Chapter 134: Filial Piety
Wen Jia met Empress Xie in a side hall of Jiaofang Palace.
The side hall was shaded by green trees, and sunlight filtered through the carved window lattices, casting dappled shadows, making it cooler than the main hall.
Empress Xie had placed ice basins and cool drinks, along with fruit tea and flowers, creating an atmosphere of cool comfort.
“Fu Yin pays her respects to Imperial Mother.”
“Save the empty rituals. Come, Wen Jia, sit here.”
Empress Xie raised her wrist, her voice gentle, indicating for her to sit down together.
“This humid and long summer heat makes the cicadas even more noisy—this is lychee flower dew specially prepared for you, with iced mint. Try it and see if it suits your taste?”
Wen Jia did not sit, her posture respectful, standing with her head bowed.
“Fu Yin is observing mourning and has publicly filed a complaint, causing the common people to seek justice for Fu Yin. It is not appropriate to sit here and enjoy myself. Your Ladyship summoned Fu Yin, and I hope you will clearly instruct me.”
Empress Xie let out a laugh, her voice soft and melodious.
“Do you know that the sound of the Drum of Hearing Petitions angered His Majesty greatly? I, thinking of your recent grief from losing your husband and the young child you need to care for, could not bear for His Majesty to harshly punish you, which is why I called you here to offer a few words of guidance. Do you understand my good intentions?”
Cold mist wafted from the ice basin, and a hint of coolness spread.
Wen Jia slowly knelt down.
The peony twining branches carpet made her mourning clothes appear like snow, highlighting her resolve.
“Fu Yin understands Imperial Mother’s intentions. But Fu Yin is unwilling to accept this.”
Empress Xie sighed softly, her tone full of pity.
“I have seen the hardships you have endured over these years. But His Majesty has always been protective of his own. If you continue to be stubborn, you may not have a good outcome. It would be better to admit fault first and quell this storm.”
Wen Jia’s tone was firm: “Imperial Mother, Fu Yin believes she has made no mistakes.”
Empress Xie was slightly taken aback.
Wen Jia said: “Fu Yin is deeply grateful for Imperial Mother’s kindness. However, since Fu Yin has done something so shocking, she has already considered the consequences thoroughly…”
She prostrated herself and solemnly kowtowed again.
“Fu Yin fears she must disappoint Imperial Mother’s good intentions.”
Empress Xie looked at her determined expression and after a long while, smiled softly.
“You have gained more backbone than before.”
Wen Jia had indeed changed a lot.
It wasn’t a change in appearance, but a courage and resilience emanating from her very core, making her seem like a completely different person from the timid and fearful Princess Wen Jia in memory.
The Empress gently fanned herself with a peony fan, smiling faintly as she asked.
“Consort Xiao said that when you were at Pu Ji Temple, you specifically went to see Madam Ping’an of Prince Duan’s Mansion?”
“Imperial Mother, please see clearly.”
Wen Jia’s expression was calm and unhurried as she said: “That day, Fu Yin was accompanying the monks of Pu Ji Temple to chant prayers for the departed, and happened to encounter the Princess Consort performing a ritual for a maid who died unjustly. By chance, Fu Yin spoke a few words with Madam Ping’an about anecdotes from the Earth Store Sutra. It is a pity that Consort Xiao had to trouble herself to inquire.”
Empress Xie nodded slightly, asking no further questions, and then spoke earnestly:
“I know your intentions. But you must understand that the Emperor’s dignity cannot be challenged. Your actions this time were truly too reckless. Your Imperial Father allowing me to enlighten you is already an extraordinary kindness. Wen Jia, you should understand how to assess the situation and act accordingly…”
“Fu Yin understands.”
Empress Xie was telling her to know when to stop.
Offending imperial authority would have unimaginable consequences.
“Imperial Mother, Fu Yin has come with a resolve to burn all bridges. You might as well tell Imperial Father that Fu Yin does not wish for kin to fight each other or to put Imperial Sister to death. It is merely that ancestral teachings are clear: filial piety is the root of virtue and the foundation of goodness. For a child, practicing filial piety is like following the Heavenly Dao. If Fu Yin were to ignore and remain indifferent to her birth mother living in hardship in the Cold Palace, how would she be any different from an animal?”
Empress Xie was slightly moved.
“You wish to use this opportunity to have His Majesty release Consort Wan from the Cold Palace…”
Wen Jia said: “I want Imperial Father to declare her innocent. And…”
She paused, looking at the faintly visible palace walls outside the window, her eyes full of anticipation.
“The deep palace is cold and damp, not conducive to recovery. I implore Imperial Father to grant extra grace and allow Consort Wan to go to the West Mountain Imperial Palace to recuperate.”
Empress Xie looked at her deeply, “What if it cannot be as you wish?”
Wen Jia straightened her back and once again bowed to the ground.
“Fu Yin will risk her life to seek justice for her birth mother.”
“Well said, Princess Wen Jia.” Empress Xie clenched her handkerchief, her gaze suddenly sharp, “Beating the drum to plead for justice, making a public plea—are you trying to perform this entire act of Mulian Saving His Mother for the world to see?”
Wen Jia bowed her head to the ground, her wide mourning sleeves spread on the floor.
“Imperial Mother, please calm your anger.”
She met Empress Xie’s sharp phoenix eyes.
“When Your Ladyship rectified the harem and beat wicked servants back then, you said that a Bodhisattva with a gentle gaze is for compassion, and a wrathful Vajra is also for compassion. Wen Jia is powerless to punish the wicked, but to protect her loved ones, she is willing to risk her life.”
At this moment, a gentle breeze suddenly swept through Jiaofang Palace, causing the beaded curtains to chime, like the lingering resonance of the Drum of Hearing Petitions outside Chengtian Gate, which did not dissipate for a long time.
Empress Xie slowly stood up.
“It is rare for you to have such filial piety.”
–
Twilight gradually enveloped the golden hall with jade-carved eaves, where candlelight flickered.
Empress Xie’s wide sleeves brushed lightly as she gracefully stepped forward to bow.
“Your Majesty, Wen Jia has been appeased.”
Emperor Chong Zhao was not surprised by this.
The image of that daughter in his heart was already deeply ingrained.
He even felt that Empress Xie’s actions were somewhat superfluous; in his opinion, Wen Jia would not dare to oppose the imperial family and the court.
“It is good that she is no longer causing trouble. I will spare her for now, and you may withdraw.”
He said casually, without even looking up.
Empress Xie did not mind his indifference, bowed slightly, and unconsciously rubbed her sleeve with her fingertips before speaking again.
“Wen Jia said that the Cold Palace is damp and cold, which is detrimental to health, and Consort Wan suffers from coughing blood. She fears it is due to the clash with the imperial city’s earth energy. She wishes to ask Your Majesty to move Consort to the West Mountain Imperial Palace for recuperation…”
Empress Xie’s expression was calm, her tone peaceful.
Emperor Chong Zhao, however, suddenly looked up, his face filled with disbelief, and angrily reprimanded:
“Nonsense! Is she blackmailing me?”
“Reporting to Your Majesty, it is a request. Consort Wan has been in the Cold Palace for eleven years; is that not enough to earn a pardon?”
Empress Xie recalled Wen Jia’s slender figure kneeling before her, and at an angle invisible to the Emperor, a mocking curve appeared on her lips.
“After all, she is Wen Jia’s birth mother. It is only natural to ask Your Majesty for leniency.”
“The Empress indeed has a Bodhisattva’s heart.”
Empress Xie seemed not to understand his mockery, still wearing a smile.
“Wen Jia is willing to pledge her life as a guarantee, asking Your Majesty to fulfill her filial piety.”
“Filial piety?” Emperor Chong Zhao sneered, “She is using public opinion to command the Son of Heaven! Utterly unfilial!”
The Emperor’s attitude was firm and unyielding.
It was clear that releasing Consort Wan would imply the Emperor had made a mistake, or that he was showing weakness to Wen Jia’s demands.
How could a dignified Son of Heaven easily bow his head?
Empress Xie understood him thoroughly, knowing well that he valued his reputation above all else, and thus slowly said:
“Does Your Majesty know that Fan Bing possessed a large amount of evidence of Princess Ping Le’s corruption and lawbreaking before his death? All of this is in Wen Jia’s hands. The Luo River embankment breach, examination fraud, embezzlement of disaster relief funds…”
As she spoke, she held up a blood-stained silk book above her head.
“This is Wen Jia’s memorial, stating that Xiao Zheng Yuan, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, knowing that the embankment was about to collapse, first allocated one hundred thousand taels of silver to Ping Le for the construction of a separate villa, allowing the floodwaters to wreak havoc, causing hundreds of thousands of people to become displaced…”
Emperor Chong Zhao’s pupils contracted, and he signaled Wang Chengxi to take it.
Xiao Zheng Yuan was Consort Xiao’s nephew.
This relationship was like a sharp blade hanging over the imperial family’s heads; a slight misstep could trigger turmoil in the court.
Seeing the Emperor frown and remain silent for a long time, Empress Xie softly persuaded: “It would be better to move Consort Wan to the Imperial Palace for recuperation, which would also serve as an explanation to Wen Jia. This way, it can demonstrate Your Majesty’s benevolence, quell public grievances, and appease Xizi.”
The water clock in the corner of the hall ticked, breaking the brief silence.
Emperor Chong Zhao tightly gripped the armrests of the dragon throne with both hands and spoke coldly.
“In my life, I hate being threatened the most…”
Was it like being forced to marry her back then?
Empress Xie’s gaze flickered slightly, and she suddenly asked: “Does Your Majesty remember Consort Wan?”
Saina was bestowed the character “Wan” precisely because of her gentle and graceful nature, quiet and peaceful.
She was also a woman who had once been favored by Emperor Chong Zhao.
“Your Majesty cannot recall, can you?”
Empress Xie smiled faintly, “Consort Wan’s offense back then was not a major one. Your Majesty’s punishment was likely due to the circumstances at the time. Xizi is far away in the borderlands, and I, a concubine, do not understand court affairs. However, the border of Daliang is currently unstable, and Xizi has harbored resentment towards our dynasty for a long time. If Your Majesty were to move Consort Wan out of the Cold Palace at this time, it might alleviate the tension between the two countries, which would be beneficial to Daliang.”
Emperor Chong Zhao looked at the Empress with deep eyes.
Normally, she was cautious in her words and actions, adhering to her duties, and never easily expressing opinions on court matters.
She was afraid of being suspected of interfering in harem affairs, giving others a handle, or incurring his displeasure.
But today, for Wen Jia, she had repeatedly contradicted him and spoken frankly about the pros and cons.
Emperor Chong Zhao asked: “Why are you speaking up for them, mother and daughter?”
Empress Xie pondered for a moment, “When the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold.”
Emperor Chong Zhao’s expression suddenly turned ugly.
After a moment of silence, he asked again: “How is Consort Wan?”
Empress Xie slowly straightened up, her phoenix hairpin casting a faint shadow on her forehead.
“I heard that her mind has gradually become confused over the years. She often sits on the threshold holding an old cloak, stroking it repeatedly and murmuring to herself. On the Dragon Boat Festival, I went to visit her. That cloak seemed to be a reward from when His Majesty went on the autumn hunt, and it is already old… She did not recognize me, but she gave me a glazed hairpin…”
She gently took out the glazed hairpin from her sleeve and offered it with both hands.
Emperor Chong Zhao looked at her with confusion.
Empress Xie said: “Does Your Majesty not remember? This glazed hairpin—it was bestowed by Your Majesty when he enfeoffed Consort Wan.”
The Emperor’s hand resting on the desk tightened slightly.
When that Xizi woman was dragged into the Cold Palace back then, she had cried out desperately in Xizi language that he couldn’t understand, weeping profusely. Her bright, lively eyes were filled with despair and hatred.
At that time, a palace servant who understood the Xizi language said that it was a curse from the Xizi kingdom, and Consort Wan was cursing him to have a terrible death and cursing the Daliang imperial family with endless disasters and the decline of the nation.
He was extremely angry.
For so many years, busy with court affairs, he had never thought of her.
Yet, she had treasured the glazed hairpin he gave her.
“Issue an imperial decree: pardon Consort Wan of all crimes and send her to the West Mountain Imperial Palace. Have the Imperial Physician examine her, prescribe medicine, and tend to her chronic illness.”
The Emperor picked up the vermilion brush, about to make a notation, and then looked up again.
“Empress, please handle this personally.”
Having Empress Xie handle it meant preventing Consort Xiao from interfering.
The Emperor, who saw things clearly, was actually not foolish in important matters.
Yet, he would indulge the mother and daughter Ping Le excessively, and even with conclusive evidence, he would still defend them to the end.
This was the difference between liking and disliking, perhaps.
Empress Xie nodded slightly, “This subject obeys the decree.”
–
The next morning.
Consort Xiao in Rui Jin Hall heard the news.
She was furious, smashing the freshly brewed celadon teacup to the ground—
“Empress has such a clever scheme! She thinks by releasing that madwoman and showing favor to Wen Jia, she can use this opportunity to bring me down?”
Nanny Deng smiled obsequiously and gently advised.
“Consort, please calm your anger. The Empress is only triumphant for a moment; why bother with her?”
Consort Xiao snorted and stood up from her chair, her hair ornaments jingling with anger.
“My daughter is the true golden branch and jade leaf, and my son is the one destined by heaven. My affection with His Majesty, how can it be compared to others?”
Nanny Deng responded, “That is natural. Who in the entire harem doesn’t know of Consort’s affection with His Majesty? And which dragon son or phoenix grandson is more noble than Princess Ping Le and Prince Duan?”
Consort Xiao suddenly sneered, “Xie Su Xin wants to sow discord between me and His Majesty? Then I will let her taste what it means to suffer the consequences of her own actions.”
Before her words fell, the jade beads on her wrist suddenly broke—
With a “crack,” they scattered all over the floor.
Consort Xiao became even angrier upon seeing this.
“Someone, please invite Madam Zhenguo to enter the palace and present her token. Just say… just say I have something to discuss.”
Madam Zhenguo was Consort Xiao’s mother. She was skilled in scheming and ruthless in her methods, holding considerable prestige among the noble ladies in the capital. She was adept at using various means to secure benefits for the Xiao family and had repeatedly helped Consort Xiao resolve crises in the palace…
–
“The West Mountain Imperial Palace is indeed a good place.”
Xue Sui interrupted Jinshu’s words, lightly dabbing her eyebrows with her eyebrow pencil.
“Wen Jia’s move is brilliant. In this unbearable heat, the climate in the West Mountains is pleasant, quiet, and cool. It’s also not far from Pu Ji Temple, so she can often take Niu Niu to the temple to pray for blessings and temporarily avoid disputes.”
Jinshu nodded slightly, a look of worry on her face.
“Princess worries that Consort Xiao will not easily swallow this. Miss, do you think she will make a move?”
Xue Sui: “Of course.”
She turned her head and blinked, a smile curving her lips.
“The imperial harem of Daliang is full of beauties, with new ones emerging constantly, and beauties like fish crossing a river, yet none have ever shaken Consort Xiao’s position in the Emperor’s heart. When someone is accustomed to being arrogant due to favor, how can they give up easily?”
Jinshu asked softly, “Then what is Miss’s countermeasure?”
Xue Sui gently traced a character “Jìng” (jing, meaning quiet/still) on the bronze mirror of her cosmetic box with her fingertip, using the eyebrow pencil.
Stillness is better than movement.
“To counter movement with stillness, and wait patiently.”
*Clatter!*
Xiao Zhao knocked something over under the eaves, startling Ling Yu into flapping its wings.
Then, there were faint footsteps moving outside the window.
Xue Sui winked at Jinshu, suddenly reached out, picked up a teacup from the wooden desk, and forcefully splashed it towards the half-open window.
“In broad daylight, daring to be a thief!”
She thought it was Li Zhao.
The window remained motionless for a long time.
A moment later, just as she was about to get up to investigate.
A knock sounded at the door. She went to open it and looked up to meet Li Huan’s deep eyes.
His dark blue robe had tea stains from where Xue Sui had splashed it.
Combined chapter~
Something came up today, so the update is late. My apologies!
