Chapter 58: Them

Chapter 58: Them

She had asked her father to investigate the whereabouts of Concubine Xiang, but due to the passage of time, it was not an easy task. After much effort, he could only determine that Concubine Xiang had been purchased by a stranger from another region and since then, she had vanished like a drop in the ocean, leaving no trace behind.

According to the information her father had gathered, there were no signs of Concubine Xiang being pregnant before she was sold. However, it was not impossible that someone might show late signs of pregnancy and be hidden away to give birth to a child.

Princess Zeng was born of a concubine, which aligned with this possibility.

For a woman born of a concubine to conceal her identity and enter the palace through the imperial selection process was undoubtedly a crime of deceiving the emperor.

At this moment, Concubine Zeng was unaware that she was about to face punishment. After the emperor's relentless rebuke, she nearly went mad with rage.

She could not swallow that indignity.

The emperor had called her a mere ornament placed in the palace by the grand marshal – the pot calling the kettle black. Wasn't the emperor himself just a puppet in the grand marshal's hands? Neither of them had the right to mock the other.

She considered herself far more experienced, with more life wisdom than the young prince. How dare an unseasoned youth tread on her? She would not tolerate it.

Everyone knew the grand marshal, Sima Zhao, had ambitions. The young prince was digging his own grave, and she could not be blamed for his downfall. Even if it meant losing her title as concubine, she would depose him from the dragon throne.

Despite her exalted status as a Grand Empress Dowager, she was well aware that more than half of the palace servants were loyal to the Grand Commander. The remaining minority had no influential background and could only diligently serve without involving themselves in the affairs of their masters.

She had attempted several times to send messages to Gongye Chu, but received no reply. Eventually, her patience ran out, so she secretly summoned her brother for answers. He informed her that Gongye Chu had declared the matter an imperial family affair, not to be interfered with by court officials.

News from the previous dynasty rarely reached the harem unless Gongye Chu intentionally divulged it. No matter how hard she tried to inquire, she wouldn't learn anything substantial.

What a domestic issue, Gongye Chu was clearly relishing their internal strife. She resented the emperor for his inability to grasp the situation – the more he fought against her, the more he fell into Gongye Chu's trap. Perhaps Gongye Chu was impatient to seize the throne; not only would the emperor's days be numbered, but her position as Grand Empress Dowager would also be jeopardized.

In Chengyou Palace, she was desperate and powerless. After summoning Minister Zeng covertly, he was impeached for unauthorized entry into the palace, resulting in a demotion and a three-month suspension from court.

This only confirmed her suspicion that Gongye Chu was about to make a move. She dared not send any more messages and confined herself obediently within Chengyou Palace. Yet, even playing dead was not enough, as trouble seemed to find her.

Zhang Yinyin sounded the drums of complaint, accusing her father of favoring his concubine over his wife, allowing the concubine to cause the death of his legitimate son and drive his wife mad. Secondly, she exposed the Zeng family's crime of deceiving the emperor by presenting an extramarital daughter as a legitimate daughter for the imperial selection.

With two charges brought forth, the Eastern Capital City was in an uproar.

The newly appointed City Governor was promoted at the behest of Shangxing. Before Zhang Yinyin sounded the drums, Pei Yuanxi had already discreetly sent word. Despite his young age, he was astute, knowing that pleasing both sides was a delicate balancing act that could end badly for him.

As he was appointed by the emperor, he naturally aligned himself with the emperor's faction. Pei Yuanxi was the emperor's foster mother, a title that carried official recognition. He dared not slight her and promptly took up the case with great seriousness.

The case was not complicated. If Zhang Yinyin dared to take such a risk, she must have been thoroughly prepared. Whether it was Lord Zhang's favoritism towards his concubine over his wife or Concubine Zeng's status as an extramarital daughter, all the evidence was presented.

With the Zeng family accused of deceiving the emperor, they would face the punishment of having their property confiscated and being exiled. Even if Lord Zhang had not favored his concubine over his wife, he would still be implicated by the Zeng family and face the same fate of exile.

When the news reached Concubine Zeng, she thought she had misheard. After several confirmations, she slumped in her chair. Struggling to sit up straight, she stammered as she instructed someone to send a message.

She wanted to see Gongye Chu.

No one but the Grand Marshal could save her. She knew the severity of deceiving the emperor, but she also knew that there were those who cared little for the king's authority. The Grand Marshal, who dared to massacre the Shangxing royal family, was not someone bothered by the world's slander. If she still had value in his eyes, she would remain a useful pawn, and thus, she would be safe, even as an extramarital daughter.

However, instead of Gongye Chu, Shangxing arrived.

Shangxing nonchalantly entered Chengyou Palace with a venomous triangular-headed snake coiled around his arm. He examined the palace layout with a casual air, completely ignoring her presence.

"Not bad. There are shady spots and well-lit areas with a proper orientation. A fine location indeed."

Her gaze was as poisonous as her words as she gave a cold smile. "Your Majesty, we should both be pitiable souls. Why rush to witness this mockery of my fate? When the hare is dead, the hunting dog is cooked; when the birds are gone, the bow is put away. If I become a discarded piece, doesn't that imply Your Majesty's reign is coming to an end?"

"Empress Dowager, you are mistaken. I am I, and you are you. I do not crave greedily. If the Grand Marshal desires this land and throne, I would willingly surrender it with open arms. Unlike Empress Dowager, who foolishly loses herself in luxury and flattery, forgetting who she truly is. It is your unbridled ambition, reaching for what should never have been yours, that has brought this calamity upon yourself."

Shangxing released the serpent from his grasp, and it slithered smoothly across the polished floor, ascending the massive golden pillar that rose majestically in the hall, suspending just beneath the high beam directly above Concubine Zeng's head. Its extended tongue and hissing sounds sent shivers down one's spine.

Grand Consort Zeng was horrified, her heart aching with distress, yet she forced herself to gather her wits and speak, "In the end, Your Majesty remains overly naive. The vast empire and its command can be taken at will by the Grand Commander; he hardly needs it handed to him on a silver platter. By standing idle as I am discarded today, you invite the inevitable—when your own downfall comes, there will be no shortage of those who will delight in your misfortune. We are both pawns in this game, destined for a similar fate in the end."

"It's not the same," Shangxing said, hands clasped behind his back, exuding an air of leisurely nonchalance. How could it possibly be the same? This was his own father they were talking about. There was no distinction between father and son where they were concerned; the realm and its mountains and rivers belonged to his father, and by extension, to him as well.

Blame it on this old woman's lack of discernment, being addressed a few times as Empress Dowager and she forgets her own identity. It's tolerable that she schemes against him from time to time; after all, he doesn't fall for her traps anyway.

But if anyone dared to scheme against his mother, he wouldn't tolerate it. She had no qualms about involving Miss Chen or Miss Zeng in her plots - how tedious. Moreover, she even opposed their mother-son reconciliation, which was truly unbearable.

"You were quite detestable before as well, but apart from avoiding you, I never entertained the thought of punishing you. After all, we had no major conflicts, and I allowed you to reside in Tai Ling Palace as the Imperial Noble Consort. Your mistake lies in provoking those you should not have. Even if Miss Zhang had not exposed your illegitimate birth, I would not have tolerated your continued scheming."

Someone one should not provoke?

Astonishment flickered in Consort Zeng's eyes. Could it be Pei Yuanxi?

Impossible, it's merely a foolish girl. Even if she were extraordinary, what remarkable quality could have captured that boy's attention? She had always assumed that the boy acknowledged the foolish girl as his foster mother out of spite towards her. Could there be more to the story than she knows?

Her expression was fraught with uncertainty, as she pondered over ways to turn the tide in her favor.

Shangxing wouldn't grant her the chance to argue, and with a wave of his hand, several eunuchs entered. "My darlings have been thriving, eating well and multiplying. Fangyin Palace can no longer accommodate them. Chengyou Palace seems suitable. It would be an inconvenience for Empress Dowager Zeng to move, but it's for the sake of my little ones."

The eunuchs attempted to pull Empress Dowager Zeng along, causing her to scream in panic, "You have no right to force me out! I want to see the Grand Duke!"

"The Grand Duke has no time for you. A mere empress dowager thinks too highly of herself. You might have forgotten about your late sisters. Perhaps they're eagerly awaiting you on the other side, hoping for a reunion." Shangxing glanced at her disdainfully, as if she were a joke. "There's no need to pack; these belongings never truly belonged to you. Qixia Palace has everything you need, including the clothes and bedding left behind by your sisters years ago – more than enough for you to enjoy."

Empress Dowager Zeng was deeply alarmed, realizing that the emperor wasn't bluffing. As two eunuchs lifted her, she finally wondered if the Grand Duke had ordered this treatment.

Why?

Could it be that the Grand Duke intended to...

Qixia Palace had been neglected for years, overgrown with weeds that blocked the entrance. The palace gate, worn with age, had lost its crimson paint, and the brass lock was corroded with green rust.

Upon pushing through the door, a rustling sound filled the air, unsettling unknown insects and birds that flew away in panic. Fattened rats scurried in disarray.

Empress Dowager Zeng was unceremoniously thrown inside, and the gate was slammed shut. Bruised all over, she couldn't help but feel the eunuchs' brutality, not to mention their disregard for her status.

She was, after all, an Empress Dowager!

A stifled breath lingered in her chest, and with a sudden realization, she deflated like a punctured balloon.

In past dynasties, the Empress Dowagers might have retained some dignity, but she was merely a small life that had narrowly escaped Gongye Chu's sword. She stood as a mere decoration within Tai Ling Palace.

That impudent young man had spoken a truth: during those three years of luxury in Chengyou Palace, she had gradually erased from memory the night Gongye Chu bathed Tai Ling Palace in blood.

It had been a dark and windy night when she was awakened from her sleep by shrill screams. By the time she rushed out in panic, all she saw were corpses littering the ground and a sea of dark red blood. She recalled trembling before the cold glint of a sword and hearing the icy pronouncement of amnesty amidst the thick stench of blood.

With the new emperor's ascension, she was bestowed the title of Empress Dowager – it was like living in a dream. Initially, she was too terrified to make a sound, rarely leaving the confines of Chengyou Palace.

As time passed, she ventured out more often, and her courage grew. When people began flattering and courting her, she had long since pushed that bloody night to the back of her mind.

But now, the events of that night became vividly clear, as if those unseeing eyes were staring at her. It felt as though something was tightly gripping her heart, filling her with an unprecedented fear.

Something scurried past her feet, making her scream in terror. She scrambled to her feet, pounding desperately on the palace gates, screaming for an audience with the Grand Marshal.

No one answered her; only the incessant sounds from the overgrown grass beyond the gate responded. She pounded the doors even harder, her desperate cries turning into pleading. It was unclear if anyone was outside, as no one ever replied.

As the sky darkened, the rustling in the weeds grew louder. It dawned on her that she was indeed discarded, abandoned like a chess piece, with no hope of rescue.

The clothes and bedding left behind by the late emperor's concubines had been gnawed to shreds, and dust fell off at the slightest touch. Amidst the company of rats and insects, despair filled her heart.

Back when she was still one of the late emperor's consorts, she shared a palace with several low-ranking consorts and beauties. Though the main consort wasn't favored, she still maintained a certain level of dignity. She had carefully courted her favor, thus enjoying a better life than the others.

She had indeed dreamed of gaining the emperor's favor, but unfortunately, he was fickle and constantly sought novelty. She had enjoyed his attentions briefly upon entering the palace, only to lose it soon after. Even if she desired his favor later on, there were no opportunities for her to approach him.

Unfavored consorts were vulnerable to abuse, and insufficient food or firewood were common occurrences. She thought that enduring such hardships in the palace was as bad as it could get.

Never in her wildest dreams did she expect that after enduring all her suffering, she would end up in Qixia Palace.

As the night grew darker, visibility became almost non-existent. Rats scurried past her, some even crawling over her body. Her screams echoed incessantly, fear of death pushing her to the brink of collapse.

Suddenly, she heard the palace gates creak, followed by a burst of light.

Blinded by the flames, she squinted, her hopes fading. It wasn't Gongye Chu nor any potential savior who arrived, but Pei Yuanxi.

Pei Yuanxi wore a scarlet cloak, her ethereal beauty akin to a moonlit pearl radiating a celestial glow. Surrounded by attendants, she held the air of a queen in the harem.

"How does Empress Dowager find her stay here?"

Empress Zeng clung to hope like a drowning person grasping at a straw. "Second Miss Pei, please save me. Your mother and I were good friends; you can't just stand by and watch."

Indeed, life was at stake, so even the Empress referred to herself in the humblest way.

Pei Yuanxi surveyed her surroundings. "The weeds are overgrown here. I imagine that the Empress would not be accustomed to such surroundings."

She knew that yet still asked.

"Second Miss Pei, if you help me today, I will repay your kindness in the future."

"A generous reward?" Pei Yuanxi scoffed coldly. "I dare not accept your repayment, nor will I save you. I have no wish to save a viper only to be bitten by it later."

Hearing this, Empress Zeng slowly gathered her composure and sat up straight. After years in the depths of the palace, she believed she wouldn't be intimidated by a young girl. "So Second Miss Pei has come to mock my plight? I admit defeat, but one day, you all will meet the same fate as me, it's just a matter of time."

"Faced with this situation, Empress Zeng remains so calm. Truly admirable." A eunuch brought a chair, and Pei Yuanxi sat down gracefully. "Emperor Xian's harem was filled with thousands of beauties, but only Empress Zeng lived the longest. If you were truly grateful for your blessings, perhaps you wouldn't end up in this state."

"It's none of your business how I fare. Don't delude yourself into thinking His Majesty sincerely recognizes you as his foster mother. Wake up! He is using you as a pawn in his game with the Grand Marshal. Once you lose your usefulness, your fate will be worse than mine." Empress Zeng smoothed her disheveled hair, seemingly returning to her indifferent and unworldly demeanor. However, her sharp and piercing words ruined the aura.

Pei Yuanxi chuckled. "Whatever happens to me is of no concern to Empress Zeng. It's a pity about my kind-hearted mother, who still feels injustice on your behalf. She doesn't realize that your attempts to befriend her were all part of your scheme."

A faint change flickered across Concubine Zeng's serene expression. She finally understood why Pei Yuanxi had been at odds with her from the very beginning and even felt that the other woman had intentionally provoked her, causing her to lose her composure.

"You... You did it on purpose? Did you incite Zhang Yinyin, that wretch?"

She had been puzzled before. How could that seemingly foolish daughter of her elder sister have the audacity to accuse her own father and maternal family? Now she realized that it was this detestable girl who was behind it all.

"Concubine Zeng always sees yourself as superior and assumes others are fools. You schemed against your elder sister, making my mother believe you were a pitiful and bullied concubine-born daughter. Logically, you should be grateful to my mother, but instead, you turned out to be an ungrateful villain."

"Phooey!" Concubine Zeng dropped the act. "Why should I be grateful to your mother? You think she helped me out of kindness, but she only wanted to maintain her good reputation. If she truly considered me a friend, she wouldn't have constantly flaunted herself in front of me. She is fortunate... being the daughter of a marquis household and betrothed to a young marquis. Did she ever consider that my father almost married me off to an aging, wealthy miser?"

"Do you think she was showing off, so you plotted against her with meticulous planning?" As Pei Yuanxi spoke, her gaze subtly swept toward the palace gates.

Concubine Zeng abandoned all pretense, revealing a strange smile. "Shouldn't I take revenge on her? Every time she gloated in front of me, my heart bled. I may not be as fortunate as she is, but so what? She married into the marquis household and became the lady of the house, but she's too stupid and naive. I merely gave a few discreet hints, yet those around her proved more ruthless in their schemes against her. It's her fault for being disliked, her fault for arousing resentment!"

There seemed to be a sense of relief in her strange smile, as if she found satisfaction in venting. Even facing Pei Yuanxi, she couldn't help but feel a smug sense of triumph.

"I had no idea you hated me this much..." A sorrowful voice echoed from outside the door, followed by the weak support of a palace maid as Madam Shen entered.

"Madam Shen..." Concubine Zeng wore a look of astonishment, which quickly turned back to her previous demeanor. "Well, it's better you know now. At least someone will share in my joy."

"I once treated you as my dearest sister, sharing all my thoughts with you. When you were struggling in the palace, I went out of my way to help you. Do you really think that imperial consort from your palace would have taken care of you without my intervention? And when you became a grand imperial concubine, how happy I was for you..."

"You're lying! I relied on myself in the palace..."

"How could you rely on yourself when you didn't even have a single coin to your name... I knew about your pride, so I didn't mention it. When your father planned to marry you off to an old, dying man, it was I who begged my own father to step in. Otherwise, do you think your father would have changed his mind?" The more Shen spoke, the more regret she felt. "I treated you sincerely, but you ended up harming me at every turn. You've made my life miserable!"

"You're lying! You're lying!" The former grand imperial concubine refused to believe a word. She had always relied on herself since childhood; no one had truly helped her. "Do you know what kept me going in the palace, what motivated me to curry favor with others? It was your family, your mother and sister, and the rest of the Zengs. When I became a grand imperial concubine, how joyful I was watching you dote on Yuanjun, and how satisfying it was seeing my elder brother grovel before me. Then, my elder sister lost her legitimate son and went mad. Whenever I thought of these, I couldn't help but smile even in my dreams!"

"Therefore, you let your triumph consume you," Pei Yuanxi said coldly.

"Say whatever you want. Sister Shen still had a better life with a clever daughter like you. In any case, my revenge has succeeded. Even if I were to die now, I'd consider it a victory." The former grand imperial concubine's gaze grew even more mysterious. "Let me share a secret with you. Actually, Aunt Xiang never..."

Suddenly, her face turned purplish, and her lips darkened. She let out a strange, strangled noise as if someone was choking her. Her eyes bulged, and she collapsed to the ground, breathing her last.

Shangxing rushed in from outside. Upon seeing her lifeless body, his brows knitted together.

He turned her over and saw a large, black spider crawling out of her neck. Swiftly, he caught the fleeing spider, his brows furrowing even more, his expression grave.

"What is this?" Pei Yuanxi asked.

"In the depths of the poisonous forest lies the deadliest spider, and I've kept a few in Fangyin Palace," Shangxing replied. "But this isn't one of those I bred. This one must be over ten years old."

So, it seemed there were still hidden players they were unaware of.

Madam Shen swayed, feeling as if her world was collapsing. She had believed that after the incidents with Rulan and Ping Zhen, nothing else could fill her with more regret. Yet, she realized that not only those close to her but even her once-dearest friend had ulterior motives from the beginning.

All the suffering Yuanxi endured was a result of her actions.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..." She didn't know what else to say. "I was blind and foolish, truly wasting a pair of eyes. It would have been better if I'd plucked them out myself."

With that, she reached for her eyes to do just that.

Pei Yuanxi quickly stopped her, holding her hands down.

Tears streaming down her face, she wept in remorse. "Yuanxi, it's Mother who wronged you... If not for my inability to see people for who they truly are, you should have been a legitimate daughter from birth... You wouldn't have suffered so much, nor would you have spent a decade in ignorance... It's my fault, my blindness!"

Shangxing's face contorted with anger. He hadn't known that Concubine Tian had been involved in the past, or he would never have allowed that old woman to wreak havoc in the palace for so long.

As for this Marquis Xuanping's wife, there were no words to describe her. If not for the sake of his mother... But he had no patience for these apologies and regrets. Why hadn't they acted sooner?

A cold glance swept past, "Madame Pei, you should return and rest early. I still have matters to discuss with my foster mother."

Madame Shen retired sorrowfully, escorted by the palace maids.

Pei Yuanxi understood the reason for his anger. Amidst her gratitude, she felt profound guilt. People often say that children are their parents' debts, but few realize that some parents can be their children's debts as well.

She didn't blame her mother. Even if they couldn't be close, she was willing to help her mother discern the true characters around her, preventing her from being deceived again. In contrast, he... From the moment they met until now, he had always been the one trying to please her. He had always put her first, while she seemed to have done nothing for him.

In her heart, she didn't genuinely see him as her son. She observed his admiration for her but couldn't empathize with it. She knew of his reliance on her but was unsure how to connect with him.

Her mother was her debt, and she was his. He had traveled through time as a child, and who could comprehend his confusion and vulnerability? Even though there were parents in this world, his father was not the same man from his original life, and she, as his mother, knew nothing about him.

In this unfamiliar era, she had believed herself to be the only solitary existence. Little did she know that in the not-too-distant future, her son would arrive here, just as alone as she was when facing everything.

Had he ever considered that this world might be different from the one he came from? That they might not be the people he thought they were, but strangers separated by time and space? Or perhaps he believed that none of what he imagined would happen, that they were simply themselves, unrelated to him?

"Chong... Chong'er, have you ever thought that your father and I might not..."

"I have," Shangxing looked at her with an immature face yet matured depth and sorrow, "Even if you and Father won't be together, even if I won't exist in the future, I don't regret it... As long as Mother lives happily... Lives to a hundred years old."

Her eyes stung, and she couldn't hold back the tears that poured down like rain.