Chapter 74: I Will Not Fail You
Fu Shi knew in her heart that the Old Madam had long been dissatisfied with her, but she never expected that such a major matter would not be discussed with her at all, completely disregarding her as the legitimate wife. She was so angry that her hands trembled uncontrollably.
“Why was I not informed?”
Xiugu wanted to speak but dared not.
After much hesitation, she said, “The Old Madam said that the First Madam should rest well, and this small matter can be handled by the Third Madam. There’s no need to inform the First Madam… In my opinion, the Old Madam intends to strip the First Madam of her authority to manage the household.”
Fu Shi’s eyes went blank. She sat there in a daze for a long while before pulling the quilt closer and slowly turning onto her side. Her face pressed into the pillow as silent tears streamed down.
“My child… you lost your life in vain.”
She recalled the night of her childbirth many years ago, the baby’s cries still seemed to echo in her ears.
The midwife and the maids all said they hadn’t heard the baby cry.
But she had clearly heard it.
The child was crying.
Crying because his father was out indulging in debauchery, seeking pleasure with Xue Ji…
Her son was gone, yet he joyfully welcomed a new bride into the household…
“My child, my child, it pains Mother so much!”
Nanny Liu felt immense heartache. She stepped forward to comfort her, stroking her back, and tears also streamed down her face.
“Miss, please don’t be sad. The Master and the young masters of the mansion will support you. You can’t let them get away with this so easily…”
Fu Shi knew in her heart that these were just words of comfort.
Although her maternal home could offer some support, it couldn’t protect her for a lifetime.
Many matters were difficult for her parents and elder brother to interfere in.
She raised her tear-filled eyes and asked Xiugu, “Has anyone been sent to ask my elder brother, Ling Xu… Liu Shijuan, how he is now?”
Xiugu lowered her head.
After a long pause, she squeezed out two words from between her teeth.
“He’s dead.”
Fu Shi’s head buzzed.
“Dead? How did he die?”
Xiugu said, “He died in the Ministry of Justice prison. It was announced that he committed suicide out of guilt. But from what the First Master implied, it’s likely our First Master was responsible…”
Fu Shi’s body went limp, and she collapsed onto the bed.
“Xue Qingzhi, you are truly ruthless.”
She and Liu Shijuan had no illicit affair, but they shared a bond of childhood friendship.
If not for this friendship, she wouldn’t have dared to take such a great risk to help Liu Shijuan escape punishment and even provided him with money to flee. And Liu Shijuan would have had no reason to deceive her and come to the Minister’s Mansion to do such wicked deeds.
Xue Qingzhi must have investigated all these inside stories clearly.
He didn’t have much genuine affection for Fu Shi, but he would definitely protect his own and the Xue family’s reputation. To completely silence those who gossiped, Ling Xu could not possibly survive if he entered the Ministry of Justice prison.
In fact, she had long anticipated this outcome but was powerless to save him…
“Alas, alas, it’s all retribution. It’s all retribution!”
–
As soon as the wedding banquet dispersed, Xue Qingzhi felt as if he were sitting on pins and needles.
Today, Xue Ji was officially elevated to concubine. The Old Madam had newly allocated a courtyard as their wedding chamber, and he was supposed to spend the night there…
But he truly couldn’t bear to look at Xue Ji’s face.
She had aged prematurely, her complexion was sallow like old paper, and there were still the marks from the branding Fu Shi had inflicted on her forehead. Her former beauty had vanished completely, making her look like an old woman…
Guilt and avoidance intertwined in his heart. He couldn’t sort it out, nor did he want to…
Just then, a jailer from the Ministry of Justice arrived to report.
“Master, Fourth Miss Xue is feeling unwell. The prison warden requests your instructions on how to proceed.”
Since Fourth Miss Xue was taken away by the Ministry of Justice officials, she had sent messages three times citing indisposition.
The first two times, Xue Qingzhi had ignored them. He had merely arranged for her to stay in a separate clerk’s room far from the prison, citing “pregnancy” and “caring for a pregnant woman.” It was more like house arrest than imprisonment, and her life was much easier than other prisoners.
However, Fourth Miss was already married into the Marquis Jingyuan’s Mansion. The Marquis Jingyuan didn’t care about his grandson and remained silent. He had fulfilled his duty as a father and shouldn’t be the one to stick his neck out and get involved in this shocking case.
The news about Xue Yueying tonight, however, made him suddenly breathe a sigh of relief.
“I’ll go and see her.”
He returned to his room, changed into casual clothes, and prepared to leave the mansion.
As soon as he stepped out of the flower-adorned gate, he saw Xue Sui standing there, with a smile that was not a smile.
“Where is Father going?”
Xue Qingzhi was taken aback.
This Sixth Miss was actually trying to control him?
Seeing his displeasure, Xue Sui’s smile widened.
“It’s the wedding night. There’s no reason to neglect the newlyweds. Father, wouldn’t you agree?”
Xue Qingzhi’s face darkened.
“I have official business to attend to! You go and keep your concubine company.”
Xue Sui looked at him, her face smiling, but her eyes were chillingly cold. “My mother has been in this mansion for eighteen years, enduring hardships for eighteen years, waiting for this day for eighteen years. Doesn’t Father have a responsibility as a husband?”
Xue Qingzhi almost couldn’t catch his breath.
There were many absurd things in this world, but he had never heard of a daughter dictating where her father should sleep at night…
“Xue Liu, don’t be unreasonable!”
Xue Sui stared at him, her tone gentle but unquestionable.
“I don’t want my mother to be sad. Father, you won’t disappoint me, will you?”
Xue Qingzhi met her gaze. They were still those clear, beautiful eyes.
But for some reason, they made him feel uneasy. It was as if the moisture in his chest was being squeezed out, like a beast was staring at him, ready to bite through his throat if he dared to move.
That inexplicable sense of panic surprised him greatly.
After a long while, Xue Qingzhi let out a sigh.
Alas!
It wouldn’t do to make things too unpleasant.
He flicked his sleeves behind him.
“Considering your filial piety, I will stay and talk with your concubine.”
He turned and went back.
Xue Sui looked at the stunned, blank-faced servant boy beside her and smiled faintly.
“Go and tell Fourth Miss that the First Master will be spending the night with Concubine Xue tonight and cannot go to see her.”
“The Old Madam has also retired for the night, so it’s not good to disturb her. Tomorrow morning, I will report to the Old Madam and ask her to find a doctor to properly treat Fourth Miss…”
The servant boy nodded dumbly and looked around.
Xue Sui smiled again and said, “If Fourth Miss is really in a hurry, perhaps reporting to the Marquis’s Mansion might be faster. After all, she is carrying the Marquis’s grandson in her belly…”
The servant boy bowed repeatedly and left.
The smile on Xue Sui’s face, which had been veiled by the night, slowly faded.
In its place was an extremely cold expression.
It was faint and distant, like solid ice in the dead of winter, radiating a bone-chilling cold.
For Xue Qingzhi, facing Xue Ji was very difficult, not only because her appearance was ruined but also because of the torment and vague guilt in his heart…
Back then, the top courtesan of Liuxiang Pavilion, her dance could captivate a city.
Many princes and nobles were infatuated with her, spending lavishly and vying for her attention. Yet Xue Ji, because of his promise of “I will be faithful to you,” had given herself to him.
“Xue Ji, over the years, I have wronged you.”
Under the windowsill, Xue Sui listened to these words, her heart unmoved.
But she knew her mother would like to hear them.
If she was happy, that was enough.
–
In Qing Lan Courtyard.
Upon hearing the news that Xue Qingzhi was staying in Xue Ji’s room, Fu Shi became like a withered night-blooming cereus. She stared blankly out the window, sometimes lost in thought, sometimes giggling foolishly.
“I guarded against everything, I calculated everything, and yet it still came to this.”
“Where did I go wrong?”
She hated.
She hated it intensely.
She regretted.
Yet there was no way to undo it.
Her heart was filled with resentment towards the unfairness of the Heavenly Dao.
“If I had known this day would come, I should have just strangled her at birth…”
“I was too kind, sparing her life, and now I am repaid with evil.”
The next morning, rumors began to spread privately throughout the mansion that the First Madam had gone mad.
Late last night, she had sat by the window singing.
For anyone else, this might not have been a big deal, but the First Madam had always been dignified, her every action proper and adhering strictly to etiquette. How could she have learned to sing those vulgar songs like actors and singers?
This time, Old Madam Cui kindly sent someone to invite a renowned doctor from the capital for a consultation.
The doctor said that the First Madam was suffering from “emotional imbalance” and needed complete rest, without any further exertion.
Therefore, to prevent the First Madam from overexerting herself, Old Madam Cui smoothly handed over the authority to manage the Xue Mansion to Third Madam Qian Shi.
While Qian Shi might not have been comparable to Fu Shi in other aspects, she came from a merchant family and was skilled in financial matters and trade.
She had been married into the Xue Mansion for ten years and quickly familiarized herself with the household affairs within a few days. With the Old Madam’s guidance, she managed everything in an orderly fashion.
Especially since she was generous with money and didn’t skimp. She spent lavishly and was willing to allocate resources to all the courtyards. She was truly wealthy and extravagant. The Old Madam’s chambers were filled with new delights every day, making her so happy that she couldn’t stop smiling and praised her third daughter-in-law for her filial piety.
In comparison, Fu Shi’s stinginess when she managed the household became apparent.
Everyone in the mansion felt indebted to Third Madam.
Whoever provided milk was considered a mother. Everyone gravitated towards the livelier places, and Qing Lan Courtyard became completely quiet…
The First Madam was truly ill.
Upon receiving the news, Xue Yuechen specially returned to the mansion to visit.
Fu Shi lay in bed, having lost all her former radiance. She appeared dazed, her mind was clear, but she was unwilling to speak much.
Even to her own daughter, she remained silent.
Xue Yuechen sat with her for half a day, sighed helplessly, instructed the maids and nannies to take good care of her mother, and then went to Shou An Courtyard to bid farewell before leaving the mansion…
Nanny Liu refused to give up. She went up and tactfully advised her a few times. Seeing that Xue Yuechen still had no intention of regretting her decision, she returned to Qing Lan Courtyard and lamented, sighing mournfully before Fu Shi.
“Princess Consort is too stubborn. She refuses to listen to this old servant.”
“If that Xue Liu is brought back, I fear she will suffer in the future.”
Fu Shi closed her eyes tightly. Her wrist slowly slipped from the brocade quilt. She didn’t say a word, only two lines of tears slid into the pillow…
–
The next day at noon, Xue Yueying was brought back to the Marquis Jingyuan’s Mansion.
It was said that her fetal qi was unstable. To prevent his daughter-in-law from miscarrying, the Marquis Jingyuan sold his old face and went to Xuanzheng Hall to kneel and beg the Emperor. The Emperor, remembering his past merits, and with the embezzled silver mostly repaid, granted her a special pardon to return home to recuperate.
The embezzlement cases involving Gu Jie of the Gold Department and the Ministry of Revenue were still being investigated by the Supreme Court, the Ministry of Justice, and the Censorate. Recently, petitions from the common people were increasing, and memorials were flying like snowflakes to the Emperor’s imperial desk…
The situation was difficult to quell and escalated, developing into a trend of “petitions from ten thousand people” and “joint accusations against the Princess”…
Emperor Chong Zhao was worried both internally and externally, to the point of being overwhelmed. His old illness also flared up.
After returning to the inner hall from the morning court, the Emperor had just sat down when he began to cough incessantly.
Wang Chengxi quickly offered a spittoon and said with his head bowed:
“Your Majesty, you must take care of your imperial body…”
Emperor Chong Zhao sighed and waved his hand.
“Tell me, have we been raising a bunch of useless people in my Imperial Hospital? It’s been so long, yet there’s still no explanation for the Princess’s strange illness?”
Wang Chengxi frowned. “This… this old servant doesn’t understand medicine and dares not speak carelessly. However, Imperial Physician He of the Imperial Hospital has been diligent in serving Your Majesty with medicinal soup all these years. In this old servant’s opinion, Imperial Physician He and Imperial Physician Hu are from the same school, and their medical skills are quite accomplished…”
Emperor Chong Zhao thought for a moment and said, “Go and summon He Yuanzhi.”
A short while later, He Yuanzhi arrived at the outer hall with his medical kit, his forehead covered in sweat, awaiting summons.
Emperor Chong Zhao had him summoned in and, without beating around the bush, asked him directly.
“What is the root cause of the Princess’s strange illness?”
Having been in the palace for so many years, He Yuanzhi was very cautious. He couldn’t fathom the Emperor’s thoughts and dared not speak carelessly.
He said, “The Princess’s illness came on fiercely and is extremely peculiar. Dean Hu is already doing his utmost. Not only has he convened three rounds of consultations with his colleagues from the Imperial Hospital, but he has also privately consulted many renowned folk physicians to discuss medical principles. As of these past two days, the Princess’s condition has stabilized…”
Stabilized, not improved.
It flared up from time to time and required medication to maintain…
She grew thinner day by day, her eyes sunken into her sockets…
Emperor Chong Zhao stared at He Yuanzhi.
One had to be more vigilant when moving within the deep palace inner courts.
Seeking advantage and avoiding harm was human nature.
The Emperor’s gaze was sharp, seeing through the seemingly obedient minister before him.
“I want you to tell me the truth. Stop giving me vague answers!”
He Yuanzhi was startled and quickly lifted his robe and knelt.
“Your humble servant… your humble servant dares not.”
Emperor Chong Zhao said, “I grant you immunity.”
He Yuanzhi’s heart churned.
Serving a ruler was like walking on a knife’s edge. Imperial physicians serving the sick were even more so. With good luck, they could enjoy glory and wealth; with bad luck, they might lose their lives…
In the past, he would likely have turned a blind eye, as he had countless times before, and feigned ignorance…
But this time, an opportunity presented itself…
Zhang Huaicheng from the Eastern Palace had approached him.
A wise minister of a prosperous era, one who would be remembered for generations – wasn’t that a tremendous temptation?
He Yuanzhi took a deep breath, knowing that the only opportunity in his life lay before him.
Whether he would rise to prominence or fall into eternal damnation depended on what he said next.
He Yuanzhi gritted his teeth and slowly said, “Your humble servant believes that the Princess’s symptom of falling asleep that day strongly resembles the symptoms of a medicine that Dean Hu developed years ago to treat insomnia. Dean Hu named this formula ‘Jing Mian San,’ and we privately nicknamed it ‘Bewitching Soup’…”
Emperor Chong Zhao’s reaction was much calmer than He Yuanzhi had imagined.
“Why was I not informed at the time?”
He Yuanzhi lowered his head. “Your humble servant is guilty.”
Emperor Chong Zhao asked again, “You are deceiving me like this, aren’t you afraid I’ll have your heads chopped off?”
He Yuanzhi’s forehead touched the ground. He kowtowed twice, and when he looked up, his face was filled with a bitter smile.
“Your humble servant’s head has always been hanging by his belt. Your Majesty is a wise ruler. If your humble servant doesn’t speak, Your Majesty will not be angry or blame him, and he might be lucky enough to keep his life. If he speaks, or speaks incorrectly, one wrong step could lead to utter annihilation. Your humble servant still has over twenty family members, old and young, and dares not speak rashly. Please forgive your humble servant…”
Before his voice had even finished, he began to kowtow.
One after another, they resounded loudly in the hall.
Emperor Chong Zhao’s eyes turned slightly cold.
“Are you saying this matter is related to Ping Le?”
He Yuanzhi bowed low to the ground and kowtowed heavily.
“Your humble servant deserves death.”
He told the Emperor all the palace rumors and his own speculations, speaking fearfully. Emperor Chong Zhao listened from beginning to end without any change in his expression, nor did he punish him. He only ordered him to go to Hua Yi Palace to attend to the Princess and report any news.
He Yuanzhi left overjoyed.
Only then did Emperor Chong Zhao summon Wang Chengxi again.
“How has the Crown Prince been these past few days?”
Wang Chengxi said, “The Crown Prince rises at the hour of the ox, goes to pay his respects at Your Majesty’s and the Empress’s sleeping quarters, and then returns to his palace. After breakfast, he prepares for his morning studies. He listens to the Grand Tutor lecture on history and learns the ways of governing the country, then listens to the Crown Prince’s attendant explain classics… At the hour of the snake, he has lunch, and in his leisure time, he plays Go with the Crown Prince’s guests…”
Emperor Chong Zhao’s brow furrowed tighter and tighter. “No abnormalities?”
Wang Chengxi pondered, “Normally, the Crown Prince often goes to the Marshal’s mansion to train troops and enjoys archery and crossbows. However, he hasn’t gone these past few days and has stayed in the palace all day.”
The Emperor gently blew on the surface of the tea. “Continue.”
Wang Chengxi, trying to gauge the Emperor’s thoughts, hesitated to speak.
“This old servant heard that the Director of the Imperial Household has quietly sent many beauties to the Eastern Palace… but the people in the Eastern Palace are tight-lipped, and outsiders don’t know what it’s for…”
In the Eastern Palace, there was only one master.
Where else could the beauties be sent but to Shao Yang Hall?
Emperor Chong Zhao raised his eyelids and placed the teacup on the table.
“Has this happened before?”
“No,” Wang Chengxi said decisively.
He then added, “Grand Tutor Lu intends to marry his granddaughter into the Eastern Palace, forming this royal alliance. The Empress has also agreed. Unexpectedly, after the Spring Flower Banquet, the Crown Prince directly refused Grand Tutor Lu, saying he was still young, needed to focus on studying state affairs, and had no plans to marry yet…”
In this dynasty, the Crown Prince’s marriage was a symbol.
After marriage, the Emperor would grant the Crown Prince some symbolic power and responsibilities.
He would attend court sessions, participate in sacrificial ceremonies, and assist in managing state affairs, all to cultivate the Crown Prince’s ability to govern and prepare him for future succession.
If the Crown Prince did not marry, many matters could be postponed.
Emperor Chong Zhao nodded slightly, his gaze lingering for a moment.
“The Crown Prince was wronged at the Spring Flower Banquet.”
He paused, and his expression turned cold again.
“Transmit my imperial decree: bestow upon the Crown Prince a set of imperial writing implements and a fine steed presented as tribute from the Western Regions. Urge the Crown Prince to diligently pursue his studies and by no means indulge in pleasure and neglect his academic pursuits…”
Emperor: Son, do not indulge in women.
Li Zhao: …Mind your own women.
Xue Sui: Ping An, may you be safe and sound.
Author: This is a big chapter! See you tomorrow~
