand than a sigh—perhaps even... self-mockery.
But how could that be? Other women might complain, but Empress Zhangsun had married well at thirteen, rising from the Tang Duke's daughter-in-law to Princess Qin, then Empress revered by all. Mother of three sons and four daughters, she enjoyed unwavering respect and affection from her husband—a phoenix pair envied by the entire court and nation. Hearing "eight or nine out of ten things go awry" from her lips was startling indeed.
"Life is fleeting, filled with turmoil," Chai Yingluo quoted, turning to console Wei Shufen. "We're born bearing karmic debts from past lives—hard pressed to repay them, let alone have every wish fulfilled. Moreover, what you seek violates neither propriety nor morality. Her Majesty, paragon of feminine virtue, has shown extraordinary grace by not probing further. A Fen, don't demand what isn't yours."
"And if you insist," the Empress unexpectedly interjected with a faint smile, "you're asking the wrong person. When your own family could exert real influence, coming to me is like worshiping at the wrong temple."
"?" Wei Shufen was baffled. Whom did the Empress suggest she approach?
"His Majesty has always wished to protect Fourteenth Brother, but the court's upholders of law refuse to bend," Empress Zhangsun explained. "Our dynasty's foremost pillar of integrity is your father, Imperial Secretary Wei Xuancheng. To save Fourteenth Young Master, you might start by pleading with him at home."
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