As they chatted along the way, Wei Shufen asked Su Lingyu how she had been these days. Su Lingyu smiled faintly and replied, "Better than when I first got married." It turned out that after she was injured and bedridden at Gongren Slope in early spring, Crown Prince Li Chengqian seemed somewhat remorseful. During her recovery, he treated her much more gently than before. Of course, it was far from "showing every possible solicitude," but he would visit her every few days, sit down to talk about what the Emperor and Empress had instructed, and ask for her opinions.
Since marrying into the Crown Prince's Palace, Su Lingyu had spent most of her time serving Empress Zhangsun, knowing far more about her mother-in-law than her husband. She had offered advice several times and even drafted memorials for the Crown Prince. From what she heard, the responses had been quite positive, earning praise from her parents-in-law. Over time, even if there was no deep marital affection between her and her husband, at least the Crown Prince had grown much more respectful and attentive toward her.
Hearing this, Wei Shufen naturally felt happy for her friend. Su Lingyu was, after all, an intelligent and talented woman. Even if Li Chengqian felt no affection for his wife, he ought to value her abilities. With time spent in close companionship, perhaps affection would grow between them...
"The Empress has always been kind to me. I only fear I might fail to live up to her expectations and shoulder the responsibilities she has entrusted to me," Su Lingyu sighed again. "Seeing the Empress grow weaker day by day fills me with dread... After the Supreme Emperor's passing, the Empress has so much to worry about. The moment she recovered slightly, she grabbed me and asked if there was any news—she wanted to hold her grandson in her arms while she still could..."
Before she could finish the word "grandson," Su Lingyu blushed and fell silent. Wei Shufen couldn't help but laugh, understanding the Empress's meaning—during the mourning period for his grandfather, Li Chengqian and his wife were forbidden by ritual propriety from sharing a bed. If Su Lingyu wasn't already pregnant by now, it would be another two or three years before they could try, and Empress Zhangsun feared she might not last that long—
A distant roll of thunder echoed across the sky, and Wei Shufen suddenly froze.
Was the Empress's urgency about her daughter-in-law's pregnancy solely due to the mourning period and her own failing health?
At the Cihé Nunnery, Consort Yang, Princess of Hailing, was likely seven or eight months pregnant by now... If the child was a girl, it might not matter much, but what if it was a boy?
The old Guanlong families placed great emphasis on legitimacy. The Supreme Emperor's eldest son, Li Jiancheng, was born to his principal wife, and the Emperor's eldest son, Li Chengqian, was also born to his first consort. If the Crown Prince's eldest son were also born to the Crown Princess, three generations of legitimate eldest sons would make for quite a heartwarming tale. Wei Shufen recalled what HeBa, the deceased nursemaid of Princess Linfen, had once said: the former Crown Prince Li Jiancheng, eager for a legitimate heir, had promised two pregnant concubines that "whoever bore a son would be made principal consort." In the end, Zheng Guanyin, who bore a son, became the Crown Princess... But if Li Chengqian's firstborn were the child of an adulterous woman, how scandalous would that be?
"A-Fen?" Su Lingyu gently touched her arm. "What's wrong? You look so pale..."
Wei Shufen looked up at her, her heart aching. That secret had nothing to do with Su Lingyu, but it would inevitably come to light. And when the storm erupted, the one left to endure the heartache, humiliation, and exhausting aftermath would likely be this innocent and blameless woman.I must tell her. In an instant, Wei Shufen made up her mind. Since Su Lingyu could never stay out of this matter, it was best to let her prepare early and face it calmly. She couldn’t allow her own reluctance and desire to shirk responsibility to lead her to deceive Su Lingyu like others, leaving her in the dark until the last moment—who knew how she might react or what trouble she might cause then?
Pulling Su Lingyu aside to distance themselves from others, Wei Shufen lowered her voice and carefully, gently explained the matter of the Princess of Hailing’s pregnancy. The Crown Princess, perhaps tempered by many storms, remained far calmer than Wei Shufen had expected. Apart from the gradual draining of color from her face, she showed no outward reaction.
By the time Wei Shufen finished speaking, they had reached the Tongming Gate of the Ye Ting Palace. Su Lingyu paused to steady herself, then said quietly, “I understand. Don’t mention this to anyone else.” With a faint, bitter smile, she led her attendants through the gate.
Inside, a dozen women in rain cloaks and bamboo hats stood waiting. The leader greeted the Crown Princess, and Wei Shufen realized it was Zheng Guanyin, the Princess Consort of Xi, whom she hadn’t seen in a long time. Behind her were naturally the daughters of Li Jian-cheng and Li Yuan-ji, their mourning garments of coarse hemp visible beneath their rain cloaks.
Led by Su Lingyu, the group of over a dozen women proceeded from the Ye Ting Palace to the Supreme Polarity Hall. It seemed this was an act of imperial grace—allowing the Supreme Emperor’s eldest daughter-in-law and granddaughters to pay their respects before the ancestral tablets. Wei Shufen retreated into the ranks of palace maids, following quietly. The hall was crowded with people coming and going, and fearing recognition, she stayed close until they reached the western chamber.
Then chaos ensued. The Supreme Emperor’s coffin and altar were placed in the main hall, with male mourners to the east and female to the west. But the imperial family was no ordinary clan—there were numerous princes and titled relatives, and among the women, the Supreme Emperor’s consorts, the Son of Heaven’s concubines, princesses of various generations, and other high-ranking mourners numbered in the dozens. Despite the spaciousness of the Supreme Polarity Hall, both chambers were packed daily. Now, with Zheng Guanyin bringing over a dozen daughters and nieces to mourn, the women in the western chamber had to clear a large space for their lamentations, leading to much bustling and jostling. Outside the hall, servants of noblewomen answered calls, adding to the clamor.
Unable to follow Su Lingyu to the altar, Wei Shufen remained below the steps, straining to identify faces. She finally caught a glimpse of a young girl emerging with the group—likely the Seventeenth Princess—and tried to approach her, but after a few steps, the girl vanished in the crowd. The throng grew increasingly unruly, and Wei Shufen found herself swept along, moving closer to the eastern chamber. A thought struck her: Why not go directly to where the men were mourning and find a chance to summon Li Yuangui for a meeting?
In this confusion, no one would notice a palace maid. Gathering her courage, she guessed her way along the corridors. But whether she took a wrong turn or not, though she felt she was heading east, the crowd thinned, as if she had circled to the back of the hall. Between thick pillars and layers of plain hemp drapes, she spotted an open rear door, beyond which lay gloomy skies and the unceasing sound of rain.
Then a voice drifted to her ears: “...heard the report from the new bride before the Empress. It was the Princess Consort of Xi who brought those cousins and county princesses over.”The speaker was still some distance away, but the voice left an indelible impression on Wei Shufen—it was unmistakably Crown Prince Li Chengqian speaking to someone with an unexpectedly deferential tone. Startled, Wei Shufen glanced around and, seeing no one nearby, quickly retreated behind a massive pillar and curtain, kneeling low like a palace maid with her head bowed, doing her utmost to avoid notice.
"Is that so? No wonder the western side suddenly became so chaotic." This voice was even more familiar, carrying a slightly impatient tone and far more arrogance than Li Chengqian's. "Is your bride accompanying your mother on the western side? Tell her to be more attentive. These days, your mother's health seems to be worsening."
The Emperor and his son continued their conversation as they approached, stopping just inside the rear door. The Son of Heaven paused, half-turning to gaze at the rain outside, taking a deep breath as if to cleanse himself of the stifling air within the hall. Li Chengqian stood silently beside his father.
Wei Shufen knelt not far from the two men, though partially concealed by the lacquered pillar and plain curtains. Her heart pounded with fear as she kept her head lowered, praying the father and son would leave quickly without recognizing her. But contrary to her hopes, though the two remained silent for a long moment—the atmosphere growing awkward—they did not move, as if the Emperor found this spot by the door, where one could listen to the wind and watch the rain, particularly pleasant.
Finally, the Son of Heaven spoke, asking his son, "What are you holding?"
Li Chengqian gave a vague murmur of acknowledgment and replied, "A Niang just gave this to me. I haven't opened it yet..."
Unable to suppress her curiosity, Wei Shufen instinctively glanced up for a quick peek. She saw the Crown Prince handing his father what appeared to be a silk-wrapped bundle. The Emperor took it, unwrapped it, and peered closely at its contents under the dim light from outside. He let out a soft "ah" and chuckled. "This jade thumb ring... It's good that your mother gave it to you."
A jade thumb ring... Wei Shufen shuddered. Could it be the blood jade thumb ring seized from Princess Linfen's chamber?
The last time Chai Yingluo had mentioned this object, it was in the Empress's possession. At the time, the Empress had also ordered Chai Yingluo to reinvestigate Li Wanxi's death. Why had the Empress now given the thumb ring to Li Chengqian? Was it a hint that Yi Niang's case was to be dropped? Or had she already uncovered the truth?
Did the Emperor know about the connection between Yi Niang's case and Li Chengqian? His expression as he examined the thumb ring suggested mild surprise. After staring at it for a moment, he asked his son, "Do you know the origin of this item?"
"A Niang said... it was bestowed by Your Majesty when we were in our ancestral home in Hedong," Li Chengqian replied, his tone indifferent. His father sighed.
"Though not incorrect, even your mother doesn't know... this trinket originally belonged to... your eldest uncle."
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